Original article Total Telecom:Read More

News 

The Canadian operator has hired advisors to consider various options to strengthen the company’s balance sheet 

Canadian telco Telus revealed last week that it has been engaging with advisors for “several months” in order to explore various options that would improve its financial position.  

The operator currently owns and operates around 3,000 mobile towers across the country.  

Analysts suggest that the tower business could be worth CAD$1–3 billion (USD$0.7–2.1 billion), suggesting that a minority stake could fetch up to CAD$1.5 billion (USD$1.05 billion). According to sources speaking to local news site The Globe and Mail, Telus will only consider offers towards the top of this range. 

“We have engaged with advisors to explore the monetization of our tower infrastructure. If we are able to do this within the parameters of our desired economics, it would enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of our network operations,” said Darren Entwistle, TELUS President and CEO. “This initiative reflects TELUS’ broader commitment to long-term sustainable growth, as the company looks to strengthen its balance sheet as 100% of the proceeds would be used to pay down debt.” 

While no bids have been revealed, Entwistle described the sale process as “well underway”.  

Keep up to date with the latest international telecoms news by subscribing to our newsletter  

Also in the news:
Ofcom wants UK to be ‘first in Europe’ to use direct-to-device satellite services
AT&T mulls acquisition of Lumen’s consumer fibre unit
Viasat joins ESA’s Moonlight project for lunar connectivity  

Original article Total Telecom:Read More

News 

Sky has announced 2,000 job cuts across its customer services sector, the Financial Times has reported

The personnel cuts equate to around 7% of the workforce, and would see the closure of three of its ten call centres, Leeds, Sheffield and Stockport call centres, as well as affected operations at its Dunfermline and Newcastle sites. 

The company receives around 25 million customer calls from across Europe each year, which it expects to decrease by a third over the next few years, as customers apparently shift towards AI chatbots and emails. 

A company spokesperson told the FT that its site in Livingston, Scotland will instead receive a multi-million pound investment that will “deliver quicker, simpler and more digital customer service”. 

 The company is seeking to replace “labour intensive “roles with more digital and AI-enabled services, the report read. 

“This is about building a future-ready Sky that continues to put our customers and their needs first,” said a Sky spokesperson. 

“Our customers increasingly want choice, to speak to us on the phone when they need us most and the ease of managing everyday tasks digitally. We’re investing in a new centre of excellence for customer service, alongside cutting-edge digital technology to make our service seamless, reliable, and available 24/7,” they continued. 

Sky says that the implemented changes will “create a faster, smarter and more responsive experience” for customers. 

Keep up to date with the latest telecoms news by subscribing to our newsletter, three times weekly to your inbox. 

Also in the news:
Quickline to extend Yorkshire’s Project Gigabit rollout
‘Adapt or die’: VOX Solutions’ message to telcos in the age of AI
Huawei’s ushers in the AI era with raft of new solutions at MWC 2025

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

Sky UK has today published their latest bi-annual Attention Index report for the July to December 2024 period, which reveals various TV viewing figures across their network and also states that Sky Broadband customers used 19.1 billion gigabytes of data in the last six months.

According to the ‘Sky Attention Index‘ (PDF), Sky Broadband’s peak data usage has grown by 17% since the first half of last year, rising from 24Tbps (Terabits per second) to a record peak of 28Tbps on 1st December 2024. The latter was fuelled by a “blockbuster day of live sports, including Manchester United vs Everton, Manchester City vs Liverpool, and the Qatar Grand Prix“.

Meanwhile, Christmas and Boxing Day brought a wave of new devices coming online as people unwrapped their gifts and connected to the network. Sky Mobile recorded 12,000 activations on Christmas Day alone — a number usually seen across an entire week — as customers got their hands on new phones and tablets.

The report also states that Sky Mobile traffic “consistently peaked at school closing times“, as students and parents alike logged onto social media and streaming platforms. But otherwise, the report is largely focused on the viewing habits of Sky TV customers.

Ben Case, Sky’s MD of Connectivity, said:

“Delivering a best-in-class connectivity experience underpins everything we do at Sky. We know that customers want a seamless connectivity experience whether in their living rooms or on the go, so they can connect, stream and game seamlessly. What this report shows is that the demand for data has increased yet again, as more of our customers unlock the benefits of a full-fibre broadband connection. Our mission is to make Connectivity as easy as possible for our customers, bringing them the most innovative products with the fastest and most reliable speeds.

2024 was an exciting year for connectivity at Sky as we launched our award-winning mobile offer to customers in Ireland and introduced the UK’s only 24/7 switching support service from a major provider. In 2025, we look forward to expanding our full-fibre footprint even further, pairing our strong existing relationship with Openreach with our new partnership with alt-net CityFibre.”

