The CEO of Fern Networks Limited (Fern Trading) backed alternative broadband network operator AllPointsFibre (APFN), Jarlath Finnegan, has this week spoken of his “excitement” ahead of officially launching their new Aquila wholesale platform into the wider UK market, which is expected to take place on 14th May 2025.

Just to recap. APFN was originally formed through the consolidation of three alternative broadband networks and ISPs (here and here), including Giganet, Swish Fibre and Jurassic Fibre. All of the companies were backed by Fern Trading and had previously been deploying FTTP networks to premises across different parts of the UK.

As part of that change, the retail (customer) bases of those three networks have been slowly migrated to sibling broadband ISP Cuckoo. Last year also saw APFN acquire another retail ISP in the shape of Glasgow-based Brillband (here). On top of that, they’ve since made it possible for ISPs on their wholesale platform to harness services from rival networks too, such as CityFibre and Openreach.

According to Jarlath Finnegan, this means their new national full fibre wholesale platform, aquila, is now available to 18 million+ UK homes and businesses, “we are adding over 1m each quarter” (roughly in keeping with the respective network expansions of Openreach and CityFibre). But the big development will come later this spring, when they formally launch aquila alongside new solutions.

Jarlath Finnegan said (yesterday):

“What a start to the year!

Hats off to every single team member across the group, talk about hitting the ground running!

AllPoints Fibre Networks national full fibre wholesale platform, aquila, is now available to 18 million+ homes and businesses, we are adding over 1m each qtr. through our network partners Openreach and CityFibre, two fantastic companies to work with. We’ve started onboarding more customers to aquila, thanks Yappl & Meraki Communications, with more to follow shortly and the excitement is real. It’s the biggest and best in the UK, set to deliver outstanding service experiences at the lowest cost to serve.

Our big launch event is in May, and we can’t wait to showcase its full potential. Key milestones ahead, but the team is on fire, keep pushing, Team APFN!

…

As Group CEO, I couldn’t be prouder of how we’ve taken five individual businesses and built something truly special which hasn’t been done before. We can, and we will, and we’re proving it every day through action, not just words.”

At present, it’s not clear precisely what APFN will be announcing in May that we didn’t already know about, although they’ve been promising to “rip up the rule book” in the way full fibre services are delivered across the UK “without having to build or buy to every premises“. But in a recent interview, Jarlath did note to ISPreview that they were working on aquila’s new edge network deployment (here), which could bring new services.

The challenge for APFN is that they aren’t the only wholesale operator with a focus on network aggregation (e.g. PlatformX Communications – formerly TalkTalk Wholesale) and it will be interesting to see if they’re able to innovate beyond the more established players. Scaling up such things can take time and delivering them at a competitive price is another matter, but APFN are clearly readying themselves to make a big push.

Telecoms giant BT has revealed that they’ve now deployed their Global Fabric Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) platform to “over” 30 Equinix data-centres across the UK and world, which will grow to over 40 in the next year – spanning the world’s top 30 business locations and covering 95% of the world’s cloud interconnection traffic.

Global Fabric is designed to simplify multi-cloud connectivity, security, and infrastructure for multinational organisations – providing visibility and control of both access and core networks. “It transforms the ease at which they can deploy and scale interconnectivity with third parties such as customers and suppliers across their full digital value chain,” said the operator. “With legacy networks, setting up or changing connectivity could take weeks. With Global Fabric, it happens in an instant.”

When fully built-out, Global Fabric should be available to customers internationally via 140 Points-of-Presence (PoPs) hosted in the world’s top cloud locations across 40 countries. It will offer 74% direct coverage of hyperscaler clouds and pre-provisioned high-bandwidth connectivity to over 700 data-centres.

Arun Dev, Global Interconnections at Equinix, said:

“Our partnership enables BT to offer its customers interconnectivity with the full Equinix global digital ecosystem of cloud and IT services, as well as hundreds of content and digital media services, and over 4,800 enterprises hosted at our datacentres globally.”

Matt Swinden, BT’s Director of Digital Connectivity, Business, said:

“The BT-Equinix partnership is a terrific example of our strategy to build the strongest digital foundations for our customers. Global Fabric combined with Equinix’s global ecosystem of infrastructure, cloud and digital service widens the choice we offer to customers of the best locations to interconnect their full business value chain. It will help make trading, partnering and operating a multinational business, better on BT.”

