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Openreach says that its Fibre First initiative will transform the provision of public services in the city
The UK’s incumbent network operator Openreach is to make its fibre to the home services available to every resident of Salisbury, making it the first town in the UK to boast 100 per cent FTTH coverage.
Openreach says that it will make its FTTH services available to every resident in the Wiltshire town, within 12 months, providing over 20,000 new connections.
The move was hailed by the UK’s chancellor of the exchequer, Philip Hammond, as a key step in the country’s digital evolution.
“The growing speed with which we connect online with our families, friends and work colleagues, not only brings us closer together, but it also provides huge benefits for our economy.
“I’m delighted that Salisbury will be the first UK city to gain universal access to the gold-standard of the internet – ultrafast full fibre – making it one of the most cutting-edge cities in the country. It’s vital that every family and business across the country can benefit from this new technology, which is why we’ve committed to deliver a nationwide full fibre network by 2033.”
Openreach’s CEO, Clive Selley said that the initiative would help to transform the provision of public services in the town and would pave the way for further development in the region.
“This is the first location in the UK where we’re aiming to upgrade an entire city network in a single year, so it’s a hugely ambitious project. As a medieval city, Salisbury’s narrow streets won’t be the easiest for our engineers to access and work in, but we’re confident that it’s achievable thanks to the close partnership we’ve built with the Council and the unrivalled experience and skill of our engineering teams.”
Openreach has committed to provide 5 million FTTH connections across the UK by the mid – 2020s.
Reducing Britain’s digital divide will be a key theme at this year’s Connected Britain event. Held from the 18th – 19th June 2019, Connected Britain will bring together the key stakeholders from the UK’s fixed line and mobile connectivity sectors. Click here to find out how you can be involved in the event.
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