THE people of Saltash are set to benefit from a major digital infrastructure upgrade, as Openreach begins rolling out full fibre broadband to homes and businesses across the town.

The project promises to deliver some of the fastest and most reliable internet speeds available in Europe, marking a transformative step for the local community and economy.

The full fibre rollout, described as a “once-in-a-generation upgrade”, will bring gigabit-capable broadband to the majority of premises in Saltash. This new network will allow residents to connect multiple devices at ultra-fast speeds, while giving local businesses the digital tools to compete more effectively in an increasingly online marketplace.

For families, it means smoother streaming, lag-free gaming, and faster downloads. For businesses, it brings improved video conferencing, faster customer service systems, and greater resilience in handling data-heavy tasks – all with minimal buffering or disruption.

Engineers are already on the ground in Saltash with work underway to install the advanced infrastructure needed to support the new network. Openreach says the technology will provide future-proof connectivity, delivering fewer faults, more reliable performance, as well as consistent speeds even during peak usage periods.

Martin Williams, Openreach’s partnership director for Cornwall, said the upgrade is a significant milestone for the town.

“We’re bringing full fibre broadband to Saltash and letting local people know what to expect,” he said. “This is a major infrastructure upgrade, so there will be more engineering teams, equipment and vans around town, and we're working hard to keep disruption to a minimum.

“Wherever possible, we’ll use our existing network of ducts and poles to avoid roadworks, new street furniture and disturbance. But there may be places where we need to install new poles, underground ducts and fibre cables because it’s the only way to make sure households get included in the upgrade.”