The Government has announced that their new National Underground Asset Register (NUAR), which is a digital UK map of underground pipes and cables (broadband, water etc.) that is partly designed to help reduce accidental damage, will finally be made available as a public beta service by spring 2025.

Both the past and present governments see huge potential for such maps to help improve the way that national infrastructure is planned, built and managed (e.g. future full fibre broadband and 5G mobile networks). The map could also cut the amount of accidental damage that occurs to existing infrastructure (one estimate suggested this costs up to £2.4bn each year) and boost economic growth by “at least £400m” per year due to increased efficiency, fewer asset strikes and reduced disruptions.

The NUAR – developed alongside Ordnance Survey (OS) and Atkins – is the solution they came up with, which has so far only launched in the form of a Minimum Viable Product (MVP), where use is constrained to testing and feedback. But the big news today is that the government plan to push this into a “public beta service by spring“.

From that point the NUAR will be able to be used in real-life situations by any eligible asset owners, their contractors and accredited surveyors to help ensure safe digging and excavation. In addition, the government has announced that Ordnance Survey (OS) will be the future operator of the NUAR; this won’t come as a huge surprise, given their prior involvement.

Otherwise, the Geospatial Commission will retain long-term policy and performance oversight of the service.

Baroness Jones of Whitchurch, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (DSIT), said:

“We are committed to unlocking the power of data to reduce disruptions to the public and help deliver economic growth across the UK. From spring, NUAR will minimise the chance of accidental damage to the pipes and cables beneath our feet, protecting the supply of gas, water and electricity to our homes and businesses.

By harnessing the Ordnance Survey’s centuries of expertise in managing critical national geographic data, we will ensure this service can deliver for the public and industry from Newcastle to Newport and Brighton to Belfast.”

Admittedly, all of the positivity around the NUAR does rather ignore the fact that alternative platforms, such as the LSBUD (Line Search Before You Dig) service, already exist to provide a roughly similar facility (although NUAR seems to be aiming to go further).

In addition, the UK Internet Service Providers Association (ISPA) has previously warned the government against putting the NUAR on a statutory footing before it’s truly “fit for purpose, proportionate and can fully deliver on expectations“. Clearly the move to a public beta represents progress, but it will be vitally important that it doesn’t exit that phase before it’s ready.

News

A new report from network service provider RETN says the cable cuts impacted up to 70% of Europe–Asia data traffic – far greater than the 25% previously estimated

In October last year, the Red Sea became a hotbed of paramilitary activity, with Yemeni Houthis beginning to attack commercial shipping, ostensibly as a result the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.

By February this year, the ‘Red Sea crisis’ had escalated to become a major issue for the international telecoms community, with submarine cables in the region being badly damaged, severely disrupting data traffic in Europe, Africa, and Asia.

Whether the damage to these cables was caused deliberately or not remains unclear, with one prominent theory suggesting that a ship being attacked by rebels hastily deployed its anchor, which then severed the cables.

To make matters worse, efforts to repair the affected cables were heavily delayed, both due to the militarised nature of the area, as well as by legal challenges related to the Yemeni government.

The impact of this lengthy saga on data transport in the region has been difficult to measure, but initial estimates suggested around 25% of data traffic had been affected.

Today, however, a new whitepaper from RETN suggests that this figure has been drastically underestimated, with their own metrics putting the amount of traffic disrupted at up to 70%.

This figure is based on the company’s own network diagnostics and feedback from customers, including major consumer ISPs in Southeast Asia.

RETN uses this data as a springboard to discuss the wider issue of submarine cable system resiliency, calling for the creation of additional data routes to avoid ‘single points of failure’.

Alongside the cable incidents in the Red Sea, the paper also points at damage to the SEA-ME-WE 5 cable in the Strait of Malacca – another submarine cable bottleneck – in April this year. This damage was particularly damaging to connectivity in Bangladesh, where SMW-5 is one of just two subsea cables connecting the country. According to the report, the damage to the cable reduced Bangladesh’s internet capacity by a third.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, smaller and less economically developed countries are less likely to be supported by a wider range of data transport routes, making them particularly vulnerable to largescale disruption.

“We are at a pivotal moment in network connectivity, and to be fully transparent, the industry is not equipped to meet current demands,” said RETN’s CEO Tony O’Sullivan. “With geopolitical events, natural disasters, cable cuts, design flaws, cybersecurity attacks and a shortage of new cables, we’re really not too far away from entire countries becoming digitally inaccessible when the one or two cables that connect them go down.”

The paper argues that the process of building the new systems is moving too slowly, hampered by geopolitical tensions, regulatory issues, and ongoing supply chain shortages.

