BT has reportedly launched a court case against Virgin Media (VMO2), which it is accusing of having migrated customers away from their EE based Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) platform (Virgin Mobile) before an agreement had been concluded. The broadband ISP and mobile giant is reportedly seeking £24.6m in compensation. Just for context. At the […]
CityFibre Restart FTTP Broadband Builds in Blackpool and Preston
Digital infrastructure operator CityFibre has restarted their deployments of a new 1Gbps Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) based broadband ISP network across Blackpool and Preston in Lancashire (England), which comes after the company ended their local relationship with civil engineering partner Telent in July. Just to recap. The operator originally began their £60m rollout across the seaside town […]
Nokia and Safaricom laud Africa’s first FWA 5G slicing
NEWS
The duo say the successful pilot is the first step towards launching commercial slicing services, potentially offering customers a more personalised network experience
This week, Nokia and Safaricom are celebrating an African first with their successful trial of 4G/5G fixed wireless access (FWA) network slicing in Kenya’s Western Region.
The trial took place over a live network, including RAN, transport, and core infrastructure, and demonstrated successful slicing capabilities and continuity over 4G LTE, 5G non-standalone (NSA), and 5G standalone (SA) networks.
The live network featured Nokia’s AirScale 4G/5G base stations, as well as the vendor’s NetAct network management and assurance system and its FastMile 4G/5G customer premises equipment. The slicing functioned on
The trial was also noted as having been ‘multi-vendor’, though no specific additional vendors were named in the announcement itself.
Network slicing has long been touted as one of the crown jewels of the 5G era, potentially allowing operators the to construct virtual data pipelines for individual customers, optimised for their specific requirements.
“Network slicing enables operators the ability to divide a network into multiple virtual slices, which can be optimized for a specific target application or service. The end user of each network slice can then be serviced with different priorities, routing, levels of network performance, and security capabilities. Slices can be managed and deployed in minutes, and each one has key performance indicators used for service assurance,” explained Nokia in a press release.
For the most part, however, 5G slicing has remained out of reach for telcos; while technically possible in a limited form over 4G and 5G NSA, network slicing’s true capabilities can only be realised over 5G SA architecture, which has yet to be rolled out comprehensively in most markets.
For Safaricom, who only launched 5G services in Kenya in March last year, commercialising 5G network slicing will still be a long way off, but this trial nonetheless represents a promising step forward for the nascent technology.
“We are proud to have hosted Africa’s first successful pilot of 4G/5G FWA slicing on our network and looking forward to tailoring our service offerings to individual customers and industries, to meet their needs for high-speed connectivity precisely and without unnecessary cost,” said James Maitai, Network Director at Safaricom.
The operator’s interest in 5G network slicing is well founded. According to a recent study from ABI Research, the global 5G slicing revenue is expected to grow from $309 million in 2022 to around $24 billion by 2028. The report even suggested that 5G network slicing could replace a “a sizable part” of the private 5G market – another rapidly growing market segment for modern telcos – though warned that telcos’ commercial models may need to adapt to achieve maximum benefit.
“A sizable part of this market can be converted to 5G slicing. But first, the industry should address challenges associated with technology and commercial models. On the latter, consumers’ and enterprises’ appetite to pay premium connectivity prices for deterministic and tailored connectivity services remains to be determined,” said ABI’s 5G core and edge networks senior analyst, Don Alusha. “Furthermore, there are ongoing industry discussions on whether the value that comes from 5G slicing can exceed the cost required to put together the underlying slicing ecosystem.”
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Also in the news:
Singtel mulling the sale of cybersecurity firm Trustwave
CityFibre undergoes colourful rebrand
Vodafone offloads Hungarian unit for €1.8bn
The post Nokia and Safaricom laud Africa’s first FWA 5G slicing first appeared on Total Telecom.
Giganet teams up with Neos Networks to support new fibre rollout
News
The deal will see Nes provide Giganet with backhaul and data centre connectivity as the latter prepares its fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) rollout to the South of England
Today, Dark Fibre player Neos Networks has announced a new partnership with Giganet, aiming to support the ISP’s burgeoning FTTP rollout with backhaul and data centre services.
Giganet currently offers customers access to its gigabit services through a variety of network providers, including Openreach and CityFibre, reaching millions of homes across the UK. In fact, earlier this year, Giganet announced that they had extended their partnership with CityFibre, thereby making their services available to customers across the entirety of CityFibre’s UK network.
However, last year Giganet announced they would also be rolling out their own FTTP network directly, investing £250 million to cover underserved areas of Hampshire, Dorset, Wiltshire, and West Sussex.