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

Alternative UK network operator and ISP G.Network, which has deployed a gigabit speed Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband network across parts of London, has reportedly instructed bankers at Jefferies and Nomura to engage with potential buyers for the business again.

The operator originally held an aspiration to expand their fibre network to cover 1.3 million premises in the city by the end of 2026. But like many other altnets they’ve since been impacted by an increasingly competitive environment and rising costs (i.e. high build costs and high interest rates). At the end of last year this resulted in another round of job cuts and a greater focus on commercialisation, instead of new fibre build (here).

Despite the challenges, the operator has continued to receive funding from long term equity investor USS, including £85m in June 2024 (here) and “up to an additional” £150m (here) in July 2023. But it remains unclear how much extra funding USS might be willing to pump into G.Network in the future.

According to G.Network’s most recent accounts (here), the company saw turnover increase by 85% to £10.2m in FY2024 and a gross profit of £7.3m (up 62%), with total assets of £453m (up from £394m). But they also suffered an operating loss for the year of £52.8m (down from a loss of £67.2m in the prior year). The switch in strategy toward commercialisation should help a bit.

Suffice to say that it shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise to read in the FT (paywall) that the provider’s banks – Jefferies and Nomura – have allegedly been contacting as many as ten other alternative network (altnet) providers over the past week to gauge their interest in a potential takeover.

G.Network reportedly attempted something similar last year (here), albeit without success. We suspect it may not help that they’ve already been partly overbuilt by Hyperoptic and CommunityFibre, which are much bigger players in London’s altnet space, alongside the established giants of Virgin Media (nexfibre) and Openreach (BT).

Residential customers of G.Network typically pay from £22 per month for a 300Mbps (100Mbps upload) service on a 24-month term with free installation, which rises to £28 for their 900Mbps (300Mbps upload) plan or £39 if you want symmetric speeds on that tier. Shorter 12 and 1 month contracts are also available, albeit at extra cost.

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

The Hong Kong conglomerate behind mobile operator Three UK and several other operators in different countries, CK Hutchison Holdings (CKH), has confirmed that they’re currently engaged in talks that could see them spinning off their global telecommunications network in the near future. But an agreement is not yet certain.

At present CKH operates both mobile and fixed telecommunications (broadband and phone) networks in over ten global markets, including the Three brand in the UK (Three UK), Austria, Denmark, Ireland and Sweden, and under its namesake brand in Hong Kong, Macau, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Vietnam.

According to Reuters, Hong Kong tycoon Li Ka-shing, who founded CKH, has reportedly already begun preparations to spin off CKH’s global telecommunication assets and list the business – valued at around £10bn to £15bn – in London. The new entity would host CKH’s telecoms businesses in Europe, Hong Kong and Southeast Asia.

The listing could reportedly be ready this year, but nothing is currently certain. In addition, CKH wouldn’t be able to make much progress on this until after the full finalisation of the recently approved merger between Vodafone and Three UK (here), which could make it difficult to proceed with a listing in 2025. CKH initially declined to comment on this news, but has today confirmed the following.

Statement by CKH

TELECOMMUNICATION ASSETS

INSIDE INFORMATION

This announcement is made by the board of directors (the “Board”) of CK Hutchison Holdings Limited (the “Company”, together with its subsidiaries, the “Group”) pursuant to Rule 13.09(2)(a) of the Rules Governing the Listing of Securities (the “Listing Rules”) on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited and the Inside Information Provisions (as defined under the Listing Rules) under Part XIVA of the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571 of the Laws of Hong Kong).

The Board has noted certain reports in the media recently relating to a potential spin-off of the Company’s global telecommunication assets and businesses.

From time to time, the Group receives proposals and explores and evaluates opportunities that may be available, with a view to enhancing long term value to shareholders, including possible transactions relating to the assets and operations of the Company’s global telecommunication businesses (including a spin-off listing). As at the date of this announcement, the Board has not made any decision to proceed with any transaction related to the Company’s global telecommunication businesses. Shareholders and potential investors in the Company should note that there is no certainty that any transaction will or will not take place.

If required, the Company will make further announcement(s) in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. Shareholders and potential investors in the Company should exercise caution when dealing in the shares and/or other securities of the Company.

By Order of the Board

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

The Government’s Building Digital UK (BDUK) agency has today tweaked the language on the information page for their Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme (GBVS) in a number of key ways. This sees the removal of “rural” specific language and the introduction of language stating that some areas are “open for urban voucher projects“.

