Spalding still on for Openreach broadband upgrade
Spalding is still in line to get full-fibre broadband from Openreach - as well as from a recently-announced project.
Lightspeed Broadband has announced plans to install gigabit broadband connections in Spalding, Holbeach and Long Sutton.
However, we understand that this will be as well as - and not instead of - existing plans to upgrade the network.
Openreach, which manages the nation’s broadband infrastructure, said it doesn’t yet have a date for upgrading connections in Spalding - but it is working now in Stamford, Bourne and Sleaford.
Its upgrade would allow people to sign up for faster speeds with the likes of Sky, BT and Talktalk.
An Openreach spokesman said: “Openreach has already built an Ultrafast full fibre network to more than 4.5 million homes and businesses and we’re building faster, at lower cost and higher quality than anyone else in the UK. We’re regularly announcing new locations, and although we’ve not yet reached Spalding, we have already confirmed work is under way in nearby Stamford, Bourne and Sleaford.
“New locations are added to Openreach’s build plans regularly and there is an option at openreach.com to register details so people can be the first to hear about any announcement to build Ultrafast full fibre locally.”
A spokesman for communications regulator Ofcom welcomed the choice on offer to Spalding residents from the various plans to upgrade broadband.
They said: “Network competition has helped full fibre coverage increase at its fastest ever rate over the last couple of years. We want as much of the country as possible to have a choice of networks. Our regulations are designed to support this, by encouraging a range of companies to roll out their own faster networks.
“Competitors’ new networks will be available alongside Openreach’s network, which is used by the likes of BT, Sky and TalkTalk. So people will still have the choice of those providers, as well as any new network that is built.
“This competition is driving Openreach to ramp up the rollout of its own full-fibre network to 20 million households in the next few years, replacing its old copper one. And more than half the country have access to Virgin Media’s ultrafast network, which the company continues to expand. So millions of customers are getting access to better broadband.”
As well as Lightspeed and Openreach, we recently revealed that Ark ICT is hoping to provide better broadband through wireless connections to help cover those not reached by such schemes.
The news has been welcomed by business leaders, who say better broadband could attract new firms to the area.
