{"id":42354,"date":"2025-07-07T11:48:05","date_gmt":"2025-07-07T10:48:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ispreview.co.uk\/?p=42354"},"modified":"2025-07-07T12:32:34","modified_gmt":"2025-07-07T11:32:34","slug":"broadband-isp-brsk-fined-14k-by-ofcom-uk-for-broadband-poles-mistake","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ispreview.co.uk\/index.php\/2025\/07\/broadband-isp-brsk-fined-14k-by-ofcom-uk-for-broadband-poles-mistake.html","title":{"rendered":"Broadband ISP Brsk Fined \u00a314k by Ofcom UK for Telecoms Poles Rule Breach"},"content":{"rendered":"

Alternative broadband ISP Brsk (Netomnia<\/a>) has been fined \u00a314,000 by Ofcom<\/a> over its roll-out of hundreds of new 9 metre high telecoms poles in the city of Birmingham, which were installed to support the roll-out of a new full fibre (FTTP<\/a>) network. But they were today found to have breached two conditions under the Electronic Communications Code (ECC).<\/p>\n

Just to recap. Brsk and Netomnia<\/a> are in the process of merging and have so far deployed their Fibre-to-the-Premises<\/strong> (FTTP<\/a>) broadband network to cover 2.5 million UK homes (inc. 325,000 customers), which is expected to reach 3 million premises by the end of 2025 and then 5 million by the end of 2027. The use of poles to deploy their new fibre forms a big part of this process.<\/p>\n

NOTE:<\/strong> The combined group of Netomnia<\/a> and Brsk is backed by around \u00a31.5bn<\/strong> of equity and debt from investors Advencap, DigitalBridge, and Soho Square Capital etc.<\/div>\n

The deployment of wood poles to run overhead fibre is a common practice across the UK. This is because poles are quick and cost-effective to build (several times cheaper than trenching), can be deployed in areas where there may be no space or access agreement to safely put new underground cables, are less disruptive (avoiding the noise, access restrictions and damage to pavements of street works) and can be built under Permitted Development<\/strong> (PD) rights.<\/p>\n

However, network operators do still have to follow a Code of Practice for this process, which forms part of the ECC Regulations. But last year saw Birmingham City\u2019s Local Planning Authority<\/strong> (LPA) raise a complaint with Ofcom<\/a> over Brsk’s approach (here<\/a>), which accused the operator of failing to consult planning authorities about the installations, and failing to provide 28 days\u2019 notice in writing to the planning authority in an area where the provider has not previously installed such equipment.<\/p>\n

Ofcom Statement<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

On 4 July 2025, Ofcom<\/a> issued its Final Decision to BRSK in respect of BRSK\u2019s compliance with the Electronic Communications Code (Conditions and Restrictions) Regulations 2003\/2533 (as amended) (\u2018the Regulations\u2019).<\/p>\n

Ofcom has determined that there are reasonable grounds for believing BRSK has contravened its obligations under the following Regulations, when installing electronic communications apparatus in the Birmingham City area:<\/p>\n