News 

Telefónica Germany has renewed its collaboration with Mavenir, signing a five-year contract extension to transition its 4G and 5G voice services to Mavenir’s cloud-native IMS (IP Multimedia Subsystem) technology 

O2 Telefónica Germany has signed a five-year contract extension with Mavenir to upgrade its 4G and 5G voice services with Mavenir’s cloud-native IMS (IP Multimedia Subsystem) technology. 

The deal strengthens Mavenir’s role in O2 Telefónica Germany’s network evolution, replacing its virtualised IMS (vIMS) with a more flexible, scalable cloud-native IMS platform. The upgrade covers both fixed and mobile networks, serving the operator’s entire customer base. 

Mavenir’s IMS solution supports Voice over LTE (VoLTE) and Voice over New Radio (VoNR), ensuring seamless voice continuity across 4G and 5G networks. The cloud-native design, using stateless microservices and containerization, enables fast service deployment on public or private clouds. 

“It was a natural decision to extend our successful technology partnership with Mavenir, which has helped us to deliver our best ever quality of service to our customers and optimise our investment in agile network innovation,” said Matthias Sauder, Director Networks at O2 Telefónica in Germany in a press release. 

“Mavenir’s clear leadership in network functions virtualisation led to its initial selection and has since delivered transformative new capabilities across our operations. As the world embraces the opportunities being created by artificial intelligence and automation to open interfaces for digital transformation, Mavenir’s Cloud-Native IMS will be a core enabling platform for our ongoing network evolution and unlocking new routes to value for our business and our customers.” 

O2 Telefónica Germany recently received a ‘very good’ rating in the 2025 Mobile Network Test by connect magazine. The extended partnership with Mavenir aims to further improve service quality and accelerate digital transformation. 

News

This article was written by Grace Dawes, Editor of Movemnt

Chinese state-owned automaker SAIC Motor and global tech giant Huawei have signed an agreement to create a smart new energy vehicles

The two companies will reportedly work together on product definition, manufacturing, supply chain management and sales and services, to create intelligent new energy vehicles (NEVs) and jointly bring users a smart mobility experience.

At present, SAIC has launched the “seven major technology bases” with internationally leading technology levels, including three major vehicle platforms of pure electric, hybrid and hydrogen energy, as well as batteries, electric drives, super hybrid systems, and full-stack solutions for smart cars.

Huawei has launched a number of smart car products in China with its partners, incorporating smart driving, smart cockpit, smart driving control, and software-defined cars to build a new smart travel experience.

In 2024, the country announced the first batch of L3-level intelligent connected vehicles to enter the pilot list for road access, and SAIC became the only company to be selected for both passenger car and commercial vehicle projects.

The partnership reportedly hopes to push the Chinese auto industry to new heights in the era of intelligence and strive to provide drivers with a more intelligent, convenient and safe travel experience.

More bad news today as alternative rural broadband ISP Wildanet, which is busy deploying a gigabit speed full fibre (FTTP) network across rural parts of Cornwall and Devon in England, has revealed that “external forces” have pushed them into a period of restructuring that is expected to result in a loss of up to 35 jobs (roughly 18% of the workforce).

The operator, which originally started life as a Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) provider in the same area, has recently been building a fibre broadband network – both commercially and via public investment – and is estimated to have so far covered around 30,000 premises (Ready for Service). Since 2023, Wildanet has also secured several contracts – worth £77m in public investment – to deploy FTTP to over 37,000 premises across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly under the UK government’s Project Gigabit scheme (here and here)

However, the provider is understood to have been coming under the same pressures as many other UK network operators, which typically stems from issues such as high interest rates, rising build costs, competition and the associated difficulty of being able to raise fresh investment.

The situation has frequently been causing similar operators to re-focus their efforts away from new network build and more toward greater commercialisation. Consolidation may then become another option.

A spokesperson for Wildanet said:

“Wildanet runs a dynamic operation which is rolling out a major full fibre digital infrastructure upgrade for Cornwall, while at the same time as evolving the business into becoming a leading South West internet service provider (ISP) and it is important we ensure the long-term sustainability of our operations to continue delivering market choice and leading-edge connectivity to the region.

Like all organisations we must continually review our resource requirements in response to the changing needs of our business, the shift in skill sets required as we evolve and the need to adapt to external forces affecting our business.

