Triangle shapes up to expand gigabit broadband services

Ramping up its already heady pace of full-fibre broadband roll-out across the UK, CityFibre has now expanded its long-established partnership with Triangle Networks to extend its full-fibre home broadband services to residents in seven more towns and cities through its new consumer brand, Fibrehop.

Triangle Networks defines itself as a full-fibre ISP and distributor on a mission to bring gigabit connectivity to as many businesses as possible across the UK, working in partnership with network operators, IT providers, developers, landlords and local community organisations.

It has been delivering internet services to businesses across the Midlands, South East and South West since 2004, and the company was CityFibre’s original business launch partner in Bristol in 2016.

Fibrehop has been offering its single, symmetrical gigabit-fibre broadband package to residents in Milton Keynes over CityFibre’s new full-fibre network since launching in February.

Only a week ago, the network operator announced it had extended its build footprint for Milton Keynes, the first city in the UK to be part of the company’s Gigabit City Investment Programme, which aims to see full-fibre infrastructure rolled out to eight million premises by 2025.

In the Milton Keynes extension, CityFibre said it was enabling thousands more residents to access its full-fibre network and high-speed broadband services. Some 7,000 homes were added to the initial £40m project, which got underway in early 2018 and was substantially completed at the end of last year.

The company said there is increasing demand for full fibre in Milton Keynes, with more than 80% of homes now able to access the gigabit-speed technology.

Fibrehop now says its success in the Buckinghamshire new town has now triggered the expansion of the infrastructure roll-out to residents in Cheltenham and Gloucester in the coming months, with Swindon, Leicester, Weston-Super-Mare, Bath and Plymouth following later in the year.

“Having launched Fibrehop in Milton Keynes earlier this year, we’ve seen how strong the demand is for fast, reliable and affordable full-fibre broadband and this has given us the confidence to expand our offering across seven more towns and cities to reach over 600,000 homes across the UK,” said Triangle Networks CEO Paul Anslow.

“With so many businesses now reliant on employees working from home, ensuring they have access to a fast and reliable connection is critical to maintain productivity and support an agile workforce. Fibrehop at home will complement great connectivity at the office and continue to enable Triangle and our partners support businesses across the Midlands and the South.”

CityFibre chief commercial officer Rob Hamlin added: “We’re delighted to welcome Triangle’s expansion of their Fibrehop service across seven new markets so soon after launching in Milton Keynes. As a CityFibre partner, Triangle has long been at the forefront of the Full Fibre revolution and this news will bring even greater choice of faster and more reliable broadband services to hundreds of thousands of homes.

“The enthusiasm of ISPs to join our networks underlines the importance and impact of digital infrastructure competition,” he said. “With access to the most competitive wholesale products over a rapidly expanding national footprint, this is a major opportunity for ISPs to win market share while also driving benefits for consumers.”