Press release

Cinturion and Lightstorm sign final landing party agreement to bring the first carrier-neutral open access cable landing station to India.

HAMILTON, Bermuda, September 7, 2022 — Cinturion Corp Ltd. a global provider of scalable, subsea and terrestrial capacity-based network solutions, signs final landing party agreement to partner with Lightstorm to bring the first carrier-neutral open access cable landing station to India.  This collaboration supports a strategic long-term partnership between the two companies that will strengthen and propel Lightstorm as a leader in next-generation fiber networks across India and beyond.

Cinturion’s, TEAS – Trans Europe Asia System, an open-access subsea and terrestrial fiber optic network, will securely deliver high-speed data connectivity between India and Europe.  TEAS’ advanced network is designed for direct long-distance, high-speed, low latency and geographically diverse connections.  TEAS will change the global traffic patterns by delivering a network that ensures security, resiliency, and advanced communications across India, the Middle East and Europe. With its open-access capabilities TEAS’ enables customers to integrate this fiber connectivity as extensions of their own private network by utilizing their selected lighting suppliers.

“Together, Lightstorm and Cinturion are committed to providing cutting-edge solutions that will benefit India’s local economies and the whole country by serving a broader range of customers with additional capacity and resources to the market,” says Greg Varsico, Chief Executive Officer, Cinturion.

Ranjan Banerjee, Chief Strategy Officer at Lightstorm, says, “We are excited to bring India’s first open CLS in collaboration with Cinturion. It will not only add diversity to India’s cable landing system but will also play a crucial role in bringing much-needed bandwidth into the country.”

About Cinturion Corp Ltd.

With its key management having a long history of involvement in the development and implementation of submarine telecommunications cable systems worldwide, is focused on the development of new fiber-optic networks utilizing the latest submarine cable systems coupled with the latest terrestrial technology for greenfield or underserved markets. The strength of Cinturion comes from its diverse and experienced members’ profiles that includes senior management, technical, financial, project management, systems engineering and sales, representing all the core elements required for successfully implementing major international systems.

About Lightstorm

Lightstorm is building infrastructure for hyperscale networking in South Asia and Southeast Asia to accelerate the region’s growth and spur innovation in the digital economy. We are a pioneer in building a first-of-its-kind utility-grade resilient fiber network, SmartNet, in several countries in the region. A trusted partner of several Fortune 500 companies, Lightstorm is creating a robust foundation of digital infrastructure to create new sources of value and differentiation for businesses.

Connect with us on LinkedIn.

For Further Information Visit:

www.cinturiongroup.com

www.lightstormtelecom.com

For Media Inquiries Contact:
Lisa Cruise, VP – Marketing, Cinturion: lcruise@cinturiongroup.com
Harnoor Kanwar, Lead Marketing, Lightstorm: harnoor.kanwar@lightstorm.in

The post TEAS Cable Lands with Lightstorm in India first appeared on Total Telecom.

Network builder and UK ISP Vorboss, which is part of the Fern Trading Group, has today hailed the progress they’ve made on their £250m project to build “London’s only full-coverage fibre network dedicated to business“, which has installed over 500km of fibre optic cable in the UK’s capital city since 2020. We first reported on […]

The Committees of Advertising Practice (CAP and BCAP) – sister body to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) – has launched a consultation on new guidance that would require information about mid-contract prices hikes to be more prominently stated in ads by broadband ISPs and mobile operators to “avoid misleading consumers“. In an ideal world, all […]

Viewpoint Article

by Alfonso Alvarez, Deputy Managing Director at Cellnex UK

The UK is at a crossroads. Levelling up, and the Government’s vision of a Digital Britain, are not only welcome but critical for the country to address competing and compounding crises. A collaborative approach is key to ensuring a connected future for the UK.

Historically, rail has been at the heart of the UK’s prosperity, from steaming ahead in the industrial revolution, to connecting cities and workers. With 990 million journeys made across the UK in the last financial year, rail is a key enabler for growth.  

Logistics, transport, import and export services rely heavily on the rail industry. Research commissioned last year by the Rail Delivery Group found that in 2018/19, rail freight contributed £2.45bn to the UK economy, ‘with benefits dispersed from the South of England through the industrial Heartland of the Midlands, Wales and North England up into the central belt of Scotland and beyond’.  

In a business in which talk no longer focuses on transport but on mobility, and where user experience has become absolutely crucial, 5G development is the main facilitator of the technological revolution. Our rail service must be fit for purpose if we are to truly embrace a ‘connected Britain’.  

Digital connectivity on our railways will push predictive maintenance, data analysis and AI-powered decision-making and solutions to make services efficient and fast. Increased connectivity along key routes will help drive local economic growth, create high skilled jobs and support businesses. It also has the potential to drive energy efficiency, with a better connectivity offering (combined with rising fuel prices) encouraging people to swap cars for trains. 

