Ogi gets to work on future-proofing the Welsh capital

Wales’s leading alternative network provider – Ogi – has revealed plans to bring it’s bespoke full fibre network to Cardiff in a multi-million-pound bandwidth boost to the Welsh capital’s business offering.

Work beginning this month [March 2023] will bring the UK’s fastest-capable full fibre broadband technology to parts of the city that have seen significant growth in recent years.

Offering symmetrical speeds of 10Gbps and higher, this new dedicated full fibre capability will bring ultrafast and reliable connectivity to businesses across the city without the need for expensive leased lines.

For decades, companies in the city have had to rely on renting dedicated connections, often costing tens of thousands of pounds a year to run, and with long contract terms. This latest rollout by the Welsh broadband provider opens up much more affordable options for business, using the most advanced full fibre technology currently available on the market.

Ogi has gained momentum in recent years, investing millions of pounds in towns and villages across south Wales – often before the major providers – bringing much needed speed and resilience to homes and businesses, in line with demand. This move sees the home-grown provider make its first move into a major city centre area.

The leading Welsh business already provides connectivity and IT services to the likes of Tramshed Tech, PureCyber and the city’s iconic Victorian arcades and sporting venues, and this latest move will bring Nokia’s next-generation full fibre technology to even more business much sooner than intended by the other major infrastructure providers.

According to the Fair Internet Report* in March, Cardiff’s average broadband download speed peaked at around 99Mbps at the start of 2023. Ogi’s new bespoke network is set to offer speeds more than 10-times faster as standard, with full fibre lines capable of between 2Gbps to 10Gbps symmetrical speeds available for the very first time over the dedicated bespoke network.

Announcing the plans, Chief Executive Officer, Ben Allwright, said: “I’m thrilled to see our work getting underway in the Welsh capital – a thriving digital-first city, and home to our own HQ.

“The big data age has arrived in Cardiff, and fast, dependable connectivity has never been more important. As we look to work in more flexible and hybrid ways, reliable connectivity is vital, and this digital upgrade across the city will lay new foundations for Wales to thrive today, and long into the future.

“This development will enhance our existing, market leading managed IT service offering with local support based just around the corner – bringing a business’s entire needs together for the very first time.”

This new privately funded investment comes off the back of Ogi’s rollout in commuter towns like Blackwood, Dinas Powys, Maesteg and Pontypool, where hundreds of local homes and businesses are already benefiting from the Welsh providers ultrafast, ultra-reliable broadband services.

Cardiff Council Leader, Huw Thomas, added: “When I opened Ogi’s headquarters building in the centre of Cardiff last year [June 2022], the company referred to their ambitious broadband rollout plans for Cardiff, and I am delighted to hear that following investment across south Wales they are now set to start work on their capital city rollout .

“A recent report by the ‘Centre for Cities’ identified Cardiff as the leading UK Core City in terms of its digital infrastructure, so the investment by Ogi should  build on this infrastructure which is critical to achieving social and economic prosperity for all our communities – and to help us grow investment from high growth businesses already here, and from those looking to set up in the city.”

The rollout is expected to be completed by early 2024, with the first services available much sooner as the network is switched on in stages. This is part of Ogi’s initial phase to bring full fibre connectivity to 150,000 premises across south Wales – and signifies its first move into a major city centre area.