Leading Full Fibre broadband provider, Fibrus has surpassed 150,000 customers in Northern Ireland and Cumbria, marking a major milestone for the business.
Since connecting its first customer in Dundrum, County Down in 2019, Fibrus has achieved exceptional growth with a mission of bringing Full Fibre broadband to homes and businesses in rural and hard-to-reach areas. Following its expansion into Cumbria in 2022, the business has continued to meet growing customer demand through its network build, enabled by a combination of public funding and significant commercial investment.
By placing the customer and community at the heart of the business and its growth strategy, Fibrus is eradicating the digital divide by delivering market-leading Full Fibre broadband speeds and high-quality products at an affordable price in rural communities across the UK.
Many customers in Northern Ireland gained access to Full Fibre for the first time through Project Stratum, the largest telecoms infrastructure project ever delivered in the region. In Cumbria, Fibrus was awarded the Project Gigabit contract in 2022, covering over 50,000 premises that would otherwise be left out of any rollout plans for Full Fibre broadband.
Building on this momentum, Fibrus is now also delivering Project Gigabit Northern Ireland. Backed by £34.6million in UK government funding through the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and delivered by the Department for the Economy, the project will bring Full Fibre access to 9,333 of the most rural and hard-to-reach homes and businesses, helping to future-proof communities where connectivity has historically lagged behind urban areas.
Colin Hutchinson, Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer of Fibrus Group, said: “Reaching 150,000 customers across our network is a major milestone for Fibrus and a remarkable achievement for a business that only connected its first customer in 2019. It reflects the hard work of our teams, the strength of demand for reliable Full Fibre broadband, and the impact our network is already making in communities across Northern Ireland and Cumbria. We remain focused on delivering the best possible service for our customers as we continue to grow.”
Fibrus currently holds an ‘Excellent’ Trustpilot rating, with a score of 4.5 out of 5 stars, reflecting its continued investment in customer experience and local customer service.
Among Fibrus customers is Michael Carson, who was first connected to Full Fibre in 2021 through Project Stratum. Living in a completely off-grid home near the Gobbins in County Antrim, Michael made a deliberate lifestyle choice to live independently of traditional utilities with no mains water or electricity, instead installing wind and solar power as well as a natural wastewater system to protect the surrounding landscape.
As more people opt for quieter breaks away from busy cities, proximity to natural landscapes like that of the Gobbins has become an increasingly important factor in how people choose to live and holiday. Michael says Full Fibre broadband has enabled the community to capitalise on this opportunity, revitalising previously vacant spaces for visitors from across the world to take a break without compromising on a steady connection to the wider world.
Michael said: “We chose to live here because we value the landscape and a simpler way of life, but the reality is you cannot fully switch off from the modern world. Even those who want an off-grid lifestyle still need broadband for everyday things like banking, shopping and keeping in touch with friends and family.
“Before Full Fibre broadband, even making a phone call meant going outside at night with a headtorch to get signal. Now, we don’t have to choose between the lifestyle we want and staying connected. It has completely changed how we live day-to-day, and empowered us to flourish in the home we want to live in.”