Broadband ISP Ogi has today announced that their 10Gbps capable Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) network is to be extended across more of Bridgend county, which will form part of their £200m Infracapital-backed project to cover 150,000 premises in rural parts of South Wales by 2025. The provider, which by March 2023 had covered around 47,500 premises (up […]

Contributed Article

By David Wilson, global offering director for solar and telecom energy solutions at Vertiv

It’s no surprise that telecoms operators around the world are prioritising sustainability initiatives. The GSMA estimates that they account for up to 3% of the total global energy demand, and estimates that this number will increase further despite the savings in energy consumption that the new 5G radio standard brings. Multiple new mobile stations will be needed to meet the expected exponential growth in data traffic from 5G connected devices, as well as the growing demands of edge capacity for high-performing services.

Telcos are also under pressure to comply with stringent laws and regulations. For example, the EU requires listed companies with more than 500 employees to comply with the new Non-Financial Reporting Directive (NFRD) based on a unified Green Classification System called “EU Taxonomy”.

However, whilst there’s plenty of pressure on telco operators, there is also positive news, as these organisations have already made significant strides in tackling their energy consumption; the industry was an early adopter of solar energy and today telcos are looking to expand their adoption of renewables (wind energy, solar PV, and lithium battery storage) to deliver a resilient, reliable, and more sustainable energy supply.

The industry should certainly be commended for these efforts, but there is still plenty of work to be done. So, with a growing impetus to ‘get sustainability right’ and to do it quickly, what near and longer-term strategies can telcos deploy to help boost energy efficiency and make more strides in achieving sustainability?

Be honest and open about your intentions and capabilities

Whilst much of this article will tackle the technological innovations which operators can implement to drive their sustainability credentials, it is important to first look at the promises telcos make and the green messages they send into the market. Specifically, it is vital to avoid the temptation to indulge in ‘greenwashing’.

The greener or more sustainable a brand is, the more likely it will be able to attract customers and maintain a higher price in comparison to competitors. Simply put, companies want to buy from responsible vendors.

But while it’s tempting to hype your green credentials, operators must be careful with overpromises or worse, claims that are not true. Disingenuous messages are likely to be spotted by consumers and watchdog organisations and can cause a negative impact on a brand’s reputation.

This same honesty is vital in attracting and retaining staff. Integrating sustainability initiatives into the day-to-day business strategies and honest communication around challenges and achievements will help operators to secure the talent they need for future success.

Transition to high efficiency rectifiers

Away from the marketing messages, there are a number of immediate practical steps operators can take to reduce the power they use, shrink their electric bills and support the transition to a more sustainable future.

One of the most obvious routes to a greener future is to simply transition to high efficiency rectifiers in the DC power systems present at every access site. Replacing legacy DC power systems with newer, high efficiency models can improve energy efficiency by up to 6%.

What’s more, modern equipment frequently includes energy saving modes and features that are all too often ignored. Today’s DC power systems, for example, are more intelligent and capable of more advanced energy management than legacy systems, but in many instances, operators don’t harness those functions, favouring static operation. We urge operators to make the most of these systems’ capabilities and reap immediate energy saving benefits.

Align energy strategies to your access site

When you consider geographies, climate, grid reliability, water availability, governmental regulations and countless other factors around the globe, it becomes clear that no single strategy is appropriate for every access site.

Energy and carbon management strategies must be linked to planning and real estate, and operators must tailor their approach to the conditions across their networks. For example, hybrid energy systems leveraging solar power to supplement unreliable or overtaxed grids are more commonplace in much of Africa, South America, the Middle East, and parts of Asia than in the US where grid service is usually reliable and affordable.

Use intelligent controls to manage the load

Today, thanks to the latest innovations in technology development, comprehensive real-time monitoring of AC and DC power network infrastructure is possible.

