Some Banbury area residents are to get faster internet as full fibre upgrades are to be rolled out

Oxfordshire County Council’s digital infrastructure team has already helped to ensure over 98 per cent of homes and businesses have access to superfast broadband.

The council’s latest collaboration with suppliers is the biggest boost yet as a further eighteen exchange areas, including Banbury Chipping Norton, Bloxham, Adderbury and Upper Heyford, are to be modernised by Openreach with gigabit capable fibre infrastructure.

This follows last week’s national announcement by Openreach regarding the rollout of fibre optic cables that go straight to homes or premises. Meanwhile, other operators – such as Gigaclear and Airband – continue with significant full fibre infrastructure work across the county.

Councillor Glynis Phillips, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Corporate Services, said: “This announcement confirms over 75,000 homes and businesses across 18 locations will benefit from access to future-proof, full fibre broadband. Combined with significant council and government investment in fibre broadband infrastructure in hardest to reach areas, this latest work builds on our commitment to help deliver accessibility and sustainable growth across Oxfordshire.”

Internet exchanges being upgraded include Adderbury, Banbury, Bicester, Bloxham, Chipping Norton, Upper Heyford, Cumnor, Abingdon, Blewbury, Childrey, Didcot, Kidmore End, Kingston Blount, Marcham, Oxford, Thame, Wantage, Warborough, and Woodstock, while work has already started in Banbury.