Digital infrastructure, which includes physical resources for broadband and mobile communications, is being deployed across Surrey via a variety of different suppliers and technologies.
Page Contents
- Where can I find out about current broadband coverage in Surrey?
- Where can I find out about what technology/speeds are currently available to my home or business?
- The move to fibre from copper networks
- What is full fibre and why is it important?
- Who is installing full fibre?
- Government investment in digital infrastructure
- Other connectivity options
- Social tariffs
Where can I find out about current broadband coverage in Surrey?
ThinkBroadband, an independent broadband monitoring site, provides data at country, county, constituency and borough/district level. Visit the ThinkBroadband site for more information.
Where can I find out about what technology/speeds are currently available to my home or business?
- Contact your existing service provider for example BT, VirginMedia, O2, Talk Talk, Sky, etc
- Check the Ofcom website. This provides speed checks as well as mobile and broadband coverage information.
- Visit a price comparison site. Please note that whilst comparison sites include available services that service providers are offering on the Openreach or Virgin Media 02 networks, the sites will not necessarily include what services are available from smaller fibre suppliers. A list all fibre suppliers operating in Surrey can be found below.
The move to fibre from copper networks
Existing Openreach and Virgin Media O2 copper telephone networks have been used for many years to support landline phone calls and broadband connections but the ageing infrastructure is no longer able to cope with current connectivity demands.
They are therefore retiring their existing analogue (PSTN) networks and moving their customers onto digital services. This switch-over has started and is happening at different times and is dependent on the service provider. Most of the switchover will be completed by December 2025, with the remainder by January 2027. For most residents and businesses who already have a broadband connection via a router, the change is likely to be fairly seamless.
The switch-over will impact any technology that currently connects directly into a telephone socket rather than connecting to the socket via a router. Devices affected may include telecare devices, landline phones, lift alarms, fire alarms, intruder alarms, CCTV, sensors, electronic point of sale machines, etc.
The Local Government Association have published a Digital switchover telecare checklist for organisations that are responsible for commissioning telecare. Ofcom also provide a useful page called Moving landline phones to digital technology and what you need to know.
If residents or businesses have any questions about this switchover and their phone service, particularly if they are vulnerable in any way and/or use a telecare device, they should contact their service provider.
It is also important for organisations, businesses and residents to audit their premises to ensure that their service provider knows of any infrastructure that may be impacted by this change.
What is full fibre and why is it important?
Full fibre is known as Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) or Fibre to the Home (FTTH). Unlike, older technologies, such as Openreach's Fibre to the Cabinet (FTTC) or Virgin Media's co-axial cable which used a mixture of fibre and copper, full fibre uses a fibre optic connection all the way to the home so provides much more reliability and significantly faster upload and download speeds. Whereas FTTC can usually only offer maximum download speeds of 80 megabits per second, full fibre offers over 1,000 megabits per second.
Fibre network infrastructure consists of fibre cabling which is installed in ducting either underground or on telegraph or electric poles. More information on planning and permitting for fibre infrastructure can be found on our Utilities frequently asked questions web page.
Who is installing full fibre?
The vast majority of full fibre infrastructure in Surrey will be installed by fibre suppliers as part of their commercial rollout plans. The list below includes all known suppliers that have already or are planning to deploy their commercial full fibre networks in Surrey, together with a link to their websites. It is important to note that not all homes and businesses in an area may be upgraded so please check the individual fibre supplier websites for more information.
Latest update (December 2024):
- Airfast.net – Limpsfield Chart area
- AllPoints Fibre (formerly Swish Fibre) – Bagshot, Cranleigh, Farnham, Godalming and Haslemere areas
- Broadband for Surrey Hills (B4SH) – Albury, Farley Green, Peaslake and Shamley Green areas
- Community Fibre (formally Box Broadband) – Chiddingfold, Cranleigh, Dorking, Ellens Green, Epsom, Ewell, Ewhurst, Hersham, New Haw, Walliswood, Walton-on-Thames Woking and Worcester Park areas
- Fibre and Wireless Networks - Cranleigh, Dorking, Elstead, Farnham, Frimley, Godalming, Horley, Reigate and Redhill areas
- Gigaclear - Bagshot, Chilworth, Churt, Englefield Green, Hindhead and Shalford areas
- Grayshott Gigabit – Grayshott and Hindhead areas
- Openreach are currently installing their full fibre network to homes and businesses right across Surrey. Their network is Open Access which means that many different ISPs (FTTP providers | Openreach) can offer a full fibre service on the network once it is available to a home or business.
- Netomnia - Byfleet, Woking and Guildford areas
- Shere Internet – GU5 area including Shere and surrounding areas
- Toob – Ash, Ash Vale, Camberley, Farnham, Frimley, Tongham and Woking areas
- Trooli - Bagshot and Windlesham areas
- Virgin Media 02 - residents or businesses in Surrey who can currently connect to the existing Virgin Media O2 network can access gigabit-capable speeds. However, Virgin Media 02 are now planning to overlay their whole network to full fibre by 2028 and this work has already started in Surrey. In addition, the network operator nexfibre which holds a wholesale agreement with Virgin Media 02 are installing FTTP into Farncombe and Godalming.
Government investment in digital infrastructure
To upgrade as many as possible of those homes and businesses across the UK that are not included in commercial plans will require public investment support. The Government has therefore set up the £5 Billion Project Gigabit Programme which includes procurements and voucher schemes and is being managed by Building Digital UK (BDUK), part of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT). To find out more, please visit our Project Gigabit page.
The Government is also investing in the Shared Rural Network which is a £1 billion government deal with the four main Mobile Network Operators that will include both private and public investment in a network of new and existing phone masts closing 'not-spots' and levelling up connectivity across every corner of the UK. The Programme will deliver 95 percent 4G coverage to UK landmass by the end of 2025.
Other connectivity options
- Investigate alternative mobile/wireless technologies. Please see the Ofcom website
- Investigate satellite solutions such as Starlink
Social tariffs
Social tariffs are cheaper broadband and phone packages for people claiming Universal Credit, Pension Credit and some other benefits. You can use the Ofcom website to find out which suppliers are currently offering social tariffs
If you have any additional queries about your broadband status or the information included on this page, please contact our broadband officer at broadband.enquiries@surreycc.gov.uk.
