Press Release

Residents and businesses in the southern Lake District are set to benefit from improved 4G mobile coverage following the upgrade of two EE masts

The Lake District is the most visited national park in the UK, with upwards of 15 million visitors every year. However, it is also an area that has previously been poorly served in terms of mobile coverage.

The EE mobile masts have been upgraded this summer as part of the Shared Rural Network (SRN)*, a £1 billion initiative to extend 4G connectivity to rural communities, with the aim to cover 95 percent of the UK’s geography by the end of 2025.

One of the upgraded masts is located between Coniston Water and Windermere, bringing coverage to locations including Hay Bridge Nature Reserve, Rusland and parts of Grizedale Forest.  The other is to the southeast of Windermere Lake, providing improved coverage to rural areas including Cartmel Fell, Whitbarrow National Nature Reserve and down towards the River Kent estuary and Milnthorpe – including a large section of the A590.

To balance the desire for enhanced mobile connectivity in rural communities with the need to respect the natural landscape, both masts are situated in non-intrusive areas while providing maximum benefit.

These upgrades come at an important time for countryside communities as the UK’s mobile providers prepare to retire 3G – and later 2G – networks. 4G connectivity offers remote communities the biggest and most reliable network of any current mobile technology in the UK.

Welcoming the news, Tim Farron, MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale, said: “This improved connectivity can deliver a big boost to rural communities like ours, supporting residents, local businesses and visitors with faster 4G mobile internet access and high-quality, reliable calling.

“The Lake District is one of the most iconic parts of the British countryside, so it is great to see remote areas getting the infrastructure they need to thrive in the digital age.”

The new connectivity has also been welcomed by a farming leader in the region, highlighting how important good 4G mobile coverage has become to farm businesses and for helping to improve safety in remote areas.

NFU Cumbria County chairman Ian Bowness, who farms at Wigton, said: “We welcome this significant investment as it will help some of our farm businesses who have historically struggled with connectivity issues. Submitting VAT returns, GPS on tractors, talking to customers and much more, all rely on strong connectivity, and consistent access to the internet is needed for farmers so they can comply with UK regulations and operate their businesses efficiently.

“Mobile signal is also critically important for health and safety, in an industry where farmers often need to work in remote areas on their own. The NFU will continue to campaign for investment in the country’s digital technology infrastructure, which is key to productive farming businesses.”

The SRN programme aims to use mast-sharing on existing sites in rural areas where some, but not all mobile networks, have coverage. It will also develop new-shared masts to connect areas that currently have no coverage at all.

Greg McCall, Chief Networks Officer at BT Group, said: “The Lake District is iconic for its natural beauty and its flourishing rural communities. These new 4G upgrades will not only mean residents will be able to stay connected to the people and things they love most, but businesses and community groups can use the network to offer new services and experiences to the millions of tourists who visit every year.

“Having upgraded more than 1,500 rural locations so far under the Shared Rural Network programme, EE is delivering the far-reaching connectivity that rural communities rely on across the UK.”

Hear from Howard Watson, Chief Security & Networks Officer at BT at this week’s Connected Britain – get last minute tickets now!

Also in the news:
SK Telecom and Netflix settle network usage dispute through new partnership
Connected Britain 2023: Which tracks are right for me?
KKR to acquire $800m stake in Singtel’s data centre business

Managed Internet Service Provider Wifinity, which typically specialises in deploying WiFi style broadband networks, has continued to accelerate their UK expansion today by announcing the acquisition of yet another provider in the same space – Next Connex – for an undisclosed sum. Next Connex is more focused on WAN, SD-WAN and Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) solutions and […]

Internet benchmarking firm Ookla, which operates the popular broadband and mobile speed testing service – Speedtest.net, has published their latest Q2 2023 report into the UK internet download, upload and latency performance of SpaceX’s Starlink broadband satellite network. Overall, it’s a story of small improvements. The Starlink service currently has around 4,700 satellites in Low […]

The UK Government (DSIT) has begun to consult on the potential introduction of a new Smart Data scheme – ‘Open Communications‘, which would require broadband ISPs and mobile operators to provide their customers (on request) with more data about their service (price, speeds, reliability, data usage etc.). At present it’s fair to say that, using […]

Mobile operator and broadband ISP EE has announced that it is an official partner of the new ‘Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III‘ video game for the UK, which means that customers of the service will receive a range of special benefits (e.g. Beta Access, Calling Cards, Charms and Emblems). As part of this EE […]

Broadband ISP and mobile operator EE (BT) has today announced that, as part of their commitment under the £1bn industry-led Shared Rural Network (SRN) project, they’ve just upgraded two masts to help extend their 4G mobile network across the southern Lake District in Cumbria (Northwest England). The SRN is an industry-led scheme – supported by […]

News

The legal battle between the two firms has been ongoing since 2020 

South Korean internet service provider SK Broadband, subsidiary of network operator SK Telecom, have entered into a strategic partnership with Netflix to provide entertainment experiences to customers. 

