Connexin rolls out full-fibre network in Hull
Details
Editor
| 21 September 2021
After what it says is frustration working with incumbent suppliers around infrastructure sharing, Hull and East Riding altnet Connexin has announced an independent, alternative full-fibre network for the region.
Connexin 21 Sep 2021
Connexin says that to date Hull’s Fibre broadband market is currently monopolised by one company, leaving residents and businesses unable to access other providers, and is the only city in the UK where this is the case. It believes that introducing the new fibre network will allow for a competitive market to emerge, providing not only diversity but improvement to home broadband with the first network in the UK to be built over an existing full-fibre infrastructure.

Commenting on the rationale for the rollout, Connexin CEO and co-founder Furqan Alamgir said that for far too long the people of Hull and East Riding have had no real say on who provides their broadband and what network they want to use. “This simply isn’t the right way to do things,” he stated. “We have felt the pain of operating and growing a business in a ‘monopoly’ environment. We tried working collaboratively with the incumbent to create a more competitive broadband marketplace in Hull but given the challenges we have faced around infrastructure sharing, we have decided to invest in our city and build an independent alternative full-fibre network for the region.”

To fuel its development plans, Connexin recently secured over £80 million in funding from independent infrastructure managers Whitehelm Capital. “We are invested in Connexin as its dedicated to building smart programmable communities of the future, and this project solidifies its commitment to the continued development of key digital infrastructure in the UK,” said Whitehelm head of business development Tom Maher. “Connexin’s long and successful track record in providing connectivity services to communities, businesses and municipalities makes them the perfect candidate to invest in this regional network and in turn give back to their community.”

The initial phase of the rollout is already underway, with construction of the network is being undertaken by SCD Group and the first phase set to be completed by the end of the year.