Original article Total Telecom:Read More

Wireless Broadband Alliance Services (WBA Services), a subsidiary of the Wireless Broadband Alliance, has today announced the commercial launch of WBA Services AFC, its Automated Frequency Coordination (AFC) service. The cloud-based platform is fully certified by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and enables the deployment of standard power Wi-Fi devices in the 6 GHz band (5.925–7.125 GHz) while ensuring they do not cause interference to existing incumbents, such as fixed microwave and radio astronomy links.

The launch of WBA Services AFC reflects the organization’s goal to advance global Wi-Fi innovation, delivering faster, more reliable, and more secure wireless connectivity. By enabling standard power devices in the 6 GHz band, WBA Services is unlocking a critical new spectrum resource for high-performance use cases such as enterprise networking, smart city infrastructure, industrial IoT, and immersive experiences like AR/VR. AFC enables more efficient use of the spectrum, benefiting not only infrastructure providers and service providers, but the millions of end users and businesses that rely on seamless, wireless broadband and low-latency access in homes, offices, stadiums, and public spaces.

The WBA Services AFC is based on the OpenAFC open-source specification and provides infrastructure manufacturers, service providers, and enterprises with dynamic frequency and power management based on device location and local spectrum conditions. This ensures compliance with regulatory requirements while maximizing spectrum availability and performance.

Tiago Rodrigues, CEO of Wireless Broadband Alliance Services, said: “As the demand for high-speed, low-latency wireless connectivity grows, the 6 GHz band represents a critical resource. Our AFC service empowers the ecosystem to harness this band responsibly and effectively. This is another great example of how WBA members’ work on AFC and across our working groups is leading the industry, driving new innovations and business opportunities for Wi-Fi technologies including Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 in a wide range of industrial, commercial and consumer use cases.”

AFC at the core of the 6 GHz opportunity

The AFC framework is vital for enabling standard power and outdoor Wi-Fi operations in the 6 GHz band. Devices query the WBA Services AFC to determine which frequencies and power levels are permitted at their location. This enables real-time, interference-free spectrum use for high-performance deployments in enterprise campuses, public venues, and dense urban environments, without the need for additional spectrum licenses.

WBA Services AFC delivers:

• Cloud-based coordination – Devices communicate directly with the WBA Services AFC to receive latest frequency guidance
• Standards-compliant operations – Fully aligned with the Open AFC Specification, ensuring interoperability and regulatory compliance
• Dynamic channel & power management – The service provides each device with approved frequencies and transmit power levels based on its location and surrounding environment.

New AFC support services

In addition to the core AFC service, WBA Services offers engineering and consulting support that are available for interference resolution, access point deployment planning, and custom software tools to optimize performance and accuracy.

• Interference incident response – Engineering support and analysis to investigate and resolve interference issues quickly and effectively
• Access point deployment planning – Includes site surveys, risk assessments, implementation evaluations, and strategies to minimize potential interference
• Custom software & simulation tools – Development of specialized tools or capabilities to enhance performance, such as improving accuracy, optimizing deployments, or further reducing interference risk.

How WBA Services AFC works with devices

1. Location detection – Before transmitting, a standard-power device or proxy determines its location
2. Querying WBA Services AFC – The device sends this location (and other technical data) to the WBA Services AFC.
3. Channel availability check – The WBA Services AFC system checks a database of licensed incumbents/operations and calculates which frequencies are available to use in that specific location to maximize the use of the spectrum
4. Authorization to transmit – The device receives a list of approved frequencies and power levels for operation

• Regular updates – Devices must check in with the AFC system at least once per day to stay current.