The GBVS usually offers grants worth up to £4,500 to help rural premises (homes and businesses) get a gigabit-capable broadband (1Gbps) ISP service installed, which is available to areas with speeds of “less than 100Mbps” – assuming there are also no near-term plans for a gigabit deployment in the same area (either via private investment or state-aid). Until now, this has been almost exclusively focused upon helping poorly served rural areas.

However, ISPreview has previously reported that BDUK were also exploring the possibility of expanding the GBVS to cater for poorly served parts of urban areas too (here), which may otherwise sit neglected as patches of poor service, typically dotted about like small islands inside major cities and towns.

The latter problem can be caused by all sorts of challenges (e.g. high build costs, issues with securing wayleave / access and permits or road closures etc.), while state aid and competition laws often make it very difficult to use direct public funding in such areas (i.e. locations where private investment should be able to resolve without intervention).

The easiest solution to the aforementioned legal and competition dilemma has typically been to use a voucher scheme, which was tried before (‘Connection Vouchers’) and eventually morphed into today’s more rural-focused scheme. But not everybody is a fan of expanding vouchers to urban areas and some opposition MPs have criticised the idea, which is despite it first being proposed under the previous government (here).

What’s changed today?

In short, the government has today updated the GBVS scheme so that it’s no longer using rural-specific language and is also open to “urban voucher projects“. At present the urban side of this is only open to several regions, including Birmingham and the Black Country (suppliers: E-volve Solutions, Exascale, Openreach), Merseyside and Greater Manchester (suppliers: B4RN, Freedom Fibre, Openreach, TalkTalk), Greater London (suppliers: Openreach, Trooli) and the following parts of Scotland – Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Glenrothes (suppliers: Highland Broadband, Openreach).

According to a related supplier briefing, there is £2m available for projects to bring gigabit broadband to urban homes and business that have thus far been left excluded by commercial deployments. The eligibility criteria for all this remains largely unchanged, albeit with some tweaks for businesses and the exclusion of premises that “are not vacant/unoccupied or derelict and have not been built in the last two years.”

Who is eligible?

Homes and businesses must meet the following criteria to be considered for a voucher project:

• existing available broadband download speeds are less than 100Mbps
• a gigabit-capable network is unlikely to be built to the area commercially in the near future
• there is no government-funded contract planned or in place to improve the network
• the premises are not vacant/unoccupied or derelict and have not been built in the last two years

BDUK makes available to suppliers an indicative list of eligible premises in areas that are open to voucher projects. Suppliers conduct further eligibility checks and are then responsible for developing project proposals and requesting vouchers. 

A project must cover at least two eligible premises, with two or more eligible residents and/or businesses using their vouchers towards the shared cost of installation. Single connections are not eligible for the scheme.  

All projects are subject to BDUK commercial and value for money assessments.

New connection speeds must reach:

• at least double the existing speed if the current speed is less than 50Mbps
• at least 100Mbps if the current speed is more than 50Mbps

Business eligibility

In addition to the above, in order to qualify for a business voucher, beneficiaries  will be asked to self-certify as a Small or Medium size Enterprise (SME), as defined by sections 465 to 467 of the Companies Act 2006 which can be summarised as:

• up to 249 employees and annual turnover no greater than £36 million; and/or
• an annual balance sheet total not exceeding £18 million

SME beneficiaries in designated high competition locations, defined by Ofcom as Central London and High Network Reach Areas, must also establish the following to qualify for a voucher:    

The relevant organisation is no larger than a micro-sized company under sections 384A to 384B of the Companies Act 2006 which can be summarised as:

• not more than 10 employees and annual turnover no greater than £632,000; and/or
• an annual balance sheet total not exceeding £316,000

Beneficiaries will be asked to provide evidence of their status as a SME or sole trader and self-certify that the organisation will have received less than €325,000 Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) in public grants over any period of three fiscal years including the current year, including the voucher contribution.

The Special Drawing Rights amount has replaced the €200,000 de minimis grant limit following the UK’s exit from the European Union on the 31st December 2020. The SDR to GBP exchange rate can be found here.

Not-for-profit and charitable undertakings which qualify as SMEs are eligible in the same way that for-profit enterprises are.

BDUK is also known to have been seeking expressions of interest for projects to cover premises in specific urban areas in certain other regions, which is intended to support their plans for achieving nationwide gigabit broadband coverage by 2030. Further urban areas are also expected to be added to the voucher list in due course.

Overall, we think this is a positive development, although it remains to be seen whether expanding the voucher scheme in this way will be enough to overcome some of the complex challenges that building in the remaining urban pockets of poor connectivity can often present (i.e. it’s not always just a money problem). On the other hand, £2m doesn’t seem likely to go very far, so if this proves to be a successful change then the government may need to allocate more funding.

