Work begins to connect ultrafast full-fibre broadband to Thame and Haddenham

Gigaclear, the rural network provider has started work in Thame and Haddenham to connect the town and village to its ultrafast full-fibre broadband network.

The provider which specialises in bringing better internet coverage to underserved market towns has earmarked homes in nearby Thame and Haddenham for its expansion.

This scheme has been organised through the government’s Building Digital UK (BDUK) project.

Findings from Fair Internet Report show that Thame's existing broadband speeds are around 25.58Mbps, while Haddenham’s is 26Mbps, both are well below the national average of 80Mbps plus.

It is hoped that Gigaclear's full-fibre upgrade will bring speeds of up to 900Mbps to just over 6,185 homes and business premises in Thame, and a further 2,315 properties in Haddenham.

In total the project will require over 92,000 metres of fibre which will be laid via trenching as well as through existing duct and pole infrastructure.

Ben Woods, central general manager at Gigaclear, comments: “We’ve been firmly established in rural Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire for some time now, bringing our ultrafast network to those that need it the most.

"With this infrastructure already in place, we are now in a position where we can focus some of our attention on connecting the underserved market towns close to our current network footprint. Communities like Thame and Haddenham are calling out for better broadband, and we are thrilled to be able to provide it.

“Given the year we have just experienced, I think it is fair to say that connectivity is valued higher than ever before. For individuals and rural businesses that still don’t have access to an ultrafast service, it can be incredibly frustrating and isolating, which is why are so pleased to be able to extend our full fibre network to even more areas.”

The expansion of Gigaclear’s network build to Haddenham is expected to be completed by the end of 2021, while Thame is expected to be complete in early 2022.

More information can be found on Gigaclear's website here.