UK ISP Quickline, which is rolling out a gigabit-capable full fibre (FTTP) broadband network across parts of England, has today announced that they’ve just gone live across three more villages in Rural Lincolnshire – North Somercotes near Louth, Donnington near Spalding and Alford (total of almost 4,000 premises). Residential customers reached by their new full […]

Insight

On Day 0 5G Beyond Growth Summit of this years’ MWC in Barcelona, we heard from Thai mobile operator AIS on their 5G progress and achieved milestones. The audience heard from Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Mark Chong Chin Kok, discussing the AIS highlights and future of AIS’s 5G journey  so far, and why monetisation is so essential for future success

AIS have the largest 5G network in Thailand, covering 90% of the country. Today, AIS have around 9 million 5G subscribers, roughly 20% of the customer base. But building a 5G network isn’t about claiming the number one position, ultimately the operators need to be able to use and monetise it, says Mark. Segmenting the customer base is key way to do this, so different streams of customers can be charged for desires specific to them. In Thailand, professionals and entrepreneurs, the entertainment sector and travellers and migrants were important segments.

But beyond the simple price packages, AIS came up with bandwidth services on demand, and three modes of this. Via the AIS app, customers can choose from “boost mode” which gives a much higher download speed, “live mode”, catering for social media influencers uploading to platforms such as TikTok, or “game mode”, for gamers. These are priced at 49 baht for a minimum of three hours.

The results of AIS’s efforts in the consumer space was an increase in the ARPU of the 5G subscribers by about 10-15%.

One of the biggest challenges for AIS will be to convert current 3G and 4G subscribers into 5G ones. To do this, affordable 5G handsets must become more readily available, priced between $150-200 USD.

Besides for consumers, AIS also developed Enterprise use cases.  AIS introduced a platform called the Paragon Platform. The platform is a product of Singapore based Singtel Group, of which AIS is an associate. It is a multi-cloud orchestration platform, that orchestrates workload across multiple clouds. The platform has live applications that have been deployed in real manufacturing and logistical situations such as in autonomous mining for SCG and in the Siam Toyota factory for ensuring the smooth running of factory operations.

What does the future hold for AIS? In the consumer space, AIS are trying to find more use cases to improve Consumers’ lives. In the enterprise space, AIS’ priority is to bring in an ecosystem of partners to provide 5G solutions to raise company productivity.

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News

The Canada Pension Plan Investments Board (CPP) will invest $2 billion for a 17.5% stake in the newly spun-off business

On Friday, the CPP announced that they would be the latest company to invest in the highly prized fixed network assets of Italian incumbent operator TIM.

The pension fund will invest roughly $2 billion for a 17.5% stake in the business, with the deal giving NetCo an enterprise value of $27.5 billion.

The deal sees CPP join a growing number of investors in TIM’s spun-off fixed networks unit, which includes all of the company’s fibre network assets but excludes the company’s submarine cable unit, Sparkle.

TIM announced plans to separate the unit last year as part of a new strategy under CEO Pietro Labriola seeking to better monetise the company’s assets. The announcement quickly drew interest from numrous major players, most notably US investment firm KKR, who would go on to to acquire the whole of NetCo for €18.8 billion at the end of last year.

Since then, various additional players have joined the growing consortium, including a wholly owned subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, the Italian infrastructure fund F2i and the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance.

For CPP, the stake represents the first step of their infrastructure investment strategy in Italy.

“Our investment alongside these key partners with a shared long-term vision will help deliver high-quality digital infrastructure across Italy as well as generating long-term risk-adjusted returns for the fund,” said James Bryce, a managing director and global head of infrastructure at CPP Investments. “We are optimistic that NetCo can represent the first of several infrastructure investments in Italy for CPP Investments.”

The deal is expected to close in the summer, subject to typical regulatory clearances.

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

Also in the news:
BT wins £26m contract to connect UK schools
Apple fined €1.8bn by European Commission over Spotify row
Japan to reduce regulatory pressure on incumbent NTT

Network operator Openreach (BT) has today announced that their 1.8Gbps capable Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband ISP network has now covered over 1 million premises across the South West of England (i.e. Cornwall, Dorset, Devon, Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wiltshire), which reflects an investment of over £300m. The deployment forms part of the operator’s wider £15bn investment to […]

News

In the UK, there are nearly 2 million vulnerable people who use personal alarms to call out for help 

Seven major network operators, including Openreach, CityFibre, and Sky, have agreed on new rules to protect people who rely on personal alarms as UK landlines are upgraded to a new digital network. The alarms work by automatically contracting the emergency services when a button is pressed. 

The commitment from the seven operators will ensure that the essential and lifesaving buttons are able to function, or alternatives are provided before any network migration takes place. Personal alarm systems do work with digital landlines, but power cut and other outages can cause them to fail. Copper phone lines usually continue to function, even during power cuts. 

The specific commitments outlined in the agreement are as follows: 

– Operators will have to work with partners, including internet providers, to check if their customers own a telecare device. 

– Operators will provide at least 12 months’ notice to phone providers before enforcing the switchover of a customer and will jointly discuss suitable migration options. 

– No telecare user will be migrated to a digital landline service without the provider, customer or telephone company confirming that they have functioning solution in place. 

– Telecom operators will work with Ofcom, Government, and phone providers to create a shared definition of ‘vulnerable’ customer, so it is no longer dependent on the company and establishes an industry wide standard. 

