The CMA’s surprising counterfactual and narrow competitive assessment present uncertainty for future altnet consolidation
UK: Ofcom clears (most of) Openreach’s fibre discounts
Ofcom has determined that the headline commercial offer may not allow altnets to recover costs and drive take-up, hindering the development of sustainable competition
Event debrief: Connected Britain 2026
Tensions flared over the nexfibre/Netomnia deal and Openreach’s fibre discounts, as data centres and the UK’s future DTT switch-off took AI’s place as prominent themes for this year
nexfibre/Netomnia: Responses to the CMA’s areas of focus document
Submissions point to a divide among the altnet community on the transaction’s likely impact on infrastructure competition, the retail market and end users
The CMA’s priorities for the nexfibre/Netomnia merger review
Identification of the appropriate counterfactual is an intriguing question that leaves the parties with some immediate work to do
Q1 2026 European operator results: Regulatory and policy highlights
European operators struck a notably more optimistic tone on regulation and consolidation in Q1 2026, with several executives welcoming the EC’s draft merger guidelines as a potential turning point for the sector
Event debrief: ISPA ISP Summit 2026
The proposed nexfibre/Netomnia transaction took centre stage, as panellists debated network overlaps, the deal’s potential impact on competition and whether it warrants an in-depth review
The conditions for copper retirement in the UK
Ofcom consults on removing Openreach’s copper charge controls where 90% of premises in an exchange area have access to fibre
Event debrief: INCA Better Fibre Live 2026
Industry came together to discuss the prospects for, and concerns surrounding, the UK’s altnet market, and the role of consolidation in shaping its future
UK: The impact of PIA on the leased lines market
New evidence from stakeholders has led Ofcom to identify stronger prospects for effective network competition than it had originally thought
