Network operator CityFibre has today announced that they’ve begun the roll-out phase of their £77m state-aid supported Project Gigabit contract for the Leicestershire and Warwickshire (Lot 11) area. This will extend their 10Gbps capable FTTP broadband network to an additional 45,000 hard-to-reach rural premises in those regions.

Curiously, the figures given in Cityfibre’s announcement today differ from those they gave when the contract was announced in February 2024 (here), which specified a contract value of £71m and planned coverage for 38,000 premises. This suggests a modest extension may have taken place since the deal was signed. The first premises under this contract were originally also anticipated (here) to have access to gigabit-capable broadband in 2024.

Sadly, today’s announcement doesn’t provide any details of where CityFibre are starting to build or how long it will take to complete the deployment, which is a bit disappointing. But hopefully more information will be forthcoming in the future.

Telecoms Minister, Sir Chris Bryant, said:

“Families and businesses across Leicestershire and Warwickshire will soon be reaping the benefits of lightning-fast broadband.

Thanks to this government-backed project, we are not only giving rural communities the infrastructure they need to thrive in today’s digital world, but enabling students to engage in online learning, improving access to quality healthcare, and securing more jobs in the area.”

Greg Mesch, CEO at CityFibre, said:

“Helping hard-to-reach homes and businesses across Leicestershire and Warwickshire to access full fibre will enable residents to stay and thrive within their communities by unlocking new possibilities. Leaving behind the limitations of copper technology and improving vital infrastructure will provide a significant boost for the local economy, making the regions among the best connected in the country.”

The operator, which is supported by various ISPs like Vodafone, TalkTalk, Zen Internet and more (Sky Broadband will follow in 2025), already covers around 4 million UK premises with full fibre broadband – mostly in urban areas – and their ambition is to eventually cover up to 8m (funded by c.£2.4bn in equity, c.£4.9bn debt and c.£800m of BDUK / public subsidy) – representing c.30% of the UK.

Over the past couple of years CityFibre has secured nine Project Gigabit contracts, totalling over £782m in government subsidies to serve more than 464,000 hard to reach rural premises across Cambridgeshire, Suffolk, Norfolk, Hampshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Berkshire, Leicestershire, Warwickshire, Sussex, Kent, Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire & Milton Keynes.

The network operator has also committed their own funding to help build commercially beyond this those contracted areas (i.e. a total of £1.2bn in combined public and private investment or 1.366 million extra premises may be delivered as a result of these contracts).

Rural ISP Wessex Internet has announced that they’ve connected their first customer to a new 10Gbps capable Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband network, which they’ve been building as part of their £18.8m Project Gigabit (Lot 30) contract for South Wiltshire (England). This aims to cover “around” 14,500 hard-to-reach premises in the area.

Zoe Hallett from Bapton is the first to benefit, although the roll-out will see the provider expanding their existing full fibre network across more of the Wylye Valley, going through the Salisbury Plain, connecting villages surrounding Amesbury, and going as far north as Chisbury and Little Bedwyn. The first communities being connected are Stapleford, Wylye and Bapton.

The original LOT 30 contract for South Wiltshire was awarded by the government (Building Digital UK) in March 2024 and is due to be delivered over the next 5-years (by around 2029). So far, their deployment appears to be going as scheduled.

The provider recently revealed that their gigabit broadband network had already covered 30,000 UK properties (Ready for Service), including 10,000 customers connected (here). But the new Project Gigabit contracts will significantly increase their current level of network coverage and add a total of 53,000 properties over the next few years.

Hector Gibson Fleming, CEO at Wessex Internet, said:

“We’re excited to welcome the first South Wiltshire residents to our network under Project Gigabit. This is just the beginning of an important upgrade that will impact thousands of homes and businesses, empowering them with reliable, full fibre broadband.”

Telecoms Minister, Sir Chris Bryant, said:

“Project Gigabit is all about giving people the infrastructure they need not only to live, but to thrive in the place they call home – no matter how rural or isolated. These connections will make a significant difference to thousands of families and individuals, who will find it easier to stay in touch with loved ones and speak to their GPs on video call.

