The Independent Networks Cooperative Association (INCA) has launched a new wholesale standards initiative to lower the barriers to business between ISPs and altnets.
The altnet representative body has announced the UK-specific scheme aimed at establishing a homogeneous standard to make it easier for ISPs to buy services from altnets, particularly in regions where altnets have deployed fibre networks that Openreach will not cover in the short to medium term.
With the copper switch-off and altnet consolidation key issues for the sector, INCA members have been looking at practical ways to lower the barriers to business between ISPs and altnets. This initiative has been in the works for some time but has recently gained significant momentum with more than 30 companies. Key contributors include altnets operating wholesaler networks, altnet and traditional ISPs, along with OSS/Business Support System (BSS) software vendors.
The program is structured around three critical workstreams, each addressing a key aspect of the wholesale standards initiative:
Regulatory: Focused on aligning the initiative with Ofcom's ongoing Telecoms Access Review (TAR) consultation. The group provides guidance and regulatory direction to ensure that the standards being developed comply with the latest regulatory requirements and support a fair and competitive marketplace.
Commercial: To enable the adoption of wholesale standards, this workstream has developed a draft framework contract designed to serve as an off-the-shelf agreement. This standardised contract addresses all key commercial aspects, significantly reducing the effort and complexity associated with negotiating multiple bilateral agreements.
Technical: Tasked with defining a unified set of message flows, data models and APIs. These standards will be supported by multiple BSS suppliers, enabling ISPs and altnets to interconnect more efficiently on a common platform. This commonality streamlines operations and fosters easier integration across the industry.This work on wholesale standards is complementary to INCA’s work-stream on infrastructure sharing, which focuses more on creating a standard framework for passive infrastructure access to reduce the need for new ducts and poles.
James Warner, CEO, FullFibre, said, “Lowering complexity and cost, to enable national ISPs to consumer services from altnets more easily, is vital to help sustain long term infrastructure competition in the market. By developing common standards, we can achieve this and help the scale players to help themselves in providing the best options available to consumers.”
Guy Miller, CEO, MS3, said, “The UK has moved on from one or two underlying network suppliers and is starting to enjoy what competition and innovation brings. It is critical however that these alternative networks are standardised to allow easy access for retail ISPs to take advantage of this and ultimately provide better quality and value to homes and businesses around the country. MS3 is proud to be part of this initiative.”
Wail Sabbagh, managing director, Strategic Imperatives, said, “This is a welcome industry initiative that will help expand opportunities for full fibre providers to attract retail ISPs by simplifying and standardising wholesale access. By empowering altnets and ISPs to scale more efficiently, we are fostering an agile and competitive wholesale market that benefits all parties involved. Strategic Imperatives is proud to play a significant role in shaping this new industry standard, driving innovation and accessibility across the sector.”