Research and analysis

Colchester PSAR case study

Published 10 September 2026

1. Overview of the Colchester LFFN project

The Colchester project was delivered as a Public Sector Asset Reuse (PSAR) project. The project built on existing council-owned infrastructure that had originally been installed to support the city’s CCTV network in the late 1990s and early 2000s. This legacy system included around 20 km of ducting, which provided an opportunity to reuse existing assets and significantly reduce the cost of deploying new full fibre infrastructure across the city.

Local Full Fibre Network(LFFN) funding of £3.2 million enabled the council to build on this initial prototype network and expand it into a larger fibre platform. By reusing existing ducts and extending the network to new locations, the project aimed to improve connectivity for public sector sites while also creating the foundations for wider fibre deployment.

The project was delivered by Amphora Connect, a local authority-owned trading company established by Colchester City Council to undertake commercial activities that the council could not deliver directly. Amphora has since taken responsibility for managing and commercialising the network, providing connectivity services to public sector organisations and supporting the continued expansion of the fibre network.

2. Focus of the case study

This case study examines the benefits that have emerged from the Colchester LFFN project across strategic, organisational and site-level dimensions. While PSAR projects are typically less focused on direct connectivity upgrades to individual public sector sites than Public Sector Anchor Tenancy or Public Sector Building Upgrade projects, site-level benefits are still relevant in this case. This is because Amphora Connect subsequently secured the public sector Wide Area Network(WAN) contract for Colchester Borough Council, which has provided fibre connectivity upgrades to 46 council buildings and 24 sheltered housing schemes.

The case study therefore focuses on the following areas:

• Strategic benefits, including how the LFFN infrastructure has enabled the expansion of the fibre network beyond its original footprint and supported wider digital initiatives such as 5G deployment, public Wi-Fi and the expansion of the CCTV network. This also covers benefits to some services, including telecare services delivered through the Helpline and benefits for public safety

• Organisational benefits, particularly the cost savings to Colchester Borough Council through the WAN contract.

• Site-level benefits, examining how improved connectivity has affected the operation of council facilities connected through the WAN contract, including museums, leisure centres and event venues.

The findings are based on nine stakeholder interviews. These included interviews with three representatives from Amphora Connect (covering senior management, digital connectivity and CCTV/helpline services), two interviewees from Colchester Borough Council, and four interviews with representatives from public sector sites including two museums, a leisure centre and council-owned events facilities.

3. Strategic benefits

This section examines the strategic benefits that have emerged from the LFFN investment in Colchester, including the expansion of the fibre network beyond its original footprint, the use of the infrastructure to enable new digital initiatives such as 5G deployment and public Wi-Fi, upgrades to public safety systems such as CCTV, and improvements to telecare services delivered through the Helpline service.

Interviewees from Amphora Connect consistently described the LFFN project as playing a “transformational” role in realising these benefits. It was described as providing the critical enabling step that allowed an initial small-scale prototype network to develop into a scalable digital infrastructure platform. According to interviewees, LFFN also provided the capacity, credibility and organisational experience required to attract investment, build partnerships and expand the network, meaning that the strategic benefits described in this section would not have been possible without the LFFN investment.

3.1 Strategic expansion of the network

Interviewees indicated that the fibre infrastructure developed through the LFFN project has expanded significantly beyond its original footprint. The initial deployment was described as a relatively small prototype network connecting around 200 Small and Medium Enterprises(SMEs), but this has since developed into a much larger fibre platform through a combination of commercial partnerships and further investment by Amphora.

Several commercial operators have deployed networks that interconnect with, or extend from, the original infrastructure. Interviewees reported that VX Fibre built a network covering around 8,500 premises, while Open Infra deployed a further network passing approximately 2,500 premises. Alongside this, Amphora has continued to expand its own fully owned fibre network, which interviewees indicated now passes around 10,500 premises. Taken together, it is estimated that the wider ecosystem of networks connected to the original project now reaches around 20,000–22,000 premises. To put this into context there are roughly 91,000 premises in the Colchester City Council area, though a small proportion of the premises covered by the network are outside Colchester).  

