Mobile operator and ISP Vodafone UK has just released their Q3 FY24 financial results, which saw their fixed line broadband base grow to total 1.331 million customers (up by 39k in Q3 vs 27k in the Q2), while their mobile customers grew to 18.572 million (up by 330k in Q3 vs 218k in Q2). In […]

A new briefing indicates that Openreach (BT) is extending some limited exemptions to their current “stop sell” on new Wholesale Line Rental (WLR) and related broadband ISP products by one year, which means the exemptions will now be removed on 25th March 2025 instead of this year. In case anybody has forgotten, all Openreach-based UK […]

Sydney-based fabless semiconductor startup Morse Micro has successfully demonstrated how outdoor Wi-Fi signals, using their HaLow (802.11ah) chips, can be made to work at distances that are many times the reach of a conventional Wi-Fi technology. The trial saw them push a working wireless network up to 3km from its source. The chances are good […]

Some of Lit Fibre‘s customers are reporting that the provider, which is deploying a new 10Gbps capable Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband network across parts of England, is having to send engineers out to homes in order to fix a network outage that occurred after a software update broke some of their optical modems (ONT). According to […]

The chances are good that some of our readers, specifically those in UK areas covered by CityFibre’s new Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) based broadband ISP network, who might be considering a switch, may not know about the operator’s latest ‘Switch and Connect‘ promotion and the potential offer of £200 cashback. The operator has run cashback promotions before, […]

News 

Industry associations representing the operators argue that operators would rather keep the existing legislation than implement the proposed framework 

Industry groups representing European telecoms operators have warned that the European Commission’s proposed Gigabit Infrastructure Act (GIA) could penalise companies and damage the sector. 

The European Telecommunications Network Operators Association (ETNO), the European Competitive Telecommunications Association (ECTA), the GSMA, and GigaEurope have released a joint statement outlining their concerns on the draft proposal, which comes ahead of an EU meeting next week when lawmakers will draft the final legislation. 

The GIA was first proposed by the European Commission in February 2023, with the legislation aimed at reducing the costs of deploying gigabit-capable networks and simplify the rollout process. The GIA is part of a wider EU goal of deploying gigabit-capable infrastructure across the EU by 2030, in line with the EU’s Digital Decade programme.  

However, the joint statement from the industry associations has disputed the proposed GIA’s effectiveness, saying that the current negotiations “risk turning it into a measure that penalises telecoms operators, without producing any real benefit in terms of administrative simplification”.  

The statement takes two main issues with the draft text. Firstly, the European Commission’s suggestion of eliminating the ‘tacit approval’ clause, which currently would allow operators to push through with their deployment if local municipalities do not respond to a request for a construction permit within a reasonable timeframe. The clause is controversial, with some EU companies considering it an intrusion on the rights of third parties and private property owners, but the telecoms organisations argue that to remove the clause is to remove a “key measure that would speed up network rollout”. 

Secondly, a proposal added by the European Parliament to impose price caps on calls and messages within the EU, which the group says is unnecessary due to the market’s competitive nature. 

The joint statement argues that the provision of digital networks is “critical for the prosperity of the whole of Europe, providing the backbone of a modern, efficient and sustainable economy for European citizens”. It is clear that most citizens would agree with this sentiment, but this statement is masking the real motivation from the operators: a cheaper and easier way to roll out their networks. 

The end of the statement makes clear that the “EU telecom industry” would rather retain the current laws on the subject than implement the new ones, saying that retaining the regulatory status quo would be “less damaging”. 

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

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‘The platform is a result of two year’s research and development  focussing on generative AI 

Jio Platforms, the parent company of Reliance Jio, India’s largest mobile operator, has announced the launch of its new artificial intelligence platform named ‘Jio Brain’. 

The platform, which was announced in a LinkedIn post by Senior Vice President Aayush Bhatnagar, will “integrate Machine Learning capabilities in the telco network or any industry-specific IT environment – without undergoing network / IT transformation.” 

