The announcement comes as GoFibre hits the major milestone of 100,000 rural premises now able to connect to its ultra-fast network
Even more residents and businesses across towns and villages in Teesdale can now connect to GoFibre’s ultra-fast and reliable broadband connection as the independent broadband provider further expands its full fibre broadband network across the area to nearly 4,000 premises.
Following significant growth over the past 18 months, GoFibre, has reached a major milestone in its mission to deliver amazing broadband connections and choice in local communities across Scotland and the North of England, with over 100,000 homes and businesses being able to connect to its network.
Of the more than 100,000 premises now ready to connect, 3,700 premises are located across Teesdale in the following areas:
- Barnard Castle
- Mickleton
- West Auckland
- Middleton-in-Teesdale
- Eggleston
Driven by its commitment to deliver world-class digital connectivity to rural and harder-to-reach locations, GoFibre is dedicated to closing the digital divide in Scotland and the North of England. Recent research underscores this need, revealing that full-fibre broadband is only available to 45%* of homes in rural parts of Scotland.
Throughout the network expansion, GoFibre has also placed great importance on supporting rural economic development. Committed to recruiting local talent who live and work in the communities they are connecting with an engineering depot in West Auckland, GoFibre works to develop a deep-rooted understanding of each area’s unique needs, ensuring that customers remain at the heart of its business.
GoFibre’s remarkable growth has significantly increased its construction efforts, extending its network reach in specific local areas. This expansion has led to premises across thirty towns and villages being ready for service, with local people already experiencing the benefits, from improved business productivity to an enhanced digital life at home.
Once the connection is in place, choosing GoFibre means residents and businesses in parts of Teesdale can access up to 1 Gbps speeds, significantly enhancing their ability to utilise multiple devices without lag and quickly download large files in seconds. While the median average internet speed in the UK is 73.21Mbps, as of 2023, GoFibre’s full fibre connection provides speeds of more than double this speed on its entry-level package.
Neil Conaghan, Chief Executive Officer, GoFibre said: “We are proud to have reached this significant milestone in such a short length of time, because that means we’ve been able to make a positive impact on even more lives and businesses quicker. In today’s digital world, where online activity is ever-increasing, a reliable high-speed broadband connection is essential and not having it in place can really hold people and businesses back from reaching their full potential.
“Our unwavering local focus and dedication to customers and local communities sets us apart and has driven us to achieve this milestone, ensuring that we can provide responsive, high-quality customer service from experts with local knowledge.
“This accomplishment firmly places us on the map as a major broadband provider in our regions, and we can’t wait to continue expanding our services, bringing high-quality connectivity to even more communities and customers. Our commitment to innovation and customer satisfaction will drive us forward as we build on this success.”
Marion Ingleby, Durham County Council’s head of digital services, added: “We’re really pleased that 3,700 households and businesses in Teesdale are fibre broadband ready, which supports our work to improve connectivity across the county.
“In this day and age, being able to access a fast and stable broadband connection is crucial. It’s essential for people working or studying from home; and from a social perspective it opens up a world of opportunities to connect with others.
“Reliable broadband is a key part of our ambitious plans for inclusive economic growth across the county and we look forward to more people in our communities benefitting from projects like this.”
In early 2022, GoFibre’ secured a commitment of £164 million funding from Gresham House’s Sustainable Infrastructure strategy (BSIF), to accelerate its rollout of full fibre broadband throughout Scotland and the North of England.
Residents and businesses can buy now or register for updates in their area by visiting gofibre.co.uk/register.
*Ofcom Connected Nations Spring 2024: Interactive report