RETN, therefore, is calling on industry to redouble its efforts in creating new data routes, calling for “at least 4 routes for any geography, preferably 5+” to ensure lasting resiliency.

“Having the global infrastructure in place to overcome these challenges requires industry-wide investment, but that means a wide-reaching movement of prioritising customers over short-term gains. Undoubtedly, there are some key players with the power that can take actionable steps immediately to make a difference,” said O’Sullivan.

Is the submarine cable industry doing enough to ensure the stability of global data routes? Join the discussion at Submarine Networks EMEA 2025

Also in the news:
Vodafone and Three defend merger amid CMA warnings
Verizon offloads mobile towers to Vertical Bridge for $3.3bn
Korea Telecom and Microsoft sign multibillion-dollar AI partnership

News 

The deal will see Google’s generative AI models enhance Vodafone’s mobile, fixed broadband, and TV offerings  

Vodafone and Google have agreed to expand their existing partnership for the next ten years, in a move that aims bring new services, devices, and TV experiences to millions of Vodafone customers across Europe and Africa.  

This expanded partnership is focused on leveraging Google Cloud and the company’s generative AI models known as Gemini to enhance customer experiences, providing additional storage, security, and AI assistance. 

The deal will benefit customers in all 15 markets in which Vodafone operators, as well as impacting partners in 45 total markets around the world.  

“Together, Vodafone and Google will put new AI-powered content and devices into the hands of millions of more consumers. Using these services, our customers can discover new ways to learn, create and communicate, as well as consume TV, on a scale we haven’t seen before,” said Vodafone CEO Margherita Della Valle in a press release. 

“Our expanded partnership with Vodafone will help bring our most advanced AI products and services, including our Gemini models, to more people across Europe and Africa,” said Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google and Alphabet.   

Vodafone will offer Google’s YouTube and Google One subscription services, including storage and AI tools, alongside devices like Pixel phones. Vodafone TV, powered by Android TV, will also benefit from AI enhancements like improved content discovery and ad management. A deeper integration with YouTube is in development. 

The two companies already work together on a data system that securely stores Vodafone’s data using Google Cloud. Now, Vodafone will use Google Cloud’s Vertex AI platform to create and expand AI-powered applications more quickly across its markets. 

Vodafone also plans to launch a new cloud-based cybersecurity solution for business customers using Google Cloud’s Security Operations platform, it said. This will include advanced tools for managing security threats.  

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

Also in the news:
From GIS to computer vision: Building a unified platform for fibre deployment
US telcos targeted by Chinese hackers in national security breach 
Vodafone Idea expands Ericsson 5G partnership 

Viewpoint

Die deutsche Sprachversion folgt weiter unten

Ahead of Connected Germany, we spoke to Kerstin Larsson-Knetsch, Chief Commercial Officer at Fiber Experts Germany. Fiber Experts’ digital construction platform brings together network operators and construction companies, digitising the entire fibre construction process 

Ms Larsson-Knetsch, what is the status of digitalisation in fibre construction and how does it affect the efficiency of projects? 

The fibre roll-out process is highly complex, but the industry is lagging behind when it comes to digitalisation: according to Bitkom, less than 20% of construction processes are digitalised. In practice, this often leads to delays and inefficiencies.  

Network operators need to deploy hundreds of thousands of fibre connections every year. To do this, they need partners who can deliver projects transparently, efficiently, and with high quality. As Germany’s leading construction platform, we take a digital approach to network expansion from start to finish. We connect network operators and construction companies, optimise processes, and create greater efficiency and transparency. 

How does this work in practice? 

We collect all project data centrally and enrich it continuously. This starts with area planning, where we work with precise environmental data and scan surfaces and roads in a similar way to Google Street View. This data flows directly into our planning systems for high- and low-level design. Our digital analysis is so accurate that we can offer our clients turnkey construction at a fixed price. Our construction partners have direct access to the plans, allowing them to efficiently plan construction preparation and execution.  

How does digitalisation support the construction process itself? 

Digitalisation is a real game changer on the construction site. All progress is documented in real time – from the first metres of civil engineering to the installation of the network distributor and the fibre connection in the end customer’s home.  

Our contractors use tablets and smartphones to report the status of their work and upload photos to our system. Our customers can follow the progress live and do not have to wait for documentation. This gives us maximum control and transparency.  

AI will also help us monitor quality in the future. 

What are the benefits for construction partners? 

It makes work much easier for the construction partners. They have all the information at their fingertips, can see exactly what needs to be done next, and can concentrate fully on the site. There’s no more paperwork, everything is systematic, digital, and fast. Payment processes to our construction partners are also automated. Our goal is to make the expansion of fibre optic networks in Germany simpler, more efficient, and more transparent through complete digitalisation. 

