Next generation broadband networks are being built across all corners of the UK, with FTTP and 5G, as well as continued 4G expansion, opening up new possibilities for the solutions channel companies offer their customers.
Gavin Jones, director of wholesale channel, BT Wholesale, said the rollouts of next generation connectivity networks are happening rapidly. He explained, “The 5G rollout is advancing at pace, with EE’s network now covering over 75 per cent of the UK population. This expansion is driving demand for mobile solutions and, in turn, customer interest is on the up. 78 per cent of resellers say they are receiving 5G-related enquiries.
“Smart channel players are building on this momentum by investing in both All-IP and 5G solutions to maximise the strength and reliability of their connections. As the rollout of full fibre and 5G continues at pace, channel partners who prioritise digital-first solutions will be best placed to meet evolving customer demands and deliver future-ready services.”
As the rollouts continue, there is an increasing focus on moving beyond the build stage towards getting users onto these new networks. Dave Ferry, chief sales officer, ITS, explained, “The rollout has progressed at pace for a number of years, but with approximately 25 per cent to go, the landscape for the sector has changed significantly. There are several factors influencing this, not least the financial headwinds. There has been a shift from a pure build focus to also driving connections.
Ferry argued that the historic duopoly of the fixed connectivity market has been broken by the rollout of new infrastructure, given it is being “delivered by a mix of regional and national players” but “the sector is already seeing consolidation”.
He added, “With our focus firmly on business-grade connectivity, the key for our channel partners is ensuring that our network footprint is in the right areas to reach their customers. Our own network now passes more than 25 per cent of the UK’s commercial premises, and we have plans to reach 40 per cent in the coming years.”
James Montague, Giacom’s head of connectivity portfolio, discussed the different ways different providers are expanding their networks. He said, “Despite cost of capital challenges in the UK over the past year, which have slowed rollout plans for some service providers, FTTP deployment continues at pace.
“Many providers are expanding their networks through new infrastructure builds, while others are growing their footprint through acquisitions, something that’s expected to accelerate in the next year. This expansion is enabling more customers to take advantage of full fibre technology, improving connectivity and unlocking new digital opportunities.”
Mike van Bunnens, managing director, Comms365, added, “The expansion of FTTP and 5G networks across the UK is going strong, but challenges persist. The delay in transitioning to full fibre until 2027 is a setback, meaning businesses and consumers must wait longer to fully benefit from the faster, more reliable infrastructure.
“While 5G coverage has reached around 75 per cent of the UK, rural areas continue to lag through no fault of their own. The government’s target for 2030 is too far away for these communities, which have consistently been left until last, and without support from the Channel, they risk falling even further behind in the digital divide.”
The rural gap remains a challenge, but there is some expectation that the retirement of 2G and 3G services will help with the expansion of 5G.
Alex Mawson, product portfolio director, Giacom, said, “5G deployment remains concentrated in urban areas, primarily catering to mobile handset users and providing an alternative to fixed broadband services. The demand for faster and more reliable mobile data connections continues to grow as more devices become 5G-enabled.
“The ongoing retirement of 2G and 3G networks will allow mobile network operators to repurpose spectrum for 5G, further expanding coverage over the coming years. More businesses are beginning to embrace 5G as part of their backup and resilience strategies for fixed services.”
The availability of 5G standalone will open new possibilities. Adrian Sunderland, CEO, Jola, explained, “There has been significant progress with 5G during 2024. We’ve seen the 5G footprint improve across all the networks. However, the big news is that we’ve also seen 5G standalone deployed by EE, O2 and Vodafone in the last 12 months.
“Standalone 5G delivers on the full promise of 5G with lower latency, higher data speeds, better efficiency, improved reliability and support for large-scale IoT.”
Expansion and improvement
Further progress is expected to be made in 2025, and Mawson, from Giacom, pointed out the improvements that 5G standalone can offer.
Mawson said, “The retirement of 2G and 3G networks and the repurposing of spectrum for 5G are already in progress. The rollout of 5G standalone will continue to expand, delivering significant improvements over traditional 5G, such as better reception inside buildings, faster speeds, lower latency and enhanced security. Mobile networks have already begun 5G standalone trials, and these are expected to extend further throughout the year.”
