The Independent Networks Cooperative Association (INCA) has launched an industry initiative to create a unified set of wholesale standards for interactions between internet service providers (ISPs) and alternative network providers (altnets).
This effort arrives at a pivotal moment for the UK telecoms sector as the industry prepares for the copper switch-off and navigates ongoing consolidation among altnets. The project has been under development for some time and has recently accelerated, now involving more than 30 participating organisations. Participants include altnets operating wholesale networks, both alternative and incumbent ISPs, and suppliers of OSS/BSS software.
The initiative is organised into three primary workstreams:
- Regulatory: This workstream ensures the project aligns with Ofcom’s Telecoms Access Review (TAR) consultation and other regulatory developments. Its goal is to make sure the standards support a competitive, transparent market and comply with current regulatory expectations.
- Commercial: To promote broad adoption, this stream has produced a standardised framework contract intended as an “off-the-shelf” commercial agreement. The contract addresses key commercial terms and is designed to reduce the time and complexity of negotiating multiple bilateral deals.
- Technical: This stream defines consistent message flows, data models, and APIs so that different BSS suppliers can support seamless interconnection between ISPs and altnets. Consistent technical standards will simplify integration, streamline operations, and make it easier for providers to work together.
The wholesale standards complement INCA’s parallel work on infrastructure sharing, which aims to create a consistent framework for passive infrastructure access and to reduce the need for redundant ducts and poles.
Industry leaders have welcomed the initiative, noting its potential to improve competition and deliver better outcomes for consumers.
Guy Miller, CEO of MS3, said: “The UK has moved beyond relying on one or two underlying network suppliers and is now benefiting from competition and innovation. It is essential that these alternative networks are standardised so retail ISPs can access them easily, bringing improved quality and value to homes and businesses across the country. MS3 is proud to be part of this initiative.”
Wail Sabbagh, Managing Director of Strategic Imperatives, added: “This is a welcome industry initiative that will expand opportunities for full-fibre providers to attract retail ISPs by simplifying and standardising wholesale access. By enabling altnets and ISPs to scale more efficiently, we’re creating a more agile and competitive wholesale market that benefits everyone involved. Strategic Imperatives is proud to contribute to shaping this new industry standard, driving innovation and wider accessibility across the sector.”
(Photo by Charles Deluvio)
See also: Ofcom report analyses UK mobile connectivity
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