Participation in French National Subvention Scheme

Bigblu Broadband plc 

("BBB" or the "Company" or the "Group") 

Participation in France's first national subvention scheme

Bigblu Broadband plc (AIM: BBB.L), a leading provider of alternative super-fast broadband services, has received certification to participate in France's first national subvention scheme (the "scheme") grant for €100m, which is being officially launched by the French Prime Minister today. As a result, BBB, one of only two satellite distributors to have been granted certification, will be the only distributor in France offering unlimited broadband access through satellite.

The scheme will be offered to all households and businesses unable to access a minimum of 8MB/s broadband through ADSL/Fibre by 2020. The French Government is offering up to €150/household covering activation fees, kit purchase and installation costs. According to the Agence du Numérique, two million households will be able to benefit from the scheme.

Andrew Walwyn, CEO of BBB commented:

"We are delighted to have received certification to participate in the scheme. Government support is a key component of our growth model and there is significant scope for us to expand our operations throughout France and Europe as we work closely with our partners to ensure that we are providing market leading solutions."

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About BBB

BigBlu Broadband plc (AIM: BBB), is a leading provider of alternative broadband solutions throughout Europe and Australia. BBB delivers a portfolio of super-fast wireless broadband products for consumers and businesses unserved or underserved by fibre.

The Company has a significant target market with 27m customers in Europe with speeds of under 4 Mb, and a further 1m in Australia who have been identified as only suitable for either satellite or fixed wireless broadband.

High levels of recurring revenue, increasing economies of scale and Government stimulation of the alternative broadband market in many countries provide a solid foundation for significant organic growth as demand for alternative super-fast broadband services increases around the world. 

Acquisitive and organic growth have enabled BBB to grow rapidly since inception in 2008 during which time the Company has completed 20 acquisitions across nine different countries. It is extremely well positioned to continue growing as it targets customers that are trapped in the 'digital divide' with limited fibre broadband options.

BBB's range of solutions includes satellite, next generation fixed wireless and 4G/5G delivering between 30 Mbps and 150 Mbps for consumers, and up to 1 Gbps for businesses. It provides customers ongoing services including hardware, pre and post-sale support, installation, billing and warranties whilst offering various tariffs depending on end user requirements.

Importantly, as its core technologies evolve, and cheaper capacity is made available, BBB continues to offer ever-increasing speeds and higher data throughputs to satisfy market demands for 'video-on- demand'. Its alternative broadband offerings present a customer experience that is similar to that offered by wired broadband and the connection can be shared in the normal way with PCs, tablets and smart-phones via a normal wired or wireless router.