Network builder and UK ISP Zzoomm has today released their annual results, which among other things reveals that their new gigabit-capable Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband network has now expanded to cover 50,000 premises (up from 10,000 in Dec 2021) with 3,000 customers connected (up from 1,400).
Just to recap. The provider, which aims to reach 1 million UK premises in 85 towns by the end of 2025, first began to deploy their network during 2020 around Henley-on-Thames and they’ve since started to go live in various semi-rural towns and parishes across parts of Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Herefordshire, North Yorkshire, Staffordshire and Cheshire (Hereford, Ascot, Cannock, Thirsk, Northallerton, Sandhurst, Crowthorne, Crewe and Nantwich etc.). Many more are in-build or being planned.
Initially, the pace of build was slow (almost every operator starts like that in their first 1-2 years of build), but judging by today’s results, Zzoomm has now entered the rapid ramping-up phase of deployment and has made some extremely quick progress during 2022 (adding 40,000 premises in just a few months is no mean feat).
In terms of the financials, the company’s revenue jumped 300% to £0.4m (2020: £0.1m) as customers started to connect, while their operating loss increased to £8.1m (2020: loss £5m). The latter naturally reflects the fact that they’re currently investing to build a brand-new network (such things often take 10-15 years for payback), while hiring new staff and setting up new offices etc.
As at March 2022, Zzoomm has c.500 people, of which 359 work in construction, with plans to increase this further to support future plans.
Matthew Hare, CEO of Zzoomm, said:
“In 2021 we laid the foundations for growth, and the first half of 2022 sees us realising the potential of the Zzoomm Full Fibre network.
We are a firmly established and rapidly growing Full Fibre network operator, providing fibre to both homes and businesses in 16 market towns. In these market towns, we provide Full Fibre service with unmatched performance that is not reliant on the slow, unreliable copper used by other broadband providers.
We are now seeing real momentum in our roll out and connection programmes across all the market towns in which we operate. Once these are completed, we will be able to provide Full Fibre broadband to over 250,000 homes and businesses.
Our Zzoomm standout challenger brand is already synonymous with excellent customer focus, transparency, quality of service and product reliability, topped off with fabulous speeds that only Full Fibre networks can deliver.”
However, Zzoomm’s board did say that they expect there to be “continued disruption to the supply chain during 2022” and “significant inflationary pressures on components and labour costs“, which is sadly something that other operators’ are also experiencing. Nevertheless, their pace this year has been good.
Customers on the new network can expect to pay from £33 per month for an unlimited 150Mbps (symmetric speed) package on a 24-month term with an included router, which goes up to £99 if you want their top 2Gbps tier (or £66 for 900Mbps+) – that also happens to be one of the fastest UK home broadband packages available. But take note that most packages do attract a £20 one-off activation fee.
Just had 900/900 installed in Heath Hayes, Cannock. Absolutely heaven. Speeds are amazing, support and installation workers are great.
Definitely recommended if they appear in your town. I have gone from a 43 meg copper FTTC line to constant 900+ download speeds.
I’m constantly pulling over 100MB/s
That sounds like bliss!
Im in a similar situation trapped in 48mbps package for ~6 mo. remaining, 1gig fttp is available on my doorstep and im itching to jump aboard the FTTPExpress train may even pay the early termination fee just to get in now, incase they run out of space at my local chamber pot or DSLAM/PCP (If thats how they do things these days) Anyway, atleast thats what im telling myself, “Fibre strands are finite” … 🙂
They are doing 6 months free right now. I’m still under contract for 5 months but figured while zzoomm is free (apart from £20 install fee) I may as well overlap
We will see, but the speed of expansion is a bit of a worry. Still a distance away from me, but they do seem to be pretty quick in laying the fibre, I saw them on one of the main roads which i pass when going to work, they seemed only to be there for less than a week, but that is only the part I can see, it is a long road 🙂 they seem to take a while to get things up and running.
I am fine with what I have to be honest, but it could change.
On 2Gbps package in Sandhurst but last few days been seeing latency spikes even with nothing but the router connected. Zzoomm are apparently doing rerouting and network changes early hours of the 7th July.