New Operator Frogfoot Networks Plan UK FTTP Broadband Rollout
A seemingly fairly new network operator called Frogfoot Networks has revealed that they’re planning to deploy a new Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband network across the United Kingdom, with England, Wales and Scotland being part of their “initial deployment” that will “predominantly serve residential homes and small businesses.”
The plan was revealed as part of the company’s application for Code Powers from Ofcom. Such powers are typically sought to help speed-up deployments of new fibre and cut costs, not least by reducing the number of licenses needed for street works. The powers can also help with supporting access to run new fibre via Openreach’s (BT) existing cable ducts and poles (PIA), which is something Frogfoot have indicated they may harness.
The company has stated that it intends to deploy its FTTP network in areas currently not served by such networks or poorly served, but then every operator says that when applying for Code Powers and reality is often very different. Otherwise, there’s very little information about the company, which is listed as Active but Dormant on Companies House (14062268) and was first incorporated on 22nd April 2022.
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The business is listed as having three Directors and one of those, Gerhardus Johannes Koen, is linked at Director level to a number of other telecoms related businesses – Hypa Fibre Ltd (14062524) and Vox Telecommunications Ltd (14062428), as well as the Vivica Group. All of these were incorporated at around the same date as Frogfoot.
The most interesting connection here is the Vivica Group because there’s an identically named group in South Africa, which also backs companies with the same names as those listed above (here), albeit in their own domestic market. Suffice to say that it looks a lot like their network and retail ISP businesses may be preparing to move into the UK, but we’re just speculating on that.
However, it should go without saying that now would be one of the most difficult times for a new alternative network (Altnet) provider to enter the UK market, which is already overstuffed with similar players and is currently dealing with many strains, not least from things like rising build costs, high interest rates and heavy competition. But right now, there’s simply not enough detail, and hopefully we’ll learn more about their plans 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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Frogfoot is also one of the Full Fibre “altnets” which has been installing FTTP in South Africa for a few years now
Frogfoot were one of the original alternative providers in South Africa about twenty years ago and are a long established brand there. It seems they were bought by another provider Vox about ten years ago. Not sure how this relates to what these companies are doing but it might explain the different names.
Oops, would’ve helped if it’d read the last half of the article. you’d already picked up on the South African connection.
I’ll see what i can dig up about their SA operations, as i monitor the market their somewhat given my “links”
Does the UK really need so many AltNets all going after the customers and small business? I’ve already commented about 2, 3 or more AltNets in the same street. In the end all it does is put everyones costs up.
There’s a possibly valid argument that multiple providers repeatedly digging up the same street could cause disruption, but they absolutely do not put costs up, they reduce costs for consumers. Not only because competition almost always results in lower costs but because there are more opportunities for duct sharing and wholesale access.