Dutch telco KPN plans to connect 320,000 households in Amsterdam with fibre to the home (FTTH), starting early next year.
KPN plans to connect 3 million homes by the end of 2021, including the 2 million already connected. The operator says it is in talks with two-thirds of all municipalities in the Netherlands about the installation of fibre, and is currently rolling it out in more than 65 areas.
KPN will begin construction in its capital city with the neighbourhoods of Amsterdam-Buitenveldert and Amsterdam-North. Other areas will follow gradually.
The first households will be connected to the fibre optic network by the middle of next year, KPN said. The company will determine the best installation route for the multi-year project.
KPN already supplies fibre to 90,000 households in Amsterdam’s Oosterparkbuurt, IJburg, Indische Buurt, De Aker, Nieuw Sloten and Osdorp.
“Participation starts with access”
Touria Meliani, Digital City Councillor for Amsterdam, said, “For me, it is important that Amsterdam’s residents have affordable access to the best and most secure internet that there is.
Participation starts with access, and the installation of fibre optics contributes to this. It was the council’s wish to start construction in Amsterdam North, so that the area can develop further as a digital frontrunner for businesses, consumers and residents.”
Willem Offerhaus, director of Executive Relations & Strategic projects, KPN, added, “We are also proud to be able to roll-out fibre optic in our capital and thus fulfil our main social responsibility: connecting households with the most modern network there is.
What’s more, we’re talking about a substantial investment because the installation of fibre optics in a city such as Amsterdam is complex.”