Sparkle, Italy’s leading international service provider, has successfully landed its BlueMed submarine cable in Chania, Crete. The announcement was made during a press conference at the Italian Ambassador’s Residence in Athens, attended by key figures including Paolo Cuculi, the Italian Ambassador, and Dimitris Papastergiou, Greece’s Minister of Digital Governance.
A recent survey among telecom and IT engineers at communications service providers (CSPs) indicates a positive outlook on the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in enhancing network performance and driving revenue. Conducted by Ciena and Censuswide, the survey involved over 1,500 telecom professionals from 17 countries.
Virgin Media Business Wholesale, a division of Virgin Media O2, has significantly upgraded the Manchester Equinix MA5 data center with advanced high-capacity fibre routes, enhancing connectivity in Manchester and the broader north of England. This upgrade positions the Manchester MA5 as a crucial node within Virgin Media Business Wholesale’s extensive network, which includes over 160 data centers across the UK.
BT Group has reported a slight revenue increase to £20.8 billion, a 1% rise from last year, driven by price hikes for broadband customers, robust sales of fibre products in Openreach, and growth in the consumer division. However, the company’s pre-tax profits dropped sharply by 31%, falling to £1.18 billion, despite a 2% rise in adjusted EBITDA, which reached £8.1 billion.
Quickline, the UK broadband operator, has successfully connected the initial homes to its Project Gigabit-funded full fibre network in Yorkshire, achieving this milestone less than three months after securing the contract. This achievement, although modest in scale, signifies a promising acceleration in the UK government’s fibre broadband initiative.
Cornerstone, a leading passive infrastructure provider managing Virgin Media O2 (VMO2) and Vodafone’s shared mobile network, is set to introduce a cutting-edge neutral host network utilizing smart street light technology in urban environments.The partnership between Cornerstone and Signify, a Netherlands-based company spun off from Philips in 2016, will leverage Signify’s BrightSites Broadband Luminaire products. These innovative LED streetlamps act as network extenders, supporting a mesh network using 60 GHz millimetre-wave (mmWave) spectrum to facilitate 5G connectivity.
Countries across East and Southern Africa are grappling with a widespread internet outage caused by faults in several submarine cables. According to Cloudflare Radar, which tracks internet disruptions, Tanzania is among the hardest hit, experiencing a significant drop in internet traffic to only 30% of its normal levels.
Europe’s telecom industry is alert as the European Union investigates competitive fairness amid KKR’s acquisition of Telecom Italia’s fixed-line network. Questions arise about the impact on market competition and the deal’s opposition by Vivendi, the largest stakeholder in Telecom Italia.
The Australian investment bank, Macquarie, is reportedly considering an exit from KCom amidst escalating competition within the UK alternative network (altnet) sector. A recent report in The Telegraph suggests that Macquarie has engaged advisors from PJT Partners to conduct a strategic review of KCom, indicating potential changes on the horizon.
PJT Partners sets out to scrutinize UK telecom operator, KCOM’s business strategy, a move that could trigger significant changes like a sale or merger. This arises from previous disclosures regarding the potential interest of CityFibre and Virgin Media O2 in purchasing the uniquely positioned company that operates independently of BT’s Openreach network.
