If you're planning a full-fibre (FTTP) build, one of the biggest levers on cost and programme is whether you can reuse infrastructure that already exists in the ground and on the poles. That's exactly what Physical Infrastructure Access — PIA — allows.
What is PIA?
PIA is an Openreach product that lets other network builders run their own fibre through Openreach's existing ducts and along its telegraph poles. Instead of digging every metre of new trench, you survey the existing route, confirm there's capacity, and use it — paying Openreach a rental for the space you occupy.
For altnets and developers, that can mean the difference between a build that stacks up commercially and one that doesn't.
Where PIA helps most
- Cost. Reusing duct and pole routes avoids a large share of civils — the single most expensive part of most builds.
- Speed. Less excavation means fewer permits, less reinstatement and a faster route to homes passed.
- Disruption. Quieter streets and less reinstatement keep residents and local authorities on side.
The catch: it lives or dies on the admin
PIA is powerful, but it comes with process. Every route has to be surveyed for capacity and condition, blockages and defects have to be identified and cleared, and the whole thing has to be recorded and reconciled against Openreach's systems. Get the administration wrong and the savings evaporate in delays and rework.
This is where an experienced partner earns its keep — handling the surveys, the notices, the defect management and the reconciliation end-to-end, so the build team can get on with building.
Reusing existing infrastructure is only cheaper if the paperwork behind it is watertight.
At Coreline Fibre we handle PIA administration as part of our turnkey service — from initial survey through to a route your teams can build with confidence. If you're weighing up a build and want to understand where PIA could save you time and money, get in touch.