Plugging connectivity black holes in hard-to-reach areas isn’t only helping this government achieve its mission to kickstart economic growth, but is also allowing us tackle digital exclusion, something which continues to hold back far too many communities across the UK.”

Prices for their full fibre packages start at £29 per month for a 100Mbps (15Mbps upload) tier on a 12-month term, but this only comes with a meagre 100GB data allowance (£44 for unlimited), and you’ll have to pay £49 (one-off) for activation. By comparison, their top unlimited usage plan will give 900Mbps (450Mbps upload) for £79 per month. Not cheap, but then they’re often the only FTTP choice in a lot of their locations (rural areas cost more to serve).

Abingdon-based rural ISP and full fibre network builder Gigaclear, which has already extended their FTTP network to cover 580,000 premises (RFS) in England and signed-up over 130,000 customers, has today announced that they’ve appointed Andy Matthews to be their new Chairman – replacing Stephen Nelson who is retiring.

Andy is currently the Chief Investment Officer (CIO) of infrastructure investment firm Infracapital, which backs Gigaclear, and has been on the provider’s Board since 2019. Andy will succeed Stephen Nelson, who is retiring from Infracapital and is therefore stepping down from Gigaclear after 6 years in the Chairman role and almost a decade on Gigaclear’s board.

Nathan Rundle, CEO of Gigaclear, said: “Andy’s experience has had a positive influence on the Board for many years and I look forward to continuing to work with him on the next exciting chapter. I would like to thank Stephen for his highly valued leadership during his tenure. Gigaclear has achieved significant growth in recent years, propelling the company ever further forward in its mission to become the UK’s leading rural altnet provider of ultrafast broadband. I am personally grateful for Stephen’s direction and support which has played such a pivotal role in the success of the business.”

Some of TalkTalk’s broadband customers have, over the past week or two, been experiencing an unusual router bug with the provider’s ‘Wi-Fi Hub’ device that has been causing them to be repeatedly disconnected from the internet. But the ISP is currently known to be “in the process of applying a solution to all impacted” routers.

The issue appears to have started on Monday (9th Dec) last week for some customers, although others only began to notice it at the start of this week (examples here and here). In all cases, the router’s lights remain normal / white, but the internet connection itself will drop. Customers are often able to re-connect after resetting the router, but then the connection drops again after a period of time (seemingly anything from 30 minutes to a few hours). This occurs on both wired and WiFi links.

The exact cause of the sudden router bug is unclear, although it wouldn’t surprise us if TalkTalk had sent an incorrect configuration or buggy firmware update to devices, which would help to explain why the issue has emerged in a somewhat staggered fashion (i.e. device updates at major ISPs are usually distributed slowly, in phases, over a period of time – often several days or weeks).

The good news is that TalkTalk itself finally acknowledged the issue via their Service Status page two days ago and yesterday began distributing a fix.

Internet connection issues (2 days ago)

We’re aware that some of our customers are having problems with their service. Your Wi-Fi Hub may experience a loss of connection while the white light remains on. We’re sorry for the inconvenience this is causing, the team continue to work on a resolution and testing is currently taking place on a potential fix. Please check back here for updates.

Update 14:50PM December 18th 2024 – Our team are in the process of applying a solution to all impacted Wi-Fi Hubs. We will continue to update this post as this solution is applied to all affected customers.

The solution does not yet appear to have reached everybody, as some customers were still reporting problems late last night. The provider has also been advising customers to reboot their routers again to help with the fix.

One risk above is that too many reboots on ADSL and FTTC broadband lines can sometimes cause the Dynamic Line Management (DLM) system to think there’s a copper line fault, which could result in slower speeds as the line attempts to adapt by reducing the profile rate in pursuit of greater stability. Credits to Thinkbroadband for spotting the router bug.

News

The satellites will be built at Airbus’ facility in Toulouse, with production set to begin in 2026

Airbus Defence and Space has been awarded a contract by Eutelsat to expand its OneWeb Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite constellation. The contract will see Airbus build the first 100 satellites of the extension, with deliveries expected to begin at the end of 2026.