In total, the company hopes to reach 300,000 premises with full fibre over the next four years, with its core network and first four exchange rings set to be live by the end of 2022.
As this new network grows, it will need additional backhaul capacity and support – something that Neos, with its 550 unbundled exchange network, is well positioned to provide.
“Neos Networks rose to the challenge of providing us with resilient and high capacity backhaul circuits across a wide range of exchanges as well as our core data centres,” explained Matthew Skipsey, Chief Technology Officer at Giganet. “Using Neos Networks, we have been able to secure connectivity to our points of presence faster than expected, initially enabling each of our first four regional rings with resilient 100Gb/s backhaul. This means our south coast roll-out is progressing at pace.”
This network expansion project will see Neos support Giganet to deliver a more than tenfold capacity increase.
“Both Neos Networks and Giganet have adopted a collaborative approach to this relationship. This has resulted not only in solutions being delivered faster than ever, as the Giganet network grows, it also gives us the ability to transition connectivity between points of presence without any disruption,” explained Sarah Mills, Chief Revenue Officer at Neos Networks. “There is no doubt that by working in partnership with alternative network providers, like Giganet, UK residents will benefit from a better, faster, and more resilient connectivity.”
Giganet’s Matthew Skipsey will be speaking on a panel focussing on enabling the creation of smart places at this year’s live Connected Britain conference. Check out the rest of the agenda here and join us live on September 20–21
Also in the news:
Singtel mulling the sale of cybersecurity firm Trustwave
CityFibre undergoes colourful rebrand
Vodafone offloads Hungarian unit for €1.8bn
The post Giganet teams up with Neos Networks to support new fibre rollout first appeared on Total Telecom.
UK govt calls off probe into Altice’s stake in BT
News
The government deems no further action necessary after investigating Altice’s increased stake in BT on the grounds of national security
This week, the UK government has dropped its security probe into Altice UK’s increased stake in national operator BT, saying it will not force the company and its billionaire owner, Patrick Drahi, to reduce or sell its stake.
“BT Group has now been notified by the Secretary of State that no further action is to be taken under the Act in relation to the increase by Altice Europe N.V. of its shareholding in BT Group from 12.1% to 18%,” explained BT in a statement.
Drahi had first acquired a 12.1% stake in BT for £2 billion back in the summer of 2021, before further increasing this stake to 18% in December the same year.
At the time, Drahi had repeatedly asserted that his stake in BT was not a prelude to a full-blown takeover attempt, but this did not stem media speculation and BT quick set about shoring up its defences.
Altice’s next opportunity to increase its stake in BT was scheduled to take place in June this year, but process was suspended in May when the government announced that it would launch an investigation into Altice’s 6% stake increase on the grounds of national security.
The probe came as one of the first applications of the new National Security and Investment Act, which came into force in January 2022 and allows the Business Secretary to initiate investigations into any foreign investments they believed could present a risk to national security.
Now, with the probe concluded, Drahi will once again be free to increase his stake if he so chooses, with some analysts suggesting that a takeover could still be his long-term objective, despite his repeated denial.
“While he is not forced to reduce his stake, you cannot rule out moves to increase it further. Feels like the end game seems to be a takeover,” said Paolo Pescatore of analyst firm PP Foresight.
How would a takeover of BT by Altice affect the UK telecoms market? Join the experts in discussion at this year’s live Connected Britain conference
Also in the news:
Singtel mulling the sale of cybersecurity firm Trustwave
CityFibre undergoes colourful rebrand
Vodafone offloads Hungarian unit for €1.8bn
The post UK govt calls off probe into Altice’s stake in BT first appeared on Total Telecom.
Government Drops Security Probe of Altice UK Stake in BT
The Government’s move in May 2022 to conduct a “full national security assessment” of last year’s decision by Patrick Drahi’s Altice UK, which increased its stake in UK broadband and telecoms giant BT from 12.1% to 18% (here), will result in “no further action” being taken by the Secretary of State. In case anybody has […]
China funding Huawei mobile tower build in the Solomon Islands
News
The EXIM Bank of China has authorised a loan of almost $100 million to help state-owned Solomon Telekom deploy 161 new mobile towers
This week, the Solomon Islands’s government has announced that it has a secured considerable loan from the Exim Bank of China, with the funds being used to deploy 161 new mobile towers across the country.
The loan of roughly $94 million will be repaid over 20 years, with an annual interest rate of 1%.
The government said that the towers will be gradually deployed over the next three years, aiming to have half of the total deployed before the Pacific Games take place in the nation’s capital, Honiara, in November 2023.
