Original article Total Telecom:Read More

Brussels – 19 June 2025 – Proximus Global’s new consumer research [LINK] reveals low awareness and adoption of eSIMs in the US, UK, and China. However, nearly half of the consumers expressed interest in using an eSIM for travel after learning about its benefits. This presents a growing opportunity for mobile operators and travel-related businesses to offer Travel eSIM solutions to consumers.

A survey of over 6,500 adults in the US, UK, and China conducted by data analyst specialists YouGov found that only 33% of consumers globally are aware of what an eSIM is, while 42% are unsure if their phone includes one. Awareness is notably low in the US, where 52% of respondents reported having no knowledge of eSIM technology. China ranked slightly ahead of the UK and US for usage, with 27% of Chinese consumers polled reporting having tried eSIM in the past.

A Travel eSIM is a SIM card embedded directly into the mobile device that allows people to connect globally to local networks while travelling. The technology is widely available on many popular handsets including Apple, Samsung, Google and Huawei, and solves the need for physical SIM card placement in devices.

The findings indicate a significant gap between consumer awareness and the commercial potential for businesses that provide travel eSIM services. Almost half of consumers (49%) are open to using eSIMs to more effectively manage mobile connectivity while traveling abroad. This percentage is even higher in the UK and China, at 56% and 60% respectively. 

Consumers are flexible about where they would buy Travel eSIMs. Over a third (36%) would consider purchasing from non-traditional carriers like supermarkets, airlines, or travel websites. Companies like Revolut, Nord VPN, and Carrefour have already launched such services.

“Our research highlights the significant potential for brands in the global travel eSIM market,” said Surash Patel, Chief Revenue Officer at Proximus Global. “Demand for eSIM technology is rapidly increasing. Companies that act now will be well-positioned to capture substantial market share. This opportunity isn’t limited to telcos; with the right partner, establishing an eSIM offering is straightforward. Retail and travel brands can leverage their customer base to drive adoption and explore cross-selling opportunities for travel eSIMs.”

“To secure leadership in the expanding global travel eSIM market, businesses must prioritize developing innovative eSIM-enabled services that cater to the evolving needs of travelers, while also focusing on consumer education,” stated Jorn Vercamert, Chief Product Officer at Proximus Global. “By closing the awareness gap, stakeholders can unlock the full potential of this untapped market opportunity.”*

About Proximus Global

Proximus Global, combining the strengths of Telesign, BICS, and Route Mobile, is transforming the future of communications and digital identity. Together, our solutions fuel innovation across the world’s largest companies and emerging brands. Our unrivaled global reach empowers businesses to create engaging experiences with built-in fraud protection across the entire customer lifecycle. Our comprehensive suite of solutions – from our super network for voice, messaging, and data, to 5G and IoT; and from verification and intelligence to CPaaS for personalized omnichannel engagement – enables businesses and communities to thrive. Reaching over 5 billion subscribers, securing more than 180 billion transactions annually, and connecting 1,000+ destinations, we honor our commitment to connect, protect and engage everyone, everywhere. 

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

The UK telecoms regulator, Ofcom, has posted an update on their investigation into the performance of the new consumer broadband and phone switching system (One Touch Switching). This found no major problems with the biggest ISPs but did warn that some providers on Openreach’s network were using an “alternative switching method“, which they said must stop.

Just to recap. The OTS service finally went live on 12th September 2024 after many delays. The goal of this was to make it both quicker and easier for consumers to change their provider (regardless of what network they’re on). All of this is being managed through a central messaging platform via the industry-led One Touch Switching Company (TOTSCo). As of 6th June 2025, a total of 1.13 million successful switches had already completed.

However, one of the biggest challenges of this system has flowed from the difficulty of getting the “matching process” to work properly, which exists to ensure that customer switches are correctly verified and then migrated between providers. But this process still has a tendency to fail, sometimes even when Gaining Providers have entered the correct customer data, and it’s not always easy for providers to figure out why.

