Milton Keynes has been chosen as the first UK town to benefit from the fiber broadband joint venture between Vodafone and CityFibre.
The two telcos announced a wholesale deal last November whereby Vodafone will market FTTH access on a network built by the infrastructure provider.
They plan to reach up to five million premises around the country by 2025, with Milton Keynes chosen due to its existing tech sector and the council’s commitment to smart city initiatives.
CityFibre said it is spending £40 million to expand its existing 160km network in the town from March.
Ultimately, it aims to provide “nearly” every business and home in MK with full fibre access, although it did not provide a timeline for completion.
The first live services are expected before the end of the year, although Vodafone has not provided any details of its commercial offer.
As part of the wholesale deal, the operator has exclusive rights to market its services during the build out phase.
CityFibre CEO Greg Mesch said: “The partnership between Vodafone and CityFibre aims to tackle the huge problem the UK faces in terms of digital inadequacy and will help fulfil our vision of a Gigabit Britain.
“We are at the early stages of creating the Gigabit fibre network that the UK needs and deserves, and with the announcement of Milton Keynes as our first project we are well on our way to making this vision a reality.”
Source: https://www.eurocomms.com/industry-news/12800-vodafone-cityfibre-choose-mk-for-ftth-debut