Greatwell Homes working with CityFibre
There’s some exciting work happening in 2025 to improve the broadband network that serves our customers’ homes.
The UK Government is aiming for the whole nation to have access to gigabit broadband by 2030. Linked to this, you may have seen the infrastructure being installed across the Northamptonshire region in the past couple of years.
Greatwell Homes is excited to announce that we’re now working in partnership with CityFibre to upgrade the broadband connections serving all of our housing blocks. This project aligns with our new Live smart strategy – aimed at deepening our impact and building more social value. It also forms part of our commitment to make a positive contribution to our neighbourhoods.
Currently, the majority of broadband connections are copper wire that only allow for a limited broadband speed, which means many of our customers currently can’t benefit from superfast fibre broadband deals that are now on offer from many suppliers. As many day-to-day services now rely on internet connectivity it puts more pressure on the connections to keep up with all the activity.
The work we’re doing with CityFibre will mean that new fibre connections are made from the network directly to your home to significantly increase the quality and speed.
What does this mean for customers living in our housing blocks?
In the coming year CityFibre will be working on a housing block by block programme to upgrade the networks. The work will involve feeding new fibre optic wires from the existing connections in the footpath up to your home.
This may sound quite intrusive but we’d like to assure you that the CityFibre engineers do not need access to your home. In the majority of cases, the wires will be fed externally to a small box that will be fixed to the brickwork in the same way the existing copper connection does.
If your housing block has internet connections through the communal utility service cupboards (located on each floor), then to make the upgrades the CityFibre engineers will need access to the communal corridors and cupboards. They will then feed the new fibre wire internally through the communal areas to a box that will be near your front door.
If any additional works are needed, for example upgrades in the footpath outside your home, we’ll write to you separately to advise of the extent of work and timeframes but this will be kept to a minimum.
What will happen to my current service?
Your current service will be unaffected during and after the works have taken place. The work will not replace your current service and will not automatically improve the broadband speed you’re receiving. CityFibre is putting the infrastructure in so that you can upgrade and have access to fibre broadband if you choose to. If you prefer to stay with your current broadband supplier then you can, there’s no obligation to take out fibre broadband. However, the option will be there if you change your mind in the future.
What happens next?
You’ll receive a letter directly from CityFibre notifying you of when the works are due to take place. The letter will also explain the likely duration of the works and provide more specific detail. As there are a number of housing blocks that need upgrading it will take about a year to work through the programme following works starting in March 2025.
If you have any questions, please contact our Customer Services Team on 01933 234450 or email: customer.services@greatwellhomes.org.uk.