The UK has hundreds of altnets that are building out smaller networks to challenge the dominance of BT’s Openreach and Virgin Media O2. Altnets — which collectively serve 16.4mn homes according to the Independent Networks Cooperative Association — have received more than £17.4bn of investment since 2020.
But they have since been squeezed by a rise in interest rates and a dramatic increase in costs. Altnets collectively lost more than £1.3bn in 2023, according to Enders Analysis.