Original article Total Telecom:Read More

Press Release

AllPoints Fibre Networks (APFN) has officially launched aquila, a transformative new wholesale fibre platform designed to give Communication Service Providers (CSPs) seamless, scalable access to full-fibre broadband across the UK.

aquila currently integrates Openreach, BT Wholesale, CityFibre, and APFN’s own infrastructure into a single, easy-to-manage platform, unlocking connectivity to around 19 million premises — and counting. By removing the traditional complexities of wholesale fibre access, aquila enables CSPs to expand their services effortlessly without requiring upfront capital investment or lengthy development cycles.

aquila was built from the ground up to make the order and service journey smoother and faster for APFN’s CSP partners. The user experience has been specifically designed to be simpler and more straightforward than other solutions on the market. Uniquely, CSPs can connect to aquila via TM Forum’s tried and tested APIs, or via its API driven customer portal, or a mix of both. aquila’s transparent approach to system and service availability ensures CSP partners can deliver amazing service experiences every time.

Simplifying Wholesale Fibre Access

Historically, CSPs seeking national full-fibre coverage have had to navigate fragmented, outdated systems across multiple suppliers. aquila removes these obstacles, delivering a harmonised, scalable platform that streamlines fibre provisioning, enhances service transparency, and accelerates market deployment.

“aquila is built to transform wholesale fibre connectivity, making national full-fibre access simple, scalable, and efficient,” said Ronan Kelly, APFN Managing Director. “By consolidating the UK’s largest full-fibre networks into one seamless platform, we’re enabling CSPs to grow faster and serve more customers—without the traditional complexity.”

A Future-Ready Approach to Connectivity

aquila is not just a fibre access solution—it’s a complete service ecosystem designed to empower CSPs with end-to-end operational efficiency. In addition to offering wholesale FTTP, the platform offers Ethernet services, static IP solutions, advanced network telemetry, and customer-premises equipment (CPE) logistics, ensuring providers can scale confidently.

Alongside aquila, APFN has invested in cutting-edge core and edge network infrastructure designed for maximum performance and resilience. The figure-of-eight, multi-terabit, national backbone eliminates single points of failure by automatically rerouting traffic, ensuring seamless connectivity even during high-demand scenarios.

“Wholesale fibre access has needed a modern, transparent, and scalable alternative for a long time,” added Kelly. “With aquila and APFN’s robust network architecture, CSPs gain total control over their services, ensuring a faster, smarter, and more flexible approach to full-fibre delivery.”

As the UK’s demand for ultrafast, reliable broadband continues to rise, aquila provides CSPs with the competitive edge needed to meet evolving customer expectations and scale efficiently.

About All Points Fibre Networks (APFN)

APFN delivers the UK’s best and largest full fibre network through aquila, a frictionless wholesale platform, earning the trust of our customers by providing them with amazing services experiences at the lowest cost to serve. APFN is backed by Fern Trading, which is a committed long-term investor in the sector.

Join the telecoms ecosystem in discussion at Connected Britain 2025, the UK’s leading digital economy event

Also in the news:
Germany appoints first ever digital minister
Signify and Cornerstone to deploy city-wide multi-operator wireless network through street lighting
BT opens new flagship Manchester office

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

Property developer Persimmon Homes (Persimmon Plc) has this morning announced that they’ve sold their sibling broadband ISP, FibreNest, which offered internet packages to homeowners on the developments where they’d deployed their own “full fibre” (FTTP) lines, to alternative network provider BUUK Infrastructure (aka – GTC, OFNL – Open Fibre Networks Limited).

Much like Persimmon’s approach with FibreNest, OFNL provides open access Fibre-to-the-Premise (FTTP) broadband networks that offer residents and businesses ultrafast connectivity on new build developments. But unlike Persimmon, OFNL is not restricted to only working with a single property developer and at the last update its network had already covered around 130,000 new build homes (19th Jul 2024).

By comparison, FibreNest is a younger project (started 2018) than OFNL and the network it reflects has so far covered 47,000 premises of Persimmon’s new build homes (Thinkbroadband estimate on 3rd Feb 2025). The provider has also faced some criticism due to the lack of ISP options on their network (example). FibreNest do claim to offer a wholesale solution, but no other ISPs have found their offer attractive enough to adopt.