Original article Total Telecom:Read More

Contributed Article  

At MWC in Barcelona this year, the topic of AI pervaded every aspect of the show. From AI-powered robots to agentic AI assistants, there is no doubt that we are rapidly entering the AI era  

But to make the most of this transformational technology, telco infrastructure will require modernisation. Networks themselves will need to leverage AI to become more automated and efficient, while also powerful enough to handle the unique pressures of merging AI use cases.   

To meet these challenges, Huawei unveiled a vast array of new AI infrastructure products and solutions at its Product & Solution Launch during MWC 2025, with executive team highlighting nine of their most exciting offerings on stage.  

1. AI-Centric Network solution

Yang Chaobin, Huawei’s Director of the Board and CEO of the ICT Business Group began the Product & Solution Launch by introducing the AI-Centric Network solution. This is designed to capitalise on AI-driven opportunities. It will use AI to make networks smarter and more efficient. It helps carriers improve connectivity, automate maintenance, and offer better services to users. The solution focuses on four key challenges: 

• All-domain connectivity.With more in-depth collaboration between AI and networks, carriers will be able to optimize resource orchestration for routing, bandwidth, and so on. This will provide intelligent applications with universal network access, ultra-high uplink and downlink, and SLA assurance. 

• Application-oriented O&M.Advances in AI applications will give rise to more complex service scenarios and massively diverse experience requirements. This will necessitate a shift from traditional, resource-oriented network O&M to a more application-oriented approach. Huawei’s Telecom Foundation Model supports predictive and proactive O&M, experience optimization based on application-level awareness, and tailored, more fine-grained operations. Carriers will be able to significantly enhance the efficiency of network O&M while taking user experience to entirely new levels. 

• Enhanced AI-to-X services.At the individual user level, AI-Centric networks can deliver the right experience for different AI scenarios by assigning the exact levels of bandwidth, latency, and reliability needed. At the organizational level, they can break through bottlenecks in capacity and response times configured for person-to-person interactions, evolving networks to support person-to-agent and even agent-to-agent interactivity. And at the societal level, AI-Centric networks will enable ubiquitous connectivity to speed up AI adoption in public services like education and healthcare, providing more inclusive value for communities around the world. 

• Innovative business models. Different experience requirements will give carriers the opportunity to explore new business models that monetise a broader range of metrics. Essentially, AI-Centric networks will allow carriers to go beyond traditional traffic-based monetisation and start monetising experience itself. This will unleash the full potential of connectivity and open up new revenue streams. 

Yang Chaobin, Huawei’s Director of the Board and CEO of the ICT Business Group

2. AI-Centric 5.5G solutions for the mobile AI era

Secondly, Cao Ming, Vice President of Huawei and President of Huawei Wireless Solution, took to the stage to discuss the interplay between AI and 5.5G. In the mobile AI era, mobile networks must support the fast expansion of AI applications, addressing three major transformations in the industry. 

• Evolving user experience from conventional downlink-based interactions to AI powered engagements that requires more diverse capabilities. 

• Advancing network O&M with higher levels of automation, from autonomous network (AN) L3 to AN L4 and beyond, to manage the substantial increase of AI traffic. 

• Redefining business models, shifting from traditional traffic-based revenue to experience monetisation. 

The company’s AI-Centric 5.5G portfolio includes three core solutions to help support operators on their mobile AI journey: GigaGear, which enhances network resource scheduling; GreenPulse, which delivers AI-driven energy efficiency across the network; and GainLeap, for improved network service orchestration. 

Cao Ming, Vice President of Huawei and President of Huawei Wireless Solution

3. The industry’s first AI core network

George Gao, President of Huawei Cloud Core Network Product Line, announced the launch of the industry’s first AI Core Network. This network marks a shift from AI-powered to AI-native infrastructure, capable of self-optimisation and self-management.  

The rollout of this new technology will occur in two phases. Firstly, we have the 5G-A Intelligent Core, which integrates AI agents for enhanced network intelligence. This will ultimately make way for the Agentic Core, a fully autonomous system that adapts to real-time service needs. 

George Gao emphasised that operators should consolidate 5G-A Intelligent Core with three types of AI agents and Telco Intelligent Converged Cloud to claim service, experience operation, and O&M entries and monetise intelligence now, and evolve to the Agentic Core gradually. 

