News

Bell Canada and Telenor will be the global platforms first partners, focussing on expanding the companies’ eSIM-based network access and service footprints

Today, Verizon Business has announced the launch of its new eSIM-based IoT platform, dubbed Verizon Global IoT Orchestration.

The platform will enable devices to switch connection seamlessly between Verizon’s carrier partners’ networks using an eSIM profile, allowing them to operate as a native network subscribers within that partner’s footprint.

In this way, IoT devices will be less reliant on roaming agreements to function effectively, with eSIM allowing for more streamlined connectivity and management.

The new platform will incorporate Verizon’s existing IoT management platform, Verizon ThingSpace IoT, which reportedly already manages millions of IoT devices.

Global IoT Orchestration is today launching with two strategic partners in Bell Canada and Norwegian multinational carrier Telenor, allow customers to receive eSIM connectivity in the US, Canada, and various countries in Europe and the Asia-Pacific regions.

Additional partners are expected to be announced by the end of the year, with Verizon suggesting it would ultimately like 30 carriers to sign up to use the platform, covering a targeted 200 countries and regions.

“The move toward global IoT reflects the reality of doing business in the massive IoT era. The number of IoT devices is expanding rapidly and fleets are fanning outward, so our customers need flexible, reliable connectivity that moves across borders,” said Debika Bhattacharya, Chief Product Officer at Verizon Business. “With our partners Bell Canada, Telenor, and more to come, Verizon Global IoT Orchestration will be able to provide that — a globe-spanning footprint with seamless eSIM IoT connectivity.”

Discussing the benefits of this eSIM approach over traditional IoT roaming, Shamik Basu, executive director of IoT and edge product for Verizon Business noted that it allowed devices entering a market to be considered “a local rather than a visitor”. This allows devices to operate without certain limitations that can be imposed on roaming devices, such as latency levels, as well as providing as regulatory compliance.

How is the rise of the IoT creating opportunities for businesses across the US? Join the digital ecosystem in discussion at this year’s Connected America

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News

The Fibre 2 Essential’s package will offer eligible customers the speeds of 73 Mbps for £20 per month

Today, Vodafone UK has announced the launch of a new social tariff plan, Fibre 2 Essentials, aiming to provide families hit hardest by the cost-of-living crisis an option for faster broadband speeds.

The £20 package includes speeds of up to 73Mbps, with customers able to join without a set-up fee and leave for free at any time. The tariff will also remain at this fixed price and will not be subject to in-contract price rises.

The tariff is available to anyone on Jobseeker’s Allowance and Universal Credit, as well as those on Employment and Support Allowance, Reduced Earnings Allowance, Disability Living Allowance, Personal Independence Payment, or Pension Credit.

The new plan follows the operator’s 38 Mbps Fibre 1 Essentials package, which was first introduced in October last year.

“We have led the way in social tariffs, being the first to launch both fixed and mobile connectivity and having the cheapest social broadband product on the market since October last year,” said Vodafone UK CEO Ahmed Essam. “We have now heard the call for telecoms providers to do more to support people in the cost-of-living crisis and offer social tariffs that meet the needs of different households, so we are continuing to lead the way by promoting a new social broadband tariff with faster speeds to our existing portfolio.”

“Connectivity isn’t a luxury; we are doing all we can to make sure everyone can stay connected,” he added.

Vodafone noted that it will retain all of its social tariff options available for customers following the proposed merger with Three UK.

Commenting on the announcement, Alex Tofts from Broadband Genie noted the scheme would offer customers broadband speeds comparable to the UK’s average

“While its 73Mb download rates can be beaten by some altnets like Hyperoptic, Fibre 2 is the fastest social tariff available from a mainstream provider and actually measures in at a fraction above the UK’s average speed (72.2Mb). This would be suitable for busy households of up to five people,” he said. “At £20 per month – or 66p per day – it is one of the most expensive reduced-price deals on the market, but eligible customers will still be able to select Vodafone’s current Essentials Broadband, which is 38Mb for £12 a month.”

“Importantly, it means Vodafone joins other national broadband suppliers like BT and Virgin in offering different social tariff options and is helping to ensure these packages are not seen as the poor relation alongside other standard-priced deals,” he added.

Earlier this year, a study from Ofcom revealed that millions of eligible households are still missing out on social tariffs, with public awareness remaining woefully low.