The platform will aid the creation of new 5G services, help transform enterprises, optimise network operation, and allow for innovation in 6G, where machine learning is a key capability, according to Bhatnagar. 

Digging into the attached information sheet, the platform combines the speed, latency and connectivity of 5G with the data processing, analysis, and automation capabilities of machine learning, to allow any operator or enterprise to institutionalise machine learning in their day-to-day operations. 

Users will be able to integrate their own datasets using a simple interface, with the platform supported by over 500 application programming interfaces to allow for customised offerings. 

Current applications already available include ‘enterprise and mobile-ready LLM (large language models)-as-a-Service’, text-to-text translation, and speech-to-text translation services. 

Bhatnagar described the platform as a “significant milestone” for the company’s 5G/6G product line. 

Generative AI is a huge hot topic for the telco industry. Last July, four major global telcos (SK Telecom, e&, Deutsche Telecom, and Singtel) partnered to form a Global Telco AI Alliance, signing a Memorandum of Understanding to co-develop a Telco AI Platform that will serve as a foundation for new AI services such as super apps and digital assistants.  

Earlier still, in 2022, SK Telecom announced its intention to become an AI company to set itself apart from competitors. The company said it would do this in three ways: redefining its core businesses with AI, innovating customer relations through AI, and sharing its AI transformation processes with other companies. 

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

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Press Release

Ericsson and Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (IIT Kharagpur) today announced a long-term co-operation for joint research in the area of AI, Compute and Radio.

As part of this collaboration, two milestone agreements were inked between both the organizations which will allow researchers from both organizations to collaborate towards developing novel AI and distributed compute technology towards 6G research.

A symposium on Radio and Network research was organized at GS Sanyal School of Telecommunications (GSSST) where leaders from Ericsson Research and IIT Kharagpur participated to discuss the developments and advancements for the future of networks and communication.

AI and Compute Research is instrumental to Ericsson’s 6G networks as the compute offload needs to be managed dynamically at edge and the policies would primarily be driven by AI. These themes of research are well aligned with IIT Kharagpur and both organizations view this partnership as a way to push the boundaries of fundamental and applied research in the Radio domain.

Virendra Kumar Tewari, Director of IIT Kharagpur, says: “In the commitment towards Digital India and making India the hub of technological innovation, this collaboration with Ericsson will be effective for next-generation technology significantly. 6G networks integrated with artificial intelligence will enable AI-powered applications to run faster and more efficiently. In the 6G era, IIT Kharagpur aims to contribute to Radio Access Technology and Network, Core Network, RF & Device Technologies, VLSI Design, Neuromorphic Signal Processing, Services and Applications. The institute also looks forward to participate in Telecommunications Standardization Process, Developing Test Beds, Prototype Development and Commercialization along with training and manpower development. This collaborative research partnership in fundamental areas as well as translational research will be transformational for our Future Network Platforms.”

Magnus Frodigh, Head of Ericsson Research, says: “This collaboration strengthens our R&D commitments in India and is pivotal to Radio, Compute and AI research. We are excited to partner with IIT Kharagpur and look forward to collaborative research in fundamental areas as well as translational research for our Future Network Platforms”. Dr Frodigh also presented Ericsson’s vision on 6G which aims to blend the physical and digital worlds enabling us to improve the quality of life by incorporating widespread Sensor-based communications between humans and machines through digital twins.

Nitin Bansal, Managing Director of Ericsson India, says: “Ericsson is well poised to lead 6G innovation and we are making significant R&D investments in India in line with our commitment to the country. Given our 5G and technology leadership, our research initiatives are geared to provide affordable network platforms for ubiquitous connectivity all across the country”.

The Speakers and Panellists of the Conference included Prof. Suvra Sekhar Das (Head, GSSST), Prof. Debarati Sen, Prof. Saswat Chakrabarti, Prof. Soumyajit Dey and many other faculty members from IIT Kharagpur; Dr Magnus Frodigh, Head of Ericsson Research, Dr Mikael Hook, Head of Radio Research and Dr Mikael Prytz , Head of Network Research.