Equinix’s global platform interconnects multiple clouds hosting the apps, solutions and marketplaces. It provides access to approximately 2,000 network services, as well as 3,000 cloud and IT services, over 400 content and digital media services, and more than 4,800 enterprises.

Broadband ISP and mobile operator Vodafone has revealed that they’ve begun “piloting” (no pun intended, we think) a new type of done that is designed to help restore connectivity to mobile masts, such as when their underground data capacity cables are cut or damaged. The drones employ a special optical wireless link.

The drones, which could also be deployed as part of disaster recovery situations, are currently being tested in Seville (Spain) and use a “wireless optical connectivity” link that has been developed by the Taara Project as part of the Google X programme.

Readers might recall that we wrote about Taara’s ability to deliver data at speeds of up to 20Gbps (Gigabits per second) over distances of up to 20 kilometres back in 2021 (here), but that was when it was being deployed via fixed platforms (e.g. masts or buildings). Sticking the same technology on a drone is an order of magnitude more challenging.

“In a test earlier this month in Seville, Spain, Vodafone worked with Taara … to demonstrate how two industrial-grade drones equipped with Taara’s light beam terminals could be used to deliver a temporary connection. In the test, one drone was securely tethered to a mast, and the other to a nearby Vodafone data transport hub,” said the announcement.

The drones equipped with Taara “briefly established a two-way connection” over a distance of 3km, although it’s not clear how stable this was or what data speeds they were able to achieve. But the test demonstrated how novel combinations of new technologies could potentially be used in future to address infrastructure challenges.

The backhaul fibre optic cables that link their masts are usually buried in the ground, making them susceptible to damage by mechanical diggers and sometimes even vandalism. Across Europe, Vodafone on average deals with between 75 and 100 such cable breaks every year.

Weather Sensing

As a side note, Vodafone separately revealed that they were working with the European Space Agency (ESA), and other governmental departments in the UK, on a different project to “gather accurate rainfall measurements using data from the thousands of microwave links“, which are sometimes used, across Europe, to connect mobile masts (often has a backup or alternative to fibre).

Rain and other forms of precipitation in the atmosphere can absorb and scatter microwave radio signals, reducing their strength. The interference this creates is typically considered a negative thing, which often reduces the performance of such connections. But Vodafone has realised that the data they collect on this (checked every 15 minutes as part of network compensation changes) can be turned into a “giant weather gauge” for both urban and rural areas.

The data this delivers could be used to support the information that is already being collected via millions of Vodafone’s worldwide Internet of Things (IoT) environmental sensors. Clever stuff, particularly as their network often covers areas that are out of reach of existing weather observation posts.

Vodafone plans to showcase all this early next month at the Mobile World Congress (MWC25) event.

The UK Internet Service Providers Association (ISPA) has today begun their annual hunt for the best ISPs and internet companies ahead of their forthcoming 2025 awards event (the 27th one they’ve held), which this time adds several new and refreshed categories (total of 20) to help reflect the trends and successes of the industry.

The winners of the previous 2024 awards event were unveiled back in November 2024 (here), which among other things saw several ISPs taking home two awards each across different categories, including Brsk, CommunityFibre, and Vorboss.

However, there have been a few big changes this year, such as via the introduction of five new categories – ‘Best Wholesale Platform’, ‘Best Network Integration’, ‘Best Technology Partnership’, ‘Engineer of the Year’, and ‘Best Customer Loyalty’.

As usual, the ISP categories will undergo several months of “technical testing” from 1st May to 20th July, while a good-sized panel of judges will also help to select some of the winners. The full list of categories now open for entry can be seen below. Internet providers, network operators, technology partners, and industry stakeholders can apply to take part in the event here (registration is open until 11th April 2025).

