Big Money Moves Forward with Open Access

A new wave of private capital and joint ventures is beginning to transform the way open access networks are financed and developed. What was once largely a public-sector initiative is now attracting billions in private investment from firms like the Canadian Northleaf Capital Partners and BlackRock, the world's largest asset manager, betting heavily on shared network models. Open access networks allow multiple Internet Service Providers to utilize the same broadband infrastructure, which can foster competition and reduce costs. SiFi Networks, Tillman FiberCo, and Gigapower – a joint venture of AT&T and BlackRock – are among the key players leading this shift. For example, SiFi secured $2 billion for its FiberCity initiative, while Tillman raised $500 million to expand its fiber deployments.