Openreach Gives Rival Networks Access to Improved Underground PIA Process
Openreach has announced that rivals looking to run new fibre optic broadband lines via their existing UK cable ducts and poles (i.e. Physical Infrastructure Access) will shortly be able to benefit from a new Underground (UG) process. This is aimed at managing retrospective UG self provide (SPO) Network Adjustment (NA) orders.
The Network Adjustment process, which is part of PIA, usually reflects situations where Openreach are required to make their network useable (e.g. repairing / clearing out duct blockages or decluttering poles to relieve congestion) in specific permitted circumstances. But sometimes rivals can also do some of this work themselves (self provide).
The new Underground focused PIA process, which has been in trial for a while following an industry request and is now due to become officially available from 1st October 2025 (system development will be live from 22nd September), allows their customers (e.g. alternative networks) to submit underground network adjustments AFTER blockages are cleared. The goal is greater efficiency through less transactional processes.
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The Proof of Concept (PoC) test for this has already been running for a year, with over 22,000 Network Adjustment orders submitted (equating to 75% of Openreach’s PIA volumes). Openreach told ISPreview that this has helped to drive improved order quality, improved Whereabouts compliance, and seen c.91% of orders closed with payment to the communications provider.
“This collaborative approach has been a real success, and we’re delighted it’s been shortlisted for the Connected Britain ‘Barrier Buster’ award,” said a spokesperson for Openreach. A related, albeit quite vague, briefing on this can be found here.
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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Is this why Sky are advertising their new Gigafast+ speeds on N.Ireland radio? They were on downtown radio advertising their ‘internet of the year event’ (2.5gbit and 5gbit services) a few days ago. Maybe it means they are getting Cityfibre to start a rollout in the rest of the UK, not just England and Scotland. Sky are big enough to do it.
On the advert I heard in England it said available to 12% of UK
No idea how you’ve read an article about PIA process and come to that wild conclusion!
The only way to get 2Gbps at least in Northern Ireland is in the areas where NexFibre have built their Network, the ISP being Virgin Media, or in the areas with the Netomnia Network with YouFibre as ISP. No plans for City Fibre to build in NI as far as I can tell, if anyone has heard differently I’m sure they will let us know.
Fibre Scriber:
Which is the point i was trying to make. Why are Sky advertising 2.5 and 5gbit services on local N.Ireland radio stations if they are not planning at some point to bring it out in Northern Ireland?
Just imagine the analogy. If I ran a small market stall and I decided to compete with Marks & Spencers using their floor space, power and facilities, I don’t think they would entertain it. To me this is how Bt/Openreach are being used. No wonder the share price has not taken off.
@Dav Not really the same comparison – BT/Openreach are regulated by Ofcom to provide duct and pole access, whereas a retailer like M&S isn’t obliged to share its shop floor. That’s the framework designed to ensure fair competition in telecoms. And while the share price isn’t at its very peak, it has been on a strong recovery over the past 18 months, climbing well off the lows and showing renewed investor confidence. In fact, it’s been trading close to two-year highs this summer, which suggests the market is starting to recognise the progress BT has been making.”
Wrong analogy. It’s more akin to Virgin Trains running on our railways which were previously state owned British Rail.
Openreach was given the infrastructure from the state. So it makes sense that others can use ‘the railway’ they are responsible for maintaining.
In your analogy, M&S never benefited from state aid.
BT’s shareholders *bought* the infrastructure as it existed in 1984 at market price, and there’s been 40 years of expansions, upgrades and replacements which means an ever decreasing amount of it resembles what it was then.
At what point does BT finally get to run their privately owned infrastructure in the way that they see fit? All of BT’s modern competitors have the option of building their own physical assets.
Funny you mention Virgin, because their predecessors received considerable state favouritism (against BT) and were granted actual regional monopolies. Yet they don’t have to adhere to the same regulations.
@Ivor – once they don’t have SMP.
See here (https://www.ofcom.org.uk/siteassets/resources/documents/phones-telecoms-and-internet/information-for-industry/smp-guidelines/smpg0802.pdf?v=335366)
The stuff about the EU can be ignored (it’s a document from 2002), but the thrust remains relevant.
@jojo: The BT share price is certainly nowhere near its peak, I remember at one stage it being over £15! You may be thinking about the peak of the last several years off course. 🙂
First paragraph could do with a few more acronyms.
Sorry, bit ‘nature of the best’ when discussing interior industry developments.
Or beast.
In my location we have “Netomnia” AKA Youfibre providing circuits, nearly all overhead using Openreach poles and holes. There used to be a limit of a few drop wires between poles and had to provide stays where the pull on DP’s was one-sided. Now its anything goes with mltiples of in-line dw’s and loads of pole top furniture. To be honest its quite a mess. Whose responsibility is it when the line plant suffers irish corrosion?
I guess the argument here is also how much of that copper is not needed