George Gao, President of Huawei Cloud Core Network Product Line

4. Building an AI Optical Network (AI ON)

Next, Bob Chen, President of Huawei Optical Business Product Line, took to the stage to highlight the three defining traits of the AI era: ubiquitous AI applications, computing power, and AI-native technologies. All three of these elements put considerable strain on fixed networks, requiring that they handle data more efficiently and more autonomously. 

In this regard, Chen explains that Huawei’s AI ON solution includes five key features: 

1. Awareness: Networks must identify service types and adapt to bandwidth, latency, and reliability needs.
2. Always On Demand: Real-time, differentiated connectivity that will replace undifferentiated network access.
3. Assurance: Networks will ensure high-quality connectivity, with deterministic latency and zero packet loss, even during network fluctuations.
4. Autonomous O&M: Proactive network management will prevent faults and optimise performance autonomously.
5. AI Native: Full-stack AI integration across all network layers will enhance intelligence and service quality. 

Bob Chen, President of Huawei Optical Business Product Line

5. The AI WAN Solution

Just as we are seeing AI playing a crucial role in the evolution of the mobile network, so too is it becoming critical to the evolution of IP networks. Leon Wang, President of Huawei’s Data Communication Product Line, revealed how Huawei is incorporating AI into the company’s new AI WAN solution, designed to prepare IP networks for the Net5.5G era. The solution includes building AI directly into the router, while also leveraging AI agents to help improve carriers’ O&M costs. 

The solution features three layers:   

1. AI Routers: Provide real-time flow reporting and advanced security.
2. AI New Connections:Allow flow-level scheduling to meet diverse application needs.
3. AI New Brain: Uses AI agents for simulation, fault diagnosis, and improved O&M efficiency.

In addition to unlocking new AI capabilities, AI WAN can also greatly improve the delivery of traditional services. For example, MTN South Africa saw a 25% increase in data usage after deploying AI WAN for base station management.  

Leon Wang, President of Huawei’s Data Communication Product Line

6. AI-Ready Data Storage

Peter Zhou, President of Huawei Data Storage Product Line, gave a keynote speech about how the rise of AI in various industries is creating huge demand for better data storage and service capabilities. 

Huawei is addressing these challenges with its AI-Ready data storage, which simplifies data management and access, including: 

•  OceanStor Dorado Converged All-Flash Storage and OceanStor A Series High-Performance AI Storage, offering fast and reliable performance for critical workloads like AI training and mobile financial services. 

• OceanStor Pacific All-Flash Scale-Out Storage, which stores twice the data volume with the same space and energy consumption  for large amounts of data from services like live streaming and XR games. 

• OceanProtect All-Flash Backup Storage, which offers five times faster data recovery for critical services and AI application development. 

Zhou also highlighted Huawei’s DCS AI Solution, which provides diverse data storage services and helps carriers develop AI models faster and more efficiently, and FlashEver business model, which contains an evolutionary, flexible architecture and Huawei storage platform services, to maximise customers’ investment.  

Peter Zhou, President of Huawei Data Storage Product Line

7. Huawei ICT Services & Software Enable Digital Intelligence Acceleration

Of course, in the AI era, traditional ICT functions will also need improvement. Bruce Xun, President of Huawei Global Technical Service, introduced five innovative ICT solutions at MWC, aiming to improve network performance, enhance customer experience, and support digital transformation. The solutions include:
1. CO Modernisation Solution: This solution speeds up the modernisation of traditional equipment centres, saving space, energy, and costs, while supporting new services and improved ROI.
2. Intelligent Operations Solution for MBB Cross-domain Service Keepalive: Using AI, this solution helps detect and resolve faults in mobile networks quickly, minimising service disruptions and traffic loss.
3. Mobile Network NPS Improvement:This solution improves user satisfaction by analysing network performance and making precise optimisations to reduce issues that affect users’ experiences.
4. Differentiated Service Experience Monetisation: Huawei’s AI tools analyze tariff performance and optimise network experience, improving the effectiveness of new tariff designs and customer experience.
5. Enhanced Mobile Money: Huawei’s Mobile Money solution expands into micro-finance and digital services, improving credit assessment and supporting over 250 partners to build mobile-based financial services. 

Bruce Xun, President of Huawei Global Technical Service

8. Integrating AI into the Cloud

Alongside the role of AI itself, much of the discussion among telcos at MWC was around how AI was enabling their transition from telcos to techcos. For Bruno Zhang, Huawei Cloud CTO, the key to this transition lies in the effective use of AI in the cloud. 

Speaking on stage, Zhang introduced Huawei’s CloudDC solution, giving carriers access to over 30 global data centres and accelerating the development of AI computing centres. 

