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Jody, a resident of County Down, has witnessed firsthand the transformative impact of faster internet speeds on his household and the wider Northern Irish community. “Before Fibrus, our internet speeds were a dismal 1.5-2 Mbps, which was horrible,” Jody recalls. “When Fibrus started their rollout in Northern Ireland about six months into the pandemic, it was a game-changer for us.” 

The improved broadband infrastructure has had a profound effect on both personal and professional aspects of life in Northern Ireland. Jody’s family, which includes his wife Nicola and their two teenage sons, experienced an immediate improvement. “With an Xbox, Sky Glass, Netflix, and other streaming services in use, reliable internet is essential. The previous speeds caused constant buffering and disruptions. Now, the kids can stream and game without issues, and I can work from home efficiently.” 

As a director for an American construction consultancy based in Belfast, Jody’s job requires a stable internet connection for communication and large file transfers. “I work from home at least two days a week, managing projects across Europe and India. The reliable connection from Fibrus means no more dropped calls or video freezes. It has made my career much easier to manage from home.” 

Northern Ireland now boasts one of the best broadband infrastructures in the UK, opening new economic opportunities. “We don’t need to be based in London anymore. Businesses can thrive here with the same efficiency, helping to grow our local economy,” Jody explains. The enhanced internet service also supports his company’s focus on reducing carbon footprints. “We conduct more online meetings instead of traveling, reducing our carbon emissions. With Fibrus, we can fit in 3-4 virtual meetings in the same timeframe as one in-person meeting.” 

The region’s political stability, educated workforce, and high quality of life are further boosted by reliable internet. “People are starting to realize it’s quite easy to work from here. This will help us build a stronger economy,” Jody notes. 

Jody appreciates the excellent customer service from Fibrus as well. “I accidentally cut the cable to our property, and the engineers fixed it immediately without any charges. Fibrus’ local team understands our needs and is always approachable.” He adds, “The hardware we have from Fibrus is fantastic, with no buffering during TV shows. During COVID, if someone turned on the Xbox during a video call, everything would grind to a halt. Now, there’s no stress about the internet connection.”

Switching to Fibrus was an easy decision for Jody and his family. “There was no other viable alternative,” he states. The superior internet speeds provided by Fibrus have significantly improved their quality of life and contributed to Northern Ireland’s economic development. 

Through enabling seamless personal and professional use, Fibrus is playing a critical role in transforming Northern Ireland into a competitive, modern economy. 

The Fibrus Community Fund, which was launched in 2021, has to date provided £175,000 worth of funding across Northern Ireland to support digital inclusion projects, with an additional £120,000 committed in Cumbria.

Over 30 Northern Irish community groups are receiving grants this year to help individuals across the region access the internet and digital technology, thanks to funding provided by Fibrus.

Delivered in partnership with The Community Foundation Northern Ireland, the Fibrus Community Fund was established to address digital poverty in Northern Ireland and in total the Fund has now provided grants to over 100 community groups across the region.

One of the groups benefiting from the latest round of funding are Gaeil Ruairí Óg agus Gaeil na Glinntí, based in Cushendall. They received £1,600 towards their Cultural Connections Programme, which has created a digital café, providing weekly sessions for all areas of the community.

Speaking of the grant, the Chairperson of Gaeil Ruairí Óg agus Gaeil na Glinntí, Áine Máire Mhic Neachtin said: “Through this programme we have created a Digital Café, with weekly sessions for pensioners, single parents, schoolchildren and any member of the community who needs support in learning about and using services online.

“Whether it is simply ordering groceries, educational classes, making online doctor appointments or upgrading a CV, this programme is helping those in our rural community to access more services online.  The programme will give people access to devices, the internet, and digital literacy support, to help users learn to use online platforms like government websites, banking, and even some fun games.

“By providing digital assistance to our community we can help to enhanced economic opportunities, improved access to vital services, and strengthen social connections, reducing isolation and ultimately fostering greater resilience and prosperity within the community.”

Lives in: Tandragee 

Living with arthritis can be more than just painful; it can be debilitating. Before gaining access to reliable internet, Wendy experienced this firsthand. 

