New Network Operator 5ibre Plans UK FTTP Broadband Rollout
A new “full fibre” network builder called 5ibre has popped up in the UK market, complete with an intention to deploy their new Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) and Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) network in “areas currently not served by such networks, typically areas served only by [Openreach’s] copper access network.”
The project first came to our attention as part of a request for Code Powers from Ofcom (here), which are often sought by new and existing operators in order to help speed-up the deployment of new networks and cut costs by reducing the number of licenses needed for related street works across the United Kingdom.
At this stage very little is known about the London-based provider’s plan and we couldn’t find a website for their service. According to Companies House, 5ibre‘s only Director is Asif Ghafoor, who is also a Director of two other start-ups – 5Generation and Sustainable Infra.
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Otherwise 5ibre said their new network would be used to provide “ultrafast broadband services to homes, businesses and other organisations … in selected urban and suburban areas throughout the UK.” Naturally they’re also seeking to harness Openreach’s (BT) existing cable ducts and poles (PIA / DPA) too. Hopefully we’ll be able to get some more informative details in the near future.
Mark is a professional technology writer, IT consultant and computer engineer from Dorset (England), he also founded ISPreview in 1999 and enjoys analysing the latest telecoms and broadband developments. Find me on X (Twitter), Mastodon, Facebook, BlueSky, Threads.net and Linkedin.
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Could it be…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asif_Ghafoor
I don’t think that one has much telecoms experience 🙂
That would make provider overlap disputes a whole lot different!
Are we going to just get a random name that matches on Wikipedia?
Maybe
https://www.linkedin.com/in/asif-ghafoor-095486
Interesting. I remember an article on ISP Review with data regarding fibre startups but I can’t remember seeing a new fibre start up in a while.
A new one tends to pop up every few weeks:
https://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2020/04/summary-of-full-fibre-build-progress-across-uk-broadband-isps.html
Prob an argument for a stronger public justification for Code Powers so we’d see what they are aiming for…
OFCOM should make it a rule that in order to get code powers you aren’t able to give your company such a terrible name.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder 🙂