Germany’s Bundeskartellamt investigates Vodafone’s Vantage Towers for potentially obstructing 1&1’s 5G rollout, raising questions on fair competition and business practices in the telecommunications industry.
Verizon’s innovative deal with infrastructure specialist Vertical Bridge promises accelerated 4G and 5G deployment in the US, showcasing a unique tower leasing model that fosters collaboration and transforms mobile tower management.
We’ve come a long way since mankind first used smoke signals to communicate, and even farther since cavemen drew pictures on walls. Today, we’re living in a world where we can communicate with anyone, anywhere in the world. Telecommunications has changed dramatically throughout the years. Let’s look at how it grew from its humble origins to what it is now. Rock carvings Petroglyphs are more commonly found than pictographs, and these images were created by carving, engraving or scratching the rock’s surface. Often, these images were important forms of pre-symbol writing and were used in the earliest forms of communication and signage. The oldest art in this particular category is the Bhimbetka Petroglyphs Cupules, in the Auditorium cave situated at Bhimbetka in India, that date back to the Acheulean period, which began between 1.7 million and 1.5 million years ago. Cave paintings Some of the earliest forms of communication are…
The telecommunications industry is one of the most dynamic industries in the world, driving innovation and having a significant impact both on society and business. In fact, regardless what industry you’re in, telecoms will most likely have an impact on your business. If you want to stay ahead of the competition, you must keep an eye on emerging trends and advancements in the telecom industry. So, what major telecom developments should we be on the lookout for in 2023? 5G satellites Looking ahead, we anticipate a surge in satellite access for both devices that directly access satellite connections as well as Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTNs) that employ spaceborne and airborne vehicles for transmission. It is an intriguing capability enabled by Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites, which are smaller, lighter, and far less expensive to manufacture, launch, and maintain than traditional geostationary and mid-orbit satellites. Many opportunities are made possible by 5G…
What if one day there was no Internet? The Web as we know it would be gone for good. Sites like Facebook, Twitter and Google would only exist in the memories of people who lived through the Great Disconnection. The Internet is the greatest invention and technological revolution since the printing press. Since its creation, we’ve built our whole lives around this innovation, depending on it for almost everything. But what would happen if the Internet was no more? What would life be like without the Internet? The thought experiment There are no attempts to dismantle the Internet that we are aware of, therefore you have nothing to be concerned about. But isn’t it fascinating to consider what might happen if the Internet would suddenly shut down? If the Internet suddenly went down at this very moment, we wouldn’t make a huge issue out of it, as it happens sometimes,…
BT putting its digital voice service rollout on halt Last year, BT began rolling out Digital Voice, which is a VoIP solution that works over the company’s broadband network rather than the old analogue network, as the name implies. This service is an essential improvement, as BT points out, to replace analogue technology, which is rapidly becoming outmoded. The operator is, however, delaying the Digital Voice switchover for consumers who do not wish to switch right away. BT did not specify how long the halt will occur, nonetheless, it is confident that the switchover will take place soon. Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/mt23py8u DigitalBridge enters into mobile infrastructure deal with Telenet Telenet has agreed to sell all of its mobile telecommunications towers in Belgium to DigitalBridge, a US-based real estate investment trust and a subsidiary of the DigitalBridge Group. The investment firm has agreed to pay $820 million for Telenet’s 3,322…
Vodafone and Iliad are in negotiations to merge their respective businesses in Italy. Such a merger would provide advantages for both corporations in one of Europe’s most competitive markets and should be positive for the industry in general. Discussions between the two corporations are ongoing, and both sides are actively looking for ways to connect their separate businesses together in Italy. If the merger is approved, it will create a telecommunications giant with over 36% mobile market penetration and combined sales of nearly $6.80 billion. Vodafone and The Iliad both declined to comment on the negotiations. The talks take place as the local incumbent, Telecom Italia, continues to evaluate a $12.25 billion acquisition offer from US investor KKR aimed at taking Italy’s largest phone business private. Industry leaders have frequently recommended the pursuit of four-to-three telecom mergers, which may generate cost synergies and boost margins by reducing…
Vantage Towers partners with Mowea Vantage Towers, a subsidiary of Vodafone, has formed a strategic alliance with the Berlin-based start-up Mowea to power towers with renewable energy. Vantage Towers plans to build 752 micro wind turbines on 52 towers in Germany, with a capacity of up to 650 MWh per year. Under typical wind conditions, the turbines can cut grid power usage and electricity operating expenses at each site by up to two-thirds or more. Installation of the Mowea’s micro wind turbines is planned for the second part of the year, assuming that all relevant licenses are obtained by then. Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/35zsph6v Nokia to defend IP Telecom against quantum cyber attacks Nokia has established a partnership with IP Telecom to expand the latter’s data center cloud connection infrastructure to Portuguese urban regions. Under the terms of the agreement, Nokia will create an encrypted optical data center interconnect (DCI)…
INWIT, an Italian infrastructure business, has announced the deployment of its first wooden mobile telecommunications tower, made entirely of sustainable materials, as part of a two-year environmental strategy. The tower is located northeast of Milan, next to a large park and a major motorway. The mobile tower’s construction is composed of glued laminated wood, entirely sustainable and circular material, an alternative to steel. The tower is 40 meters tall and has four walkways to position the antennas and radio connections of the hosting operators. The tower is located next to the Est delle Cave Park and will provide cellular network coverage in the region, as well as emergency telephone services, which are especially important for highway traffic on Milan’s A51 Tangenziale Est ring road, close to the tower. INWIT hopes to leverage the project to assist in restoring the park by applying the finest environmental and landscape…
Virgin Media O2 tests 5G emergency services drone Virgin Media O2 has released information on a trial it conducted with the Swiss public safety drone expert Fotokite to provide a video feed from a drone to help first responders on the ground. The two businesses discussed several incarnations of the drone, including its capacity to function in difficult conditions at any time of day or night, the simplicity of setting up, launching, and flying, and how valuable the data feed is to first responders dealing with emergency situations. Utilizing 5G networks to control and manage drones for emergency services demonstrates the possibilities that 5G technology provides in terms of higher speeds and lower latency. Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/36ax8jrc BT trials quantum key distribution (QKD) over hollow core fiber BT has tested quantum key distribution (QKD) over hollow core fiber (HFC), promoting the technology as a method to improve data security…