According to the latest switching data, some 333 brands are now live on the platform that TOTSCo has developed (a few smaller providers are still dragging their feet) and the daily switch match success rate continues to hover between around 65% to 68% (this hasn’t improved much since the start of 2025). But these figures don’t tell the whole story, as some failed switches will still get approved later, after corrections are made.

Nevertheless, Ofcom has been busy examining this problem since January 2025 as part of their wider Enforcement Programme (here), which largely focused on the performance of the biggest fixed line broadband and phone providers (BT, Sky Broadband, Vodafone, TalkTalk, Virgin Media and Vodafone).

The regulator has today posted an update on that effort, which seems to give the biggest players a pass by finding only small issues that require no further action “at this time“. But they did uncover an issue with the use of alternative switching methods, albeit without providing much elaboration. This could easily reflect how some providers may still be following the old process or using an alternative to get around issues with TOTSCo’s platform.

Ofcom Statement

In January, we issued a formal information request to each of BT, Sky, Vodafone, TalkTalk, VMO2 and Vodafone following potential issues affecting matching rates between certain providers. It is crucial that customers do not experience obstructions when attempting to switch away from their current provider. A key purpose of our information request was to analyse whether providers’ One Touch Switch (OTS) systems and processes are functioning correctly on both a Gaining and Losing Provider basis.

Based on the evidence we have collected we have found that, across industry as a whole, the majority of customers are successfully switching providers using OTS. There are some variable matching success rates between providers, however we do not feel that these variations represent concerns that would require further action at this time. We will nevertheless continue to monitor this.

Our analysis also found that some Gaining Providers on the Openreach network are switching customers using an alternative switching method other than OTS when repeated match attempts via OTS have failed.

Under General Conditions C7.18 – C7.27, providers must maintain a single switching process – One Touch Switch – for relevant switching customers. OTS is the only switching process for residential customers switching fixed services which is compliant with the General Conditions; it provides easy, quick, reliable switching which protect consumers and supports competition across all networks. Any providers using alternative switching processes must therefore take immediate steps to stop their use of these.

We are aware that there are some scenarios where an attempted customer switch may result in a match failure, and that one customer may experience multiple match failures, through no fault of the Gaining Provider.

In this scenario, it is our expectation that a provider should use all reasonable endeavours to carry out a switch using OTS. For example, if an online order fails to acquire a successful match, then it is our expectation that customers should be directed to alternative channels (e.g. phone support) to assist with the match. Should these still not result in a successful match, then it will not be possible to switch the customer. The only course of action – if the customer wishes to proceed – is for the customer to cease the service with their existing provider and for the new provider to provide a new service. This is commonly referred to as “cease and re-provide”.

We expect providers in this scenario to clearly explain to the prospective customer that they must contact their existing provider directly to cancel their current contract.

Ofcom has also notified the biggest providers of their findings and added that they would “consider enforcement action” against providers that continue to use a non-OTS switching method.

“We strongly encourage providers to continue their efforts to improve match success rates and consider whether any aspects of the customer journey could be improved to increase the number of successful OTS switches in order to keep the need for cease and re-provide as minimal as possible,” added the regulator.

The regulator has thus far been taking a fairly soft approach to enforcement, which may be partly in recognition of the fact that integration and development of TOTSCo’s platform has been a complex and difficult task for the market.

Original article Total Telecom:Read More

News

She replaces the outgoing Luka Mucic, who held the position for roughly two years

Today, Vodafone Group has announced that it has appointed Microsoft’s Pilar López as Chief Financial Officer.

For the last decade, López has held various roles at Microsoft, including chief operating officer for Western Europe and country lead for Spain. For the past two years, she has served as Vice President of Strategic Partnerships, overseeing Microsoft’s relationship with the London Stock Exchange Group.

