Swish Fibre reveals full plan to bring FTTP network to Home Counties
Internet service provider Swish Fibre has revealed the full list of 33 Home Counties towns where it will roll out its 10 Gbps capable Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) network. The plan, which was unveiled with the first tranche of 11 towns in December 2019, will see the FTTP network made available to over 250,000 Home Counties premises.
The first customers from the initial 11 towns are due to go live from July 2020 in Marlow. Marlow will be followed by Gerrards Cross and Beaconsfield, where surveying and planning are already complete. Work is underway in Gerrards Cross and is due to commence in Beaconsfield from autumn of this year.
If the rollout proceeds on schedule, Swish Fibre’s network will be live in at least 10 of the 33 towns by June 2021. Aside from the three mentioned, the 11 initial towns include Flackwell Health, Wooburn Green and Bourne End, Hazlemere, Great Missenden, Thame, Chinnor, Princes Risborough and Haddenham.
The 22 newly announced towns are: Alton, Ascot, Banbury, Bagshot, Bordon, Buckingham, Corsham, Cranleigh, Crawley Down, Crowborough, East Grinstead, Farnham, Godalming, Haywards Heath, Heathfield, Liphook, Lindford, Marlborough, Penn, Sevenoaks, Southwater and Uckfield.
Swish Fibre CEO Brice Yharrassarry said: “We’re thrilled to announce our wider rollout plans today, which brings the first phase of full fibre rollout up to a quarter of a million properties covered in the Home Counties.”
“Construction works on the ground are progressing extremely well and the early signs of interest within Marlow has exceeded our expectations. We’re excited to have started civils work in Gerrards Cross and are on track to be active in at least ten towns by June 2021.”
Swish Fibre’s rollout began when it was acquired by Fern Trading in late 2019, enabling the provider to unlock £250 million of investment. It soon began building its FTTP network in Buckinghamshire. Swish says its central aim is to connect “underserved towns and villages where broadband availability is poor and there is strong demand for ultrafast broadband services.”
