Elliott Investment Slams Crown Castle’s Underperformance, Calls for Overhaul
Infrastructure specialist Crown Castle faces a scathing critique from Elliott Investment Management, citing a massive underperformance of nearly $26 billion compared to peers. Crown Castle responds with a measured statement, expressing openness to constructive engagement. Elliott demands a major overhaul, naming its campaign “Restoring the Castle,” proposing a new leadership team and board. Notably, Elliott urges a strategic review and potential sale of Crown Castle’s $19 billion fiber business, claiming a meager 6% return. Despite recent restructuring, Elliott remains dissatisfied, intending to unveil its alternative strategy at the 2024 AGM.
Boldyn Networks Unveils London Small Cell for Faster Connectivity
Boldyn Networks has activated its inaugural ‘small cell’ near King’s Cross in London, part of a collaboration with EE to enhance coverage and capacity. These low-powered cellular radio units offer up to ten times faster download speeds, reaching 300Mbps. Over the next two years, the project expands across high-footfall areas like Westminster and Southwark. This initiative follows Boldyn Networks’ 25-year partnership with Transport For London, aiming to deploy 4G and 5G throughout the London Underground, valued at £2.2 billion. Currently, 18 of 121 underground stations enjoy 4G or 5G coverage, set to increase under this collaboration.
AWS Enhances Amazon Bedrock for Streamlined Generative AI Development
Amazon Web Services (AWS) introduces new features in Amazon Bedrock, a fully managed service, offering expanded model choices for generative artificial intelligence (AI) applications. The innovations include industry-leading models from Anthropic, Cohere, Meta, Stability AI, and Amazon Titan, along with capabilities like model evaluation, customization with Knowledge Bases, fine-tuning, fully managed Agents for executing multistep tasks, and Guardrails for implementing safeguards. These enhancements aim to democratize access to generative AI, empowering organizations of all sizes to innovate and transform customer experiences securely and responsibly.
Windstream’s Kinetic Expands Georgia Fiber Network with $32.5M Investment
Windstream’s Kinetic is embarking on its largest public-private fiber partnership in Georgia, collaborating with an electric cooperative for a $32.5 million project. Funded by a $21.4 million state grant and $11.1 million in Kinetic’s investment, the initiative aims to connect 17,000 homes and businesses in Colquitt County by next year. With support from Colquitt EMC, 40% of the county is already eligible for Kinetic fiber, contributing to the company’s broader goal of adding 95,000 new fiber locations in Georgia by 2023, with completion extending into 2024.
