Ofcom has announced that they’ve launched a new enforcement programme, which among other things will investigate whether TelNG Limited, ETC Telecom Limited and Number Services Limited have failed to pay charges for phone numbers they have been allocated. At present, communication providers are required to pay Ofcom an Annual Number Charge in respect of any […]

A relatively new UK network builder called X-Fibre has revealed that they’re planning to roll-out a new gigabit-capable Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband network to “surpass” 10,000 homes across parts of Surrey, West Sussex, and Hampshire “within the next five years” (i.e. by 2028). At present the Gloucestershire-based company, which was incorporated on 18th May 2021 (here), […]

New customers who join BT’s fibre (FTTC, G.fast and FTTP) based home broadband packages may like to know that the ISP has introduced several significant discounts that will run for the next week or so, which removes their upfront charges and cuts the monthly rental for the entire 24-month of their contract term. Customers can […]

Interview

Speaking at Connected North, Steve Doddington, Director of Telecoms at Netceed, formerly Comtec, discusses what the changing market means for them and their customers, while also touching on how the rebrand and continuous growth of the group can benefit all

Netceed, formerly Comtec, have had a busy year with their transition as well as servicing Tier 1 customers and trading with over 90 altnets and 230 contractors.

With the transition well underway, Netceed come together in 14 countries with 1,200 employees. But what does this mean for their customers?

“Our customers benefit in lots of ways. We leverage our group ability to offer products to our customers, so through the wide product portfolio we have, we give our customers the options so we can truly offer them a one-stop-shop solution,” explained Doddington.

“And then, we take that leveraging a step further where we buy very well because we have group volume and we can pass that on to our customers and be very competitive with prices. So, the benefits our customers see are real and what we can also do with that is by implementing our supply chain method, we can add forecasting and inventory management, we hold £20m worth of stock here in the UK and then we can put logistics and value-added services around that as well.”

“So ultimately, we provide a full package that allows our customers to really concentrate on what they are good at, which is building networks and hooking up customers, and allow us to do the rest for them.”

You can watch the full interview from the link below

Is the UK on track to reach its full fibre ambitions? Join the ecosystem in discussion at this year’s live Connected Britain conference

Also in the news:
ECTA calls on the European Commission to think again
Research claims FTTH reduces internet CO2 emissions by a third
Fibre will underpin our 5G future, says ITS Technology Group at Connected North

Customers of broadband ISP ZYBRE (Air Broadband) are facing more uncertainty after one of their remaining network partners, FullFibre Limited, informed related users that they’d taken the “difficult decision to no longer work” with the provider. On top of that, ZYBRE has also received a “First Gazette notice for compulsory strike-off“. At this point, it’s […]

O2 UK (VMO2) has completed a unique trial in an extremely remote part of Wales, which successfully worked with Starlink’s network of ultrafast broadband satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and Wavemobile to deploy a mobile broadband capable 4G signal to the area around the South Stack Lighthouse in Holyhead, Anglesey. The trial, which was […]

Liverpool-based network builder and UK ISP FACTCO has decided to extend their existing network reach by signing a new partnership agreement with a fellow alternative network provider, FullFibre Limited. This will enable them to sell services to homes and businesses over both networks. At present FACTCO has already deployed their own gigabit-capable Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) network […]

Some customers of Sky’s standalone Sky Stream TV product, which uses your UK broadband ISP and WiFi connection to stream their on-demand video content and live TV channels directly to your existing TV set (without a satellite dish), may be displeased to learn that you now need a much faster minimum download speed. Until recently, […]

Press Release

Virgin Media O2 and Good Things Foundation have partnered to launch a new apprenticeship programme where successful candidates will gain professional qualifications alongside undertaking critical work to increase digital inclusion across the UK.

The telecommunications firm has gifted around £200,000 to fund the ‘Good Things Foundation Future Skills Academy’ which will be delivered by EdTech provider Multiverse with the schemes ranging from Level 3 (the equivalent of A Level) right through to Level 6 (undergraduate degree level).

The analytical apprenticeship schemes delivered by Multiverse will help successful candidates develop business critical skills such as data analysis and project management.

As part of their schemes, the apprentices will split their time between working for organisations in Good Things Foundation’s National Digital Inclusion Network and working towards their fully funded apprenticeship qualification, which would not be possible without support from Virgin Media O2.

