toob to use CityFibre FTTP infrastructure to extend UK broadband services reach
UK independent fiber to the premises (FTTP) network builder and operator CityFibre says it has reached an agreement with altnet operator and broadband services provider toob for infrastructure sharing. toob will use CityFibre’s network to offer its broadband services across more of the UK, while CityFibre will be able to offer its broadband provider customers access to toob’s network in the South of England (see "toob taps ADTRAN for UK fiber to the premises roll out").
The sharing of CityFibre’s FTTP network has already begun, with toob offering its services in Portsmouth as of November 22. toob plans further use of CityFibre’s infrastructure in areas adjacent to its own fiber network builds in the near future. Full technical integration of toob’s fiber infrastructure with that of CityFibre should conclude by Summer 2023. At that point, CityFibre will be able to offer its ISP customers access to more 100,000 additional homes across Southampton and Camberley. As toob extends its fiber network – the company plans to reach more than a million premises across the South of England over the next 5 years – CityFibre will be able to offer access to the new infrastructure.
“We are delighted to welcome toob on board as a service provider partner on our networks. They’ve had great success driving take-up of their services and we look forward to helping them extend their exciting service proposition to millions of new homes over our network,” commented Greg Mesch, CEO of CityFibre.
“This deal also represents the UK’s first major partnership between infrastructure builders, establishing a new model of wholesale aggregation that significantly accelerates and expands the addressable footprint available to our wholesale ISP partners,” Mesch continued. “For smaller fiber network builders which currently only offer their own retail broadband services across their footprint, it also establishes an opportunity to expand their retail offering, opening a lucrative wholesale revenue stream and maximizing take-up over their network.”
“Opening our own network to other ISPs has been part of our strategy from the outset, and partnering with CityFibre allows ISPs to access the toob full fiber network,” added Nick Parbutt, CEO and founder at toob. “Likewise expanding our very successful brand and proposition in the region by using CityFibre’s network provides a great opportunity to capitalize on our investment in the region, offer our proposition to more customers, and ultimately grow the company.”
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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.
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