Page 90 - SAMENA Trends - May-June 2024

WHOLESALE UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Ofcom Launches 2026 Wholesale Telecoms Review to Power-Up Gigabit

Broadband Rollout

Ofcom kicked off its review of the regulations that will apply to the The review will help make sure the UK’s broadband infrastructure is
UK wholesale telecoms markets from April 2026 until March 2031. fit for the future. It will aim to set the right environment to promote
competition and investment in gigabit-capable broadband, to
deliver better services and more choice to consumers. Since the
conclusion of our last review in 2021, Openreach and many other
companies have ramped up the rollout of their next-generation
networks. Gigabit-capable broadband is now available to more
than 23.2 million homes (78% of the UK), and more than 17.1
million homes (57%) can access full-fibre broadband. We expect
to publish our main consultation on proposals for regulation early
next year, with a view to publishing our final decisions in early 2026.

Wholesale Polish Open Fiber Launches Bitstream Access to Its HFC Network

Wholesale fiber network operator Polski Światłowód Otwarty (PŚO)
has rolled out bitstream access (BSA) across its HFC network and
has confirmed the first retail subscribers are already using the
network. While the operator has been offering BSA on its fiber
network, which reaches 400,000 households, the HFC BSA service
increases the telco’s reach but around 3.4 million households. By
introducing BSA, it means retail operators can gain access to both
networks making the technical integration far easier given they will
be able to connect to the HFC network in the same way and with
the same equipment as to PŚO’s FTTH network. Last July, PŚO –
part-owned by Iliad’s Polish mobile operator Play – raised
PLN5.13bn (US$1.25bn) to upgrade from HFC to fiber-to-the-home
(FTTH) and expand its network footprint. The investment program
is aiming to increase the current footprint to more than six million
– and remain open access. The existing PŚO network covers
households in 14 provinces and almost 200 municipalities in
Poland. The new BSA service solves the conundrum of what to do
on the HFC network in the meantime. Now, retail providers can
manage their own IP addresses meaning they can roll out IPTV and
VoIP services with PŚO. “We started work on implementing the
BSA model on the HFC network almost a year ago,” said PŚO CTO
Krzysztof Sidor. “The biggest challenge was to develop a way to
efficiently serve consumer lines in a standard specific to the HFC
network. This meant not only preparing a network solution, but time, we are intensively upgrading our HFC infrastructure to the
also appropriate IT tools that automate the delivery and FTTH standard. At present, few subscribers need Internet access
maintenance of such services.” He added: “The tests we at speeds of up to 5Gbps, but we know this will change in the
conducted showed that the solution works flawlessly and is of future. We will be ready for that future.” Currently, most of PŚO’s
high quality. The operators we cooperate with will soon start using HFC network allows subscribers to reach speeds of up to 1Gbps.
it.” PŚO chief commercial officer, Michal Banasiuk said the On the FTTH network, thanks to XGS-PON, PŚO offers access
operator wanted partners to feel no difference between using HFC speeds of up to 5Gbps. Last month PŚO added 12,811 new
and FTTH technology. “The launch of BSA simplifies access and households from 29 localities to its FTTH network. The operator
service provisioning on the PŚO network. It allows the operator to also upgraded its HFC network to FTTH in 48,601 households. By
use one API and the same points of contact for both technologies,” 2028, it plans to expand by two million new households to
he said. “Order placement and processing also look identical, so eventually cover more than six million. Currently, there are already
the operator doesn’t even have to wonder whether it is activating more than 3.8 million households in its footprint.
the service on the FTTH or HFC network.” He added: “At the same

90 MAY-JUNE 2024