Hyperoptic adds four new hyper-cities and doubles footprint in six months

• Newcastle, Sheffield, Birmingham and Nottingham join Glasgow as the latest hyper-cities to get fastest consumer broadband in the UK
• Hyperoptic will soon reach more than 75,000 homes, spanning 480 sites

06 October 2014, London, UK: Gigabit broadband is speeding its way across the UK as Hyperoptic, the UK's leading Fibre-to-the-Home provider, announces that it has added four new cities to its hyper-cities club, taking the total to 12 cities in the UK, where consumers have access to the lightening-fast symmetrical gigabit (1,000Mbps) broadband speeds.

Hyperoptic will soon reach more than 75,000 homes spanning 480 sites, with a target of half a million homes by 2018. This rapid increase is largely due to a huge rise in demand from Brits, who have taken control over their need for speed at home and registered their interest via the Hyperoptic website. The growth of Hyperoptic has been further accelerated by an ever-increasing group of hyper-champions, residents who campaign for gigabit speeds within their development.

In London, Hyperoptic's gigabit footprint now extends across the length and breadth of the city; from central riverside apartments, all the way to the developments situated near the M25. The service is also live in Cardiff and Bristol, and installations are underway in Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds and Reading.

The latest cities are Newcastle, Sheffield, Birmingham and Nottingham – which join the recently announced hyper-city, Glasgow. All cities were chosen by demand and number of residential developments.

Dana Tobak, Managing Director, Hyperoptic, adds: "Our mission is to provide a true fibre infrastructure, which empowers residents to future-proof their online lives. In today's age, broadband should be an enabler, not a hindrance. A fast, consistent, dependable fibre connection is now essential for entertainment, socialising and work.

"With symmetrical gigabit speeds, you can be guaranteed that you can enjoy the best of what the internet has to offer. As a result, the reception to our products and services has been phenomenal. We remain committed to expand our footprint and availability across the UK."

Communications Minister Ed Vaizey adds: "Government is fully aware of the tremendous contribution that companies such as Hyperoptic are making to the UK's Internet industry. Cutting-edge technology is the foundation for growth and innovation and today's announcement is fantastic news for Newcastle, Sheffield, Birmingham and Nottingham."

Hyperoptic works in partnership with developers and building management companies, to install its true fibre infrastructure directly into their buildings. Partnerships are in place with forward-thinking property developers, including Barratt London, St George and Regis Group plc, which is fuelling the rapid expansion of Hyperoptic's footprint across the UK.

Jim Anderson, Project Director, Barratt London: "Barratt London is committed to providing residents with world-class connectivity, and with fibre-to-the-premises from Hyperoptic on our development it shows our commitment to our customers, and the need to continually evolve."

Paul McFadyen, Director, Regis Group Plc: "Broadband has become a key consideration that affects where people choose to live, alongside being close to friends, family and good transport links. It forms the foundation of the connected home. By partnering with Hyperoptic we can be guaranteed that our residents have a seamless broadband experience today, and that the connection is future-proofed for the next era of technology."

Innovation has been a key contributor to the success of the business to date. When it first launched services, Hyperoptic targeted developments with 80 units or more. Today Hyperoptic is able to install services to developments as small as 50 units, making gigabit speeds a reality to many more residents.

About Hyperoptic

Hyperoptic is the UK's leading Fibre-to-the-Home provider, delivering a quantum leap in online connectivity. Its hyper-fast gigabit symmetrical service is over 56 times faster than the current UK average, and ten times the speed of its nearest competitor.

Hyperoptic works with freeholders, developers, property managers and residents to bring its award-winning services to residential and business developments, providing an unrivalled connection that increases the attractiveness of each property. It aims to have its hyper-fast service available to over half a million homes by 2018.

Founded in 2011, Hyperoptic received a £50m investment in May 2013 from Quantum Strategic Partners Ltd, a private investment vehicle managed by Soros Fund Management LLC. The company was named 'Best Superfast Broadband' provider and "Best Use of Digital' at the 2014 Internet Service Providers' Association Awards, "Most Innovative Provider 2013" by Broadband Genie and "Best Urban Network Enterprise" at the NextGen 12 Challenge Awards.