Newcastle-under-Lyme seeks altnet partner for forgotten areas

Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council has published plans to build up to 50km of fibre infrastructure, to connect the areas not yet addressed by commercial fibre rollouts.

It is looking for a provider to deliver the fibre connections as part of the Newcastle Town Deal.

A report before the Council’s Cabinet revealed that some parts of the town centre and outlying business parks will be overlooked by fibre providers, restricting growth and investment opportunities for smaller businesses.

Providing open access infrastructure will then let commercial providers provide final connections into business parks, keeping costs down and making choosing there more attractive.

Simon Tagg, Leader of Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council, said: “In this day and age businesses, home workers and entrepreneurs need access to fast, reliable internet if we are to take advantage of the opportunities available in a digital world.”

“Levelling up isn’t just about buildings it also supporting and providing residents and businesses with the infrastructure they need to improve their day-to-day lives.”