FibreSpeed Network in North Wales Plans for Post 2025 Future
The 411km long FibreSpeed network, which is owned by the Welsh Government – albeit now operating as an independent business – and reflects a high-capacity fibre optic communications and broadband network that spans across North Wales, has launched a new Prior Information Notice (PIN) to help plan its future beyond 2025.
The network itself, which stretches from Holyhead (i.e. along the northern coastline following the primary A55 road network) and all the way over into Manchester, was established in 2009 as a Welsh Government, GEO Networks and EU funded project to build a fibre optic network in North Wales.
In recent years’ we haven’t really heard all that much from FibreSpeed, but the new PIN confirms that the existing contract to operate the network is due to expire on 31st March 2025. As a result, the WG are starting a market engagement exercise to explore the possible options for the future of the network beyond the existing contract term.
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The WG appears to be looking to ascertain if there is market interest in two different options or possibly a combination of both, such as operating the network via a commercial agreement with the WG or allowing the network to be purchased out-right. The market engagement will remain open for feedback until 8th September 2023 and a contract notice could then be published as soon as 1st January 2024.
The 411km fibre live network comprises a single duct, with extensive break out points and a 96-fibre cable. The network features 13 Points of Presence (PoPs) and extends west to east between Parc Cybi, Holyhead, Anglesey, and Manchester Reynolds House colocation facility.
The network also has 8 wireless masts ranging in height from 15m to 25m distributed across several PoPs, with associated colocation capability that can provide fibre infrastructure or wireless connectivity across adjacent business parks, alongside 10 carrier neutral connectivity sites.
In addition to the main network route, there are also additional duct and fibre network assets with multiple interconnect points built to the same specification extending south between Caernarfon and Pwllheli that are not currently live, but that are Ready for Service (RFS).
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A quick look at FibreSpeed’s most recent company accounts, to the end of 2021, reveals that revenues increased by 24% compared to the same period last year. But turnover is listed as standing at £3.097m (down from £3.754m in 2020) and operating profit was £1.739m (up from £1.494m). During the year, a dividend of £2m was also declared to the Company’s parent, Zayo Group UK.
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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Some forward thinking in 2009
It’s been in the ground all these years but is it doing anything or is it dark fibre? It’s a waste of money if it’s not being used.
Well they’re doing £3m/year of business so..
Isn’t this the same route as Zayo’s fibre from Manchester to Holyhead, or maybe Zayo is used for the resilience route shown in grey as a mysterious arc?
The resilient route is quite likely a subsea cable.
Zayo operate the asset on behalf of the welsh govt so I guess they use it themselves. It is a useful route and asset but lacks a commercial drive. Zayo also a bit of a strange operator now as they seem to be concentrated on solely the data centre vertical so are not really interested in the broader opportunity for it.
I looked at leasing dark fibre from Fibrespeed several times but the problem was always that there is little directly on the route needing capacity. The communities I was interested in all involved substantial digs up difficult valleys so the economics didnt work. The core fibre is there and its good stuff, their pricing is fine but the route was designed to get to Ireland via Anglesey so limited alternative uses. The challenge for Fibrespeed is that although they have 96f any operator will only need one pair (possibly 1 fibre) and deploy DWDM on it. So how many potential fibre leasees are there for north wales? Perhaps the WG can find a way of bringing more into service?
Indeed. The best strategy might actually be to double down on the investment to get a positive ROI. Current network is great to get from Manchester to hollyhead CLS and not much else.
Why have they not taken the absolute minimal effort and linked it into any OHP exchanges within say 1-3 KM of the route? With PIA it would be a minimal investment to access a whole new market. The only real choice in these almost all of north Wales at current is OSA or EAD for exchange backhaul.
Would it be so ambitious for the WG to invest in a Wales wide ring connecting finally down to Newport/cardiff? With the existing ducting/fibre it already owns either directly or through councils (ogi have concessions on some) and PIA the cost to do this would in theory be cheaper to them than anybody else due to the duct. The public sector is also a massive, massive employer here. Once built this could then be used to replace the core of thier own network currently built on top of solely openreach/BTW products. POPing exchanges would make sense as it would be required for thier own tails to reach council offices, heath care buildings. The procurement winner for the Welsh government network would simply buy from fibrespeed wavelengths, ethernet or dark fibre as needed
This would also create a new, diverse connection to Manchester and Ireland via hollyhead direct from the existing, in one case enormous, cloud data centres around Cardiff and Newport. Not only that but it would also have a clean route to most of the major telephone exchanges in Wales. This is what makes a connectivity hub and world class digital infrastructure. The ring is probably already half built when you look at both fibrespeed and all the other bits of infrastructure the WG already have. It would enable investment in data centres and connectivity all around the country.
“Would it be so ambitious for the WG to invest in a Wales wide ring connecting finally down to Newport/cardiff?”
It’s YES from me, it would be ambitious in the extreme. WG can’t do the core things that really need doing (health service, transport, education, economy), where they do anything it often makes things worse and cost more, more often there’s sound and fury, but no real progress. The last thing needed is them dabbling in a technology distraction they don’t understand, and where there’s little obvious use case that can’t be mostly delivered by existing infrastructure.
Reading this article brings to mind the Viz article “Internet to reach Wales by 2020”.
Pick on the Welsh Government, hey Andrew G. English Government no better in departments you cite.
Yep, needs new energy and fresh thinking.
Very stale currently.