Openreach is starting work to build a new ultrafast broadband network in Pendine, Carmarthenshire – giving residents and businesses access to some of the fastest, most reliable broadband available.

Known for its rich history and breathtaking landscapes, where numerous World Land Speed record attempts have taken place over the years, Pendine is the latest Carmarthenshire village to be moving to broadband speeds deemed to be some of the fastest in Europe.

Made possible as a result of Openreach's Fibre Community Partnership Scheme, Pendine residents have applied for and pooled together free UK Government Gigabit Vouchers that have contributed to the cost of the build. Nearly 70% of the pledge target has been achieved allowing engineers to start work. The ultrafast broadband is expected to reach the majority of local homes and businesses in the locality in the coming months.

Full fibre broadband provides more reliable, resilient and future-proof connectivity; with fewer faults; more predictable, consistent speeds and enough capacity to easily meet growing data demands.

Local people can visit:  www.openreach.co.uk/ultrafastfullfibre to register for updates and, as the build progresses, check their addresses to see when services are available from their chosen provider.

Residents in Pendine can still apply for the free Government Gigabit Vouchers, which would increase the pool of funds further to extend the reach of the network in the area.

You can check if you qualify and pledge your voucher on the  Connect My Community  website. Using the vouchers – which don’t cost residents anything, enables Openreach to work with a local community to build a customised, co-funded network.

Martin Williams, Openreach Partnership Director for Wales, said: “This is a really exciting opportunity for people living and working in Pendine and we're delighted to be able to bring all the benefits of ultrafast, ultra-reliable Full Fibre broadband to the community.

“Our Fibre Community Partnership programme has meant that we've been able to bring thousands of additional properties across Wales and the rest of the UK into our Full Fibre build plans. But building out the network to these harder to reach locations is still challenging - which is why it's only possible with everyone working together - you, your neighbours and Openreach.

“We still need more pledges in Pendine to ensure we can go even further to those properties that are on the outskirts of the village so would urge people to get involved and not miss out."

Cllr. Jane Tremlett, Member for Laugharne Township Ward, said: “Knowing this local community and understanding it’s frustrations with having poor broadband connectivity for many years, the work that has started to improve that, is absolutely welcomed.

“Our rural communities should have the same access as our towns, to maintain their social inclusion in society and having decent broadband is integral to that. It’s great that residents have been able to apply for government vouchers, making sure that the installation bears no cost to them and I look forward to hearing about the benefits once the infrastructure is live.”

Openreach has identified around 25,000 homes and businesses in and around 50 communities across Wales, as being within scope for Full Fibre and is urging local people to take the next step by applying for and pooling together free Government Gigabit Vouchers to help fund the build.

If enough people sign up, they will join around 850, 000 homes and businesses across Wales who already have access to full fibre broadband.

Funding through the UK Government’s Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme and the deployment of innovative engineering techniques, means thousands more remote, rural and coastal communities like Pendine are now within reach of having better broadband.

Once enough people pledge and validate their vouchers, Openreach engineers will start the build. This can take up to 12-18 months, and some properties may go live before others. 

Openreach’s new ultrafast full fibre network in Wales now reaches more than 850,000 properties, and the company plans to roll out the new technology to 25 million UK homes and businesses by the end of 2026.

You can find out more about the benefits of an upgrade to Full Fibre broadband on the  Openreach website.

Or alternatively, if you have any questions relating to your broadband, please email your local Broadband Engagement Officer Aled Nicholas: [email protected]