FROM THE INDUSTRY
Installing fibre isn’t a minor upgrade—it’s an entirely new network. Freeholders deserve to approve plans, understand the impact, and keep leaseholders informed. Where their concerns are valid, 4Fibre offers a safe, smart alternative. It seems there’s a clash between increased building safety regulations and the call for automatic upgrade rights in MDUs? Definitely. Some providers want the right to upgrade without permission, while freeholders are being told to follow safety regulations that are a little unclear.
Much of the noise around automatic rights stems from underestimating how difficult it is to secure permissions for MDU deployments. Altnets have been working at this for years. The challenge is especially acute in high- density areas, where other ISPs have already been in and, frankly, done a poor job. Ironically, these poor installs can create a kind of accidental exclusivity— freeholders don’t want to be burnt twice. In many cases, ISPs have prioritised speed and cost, taking shortcuts that compromise quality—before you even get to the question of safety, durability, or suitability. So, if ISPs are handed automatic rights, what control does the freeholder have over their building? And when something goes wrong, who’s accountable? This is where the idea of automatic access rights crashes into building safety regulation particularly on high-risk buildings. Multiple wayleaves lead to overbuild— numerous new cables on top of multiple (and messy) old cables. Think spaghetti and Swiss cheese!
So, what’s the solution?
With the copper switch-off looming, fibre rollout is urgent. BDUK, DSIT or the government needs to clarify how building safety regulations apply to fibre. The regulations do allow for exemptions where ‘competent person’ schemes or relevant accreditations apply. SCCI holds accreditations with NICEIC (electrical), FIRAS (fire stopping), and BM Trada (fire) which, being competent person schemes, we believe qualify for exemption. That’s why we advise freeholders that, in our case, formal building safety approval may not be required. Although it is true that ISPs without those accreditations can’t claim the same exemption.
So, this needs clearer guidance—it’s a big issue!
What is the typical cost for a freeholder to implement 4Fibre? Typically, nothing. 4Fibre funds the network installation and ISPs buy a line to serve the building. The cost to the ISP is broadly in line with what they’d spend deploying their own network. Each ISP then owns their line. 4Fibre isn’t leased, it’s purchased. That said, we offer lease-purchase options to support ISPs, and we’re working with BDUK’s urban voucher scheme to expand further.
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SEPTEMBER 2025 Volume 47 No.3
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