Work to bring full fibre connectivity within reach of almost every home and business in Sunderland is under way after CityFibre , the UK ’ s largest independent full fibre platform , broke ground on a new infrastructure rollout that will future-proof the city ’ s digital needs and further its smart city ambitions .

CityFibre is now coordinating advance works with the council ’ s resurfacing programme across the city , ahead of the main £ 62m build programme commencing this month .

Works will be delivered by MAP Group on CityFibre ’ s behalf using a range of construction methods to deliver a fast rollout , while minimising potential disruption .

Each area will usually take just a few weeks to complete ; however , construction teams will typically only be outside each home for two to three days and CityFibre will be in touch by mail ahead of any work starting .

The overall project is expected to reach completion by 2025 and the first services will go live for people to take advantage of much sooner .

As the network is completed in each neighbourhood , internet service providers ( ISPs ) will ‘ light them up ’ with some of the fastest and best value full fibre broadband packages available in the country .

Spotlight on new council chamber centrepiece

A giant feature light that will illuminate the new Sunderland City Hall ’ s most prominent rooms has been hung this month , marking another milestone on the way to the building ’ s completion .

The new digitally-enabled chamber , at the heart of City Hall , features a 9.3m circular diameter light fitting in a space designed to enhance open democracy .

It will also provide a focal point in a room that will be used by the community for

FULL FIBRE

Work starts on Sunderland ’ s digital foundations with £ 62m investment

The network is not yet live , but once activated , services will be available from an increasing range of broadband providers . Across the UK , CityFibre is already working with launch partner Vodafone to supply full fibre infrastructure for customers on selected Vodafone Pro Broadband plans and TalkTalk , with other providers expected to join the network soon .

Jason Legget , CityFibre ’ s city manager for Sunderland – pictured ( right ) with Sunderland city council chief executive Patrick Melia – said : “ I ’ m immensely excited and proud to see work getting under way in Sunderland .

“ The city has truly embraced the potential of full fibre and has a robust plan in place to be a genuine leader in smart city technology .

“ For residents , it ’ s important to remember that any short-term disruption will pay off tremendously in the long-term . Once the network ’ s built , it will serve the community ’ s connectivity needs now and for decades to come .”

Full fibre networks , unlike many of the copper-based ‘ fibre broadband ’ services available today , use 100 per cent fibre optic cables to carry data at light speed all the way from the home to the point of connection .

This gives users speeds of up to 1,000 Mbps for upload and download , near limitless bandwidth and connectivity users can depend on .

weddings as well as conferences and events .

The pendulum light installation is the latest step in the development of City Hall , which will become home to Sunderland City Council as well as a range of other public sector organisations , delivering a ‘ one-stop shop ’ for residents to access a range of support .

Digital security and cyber risk consultancy , CyberWhite , has purchased property in the aptly named Defender Court in Sunderland after outgrowing its previously leased office space in Seaham .

The move sees it become neighbours with financial services specialist Northern Spire , which also assisted with the switch .

CyberWhite , which was established in 2018 , became a client of Northern Spire during the pandemic when it sought business protection , private medical insurance and investment advice .

And the new move is a spin-off of the new relationship .

Furniture firm unveils lofty ambitions

A Sunderland furniture store is reaching new heights – with the opening of a new top floor in its characterful building .

Harrison and Brown at Holmeside in Sunderland has added to its offering to customers with the unveiling of The Loft , using the building ’ s fifth floor to showcase a selection of contemporary and unusual furniture .

The new level adds to the already existing items available throughout the store , which prides itself on furniture for every room of the house along with a host of unique accessories .

Owner Mandy Brown ( pictured ) said the decision to utilise the top floor made sense for the business .

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FULL FIBRE