Nottingham is to benefit from an investment of £117m in its digital future, as part of CityFibre’s plans to replace the nation’s legacy networks with gigabit-capable full fibre connectivity.

The state-of-the-art infrastructure is expected to boost business productivity and innovation and deliver millions of pounds in economic benefits for the city, while giving residents access to the UK’s fastest broadband services.

Detailed planning is already underway as CityFibre designs a network capable of serving Nottingham’s current and future demands. Upon completion, the network will be in reach of nearly every home and business in the town and will provide a platform for a new generation of “smart city” applications and the roll-out of 5G mobile services.

CityFibre has appointed Dominika Walker as City Manager to spearhead delivery of the Nottingham project, which is due to commence in January 2021. In this role, Dominika will be responsible for ensuring the full fibre network is implemented with minimal disruption, while delivering maximum benefit for the wider community.

Dominika will be the lead point of contact for all the town’s stakeholders and a key advocate of the wide-ranging benefits that a full fibre network will bring to Nottingham’s residents and businesses.

Dominika said: “I’m delighted to be part of an organisation that is doing everything it can to transform towns and cities across the country. Our digital infrastructure plays a crucial role in growing and protecting local economies, even more so during these unprecedented times when connectivity has proven vital to residents, businesses and public services alike.”

Having worked with CityFibre over the past three years to drive community and stakeholder engagement during its network rollout in Coventry and Southend-on-Sea, Dominika brings valuable experience to the role. She also has an extensive background in IT and communications, which she gained during her experience working with software and supply chain brands in the East Midlands region.

McCann Ltd is delivering the construction programme on CityFibre’s behalf, using modern build techniques to deploy the network quickly. The company is following social distancing protocol to ensure the build team’s safety, as well as that of the general public.

John McCann, Managing Director at McCann, said: “CityFibre’s commitment to delivering the latest in full fibre technology to the city of Nottingham is both commendable and exciting. The scheme, along with similar projects across the UK, will transform large areas – gearing them up for the future of connectivity in order to attract businesses, visitors and improve the lives of residents.

“This is a landmark project for our team and continues to build on our existing relationship with CityFibre. We are delighted to have secured this work and look forward to delivering high speed broadband to the city of Nottingham.”

Councillor Sam Webster, Portfolio Holder for Finance, Growth and the City Centre at Nottingham City Council, added: “The effects of the coronavirus pandemic have shown more clearly than ever the importance of being digitally connected.

“From food shopping to banking, keeping in touch with friends and family, and now for many people working from home, being able to rely on a high-quality internet connection is an important part of our lives. Having a strong and reliable digital infrastructure will also enable businesses to adapt, people to keep working, and help us all to feel connected.

“CityFibre’s investment in the city will bring a full-fibre broadband network, supporting residents, businesses and services, and ultimately helping to boost our economic recovery and encourage future growth. We’re looking forward to seeing the benefits this project will bring to our communities.”