She is also a veteran of the telecoms industry, having spent 16 years at Telefonica prior to her move to Microsoft.

Lopez will take up the role from 1 October 2025, with her formal appointment on December 1, 2025.

“I am delighted that Pilar will be joining Vodafone in October,” said Vodafone chief executive Margherita Della Valle. “She has deep-rooted knowledge of both the telecoms and technology sectors, across a range of international leadership positions.”

Lopez replaces Luka Mucic, who is moving to become CEO of real estate development firm Vonovia at the end of November. Mucic will be the shortest-serving CFO in the company’s history, having joined the company in September 2023.

In a LinkedIn post, López thanked her colleagues from the past decade and expressed her excitement at joining Vodafone.

“I am thrilled to be going back to the telecommunication industry and to finance at this pivotal time, and join Vodafone, a company and a brand I have always admired. I would like to thank Margherita Della Valle and the Board for the confidence, and look forward to joining the team in October.”

According to reports, Lopez’s base salary will be £725,000, with the possibility of bonuses of up to 200%.

How is the UK’s telecoms market changing in 2025? Join the industry in discussion at Connected Britain, the UK’s largest digital economy event

Also in the news:
SWR deploys Europe’s first ’Rail-5G’ Wi-Fi  
BT accelerates fibre rollout amid cost cuts
AT&T agrees $5.75 billion deal for Lumen’s consumer fibre asset

Original article Total Telecom:Read More

Having brought together five businesses – Giganet, Jurassic Fibre, Swish Fibre, the original AllPoints Fibre, and Cuckoo – into a single group, APFN (a wholesale business) and Cuckoo (a retail business) now operate as self-standing companies, owned by Fern Fibre.

Now that that process is complete, some leadership changes are taking place.

• Ronan Kelly, previously APFN CTO, has been appointed APFN Managing Director.
• Nisreen El-Kaloush, previously Commercial Director, has been appointed Chief Commercial Officer, who will lead on developing long-term commercial frameworks.
• As leadership of the business at group level is no longer required with the consolidation and relaunch complete, Jarlath Finnegan, Group CEO, and Graham McGregor, Group CFO, are departing.

Ronan, along with Sarah Howells, MD of Cuckoo, will report to Fern Fibre’s new Executive Chair, Adam Dunlop, who joined the Fern Fibre Trading Limited Board in May 2025. Adam has held several leadership roles across various telecom enterprises, most recently serving as CEO of TalkTalk. He has also held leadership positions at iD Mobile, Dixons Carphone and Cable & Wireless.

The changes follow APFN’s successful launch of aquila, a transformative new wholesale fibre platform designed to give Communication Service Providers (CSPs) seamless, scalable access to full-fibre broadband across the UK, last month.

aquila currently integrates Openreach, BT Wholesale, CityFibre, and APFN’s own infrastructure into a single, easy-to-manage platform, unlocking connectivity to around 19 million premises — and counting. Since launching, APFN has already secured agreements with Daisy and Onecom, complementing existing relationships with companies such as Yappl and Meraki and further agreements will be announced over the coming weeks.

Commenting on the changes, Ronan Kelly said, “It’s an honour to take APFN into its next phase of trading now that the consolidation plan is complete. Since we launched aquila, we have had a fast start and we have huge interest from potential partners, and I am excited to connect more of them to the platform in the months ahead.”

“I want to express my warm thanks to Jarlath and Graham, who successfully transformed the five companies into the two we have now. They leave those companies in great shape as we continue to shake up the connectivity market.”

Commenting on his appointment, Adam Dunlop said: “I am coming into my role as Executive Chair at a very exciting time. I am already working with Ronan and Sarah so we can ensure that APFN and Cuckoo accelerate the great progress already made.”

“My sincere thanks to Jarlath and Graham. It is down to their hard work and dedication that both APFN and Cuckoo have got to where they are today. To build and successfully launch aquila in such a short time is a remarkable achievement whilst also bringing all our retail operations onto one platform with no legacy systems. On behalf of everyone at both companies, I want to send them our warm wishes for the future.”

