Over 21,000 Island homes and business are already using WightFibre

WightFibre Accelerates Gigabit Island Project: Connecting 70,000 Homes on the Isle of Wight

Over 21,000 Island homes and business are already using WightFibre

Over £3.1M of Government BDUK subsidies supporting the rollout

WightFibre, the Isle of Wight’s leading broadband provider, is making waves with its full-fibre broadband rollout. With 70,000 homes passed and over 21,000 delighted customers already surfing the digital waves, WightFibre is transforming the Isle of Wight into a truly Gigabit Island.

Breaking Down the Numbers:

30% Market Share: WightFibre’s penetration is soaring, capturing a significant slice of the broadband market on the Island.

80% Coverage: Our full-fibre network blankets 80% of all properties on the Island, bringing ultrafast connectivity to homes and businesses alike.

Looking Ahead:

90% Coverage by 2025: WightFibre are on track to reach 90% coverage by the end of 2025, bridging the digital divide across the Island.

98% Coverage by 2027: Our commitment extends to every corner of the Isle of Wight, even those hard-to-reach spots. We’re working closely with landlords, local authorities, and landowners to secure permissions and connect those outstanding premises.

£3.1M in BDUK Subsidies: The BDUK Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme (GBVS) fuels our progress, with over £3.1M in vouchers claimed to date.

More Than Just Speed, WightFibre’s PlumeTM Homepass App gives:

Smart Features: WightFibre customers enjoy app and device prioritisation, advanced parental controls and internet freezes. It’s like having a digital butler at your service.

AI-Driven Security: keeps your online world safe, blocking unwanted sites and ensuring peace of mind.

Energy Efficiency: When your WiFi takes a break, so does the power consumption. Our automatic power-saving mode keeps things green.

John Irvine, CEO of WightFibre, shares his excitement: “Our growing customer base and unwavering loyalty speak volumes. We’re not just a provider, we’re rapidly becoming woven into the very fabric of the Isle of Wight. WightFibre’s secret sauce? Localness. It’s what sets us apart, allowing us to deliver exceptional service at competitive prices.”

Andy Matthews, Head of Greenfield at Infracapital, adds, “As WightFibre nears its completion on the Island, we are very pleased with the progress. This is a real success story and the connectivity will bring social inclusion, jobs and many wider benefits to its communities”.

- Ends –

Note to Editors:

All WightFibre residential customers are on monthly, fuss-free rolling contracts with no contractually binding price increases – “pay what you see, leave at anytime”. WightFibre enjoys high levels of customer loyalty reflected by their Servicemark with Distinction accreditation from the Institute of Customer Service – the only broadband company to hold this accreditation.

Almost uniquely in the UK, WightFibre’s network is a point-to-point design providing a dedicated fibre-optic cable to every single premise which means no sharing with neighbours (so no slowing down at peak times) and the same upload and download speeds. Also uniquely, WightFibre’s network is roughly 85% built in WightFibre’s own underground ducting with less than 15% using Openreach infrastructure.

WightFibre’s packages start at £28.95 for a 150Mb/150Mb rising to £41.00 for 900Mb/900Mb. Speeds of 10Gb/10Gb are available to business customers. A social tariff of £19.95 for 100Mb/100Mb is available to customers in receipt of means tested benefits.

Contacts:

Deon Redpath, Marketing Director 01983 240125

Email: deon.redpath@wightFibre.com.

About WightFibre.

Since 2001, WightFibre has owned and operated its own telecommunications infrastructure entirely independently of BT Openreach. WightFibre provides phone, tv and broadband services to homes and businesses on the Isle of Wight with exceptional levels of customer service. WightFibre is the only broadband company to hold the Institute of Customer Service Servicemark with Distinction accreditation. . Only WightFibre is committed to building a full-fibre broadband network across the whole Island. WightFibre has over £110M of funding from Infracapital Partners, the government’s Digital Infrastructure Investment Fund, Nat West Bank and BDUK Gigabit Voucher funding.

WightFibre offers fuss-free monthly rolling contracts with a £100 money back guarantee if headline speeds are not achieved.

www.wightfibre.com

About Infracapital

Infracapital invests in, builds and manages a diverse range of essential infrastructure to meet the changing needs of society and support long-term economic growth. We take an active role in all of our investments, whether nascent or large, to fulfil their potential and ensure they are adaptable and resilient. Our approach creates value for our investors, as we target investments with the scope for stable and sustainable growth. Our portfolio companies work closely with the communities where they are based, to the benefit of all stakeholders. Infracapital is well positioned to deliver the significant investment required to help build the future. The founder-led team of experienced specialists has worked with more than 60 companies around Europe and has raised and managed over €9 billion of client capital across seven funds. Infracapital is part of M&G Plc, an international savings and investments business, managing money for around 5 million retail customers and more than 900 institutional clients in 38 offices worldwide. Total assets under management are £343.5 billion (as at 31 December 2023).

https://www.infracapital.co.uk/