Council tenants in Derby will be among the first in the country to benefit from next-generation digital connectivity – thanks to a partnership between Derby City Council, Derby Homes and CityFibre, the UK’s third digital infrastructure platform.
Due to the access CityFibre is being provided by Derby City Council and Derby Homes, up to 13,000 council house tenants will now be given the opportunity to experience the benefits of the Gigabit-speed broadband network being rolled-out across Derby.
CityFibre will install full fibre to every property via a blanket wayleave agreement, ensuring the network build can go ahead smoothly and tenants can access the connectivity simply and without delay.
Full fibre digital networks, which provide connectivity at Gigabit speeds, are recognised to be the digital infrastructure of the future for homes and businesses. The UK Government is calling for 100% coverage across the country by 2025.
Dominika Walker, CityFibre’s City Manager for Derby, said:
Digital access is a major issue facing communities across the UK and we are committed to addressing the problem. This approach will make a genuine difference to thousands of people living in council housing in Derby, giving them access to transformative technology and ensuring they are not left behind when it comes to the digital revolution.
More reliable connectivity allows tenants to maximise access to switching services for better utility deals, as well as other services including tenant portals and public service systems, such as those provided by the Department for Work and Pensions and the local council.
Access to full fibre will unlock many additional benefits. With near-unlimited bandwidth, full fibre will ensure households can utilise the latest smart home technology, stream entertainment across multiple devices and make it easier to work from home.
Derby Homes will also be able to use the technology to improve services for tenants. For example, by using connected devices over the full fibre network, such as smart temperature sensors, moisture meters and alarms, they can capture environmental data and identify issues before they become apparent.
Councillor Matthew Holmes, Deputy Leader of Derby City Council and Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Planning and Transportation, said:
Derby City Council continues to work closely with the private sector to facilitate economic growth in the digital age and CityFibre’s full fibre network will be vital in ensuring Derby has a resilient and dynamic economy for decades to come. This approach will help us to reinforce our position as a smart city by making hi-tech digital infrastructure accessible for the benefit of communities across Derby. By signing a blanket wayleave agreement with CityFibre, we can ensure that our social housing properties in the city gain access to the fastest and most reliable digital connectivity, delivering Gigabit speeds, and that tenants enjoy the many benefits this will bring without any delay.
Maria Murphy, Managing Director at Derby Homes, said:
Digital connectivity is not a nice-to-have and it is essential that access is widened. Derby Homes is thrilled to be partnering with CityFibre to give our tenants the opportunity to connect to next-generation full fibre and benefit from the very best services available. By granting early access we can allow CityFibre to get to work as quickly as possible to lay connections outside almost 10,000 properties, allowing for those connections to then be switched-on if the tenants opt to take the full fibre service.