One of the county's broadband providers, focused on bringing ultra-fast internet speeds to rural areas, is expanding into neighbouring East Sussex.

Kings Hill-based firm Trooli has spent the last two years laying a full-fibre network across swathes of Kent - and has so far installed 450kilometres of cabling.

Networks in Hadlow, Marden, Staplehurst, Headcorn and Romney Marsh are about to go live, and work will shortly begin on connecting Darenth, Hoo St Werburgh and Chattenden. It already provides its services to 36,000 premises, and aims to increase that to 500,000 in four years.

And now it is heading west across the border to Crowborough and Uckfield.

Unlike most internet providers, Trooli does not rely on the Openreach copper telephone network to deliver its service, instead installing its own full fibre cabling, which is delivered directly into a customer’s premises. This allows homes and businesses to access guaranteed broadband speeds of 300Mbps, 500Mbps or 900Mbps, depending on the package.

Andy Conibere, Trooli's chief executive, explained: "Kent remains our core market but we are an ambitious, growing business and moving into East Sussex will open up new opportunities for us.

“Demand for the service we offer continues to increase as people make greater use of their home broadband, and we are maintaining our momentum in connecting new areas.”

Launched in 2018, the firm is backed by €30m from the Connecting Europe Broadband Fund (CEBF) and a recent further £5m from NatWest .

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