CityFibre, the UK’s second-largest Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) network provider, has announced that its FTTP network footprint has reached over 2 million premises in the country. This significant milestone puts the company in a strong position to maintain its position as the second-largest FTTP network in the UK.
CityFibre’s FTTP network has been expanding rapidly, with the company adding over 52,000 premises to its network in just one week. The current footprint, as measured by CityFibre at the end of 2022, is estimated to be around 2.5 million premises passed, although this figure includes locations that are still waiting for wayleave permission or release to retailers.
This news is a positive development for the UK’s full fibre targets for 2025. The government aims to have at least 85% of UK premises connected to full fibre broadband by 2025. The latest figures from the Office of Communications (Ofcom) show that at the end of September 2021, full fibre broadband was available to 28% of UK premises. While this is a significant increase from the previous year, there is still a long way to go to achieve the government’s target.
CityFibre’s continued expansion of its FTTP network is an important step towards meeting the government’s full fibre targets. The company’s network is available on a wholesale basis, allowing other providers to offer their services over CityFibre’s infrastructure. This will increase competition in the market, driving down prices and improving the quality of service for consumers.
In the battle for the largest full fibre retailer, Vodafone remains the king due to its retail footprint over the Openreach and CityFibre FTTP networks. However, with the pace of the Openreach and CityFibre roll-outs, Vodafone’s lead is being challenged. TalkTalk is also in the race with over 10 million premises passed, as per the latest figures. Virgin Media is still the largest Gigabit retailer with a footprint of 15 million premises.
In conclusion, In summary, CityFibre’s milestone of reaching over 2 million FTTP premises in the UK is a major boost to the country’s full fibre targets for 2025. As CityFibre continues to expand its FTTP network, it will increase competition in the market, leading to improved services and lower prices for consumers. With Vodafone and TalkTalk also vying for the title of largest full fibre retailer, the competition in the market is set to intensify in the coming years. The UK’s full fibre targets are ambitious, but with the efforts of network providers like CityFibre, they are certainly achievable.