From a fixed perspective, there is wide expectation that there will be further consolidation of altnets. Montague, from Giacom, said, “FTTP rollout is expected to continue at speed, with adoption among businesses increasing. Further market consolidation is also anticipated as alternative network providers scale their operations through acquisitions.
“Giacom has a broad range of FTTP services that enable resellers and MSPs to take advantage of these opportunities, providing their customers with high-speed, future-proof connectivity.”
Jola’s Sunderland added, “2025 will continue to see both the 5G footprint and 5G capabilities improve. 2025 will also see the merger of Three UK and Vodafone, which should provide improvements for customers of both networks.”
Van Bunnens, from Comms365, discussed one way rural coverage gaps might be tackled. He said, “With rural areas consistently overlooked by the likes of Openreach and major infrastructure suppliers, we expect some communities to take matters into their own hands rather than waiting for government-led initiatives. Local co-operative schemes are looking for altnets to play a role in accelerating their adoption of fibre but are still finding the costs prohibitive and, as such, are turning to other solutions such as satellite connectivity.
“Plus, the government’s commitment to housebuilding is likely a greater focus for altnets and infrastructure suppliers. However, while demand for broadband installations will rise, it’s important to consider the risk of rushed rollouts leading to subpar delivery. The Channel as a whole has a vital role to play in addressing the shortage of skilled engineers available to meet this increasing demand for fibre and ensuring quality installations.”
PSTN switch-off
The move to these next generation networks also means we are getting closer to the retirement of older networks. The Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) is the UK’s analogue, legacy platform that uses underground copper wires to enable communication. This network can no longer sustain modern requirements and is become increasingly fragile and prone to failure.
As such, the PSTN is scheduled to shut down in January 2027, although it is anticipated that most users will have migrated to alternatives well before then.
The quicker users are moved off of the PSTN, the quicker they can benefit from these newer networks. Jones, from BT Wholesale, said, “Figures show that PSTN resilience incidents rose by 45 per cent last year. The PSTN switch-off marks a pivotal moment for UK connectivity, yet some businesses remain unprepared.
“Only 31 per cent of IT decision-makers and 16 per cent of employees currently prioritise the move to all-IP. Our message to the Channel and their customers remains clear: act now to reap the rewards of digital connectivity which will be the foundation of services for years to come.”
Jones added that, while most businesses will find the switch straightforward, some will need some more support, such as landline-only customers and organisations with unique edge use cases or incompatible devices. He explained, “The Pre-Digital Phone Line provides an essential interim solution, ensuring continuity while migration plans progress. It’s not the final destination, but a critical step for the Channel to enable everyone to make the journey away from legacy networks.”
The move from the PSTN to FTTP is a hugely important transition. Montague, from Giacom, said, “The PSTN switch-off, combined with the wider FTTP rollout, represents one of the most significant technology transitions in recent years. For resellers and MSPs, this is both a challenge and an opportunity.
“The switch-off is a call to action, pushing businesses to migrate away from legacy copper services that are reaching end-of-life and towards full-fibre solutions that enable business growth. Scaling this transition efficiently is crucial, and services such as Giacom’s Easy Switching and All-IP Managed Service help resellers and MSPs accelerate upgrades while reducing the cost and complexity of change.”
Some use-cases might not require a fixed alternative, with some cellular connectivity solutions coming into consideration. Giacom’s Mawson explained, “The PSTN switch-off is already driving increased demand for cellular connectivity, not just for 5G but also for 4G, which in some locations offers a superior connectivity experience compared to fixed broadband.”
Sunderland, from Jola, discussed the growth his company has seen exactly because of this renewed interest in cellular solutions. He said, “The PSTN switch-off will have a huge impact on the Channel. For Jola, it has been the underlying reason for the majority of the growth we’ve experienced over the last 12 months.
“This compelling event leads businesses to reevaluate how they use telecom services to meet their business needs. The conclusion in many cases has been that 4G and 5G services can do more for less without complex or time-consuming installation of replacement fixed lines.”
This is very much a market in transition, and Ofcom’s upcoming Telecoms Access Review will reflect on whether changes are needed to support a competitive market.