Connecting with others is crucial for Wendy. While she can still drive and use a scooter, the pain and fatigue from arthritis often make it challenging to stay active. “Sometimes you are in pain and very tired, and to be able to just sit down and watch something without waiting for it to download is a relief,” Wendy explained. “Instead of thinking, ‘Oh, I’d like to watch that, but it’s going to take three weeks to download a two-hour film,’ you can actually just pull it up, and it’s there.” 

With Fibrus, Wendy can now also listen to her favourite tunes while gardening. “Being able to take music out into the garden is fantastic,” she said. 

Wendy lives in the countryside with her three adult children, one of whom is completing a degree from home and another has high-functioning autism. The high-speed internet connection from Fibrus has been just as beneficial to her children as it has been to Wendy herself. 

“My daughter is a junior project manager in a construction company which means she has a degree to do, which sometimes requires doing coursework from home. When you have poor download speeds, that’s pretty challenging. The college did what they could during lockdown but it was still a struggle, and our previous broadband provider didn’t give a damn.” 

“I’ve got a son who is high functioning autistic. He’s got a wonderful little group that meet up online and play computer games together, or they build a Minecraft world. It’s a nice group, they all support each other. They found each other online, two are in America, one is in England.” 

Fibrus’ high-speed broadband service has transformed Wendy and her family’s internet experience, addressing their unique challenges and significantly improving their quality of life. 

“We’ve noticed a difference. It’s a lot quicker, and an awful lot faster. We can all watch a different television programme at the same time, we can do homework or talk to somebody on zoom, and before it would have been buffering all the time, or cutting out and it just wouldn’t hold the signal.” 

Workington Town goes from strength to strength, buoyed by a recently renewed sponsorship deal from Fibrus. Yet nothing would be possible without its committed army of volunteers.

A few years ago, the club nearly went out of existence. Last year it embarked on a new era when its Derwent Park stadium was renamed the Fibrus Community Stadium as part of significant injection of investment in Town by Full Fibre broadband provider Fibrus. The company is committed to supporting Cumbrian grassroots sports and has recently renewed its sponsorship, giving a further boost to the many dedicated locals driving the club forward.

Behind Town stands an unseen team, including Stephen ‘Patch’ Daniel. Between them they have given decades to the club, helping to turn it around and set it up for a brighter future. And, aside from the volunteers, the board has made strategic decisions to boost the club’s paid workforce to help strengthen the club.

“The club’s had its bad times,” says Patch. “But we’re helping to take it forward now.” A retired bricklayer, Patch began volunteering in 2012. He helped to prepare for the two 2013 Rugby League World Cup matches that were played at Town. He recalls: “I looked at the grandstand and thought ‘that looks shabby.’” So, he bought some paint and painted its back wall.

He is often here seven days a week. His remit has expanded as the club has grown. Patch is kit manager for Town’s men’s team and its recently formed women’s rugby and football teams.

Patch’ once chose to spend the night sleeping in a chair in Workington Town Rugby Club’s kit room after a late night and early start at the stadium.

“We had an event on, and it was finishing late,” he recalls. “The following morning, I had to be back down for eight o’clock. It was a waste of time going home. It was easier for me to sleep here.”

There are many such examples of kit manager Patch and his fellow volunteers going the extra mile for Workington Town Rugby League Club.

This rugby club also now has 300 children affiliated to its football team. Helping young people is a big motivation for the volunteers. Patch says: “I get a lot out of seeing people happy. When you go in the marquee in the Fan Zone and you see the kids’ parties and they’re all enjoying themselves, it’s great. And helping the teams – it’s very much appreciated by them.”

Volunteering helps the club, and it gives a lot back to the volunteers. Patch says: “Four or five years ago I was going through a bad time. It was the rugby side of it and being down here that sorted me out really. I came down every day. There was always something to do. I could switch off from my feelings at the time. It did me a lot of good. It was very therapeutic. I sorted myself out. But it did help a lot.”

The volunteers have helped to ensure that the Fibrus Community Stadium is no longer somewhere people come just once a fortnight during the rugby season. Volunteers created the Fan Zone in the car park. This hosts gigs and parties, as well as being busy on match days.

