Tackling the digital divide head-on, Fibrus is transforming rural communities with full fibre broadband
In an increasingly digitalised world, access to broadband connectivity has never been more important. According to research from Ofcom, around two and a half million people in the UK, or five per cent of the population, still do not have internet access at home, noting various logistical, environmental, and societal factors as the main causes. Enter: Fibrus.
Helping bridge the digital divide, leading broadband organisation, Fibrus is delivering full fibre connectivity to homes and businesses across Northern Ireland and Cumbria that need it most. As one of the UK and Ireland’s fastest growing broadband companies – ranking highly on Deloitte’s EMEA Technology Fast 500 list – Fibrus has successfully connected many communities since its first customer back in 2019 and has made a monumental impact on enhancing the quality and availability of broadband to those in previously forgotten, rural areas.
Construction & Civil Engineering sits down with Shane Haslem, Chief Operating Officer at Fibrus, to learn more about how the company is revolutionising rural infrastructure across the UK and Ireland. He starts by providing some insight into Fibrus’ strategic vision and its scope of capabilities.
“Fibrus was founded in 2020 with a clear mission – to transform connectivity for rural homes and businesses that had previously been left behind,” Shane begins. “In just over five years, Fibrus has delivered full fibre broadband access to over 440,000 premises across Northern Ireland and Cumbria – connecting communities and narrowing the digital divide.
“Operating under the Fibrus Group umbrella are three key entities: Fibrus Broadband, Hyperfast Networks, and Viberoptix – each playing a distinct role in delivering full fibre broadband to communities. Fibrus Broadband serves as the retail arm, connecting customers with reliable, high-speed internet. Hyperfast Networks manages the rollout and delivery of full fibre infrastructure, while Viberoptix leads the physical network build on the ground.”
One of Fibrus’ most notable projects to date is the recently completed Project Stratum. A landmark project in its portfolio, the £200 million development marks a major historical milestone for Fibrus as the largest publicly funded telecommunications infrastructure project in Northern Ireland.
Transforming connectivity
This year Fibrus also reached a major milestone in Cumbria – connecting 100,000 premises in the region. This new infrastructure is set to be truly transformative for its communities, particularly for those in rural areas, and is demonstrative of Fibrus’ commitment to excellence in delivering its wider mission.
“Fibrus successfully delivered the £200 million Project Stratum in June 2025, the largest publicly funded telecommunications infrastructure project of its kind here. Spanning all six counties, the five-year rollout was completed on time and within budget, transforming connectivity for rural communities and giving people the same opportunities as their urban counterparts,” Shane elaborates. “Backed by the Department for the Economy, DAERA, and the UK Government, Project Stratum laid over 30,700km of fibre and brought full fibre broadband to over 81,000 premises, helping Northern Ireland achieve 95 per cent connectivity rate, compared to the UK average of 86 per cent.”
Complex project delivery
Delivering full fibre broadband to rural communities, however, is no mean feat, and Fibrus’ ability to constantly excel in this field remains one of its core differentiators in the market. Each rural project comes with its own unique challenges– as Shane discusses in the context of the company’s recent infrastructure project in Cumbria.
“Rolling out full fibre broadband is always complex, with technical, environmental, logistical, and regulatory challenges to manage. Cumbria has been our most challenging project yet, but our teams’ determination and expertise have driven steady progress and impressive results throughout. As much of the county is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), strict planning rules, heritage sites, limited wayleaves, difficult terrain, and a small local workforce have added significant complexity,” he explains.
“On a wider level, PIA (Physical Infrastructure Access) pricing remains a major barrier to rural broadband growth. Currently, altnets like Fibrus pay per metre for network access – a system that disproportionately impacts rural areas, where properties are often 200 metres apart compared to just ten metres in towns. This makes rural rollouts up to twenty times more expensive, despite slower existing speeds and fewer providers,” 
Shane continues. “Rules preventing altnets from recovering these costs from consumers further slow progress. We’re calling on the government and Ofcom to address this in the upcoming Telecoms Access Review (TAR) to create fairer competition, improve rural access, and unlock millions in private investment.”
Prioritising partnerships
In mitigating these challenges, close collaboration and strong partnerships have been instrumental. Fibrus prides itself on the robust relationships that it holds with its network, be that with its clients, partners, or public or private entities.
“Collaboration has been a key driver for our growth. From the outset, Fibrus’ start-up mindset has shaped how we operate – staying agile, solutions-focused, and committed to building strong, collaborative relationships across every part of our network,” Shane affirms. “Our success has been built on close cooperation with both the public and private sectors. We’ve worked closely with Building Digital UK (BDUK), the Department for the Economy (DfE), the Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), and the UK Government, whose support has been instrumental in delivering transformative projects such as Project Stratum. These partnerships have helped us overcome complex challenges and accelerate broadband delivery to rural and hard-to-reach communities. We also work with regional unitary authorities including Connecting Cumbria, National Parks and the National Trust to extend digital connectivity further, and our Fibrus Broadband team works closely with Amazon eero, allowing us to deliver seamless total home Wi-Fi solutions and enhance the full fibre broadband experience for our customers.
“Through our dedicated NI and GB stakeholder engagement teams, we continuously engage communities with our rollout and the benefits of full fibre broadband, while maintaining strong communication with other key stakeholders to ensure our projects reflect local needs and priorities.”
By upholding its solutions-focused and customer centric ethos, Fibrus is well-positioned for a successful future ahead. As it embarks further on its current trajectory, Fibrus’ growth will continue to be measured, not necessarily by profit, but by impact, as it strives to close the digital divide for more communities year on year.
“As we look ahead, our Northern Ireland Project Stratum build is now completed and Cumbria is charging ahead, and with our funding secured, we’re ready to keep pushing into new areas and drive forward our ambitious growth strategy,” Shane concludes, optimistic for the future.
“Our goal remains the same as it was when we first set out, to deliver fast and reliable digital connectivity to previously underserved communities. We hope Fibrus will continue be recognised as the leading provider of broadband to rural communities who need it most in Northern Ireland and Great Britain. Beyond network expansion, we hope to be a model employer and community partner, continuing to invest in our people and promote inclusion as well as supporting local economic growth.”
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