All Fibre Challengers articles
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M&ACityFibre confirms M&A outreach, predicts 2025 acceleration and ‘inflection point’
UK’s largest altnet actively engaging rival FibreCos to discuss rollup deals. Sees M&A as “major opportunity” to up competitive pressure on incumbent Openreach. Read more about financial execution, XGS-PON and Sky amongst defining 2025 aspects after first year of profitability
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Weekly BriefingsEMEA Infrawatch Briefing: SatCos explore new options; subsea revamps
Spain’s Indra eyes bigger role in European satellite picture, while Eutelsat moves to bring space connectivity to Nigeria and (reportedly) Egypt. Meanwhile, fibre players have struck fresh deals in Ireland and Spain, while others consider if further buys are immediately necessary…
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Network & InfrastructureKPN seeks to temper Dutch overbuild amidst fibre storm
CEO Joost Farwerck eager to temper overbuild in the Netherlands, as fibre rivals including DELTA Fiber and Open Dutch Fiber lock in overlapping city build programmes. Concerns accompany latest earnings showing incumbent maintaining pace to hit own rollout target…
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Strategy & ChangeAcquisitive Polish FibreCo slows M&A, seeks funding in strategy rethink
Jacek Wiśniewski, Chief Executive at Poland’s Nexera, says business is exploring financing options to fuel push past 1.5 million premises. M&A and build-out set to slow down in 2025, as Nexera follows broader European trend of focusing on take-up…
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InterviewCityFibre sees commercial promise, ‘moral obligation’ in Project Gigabit
CityFibre’s public sector lead Andy Nash talks to TelcoTitans on the altnet’s emergence as a strategic government supplier for Project Gigabit, answering “the big exam question” on going beyond initial goals, and the moral duty of delivering rural connectivity…
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M&AFullFibre, Zzoomm to form integrated altnet, fuel further M&A
UK fibre altnets to combine for a shared 600,000 ready for service network with 65,000 customers, adding FullFibre’s wholesale platform to Zzoomm’s retail.
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InterviewNew INCA CEO tells UK altnets to mobilise against common enemy
Industry body recce’d under new CEO, with collaboration and communication identified for rework — including potential Openreach hotline upgrade — despite cloud of consolidation.
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Strategy & ChangeZzoomm: capital costs holding back build and consolidation
At INCA Summit Zzoomm’s CEO Matthew Hare predicted a bright future for the sector, but current cost of capital is impeding expansion plans and complicating the path to consolidation.
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InterviewCuckoo MD sees national retail reach as vital in loosening Big 4’s fibre grip
Startup consumer‑focused fibre ISP Cuckoo is positioning itself as a national-scale player at a time when many UK peers are thinking local, underpinned by customer-centric Sarah Howells and the Kraken next-gen ops platform (also backed by Octopus Capital). Login to learn more…
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Weekly BriefingsDeutsche Telekomwatch Weekly: Telco Cloud heads east
Group lays out operational and commercial ambitions based on expansion of network of cloudified network core hubs across Europe.
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M&AUK altnet group AllPoints nabs new retail service provider Brillband
Fern Trading‑backed fibre altnet acquires Glasgow‑focused retail fibre startup, and backs plans for continued expansion.
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Financial & PerformanceClock ticking for UK altnet Spring Fibre as administration looms
A notice of intention to enter administration has been submitted, with the altnet having until the end of the week to find a solution for its financial situation or appoint an administrator.
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Financial & PerformanceCommunity Fibre keeps focus on customer connections with £125m funding windfall
London-based fibre altnet Community Fibre has secured £125m in debt financing but does not plan to ramp up network build, will instead use funds to support customer acquisition drive.
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Financial & PerformanceGrain claims to beat Openreach connection costs as EBITDA breakeven nears
UK fibre altnet frontloads capex to build to property boundaries, making for cheap connections when customers sign up, but Grain may be playing a high-risk game…
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PeopleZimmermann assumes CEO spot at Open Dutch Fiber
Chief exec switch at Dutch fibre challenger sees former Deutsche Glasfaser and Vodafone exec take the helm.
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Financial & PerformanceCityFibre on the hunt for more cash to fund capital-intensive fibre rollout
UK altnet’s debt and equity funding due to dry up next year, but talks ongoing with prospective investors for new cash.
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PeopleFreedom Fibre names new CEO as investors chip in £45m
Industry veteran Neil McArthur steps back from frontline as private equity fixer arrives to oversee next phase of commercialisation and integration at newly-merged altnet. Register to read more, incl. investor, financial backdrop…
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Public AffairsUK Minister hints at fixes for FibreCos’ apartment access woes
Operators vent about barriers to accessing MDU access as new Telecoms Minister offers support for reforms, but little in the way of detail or firm commitments…
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Products & ServicesIn depth: One Touch Switching launch day
UK’s ‘imperfect’ fixed broadband migration hub debuts to mixed altnet reviews, and incumbent ISP win-back loophole only spotted on launch day. OTS broadly seen by many challengers as open season on majors with poor customer satisfaction, mixed with fears of race to bottom and weakness on multi-play (Sky and VM O2 are both bullish, too). Register to read…
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EventwatchVirgin Media O2 and CityFibre question each other’s fibre maths
Connected Britain: VM O2 CEO Lutz Schüler argues operator is taking “challenger” approach in UK’s fibre market, with nexfibre spin-off and upcoming NetCo positioning operator to be a “long-term sustainable partner” to altnets.