Community Fibre to Bring Full Fibre Broadband to 2.2m London Homes

Alternative broadband infrastructure provider Community Fibre has dialled up its ambitions and will now bring its 3Gbps-capable full fibre network to 60% of London’s homes by 2024.

Community Fibre currently reaches 435,000 premises across 23 of the capital’s boroughs, many of them social housing, having met its initial goal of covering 400,000 addresses by the end of 2021. It initially aimed to push that 1 million premises by the end of 2023.

Now the alt net has set its sights on 2.2 million London homes by the end of 2024—60% of the capital’s 3.6 million residences. CommunityFibre says this will give two-thirds of London’s residents and businesses access to its 3Gbps FTTP network.

Graeme Oxby, chief executive of Community Fibre, said: “The last two years have been a challenge for everyone, which is why it is more important than ever that we are focused on giving the communities in London the connectivity they need. 

“We have seen significant progress in our roll-out and will be continuing to ramp this up in the next three years, bringing our 100% full fibre broadband to almost two thirds of London’s citizens and businesses.”

London Mayor Sadiq Khan welcomed “Community Fibre’s additional investment in our digital infrastructure.”

The network will “give Londoners faster internet speeds and support new jobs and growth. It forms part of wider plans led by my Digital Inclusion Taskforce to bridge the digital divide through reliable and affordable connectivity, access to devices, and skills training,” he added.

Community Fibre hasn’t announced any additional funding to power the rollout but is already flush with cash. The broadband network launched in 2018 with an initial investment pot of around £90 million from private investors and government-backed schemes. Then in 2020, it raised £400 million from global equity firm Warburg Pincus LLC and management group DTCP.

The company has also already hired staff to deliver the expanded rollout. In the last year, it hired 300 more employees and now has 1,000 people employed in its supply chain.

Community Fibre’s entry-level package is a symmetrical 50Mbps connection, priced at £20 per month for the first 24-months (£22.50 after that time), with free setup and a free router. To upgrade to their 920Mbps service, you’ll pay just £5 more per month for the first two years, although this rises to £49 per month when that fixed term ends. 

If that isn’t fast enough for you, you can sign up for the lightning 3Gbps package for £89 per month.