2025 ISPAs Award Categories
Best Rural ISP
Best Business ISP
Best Consumer ISP (under 100k customers)
Best Consumer ISP (over 100k customers)
Best Fibre Infrastructure
Best Wholesale Platform
Best Voice Provider
Most Innovative Fibre Deployment
Best Technology Partnership
Best Customer, Network and Data Security
Best Network Integration
Engineer of the year
Best Customer Experience
Best Customer Loyalty
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Champion
Sustainability Champion
Best Community Engagement
Digital Inclusion Champion – Industry
Digital Inclusion Champion – Charities and Communities
Internet Hero – 30th ISPA anniversary

The winners will be announced during a black tie dinner on 13th November 2025 in central London, bringing together over 500 senior leaders in the broadband sector for a night of celebration and networking. This year’s awards will be hosted at City Central at the HAC.

Press Release

The North East’s pioneering role in advanced wireless innovation took centre stage at the 5G Innovation Regions (5GIR) Showcase.  

Bringing together industry leaders, government representatives and technology innovators, the event celebrated the progress, impact and future potential of advanced wireless infrastructure use cases across key sectors, including smart port operations, agritech, connected transport and creative industries.

Spearheaded by Sunderland City Council in collaboration with the North East Combined Authority, this initiative is driving regional innovation and connectivity. The 5GIR programme has established the North East as a national leader in digital innovation and demonstrated close partnerships with industry, academia and technology providers. With investment from the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), the region has accelerated the deployment of cutting-edge technologies that are shaping the future of connectivity, industry and sustainability. 

Through these four pioneering projects, the region is demonstrating how connectivity can enhance efficiency, safety and engagement, ensuring no one and nowhere is left behind. 

Opening the event at City Hall in Sunderland, Patrick Melia, chief executive of Sunderland City Council and digital lead officer for the North East Combined Authority, reinforced the region’s commitment to harnessing technology for economic growth, social impact and environmental sustainability. Patrick said: “5G innovation is not just about infrastructure, but about real-world benefits. Our goal encompasses more than leveraging technology alone, it’s focused on the impact technological advancement has on people’s lives, prospects and the opportunities it opens for them.” 

This sentiment was echoed by Rob Hamilton, chief economist at the North East Combined Authority, who highlighted that: “Technology must serve a purpose, driving real benefits for businesses and communities across the North East. 

“5G infrastructure is underpinning the region’s ambitions for economic resilience, digital inclusion and future skills development.” 

The showcase event focused on the impressive progress across four main projects, each demonstrating the vital role of advanced wireless technologies, including 5G, in reshaping regional industries: Connected Intelligent Transport Systems (C-ITS), Creative Industries, Smart Port and Agritech. 

Connected Intelligent Transport Systems (C-ITS):
One focus of the showcase was the Connected Intelligent Transport Systems (C-ITS) project, which leverages 5G to improve the movement of people and goods across the region. Mark Wilson from Sunderland City Council’s Highways Authority said: “5G connectivity is enabling real-time traffic management, multimodal journey planning and enhanced safety measures.  

“By integrating live data, we are creating a smarter, more efficient transport network across our region, whilst demonstrating how this can be transferred and implemented throughout the UK.” 

Adrian Molloy, Head of Delivery at Boldyn Networks, discussed the role of 5G private networks in enabling autonomous vehicle integration and AI-driven analytics for transport efficiency. Simon Edwards, Senior Researcher in Inclusive Mobility at Newcastle University, further emphasised the role of CITS in supporting connected and autonomous vehicle (CAV) trials, highlighting the potential for real-time data exchange between vehicles and infrastructure to optimise mobility solutions. 

Creative Industries
The showcase also featured groundbreaking applications in the Creative Industries, with a focus on immersive digital experiences and real-time broadcasting. Two major use cases were introduced: live 360º video broadcasting and the Sunderland EXPO Pavilion, one of the UK’s largest immersive screens, developed in collaboration with Animmersion and ArtAV. 

Marion Dixon, Assistant Director Regulatory Services and Events at Sunderland City Council, said: “The EXPO Pavilion serves as a dynamic digital canvas, showcasing the city’s culture, music and heritage. It’s been incredible to see live demonstrations in Keel Square – broadcast in real time using 5G-enabled cameras and dual-SIM broadcasting technology – redefining audience engagement as we merge technology and creativity to bring digital content to life in public spaces.” 

The project team at Port of Tyne – part of the 5GIR North East Showcase. 

