100,000 Homes and Businesses Connected across Cumbria

We are proud to announce a major milestone on our mission to bring lightning-fast Full Fibre broadband to Cumbria, we have now delivered connectivity to 100,000 homes and businesses in the county – less than three years after we entered the region in November 2022.

This achievement includes premises reached through both Fibrus’ commercial rollout and the UK Government-funded Project Gigabit. In a further boost, Fibrus was awarded an extension to its Project Gigabit contract in January 2025, enabling an additional 21,000 homes in Cumbria to benefit from gigabit-capable broadband.

Once the expanded rollout is complete, and alongside other commercial plans, an estimated 99% of homes and businesses in Cumbria will have access to next-generation broadband – paving the way for a digitally connected future across the region.

Sheila and Stephen are among the many whose futures have been transformed by the arrival of Full Fibre broadband. Living in the remote Kentmere Valley – an area long plagued by unreliable and limited connectivity, the couple now enjoys a fast and dependable internet connection for the first time.

Retired teacher Sheila said: “We’d always been with [other network provider], and the line coming up the valley was a copper line​ through the trees. We had a lot of trouble with the phone line. A tree was knocking the line out and we had a lot of difficulties with communication.”

Sheila continued: “Fibrus got the grant to put Fibre in all the way up to Kentmere and then right up our side of the valley. We’re so grateful to Fibrus. It’s fabulous being so remote and yet having good internet.”

Husband Stephen explained how it had also transformed the local village hall, the social heart of Kentmere, for residents and visitors alike. “You couldn’t get a mobile signal, and you couldn’t get internet there. So Fibrus has now connected it and there’s Wi-Fi available in the hall. It means we can use the internet while we’re there. Now if you’re doing a presentation, the fact that you can access the internet makes a huge difference, rather than having to put it on a disc or memory stick beforehand.”

“Crucially,” added Stephen, “it has enabled us to offer free Wi-Fi, which means that people can use their mobile phones if they’re near the village hall – walkers or people who’ve got in sort of trouble and need help, but would previously have had no signal.”

Rolling out network infrastructure across Cumbria is a complex and demanding undertaking, one that has been spearheaded by Viberoptix, the Fibrus division responsible for the physical network build. The region’s rugged terrain, protected heritage sites, and tourism-related restrictions make it one of the most challenging environments for broadband deployment, making this milestone all the more significant.

Conor Harrison, Chair of Viberoptix, said:
“Our build teams have shown incredible determination throughout the rollout in Cumbria. This landscape is among the toughest we’ve faced, and I’m extremely proud of the resilience and efficiency they’ve demonstrated.

“Since beginning work in the county, we’ve laid over three million meters of fibre and are maintaining strong momentum—currently installing 150 kilometres of cable each month. And we’re not slowing down until we hit our next milestone.”

“We’re proud to be supporting the rollout of the Project Gigabit contract, having successfully reached a key milestone in March by connecting 12,500 homes – on time and within budget. That number has since grown to over 17,500 connected premises. This transformative project is revolutionising digital connectivity across the county and is already making a meaningful difference in people’s lives.”

“We have our sights set on our next target of reaching over 140,000 premises in Cumbria, which we are on track to reach by the end of the financial year.”