Connexin switches on full-fibre broadband network in Hull

In what represents yet another demonstration of the acceleration of gigabit connectivity in the UK and a major milestone in the roll-out of the service aimed at breaking the region’s broadband monopoly, Connexin has connected the first customer to its new full-fibre network in Hull and the East Riding of Yorkshire.

Founded in Hull in 2006, the internet of things (IoT) and digital infrastructure specialist claims to have established itself as a market leader in the provision of end-to-end smart city solutions, such as smart water, smart parking, smart lighting and smart waste.

It enabled Hull to become the first city in the UK to benefit from its own purpose-built smart city operating system and gave the city of Sheffield a smart technology overhaul to integrate, view, manage and respond to information to improve highway maintenance services and revolutionise service delivery across the city and surrounding areas.

Connexin announced the new broadband network in September 2021, with the aim of disrupting the existing monopoly by offering residents and businesses freedom of choice when selecting a fibre broadband provider. It said that until now, Hull’s fibre broadband market had been monopolised by one company, leaving residents and businesses unable to access other providers – the only UK city where this is the case.

Connexin said it was introducing the new fibre network to allow a competitive market to emerge, providing not only diversity, but improvement to the citizen and business broadband experience.

The company has now gone live with a 10Gbps, full-fibre network, which is said to be the first and fastest of its kind in the area. Connexin said the network would also be one of the first in Europe to be built over an existing full-fibre network as the incumbent provider’s infrastructure isn’t shared, unlike others.

“Connecting the first customer to our new full-fibre network is not just a momentous occasion for Connexin, but also for Hull and East Riding. It signals the beginning of the end of the region’s broadband monopoly and the introduction of choice for people, bringing real change to the area,” said Connexin founder and CEO Furqan Alamgir.

“We have exciting things planned. As we continue to roll-out the network, which will be the fastest across the region, we can’t wait to welcome more customers and to provide homes and businesses with access to ultra- and hyper-fast broadband at a competitive price, with superior customer service.”