UK independent fiber to the premises (FTTP) network operator CityFibre says that its FTTP network passes more than 2 million homes on its way to a target 8 million. The milestone marks the company as the UK’s second largest fiber broadband network operator (behind BT’s Openreach), CityFibre asserts.
CityFibre began its FTTP deployments in 2018 and passed its first million homes last year. The company’s roll out passed a further million homes in the last year across 75 metropolitan areas. Approximately 1.8 million of the homes passed are ready for service through such operators as TalkTalk, Vodafone, and Zen.
To continue this momentum, CityFibre landed a £4.9 billion debt package earlier this year to complete its deployment plans (see "New CityFibre £4.9 billion debt package further funds FTTH aspirations"). The company expects to reach a third of the UK market with its FTTP network, including 800,000 businesses, 400,000 public sector sites, and 250,000 5G access points. CityFibre also participates in BDUK’s “Project Gigabit” program, which aims to bring high-speed broadband to rural subscribers.
“As the UK’s second largest fiber network, we’re thrilled to now provide 2 million households with access to the nation’s fastest and most reliable broadband services,” commented Greg Mesch, CEO at CityFibre. “As the nation’s true digital infrastructure challenger, we’re determined to keep raising the bar with better products, better services, and better economics. This won’t just benefit our customers and theirs, it will help unlock innovation and economic growth across the UK.”
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Stephen Hardy | Editorial Director and Associate Publisher, Lightwave
Stephen Hardy is editorial director and associate publisher of Lightwave and Broadband Technology Report, part of the Lighting & Technology Group at Endeavor Business Media. Stephen is responsible for establishing and executing editorial strategy across the both brands’ websites, email newsletters, events, and other information products. He has covered the fiber-optics space for more than 20 years, and communications and technology for more than 35 years. During his tenure, Lightwave has received awards from Folio: and the American Society of Business Press Editors (ASBPE) for editorial excellence. Prior to joining Lightwave in 1997, Stephen worked for Telecommunications magazine and the Journal of Electronic Defense.
Stephen has moderated panels at numerous events, including the Optica Executive Forum, ECOC, and SCTE Cable-Tec Expo. He also is program director for the Lightwave Innovation Reviews and the Diamond Technology Reviews.
He has written numerous articles in all aspects of optical communications and fiber-optic networks, including fiber to the home (FTTH), PON, optical components, DWDM, fiber cables, packet optical transport, optical transceivers, lasers, fiber optic testing, and more.
You can connect with Stephen on LinkedIn as well as Twitter.