Right now, it’s a familiar sight in many towns and neighborhoods: groups of workers rushing to install fiber-optic cables everywhere as quickly as possible. In many places, the streets are dug up, often to the annoyance of local residents. And because of the rush that seems to accompany the work, things often go wrong during the digging and installation of the cables. Think, for example, of damaged water pipes and damage to streets and sidewalks. The reason? Fierce competition among various providers in the installation of fiber-optic cables!
Competition among fiber-optic providers
There is clearly a competitive battle underway among various fiber-optic providers. In some areas, the road is dug up on a weekly basis. Some providers don’t even care if another provider’s fiber-optic cables are already in place—they simply lay theirs right next to them. We can imagine you’re now wondering: but is that even allowed? Yes, according to European legislation, anyone who wants to can install fiber optic cables, even if cables from another provider are already in place. It’s not just the well-known, larger companies that are competing with each other, such as KPN and Ziggo. New companies have also entered the market that focus exclusively on fiber optics, such as Glaspoort. This is increasing competition in the fiber optic installation sector.
Minimize disruption as much as possible
The new company Glaspoort focuses solely on laying fiber-optic cables and aims to provide fiber-optic coverage throughout the Netherlands. They have currently reached 35% coverage and hope to achieve their goal by 2028, according to a company spokesperson. The company partners with 22 different fiber-optic service providers. Since they do not offer subscriptions themselves, Glaspoort is less affected by competition in the fiber-optic market. This is entirely positive for them, as it allows them to install more cables. The spokesperson also notes that they are doing their best to minimize disruption by keeping sidewalks open for as short a time as possible while burying the fiber-optic cables. Nevertheless, many people say they are bothered by the fact that sidewalks are constantly dug up for fiber-optic installation.
What exactly is the difference between providers?
Is there actually a big difference between the fiber-optic connections offered by different providers? We often see consumers asking this question, which makes perfect sense. There is little difference in the cables laid underground. What does differ in some cases is the technology a provider uses for its fiber-optic network. In any case, it’s a good thing that there’s going to be more competition in the fiber-optic market among the major players, since prices are unnecessarily high right now. KPN and Ziggo kept raising their prices due to the lack of competition in the fiber-optic market, but hopefully that will soon be a thing of the past. The major providers are losing more and more subscribers to newcomers in the fiber-optic market. This is often because competitors offer a better price for the same product.
Which fiber-optic provider offers the best value?
Thanks to competition in the fiber-optic market, average subscription prices are falling. However, prices are naturally dropping more for some providers than for others. In addition, prices often vary by neighborhood or region. If you’re looking to sign up for a new fiber-optic subscription, we definitely recommend carefully comparing various providers. Also, consider what your household really needs and what’s unnecessary. With fiber-optic internet, you can enjoy incredibly fast speeds, but if you don’t need it, you’re essentially paying too much. And that’s obviously a waste!