We are reviewing our resource requirements to align our business with the future full fibre roll-out strategy in the South West. This is in response to increased costs and the need to remain competitive in a rapidly evolving marketplace as well as addressing the changing skills that our business requires as we move forward with our business plan.

We are currently undergoing a consultation with our staff regarding roles impacted by the evolving needs of our operations. At this stage, we cannot confirm exactly how many roles may be impacted, as some positions may be restructured to align with the business’s strategic needs, although we anticipate the number of roles to be affected to be no greater than 35, representing 18% of our current workforce. Where reductions are unavoidable, we are focusing on redeployment, retraining and voluntary opportunities to minimise the impact of any job losses as much as possible. New opportunities have been created in areas such as our sales team for which we are inviting applications from our colleagues in the first instance.

Our priority at this time is to support our people through this transition.

Our commitment to continue delivering and building a new full fibre network across Cornwall, servicing our customers, our investment in our training academy, apprenticeship programs and our position as a pioneering B Corp remains unaffected.”

At the time of writing, it’s not yet clear what this will mean for the fate of Wildanet’s contracts under the government’s Project Gigabit programme, although other operators in this boat have tended to scale-back or pause their commercial builds in order to stay focused on the state aid project. We will attempt to seek an answer to this and report back later.

UPDATE 11:49am

Wildanet has informed ISPreview that this “won’t impact” on their ability to deliver on those Project Gigabit contracts.

Hull-based phone and broadband ISP KCOM, which have deployed a full fibre (FTTP) network across 305,000 premises in parts of East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire (England), has taken the decision to close a tiny “community library” in Skidby, that was set up during 2020 inside the village phone box, because it posed a “serious fire risk“.

KCOM, not unlike BT, are known to have converted or helped to convert a number of their classic cream-coloured K6 phone boxes to mini-libraries. In practice, this just amounted to stacking some books up inside the box, which local residents could then take out and replace at their leisure. But some of those conversions took place inside phone boxes that were no longer carrying an active phone service.

However, the phone box in the village of Skidby now includes an additional sign, which asks disappointed residents not to put books inside as they “pose a series fire risk“. A spokesperson for KCOM told the BBC News that, as the box is still providing an active service, they are “regulatory obliged by Ofcom to make sure it is in working order in case anyone needs to make a call, including in 999 emergencies.”

The operator added that they were “keen to work with the local community to see if there are other solutions to creating a book space,” you know, like an actual library, back when we used to have those.

Broadband ISP Sky Business (Sky UK) has announced a new multi-year agreement with Caffè Nero, the premium coffee house group, which will see them upgrade the digital infrastructure of 787 stores in The Caffè Nero Group (about 90% of their estate) across the United Kingdom.

The deal is expected to introduce “next-generation connectivity solutions” to the stores, ensuring secure, high-speed connectivity for both customers and employees. This investment is said to enable frictionless transactions, enhanced public WiFi, and a scalable network supported by a resilient, end-to-end failover solution.

Damian Saunders, MD of Sky Business, said: “At Sky Business, we’re relentless in delivering cutting-edge, fully managed solutions for Caffè Nero. Their continued trust over the past decade is a testament to our innovation and reliability. This expanded partnership reinforces our commitment to powering exceptional digital experiences for their customers and employees.”

Network operator nexfibre and supporting retail broadband ISP partner Virgin Media (O2), which share some of the same parentage, have today announced that they’ve expanded the reach of their symmetric 2Gbps speed capable Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) network to more than 6,000 homes in the Falconwood area of South East London for the first time.

The area is currently already well covered by Openreach’s and CommunityFibre’s gigabit-capable FTTP broadband networks, not to mention some smaller deployments by Hyperoptic. But there should still be enough room in the local market for Virgin Media’s network, even if they are arriving a bit late to the party.

Nexfibre itself has already covered over 2 million premises across the UK with their new full fibre network (here) and many more will follow. Just for some context. Telefónica, Liberty Global and InfraVia Capital Partners originally set up their new £4.5bn nexfibre joint venture in 2022 (here), which aims to deploy an open access fibre network to reach “up to” 7 million UK homes (starting with 5m by 2026) in areas NOT currently served by Virgin Media’s network of 16m+ premises. The funding reflects £3.3bn of fully underwritten financing and up to £1.4bn in equity commitments.

