Project connecting all Guernsey homes to fibre internet by 2026 proposed

A project connecting high-speed fibre optic internet to all Guernsey homes and businesses is set to begin in 2022.

Telecommunications company Sure said they plan for the "game-changing" £37.5m project to be complete by 2026.

Up to £12.5m could be invested in the project by the States of Guernsey if politicians approve proposals to be put to the States Assembly later this year.

The project will create about 75 new jobs and could see an increase in GDP of about 1%, Sure said.

Sure currently has more than 500km (311 miles) of fibre optic cables, but homes are currently connected via copper cables.

The new network could see speeds of up to 10 gigabits per second, about 500 times faster than the current speeds available.

Sure's chief executive in Guernsey Justin Bellinger, said the network is a "huge milestone" for the company, investing in the island's "future broadband needs".

He said: "Guernsey Fibre will provide fast, stable, reliable connections into every property and facilitate working from home, high-end gaming, top-quality streaming, and multi-device households.

"We're really excited to start rolling out this game-changing network for the island."

The £12.5m investment proposal has been put together by the Policy and Resources Committee and Committee for Economic Development.

They described the plans as a "transformative investment" in the island's digital infrastructure.

President of Policy and Resources Deputy Peter Ferbrache said the investment was a priority, ensuring "no one in our community will be left behind".

He said: "Businesses, the wider community and indeed government have told us that we need to accelerate the roll-out of fibre so that our digital infrastructure is faster, more resilient and accessible to all.

"This is a critical decision for this States, as we are presenting the opportunity to make a significant investment to ensure our island keeps pace with and in some cases overtakes our competitors around the world."

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