In Brabant, more and more fiber optic cables are being buried in the ground, which is causing annoyance. For residents where the street sometimes has to be opened several times, and for municipalities that are unable to make agreements with the cable farmers. The result: several identical cables next to each other. In Breda they want more powers from The Hague: “The free market goes for profit instead of cooperation.”
Superfast internet via fiber optic requires two parties: the company that lays down the cable and the one that handles the subscription. This does not have to be the same party, cables can be ‘rented’ to several providers. But most companies insist on their own cable, which means that in some places in the province several fiber optic cables are buried next to each other in the ground. With all the inconveniences that entails, because then the street must always be open.
Double cables
The problem will get worse in the near future. More than 20 different companies are now active in Brabant, and work is planned throughout the province for the coming months. Even in places where there is already a cable.
Nine different providers are currently active in Den Bosch, and there are seven in Meierijstad. Waalwijk and Maashorst deal with six different parties. In Woensdrecht, the cables of three companies lie next to each other in several streets, and the street in Moerdijk will soon open for the third time.
Refuse is not allowed
Residents and municipalities can do nothing about it. Alderman Jeroen Bruijns van Breda (two providers active, two current requests) is happy with the fast internet that fiber brings, but is already seeing the storm: “So far we have been able to prevent the street from having to be opened several times, but if tomorrow reports a fiber optic company that also wants to lay a cable, we cannot refuse. The market goes for its own profit and not for cooperation”.
Bruijns would like it if he were given more powers from The Hague. To prevent double cables, but also because companies sometimes work carelessly, resulting in crooked pavement tiles. He has already stopped work because of nuisance. Bruijns: “People with a wheelchair could no longer get to their house, my mailbox exploded with complaints.” He believes that firmer agreements with companies are needed: “The free market needs a market master.”
Problem is everywhere
This feeling lives in several places in the province. In Heusden, the street had to be opened twice already, which led to so many questions that an explanation has been posted on the municipal site: ‘Many people ask why there will be another fiber optic provider and whether there will be more providers. The fiber optic market is an open market on which the municipality is not allowed to exert any influence.
Almost all municipalities that Omroep Brabant spoke to expressed their frustration about the unwillingness of companies to work together. “We tried, but it didn’t work” is a common response. “Providers often absolutely do not want to use each other’s network,” says the municipality of Moerdijk. The question is whether this will change soon. Alderman Bruijns: “Discussions are underway with other authorities, but for the time being I do not see this changing any time soon.”
Omroep Brabant is investigating (the installation of) fiber in our province. Do you want to comment or do you have a tip? Email our research editorial.
READ ALSO: Woonwagenkamp has been waiting six months for fiber optic due to inaccessibility of KPN