Milton Keynes is the first location to be announced as part of the partnership, which will involve 12 UK cities and one million homes. The project will enable Vodafone to provide residents with broadband speeds of around 1,000 Mbps.
Construction of the new project will start in March this year, adding to a pre-existing network of around 160 kilometres of fibre.
Speaking of the rollout, Vodafone UK chief executive Nick Jeffery said: “Milton Keynes is fast becoming a UK leader for productivity and growth, with its economic prospects only likely to improve following the opening of the East West Rail project.
“We believe that residents deserve a digital communications service to match their ambitions. This is why we are providing gigabit-capable connections to transform the way they live and work.”
Leader at Milton Keynes Council Cllr Peter Marland said: “As a modern city that prides itself on its smart city ambitions and projects, we are perfectly positioned to make the most of this major private investment in our digital infrastructure. We know that the city will get behind this project to ensure that every home and business unlocks their digital potential.”
According to a statement, Milton Keynes was chosen as the first city because of “the city’s strong tech sector, the council’s forward-looking commitment to ‘smart city’ initiatives, and the strength of its support for the project.
