Wildanet Connects 10,000 Premises in Cornwall as Next Phase of Full Fibre Rollout Begins

Wildanet hits double milestone as East Cornwall rollout begins

Cornwall-based broadband provider Wildanet is marking a major double milestone in its £77 million Full Fibre broadband rollout, part of the government’s Project Gigabit scheme aimed at transforming connectivity in hard-to-reach areas.

A total of 10,000 premises across South West and Central Cornwall have now been connected in the first two phases of the project. At the same time, work has officially begun on the next major phase, bringing high-speed internet to communities in East Cornwall.

Full Fibre rollout across Cornwall

Since 2023, Wildanet has secured three Project Gigabit contracts totalling £77 million to connect more than 37,000 premises across Cornwall to gigabit-capable broadband.

So far, 33 build areas have seen a combined 10,000 homes and businesses go live, supported by:

• Over 2,500 km of fibre-optic cable laid

• 159 km of infrastructure and civil engineering works

• 1,622 new chambers constructed

The company’s next phase has now begun in East Cornwall, with the first equipment installed in St Germans. The milestone was marked with a visit from government representatives, including Telecoms Minister Chris Bryant and newly elected South East Cornwall MP Anna Gelderd, alongside Wildanet’s technology partners Nokia and Xantaro.

‘A step-change for Cornwall’

Chris said:
“This is a landmark moment for Cornwall as we celebrate connecting 10,000 homes and businesses to fast, reliable broadband through Project Gigabit, transforming lives across the county.”

He added that rural areas in Cornwall have “put up with painfully slow internet for too long,” and this milestone represents a significant shift in the government’s plan to boost digital connectivity across Britain.

Backed by big tech

Wildanet’s rollout has been boosted by a new partnership with global telecoms leader Nokia and international infrastructure specialists Xantaro. Both companies joined Wildanet in St Germans to highlight how advanced tech is being used to streamline and future-proof the build process.

Paul Alexander, Vice President and Country General Manager for UK & Ireland at Nokia, said:
“Wildanet’s recent achievements highlight how Nokia’s proven technology and expertise supports accelerating network rollouts and providing cutting-edge connectivity to rural areas.”

Stephen Kingdom, Chief Technology Officer for Xantaro, added:
“We’ve seen first-hand the great work Wildanet is doing in the area and commitment that the team has to bringing advanced broadband to local residents.”

‘A fantastic milestone’

Justin Clark, Wildanet’s Chief Strategy & Technology Officer, said:
“Reaching 10,000 live connections is a fantastic milestone for Wildanet and for the communities we are connecting across Cornwall.”

He also thanked communities for their understanding during the infrastructure build and praised the support of Project Gigabit and Wildanet’s partners.
“We are excited to deliver the digital infrastructure that will drive economic growth and improve quality of life for even more homes and businesses throughout the county.”

Digital inclusion key for Cornwall’s future

Anna Gelderd, MP for South East Cornwall, described the rollout in St Germans as an essential step in closing the digital divide.
“Reliable internet access is becoming a necessity. Digital inclusion is key to ensuring no one in South East Cornwall is left behind.”

She said the Labour Government’s Digital Inclusion Action Plan would support Wildanet’s efforts, helping skilled workers stay in the community and attracting new industries to the area.

Wildanet’s work continues across the county, with thousands more properties set to benefit in the coming months.

📷: L-R: Seb Elliot (Senior Sales Director, Nokia); Stephen Kingdom (Chief Technology Officer, Fixed Networks, for Xantaro); Ben Moore (Network Manager, Wildanet); Anna Gelderd (Member of Parliament for South East Cornwall); George Calvert (Operations Project Coordinator, Wildanet); Louis Higgins (Regional Build Manager, Wildanet)