F&W Networks - Anyone from Zen on here?

F&W Networks are busy deploying FTTP on my road, and I expect it to become available from their partner ISP Hey!Broadband shortly.

Given that only they and (I'd never touch it) Virgin are the only providers here, I may well move to Hey from Zen.

However I'm interested to know if Zen have/will approach F&W about reselling their product, thus I could stay with/return to Zen but with F&W's FTTP.

F&W don't appear to wholesale like Openreach and CityFibre do.

The chances of Zen providing internet service over F&W's fibre appears to be zilch.

That's interesting as their website states:

Working to complement the provision of national operators; F&W’s deployment of end-to-end Full Fibre networks for broadband providers, centres around areas with no full-fibre infrastructure.

Which seems to indicate that they're building the network for anyone that wants it.

Their "partner" ISP Hey!Broadband seems to have spun up to build a customer base. It's very basic in terms of website, support etc.

It wouldn't surprise me if it's designed to be sold on.

In reply to a post by AndyPandy:

It wouldn't surprise me if it's designed to be sold on.

That's the (back-stop) business model of the very large majority of Altnet's, whether or not they explicitly setup shop as a wholesale network operator.

Its just a bit early to tell perhaps, as we are still very much in the foothills of the 'great Altnet consolidation'*

* To see how this story pans out, refer to the cable television companies of the nineties.

What surprises me is Altnets overbuilding other Altnets. Surely once an area is served, it only really pays for Openreach to overbuild to give choice of ISP back.

Post deleted by nofappingway

I am in a similar situation, Netomnia sent me a letter saying they will be roiling out FTTP in my aria, I asked Zen if they would partner with them but it seems no plans (yet) they are working with City fibre only!

I wonder how long it will take for all these FTTP Altnets to end up like the cable ones did (taken over by one big company AKA Virgin).
Such a shame that OpenReach are left to pick and choose who they feel like upgrading.
At least we are starting to see other options appearing.

Interesting signature, what is the difference between "Dile up" and "Dial up"?

In reply to a post by RichTea23:

I wonder how long it will take for all these FTTP Altnets to end up like the cable ones did (taken over by one big company AKA Virgin).

Actually NTL bought the other Altnets, with the Virgin moniker simply licenced from Branson's Virgin Group which had a 10.7% shareholding.

VM was then bought by Liberty Global and since the linkup with O2 is 50% owned by Liberty Global and 50% Telefonica. AIUI Branson still does have a significant shareholding. (Under 10%, maybe 5.35%).

Edited by pluralist (Wed 09-Feb-22 13:21:26)

In reply to a post by RichTea23:

I wonder how long it will take for all these FTTP Altnets to end up like the cable ones did (taken over by one big company AKA Virgin).

That is the sixty-four million dollar question!

Perhaps when their revenues or take-up metrics no longer meet with their shareholder / banks / sponsor / private equity / sovereign wealth fund backers approval or expectation any longer.

For now the money is still flowing and it’s jam time.