Smart Port
On the second day, attendees visited Port of Tyne’s Innovation Hub, where Dr Jo North, innovation ecosystem director, and Mark Stoner, chief financial officer at the Port, highlighted how 5G is transforming port operations. Mark said: “The expansion of our private 5G network, in partnership with BT and Ericsson, is enabling real-time monitoring of road conditions, vehicle movements and environmental impact. This enhanced connectivity allows us to proactively manage safety risks, optimise logistics and improve operational efficiency across the Port.  

“By leveraging data-driven insights, we are creating a smarter, safer and more sustainable port environment that supports the wider supply chain and maritime industry.” 

The implementation of AI-enhanced PPE monitoring, vehicle tracking and automated maintenance insights, are further reinforcing the Port’s vision to become a smart, green and fully connected logistics hub. 

Agritech
The showcase concluded with a visit to Newcastle University’s Nafferton Farm, where attendees explored advanced wireless farm sensors for soil health monitoring and methane reduction. Dr Elisa Lopez Capel, senior lecturer in soil science at Newcastle University, demonstrated how LoRaWAN-connected sensors are providing continuous soil condition data, while James Standen, director of Newcastle University Farms, detailed the use of IoT technology in precision agriculture to improve sustainability and efficiency.  

Dr Hannah Davis of Newcastle University introduced the methane monitoring use case, explaining its critical role in reducing agriculture’s carbon footprint. By leveraging advanced wireless infrastructure, researchers have developed low-cost methane sensors, which are now installed in the dairy parlour at Nafferton Farm. This technology advances environmental sustainability whilst unlocking opportunities for carbon credits and additional revenue streams. 

The 5GIR North East Showcase reinforced the region’s status as a leader in digital transformation, demonstrating how collaboration, investment, and innovation are shaping the future. With projects already delivering tangible benefits, the North East continues to drive forward as a blueprint for connected, intelligent and sustainable communities. 

For all the latest updates on the region’s 5GIR projects, visit https://www.sunderlandoursmartcity.com/5GIR. 

How is 5G impacting the northern economy in the UK? Join industry stakeholders in discussion at Connected North 2025 live in Manchester

Press Release

Colt Technology Services (Colt), the global digital infrastructure company, today announced an expansion to its technology portfolio with Managed LEO+, a new managed service which integrates Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite connectivity with cellular 4G/5G.  Managed LEO+, now available to Colt customers across 65 countries, brings a greater choice of networking technologies to businesses with operations – such as production facilities, manufacturing sites and retail locations – in rural and hard-to-reach areas. The new service complements Colt’s fibre connectivity by providing businesses with alternative back-up options for their infrastructure and is ideal for organisations looking for rapid deployment*.

Managed LEO+ is launched following a successful trial with a global biopharmaceutical company which has operations in 30 countries, some of which are in rural locations previously underserved by network providers. The company needed a secure, sustainable, futureproof digital infrastructure to connect and integrate its operations; to run tools and applications; and to share data between sites in areas such as research and development and supply chain management.

The company required consistently high levels of performance and reliability, regardless of whether they were located in urban or rural areas. Colt’s managed LEO 4G/5G network met these requirements and more, enabling efficient remote access, improving collaboration and ensuring robust levels of regulatory compliance.

Managed LEO+ demonstrates Colt’s commitment to delivering innovative connectivity solutions which address the unique needs of its customers while maintaining business continuity in the most challenging environments.

Annette Murphy, chief commercial officer, Colt Technology Services said, “Businesses with operations in remote and hard-to-reach areas are disadvantaged by patchy, low-quality access to their enterprise networks. This isn’t just frustrating for them: it slows progress, stifles innovation and excludes them from the digital economy. Our new Managed LEO+ service complements our existing fibre network and provides an exciting new option for high-performing, secure network access – and it’s fully managed by Colt, so businesses benefit from our mission to remove complexity and make life easier for them”.

Colt’s expansive global network spans four continents, with a land-based network in 40 countries and ten subsea systems, including subsea cables and landing stations.

Managed LEO + completes Colt’s trio of digital infrastructure across land, sea, and low Earth orbit, offering wide coverage and secure, low-latency networks to help global businesses succeed.

*The site survey determines the optimal location for the satellite antenna and establishes the required works guidelines to install the necessary equipment. Following approval of the works by the customer or site owner, the deployment is scheduled taking no more than 24 hours including installation, commissioning and testing.

