All Fibre Challengers articles – Page 3
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Venturing & Investments
nexfibre readies billion-pound spend to snag second spot in UK fibre build race
£1bn to be pulled from funding pot as wholesale NetCo looks to identify as second in 2024’s UK fibre race, in terms of both additions and overall challenger build-out; confirmed remaining outside of VM O2 NetCo carve out…
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Public Affairs
UK: Lords maul government on digital exclusion, call for greater altnet role
Locally-focused altnets are seen as a valuable tool in bridging the Digital Divide by peers tasked with assessing the costs and consequences of digital exclusion.
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M&A
TalkTalk rumours show potential for break-up to shake up status quo
Under-pressure telecoms group could take drastic action to alleviate debt concerns, which could significantly shake up the consumer and wholesale fibre ecosystem in the UK.
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Weekly Briefings
Infrawatch Weekly: CityFibre asserts Project Gigabit dominance; 1&1 makes more infra deployment promises…
CityFibre grabs five more Project Gigabit contracts; WightFibre extends Gigabit Island coverage in battle against Openreach; 1&1 sets more targets for antenna site deployments; much more…
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Deep Dive
Profile: WightFibre closes in on Gigabit Island dream; Openreach relegated to wannabe
Isle of Wight operator edges towards completion of Gigabit Island build. Now to deliver on hefty financials. Petri dish to watch Openreach play (very distant) challenger to hyperlocal with real moat. Read on to find out more…
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Network & Infrastructure
CityFibre takes lion’s share of UK’s latest £460m Project Gigabit tranche
Altnets continue to own Project Gigabit, with CityFibre even more dominant, extending first mover advantage over Openreach/BT and nexfibre/VM O2. Read more…
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Interview
Freedom Fibre CEO sees VX merger adding investment muscle for UK M&A
With InfraBridge as its new controlling shareholder, Freedom Fibre will come into investor giant DigitalBridge’s orbit.
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Weekly Briefings
Infrawatch Weekly: end of the road for Digital 9, OneWeb’s space odyssey troubles continue
Digital 9 decides to wind down; OneWeb misses ‘global’ coverage targets; CityFibre aiming to get more active on M&A; more…
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Weekly Briefings
Infrawatch Weekly: NetCo-ServCo splits, fresh SatCo investment, tower M&A among hot topics
Liberty Global mulls over European NetCo-ServCo split; AST SpaceMobile secures big MNO/Google investment; Actis expands tower portfolio; CityFibre could now be preeminent UK fibre challenger in possible tipping point for fibre NetCo/wholesale business models. 20+ stories condensed in one weekly update…
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Financial & Performance
Is CityFibre now #1 UK fibre altnet by revenue, take-up?
With take-up doubling, revenue exploding, build on target and positive EBITDA imminent, NetCo boasts 50+ ISP retail partners are selling two- or even three-times’ as many CityFibre connections than sourced from Openreach. Appears Community Fibre and Hyperoptic overtaken, M&A next up…
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People
Infra Peoplewatch: 20+ notable moves across global data centres, investors, Towers and UK fibre builders
January 2024 update: Global data centres (Atlas Edge, Kao Data, Rack Centre); investors (BII, DigitalBridge, KKR, Stonepeak); Towers (Crown Castle, CTIL, WIG, Vantage Towers); and UK fibre builders (G.Network, Hyperoptic, KCOM, nexfibre, Spring Fibre)…
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Interview
Interview: Lit Fibre’s Webster on altnet’s upcoming business segment play
Exec brought in to drive commercial expansion speaks with TelcoTitans Infrawatch about plans to debut in the b2b market, and how Lit is embedding its brand within communities. Read more…
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Financial & Performance
Macquarie’s altnet Voneus bags £25m funding top-up
Tiger-controlled RBSHL ups stake at possible £625m valuation, with Macquarie assumed to remain in control. FY22-23 accounts also released, claiming strength but modelling downside. More…
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Consumer (B2C)
UK altnet Lit Fibre says ‘ship has sailed’ on unravelling broadband misinformation
Speaking to TelcoTitans Infrawatch Lit Fibre Commercial Director Avril Webster laments misleading advertising of tier-one providers; questions timeframe of Ofcom’s guidance on broadband terminology as Lit looks to do its part in educating consumers.
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M&A
Freedom Fibre: UK challenger joins with VX in hunt for regional muscle
Latest UK fibre market consolidation sees Manchester’s Freedom Fibre tie with Midlands altnet VX UK, with asset management backers Equitix and InfraBridge enabling the move. Implications for ambitious Freedom Fibre build targets not yet confirmed as small-scale regional operators expand beyond county borders…
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M&A
Infra group Gresham House flags plan to double its asset base as takeover completes
Searchlight Capital Partners finalises its acquisition of UK infra investor Gresham, promising support for management strategy bolstered by capital and expertise for “wider” M&A.
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Venturing & Investments
European Investment Bank funnels €175m into German rural fibre
Northern Fibre Holding Group increases fibre build scope with fresh EU funding. Owner UBS keen to continue investing in the country, noting public funding as crucial to success.
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Interview
Hello, Beastie: Octopus Energy’s Kraken takes on legacy tech in broadband customer service
Exclusive: Kraken Utilities CEO and sibling Cuckoo’s CCO discuss how Octopus Energy’s tech platform underpins growth ambitions. Watch out Amdocs, NetSuite (Oracle), Salesforce, SAP…
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Interview
Pulsant seeking altnets to ‘rebalance’ UK with regional edge computing
Interview: Tech Director Mike Hoy discusses edge data centre player’s ambition to help FibreCos and MNOs process data traffic locally, “rebalancing” UK digital infra by decreasing London-dependency.
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Venturing & Investments
UK altnet Giggle faces uncertain future, management buyout extends lifespan
Digital 9 Infrastructure-backed fibre altnet Giggle Broadband completes management buyout to review options.