Engineering Firm Obelisk Group to Build Own FTTP Broadband

Northern Ireland firm Obelisk Networks UK (formerly Obelisk Communications), which is part of a civil engineering group that normally builds infrastructure for others, appears to be considering a plan that would see it build a new FTTP broadband network and then offer direct retail products or wholesale out to ISPs.

The proposal was revealed today as part of a request for Code Powers from Ofcom, which can help to speed-up the deployment of new networks and cut costs by reducing the number of licenses needed for street works. The company has also stated that it plans to make use of Openreach’s (BT) Physical Infrastructure Access (PIA) service (i.e. running fibre through or over existing cable ducts and poles).

Obelisk says they plan to create a “range of projects at locations across the UK” on their “own behalf,” including among other things the deployment of “competitively priced gigabit broadband services to homes and businesses, through retail and wholesale channels.” New networks for mobile backhaul (data capacity) are also being considered.

Sadly we don’t get any further information than that but it’ll be interesting to see what comes of this.