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

Also in the news:
Navigating the depths: Strategies for delivering successful subsea cable projects
Vodafone–Three reveals leadership team
French energy giant EDF offers up land for data centre projects

Digital entertainment platform Netgem TV has today announced that their IPTV box and service, which is typically bundled by broadband ISPs like Brsk, TalkTalk, Connect Fibre, CommunityFibre and others, will benefit from a new collaboration with the FIFA+ streaming platform that will bring “unparalleled access to free, high-quality football content” to users of the service.

The agreement will see FIFA+ support being added to their platform, starting with the UK and Ireland “this month“, followed by France and other regions across Europe. Netgem users in the UK will thus get access to FIFA+’s content, including original documentaries such as Ronaldinho: The Happiest Man in the World, Captains, and Golden Boot. Fans can also re-live iconic moments from past FIFA World Cup and FIFA Women’s World Cup tournaments, all available on-demand, among various other content.

The set-top-boxes Netgem provide – like the Netbox 4K (inc. HDR, bluetooth pairing, Ethernet, Wi-Fi, USB and Dolby Atmos sound) – tend to be similar to some of those supplied by rival video streaming companies and include an often familiar array of premium content, apps (iPlayer, itvx, 5, UKTV play, Amazon Prime Video etc.), live TV channels (Freeview) and catch-up content.

Sylvain Thevenot, Chief Commercial & Customer Officer at Netgem, said:

“We are thrilled to partner with FIFA+ to bring free, premium sports content to our users. This collaboration reinforces our dedication to providing a comprehensive and engaging entertainment experience, with a focus on delivering high-quality content at no extra cost to our audience, and further enhances the value we bring to our operator partners.”

We’re not so sure if this really does qualify as “free, premium sports content“, but it’s otherwise worth noting that FIFA+ can also be accessed by lots of different platforms too (as well as a regular web browser).

Contributed Article

This is part 1 of a two-part series exploring how Vitrifi leverages NATS in building its Workflow Automation Platform.

Building on concepts discussed in its Synadia Guest Blog which explores the technical underpinnings of NATS, this blog examines how Vitrifi’s platform transforms telecoms workflows, highlighting how advanced automation enables agility, resilience, and scalability in an increasingly complex industry landscape.

The future of workflow automation in telecoms

The telecoms industry is at a pivotal juncture.  With growing demand for seamless connectivity, operators must balance real-time responsiveness, scalability, and reliability while managing legacy constraints and fragmented workflows.  Traditional approaches struggle to meet these challenges, leading to inefficiencies, higher costs and customer dissatisfaction.

Vitrifi’s cloud-native Workflow Automation Platform solves this problem.  It unifies workflows, reduces operational complexity, and enables dynamic scaling – all powered by NATS, a cutting-edge messaging system optimised for real-time automation.

The platform is designed to be industry-agnostic, yet its initial focus on telecoms highlights the unique challenges and opportunities within this sector.  By enabling cost savings, improving energy efficiency, and enhancing customer satisfaction, these advantages underscore the platform’s transformative potential, equipping telecoms operators to navigate today’s fast-paced and evolving landscape with greater efficiency and agility.

Why telecoms needs smarter workflow automation

Effective automation in telecoms requires more than just task execution.  It must:

• Handle thousands of concurrent events in real-time.
• Deliver resilience and fault tolerance, ensuring uninterrupted service.
• Adapt to diverse environments, integrating across multi-cloud and hybrid infrastructures.
• Provide scalability, customisation and dynamic responsiveness.

Existing tools do not meet these needs, so Vitrifi created a Workflow Automation Platform designed for efficiency and flexibility.  It supports industry-standard workflows with BPMN 2.0 compatibility, processes data in real-time and works seamlessly across multi-cloud environments.  At its core is Shar, an open source workflow engine developed by Crystal Construct with Vitrifi’s support, alongside NATS, which enables real-time state management and seamless communication.

How Vitrifi’s workflow automation platform works

The platform consists of two key components:

1. Content Management System (CMS): A user-friendly hub for designing tasks, creating workflows, and monitoring performance.
2. Core Engine: The operational backbone of the platform, that brings workflows to life, featuring:

• Shar – a workflow engine that interprets BPMN 2.0 files and orchestrates task execution.
• Trigger Server (TS) – converts events into workflow triggers/initiation commands.
• Task Runner (TR) – dynamically scales processing based on demand.

