CityFibre Builds 1Gbps FTTP Broadband Network In Milton Keynes

Milton Keynes says CityFibre network will help it come smart city leader and boost education

CityFibre is to build a fibre to the premise (FTTP) network in Milton Keynes to aid its ambitions of becoming a smart city leader.

The company will offer 1Gbps broadband services to businesses, schools through its partners dbfb and Exa Networks, the latter of which specialises in connecting educational institutions.

Milton Keynes, which is home to a trial of driverless cars, has a smart city initiative in the form of MK:smart and is looking to improve public services though the MK Data Hub, which collects and manages data from across the city in association with the Open University.

Read More: CityFibre wants to challenge BT Openreach

Milton Keynes FTTP

Milton Keynes“It’s difficult to overstate how much of an impact becoming a Gigabit City is going to have on Milton Keynes,” said Councillor Ron Middleton. “For MK businesses to compete on a national and indeed global scale, we not only need the high skilled people we are lucky to have in the city, but also the ultra-fast digital infrastructure to make it all happen.

“As a Council, we’ve ploughed many millions into the broadband infrastructure of the city over recent years – but there’s still much more to be done. The latest huge investment from CityFibre in Milton Keynes will make ultra-fast internet even more accessible to local businesses.

“Access is key to micro businesses thriving, cutting edge digital businesses choosing to call MK home, and for pioneering initiatives like our driverless cars being able to achieve their full potential. I’m very proud to be able to call MK a Gigabit City.”

CityFibre operates nearly 40 networks across the UK and bought KCOM’s national fibre infrastructure for £90 million last year. It often builds networks for local councils who serve as an anchor tenant before building out to serve residential and business communities who can subscribe to 1Gbps broadband through third party partners. Most recently it agreed a tie-up with rural FTTP provider Gigaclear.

“Despite leading the way in smart city thinking, this city is yet another example of those still strangled by poor digital connectivity,” said CityFibre CEO Greg Mesch. “Our pure fibre network, now available to businesses through our partners at dbfb, will catapult Milton Keynes to be alongside some of the best connected cities in the world.”

What do you know about fibre broadband? Try our quiz!

SURVEY: Let us know your views on the IoT