Netomnia, a leading full-fibre network provider, in collaboration with local authorities, has enhanced broadband infrastructure in Stroud Town Centre. By partnering with local councils and the chamber of commerce, Netomnia identified the need for improved internet connectivity among businesses, which previously struggled with sluggish speeds between 10 and 30Mbps.

Through strategic planning and stakeholder engagement, Netomnia successfully deployed its full-fibre broadband network, elevating internet speeds to an unprecedented 10,000Mbps enabling Stroud businesses to thrive in the digital age.

The challenge

Before Netomnia's intervention, businesses in Stroud Town Centre faced significant limitations due to inadequate broadband speeds. With a maximum bandwidth of 30mbps, these enterprises encountered hurdles in everyday operations, hindering productivity and growth.

To add to the challenge, Gloucestershire County Council had plans to upgrade the town centre by resurfacing the footways and carriageways. This meant there was a limited amount of time to address any potential construction work required for broadband infrastructure due to restrictions on utilities works on newly resurfaced ground for up to three years.

The solution

Following requests for support from the local community, Netomnia engaged with local councils, council officers and the chamber of commerce to better understand the needs of Stroud Town Centre businesses. By fostering collaborative relationships and actively engaging stakeholders, Netomnia gained valuable insights into the local business needs.

With the local authority's plans for Streetworks and town centre improvements, Netomnia seized the opportunity to build its fibre infrastructure alongside ongoing construction projects—streamlining deployment and minimising disruption to the local community.

Communication with Gloucestershire’s Streetworks and planning teams was crucial for both works to be carried out simultaneously, avoiding a lengthy delay for broadband improvements in the town centre.

Netomnia’s network build was completed in a matter of weeks.

The result

The impact of Netomnia's work with the community has given businesses in Stroud Town Centre the ability to access fast and reliable broadband services which would otherwise be unavailable.

Through Netomnia's partner Internet Service Providers (ISPs), businesses can now experience an enormous increase in internet speeds - from a mere 10mbps to an astounding 10,000Mbps.

This dramatic improvement in connectivity will empower businesses to embrace digital technologies, streamline operations, and unlock new opportunities. From seamless video conferencing to lightning-fast data transfers, businesses can now harness the power of high-speed internet to elevate their competitiveness and deliver improved services to their customers.

Comment from Zoltan Kovacs, Managing Director at Netomnia:

“We were delighted to work with Gloucestershire County Council and the local community to bring this much-needed infrastructure to Stroud Town Centre. With the community now having access to broadband speeds of up to 10,000mbps, this will no doubt revolutionise the way businesses operate, supporting economic growth in the area for decades to come. Stakeholder engagement is an essential part of making this happen for thousands of communities across the UK.”

Comment from Mayor of Stroud & Chairman of the Stroud & District Chamber of Trade & Commerce, Cllr Tony Davey:

“The town’s communities, both residents and commercial, had struggled with unsuitable speeds and unstable connectivity for too long. With blended working and an increased need to do business online, reliable and fast broadband is a necessity. Stroud is going through an exciting period of positive change and improvement, and I feel that having access to a full-fibre network will help provide much needed business service continuity that the town needs to continue to evolve. It will also help ensure our resident communities are well served and that new businesses coming to the town will have the infrastructure needed to thrive here.”

Conclusion

Netomnia's collaboration with local authorities and its strategic deployment of full-fibre broadband infrastructure has futureproofed local businesses in Stroud Town Centre. By delivering ultrafast internet access through partner ISPs like YouFibre, Netomnia has empowered businesses to thrive in an increasingly digital landscape.

Netomnia's work continues in Stroud and the surrounding areas, with around 7,000 premises ready to take a service.

Netomnia, the UK’s fastest-growing altnet, has passed, and made Ready for Service (RFS), more than 1,000,000 homes and businesses as part of its national fibre rollout, in just four years.

The milestone demonstrates Netomnia’s exponential growth, with the business passing 500,000 premises within the last year alone, reinforcing its mission to become the third national fibre infrastructure in the UK.

Founded in 2019 by Chief Executive Officer, Jeremy Chelot, Netomnia’s network now covers over 100 communities across the UK, providing residents and businesses with access to broadband speeds of up to 10Gbps.

Since its inception, Netomnia has laid over 15,600km of fibre to build its network – the equivalent distance of London to Cairns, Australia.

Zoltán Kovács, Managing Director at Netomnia comments: “We are incredibly proud that our network now serves one million premises. We started building our network in 2020 and to reach one million premises in just four years is truly unprecedented. This achievement is a testament to the dedication and hard work of our entire team. Thank you to all our partners and stakeholders for being part of this journey.

“By accelerating the UK’s transition to fibre, we’re empowering residents and businesses to unleash their potential by providing access to world-class connectivity, today.”

Netomnia recently announced its merger with fellow altnet, Brsk, which will create the market’s first wholesale and consolidation platform. This makes the group the second-largest altnet in the UK with a combined total of 1.6 million premises ready for service.

The group has a target to reach three million premises by the end of 2025.

To see if your premises is included in Netomnia’s rollout, please visit netomnia.com/check-availability

Netomnia and Brsk, two of the fastest-growing alternative networks (“altnets”) in the UK telecommunications industry, today announced a merger to establish the only scaled and capital-efficient retail, wholesale and consolidation platform in the market. The new group will have a combined network footprint of 1.5 million premises immediately post-merger, with a target of reaching 3 million premises by the end of next year.

This merger marks a transformative step for the UK telecoms industry, combining two highly experienced management teams with proven track records who have successfully built fibre and delivered excellent customer service across different businesses. Netomnia and Brsk built 1.5 million premises Ready for Service “RFS” and connected 140,000 customers so far using £300 million of debt. They plan to use up to £900m of debt to grow the footprint to 3 million premises, demonstrating the companies’ prudent approach to capital management.

Since 2020, Netomnia and Brsk have raised over £1.3 billion of capital, with support from investors Advencap (shareholders of both Netomnia and BRSK), DigitalBridge, and Soho Square Capital. DigitalBridge and Advencap will be committing additional equity funding as part of this raise. Recently, Netomnia secured an additional £147 million in debt from two new lenders, JP Morgan (JPM) and Rand Merchant Bank (RMB), joining existing lenders Alpha Bank, Ares, Barclays, HSBC UK, ING, NIBC, Nord/LB, Standard Chartered, RBC, and UKIB.

Jeremy Chelot, CEO of Netomnia, comments: "By merging our network expertise and resources, we are creating a powerhouse to deliver an unparalleled internet experience for our customers, driving innovation and further consolidation among altnets. The additional capital from our investors and support from our lenders is a powerful endorsement of our vision and ability to execute at the highest level.”

Giorgio Iovino, CEO of Brsk, comments: "The merger is a testament to our shared entrepreneurial spirit and experienced teams that can deliver even more. Together, we are set to deliver a fibre network that is not only fast and reliable but also future-proof, ensuring our customers benefit today and tomorrow. Our joint platform will be where the most powerful internet lives.”

The merger is set to be finalised in the coming weeks, pending regulatory approval, enabling customers to benefit from an alternative FTTP platform that offers a seamless network experience, unified pricing, and enhanced service quality across the shared footprint. The newly merged entity will be led by Jeremy Chelot as Chief Executive Officer and Wil Wadsworth as Chief Financial Officer. Giorgio Iovino and Ian Kock will remain as Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer, respectively, of Brsk.