The deal will also see the companies collaborate on SK’s AI products, potentially offering them a new route to market. 

“By teaming up with Netflix, SK Telecom and SK Broadband aim to help customers enjoy Netflix shows and films on mobile devices and IPTV (B tv) with easier access and payment options. SK Telecom and SK Broadband will offer various price plans and products, including bundled packages,” said the partners in a joint statement. 

The partnership has resulted in both firms withdrawing from a legal battle over network usage fees that has been raging for over three years. 

The dispute began back in 2020 over the question of whether Netflix should pay a fee for the use of SK Broadband’s network, as the streaming firm transmits a huge amount of data across the network, which SK Broadband argued was causing massive traffic overloads and therefore maintenance costs for SK Broadband.  

Netflix countered this by arguing that it should not be penalised for its success, as well as noting that its content delivery network, Open Connect, could serve to reduce the network traffic by up to 95%. According to Netflix, this option had been wilfully ignored by SK Broadband.  

Other firms, such as Apple and Facebook, currently pay usage fees to South Korean internet service providers in return for increased costs due to higher network traffic. 

The argument came to a head in 2021 due to the release of Netflix’s most popular show to date, “Squid Game”, which caused Netflix to be transmitting 1.2 terabits per second of content through the network in September 2021. This pushed Netflix up to South Korea’s second-largest data generator after YouTube.  

With the companies’ arguments broadly resulting in a stalemate, SK and Netflix have decided that collaboration could be the best way out of the legal quagmire. 

“Moving forward, SK Broadband and Netflix will end all disputes with the signing of today’s partnership, and collaborate as partners for the future. This mutual decision stems from both parties’ shared foundational principle that prioritizes customers,” said a joint statement from the two firms. 

The years of contention between the two firms feeds into the wider debate taking place internationally around whether major content players like Netflix should be forced to help subsidise the telco networks they rely on so heavily to deliver services. This so-called ‘fair share debate’ continues to be discussed at length in various markets, most notably in Europe, where the European Commission is currently conducting a consultation on the matter.  

Want to keep up to date with all of the latest international telecoms news? Sign up for Total Telecom’s daily newsletter   

Also in the news:
Connected Britain 2023: Which tracks are right for me?
Tarana raises $50 million for FWA deployment
UK government announces £88 million investment in connectivity R&D 

News 

The investment is KKR’s largest investment in Southeast Asian infrastructure and data centre infrastructure globally 

Singapore Telecommunications (Singtel), Southeast Asia’s largest telecom operator, is set to sell a 20% stake in its regional data centre business to private investment firm KKR for S$1.1 billion ($807 million). 

The deal values Singtel’s total regional data centre business at S$5.5 billion ($4.03 billion), the company revealed in a press release. 

Singtel’s data business is part of their Digital InfraCo unit, which was formed in June this year, and has operations in Singapore, India, and Thailand. Singtel will reportedly use the money from the sale to fund the further expansion of its this data centre business in Southeast Asia. 

“KKR’s investment underscores the quality of our data centre portfolio and confidence in our plans to scale the business by capitalising on the digitalisation and rapid AI adoption that is transforming this region,” explained Bill Chang, CEO of Singtel’s Singtel’s Digital InfraCo. 

“The data centre industry is growing at an accelerated pace given the unprecedented industry trends we are witnessing. KKR is a highly credible partner in the data centre space and we look forward to our strategic partnership in scaling up the platform to become a meaningful growth engine for Singtel,” added Singtel’s Chief Financial Officer Arthur Lang.  

“The investment by KKR crystallises the latent value of our data centre assets and we hope this illuminates value for our shareholders in the coming months. With more than S$6 billion being unlocked since we embarked on our strategic reset two years ago, we continue to focus on unlocking value for our shareholders.”  

For KKR, meanwhile, the investment forms part of the company’s wider Asian infrastructure strategy, with the firm noting that it will have option to increase its stake to 25% in 2027.  

The transaction is subject to regulatory approval and is expected to close by the end of the year. 

KKR has been investing heavily in telecoms infrastructure for several years now. Last year, the firm partnered with investment firm Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) to acquire data centre provider CyrusOne, in a deal worth $15 billion. Later that same year, KKR worked with GIP once again to jointly purchase an 81.7% stake in Vodafone’s telecoms tower spin-off, Vantage Towers.  

