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[craigski]

Just trying to understand the definition of what an 'alt-net' is exactly.

CF is often compared to openreach, as an 'alt-net'. CF is also an ISP, but openreach isn't an ISP.

So, a company that provides alternative (non BT, non VM also, or just BT?) physical network to customers is defined as an alt-net, it just so happens that CF is also an ISP?

Is VM an alt-net?

Have I got this right?

[dee.jay]

Alt-Net is anyone who isn't OR or VM.

[Alex Atkin UK]

CF is often compared to openreach, as an 'alt-net'. CF is also an ISP, but openreach isn't an ISP.

CF are an ISP?  AFAIK they are not, they are exactly like Openreach, they provide the physical and virtual layers of the network and ISPs lease capacity on that network.

[meritez]

CF are an ISP?  AFAIK they are not, they are exactly like Openreach, they provide the physical and virtual layers of the network and ISPs lease capacity on that network.

CF aka Community Fibre not City Fibre.
Gigaclear, g.network are other isps that also have their own infrastructure and are also alt-nets.

[craigski]

It looks like EntaNet was a wholesale ISP, that was acquired by CityFibre.

CityFibre also able to offer broadband, where they don't have a physical presence.

https://cityfibre.com/partners/products/broadband

We also offer broadband packages through off-net providers where we're not currently building our Full Fibre Network for FTTC/P, ADSL2+ and ADSL.

Answering my own question, an alt-net (eg CityFibre) is an ISP with their own physical network, excluding OR & VM. OR is not an ISP, VM is. Have I understood correctly?

[meritez]

@craigski I would ignore the Entanet acquisition.
I work for an Entanet partner and we don't get access to Cityfibre's alt-net, only Openreach products available.  :'(

[craigski]

I work for an Entanet partner and we don't get access to Cityfibre's alt-net, only Openreach products available.  :'(

That's interesting. So this didn't happen then?
https://web.archive.org/web/20181123200813/http://www.Enta.net/About-Entanet/News-and-Events/2017/entanet-and-cityfibre-unite/

Entanet’s partners will benefit from access to CityFibre’s growing national footprints of full fibre networks that deliver next generation, gigabit-speed services.

[meritez]

That's interesting. So this didn't happen then?
https://web.archive.org/web/20181123200813/http://www.Enta.net/About-Entanet/News-and-Events/2017/entanet-and-cityfibre-unite/

We have not seen any products or pricing for Entanet partners, I ask our account manager every couple of months.

[Alex Atkin UK]

It looks like EntaNet was a wholesale ISP, that was acquired by CityFibre.

CityFibre also able to offer broadband, where they don't have a physical presence.

https://cityfibre.com/partners/products/broadband

Answering my own question, an alt-net (eg CityFibre) is an ISP with their own physical network, excluding OR & VM. OR is not an ISP, VM is. Have I understood correctly?

Generally speaking alt-net merely means an alternative physical network, if it includes an ISP or just backhaul doesn't really matter, just that its a physically independent network.

[XGS_Is_On]

The more I think about it the more I struggle with the idea that Liberty will buy CityFibre.

It's very expensive for the incremental value it will bring them over their existing network. Much of the cost comes from that CF have their own duct network and NexFibre already have that in 50%+ of the passed premises, the CF metronet isn't much use to them, they've their own.

If I'm honest other than some other private equity firm the only company I can possibly imagine purchasing CF to use the network would be Comcast. They may have some use for that network and have a partial national network to hook it into.