The Grass is Greener on the Other Side: How FTTP is Driving the UK Toward a Sustainable Future

As the United Kingdom increasingly embraces the ‘Internet of things,’ it’s hard to remember a time where connectivity and the internet weren’t easily accessible.

However, as we strive to stay connected and as the world catapults to increased connectivity, it’s easy to overlook the environmental impact our digital footprint can have. Enter full-fibre broadband. In addition to providing unprecedented broadband speeds and increased reliability, full-fibre networks also provide significant environmental benefits when compared to the old copper technologies.

As Freedom Fibre work to extend their full-fibre network across the North West, having now passed over 100,000 premises and having secured the UK Government’s Project Gigabit contract for North Shropshire, these environmental benefits can now be experienced by thousands of homes and businesses across their build footprint.

Saying Goodbye to Greenhouse Gasses

When it comes to building a new utility, we’re no strangers to the massive resource requirements involved. And in the realm of high-speed internet, the emergence of full-fibre broadband has caused quite a stir. But what truly sets this technology apart from the predecessors isn’t just the lightning-fast speeds, it’s also its remarkable energy efficiency that’s proving Fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) broadband is a superior technology.

In a recent study from the Prysmian Group, FTTP broadband emerged as the clear winner in terms of energy efficiency among consumer fixed line technologies. The current broadband network relies heavily on copper cables which, in addition to being vulnerable to deterioration and environmental influences, demand a multitude of exchange sites and consumes substantially more energy for cooling. In contrast, full-fibre networks utilise light to transmit data instead of electricity leading to a substantial reduction in energy consumption and saving consumer’s £100’s on their electricity bills.

The environmental benefits of full-fibre broadband also goes further than simply improved energy efficiency. In fact, studies have shown that a full-fibre connection emits approximately 1.7 tons of CO2 each year, whereas copper emits and average of 2.7 tons during the same timeframe.

Promoting Sustainable Lifestyles

It’s not just the physical network that provides environmental benefits. Switching from copper to a full-fibre network can promote sustainable lifestyles and encourage consumers to look at their own personal carbon footprints. There are many ways a full-fibre connection can promote sustainable lifestyles:

Embracing the Freedom of remote work: by providing access to a broadband connection that is 10x faster and 5x more reliable than the previous technology,*** full-fibre broadband can reduce the need for the daily commute allowing consumers to work from home with confidence.

Support e-commerce and embrace sustainability

• Full-fibre broadband can reduce the emissions associated with a physical retail footprint and leverage e-commerce platforms for business owners.

Empowerment through digital services

• full-fibre acts as a catalyst the implementation and use of digital services, such as online GPs, online banking, and online educational resources.

Smart homes, smart choices

• full-fibre broadband can support smart-homes that require multiple devices to be connected to the network at the same time. This could include energy efficient devices and will ultimately allow households to optimise energy consumption and reduce waste.

Freedom Fibre's Commitment to Sustainability

When it comes to embracing their company values and ‘protecting the planet,’ Freedom Fibre takes its mission seriously. As a company deeply devoted to reducing emissions, they have embraced a resolute commitment to reducing their emissions and having a positive environmental impact. In February of 2023, the company became a certified carbon-neutral business through its work with Carbon Neutral Britain, which allowed Freedom Fibre to access carbon-reducing portfolios including reforestation and woodland management projects, with a strong focus on having a positive impact on biodiversity and ecology.

Through Freedom Fibre’s work to become more sustainable, the company won the ‘Best Sustainability Programme’ at the 2023 UK Fibre awards and is taking purposeful steps towards reaching net zero.

Ultimately, full-fibre broadband presents a compelling solution to both the UK’s digital needs and the increasing environmental concerns facing businesses and consumers alike. By surpassing outdated copper technologies, full-fibre networks not only offer lightning-fast broadband speeds and enhanced reliability, but they also empower consumers to actively reduce their carbon footprint. As Freedom Fibre continues to expand its full-fibre network, they are bringing amazing environmental benefits to homes and businesses across the North West.

***Based on data from Ofcom report ‘UK home broadband performance, measurement period November 2020’

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