UK ISP Orbital Net Expands Unbundled Broadband Network in Kent

Business ISP Orbital Net, which includes fixed wireless provider Vfast among its flock, has been busy unbundling (LLU)/taking racks in BT’s telephone exchanges across Kent in order to take advantage of Generic Ethernet Access (GEA) solutions to offer superfast FTTC broadband to local businesses and homes.

Orbital Net’s Director, Ben Doherty, told ISPreview.co.uk that the investment means their “customers traffic [does] not have to go over the contended BT Wholesale network but straight over our private 10gb network“. Apparently the ISP has so far managed to get racks in the Ashford and Canterbury exchanges, which means they can now offer FTTC to the below exchanges and all related street cabinets via parent/child mapping.

CANTERBURY, KENT
STURRY
WINGHAM
BRIDGE
CHISLET
CHARTHAM
PETHAM
STELLING MINNIS

ASHFORD, KENT
SEVINGTON
CHARING
ALDINGTON
HAM STREET
SELLINDGE
BETHERSDEN
SMARDEN
WYE
PLUCKLEY
WOODCHURCH

Furthermore Orbital Net said they also had the Folkestone, Deal, Herne Bay, Maidstone and Sittingbourne exchanges in a build stage and those should be ready by the end of October 2014, which will give them similar access to a total of 51 exchanges by November 2014.

But the work doesn’t stop there and future orders have also been placed for Thanet, Gillingham, Faversham, West Malling, Dover and Ramsgate, which will give the ISP access to another 73 exchanges (i.e. around 60-70% of all exchanges in Kent) by January 2015.

Ben Doherty told ISPreview.co.uk:

“Orbital Net have been offering wireless leased lines and traditional fibre lines in Kent for over 14 years now. The expansion into the exchanges and the new FTTC/FTTP product offering really gives us an edge over our competitors. Our WiMAX network has grown and grown, and this will only complement our expansion, giving customer’s choice over their internet access method.”

In addition, Orbital Net said they were also coupling the FTTC/FTTP with fixed price 100Mbps leased lines in all the major towns/cities where they are unbundling the exchange. Apparently the leased line service costs £5,995 +vat annually and their business FTTC packages start from £26 +vat per month for a 38Mbps service (9.5Mbps upload) with unlimited usage.

The top FTTC service costs £45 for 76Mbps (19Mbps upload) and with that you’ll also get an Elevated SLA and bandwidth prioritisation. Residential FTTC pricing is set to appear in the future.