EE has made impressive progress in enhancing 4G coverage across rural North Yorkshire, overhauling more than 40 masts in two years. This improvement, part of the £1 billion Shared Rural Network initiative, is shrinking the digital divide, bringing transformative changes to local businesses, residents and even emergency services.
In a bold move to accelerate the United Kingdom’s digital infrastructure, nexfibre, a UK-based wholesale fibre network provider, has committed to investing £1 billion during the 2024 financial year. This investment aims to significantly expand the country’s broadband capacity, focusing on areas currently underserved by existing networks.
In the whirlwind of business, empathy emerges as a potent force, fostering genuine connections amidst virtual handshakes and rapid emails. Understanding the neuroscience behind empathy unveils its profound impact on interpersonal dynamics. Mastering its cognitive, emotional, and compassionate dimensions empowers professionals to navigate complex relationships with grace and authenticity.
VMO2 faced a substantial loss of £3.3 billion in 2023, worsened by a £3.1 billion goodwill impairment rooted in increased capital costs. While their debt soured under challenging economic conditions, they still managed to attract 64,000 new broadband and 47,000 mobile customers. Nevertheless, revenues witnessed a slight tumble as consumer fixed income dipped and the B2B sector lagged.
Ofcom’s Cristina Luna-Esteban has recently criticized renowned UK ISPs including BT, Sky, TalkTalk, and VMO2, regarding delays in finalizing a launch date for the One Touch Switching (OTS) system. This creates a dilemma, as extended delays restrict consumers from accessing easy and simplified ISP switching. OTS, initiated by Ofcom to streamline provider switches, experiences technical complexities pushing its initial deadline, causing a concern echoed by Ofcom’s Lindsey Fussell.
Airtel Africa is redefining its enterprise, anticipating to leverage Africa’s burgeoning digital sector with the advent of its novel fibre wholesaler, Telesonic. The subsidiary will harness the power of Airtel’s vast terrestrial fibre network, bolstered by the firm’s stake in the pan-African submarine cable, 2Africa.
Altice Group strategically eyes shedding its 50.1% sharing in XpFibre, triggering a ripple of interest from major players like KKR & Co., Macquarie Group, and others. While KKR & Co, Macquarie Group, and CDPQ are all reported to be keen on acquiring the stake, no financial bids have surfaced to date. Meanwhile, Altice Group’s decision to divest isn’t surprising, given its $60 billion debt, and recent considerations to sell other assets.
VMO2 reignited talks over a potential acquisition of TalkTalk’s consumer business this week, eyeing several million UK broadband subscribers. Yet, the negotiation’s early nature and TalkTalk’s sizable £1.1 billion debt make the situation complex.
BT, Ericsson, and Qualcomm demonstrated successful 5G network slicing trials for diverse applications, proving its potential to improve service quality in the 5G SA era. Disney invests $1.5 billion in Epic Games to blend its iconic franchises with Fortnite. D&H Distributing launches the Go Big AI Program to help partners use AI technologies. IPFone acquires VoIP company Joon to expand its cloud communication services and enhance offerings through synergistic technologies.
In a significant security incident, US telecom giant Verizon suffered a serious data breach impacting over 63,000 workers. Despite occurring last September, the leak wasn’t detected until December. Delving into the possible causes reveals potential insider wrongdoing. With the exposed data consisting of extensive personal details, Verizon claims that it hasn’t been shared externally yet. As the company probes into the breach, it offers its affected staff credit monitoring and identity theft protection for two years.
