News

Speaking at MWC 2023, Kyivstar’s CTO Volodymyr Lutchenko explained how Kyivstar turned to crowdsourcing energy to solve its power crisis

Late last year, Total Telecom interviewed Kyivstar’s CEO, Oleksandr Komarov, exploring the company’s journey since the onset of the war and the many connectivity challenges still facing the nation’s telecoms sector.

At that time of the interview, Ukraine’s power grid was being targeted by Russian missile attacks, leaving millions of people around the country reliant on localised generators for electricity and heating.

With over 40% of the country’s power grid damaged or destroyed by these attacks – and with an already freezing winter rapidly growing colder – the scale of this challenge could not be underestimated. Indeed, Komarov said that the energy crisis was perhaps the biggest challenge that the country’s telecoms sector had faced to date, threatening to leave hundreds of thousands of people disconnected.

Now, three months later, Total Telecom spoke to the Kyivstar’s CTO, Volodymyr Lutchenko, at Mobile World Congress 2023 for an update on the situation.

Thankfully, he had positive news to share.

“November and December were the worst months, but since the New Year’s period things have improved,” he explained. “In January we were still having periodical blackouts, but today the situation is more or less stable.”

Nonetheless, the threat of additional attacks to the power grid are ever-present, with Lutchenko explaining how Kyivstar was working to bolster its sites with backup power supplies in the form of additional batteries and diesel generators. However, with the entire country struggling for power, such equipment is in short supply, leading the Kyivstar to adopt a more unconventional approach to network energy.

“We’re deploying more back up power for our base stations in the form of diesel generators and batteries. But what we’re doing that’s unique is launching a crowdsourcing programme – based on a short movie shown on TV and YouTube – asking enterprises and customers to allow us to connect our equipment to their generators,” explained Lutchenko. “We’ve seen incredible results – in the very short term, we connected 600 base stations to crowdsourced generators.”

These additional measures have made Kyivstar’s network remarkably resilient to the ongoing energy struggles, though Lutchenko noted that planned power cuts would likely continue in some areas.

Sadly, Ukraine’s energy crisis is unlikely to be fully resolved soon, with procuring and installing new power infrastructure, especially large high-power autotransformers, proving a major challenge, even with the support of the international community.

Reconnecting liberated areas continues

Alongside managing the energy crisis, another major focus for Kyivstar in recent months has been restoring connectivity to newly liberated areas.

According to Lutchenko, this is a relatively simple process from a technical standpoint but requires careful coordination with the the military at a regional level.

“The biggest problem is not technical – if the site is not destroyed or badly damaged, reconnecting infrastructure is a relatively simple process. But from a military point of view, it is much more challenging,” he explained. “The surrounding territory has to be de-mined and then every building and object needs to be checked for mines and grenades. Only after that can you safely start operations.”

Once these restorative operations begin, getting these sites reconnected to the rest of the network can be done in a matter of days. In Kherson, for example, Kyivstar installed their first mobile base station within two days of the military recapturing the city, with three more becoming operational within a week.

Today, around 90% of sites are operational in liberated areas, according to Lutchenko.

“Right now, we’re fighting through energy and blackout problems, but really what we’re waiting for is to restore everything. There are not any challenges that we cannot overcome,” he concluded.

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Also in the news:
Viasat–Inmarsat merger gets provisional greenlight from CMA
Verizon shuffles executive team in search of growth
Ericsson to pay DoJ $206.7m over bribery scandal

 

 

 

Half of all the homes in Britain are now connected to the national secure smart meter network, which is operated and maintained by the Data Communications Company (DCC). The 15 millionth home was connected to the network at 1:56am on 21st February by British Gas at a property in Kent.

The network now supports almost 25 million meters in 15 million homes, and is becoming one of the most far-reaching communications technologies in the country.

The milestone gives the DCC platform a greater reach than full-fibre broadband. Digitised metering is also one of the most prevalent energy technologies available: 10 times as many households have a smart meter as have solar panels installed.

Connected homes on the DCC network get the fullest benefit from their smart meters, as their consumption data enables a flexible energy grid making the best possible use of renewables. Smart meters enable homes to take advantage of new tariffs that incentivise cutting energy usage at key times, while also being able to switch energy suppliers without losing smart functionality.

An official conservative estimate based on the average savings of each meter on the DCC network shows that they are helping reduce Britain’s carbon emissions by an estimated 725,000 tonnes every year. The energy saved every year by meters on the DCC network would be enough to power the entire county of Cornwall.

There are now 14.5 million second-generation meters, and 10.3 million first-generation meters connected to the DCC network. Every month more than 1.3 billion messages are sent across the network – a 71% increase on the data carried last year.

Data Communications Company CEO, Angus Flett, said:

“We’re thrilled that the DCC network now reaches half of all homes in Britain. This platform is helping 15 million households understand their energy usage better, while also opening up access to new smart tariffs and energy saving incentives.

