{"id":39838,"date":"2025-01-02T00:01:38","date_gmt":"2025-01-02T00:01:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ispreview.co.uk\/?p=39838"},"modified":"2024-11-29T15:52:46","modified_gmt":"2024-11-29T15:52:46","slug":"inca-ceo-talks-future-of-uk-broadband-altnets-and-infrastructure-sharing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ispreview.co.uk\/index.php\/2025\/01\/inca-ceo-talks-future-of-uk-broadband-altnets-and-infrastructure-sharing.html","title":{"rendered":"INCA CEO Talks Future of UK Broadband Altnets and Infrastructure Sharing"},"content":{"rendered":"

The new CEO of the Independent Networks Co-operative Association<\/a> (INCA), Paddy Paddison, which represents many of the UK\u2019s alternative broadband operators, has today told ISPreview – as part of a new interview – that he’s optimistic about financial institutions supporting altnets again “over the next year<\/em>” and wants to see more sharing (infrastructure, wholesale etc.) in the sector.<\/p>\n

The past year or two have been more than a little bumpy for the markets many altnets. On the one hand, they’ve continued to drive positive competitive change and have built full fibre (FTTP<\/a>) broadband lines to millions more premises (altnets now reach well over a third of UK premises) – Summary of UK Full Fibre Builds<\/strong><\/a>. Many consumers are thus already able to enjoy the benefits, which is often reflected by faster speeds and lower prices.<\/p>\n

NOTE:<\/strong> In April 2024 INCA reported<\/a> that altnet based fibre networks had grown by 57% in 2023 to cover 12.9 million UK premises (up from 49% and 8.22m in 2022).<\/div>\n

On the other hand, many altnets have also had to slow their deployments and make redundancies, while at the same time re-focusing toward efforts to grow customer take-up. This has been fuelled by a combination of issues, such as rising costs (build, leases, debt payments etc.), competition from rivals (e.g. overbuild, price discounts), the challenge of generating a viable level of take-up and the difficulty of securing fresh investment while interest rates remain high.<\/p>\n

Despite the problems, INCA’s new CEO, who has only been in the job for a couple of months and is still a Non Executive Director<\/span> of altnet ISP Wildanet (a company he helped to build), remains optimistic for the future and expects financial institutions to begin supporting altnets again. “I think that phase is nearly over and the institutions will begin supporting Altnets over the next year or so<\/em>,” said Paddy Paddison<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Paddy also suggests that one of the “best things<\/em>” altnets can do during the current period of uncertainty is to “cooperate with each other through infrastructure sharing, wholesale agreements and generally sharing best practice<\/em>“. This might help to make their roll-outs more efficient and reduce some of the gripes people occasionally have around the deployment of excess poles or duplication of street works. INCA has established a number of projects to help facilitie this, which we cover in more detail below.<\/p>\n

The full interview also explores the current challenges with market consolidation, the impact that the new government is having, Project Gigabit’s potential pivot to be more supportive of urban deployments (as opposed to today’s laser focus on rural builds), Openreach<\/a>’s pricing of FTTP<\/a> lines (i.e. future Equinox discounts after April 2026) and the need for Ofcom<\/a> not to unfairly favour the incumbents over altnets etc.<\/p>\n

The INCA Interview<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

1. I think it’s fair to say that, between high interest rates, rising build costs and tough competition, the past couple of years have been a bit of a rough period for alternative networks. At the same time, we’ve seen some larger players, like CityFibre<\/a>, predicting mass consolidation, which they suggest could leave just a handful of networks standing at the end of it. But what do you expect the picture for altnets to be, come 2030, and where might that leave INCA?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Paddy Paddison said:<\/u><\/p>\n

It’s true that the last year or so has been difficult with financial institutions being reluctant to lend to Altnets just at the moment that their initial equity funding was starting to run out. I think that phase is nearly over and the institutions will begin supporting Altnets over the next year or so.<\/p>\n