In that sense, today’s announcement of Persimmon’s sale of FibreNest’s full fibre broadband service to BUUK Infrastructure could be significant, both for existing homeowners within their respective developments and their future ability to expand. In addition, it will also make the overall and now much larger network more attractive as a consolidation target for bigger fish.

The discounted total enterprise value for the sale is c. £100m, with £70m received upon completion and further payments contingent on business performance over the coming years. Persimmon’s Board intends to use the proceeds from the sale of this non-core asset to invest further in its growth strategy.

The sale will also remove the need for the ongoing investment that FibreNest would have required in the coming years, providing additional capital for Persimmon to allocate to deliver its medium-term growth ambitions.

Dean Finch, Group Chief Executive, said:

“The sale will provide greater choice to FibreNest customers and allows Persimmon to invest further in our growth strategy. By partnering with BUUK we have been careful to select a well-respected operator that is committed to excellent service.”

The announcement makes clear that under BUUK’s ownership, FibreNest will be able to offer improved choice for customers, with access to up to 18 other broadband ISPs to choose from (although most of them do follow a roughly similar level of pricing and service quality). The sale is expected to complete, subject to regulatory clearance, within 3 months.

Furthermore, it’s worth reminding our readers that OFNL also has a pre-existing partnership with Virgin Media (details), which makes it possible for homeowners on many of their sites to access Virgin’s services too. In theory it’s conceivable that this dual duct agreement could now be extended to include FibreNest’s property development sites too, although that has yet to be confirmed and may require additional considerations (e.g. we don’t know if FibreNest’s network or the sale agreement can be adapted in that way).

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

Alternative broadband operator All Points Fibre Networks (APFN) will today formally launch its new Aquila wholesale platform into the wider UK market, which aims to make it simpler and easier for UK ISPs and resellers to gain access to Openreach, BTWholesale, CityFibre and APFN’s combined full fibre (FTTP) network footprints (c. 19 million premises).

Using a “no code / low code” approach, APFN claims it can help ISPs launch additional services, products and add infrastructure coverage “faster than any other wholesaler“. But only the internet providers can really judge the reality of this, and it remains unclear whether what they’re offering is as cost competitive as some of the other wholesale platforms out there.

“If CSPs want to serve premises on a national scale, they must currently use complex, fragmented systems with plenty of legacy technology. These systems have been built by multiple suppliers over the years, using older, copper-focused processes, systems and infrastructure which results in contention issues and often don’t interconnect properly. That makes the process complex, inefficient and results in poor customer experience,” said APFN.

By comparison, Aquila claims that comms providers can “unlock tens of millions of premises through a single relationship within 1 week via the aquila self-serve portal, or 6 weeks via its set of APIs. There is no Minimum Volume Commitment for CSPs to use aquila“. But it should be said that wholesale platforms are not immovable objects and more established providers are modernising their approaches too. On the other hand, Aquila does seem to offer much more than core connectivity solutions.

Summary of Aquila’s Connectivity and Service Offerings

➤ Symmetric and asymmetric Layer 3 FTTP (Business and Consumer grade)

➤ Ethernet services

➤ Static IP

➤ CPE (Customer-Premises Equipment) logistics (incl configuration, forward and reverse hardware logistics, decommissioning, repair and WEEE disposal)

➤ Telemetry reporting: CSPs see what we see – full transparency data and insights as a service.

➤ Professional service

➤ Service management portal

In the above case, Layer 3 (L3) is for providers who want a managed solution (L3 services come with fully routed connectivity), but there are also Layer 2 (L2) services for those who want full control (i.e. routing, IP addressing, and network management).

In addition, APFN informs ISPreview that they’ve built a brand-new core and edge network around all this. The aquila core network design features a figure-of-eight national backbone that they say “eliminates single points of failure” and provides connectivity to each of their locally enabled partner exchange buildings.