Some of the key initiatives finalized by both the organizations include:

Compute offload and Resource Optimization at edge compute: The project aims to explore resource optimization, dynamic observability and sustainable distributed and Edge computing technologies.
RL based Beamforming for JCAS: Safe, Causal, and Verifiable: The project aims to explore causal AI methods for joint communication and sensing (JCAS)

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News

The updated rules confirm that providers are expected to identify and block calls from abroad that falsely use a UK geographic code

This week, UK telecoms regulator Ofcom has moved to reinforce their existing rules around fake phone numbers and scam calls, particularly with regard to Calling Line Identification data.

The new changes are designed to make push service providers to go to greater lengths to prevent scammers from overseas from calling UK numbers while pretending to be from within the UK themselves.

“In this consultation, we are proposing to update our Calling Line Identification (CLI) Guidance to confirm that providers are expected to identify and block calls from abroad that use a UK geographic or non-geographic telephone number as a Presentation Number, except in a limited number of legitimate use cases,” explained Ofcom in a statement.

“This update should remove a loophole through which scammers can spoof a UK number from abroad (making it look like the call is coming from a UK-based organisation) and connect these calls to UK users.”

Some exceptions to these rules are allowed, such as UK mobile users calling home from abroad while roaming on another network, and where overseas traffic has originated from UK customers that are hosted on overseas nodes or cloud services.

Naturally, stopping scam calls is something operators all happy to work towards, but doing so effectively without disrupting legitimate calls can be a challenge.

Ofcom’s consultation on the matter will close on March 28, with the new rules to be formalised some time over the next year.

The new rules will build on those introduced back in 2022, which required all mobile and landline network operators to identify and block spoofed calls where ‘technically feasible’.

To ensure that any updated rules are followed diligently by service providers, Ofcom has also announced a new enforcement programme to look at what is being done to ensure that telephone numbers are being used effectively and efficiently. The programme is expected to last between 12 and 18 months, with formal investigations to follow if providers are believed to be in breach of the new rules.

Want to keep up to date with all the latest developments in the UK telecoms sector? Join the industry in discussion at this year’s Connected North conference live in Manchester

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News

A selection of the most important connectivity stories relating to the North of the UK, with expert guest commentary provided by Iqbal Bedi, Founder & Consulting Director at Intelligens Consulting

Manchester named the UK’s most digitally inclusive city: A study from Bionic found Manchester to have more digital inclusive initiatives per person than any other city in the UK.

“Manchester’s recognition as the UK’s most digitally inclusive city is a notable achievement, particularly in addressing the needs of vulnerable community members. However, digital inclusion goes beyond mere connectivity; it encompasses equipping individuals with the necessary digital skills and awareness of available resources.

In recent work by Intelligens Consulting, we’ve encountered individuals with adequate financial resources yet lacking essential digital skills. This gap prevents them from efficiently utilizing technology for everyday tasks, highlighting that digital inclusion challenges span across various societal segments.

For instance, a person we interacted with, who had recently become unemployed, was not aware of available social tariffs. This instance underscores a broader issue: the need for heightened awareness and education about digital support mechanisms.

While Manchester’s initiative is praiseworthy, there’s a significant role for regulators, governments, and local authorities in fostering a society that is socially, digitally, and financially inclusive. It’s not just about providing the infrastructure but also ensuring people have the knowledge and skills to benefit from it. Enhanced efforts in these areas can lead to a more inclusive digital society, where everyone, regardless of their socio-economic status, can access and utilize digital resources effectively.” – Iqbal Bedi

Cornish altnet Wildanet earns B-Corp status: Connected Britain Award winner Wildanet has earned B-Corporation status, demonstrating their adherence to social, environmental, and governance best practices.

EE completes first phase of the Shared Rural Network project: The UK’s largest mobile operator has completed its share of the joint 4G infrastructure deployment scheme ahead of schedule, but its rivals may be lagging behind.

