Technology tide turns on Holy Island thanks to broadband boost

The gigabit upgrade from Openreach, using full fibre technology, will offer speeds 10 times faster and five times more reliable than the existing copper based broadband on Holy Island.

The works will also provide improved connectivity for the more than 650,000 tourists who visit the beauty spot – which includes a castle and priory – each year.

Mike Poole, chief engineer and member of the Openreach North of England board, said: “Twice a day when the tide comes in, people living and working on Holy Island aren’t physically connected to the mainland, but they can certainly stay virtually connected via their broadband now.

“Weather on the island can be extreme, especially in winter, so having more reliable broadband technology is arguably nearly as important as speed – although the speed will certainly come into its own in the summer months when thousands of visitors arrive.

“With visitors comes additional demand on existing infrastructure and that includes broadband. For businesses on the island, many of whom support the tourist industry, this new technology is vital.

“People still expect to be able to access wi-fi in cafés to upload their holiday snaps to social media and download films in the evening to relax.”

Openreach has previously announced plans to invest in full fibre broadband for the majority of premises in towns and villages across Northumberland as a result of the both the company’s commercial build and the iNorthumberland broadband partnership with Northumberland County Council.

Other locations that will benefit from the programme once works have taken place in the towns and villages include Longframlington, Red Row, Rothbury, Seahouses and Shilbottle.

Openreach engineers are also currently in Berwick and they will be providing improvements to more than 4,000 homes and businesses, with the works expected to end in June next year.

Welcoming the Berwick upgrade, Berwick North county councillor Catherine Seymour said: “Full fibre optic connections for high speed digital cable has started now in the town, so there will be some disruption on our streets to install it.

“The positive results will be that this will provide better quality internet for local businesses, schools and residents that will benefit the community.”