Speaking of which, APFN has partnered with Juniper Networks to install their latest carrier-grade routing equipment. This features 400Gbps NNI (Network-to-Network Interface) connections and 100Gbps as the lowest speed interface (aquila says they’re a “10Gbps-free zone“). The platform also employs edge-to-edge encryption.

Ronan Kelly, APFN Managing Director, said:

“aquila is built to transform wholesale fibre connectivity, making national full-fibre access simple, scalable, and efficient. By consolidating the UK’s largest full-fibre networks into one seamless platform, we’re enabling CSPs to grow faster and serve more customers—without the traditional complexity.

Wholesale fibre access has needed a modern, transparent, and scalable alternative for a long time. With aquila and APFN’s robust network architecture, CSPs gain total control over their services, ensuring a faster, smarter, and more flexible approach to full-fibre delivery.”

As above, it’s very hard for us to judge different wholesale platforms, although this does sound like an interesting set of solutions. At the end of the day, the proof will be in the adoption. But we should point out that other providers, such as Zen Internet and PXC (formerly TalkTalk Wholesale), are also playing at the wholesale and network aggregation game.

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

Sky’s sibling NOW Broadband (NOW TV) sub-brand has finally confirmed that existing customers will continue to be hit with the same approach to annual price hikes as they adopted last year. This means that the monthly price of their internet packages will be going up by £3 extra (£36 per year), impacting bills issued on or after 5th July 2025.

Much like their parent (Sky’s price hike), NOW Broadband does not follow the same model as other major ISPs, and thus they weren’t impact in the same way after Ofcom effectively banned mid-contract price hikes that were linked to confusing inflation or percentage-based changes (here).

The downside of this approach is that NOW Broadband’s existing customers don’t always get visibility of future mid-contract hikes until they’re actually announced (NOW prefers to simply say that your “price may change during 24-month contract“). On the upside, those unhappy with this increase will be able to cancel their service penalty-free, provided you do so within 31 days of having received the price notification letter.

The price hike does NOT impact the provider’s cheaper social tariff for those on certain state benefits (NOW Broadband Basics), although otherwise their official statement is almost identical to last year’s.

NOW Broadband Pricing Statement (2025)

At NOW, we’re all about bringing you great value and reliable broadband so you can stay connected to everything you love. That’s why we’ve invested in growing our broadband network capacity by 24% since 2022, reducing congestion so you can get faster speeds, even at peak times.

We understand that things are tough right now, and so alongside investing in improvements, we’re committed to keeping prices as low as we can. The costs of providing services have, however, increased significantly, and it’s affecting the entire industry.  

Many other providers have raised their prices, and we’ll be making some changes too. The prices of our broadband membership plans will be going up by £3. You’ll see the price change reflected in your bill on or after 4 July 2025.

You don’t need to do anything – your NOW Broadband will continue as usual. We hope you’ll continue to enjoy our services, but if you’re not happy with these changes, you can cancel your NOW Broadband Membership. If you’re within your minimum contract period, give us a call on 0330 041 2498 within 31 days of receiving the price increase notification to avoid early termination charges. You can check the details of your membership by heading to My Account. 

All NOW Broadband Members should have received an email about the price rise. In case you were concerned because it was sent from Sky, rather than NOW, don’t worry – the email is genuine (NOW is part of the Sky family).

In fairness, it’s worth remembering that big ISPs are not immune to cost increases. Providers, much like consumers, are also suffering under the burden of rising supplier and lease costs, surging inflation, high energy prices, as well as the cost of adding all sorts of new services and catering for new regulations etc.

Consumer who are hit by mid-contract hikes like this could alternatively try switching providers or haggling for a lower price when the notification drops (Retentions – Tips for Cutting Your Broadband Bill), although your mileage may vary. Meanwhile, those on benefits (Universal Credit etc.) also have the option of a cheaper Social Tariff – see our Quick Guide to UK Social Tariffs.

Original article Total Telecom:Read More

News

Businesses have earned almost £330,000 from recycling unused devices since the service’s relaunch

This week, Virgin Media O2 (VMO2) has shared that its O2 Recycle for Business initiative has helped save 45,000 devices from being sent to landfill since it was relaunched in October 2023.

