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Buckingham-based alternative network provider Village Networks, which operates a number of Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) and Full Fibre (FTTP) gigabit broadband networks across rural parts of Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, Hampshire and Oxfordshire in England, has requested new powers from the regulator to support its future expansion.
The plan was revealed as part of the company’s application for Code Powers from Ofcom, which are typically sought in order to help speed-up deployments of new fibre networks and cut costs, not least by reducing the number of licences needed for street works. The powers can also help with supporting access to run new fibre via Openreach’s (BT) existing cable ducts and poles (PIA).
The announcement doesn’t include much detail, although as one of the market’s smaller but longest running providers, we aren’t expecting this to result in a major acceleration of their rollout (i.e. it’s probably more about continuing to expand, albeit more efficiently). VN tends to adopt more of a gradual organic approach to network expansion (see their latest company accounts).
Extract from Village Networks Code Powers Application
The Applicant is a network operator and Internet Service Provider offering internet connectivity over Fixed Wireless Access, owned FTTP networks and FTTP wholesale agreements, and by the provision of leased lines.
Dependent on the location, the Applicant currently delivers connectivity either via fibre or ethernet to a point-to-point or point-to multi point fixed network link, which connects premises via rx/tx external aerials. In other cases, the Applicant currently uses optical fibre from points of presence (PoPs) to reach individual premises via drop fibres.
The Applicant seeks Code powers to facilitate the expansion of its network and deployment across rural areas in the UK, for example Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, Hampshire and Oxfordshire, with 85% of customers of the Applicant’s network being in rural postcodes.