Latest on Altnets
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Financial & PerformanceBT CEO snubs fibre M&A, doubling down on Openreach organic growth — despite accelerating line losses
Q2 FY25–26: Allison Kirkby showed little enthusiasm at thought of mopping up fibre altnets as part of much-anticipated consolidation, instead insisting Openreach is best focused on its own game, and set up to beat any incursion — notwithstanding line losses accelerating alarmingly…
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PeopleQuickline CEO departs in top-level leadership refresh
Rural-focused UK altnet appoints finance and transformation expert Mark Bowden as CEO, with Sean Royce moving to take on an advisory role. Quickline also draws from its ranks to name a new CFO…
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M&ANetomnia takeout rumours: first billion-dollar M&A for UK fibre?
Deep dive: Reports suggest Netomnia is in play, with cashed-up nexfibre/VM O2 and CityFibre tagged as frontrunners in the race to build a national fibre challenger to Openreach. TelcoTitans Infrawatch explores the backdrop, leading players (including Liberty Global and Telefónica), netco-servco dichotomy, and likeliest outcomes…
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Financial & PerformanceEquity vs debt: who blinks first in UK fibre consolidation showdown?
In-depth: While sector consolidation presents complexity for altnets seeking to evolve, challenges faced by financial backers invested through equity and loan facilities should not be underestimated.
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InterviewINCA CEO: ‘job done’ when altnets join Openreach as industry ‘baddies’
INCA Summit 2025: With consolidation looming and the next Telecoms Access Review on the horizon, the UK’s fibre landscape is at a tipping point. Altnets, however, are still reeling from (pantomime) villain Openreach’s latest pricing initiative, with disappointment at Ofcom inertia, and suspicion the incumbent is testing what it can get away with…
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InterviewVoneus ‘plays chicken’ with banks and secures new funding
INCA Summit 2025: Macquarie and Voneus director Oliver Bradley indicates terms were renegotiated on Voneus’s existing £70m debt facility, and stakeholders injected further funds to secure the altnet’s future.
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M&A‘We need to get on with it’: nexfibre boss wants to see altnet acquisition action
Fibreco chief suggests some investors will have to swallow losses on altnets as the industry goes into consolidation mode.
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Network & InfraOpenreach expands role as Project Gigabit contract sweeper-upper
Openreach picks up Project Gigabit premises previously allocated to UK altnet Voneus, seeing the incumbent add another lot of homes to its Call-Off collection…
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Public Affairs‘Enormously aggressive’: nexfibre leads altnet complaints against Openreach copper-to-fibre discounting
Connected Britain 2025: As Openreach pulls levers to combat massive broadband losses, and drive fibre adoption alongside, altnet leaders have called out the discount pricing strategy as unsustainable. nexfibre execs have called it an exploitation of the incumbent’s significant market powers, CityFibre warns of structure advantage, plus views from other altnets, rivals…
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Network & InfraExtra millions flow to UK fibrecos as Project Gigabit contracts updated
CityFibre once again sees a boost to a Project Gigabit contract value as Leicestershire & Warwickshire deal is updated and geographically expanded, becoming the latest fibreco to benefit from Project Gigabit perimeter adjustments…
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Strategy & ChangeGrain skewers wholesale model as altnets ponder consolidation
At Connected Britain the UK’s largest fibre platforms called on investors and smaller players to accept the inevitability of consolidation. Niche challenger Grain rebutted the assumption that scale is now critical, and instead called into question the foundations of current wholesale‑led models.
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PeopleEx-Vantage chief to lead MásOrange-Vodafone Spain fibre JV: report
Operators said to be putting pieces in place for formal debut of new fibre joint venture Surf, with appointment of CEO.
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PeopleDigital Infra Peoplewatch: fibre C-level switches; towerco leadership tweaks
September 2025 edition: Simon Holden steps in as CityFibre CEO as Greg Mesch moves upstairs; TDF names new towerco boss; AST SpaceMobile fills in director roles; more…
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Partnerships & AlliancesGamma’s Mike Mills: why UK altnet-MVNO convergence is happening now
For UK fibre players, adding mobile services is becoming a compelling route to maximising ARPU and customer value. Enabler Gamma debunks misconceptions, arguing that the MVNO model can unlock significant returns with fast market entry, while eSIM also rewrites the rules. Learn more…
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Public AffairsGerman government looks to speed up fibre build to flats
Fibre industry organisations and players back key measures proposed by the German government to accelerate fibre rollout to multi-dwelling units, but indicate further procedural changes are needed to remove “bureaucratic hurdles”…
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Financial & PerformanceFibrus focuses on journey towards breakeven as revenue and EBITDA grow
In conversation: Fibrus CFO talks virtues of the altnet’s integrated business model as it reports steadily rising earnings and nears positive cash flow. Fibre ARPU ‘walk-up’ ongoing, but potential bolt-ons are under consideration…
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Partnerships & AlliancesTelefónica Deutschland strikes fibre wholesale deal with Eurofiber
Operator signs fixed access agreement with Berlin-focused fibre operator to bring Gigabit broadband offerings to a wider customer base. Pair working towards go-live next year, as Eurofiber promotes open access benefits…
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B2BZen enters ‘next phase’ of B2B with new leadership, evolving strategy
Ex-TalkTalk Business exec Jon Nowell steps in to lead Zen Business with a mission to disrupt, urges UK enterprises to reconsider status quo.
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Network & InfraGreece’s United Fiber highlights build progress
Fibre business of regional telco player United Group reports acceleration of rollout in first few months of this year, as end-2026 target nears.
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Partnerships & AlliancesNetomnia forays off-net with Openreach tie-up, lures new debt investors
UK altnet to add 1.5 million premises to footprint as it seeks to attract fresh customers and reduce churn through wholesale tie-up with the nation’s incumbent provider. Coincides with new investors and long-term backers completing debt raise with a £140m boost.