VM with its build partners are cabling for XGS-PON on an area-by-area basis, and some have been completed with the project due for completion by 2028. There is as always backend work to be done until an area is ready for sale, e.g. configurations for OLTs and servers, after which there is another big job to migrate customers and finally junk the coaxial cable. We don't have a rollout schedule but there can be no doubt than VM wants to get this over ASAP.
@jpeg1 wrote:Thanks. It will be interesting to see if LG has enough cash to buy in any other networks.
No, LG does have money. The situation is that VMO2, owned by Liberty Global and Telefónica, has gross debts of about £22bn with megabucks being spent in installing microducts, fibre and cabinets for XGS-PON until the end of 2028. But this work is to migrate the existing DOCSIS network covering 16.2m premises to XGS-PON and VMO2 wants to expand its network. So, how can it be done without money?
Answer: bring in a rich partner. What Liberty Global and Telefónica did was to team up with InfraVia Capital Partners on a 50:50 joint venture to create nexfibre with £4.5bn (mostly provided by InfraVia) to build fibre to five million premises by 2026 and optionally seven million by 2028. What has also been done is to get nexfibre to fund and purchase UPP with its network covering 175,000 premises, a network which will get integrated into VM's XGS-PON by around autumn 2024. (This helps to explain why not all of nexfibre's network is in a ready-to-sell state.)
Now to finally answer your question: VMO2 is looking at 6-7 operators with a view to purchasing one of them, and I have no doubt that this will be done by nexfibre with funding coming from InfraVia.
Openreach and VM are migrating to FTTP from quite different bases as you might expect from their very different historical backgrounds. Openreach is moving from a fibre/telephone-based system to full fibre with a plan to pass 25m premises by 2026, and is about 38% there now. Openreach has been using GPON but can cost-effectively deploy Adtran comboPONs in its OLTs with suitable ONTs to switch to the superior XGS-PON without needing to change the ONTs. In contrast VM is building an entirely new network to replace the HFC network which covers about 88% of its premises with work to be done to migrate the RFoG network to XGS-PON, and is expanding with nexfibre to go to 21.2m by 2026 or 23.2m by 2028.
Both projects must have similar issues concerning shortages of staff and materials, but they have to press on as it's a competitive market for the UK's two biggest network operators. As for when your area will have FTTP, I think Openreach is more open as you can check if your area is in its build plan, but I don't see something equivalent from VM.
