Pine Media Deploy FTTP Broadband to 11000 Sheffield UK Premises

Alternative network UK ISP Pine Media have confirmed that their new 1000Mbps capable Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband network has now covered a total of 11,000 premises in Sheffield and they have big rollout plans for the future, including in rural parts of South Yorkshire and Derbyshire.

The provider, which has only been running since 2015, initially started life by building Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) based ultrafast broadband networks (“AirFibre“) to the rural areas surrounding Sheffield (mostly homes and smaller businesses). Prices for that service tend to range from £28 per month for 50Mbps (10Mbps upload) to £48 for 200Mbps (30Mbps upload) with a small one-off installation fee of £20-£40.

The early FWA work was broadly successful and has recently enabled Pine Media to start building Gigabit-capable GPON “full fibre” FTTP networks, which started in Sheffield with various student halls and large private MDU apartment blocks (Multi-Dwelling Units). Today they also target residential MDUs and businesses (including the majority of Sheffield’s bars, clubs and even two breweries).

Pine also has SMEs on their shared and dedicated leased lines in business parks and managed office blocks. The provider further claims that a “large number” of primary and secondary schools across Sheffield are now making use of their network. However Pine Media are also starting down the road on a much bigger rollout.

William Dear, MD of Pine Media, told ISPreview.co.uk:

“We are working with a number of local authorities, property management companies and developers to offer FTTP on new builds, and retrofits using innovative, low disruption construction methods.

Our ambition is to become a mainstream provider in the North, with service delivered through a combination of our own FTTP and our new LLU presence in SY Exchanges.”

In keeping with the above, William informed ISPreview.co.uk that they’ve just reached 11,000 properties in Sheffield with their full fibre network (8,000 were added this year) and have now doubled their workforce. Going forward their intention is to pass 20,000 additional properties by the end of 2020 (total of c.31,000). Very good for a smaller player.

At present their primary focus is still on South Yorkshire, although they do have networks in Derbyshire and as far afield as Kent. The ISP also intends to make use of Openreach’s existing cable ducts and poles (Physical Infrastructure Access) in order to run their own fibre. In keeping with that they are increasing their City capacity with a ring of their own Dark Fibre.

So far the provider has been funded by their own internal investment, although their upcoming rural builds for South Yorkshire and Derbyshire have a pot of £2.7m pre-registered via the Government’s Local Full Fibre Networks (LFFN) voucher scheme. Some extra funding has also come from BDUK’s smaller Better Broadband Voucher Scheme.

Residential customers taking out a service on their full fibre network can expect to pay from £22 per month for a symmetric 50Mbps package (free installation) and this rises to £65 for their top Gigabit speed tier (£60 one-off installation).