Wireless ISP Lothian Broadband Networks Plan Full Fibre Rollout

Fixed wireless ISP Lothian Broadband Networks, which serves remote rural parts of East Lothian and Mid Lothian in Scotland with speeds of 35Mbps for homes, has hinted at tentative plans that could see them both expanding their wireless service and also building a new “ultrafast” Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) network.

At present the provider, which employs 15 people in the local area, claims to have a total base of around 1,000 customers (residential and business). However they’ve wisely chosen not to stand still and a related application for Code Powers from Ofcom (i.e. speeds up deployment by reducing the number of licenses needed for street works) reveals that they’re also looking to build a fixed line “full fibre” network in the same area.

According to the application, LBN hopes the extra powers will “facilitate the expansion of its FWA network and the deployment of an FTTP network which would be used to supply superfast and ultrafast broadband services to new customers.” Similarly they’ve floated the option of harnessing Openreach’s existing cable ducts and telegraph poles to run their own fibre via Physical Infrastructure Access (PIA).

Sadly no further details have been revealed, although we’re aware that LBN have already conducted a limited FTTP roll-out in the East Lothian village of Gifford, which was conducted in partnership with the local Yester Estate. Prices for that are understood to start at £50 per month for a symmetrical 100Mbps package (£60 for 200Mbps) and include unlimited usage on a 12 month term (plus one-off installation costs from £185).

The Gifford deployment has been live for awhile and by the sounds of it LBN may now be looking to turn this into a more significant service.