MORE than 500 jobs are set to be created as an internet provider prepares to deliver hyperfast full fibre broadband to more than 114,500 Hampshire homes.

Giganet began a £125million network building project in the summer and will connect properties in phases over the next 18 months.

It will cover homes in Winchester, Tadley, Totton, Marchwood, Hythe, Fawley, Ringwood, Emsworth, Eastleigh and Fordingbridge.

Giganet says Hampshire has not yet benefited from the race to bring full fibre to all parts of the country. The company’s network plans have been backed by £250million in private investment, £125m of which has been earmarked for the county.

Kevin Barry, chief network build officer at Giganet, said: “This is an exciting chapter for Giganet as we bring Hampshire’s smaller communities up to speed with full fibre services. Over the last few years there’s been a surge in demand for faster, more reliable broadband. For us this also means providing customers with an offering that’s grounded in honesty and simplicity – from flexible contracts to no exit fees.

“While we can expect some short-term disruption from the build, this will benefit the local area tremendously in the long-term. Large or small, we’re connecting communities and making sure that no one is left behind.”

Giganet says it is working with Hampshire County Council and community groups to provide up-to-date information on the build and any roadworks.

Gridworx is the build partner in Hythe and Fawley, while STL is covering Winchester and Tadley.

Fibre First is the build partner in Totton and Marchwood, GE Services in Eastleigh and Fordingbridge, 4 Site Fibre in Ringwood and Future Network Inc in Emsworth. The overall project is expected to finish in 2024 but the first services will go live sooner.

Full fibre networks use 100 per cent fibre optic cables to carry data all the way from the exchange to the home, providing a more reliable connection and faster downloads.

Only around a third of UK premises can currently connect to it.

Giganet says it will provide full fibre with straightforward pricing and no exit fees, with the first three months provided free.

It was recently named Overall Fibre Provider of the Year at the 2022 Fibre Provider Awards.