The club’s volunteers include Richard West, who spends much of his time preparing the pitch. Wayne Scholey is responsible for areas including ticketing and stock control. His wife Julie volunteers to manage the club’s food and soft drink outlets. Lindsey Borthwick runs the club lottery, and also volunteers as office manager.

There’s electrician Malcolm Hill. George and Christine Taylor’s roles include picking up litter from the stadium the morning after a match. Adrian Sharp bought a burger van, and cooks the matchday burgers and chips himself. He also had the idea for the Fan Zone marquee. Patch and Richard paid for it, as a gift to the club.

Patch was there, too, on the day to lend a hand when the ground was renamed the Fibrus Community Stadium, marking an important new chapter for the club. “I couldn’t believe it was happening. I remember I was shaking with excitement because we have been through some hard times and to see the club going forward was a brilliant feeling.”

Colin Hutchinson, CFO of Fibrus, said:

“We’re on a mission to connect communities in Cumbria, and our partnership with Workington Town is central to this. Clubs that are so well grounded in the local community fly the flag for community spirit amongst players, fans, and volunteers alike.”

“Volunteers like Patch are integral to the smooth running of Workington Town. Their tireless dedication is what makes all the difference in keeping that community spirit alive. I would like to extend a big thank you on behalf of Fibrus to everyone who is working hard behind the scenes to support the Fibrus Community Stadium.”

Over 50 grassroots sports clubs, 33 of which are based in Northern Ireland, have benefited this year from broadband provider Fibrus’ Play it Forward Fund, which aims to support children’s sports clubs in rural communities.

The fund, which is now in its second year, has provided more than £30k to NI groups and organisations this year alone, on top of the funding allocated to grassroots clubs in Cumbria. Over the last two years, the Fibrus Play it Forward fund has contributed £100,000 to sports clubs in both Northern Ireland and Cumbria, England, helping kids get outside and switch off from their devices. In Northern Ireland, almost £60,000 has been allocated to local clubs.

The Play it Forward Fund is designed to support children and young people under the age of 18 by encouraging them to get involved with sports on a community level. It’s aim, however, is to reach beyond sports, empowering children in local communities to prioritise movement, health and wellbeing.

Fibrus has offered grants of up to £1,000 per club which are designed to help with equipment, kits, improving facilities and subsidising training fees.

This year, over 6,000 children in NI and Cumbria in 53 different local sports clubs will benefit from funding. The groups range from wheelchair basketball to hockey, martial arts football, swimming and more.

One recipient of this year’s Play it Forward Fund is the Causeway Giants Wheelchair Basketball Club from Coleraine, who recently launched the first children’s wheelchair basketball team on the north coast (and the second in Northern Ireland). The club received a grant of £840 which will help them to purchase much needed kits for its youth members.

Linda McMillan, Chief People Officer at Fibrus, said:

“We are committed to playing a role in improving the health and wellbeing of children and young people, so investing in local communities is important to us. Our Play It Forward Fund is just one way we do this.

“I’m delighted to see a new batch of clubs benefitting from the Fund’s second year in Northern Ireland. One of our core values is ‘be yourself’, celebrating diversity and inclusion, and coming from Coleraine myself, I think it’s fantastic that we are able to support Causeway Giants Wheelchair Basketball, who are paving the way for inclusion in the basketball space in the north coast.”

“We had a fantastic response to the Fund this summer and we are excited to see how our funding helps the clubs we’re supporting in Northern Ireland and Cumbria this year. Sports and clubs are at the heart of the communities where we operate, and we want to support these communities as widely as we can.”

Helen Logan from Causeway Giants Wheelchair Basketball Club added: “Having just launched the only children’s wheelchair basketball club catering for those on the north coast, we are thrilled to receive funding from Fibrus’ Play it Forward fund.”

“The money we have received from Fibrus enables us to buy kits for our young people aged five to fourteen. Having team kits helps grow a sense of unity and inclusivity within the sport and allows our kids to feel a sense of team identity.

