UK independent network providers (altnets) increased their full-fibre coverage by 50 percent to 1.2 million premises in 2019, compared to growth of 23 percent in 2018, according to data compiled by Point Topic for the Independent Networks Co-operative Association (INCA). The independent providers had 366,000 live connections, up 27 percent from a year earlier.
The report shows continued strong investment by altnets, with financial-related announcements up by GBP 936 million in 2019, as well as growth in network deployments. Rural fixed wireless connections remain stable.
As of end-2019, altnets passed 1.2 million homes with fixed superfast or ultrafast broadband; the majority of these using ultrafast FTTP, FTTH or FTTB technology. Fixed wireless networks can reach up to 2.3 million premises, with wireless ISP (WISP) connections stable at around 110,000.