In addition, Zhang also highlighted Huawei Cloud’s GaussDB for intelligent databases, DataArts for AI-powered data management, the Cloud Device solution that improves device-cloud integration, and Cloud Media Edge enhances real-time interactive experiences.  

Bruno Zhang, Huawei Cloud CTO

9. Efficient solutions for carriers’ energy infrastructure

Finally, He Bo, President of Huawei Data Center Facility & Critical Power Product Line, discussed the explosion of AI data centre investments that are currently taking place around the world, underpinning the global AI transformation. These new data centres will have far greater infrastructure demands than their predecessors, particularly with regards to energy consumption. 

As such, He introduced two supporting innovations: the Single SitePower architecture and the RAS™ AI data centre construction guideline. These solutions aim to help operators thrive as energy producers and build more efficient ICT facilities in the AI-driven era. 

Single SitePower is an intelligent architecture for telecom site power that integrates power facilities, wireless networks, and power grids. It improves energy efficiency, power availability, and reduces network carbon intensity through advanced technologies and resilient, green, and reliable design features. 

Huawei’s RAS™ guideline addresses the challenges faced by AI data centres: reliability, agility, sustainability, and high-power demand. 

He Bo, President of Huawei Data Centre Facility & Critical Power Product Line

The next steps 

As AI continues to shape the future of technology and telco, infrastructure must evolve to keep pace. Huawei’s latest innovations showcased at MWC 2025 highlight the critical role AI will play in transforming networks, storage, and operations. As the industry moves towards becoming more intelligent, the integration of AI into every layer of telecoms infrastructure will be key to driving sustainable growth and innovation. 

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Ericsson and SoftBank have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on the development of next-generation telecom technologies, including AI, Cloud RAN, Extended Reality (XR), and 6G, aiming to establish a strategic partnership towards 2030 

The partnership, built around the concept of “NextWave Tech,” Ericsson and SoftBank’s partnership, centred on NextWave Tech, aims to speed up the development of future networks by testing new technologies and business applications. They will focus on Cloud RAN deployment, AI-driven automation, and XR connectivity, while also exploring ways to improve spectrum use—particularly in centimetre Wave technology—to strengthen Japan’s position in 6G. 

By working together on network roadmaps, the companies plan to stay ahead of the industry’s move towards AI-powered, cloud-based telecom infrastructure. Their goal is to make networks more efficient, cost-effective, and high-performing, shaping the future of mobile connectivity. 

“This new collaboration with SoftBank marks a significant step forward in realising the full potential of AI-powered connectivity technologies. By combining our expertise in RAN and AI, we are poised to drive innovation and shape SoftBank’s future of mobile networks, empowering their technology leadership through 2030,” said Jawad Manssour, President and Representative Director of Ericsson Japan in a press release. 

 “Our new partnership with Ericsson allows us to explore cutting-edge solutions that will redefine network capabilities and customer experience. Our joint efforts in areas such as 6G and AI will not only enhance the performance of our network, but also pave the way for new business opportunities and technological breakthroughs,” said Hideyuki Tsukuda, EVP and CTO at SoftBank Corp. 

Ericsson and SoftBank intend to align their efforts with the broader industry shift towards AI-powered, cloud-based telecom infrastructure. Last June, SoftBank was one of the founding companies of the Global Telco AI Alliance, along with Deutsche Telekom, SK Telecom, e& and Singtel. The joint venture was signed for telco AI development, with each company equally investing.  

The five companies have agreed to develop Large Language Models (LLMs) that are specifically designed to meet telco needs, in areas such as improving customer interactions via digital assistants and chatbots. The LLMs will be tailored to the needs of the five companies in their respective markets, allowing them to reach a combined customer base of around 1.3 billion people in 50 countries. 

In an additional move to strengthen the company’s position in AI computing, last week, Softbank announced an agreement to acquire US based semiconductor design company Ampere Computing Holdings LLC for $6.5 billion. 

Keep up to date with the latest international telecoms news by subscribing to the Total Telecom newsletter  

Also in the news:
BEAD staffers ‘constantly concerned’ about job security under Trump govt
Quickline to extend Yorkshire’s Project Gigabit rollout
‘Adapt or die’: VOX Solutions’ message to telcos in the age of AI 

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

Infracapital-backed network operator Fibrus has today confirmed what we first reported last week (here), which is that their £108m publicly funded Project Gigabit broadband rollout contract in Cumbria (Lot 28) has been “extended” to cover an additional 21,000 premises in hard-to-reach areas. But it’s a bit more complex than that.

