WORK to make Solihull one of the world’s best digitally connected areas is set to commence next month.
As part of a £20million private investment from CityFibre, Solihull is due to benefit from a town-wide full fibre network roll-out, with further expansion coming soon to surrounding villages including Dickens Heath, Bentley Heath, Dorridge and Knowle.
The aim is to ‘futureproof’ the town’s digital connectivity by ensuring its infrastructure can service the speed and bandwidth needs of residents and businesses for decades to come.
Work will start in Monkspath with the rest of the town set to follow.
Callan Connect, who has already been working on behalf of CityFibre on Coventry’s full fibre roll-out, will be delivering the construction programme and aims to minimise disruption and ensure a fast and successful roll-out.
Residents are being kept informed by mailings ahead of works in their streets.
Leigh Hunt, CityFibre’s city manager for Solihull, said: “Next-generation Full Fibre connectivity can drive innovation and productivity, ultimately giving businesses the platform they need to realise their growth ambitions.
“And it won’t just improve business locally – it will also help businesses take their products or services to an international audience.”
Councillor Ian Courts, Leader of Solihull Council, added: “This once in a generation upgrade will deliver benefits to our residents, business and services; and futureproof our network infrastructure at a time when connectivity has never been so important. The digital age is here, and soon, we’ll be ready for it.”
According to research from economic consultancy Regeneris, full fibre connectivity will have a major impact in Solihull over the next 15 years.
It shows that up to £108m could be added to the value of homes, while Smart City initiatives could add as much as £67m locally.
Currently, fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) is available to less than 20 per cent of premises across the UK.