“Having private businesses such as Fibrus offer money from their own pocket to better our community goes such a long way in helping us grow our club, which is solely run by volunteers.”

To find out more, visit the Fibrus Play it Forward Fund.

In the Wi-Fi universe, where memes rule, box sets are ‘bingeworthy’ and endless scrolling is oh-so-tempting, it’s easy to think of screen time as the villain of family time. But with a little creative planning (and none of that pesky buffering), a great broadband connection can be a tool to bring your household closer together. From shared adventures to learning experiences, here’s how you can turn screen time into prime family bonding time.

1. Family Movie Nights

Gather the family, pop some popcorn, and then engage in the most epic battle of our times: picking a movie the whole family will love. Will it be Dad’s 80s action flick, Mum’s romantic drama, or the kids’ animated chaos?

Make the experience extra special by turning your living room into a home cinema – dim the lights and get cosy under blankets. It’s not just about watching a movie, it’s about sharing reactions, discussing favourite scenes and making
memories.

2. Online Gaming as a Team

Nothing says “I love you” like crushing your family in a game of Mario Kart or teaming up to survive the zombie apocalypse. Whether you’re building in Minecraft or throwing red shells in Mario Kart, online gaming can teach teamwork, communication and problem-solving skills.

And with Full Fibre broadband, you can rest assured the only squabbles will come from Dad not playing fair, rather than lag spikes and spinning wheels. So, all you need to do is try to keep that competitive spirit in check!

3. Learn Together

The internet is packed with education gold. From learning a new language, trying your hand at coding or discovering why Mentos and fizzy drinks are a recipe for disaster (thanks YouTube!) there’s something for everyone. Dedicate some time to learning something new as a family – you’ll have fun figuring things out together and maybe laughing at some epic fails along the way!

4. Virtual Exploration

Who needs jet lag and overpriced airport food when you’ve got the world at your fingertips? In between your real-life adventures you can explore from the comfort of your sofa! Take virtual tours of world-famous museums, stroll through national parks, even scale the Great Wall China. Spark their curiosity and chat about different cultures across the globe – they don’t call it the world wide web for nothing!

5. Stay Connected

Thanks to today’s super speedy tech, those who are far away have never felt so close, so using video calls to stay in touch with family and friends is a great way to keep connected. There’s nothing like a good old Zoom call when someone’s always on mute, Granny’s camera is pointed at the ceiling and the kids are running in and out of the frame. It’s chaotic, it’s loud, but that’s family.

Whether it’s the endless educational options or just bonding over the funniest cat videos the internet has to offer, being international and inclusive with screen time and having a fast and reliable connection can help create meaningful, fun, family experiences and make the most of your time online.

With Fibrus broadband, you can get Full Fibre connection you can count on and speeds that keep up with a busy home – so your broadband is just one less thing to think about!

With family friendly features like a Total Home Wi-Fi Guarantee, parental controls and Wi-Fi pause, you can take control of your family’s browsing and focus on the connections that matter most. 

See if you can switch at fibrus.com

Full Fibre broadband provider, Fibrus, today announced that it has secured an additional £100 million tranche of Senior Debt, which means the company is fully funded to complete its rural roll-out plan and reach half a million homes across Northern Ireland and Cumbria within the next two years.

The package is an increase to its existing £200million senior debt facility and £20million revolving credit facility. The amendment to the existing facility was supported by all its existing lenders: UKIB, ING, LBBW, ABN Amro, Natwest and Sabadell, and three of these lenders are contributing to the £100million accordion facility.

The £320million of committed debt sits alongside around £200million in current and committed equity funding and £325million of government funding. In total, this amounts to £845million to deliver fibre broadband to underserved rural and regional homes, in some of the hardest to reach areas of the country.

Fibrus has largely completed its build programme in Northern Ireland, and already offers its services to 315,000 homes: 245,000 through its commercially funded build programme, and a further 70,000 through the Government funded Project Stratum, which was completed on time and on budget.

In Cumbria, Fibrus has already delivered connectivity to over 60,000 homes, which will increase to close to 170,000 within the next two years and is now fully funded by this debt raise.

