20 June 2019

Colin Sempill

Business connectivity provider SSE Telecoms and fibre optic network business CityFibre have signed a new strategic partnership, which extends their existing relationship by allowing both sides to exploit each other’s networks and services.

SSE currently operates a 12,000km+ long fibre optic and ethernet network across the UK, while CityFibre’s dark fibre and FTTP broadband services are present t in over 50 towns and cities. The company is also rolling out a new 1Gbps FTTH ISP network to reach five million homes by 2025.

Under the terms of the deal, CityFibre will be joining the ranks of SSE’s edge plus providers for high capacity ethernet services (up to 1Gbps, with 10Gbps via bespoke solutions) and their related LIVEQUOTE price comparison tool.

SSE will then get access to CityFibre’s last-mile metro networks in Bradford, Sheffield, Leeds, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Edinburgh. An additional nine cities are set to be added to the list before the end of 2019.

“We’re on a mission to improve the way organisations buy network services. SSE Enterprise Telecoms and CityFibre have both invested substantially in UK fibre networks over the last ten years, challenging the status quo and developing a strong proposition in the market," said Colin Sempill, chief executive at SSE Enterprise Telecoms. "It was essential to choose a like-minded partner to continue to deliver high quality connectivity services to the market, and CityFibre was a natural fit.”