CityFibre Drives Digital Transformation in Christchurch, Poole

Nearly every home and business in Christchurch and Poole will gain access to next-generation broadband thanks to a major investment by CityFibre.

Christchurch and Poole are celebrating major milestones in their digital transformations as work has officially begun on a new full fibre network that will reach almost every home and business locally. The £30m investment by CityFibre forms part of its plans to upgrade the nation’s legacy networks with gigabit-capable full fibre connectivity.

Building on CityFibre’s ongoing investment in Bournemouth’s town-wide full fibre network, the project is expected to boost business productivity and innovation and deliver millions in economic benefits for Christchurch and Poole, while giving residents access to the UK’s fastest broadband services.

With construction now underway, CityFibre, the UK’s third national infrastructure platform, is building a network capable of serving Christchurch and Poole’s current and future demands. Upon completion, it will provide a platform for a new generation of “smart city” applications, as well as the roll-out of 5G mobile services.

As CityFibre’s City Manager for Bournemouth, Lucy Cooper is spearheading the delivery of the Christchurch and Poole project. A local born and bred, Lucy is responsible for ensuring the state-of-the-art full fibre network is implemented with minimal disruption, while delivering maximum benefit for the wider community.

Lucy is also the lead point of contact for all of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole’s stakeholders and a key advocate of the wide-ranging benefits that a full fibre network will bring to each community’s residents and businesses.

Lucy said: “Bournemouth was among the first UK cities to be earmarked for investment as part of our Gigabit City Investment programme, so it’s really exciting to be extending this project into Christchurch and Poole. As a native to Poole, I am very keen that residents and businesses across the entire district can benefit from our network too.

“As the fastest, highest capacity and most reliable network technology available, Full Fibre will be key to ensuring that our digital needs and data demands continue to be met as we progress into the future. Our world has never been more connected, and our need for broadband services we can depend on is only going to grow and become more critical.”

CCN Communications Ltd is delivering the construction programme on CityFibre’s behalf, using modern build techniques to deploy the network quickly. CityFibre will work closely with BCP Council and local communities to ensure a fast and successful roll-out. Meanwhile, residents are being kept informed by mailings ahead of works commencing in their streets.

Councillor Philip Broadhead, Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, Economy and Strategic Planning for BCP Council, said: “We welcome this additional private investment by CityFibre into Christchurch and Poole as we see it build on the success of Bournemouth’s Full Fibre journey since 2019. The entire project is delivering a modern, fit-for-purpose digital infrastructure that will futureproof residents and businesses for years to come.

“BCP Council continues to work closely with the private sector to facilitate economic growth in the digital age, and CityFibre’s Full Fibre network will be vital in ensuring that where we live and work has a resilient and dynamic futureproof economy.”

The network is not yet live in Poole and Christchurch, but once activated, services will be available from an increasing range of broadband providers. Across the UK, CityFibre is already working with launch partner, Vodafone to deliver next generation broadband services, and TalkTalk is expected to join the network soon.