Just to recap. The Lot 28 build was the first large-scale Regional Supplier contract to be awarded under the wider Project Gigabit programme in 2022. Since then, it’s been making progress, with premises already connected to the new “full fibre” (FTTP) network in villages including Workington, Aspatria, Kendal and Penrith.

The original announcement stated that this contract aimed to cover “around 60,000 premises in the county” and at a cost of “more than £100 million of government investment“. However, some readers may thus be confused by today’s announcement of an extension, which states that the original contract was intended to “initially [cover] 32,000 homes and businesses” and today’s extension thus pushes the new total to around 53,500 premises.

The above situation arises because the original announcement included further homes and businesses that could potentially be brought into the rollout, called deferred scope premises (some other contracts also have this), which is perhaps something that Fibrus and BDUK (Gov/DSIT) could have been clearer about in 2022.

A spokesperson for Fibrus clarified to ISPreview: “The extension includes 21,000 additional homes, and is broken down by 11,000 completely new premises which have been added to the contract, and 10,000 which were within the deferred scope. These new premises were not in the scope of the original contract and have now been introduced following changes in the build programs of other operators” (i.e. commercial build plans by rivals may expand or even shrink their coverage plans – for various reasons, which can impact the Project Gigabit programme).

The new announcement also fails to mention that, according to the government’s contract modification notice, the awarded contract value has increased by £50.7m to £149.75m from the initial stage committed value. But this shouldn’t distract from the fact that this latest agreement will bring gigabit broadband to rural communities like Leece, Threlkeld, Abbeytown, Slack Head (fantastic name for a hamlet) and beyond.

Dominic Kearns, CEO at Fibrus, said:

“I am proud of the transformational impact we have had on digital infrastructure in NI and Cumbria. We have been delivering Full Fibre broadband to some of the most challenging geographies and rural areas, ensuring no one gets left behind by the digital divide.

Our internal build team and our partners have demonstrated market leading expertise in rural delivery through our Stratum project and now the Project Gigabit Cumbria build.

Lightning fast, reliable, Full Fibre broadband at affordable prices is what our customers need, and we’re pleased to be the number one provider in our connectable footprint, having connected our 100,000th customer in November last year.

Being awarded this contract extension is a testament to the moves we have made so far, and we’re only just getting started.”

Telecoms Minister, Sir Chris Bryant, said:

“Better broadband will not only enhance the quality of life for tens of thousands of homes and businesses across rural Cumbria, but it will also help us put an end to disparities between urban and rural areas.

Only last month, we launched our Digital Inclusion Action Plan, setting out our next steps to shrink the digital gap. This announcement is a fantastic example of how a Government-backed contract will help ensure people in rural areas are not left behind and have the tools they need to thrive in the digital age.”

Once this state aid fuelled contract is delivered alongside other commercial plans and deployments, in a few short years’ time (including by different network operators), it means that 99% of homes and businesses across Cumbria should have access to “next generation broadband” – a huge achievement for such a rural county in England.

This is in addition to Fibrus’ separate delivery of Project Stratum in Northern Ireland, which is currently around 98% complete and scheduled to finish in June 2025 “on time and within budget“. Fibrus added that they’re also continuing to see “exceptional levels of customer take-up in both its subsidised and commercial footprints“. Penetration at the end of March 2025 will exceed 27% for Fibrus as a whole and exceed 34% in its subsidised footprint, with earlier cohorts already above 50%.

Customers of the service typically pay from £24.99 per month for an unlimited 159Mbps (34Mbps upload) package with an included router and free installation, which rises to £44.99 per month for their top 982Mbps (310Mbps upload) tier on a 24-month contract term. The service discounts may vary between different parts of their build.

Finally, Fibrus currently expects to achieve “EBITDA profitability” for the coming financial year, with annualised recurring revenues in February 2025 already exceeding £32m and growing steadily month on month.

Original article Total Telecom:Read More

Press Release

[Barcelona, Spain, March 3, 2025] Huawei supported by content from GSMA Intelligence, hosted the “Green Development Elite Club” during MWC Barcelona 2025. The event, themed “Pave the Way for Green Telco,” convened key stakeholders including UNFCCC, GSMA Intelligence, ITU-T, and over 20 leading global operators such as China Mobile, Globe, Turkcell, and HKT, to deliberate on the imperative of green development within the ICT sector. During the session, GSMA Intelligence unveiled the “Green Network Index” report, proposing innovative methodologies for assessing and rating the evolution of green networks, thereby bolstering operators’ carbon neutrality strategies and promoting sustainability within the ICT landscape. 

