PPC’s subsidiary FiberGrid has approached the telecommunications providers – OTE, Vodafone, Nova and Inalan – in order to test the optical fiber network it is constructing.
This is an expected move as it prepares to commercially launch its entry into telecoms, towards the end of 2024.
The pilot test of PPC’s telecommunications network does not concern the final consumer, but is primarily a technical procedure for the above-mentioned providers who will buy wholesale from PPC.
Two modes of disposal
In particular, providers will buy wholesale the new network of PPC FiberGrid. More specifically, they will buy the wholesale bitstream service with speeds that can reach up to 10 Gbps or the dark fiber service, with which each provider can offer its end customer whatever services they wish.
According to sources, providers have not made their final decisions on whether to accept PPC’s proposal, however, it is likely that all, or at least most of them, will enter the process of the proposed test, regardless of what they do next.
PPC’s FTTH (optical fiber network) deployment, based on the most recently announced data, has reached 185,000 homes and businesses in 12 municipalities in Attica and the target is 500,000 by the end of 2024 and 1.7 million in 2025.
FiberGrid recently commissioned 12 contractors to build the FTTH network in additional areas in Attica and in Thessaloniki, Patras, Heraklion, Volos, Kalamata, Larissa, Ioannina, Corinth, Trikala, Kozani, Veria, and Megalopolis.
Overall, PPC Group’s goal is to provide fiber optic coverage to 3 million households and businesses throughout the country within the next five years, and for this purpose it has announced related investments of 680 million euros for the period 2024-2026.
Fibergrid was incorporated in December 2022 with commercial activity in the field of electronic communications.
PPC proceeded with a sector spin-off, transferring all the assets and liabilities related to telecommunications to its telecommunications subsidiary in an effort to separate its business activities and create an autonomous business unit, which will deal exclusively with the provision of telecommunication services.
However, according to market executives, PPC will not stop at providing wholesale telecommunications services. As they noted, it will either take the step to enter retail sector, or cooperate (or even acquire) with one of the providers.
PPC has also recently announced its entry into Data Centers and artificial intelligence infrastructure, while participating in the investment of the creation of the East Med Corridor, an undersea cable connecting Europe with Asia.
