Multiple FNOs in one area

[nmccullo]

Hi guys,

Three FNOs have indicated that they are in the planning stages of rolling out fibre in my area. At least two of them are apparently waiting for wayleave approval...

I can't imagine all 3 of them trenching/building in one area or that there is a viable business case for all 3 of them combined.

Will they wait to see who rolls out first? Do they "negotiate" with the council and let council "award" the roll-out to one company? Or do the FNOs engage with one another and come to some sort of "gentleman's agreement"? Or do all of them trench all over and try and convince residents to sign up with them?

I'm just really curious as to how this typically plays out...

 

[websquadza]

Most FNOs have resorted to only one build per area (there are a few notable exceptions). But the moment 2 fight for the same house- it will probably never make money. Unfortunately the commercials for more than one FNO in an area just don’t work. In some areas, a gentleman’s agreement is reached and land is divvied up.

That said- it’s always interesting and let us know if you see overbuilds.

Edit:
"a gentleman’s agreement is reached and land is divvied up"
as @pinball wizard says, this is collusion. So let's rather say smart minds prevail and neither chooses to build over the other?

 

[pinball wizard]

Hi guys,

Three FNOs have indicated that they are in the planning stages of rolling out fibre in my area. At least two of them are apparently waiting for wayleave approval...

I can't imagine all 3 of them trenching/building in one area or that there is a viable business case for all 3 of them combined.

Will they wait to see who rolls out first? Do they "negotiate" with the council and let council "award" the roll-out to one company? Or do the FNOs engage with one another and come to some sort of "gentleman's agreement"? Or do all of them trench all over and try and convince residents to sign up with them?

I'm just really curious as to how this typically plays out...

Collusion like that is expressly forbidden by the competition commission.

What area?

 

[Nerfherder]

Hi guys,

Three FNOs have indicated that they are in the planning stages of rolling out fibre in my area. At least two of them are apparently waiting for wayleave approval...

I can't imagine all 3 of them trenching/building in one area or that there is a viable business case for all 3 of them combined.

Will they wait to see who rolls out first? Do they "negotiate" with the council and let council "award" the roll-out to one company? Or do the FNOs engage with one another and come to some sort of "gentleman's agreement"? Or do all of them trench all over and try and convince residents to sign up with them?

I'm just really curious as to how this typically plays out...

just make sure you don't get with openserv


What will happen soon is they will start canvasing for early sign-ups. Based on that one will start roll out, the first one to get a majority will start laying.

In our area we had cybersmart applying for trenching 3 years. As they got the wayleves openserv and vuma moved in with applications to do airal fibre. So half of our area is trenched and the other half on the pole.
Trenching is best but takes so long and there are so many fights to win.
It probably worked for the best because if I look on the map I would have been the last to get trenched but ended up being one of the first to get fibre on my pole.. yay capitalisim.

 

[nmccullo]

Collusion like that is expressly forbidden by the competition commission.

What area?

Rustenburg...

Evotel still fighting with council. (Aerial)

Frogfoot showing build in "planning phase" (They had a "micro trenching" tag on their Rustenburg Facebook page...)

Herotel also apparently waiting for wayleave approval...

 

[JayM]

I had Openserve and Vuma in my old neighbourhood (Morningside) and also have both options at my new place (Bryanston). So I don't think it's that uncommon, but I can't see how anyone but the first to install in an area can make any money.

 

[ghostRgg]

My old place in Westville had Openserve first, then SADV came to install (whole road too) then now I see Vumatel are starting to roll out in specific areas there. The road next door has lightspeed. Its just one of those areas I guess.

Meanwhile, our place in Glenwood which has 850+ signups (140% interest) on any isp that can rollout first, gets nothing. Which has resulted in me actually opening up an ISP to cover some places and we got decent signups. But lord is it a mission just to get fibre.

 

[Wasabee!]

Most FNOs have resorted to only one build per area (there are a few notable exceptions). But the moment 2 fight for the same house- it will probably never make money. Unfortunately the commercials for more than one FNO in an area just don’t work. In some areas, a gentleman’s agreement is reached and land is divvied up.

That said- it’s always interesting and let us know if you see overbuilds.

Edit:
"a gentleman’s agreement is reached and land is divvied up"
as @pinball wizard says, this is collusion. So let's rather say smart minds prevail and neither chooses to build over the other?

No they actually overbuild.