Commenting on his departure, Jarlath Finnegan said, “My time with the organisation, first as a founding member at Giganet and then leading the APFN Group has been exciting, challenging, and above all, incredibly rewarding. With the original transformation plan now complete, this felt like the right moment to hand over. I’m proud that we built a market-leading wholesaler, successfully launched our aquila platform, and grew Cuckoo into a distinctive retail brand. That success is down to the brilliant teams across APFN and Cuckoo. Graham and I leave with confidence in their future and wish them every success in this next phase.

Original article Total Telecom:Read More

Link to Word Doc: www.wallstcom.com/Riedel/250617-Riedel-Garage59.docx

Photo Links:
www.wallstcom.com/Riedel/Riedel-Garage59_Hockenheim-Finish.jpg
www.wallstcom.com/Riedel/Riedel-Garage59-Headset.jpg
www.wallstcom.com/Riedel/Riedel-Garage59-Rack.jpg
www.wallstcom.com/Riedel/Riedel-Garage59-Teams.jpg
Photo Caption: Garage 59 kicks off 2025 season with Riedel’s Bolero communications system, boosting clarity, reliability, and scalability in its trackside operations.

WUPPERTAL, Germany — June 17, 2025 — Riedel Communications has partnered with U.K.-based endurance GT team Garage 59 to deliver a fully integrated communications solution that is already playing a key role in the team’s phenomenal start to the 2025 racing season. Leveraging Riedel’s Bolero wireless intercom system in combination with the RiFace radio interface for seamless race control, Garage 59 has gained a new level of clarity, reliability, and scalability in its trackside operations, where it provides crucial support across the team’s GT World Challenge Europe and International GT Open campaigns.

Formed ahead of the new season, this partnership has helped the team to hit the ground running. Garage 59 is fielding three cars in 2025 and has already delivered a string of strong results across both race series, reaffirming the team’s status as a serious contender in the world of GT racing.

“This partnership with Garage 59 is an exciting step forward as we expand our motorsports presence in the U.K..,” said Nacho Lee, Programme Manager Global Events, Riedel Communications. “It’s also a powerful example of the close cooperation between Riedel’s Product and Managed Technology divisions. By working together, we’re delivering a fully integrated solution that meets the high demands of endurance racing.”

Originally introduced to Bolero through Riedel’s Product Division, Garage 59 transitioned to a more comprehensive system with Riedel’s Managed Technology Division (MT) providing radio infrastructure and dry hire services for major events such as the 24-hour races at Nürburgring and Spa. The team also benefits from MT-exclusive helmet kits and a custom-built Riedel rack integrating Bolero, StageLink, and RiFace units — boosting in-race coordination and overall efficiency.

“We needed a communications solution that matched the pace and precision of our team, and Riedel delivered on all fronts,” said Andrew Kirkaldy, Team Principal, Garage 59. “The clarity, reliability, and adaptability of the system have become a real competitive advantage for us this season.”

Riedel Communications will continue to support Garage 59 throughout the 2025 season, with plans for further initiatives to spotlight the team’s progress and the cutting-edge communications technologies enabling it. As part of the collaboration, Riedel branding is now featured on Garage 59’s McLaren race cars, reinforcing the visibility of this partnership on and off the track.

“Garage 59 is a premium team with a dynamic setup and strong ambitions,” added Lee. “We’re proud that our technology — and the dedication of our MT technicians — is helping them unlock their full potential on track, and we’re already looking forward to deepening our cooperation in the future.”

Further information about Riedel and the company’s products is available at www.riedel.net.

