Luton and Dunstable set for Full Fibre boost as CityFibre announces £45m rollout
Thursday, 3 March 2022
CityFibre, the UK’s largest independent full fibre platform, has named Luton and Dunstable as the next UK towns in line for a multi-million-pound investment in their digital infrastructure.
This is a move that will see the neighbouring towns become two of the world’s best-connected communities.
Nationally, CityFibre is building new and better digital infrastructure for up to 8m homes and businesses through its up to £4bn Gigabit City Investment Programme. It is set to invest £45m in a new network that will bring full fibre connectivity – the best technology for the job – within reach of every home and business in Luton and Dunstable.
Full fibre networks, unlike many of the copper-based ‘fibre broadband’ services available today, use 100% fibre optic cables to carry data at light speed all the way from the home to the point of connection. This gives users speeds of up to 1,000 Mbps for upload and download, near limitless bandwidth and connectivity users can depend on.
A full fibre connection also goes far beyond simply enabling access to the latest entertainment at lightning speed. As an essential digital utility, full fibre boosts households and businesses alike, with experts saying it will drive a range of economic benefits, such as improving productivity and unlocking innovation.
As City Manager, Jean Gowin will lead the delivery of the Luton and Dunstable project. She will be responsible for ensuring works are delivered efficiently and considerately, while also acting as the main point of contact for all stakeholders.
Jean, said:
The next chapter in Luton and Dunstable’s story starts here and I’m delighted that we will soon be adding these locations to our full fibre network. As we future-proof Luton and Dunstable’s digital needs for generations to come, we cannot wait for residents and businesses to see what is possible with digital connectivity that propels you forward rather than holds you back.
Councillor Steve Dixon, Executive Member for Sustainability and Transformation at Central Bedfordshire Council, said:
Investing in digital infrastructure supports economic growth and is vital for modern, everyday life. The rollout of ultrafast broadband in Dunstable will offer significant benefits for our residents and businesses. It will speed up the download of a movie, help people stay connected with friends and family and will open new opportunities for firms to expand their business. We are delighted to be working with CityFibre on this important digital access project.
Construction work on the full fibre network in Luton will begin in April this year, while Dunstable’s rollout is scheduled to get underway in early 2023. As work is completed in each neighbourhood, internet service providers (ISPs) will ‘light up the network’ with some of the fastest and most competitive broadband packages available in terms of both data and price.
In Luton and Dunstable, services will be available from an increasing range of broadband providers. Across the UK, CityFibre is already working with Vodafone, TalkTalk, Zen and other partners are expected to join the network soon.
Residents interested in giving their home broadband a boost can find out more about the build and register their interest on the CityFibre website.