As the UK aims for nationwide gigabit broadband by 2030, the often unnoticed, green telecom boxes are seen in a fresh light. No longer just unassuming eyesores, these versatile enclosures are revealing opportunities for additional revenue, environmental monitoring, security surveillance and more. But sponsorships for these expanded roles remain undetermined.
Virgin Media O2’s decision to offload part of its Corneridge UK towers business to GLIL Infrastructure for £360 million marks a key shift in telecom infrastructure ownership. However, this move falls short of industry valuations, indicating price reductions in the investment market. Despite this, VMO2 retains operational and strategic control in this critical asset, striving to enhance 4G connectivity and intensify 5G rollout. This move aligns with the firm’s wider strategy, marking the start of a potentially transformative series of ambitious deals, lightening its footprint while driving growth.
UK’s major mobile infrastructure entities have formed the Mobile Infrastructure Forum, aiming to boost wireless connectivity across the UK and improve network rollout efficiency. Meanwhile, industry insiders are lobbying for a smoother operation process, amidst challenges like mast site location and negotiation with landlords.
EXA Infrastructure, the largest dedicated digital infrastructure platform connecting Europe and North America, today announced it has added a fifth transatlantic route to its network footprint with the addition of the Dunant cable, connecting the US and Europe via a southern corridor across the Atlantic. This new route complements EXA’s existing cables, connecting Paris and Bordeaux in France to the large data centre clusters of Virginia Beach, Richmond and Ashburn in the US. This new route offers excellent diversity from other transatlantic cables, as well as connecting to EXA’s extensive European backbone onwards to Madrid, Barcelona and Marseille via differentiated routes.
Neos Networks accelerates its journey toward 100 on-net data centres with the new addition of two pivotal UK sites to its fibre network. Offering secure and high-capacity connectivity, these centres bolster the UK’s tech hubs while surging towards embracing digital innovations and reliable connectivity. The impact of such expansion unfolds an intriguing storyline of the country’s evolving connectivity landscape.
Climate change casts a menacing shadow over the infrastructure underpinning the Internet, including fiber optic cables and colocation facilities. The predicament Saint-Martin island faced after Hurricane Irma’s assault prompted Setics Sttar to reimagine their rebuilding strategy. Subterranean framework emerged as a key defense against future environmental disasters, demonstrating the necessity to fuse climate risk considerations with infrastructure planning. Seeking a climate risk assessment for your FTTH Network design has become not only optimal but essential in the face of a changing world.
Huawei’s Richard Jin turned heads at UBBF 2023 with a keynote speech outlining a future-oriented, three-phase network construction plan. This innovative plan hinges on enhancing video experiences, improving network user experiences and integrating AI. By striving to transition from traditional copper lines to FTTH all-optical networks, it aims to ensure seamless video interactions. Subsequently, it intends to cater to increasing demand for diversified digital applications via gigabit services. The finale points towards an AI-integrated, all-optical computing plan aligned with F5.5G development, potentially revolutionizing current industry norms.
Huawei champions the development of 5.5G technology, anticipating significant steps in network infrastructure. Advocating for evolution and readiness, Huawei focuses on 5G-Advanced as a cornerstone of future telecom progression. However, global implementation poses challenges, with promising 5G speeds needing considerable network densification and negative trends in capital expenditure. As such, Huawei and other vendors are pivoting to cater to the enterprise market, favouring an immersive approach in changing market needs, instead of simply relying on network infrastructure investment.
Wales’s leading alternative telecoms provider – Ogi – has revealed plans to bring full fibre connectivity to Tenby, one of Pembrokeshire’s most iconic seaside towns. Tenby is the latest of over 60 communities across south Wales to benefit from Ogi’s privately backed broadband rollout launched in 2021. Once work to connect around 5,000 premises in the town is complete, Ogi will be the leading alternative choice in much of west Wales.
Summoning a significant tide in the telecommunications sector, 20 notable European telco CEOS, under the GSMA, urge EU policymakers for a comprehensive revamp of the present regulatory environment. They key point is the mounting need for major tech corporations to contribute to telco infrastructure costs in the midst of a data traffic surge. However, critics argue such proposal infringes upon net neutrality principles and imposes a dual-end payments system.