Intelligent controllers are available with advanced load management functionalities that enable telcos to visualise potential hotspots, power performance, and distribution inefficiencies in order to optimise the DC power supply, maximise use of cooling, and avoid overload.

By proactively managing the load, operators can identify the location and power profile of every rack at a given site. This ability to map the site’s power distribution and thermal output enables operators to move the load from one rack to another to improve airflow and optimise thermal management. With effective load management tools, high availability can be achieved whilst improving energy efficiencies and saving costs.

Embrace long term strategies

So, it is positive news that there’s already good work being done by telcos around the world in the field of energy management. Other internal sustainability initiatives, such as reuse and recycling equipment and reducing water consumption in factories and offices, are also underway – and are succeeding not only on having a positive impact on the environment but also bring cost savings too.

Progress is happening all the time. Innovations to look at closely include new and emerging battery technologies like sodium-ion that may present additional opportunities for off-grid operation and energy management. And, as on- and off-grid power management becomes more sophisticated, we could see networks evolving into microgrids that generate and share their own power across the network and with the utility.

Although many of these technologies are not viable alternatives in the access network today, we are confident this innovative industry will continue to drive progress – powering a more efficient future for the sector.

Want to hear more from David and the Vertiv team on the topic of sustainability? Join them as they discuss energy efficient cable landing stations at this year’s Submarine Networks EMEA event

Also in the news:
Wind Tre carves out network assets, sells majority stake to EQT
Rakuten Mobile and KDDI strike roaming agreement
CMA gives Viasat the thumbs up to acquire Inmarsat

News

The drones will support emergency services across the country, supported by Citymesh’s 5G network

Today, Nokia and Citymesh have announced their latest partnership, which will see the operator use 70 Drone-in-a-Box units from Nokia to help bolster Belgium’s emergency services.

Strategically deployed to 35 emergency zones across the country and managed by five centralised operations centres, these 70 drones will be able to quickly gather information about emergency incidents taking place anywhere in the country.

The drones are equipped with video and thermal cameras, which will be used to relay information in real-time to emergency service personnel.

The deployment follows successful drone trials conducted earlier this year by Citymesh alongside the Fluvia Fire Brigade in Kortrijk, Brussels Airport Company, the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, and the city of Genk.

“SENSE is a great example of how technology can save lives. We’ve been impressed with Nokia as our partner for reliable wireless connectivity and an outstanding turnkey Drone-in-a-Box solution that we can customize to our specific needs,” said Hans Similon, General Manager of Citymesh Safety Drone. “Together, we’re making Belgium safer and proving just how innovative we are as a nation.”

The drones, powered by Nokia’s Drone Networks solution, will connect to both public and private 4G and 5G networks.

Citymesh has operated as a B2B wireless connectivity provider in Belgium for almost 20 years, but in recent years its focus has changed, announcing ambitions of becoming the nation’s fourth national mobile network operator (MNO).

The would-be MNO acquired 4G spectrum from the Belgian Institute for Postal Services and Telecommunications in 2020. Since then, it has bolstered its holdings with significant 5G spectrum, acquired alongside Digi in 2022. Citymesh plans to use its spectrum for B2B services, while Digi will focus on offerings direct to consumers.

In fact, earlier this week, Citymesh and Digi announced a new partnership with Dense Air to deploy the vendor’s RAN-as-a-Service (RaaS) small cells and enhance their national 4G and 5G coverage.