“Rural connectivity remains one of the most challenging aspects of the UK’s digital landscape, primarily due to the high costs associated with deploying fibre in these areas. The geographical spread, lower population density, and the associated economic challenges make it a less attractive proposition for private investors and operators. However, addressing this challenge is not just a matter of equitable digital access; it’s also about unlocking significant economic potential.

Intelligens Consulting has recently conducted research indicating that by adopting wireless strategies to address the rural connectivity challenge, the UK could benefit from a GBP 4 billion economic windfall. This research underscores the viability and necessity of exploring alternative connectivity solutions like wireless technologies in rural areas. Wireless solutions offer a more cost-effective, quicker to deploy, and flexible alternative to traditional fibre, especially in geographically challenging or less densely populated areas.

Our study highlights that embracing a hybrid approach, combining both fibre and wireless technologies, is key to achieving comprehensive digital inclusion and unlocking the latent economic potential of rural areas. This approach not only provides immediate connectivity benefits but also lays a scalable foundation for future-proof networks, paving the way for advancements like 5G.

The progress made by EE in the Shared Rural Network project is commendable, but it also serves as a reminder of the broader picture – the need for innovative and economically viable solutions to ensure that rural Britain is not left behind in the digital revolution. The potential GBP 4 billion windfall from wireless strategies is a strong incentive for policymakers, investors, and operators to recalibrate their approach and investment strategies in addressing the rural connectivity challenge.” – Iqbal Bedi

Fibrus brings lightning-fast broadband to Cumbria: Over 36,000 Cumbrian homes and businesses are now connected to gigabit-capable fibre.

Openreach deploys full fibre on southernmost Shetland Island: The move, supported by funding from the Scottish government’s R100 project, is Openreach’s most northern fibre deployment to date.

“Addressing the low fibre availability in Shetland, which stands at 5.7% with only a 1.3% increase over the last year, starkly contrasts with mainland regions like Burnley, where fibre availability has surged by over 60% within the same period. This disparity highlights the unique challenges faced in Shetland and similar remote areas.

Shetland’s geographical isolation and rugged terrain pose significant logistical and economic challenges for deploying fibre infrastructure. The high cost of laying fibre in such areas often outweighs the perceived immediate economic return, leading to slower investment and rollout compared to mainland regions. Additionally, the lower population density in Shetland makes it less commercially attractive for private fibre operators, who often prioritize more densely populated areas for their infrastructure investments.

The case of Shetland underscores the need for a tailored approach to connectivity in rural and remote regions. It also highlights the importance of national strategies that ensure equitable digital access across all regions, recognizing that digital connectivity is a key driver of economic growth and social inclusion.” – Iqbal Bedi

Scotland to revaluate R100 fibre broadband project: With the project running years behind schedule, the Scottish government is set to assess whether R100 still represents good value for money.

“The R100 programme’s approach, has a low threshold for government aid, and reflects a conservative strategy, especially considering Scotland’s position as the UK nation with the least developed fibre infrastructure. This cautious threshold has potentially restricted the scope of digital advancement in areas that still considerably lag behind in connectivity.

Scotland’s average fibre availability falls below the UK average, highlighting the need for a more ambitious and inclusive digital infrastructure strategy. Aligning more closely with the UK Government’s Gigabit initiatives, which target areas under 100 Mbit/s, could significantly broaden the impact of Scotland’s digital transformation efforts.

In essence, Scotland’s focus should shift towards a more comprehensive development of its digital infrastructure, aiming to bridge the gap not only in the most underserved areas but across a wider spectrum of the region. This broader approach can catalyse economic growth and enhance social inclusion, ensuring a more uniform digital progression across the nation. Intelligens Consulting’s expertise in guiding digital infrastructure investments from the private sector could be instrumental in shaping such a strategic shift towards more ambitious digital initiatives in Scotland.” – Iqbal Bedi

Want to learn more about the North’s connectivity journey? Join us in Manchester for Connected North 2024