Zzoomm is currently in discussions about a potential merger with Freedom Fibre, in a deal that would create a new company worth around £500m.
Fledgling altnet Freedom Fibre is accelerating its growth forecast following a second major equity investment and is confident that it will connect 50k homes by mid-2022.
Freedom Fibre has also signed a wholesale agreement with TalkTalk to take its fibre optic connections and is seeking to add other ISPs. Notably, Freedom Fibre was founded back in March by Neil McArthur, who founded Opal Telecom, which led to the creation of TalkTalk Telecom.
The altnet's initial project to connect 5,000 homes in Culcheth is nearing completion and Freedom Fibre is now eyeing 12,000 in the area before the end of the year.
McArthur said: "Freedom Fibre believes full fibre should be a right, accessible to all, and not a privilege. We intend to utilise the Government Gigabit Voucher Scheme for the hardest to reach rural areas where broadband is more costly to build."