Most of the major broadband ISPs in the United Kingdom (BT, Sky Broadband, Virgin Media, TalkTalk, EE and Plusnet) have just been handed a new court order to block an Israel TV video streaming site, which was found to have been facilitating internet copyright infringement (piracy).

At present such blocking orders, which in the UK flow from Section 97A of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act (CDPA), aren’t cheap to bring but have over the past 15 years or so become very common. Hundreds of websites have been blocked through this approach (thousands if you include their associated proxies and mirrors), which usually include illegal file sharing (P2P / Torrent), streaming sites, Sci-Hub and those that sell counterfeit goods etc.

In this case, the UK and international law firm, Penningtons Manches Cooper, which was acting on behalf of United King Film Distribution (1990) Limited, Keshet Broadcasting Limited, Hot Telecommunications Systems Limited and Reshet Media Limited, were successful in securing a blocking injunction against the providers.

The injunction itself, which was granted by Richard Smith J, targets an unlicensed website called Israel TV (inc. including various associated domains) that had been live-streaming, as well as offering a large unlicensed collection of recorded content, the claimants’ broadcasts and content without their permission.

The judgement itself was handed down after a hearing on 23rd January 2025 and the ISPs have since introduced the new block. Such restrictions don’t always stop the targeted websites, and indeed they may even help to advertise their existence. Naturally, those who actively engage in internet piracy will no doubt still be able to circumvent the restrictions by using all sorts of different approaches.

Aberdeen-based UK broadband and I.T solutions provider Internet for Business (IFB), which was first established all the way back in 1995, has been acquired by Converged Communication Solutions (CCS) for an undisclosed sum and after briefly falling into administration on 19th February 2025.

According to company records on The Gazette, IFB appointed Michael James Meston Reid (IP No 7327), of MHA, to act as their administrator (credits to one of our readers, Chris, for spotting this). The same records indicate that IFB’s company accounts remain overdue (since 30th June 2024) and they previously received a first gazette notice for compulsory strike-off toward the end of August 2024, although this was discontinued a few days later.

Suffice to say that the company, which seemed to have been in some difficulty and was struggling to make a profit, needed to find a buyer to help preserve the business and its 15 employees. The good news is fellow Scottish ISP CCS appears to have been quickly able to step into that role in what seems to be a pre-packed arrangement (this was formally signed on 20th February).

Neil Christie, CTO of Converged Communication Solutions, said:

“This acquisition is a natural fit, uniting two local businesses with a shared passion for using digital technology to drive business success. IFB’s expertise in providing connectivity solutions perfectly complements our enhanced business offering, meaning customers will benefit from an even greater range of services. Additionally, this move expands our market share and brings our combined turnover closer to £10 million. We are delighted to welcome the IFB team into the Converged family and look forward to delivering the same high-quality services our customers expect.”

Graeme Gordon, CEO of IFB, said:

“Co-founded by Chairman, John Michie, IFB has been at the forefront of delivering innovative connectivity and IT solutions to businesses for nearly three decades. Joining forces with Converged allows us to take our service offering to the next level, giving our customers access to an even broader portfolio of solutions. In addition, Converged shares our values of reliability, security, and customer focus, making this an excellent match for our future. Joining the Converged Group of companies is a great outcome for IFB, our team, and, most importantly, our customers, who can be reassured that it is business as usual.”

The two entrepreneurs enjoy a long-standing relationship, with Neil having started his career at IFB before founding Converged 20 years ago. All 15 IFB employees will now join Converged, with the entire team relocating to Spires Business Centre, alongside Converged’s HQ. The collaborative move should ensure continuity of service and centralise the company’s talent pool, bringing the Group’s headcount to 63.

The deal marks CCS’ third acquisition in two years.

A new study from the cross-industry UK Spectrum Policy Forum (UKSPF), which was conducted by Smith Institute and Spectrivity, has recommended that the telecoms regulator, Ofcom, should adopt Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies to help manage the nation’s finite wireless radio spectrum more efficiently.

The think-tank highlights how mobile networks, smart devices, and emerging technologies, like 6G based mobile broadband, are pushing current spectrum management strategies to their limits and that more innovation is needed to “prevent congestion” and maximise efficiency. “Traditional spectrum management methods often struggle to adapt to the dynamic needs of modern wireless networks, leading to inefficient use of valuable spectrum resources,” said the UKSPF.

