All Fibre Challengers articles
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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.
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Financial & PerformanceUK altnet Spring Fibre seeks new investors as backers step away
With a near-£14m deficit on its balance sheet, the altnet stated in its FY23 accounts that it was seeking a new investor to support cashflow needs as its principal backer declines to cover plans.
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PeopleUK altnet Quickline onboards telco veterans to guide Project Gigabit build
Fibre builder changes C-suite roster to help it reach target 450,000 full-fibre connections by 2027.
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Venturing & InvestmentsAltnet Ogi picks up £45m in funding from Cardiff councils
Welsh fibre altnet secures Cardiff Capital Region debt facility and additional backing from long–term investor Infracapital.
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InterviewUK altnet Quickline pitches ‘patchwork’ solution to rural full-fibre challenge
Quickline CEO Sean Royce tells TelcoTitans not everyone needs a gigabit right now and full fibre is not the only way to improve broadband services in the most remote parts of the UK.
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Network & InfrastructureCityFibre adds ‘kingmaker’ Sky in fibre wholesale offensive
UK’s largest altnet signs wholesale deal with Sky, making a dent in Openreach dominance and pushing further the claim of genuine competition to the incumbent. Sky commits to rental economics, while CityFibre leverages Project Gigabit fame to help ISPs to new full-fibre markets…
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Network & InfrastructureTrooli CEO: UK’s Project Gigabit scheme will ‘come into its own’
Talking to Zen’s Richard Tang, Trooli CEO Andy Conibere praised the work of the government’s BDUK in stimulating an altnet industry.
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Network & InfrastructureOpenreach enters Project Gigabit fray at near-£1bn scale
Openreach handed its first Project Gigabit contracts, more in discussion. UK government ‘redoubles’ rural infill efforts, including first few in Wales…
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Weekly BriefingsInfrawatch Weekly: Italian infra on the up; Project Gigabit preps leap forward; Macquarie comes and goes
Latest from the digital infra scene in the UK and beyond; including INWIT prepping for Italian investment boost; Indus Towers finally getting paid; claims that UK PIA oversight is MIA; latest people moves; and plenty more…
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Network & InfrastructureShort-term delays in NI, but Project Gigabit readying for leap forward across devolved nations
Northern Ireland Executive confirms slight delay in procurement, but confident Project Stratum success can be replicated as paths cleared for Project Gigabit progress in Scotland, Wales…
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Venturing & InvestmentsUK Infrastructure Bank gives fibre sector another financial leg-up
National infra financing organisation backs another rural fibre altnet as Quickline secures a £250m debt package to support rollout in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire.
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Network & InfrastructureProject Gigabit future: UK FibreCos say yes to expansion, but with caveats
Mooted bundling of Project Gigabit mega-contracts gets firm ‘no’ from altnet INCA gathering, but most on board for programme extension. New Labour government urged to protect and evolve rural fibre build to reach final few per cent of rural premises, learn from ‘zany’ Scotland, or risk missing FTTP targets. And then there’s that Type C elephant (not) in the room, Openreach…