The new network is now available as 'ready for service' to more than 87,700 homes, accounting for about 82 per cent of residential properties and most businesses.
Construction began on the £40 million project in 2019 and CityFibre has since laid almost 732km of dense full fibre infrastructure across the town. CityFibre will continue to look at opportunities to reach more sites including new build properties, multi-dwelling units, homes on private or unadopted roads and business parks.
The new service provides affordable, gigabit-capable and reliable full fibre broadband from a range of ISPs including launch partner Vodafone, as well as TalkTalk, IDNet, Zen and Giganet. Almost all homes passed by the network can now schedule a full fibre installation within five working days of placing an order. CityFibre’s network currently supports download and upload speeds of up to 2.5Gbps and is capable of supporting symmetrical speeds of up to 10Gbps.
An economic impact report by the consultancy Hatch, commissioned by CityFibre, found Northampton stands to experience significant economic, social and environmental benefits from its new digital infrastructure platform, including more than £603 million in productivity and innovation gains and £133 million from a widened workforce over a 15-year period. Enabling 5G rollout alone could drive up to £1 billion in positive economic impact.
Charles Kitchin, partnership manager at CityFibre, said, "I'm delighted that the primary-build of our full fibre network in Northampton has been completed. The rollout is an exciting step for the town’s digital connectivity, which will benefit from faster and more reliable broadband. Residents can now enjoy seamless streaming, even when using multiple devices at once, with ample productivity and innovation benefits for the local economy."
Councillor Mike Hallam, Cabinet Member for corporate services and HR at West Northamptonshire Council, said, "CityFibre’s completion of its primary-build in Northampton will provide a significant boost to the local economy, making the town one of the best-connected places in the country. Having high-quality digital infrastructure is vital when attracting new businesses and residents to the area and we look forward to seeing the community reap the benefits for generations to come."