Flotek to Supply Full Fibre Services via Elevate’s New Cardiff Hypercity Network
Network operator Elevate Wholesale (formerly Telcom) has today announced its first strategic ISP and comms provider partner, Flotek, for the new Hypercity fibre optic broadband and Ethernet network that they’ve been contracted to build across Cardiff in South Wales. Just to recap. The Cardiff Council (Gyngor Caerdydd) has long been aware that patches of the city still lack any commercial upgrade plans for gigabit broadband and suffer from sub-30Mbps broadband speeds, which is what they’ve been...
Mobile Operator Three UK Introduce RCS Support for iOS with v18.2
Mobile network operator Three UK has this week begun issuing text messages to customers on Apple’s iPhone devices, which confirms that they will officially introduce support for Rich Communications Services (RCS) with the release of the next iOS 18.2 update – due on 9th December 2024. The feature, which is also known as Enhanced Chat, is an open protocol or standard (like SMS or MMS) that uses your data (mobile broadband) connection and enables a set of enhanced features on messaging apps that...
US-China trade war flares as both sides introduce new chip tech restrictions
News New US export controls on semiconductor technology this week have been met immediately by retaliatory measures from China This week has seen the US Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) ramp up controls on its tech exports to China, particularly those related to the manufacture of semiconductors. The additional restrictions cover 24 types of semiconductor manufacturing equipment and three types of software tools for developing or producing semiconductors. It also...
Poverty Alliance Claims Millions in UK Choosing Between Broadband and Food
The Digital Poverty Alliance (DPA) has highlighted new data from Point Topic’s UK broadband affordability tracker as helping to show that the “cost-of-living crisis isn’t getting any easier“, with a digital divide still existing that is allegedly “forcing millions to choose between broadband and food.” First things first, most of our readers will no doubt already be familiar with the fact that you can often access cheaper and faster broadband services in areas of greater physical network...
Netomnia to Build FTTP Broadband into Peabody’s UK Homes
Broadband network operator Netomnia (inc. Brsk and YouFibre) has today announced that they’ve signed a deal to expand their 10Gbps full fibre network into properties managed and owned by Peabody (inc. subsidiaries). This is a not-for-profit housing association that serves thousands of residents across their housing stock in Oxfordshire, Hertfordshire and Kent (England). The new deal reflects a “non-exclusive framework wayleave agreement” (i.e. a legal land/property access agreement), which...
One cable to rule them all: Meta’s $10bn plan to build global subsea cable
News The company currently has shared ownership of 16 subsea cables worldwide Meta is planning a $10 billion subsea cable project spanning 40,000 kilometres around the world, according to a new report from TechCrunch, citing two confirmed sources close to the company. Known for now as “W” in reference to its shape, this new system will be Meta’s first fully owned global subsea cable, connecting the east coast of the US to South Africa, India, Australia, and ultimately the west coast of...
eSIM Go Partners with Vodafone UK to Remove MVNO Barriers
Mobile network operator Vodafone UK has today announced that they’ve signed a new partnership with eSIM Go, which will allow the latter to offer connectivity on Vodafone’s network in the UK to their business customers and thus remove MVNO (virtual operator) barriers to entry for organisations of all sizes. In case you haven’t heard of them, eSIM Go enables organisations of any scale, or sector – including alternative broadband networks, fintechs, energy utilities, retailers, charities and...
Toob Extend FTTP Broadband Availability to 6 New UK Cities and Towns
Hampshire-based network builder and ISP toob, which has deployed a gigabit speed full fibre (FTTP) network across parts of South England, have today announced that they’ve expanded the availability of their services – under a strategic partnership with CityFibre – to include Lincoln, Loughborough, Milton Keynes, Nottingham, Peterborough and Derby. Just to recap. Toob is currently being financed through equity from funds managed and advised by the Amber Infrastructure Group, as well as a huge...
du launches Innovation Centre in Dubai, pioneering in 5G-A development
Insight The operator says the new 5G-A Innovation Centre will allow the company to develop “innovative applications that meet the diverse needs of customer The UAE-based operator du has announced the launch of a new 5G-Advanced (5G-A) Commercial Innovation Centre, aimed at exploring how the capabilities of 5G-A can create innovative new services. The Innovation Centre, based in Dubai, will work to develop new services in the consumer, home, and enterprise segments, leveraging 5G-A’s improved...
Pulse Fibre Offer Blue Light Broadband Discount to Emergency Services Workers
London-based alternative broadband ISP Pulse Fibre, which over the next few years aspires to complete over 250,000 unique UK “full fibre” (FTTP) connections into new build homes and MDUs (here), has today announced that holders of the Blue Light Card (i.e. price cuts for workers in the emergency services and veterans) will be able to get a special discount. Essentially, Pulse Fibre have launched a new tariff (Blue Light Discount) for holders of the card. Eligible customers will now be able to...