The progress made by the UK’s fibre market is fragile and action is required to protect it.
That was one of the key findings from nexfibre's inaugural 'Platform for Progress' report, which critically examines past underinvestment, key challenges, and necessary steps for policymakers to promote national scale sustainable competition and the transformation of fibre access across the UK.
This includes the company advocating for three crucial areas:
• A stable regulatory environment which continues to attract the much-needed investment in the UK’s digital infrastructure. The only way the UK can drive momentum beyond the current roll-out is to ensure a sustainable, competitive market long term.
• A regulatory framework which ensures a consistent and equitable playing field for all operators. Regulators and policymakers must restrain anti-competitive behaviour from the incumbent and put in place a regulatory framework which addresses exclusion of competitors.
• A market characterised by sustainable competition rather than fragmented sub-scale operators. The UK needs national-scale wholesale competition to secure future progress and generate the right conditions to accelerate innovation and development in the full-fibre market.
Ofcom's upcoming Telecoms Access Review will assess the market, the challenges it faces and set-out regulatory frameworks for 2026-31. The decisions made will have far-reaching consequences for the future of the UK’s digital infrastructure, economy and society. nexfibre has warned that without decisive action, policymakers risk losing the momentum the market has worked so hard to build.
Rajiv Datta, chief executive officer of nexfibre, said, "I am delighted to publish nexfibre's 'Platform for Progress' report, reflecting on our first year operating in the market and taking a critical look at what is needed to further unlock the sector's potential.
"As we have set out today, the market faces a series of challenges. Some of these have been driven by a historic lack of investment and others have been the result of external factors. All of them can be overcome if we create a dynamic market environment conducive to competition and progress.
“I look forward to working with industry partners and policymakers as we move towards delivering digital infrastructure that is fit for the future."