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The UK ’ s largest independent full fibre platform is investing £ 25 million in a citywide network that will future-proof Bath ’ s digital needs for generations to come .
Along with its build partner , Kier Group , CityFibre is working in close partnership with Bath & North East Somerset Council and local communities to deliver a fast rollout while minimising potential disruption .
Each area will usually take a few weeks to complete , however , construction teams will typically only be outside each home for two to three days . CityFibre will be in touch with residents by post ahead of work starting .
The overall project is expected to reach completion by 2023 but 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 begin delivering some of the fastest and best value broadband packages available in the country .
In Bath , services are not yet live but will be available from a range of broadband providers . Across the UK , CityFibre is already
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working with launch partner Vodafone to deliver next generation broadband services , with TalkTalk and other providers expected to join the network soon .
People interested in giving their home broadband a boost should enter their location in CityFibre ’ s postcode checker to see when they will be connected . They can also submit their details to be kept up to date on progress and discover who they can get gigabit services from once their street is connected .
Neil Madle , CityFibre ’ s City Manager for Bath , said , “ Bath is a historic city most often associated with the likes of Jane Austen and its Roman Baths , but it ’ s also a forwardlooking area with one of the fastest growing tech economies in the UK . I ’ m immensely proud to see work getting underway in Bath today as it means businesses and residents will soon have access to the best infrastructure available . 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
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community ’ s connectivity needs for decades to come and underpin the city ’ s digital ambitions .”
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 .
A full fibre connection also goes far beyond simply enabling access to the latest entertainment at lightning speed . As an essential digital utility , full fibre boosts households and businesses alike , with experts saying it will drive a range of economic benefits , such as making us more productive and innovative .
Councillor Richard Samuel , Deputy Leader and cabinet member for Resources and Economic Development at Bath & North East Somerset Council , said , “ It is fantastic that CityFibre is now ready to start
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delivering its £ 25 million infrastructure investment programme in Bath , providing a citywide network that will benefit residents , businesses and services . This is a once in a generation upgrade that will future-proof our network infrastructure at a time when connectivity has never been so important . Access to fast reliable broadband is vital to the recovery of the local economy , enabling local businesses to attract the best talent and more residents to access or return to employment through flexible working .”
CityFibre is bringing full fibre connectivity within reach of up to eight million homes in towns and cities across the UK as part of its up to £ 4 billion Gigabit City Investment Programme .
For more info : www . cityfibre . com
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This fully funded business support initiative is delivered in partnership with the local councils and is provided by Chipping Sodbury based business consultancy Cool Ventures which have been helping SMEs to start , grow and thrive for almost 10 years . The service is designed to help small businesses through the Covid-19 crisis and beyond by providing the support needed to adapt , recover and adjust to a changing economic landscape . It will also help aspiring entrepreneurs to learn what it takes to start and run a successful business .
Sue Marchant , Managing Director of Cool Ventures , is delighted they have the opportunity to support so many local businesses and people , she said , “ We want to make sure business owners know they
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are not alone in this time of recovery . This support is available for businesses and residents of South Gloucestershire and Bath & North East Somerset via a programme of webinars . The service can provide up to 12 hours of free support and is suitable for established SMEs as well as those wishing to start their own business . The effect of the three lockdowns on local business is significant and we are determined to help them recover and grow . We are also finding Covid-19 has created opportunities for people to reconsider their careers and follow their dreams of starting their own business . The changed business landscape has created new openings and now is a great time to plan a new business .” |
The webinars cover a range of key business topics such as :
• Planning for growth
• Business recovery
• Marketing and brand strategy
• Digital marketing including social media , website and SEO
• Wellbeing
• Finance
• HR practices
• Starting & running a successful business
The service is co-funded by the West of England Combined Authority and local councils to enable SMEs and those wishing to start a business access expert support free of charge .
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To find out more about this free support service visit Cool Ventures website www . coolventures . co . uk email info @ coolventures . co . uk or call 08000 418293 . |
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8 www . tbebathandsomerset . co . uk |