Sky and TalkTalk partnership to bring 1Gbps fibre broadband to York
Superfast broadband coming to York as part of city-wide development plan with first customers being connected in 2015
York will soon have some of the fastest broadband connections in the UK, with Sky and TalkTalk working together to cover the city in a new superfast fibre network.
The partnership between Sky, TalkTalk and network infrastructure company CityFibre will see a city-wide fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) network built in York. When completed the network will deliver broadband speeds of 1Gbps (1000Mbps) to thousands of homes and business in York.
Both Sky and TalkTalk will offer competing deals on the new network, with the first customers expected to be connected in 2015. TalkTalk, Sky and CityFibre will each hold an equal 33.3 per cent stake in the new company, which is the first of its kind in the UK. Similar schemes will also be announced in two further cities in the UK.
James Alexander, leader of City of York council said the announcement made the city the “digital infrastructure capital of the UK.”
“Gaining ultra fast broadband across the city is a huge boost for our economy; providing significant new opportunities for businesses based here and better quality and value to our residents,” he said.
The new FTTP network in York will sit outside BT’s Openreach infrastructure. Openreach CEO Joe Garner welcomed the competition, saying it was good news for consumers.
“Customers and businesses in [York] will have even more choice which can only be a good thing. We will continue to respond to our customers evolving needs.”
The average broadband speed in the UK is currently 17.8Mbps, with the proposed 1Gbps speeds for York putting it at the very top of Britain’s broadband speed league. Exact prices, branding and a specific launch date for the new FTTP network will be announced by Sky and TalkTalk in the coming months.