We’re proud to be delivering Project Gigabit in Cornwall & the Isles of Scilly, installing a brand new Full Fibre broadband network which is funded directly from the UK Government.
Project Gigabit is designed to bring gigabit-capable broadband to rural communities, ensuring both homes and businesses have access to fast and reliable internet.
Gigabit broadband is the next generation of high-speed internet connectivity, which offers noticeably faster speeds and the capacity to support modern digital lifestyles and growing businesses.
Project Gigabit is a UK Government programme which aims to deliver gigabit-capable broadband to areas which are unlikely to reach this from commercial investment alone.
Project Gigabit’s focus is to help people in rural areas, which is why Wildanet have been entrusted with delivering Full Fibre broadband across Cornwall & the Isles of Scilly to connect tens of thousands of homes and businesses.
Thousands of homes and businesses across rural Cornwall & the Isles of Scilly will benefit from access to gigabit-capable broadband thanks to the government’s Project Gigabit programme.
The roll-out (which includes an investment of £74 million for Cornwall) will see more than 35,000 premises connected as part of this project in Cornwall.
Work is already underway in the far west and mid Cornwall, as a result of the 2 Project Gigabit contracts awarded to Wildanet in January 2023. Wildanet was awarded a third Project Gigabit contract in April 2024, which joins up the areas already being delivered. Work will begin in this new area later in 2024.
Come along to one of Wildanet’s Community Open Days to find out more about the work we’re doing in your area to install the new network.
Our team will be on hand to answer any questions you may have about Project Gigabit and will talk you through the various stages involved with bringing a new Full Fibre network to your area.
Plus, free refreshments are provided.
Helping to keep any disruption to a minimum
We’re working closely with Cornwall Council to help keep any disruption to a minimum whilst we install the new network. Where possible, we use existing infrastructure to install the new network to help avoid any unnecessary disruption.
Where we do have to undergo street works, residents will be notified in advance, and you will start to see safety barriers in areas where our teams are working to help keep you and the community safe. Rest assured that these will only be up for a short time whilst we undertake the street works, and we will remove them as soon as we can.
We understand these street works may cause some inconvenience, but access will be maintained throughout the works to keep any disruption to an absolute minimum.
We’re working with our contractors to try and keep any disruption to an absolute minimum. If you’d like to report any issues or provide any feedback while our teams are installing the new network in your area, feel free to contact us by calling 0800 0699906 or email [email protected]
Reporting any feedback to us in this way will enable our team to investigate and resolve any issues as swiftly as possible to help keep any disruption to a minimum.
Installing a new Full Fibre across Cornwall is a huge project, involving many different teams. The process we go through can be broken down into 6 distinct stages:
Before any work can commence, our network Design Team have to effectively create blueprints that inform our teams how (and where) the new network will be installed.
Much like an architect would provide designs for a building, our Design Team creates the network design to help inform our build teams exactly where the new fibre cabling should be installed and connected.
Once the designs have been created and considered ready for construction, our teams will then survey the area to identify the best way of physically installing the new digital infrastructure.
Considerations will include complex traffic management requirements, chamber locations, private areas and any unique engineering challenges that the area may present.
Although we won’t be undertaking any roadworks at this stage, you may notice our teams in the area whilst they are conducting the survey work. The results from the survey are then passed back to our design team, who will then create a final version of the design, taking into account any feedback from the survey. This then effectively becomes the final blueprint for the network design.
Where possible, we will utilise existing infrastructure (such as ducting that is already located underground, or telegraph poles that are already in situ) through which to feed our fibre cables. This offers many advantages, including far less disruption to the area, it’s quicker to install this way (meaning we can get the network up and running faster) and has far less environmental impact.
Our teams will complete tests, rod, rope, and subduct to determine the status of the network, as well as install what we can as part of the build delivery. Where needed, we will also undertake any remedial works required at this stage, such as helping to clear any blockages in existing ducting and overlays required where the existing infrastructure is at capacity and cannot be used as per the design.
Where we’re unable to use existing infrastructure, we will need to undergo street works to physically install the fibre in the area. This will involve setting up temporary roadworks whilst our teams are working in the area to install the new network in the ground.
Before we can commence any street works, however, we must first apply for the appropriate permits from Cornwall Council. Once approved, residents will be notified in advance, and you will start to see safety barriers in areas where our teams are working to help keep you, our teams, and the community safe. Rest assured that these will only be up for a short time whilst we undertake the street works, and we will remove them as soon as we can.
We understand that these roadworks may cause some inconvenience, but we always endeavour to keep any disruption to a minimum, and access will be maintained throughout the works.
Many people assume that once the street works have been completed, the network is ready. However, there is one more stage we have to go through before you can enjoy access to your new Full Fibre broadband.
Once the fibre cabling has been installed, our network team have to light it up. This is where fibre is blown into the customer connection point (known as the Secondary Node). Our teams then pass light through the fibre cable, which is when the network is active and ready to be connected to your home.
Once all of the above stages have been completed, you’re now ready to be connected to your new Full Fibre broadband service! The team doing the installation will contact you to arrange a convenient time to access your property so they can connect you to the new network.
This usually won’t take long, and once connected, you’ll have access to some of the fastest, most reliable internet speeds in the UK.
Homes and businesses across Cornwall are already enjoying the benefits of Full Fibre broadband from Wildanet, thanks to funding from Project Gigabit.
Ellen Morris, who lives in mid Cornwall with her partner and two-and-a-half-year-old son, said the new broadband service had been transformational for the family.
“We were getting a 30 – 40Mbps service previously over copper wires, but with fibre we’re now getting speeds of about 200Mbps. The new service is more reliable and also offers complete coverage within our home, whereas previously we were limited to the front room for good internet. It’s made a huge difference for us. My father and uncle live in the same village and have also signed up for the service, and a number of our friends and neighbours are also making the switch.”
Having access to a fast, reliable internet connection has become a necessity for most businesses. A gigabit connection reassures your business of having access to the fastest and most reliable internet speeds available today.
Gigabit broadband also provides opportunities for your business to make significant efficiency savings, improve communications throughout your business with digital telephony solutions, increase security with cloud-based data back-up options, and provide enhanced services to your customers.
If you’re located in one of the above mentioned areas that will benefit from this new Full Fibre network, register your contact details below and we’ll keep you updated with progress on the project and let you know when the new network has been installed in your area.
Building Digital UK (BDUK) is helping to bring fast and reliable broadband and mobile coverage to hard-to-reach places across the UK – transforming people’s lives.
BDUK is an executive agency, sponsored by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and is responsible for the roll out of gigabit-capable broadband and the expansion of 4G mobile coverage in hard-to-reach areas of the UK.
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