Elevate has announced that its new £7 million full fibre network across Cardiff is now live.
As part of a multi-million-pound investment in the economic future of the city by the Welsh Government’s Local Broadband Fund, and following a successful partnership and collaboration with Cardiff Council and the Elevate team, this new digital infrastructure will better connect Cardiff’s residents and businesses, and help support the local economy.
The company will operate under the Elevate brand for business customers and WeFibre for residential customers. Elevate Wholesale will also be working with local IT organisations to support their customers' connectivity needs in the city.
Elliott Mueller, CEO at Elevate, said, “Working in the cultural and commercial centre of Wales, businesses across the region need rapid and resilient access to the best possible digital infrastructure.
“When we were awarded the contract back in 2023, we committed to full fibre coverage across Cardiff by 2025, and we’re delighted that the work we’ve undertaken with Cardiff Council and the Welsh Government has delivered exactly that.”
Isabelle Bignall, chief digital officer at Cardiff Council, said, “Broadband is a necessity in this digital age, and access to reliable connectivity is essential to help our local businesses flourish and our residents thrive. I am proud to share the transformative impact of Cardiff’s Local Broadband Fund project which has successfully delivered gigabit speed connectivity to the most digitally deprived areas of the city. This project has boosted connectivity for businesses and residents, driving economic growth and enhancing daily life in Cardiff. Alongside the improvements in broadband infrastructure, this project has also invested in our local communities.
“Elevate has provided Cardiff's Virtual School with online tuition credits to enable students, who may struggle in a traditional school setting, to complete their English and Maths GCSEs. WeFibre offers an affordable social tariff helping to reduce the financial barriers to connectivity, and 15 community sites have received free-for-life gigabit internet connections, helping to ensure that everyone in our community can stay connected and flourish.”
Welsh Government Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, Rebecca Evans, said, “This significant investment in Cardiff's digital infrastructure will provide thousands of businesses and residents with world-class connectivity, including many people who have suffered with slow broadband speeds until now.
“The Welsh Government, through our Digital Strategy for Wales, is committed to working with the telecommunications industry to deliver the fixed and wireless connectivity services that businesses, the public sector, and homes in Wales need to thrive.”
The new full fibre network gives more than 5,000 businesses across Cardiff access to dedicated Internet speeds up to 10 Gbps and more than 4,000 homes access to full fibre broadband up to 1 Gbps.