# # #

About Riedel Communications
Riedel Communications is a leading provider of live production tools in the worlds of media, sports, and entertainment. The company’s hard- and software solutions span from distributed video and audio networks over intercom and replay solutions to WAN and MPLS applications. Thanks to Riedel’s holistic approach, its two business units — Product Division and Networks Division — can leverage powerful synergies to provide flexible infrastructures, tools, and services for both fixed and temporary installations around the globe, enabling Riedel customers to run even the most complex projects on-site, remotely, or in the cloud. Riedel is locally headquartered in Santa Clarita, California, with its global headquarters in Wuppertal, Germany. Riedel employs over 1,000 people in 30 locations throughout Europe, Australia, Asia, and the Americas.

All trademarks appearing herein are the property of their respective owners.

Original article Total Telecom:Read More

VOX Solutions is pleased to announce its appointment as the exclusive gateway for international Application-to-Person (A2P) SMS and Voice traffic delivery into Claro Ecuador’s network, Ecuador’s leading mobile operator. This role results from a strategic interworking agreement between VOX Solutions and Claro, establishing a direct channel for the secure termination of international A2P SMS and Voice traffic into Claro’s network.

This exclusive partnership allows VOX Solutions and Claro Ecuador to collaborate closely in ensuring seamless, reliable delivery of critical A2P messages to Claro’s end-users and business clients. Through this arrangement, Claro Ecuador now has comprehensive control over the delivery of international A2P traffic to its network, supporting both enhanced communication and advanced protection against fraudulent activities.

Central to this partnership is the VOX-360 platform, a versatile and advanced solution uniquely designed to deliver market-leading anti-fraud, flash call authentication and A2P SMS monetization. The VOX-360 platform enables mobile operators like Claro Ecuador to identify and prevent fraudulent and spam traffic, securing a positive experience for end-users and optimizing network monetization efforts.

“We are honored to support Claro Ecuador through this collaboration, offering unmatched technology and operational expertise.” said Ehsan Ahmadi, CEO and Founder of VOX Solutions. “The VOX-360 platform stands out as the only solution capable of effectively managing Flash Calls alongside comprehensive anti-fraud measures for A2P Voice and SMS traffic. This feature ensures Claro Ecuador is shielded from messaging bypass and fraudulent voice or Flash Calls now and in the future.”

VOX Solutions has successfully deployed the VOX-360 platform across numerous major mobile operator networks globally and remains committed to supporting its partners with state-of-the-art technology, valuable insights, and specialized resources. This ongoing dedication reaffirms VOX Solutions’ commitment to driving innovation and safeguarding communications in the telecommunications sector.

About VOX Solutions:

VOX Solutions is a leading TelcoTech company dedicated to empowering Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), carriers, aggregators, and enterprises worldwide by providing innovative solutions to effectively monetize their assets . We provide cutting-edge solutions that enable our partners to unlock new revenue streams by maximizing the value of their existing assets. Leveraging advanced technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Advertising Technology (AdTech), advanced analytics, and seamless authentication, we help transform telecommunications businesses into high-performing, revenue-generating ecosystems.

www.voxsolutions.co

VOX Solutions contact:                                                      

Name: Antonia Zgondea                                                        

E-mail: marketing@voxsolutions.co                                      

Phone number: +85230083754                                                         

Original article Total Telecom:Read More

Rome, 16 June 2025 – The 2025 Spring General Assembly of the FTTH Council Europe brought
together industry leaders and stakeholders from its pan-European membership to set strategic
priorities and renew the organisation’s leadership. The General Assembly resulted in the
composition of a new Board of Directors, including a new President, and the election of new
Committee Chairs. The full list can be found at the end of this release.

The newly elected Board of Directors appointed Francesco Nonno, Director of Regulatory and
European Affairs at Open Fiber S.p.A., as new President. The Board also nominated the Treasurer
of the association, and introduced two new additional roles in a move to further strengthen the
FTTH Council Europe’s capacity to lead and deliver on its mission: the Vice-President Strategy
and the Vice-President Membership. These roles will help sharpen the Council’s strategic focus
and expand member engagement as the fibre ecosystem continues to evolve.

