JT has now completed 70% of its planned connections to Jersey’s new fibre broadband network.
A little over 34,000 properties were listed to be connected when the first property was equipped with fibre in May 2012. By the end of 2016, JT had swapped just over 24,000 homes’ and businesses’ broadband connections to the new high speed/capacity network.
In the last four-and-a-half years, the actual number of broadband connections in Jersey has risen by about 10%, or 3,000. So, JT expects to have connected over 37,000 properties by final completion.
The project was split into three phases. Firstly, installing the main computer system to sit at the heart of the new network. Secondly, running fibre-optic cabling within easy reach of every broadband customer in Jersey And then finally, connecting all of those customers directly to the new network. The first two phases are 100% complete, with the third just reaching the 70% mark.
2016 was the best year yet for connections, with the engineering teams completing more than 8,000. That connection rate has got quicker each year.
The Gold-Standard Connection
JT’s fibre-optic broadband project – known as Gigabit Jersey – has seen the Island leap to 3rd place in the world. That is, in terms of the percentage of broadband customers directly connected to the internet with fibre-optic cabling. For comparison, in November 2016, the U.K. Government lamented the fact that less than 2% of U.K. properties have what they described as the “gold standard” of direct-to-the-home fibre broadband connections.
Fibre broadband is vital if Jersey is to keep up with new technologies. It provides guaranteed data speeds for customers. And also enables quicker, and higher capacity, connections to the internet.
As the world moves further into the ‘internet of things’ – in which many home devices are all connected together over the internet – fibre broadband is essential if Islanders are to enjoy the full benefits of the digital revolution.
Serving the Island for Decades to Come
JT’s Director of Corporate Affairs Daragh McDermott, commented:
“We are really proud of the Gigabit team for what they have achieved in 2016. It’s been our best year yet in terms of the number of properties connected to fibre. It sets us up really well for 2017.
“We fully appreciate that there are Islanders waiting for their fibre connection. We would like to reassure them that we are progressing as quickly as we can. If anyone wants to find out when they will be connected, we would ask them to check our website. Here the estimated connection dates are published.
“In effect we are replacing the Island’s entire broadband network, and are planning to do it more quickly than has been done anywhere else in the world. Such a large and complex civil infrastructure project takes time. However, once it is done, it will serve the Island well for decades to come.
“This network has put Jersey ahead of nearly every other jurisdiction in the world. Now they are trying to work out how they can catch-up. We’re looking forward to the forthcoming States’ Digital Policy Framework. This will help the Island to realise the full potential of having fibre-optic cabling going all the way to homes/offices of all broadband customers.”
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Issued by Direct Input. Telephone 01534 735253 or email julien@directinput.je
NOTES TO EDITORS
JT is a full-service Tier-1 global consumer and business enterprise provider with over a 120-year’s heritage based in the Channel Islands. JT offers a domestic and global customer base a range of world-class services. Some of these include; voice and data; consultancy; co-location; leading-edge data hosting; internet; security; cloud back-up; fixed and mobile technologies; e-Gaming; M2M; Cloud Services (IaaS); fully managed IT services; and wholesale solutions.
Across 11 global locations, JT employs about 600 staff. Thus, providing products and services to over 1 million subscribers globally.
