UK broadband altnets unite to push for fairer access regulation, pricing

Increased competition and driving reach have propelled the UK’s broadband market over the past five years, but five of the largest competitors to market leader Openreach – nexfibre, AllPoints Fibre, Community Fibre, Gigaclear, and Netomnia and Brsk – have come together to establish what they are calling the PIA (physical infrastructure access) Coalition.

The PIA Coalition has called on the nation’s communications regulator Ofcom to ensure “a level playing field for access” to Openreach’s passive infrastructure in its upcoming Telecoms Access Review.

Specifically, the coalition said that while existing physical infrastructure access regulation has been a success story, issues must be remedied to facilitate continued UK fibre roll-out, future investment and consumer choice.

Initiated by nexfibre – the £4.5bn joint venture from VMO2 sLiberty Global and Telefónica and investment firm InfraVia Capital Partners – the PIA Coalition’s members represent more than five million premises ready for service, making it one of the largest users of the PIA network.

The coalition added that economic analysis by SPC Network has identified a material gap in PIA pricing that leads to alternative network operators paying significantly more to access ducts and poles than Openreach. 

Sharing of Openreach poles and ducts with other operators has been one of the successes of Ofcom’s 2021 market review and a major driver of accelerated fibre broadband roll-out in recent years. Ofcom regulates PIA products through a series of T&Cs and pricing and is responsible for looking out for the interests of all PIA users.

Under Ofcom regulations, PIA access must be offered by Openreach in a way that does not discriminate against third-party users. The PIA Coalition has identified evidence to suggest that this is not happening under the pricing structure.

Ofcom’s Telecoms Access Review looks at the regulations that will apply to the UK fixed telecoms markets from April 2026 until March 2031. The PIA Coalition seeks to ensure that the UK’s broadband infrastructure is fit for the gigabit-capable future – and to act and ensure all users of PIA have a level playing field for access to infrastructure. It warns that a failure to act will harm competition and investment in the long term, in turn threatening the progress of fibre roll out to homes and businesses, which would damage the UK’s ability to compete internationally.

“At the moment, there is not a level playing field between Openreach and alternative network operators on PIA,” said Giles Rowbotham, spokesperson for the PIA Coalition, and general counsel and chief development officer at nexfibre. 

“Alternative network operators pay significantly more to access infrastructure compared to Openreach. If left unremedied, this disparity risks choking investment, slowing down the roll-out of high-speed broadband across the UK, and therefore limiting consumer choice.

“We’re calling on Ofcom to act in its upcoming market review to ensure a level playing field for all providers, and fair and equal access to critical infrastructure. The coalition has presented a detailed analysis to the regulator and to Openreach, and we look forward to engaging collaboratively and constructively on this issue.”