Because We Care
Everything you need to know about WightFibre
About WightFibre
Intro
Since 2001, WightFibre has owned and operated its’ own telecommunications infrastructure entirely independently of BT Openreach. WightFibre provides phone, tv and broadband services to homes and businesses on the Isle of Wight. Only WightFibre is committed to building a full-fibre broadband network across the Island.
The WightFibre Gigabit Island Project will see full-fibre broadband deployed to over 70,000 homes and businesses across the Island by 2024. Ultimately the project will see over 80,000 homes connected to our network.
The project has received over £110M from Infracapital Partners (including funding from HM Treasury) and NatWest Bank. WightFibre is also receiving funding from Building Digital UK (BDUK) to extend the reach of our network to some 80,000 premises on the Island.
To check availability to your premise, use our availability checker here.
Click here to read the full WightFibre Environmental and Social Report 2023
Our Purpose
WightFibre's purpose is to make the Isle of Wight one of the best connected places on the planet with world-class digital connectivity second to none. Read about how we will do this in Our Network
Our Values
WightFibre is a local Island company. Since 2015 'because we care' has been embedded in our company logo. We care about our customers, about our employees, about our Island community and about our Island environment.
This 'because we care' ethos is built into our company culture. Our success depends completely on providing the highest levels of service to our customers, taking care of our employees and making WightFibre a great place to work.
We also seek to give back to our Island community through our Connected Communities Programme providing free or discounted broadband to community groups, charities and not for profit organisations as well as direct support to some of these groups through sponsorship.
WightFibre is committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions, and a carbon reduction plan
is under development. However further work is required to gain a full picture of the WightFibre
carbon footprint, particularly those emissions associated with its supply chain, and this will
inform the carbon reduction plan. WightFibre’s priority is to reduce its carbon footprint before
considering offsetting. Following this approach WightFibre intend to achieve net zero by 2040,
in line with the timescale set by the Isle of Wight Council.
And these are not just words. We measure and we have already begun to reduce our carbon emissions. WightFibre has a number of projects already underway to reduce our impact on the environment.
Our Credentials
At WightFibre, as we strive to make our Island one of the best connected places on the planet and to provide the best possible service, we seek external validation of how we are doing.
Customer Satisfaction Surveys
At WightFibre we survey all our customers once per year, surveying one quarter of our customers once per quarter so that, once per year, all our customers are invited to provide feedback. We routinely receive exceptionally high scores and we act upon all feedback received. Your broadband speeds and your WiFi coverage should be perfect. We guarantee this.
External Accreditations
You don't have to take our word for this. We have a number of external independent accreditations so that we can be sure we are doing things right.
This remarkable achievement reflects our unwavering commitment to sustainability, environmental responsibility, and positive impact.
Our employees agree as well! Have a look at our Great Place to Work video
Great place to work
Resilient Point to Point Network Architecture
WightFibre has one of the most advanced networks in the world. Every single home gets its own dedicated fibre optic cable (so no sharing with your neighbours) which will allow for virtually unlimited broadband speeds for decades to come. Built on a highly resilient 'ring' architecture the network can survive cable cuts - in the highly unlikely event this might happen - with interrupting customer service.
What is in a WightFibre Cabinet?
This White Paper explains what is in the WightFibre street cabinets and why they are such an important and resilient component within the full-fibre network.
You may have spotted the white street cabinets with the WightFibre logo around the Island. There are two kinds of cabinet, larger ‘Active Cabinets’ which is where all the high-speed local connections are made from and smaller ‘Passive Cabinets’ which contain fibre distribution panels to connect parts of the system together.
Connecting you with WightFibre Microduct Technology
This White Paper explains how the physical connection is made from the local WightFibre street cabinet to your premises using the very latest ‘Microduct’ technology.
Microducts are just 7mm thick and very tough. Being so thin, means it can be laid very quickly and easily with only the smallest of trenches needed. If you are in an area where our original Coaxial Hybrid was available, then the microducts are laid through the old four-inch pipes meaning that no digging is necessary.
The fibre cable itself is literally ‘blown’ through the microduct using special equipment called a ‘fibre blower’. The way the fibre blower works is to compress air into an airbox and then use a pusher to feed the fibre through the blower head and into the microduct. The force of the air blowing past the fibre within the duct creates a friction free layer of viscous air around the fibre so that it can be pushed over hundreds of meters or even around fairly sharp bends in the microducts.
As a result, only small teams are needed to lay large parts of the network, especially the last few yards to your premises, normally with minimised need for digging and no large trenches required.
WightFibre Home WiFi White Paper
This White Paper describes WightFibre’s Home WiFi service powered by Plume.
Firstly, lets make sure that we know the difference between WiFi and Broadband. Most Internet Service Providers (ISPs) provide a box that does both functions in the form of a “router”, so this can confuse things. Broadband is what connects the router to the Internet. WiFi is what connects your devices around the house to the router and which then routes to the Internet (in your home).
