KPN will have 100% of the shares in GiessenlandenNet B.V. taken over. The fiber optic network comprises approximately 6,500 addresses in the municipality of Molenlanden (ZH) and more specifically in the former municipality of Giessenlanden.
It concerns the rural area and the centers of Giessenburg, Giessen-Oudekerk, Schelluinen, Hoogblokland, Hoornaar, Noordeloos and Arkel. The network is and remains an open network, accessible to various telecom providers.
Kid Schuijt, chairman of the GiessenlandenNet Foundation, added, “The unique feature of this fiber optic network is that it has also been installed in rural areas. Thanks to the principle of solidarity, in which we appealed to all residents to participate – even if at that time they still had good internet via the copper cable – the foundation was able to realize the fiber-optic network throughout the municipality in collaboration with investors. With the takeover by KPN, a good family man has been found for the network, so that continuity and quality can be guaranteed ”.
Bram Visser, Alderman for the Municipality of Molenlanden, explained, “The Municipality of Molenlanden is deeply indebted to the initiators for their unremitting efforts in establishing the fiber optic network. We are proud and satisfied that KPN will continue their work ”.
Joost Steltenpool, responsible for the fixed network at KPN, said, “KPN has been active on this network for many years through its subsidiary Solcon. It is a logical moment for both parties to bring the cooperation between KPN and the GiessenlandenNet Foundation to the next phase. We are therefore pleased to be able to merge this unique network with the KPN network. KPN’s network is an open network, which also applies to GiessenlandenNet. Customers can therefore continue to use the trusted operators in the future ”.
KPN has the ambition to add 1 million fiber optic connections to the network until the end of 2021. KPN does this by installing large-scale fiber optic networks itself and where possible cooperating with parties who also want to install.
Fiber optics provide the best quality network. It is the most stable technology because it uses light signals instead of power signals. As a result, the signal hardly loses any speed along the way. Fiber also uses energy more efficiently.
Data growth will continue to increase enormously in the coming years, not only due to the increasingly intensive use of the internet and the increasing number of devices, but also due to gaming, virtual reality and artificial intelligence. These developments are made possible with fiber optics.