St Ives and St Neots could get faster broadband

St Ives and St Neots could get faster broadband

Around one in three homes and businesses who can upgrade to ultrafast full fibre broadband across Cambridgeshire have done so – but thousands are still missing out on the more reliable and lightning-speed services.

In a £21 million local investment, Openreach engineers are building the network to make one gigabit per second  available to people in Cambridge, Ely, Peterborough, St Ives, and St Neots.

Around a third of households have upgraded in most areas, says Openreach, but in market towns like St Ives and St Neots, that number falls to just one in ten.

Mayor of Cambridgeshire & Peterborough, Dr Nik Johnson:

“Digital connectivity is a vital foundation, and access to fast and reliable broadband enables our communities and businesses to meet the challenges of today and prepare for the future.

“The availability of Openreach’s full fibre network in Cambridgeshire is a significant milestone, but there’s still work to be done. I urge residents and businesses across the county, especially those in St Ives and St Neots, to explore the advantages of upgrading to gigabit broadband.

“The Connecting Cambridgeshire programme works closely with all commercial suppliers to support the rollout of better connectivity in our region. This technology not only delivers lightning-fast speeds but also enhances reliability, future-proofs our connectivity, and empowers us to harness the potential of emerging technologies.

“By embracing this digital transformation, we can unlock opportunities for sustainable growth, support our local economy, and build stronger communities. Together, let’s seize the benefits of full fibre broadband and create a future-facing, inclusive digital infrastructure that reflects the values and aspirations of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.”

As well as being faster, full fibre broadband provides more reliable, resilient, and future-proof connectivity, with fewer faults; more predictable, consistent speeds; and enough capacity to use multiple devices at once.

The technology supports many online services and businesses can operate with certainty that their broadband will support business-critical tasks such as video calls, banking, and customer interaction via social media platforms.

Packages from a wide range of broadband providers are increasingly competitively priced, meaning people may pay similar, or even less, per month than their current bill for a much-improved service.

Openreach says it plans to invest in full fibre broadband for most premises across East of England, including Ely, Huntingdon, March, Peterborough, Ramsey and Soham, as part of the company’s aim to reach 25 million UK homes and businesses by the end of 2026.