Blackpool invests in multi million pound fibre broadband upgrade

A private and public co-operative group is working to roll out a multi million pound fibre broadband upgrade which will see Blackpool become one of the UK's best connected towns.

The technology will see the town's old copper lines replaced with a 'hyperfast' fibre alternative, giving residents and businesses the opportunity to access gigabit speeds.

The launch of the Fibre Blackpool initiative is a result of £3.1m of funding that was secured in Spring 2018 through the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).

The grant has been used to expand a shared fibre infrastructure into Blackpool town centre and along the length of the coast’s tramline, from Squires Gate Lane and Blackpool Airport Enterprise Zone all the way to Fleetwood and Hillhouse Technology Enterprise Zone, thus future-proofing the town with a full ‘fibre to the premises’ (FTTP) connection.

SMEs and residents will be able to claim one-off vouchers to put towards the cost of connecting to the project.

Shaun Fensom, secretary of the Cooperative Network Infrastructure (CNI), said: “Over the next two years we’ll be working with Blackpool to unlock a state-of-the-art fibre network for the benefit of both residents and businesses.

"The network will enable Internet service providers - members of our cooperative - to deliver some of the fastest internet connections available in the UK. They’ll be investing to connect businesses and residents along the Fylde Coast and in the two Enterprise Zones. That will mean faster, better connections, and bring yet more investment to Blackpool."

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