Can Virgin Fibre Optic be used by other internet providers?

[Peasan]

I have looked around the internet but cant seem to find an answer.

Can other internet providers use an already installed fibre optic line from Virgin Media?

I think other providers can use BT fibre optic lines but not sure if Virgin Media would permit this or not.

Thanks in advance.

[carl_pearce]

No.

Well, not yet anyway:

https://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2024/02/broadband-isps-react-to-virgin-media-o2-uk-going-whole...

[Adduxi]

Also the "BT" lines are Openreach.  They own the fibre infrastructure and can be used by various ISPs, including BT

[nodrogd]

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@Peasan wrote:

I have looked around the internet but cant seem to find an answer.

Can other internet providers use an already installed fibre optic line from Virgin Media?

I think other providers can use BT fibre optic lines but not sure if Virgin Media would permit this or not.

Thanks in advance.

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95% of VMs local network is currently copper coaxial cabling. This is only suitable for DOCSIS type Broadband, for which VM has an exclusive Cable franchise to operate. Most of the ducts are already overcrowded, so feeding anyone else’s cables down for fibre is a non-starter. When VM transitions away from traditional cable services to XGS-PON kit & the ducts are cleared of the existing clutter, duct sharing could then be a possibility.

[FlockWallpaper]

You think that they, or anyone else, will actually spend money to pull the old copper out of the ducts - unless, of course, the price of copper goes up to make its resale value worth it? Otherwise, no they are simply going to leave it, aren’t they?

[Roger_Gooner]

No, when users are migrated to XGS-PON VM will at last be able to remove the coaxial cables which are clogging up the ducts.

[nodrogd]

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@FlockWallpaper wrote:

You think that they, or anyone else, will actually spend money to pull the old copper out of the ducts - unless, of course, the price of copper goes up to make its resale value worth it? Otherwise, no they are simply going to leave it, aren’t they?

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When VM migrates customers to fibre they will pull the corresponding coax out, so eventually only fibre will remain. Some locations are already at the situation where new customers cannot be connected due to blocked ducts.