The UK fibre market has entered a new chapter. Over the last few years, operators have been focused on rolling out infrastructure at scale, with millions of premises passed. But while the networks are there, the real challenge now is turning those premises into connected customers.
Today, take-up rates in the UK hover around 10–30%. Compare that to Sweden, where fibre rollouts are rarely considered profitable enough until potential adoption surpasses 70%. The gap is not just numerical – it represents a difference in maturity and financial viability. In the UK, the relatively low conversion from “homes passed” to “homes connected” raises a red flag for investors. Until operators can demonstrate a credible path to closing this gap, capital will flow more cautiously. The pressure is on: how do you turn a fibre-ready household into an active subscriber – and how quickly can you do it?
Why documentation matters – even in sales and marketing
Sales teams are working hard to bring in new customers. Marketing campaigns are trying to create pull. But there’s another piece of the puzzle that often gets overlooked: documentation.
It may not be the most exciting part of telecom operations, but it can be the most decisive. With the right documentation, you can create a digital twin of your network that doesn’t just show where the fibre is – it reveals the true potential of the network, the cost of connecting the customers passed, and the time it will actually take from sign-up to activation.
Three perspectives for accelerating take-up
- Sales and marketing – With a well-built digital twin, your commercial teams don’t just sell; they can target more effectively, understand costs in detail, and show customers a clear, fast path to connection.
- Owners and investors – They need confidence. Does the network have the capacity for next-generation services? What is the realistic potential right now? Data-driven documentation provides the decision support to unlock funding and strategy.
- Operations and leadership – Without strong documentation, decisions are slower, costs harder to control, and opportunities left unrealised. Leadership needs to see documentation not as administration, but as the foundation for growth.
The consequence of not knowing your network
Ultimately, the cost of poor documentation is lost opportunity and revenue. Networks may stand ready, but if operators cannot prove capacity, speed of activation, and financial potential, adoption will stall, reducing the network’s perceived value.
So the question is: do you actually have the right system in place for this? Do you have a digital twin of your network that is not just “good enough,” but truly competent – one that supports your organisation effectively, in both smooth and challenging times? Without it, every step from customer interest to activation becomes a gamble. With it, you can accelerate take-up, cut delays, and unlock the full value of your assets.
The challenge is clear: to increase the speed and scale of take-up. The solution may not lie in more sales and marketing alone, but in how well you actually know, document, and present your network.
Meet the expert
Meet the expertRob Leenderts is a subject matter expert in Wholesale Broadband, Open Access, Backhaul Solutions, GIS/OSS/BSS systems and re-use of Public Sector Assets.
He is a founder member and Board Director of INCA – the Trade Association for those working to develop independent next generation broadband services in the UK.
