Airband wins £4.5 million contract to roll out full-fibre broadband in Cheshire

We’re proud to have been selected by Cheshire Council to roll out gigabit-capable, full-fibre broadband connectivity to over 4,000 properties across rural or hard-to-reach areas of Cheshire.

The £4.5 million project is set to provide ultrafast full-fibre broadband to remote areas of Cheshire, seeing thousands of people benefitting from improved connectivity.

Connecting Cheshire initiative, which includes Warrington Borough Council, Cheshire East Council, Cheshire West and Chester and Halton Borough Council, will start in early 2021 and is expected to last until March 2023. Using innovative methods to connect hard-to-reach areas, we will provide Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP), gigabit-capable, full fibre broadband to homes and businesses across the county.

The implementation of this infrastructure to isolated and rural areas will be truly life changing for individuals and business owners. Cost-effective, high-quality, reliable ultrafast connectivity has countless benefits, including better access to services and amenities for individuals, increased productivity and more growth opportunities for businesses and entrepreneurs.

The COVID-19 pandemic has made us more reliant than ever on technology, in particular, broadband connectivity. With the majority of the population working from their homes, the importance of a reliable broadband connection has been thrust into the spotlight. For individuals living in underserved communities on the wrong side of the digital divide, the impact of poor connectivity has been felt acutely. Levelling up this divide, and bringing affordable, high-quality internet services to all is a national priority.

Our Founder and Director of Airband, Redmond Peel, comments: “We are excited to have won this contract. Our focus has always been on expanding and simplifying digital access for rural communities. With access to high-quality broadband fast becoming a human right, we can’t wait to get started building the network that will give residents of rural and hard-to-reach areas of Cheshire the connectivity they deserve.”

Councillor Nick Mannion, Cheshire East Council’s cabinet member for environment and regeneration, said: “The fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) deal with Airband comes at key time during the pandemic, to provide optimum connectivity to homeworkers and businesses across Cheshire East. The innovative methods to connect hard-to-reach and rural areas will certainly boost work productivity and streaming family entertainment services during national lockdown and beyond. Swifter internet services will help limit many of the frustrations people are facing now, juggling home and work life. It is crucial that everyone has sufficient internet at all hours to suit diverse working patterns and household needs.”

Are you in need of a better connection? Visit our broadband coverage checker to see if you can upgrade your service to full fibre broadband.