Chinese equipment giant Huawei will be contracted to provide the technology for the new towers, which will provide 3G and 4G services to the Islanders.
The decision to move forward with this project comes as something of a surprise, since an independent review conducted by consulting firm KPMG suggested that the three-year deployment target is overly optimistic and said that the Solomon Islands’ government also appeared to overvalue the indirect economic benefits from the towers’ deployment.
“It is less certain that they can be achieved as they rely on other social and economic initiatives,” said the report.
The decision will also be something of a blow to the Australian government, which had itself agreed a tower funding deal with the Solomon Islands earlier this year – albeit on a much smaller scale.
Back in March, the Australian government agreed a roughly $4.5 million in grant funding for the deployment of six mobile towers
These towers will use equipment from Ericsson and NEC and are expected to be operational by the end of 2022.
“We are grateful for Australia’s ongoing support to improving connectivity in Solomon Islands. The support is a testimony to the strong partnership between our two countries in the telecommunications sector that builds on the success of the Coral Sea Cable project to deliver improved internet connectivity to the people of Solomon Islands,” said the Solomon Islands’ Minister for Communication and Aviation, Peter Shanel Agovaka, following the deal’s announcement.
The Australian government has expressed scepticism about the financial feasibility of this new deal with the Chinese bank, questioning the Solomon Islands government’s ability to pay back a loan of this size, even with its concessional interest rate.
Nonetheless, a government spokesperson was keen to distance itself from the decision, saying that it was a matter for the Solomon Islands’ government alone.
“Australia supports infrastructure investment that is transparent and open, meets genuine needs, delivers long-term benefits and avoids unsustainable debt burdens,” said the government in a statement.
This is not the first time China and Australia have clashed over connectivity investments in the Pacific in recent years. Just a month ago, the Telstra announced it had completed its acquisition of Digicel Pacific for $1.6 billion, with the Australian government providing $1.3 billion of the required funds, largely in an effort to stop the region’s crucial telecoms infrastructure falling under the control of a Chinese firm.
The post China funding Huawei mobile tower build in the Solomon Islands first appeared on Total Telecom.
VMO2 boosting apprenticeship schemes
News
The operator says that it has launched a quintet of new paid apprentice schemes, aiming to nurture the next generation of telecoms talent
This week, Virgin Media O2 (VMO”) has announced that launch of five new apprenticeship schemes, set to focus on digital marketing, cyber security, quantity surveying, network cabling and DevOps.
These new schemes will run in addition to the 40 the company already offers in these crucial areas, with VMO2 also running alternative schemes for network engineering roles.
Apprentices will reportedly be paid a minimum annual salary of £19,000, with the company seeking to fill an additional 70 roles in total, adding to the 450 apprentices it has taken on since June 2021.
“We’re on a mission to upgrade the UK, and are recruiting talented people to make this happen,” said Karen Handley, Head of Future Careers at Virgin Media O2. “With thousands of people finishing school or college and receiving their A-Level results, there has never been a better time to join us as an apprentice where you can earn whilst you learn. Whether it’s cyber security or network engineering, digital marketing or planning, at Virgin Media O2 we’re constantly expanding our array of apprenticeship programmes to help our people develop the skills they need for the future.”
VMO2’s decision to announce this expansion at the same time as UK students receive their A-Level results is no coincidence.
This year, despite top grades falling compared to 2021, UCAS figures show that around 425,000 students achieved the grades required to go to university, the second highest amount ever in the UK.
However, in contrast to enduring popularity of going to university, recent studies have shown that teenagers are increasingly concerned about securing a career path earlier in life, potentially concurrently with their studies. An 800-person study conducted by VMO2 itself found that more than a quarter (27%) of teens aged 11 to 18-years-old felt that university was not the right choice unless it led directly towards a career. The cost-of-living crisis was also a major concern, with 31% of respondents in the study saying they felt the economic environment meant that university was not longer a good idea.
Parents, however, still view university as superior to apprenticeships and other work schemes, with 41% of parents saying they hoped their child would go to university, versus just 21% that would like to see them do an apprenticeship.
VMO2 itself suggests that this study indicates that there are still negative misconceptions attached to the idea of apprenticeships – something they hope to change with their own schemes.
“Apprenticeships are still a confusing concept to many parents and potential apprentices – but they offer a great alternative to university,” said Handley. “There is a common misconception in the UK that apprenticeships are only for traditional trades such as plumbing or hairdressing – but in actual fact, there are many opportunities available in fields as broad as cyber security, marketing, and IT.”
