Superfast fibre broadband coming to ‘underserved’ Peterborough area towns in new project to speed up south Lincolnshire and East of England

It is claimed the state-of-the-art fibre network will deliver gigabit download and upload speeds of up to 1,000Mbps - 15 times faster than the UK average download speed of 64Mbps, more stable and reliable than standard fibre broadband, directly to homes and businesses.

The internet speeds will allow Sleaford residents and businesses to enjoy professional home working, stream online entertainment, high speed gaming, home schooling and video calling, with no buffering.

Lightspeed Broadband, which is backed by private investment, is working in partnership with specialist fibre infrastructure contractors, Plancast and RCU Solutions, to roll out the network, starting in ten towns in South Lincolnshire and West Norfolk - Market Deeping, Bourne, Spalding, Stamford, Sleaford, Boston, Holbeach, King’s Lynn and South Wootton, Long Sutton and Skegness.

Managed by a highly experienced team with more than 100 years’ combined experience in the telecoms industry, including with BT and TalkTalk, the company aims to bring its fibre optic to 100,000 homes and businesses across the East of England by 2022 and reach 1 million homes by 2025.

RCU Solutions, together with Lightspeed are working with local councils and the highways authorities to roll out the network quickly. Existing infrastructure and cleaner, greener ways of building will be used wherever possible to minimise environmental impact and disruption to residents.

One hundred engineers have been deployed across the region and 30 new jobs are being created, with an emphasis on employing, developing and training local people. Build teams are operating from depots in Stamford, King’s Lynn and Boston, and the network will be managed from a new Lightspeed HQ in Spalding.

Dave Axam, Operations Director at Lightspeed Broadband said they were targeting “underserved” communities to unlock their digital potential, working closely with the councils, highways authorities and local communities in each town and looking to re-use existing underground ducts and telegraph poles and dig underground chambers where possible, rather than using street cabinets, and use clean, electric vehicles.

He said: “We’re aiming to provide services to as many homes as possible by upgrading the existing infrastructure. In areas where this is not be possible, we’ll look at options. Residents can register on our website to keep up to date with our build plan and our progress or follow our journey on social media.”

Founded in 2008 and operating across the UK, RCU Solutions has a specialist telecoms division.

Stephen Joynes, Director of RCU Solutions, added: “Over the last 14 months the demand on broadband/internet services has grown to never experienced levels, and going forward this is set to stay at heights not previously experienced. All too often, investment has focused on the large urban areas, but we are proud to break from the norm and deliver a service that the people of South Lincolnshire deserve.”

Local residents will be advised of plans to start work in their street. First homes and businesses are expected to be able to connect later this year.

For further information see www.lightspeed.co.uk