Cellnex UK is collaborating with Network Rail on one such project along the busy commuter route between Brighton and London. The project is a clear example of the potential for a UK-wide, world-class shared telecoms infrastructure, providing uninterrupted cellular internet, mobile reception, and fibre services through tunnels, ‘not-spots’ and rural communities. 

However, its success lies in a collaborative partnership approach between government, telecoms infrastructure providers, rail operators, and mobile network operators; and this must be incorporated into connectivity planning across the UK’s rail network. Traditionally, there hasn’t been a great deal of collaboration between rail and mobile operators in Europe, but there is a distinct need – and consumer demand – for both the public and private sectors to work together. 

The UK’s Digital Strategy recognised the role of digital technology in future-proofing jobs, national security, our economy and global standing. The Government’s support for Project Gigabit will see nationwide gigabit-capable broadband and 4G coverage by 2030, with 5G coverage for most of the population. Policy, including the Integrated Rail Plan, has given industry a clear indication of the commitment to further innovation and investment in our railways – with a strong focus on new technologies to upgrade the current network. This approach will include upgrades to the tracks, platforms, as well as depots and surrounding areas.  

However, there is one anomaly – railway lines may still not be adequately covered. Hard-to-connect parts of the railway, such as cuttings and tunnels, can be omitted in coverage obligation statistics. Plus, in many rural areas, the capacity provided will often not serve the needs of full train carriages. The end result will be continued dropped calls and inconsistent data service. 

Combining rail upgrades with digital connectivity presents an efficient opportunity to deliver a better-connected Britain. Focused on providing continuous mobile connectivity throughout a passenger’s entire journey, the benefits can extend beyond the train itself to support station vendors, and can support opportunities to enhance the customer journey, such as smart parking. However, to make this a reality in the near future, collaboration is vital, and digital connectivity must remain a key element of the new government’s vision if we hope to turbocharge the economy and reduce digital inequality.  

 

Join Cellnex and the wider UK telecoms community as they discuss everything from the 5G to Industry 4.0 at this year’s live Connected Britain conference, the UK’s leading digital economy event

Also in the news:
UK telcos to face stricter cybersecurity obligations under new govt rules
Jio prepares to plough $25bn into 5G
VMO2 activates first open RAN sites in live network

The post Connecting more than just cities – digital is key to the future of rail  first appeared on Total Telecom.

News

The new partnership will match Lynk satellites with BICS’ network, giving mobile network operators (MNOs) a new option for reaching some of the remote parts of the world

Direct-to-device satellite connectivity is becoming an increasingly hot topic in the telecoms sector, with a flurry of dealmaking coming to light in recent weeks.

This week’s announcement comes in the form of a new partnership between satellite operator Lynk and international connectivity specialist BICS, aiming to offer customers direct-to-device satellite connectivity services via MNOs, rather than engaging with consumers themselves.

The partnership will see Lynk’s ‘cell tower in space’ technology – a growing low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellation – leverage BICS’ network, which the duo will use as a springboard to offer connectivity services to MNOs in markets around the world, helping them reach their most remote customers.

The duo suggests that their primary target of their partnership is the 6% of the world’s population that have no connectivity at all, often due to being too difficult and economically unviable for operators to cover with terrestrial infrastructure. This lack of connectivity has huge social and economic consequences for the global community, leaving roughly 450 million people locked out of the digital world.

According to the partners, their initial coverage areas will include North America, the Caribbean, Latin America, South-East Asia, and several rural areas in Africa.

Customers will not need a new smartphone in order to connect to the satellites, nor will the MNO partner be required to roll out any additional hardware or software for roaming integration.

“Mobile service is taken for granted by so many people who live in cities and suburbs, but we need to remember that billions of people still experience extended periods of disconnectivity, and hundreds of millions live without any connectivity,” said Charles Miller, Lynk CEO and co-founder. “Being left out of the digital world creates barriers to economic growth and social improvement — trapping hundreds of millions in the deepest poverty. It also eliminates access to basic emergency services, making life more dangerous. Our partnership with BICS will allow MNOs to affordably expand their coverage and connect more people, saving lives and accelerating economic development for those living in the remotest parts of the world.”

BICS and Lynk aim to launch the joint service later this year.

In recent weeks, direct-to-consumer satellite services appear to have surged into the collective zeitgeist of the telecoms community, largely as a result of a major announcement made by Elon Musk’s SpaceX and US giant T-Mobile. The deal will see T-Mobile use SpaceX’s Starlink constellation to help plug gaps in its terrestrial coverage across the US.

However, it should be noted that Starlink’s direct-to-device technical capabilities will be limited, at least in the short term, with the service only supporting text messaging, including SMS, MMS, and participating messaging apps. Further capabilities, like voice, are expected to be developed in the future.

Clearly, direct-to-device satellite consumers is growing increasingly feasible and could soon represent a non-trivial portion of an MNO’s service offerings. Matching the practical capabilities of a terrestrial network, however, will be much harder to achieve.

