Gigabit speeds could help the regions generate an additional £1.2 billion gross value added
CityFibre has begun service in Bracknell and Reading today offering local businesses for the first time connection speeds of up to 125Mbps.
Clients in health, IT, recruitment and financial services in the cities – are among the first to take advantage of the new speeds from CityFibre.
Thames Valley LEO indicate investment into ultra-fast connectivity could help generate an additional £1.2 billion gross value added (GVA) for the regions over the next five to seven years.
Other UK cities that have been transformed by CityFibre and will see such speeds include: Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Stirling, Northampton, Leeds, Milton Keynes.
CityFibre launched its ‘Gigabit Cities’ scheme in late 2016 connecting UK cities to higher broadband speeds in the effort to develop local businesses, and attract new firms.
Paramount importance
Thames Valley Berkshire LEP head of stakeholder engagement Bill Hicks said: “The demands on firms to manage data are increasing exponentially, and our sub-region has to be internationally competitive in its provision. This includes high capacity broadband and 5G mobile.
“Our digital connectivity is of paramount importance to our business community at large: our tech-based businesses depend on it, and more broadly, it is a critical infrastructure for our small business community in our rural and urban areas alike.”
CityFibre city development manager Nick Gray (pictured middle) added: “This new 100 per cent fibre infrastructure will play an enormous role in supercharging both towns’ economies whilst also attracting new talent and investment to the wider Thames Valley region.
“As cities across the UK prepare for the challenges and uncertainty ahead, it’s clear that investing in new, future proof digital infrastructure will not only make them more competitive, it will make them stronger, more productive and more resilient as we transition further into the digital age.”