Fibre Provider's Weekly Update

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. 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...

Zzoomm to cease build and focus on profitabilitynbsp;

Zzoomm will cease the construction of new network from the end of Q2 and shift its focus to increasing take up from 12% across its existing build, according to its results for the year to 31 December 2023.

This reflects a focus on profitability with the altnet reporting an operating loss ￡21.0m due to its continued investment in growing the network and infrastructure.

ZZoomm reports?over 30% market penetration in its more mature build areas and its revenue increased to ￡3.6m as its recurring subscription revenue momentum built.

CEO Matthew Hare said: “We are now concentrating on profitably commercialising our network and brand position, as our current build phase closes. With ARPU continuing to increase, we are now moving towards profitability. Those towns with over 30% market penetration are largely profitable already.”

“We are well positioned to make acquisitions in fragmented and competitive markets. An enlarged group, based around our established operational and effectiveness and technical infrastructure, would benefit from the economies of scale.”

By the end of May 2024, the altnet had over 200,000 properties ready for service across 29 market towns and small urban communities and over 27,000 customers contracted.

BT to crack down on compliance forms, says Telegraph

英国电信集团 has begun writing to PIA users giving them a three-month deadline to bring their compliance rates up to 90 per cent, according to a report in the Telegraph.

If this target is not met, providers will be required to hand over formal improvement plans. If not met by the end of the year, they may be blocked from accessing the incumbent’s network.

This crackdown has come from engineers failing to fill in compliance forms proving information about when they plan to access BT’s ducts and poles.

Openreach’s latest figures show that compliance rates are at an average of 63 per cent and are as low as 20 per cent for some altnets.

Katie Milligan , CCO at Openreach, said: “We’re continuing to work closely with the industry, the OTA [Office of the Telecoms Adjudicator] and Ofcom to make sure that any work happening on our network is recorded properly, and completed safely and securely.”

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Wessex adds another 16 communities across three counties

Wessex Internet has connected 16 villages and other rural communities in Dorset, Somerset and Hampshire between April and June 2024.

The network is live in Dorset across Child Okeford, Gussage St Michael, Hazelbury Bryan, Holwell, Mappowder & Pleck Hill, Marnhull, Stourton Caundle and Tadnoll.

Premises have been connected in Somerset in Dimmer & Blackworthy, Lovington, Lytes Cary, Podimore, Somerto, Yeovilton and Welham. Damerham in Hampshire has also been connected.

During this period, the altnet has grown to more than 300 employees and was named the Best Rural Enterprise in the UK at the annual Countryside Alliance Awards.

Gavin Davies , COO at Wessex Internet, said: “We will be continuing to grow our teams over the next few months, including at our new base in Codford, as we fulfil our plans to deliver full fibre internet to rural areas across Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire and Wiltshire.”

MS3 pens agreement to boost digital access for Lincolnshire tenants

MS3 Networks Limited has partnered with Lincolnshire Housing Partnership (LHP) to bring its fibre services to 450 residents living in low and medium-rise apartment blocks in Grimsby and Cleethorpes.

The expansion with LHP will take the total number of Lincolnshire homes and businesses that can access MS3’s full fibre broadband to over 60,000, including a completed Scunthorpe build covering 37,000 premises.

The partnership with LHP comes shortly after MS3 was granted permission to install its full fibre network in low and mid-rise homes owned by Hull City Council.

Jo F. , corporate partnerships manager at MS3, said: “Digital exclusion caused by a lack of fast and reliable broadband is a problem that particularly affects social housing residents.

“In north east Lincolnshire, around one in eight households live in socially rented housing, so our partnership with LHP allows us to improve socialisation, education and job opportunities for residents.”

Vorboss opens new London HQ to support growth

Vorboss has opened a new City of London office headquarters at Exchange Square, Liverpool Street to house its 24/7 Network Operations Centre.

More than 500 square metres of the overall 2,700 square metre office space is being made available to Vorboss customers and partners for working, meeting and networking.

Tim Creswick , CEO of Vorboss: “We’ll be able to better serve our customers and partners by opening up our office to them. This is a place where London businesses can meet, work and collaborate.”

The new facility was opened with an event hosted by Howard Dawber, London Deputy Mayor for Business and Growth, in collaboration with BusinessLDN.

He said: “Vorboss is a great example of the type of infrastructure investment that is vital for the continued growth of?London’s economy.”

Vorboss recently created 60 new London-based account management to specialise in supporting customers in key industries, including media, broadcast, finance, healthcare, hospitality, hotels and fitness.

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.