Interviewees also highlighted that Amphora has continued to extend the network directly by reinvesting revenues generated from commercialising the infrastructure. Current expansion activity includes further build on Mersea Island, where around 4,500 premises will be passed.

Public service contracts have meant that Amphora now provides connectivity and related services to organisations in Colchester, and in nearby areas in or around Essex, such as Harlow, Braintree, Ipswich and Clacton. In some cases this has involved the expansion of Amphora’s fibre network into neighbouring districts (see ‘Expansion of the CCTV network’ below). In some more distant locations, such as Ipswich, connectivity is delivered using leased Openreach Ethernet circuits, which are used to reach local sites and then integrated into Amphora’s wider network.

Looking ahead, interviewees suggested that the network could reach around 30,000 premises passed within the next 12–18 months as further expansion is completed. Amphora is also developing partnerships with other infrastructure providers, including Lightspeed, which interviewees indicated could enable connectivity to up to 45,000 premises along the East Coast through interconnection with a wider regional network.

Overall, interviewees described the LFFN investment as providing the foundation for a commercially expanding fibre platform, with Amphora combining reinvestment of commercial revenues with partnerships with network operators to extend coverage beyond the original LFFN footprint.

These patterns of expansion have implications for how the impact of LFFN infrastructure is assessed at programme level. In this case, interviewee accounts suggest that activity linked to the original LFFN build has extended well beyond the immediate geography of the funded network, including into neighbouring districts and more distant locations. This indicates that benefits associated with LFFN infrastructure may not always be captured by analysis focused solely on proximity to originally funded sites. This issue will be revisited in Work Package 4, which will consider how to account for network expansion when assessing additional uses of LFFN‑built infrastructure.

3.2 Enabling 5G deployment and free Wi-fi in Colchester town centre

The fibre infrastructure developed through LFFN has been used to support the deployment of a private 5G network in Colchester town centre. The project was funded through the Towns Fund, with the network delivered in partnership with Freshwave. According to interviewees, the fibre network established through LFFN provided an important enabling layer by supplying the backhaul connectivity required to support the 5G small cells deployed across the town centre. This was described as reducing the complexity and cost of deploying the wireless network.

The town centre 5G network could support a range of potential digital applications. Interviewees indicated that one of the objectives is to create a testbed environment for local SMEs, enabling businesses to trial new digital products and services using 5G connectivity. This forms part of a wider ambition to position Colchester as a location for digital innovation and experimentation, particularly for firms developing technology-enabled solutions.

Interviewees also suggested that the network could support a range of future applications linked to the city’s wider digital ambitions. These include potential uses in areas such as smart city services, data-driven monitoring, and advanced connectivity for businesses and public spaces. While many of these applications are still at an early stage of development, interviewees described the combination of fibre infrastructure and 5G capability as providing a platform for further digital innovation in the town centre.

In addition, the fibre network has also been used to support the provision of free public Wi-Fi in Colchester town centre. The availability of fibre connectivity enabled wireless access points in public spaces to connect to a high-capacity network, providing reliable internet access for residents and visitors.   However, interviewees were not able to provide quantitative information on usage, visitor numbers or patterns of use.

Some of the uses above are also relevant to Work Package 4, Additional Uses of Gigabit Infrastructure, and will be evaluated in more detail in that report.   

3.3 Expansion of the CCTV network

The fibre infrastructure delivered through the LFFN project enabled a major upgrade and expansion of Colchester’s CCTV network. Prior to this, the city’s cameras were largely connected using analogue infrastructure, which limited both the number of cameras that could be deployed and the quality of the footage transmitted to the control centre. As one interviewee explained:

“There was a lot of outages… It wasn’t great. And of course, when the police requested footage and needed footage for their investigations none of it was really clear or the cameras were down and we didn’t have that information to share with them to help with their investigations”

Using the fibre network, Amphora and the council migrated the CCTV system to digital connectivity, allowing high-definition video to be transmitted over fibre. This upgrade enabled a substantial increase in coverage, with the number of cameras rising from around 120 analogue cameras to approximately 450 digital cameras. As fibre was deployed to camera locations across the city, each site effectively became a point of presence on the network, with additional fibre capacity installed to support future connections. Interviewees explained that this created a dense network of connection points that could subsequently be used to extend fibre infrastructure beyond the original LFFN sites.