The initiative invites companies to trade in their unused technology, such as smartphones or routers, which are then data wiped, repaired, refurbished and resold, or recycled. In exchange, the companies receive cashback or credit, or can instead opt to donate that cashback to the Good Things Foundation, a charity focussed on digital inclusion in the UK.

Since the initiative’s relaunch, companies have earned almost £330,000 from trading in unused devices.

“We know businesses want simple solutions to help them become more sustainable. That’s why Virgin Media O2 is leading the way in helping companies to reduce their waste, recycle their unwanted tech, and reuse their unwanted device,” said Dana Haidan, Chief Sustainability Officer at VMO2. “Businesses can also play a vital role in supporting digital inclusion by accessing tech donation programmes, where their unused devices can be given a second life and used by someone in need, helping them to get online, access essential websites and build digital skills.”

Despite this success, VMO2’s own research suggests that the schemes progress so far is just a drop in the ocean when it comes to the UK’s e-waste problem. The operator estimates that there are around 11.8 million unused business devices in the UK that could be reused or recycled.

Indeed, data from the UN suggests that the UK produces more e-waste per capita than every other country except Norway.

It is worth noting here that VMO2 has operated a similar recycle scheme on a much larger scale for consumer devices since 2009, earning consumers roughly £350 million and saving 4 million devices from going to landfill.

Combining its business and consumer facing recycling efforts, VMO2 says it is aiming for to complete 10 million ‘circular actions’ by the end of the year.

Join the telecoms ecosystem in discussion at Connected Britain 2025, the UK’s leading digital economy event

Also in the news:
Germany appoints first ever digital minister
Signify and Cornerstone to deploy city-wide multi-operator wireless network through street lighting
BT opens new flagship Manchester office

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

The Mobile Ecosystem Forum (MEF), which is a global trade body that works to address issues affecting mobile networks, has met with the UK Government’s Home Office to discuss the future Telecom Fraud Charter (TFC) and how they can improve the progress being made in tackling Application-to-Person (A2P) SMS text messaging fraud.

Just to recap. The voluntary fraud sector charter for telecommunications has been around for a few years now and essentially commits member providers to tackle the risk of fraud and scams against UK customers, as well as their own networks. This charter was originally supported by BT, EE, Sky (Sky Broadband, Sky Mobile etc.), TalkTalk, Three UK, Tesco Mobile, Vodafone, Virgin Media and O2.

The MEF also has its own self-regulatory framework in the form of their Business SMS Code of Conduct, which establishes standards for all entities involved in Application-to-Person (A2P) SMS messaging. This aims to protect consumers, while also ensuring ethical and commercial responsibility. The Code addresses message content, timing, data privacy, fraud prevention, and compliance, and it outlines the roles and responsibilities of industry players.

However, it appears as if the UK Government is now working toward helping finalise a new Telecom Fraud Charter, which could surface around the end of this summer. Suffice to say that there’s thus some benefit to be found in a collaboration between the Home Office in the UK and the MEF, which is intended to improve “coordinated action against telecoms fraud“. But it remains to be seen what the final outcome will be.

Key points discussed during the recent panel included:

* Close collaboration between the Home Office and MEF.

* Inclusion of the Home Office on the Code of Conduct Dispute Committee, which adjudicates disputes between signatories.

* Review of Code of Conduct violations by the Home Office and considering a public mention/report on violators.

* The timeline for finalizing the Charter is August/September 2025.

* Home Office consulting with Mobile Operators and business messaging companies such as CPaaS providers and aggregators.

* Home Office working closely with United Kingdom law enforcement, Ofcom and NCSC to ensure alignment and explore strategies for enforcement.

Speaking of Ofcom, the UK regulator only recently proposed to cap the wholesale price charged by mobile network operators (here) for the delivery of automated text messages (A2P SMS), which are widely used by business and organisations across the public and private sectors. But that has less to do with tackling fraud/scams and more to do with rebalancing the market.

