Brief

CMA asks Nexfibre to address competition concerns over £2bn Netomnia deal

The CMA says the deal could substantially affect wholesale broadband competition and has set an Oct 16 deadline for remedial plans.

By Felo News Desk · Published Fri, 02 Oct 2026 11:36:23 GMT

Nexfibre must submit proposals to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) after the watchdog raised concerns that its £2 billion purchase of rival fibre broadband firm Netomnia could substantially affect competition in the UK wholesale fixed‑broadband market.

What happened

The CMA said it had provisionally found the tie‑up could "substantially" impact competition in the wholesale supply of fixed broadband services. It launched a full‑scale investigation earlier this year following Nexfibre’s February announcement to buy Netomnia’s owner, Substantial, which also runs the Brsk fibre network and retail brands YouFibre and Brsk ISP.

What the reports add

Both the Independent and the Evening Standard reported that the CMA is asking Nexfibre and Substantial to put forward plans to address the competition concerns by 16 October, after which the regulator will consult publicly before reaching a final decision. The Independent noted that Nexfibre’s owners said the CMA’s interim report "does not reflect the commercial and competitive reality of Britain’s fibre market".

What was said

In a joint statement, the shareholders of Nexfibre – Liberty Global, Telefonica (co‑owners of Virgin Media O2) and InfraVia Capital Partners – said the CMA’s interim report "does not reflect the commercial and competitive reality of Britain’s fibre market". The statement was quoted by both outlets.

How it came about

Nexfibre, a joint venture backed by Liberty Global, Telefonica and InfraVia Capital Partners, announced in February that it would acquire Substantial, the owner of Netomnia, the UK’s second‑largest “altnet” fibre network. Nexfibre said the acquisition would expand its network reach to about eight million premises by the end of 2027, positioning it to challenge BT’s Openreach network. The CMA’s investigation follows that announcement, reflecting its mandate to safeguard competition in the broadband sector.

Key facts

The CMA provisionally found the Nexfibre‑Netomnia tie‑up could substantially impact competition in the wholesale fixed‑broadband market. (independent.co.uk)
Nexfibre is a joint venture backed by Liberty Global, Telefonica and InfraVia Capital Partners. (independent.co.uk)
The CMA has asked Nexfibre and Substantial to submit remedial plans by 16 October. (independent.co.uk)