The upgraded system also attracted interest from neighbouring authorities. Interviewees described how Tendring District Council, which borders Colchester, became interested in Colchester’s CCTV system, which now has a much larger number of digital cameras than Tendring. As a result, Amphora began operating CCTV and monitoring services for Tendring, including in Clacton town centre. This created new demand for connectivity and provided a basis for extending the fibre network into the district. Interviewees reported that the network has now been extended into Tendring to support this service, including the deployment of new CCTV cameras.

Interviewees suggested that the upgraded system has also delivered a range of operational and service benefits. These include significantly improved image quality and reliability, enabling more effective monitoring of public spaces and better use of footage by enforcement agencies. The improved connectivity has also enabled closer collaboration with Essex Police, including the installation of a review suite at Colchester police station which allows officers to access footage more quickly. Interviewees explained that police can now request specific camera feeds and receive footage digitally within minutes, rather than relying on older processes such as downloading footage to physical media. The fibre connectivity also enables live video feeds to be shared directly with police control rooms during incidents, allowing officers to see events in real time.

The expanded coverage has also supported wider community safety objectives, with interviewees indicating that the system has contributed to incident response and arrests. In addition, the digital CCTV infrastructure is viewed as providing a platform for future applications, including the potential use of artificial intelligence to analyse footage and support more proactive monitoring of public spaces.

3.4 Helpline services

The Helpline service operated by Colchester Amphora provides a monitoring and response service for elderly and vulnerable residents in Colchester and the rest of North East Essex. The service is delivered on a paid subscription basis, with customers typically having a telecare unit installed in their home linked to a pendant alarm worn on the wrist or around the neck. If the alarm is activated, either manually or through devices such as falls detectors, the alert is received at Amphora’s alarm receiving centre, where staff can speak directly to the resident and, if necessary, dispatch responders to assist them. Residents living in sheltered housing schemes connected through the council’s contracts with Amphora automatically receive the service as part of their accommodation, while other customers subscribe individually.

Before the fibre upgrade, the service relied on analogue connectivity, which created a number of operational challenges. Communication with residents was described as functioning more like a “walkie-talkie”, requiring staff to toggle between speaking and listening. This meant operators could miss parts of a resident’s response, and important information could be lost during conversations. In many cases this led to additional follow-up calls or dispatching responders to check on residents when it was unclear whether assistance was required. Connectivity issues therefore affected both service efficiency and the reliability of communication with vulnerable residents.

The move to fibre-enabled digital connectivity has significantly improved the operation of the service. The new system allows continuous two-way communication, meaning operators and residents can speak and hear each other in real time rather than switching between channels. According to interviewees, the improvement in sound quality and reliability has made it much easier to determine quickly whether a resident needs assistance and what type of support is required. This has also reduced the need for precautionary visits by responders, lowering fuel costs and allowing staff to focus resources where they are most needed. Interviewees described the improved connectivity as a “game changer” for the service, particularly for elderly users who want reassurance that help will be available quickly if they fall or experience a problem.

Looking ahead, Amphora plans to build on this connectivity to introduce more advanced forms of digital health monitoring. Interviewees described plans to deploy additional sensors within homes that could detect patterns of activity and trigger alerts if behaviour deviates from normal routines, for example if a resident fails to enter a room at their usual time. Other technologies being considered include room-based fall detection systems that do not rely on wearable devices. These developments are intended to provide families and carers with greater reassurance while helping residents remain living independently at home for longer. Interviewees emphasised that the improved network connectivity established through the fibre upgrade will play a “pivotal” role in enabling these types of services in future.

