Network operators CityFibre and Openreach, both of which are deploying full fibre broadband ISP networks at pace across the United Kingdom, have today secured a series of wins at the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) Awards 2023. Firstly, CityFibre has been recognised for the third year running by demonstrating its dedication to […]

Startup Stories

Tell us about your startup
At NATIX, we recognized that privacy was not the only hurdle preventing widespread camera use in public spaces. Another major barrier was the high cost of infrastructure. Installing, operating, and maintaining the 1 billion public and commercial CCTV cameras worldwide has cost more than $6 trillion. In addition, hardware or software maintenance can lead to downtime, resulting in costly or significant data gaps. To address these challenges, we developed NATIX Network with Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks (DePIN) in mind. Our goal is to provide a solution that addresses the cost of infrastructure and personal data privacy concerns that are associated with using cameras at scale. By combining our AI technology with the existing 45 billion cameras worldwide, NATIX Network creates the largest crowd-sourced camera network ever. Most smartphone cameras can run our AI software, collect metadata, and generate a Dynamic Map of the world that is constantly updated as new data is collected from the network.

What is your USP?
NATIX’s patent-pending AI technology guarantees top-tier privacy compliance, addressing concerns surrounding data privacy in a digital world. By using a crypto and blockchain-powered economy, NATIX is revolutionizing the industry with a cost-effective, efficient decentralized camera infrastructure network. With over 1 billion public and commercial CCTV cameras worldwide and expenses exceeding $6 trillion, decentralized Internet of Cameras can reduce costs and implementation time by 10 to 100 times. The integration of blockchain technology ensures security, transparency, reduced latency, and enhanced scalability. In summary, NATIX’s AI technology and crypto and blockchain-powered economy enable the creation of a more affordable, faster, and reliable decentralized camera infrastructure network compared to traditional surveillance systems, reshaping the industry for data users worldwide.

What is your relationship with the telecom sector?
The relationship between NATIX Network and the telecom sector is a symbiotic one. The telecom sector, particularly 5G network providers, plays a vital role in enabling NATIX’s solutions. In return, NATIX’s products and services can drive the demand for 5G connectivity, highlighting the benefits of this advanced network and encouraging wider adoption. By partnering with telecom operators, NATIX can leverage the extensive infrastructure and capabilities offered by the 5G network to:

Enhance the speed and efficiency of data transmission: The high bandwidth and low latency of 5G networks allow NATIX to process and transmit data from its decentralized camera infrastructure network in real-time, making the mapping process significantly more efficient and accurate.
Improve scalability: The increased capacity of 5G networks enables NATIX to scale its operations seamlessly, catering to a growing number of cameras and data points without compromising on performance.
Boost reliability and security: The decentralized nature of 5G networks and the enhanced encryption protocols they employ ensure that NATIX’s data transmission is more secure and less susceptible to disruptions or interference.
Facilitate edge computing: The 5G infrastructure allows NATIX to process data closer to the source, reducing latency and improving the overall performance of its real-time mapping solutions.

How have you got to your current stage of development?
Since our inception in 2020, we have focused on creating a computer vision platform that emphasizes privacy and security. Over the years, we’ve gained the trust of prestigious organizations like E.ON, Deutsche Telekom, and the City of Den Haag, which has helped us refine our offerings. Recognizing the potential of AI, decentralization, blockchain, and Web3 communities, we developed the AI-powered Drive& app. This app rewards users for contributing to real-time mapping by navigating streets and cities with their smartphone cameras. Users accumulate points that can be converted into our native token or redeemed for various products and services. We recently launched the Drive& app on Google Play, where it has been met with great anticipation and excitement from the user community. An iOS version of the app is also in the works and will be available soon, further expanding our user base and solidifying our position as a leading innovator in the computer vision and mapping space. Why did you establish the business? We established the business to empower cities and businesses to leverage smart cameras for public sensing, while addressing the prevalent concerns regarding privacy and infrastructure costs. Our mission is rooted in the belief that AI technology should augment people’s quality of life without sacrificing their personal privacy. By developing a computer vision platform that prioritizes privacy and employs innovative techniques to minimize infrastructure costs, we aim to make advanced public sensing solutions accessible and secure for a wide range of users. This approach ensures that the benefits of AI-driven surveillance and mapping can be enjoyed by communities and businesses alike, without the drawbacks often associated with traditional CCTV systems.

Who inspired you?
We were inspired by innovative companies like Helium, which have successfully built large-scale telecommunication networks through crowd-sourced and crypto-enabled business models. Helium’s approach to decentralized networking showcased the immense potential of harnessing collective resources and the power of blockchain technology, which ultimately influenced our own strategies and product development. Their success in transforming the telecommunications landscape motivated us to explore similar opportunities in the realm of computer vision and mapping.

Company CV
HQ: Hamburg, Germany
Founded: 2020
URL: https://www.natix.io/
Founders:
Alireza Ghods
Omid Mogharian
Lorenz Muck

NATIX will be one of the participants in the Startup Village at Total Telecom Congress, taking place on the 21-22 November at The RAI, Amsterdam. There is still time to join up and discover how you can compete to become Startup of the Year at the 25 World Communication Awards.