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

Hampshire-based UK ISP toob, which have deployed their own full fibre (FTTP) broadband network across parts of Southern England, has today announced that they’ve expanded the availability of their services – under their complementary partnership with CityFibre – to another 12 cities and towns across the UK.

The alternative network operator is currently being financed through equity from funds managed and advised by the Amber Infrastructure Group, as well as a large amount of debt financing provided by Ares Management’s Infrastructure Debt (here). At the end of 2023 this mix of equity and debt reflected a total commitment of £395 million.

However, toob both builds their own Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) infrastructure and also holds a network partnership with CityFibre, with the latter helping to expand their coverage well beyond what they’ve already built (CF also gained reciprocal access to toob’s network). As a result of today’s development, toob’s packages can now be purchased in many towns and cities across a total of 12 additional UK locations.

The latest additions to their coverage include around half a million homes across Barnsley, Doncaster, New Edlington, Rossington, Rotherham, Sheffield, Bradford, Dewsbury, Huddersfield, Leeds, Harrogate and York – mostly reflecting the North, South and West of Yorkshire in England.

Nick Parbutt, toob CEO and Founder, said:

“I’m thrilled toob is expanding its reach to bring full-fibre broadband to Barnsley, Doncaster, New Edlington, Rossington, Rotherham, Sheffield, Bradford, Dewsbury, Huddersfield, Leeds, Harrogate and York.

For far too long, broadband providers have let customers down with poor service and unjustified price hikes. At toob, we’re changing that by focusing on what truly matters – offering fast and reliable broadband at an affordable price.

With ultrafast speeds of 900 Mbps priced currently at just £25 a month, we’re delivering incredible value. This is all made possible through our partnership with CityFibre which uses the latest and most dependable full-fibre technology available.”

Customers of the service currently pay just £25 per month on an 18-month minimum contract term (or £37 if you want a monthly term) to receive symmetric speeds of 900Mbps+ (average advertised speed) from toob, which includes free installation, a wireless router, unlimited usage, a pledge of no mid-contract price hikes and UK-based support.

In addition, it’s worth mentioning that toob also offers a cheaper 150Mbps entry-level tier for just £22 per month on an 18-month term, as well as a separate 50Mbps Social Tariff (‘toob essentials’) for those on state benefits. The latter has no fixed contract term and costs just £20 per month.

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

The UK telecoms regulator, Ofcom, has today opened a new investigation into wireless broadband operator IX Wireless (supported by UK ISP 6Gi / Opus Broadband), which will examine whether the network provider failed in its duty to minimise the visual impact of a 15-metre metal mast / pole when it was installed in Rochdale during 2023.

The operator, which holds an aspiration to cover 250,000 UK premises with their new network (here), is currently building their hybrid fibre and wireless broadband network across several towns in the North West of England, such as Blackburn with Darwen, Burnley, Nelson, Accrington, Thornton-Cleveleys, Fleetwood, Blackpool, Tameside and Oldham etc.

However, the “up to” 15-metre-high metal poles (masts) that they build don’t always go down well with residents in all the areas where they build (many people often highlight their negative visual appearance), although in being a wireless service they only need to deploy a smaller number in order to cover a wide area.

Infrastructure like this is typically built using Permitted Development (PD) rights and that means they don’t have to go through the usual planning process (i.e. they can pop up quite quickly, often without all residents getting much of a say). But the Electronic Communications Code (ECC), which reflects a set of rights that are designed to facilitate the installation and maintenance of such networks, does still impose some general requirements.

In this case, Ofcom appears to be looking at a single deployment of an IXW pole in Rochdale during 2023, and whether or not the operator correctly considered the need to “minimise the impact on the visual amenity” of nearby properties during their installation.