More recently, KKR is perhaps most in the news telecoms news as the frontrunner to buy Telecom Italia’s network assets, having had an almost €11 billion bid to take over the telco rejected back in 2021. 

Want to keep up to date with all of the latest international telecoms news? Sign up for Total Telecom’s daily newsletter  

Also in the news:
Connected Britain 2023: Which tracks are right for me?
Tarana raises $50 million for FWA deployment
UK government announces £88 million investment in connectivity R&D

The BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 have today announced what seems to be an “evolution” of the existing Freeview (inc. Freeview Play) IPTV platform. Called ‘Freely’, the new platform will be a free TV service that delivers live TV over your UK home broadband ISP connection (probably mobile too). The idea of delivering […]

Connected Britain 2023 is set to be our biggest event to date, featuring over 5,000 attendees, 350 speakers, and 1,500 organisations from every aspect of the UK telecoms sector and beyond. 

Connected Britain is the UK’s leading digital economy event, featuring 12 tracks full of specialised sessions spanning everything from fixed line and mobile broadband to local connectivity initiatives and regulatory discussions.  

Let’s take a closer look at some at what the tracks below. Don’t forget, last minute tickets are still available – register here today! 

 

Connected Keynotes:
The Connected Britain keynotes will address key questions such as: What does the future of the UK’s connectivity landscape look like? Where do the commercial opportunities of enhanced and ubiquitous connectivity lie? What is the industry doing to ensure that inclusive and meaningful growth is delivered in every corner of the UK? Explore the Keynote panel speakers here. 

 

Digital Britain:
Here we explore how the future of work is changing in an increasingly digital world. New skills are needed, new mindsets, and new partnerships. What is being done in the UK to fill the ‘skills gap’? What is needed both from government and the private sector to ensure that the UK remains a technology and business leader on the international stage? 

 

Connected Communities:
A truly ‘Connected Britain’ is one where every individual and every business has access to the best connectivity. Connected Communities will explore strategies for connecting rural and hard-to-reach communities while also focussing on connectivity for social housing, care homes, schools, and other critical services. 

 

Connected Infrastructure:
Digital connectivity is the cornerstone of the UK’s ambitions when it comes to intelligent transport systems, smart utility networks, EV charging, and more. The potential is huge, so how can the UK capitalise on these exciting opportunities? 

 

Gigabit Britain:
Here we will take a strategic look at the investment and regulatory context for the deployment of next-generation communications infrastructure in the UK. Gigabit Britain will also explore the commercial strategy and business models for the rollout of both fibre and 5G networks. 

 

Project Rollout:
This track will focus on the realities of building fibre and 5G networks. Key themes will include the technologies enabling network rollout, engineering strategies, supply chain issues, and the role of public–private partnerships. 

 

Connected Society:
Keeping people connected has never been more important. Tackling the digital divide, promoting digital inclusion, developing the provision of digital public services, and providing support for those who need it most is crucial to delivering a more connected and inclusive Britain. 

 

Smart Britain:
Smart Britain will focus on the delivery of smart places and how this will impact the regeneration and economic development of the UK’s cities, towns, and rural communities. It will also explore how digital infrastructure is driving a greener, more sustainable future. 

 

Connected Industries:
From manufacturing to logistics, from healthcare to the creative industries, next-generation communications infrastructure is creating new opportunities and enabling exciting new use cases. Connected Industries will bring together CSPs, technology providers, enterprises, and the public sector to explore how cross-sector partnerships and connectivity are driving innovation. 

 

Connected Enterprise:
From SMEs through to large-scale enterprises, the demands of private and public sector enterprise customers are constantly evolving. Connected Enterprise will explore the evolution of the UK’s enterprise communications market, the technologies that are re-shaping B2B communications as well new products and services. 

 

Local Authority Showcase:
Local authorities are the driving force behind the innovative technology projects and trials which are underway across the UK to solve key challenges, covering everything from mobility to housing, from healthcare to town planning. The Showcase Stage is a platform for digital champions from across the UK’s public sector to share their successes as well as their challenges and to learn from their peers. 

 

Startup Britain:
The Startup Britain stage will offer a celebration of innovation. Startups will have the chance to pitch their idea to potential investors, partners, and customers. Investors, accelerators, scale-ups and SMEs will share their insights into the keys for business growth and success. 

 

Connected Britain 2023 promises to be bigger and better than ever before. 

Taking place on the 20–21 of September, it’s not too late to grab your tickets.  

Visit the Connected Britain website to reserve your place now  

Also in the news:
UK government announces £88 million investment in connectivity R&D
Connected Britain 2023: the keynote panel agenda
Intelsat reaches teleport network deal with Italy’s Telespazio