In my new role I hear both ends of the expectations, from \u201cthere\u2019ll only be three networks in the UK by the end of 2025\u201d to \u201cthere will still be over 25 Altnets thriving\u201d. Really, I think it will be somewhere in between. I was with CableTel in 1996 which in turn became NTL and saw firsthand the acquisitions that happened and the pace that some of them came through was amazing. However, I think there were a lot of lessons learnt during that period and no one wants to repeat the final result of an over leveraged operator that happened in the early 2000s. My personal view and the one I hope to get INCA members to agree to is that consolidation will occur at whatever pace the investment community feels gives them their best outcome.<\/p>\n

While that\u2019s happening, the best thing Altnets can do is cooperate with each other through infrastructure sharing, wholesale agreements and generally sharing best practice. It\u2019s going to be my role to help those ideas ferment. In terms of where a reduced number of Altnets leaves INCA, well I suppose we will still be needed to be the voice of the independent sector even if there\u2019s only two! I\u2019m not one for looking to the gloomy side and think that for the medium-term INCA has a major role to play in ensuring that the Altnets get a fair playing field in both regulatory and competition issues.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

2. The country recently welcomed a new government, which over the past few months has been sending some mixed signals. On the one hand we’ve seen various tax rises in the budget (increasing costs in certain areas), while on the other there’s been talk about making a \u201crenewed push to fulfil the ambition of full gigabit and national 5G<\/a> coverage by 2030<\/em>\u201d and unblocking planning.<\/strong><\/p>\n

How do you think the new government is doing, with respect to supporting altnets on this front, and what more would you like to see them do?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Paddy Paddison said:<\/u><\/p>\n

A new government is always an interesting time, as it was when I came into the industry as Tony Blair\u2019s government began its tenure. INCA is getting good engagement with the new government and certainly we feel that they understand that a good competitive market in telecoms and broadband is critical to their plans for growth.<\/p>\n

The increase in Employer\u2019s NI is certainly a difficult pill to swallow, especially with little time to make plans around it. Hopefully the government will offer incentives in other ways to ensure the continued investment in our sector isn\u2019t eaten up through higher costs.<\/p>\n

In terms of support for the industry and the gigabit goals I applaud Project Gigabit\u2019s aims and what it has done so far. I do worry that the final part of the project may be given to the incumbent operator as a quick and easy way to ensure the money is pushed out the door before it gets withdrawn or spent elsewhere. That would be a mistake. Altnets that have won Project Gigabit projects are delivering on time and on budget, building high quality networks that will last a generation. I don\u2019t want to see a repeat of Superfast programmes where the incumbent cherry picked the bits it wanted to do and then seemed to leave the rest undone. Don\u2019t forget there are still premises in the UK with ADSL2 connections.<\/p>\n

As for 5G<\/a> coverage the government\u2019s ambitions are sound and not wanting to cross into the mobile space I would suggest that they need to think more innovatively and in a more joined up way in how MNOs and Altnets can work together to help get coverage over the whole country.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

3. Speaking of the new government, we’ve recently seen a lot of talk about some of the remaining funding for the \u00a35bn Project Gigabit broadband roll-out potentially being directed to help fill in some of the slowspots and notspots for coverage that exist in urban areas (previously the scheme has been laser focused on rural areas).<\/strong><\/p>\n

The expectation is that this may be used to support an expanded Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme<\/a> (GBVS). What are INCA’s thoughts on this and do you think Project Gigabit’s funding should remain ring-fenced for use in poorly served rural areas?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Paddy Paddison said:<\/u><\/p>\n

INCA feels that all parts of the UK should have gigabit connectivity, by fibre if possible, so providing support for urban areas is just as important as providing support for the rural areas. It\u2019s almost been a forgotten problem by government and its gratifying to see left behind parts of the urban landscape being upgraded to the same connectivity as the rest of the UK. It is also important to recognise that some of the causes of urban notspots can\u2019t be solved with money alone. Other barrier busting work such as more flexibility on street works permitting and ensuring landlords understand the importance of having fibre installed at their properties is still needed.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

4. How Openreach<\/a>, as an operator with significant market power (SMP), chooses to price their own FTTP<\/a> broadband services – at wholesale – has often been a point of contention for altnets, particularly given the economic and competitive challenges of the current market.<\/strong><\/p>\n

