Wales Office Minister Dame Nia Griffith MP met with Openreach engineers in Newbridge and Cwmtillery to see first-hand the progress of a new Full Fibre broadband rollout — part of a huge digital upgrade delivering faster, more reliable connections across Wales.
Dame Nia was visiting in her role as the Minister responsible for digital infrastructure and connectivity in the Wales Office.
At the Newbridge telephone exchange, the Minister was shown how engineers are installing Full Fibre broadband alongside the legacy copper network, creating a more resilient and future-ready system.
The visit continued at Gwrhyd Mawr Farm in Cwmtillery, where engineers demonstrated the power of Full Fibre in action, shared the practical challenges of reaching remote areas, and invited the Minister to try her hand at fibre splicing.
The new connection at the farm was supported through Openreach’s work with the UK Government under the Project Gigabit programme, which brings ultrafast broadband to harder-to-reach rural communities.
Wales Office Minister Dame Nia Griffith said:
“The UK Government is supporting Openreach in delivering ultra-fast broadband to communities across Wales and I was delighted to visit Newbridge and Cwmtillery to see this work in action. It is important that as many people as possible in Wales can access fast, reliable broadband, to help them grow their business and enjoy their leisure time.”
The visit was hosted by Martin Williams, Openreach’s regional director for Wales, who said:
“It was a fantastic visit with Dame Nia Griffith. The future is bright for Wales, with full fibre speeds and unparalleled reliability becoming the norm, thanks to the hard work of our engineers.”
Openreach has invested more than £300 million in building a Full Fibre network across Wales, already reaching more than 1 million homes and businesses.
Full Fibre offers faster, more reliable connections that support the demands of modern digital life — from streaming and gaming, to running a business or working from home. With competitively priced packages from a wide range of providers, many customers find they’re paying the same or even less than before.
Nationwide, Openreach’s Full Fibre network now passes more than 19 million premises, aiming for 25 million by the end of 2026 — and potentially 30 million by 2030, subject to investment conditions.
Through Project Gigabit, Openreach is working with the UK Government to bring ultrafast broadband to harder-to-reach rural communities. The programme aims to upgrade around 290,000 properties that private providers may otherwise have overlooked.
To learn more about Full Fibre and check availability in your area, visit the Openreach Fibre Checker.
