Superfast fibre broadband coming to Sleaford in new project to speed up south of the county

Lincolnshire based internet service provider, Lightspeed Broadband has kick started the roll out of its super-fast next generation full-fibre internet network in Sleaford.
By Andy Hubbert
Published 26th Apr 2021, 18:42 BST
Lightspeed Broadband celebrating the start of its full fibre network roll out. Pictured (front row, from left) Nick Carroll - Operations Director RCU, Scott Vernon - Lightspeed Delivery Director, Dave Axam - Lightspeed Operations Director, Stephen Joynes - RCU Director and Stephen Jones - RCU Delivery Director. Photo: Gavin Read. EMN-210426-164524001Lightspeed Broadband celebrating the start of its full fibre network roll out. Pictured (front row, from left) Nick Carroll - Operations Director RCU, Scott Vernon - Lightspeed Delivery Director, Dave Axam - Lightspeed Operations Director, Stephen Joynes - RCU Director and Stephen Jones - RCU Delivery Director. Photo: Gavin Read. EMN-210426-164524001
Lightspeed Broadband celebrating the start of its full fibre network roll out. Pictured (front row, from left) Nick Carroll - Operations Director RCU, Scott Vernon - Lightspeed Delivery Director, Dave Axam - Lightspeed Operations Director, Stephen Joynes - RCU Director and Stephen Jones - RCU Delivery Director. Photo: Gavin Read. EMN-210426-164524001

It is claimed the state-of-the-art fibre network will deliver gigabit download and upload speeds of up to 1,000Mbps - 15 times faster than the UK average download speed of 64Mbps, more stable and reliable than standard fibre broadband, directly to homes and businesses.

The internet speeds will allow Sleaford residents and businesses to enjoy professional home working, stream online entertainment, high speed gaming, home schooling and video calling, with no buffering.

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Lightspeed Broadband, which is backed by private investment, is working in partnership with specialist fibre infrastructure contractors, Plancast and RCU Solutions, to roll out the network, starting in ten towns in South Lincolnshire and West Norfolk - Sleaford, Boston, Bourne, Holbeach, King’s Lynn and South Wootton, Long Sutton, Market Deeping, Skegness, Spalding and Stamford.

The company aims to bring its fibre optic to 100,000 homes and businesses across the East of England by 2022 and reach 1 million homes by 2025.

RCU Solutions, together with Lightspeed are working with North Kesteven District Council and the highways agency in Sleaford to roll out the network quickly.

Evonne Rogers, Head of Corporate and Community Services at NKDC welcomed the rollout locally saying: “This will facilitate further the ability for residents to connect to the internet for work, leisure, shopping and family time and enhance the potential for businesses to flourish within the district. It will also contribute to everyone’s efforts to save on their carbon outputs where better broadband alleviates the need to get in the car to access services, workplaces or other functions if they can be done online.”

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One hundred engineers have been deployed across the region and 30 new jobs are being created, with an emphasis on employing and training local people with a new HQ in Spalding.

Dave Axam, Operations Director at Lightspeed Broadband said they were targeting an underserved area of the country, looking to re-use existing underground ducts and telegraph poles and dig underground chambers where possible, rather than using street cabinets, and use clean, electric vehicles.”

Local residents will be advised of plans to start work in their street. First homes and businesses will be able to connect later this year.

For further information see www.lightspeed.co.uk