Full fibre broadband now live in Darras Hall area of Ponteland

Over the past eight months, Liverpool-based internet service provider FACTCO has been working closely with the iNorthumberland Team at Northumberland County Council to install full fibre capable broadband to homes and businesses in this section of Ponteland.

Semi-retired quantity surveyor Charles Laidlaw is the first resident to have his home connected by FACTCO and is now enjoying speeds up to 10 times faster than before.

He said: “The speeds I had before were just shocking to be honest. It kept dropping out, which was always embarrassing during (Microsoft) Teams meetings when working from home.

“The connection we have now with FACTCO is chalk and cheese – we were only getting about 30Mbps for download and half that for upload, now we’re averaging at 300Mbps.”

Full fibre ultrafast broadband works through fibre optic cables that run directly to properties, allowing for significantly faster speeds than standard broadband.

This means better, more reliable internet connection, faster streaming and download speeds, higher quality video calls and the ability to have several people using the connection at one time.

Coun Richard Wearmouth, Northumberland County Council's deputy leader and cabinet member for corporate services, said: “I’m thrilled to see better connectivity being rolled out in this area. Better broadband speeds are a major part of our lives now, especially since the rapid growth of digital technology.

“Having access to the best broadband available not only accelerates business growth and improves access to entertainment, but also helps people stay in touch with their friends and families much more conveniently.

“I want to thank the iNorthumberland team and FACTCO for all their hard work in making this possible. I look forward to seeing the potential this full fibre broadband installation will unlock.”

FACTCO is now looking to investigate into further developing the network in Darras Hall.

Hexham MP Guy Opperman, whose constituency includes Ponteland, said: “We know there is more to be done and it is only the start of a long process, but this is a big step in bringing faster connectivity to our county.”

For more information about getting a FACTCO connection, call 0333 3057560 or email [email protected]