Want to keep up to date with all of the latest telecoms news from around the world? Click here to receive Total Telecom’s daily newsletter

Also in the news:
Wind Tre carves out network assets, sells majority stake to EQT
Rakuten Mobile and KDDI strike roaming agreement
CMA gives Viasat the thumbs up to acquire Inmarsat

The Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA), which is working alongside the Connecting Cambridgeshire broadband rollout project, has today announced the next set of three locations to benefit from their ongoing rollout of free public access WiFi (“CambWifi“). The service is currently being provided at over 200 public buildings, as well as open spaces (i.e. […]

Mobile network operator Lyca Mobile has today announced that they’ve become one of the first Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNO) – based off O2’s (VMO2) national platform – to launch an e-SIM service for customers in the United Kingdom. The eSIM standard is an alternative to physical SIM cards, which essentially embeds an electronic SIM […]

Colchester-based alternative network ISP County Broadband, which has an ambition to cover 500,000 premises across the East of England with their new 1Gbps Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) network by the end of 2027, has today signed a new partnership with civil engineering firm AB Installs to accelerate their rollout. The full fibre provider, which is being supported […]

Press release

The Liverpool City Region’s new full fibre network, built as part of LCR Connect, a 50% publicly owned joint venture, has played a leading role in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest.

Utilising the 212km full fibre network that is being built across the six local authorities of the city region, LCR Connect provided the digital highway that enabled the successful delivery of the week-long celebration and Saturday’s final.

The grand final was broadcast live from Liverpool’s M&S Bank Arena to a global television audience of more than 160 million people, with performances running throughout the week, including fringe events as well as two semi-finals.

LCR Connect is a joint venture between the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, led by Mayor Steve Rotheram, which owns 50% of the venture, alongside ITS, and NGE, who are delivering the network across the Liverpool City Region.

Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said: “Staging a global spectacle like the Eurovision Song Contest to hundreds of millions of viewers around the world was a massive triumph for our area – and one that was made possible, in part, by our world-class infrastructure.

“Through LCR Connect, we’re delivering the fastest internet speeds in the country and positioning ourselves at the forefront of the UK’s digital revolution – and stand ready to attract the thousands of well-paid jobs and training opportunities it will bring to our area. We’ve shown the world that nowhere is more capable, or qualified, to host global events than the Liverpool City Region.”

The network, which is on track to be completed this year, is designed to significantly improve connectivity, and will support internet access for businesses and other organisations, making the city region among the best-connected areas of the UK.

Working with the BBC, technology partners and the National Cyber Security Centre, experts from LCR Connect and joint venture partners ITS and NGE provided the design and deployment of the network.

Utilising the ITS Faster Britain full fibre network, the solution ensured Eurovision 2023 was broadcast to the largest global audience in the contest’s history, as well as providing connectivity to the world’s media, audience members and visitors in the city.

Ahead of the event, organisers had been especially alert to a possible cyber-attack after Italian police thwarted attempts by pro-Russian hackers to disrupt last year’s event in Turin, so network security was a central element to this year’s planning.

To ensure resilience, the solution encompassed completely diverse routes from the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool to independent locations in London, where internet traffic was handed off to the BBC and the European Broadcasting Union, allowing the show to be beamed around the world.

And ITS, in partnership with leading security experts NTT, also provided protection for the public facing internet traffic at the arena, defending against distributed denial-of-service (DDOS) attacks, a tactic commonly used by cyber-criminals.

Daren Baythorpe, CEO of ITS, said:

“The vision of LCR Connect is to provide a world-leading full fibre network to the City Region, and this weekend that has been in evidence. We were delighted to work with multi-agency colleagues to deliver this event in Liverpool to a global audience.

“Our network and security measures have enabled broadcasters to take this spectacle to its biggest ever audience, providing reliable connectivity to visitors across the city, and contributed to a memorable week of celebrations across the City Region – it really does show the power of connectivity. I would like to thank the technical teams that have enabled such a successful event.”

Scott Bicknell, UK Managing Director of NGE, said:

“Eurovision 2023 has been placed under the sign of unity, which is also one of NGE’s values, demonstrated each day by the work our teams carry out together with the Liverpool City Region and our partner ITS to bring high-speed internet in the region.

“We are thrilled to have contributed to the successful delivery of this major European event, with the construction of a reliable and transformative infrastructure for local businesses and communities. A shout out to our Liverpool teams for their commitment.”

