Spalding-based regional internet service provider, LightSpeed Broadband, marked the ‘light speed’ progress of its full fibre broadband network roll out across South Lincolnshire this week with a visit by the Mayor of Market Deeping, Cllr Joshua Yarham, to one of its build locations in Market Deeping.
LightSpeed’s network build started in April this year with the mobilisation of one hundred engineers in ten towns across South Lincolnshire and West Norfolk, including Market Deeping, Stamford and Bourne.
It is on track to deliver future-proof ultra-reliable full fibre gigabit broadband to 100,000 homes and businesses across the East of England by the end of 2022, extending to 1 million by 2025 and becoming the region’s leading provider.
Based at its new headquarters at Fulney Hall in Spalding, the centre for its regional operations including network management and customer service, LightSpeed is creating 30 local jobs.
Homes and businesses will be able to connect directly to the LightSpeed network and experience symmetrical upload and download speeds of 1 gigabit (1000 Mbps), 25 times faster than the average broadband speeds available in Market Deeping and five times more reliable than standard fibre.
Residents will soon be able to experience a super smooth connection for simultaneous professional home working, streaming online entertainment, high speed gaming, and video calling, with no buffering, no lag and no dropouts.
Cllr Yarham joined the LightSpeed team outside The Deepings School to see how LightSpeed is laying its high-capacity fibre optic network and installing underground boxes – instead of green street cabinets – to house their network equipment under the streets of Market Deeping helping to minimise the impact on the local environment.
“LightSpeed Broadband is creating the most far-reaching infrastructure Market Deeping has seen and will provide thousands of homes in the community with lightning-fast broadband,” said Cllr Joshua Yarham, Mayor of Market Deeping.
“The efficiency and technology invested into this company is inspiring and shows the East Midlands that progress and innovation are at the forefront of technological development. I look forward to seeing the results of the works carried out to create jobs and provide a level of internet service not seen in Market Deeping before.”
Dave Axam, Chief Operating Officer, Lightspeed Broadband commented: “It was great to meet Cllr Yarham in Market Deeping recently and to celebrate the progress of our full fibre network build. As a local business based in Spalding working in the local area, we want to work closely with the local communities as we continue to roll out our full fibre gigabit network across South Lincolnshire.
“The build is progressing at ‘light speed’ as we use existing underground ducts and telegraph poles to reduce disruption and minimise impact on the local area. We are also working at night to speed up the process so customers can connect to our service and benefit from gigabit speeds as quickly as possible.”
LightSpeed will be offering affordable packages directly to consumers and businesses to cover all their internet and Wi-Fi needs. The network will also be available in Boston, Holbeach, Long Sutton, Skegness, Sleaford and Spalding, and first customers are expected to be able to connect in towns across the network from later this Autumn.
The second wave of LightSpeed’s regional network build will start this Autumn in a further ten towns including Cromer, Dereham, Hunstanton, Sheringham and Thetford in Norfolk; Stowmarket in Suffolk and Clacton-on-Sea, Frinton-on-Sea, Maldon and Witham in Essex.
