Durham is one of the most recognisable cities in England. Durham Castle and Cathedral form a UNESCO World Heritage Site above a loop of the River Wear, and the narrow streets around the Market Place, Saddler Street, Elvet and Framwellgate still follow a medieval pattern. It is also a working city, with a major university, the headquarters of Durham County Council, law firms, accountants, surgeries, shops and a growing number of people who work from home. Our team is based in Sunderland, a short drive along the A690, and we help Durham homes and businesses get the right connection.
Historic buildings need a careful installation
Much of central Durham is a conservation area, and many buildings are listed. Getting fibre into a listed building or a narrow medieval street is not always as simple as it is on a new business park. Cables may need to follow existing routes, drilling through historic walls may not be appropriate, and in some cases consent is needed before work to the building can go ahead. Shared buildings with offices above shops also need the landlord's agreement for any cabling through common areas.
We will explain what an installation involves before an engineer visit is booked. If a survey finds extra work is needed, we tell you the cost before anything is done. You can read more on our installation page.
Offices and professional services
Durham has a strong professional services community, with solicitors, barristers, accountants, architects and consultants working from offices in the city centre and on business parks such as Belmont, as well as the Aykley Heads area. These firms tend to work in cloud based case management and accounts software, hold regular video calls and handle confidential documents. They need a dependable connection with good upload speed and support that answers quickly.
For many offices, business full fibre does the job well. Larger teams, or firms with several offices, may be better suited to a leased line, which gives a dedicated connection with the same speed up and down. We survey each site before quoting and will give you an honest recommendation.
The university and student homes
Durham University is at the centre of city life, and its colleges, departments and research groups bring students, staff and visitors from all over the world. Around the university, areas such as the Viaduct, Gilesgate, Claypath and Neville's Cross have many shared student houses. A house with several people studying, streaming and joining online lectures at once needs a connection with enough capacity, and WiFi that reaches every bedroom. Mesh units can help in older houses with thick walls. See our WiFi page.
Landlords letting shared houses are welcome to talk to us about their properties.
Homes and home working
Beyond the centre, Durham has family homes in areas such as Newton Hall, Belmont, Framwellgate Moor and Sherburn Road, many belonging to people who commute or work from home for part of the week. Our home full fibre packages show clear prices including VAT, with yearly rises fixed in pounds and pence, and switching is handled through One Touch Switch. Home customers also have 14 days to change their mind.
Check your Durham address
What you can order depends on the exact address. Fibre coverage varies across Durham, and in the historic centre it can differ from one building to the next. Enter your postcode on our availability checker to see the packages and prices for your premises. For a larger site or a listed building, request a quote or contact our team and we will talk you through the options. Nearby, see our Chester le Street page.
Postcode districts in and around Durham
- DH1
Availability depends on your exact address, not just the postcode district, so check your full postcode to see what you can order.