UK Infra
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Network & InfrastructureShared Rural Network expands reach as BDUK cutback rumours swirl
Weekend reports suggest operators are irked by possibility that their coverage investment and network optimisation improvements could see the government scale back financial commitments to rural coverage…
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Financial & PerformanceIn depth: Openreach line losses accelerate, fibre gaps widen as strategic vulnerability
Q3 FY24–25: BT’s wholesale division again reports strong financials and record fibre build, but a deeper look reveals a worrying trend of accelerating line losses. This analysis delves into the implications of altnet and Project Gigabit competition, eroding historic market dominance.
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Network & InfrastructureVodafone puts D2D plans in motion with fresh SpaceMobile trials
Vodafone reveals first “space-to-land” gateway to enable direct-to-device services. Further trials of SpaceMobile technology pencilled in for spring 2025 as Group moves closer to launching Europe- and Africa-wide services after launch delays and legal troubles…
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InterviewCityFibre sees commercial promise, ‘moral obligation’ in Project Gigabit
CityFibre’s public sector lead Andy Nash talks to TelcoTitans on the altnet’s emergence as a strategic government supplier for Project Gigabit, answering “the big exam question” on going beyond initial goals, and the moral duty of delivering rural connectivity…
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M&AFullFibre, Zzoomm to form integrated altnet, fuel further M&A
UK fibre altnets to combine for a shared 600,000 ready for service network with 65,000 customers, adding FullFibre’s wholesale platform to Zzoomm’s retail.
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M&ABoldyn enters German market with private 5G biz buy
UK-based neutral host player bulks up private 5G network offering with acquisition of Germany’s Smart Mobile Labs. Agreement comes as Boldyn looks to expand in private 5G sector, having participated in several projects over the past year…
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Strategy & ChangeIs UK’s AI Action Plan under-powered?
UK government unveils aspirational plan for growing the AI sector, with a partner sought for a new data centre in its first AI Growth Zone, but questions remain about the power capacity to underpin the impending data and AI explosion…
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Network & InfrastructurePortugal, Sweden, and Spain lead race towards copper retirement
New Copper Switch‑Off Tracker names and shames markets that are dragging their feet on legacy network closures ahead of European Commission’s 2030 target date.
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Interviewnexfibre: Keep leash on Openreach to drive UK fibre competition
nexfibre development chief Giles Rowbotham speaks with TelcoTitans on need to drive UK fibre competition by maintaining regulation of Openreach. Says Ofcom needs to keep an eye on wholesale pricing and copper-to-fibre migration process, as well as consolidation, investment, PIA, and local-level factors within wider market…
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Network & InfrastructureDeep dive: international response to escalating subsea comms risk after Baltics disruption
Latest apparent act of network sabotage in the Baltics underlines heightened need for action to ensure resilience of critical global infrastructure, with UK, EU, and NATO looking to ramp security of increasingly vulnerable cables…
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Network & InfrastructureUK’s Project Gigabit: billions committed, but just 1.6% take-up at last count
Nearly four years in, government’s Project Gigabit spend reaches £2.2bn with latest Openreach contracts, but connections faltering at just 11,000 as commitments and subsidies yet to translate to boots on the ground. With another £400m in the procurement pipeline for 2025, when will cash finally convert to real impact? In depth non-chummy review of UK rural fibre programme inside…
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Public AffairsUK Home Office backs £650m class action against Motorola in latest Airwave twist
Emergency services network provider faces a claim that excessive pricing policies over a three year period cost up to 2,000 public safety organisations more than £600m.
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Network & InfrastructureAmazon shuttles towards UK Project Kuiper launch in 2025
Kuiper Systems preparing to commercially launch UK satellite broadband services during 2025, following launch of first-generation satellites expected in the coming months. Move comes as demand for UK satellite connectivity ramps up as rural alternative to full-fibre…
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M&ABT advances asset-light strategy with Irish data centre sale
Equinix agrees to acquire BT Ireland’s data centre business following rumours of a wider Irish divestment; Group CEO Allison Kirkby ramps up her ‘get lean’ agenda beyond UK connectivity…
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InterviewNew INCA CEO tells UK altnets to mobilise against common enemy
Industry body recce’d under new CEO, with collaboration and communication identified for rework — including potential Openreach hotline upgrade — despite cloud of consolidation.
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Network & InfrastructureUK struggles to get space strategy off ground as satellite demand rises
Ofcom data shows satellite connectivity lines doubled in the year, with rural users taking up the offer as an alternative to terrestrial networks.
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Strategy & ChangeZzoomm: capital costs holding back build and consolidation
At INCA Summit Zzoomm’s CEO Matthew Hare predicted a bright future for the sector, but current cost of capital is impeding expansion plans and complicating the path to consolidation.
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Network & InfrastructureSpecial report: When UK fibre hits its limit, do altnets go wireless?
INCA Summit 2024: debate spills from panel to panel as altnet leaders target the last 2% of ultra-rural premises where fibre is too costly to deploy without massive subsidies. Wireless re-enters the room with new spectrum, enhanced technology…
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Financial & PerformanceBT Consumer promises long-term growth revenue, but where from?
H1 FY24–25: Consumer suffering a hangover from several years of inflation‑fuelled excess, but expects to regain health before year is out…
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Financial & PerformanceOpenreach raises full-fibre target despite capex and headcount cuts
Openreach is doing more with less as it sets a higher bar for full-fibre coverage for the year while shrinking capex and cutting jobs. Learn more…