Lightning Fibre Seek Code Powers to Continue UK FTTP Broadband Build

Eastbourne-based alternative UK broadband ISP Lightning Fibre, which fell into administration earlier this year and ended up being acquired by existing backer Foresight Group via a new company called LF Holdco2 Ltd (here), are now seeking Code Powers from Ofcom for the new holding company in order to continue their full fibre build.

Applications for Code Powers are typically sought to help speed-up deployments of new fibre and cut costs, not least by reducing the number of licences needed for street works. The powers can also help with supporting access to run new fibre via Openreach’s (BT) existing cable ducts and poles (PIA), which is something that Lightning Fibre have harnessed in the past and would clearly use again.

Just to recap. Lightning Fibre has already rolled out a new gigabit speed Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) network across parts of Sussex and Kent in England, such as in Eastbourne, Hastings, Hailsham, St Leonard’s, Heathfield and more. The original goal was to reach 140,000 premises, but it’s unclear how many premises they actually reached before going through administration and suffering some redundancies earlier this year.

However, the new Code Powers application – this time for LF Holdco2 Ltd – clearly suggests they may be returning to a new phase of more active build, even if it is a bit short on specifics.

Code Powers Statement

The Applicant is a recently formed company that is wholly owned by Foresight Fibre Holdco Limited. In February 2024, the Applicant acquired the assets and business of Lightning Fibre Limited. Shortly after this purchase, Lightning Fibre Limited entered administration.

The network acquired from Lightning Fibre Limited (in administration), comprises a fibre to the premises (FTTP) access network in various parts of East Sussex and Tenterden in Kent, that currently serves several thousand customers.

The Applicant seeks Code powers to facilitate the continued operation of the Lightning Fibre (in administration) network and to facilitate the extension of the network. It intends to provide retail full fibre broadband services to residential and business customers, wholesale broadband access services to other internet service providers (ISPs) and wholesale services to other providers.

Sadly, that’s all the detail we get for now, but it will be interesting to see whether Lightning Fibre announces any new build expansions over the coming months.