Fibre broadband why is only Airband available in my area

LittleWing294

I live in rural Devon, I've got fibre broadband through Airband, and it'll come up to the end of the contract fairly soon. I wanted to see what options are available, I can only find deals through my existing provider.
As far as I understand it, Airband installed the fibre in the area so I had to have my initial contract with them. I thought that when I came to renew I'd be able to see what other providers were offering, but Airband seems to be the only option available.
Why is this?

TadleyBaggie

Because they are the only one to have installed any infrastructure perhaps...

QrizB

If Airband installed the fibre, they are probably the only service available on it.

If you want to switch you'll be back to OpenReach and whatever FTTC or ADSL services are on offer.

My street has the same problem; there's a fibre alt net, but while they offer very attractive deals for new customers I'm sure they'll want full price at the end of it. So I'm sticking with FTTC until OpenReach get around to us.

iniltous

Even if Airband installed their network with public subsidy (like with BDUK funds ) they can still  in effect become monopoly providers…the  ‘officially’ policy to get public funds is to have to offer wholesale access to others communication providers to qualify for the public subsidy often no one takes up the wholesale offer because it’s not regulated like Openreach prices to ISP , leaving you with a choice of one …..
I don’t know if they did use public funds or not and if this network was built entirely with their own financing , but it matters little, if there is no alternative on that network, there is nothing you can do about it , and if it’s the only viable network ( ADSL/VDSL is too slow and satellite too expensive for example ) you are practically stuck with them