The main challenge currently affecting the service is organisational rather than technical. Amphora recently took over a similar careline service operated by Tendring District Council, where many customers still use older analogue equipment. As a result, the organisation is temporarily focusing on upgrading these customers to digital systems before introducing additional monitoring technologies. This transition is also being driven by the planned switch-off of analogue telephone lines, which requires existing customers to migrate to digital units to ensure the service continues to operate reliably.

3.5 Benefits of the hybrid public-commercial model

Interviewees suggested that the ownership model for Amphora Connect has played an important role in shaping how the network has developed and the benefits they have been able to deliver. Amphora operates as a publicly owned trading company, allowing it to participate in the telecoms market and partner with commercial network operators, while also prioritising connectivity for public services and local policy objectives. In practice, the organisation has combined commercial activity with a strong focus on public sector partnerships, providing connectivity and digital services to organisations including Colchester City Council, Tendring District Council, sheltered housing providers and Essex Police. 

These relationships have helped anchor the network in a stable base of public sector demand while it expands commercially. Interviewees indicated that revenues generated from these services have been reinvested into further network deployment, enabling the organisation to extend the network incrementally rather than relying solely on additional public funding.

The hybrid public-commercial model has also allowed the infrastructure to be used as a platform for wider digital initiatives, including the town centre 5G network and SME innovation testbeds, which interviewees linked to a broader ambition to strengthen the city’s digital economy. As one interviewee described the organisation’s strategic focus:

“How do we grow Colchester’s digital ecosystem? How do we build a digital council and a digital unitary council?”

Interviewees also emphasised that the model means they have prioritised stability and careful expansion over rapid growth, using public sector demand to underpin the business as it develops. Expansion has therefore focused on addressing gaps in the market through “small, smart investment”, targeting areas that might otherwise remain underserved. Interviewees cited the example of Mersea Island, where Amphora is extending fibre infrastructure despite limited interest from larger commercial operators. Reflecting on this approach, one interviewee explained that:

“it was a much more sure-footed, longer term vision for how we extract maximum benefit from this rather than what would have been a capital driven expectation, which is how much money can we make from it as quickly as possible.”

The impacts of Amphora Connect’s activities on connectivity will be assessed in more detail as part of Work Package 4, Additional Uses of Gigabit Infrastructure.

These findings above mirror the experience in North Yorkshire, where public ownership of a telecommunications provider similarly enabled fibre infrastructure to be extended, reused and aligned with wider public sector objectives over time.

3.6 Future challenges and opportunities

Interviewees suggested that the key challenge facing Amphora is no longer building the fibre infrastructure itself, but how to exploit the network to support wider digital transformation and economic development. While the original LFFN project focused on establishing the core infrastructure, interviewees emphasised that the next stage involves using that platform to enable new digital services, innovation activity and public sector applications. As one interviewee explained:

“the challenge five years ago of building an LFFN network was huge. But come and have a look at the challenge now because it’s a whole lot bigger… we’ve done the motorway. We’ve now got to start to use it.”

In this context, Amphora’s role is increasingly framed as linking the underlying infrastructure with technology providers and public sector investment to address challenges such as community safety, digital innovation and future service models in areas including CCTV monitoring and social care.

However, interviewees noted that this ambition is constrained by limited financial and organisational resources. Amphora remains a relatively small organisation, while both Colchester City Council and any future unitary authority are expected to face significant funding pressures. As a result, expansion is expected to rely on incremental growth and the development of new partnerships, rather than large-scale public investment. One interviewee described this as

“very small amounts of investment, smart investment to grow in a small way… but it will have to be in new partnerships.”

In particular, interviewees highlighted the importance of expanding collaboration with public sector partners, suggesting that organisations such as the NHS could become important future partners as digital infrastructure becomes more closely linked to health, care and other public services.

Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) was also identified as a potentially significant opportunity. Proposals under discussion could see district councils such as Colchester, Tendring and Braintree combined into a larger unitary authority, which would create a wider organisational footprint for digital infrastructure and services. Interviewees suggested that the integration of CCTV and helpline services between Colchester and Tendring already provides “a model ready for LGR”, and that Amphora could seek to position itself as the technology provider for the future unitary council, scaling its current role from supporting “digital Colchester” to supporting a “digital unitary council”. 

Two specific opportunities were highlighted that could support this ambition. First, Amphora’s partnership with Lightspeed could enable connectivity to up to 45,000 premises along the East Coast, creating a wider network footprint that broadly aligns with the geography potentially affected by local government reform. Interviewees suggested that this creates a form of “ready infrastructure” that could support future public sector connectivity requirements across the area. Second, interviewees noted that connectivity contracts for schools and hospitals are currently controlled by Essex County Council, meaning that Amphora has not yet been able to compete for these sites. A shift to a new unitary governance structure could bring these assets into a different procurement framework, creating an opportunity for Amphora to compete to provide connectivity and potentially deliver what interviewees described as “better public value”.

Interviewees acknowledged that the outcome and timing of local government reform remain uncertain. Nevertheless, they suggested that it could create a significant commercial growth opportunity, while also providing a larger platform through which the fibre infrastructure could support the wider digital ambitions of local public services.

4. Cost savings for Colchester Borough Council

The public sector WAN contract between Amphora Connect and Colchester Borough Council, covering 46 council sites, represented a key developmental step for Amphora. Interviewees explained that this contract provided an important anchor source of revenue, enabling Amphora Connect to scale its operations and invest in expanding its fibre network. In turn, the council has benefited from significantly improved connectivity and lower costs compared with previous suppliers.

Colchester Borough Council estimated that the contract has reduced its connectivity costs by around 50%, generating savings of approximately £60,000 per annum. The interviewee also emphasised that the service provided by Amphora Connect is faster, more reliable and more responsive than previous arrangements with major telecommunications providers.

The interviewee further highlighted Amphora’s ability to connect sites that other providers had considered commercially unviable or technically difficult. By working directly with council staff to survey sites and identify practical solutions, Amphora was able to extend fibre connectivity to several locations that had previously struggled to obtain reliable service.

5. Site-level benefits

To explore how improved connectivity has affected services delivered from council buildings covered by the WAN contract, interviews were conducted with stakeholders responsible for facilities connected through the council’s network, including museums, leisure centres and event venues. In total, four interviews were undertaken with staff responsible for managing or operating these sites. These interviews provide insights into how connectivity is used in practice and the types of benefits that have emerged at the operational level.

However, the quality and depth of evidence varied depending on the extent to which interviewees were directly involved in managing digital systems or using connectivity. In some cases, interviewees were able to provide detailed examples of how improved connectivity has affected service delivery, while in others their involvement with the network upgrade was more limited.

5.1 Museums

Interviews were conducted with a manager responsible for visitor services across Colchester’s museum sites and with the manager responsible for Hollytrees Museum and the tourist information centre. Together, these interviews covered two of the sites connected through the council’s network: Colchester Castle and Hollytrees Museum. Both sites operate as public visitor attractions, with additional functions including education programmes, events and tourism services. Hollytrees also houses the city’s tourist information centre, which manages the Visit Colchester website, social media and visitor enquiries.

Connectivity challenges prior to the upgrade

Connectivity constraints were particularly significant at Hollytrees Museum, where the building had very limited network infrastructure. Prior to the fibre upgrade, only a small area on the ground floor had a network connection and Wi-Fi access, while most of the building – including offices, education spaces and public areas – had no connectivity. Staff relied on a radio link to connect the building to the council network, which provided slow and occasionally unreliable connectivity. This created practical challenges for day-to-day operations. Tourism staff managing the Visit Colchester website experienced slow upload speeds when working with images or video content, and interruptions to the connection could prevent systems such as the museum’s till from uploading sales data to the server overnight. Mobile reception within the building was also poor, limiting the use of mobile hotspots as a workaround.