Airbus has previously manufactured the current OneWeb fleet, and the company is now set to continue its role in supporting Eutelsat’s efforts to enhance and expand its satellite services. Alain Fauré, Head of Space Systems at Airbus, commented: “We are committed to the successful continuation of the OneWeb constellation and to keep serving the business of Eutelsat as we have done over the past decades.”

The new satellites will offer several key technology upgrades, including integration with 5G networks and improved compatibility with Europe’s planned IRIS2 multi-orbit constellation, which is expected to become operational in 2030. This expansion aligns with Eutelsat’s strategy to grow its LEO capacity in response to increasing demand for global connectivity.

“We are relying on our long-standing partner, Airbus, to begin building the first batches of the Next Generation of our OneWeb LEO constellation, which will ensure we deliver continuity of service of the existing constellation with enhanced service features, as we move towards an architecture in line with the European IRIS2 constellation in 2030. Our in-market experience shows us that the appetite for low Earth orbit capacity is growing rapidly, and we are excited to embark on the next stage of our journey to satisfy that demand,” added Eva Berneke, CEO of Eutelsat in a press release.

Keep up to date with the latest international telecoms news direct to your inbox from Total Telecom

Also in the news:
Japanese telcos unite to strengthen disaster response
Softbank to invest $100bn in US AI
BT’s network wrapped reveals how Brits connected with the biggest cultural moments of 2024

News  

Japan’s top telecom providers have joined forces to improve how quickly communication networks are restored after disasters 

The initiative, launched earlier this month, brings together the NTT, KDDI, SoftBank , and Rakuten Mobile, aiming to streamline recovery efforts and minimise the impact of outages on affected communities. 

The companies will share resources such as storage facilities, accommodations, and refueling stations to accelerate recovery in disaster-hit areas. Ships from NTT and KDDI, traditionally used for cable-laying, will be repurposed to transport portable base stations, generators, and essential supplies like food and water to coastal regions. These ships will also serve as temporary mobile base stations, helping restore connectivity in areas hardest hit by natural disasters. SoftBank and Rakuten are now part of this initiative, enhancing its scale and effectiveness. 

Mobile and fixed-line operators will coordinate closely, sharing real-time information about network damage and prioritising repairs in critical locations such as hospitals and municipal offices. This collaboration will ensure a faster and more organized response, reducing the time it takes to restore vital communication links. 

Building on lessons learned from the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake, the initiative reflects a commitment to improving disaster preparedness across Japan. By working together, the participating companies aim to set a new standard for resilience, ensuring that communities stay connected when it matters most.  

Keep up to date with the latest international telecoms news by subscribing to the Total Telecom daily newsletter 

Also in the news:
Softbank to invest $100bn in US AI
BT’s network wrapped reveals how Brits connected with the biggest cultural moments of 2024
Talking the language of sustainability

Vodafone UK has announced that they’ve worked with Google to bring MIMO (Multiple Input, Multiple Output) support to their Pixel 8 Pro and new Pixel 9, 9 Pro, 9 Pro XL, and 9 Fold phones when on the mobile operator’s new 5G Standalone (broadband) network, which has helped to boost upload speeds. But Google users won’t be the only ones to benefit.

Vodafone has already made 5G SA technology (i.e. their end-to-end pure 5G network) available in the “busy areas” of 23 cities and hundreds of other locations across the UK, although it’s currently only accessible to customers with supporting devices on their Ultra plans.

However, until recently, owners of Google’s Pixel 8 and 9 Smartphones haven’t been able to take full advantage of some of the new network’s features (when covered by it). But that started to change in June 2024, when MIMO technology was introduced to Google’s phones, resulting in faster uploads, and enhanced Uplink Carrier Aggregation (ULCA – using several radio bands at once) was also added for increased download speeds.

