Forget Christmas light switch-ons — 2025 is all about broadband switch-ons. Chester was buzzing last night (6th November) as iconic ‘90s boyband Five helped giffgaff officially switch on its brand-new full fibre broadband, turning up the volume with a night of community, connection, and nostalgia.
The celebration spotlighted Tao Chang, a Chester local and university lecturer, whose home became one of the first in the UK to go live with giffgaff’s next-generation broadband. Five — taking a short break from their nationwide stadium tour — hit the switch on an eye-catching neon light display illuminating Tao’s home before joining him and around 100 guests at The Carlton Tavern for an unforgettable Switch-On Party.
Fans were treated to live performances of Keep On Movin’ and When The Lights Go Out, sending waves of nostalgia through the Chester crowd. It was a fitting way to celebrate giffgaff’s new broadband milestone — especially given that Five first stormed the charts back in 1999, right before broadband even launched in the UK.
Bringing Speed, Music and Community Together
According to recent giffgaff research, over half of Brits (53%) experience broadband issues at least twice a month — with more than 340,000 people in the North West missing out on gig tickets due to slow connections. To right that wrong, giffgaff delivered not only superfast broadband, but also one of Britain’s most beloved pop groups.
The night included exclusive DJ sets from Nemone Metaxas — Chester-born DJ and BBC Radio 6 Music presenter — plus themed “bytes” to eat and plenty of local cheer. The energy was electric, the Wi-Fi unshakeable, and the only thing dropping all night was the beat.
Natalie Cutten, giffgaff’s Broadband Product Director, said:
“Like we’ve done before in mobile, we’ve built broadband around our members — simple, fair value, and flexible. Who better to help us celebrate than our members themselves? We lit up Chester, and Five put on quite the show to mark this exciting milestone.”
Tao Chang added:
“I never thought getting new broadband would end with Five lighting up my house! Having fast, reliable internet makes such a difference — and this has been a day I’ll never forget.”
A New Era of Connection
Five said:
“When we started, broadband hadn’t even launched in the UK — now here we are helping giffgaff switch on the next generation! It’s been brilliant getting down with fans in such an intimate setting.”
giffgaff’s full fibre broadband offers rolling monthly plans starting at £30, with speeds up to 900Mbps, symmetrical upload/download speeds, and a One Touch Switch feature that makes changing providers effortless. There are no setup or installation fees, and new members who sign up before the end of the year will bag a £100 reward.
The service is now live across 360,000 homes in the North West, with expansion planned across Yorkshire, the East Midlands, and the North East before 2026.
To find out more about giffgaff’s new broadband, visit giffgaff.com/broadband.
