WarwickNet Butts Heads with ITS Technology Broadband Rollout in Derby UK

Competition between smaller alternative network ISPs is rare because they tend to keep out of each other’s way. But that’s not always the case and is proven by WarwickNet’s move to start rolling out a new fibre optic broadband network to businesses on Derby’s (East Midlands, England) Pride Park, which comes shortly after ITS Technology announced a new fixed wireless network for the same area.

An update from WarwickNet reveals that the ISP is installing several cabinets across the Pride Park area which, when live, will allow for faster and more efficient usage for all businesses. On top of that the provider also said they intended to bring high quality connections to sites at Osmaston Park and the Shaftsbury Street Industrial Estates in early 2015.

Ben King, MD of WarwickNet, said:

“By building two roadside cabinets and feeding them with fibre cables, our full range of superfast broadband will be available across the park – offering everything from 40 to 100Mbit/s and high-grade leased lines of up to 1Gbit/s.

We hope to be live across the site in the next few weeks so businesses in the area should register their interest as soon as possible.”

The move follows WarwickNet’s decision to seek Code Powers from Ofcom in August 2014, which is making it easier for them to roll-out their “superfast” and “ultrafast” broadband network to businesses by, among other things, making use of BTOpenreach’s existing cable ducts and pole sharing products (here).

A separate update given to ISPreview.co.uk confirmed that their deployment would involve both FTTC and ultrafast FTTP connections, with packages in Pride Park costing from £60 per month for a 40Mbps service and going all the way up to 100Mbps in speed (please the Gigabit leased lines). At the time WarwickNet said they would be fully live providing related services across Pride Park from the start of December 2014.

But the start of WarwickNet’s deployment also follows just two short weeks behind the ITS Technology Group’s announcement (here), which saw them confirm plans to deploy a rival fixed wireless network to the area that can deliver symmetric speeds of 30Mbps. The installation costs can also be covered by the Connection Voucher scheme, which offers grants of up to £3,000 to help SME’s get a superfast broadband connection.

However ITS doesn’t expect to start the roll-out of their network until December 2014 and after today’s news that plan might need to be reconsidered, unless they already have clients lined up. As altnet ISPs grow then conflicts like this are likely to become more common. It won’t always be a David vs Goliath battle between the little guy and an incumbent.