With NATS serving as both a messaging platform and a key-value store, Vitrifi’s workflow automation architecture ensures real-time updates and fault-tolerant workflows, even in the most complex environments.

The diagram below illustrates how Vitrifi uses NATS to facilitate seamless communication and real-time updates across these components:

Key: UI (User Interface), TS (Trigger Server), API (Application Programming Interface), Shar (Workflow Engine), DB (Database), TR (Task Runner)

Leveraging NATS for next-gen workflow automation

At the core of Vitrifi’s platform lies NATS, a lightweight yet powerful messaging system that acts as the backbone of its architecture.  NATS extends far beyond basic message passing, serving as a universal transport layer for real-time automation.  It’s versatility enables real-time state management, event-driven workflows and seamless cross-system integration, making it indispensable for telecoms-grade automation.

To illustrate its impact, let’s examine how NATS operates in real-world scenarios.

A real-world scenario: Imagine deploying workflow automation in a multi-cloud environment:

• The Content Management System (CMS) and Core run in a cloud provider.
• Another Core deployment operates in a private data centre.
• A NATS cluster spans both environments.

If the cloud deployment encounters issues, the private data centre seamlessly takes over operations. This is possible due to NATS’ asynchronous event-processing capabilities and cross-cluster extensions. Coupled with the Core’s reliance on NATS as a messaging and state-management platform, this architecture guarantees resilience, continuity, and fault tolerance, even in complex distributed environments.

Here’s how Vitrifi is leveraging NATS across key application areas:

1. Real-time state management (NATS as a Database)

NATS’ Key Value (KV) Store functions as a distributed, real-time database, enabling precise tracking and management of workflow states.

• Live State Tracking: Workflows progress in real-time with precision.
• Data Consistency: Synchronisation across multi-cloud and hybrid deployments.
• Built-in Auditability: Secure revision history for compliance and debugging.
• Automatic Cleanup of Transient Data.

For example, in a global telecoms network, the KV Store synchronises workflow states seamlessly, minimising downtime during outages.

2. High throughput message streaming (NATS JetStream)

In telecoms operations, the ability to efficiently handle high throughput is non-negotiable.  NATS JetStream processes thousands of workflow states per minute with high reliability and minimal latency, enabling:

• Event Replay for Auditing and Debugging: Ensures operators can audit, debug, or retry workflows without risk of duplication or data loss.
• Dynamic Workload Scaling: Adapts instantly to demand fluctuations, ensuring stable performance during peak operations.
• High-Volume Message Handling: Ideal for operations like provisioning services or handling simultaneous customer requests.
• Low-Latency, High Reliability Processing: Essential for telecoms-grade automation.

3. Exactly-once execution for business-critical tasks

In telecoms workflows, data integrity is paramount. Precise, non-duplicated execution is non-negotiable.

This capability guarantees precision in critical workflows such as billing operations, service activations and fault management, where even minor inaccuracies can have significant consequences.

• Billing Operations: Preventing overcharges or missed transactions.
• Fault Management: Ensuring network events trigger exactly one resolution action.

4. Seamless integration with other systems

Telecoms workflows often involve interactions with a diverse array of third-party APIs, legacy systems, and cloud services. NATS acts as a central integration hub, bridging gaps between disparate systems and enabling seamless interoperability across hybrid architectures.

Whilst Vitrifi’s Workflow Automation Platform is a standalone solution, it also integrates across its wider portfolio.  For instances where integration with other systems is required, such as receiving messages from another NATS deployment or cluster, Vitrifi leverages NATS Leaf Nodes to establish seamless and efficient connectivity, enabling:

• Cross-Platform Communication: Connecting legacy and cloud-native systems.
• Multi-Region Deployments: Ensuring seamless failover and business continuity.

5. Resource management

Efficient resource utilisation is critical in telecoms operations, where demand can fluctuate dramatically. NATS centralises real-time scaling, load balancing, and resource optimisation, ensuring peak efficiency.

