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ISP Sky Broadband UK to Sell Openreach G.fast and FTTP Broadband
Bowdon:
https://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2018/09/isp-sky-broadband-uk-to-sell-openreach-g-fast-and-fttp-broadband.html
--- Quote ---After a period of uncertainty it’s today been revealed that Sky Broadband has done a new wholesale deal with Openreach (BT) to sell the operator’s range of “ultrafast broadband” (G.fast and FTTP) services on to UK customers, which will come at a hefty price discount of up to 40%. Sky now hope to double their customer base.
Over the past year we’ve remarked a few times that Sky Broadband’s strategy in the UK has appeared to be at a standstill, while many of their competitors have moved to build their own “full fibre” (FTTP/H) networks. Part of this has been due to the on-going bidding war for ownership of Sky plc by Comcast and Fox / Disney, which has yet to be officially resolved.
The fact that Sky’s CEO effectively ruled the company out of building their own Gigabit capable FTTP broadband network in 2016 has also set a certain tone, albeit an unusual one for what is still the United Kingdom’s second largest broadband ISP (c.6.2 million customers with c.60% still on their unbundled ADSL2+ lines and the rest taking superfast FTTC / VDSL2 via Openreach).
The good news is that Sky has finally made a decision on their immediate future and it involves throwing their support behind Openreach’s national infrastructure, as opposed to building away from it. The deal will involve a wholesale price reduction, which appears to be based off the new volume discount scheme that was launched in July 2018.
--- End quote ---
--- Quote --- A Spokesperson for Sky said:
“Openreach’s deal, with lower wholesale pricing, enables us to accelerate take-up of ultrafast and full fibre broadband across the UK, while ensuring that competition at a network level remains strong.”
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Bowdon:
Well I don't like to say I told you so. But I told you ;D
I've been saying for a few years that eventually Sky and BT/OR, former rivals, would come together and combine their resources to help each other, and here it is!
The signals were there earlier in the year when they started doing deals between each other about sports tv rights, allowing BT Sport for Sky customers etc.
We also know that Sky are eventually going to do away with the satellites they use and eventually move over to broadcasting over the internet, probably Now TV was an early experiment to see how successful it is.
For there to be a solid high speed connection, only full fibre can be the end game for Sky.
Ok, another prediction, Sky will go in to a joint investment project to help BT/OR build FTTP faster with more resources. I think this discount they have been given today is a forerunner to them getting a discount on all BT/OR laid fibre once the Sky investment money comes in. That's my prediction.. hope I'm right lol.
skyeci:
brilliant ! sign me up......all I need though is the non existent pod ::)
adslmax:
There is no metion of G.Fast or FTTP via Sky site (fibre broadband section area)
gt94sss2:
--- Quote from: Bowdon on September 10, 2018, 10:46:50 AM ---Ok, another prediction, Sky will go in to a joint investment project to help BT/OR build FTTP faster with more resources. I think this discount they have been given today is a forerunner to them getting a discount on all BT/OR laid fibre once the Sky investment money comes in. That's my prediction.. hope I'm right lol.
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Sky haven't been given any discount - they can't be as Openreach's prices are regulated - all there is a temporary special offer by OR which is open to all ISPs.
This is more like Sky being late to the FTTP/g.fast party, as they were late to launch FTTC years ago and trying to make the delay sound good to their shareholders.
Still good news for OR as it should encourage takeup of gfast (though not necessarily FTTP - as that's usually not a customer choice but how the network locally is built)
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