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PRESS RELEASE
Repurposing utility infrastructure can save UK Altnets millions in dig costs, claims asset reuse specialist
27 February 2025 – An estimated 40,000 kilometres of abandoned utility infrastructure – including gas and water pipes – could be used to drastically reduce disruption to streets, railway lines and public spaces when new high speed fibre optic cables need to be laid.
Openreach Physical Infrastructure Access (PIA) already provides network builders with a cost-saving alternative to digging. But when PIA ducts or poles are not available, reusing existing abandoned infrastructure could save the UK’s broadband network builders hundreds of millions, if not billions, in construction costs, according to new analysis by AssetHUB.
By reusing unused utility infrastructure and ducts across the UK, network builders can speed up deployments of fibre, limit disruption and fibre overbuild, and reduce carbon emissions.
“While the installation of fibre is crucial for improved connectivity for communities, the process of digging up roads leads to significant public inconvenience. It often causes issues such as traffic delays, noise pollution and disruptions to daily life,” AssetHUB CEO Rob Leenderts said. “Digging up the roads and footpaths is costly, and it can be even more expensive when deployments need to be rerouted around tough obstacles.”
“Utility infrastructure can overcome obstructions, and as these pipes and passages can cross roads, rivers and railways, and even in some cases provide routes to residents’ homes, they are uniquely positioned to be reused by network builders when rolling out fibre,” continued Leenderts.
AssetHUB is urging all network builders to make sure they are aware of existing infrastructure in the area of their fibre deployments to help enhance operations.
“In a market with so many different Altnets, being able to map and see the infrastructure that can support connectivity rollouts, as well as make enquiries about the asset usage and costs on one platform offers a more sustainable and cost-effective approach,” said Leenderts.
AssetHUB’s asset marketplace for purchasing and selling infrastructure and services helps network builders map their fibre networks for visibility. It also ensures approved ISPs and other network builders are aware and able to gain access to the network securely, offering those that have not received funding an alternative to building more fibre.
To find out more about AssetHUB, please visit: https://www.asset-hub.co.uk/.
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About AssetHUB
AssetHUB is a secure, centralised marketplace for the purchasing and selling of telecommunications assets, connectivity and services in the UK.
Drawing on a decade of operation and development in Sweden – one of the most fibre-connected countries in the world – AssetHUB is part of the Hubbub Group, a leading player in the wholesale of open access assets for the UK telecoms industry.
AssetHUB allows the UK industry to leverage existing infrastructure to speed up network deployments, reduce overbuild, obtain resilient connections and ensure compliance to key national regulations. The platform manages the full, end-to-end business workflow for buying and selling assets instantly via API, or manually through a secure web-portal, with all contract communications stored in a single place.
Assets includes duct, dark fibre, wavelengths, ethernet, street furniture, masts, towers, poles, buildings, cabinets, colocation space and land. Asset visibility is only shared with trusted and approved organisations. For more information, visit https://www.asset-hub.co.uk/. For the latest updates, follow the AssetHUB on LinkedIn.