“We’re delivering on our purpose, which is to make Britain more connected so people can live smarter, greener lives.”

Progress in connecting older meters

Many first-generation smart meters in Britain were unable to switch energy suppliers without losing functionality, and stopped sending automatic meter readings. The DCC was asked to prioritise bringing these older meters onto its network by updating their software “over the air” without the need for an engineer visit. More than 10 million of these first-generation smart meters have now been connected to the DCC’s network, extending the working life of the devices and restoring the full benefits of smart metering for consumers.

Join Angus Flett and DCC in discussion about the UK’s more connected future at this year’s live Connected North event

News

TIM is now asking US private equity firm KKR if they would like to increase their initial bid for the business

At the start of February, US-based equity fund KKR approached Italy’s incumbent telecoms operator, TIM, with a non-binding offer for a stake in the company’s network infrastructure unit, NetCo.

The details of the offer were not revealed, but sources suggested that the move would see KKR take a majority stake in the business and leave a roughly 30% stake free for a government-backed investor.

The bid came as the culmination of long-term interest in TIM’s infrastructure assets by KKR; in 2020, the investor took a 37.5% stake in TIM’s ‘last mile’ network unit, Fibercop, and, in late 2021, offering TIM itself a takeover bid worth €10.8 billion.

Though this bid was ultimately rejected, KKR’s interest in the TIM has not waned over the past year, with the private equity firm closely linked to ongoing discussions surrounding the creation of a single national broadband network by merging TIM’s infrastructure unit with Open Fiber.

Now, with its latest bid, KKR is once again attempting to take the reins of the Italian broadband market.

However, it is not without competition.

After KKR’s offer was first announced, it quickly became clear that Italian state-backed bank Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP) – a significant stakeholder in both TIM and Open Fiber – was planning a counter bid in partnership with Australian infrastructure fund Macquarie Group. In fact, by the end of the month, the government had asked KKR to extend the terms of its offer, in order to allow time for the counterproposal to be constructed.

Now, this weekend, the CDP and Macquarie have finally presented TIM with just such an offer, the details of which have yet to be revealed.

According to sources, both the bid from CDP–Macquarie and that from KKR value the infrastructure unit at €18–20 billion – an impressive figure, but one that is that is unlikely to please TIM’s key stakeholder Vivendi, who has previously valued the unit at closer to €30 billion.

On the other hand, this bid from CDP–Macquarie is likely to be more appealing to new Italian government under Giorgia Meloni, which has repeatedly emphasised TIM’s national grid as a key strategic asset.

Both the offer from KKR and the new offer from CDP–Macquarie are set to expire by the end of March, with TIM now asking KKR if it would like to increase its original offer.

Want to keep up with all of the latest international telecoms news? Click here to receive Total Telcom’s daily newsletter direct to your inbox!

Also in the news:
Viasat–Inmarsat merger gets provisional greenlight from CMA
Verizon shuffles executive team in search of growth
Ericsson to pay DoJ $206.7m over bribery scandal

VIEWPOINT

During MWC 2023, the IPv6 Forum signed a memorandum of cooperation on the IPv6 Education Certification Logo Program. In order to promote the deployment of IPv6 technologies and the transformation of future-oriented network architectures, the two parties will work closely together on the establishment of talent standards and development of the talent ecosystem for data communication. Latif Ladid, chairman of the IPv6 Forum, and Qiu Yuefeng, Vice President of Huawei Data Communication Product Line, attended the signing ceremony on behalf of the two parties.

IPv6 Forum signs a memorandum of cooperation on IPv6 Education Certification Logo Program with Huawei

As enterprise digital transformation gathers pace, diverse services pose new requirements on networks, and the network architectures are undergoing essential changes. To meet the demand for new-type network talent and adapt to the capability model changes of a network-related workforce, Huawei has developed a set of data communication training standards — Huawei Datacom Certification, based on its years of expertise as a leader in the data communication field.

There are three levels of Huawei Datacom Certification:

HCIA-Datacom certification aims to develop network engineers with entry-level data communication knowledge and skills.
HCIP-Datacom certification has one core technical focus (HCIP-Datacom-Core Technology) and six optional sub-focuses. This certification is designed for aspirants who want to become senior engineers in cross-domain solution planning and design or single-domain planning and deployment.
HCIE-Datacom certification aims to cultivate network experts with theoretical knowledge of cross-domain solutions and the ability to deploy these solutions.

This cooperative project aims to “promote capacity building in the IPv6 field”, encourage IPv6 education and training, and promote the inclusion of IPv6-related content in educational courses and programs of universities, research institutions, suppliers, and training experts. Through the Education Certification Logo Program, the two parties have discussed talent development solutions in the IPv6 field in depth. In addition to increasing practical engineering expertise and knowledge, they will also provide certified logos for certified experts in recognition of their talent and to boost the confidence of IPv6 users. In 2022, 33,057 candidates took Huawei Datacom Certification exams, and 25,408 candidates obtained certificates. This number included candidates from the Middle East, Latin America, and Asia Pacific regions. Among them, 78.2% were employees and students.

