Fibre Provider Weekly Update #10

Fibre Provider enables the spectrum of organisations driving the UK’s fibre rollout to keep up to date with the latest commercial, regulatory and planning news alongside insight and analysis from sector experts. As part of this mission, our weekly newsletter compiles the top news that broke during the week and brings it straight to your inbox.

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In this week's news...

Gigaclear reaches 100,000 customer milestone

Gigaclear is celebrating two major milestones as its network reaches a total of 500,000 homes and businesses with 100,000 customers connected.

The altnet began work in 2021 with 36,000 customers and 140,000 homes and businesses able to connect.

CEO Nathan Rundle states the milestones mark the end of one chapter in Gigaclear’s growth story, with phase two targeting one million premises in 2027.

He said: “Our full fibre broadband fundamentally changes many of the communities we go to because it enables people to decide how they want to work and how they want to live their lives. It’s a choice many don’t have until we come along.”

?“It’s reassuring to know that as we travel towards our target of reaching more than one million rural properties in 2027, the funding we secured last year demonstrates that investors are happy to join us on this journey.”

TAL acquires CityFibre base of two ISPs

Telecom Acquisitions Limited (TAL) has agreed to deals with No One Internet and Link Broadband to acquire customers the ISPs have signed up to the CityFibre network.

TAL CEO Nigel Barnett said: “These two companies have a successful business specialising in B2B space and have large customer bases on other altnet.

“Many of these businesses have quickly realised that acquiring a new customer is more expensive than they previously thought.”

This follows a record trading quarter for TAL where it added 22,000 new residential broadband customers, 16,000 of which came through acquisitions.

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Openreach adds ￡100m to investment in NI rollout

Openreach will invest a further ￡100m to connect more than 100,000 further homes and businesses to its full fibre footprint in Northern Ireland.

This will take the company’s network from 87% of premises covered to 97%, without the need for further government investment.

As Director of Openreach, Garret Kavanagh will oversee the extended rollout. He said: “This final push will continue to have a transformative impact seen right across Northern Ireland, with some very remote rural areas being able to access full fibre technology for the first time.

“This technology opens endless opportunities. By supporting business and domestic access to the right level of connectivity regardless of location, people have improved choices on where to live and work, which will in turn accelerate a rebalancing of growth across our urban and local rural communities.

Openreach has also pledged to reduce energy consumption and waste in its Northern Ireland Build. It currently has 100 electric vehicles on the road, with more to join the fleet this year.

It will also use goods that are from recycled sources and is cutting single-use plastics from its supply chain. Lastly it has begun its first solar panels pilot.

Freedom Fibre completes VX Fibre UK Merger

Freedom Fibre has completed its merger with VX Fiber following regulatory approval of the deal signed last December.???

The deal creates a 300k premise footprint under the Freedom Fibre wholesale business.

The network will be offered to residential and business customers through a range of ISP partners, along with the wholly owned Retail ISP LilaConnect?that was acquired through the merger.??

Freedom Fibre’s CEO, Neil McArthur , said:?“This strategic merger leverages?the strengths of both Freedom Fibre and VX UK to create a larger, stronger, and more diverse business backed by two significant investors with ambitions for growth.”??

Freedom Fibre plans to continue onboarding new ISPs.??

Emtelle boosts fibre innovation with Ridgemount buy

Emtelle , a supplier of blown fibre, cabling and ducted solutions, has acquired RIDGEMOUNT TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED , a manufacturer of fibre optic cable connectors.

This deal aims to enhance manufacturing efficiencies and product offerings, with post-acquisition investment focused on automation and capacity expansion.

Tony Rodgers , Emtelle's CEO, said: " With additional resources, Ridgemount would enable focus on innovation, automation and capacity expansion.

“Emtelle current business is focused on Telecom and Power sectors, and now we intend to expand our reach into the Defence sector with our duct and fibre optic cable solutions.”

Thanks for reading, and we hope to see you back here next Friday for the latest news update. Be sure to subscribe at the top of this newsletter to get your copy.