The Covid-19 pandemic has made us all realise how important it is to have access to high-speed broadband at home and so we want to make sure that all our residents can access the fastest broadband at the lowest prices.
We’ve teamed up with three major broadband providers - Community Fibre, Hyperoptic, and Virgin Media - to install equipment that will enable residents to access high-speed fibre broadband services.
What are the benefits?
The work is making gigabit-fast broadband available to as many of our properties as possible. As well as improving broadband access for residents, it will also future proof our estates and improve digital inclusion. There is no cost to residents for the cable installation, as fibre installations on all estates are paid for by the internet providers.
We are working closely with the providers to ensure that there is as little disruption to residents as possible. You should receive a letter to let you know when works are being carried out; these letters might look like promotional material and will be addressed to ‘the owner’ or ‘the resident’, so keep an eye out for details in the post.
Installation should cause minimum disruption but the installers may need to get access to the roof of your building and so you may see or hear people on the roof of your block.
So far, we have installed fibre access to around 13,000 homes with the rest of the homes we manage getting fibre installed by the end of next year.
Current works
In June and July, Community Fibre or Hyperoptic are scheduled to work on the following estates:
- Approach
- Pitsea
- St Dunstans
- Old Ford Road
How can I get access to fibre broadband?
Like other internet providers, there will be a number of packages to choose from depending on your needs and budget. For more information regarding packages please visit:
- Community Fibre: https://communityfibre.co.uk/
- Hyperoptic: https://www.hyperoptic.com/
- Virgin Media: https://www.virginmedia.com/
You're under no obligation to sign-up to a new service. If you're happy with your current service provider, you can continue your contract with them.
Benefits to the community
We’re working with the providers to give something back to residents and are planning to connect communal community buildings on our estates with free broadband. Providers will also be working with local schools to support pupils with subsidised internet access; and so far, six people from Tower Hamlets have been offered full-time employment as part of the Hyperoptic trainee scheme.
Later on this year there’ll be three more online recruitment events for the trainee scheme.
The dates are:
- 24 Jun 2021 12.00 pm to 12.45 pm
- 23 Sep 2021 12.00 pm to 12.45 pm
- 25 Nov 2021 12.00 pm to 12.45 pm
Links for these online events will be added to this page and to social media around a week in advance.