The agreement will see Sure partner with another global technology business, Ericsson, to invest £48m. into building a new mobile network in the island, which will include 5G.
That will form part of a total £100m. investment in Guernsey, Jersey and the Isle of Man.
The 100% standalone 5G coverage promised by the end of next year will put Guernsey almost a decade ahead of UK operators.
Sure CEO Alistair Beak said the new deal would enable Sure to leverage the scale of Beyon – a global technology company based in Bahrain – in terms of expertise and resources.
‘Overall, it’s a big vote of confidence in Guernsey from a digital infrastructure perspective, and means that we’ll be connecting our island community long into the future.’
Sure has been owned by the Beyon Group since 2014, but Beyon CEO Andrew Kvalseth said this latest announcement would see both companies work more closely together for the benefit of the Guernsey business.
‘Sure spends about £1,000 per capita in Guernsey,’ he said.
‘Extrapolate that to the UK and you’re talking about what would be £60bn.
‘That level of commitment illustrates the scale of our ambition and the impact that we believe world-class connectivity has on driving prosperity.’
Mr Beak said the 5G upgrade would not be possible without the new relationship with Beyon, which had enabled Sure to secure the partnership with Ericsson in the supply of network equipment.
‘We said we would deliver a new £48m. mobile network quickly – one that brings 5G, faster speeds and better coverage – and we are sticking to that promise.’
‘We are excited to announce Ericsson as our partner, and we are making good progress so that we can launch new services in 2026.
‘Ericsson brings the scale and expertise needed to accelerate delivery of a future-ready network, enabling critical infrastructure for the islands’ digital future.’
It is hoped the new network will boost speeds, improve reliability and create a future-ready platform for next generation technologies, such as AI.
And by completely replacing the existing network and combining Sure and Airtel-Vodafone infrastructure, coverage and capacity is expected to increase by up to 30%.
Mr Beak said the recent integration of Airtel customers onto Sure’s platforms had been a ‘pretty seamless’ experience.
He added the company’s fibre roll-out was now 93% complete, with 75% of homes which could get access already connected.
Full fibre coverage was expected by the end of 2026, alongside the 5G upgrade.
‘With the addition of 5G, Guernsey will enjoy the very best fixed and mobile networks, ensuring seamless connectivity wherever you are,’ Mr Beak said.
‘This future-ready infrastructure is critical to our increasingly digital lives.’
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