Is dark fibre right for your business?

Dark fibre presents itself as an attractive choice for operators with the know-how and resources to manage and own their infrastructure. It offers virtually unlimited capacity expansion and scalability.

The main draw of dark fibre is that it acts like a blank canvas. It's unlit, unmanaged optical fibre that you can light depending on the demands of your network. If the needs of your network change you can redesign your architecture and swap out equipment as you see fit.

If you’re an operator looking to expand your network it represents an investment in the future, allowing you to scale your network to meet the demands of new technology and new business needs. But there are questions you need to consider too.

Do you have the right technical transmission expertise? Are the right resources and service support structures in place? And do you have an appetite to take on fibre tax regulations and implications?

Let’s look at some of the common things to bear in mind when thinking about dark fibre.

With a dense network presence in key locations across the UK, our infrastructure is often close to business sites. This results in lower last-mile costs, often the most expensive portion of network deployment.

It means as bandwidth requirements grow and high-capacity links are required in access networks or at the edge of the network, we already have fibre available for wholesalers to take advantage of.

But it’s not just about controlling your network, it's also about preparing your business for the future. As technology continues to advance, dark fibre helps your network keep up. With dark fibre, you gain the freedom to increase bandwidth as needed, securing your network for the future. In an era of constant innovation and emerging technologies like AI, the metaverse, or driverless cars, dark fibre paves the way for the seamless transition of vast amounts of data.

While having local density is crucial, national availability is equally essential.

Because we own the second largest fibre network in the country, spanning over 190,000 km, it makes us a reliable choice for reliable connectivity across pre-connected strategic sites from Newport to Slough, London, Manchester, Newcastle and beyond.

This national coverage across landing stations, exchanges and data centres means you can avoid using multiple suppliers to carry your traffic across the UK.

See our full network map.

Opting for dark fibre lets you decouple bandwidth from cost. Unlike managed services with a fixed bandwidth, dark fibre allows you to scale your network as your needs grow without increasing your ongoing connectivity fees.

We understand that no two businesses are the same. That’s why dark fibre is available through multiple financial models, giving you the flexibility to choose a payment plan that aligns with your budget and business strategy.

Depending on your financial and cashflow preferences we offer the choice to take dark fibre on a sales type lease, meaning you own it as an asset for its economic life.

If a shorter rental makes more sense for your organisation, however, you can choose an operating lease. It's a versatile commercial product that adapts to your needs.

Dark fibre is future-proof. You'll never outgrow it. This no-opportunity-cost purchase ensures that your network infrastructure remains efficient and relevant for years to come. It's a smart investment that pays dividends over time.

As one of the UK's leading providers of dark fibre, with over 20 years’ experience in fibre networking and route design, our team has the knowledge and expertise to tackle projects of any scale.

We’ve worked with MNOs, broadcasters, carriers and hyperscalers to give them the routes they need on the commercial terms that suit their

business. To discover the full potential of dark fibre and explore how we can meet your backhaul requirements, come talk to us at Capacity Europe from 17th to 19th October.

You can schedule a meeting with us via your account manager or through Swapcard – we’ll be more than happy to discuss your specific needs and provide further insights.