Key capabilities include:

• Dynamic load balancing: Tasks are distributed across workloads, optimising performance and preventing bottlenecks.
• Real-time scaling: Resources are automatically scaled up or down based on live demand, ensuring efficiency during workload peaks.
• Streamlined monitoring: Operators can track performance metrics directly within the system to address bottlenecks proactively.

For example, before initiating a workflow, NATS ensures all necessary validations are complete through asynchronous request-reply messages, enhancing overall reliability while maintaining the loosely coupled design of distributed systems.

6. Handling multi-tenancy

Being able to serve multiple telecoms operators and their respective retail service providers simultaneously requires robust multi-tenancy capabilities with built-in data security, operational isolation, and equitable resource distribution capabilities.

NATS achieves this through:

• Account-level isolation: Provides separate environments for each tenant, ensuring no overlap of data or workflows.
• JWT-based authentication: Adds an additional layer of security while maintaining flexibility.
• Hierarchical data segmentation: Organises data streams by tenant, workflow, and task, simplifying debugging and monitoring.

This model allows telecoms operators to manage multiple customers, regions, and service tiers simultaneously while maintaining performance and security. With NATS, Vitrifi can offer seamless scalability to telecoms operators while preserving the integrity of their multi-tenant environments.

Operational and financial impact

By embedding NATS into its architecture, Vitrifi delivers significant measurable advantages for telecoms operators:

• Cost Efficiency: Reduces operational inefficiencies and frees-up resources for higher value/strategic initiatives.
• Operational Efficiency: Faster workflows and dynamic resource management minimise delays and optimise performance.
• Enhanced Resilience: Built-in fault tolerance ensures uninterrupted service delivery, even in complex, distributed environments.
• Effortless Scalability: Operators can handle increasing workloads seamlessly without the need for significant infrastructure upgrades.
• Energy Efficiency: Dynamic scaling reduces energy consumption, supporting sustainability goals.
• Superior Customer Experience: Rapid issue resolution and real-time updates enhances customer satisfaction and builds loyalty.

These benefits empower telecoms operators to optimise their operations, improve customer retention, and stay competitive while preparing for the demands of a rapidly evolving industry.

Beyond telecoms: A platform for all industries

Whilst initially focused on telecoms, Vitrifi’s Workflow Automation Platform is designed for broader applications.  Examples include (but not limited to):

• Finance: Automating compliance and fraud detection.
• Healthcare: Streamlining patient data management across systems.
• Logistics: Optimising supply chain operations in real-time.

This industry-agnostic approach ensures that businesses across sectors can leverage automation for improved efficiency and resilience.

Final thoughts: Redefining automation with NATS

For Vitrifi, NATS is more than just a messaging system, it is the foundation of its scalable, event-driven Workflow Automation Platform, enabling telecoms operators and businesses across industries to simplify complex workflows and drive meaningful transformation.

What’s next?

Part 2 of this series will explore Shar, the purpose-built workflow engine, and how it works alongside NATS to redefine automation for the telecoms industry.

About Vitrifi

Established in 2021, and headquartered in London, UK – Vitrifi is an innovative platform designed to transform the telecoms industry’s fragmented legacy systems into a unified, data-driven ecosystem. By treating everything as data, Vitrifi enables operators to deliver seamless customer journeys while automatically fixing, adapting and optimising processes in real time.

This revolutionary approach empowers telecoms operators to overcome the limitations of legacy systems, creating a platform that reflects the ideal infrastructure they would build from scratch today. Leveraging live analytics, machine learning and AI, Vitrifi’s autonomic ecosystem integrates seamlessly to deliver unparalleled efficiency and performance.

With Vitrifi, telecoms operators can streamline workflows, enhance operational efficiency, and deliver exceptional customer experiences, paving the way for long-term transformation and success.

To learn more, visit www.vitrifi.net

Sources have indicated to ISPreview that UK ISP Truespeed, which has deployed their alternative full fibre (FTTP) broadband network to over 105,000 rural premises (inc. over 21,000 customers) in parts of Devon, Wiltshire and Somerset in England, may have recently put more workers on notice of future redundancies.