Vodafone has since doubled the number of antennas communicating with Google’s phones, improving their mobile broadband performance and the reliability of the connection. This is complemented by the new ULCA combinations available on their 5G Ultra network, allowing the simultaneous aggregation of four spectrum bands (i.e. more spectrum capacity and greater efficiency of the transmission itself).

Andrea Dona, Chief Network Officer, Vodafone UK, said:

“By looking at the data, we can clearly see customer behaviour changing as more of our lives become digital. In previous years, the digital highway was a one-way street, with consumers downloading significantly more data than uploading, but it is starting to balance out now. We must recognise this customer trend and adapt our network as a result.”

Michiel van Eldik, VP, Devices & Services Partnerships, Google EMEA, said:

“We want our customers to have the freedom to share their experiences seamlessly and in the highest quality possible. That’s why we’re thrilled to partner with Vodafone on network advancements that make this a reality. Whether it’s live-streaming a concert or sharing a 4K video with loved ones, we’re committed to providing the best possible mobile experience.”

We should point out that MIMO technology, which is an enhancement in which multiple antennas are used at both the source (mobile mast) and the destination (the user device), is nothing new to wireless networks. But sometimes extra work is required to ensure that these enhancements are properly supported with each new generation of technology and device. It’s a similar story for ULCA, which was also part of the 4G Advanced (LTE-A) spec.

The good news is that Vodafone now intends for both of these capabilities, under their 5G SA network, to be “made available on other devices in the future“. But at the time of writing, we don’t currently know which devices that will include or when the enhancements will go live for them. Sadly, Vodafone did not provide any benchmarks to show the before and after impact of these changes, which would have been interesting.

The London Internet Exchange (LINX), which handles a large chunk of UK and global data traffic through their switches via around 900 members (broadband ISPs, mobile operators etc.), has today revealed that they increased their connected network capacity by 21% over the past year, from 60.10Tbps (Terabits per second) in 2023, to 72.91Tbps in 2024.

The exchange, which is also today celebrating 30 years of the internet, noted that during 2024 they achieved their highest-ever network traffic, with a maximum peak of over 10.841Tbps, up from 9.229Tbps in 2023 and 7.424Tbps in 2022.

LINX has members located in more than 85 countries and offers various other products and services, such as Cloud Connect, Closed User Groups, and the Microsoft Azure Peering Service (MAPS). Over the last 12 months LINX celebrated 10 years of operations in the US through its LINX NoVA Internet Exchange in Northern Virginia. Additionally, the company took its first step into Africa with the launch of the LINX Nairobi Internet Exchange in Kenya in late 2023 and further announcements have come in 2024 with plans for LINX Mombasa and LINX Accra in 2025.

Additionally, LINX has welcomed a host of new partners as part of its UK growth strategy, including Lunar Digital Data Centre and AtlasEdge Data Centre in Manchester. LINX also welcomed new CEO, Jennifer Holmes in November, who has been with the London Internet Exchange (LINX) since 2007. Holmes replaced Kurtis Lindqvist, who is moved to a new role as CEO and Vice President of ICANN. Previously before Lindqvist, the CEO of LINX was John Souter until 2019.

Jennifer Holmes, CEO Of LINX, said:

“Over the past three decades, the internet has transformed the way we connect, communicate, and conduct business. As the digital landscape has evolved, so too has the infrastructure that supports it. LINX has played a vital role in this journey, adapting to the increasing demand for reliable connectivity and seamless online experiences.

Our recent increase in network capacity shows our commitment to a robust and efficient internet ecosystem. This growth not only highlights our role in supporting businesses, ISPs, and content providers but also reflects the achievements of an interconnected global network.

LINX continues to sustain, grow, and optimise its services by introducing new products and pricing, ensuring it provides ongoing value for its 850+ members through flexible peering speeds and services.”

European satellite operator Eutelsat has announced that they’ve selected Airbus Defence and Space (ADS) to build the first batch of 100 next generation (GEN2) broadband satellites for their global OneWeb network in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), which is a constellation that has been partly supported by the UK government. Expect various upgrades, such as 5G mobile support.

