Not as much as you might think. Once you remove the necessity to build network on a national scale and to be subject to the demands of regulators and external shareholders, it is surprisingly easy, as has been demonstrated by the growth of ‘alternative network operators’ (altnets) in this country over the last five years.
In particular, community focused operators, both large and small, have been able to transform the delivery of full-fibre broadband in their communities, both rural and urban.
Herefordshire Community Networks are now delivering state-of-the-art, full-fibre services to businesses and homes across the area, today and reliably every day for the last four years. And the costs now are being partly covered by government grants of up to £3,500 per business and £1500 per residential property.