WightFibre’s “Whole Home WiFi” powered by Plume is the solution that brings you a WiFi solution throughout your whole home to match the Ultrafast speeds you get with a WightFibre broadband connection. It’s one thing getting fast broadband to your door, but how do you get the best performance all around your house? This White Paper focuses on the WiFi part of the journey.
Environment and Sustainability
WightFibre is committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions, and a carbon reduction plan
is under development. However further work is required to gain a full picture of the WightFibre
carbon footprint, particularly those emissions associated with its supply chain, and this will
inform the carbon reduction plan. WightFibre’s priority is to reduce its carbon footprint before
considering offsetting. Following this approach WightFibre intend to achieve net zero by 2040,
in line with the timescale set by the Isle of Wight Council.
And these are not just words. We measure and we have already begun to reduce our carbon emissions. WightFibre has a number of projects already underway to reduce our impact on the environment.
Click here to read the WightFibre environmental policy statement
Click here to read the full WightFibre Environmental and Social Report 2023
Quantifying Environmental Performance
WightFibre’s most significant environmental impact is its carbon footprint. For
the period covered by the latest report (2022-23) this has been calculated to be
452 tCO2e, excluding emissions from the WightFibre supply chain. This is an
increase of 65 tCO2e over 387 tCO2e reported in 2020-21. This increase
can be attributed to improvements in the calculation methodology as well as
organisational growth. The footprint comprises:
Scope 1 emissions of 172 tCO2e. These have increased from 133 tCO2e last
reported. This is attributable to an increase in the vehicle fleet required to
provide service to WightFibre’s customers as WightFibre has expanded across
the island. WightFibre has explored the possibility of electrifying its fleet. The
high costs of building the charging infrastructure required to support this, and
the absence of suitable public charging infrastructure, make this unaffordable.
Scope 2 emissions of 157 tCO2e. These have decreased from 177 tCO2e
last reported. These savings have been achieved through continual upgrading
of the equipment in the WightFibre data centre. It should be noted that the
street cabinets supporting the fibre network are now supplied by electricity
on a green tariff so 100% of the electricity reported in this section is now
renewable, compared with 51% reported in 2020-21.
Scope 3 emissions of 122 tCO2e. This is an increase from 78 tCO2e last
reported. The calculation for 2022-23 now includes an estimate of the
emissions associated with staff commuting, emissions from leased space in
third-party facilities, as well as improvements in calculation methodology.
Whilst the overall carbon footprint for 2022-23 has increased since 2020-21,
the increase in customer numbers means that the emissions per customer
have reduced from 41 kgCO2e to 26 kgCO2e. It should again be noted that
these figures exclude emissions associated with the WightFibre supply chain.
Looking Ahead
The main environmental objectives for WightFibre in this year will be to consolidate and build on the progress achieved this year.
Once completed this will be used to set realistic and achievable reduction targets.
Social
Digital Inclusion
WightFibre has appointed a full-time Digital Inclusion Officer. This role is to work with Island groups, charities and not-for-profit organisations to ensure all sections of the Isle of Wight community can benefit from WightFibre’s Gigabit Island project.
Activities range from providing direct one to one support to customers with less advanced digital skills, supporting charities who do the same and working with community groups supporting the less well off or more vulnerable residents to ensure they too can fully participate in our increasingly digital society.
WightFibre also provides a special social tariff for less well-off residents to ensure they are not left behind in our digital rollout.
Connected Communities Programme
WightFibre supports several community projects and organisations through our Connected Communities Programme. This programme aims to support community charities, groups and not for profit organisations on the Island through the provision of free or discounted broadband and telephone service and, occasionally, through direct financial contributions.
Organisations currently supported by WightFibre’s Connected Communications Programme include:
• Age UK
• Isle of Wight Youth Trust
• All Saints Church Gurnard
• Gurnard Scout Hut
• John Cattle Skate Club
• Newport Congregational Church
• Shanklin Reform Church
• The Beckford Centre
• Isorropia Langley Court
• Ryde Sea Cadets
• Revive Newport
• Gurnard Village Hall Association
• Independent Arts Gallery
Community Sponsorships
WightFibre supports several community sports teams through shirt sponsorship which covers the cost of supplying players with the team strip and playing equipment. Teams supported include:
• Sandown and Shanklin RFC
• First Team Cowes Football Club
• Cowes Ladies Football
• Cowes Girls Football
• Wight Eagles and Academy Football
• Oakfield Football
• Gurnard Youth Guardians Football
• Gurnard Youth Lightning Football
• Newport Girls Football Club
Curtailed by the COVID pandemic, WightFibre sponsors several community events. Recently these have included:
• The Isle of Wight County Show, helping the show return to its’ former glory by underwriting the cost of bringing the Household Cavalry to the Island for the County Show in June 2019. This was a very successful event made possible only by WightFibre’s sponsorship
• Isle of Wight Radio Child of Wight Awards, an event which recognises the achievements of young people on the Island or those who have overcome significant challenges or adversity
• Isle of Wight Radio Local Heroes Awards, recognising Islanders who have done something special to give back to their community.
