Business ISP Giganet plugs into Openreach’s Salisbury network

Local business internet service provider (ISP) Giganet has announced it is set to offer ultrafast full-fibre broadband to thousands of homes and businesses in Salisbury in the next few months, running services over existing and newly built infrastructure that is currently being installed by national network builder Openreach.

Openreach announced an £8m investment in Salisbury in March, after selecting the city of approximately 45,000 people to become the first place in the UK to have universal access to full-fibre services.

Giganet – the full-fibre brand of small business communications services provider M12 – is based nearby in Hampshire, and had already invested in its own dedicated rack in the main BT Salisbury exchange, from where it connects back to its resilient London-core network.

The firm’s head, Matthew Skipsey, said having its equipment in the exchange already gave it a clear advantage over other firms with similar propositions when it came to delivering next-generation gigabit services to local businesses.

“This means we have direct access to the network, reducing the supply chain and improving the communication, lead time, pricing and capabilities when selecting an internet provider,” he said.

The firm has already connected a number of full-fibre broadband customers in Salisbury where coverage already exists, but plans to offer services more widely as the Openreach build progresses. Managing director Andrew Skipsey said he hoped its local knowledge and standing would drive more business custom to its door.

David Ryan, managing director of The Aaron Partnership, a firm of independent financial advisors located near Salisbury’s 13^th century cathedral, has already bought a fibre product through the firm.

“The fibre is a significant improvement. We have not had the problems we had been experiencing, with lines dropping out and crackles on the line which caused a tremendous amount of downtime and lack of productivity,” said Ryan.

“The ADSL connection we had before really affected the day-to-day running of the business. However, now with the ultrafast speeds, it has not only significantly improved the reliability of our connection and allowed us to work more efficiently, but it has been a great way to future-proof our business.”

“This is the first location in the UK where we’re aiming to upgrade an entire city network in a single year, so it’s a hugely ambitious project,” said Openreach CEO Clive Selley.

“As a medieval city, Salisbury’s narrow streets won’t be the easiest for our engineers to access and work in, but we’re confident it’s achievable thanks to the close partnership we’ve built with the council and the unrivalled experience and skill of our engineering teams.”