So, it wasn’t a surprise to see scores of Channel Live attendees descend into Theatre 2 at Birmingham’s NEC to enjoy a topical discussion on ‘The FTTP Opportunity’.
Our very own Operations Director and Co-founder, Terry Daniell, led the debate and was joined by Oliver Helm, CEO of Full Fibre, James Montague, Digital Wholesale Solutions’ Head of Connectivity Portfolio, and Martin Pedler, Carrier and National Sales Manager (Wholesale) at CityFibre.
Taking a seat in the audience was also Trenches Law’s Client Services Manager, Sarah Dale, who has provided this rundown following an insightful session last month…
Coming off the back of an unpredictable two years which has seen hundreds of thousands of businesses completely transform their operations – and adopt new technologies to thrive beyond the Covid-19 pandemic – these organisational shifts have further reinforced the need for channel partners to capitalise on full fibre benefits.
And with the 2025 Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) switch-off around the corner, there has never been a better time to future-proof companies and ensure homes and offices stay connected.
The ‘FTTP Opportunity’ conversation quickly moved to the hot topic of hybrid working – an evolution of the ‘traditional’ business model which has completely changed the way in which many companies operate – forever – in many cases.
James spoke about how FTTP enabled for a greater level of stability – even when teams were both remote and office-based – ensuring that working hours weren’t severely impacted because of bad copper connections. Martin agreed, adding that equipping teams with the right tools offered a better chance to collaborate effectively and inspire innovation.
It’s more than being about faster broadband speeds
With several broadband providers pushing the ‘need for speed’ and desirable full fibre packages, the panel also discussed other ways in which they could provide better user experiences for all – from faster installs to offering a better choice of products that solved issues for customers.
Oliver went on to explain how fibre helped organisations to listen to channel needs and how having a greater level of visibility offered a more joined-up approach overall.
The interactive session involved many questions from the audience, one of which asked about what more could be done from both the Government and Ofcom to better support wayleave laws and legislation.
And with Trenches Law being a wayleave specialist, Terry was perfectly placed to answer this. Speaking about how he felt it was good that the Government had made progress in terms of tackling the physical barriers to connectivity – as evidenced by amendments to the Electronic Communications Code through the Telecommunications (Security) Act – there was still more to do.
He commented on how absent landlords were a huge cause for a wayleave application stall, but in fact an important issue centred on the standardisation of fees and harmonising the approach across the industry. Fees can range from a few hundred to many thousands of pounds and can include legal reviews, as well as surveyor’s fees, consideration and administration changes. Having a standardised approach would help the industry tremendously.
Before the session ended, the panel covered the importance of tackling the digital divide and why we shouldn’t solely be focused on hard-to-reach rural areas – because, although still vital, built-up cities must also not be forgotten or overlooked. Terry gave the example of Westminster being one of the worst sign-ups for connectivity because of an extremely high percentage of people living in multi-dwelling units (MDUs).
Overall, this was a fantastic discussion that we know only scratches the surface. We’re looking forward to joining in with more of these type of debates as we know that collaboration is key throughout the telecoms industry. Thank you to all at Channel Live for inviting Terry to host such an important topic!
To watch the full session at Channel Live online, click here.
Make sure you keep up to date with FTTP developments and more over on our Twitter and LinkedIn pages. And, if you need legal, wayleave or compliance advice, talk to us today by calling: 01256 856 888 or emailing: enquiries@trencheslaw.co.uk
