ISP Fidelity Broadband Target 30000 UK Premises for FTTH UPDATE

A few months ago a new ISP called Fidelity Broadband unveiled their plan to deploy a 1Gbps Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) network to cover over 1 million UK premises “on-demand” (here). Now the same provider has revealed that they also intend to build a Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) network for homes and businesses.

The change was revealed as part of their application for Code Powers from Ofcom, which can help to speed-up the deployment of new fibre optic networks and cut costs by reducing the number of licenses needed for street works. The application noted that Fidelity intend to “deploy an ultrafast broadband network based predominantly on a FTTH access network, supplemented by a FWA in areas where fibre deployment is problematic.”

The provider said it would deploy its network in selected towns throughout the UK and aims to pass 30,000 homes over a period of around 3 years. “It has stated that it is still selecting deployment locations but currently anticipates that it would deploy its networks in smaller towns and cities in the South of the UK where it believes it can avoid over-building around other fibre based alternative network providers,” said Ofcom.

The language is remarkably different from what they said in August 2019, when the aim was clearly to build a Gigabit-capable fixed wireless network in order to get around “all [of FTTHs] challenges [with] rising build costs, planning delays, wayleaves and disruptive street works.”

As part of their original announcement Fidelity stated that their new FWA network would initially aim to launch across a number of towns in West Sussex and then rollout to other counties in the South of England, before starting to head north. The Phase One build was due to commence in January 2020, with the first customers being connected in July 2020. We await to see if this is still the case (at the last update they were still trying to raise enough funding).

UPDATE 2:13pm

We’ve had a clarification from Fidelity on their plans.

Robert Condon, Founder and CEO of Fidelity Broadband, told ISPreview.co.uk:

“Fidelity Broadband will deploy both FTTx fibre and Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) Gigabit broadband networks to under-served towns and rural communities beginning in West and East Sussex and commencing early 2020. We plan to initially reach 30,000 homes and businesses in our phase-one deployment, but plan to scale up to 250,000 premises over the next 5 years.

Fidelity has arranged a substantial combined debt/equity funding facility from a UK/European investment institution. We will announce further details of this and the launch of a new brand in the New Year.”