 

How are advances in satellite technology impacting the telecoms industry? Join the experts in discussion at this year’s live Total Telecom Congress

Also in the news:
UK telcos to face stricter cybersecurity obligations under new govt rules
Jio prepares to plough $25bn into 5G
VMO2 activates first open RAN sites in live network

The post BICS-Lynk to offer MNOs direct-to-device satellite services first appeared on Total Telecom.

A new report from the Digital Connectivity Forum (DCF), an industry think-tank, has warned that the UK’s rollout of faster 5G based mobile broadband networks may struggle to achieve some of its much-hyped goals by 2030 because of an investment gap of around £3 billion to £5 billion. At present EE, Three UK, O2 (VMO2) […]

Viewpoint Article

by Zinier

The rapid growth of the fiber-to-the-premises market can be a mixed blessing. On the plus side, the opportunities for each player are enormous. With demand outpacing supply, if you can scale quickly and maintain high quality, the potential rewards are enormous. On the down side, there’s that pesky word “if.” Scaling to meet demand while also meeting all your key performance metrics – high productivity, low costs, excellent customer service, and so forth – is easier said than done.

Your field service operation plays a critical role in your ability to pull off this tall order. Let’s look at some of the key challenges and then explore some of the ways that the right field service provider will help you tackle all of them.

Challenge #1: Drive higher revenues

Your ability to increase revenues and sustained growth is likely hampered by several factors:

Reduced revenue velocity resulting from the lag between orders and installations
High pre-install cancel (PIC) due to long lead times and missed appointments
Limited visibility into cross-sell and upsell opportunities within your customer base

 

Challenge #2: Keep costs down

As your business scales, it’s easy to fall into common traps that can drive up your costs:

Limited visibility into truck and warehouse stock
Missed SLAs on mission critical assets that lead to penalties or fines
Inefficient routing resulting in higher mileage costs and lower appointment density
Inconsistent work quality from contract labor driving an increase in site revisits

 

Challenge #3: Maintain high caliber of customer experience: 

The quality of your customer experience will often falter when you don’t give it the attention it requires:

Disjointed customer experience when your CRM doesn’t integrate with the day-to-day field experience
Limited ability to manage appointment slots that fit customer schedules, resulting in unacceptably wide appointment windows

 

Challenge #4: Sustaining exceptional employee productivity

Productivity often suffers as a result of these common issues:

High attrition and limited availability of skilled labor
Difficulty managing a mix of contract and in-house labor
Lack of real-time visibility into field activity for both coordinators and customers
Tedious paper and pen processes that drag out the time for even basic field tasks

 

The good news is that the right field service solution – one designed with the needs of the fiber-to-the-premises market in mind – can alleviate and even eliminate all of these challenges. Here are three things to look for in a field service partner:

Platform Approach: The ideal solution will combine the rapid deployment of ready-to-go applications with the unlimited flexibility of a platform that ensures your solution can be quickly and easily enhanced for whatever the future holds in store. A robust platform also means that you’ll be able to seamlessly integrate with your existing technology stack.

Configurability: When you can customize applications to match your business needs – now and whenever (and however) they evolve down the road – you’ll benefit from increased velocity in implementation.

End-to-End Workflows: Using workflows as the foundation for your field service solution yields a number of benefits, including holistic visibility and automation that drives efficiency throughout your organization.

The ideal platform will also let  you decide how to begin your journey toward a more robust field service solution. For example, Zinier provides an FTTP Accelerator Package that includes everything you need to get started. Our no-code and low-code tooling environment makes it easy to update field execution workflows in real time whenever you need to make changes. And our configurable AI tools can be incorporated later to automate many of the tasks that take up too much time for your back office and field operations that are already stretched too thin.

With the right platform, you can say goodbye to those challenges and say hello to a turbocharged field service operation that’s ready to capture the new opportunities of the FTTP market.

 

Want to learn more about Zinier and scaling your FTTP deployment? Join them later this month in London at Connected Britain, the UK’s leading digital economy event

Also in the news:
UK telcos to face stricter cybersecurity obligations under new govt rules
Jio prepares to plough $25bn into 5G
VMO2 activates first open RAN sites in live network

The post Solutions for the Key Challenges Holding Back Fiber-to-the-Premises Providers first appeared on Total Telecom.

British-registered satellite operator OneWeb has teamed up with smart network provider Marlink to help the operator conduct the first at-sea trial of their new Low Earth Orbit (LEO) based maritime service for ultrafast broadband connectivity. The initial integration and evaluation will take place at Marlink’s Eik teleport (Norway), with installation and an on-vessel trial scheduled […]

Mobile operator Three UK has today announced that, as part of their measures to help tackle the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, they’ve enabled it so that customers can access seven financial advice and guidance websites without eating into their mobile broadband data allowance (i.e. zero rating). The move means that customers on Three UK’s mobile network […]

Mobile operator EE (BT) has today announced the next phase of its effort to rollout their ultrafast 5G based network across the United Kingdom, which among other changes, will extend its network across 14 further towns and cities. Interestingly, they’re also deploying the existing 2100MHz band for 5G in 14 different locations. At present, EE’s […]