Sure’s first full fibre to the home consumer trial has begun with 27 Guernsey households signed up to take part.
The trial, which will last up to 12 months, is taking place in Clos Des Isles, St Sampson’s and the first household was successfully connected on 4 August.
Justin Bellinger, Sure Guernsey Chief Executive, said: “Our customers are our priority. We’re proud to put them at the heart of this trial testing this experimental technology. We expect download speeds for participants in the trial to range from between 250Mbps and 1Gbps, which is more than five times the average download speed of 34Mbps that most islanders can currently achieve on fixed broadband”.
As part of the trial, participants will provide feedback to the Sure team on their experience and this information will be used as part of Sure’s analysis of the technology’s suitability for Guernsey as part of our investment plan.
Justin said: “Our ambitious multimillion-pound investment plan, that will future proof the island’s telecoms infrastructure and equip it for a digital future, includes the trial of a range of technologies for us to assess what is most effective and suitable for islanders and businesses”.
Currently, most households are connected by copper which provides islanders with a standard connection. In recent years, Sure has invested millions to provide fibre to the kerb which allows more reliable and faster connections. Installing full fibre to the home, like in this trial, is the last step to allow households in Guernsey to enjoy the full capability of the technology including speeds of up to 1Gbps.
Clos Des Isles was selected for the trial due to its proximity to the existing fibre technology in Admiral Park that is used by many businesses for fast and reliable connectivity. The work undertaken by Sure’s engineers for this trial will build on the 500km of fibre already installed in the island.
Following the trial, the data will be analysed and a decision made on the suitability for fibre technology in Guernsey or the need for further trials.