Connectivity issues also affected how the building could be used. The education room on the upper floor could not support meetings or activities requiring internet access, which limited its use for meetings with partners, external organisations or funders. Staff also reported that the lack of Wi-Fi meant that only a small proportion of the building could be used effectively for office work or meetings.

By contrast, Colchester Castle had fewer connectivity constraints prior to the upgrade. Interviewees reported that connectivity was generally adequate for core museum operations, although Wi-Fi coverage was uneven in some parts of the building. As a result, the operational impact of the fibre upgrade has been less pronounced at the Castle than at Hollytrees.

Uses and benefits of the upgraded network

The fibre upgrade has significantly improved the usability and flexibility of spaces within Hollytrees Museum. Wi-Fi is now available across most of the building, allowing rooms that previously lacked connectivity to be used for a wider range of purposes. The education room, for example, can now support meetings, workshops and events that require internet access. Interviewees reported that the space is used more frequently for meetings with partners, project teams and contractors, and has also hosted external events such as media operations associated with the Tour of Britain cycling race.

Improved connectivity has also supported operational improvements for staff. Tourism staff managing the Visit Colchester website and social media are able to upload large files more reliably, and the museum has moved to a cloud-based electronic point-of-sale system, replacing a locally hosted system that had previously been affected by intermittent connectivity. Wi-Fi coverage across the building has also enabled more flexible working practices, including the ability for staff to hot-desk in different parts of the building, carry out visitor surveys using tablets, and access collections databases while working in museum storage areas. Interviewees also noted that the improved connectivity has reduced frustration and small inefficiencies caused by slow speeds or connection drop-outs.

The upgrade has also enabled the introduction of public Wi-Fi for visitors, including access within the building and in surrounding outdoor areas.

At Colchester Castle, the benefits have been more incremental. Because connectivity was already broadly adequate, the upgrade has not significantly changed day-to-day service delivery. However, interviewees noted that the improved network provides greater reliability and supports newer digital systems introduced by the council, such as updated payment devices and other operational systems. Overall, the interviews suggest that while the fibre upgrade has improved connectivity and future-proofed infrastructure at the Castle, its operational impact has been more limited than at Hollytrees.

Potential future benefits

Interviewees emphasised that the most significant benefits may emerge in the future, particularly as museum exhibitions are updated. At Hollytrees, the main displays date back to around 2000 and are expected to be redeveloped in the coming years. Staff indicated that any future redesign of the museum is likely to incorporate more digitally interactive interpretation, such as immersive or augmented-reality experiences, which would rely on robust connectivity throughout the building.

Improved connectivity also supports wider digital systems used in museum management. For example, environmental monitoring systems use sensors placed throughout museum buildings to track temperature and humidity levels in order to protect collections and meet requirements for borrowing objects from national collections. Reliable connectivity is important for transmitting this data and supporting these monitoring systems. 

Challenges and enablers

Interviewees did not identify significant technical barriers to using the upgraded connectivity once it had been installed. The main challenges identified related to the limitations of the historic buildings themselves. For example, the thick walls and layout of Colchester Castle were described as making it difficult to achieve consistent wireless coverage throughout the building, which can limit the performance of Wi-Fi-based services in some areas.

More broadly, interviewees suggested that the extent to which connectivity can be used to support new digital applications depends on wider organisational priorities and investment in digital infrastructure. In practice, the upgraded network has mainly supported the more reliable operation of existing systems rather than enabling major new digital initiatives to date. No additional enabling factors beyond the improved network connectivity itself were identified in the interviews.

5.2 Leisure centres

Colchester City Council operates a network of leisure centres and sports facilities providing services such as gyms, swimming pools, racquet sports, sports halls and outdoor pitches. The interview covered two sites that were connected through the council’s network upgrade: Leisure World, one of the council’s main leisure facilities, and the Colchester Sports Park, a newer site that opened in 2020–21. The services delivered at these facilities rely heavily on digital systems, including a central Customer Relationship Management platform used to manage memberships, bookings and facility access across multiple leisure sites.