In that sense, how does INCA view Katie Milligan’s (Openreach<\/a> CCO) recent pledge not to initiate a further round of Equinox (3) discounts on FTTP \u201cuntil at least 31st March 2026<\/em>\u201c (here<\/a>) and what do you think Ofcom<\/a> needs to do, if anything?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Paddy Paddison said:<\/u><\/p>\n

I think you should read that as Openreach will initiate Equinox 3 on the 1st April 2026 if the TAR allows them to do that. INCA\u2019s position is that the Equinox programme is anti-competitive and OFCOM<\/a> should be taking action to dissuade another round of increased anti-competitive behaviour by the incumbent. It does not help customer choice, it does not help the UK\u2019s growth, and its intention is to retain ISP customers. The name \u2018Equinox\u2019 seems to be used ironically, as there is nothing equal about it. The argument that lower Openreach wholesale prices will benefit consumers is not evidenced by the price increases BT<\/a> Retail has imposed on its hard pressed customers over the last few years.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Please click over to page 2 for the final part of this interview..<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

5. As above, we can’t speak about Openreach’s wholesale pricing for FTTP without also touching on the wider issues in Ofcom’s next major Telecoms Access Review 2026 (TAR), which will look to make changes that \u201cpromote competition and investment<\/em>\u201d in gigabit broadband and business connectivity.<\/strong><\/p>\n

What are the other top changes or issues that you’d like to see the regulator tackle in this review in order to help unlock and support altnets? This is a particularly tricky one given the challenge of making big changes in an environment where rising competition may actually give Ofcom more reason to soften regulation against the incumbent, Openreach, rather than harden it.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Paddy Paddison said:<\/u><\/p>\n

INCA\u2019s position on the TAR can be boiled down to a simple phrase, one that\u2019s in the existing WFTMR: A fair bet for investors. It\u2019s critical for OFCOM to ensure that the future competitive landscape reassures the existing investors in UK telecoms and broadband and also encourages future investment. Over \u00a315bn has been invested in the Altnets so far and there is more to be invested. As these are infrastructure funds, if the investors feel that the UK regulatory environment is being weighted in favour of the incumbent operator then it will reduce the attractiveness of the UK to them, in all types of infrastructure.<\/p>\n

There are lots of areas where OFCOM can ensure a level playing field is supported from how PIA works through to pricing mechanisms but if they come back to thinking of the big picture – does this intervention encourage competition or does this intervention keep the incumbent secure? \u2013 and they side encouraging competition then INCA and the Altnets will be happy with the outcome.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

6. INCA recently launched a new initiative that aims to \u201cstandardise wholesale fibre<\/em>\u201d networks, which was initially backed by 30 providers, and aims to make it easier for retail and business ISPs to purchase services from network operators.<\/strong><\/p>\n

What are the hardest challenges to overcome in bringing this all together for a final standard, and do you have a rough timeline for when we might see the outcome?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Paddy Paddison said:<\/u><\/p>\n

Indeed, wholesale standards is one of my most pressing matters. We have broken the issues into three main areas. First is regulatory and within that the clear and present issue is the Telecom Security Act. Compliance is expensive and critical so ensuring Altnets can provide the requirements to the large ISPs is very important.<\/p>\n

Second is commercial and, while INCA won\u2019t have any position on the actual values of the commercial relationships, what it can do is provide the framework that all parties will be able to agree to before filling in the numbers and importantly the SLAs and routes for information flow between the parties.<\/p>\n

Third is the technical component, which from my view as an engineer is the easy bit. Well, easy once you\u2019ve agreed what it is you\u2019re going to provide, and how, and over what time and how to demonstrate completion. So apart from all the issues getting resolved it\u2019s going well.<\/p>\n

The INCA Standards Group chaired by Max Fernando of Glide and with the support of Niall Halpenny of Sonalake is driving this hard and I\u2019m pleased that we\u2019ve had real positive engagement from the ISPs as well as Altnets.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

