The emergence of a national wholesale operator – the case of CityFibre in the UK

Purpose This paper aims to shed light on the development of CityFibre, which operates a large fibre-based telecommunications network in the UK on a wholesale basis. Design/methodology/approach This paper adopts a detailed longitudinal case study covering the period 2011–2025 (inclusive). It draws on multiple secondary sources (e.g. annual reports, trade publications) to develop a timeline of CityFibre’s development, identifying key milestones since its foundation. Findings The paper highlights the challenges associated with rolling out a large-scale telecommunications network in a competitive market. To roll out its network across the UK, CityFibre has invested considerable amounts that have been funded by a combination of debt, shareholder investment and innovative partnerships with key internet service providers (ISPs). CityFibre has adopted a wholesale model, thereby avoiding direct competition with incumbents. Revenues have lagged behind its growth, highlighting the need for external sources of funding to roll out its network in the absence and then low levels of revenue. Originality/value This paper details the growth of CityFibre, highlighting the role of funding and regulation in shaping its development. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first paper to focus solely on CityFibre and explore its growth in detail.