CityFibre has completed the primary build of its full fibre network in Ipswich.
The new network is now ready for service to more than 70,000 homes, around 98 per cent of the town’s homes and most businesses. Ipswich is the latest town in CityFibre’s nationwide rollout.
Construction began on the £30 million project in 2020 and CityFibre has since laid more than 870km of dense full fibre infrastructure across the town. While the primary-build is now complete, CityFibre will continue to explore opportunities to connect more homes and businesses, including flats, new-build homes, business parks and homes on private roads.
CityFibre’s network offers download and upload speeds of up to 2.5Gbps and is capable of supporting symmetrical speeds of up to 10Gbps in the future. That is more than 36 times faster than the UK’s average download speeds of 69.4Mbps and more than 136 times faster than the UK’s average upload speed of 18.4Mbps. The full fibre broadband is available from a range of ISPs including Vodafone, TalkTalk, Giganet, IDNet, Zen and others.
Neil Madle, partnership manager at CityFibre, said, “Our rollout in Ipswich makes it one of the best-connected towns in the UK, unlocking incredible opportunities for residents and businesses alike. Having access to the UK’s best available full fibre network will transform how people work, learn and stay connected, while also boosting the local economy.
“This investment future-proofs Ipswich’s digital infrastructure, ensuring the town remains competitive, innovative, and ready to embrace new opportunities in a rapidly evolving digital world.”
Neil MacDonald, Leader of Ipswich Borough Council, said, “The completion of CityFibre’s full fibre network is fantastic news for our town. In an increasingly digital world, reliable, high-speed connectivity is now a necessity for residents, businesses and public services to thrive.
“In 2023, 99.4 per cent of Ipswich had access to Superfast Broadband - one of the highest in the UK - making Ipswich a great place for business and home working. This investment will further boost access, strengthening our local economy, creating new opportunities and ensuring Ipswich remains a competitive and attractive place to live and work. I am excited to see how this improved infrastructure will benefit our community for years to come.”