TELECOMS COMPANY PLANS £250M INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT

A telecoms company is to roll out ultrafast full fibre optic broadband in the South West as part of a £250m infrastructure plan in partnership with what is thought to be India's most valuable company.

Exeter-based Jurassic Fibre, which currently has 40 employees with another 40 to be recruited in coming months, will be rolling out a gigabit capable network over the next five years having agreed a partnership with Tata Consulting Systems (TCS).

The Tata Group subsidiary, which has close to half a million employees across 46 countries, is the first of several partnerships to be announced as part of the overall investment in the broadband infrastructure of the South West.

Chief executive of Jurassic Fibre, Michael Maltby, said: "This is a big step forward for connectivity in the region and absolutely vital as more and more of the world goes truly digital.

"Jurassic Fibre will be working with communities, councils, businesses and consumers to develop a new fibre to the premises network, bypassing the decades-old copper one that most homes and businesses still rely on for broadband and phone landlines in the South West.

"We are delighted to be partnering with one of the world’s largest technology providers, Tata Consultancy Services. Jurassic Fibre will be taking the internet experience for families and businesses to a whole new level, allowing people to be ‘truly digital’ in their day-to-day lives, making the digital plumbing of the South West a reality in the 21st century."

TCS is to will be supplying key elements of the software solution for the project.

Carol Wilson, head of Europe and UK, TCS Communications, Media and Information Services, said: "Fibre optic broadband connectivity will enable residents and businesses across the South West of England to realise the potential of digital technology.

"Around the world businesses are using digital technology to harness new opportunities and transform their operating models. We are proud to support Jurassic Fibre through the TCS HOBS platform, which will help the company deliver the ultrafast internet speeds to businesses and consumers."

Phase one of the network build starts this autumn and will expand to cover areas around Exeter Airport, Sowton Industrial Estate, homes on the eastern side of Exeter and nearby villages.

The network will then roll out to cover areas including Honiton, Tiverton, Barnstaple, Teignmouth, Taunton, Dorchester, Weymouth and Yeovil.

Jurassic Fibre was acquired by Fern Trading Limited in early 2019, with Fern advised by Octopus Investments.