Ultrafast full fibre broadband is continuing to make a difference in Northern Ireland, with Openreach recently celebrating a major milestone.

The 200,000th customer officially connected to the company's ultrafast full fibre broadband, following on its announcement earlier this year that over 80% of properties in Northern Ireland can now access Openreach's Full Fibre network.

With demand for online services continuing to rise, Openreach NI is leading the charge in ensuring the region has a future-proof broadband network capable of meeting these demands for years to come.

The company's 1000-strong team has been proceeding at pace with the build of the region's largest Ultrafast Full Fibre network, playing an important role in keeping people and businesses connected.

Today, 200,000 customers in Northern Ireland are connected to the expansive Openreach platform and can access an even faster, more reliable, and future-proof broadband connection essential for everyday life.

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The Barber Collective, a barber shop located in Ballymena, was recently upgraded to the latest broadband technology.

Speaking about the upgrade, Barry Johnston, co-founder and barber at The Barber Collective said: "We're already seeing first-hand the difference Ultrafast Full Fibre broadband has made to our business and it's great to see so many others across Northern Ireland have similarly benefitted.

"At The Barber Collective, we rely heavily on a decent broadband connection to operate our business. From client bookings made via our app, to social media to promote our business, and using our online system to schedule our barbers – our previously poor broadband speeds made everyday tasks such as these a lot more challenging.

"Openreach is building Full Fibre broadband to not only cities but also towns and villages across the country. I would encourage all local businesses to check their eligibility for an upgrade and take advantage of the wide-spread availability of Full Fibre technology."

Openreach NI continues to invest in the economic future of Northern Ireland with more than 80% of homes and businesses now able to get its next generation Ultrafast Full Fibre broadband.

Commenting on the 200,000th customer milestone, Garret Kavanagh, Director of Openreach in Northern Ireland, said: "I am immensely proud of the engineering workforce who have carried out Openreach's build programme across the length and breadth of the country. We have hit this significant milestone thanks to their hard work, professionalism, and dedication to connecting the people of Northern Ireland to Full Fibre broadband.

"The past few years have been challenging for us all but Full Fibre broadband has been life-enhancing to so many people and businesses during this time, and we love to hear the stories about the positive difference this technology has made and continues to make to those living in Northern Ireland."