According to the latest Connected Nations report, released today, Welsh broadband provider – Ogi – is a major catalyst in Wales’s quest for nation-wide full fibre broadband coverage.
With demand for better broadband services on the rise, full fibre coverage – that’s fibre to the premises (FTTP) – is now available to around 55% of Wales (up from 19% only a few years ago) according to Ofcom’s latest Connected Nations report. Not all thanks to Ogi of course, but the challenger brand has quickly gained a reputation for its stand-out Wales-based credentials and is consistently rated ‘excellent’ on consumer review sites such as Trustpilot.
Over two and a half years into its first phase multi-million-pound rollout, the operator has installed more fibre metres than the coastline of Wales, passing 100,000 of its initial 160,000 premises plan, in largely underserved communities across the south of the country.
The Internet Service Provider (ISP) plans to kick off the new year with a new 7-day customer care service, making support available later into the evening and on weekends. A new dedicated self-help section on the Ogi website – with popular content and in-depth tips – will also offer customers even more ways to access support, boosting the brands position in the Welsh market.
Commenting on the news, Chief Executive Officer, Ben Allwright, said: “We’ve built a strong recognisable brand in a very competitive marketplace in the last few years, and it’s great to see the Connected Nations report acknowledging our part in speeding up some of Wales’s most rural parts.
“We’re here for the long run; working closely with Local Authorities, our construction partners and investors to make sure Wales has the best, most affordable full fibre broadband services for now, and long into the future.”
Ogi has now signed up over 10,000 customers to its alternative full fibre network, installing new connections in some of Wales’s most rural settings, often with little to no existing fibre infrastructure.
Its Wales-based focus includes a multimillion-pound privately funded contract with the Welsh Government to install a new high-capacity network and offering associated services along the M4 corridor. The initial phase announced in September 2023 is expected to be complete in early 2024.
Chief Revenue Officer, Sally-Anne Skinner, added: “Our flagship 6 months free offer has helped people access faster broadband speeds much sooner than they might have – something we’re really proud of. And it’s really helped shape our presence in the communities we’re investing in.
“Now, as we enter a more competitive marketplace, we want to become a real challenger to the usual suspects, turning the status quo on its head. Almost two thirds of the way through our initial rollout plan, we’re a household name and ready to go even further.”
The in-house planning team continue to evaluate delivery plans throughout 2024 to make sure contractors can maintain Ogi’s high standards and deliver in line with company plans and investor expectations for its original phase and future phase rollouts.
