People in large areas of Petersfield still cannot order full fibre broadband, more than three years after Openreach started its rollout.

The project to connect homes and businesses to the fibre network began in June 2021. But coverage remains patchy.

Roamy Hunt is one local resident who is frustrated by the lack of fibre connectivity on her estate. Her home is only ten years old.

Full fibre broadband means the glass fibre connection comes straight into your home or business.

It greatly improves the speed and reliability of an internet connection over what’s possible using an old-fashioned copper wire.

A full fibre connection also reduces the time it takes for data to cross the network, known as latency. This is important for some functions like live gaming.

What area is being covered?

In 2021, Openreach said it would provide connectivity to the new network across this area:

But analysis by Shine Radio suggests the roll-out is still a long way from achieving this outcome.

Openreach says it is making good progress but admits “there is more to come”. It says it has covered “more than half” of the properties in Petersfield.

Where are the gaps?

Our research shows these areas are among those the Openreach network has yet to reach:

The full fibre not-spots include Sheet, Pulens Lane, all of Tilmore, parts of Bell Hill and homes off The Causeway and Winchester Road.

People living on the Eastern part of Moggs Mead and along part of Durford Road have also been told they cannot order full fibre broadband at their premises.

Town centre gaps

Perhaps surprisingly, some places slap bang in the town centre are also not able to order the service, despite being a short walk from the telephone exchange.

For example, we tried using the postcode of Shine Radio’s business address at Antrobus House on College Street.

The Openreach portal reports it’s just not yet available here:

We asked Openreach to comment on the list of areas we had identified as being still not covered.

What does Openreach say?

In a statement to Shine Radio, an Openreach spokesperson said:

Openreach’s full fibre broadband network passes around 5,000 homes and businesses in the Petersfield area, more than half of all properties.

People can check what’s available at their address  at www.openreach.co.uk/ultrafastfullfibre and register to be alerted when they can upgrade. Other network builders may also be available locally.

For those not yet in any build plans, state-subsidised programmes like Project Gigabit are rolling out nationally. We’re making good progress but there’s more to come.

Are you affected?

If you’ve tried to get fibre broadband but have been told it’s not available at your address we’d like to hear from you.

What were you told, and how is the lack of full fibre broadband affecting your life or your work?