According to the regulator, there are currently 27 broadband companies offering social tariffs, alongside numerous mobile players, but only around 220,000 of the 4.2 million eligible households in the UK are taking advantage of these deals.

Ofcom has repeatedly called on broadband operators to better advertise their social tariffs and encourage take-up; indeed, earlier this month the regulator again wrote to the country’s largest broadband providers to emphasise the importance of offering and suitably advertising social tariffs.

Ofcom has also pressed O2 and TalkTalk – the two largest providers currently not offering a subsidised tariff – to quickly introduce them as a matter of priority.

Is the UK telecoms industry doing enough to support its vulnerable customers through the cost-of-living crisis?  Join the operators in discussion at this year’s Connected Britain conference, the UK’s largest digital economy event

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The Government’s Building Digital UK (BDUK) agency, which oversees various gigabit-capable broadband and mobile network (4G, 5G etc.) deployment projects, has today published their corporate Plan for 2023 to 2026 – this sets out their latest key progress, targets and objectives for the next three years. The plan itself doesn’t say anything that we haven’t […]

Broadband ISP BT has today confirmed that they’ve extended the ongoing region-by-region deployment of their new Internet Protocol (IP) based home phone service, Digital Voice, to include the Yorkshire and Humberside areas of England. After this, we expect Northern Ireland to be next. Customers will be contacted at least four weeks before being upgraded, to […]

Network builder FullFibre Limited, which is deploying a new gigabit-capable Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband infrastructure across various parts of England, has added another retail ISP to their platform in the shape of discount provider Direct Save Telecom (they also work with Openreach, OFNL and MS3). FullFibre Limited, which is being backed by investment firm Basalt, currently […]

News

Armando Pereira, co-founder and former COO of Altice, was arrested late last week as part of a sweeping investigation into corruption, tax fraud, and money laundering

Armando Pereira, Portugal’s richest man and co-founder of the country’s largest telecoms operator Altice, was on Thursday detained for questioning by police as part of a major investigation into corporate corruption.

The ex-COO of Altice was one of three people detained in a widespread operation by Central Department of Investigation and Penal Action (DCIAP) that saw around 90 homes and premises searched and around €20 million of property seized.

The raids were the culmination of a three-year investigation by the DCIAP that alleges procurement decisions taken at Altice under Pereira’s oversight were done so in a way that was “harmful to the companies of that group and to the competition”, according to a statement from the DCIAP.

The investigators also claim that individuals and entities outside Altice Group are being examined for evidence of tax fraud worth over €100 million, as well as money laundering facilitated by the company’s corporate structure.

Altice says that it is complying with the probe and “providing all the cooperation requested”.

The company’s Portuguese offers were reportedly among those searched by law enforcement.

Following the raids, the CEO and chairman of Altice’s Portuguese and US businesses, Alexandre Fonseca, temporarily suspended himself from all executive and non-executive duties in the company.

“With this decision, Alexandre Fonseca is looking to fully protect and safeguard the Altice Group’s best interests and all its brands, in an ongoing public process, where allegedly, there are facts under investigation which occurred in the timeframe where he was the CEO of Altice Portugal,” said the company in a statement. “This posture from Alexandre Fonseca comes as responsible on the path to clarification of the truth.”

Fonseca also resigned from the board of Altice USA over the weekend.

Altice USA itself has said that it has launched its own independent investigation following the arrests, including placing their chief procurement officer, Yossi Benchetrit, on leave.

“Altice USA is an independent, U.S.-based company, and, in response to the circumstances in Portugal, we immediately launched an internal investigation. While we conduct this investigation, our chief procurement officer has been placed on leave to ensure the company retains its focus on its operations and serving customers,” said an Altice USA spokesperson.

Pereira founded Altice alongside Patrick Drahi and Bruno Moineville in 2002.

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Mobile network operator and broadband ISP Vodafone UK has today added a second social broadband tariff for those on state benefits (e.g. Universal Credit), which is called ‘Fibre 2 Essentials‘ and costs a bit more than their existing ‘Essentials Broadband‘ plan, but will give you faster speeds of up to 73Mbps. Just to recap. Vodafone’s […]

Hull-based network builder and broadband ISP KCOM, which is currently busy expanding their Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband network to more of East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire (England), has this week selected Ricoh UK to help deliver their £17m copper to fibre phone network switchover. The operator’s full fibre network already covers c. 300,000 premises, which includes around […]