Primevest Capital Partners and telecoms provider T-Mobile are expanding their joint venture to install super-fast broadband in Dutch cities to Rotterdam.

The Primevest Communication Infrastructure Fund (PCIF) and T-Mobile will roll out fibre-optic networks to 45,000 households in the Netherlands’ second largest city.

In June, Primevest announced a rollout programme in the Loosduinen area of the Hague.

The latest rollout, which is being overseen by partners Van Gelder Telecom and VolkerWessels Telecom, will mean that, by next year, Primevest and T-Mobile will have connected 130,000 households.

PCIF has reached agreement in principle with local network builder L2Fiber to take over its existing network in the Rotterdam district of Kralingen and to double its reach to approximately 15,000 households.

T-Mobile will lease the fibre-optic network from the fund to offer superfast internet services and open it up to other providers. Primevest and T-Mobile will also start rolling out a new fibre-optic network in the Rotterdam district of IJsselmonde.

Barbara Kathmann, Rotterdam Municipality’s alderman for economic affairs, said: “An internet connection has become a basic need at home, as self-evident as water or electricity. Residents of Rotterdam must be able to count on fast, safe and reliable connections and a wide choice of Internet services.

“During the COVID-19 lockdowns, a good internet connection has become crucial for everybody in Rotterdam who has had to work from home, as well as for the healthcare sector and businesses and retailers who offer their products online.

“I am delighted that the T-Mobile and Primevest Capital Partners consortium is allowing more Rotterdam households and entrepreneurs to benefit from superfast internet. This deal brings us closer to our goal to connect all of Rotterdam to a fibre-optic network within the next five years.”