The operator, which originally held an “ambitious” overall target of reaching 500,000 properties by 2025, previously suffered a build slowdown and job losses in the latter half of 2023 (here). Like many broadband operators they had come under pressure from the current market conditions (high interest rates, rising build costs, competition etc.) and wisely opted to re-focus their efforts more toward greater commercialisation.

However, sources informed ISPreview this week that Truespeed were allegedly considering another round of redundancies, albeit impacting a smaller number of roles (the suggestion is c. 10-15 people) than the 2023 cuts (c. 150) – a number of staff have also recently marked themselves as #opentowork on LinkedIn (mostly from the network side). But this is still a notable figure for an alternative network of Truespeed’s relatively small size (their ‘About‘ page says they employ over 100 people).

The official line from Truespeed on all this today is one of “no comment“. The same sources also informed us that the operator had then contacted all staff, seemingly including those about to be made redundant, about a pay rise. But we understand that this may simply have been a case of unfortunate timing, as Truespeed were also conducting their annual pay review process, which they do every year at this time.

According to the company’s latest annual accounts to the end of 2023 (published in August 2024), Truespeed reported a 23% increase in turnover to £6.625m (2022: £5.397m), but they also suffered an operating loss of £12.876m (2022: £8.924m) and a loss before taxation of £25.749m (2022: £17.626m). In addition, the company had net liabilities of £84.899m (2022: £59.157m).

In 2024, we also reported that Truespeed and County Broadband were potentially working toward a merger agreement (both are backed by Aviva), which sources tell us is still in the offing. The operators have previously both declined to comment on these reports.

London, 18th February 2025 – EXA Infrastructure, the critical digital infrastructure platform provider, has been chosen by IOEMA as the landing partner for its new submarine cable in Leiston, UK. From the cable landing station EXA will also provide critical backhaul connectivity to major data centers, including London Telehouse and Equinix.

Launched in May 2024, IOEMA is a 1,600 km repeated high-capacity submarine fiber optic network linking five key Northern European markets: the UK, Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, and Norway. This project is a game-changer, connecting strategic locations favored by Hyperscalers and Content Providers – due to power availability – with the primary landing points linking Europe’s core FLAP (Frankfurt, London, Amsterdam, Paris) data hubs.

Leiston, one of EXA Infrastructure’s 20 cable landing stations, serves as a critical gateway between the UK and the Netherlands via the Concerto cable. It offers low-latency direct links to London, alternative routes to Dublin and northern UK regions bypassing London, and access to multiple transatlantic pathways, further strengthening connectivity to the Nordics.

Steve Roberts, SVP of Strategic Investments and Product Management at EXA Infrastructure, stated: “Being selected as the landing partner for this advanced fiber optic project highlights our expertise in delivering complex subsea landing solutions. Our commitment to providing diversity and resiliency through our extensive owned fiber network in Europe, coupled with vital transatlantic routes, positions us as a market leader in enabling advanced connectivity”

Eckhard Bruckschen, CTO at IOEMA Fibre Ltd., stated: ‘We are thrilled to announce our Landing Partnership for our second UK Landing point in Leiston.  Working with EXA Infrastructure enables IOEMA to link to one of Europe’s largest infrastructure footprints and beyond, increasing the connectivity solutions, diversity and reach of our system.’

About EXA Infrastructure
EXA Infrastructure is an award-winning portfolio company of I Squared Capital and the largest dedicated digital infrastructure platform throughout Europe, connecting North America and Asia via the Middle East. 

With over 20 years of experience in building resilient networks, EXA Infrastructure provides the critical modern infrastructure and unrivalled engineering expertise that serves as the backbone for digital and economic growth. This includes mission-critical networks for governments and enterprises, hyperscale infrastructure for the world’s most innovative and influential businesses, and ultra-low latency, high bandwidth networks for financial, gaming and broadcast services.

Headquartered in London, the company owns 155,000 kilometres of fibre network across 37 countries, including six transatlantic cables and the lowest latency link between Europe and North America. For more information, see exainfra.net

About IOEMA Fibre Ltd.

IOEMA is a state-of-the-art, high-capacity, 1600 km repeatered submarine fibre optic project that will arc across five key northern European markets – the UK, Netherlands, Germany, Denmark and Norway. The 24-fibre pair system will support a minimum overall capacity of 1.0 Pb/s. www.ioemafibre.eu