CityFibre has spent the past few years building their gigabit-capable Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband network to 2.6 million premises (2.3m Ready for Service) and slowly solidifying their position as the UK’s third-largest infrastructure player after Openreach (BT) and Virgin Media. Suffice to say, it’s time for a summary of ISP choices on their network. At present […]

London-focused UK gigabit-broadband ISP G.Network, which claims to be investing around £1bn to deploy a new Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) network across the city, has become the latest internet provider to “successfully demonstrate” Nokia’s 25G PON technology running on their network. The provider, which last year claimed to have already covered 400,000 premises across London (we haven’t […]

The Zayo Group, which operates a large metro and long-haul fibre optic network in the UK and globally, has launched the “fastest direct network route” connecting Manchester to New York with its new transatlantic subsea fibre. The link provides a direct route to North America that “avoids backhauling to global internet hubs in London and […]

News

The Commission said the deal could be directly harmful to market competition, leaving Broadcom’s hardware rivals with only limited access to crucial VMware software

VMware’s acquisition by Broadcom was first announced in May 2022, with the $61 billion megadeal immediately ringing alarm bells for various regulatory bodies.

By December that year, the European Commission was already signalling its disapproval, launching an in-depth investigation into the deal’s potential impact on market competition.

Now, the Commission has issued a formal statement outlining the results of this probe, suggesting that the deal could directly harm market competition for various hardware components.

“As a result of this in-depth investigation, the Commission is concerned that Broadcom may restrict competition in the global markets for the supply of FC HBAs [Fibre Channel Host-Bus Adapters] and storage adapters by foreclosing competitors’ hardware by delaying or degrading their access to VMware’s server virtualisation software,” said the Commission in a statement.

“Broadcom is the leading supplier of FC HBAs and storage adapters. The markets are very concentrated. If the competitors of Broadcom are hampered in their ability to compete in these markets, this could in turn lead to higher prices, lower quality and less innovation for business customers, and ultimately consumers.”

More specifically, the Commission said that the move could stifle the development of SmartNICs (Network Interface Cards) by Broadcom competitors.

They also fear that Broadcom could begin to bundle VMware software with its own, stopping to offer VMware software as a stand-alone product.

Despite these regulatory misgivings, Broadcom continues to be confident that regulators will eventually give the deal the green light, suggesting that they are aiming to close the deal in the 2023 fiscal year.

The Commission must make a final decision by 21 June 2023.

The European Commission is not the only regulatory hurdle the VMware–Broadcom deal will need to clear in the coming months to get this deal over the line.

Just last month the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority said that they were considering launching their own in-depth investigation into the deal, noting that the deal could not only drive up prices for UK businesses but also jeopardise commercially sensitive information from rival companies that have a pre-existing relationship with VMware.

The deal will also require approval from the US Federal Trade Commission, which is currently performing its own investigation into the deal.

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Also in the news:
Telkomsel to merge with Indonesia’s largest fixed broadband operator
French operators head to court seeking compensation for forced Huawei removal
US wireless operators move to allay 5G aviation fears

Contributed Article

by UCL Swift

Fiber optics have paved the way for rapid data transmission across longer distances. The connection performance of fiber optic cables must be at its maximum in order to meet this demand. This requires extreme attention to detail, as connectivity issues can depend on very minute variances.

In this article, we will discuss bore diameter, core concentricity and circularity, including what they are and how they affect fiber optic power.

Bore Diameter

Ferrules come with varying bore diameters depending on the size of the optical fiber it will host. One reason for variance is that the diameter is purposefully slightly larger than normal from a “standard” fiber diameter to allow for differences in cladding. Cladding is defined as a layer of either glass or plastic that surrounds the inner core with a lower index of refraction. Through reflection, it confines light to the core to improve light transmission.

Ferrules are manufactured using injection-molded ceramic. After the initial molding step, the ferrules are put through a precision boring process and then polished to remove any machining marks, nicks or scratches.The ferrules then have the bore diameter measured and sorted into different “grades.” Matching the grade of the ferrule to the application and desired performance level is a key step in preparation, along with specifying a fiber with low variation of the cladding diameter.

Singlemode ferrules require the highest tolerance on bore diameter due to the high tolerances necessary to guarantee correct alignment of the fibers (dictated by the small size of the optical core, typically 9 microns in diameter). Even a tiny mismatch between two singlemode optical fibers can produce large losses in light transmission. Multimode ferrule terminations can be more forgiving due to larger core size (50 microns, 62.5 microns, or up to 100 microns) and are not as sensitive to mismatch.

Bore diameter is the first step in a quality termination. Unwanted variation in bore diameters will prevent the optical fibers from being fixed along the center axis due to variation in placement. This variation will contribute to a mismatch in core alignment, possibly increasing the connection loss.

The bore diameter depends on extremely precise and minute factors. Fiber optics is a technology that requires extreme accuracy and attention to detail. If this factor falls short to a tiny degree, then loss of light and data occurs. The greater the discrepancy, the lower the connectivity performance.

