09 December 2024

Commsworld has completed the construction of its core network build, transforming Northumberland County Council’s digital infrastructure.

The company has replaced Northumberland’s Wide Area Network, laying 262km of new full-fibre infrastructure, ensuring businesses and communities across the county can also benefit from higher-quality, reliable and resilient connectivity.

The WAN was delivered as a result of Commsworld’s 20-year strategic partnership with Northumberland County Council. It means employees in 150 council sites are now connected to far superior network infrastructure, while around 115 Northumberland schools also have access to faster speeds, bandwidth and resilience, providing a further boost to digital learning in the county. The infrastructure is also delivering a host of further digital improvements thanks to Commsworld’s partnership with local internet service provider Alncom.

As a result, residential and business properties, many of them rural, have gained access to high-speed Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) for the first time, directly tackling the digital divide in the county and providing the infrastructure that underpins Northumberland County Council’s progressive approach to connectivity in line with its long-term digital strategy.

Commsworld is also working in partnership with the National Innovation Centre for Rural Enterprise (NICRE) and Community Action Northumberland (CAN), funding a project which will recruit and train volunteer Digital Champions to engage in rural communities to improve digital skills and confidence and help everyone get the most from the improved digital connectivity.

NICRE will also be carrying out a three-year study to capture learning and impact of the project, providing a blueprint for digital inclusion and maximising the social value of improved digital connectivity.

“This is great news for our county. The completion of this project will deliver significant benefits to our communities, particularly in rural areas,” said Cllr Wojciech Ploszaj, Cabinet Member for Corporate Services at Northumberland County Council. “This enhanced digital infrastructure will enable us to improve educational resources and support local businesses by providing access to the fastest internet speeds available. This strengthens our commitment to bridging the digital divide, ensuring even the most remote areas are connected. I would like to thank Commsworld and Alncom for helping us bring these valuable improvements to Northumberland.”