Housing Provider Peabody to Deploy SCCI’s Shared UK Full Fibre Infrastructure

The not-for-profit housing association, Peabody, which is responsible for almost 109,000 homes (220,000 residents) across London and the Home Counties of England, has signed a new framework agreement with SCCI Alphatrack (SCCI Group) to deploy their single shared full fibre broadband infrastructure solution (4Fibre) to residents homes.

Instead of installing multiple networks from different network operators, SCCI’s 4Fibre solution builds one open-access network that any broadband supplier can use. The goal is to help minimise disruption for residents, while protecting the structure and safety features of buildings, and reducing environmental impact.

The announcement is a little vague on precisely how much of Peabody’s housing stock is to benefit from this, although we’ve been informed that the main focus seems to be on large high-rise and complex residential buildings. Peabody has over 250 such buildings, mainly in London.

ISPreview has been informed that the first site to benefit from this will be Cumberland Market near Regents Park in Camden, which consists of about 500 units on one estate, including about 120 premises that are being supported by the Building Digital UK (BDUK) agency’s Urban Vouchers (Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme). But more will follow.

Elizabeth Connelly, Head of Landscape and Telecoms at Peabody, said:

“This is about making things easier for residents and safer for their homes. We understand the importance of being connected and we want all of our residents to have access to faster, affordable and more reliable broadband.”

A spokesperson for SCCI Alphatrack added:

“The new partnership also supports the national ambition to bring faster broadband to more homes and ensures the homes of Peabody’s residents are ready for the digital demands of the future. It makes it easier to keep accurate building records, supports safer installations, and provides a scalable solution that can grow with demand.”

Eagle-eyed readers may well recall that two alternative broadband operators, G.Network and Netomnia, have previously also signed agreements to build FTTP into Peabody’s homes (here and here). But it’s worth noting that Netomnia haven’t yet expanded their full fibre network into London (i.e. their deal was perhaps more about the Home Counties) and G.Network has just gone into administration, although 4Fibre’s solution was used to help wire a few blocks for G.Network before that happened (about 300 units).

Solutions like the one being delivered by SCCI have potentially become more attractive since delays in the Building Safety Regulator’s (BSR) updated processes for minor works began causing wider problems and pushing up costs, often unpredictably (here).