 

Click here to read the full article, including a detailed explanation of core concentricity and circularity

UCL Swift manufactures ferrules used to make splice-on-connectors and to make connectors for cable assemblies. After creating the ferrules and machining the various features, each ferrule is subjected to multiple measurements to ensure compliance to internal standards (Ilsintech typically uses a higher internal standard than what can be found in general specifications). Each ferrule is graded according to dimensional performance (including bore diameter) and identified for where it will be used, or potentially discarded if it does not meet UCL Swift standards for performance. We use the best of the best to make connectors. Contact UCL Swift today at 972-556-0916 for ordering information

News

After months of rumour, the UK altnet has seemingly a majority stake to newly formed Agnar UK Infrastructure Ltd

For months now, the future of UK fibre altnet Trooli has been uncertain. Rumours have suggested that numerous parties were potentially considering a takeover bid, including the including rivals Virgin Media O2 and Zzoomm, with analysts suggesting such a deal could be worth over £100 million.

More recently, at the end of last month, the Financial Times reported that two infrastructure firms, Vauban Infrastructure Partners and Axione, had entered into discussions with Trooli over a possible acquisition.

This week, however, it seems that the successful suitor will be none of the above. As reported by ISPreview, an update to Trooli’s Companies House records shows that the altnet is now over 75% owned by a newly formed company called Agnar UK Infrastructure Ltd.

This deal is not entirely out of left field; Agnar is recorded as having two French directors – Maxime Buisson and Elie Nammar – both of whom have ties to Vauban Infrastructure Partners.

In the same filing, it was also noted that all Trooli’s original UK directors have resigned.

It is unclear what this acquisition will mean for Trooli’s ongoing rollout, which is currently seeking to pass one million UK premises with fibre-to-the-premise by the end of 2024.

In the past year, Trooli had been seeking to raise an additional £200 million via an equity share release for their ongoing deployment, so this takeover could provide some much needed funds to keep the fibre reel turning.

More details about the deal will presumably be shared by Trooli and Agnar in due course.

How is the UK altnet landscape evolving in 2023? Join the ecosystem in discussion at next weeks Connected North conference live in Manchester

Also in the news:
Telkomsel to merge with Indonesia’s largest fixed broadband operator
French operators head to court seeking compensation for forced Huawei removal
US wireless operators move to allay 5G aviation fears

News

The investment firm argues that it is not a threat to national security and that it will fight for the right to own the UK altnet

At the start of 2021, private investment firm LetterOne acquired a 100% stake in UK altnet Upp, with the goal of investing £1 billion to build a full fibre network in the East of England.

The deal was immediately controversial, with politicians and security experts calling into question the national security implications of LetterOne’s ownership and ties to the Russian government.

Co-founded by Russian billionaires, Mikhail Fridman and Petr Aven, back in 2013, LetterOne’s ownership of a critical infrastructure network in the UK could give them illicit access to sensitive information.

“I do think in the UK, if we’re serious about pushing back on potential malign influence, we need to be very careful,” Conservative MP Bob Seely told The Telegraph at the time.

Naturally, these concerns were only exacerbated by the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, which saw the two oligarchs quickly sanctioned by the UK government.

LetterOne responded to these concerns by freezing out Fridman and Aven, including removing their access to the company’s building and shutting down communications access to other employees.

However, the seeds of mistrust had already been sewed and, in December last year, the UK Secretary of State for Business, Grant Shapps, enacted powers bestowed by the National Security and Investment Act (NSIA) and ordered LetterOne to sell its entire stake in Upp.

The decision marked only the fifth time NSIA powers had been invoked, with all four previous iterations relating to Chinese companies.

LetterOne, naturally, maintains that it does not represent a threat to the UK’s national security, noting that the business itself is not under sanctions.

Now, the firm is making a formal legal challenge against the decision, seeking to have the ruling overturned.

“L1 is not sanctioned and has taken fast, decisive action to put in place strong measures to distance itself from its sanctioned shareholders,” said the company in a statement. “They have no role in L1, no access to premises, infrastructure, people and funds or benefits of any description.”

The company notes that Upp is compliant with all of Ofcom’s rules regarding security, is run by a UK leadership team, and has a board of directors comprised of individuals from the UK, the US, and the EU.

LetterOne, which also owns health food chain Holland & Barrett, has made a very public effort to distance itself from its Russian owners, including reshuffling its own board and reallocating some of the funds that would have gone to its frozen stakeholders to charitable causes.

“We’re going to be one of the largest charitable givers, certainly in the UK,” LetterOne’s chairman Mervyn Davies told the Financial Times in December.

Whether this will be enough to help convince a UK court to reverse the government’s decision remains to be seen.

How is the UK altnet landscape evolving in 2023? Join the ecosystem in discussion at next weeks Connected North conference live in Manchester

Also in the news:
Telkomsel to merge with Indonesia’s largest fixed broadband operator
French operators head to court seeking compensation for forced Huawei removal
US wireless operators move to allay 5G aviation fears

Broadband provider Plusnet will this morning further discounted the offers on their existing range of ultrafast and gigabit-capable Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) powered packages for new residential customers – provided via Openreach’s national network, which sees the provider shaving another few pounds off each of their plans. As usual, these packages all include unlimited data usage, a […]