Connectivity challenges prior to the upgrade

Before the upgrade, connectivity at the leisure centres was routed through the council’s internal network, with internet access delivered indirectly via the council’s main headquarters. The interviewee indicated that this arrangement generally provided sufficient bandwidth, but reliability was a recurring issue. Connectivity disruptions elsewhere within the council network could affect the leisure centres, leading to periodic outages.

These interruptions were particularly problematic because many operational systems rely on internet connectivity. For example, card payment terminals and online booking systems require a stable connection to function. When connectivity was lost, staff could not process payments or access systems used to manage bookings and memberships, creating operational disruption for both staff and customers.

Uses and benefits of the upgraded connectivity

The introduction of a dedicated broadband connection through the upgraded network has significantly improved reliability. Interviewees reported that the leisure centres now experience very little downtime, with only occasional brief interruptions lasting a few seconds.

Reliable connectivity underpins most of the centres’ day-to-day operations. Core systems used to manage gym memberships, class bookings and facility access all operate online, while staff also rely on internet connectivity for administration and communication. The leisure centres also provide public Wi-Fi for customers, meaning that visitors are able to access the internet while using the facilities. This allows users and instructors to rely on digital services during activities and classes, contributing to a more positive and engaging experience for customers.

The interviewee emphasised that the primary benefit of the upgrade has been the reduction in service disruption. Improved network stability means that payment systems operate consistently and staff can deliver services without the interruptions previously caused by outages. In an environment where most customers now pay by card rather than cash, maintaining reliable connectivity is particularly important for day-to-day service delivery. The improved reliability also provides greater confidence that software systems can operate effectively, supporting the continued use and upgrading of digital platforms used to manage the service.

Potential future benefits

The interviewee did not identify major new digital initiatives that have emerged directly from the connectivity upgrade. Instead, the main value of the upgraded network lies in ensuring that existing digital systems can operate reliably and that services dependent on internet connectivity can be delivered without disruption. Over time, this stable connectivity is expected to continue supporting the digital management of leisure services and the provision of customer-facing services such as online bookings and public Wi-Fi.

Challenges and enablers

The interviewee reported few ongoing challenges associated with the upgraded connectivity once it had been implemented. The main issue occurred during the transition to the new network, when some systems, such as card payment terminals and internal software connections, required reconfiguration to work with the new infrastructure. These issues were resolved during the implementation phase.

No significant enabling factors beyond the improved connectivity itself were identified. Interviewees emphasised that the primary benefit has been the reliability of the connection, which allows existing operational systems to function consistently and reduces the service disruptions previously caused by network outages.

5.3 Council-owned events facilities

Interviewees from Colchester City Council highlighted improved connectivity at council-owned event venues as a significant benefit of the network upgrade. Several facilities used for events had previously experienced connectivity constraints, particularly where sites were located away from residential areas or where commercial providers considered fibre deployment to be commercially unviable. In addition, the existing infrastructure at some venues struggled to cope with the large number of devices connecting during major events. This could affect visitor Wi-Fi access and the operation of wireless payment terminals used at bars and other retail points, creating operational challenges during busy events.  Reliable connectivity at large public events also supports visitor safety by enabling people to stay in contact, access mobile services and seek assistance if needed while on site.

According to the council, the upgraded network has helped address these limitations by providing more reliable and higher-capacity connectivity at venues such as Charter Hall and other locations used for public events. Interviewees suggested that this has enabled the council to host larger and more digitally intensive events, where visitors expect to be able to connect to Wi-Fi and use mobile services. Improved connectivity also supports the use of wireless payment devices and other digital systems required for event operations. The council also noted that the network can be flexibly scaled for certain events, allowing additional bandwidth to be temporarily provided when activities such as gaming or technology-based events place higher demands on the network.