OneWeb (aka – Eutelsat OneWeb) has 654 small (c.150kg) first generation (GEN1) LEO platforms in space – orbiting at an altitude of 1,200km above the Earth (c.600 of them for coverage and the rest for redundancy). The network was completed in March 2023 (here), promising both ultrafast broadband speeds and fast latency times. But a further 15 satellites (plus one GEN2 prototype) were then added in May 2023 for “resiliency and redundancy to the network” (here) and then 20 more in October 2024 (here).

In case anybody has forgotten, OneWeb originally planned to launch hundreds more satellites in the future (funds allowing), which were expected to reflect a GEN2 model that could potentially sit in a higher Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) of 8,500km. The GEN2s were widely expected to have more data capacity, support for 5G mobile and may, possibly, introduce enhanced navigation and positioning features. A £32m beam-hopping prototype of the GEN2 satellite, known as “Joey-Sat”, was launched in 2023 (here).

However, Eutelsat signalled, after its merger with OneWeb in Sept 2023 (here), that it would now aim to make the GEN1s last longer than originally anticipated, while also phasing-in the GEN2s more slowly over time and with fewer satellites. The change in strategy was partly due to the low failure rate of the GEN1s and Eutelsat’s desire to spread the capital expenditure (cost) burden over a longer period of time, which helps to de-risk their investment.

The ADS Deal and IRIS 2

Despite the expectation of future OneWeb satellites, Eutelsat is known to have been under some financial strain (significant debts) and previous reports suggested that their future plans may depend, at least in part, upon what approach the EU took to growing their own IRIS 2 (Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite) LEO constellation.

The question of OneWeb’s future was underlined again this week after Cheng-Wen Wu, the Minister responsible for Taiwan’s National Science and Technology Council, suggested that OneWeb’s network lacked the bandwidth to help cater for the island’s needs (something Eutelsat denies) and suggested that there were concerns about delays in the delivery of GEN2. However, in fairness, we are talking about supporting a huge island in the event of a possible war (Elon Musk’s ties to China make Starlink unfavourable). As it stands, Taiwan is now pursuing a possible arrangement with Amazon’s Kuiper constellation, which hasn’t launched yet.

The good news is that Eutelsat made two big announcements this week. The first saw them confirm that the SpaceRISE consortium, of which they are a part (inc. Hispasat, and SES), had inked an agreement as concessionaire for the EU’s new €10.6bn (£8.77bn) IRIS2 constellation. The new constellation will comprise around 290 spacecraft including 264 LEO and 18 MEO satellites and is expected to be in service in 2030.

In an ideal world, Eutelsat would have liked OneWeb to form the backbone of IRIS2, but under the new deal they will still play a supporting role.

Extract from Eutelsat’s IRIS2 Announcement

“Eutelsat’s involvement in IRIS2 represents a key step in the company’s strategy to develop and expand its low Earth orbit capacities, and the extension of its existing OneWeb constellation will be technologically compatible with the future IRIS² assets.

Once operational the IRIS² constellation will offer compelling complementarity with Eutelsat’s existing LEO business, notably giving Eutelsat access to additional sellable LEO capacity secured by its investment of at least 1.5 Tbps out of a total of 2 Tbps of LEO capacity, at an attractive cost per Gbps, as well as to KaMil capacity not consumed by EU sovereign needs.

Eutelsat will also be able to complete IRIS² with further satellites to scale up capacity and carry additional payloads based on demand.”

A second announcement followed yesterday, when Eutelsat announced that it had chosen Airbus to build the “first batches” of OneWeb’s future GEN2 spacecraft, totalling 100 satellites, with delivery targeted starting end of calendar-2026. The new satellites will embark key technology upgrades, notably “5G on-ground integration” and, as expected, will also be technologically compatible with Europe’s IRIS² constellation.

Eva Berneke, CEO of Eutelsat Group, said:

“We are relying on our long-standing partner, Airbus, to begin building the first batches of the Next Generation of our OneWeb LEO constellation, which will ensure we deliver continuity of service of the existing constellation with enhanced service features, as we move towards an architecture in line with the IRIS2constellation in 2030. Our in-market experience shows us that the appetite for low Earth orbit capacity is growing rapidly, and we are excited to embark on the next stage of our journey to satisfy that demand.”

