CityFibre launches 8.5Gbps to lift UK broadband standard

CityFibre launches 8.

• CityFibre introduces 8.5Gbps speeds on its wholesale full-fibre network.
• The launch accelerates multi-gig competition among UK ISPs.

What happened: Multi-gig upgrade across wholesale platform

CityFibre has launched an 8.5Gbps broadband service across what it describes as the UK’s largest wholesale multi-gig network, marking a significant increase in available consumer and business speeds.

The new tier is designed for internet service providers (ISPs) operating on CityFibre’s infrastructure, enabling them to offer ultra-fast services to end users without building their own networks.

According to the company, the rollout builds on its full-fibre footprint, which already passes millions of premises across the UK, and forms part of its strategy to deliver next-generation connectivity at scale.

CityFibre positioned the 8.5Gbps product as a step beyond current gigabit offerings, aligning with growing demand for bandwidth-intensive applications such as cloud computing, streaming, and AI-driven services.

Why it’s important

The introduction of 8.5Gbps services raises the benchmark for broadband performance in the UK, potentially reshaping expectations among both consumers and enterprises.

By offering multi-gig speeds on a wholesale basis, CityFibre is also intensifying competition with incumbent network operators, particularly those reliant on legacy infrastructure or slower upgrade cycles.

The move could encourage ISPs to differentiate through premium high-speed packages, accelerating the transition from gigabit to multi-gig services nationwide.

More broadly, the upgrade supports the UK’s digital economy ambitions, where high-capacity, low-latency networks are increasingly critical for cloud, data centre interconnectivity, and emerging technologies.

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