According to the UKSPF, AI technologies could be used to “revolutionise spectrum management” by “optimising resource usage, reducing interference, and enhancing network performance“. This would come from leveraging data-driven decision-making and using AI to “dynamically assign spectrum based on real-time demand“. Some previous attempts to do the latter have had mixed success.

UKSPF – Key Recommendations

➤ AI for licensing applications: Large Language Models (LLMs) and predictive machine learning could be employed to streamline application reviews and assess potential interference risks, reducing manual workload and improving decision-making efficiency.

➤ AI for monitoring and compliance: AI-driven sensor placement and proactive monitoring could enable a shift from reactive to predictive compliance enforcement, ensuring better adherence to licensing terms.

➤ AI for spectrum sharing and interference management: Advanced machine learning models, including deep reinforcement learning, could enhance spectrum sharing strategies, minimising interference and optimising resource allocation.

➤ Synthetic data and international insights: AI could generate synthetic datasets based on international proxy data, addressing gaps in UK-specific information and improving predictive accuracy.

➤ Simulations and digital twin development: The study advocates for the creation of realistic RF environment simulations and, in the long term, a comprehensive digital twin to test and refine new policies and technologies before real-world implementation.

Matthew Evans, Director of Markets and Chief Operating Officer at techUK, said:

“The UK has the opportunity to drive a new wave of spectrum management. By embracing AI, regulators can improve flexibility, ensure efficient spectrum utilisation, and support the continued expansion of wireless technologies that power our digital economy.

This report gives clear guidelines to regulators and industry on how they can use AI-driven solutions to drive efficiency for the telecommunications sector.”

At the time of writing, the full report hadn’t yet been published (it should be by the time you read this), although we’d agree with the broad thrust that there is potential here for AI to help enhance UK spectrum management and regulatory oversight. At the very least this is something that Ofcom should explore and trial, before deciding upon whether the pros outweigh the cons.

News 

Deutsche Telekom has published its 2024 financial results, reporting a strong performance that exceeded expectations and setting ambitious targets for this financial year 

The company’s total revenue grew by 3.4% to €115.8 billion, while service revenues saw a 3.9% increase to €96.5 billion. Adjusted EBITDA rose by 6.2% to €43 billion, and free cash flow climbed by 18.7% to €19.2 billion, reflecting the company’s strong operational performance. 

CEO Tim Höttges described 2024 as “another record year” for the company.  

“We are growing across all business areas. Our flywheel, at the centre of our strategy, is spinning and generating the momentum we need to keep building on the successes of 2024 in 2025,” he said in a press release. 

The company anticipates adjusted EBITDA to reach approximately €44.9 billion in 2025, with free cash flow expected to grow to around €19.9 billion.   

Shareholders are set to benefit from this strong performance, with Deutsche Telekom proposing a record dividend of €0.90 per share, the highest in its history, pending approval.  

The company’s performance was bolstered by strong growth in key markets. In Germany, the company experienced increased adoption of its fibre network, with 472,000 new customers added in the previous year, bringing the total customer base to 1.5 million.. Mobile revenue also increased in Q4 by 2.1% year-on-year. 

T-Mobile US also contributed significantly, adding 6.1 million postpaid customers and increasing service revenues by 4.5% to $66.1 billion.  

In related news, Deutsche Telekom this week announced a partnership with Google Cloud to develop an AI-powered network agent to boost Radio Access Network (RAN) operations. Built using Gemini 2.0 in Google Cloud’s Vertex AI, the AI agent analyses network behaviour, detects performance issues, and takes corrective actions to improve reliability and reduce costs. 

“Traditional approaches to network management are no longer sufficient to meet the demands of 5G and beyond,” said Abdu Mudesir, Group CTO of DT in a press release. 

 The RAN Guardian, tested by Deutsche Telekom, uses AI to detect issues and implement self-healing measures to optimise performance, to be able to manage real time network challenges. 

The agent will be presented at next week’s Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. 

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Also in the news:
AIS’s 5G speed boost service hits 180,000 users, points to new growth model
Telefónica sells Argentinian unit to Telecom Argentina for $1.25 bn
EU approves €227 million for Austrian semiconductor plant