Work starts on town’s digital transformation

Doncaster is marking a major milestone in its digital transformation as work begins to extend its full fibre network to reach almost every home and business in the town.

This forms part of a £25m private investment from CityFibre.

Full fibre is currently available to around 13% of premises across the UK.

By using fibre optic cables for every stage of the connection from the customer’s home or business to the internet, users will be offered a significantly superior and more reliable broadband service, capable of Gigabit speeds (1,000 Mbps).

The full fibre network is not yet live, but once activated, services will be available from an increasing range of broadband providers.

Across the UK, CityFibre is already working with launch partner Vodafone to deliver next generation broadband services, and TalkTalk is expected to join the network soon.

Construction work has officially commenced in Doncaster town centre and the Hyde Park area, with Hexthorpe & Balby North set to follow.

Heneghans is delivering the construction programme on CityFibre’s behalf and all contractors are being urged to follow the social distancing protocols as outlined by Public Health England to ensure the build partners’ safety.

Natalie Ward, CityFibre’s city manager for Doncaster, said: “For people across Doncaster, their digital future is just around the corner.

“Work is now underway and that is something to be celebrated.

“Full fibre broadband will help households and businesses access all they need at lightning speed, but the benefits are far deeper than that – from enabling smart home technologies to giving people the freedom to work from home with ease.

“The investment also comes at a critical time for Doncaster’s forward-thinking business community.

“Next generation full fibre connectivity can drive innovation and productivity, ultimately giving businesses the platform they need to realise their growth ambitions.

“And it won’t just improve business locally – it will also help businesses take their products or services to an international audience.”