With finding the next generation of telecoms professionals a constant thorn in the industry’s side, VMO2 will be hopeful that the expansion of their apprenticeship programmes will help alleviate some of their recruitment pressure in the years to come, particularly in increasingly crucial areas like software development and cybersecurity.
Are UK operators doing enough to nurture the next generation of telecoms professionals? Join the experts in discussion at this year’s Connected Britain conference
The post VMO2 boosting apprenticeship schemes first appeared on Total Telecom.
Connecting Kilimanjaro: Africa’s tallest peak to gain internet access
News
Infrastructure has initially been deployed around two-thirds of the way up the mountain, with plans to see the peak connected to the internet by the end of the year
This week, the Tanzanian government has announced that state-owned mobile operator Tanzania Telecommunications Corporation (TTC) has begun connecting Africa’s highest mountain to the internet.
The government said that it had completed the installation of telecommunications equipment 3,720 metres up the mountainside, providing access to a high-speed broadband connection for the thousands of climbers that visit the mountain every year.
By the end of the year, TTC says it will have deployed infrastructure covering Kilimanjaro’s summit, some 5,895 metres above sea level.
The specific technologies used to provide these services and the speeds that consumers can expect have not been revealed.
“Today Up on Mount Kilimanjaro: I am hoisting high-speed INTERNET COMMUNICATIONS (BROADBAND) on the ROOF OF AFRICA,” wrote Tanzania’s minister of information, communication and information technology, Nape Moses Nnauye in a tweet.
The government says that the infrastructure deployment will allow for greater safety while up on the mountain, giving climbers better access to emergency services, as well as navigation and weather information.
While this is certainly a major advantage for prospective climbers, mountaineering organisations have warned climbers to be wary of an overreliance on fallible technology.
Beyond safety concerns, perhaps a bigger driver for this infrastructure deployment is the connectivity’s potential positive impact on tourism.
In recent years, the Tanzanian government has been realigning its tourism strategy with regard to the continent’s most famous mountain, including last year announcing a controversial plan to build a cable car on mountain’s southern slope. Allowing tourists to post pictures and engage with social media while climbing the mountain itself, will surely be a boon for the country’s tourism board.
Another interested party that seems particularly excited about this announcement has been the Chinese government, which has been helping Tanzania to invest in connectivity infrastructure for many years.
According to data from the Tanzania Investment Center (TIC), China is Tanzania’s largest source of foreign investment, funding projects transportation, manufacturing, mining, tourism, agriculture, fishing, agro-processing, and, indeed, telecommunications. Back in 2017, for example, China’s Exim Bank loaned the Tanzanian government $70 million for the rollout of the first phase of the nation’s fibre optic backbone project.
Tanzania is also a key location in the Chinese government’s Belt and Road Initiative.
It is worth noting that this is not the first time that China will have helped put connectivity equipment on a mountaintop. Back in 2020, Huawei and China Mobile announced that they had deployed 5G connectivity at the summit of Mount Everest, describing it is achieving ‘mission impossible’.
The post Connecting Kilimanjaro: Africa’s tallest peak to gain internet access first appeared on Total Telecom.
Helios Towers eyes further acquisitions as new African towers boost revenue
News
With its African and Middle Eastern portfolios continuing to perform strongly, the independent tower operator has set aside a further $650 million for acquisitions in 2022
This week, Helios Towers have announced its latest financial results, showing a revenue increase of 25% from $212.4 million in HY1 2022 to $265.4 million in H2.
Helios attributes this significant bump to the strong performance of its newly acquired towers in Africa in recent years, with the company gaining towers from Free Senegal in Senegal in May 2021 and Airtel Africa in Madagascar and Malawi in November 2021 and March 2022, respectively.
In total, the company’s tower portfolio has increased by around 2,000 towers this financial year, with the company’s complete tower holdings numbering around 10,700 in eight African markets: Senegal, Ghana, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Malawi, South Africa, and Madagascar.
The company also recently entered the Middle East by purchasing almost 3,000 towers in Oman last year from state-run telco Omantel.
“We have delivered strong organic tenancy growth in the first half of the year, which combined with the successful integration of acquired assets in Senegal, Madagascar and Malawi has resulted in impressive year-on-year financial performance,” explained Helios CEO Tom Greenwood, who took over the role back in April.
Following these positive results, Helios says it will continue its M&A push in Africa and the Middle East, which it views as two exciting markets for connectivity infrastructure, given their young, growing population and strong GDP expansion forecasts.
The company says that its targeted capex for 2022 is between $810 million and $850 million for 2022, with up to $650 million of this earmarked for further acquisitions.
The post Helios Towers eyes further acquisitions as new African towers boost revenue first appeared on Total Telecom.