Dominic Kearns, Founder & CEO, said:

“We are absolutely delighted to have secured this additional tranche of debt funding with the support from our existing lenders. Receiving this £100m commitment in today’s very challenging market is particularly pleasing and is a huge vote of confidence in our business.

We are now fully funded for all our existing programmes, and within two years we will have built to half a million properties that can benefit from broadband that is done right.”

Colin Hutchinson, CFO of Fibrus and who led on the fundraise said:

“This £100 million funding will enable Fibrus to continue in its mission to transform the lives of customers who had previously been left behind.  The support from our existing lenders, including UKIB who are contributing £55 million, demonstrates the strength of our plans to bring a faster, more reliable, and affordable broadband service to the hardest to reach parts of Northern Ireland and now Cumbria. The need for Fibrus is clear in the level of penetration we are achieving, particularly in Cumbria where penetration regularly exceeds 30% within a few months of launch.

“The Fibrus roll out in Northern Ireland has made a significant contribution to the digital connectivity landscape, with the region now enjoying the highest rate of connectivity of all the UK regions – sitting at 91% coverage against a UK average of 56%.”

Fibrus is now the number one fibre provider in its connectable footprint. The company’s customer base continues to increase, reaching 90,000 connected customers in July, and achieving a penetration level of 23%.

Fibrus has quickly become a household name in the areas in which it operates, with a high-quality product and great customer service, and leveraging an effective go-to-market strategy, where local rollouts are followed by community-focused sponsorships and ongoing community investment.

What’s more, Fibrus recently announced an additional £120,000 of funding to combat digital poverty across Northern Ireland and Cumbria via the Fibrus Community Fund. This sits alongside the £50,000 Play it Forward Fund which supports grass roots sports clubs within its connectable areas.

All Saints Amateur Boxing Club successfully receives funding to launch a 10-week programme for teenagers

The 50k Fund, available to sports clubs across Northern Ireland and Cumbria, is designed to support grassroots sports in regional and rural communities, offering up to £1,000 per club to help with equipment, kits, improving facilities and subsiding training fees. 

Since the 2023 launch, around 30 organisations in Northern Ireland have received grants, including All Saints Amateur Boxing Club who can now kickstart their 10-week programme thanks to the fund! 

All Saints Amateur Boxing Club in Ballymena used the donation from Fibrus to purchase equipment in order to launch a 10-week programme for teenagers.   

Brendan Dunne at All Saints Amateur Boxing Club said, “We used the donation from Fibrus to purchase equipment to develop a 10-week physical activity programme for 30 young people aged 13-18. 

“By purchasing this equipment for the club, it ensures we can remove barriers to access for children to take part and allows us to make a positive personal, physical and social change through boxing.” 

The 2024 Fund recently closed for applications and successful beneficiaries will hear back soon!

• Name:

Marcus Gilmore

• Job title:

Customer Service Operations Manager

• Where are you from?

I’m originally from Belfast but now living in Ballyclare.

• What do you like to do in your free time?

I’m recently retired from playing, but I still love watching sport. Football and basketball dominates the TV in our house. Both of my daughters will watch along, so I don’t see that changing any time soon.

• How do you like to wind down from your day?

A TV show or a movie; the escapism helps me switch off from work mode and allows me to disengage my brain for the remainder of the night.

• What does your typical day in Fibrus look like?

My purpose is to lead a world class customer service operation which starts with ensuring the people I’m leading are taken care of.  As the old saying goes, if you look after your staff, the staff will look after the customer. So every task I complete and decision I make, I try to do with a smile on my face. Normally you’ll find me relentlessly looking at ways in which I can improve the operation or improving our customer’s experience with Fibrus.

• What’s a work-related accomplishment that you’re really proud of?

2023 was an incredible year for me professionally. We won Customer Centre of the Year at the CCNNI Awards in October which really validated the monumental efforts we’d put in, making our customer service centre one of the best in the industry. The icing on the cake was winning Best Contact Centre Manager at the CCNNI Awards.

• What’s your go-to productivity trick?

