Works starts to build first ultrafast broadband network in rural Essex

01 December 2015

Representatives from the council, Superfast Essex and Gigaclear commemorate the start of the FTTC project in Epping Forest.

The first stage of digging has begun to bring ultrafast broadband to homes and businesses in the east of Epping Forest District. 

As part of the £7.5m Superfast Essex Rural Challenge Project, Gigaclear is installing its pure fibre cable network directly to more than 4,500 homes and businesses, delivering what it says will be broadband speeds of 50Mbps and up to 1000Mbps. 

The Rural Challenge Project is a pilot initiative that will bring ultrafast broadband to rural communities in the east of Epping Forest District. It is designed to test an alternative way of bringing faster connectivity to rural areas which were until now not included within the Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) rollout. 

It will be implemented alongside the country’s main BDUK project, Superfast Essex, which is being delivered by BT. This is said to be on track to provide 116,000 premises with access to superfast speeds of 24Mbps and above by 2019, using FTTC technology. 

Gigaclear says it will invest £5.5m in the Rural Challenge Project, which equates to more than £2 for every £1 of state aid. It will be combined with £2million public funding from Essex County Council, BDUK and Epping Forest District Council. 

The company says it will initially connect homes and businesses in 18 parishes in the Epping Forest district. Parts of Abbess Beauchamp and Berners Roding, Bobbingworth, Fyfield, High Ongar, Moreton, Ongar, Stanford Rivers, and Willingale are expected to be included in the first phase of work taking place between now and May 2016, although the timescales for each area remain subject to change.   

Gigaclear CEO Matthew Hare says the installation of FTTP in the area will give local users internet speeds that are up to 40 times faster than the UK average.

He adds: “Living in a rural area doesn’t mean you have to tolerate bad broadband, and we’re here working with the Superfast Essex team and Epping Forest District Council to futureproof communications within the Epping Forest District.”