Ferry, from ITS, said, “The switch-off is highlighting the importance of ensuring a fair and competitive market. With the Telecoms Access Review 2026 underway, we expect Ofcom to publish its main consultation on proposals for changes to regulation at any moment. These measures will play a crucial role in supporting continued investment and providing a predictable environment for all operators.”
Filling the gaps
The satellite broadband market is also continuing to develop, with Ofcom signalling support for enabling the development of the growing satellite connectivity sector. What’s more, government has carried out several trials using Starlink. Then in February, Ofcom granted a satellite licence to Amazon for its non-geostationary orbit (NGSO) satellite system, which is known as Kuiper.
This decision means Kuiper will be authorised to provide satellite connectivity services such as high speed, low latency broadband to customers in the UK.
“Satellite has the potential to have a significant impact on the Channel,” explained Jola’s Sunderland said. “Most resellers will be familiar with the need to deliver solutions to multi-branch businesses. These businesses could be offices, retail locations, petrol forecourts, schools or EV charging stations.
“The reality is that a single operator is unlikely to be able to deliver the right service, on-time and on budget to all these locations. 5G and satellite are an ideal solution, being able to be installed rapidly and provide fibre-like performance either as a precursor to fibre being installed or as the permanent solution.
“We recently worked on a large retail rollout where satellite was chosen as the standard delivery mechanism and alternatives chosen only where satellite couldn’t be installed due to landlord restrictions.”
Mawson, from Giacom, added, “As new entrants emerge in the satellite broadband market, there is an increasing need for providers to engage with the Channel. Satellite connectivity offers another option for reaching businesses in hard-to-serve areas, and for this technology to achieve broader adoption, service providers must ensure that resellers and MSPs can access and market these solutions effectively.
Ferry, from ITS, said, “Satellite broadband is part of the connectivity armoury, but is unlikely to have a substantial impact on the Channel compared to full fibre. The biggest application of these solutions can help bridge the digital divide and ensure that even the most remote locations have access to essential connectivity services.”
Some emerging challenges will need to be addressed, but there is expectation the Channel could find more opportunities around satellite in the years ahead. Comms365’s van Bunnens explained, “Satellite broadband is still a niche service, but is becoming a compelling alternative to 5G for rural areas, however, we are starting to see congestion already in some locations, so this will need to be addressed accordingly.
“Unfortunately, the Channel opportunity at this moment in time is limited, primarily due to current pricing structures of satellite services and limited margin to be made on base services, unless you have a full service wrap to enhance the proposition. I genuinely think this is a watch this space situation, as there is definitely more coming down the line with other providers which will improve competition.”
Further opportunities
As these next generation networks continue to develop and more users migrate over to them, the need for reliable networks will also grow.
“Reliable and high-performance infrastructure is essential for driving innovation and enabling business growth through the adoption of new ways of working,” explained Giacom’s Montague. “Connectivity is a critical enabler of over-the-top, cloud-based and AI-driven services. As reliance on digital solutions grows, new opportunities will emerge for value-added services such as 4G/5G failover and security enhancements, strengthening reseller and MSP propositions.
“These services will become key differentiators, enabling MSPs to enhance their managed service offerings and provide customers with robust, future-proof connectivity solutions.
Mawson, from Giacom, added, “Wireless connectivity offers many advantages over traditional fixed services, particularly in terms of speed of deployment. SD-WAN is now a standard component in modern network architectures, allowing businesses to integrate multiple connectivity solutions such as FTTP, 4G, 5G and satellite into a seamless, resilient solution.”
High bandwidth will also continue to be in demand. Ferry, from ITS, said, “Through our partners, we are seeing demand for high bandwidth services driven by the adoption of cloud-based applications and AI. Our product portfolio is designed to support end-users on their digital journey, and we are already seeing a shift from demand for 1Gpbs connections to 10Gbps. The signs are already here that this is likely to increase to 100Gbps over the coming years.”
Ferry added that technical developments in full fibre, including XGS-PON, are driving innovation. He explained, “We have broadened our offer beyond business FTTP and leased lines to encompass wider full fibre infrastructure markets for connectivity such as data centres, 5G and AI. Dark Fibre in the access layer is critical to enable these technologies, and with a footprint available across the UK, we are well positioned to support these types of projects.”
This market report was included in our April 2025 print issue. You can read the magazine in full here.