7: Speaking of standardisation, INCA has this year also delved into the complex and often divisive area of infrastructure sharing with your new Infrastructure Sharing Group (ISG), which is attempting to encourage altnets to work together and foster more infrastructure sharing.<\/strong><\/p>\n

In theory, this could boost the roll-out of gigabit broadband and reduce the dependence upon Openreach’s existing cable ducts and poles to run new fibre, while also cutting some costs and reducing friction with some communities (e.g. those residents that don’t like duplication or deployment of certain street works and infrastructure, such as poles etc.).<\/strong><\/p>\n

However, getting so many competitive networks – with infrastructure investments they want to protect – to work together can also be a bit like trying to herd cats. Finding that balance between creating a solution \/ agreement that is affordable (i.e. attractive and fair enough for operators to want to use) and which, at the same time, doesn’t devalue the physical asset, has historically been very difficult – often needing regulation to resolve.<\/strong><\/p>\n

In this regard, can you provide a progress update on the ISG since it was launched and a rough indication on when you think we might see the first positive and practical outcome? More to the point, if an agreement is reached, then would Openreach also be allowed to harness this or are they likely to be blocked?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Paddy Paddison said:<\/u><\/p>\n

This is another complex issue. It is obvious that we should deploy networks as efficiently as possible, therefore reusing infrastructure wherever possible. That said there are a number of factors that will handily place themselves in the way, from quality of the infrastructure being shared to the time and cost of using other company\u2019s infrastructure.<\/p>\n

We are working hard on a solution and the activity of the Infrastructure Sharing Group. In terms of Openreach\u2019s inclusion it\u2019s clear that their access to Altnet infrastructure could threaten the business models of some Altnets. Openreach bring along their suite of wholesale partners which would make the Altnet own business plans more difficult to achieve.<\/p>\n

A suggested resolution is related to the wholesale standards group, if the wholesale partners can access their potential customers via the Altnet\u2019s network then the need for Openreach to share infrastructure goes away and at the same time the Altnets\u2019 business plan remains intact.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

8. One of the biggest challenges for altnets and ISPs to tackle this year has been the problematic introduction of Ofcom’s new One Touch Switching<\/a> (OTS) system via the industry-led One Touch Switching Company<\/a> (TOTSCo), which aims to make it quicker and easier for consumers to switch between broadband ISPs and phone providers on physically separate networks.<\/strong><\/p>\n

On the one hand, the fact that OTS is making switching easier is something that could help to boost take-up of often faster and more competitively priced altnet ISPs. But on the other hand, getting the TOTSCo platform to work properly and ensuring that all ISPs use it is still something of an ongoing challenge. What are your thoughts on the troubled development of this system, in terms of what it got right and what it might have got wrong?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Paddy Paddison said:<\/u><\/p>\n

I remember when number porting came in, the first few months of that were pretty grim with spreadsheets being faxed to each other on a Tuesday. The OTS, while delayed, has by comparison gone fairly well.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s gone well? Getting hundreds of companies to communicate their most sensitive data (about customers) seamlessly and securely. What\u2019s gone poorly is that it took longer to launch than many AltNets had hoped and some operators are still struggling to provide information in a satisfactory way. This is something that\u2019s being worked on.<\/p>\n

Another issue is the activity of the loosing provider\u2019s retention teams, an unexpected consequence being the extra phone calls and contacts customers are getting which is not always welcomed.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

9. Improving consumer take-up is a key focus for altnets, not least as it helps to prove their business case and keep investors happy (as well as potentially attracting new investment). But what more do you think altnets, or the wider industry (beyond what we’ve already discussed above), need to do on this front to generate better adoption?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Paddy Paddison said:<\/u><\/p>\n

Did I mention wholesale standards? Why use one marketing budget when you can use four? A flippant answer but one of the most effective ways of getting customers onto the networks is to get the message to them that high speed, reliable internet is right outside their door. Something I\u2019m not sure most people know.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ll also speak from my own experience of moving to North Lincolnshire in the last few weeks. It\u2019s only through my industry knowledge that I knew that Quickline<\/a> operate in the area. If I struggle to find out who the Altnet is in my postcode then the rest of the public are probably blissfully unaware unless they saw the build happening.<\/p>\n

