Coventry to Become UK’s Next Gigabit City

COVENTRY, UK — Leading pure fiber infrastructure provider CityFibre has completed the acquisition of Coventry’s 87-mile metro fiber network as part of a strategic partnership with Coventry City Council. The network, called the Coventry CORE, will be extended and upgraded, transforming Coventry into a gigabit city. From this summer, thousands of local businesses will have access to gigabit (1000 Mbps) Internet speeds via local Internet service provider partners.

Transforming Coventry into a Gigabit City
CityFibre will commence extensive network upgrades in preparation for the next-generation business connectivity it will deliver. The upgrade transforms Coventry into a Gigabit City, joining both York and Peterborough in CityFibre’s accelerating Gigabit Cities program. The Coventry CORE will become CityFibre’s largest metro network and will increase the company’s national network footprint by around 50 percent.

The existing infrastructure, commissioned by Coventry City Council six years ago, currently services nearly 300 buildings including key public sites such as council offices, schools and community centers. CityFibre will continue to provide connectivity to these sites, granting the Council a long-term right of use.

Businesses to Register their Interest
The network expansion will be demand-led and CityFibre has launched a pre-registration campaign called "Gig Up Coventry" encouraging businesses to register their interest in gigabit speed connectivity. Businesses, business parks and developers are expected to register their interest, ensuring their areas are connected. A similar campaign in Peterborough has already generated over 500 business registrations.

Tim Luft, CEO at the Coventry-based business The Serious Games Institute, said, “As a technology company, connectivity and quality of service is central to our success and this is becoming increasingly true of many businesses in a data-hungry digital world. We spend a lot of time transferring enormous files and this network will unlock previously inaccessible levels of connectivity, speed and resilience. We’re proud to be based and operate out of Coventry and the establishment of the Coventry CORE only adds to that.”

Speaking about the partnership Cllr. Damian Gannon, cabinet member, strategic finance and resources, at Coventry City Council, said, “Ultrafast gigabit speed connectivity is vital for Coventry businesses to enable them to compete and succeed not just on the national, but also on the international stage. As a Gigabit City, Coventry can now set itself alongside the most digitally advanced locations around the world and we look forward to the numerous social and economic advantages that such a status will bring; driving economic investment and catalyzing business start-ups.”

Greg Mesch, CEO at CityFibre also commented: “The rise of the Gigabit City represents a step-change in the evolution of digital connectivity as significant as the shift from dial-up to broadband. As a Gigabit City, Coventry will position itself at the heart of the UK economy as the technological revolution continues to gather pace. CityFibre is dedicated to bringing world leading, lightning fast connectivity to cities across the UK, boosting the economy and revolutionizing online experience.”

SuperConnected Cities Voucher Program
Coventry is already participating in the SuperConnected Cities program, which offers businesses vouchers towards the cost of connecting to high-speed broadband services delivered by local Internet service providers. CityFibre has committed its full participation in the scheme worth $5 million to Coventry businesses, and will be providing greater choice to voucher users with affordable gigabit speed services