Looking ahead, Huawei will continue to promote the dissemination of data communication skills around the world, strengthen cooperation with international talent alliances and standards organizations, and cultivate more digitalization talent with IPv6 proficiency to accelerate the digital transformation of global enterprises.

A recent YouGov survey of 2,033 UK adults, which was commissioned by Point Topic and conducted online during November 2022, has revealed that 35.5% of respondents were still unsure as to whether their home broadband ISP connections were based off “full fibre” (FTTP/B/H) technology or not. In simple terms, a full fibre connection is one […]

Mobile operator Lyca Mobile, which is powered by an MVNO agreement with O2’s (VMO2) national UK network, has today announced that they’re placing a “freeze on prices” for “at least 6-months” in order to help protect their customers from the cost-of-living crisis and to provide a counter to rivals that are hiking their prices. Most […]

Good news. UK ISP Sky Broadband has finally returned to selling their top tier 900Mbps (90Mbps upload) “Gigafast” package – based off Openreach’s national FTTP network – to new customers, apparently after carrying out unspecified work to “upgrade and optimise” the service. The package was removed from sale last November 2022. The top tier package, […]

Broadband ISP Virgin Media (VMO2) has today informed us that they’ve added the newly launched Sky Kids HD channel (CH 707) to their Kids TV bundle “at no extra cost“. In addition to the channel launch, customers will also gain access to the related On Demand Sky Kids content. As part of this update, new […]

Network access provider Openreach, which supplies broadband and Ethernet services to ISPs and businesses across the United Kingdom, has begun re-branding their entire fleet of engineering vans and other paraphernalia – seemingly in order to underline their independence from BT and to better reflect their strategy. The re-branding exercise actually started, in a very low-key […]

Press Release

The decision comes after a Phase 2 review revealed Viasat and Inmarsat will likely face significant competition from both emerging and established players as the sector expands

Satellite communications firms Viasat and Inmarsat – which agreed to merge in November 2021 – supply businesses globally with satellite connectivity that enables services such as internet, email, and video calling, including for use in aircraft.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) referred the deal to an in-depth Phase 2 inquiry after identifying competition concerns during its initial, Phase 1, investigation.

Over the past 4 months, an independent CMA panel has gathered and scrutinised a wide range of evidence in order to better understand the sector, as well as the potential impact of the deal. This included internal documents from Viasat and Inmarsat, as well as the companies’ competitors (including their plans for future expansion); evidence from airlines; the CMA’s own analysis of sector conditions – and how these could change.

In a Phase 2 review, the panel considers whether it is more likely than not that a deal will lessen competition – a higher threshold than Phase 1. Accordingly, some mergers that are referred to Phase 2 will ultimately be cleared.

The CMA’s investigation into the Viasat/Inmarsat deal has provisionally found that, while the companies compete closely in the aviation sector – specifically in the supply of satellite connections for onboard wifi – the deal does not substantially reduce competition for services provided on flights used by UK customers.

The CMA’s investigation has found that the satellite sector is expanding rapidly – a trend the evidence suggests is likely to continue. This is due to increased demand for satellite connectivity, driven in large part by the ever-growing use of the internet by businesses and consumers both at home and whilst travelling.

The satellite industry has seen a number of new players entering – or planning to enter – the sector, including Starlink (operated by SpaceX), which is rapidly increasing its presence in the provision of satellite connections to aircraft. During our investigation, the firm has launched a significant number of additional satellites and won its first contract with a European airline, airBaltic.

Established competitors, such as Panasonic and Intelsat, are also investing and entering into new partnerships. For example, both firms have signed agreements with recent entrant OneWeb to use its satellite fleet to enhance their offerings to airlines.

Richard Feasey, chair of the independent inquiry group carrying out the Phase 2 investigation, said:

“This is an evolving and rapidly expanding sector, in which there have been significant developments even during the course of our 4-month investigation. We see this continuing as demand for satellite connectivity increases.

While Viasat and Inmarsat compete closely, the evidence suggests that the merged company will face significant competition in the coming years – from both emerging players like Starlink and from established firms like Intelsat and Panasonic.

This competition has led us to provisionally conclude that airlines and their UK customers will not be adversely affected by the deal.

Today’s findings are provisional, and the CMA will now consult on its findings and listen to any further views before reaching a final decision.”

The CMA welcomes responses from interested parties to its provisional findings by 21 March 2023. These will be considered ahead of the CMA issuing its final report, which is due by 30 March 2023.

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Also in the news:
AT&T signs up to use Frontier’s fibre to connect mobile towers
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VMO2 and Vodafone give rural Scotland a 4G boost