In-between lists!! This is my go-to work hack. Make a list of smaller tasks that can be completed in between meetings or waiting for the kettle to boil such as sending that email you’ve been putting off or the file you need to upload. Kill time by doing some micro tasks rather than wasting it hanging around. This leaves the bigger segments of the day for the mission critical tasks!

• What led you to this career?

My previous boss, Stephen Riley made me aware of my current role, and I quickly jumped at the opportunity of working under him again. His leadership has always brought out the best in me, so reuniting in Fibrus was the perfect situation for me to evolve as a leader.

• What motivates you at work?

I’m surrounded by talented people and have the pleasure of leading an award-winning team. Knowing that these people count on me to not only be at my very best, but also bring energy into the office each day, keeps me at the top of game. That, and some music at the back of the room!!

• What book, movie, music, etc. changed your outlook on life?

The book itself didn’t change my outlook on life, but what it represented did. My youngest daughter Raina was in NICU for 3 months, so I read her a chapter of Harry Potter every night until the day she got home. It taught me to appreciate the small moments in life and also what a joy it is to share one of your loves with someone else.

• What’s the top destination on your must-visit list?

My must visit and favourite place in the world is Orlando. It checks all the boxes between great weather, great food, great shopping and most importantly theme parks!! I’ve visited many great cities from Paris, Toronto and New York but nothing hits quite like a loop at 80mph over a lagoon in 35C heat with a belly full of Butterbeer!

Virtual reality will soon be helping north Cumbrians with learning disabilities to experience new places and gain skills and confidence, thanks to funding provided by Fibrus Broadband.

Fibrus has allocated £50,000 of its Community Fund so far this year to help local groups across Cumbria to tackle digital poverty.

Chrysalis, a Wigton based charity which supports people with learning disabilities, has bought VR headsets and specialist educational software with its Fibrus grant.

Now users can try a host of fully immersive virtual experiences such as visiting art galleries, theatres and castles, different countries and cultures and different landscapes.

Chrysalis runs an extensive activity programme including fell walking, sailing, shopping and music including running its own two rock bands and choir.

Claire Doherty, Chrysalis CEO, said: “It’s fantastic to get this grant. The VR will enhance our usual activities and visits and help people to prepare for them, and to practice life skills.”

Claire said: “Some people can find new environments challenging and we can use the virtual reality to break it down into stages while they develop the confidence.

“It will also provide opportunities to do things they might never get the chance for in terms of travel. You could visit the Globe Theatre in London or be walking through a jungle or visiting a music festival, or a country in South America or Asia.”

It can also help people with sensory regulation if they are feeling overloaded, providing relaxing scenes and music, she said.

“The people we support are often excluded from digital opportunities and while we do have a range of mechanisms to support them, this will be something new.

Chrysalis, which supports 70 people across North Cumbria, received £2,000, the maximum grant available from the Fund, which is delivered in partnership with the Cumbria Community Foundation.

Linda McMillan, Chief People Officer at Fibrus, said “One of our primary goals is to enhance people’s lives by improving digital literacy and connectivity, and this is what the Fund seeks to achieve.

“We believe every person deserves access to essential services in Cumbria and beyond and The Fibrus Community Fund is a vital part of our mission to foster a more digitally inclusive society.

“This year, we received some fantastic applications from organisations working hard to support those in need in their community and we are honoured to play a part in their journey.

“We eagerly anticipate seeing these groups grow and develop in the coming months.”

Lisa Blackwell, Grants and Programmes Officer, at the Community Foundation Cumbria, said the partnership with Fibrus has been instrumental in driving change in Cumbria.

‘Reducing digital poverty is crucial in tackling the ‘digital divide’; which will in turn increase opportunities and health and wellbeing outcomes for whole communities.

“Digital poverty is not just a lack of access to devices and digital infrastructure, but includes a lack of support in using technology independently and with confidence.

“Thanks to the Fibrus Community Fund, local organisations and community facilities will be able to provide devices and digital inclusion projects to people most in need.’

In addition to setting up the Community Fund, Fibrus has demonstrated its support for Cumbrian communities by launching a fund for grassroots clubs, which invests £50,000 in boys’ and girls’ sport across Northern Ireland and Cumbria.