The new Board of Directors will work to ensure the European Union has an optimal regulatory
environment, fostering the digital transformation of all European economies, with a particular
focus on the decommission of legacy copper networks in support of the adoption of fibre.

A core pillar of the Council’s success will also lie in the strength of its eight highly active
Committees, which continuously generate high-impact initiatives and expertise in support of fibre
deployment, adoption, and sustainability. These Committees, which will be led by new Chairs
elected in the context of the General Assembly, are instrumental in advancing the industry’s
Environmental, Social, and Governance objectives and enabling meaningful collaboration across
the sector.

In recognition of outstanding commitment to these collaborative efforts, the event also saw the
presentation of the Member Engagement Individual Award, which was awarded to Christof
Sommerberg, Head of Public Affairs at Deutsche Glasfaser. Sommerberg was acknowledged for
his consistent involvement and impactful support across various activities of the FTTH Council
Europe, exemplifying the spirit of active membership and collaborative leadership that defines
the organisation.

“The context in which we operate is more complex and challenging than ever, making the FTTH
Council Europe even more relevant”, Nonno said in his first remarks. “Our new leadership team
mirrors the diversity of our membership and highlights the strategic importance we place on
evolving our mission and scope. As an industry association, we are focused on creating value for
our diverse membership base and continuing to strengthen our advocacy towards policymakers”.

The FTTH Council Europe looks forward to this new chapter under the guidance of its renewed
leadership team and the continued engagement of its members.

New Board of Directors composition:

• Francesco Nonno, Head of Regulatory & European Affairs at Open Fiber S.p.A. – President
• Hans Lötzer, Head of Project Finance at Hamburg Commercial Bank – Treasurer
• Stefano Fogli, Director Technology and Solutions at Adtran – Vice-President Strategy
• Andreas Waber, CEO at Swiss Fibre Net AG – Vice-President Membership
• Suzanne Tracy, CTO at SIRO
• Christian Priess, Head of Europe, Middle East and Africa at Hexatronic Group AB
• Roshene McCool, Global Director, OFC Market & Technology Development at Corning
  Optical Fibre and Cable
• Carl Pertry, Director of Business Development Fixed Networks at Nokia
• Xavier Renard, Marketing Director at ACOME

Full list of new Committee Chairs:

• Market Intelligence – Domenico Dichiarante, Head of Residential Marketing and Business
  Development Top Clients at Open Fiber S. p. A.
• Diversity, Equity & Inclusion – Barbara Tonarelli, Principal Sales Engineer at ADTRAN
  In-Home Broadband Excellence – Trond Hovind, Director Business Development at
  Genexis
• Deployment & Operations – Patrick Faraj, Global Product Manager – Centralized Fiber
  Test Systems at VIAVI Solutions
• Sustainability – Jeroen Kanselaar, Manager Corporate Social Responsability at Eurofiber
• Investors – Steffen Leiwesmeier, Head of Strategic Treasury at Deutsche GigaNetz GmbH
• Policy & Regulation – Arturs Alksnis, Public Affairs Director at FTTH Council Europe
• Open Access – Niall Halpenny, Director of Telecoms at Sonalake

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

The ITS Technology Group, which has built various open access full fibre broadband and Ethernet networks across parts of the UK, has today announced that they’ve secured a £3.5 million dark fibre network build contract for Carmarthenshire (Southwest Wales) as part of the Swansea Bay City Deal’s Digital Infrastructure Programme.

The new contract will see ITS deploying their Dark Fibre network to connect public sector sites across Carmarthenshire, which will be their first such project in South Wales. The public investment will serve 41 dark fibre connections across 34 strategic public sector sites in Carmarthenshire, connecting education, health and local authorities.

