Around 60,000 homes and businesses in the area are currently able to upgrade to Full Fibre, but only about 19 per cent have reportedly done so.
Full Fibre technology offers a faster, more reliable connection that keeps up with the demands of today’s digital world.
Openreach say whether streaming your favourite show, gaming online, making a video call, managing your finances, or running a business, fibre keeps everything running smoothly.
Kieran Wines, Openreach partnership director, said: “Fast and reliable Full Fibre broadband gives households and businesses a boost – it can have a huge impact on people’s daily lives.
“Locals might also be missing out on great deals.
Concern – Openreach say thousands of people across Southend are missing out on faster and more reliable broadband (Image: Openreach)
“Openreach’s network supports more than 700 providers, meaning you are able to shop around and find a package and price that works for you.”
He also reminded people that upgrades are not automatic and require contacting and placing orders through their broadband provider.
Packages from a wide range of broadband providers are also increasingly competitively priced, meaning people may pay similar, or even less, per month than their current bill for a much-improved service.
Openreach’s new ultrafast Full Fibre network now reaches more than 17 million properties.
The company plans to roll out the new technology to 25 million homes and businesses by the end of 2026, with an ambition to reach up to 30 million by the end of the decade.
The research, conducted by the Centre for Economics and Business Research and Stantec, estimated that full fibre rollout could add £66 billion to the UK economy by 2029.
Local people can visit openreach.co.uk/ultrafastfullfibre to check if they’re able to upgrade to Full Fibre now.