Local government digital leaders across England, Scotland, and Wales continue to prioritize gigabit broadband rollout, viewing it as essential for connectivity improvements, despite differing opinions on 5G and a lagging focus on environmental sustainability. This was highlighted in a recent survey conducted by FarrPoint, a UK-based connectivity consultancy, which released its findings from a December 2023 study involving councils from various regions.
Stage X won South Korea’s fourth mobile operator spot with a $322 million bid for 5G spectrum. Yellow.ai and Infobip have partnered to enhance global customer support through AI-driven voice automation and conversational experiences.
Breezeline invests in a 525-mile fiber network to boost internet for 45,000 homes and businesses in New Hampshire. DARPA, in partnership with Nokia’s Bell Labs and others, aims to develop a sustainable Moon base with a robust telecom network to support future Mars expeditions.
Allison Kirkby has officially taken the reins at BT, unveiling her first set of financial results as the company’s new chief executive. The figures, reflecting the final quarter of 2023, show a modest increase in revenue to £5.3 billion, up from £5.2 billion, with adjusted EBITDA holding steady at £2 billion. This performance was bolstered by positive developments within Openreach and the Consumer division, though slightly hampered by the challenges faced by BT Business, including cost issues and a downturn in legacy product sales.
Singapore’s leading telecom provider Singtel, in a strategic alliance with technology powerhouse Nvidia, has unveiled a new line of data centers under the brand name Nxera. These centers are poised to revolutionize generative AI services for businesses across the region, aligning with Singapore’s National AI Strategy 2.0.
In a significant move for the telecommunications sector, Parallel Wireless has partnered with SUSE to integrate the SUSE Adaptive Telco Infrastructure Platform (ATIP) into its Open RAN solutions. This collaboration marks a pivotal step in enhancing the flexibility, security, and cost-effectiveness of managing and processing data in network operations.
As the new year unfolds, Vodafone has released a compelling report, underscoring the urgent need for regulatory reforms to bolster Europe’s telecommunications sector. The report, titled “Why Telecoms Matters,” paints a stark picture of the challenges Europe currently faces, emphasizing the pivotal role of mobile technology and digital transformation in overcoming these obstacles.
Facing an economic upheaval, telecom leaders like Nokia, Ericsson, and AT&T post disappointing financial outcomes for 2023, attributed to factors like changing customer behavior and a challenging macro-economic environment. However, there are glimmers of hope, evidenced by Nokia’s significant free cash flow generation amidst a major slump in sales.
The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority is investigating the proposed merger of mobile network providers, Three UK and Vodafone UK. The focus is on whether this union could diminish competition in the industry. While a smaller field of players is a concern, there is optimism as the new entity plans a hefty joint investment in infrastructure upgrades.
AST SpaceMobile secures a funding boost of $206.5 million from AT&T, Google, and Vodafone. Used smartphone market saw a robust 9.5% growth, while the new smartphone market faced a 3.2% decline. Nokia and Oppo have resolved their patent dispute with a multi-year cross-licensing agreement on 5G technology. ASC Americas partners with Wilmac Technologies to integrate ASC’s “Recording Insights” into Wilmac’s services. Mavenir has secured a contract to modernize messaging capabilities for Deutsche Telekom networks.
Enreach, Europe’s leading provider of converged contact solutions, announced that Tonny Siemons, the company’s business development lead for its Microsoft Teams and Microsoft Operator Connect integration strategies, will speak at ITEXPO, one of the world’s largest communications technology conferences. The event is scheduled for 13-15 February, 2024 at the Broward County Convention Center in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
