East Anglia, the rural eastern region of England, has yet to catch up with many other parts of the country when it comes to internet connectivity and speeds. But exciting progress is being made as full-fibre broadband networks are rolled out across the region, providing homes and businesses with ultrafast and reliable internet access.
Full fibre broadband, also known as fibre to the premises (FTTP), is a technology that uses fibre optic cables to connect properties directly to the internet network. Unlike traditional copper cable and hybrid fibre-coaxial networks, full fibre involves no slower copper wiring. This provides faster, more consistent speeds and greater bandwidth capacity.
The UK government has set targets for full-fibre coverage nationwide, aiming to reach at least 85% of premises by 2025. Public and private sector partners are making significant investments to achieve this goal. For rural areas like East Anglia, which have been poorly served by internet providers historically, the expansion of full fibre is a game-changer.
Current State of Full Fibre Broadband in East Anglia
East Anglia comprises the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and parts of Essex. Over the last few years, many regional locations have gained access to full-fibre services.
The city of Cambridge has extensive coverage already, with [CityFibre] already providing full fibre to over 90% of homes and businesses. Other places such as Bury St Edmunds, Lowestoft, and Sudbury in Suffolk also have CenturyLink and Gigaclear networks available.
However, there are still large rural swathes of East Anglia without reliable, fast broadband. The problems of the digital divide between urban and rural areas persist.
Ongoing Rollout Projects Across the Region
Thankfully for East Anglia, several major fibre broadband rollout projects are underway or soon to begin construction across the region.
In Norfolk, Openreach is working with local authorities to expand its full-fibre network under the “Fibre First” programme. Key target areas include Norwich, Great Yarmouth, King’s Lynn and North Walsham.
Suffolk has also been a focus for Openreach, with over 120,00 homes in Ipswich and Bury St Edmunds expected to gain gigabit-speed fibre services by 2023.
Virgin Media O2 has announced plans to upgrade its entire UK network to full fibre over the coming years, including a significant expansion across East Anglia.
Smaller providers are playing an important role, too. Companies like LightSpeed Broadband are building bespoke full-fibre networks for rural towns and villages that need to be addressed by more prominent operators.
Why Full Fibre Brings Exciting Benefits
For East Anglia residents and businesses, the arrival of full-fibre broadband unlocks new possibilities and benefits. Here are some of the key advantages:
- Blazing fast speeds – Full fibre connections offer broadband speeds of up to 1 Gigabit per second (Gbps) – over 15x faster than the UK average! Downloading or streaming films and games happens in seconds.
- Ultra-low latency – Eliminating copper cables means significantly reduced latency, which is vital for online gaming, video calls and remote access services.
- Connect more devices – Full fibre has vastly greater bandwidth than copper networks, supporting many more connected devices in the home without any drop in speed.
- Enhanced connectivity – The reliable connectivity provided by Total Fibre supports the latest smart home and Internet of Things (IoT) applications. Technologies like video doorbells, remote surveillance and voice controls can run smoothly.
- Bringing communities together – Fast broadband helps strengthen communities by allowing people to interact online more quickly. This has been especially important during the Covid-19 pandemic.
- Levelling-up businesses – Rural businesses can now access the same speeds as urban competitors, levelling the playing field. Superfast uploads and downloads enable new services such as streamed content, cloud computing and online collaboration.
Getting Connected to Full Fibre Broadband
If full fibre services are available in your area, there are a few easy steps to getting connected:
- Check coverage – Use comparison sites like BroadbandChoices and ThinkBroadband to search providers and check what full fibre packages are available at your address.
- Compare packages – Consider factors like speeds offered (up to 1Gbps), monthly data limits, contract length and any setup costs. Look for deals and introductory offers.
- Discuss requirements – Speak to providers about your needs, e.g. speeds for gaming/large downloads and the number of connected devices required.
- Order service – Once you pick a provider and plan, you can order online or via phone. Installation of the fibre line usually takes 1-2 weeks.
- Set up router – You’ll be sent a new, quickly and easily installed router. Reset your wifi passwords and connect devices to enjoy your new speeds! Monitor speeds using online tools.
The Future Looks Bright with Full Fibre
As more ambitious rollout projects gain momentum across the next couple of years, the prospect of East Anglia catching up with other UK regions for full fibre coverage looks bright.
The massive demand from people for fast, reliable internet – which has only grown during the pandemic – is driving significant investment. Competition between providers will spur them to expand quickly to capture new customers.
Full fibre broadband finally makes fast internet speeds a reality for rural communities, small businesses and residents across Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, East Midlands, Yorkshire and surrounding areas.
The possibilities are exciting – whether it’s revolutionising how people work, accessing services, or even just streaming the latest TV or movies. East Anglia stands ready to reap the rewards of the digital future.
LightSpeed Broadband also provides full-fibre broadband across East Anglia. Customers can save up to £350 by taking a package with them. And using our exclusive LightSpeed referral code VadimsKTAA0, you can get your first two months free when you sign up!
From high streets to rural communities, the company’s network is taking root in 32 market towns across the region.
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