Wanadoo to build Dutch broadband network

Incumbent too costly

By Tim Richardson • Get more from this author

Posted in Telecoms, 7th September 2004 15:49 GMT

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Pan-European ISP Wanadoo is to build its own broadband network in The Netherlands after claiming that the cost of using the incumbent telco's (KPN's) network was just too expensive.

Commenting on a report in Dutch financial newspaper, Financieele Dagblad yesterday, a spokeswoman for Wanadoo confirmed that the ISP intends to begin rolling out the network early next year.

"We're definitely going to do it," she said, although she declined to say how much the roll-out would cost. At first, Wanadoo plans to target densely populated areas around Amsterdam and The Hague.

Wanadoo - part of France Telecom - has 613,000 internet access customers in The Netherlands, two thirds of which are broadband users.

In the UK, Wanadoo (formerly Freeserve) has already signalled its intention to sever the ISP's reliance on BT for broadband by investing in local loop unbundling (LLU).

In July, the ISP unveiled its "Livebox" which gives users wireless broadband access. However, it's planning to use this box of tricks as a entertainment hub for the home including internet phone calls (VoIP) and video-on-demand.

Wanadoo UK is not expected to begin investing in LLU until next year. ®