Having announced a multi-million pound funding partnership with leading infrastructure and private equity investment manager, Foresight Group LLP, Lightning Fibre has confirmed full fibre installation across Hastings has started, eventually reaching over 45,000 homes and businesses.
Lightning Fibre was founded in 2018 with the aims of ‘building a truly future proofed cutting-edge full fibre network and providing a quality service with the added bonus of doing so with a community-centric approach.’ Works commenced in Eastbourne in early 2020 and the long awaited Hastings roll out is now underway.
Ben Ferriman, Lightning Fibre CEO, commented, “I live in Eastbourne and the poor connectivity really frustrated me, knowing Hastings also struggled I decided to level up both towns by building our own dedicated fibre optic network to give our communities the connectivity they deserve. Lightning Fibre is building high quality networks across East Sussex, creating quality local jobs and delivering a high-quality service at an affordable and competitive price for our customers.”
Initially, the full fibre upgrade will cover TN34, 35, 37 and 38; with additional, surrounding areas under consideration. Further announcements of local roll outs are expected from the company in the coming months.
Research shows that once an area has a full fibre 1Gbps network, property prices and local economies are positively impacted. Lightning Fibre’s infrastructure upgrade will make the town even more appealing to people and businesses looking to relocate.
Cllr Colin Fitzgerald, deputy leader of Hastings Borough Council, said “This is tremendous news for Hastings, our residents and businesses. We have campaigned for years to improve our connectivity, both physical and virtual, and it is great to see that we are about to benefit from hyper fast broadband. The pandemic of the last year has meant many of us have had to work from home, and this kind of broadband will help both local residents and businesses, and those looking to relocate here. And it’s great to see that so many of the people employed on the project are locally based”.
Full fibre optic networks are not just the fastest, they are also the greenest - a full fibre network creates 88% less greenhouse gas per 1Gb compared to other broadband technologies.
This community-centric company also sponsors local community grassroots football teams, supports local good causes and is a proud and active member of the Hastings Chamber of Commerce, helping to connect local businesses and help each other thrive.
Photo: Ben Ferriman (CEO), Dean Robinson, Paul Thornton, Mark Hutchings and Rob De Gouveia.
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