I am working with the INCA Board on how to cross that gap and hope to have some news in the new year.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

10. I wanted to also touch on some interesting developments over at Virgin Media<\/a>, which will in 2025 be opening up their existing network to wholesale via a new NetCo entity. This is obviously occurring at the same time as some of the company’s shared parents are backing nexfibre<\/a>, which is separately rolling out FTTP to areas that Virgin Media<\/a> haven’t covered before, albeit while using Virgin’s existing build engine.<\/strong><\/p>\n

In the future we might well see both networks coming together as one, which is how many observers already view them. But what do you think this might mean for the current regulatory environment and competition, with respect to altnets, and how do you think Ofcom should respond?<\/strong><\/p>\n

For example, would Virgin Media<\/a> + nexfibre<\/a> also have significant market power, or does the addition of such a major player simply give Ofcom more reason to soften overall market regulation on Openreach.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Paddy Paddison said:<\/u><\/p>\n

VMO2 opening some or all of its network to wholesaling will help customers with choice so I can\u2019t see it as a bad thing. How they do it and what it will cost wholesale operators will be the critical issue though. INCA\u2019s ultimate goal is seeing the UK having a healthy competitive market and it can only be a good thing if VMO2 can be part of that.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

11. Finally, Openreach are currently preparing to close roughly 4,600 of their old legacy exchanges across the UK, which will ultimately leave around 1,000 exchanges \u2013 the Openreach Handover Points (OHPs) \u2013 that are primarily used to provide nationwide coverage of modern \u201cfibre\u201d based broadband and other services (FTTC<\/a>, FTTP etc.). The first c.100 of these are due to be closed by 2030 as part of an initial pilot phase, but most of the rest will follow during the 2030s.<\/strong><\/p>\n

However, this change creates somewhat of a thorny issue for alternative networks around Ethernet, Inter-Exchange Dark Fibre (DFX), Co-Location and PIA (access to existing cable ducts and poles) services, which are still supplied by some of the \u201cold\u201d exchanges. The costs for at least some AltNet\u2019s of adapting to this could be more than trivial, and Openreach have long been consulting with the industry on how to balance all this.<\/strong><\/p>\n

How much of an impact is the Exchange Exit Programme likely to have on the altnets you represent, if any, and are there any areas of Openreach’s approach to this that still need improvement?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Paddy Paddison said:<\/u><\/p>\n

Exchange Closure is a significant issue for Altnets as their networks are planned for the long term and changes of core locations when they will have been operating for over ten years (i.e the 2030s) will be difficult and expensive. While we can understand Openreach\u2019s need to close underutilised exchanges due to the changes in their network, what INCA members need is information. When, what and where.<\/p>\n

Openreach really needs to start thinking about more than its exchanges as locations for terminating services that are being removed from closed exchanges. It may be better for an Altnet to move to a nearby or more convenient Data Centre not necessarily owned by BT<\/a> Group.<\/p>\n

INCA\u2019s policy team have set out some of its concerns around the Exchange Closure Programme as part of a series of submissions INCA has made to Ofcom in advance of the TAR. All of the submissions can be found on INCA\u2019s website.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

ISPreview would just like to thank Paddy for taking part in our interview and we wish him a very Happy New Year for 2025.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The new CEO of the Independent Networks Co-operative Association (INCA), Paddy Paddison, which represents many of the UK\u2019s alternative broadband operators, has today told ISPreview – as part of a new interview – that he’s optimistic about financial institutions supporting altnets again “over the next year” and wants to see more sharing (infrastructure, wholesale etc.) […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":40129,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2716,1],"tags":[56,36,69,38,475],"class_list":["post-39838","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-interviews","category-uk_isp_news","tag-fttp","tag-ofcom-regulation","tag-bt-openreach","tag-politics","tag-virgin-media"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/mastodon.social\/@ispreview\/113755830091149132","error":""},"yoast_head":"\nINCA CEO Talks Future of UK Broadband Altnets and Infrastructure Sharing - 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