KPN and pensions manager APG have set up their joint venture for deploying FTTH networks. After getting a green light from Dutch competition regulator ACM, the new joint venture, called Glaspoort and based in Amsterdam, started rolling out fibre networks in villages, town centres and business parks on 9 June.
KPN said that the venture's scope has been expanded by about 75,000 households. As a result, Glaspoort plans to connect 750,000 households and 225,000 companies to fibre, investing over EUR 1 billion over the coming five years. The companies expect to be able to lay more than 70,000 fibre connections this year. The joint venture’s network will be open to all service providers, a requirement supported by the ACM.
Over the next few years, Glaspoort plans to install 1 million fibre connections in areas that would otherwise only be connected later. Combined with KPN's own rollout of around half a million households per year, this will result in 80 percent fibre coverage of the Netherlands by 2026.
Jan Willem Scheerder will lead the new entity as CEO, with Ferry Niers as CFO. Scheerder has held various executive roles at KPN Wholesale Services and International Carrier Business, and has led several start-ups. Ferry has over 14 years of experience in the telecom and media sector and has held corporate finance and M&A positions at KPN and before that at KPMG.