An interview was also conducted with the operations manager responsible for events delivered at council venues. However, the interviewee had limited direct involvement in the connectivity upgrade and was not closely involved in the technical management of the network. As a result, they were unable to comment on the previous connectivity challenges at these venues or provide detailed insight into how connectivity had changed following the upgrade.

6. Conclusions

6.1 Benefits for public sector sites

The fibre network enabled by LFFN has delivered a range of operational benefits for council facilities connected through the WAN contract. These benefits primarily relate to improved reliability, faster connectivity and wider Wi-Fi coverage, which have supported the day-to-day operation of digital systems used in facilities such as museums and leisure centres. The scale of benefits varies depending on the starting position of each site. At Hollytrees Museum, where connectivity had previously been limited, the upgrade significantly improved how the building could be used for meetings, events and digital systems. At other sites where connectivity had already been broadly adequate, the benefits have been more incremental, mainly providing improved reliability and future-proofing for digital systems.

6.2 Benefits for Colchester Borough Council

For Colchester Borough Council, the WAN contract with Amphora Connect has delivered both financial and service quality benefits. The council estimates that the contract has reduced its connectivity costs by around 50%, generating savings of approximately £60,000 per year. Interviewees also emphasised that the council now receives a faster, more reliable and more responsive service than under previous arrangements with larger telecommunications providers.

These cost savings represent the only element of the benefits that could be directly monetised using evidence provided by stakeholders. However, interviewees described a wider set of operational improvements and efficiency gains associated with improved connectivity which are likely to be significant but could not be quantified as part of this evaluation. As a result, the quantified savings should be seen as a partial indicator rather than a full measure of the value of the investment.

6.3 Strategic expansion of the network

A key finding from the case study is that the LFFN project enabled a much wider expansion of fibre infrastructure beyond the original project footprint. Interviewees described the LFFN investment as a “transformational” step that allowed an initial small prototype network to develop into a scalable fibre platform. Through reinvestment of commercial revenues and partnerships with other network operators, the network has expanded significantly and now supports a much larger ecosystem of connected premises and public sector sites. The council WAN contract and other public sector service agreements have also played an important role in anchoring the network commercially, providing stable demand that has supported further investment and expansion.

These benefits will be investigated further in Work Package 4, Additional Uses of Gigabit Infrastructure.

6.4 Applications beyond fixed connectivity

The infrastructure established through LFFN has also supported several applications beyond basic site connectivity. These include the expansion and digital upgrade of the city’s CCTV network, the deployment of a private 5G network in the town centre, the provision of public Wi-Fi in public spaces, and improvements to telecare services delivered through the Helpline service. In several cases the fibre network provided the enabling platform that allowed these applications to be deployed, particularly by supplying the high-capacity backhaul connectivity required for wireless systems such as 5G and public Wi-Fi.

These benefits will be investigated further in Work Package 4, Additional Uses of Gigabit Infrastructure.

6.5 Role of delivery model and partnerships

Interview evidence suggests that the hybrid public-commercial model adopted by Amphora Connect has been an important enabling factor in realising benefits from the infrastructure. Operating as a publicly owned trading company has allowed Amphora to participate in the telecoms market and form partnerships with commercial network operators, while also prioritising connectivity for public services and local policy objectives. Public sector demand has provided a stable revenue base, enabling the organisation to expand the network incrementally through reinvestment and partnerships rather than relying solely on new public funding.

This reflects a similar finding from the North Yorkshire case study, where the presence of a publicly owned network operator likewise enabled fibre infrastructure to be extended, reused and aligned with wider public sector objectives over time.

6.6 Future opportunities and constraints

Looking ahead, interviewees suggested that the main challenge is no longer building fibre infrastructure but fully exploiting the network as a platform for digital innovation and public service transformation. Opportunities include the potential expansion of digital services linked to areas such as community safety, telecare and smart city applications, as well as possible growth associated with local government reform and partnerships with other public sector organisations. However, the pace at which these opportunities can be realised is likely to depend on the availability of resources, investment and organisational capacity within both Amphora and the public sector.