Oxfordshire County Council completes GigaHubs project

In an achievement that the local authority says marks a significant milestone in its Digital Infrastructure Programme, Oxfordshire County Council has successfully fulfilled its GigaHubs initiative to enhance digital connectivity across 192 of the county’s rural and public service sites.

Announced in 2021, GigaHubs sought to enhance digital and social inclusion by providing gigabit-capable connectivity to eligible rural public sector buildings, such as schools, GP surgeries and libraries.

Notably, when it was launched, the GigaHubs project was the first majority council-funded project aimed at improving connectivity at local sites. By June 2024, the project had seen £5m investment from Oxfordshire County Council, £2m from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport’s Project Gigabit programme, and a further £250,000 from the Local Enterprise Partnership.

Using Neos Networks high-capacity fibre network and services – and aggregating local fibre networks from Openreach, Virgin Media Business and Gigaclear – the initial project, delivered by the end of 2023, saw 175 GP practices, schools, libraries and community centres connected to full-fibre.

Neos Networks was then engaged to extend connectivity to a further 18 rural sites in the county that were previously only connected via copper-based services. The fibre networks are now claimed to be enabling faster provisioning of public services at a fraction of the cost due to Neos’s network rationalisation of services and its ability to access a competitive supply chain.

To aid Oxfordshire’s connectivity ambitions and mark the successful roll-out of infrastructure so far, Neos Networks also provided £20,000 towards the purchase of new IT equipment for the council’s public libraries. The IT equipment can be used by staff and residents, enabling the connected hubs to become key pillars of community activity.

The new infrastructure is also said to provide a way to incentivise more investment from the commercial sector in rural areas now that the targeted “hubs” provide a way to connect nearby homes and businesses.

The project has allowed the migration from expensive leased line services to direct fibre internet services for council buildings. This has improved connectivity performance while achieving a saving of £69,619 a year on connectivity costs for the council. The network provider believes significant benefits have already been observed in communities where the new infrastructure is operational.

The council has ambitions to equip community and village halls to become “community hubs” that offer enhanced community services, health and social care support, and reduce the need for people to travel further afield to access vital public services. Village halls and community centres are live-streaming events, meetings, clubs and classes. In addition to providing new full-fibre broadband, the Digital Infrastructure Programme has also funded three years of paid internet access for the 55 community centres and village halls connected through the project.  

The council’s digital connectivity programme director, Craig Bower, said the completion of the GigaHubs project marked a significant milestone in its mission to enhance digital connectivity across Oxfordshire.

“By providing gigabit-capable broadband to 192 public service sites, we have not only improved the quality of services offered at these locations, but also stimulated further commercial investment in rural areas. This project exemplifies our commitment to digital inclusion and community development,” he said.

Council leader Liz Leffman said the GigaHubs project had transformed the digital landscape of Oxfordshire, enabling schools, GP practices, libraries and community centres to offer enhanced services to residents.

“The successful collaboration with Neos Networks and other industry leaders has ensured that even the most remote areas now have access to reliable, high-speed internet. This initiative supports our broader goals of reducing carbon emissions, promoting digital inclusion and fostering community engagement,” she added.

Neos Networks’ chief revenue officer, David Bruce, said it was “delighted” to have played a pivotal role in Oxfordshire’s GigaHubs project. “This project should serve as a blueprint for other local authorities seeking to bridge the digital divide support community development,” he added.