Ofcom Statement – CW/01294/04/25

Ofcom has today opened an investigation into IX Wireless’ compliance with its obligations under the Electronic Communications Code (Conditions and Restrictions) Regulations 2003/2533 (as amended) (‘the Regulations’).

The Electronic Communications Code is designed to facilitate the installation and maintenance of electronic communications networks across the United Kingdom. As a designated “Code Operator” IX Wireless benefits from certain rights under the Code but is also subject to conditions and restrictions when installing telecommunications apparatus.

Among other requirements, IX Wireless must, so far as reasonably practicable, minimise the impact on the visual amenity of properties when installing an electronic communications apparatus (Regulation 3(3)(a)).

Ofcom’s investigation will examine whether there are reasonable grounds to believe that IX Wireless has failed to comply with these Regulations when installing a 15-metre piece of metal infrastructure on a residential street in Rochdale in 2023.

We will gather further information and publish an update to our investigation in due course.

Ofcom’s powers in this area remain quite limited (here) and investigations like this often take a long time to run their course (they’ve also been investigating Brsk’s deployment of poles since Sept 2024 – here), which means that we might have to wait until late 2025 or even 2026 before a final outcome is published.

Network operators will no doubt still be watching the regulator’s investigation very closely, since it has the potential to set new precedents for their own deployments of similar infrastructure. On the other hand, IXW’s large metal poles/masts are visually quite different, as well as being much larger, than your typical c.9 metre high wooden telegraph / telecoms poles (i.e. any ruling may not be directly translatable to the latter).

Finally, it’s worth noting that the ISPA and INCA recently published new ‘Best Practice Guidance’ for gigabit broadband operators that are building new poles as part of their UK network expansions. The guidance aims to support the Government’s goal of “ending the deployment of unnecessary telegraph poles” (here), not least by requiring providers to engage more closely with communities before they build (details here).

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

Edinburgh-based alternative network and UK ISP GoFibre, which is busy deploying their new full fibre (FTTP) gigabit broadband network across rural parts of Scotland and Northern England, has today announced that they’ve expanded their coverage into the Scottish Borders village of Ladykirk and the Northumberland community of Norham.

GoFibre began work on the new network in September 2024, with the final premises becoming ready to connect in April 2025. The expansion forms part of their state aid supported Project Gigabit contracts (see below). The Ladykirk and Norham villages have thus become the latest communities to join the new network, with 76 homes and businesses now able to benefit from gigabit broadband connectivity.

The Project Gigabit Northumberland build was apparently expanded to include some bordering premises in the Scottish Borders, such as those in the village of Ladykirk, as it is said to have “made logistical sense due to the way the network is laid“. Premises in nearby villages such as Norham and Horncliffe in Northumberland were also connected through this phase of the scheme.

GoFibre added that they had to overcome several hurdles during the build, including the challenge of building across Norham Bridge to Ladykirk, as well as having to install infrastructure from scratch on the north side of the main street, where a lack of existing infrastructure meant that the network operator had to install its own.

The operator is currently also building its network in Newton-by-the-Sea, and during the contract will connect further premises in Beadnell, North Sunderland, Seahouses and Cornhill as part of the North Northumberland build programme.

Andy Hepburn, Chief Operating Officer at GoFibre, said:

“Our team has worked incredibly hard on the build in Ladykirk and Norham areas, taking on some unique challenges along the way towards making the prospect of ultra-fast broadband a reality for residents. We’re looking forward to everyone enjoying the benefits of a world class broadband connection.

If you would like to sign up to our full fibre broadband or learn more about our services have any questions, please get in touch with us. Our team is always here to provide the support and information you need.”

The operator has so far managed to build their network to cover over 120,000 premises (RFS) across over 30 “local areas” in rural parts of Northern England and Scotland, which includes around 16,000 premises (so far) across North Northumberland.

Residential customers currently pay from £23.50 per month for a 150Mbps (30Mbps upload) package on a 24-month minimum term, which rises to £39.50 for their top 1000Mbps (100Mbps upload) package. But this price increases by £3 on 1st December every year.