The project includes key partners Carmarthenshire County Council, University of Wales Trinity Saint David, Hywel Dda University Health Board, and Coleg Sir Gar. The new network will also connect data centres to help store, move, and share large quantities of data securely at ultra-high speed.

In addition to securing the contract award, ITS will invest in a new wholesale full fibre network that mirrors the dark fibre route and extends beyond it to pass more than 2,800 businesses. This part of the project reflects private investment that will enable access to gigabit-capable services.

Daren Baythorpe, CEO of ITS, said:

“We are thrilled to have been successful in this tender process which will see us play a pivotal role in transforming the area’s digital landscape. As our first public sector contract in South Wales, this is a fantastic milestone for us and one that will provide the foundation for a connected future for the region, driving innovation and prosperity for the entire community.

ITS has a strong track record of working with the public sector to deliver connectivity solutions that benefit local businesses and communities, putting social value at the heart of each project. This type of innovation aligns perfectly with the Digital Infrastructure Programme’s objectives, providing a platform for economic growth and bridging the digital divide.”

Cllr Hazel Evans, Carmarthenshire County Council, said:

“Not only will this enhance the quality and reliability of services for communities across the county, but it will also act as a catalyst for further investment into digital infrastructure. This investment will foster innovation and economic growth, helping to ensure that Carmarthenshire is able to benefit from technological advancements.”

The full fibre network that ITS operates currently uses 10Gbps capable XGS-PON technology, although they have conducted tests of next generation 50G PON (here) – reaching speeds of 41.8Gbps downstream and 19.2Gbps upstream. The first commercial services over that new technology could be launched during early 2026 (here), although it’s unclear if this will be used for the above project or even how long the Carmarthenshire build will take to complete.

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

Broadband, phone and mobile operator Manx Telecom (MT), which is the primary network operator serving premises across the remote Isle of Man, could be sold to CVC Capital Partners “within a matter of weeks” as part of a proposed £500m takeover offer that is currently said to be the focus of ongoing talks.

According to a report on Sky News, CVC is being lined up to help finance the takeover by JT Group, which also owns Jersey Telecom that originated on the English Channel island of the same name (JT is owned by Jersey’s government). Manx Telecom itself is currently owned by Basalt Infrastructure Partners (BIP), which is also an investor in alternative UK network provider FullFibre Limited.

Manx Telecom itself is currently in the process of completing a major £60m roll-out of Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) based gigabit broadband lines to over 41,000 premises across the Isle of Man by the end of 2025 (here), which has been partly funded by the Isle of Man Government.

At this stage not much is known about the details of the proposed deal and some may also question whether the operator is even worth £500m, although back in 2019 they were valued at approximately £255.9m during the deal with Basalt. Smaller island networks often enjoy more control over their local markets and do tend to attract greater values than those operating in larger and more competitive markets, such as the UK.

All of those involved in the talks have thus far declined to comment.

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

Space-based internet provider Starlink (SpaceX) last night announced that new domestic customers looking to join their ultrafast home broadband service in the UK could now sign-up and get the hardware for free (terminal/dish and router etc.), instead of paying the usual £299 (one-off).

At present Starlink has around 7,800 satellites in Low Earth Orbit (c.4,100 are v2 Mini / GEN 2A) – mostly at altitudes of c.500-600km – and they’ll add thousands more by the end of 2027. Residential customers in the UK usually pay from £75 a month, plus £299 for hardware on the ‘Standard’ unlimited data plan (the kit price does vary, due to different offers), which promises UK latency times of 28-36ms, downloads of 103-258Mbps and uploads of 15-26Mbps. But cheaper and more restrictive options also exists for roaming users.

Starlink had previously been offering its hardware for free (instead of £299) in only a few very limited UK locations, but the new promotion seems to extend that across much more of the country. The company’s email does, however, continue to state that this promotion is “available in select UK areas only“, but we’ve yet to identify which locations may be unable to benefit.

The only catch is that this offer can currently only be taken alongside a 12-month minimum contract term.