Open access to the network explains: New ways to get the internet

Colorful painted symbols adorn the streets a few blocks from my home in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Bright arrows and check marks hidden water and gas lines. Large trucks with boring machines and huge orange pipes parked along the sidewalk. They install fiber here for the open access network GigaPower.

When Gigapower arrives at my home, it will not be my internet service provider. GigaPower represents different fiber models. This is what home internet customers need to know about open access to the network.

What is an open access network and how does it work?

There is a good chance that your home is covered by one or more internet providers, each with its own infrastructure – whether it's cable, fiber, DSL or 5G, like my T-Mobile Home Internet. The Open-Access network pours this concept over its head.

A company installed an open fiber network and then sold access to the ISP. This means you can have multiple providers to offer plans for your home. They use the same infrastructure, but the prices, services and bundles may vary.

Don't be surprised if you've never heard of open networks before. “Open access is not mainstream,” said Gary Bolton, president and CEO of the Fiber Broadband Association. “In the United States, this is a fringe case.”

Bolton said the concept is more common in countries where regulations and government participation mean open access is widespread.

As Gigapower’s ambitious plan to expand fiber to previously overlooked communities, you’ll learn more about open networks. “From an operator's perspective, it's easy because others bear the cost of building a network,” Bolton said.

Types of open access networks: Community and Business

In the United States, you will find two types of open access networks. The municipal network is owned by the city. Private companies own commercial networks. They both work in a similar way, usually with multiple ISPs competing customers.

Utah Telecom Open Infrastructure Agency (UTOPIA Fiber) is a community-owned fiber network covering homes in 21 Utah cities, including the City of Northern, Orem, Payson and Woodland Hills.

The Utopian community is not satisfied with the existing home internet options. They want fast fiber. “If existing operators are unwilling to invest, the community takes it in their hands because they need it to do economic development,” Bolton said.

GigaPower is an example of a commercial open access network. The company is a joint venture between telecom giant AT&T and investment firm BlackRock. In Albuquerque, AT&T fiber was signed as anchor tenants, but this still provides other ISPs with space to potentially jump in and compete to provide customers with fiber-optic internet.

How open access networks affect internet costs

When ISPs share the same network, they want to stand out from the crowd. This can translate into a sophisticated dance of promotions, pricing and streaming or phone beam options. Gigapower is still young, so we haven't seen how it works in the long run, but we can look for clues to utopia.

With the help of the utopian model, consumers paid two fees. One is the monthly price paid to the ISP, and the other is the utopian fiber connection cost, which is usually $30 per month. Put the two together to make your total. For example, you can sign up for Xmission's 1GBPS plan for $54. Add to the utopian fee, your total of about $85 per month.

This is very typical for pricing on an open access network, Bolton said. “You start to see a lot of bundling in progress,” Bolton said. “Providers are often trying to find other valuable things that can be added to make the deal sweet.” If you shop in an ISP on an open network, check out the promotions , bundles, add-ons and providers' reputation for customer service.

Scan the price of the utopia provider and you won't see huge fluctuations on the planned level of 250Mbps, gigabit or 2.5Gbps. But there is a region with a large price variance. Not all ISPs offer a 10GBPS plan, but prices range from $110 to $200 per month. This may not affect many customers. Here's how to figure out how much internet speed you really need.

What's next for open access to the network

Utopia and Gigapower are two big names in the open network, but some exist. Colorado Springs Utilities, for example, is setting up the Ting Internet as its initial anchor tenant. Other communities across the country – including Ammon, Idaho and Ashland, Oregon, also have open networks.

On the business side, the prevalence is expanding, with a focus on Arizona, California, Nebraska and Texas. SIFI Network specializes in open fiber citywide and builds networks in California, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan and New York.

Cities that feel fast fiber broadband will continue to consider open access networks. Meanwhile, Gigapower's rapid expansion may put more commercial companies in trouble. “I think it's a great example, and I wouldn't be surprised if other people take advantage of it,” Bolton said.

Although gigabit speeds are common in fiber networks, most people can provide faster service to their families. For example, utopia uses some ISPs to reach 10Gbps. AT&T fibers usually offer up to 5Gbps. Open access networks across the country can be expanded to meet future internet needs. “This is at least the final network for next generations,” Bolton said.

A desire to have fiber. Albuquerque has always been a small town of cable and DSL. Gigapower isn't the only fiber player in the city. Ezee fibers, Vexus fibers and quantum fibers are all parts stacked through traditional networks, but GigaPower is stuck in heat.

I notice it when Gigapower appears on my street to install bright orange tubes to run fibers. After that, I may not think too much. I'll be dealing with AT&T fibers as my ISP and maybe one day I'll compare with competitors who use the same network.

Ultimately, as a customer, what matters most to me is not the way fiber gets here. If that means ISPs compete on price and bundle downlines, then everything will be better.

Open access network FAQ