Gigaclear Opens UK Rural Fibre Optic Broadband Network to More ISPs

Gigaclear, which has installed several 1000Mbps capable fibre optic broadband (FTTP) networks in rural communities around England, has partnered up to adopt Fluidata’s Service Exchange Platform (SEP) that should give those covered by the operators network a greater choice of around 50 ISPs.

Business ISP Fluidata explains that its SEP solution allows internet providers to “accept, provision and deliver customer orders across additional infrastructure provider networks” via a special aggregated open access wholesale network. In other words if you live in a Gigaclear network area but want to choose a different ISP for the same sort of service then that is now possible.

Matthew Hare, Gigaclears CEO, said:

“We committed to open up our ultrafast pure fibre networks to other ISPs for the benefit of our current and future customers. This integration with the Fluidata service exchange platform will allow a wide range of residential and business ISPs to seamlessly deliver their services over our networks. Over the next few months we will announce which ISPs will be offering their services across the Gigaclear networks.”

Piers Daniell, MD of Fluidata, said:

“Our service exchange platform interconnects ISPs so that they can offer services in new or hard-to-reach areas. This means more business for ISPs and better choice for customers. Gigaclear has ultrafast fibre networks so ISPs could offer new services to help business and residential customers get more from their broadband connection. The partnership will go live in the next few months.”

Fluidata’s SEP platform has also been adopted by the alternative Digital Region network in South Yorkshire and a number of other operators, which has helped them to give consumers a greater choice of ISP and thus make the related networks more attractive.

But of course if consumers would rather stick with Gigaclear then their “unlimited” usage packages start at £37 per month for a symmetric 50Mbps service and go up to £69 for 1000Mbps (1Gbps).