 

Startup Stories

Utrecht based startup, Komensky, empowers telecom companies to ensure their workforces stay competitive and innovative. They will be joining us at Total Telecom Congress this November.

About Komensky & Our Founder, Fedor Hagenaar:
Founded by Fedor Hagenaar, a specialist with almost 20 years of experience in enterprise learning strategy, Komensky is an innovative startup designed to future-proof workforces. Fedor’s expertise spans across a multitude of areas including learning ecosystem strategy, skill mobility, personalized learning, and learning analytics. His conviction that an organization’s success lies in its ability to learn and adapt led to the inception of Komensky. This innovative platform facilitates the re- and upskilling of individuals for in-demand professions, bridging the gap between current competencies and the skills of tomorrow.

Our Unique Selling Proposition (USP) & Services:
Komensky stands out for its emphasis on skills-based learning. Our platform is powered by an adaptive skills engine, which uses a robust skill framework to make informed decisions and recommendations. It maps specific job descriptions to skills, levels, knowledge, abilities, and assessment criteria. This allows employees to identify their skill gaps and receive personalized recommendations to help them and the organization develop and grow.

Our comprehensive service offering covers a wide range of learning needs. From content curation, creation, and conversion to learning management, automation, and complex reporting, we provide solutions that support sustainable learning strategies and internal skill mobility.

Relationship with the Telecom Sector & Partnerships:
In the telecom sector, Komensky plays a pivotal role in helping companies adapt to the rapidly evolving technological landscape. By providing tailored educational solutions, we empower telecom companies to ensure their workforces stay competitive and innovative.

Our partnerships extend to reputable libraries like GoodHabitz and LinkedIn Learning. We also integrate all proprietary content and use open source content relevant for a set skill set, enabling us to provide a diverse range of learning resources.

Our Journey to the Current Stage of Development & Future Plans:
Our development is a result of extensive research, experience, and collaborations. We’ve interviewed thousands of individuals, advised dozens of companies, and delved deep into learning psychology and technology. This wealth of knowledge and expertise has helped us refine our platform to optimally meet the needs of our clients.

In light of the European Year of Skills in 2023, we plan to further elaborate on skill-based learning for all, solidifying our commitment to creating a future-proof workforce.

Our Inspiration, Recognition, and Awards:
Inspired by the wisdom of Jan Amos Komensky — ‘You live, you learn’ — we established Komensky with a vision to revolutionize learning and development in the professional sphere. Our efforts have been recognized by reputable organizations. We’ve been featured on RedThread Research‘s Skill Tech Vendor Map and have been nominated for two Learning Pool awards. We’re proud to have won the Extraordinary Impact Award 2022 from Learning Pool, a testament to our dedication and effectiveness in the EdTech sector.

The Future of Komensky:
Komensky envisions a future where our platform becomes integral to every organization’s learning and development strategy, driving growth, and enhancing workforce capabilities across industries. We are committed to continuously innovating our platform to accommodate the ever-evolving demands of the labor market and deepen our engagement with the telecom sector.

At Komensky, we firmly believe that the future of work is intrinsically tied to lifelong learning, and we are poised to lead the way in this transformative journey.

There are still opportunities to join Komensky in the Startup Village at the Total Telecom Congress this November. To find out more, visit the website totaltele.com/congress

SpaceX’s popular Starlink ISP, which harnesses thousands of compact satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) to deliver ultrafast broadband speeds and fast latency times to homes, has launched a new promotion for people in UK rural areas that slashes the one-off hardware cost by 75% from £460 to just £99. Customers in the UK would […]

A new study from Ookla, which operates the popular broadband connection testing service Speedtest.net, has surprised absolutely nobody today by revealing that home WiFi performance continues to lag behind wired Ethernet (LAN) performance in many advanced markets (e.g. Wi-Fi speeds in the UK were just 29.8% of Ethernet in Q1 2023). The fact that Wireless […]