Altnets Are Hitting Our Streets, but Are They Here to Stay?

The arrival of new broadband providers in your area may not always be welcomed with enthusiasm, especially when it involves loud drilling and construction work. But when that work promises to bring better internet connectivity to your doorstep, it's a different story. For many of us living in underserved areas, the chance to upgrade to full-fibre broadband is an exciting development.

Traditionally, this has been the case due to reliance on copper that is very old and goes at a very slow rate. The emergence of new alternative networks (altnets) has ensured greater speeds and reliability for dwellers in these neighborhoods, but are they just flukes or here to redefine the broadband market for its good? 

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The Push for Market Share by Altnet

Alternative broadband networks, or altnets in the telecom industry, are turning upside down the broadband world of BT Openreach and Virgin Media. Altnets are small operators causing super-fast growth, expected to reach millions of homes around the UK in the years ahead.

As altnets will continue to roll out the fibre networks, they keep investing in the competitive 'Gigabit' broadband market. With an investment of around £30 billion by 2025, the sector is expected to expand further. However, like all newcomers, there are challenges in carving a sustainable place in the market.

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Challenges for Altnets

Altnet providers enter a challenging market with various barriers, such as established incumbents, price pressure, and access to infrastructure and land. The biggest challenge may be brand building and delivering high customer satisfaction. Altnets may benefit from customers who are dissatisfied with larger providers, but acquiring new customers is still challenging, especially as competition increases.

Other challenges are managing service installations, offering customer support, and addressing technical issues, such as equipment setup and service reliability. These operational complexities affect the customer experience and make it difficult for altnets to establish themselves against larger players. Alternative networks growth is also something to consider while studying challenges.

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Three Strategies to Overcome Customer Experience Challenges

Altnets must focus on three strategies to enhance customer experience and differentiate themselves from the competition in a competitive market.

1. Quality of Service and Experience (QoS & QoE)

With more consumers relying on broadband for work, entertainment, and smart-home devices, the quality and reliability of service are crucial. Altnets must ensure that their networks consistently perform well, addressing issues like slow speeds or service interruptions before they affect customers. By using data analytics and AI, altnets can monitor and improve service quality, minimizing complaints and enhancing customer satisfaction.

2. Customer Journey/Experience Design

The long-term loyalty of the customer is created by having a seamless and intuitive customer journey. Altnets must ensure that the process of sign-up to the installation of services and all subsequent support should be easy and integrated. Improving the onboarding process for customers and ensuring efficient support through various channels can create a smooth experience that keeps customers engaged and satisfied.

3. orchestrating Customer Support

However, not all customers prefer to deal with digital support channels, and some still require assistance from a live agent, especially when dealing with issues that are complex in nature. Altnets, therefore, have to make a balance between the choice of digital and voice options, so that their customers can easily access help with minimal wait times or frustrations over handovers. It keeps the customer satisfaction high and ensures operational costs are kept within control.

Conclusion: Future of Opportunity - Using Altnets for Tackling CX Challenges

The rise of altnets will inject much-needed competition in the broadband market. Together with government support and ever-growing consumer demand for a better connection, new players have a strong chance at success. However, things will only get more complicated as bigger players up the ante.

To thrive in this fast-evolving market, altnet providers must focus on customer experience through reliable service, an easy customer journey, and flexible support options. As such, altnets can not only stay at the forefront of the changing broadband industry but lead by example.

If you’re looking for a reliable broadband provider that focuses on outstanding customer service and cutting-edge technology, consider exploring the innovative offerings from altnet providers. Start your search for better connectivity today – your future online experience awaits!

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