Zhouyu, President of Huawei Network Consulting and System Integration, delivering “Fast, Secure, Valuable – Accelerating Green Development” 

Mr. Peter Jarich, Head of GSMA Intelligence, underscored green development that constitutes a global objective and a crucial mission for the ICT industry. As a proponent of environmental accountability, GSMA Intelligence is dedicated to advancing green practices within this sector. In response to the demand for a cohesive framework, GSMA Intelligence developed the Green Network Index with comprehensive metrics and measurement of green network evolution, thereby facilitating the successful implementation of sustainable development initiatives. 

From top-level consensus to industry implementation 

Mr. Massamba Thioye, Project Executive of UNFCCC-GIH (UN Climate Change Global Innovation Hub), shared a global perspective on green development, asserting that addressing climate change demands more than mere technological solutions but a multifaceted approach including policies, standards, financial support, business models, and decisive leadership. He highlighted that beyond promoting sustainable development, ICT technologies were increasingly serving as a “digital lever” for catalyzing green transformations across multiple sectors.  

Mr. Paolo Gemma, Chair of ITU-T SG5 WP2/5, elucidated that fuel and electricity constitute 90% of network expenditures. He stated that the establishment of green visions, principles, and standards was vital for operators aiming to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions. The ITU-T actively supported this initiative through the introduction of green indicators such as NCIe and NEE, which focused on enhancing both network energy efficiency and user experience, and encourages operators to engage actively in this endeavor.  

From technological innovation to business success 

Mr Richard Cockle, Head of GSMA Foundry and Connected Industries, guided operators in using a comprehensive Green Realization, Planning and Execution (GRPE) framework. Four carriers from different regions implemented the framework in real-world use cases. 

Mr. Singleton Zhou, President of Huawei Network Consulting and System Integration, articulated in his address titled “Fast, Secure, Valuable – Accelerate Green Development” that global operators stand to save 338 billion kWh of electricity annually, along with 115 million square meters of equipment room space. The potential waste of electricity and space occupied by legacy equipment represents a significant resource deficit that is critical for the development of new business ventures, such as computing power. 

The Green Target Network aimed to assist operators in conserving resources through the integration of communication systems with energy networks and the alignment of green infrastructure with digital transformation. In 2024, Huawei employed its AI-driven Full Service Area solution to assist operators in planning and constructing green, resilient networks, resulting in the upgrade of 100,000 sites and 4,000 data centers, achieving reductions of $140 million in OPEX and 740 million kWh in electricity savings. This endeavor also necessitated 800,000 significant network changes, with a configuration success rate of 99.99%. 

Huawei capitalizes on core capabilities such as 3DGS spatial modelling, lossless fiber locating, AI-driven Full Service Area planning, and one-stop delivery to empower operators to expedite transformation, enhance business leadership, and achieve superior profitability. 

From green strategy to best practice 

Panel discussion

A panel discussion featuring representatives from Globe, Turkcell, and HKT concentrated on strategies, standards, and practices for advancing green networks. Globe talked about how sustainability metrices, such as the GSMA Green Network Index, can help accelerate the company’s green network strategy. As part of its net zero roadmap, the company utilizes renewable energy and continuously deploys green network solutions nationwide. Turkcell also commenced large-scale construction of green sites and solar power plants, with expectations of substantial carbon emission reductions and a target of 100% renewable energy. By the end of 2024, Turkcell had achieved a 40 MW installed capacity through solar farms, wind turbines, and green sites. Furthermore, Turkcell is committed to becoming a NET-ZERO operator by 2050 through targeted carbon reductions. HKT has significantly enhanced operational efficiency through AI scheduling, providing a range of green services to communities and enterprises, thereby accelerating the vertical industry ‘s green transformation. 

Despite variations in business focus and market dynamics, all operators unanimously acknowledge the necessity of establishing a green network index system, reaching a broader consensus on pathways to achieve global green network transformation. 

From standard leadership to industry collaboration 

Emanuel Kolta, Lead Analyst at GSMA Intelligence, introduced the “Green Network Index” model, which encompassed four dimensions: energy and carbon efficiency, renewable energy, performance and availability, and vertical enablement. This framework was designed to assess operators’ sustainable development, establish benchmark networks, and disseminate successful practices to drive effective green evolution within the ICT industry. 

The green sustainable development of the ICT sector is now transitioning from strategic planning to practical implementation. Operators are demonstrating numerous best practices to tackle critical business challenges such as unreliable electricity supply, high energy consumption from legacy equipment, and obstacles in network evolution and market expansion. These initiatives are yielding significant energy savings, cost reductions, and enhanced market competitiveness. As leading operators continue to benefit from green transformation, operational cost optimization, and business development, the momentum for green transformation among global operators is accelerating.