MORE than 3,500 homes in North Bournemouth can now order the town’s new extra-fast gigabit broadband service.

Vodafone is providing its Gigafast Broadband service through the full fibre network being rolled out locally through CityFibre.

It says customers will enjoy a huge boost in internet speed and reliability.

Vodafone will start connecting homes and businesses to full fibre in November, but customers can order now.

By using fibre optic cables at every stage of a connection, including into the home, Vodafone says its Gigafast Broadband will give users downloads 16 times faster and upload speeds 125 times faster than the UK’s average broadband service.

Customers can choose between packages offering 100Mbps (megabits per second), 500Mbps or 900Mbps, with prices starting at £28 a month. Existing monthly subscribers will save an extra £5 a month.

“At these speeds, the whole family can simultaneously stream their favourite film, play online games or upload videos and photos across multiple devices with no lag, buffering or dropout,” the company says.

“The improved speeds and reliability of Vodafone Gigafast Broadband will also allow businesses to boost productivity, improve their online presence and respond more quickly to their customer needs.”

Areas including Moordown, Ensbury Park and East and West Howe can order the service now – putting them among just eight per cent of UK properties that can access gigabit broadband.

West Howe’s Henry Brown Youth Centre is being connected to the service as part of Vodafone’s community outreach work. Vodfaone is also funding a Digital Parenting programme to help parents talk to their children about digital issues.

And it is funding the Digital Creators Challenge, a competition for secondary schools to improve young people’s understanding of tech and how it can be used to help the community. Schools also have the chance to win up to £6,000 to spend on IT.

Bournemouth was announced in March as one of 12 towns and cities to benefit first from the rollout of Vodafone Gigafast Broadband.

Residents and businesses can find out more and register at Vodafone.co.uk/web-shop/broadband/deals/gigafast

Details of the Digital Creators Challenge are at careers.vodafone.co.uk/the-digital-creators-challenge-entries