A brand new next-generation full fibre network is now live across Crawley, giving more than 1,500 organisations, including over 700 in the Manor Royal Business District, access to gigabit-capable connectivity services.
Announced last September, the project was awarded by Crawley Borough Council to full fibre provider ITS through a competitive tender. Funded through the Towns Fund alongside private investment from ITS, the 32km network extends digital connectivity to more business locations across the town, with a revenue share model enabling income to be reinvested for the benefit of the wider Crawley community.
The availability of full fibre provides Crawley with the digital capacity needed at a time when reliable, high-speed connectivity is increasingly central to productivity, resilience and competitiveness. Offering high-speed services that scale with demand, the network supports cloud adoption, data-intensive operations and the increasing use of AI-led technologies across a wide range of business applications.
Councillor Michael Jones, Leader of Crawley Borough Council, said:
“The completion of this project is a significant milestone for our town. It has strengthened the infrastructure that supports local employers and helps make Crawley an attractive place for new businesses to locate.”
“As part of the Towns Fund programme, this project shows how targeted public funding, alongside private investment, can deliver long-term benefits that help to futureproof our local economy.”
Steve Sawyer, Executive Director, Manor Royal BID, said:
“Connectivity underpins how businesses at Manor Royal operate on a day-to-day basis. It affects productivity and the ability to adopt new, bandwidth-hungry technologies, all of which are essential to growth.
“With this full fibre network now live, organisations have access to the capacity and reliability they need to operate with confidence and plan for the future.”
Dave Ferry, CSO, ITS, said:
“This project responds directly to what businesses in Crawley have been asking for – access to dependable, high-quality, full fibre connectivity that can support their digital growth.
“As an open-access network, it enables them to choose from a range of services delivered by our service provider partners, offering flexibility and ensuring that their connectivity can evolve as their business demands change over time.”
Businesses can now order services ranging from full fibre broadband to dedicated leased lines through ITS’s community of service provider partners, including resellers, managed- and internet service providers. In addition to connectivity, partners offer a broader portfolio of IT services such as voice, storage, backup and security. To check availability, visit www.fasterbritain.com
