CityFibre announces £42 million FTTP investment in Gateshead

CityFibre has announced that it will invest £42 million to roll out its Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband ISP network across Gateshead. The work will begin in February this year and has the potential to create up to 200 jobs in construction in the area.

The company has appointed civil engineering firm GCU UK to lead the project, which is part of its £4bn Gigabit City Investment Programme. This programme aims to provide a new digital infrastructure for up to 8 million premises across 285 cities, towns and villages.

Jason Legget, regional partnership director at CityFibre, said: "We need brilliant builders to deliver our full-fibre networks as seamlessly as possible. In GCU, we have found a partner who recognises the importance of this project, knows what is needed to deliver for the people of Gateshead and can grow with us as we move into new areas of the town. Our vision may be a long-term one but, like full-fibre itself, our rollouts are ultrafast and it won't be long until the first households and businesses in Gateshead can experience best-in-class connectivity for themselves."

Robin Kerr, commercial director at GCU UK, added: "We are delighted to have been appointed build partner for the full-fibre roll-out in Gateshead. We look forward to continuing to work with CityFibre and utilising the expertise developed through multiple ongoing successful full-fibre infrastructure builds across the UK.

"The exciting expansion of our business into the North-East of England has progressed well and we have had the pleasure of welcoming into GCU a team of experienced professionals local to Tyne and Wear who are already making great progress and look forward to delivering a new and improved broadband infrastructure to more than 109,000 properties in Gateshead."

CityFibre has already covered around one million premises in the UK with its FTTP network and plans to “substantially complete” the remainder of the 8 million by the end of 2025.