What to consider when choosing a Wholesale Ethernet Provider
Peter Oosthuizen, Head of Partner Service
8 October 2021

The industry average lead time for Fibre Ethernet is currently in excess of 6 months, although this can vary from 2 weeks to 2 years depending on whether your building has fibre installed or not. Without adequate connectivity you or your clients’ day to day operations could be seriously jeopardised.

The key to a successful Fibre Ethernet installation is early engagement.

Which Providers do Spitfire use?

  • BT Wholesale*
  • TalkTalk Business*
  • Virgin Media Business
  • COLT
  • Independent Fibre Networks Ltd (IFNL)

*Use Openreach infrastructure to deliver Fibre Ethernet

Is there Existing Presence?

As Spitfire use multiple wholesale providers the first step is to find out whether the premises already has a Fibre Ethernet connection installed by one of them. This can be done by:

  • Asking the Landlord
  • Asking other tenants
  • Looking in the comms room

External work could be required to get Fibre into the building; this could be as drastic as the Wholesale Provider requiring Council authorisation to shut roads or local retailers to close up shop. This takes the timeframe out of the Wholesaler’s remit completely.

Wayleave Required?

Wayleave agreements can cause unnecessary delays to the installation of a new Fibre circuit. A wayleave agreement is usually between the Landlord/grantor and the Wholesale Provider installing the infrastructure and it is the responsibility of the tenant to speak with the landlord and understand what wayleave process is required:

  • The quicker a wayleave is agreed by all parties, the faster the fibre circuit will be installed.
  • It is important to understand what procedure is in place for allowing engineers to gain access to the building.
  • The engineer may need to access multiple rooms in a building. The landlord should advise how best this can be managed.

Asbestos Register

Like most corporations who undertake work on buildings our Wholesalers require an up to date asbestos register should the building be built prior to 2000. Please ensure your clients have discussed this with their Landlord and that a copy is available onsite for a surveyor/engineer to view.

Top Tip: Include wayleave agreement within lease agreement during office moves.