Sadly, the announcement doesn’t provide any future detail than that, such as precisely what technical enhancements the new GEN2 satellites will have or what orbit altitude they will adopt. All 100 new satellites will be built at the Airbus site in Toulouse (not the UK) and production is expected to start in 2026, although it’s presently unclear which rockets will be used to launch the satellites and when that will occur.

A new survey of 1,020 people in the UK, which was conduct by Strand Partners on behalf of broadband ISP Virgin Media (O2) and Internet Matters, has found that 44% of parents don’t know how to add safety controls or tools to the tech (devices) they’re planning to gift this Christmas. This is despite 82% being worried about their children having unrestricted access to the internet.

The study notes that 1 in 10 parents are planning to give their child a smartphone as a present this Christmas, including 64% to children below the age of 14. At the same time, some 60% of parents also believe their kids know more about technology than they do, which is not an uncommon reality.

The survey also found that 37% of parents believe their kids would be upset if they’d activated safety controls on their new device. Perhaps that’s why 40% of parents would rather assemble flat pack furniture than set up safety controls on new tech, and are more likely to set up bikes (78%), play kitchens (70%) and remote-controlled toys (63%) over a phone (60%) or tablet (35%).

In fairness, respondents could be forgiven for not knowing how to add or activate such features to these devices, since that is normally a process that only becomes apparent after the gift has actually been unwrapped on Christmas Day. Expecting prior knowledge of such features, on an unfamiliar device, is perhaps not always viable unless the parent proactively chooses to unbox and set-up the device ahead of time (not many people do that).

However, it’s worth pointing out that both Virgin Media and O2 – like most major network operators – also provide network-level parental controls (here and here), which will apply across your home network – regardless of the device being used.

In addition, Virgin Media notes that there are also a range of parental controls that can be set up across a range of operating systems and devices, which have been set out below.

Online safety advice

1. Broadband and mobile network settings

• Virgin Media and O2 both provide broadband and mobile controls to restrict inappropriate content.
• Virgin Media customers have access to Essential Security, which includes parental controls settings where people can block inappropriate sites. This can be enabled via the ‘My Virgin Media’ account.  With Advanced Security, customers can also block specific content they don’t want a child to see, and can protect family time by setting screen time limits on kids’ devices.
• O2 customers can use Parental Controls to restrict children’s web access to suitable sites on mobile devices.

2. Operating system parental controls and screentime limits

• There are a range of parental controls that can be set up across a range of operating systems including iOS, Android and Windows 11 to set limits on how long children can be online,  approve app downloads and restrict inappropriate sites.
• You can set daily screen time limits for overall device usage and specific apps, through Apple Screen Time and Google Family Link.

3. Social media and video streaming settings

• Social media platforms have privacy settings which can help parents to limit who can contact their children and view their content.
• ‘SafeSearch’ can filter out explicit content on popular search engines.
• YouTube also has a ‘Restricted Mode’ which can hide potentially mature videos.

4. Gaming and entertainment controls

• Use the built-in parental controls on gaming consoles to set playtime limits and restrict online interactions. 
• Parental controls can also be added to streaming sites to restrict access to age-inappropriate content.

5. Content filtering and monitoring

• Age-appropriate filters can block content unsuitable for a child’s age on streaming services, app stores, and web browsers.
• You can also regularly review activity reports provided by tools like Google Family Link and Windows Family Safety to monitor your child’s online behaviour. 

6. Reporting and support

• Ensure your child knows how to report inappropriate content or behaviour on various platforms, and other tools such as blocking, muting, and restricting. Many social media and gaming platforms have these tools built in.
• Familiarise yourself with resources like Childline and CEOP for additional support and guidance on dealing with serious online issues.

7. Regular review and update

• It’s important to review and update parental controls settings as your child grows and their online activities change. 
• Keep up to date with the latest online trends and potential risks to ensure your protective measures remain effective.