In a significant development for digital infrastructure, the United Kingdom has emerged as a leader in the expansion of full fibre networks across Europe. Recent statistics have highlighted the country’s swift advancement in deploying fibre to homes, surpassing all European counterparts in the annual growth rate. Over the past year until September 2023, the UK has extended its fibre network to an additional 4.7 million households.
Altice Group strategically eyes shedding its 50.1% sharing in XpFibre, triggering a ripple of interest from major players like KKR & Co., Macquarie Group, and others. While KKR & Co, Macquarie Group, and CDPQ are all reported to be keen on acquiring the stake, no financial bids have surfaced to date. Meanwhile, Altice Group’s decision to divest isn’t surprising, given its $60 billion debt, and recent considerations to sell other assets.
Etisalat by e& is setting industry standards with the introduction of groundbreaking 5G fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) plans, offering astounding speeds of 5Gbps and 10Gbps. While the pricing situates them firmly at the high-end spectrum, they represent a commitment to enhancing customer connectivity. Leveraging XGS fibre network technology, this pioneering move fortifies the UAE’s ambition to reign as a global telecom leader.
A recent report by the Fiber Broadband Association (FBA) reveals that fiber internet has now reached over half of U.S. households, surpassing 51.5% of primary homes. The survey, conducted by RVA LLC Market Research and Consulting on behalf of FBA, highlights 2023 as a record-setting year for annual fiber-to-the-home growth, with network operators connecting an unprecedented nine million new homes.
Ingbert Liebing, VKU Chief, calls for decisive action from BNetzA to ensure Deutsche Telekom’s transparency in its fiber expansion plans. VKU argues that Telekom’s vague plans have hampered national FTTH deployment. However, Deutsche Telekom views this as fair competition. With over 300 complaints about overbuilding, Juergen Grützner, VATM MD believes clearer regulation is urgent to meet expansion goals.
Ciena’s novel approach towards rising above intense market competition involves enhancing its residential fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) solutions. Their business strategy comprises strategic mergers and acquisitions, integration of unique features post acquisitions, and providing comprehensive end-to-end resolutions. Ciena’s ‘one box’ solution is highlighted for its potency on typically challenging scenarios, like rural areas, by offering reduced costs and increased flexibility. Changes are also seen from market players like VEON and Telefonica, amidst this evolving industry.
Wyre, the newly rebranded joint venture between Telenet and Fluvius, gears up for next month’s network rollout with a focus on upgrading hybrid fiber-coaxial networks to fiber-to-the-home, aiming for 78% footprint expansion in Flanders by 2038.
In an agreement with Altice Europe, Vodafone Group will roll out Fiber-to-the-Home in Germany as part of a €7 billion investment in its largest market. This collaboration complements Vodafone’s well-defined objectives for upgrading its current hybrid fiber cable network. According to a statement released by the two corporations on Monday, FibreCo, a 50/50 fiber partnership between Vodafone and Altice, will deploy fiber optic lines to as many as 7 million residences in Germany. Approximately 70% of the cost will be covered by debt raised by the new company. The transaction is scheduled to be completed in the first half of 2023. The transaction is thought to yield Vodafone up to €1.2 billion in cash proceeds from Altice, which is projected to exceed Vodafone’s portion of stock commitments. The profits include €120 million upon closure, up to €487 million in deferred payments as additional homes are connected, and another…
Spain’s Telefónica has announced that it will sell a portion of its rural fiber network to a group led by France’s Credit Agricole and Vauban for roughly 1 billion euros. According to a statement released by Telefónica, the financial group and the investment firm will buy a 45 percent stake in Bluevia, a provider of rural fiber, with a total valuation of 2.5 billion euros. Telefónica also stated that it anticipates the deal to be finalized by year’s end, subject to regulatory approvals. Bluevia is a platform for managing and deploying fiber networks in underserved rural parts of Spain in collaboration with networks administered by third-party operators. The transaction takes place less than a month after Telefónica established their dedicated neutral wholesale FTTH provider, which is primarily focused on connecting areas comprising Spain’s lowest population densities. As a neutral wholesaler, Bluevia will establish a fiber network in…
Telecom Italia (TIM) has inked a deal with the Italian branch of Xavier Niel’s Iliad to co-invest in TIM’s last-mile grid firm FiberCop in order to accelerate the deployment of fiber broadband lines in Italy. Under the terms of the agreement with TIM, Iliad will co-invest in FiberCop to assist in the development of the network that connects street cabinets to people’s houses. Iliad will receive access to Telecom Italia’s core fiber network, allowing it to provide ultrafast fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) connections to clients. According to TIM, the agreement validated FiberCop’s investment strategy, which aims to link 75 percent of Italy’s so-called grey and black zones, including cities and industrial districts, with FTTH connections at speeds of more than 1 gigabyte per second by 2025. The agreement’s financial terms were not disclosed. According to analysts, the FiberCop agreement might help TIM counter some of the heightened competitive pressure…