The skills candidates will learn through their apprenticeship will help them to digitally transform their organisation. It is envisioned this will free up their time and reduce costs, enabling them to provide even greater support to people who are digitally excluded in their communities.

In June 2021, Virgin Media O2 committed to hiring more than 1,000 apprentices, and earlier this year announced plans to hire more than 350 apprentices into the business in 2023.

Karen Handley, Head of Future Careers at Virgin Media O2, said: “As one of the UK’s largest apprenticeship providers, we know the real difference that apprentices can make to an organisation which is why we’re proud to help fund the Good Things Foundation’s Future Skills Academy.

“Through their apprenticeship schemes candidates will learn the skills that will help them tackle digital exclusion in their communities.”

“We’re committed to helping eradicate data poverty in the UK, and through our work in partnership with Good Things Foundation, we’re getting more people online and connected than ever before.”

Helen Milner OBE, Group Chief Executive, Good Things Foundation said “Data literacy and business transformation skills are becoming increasingly vital to help future-proof organisations.  These are the skills of the future that will help organisations adapt and respond to rapid technological development.

“Through partnering with Virgin Media O2 and Multiverse, we are offering members of our National Digital Inclusion Network access to fully funded professional development in business-critical skills. This opportunity will help build organisation resilience for members of our network so that they can continue to provide vital services to fix the digital divide in local communities.”

Jeremy Duggan, President of Multiverse said: “The pace of technological change is leaving far too many people behind without access to the skills and tools they need to thrive. Addressing this problem is an objective that unites Multiverse, Virgin Media O2 and Good Things Foundation.

Through our partnership, we’ll empower individuals with the data and digital skills that not only open up their own careers, but also support the essential work of the organisations they belong to. Apprenticeships are simply the best way to deliver those skills, because the future of learning is working; applying skills everyday, in real-world settings.”

As well as working together on the Good Things Foundation’s Future Skills Academy, Virgin Media O2 and Good Things Foundation founded the National Databank in July 2021, where people in need can access 20GB of free O2 data – enough for around 220 hours of internet browsing – per month.

Since the National Databank was launched, Virgin Media O2 has provided more than 70,000 free O2 SIM cards and 50,000 free O2 data vouchers and has committed more than 61 million GB of free O2 data to the initiative by the end of 2025.

How are the UK’s network operators helping to nurture the next generation of telecoms professionals? Join the ecosystem in discussion at this year’s live Connected Britain conference

Also in the news:
ECTA calls on the European Commission to think again
Research claims FTTH reduces internet CO2 emissions by a third
Fibre will underpin our 5G future, says ITS Technology Group at Connected North

News

The combined entity would control around two-thirds of the Sri Lankan mobile market

This week, Dialog Axiata and Bharti Airtel have announced their intention to merge their respective Sri Lankan units.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, though the announcement notes that Airtel will receive new shares in Dialog as part of the deal.

Dialog is already the current mobile market leader in Sri Lanka, with its roughly 18 million customers representing around 60% of the total market. Airtel Lanka, meanwhile, is the country’s second largest mobile player, with roughly 5 million subscribers.

Thus, if combined, the resulting entity would serve around 23 million customers, almost two thirds of the country’s 36.18 million mobile connections in 2023.

The merger still requires shareholder approval from both companies and will be subject to the typical regulatory oversight.

Hutch and SLT-Mobitel fill out Sri Lanka’s mobile tetrarchy, with Hutch having acquired the market’s fourth place player, Etisalat Sri Lanka, back in 2018.

This is not the first time that Dialog and Airtel have looked to join forces in Sri Lanka. The pair first entered merger discussions back in 2016. At the time, Airtel was a much smaller player in the Sri Lankan market, with the deal expected to carry a price tag of only around $100 million. Ultimately, however, a deal could not be reached.

The merger comes at an interesting time for Sri Lanka on a macroeconomic level. The country has been facing an economic imbalance for many years, with imports far outweighing exports and draining the nation’s foreign currency reserves. In recent years, coupled with the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic, the situation has frown to a full-blown crisis, with soaring inflation driving public protests to overthrow the civilian government last year.

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Also in the news:
ECTA calls on the European Commission to think again
Research claims FTTH reduces internet CO2 emissions by a third
Fibre will underpin our 5G future, says ITS Technology Group at Connected North