The agreement comes because in December, BT and other firms were ordered to stop providing the elderly with digital phone lines after a series of power outages left some stranded. In some instances, elderly people’s personal alarms had failed because of the digital landlines, leaving them in danger after an accident. 

“I welcome more telecoms companies joining forces to make this a priority, meaning we now have agreement from those responsible for our telecoms infrastructure and those providing mobile and broadband services,” said Technology Secretary Michelle Donelan in a government press release. 

“This will provide much needed reassurance to those relying on these vital devices and I will continue to pressure organisations to do everything in their power to make sure the switchover is seamless and safe,” she continued. 

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

Also in the news:
BT wins £26m contract to connect UK schools
Apple fined €1.8bn by European Commission over Spotify row
Japan to reduce regulatory pressure on incumbent NTT

Viewpoint

Jay Cadman, Senior Vice President, IQGeo

There is a social and economic expectation that full-fibre broadband should be accessible to everyone, regardless of economic status or location. This has created a unique opportunity for new and existing operators to rapidly grow, by providing internet access to previously underserved areas.

Many are already benefiting from this growth opportunity. For example, AT&T and Blackrock Ventures recently launched Gigapower, a venture focused on providing a wholesale fibre network in Las Vegas, recognising the revenue potential in underserved markets.

Governments worldwide are heavily investing in digital infrastructure to support households, remote working and business operations. For instance, The UK government has launched a new initiative, allocating a £7 million fund to test out ways to bring together satellite, wireless and fixed line internet connectivity to rural communities.

Furthermore, the US government is currently implementing the GRID Broadband Act, which will offer grants to ensure equitable funding access for newer operators. The act’s primary goal is to create a competitive environment where emerging operators can thrive.

Fast action is needed to seize these opportunities. However, operators face the challenge of initiating growth while effectively managing the complexities that accompany scale and expansion.

Success depends on modern technology and tools

Efficient operations are vital for a successful broadband business. Early investment in modern software technology, like Digital Twins, revolutionises fibre networks, optimising coverage, cutting costs and enhancing customer experience.

Despite initial costs, embracing new technology brings short and long-term benefits like faster time to revenue, reduced planning and maintenance expenses and higher customer satisfaction.

Brightspeed serves as an example of the impact investing in modern technology can have on business operations. The organisation has been reaping rewards since upgrading their tools, including improved efficiency, revenue and customer visibility throughout the network lifecycle.

By following Brightspeed’s approach, operators can gain a competitive edge through well-connected processes and enhanced operational effectiveness.

Eradicating errors through incremental implementation

 Investing in new software technology is crucial for fibre network operators, but implementation is equally important.

An incremental approach to implementing technology is key. A big-bang investment runs the risk of implementing technology that isn’t fit for purpose, thus a wasted investment. Instead, incrementally implementing new technology minimises risks and costs by allowing the evaluation process of new technology to take place sooner and facilities course corrections when required.

Strategic implementation involves identifying areas benefiting most from technology to drive growth and revenue. Incremental rollouts reduce risks and build confidence. Operators can approach implementation carefully for long-term business value and increase their competitiveness in their target markets.

Create a shared platform for technology to streamline processes

When operators incrementally overhaul their business, they must consider broader implications beyond solving singular problems. Integration is crucial to avoid silos of inaccessible information and improve business efficiency and network accuracy.

Developing an integration strategy to connect different systems through a shared platform ensures near real-time access to information for all employees, boosting productivity and reducing errors.

Implementing a shared platform also promotes collaboration among employees, streamlining communication and teamwork, reducing costs by consolidating systems and saving time and money on licences, maintenance, and support.

Choosing the correct partner

 When creating an integration strategy, choosing the right technology partner is vital. Multiple vendors can cause confusion, IT overhead and a misaligned strategy. Opting for a single primary technology vendor that understands your network requirements, leads to a more efficient plan.

A strong relationship with one software technology partner allows clear expectations and aligned objectives. Collaboration ensures technology meets business requirements, resulting in a concise plan.

The accessibility of full-fibre broadband and the wealth of investment opportunities surrounding it has given the telecom space a great foundation for rapid expansion. By investing in modern software technology and prioritising seamless integration, operators can seize the opportunity for greater business success.

Mobile provider spusu, which hold a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) agreement via BTWholesale to harness EE’s UK network, has committed to only “using human customer service agents“. The pledge follows in the wake of VOXI’s decision (here) to introduce a ChatGPT (LLM) based AI chatbot to help “transform its customer services“. Currently, spusu’s customer […]

Broadband ISP Airband, which previously aimed to cover 400,000 UK premises in rural areas via a mix of fixed wireless access (FWA) and full fibre (FTTP) networks by 2026, has finally published their company accounts – over 2 months late – and given context to the recent redundancies and build pauses. The operator has spent […]

The government has announced that seven UK broadband and phone operators, including Openreach, CityFibre, AllPoints Fibre, CommunityFibre, Ogi, KCOM, WightFibre and Sky, have today signed a charter that commits them to protect “vulnerable customers” (e.g. those with telecare devices) when upgrading phone lines to a new digital (IP) based network. The announcement means that the […]

UK ISP Andrews & Arnold (AAISP) has informed customers about the forthcoming closure of their long-running SIP2SIM (mobile voice) service, which is essentially a special SIM card that you could put in an ordinary dumb mobile phone, and it makes that device appear as if it is a SIP extension (SIP phone) on a phone […]