Glasfaserausbau 2.0: Wie Digitalisierung den Netzausbau schneller, smarter und transparenter macht 

Im Vorfeld der Connected Germany sprachen wir mit Kerstin Larsson-Knetsch, Chief Commercial Officer bei Fiber Experts Deutschland. Die digitale Bau-Plattform von Fiber Experts bringt Netzbetreiber und Bauunternehmen zusammen und digitalisiert den gesamten Glasfaser-Bauprozess.    

Frau Larsson-Knetsch, wie steht es um die Digitalisierung im Glasfaserausbau, und wie wirkt sich das auf die Effizienz der Projekte aus? 

Der Glasfaserausbau ist hochkomplex, doch die Branche hängt in Sachen Digitalisierung hinterher: Laut Bitkom sind weniger als 20 % der Bauprozesse digitalisiert. Das führt in der Praxis oft zu Verzögerungen und Ineffizienz. Netzbetreiber müssen jedoch jedes Jahr Hunderttausende von Glasfaseranschlüssen realisieren.  Dafür benötigen sie Partner, die Projekte transparent, effizient und in hoher Qualität umsetzen können. Genau hier kommen wir ins Spiel: Als Deutschlands führende Bauplattform denken wir den Netzausbau von Anfang bis Ende digital. Wir vernetzen Netzbetreiber und Bauunternehmen, optimieren die Abläufe und schaffen mehr Effizienz und Transparenz. 

Wie sieht das konkret in der Praxis aus? 

Wir erfassen alle Projektdaten zentral und reichern sie kontinuierlich an. Das fängt schon mit der Gebietsplanung an, hier arbeiten wir mit präzisen Umgebungsdaten, scannen ähnlich wie Google Street View Oberflächen und Straßen. Diese Daten fließen direkt in unsere Planungssysteme für das High- und Low Level Design. Unsere digitalen Analysen sind so präzise, dass wir unseren Kunden den Gebietsausbau schlüsselfertig zum Festpreis anbieten können. Unsere Baupartner greifen direkt auf die Pläne zu und können so effizient die Bauvorbereitung und -durchführung planen.  

Wie unterstützt die Digitalisierung den Bauprozess selbst? 

Auf der Baustelle ist die Digitalisierung ein echter Gamechanger. Jeder Fortschritt wird in Echtzeit dokumentiert – von den ersten Tiefbau-Metern über die Installation des Netzverteilers bis hin zum Glasfaseranschluss in der Wohnung des Endkunden. Unsere Baupartner arbeiten mit Tablets und Smartphones, um den Status ihrer Aufgaben zu melden und laden Fotos in unser System. Unsere Kunden können den Fortschritt live verfolgen und müssen nicht auf eine Abschluss-Dokumentation warten. So haben wir maximale Kontrolle und Transparenz. Bei der Qualitäts-Überwachung hilft uns künftig auch KI.  

Welchen Vorteil bringt das für die Baupartner? 

Für die Baupartner wird die Arbeit deutlich einfacher. Sie haben alle Informationen sofort zur Hand, sehen genau, was als nächstes zu tun ist, und können sich voll auf die Baustelle konzentrieren. Es gibt keine Zettelwirtschaft mehr, alles läuft systematisch, digital und schnell. Auch die Abrechnung für unsere Baupartner erfolgt automatisch. Unser Ziel ist es, den Glasfaserausbau in Deutschland durch vollständige Digitalisierung einfacher, effizienter und transparenter zu machen. 

Historically a niche segment of the wider wireless telecommunications industry, private LTE and 5G networks – also referred to as NPNs (Non-Public Networks) in 3GPP terminology – have rapidly gained popularity in recent years due to privacy, security, reliability and performance advantages over public mobile networks and competing wireless technologies as well as their potential to replace hardwired connections with non-obstructive wireless links. Their expanding influence is evident from the recent use of rapidly deployable private cellular network-in-a-box systems for professional TV broadcasting, enhanced fan engagement and gameplay operations at major sports events, including Paris 2024 Olympics, 2024 UEFA European Football Championship, North West 200 Motorcycle Race, 2024 World Rowing Cup III, New York Sail Grand Prix, 2024 PGA Championship, 2024 UFL Championship Game and 2024 NFL International Games, as well as the Republican and Democratic national conventions in the run up to the 2024 United States presidential election.

Other examples of high-impact private LTE/5G engagements include but are not limited to multi-site, multi-national private cellular deployments at the industrial facilities of Airbus, BMW, Chevron, John Deere, LG Electronics, Midea, Tesla, Toyota, Volkswagen, Walmart and several other household brand names; Aramco’s 450 MHz 3GPP network project in Saudi Arabia and ADNOCS’ 11,000-square kilometer private 5G network for connecting thousands of remote wells and pipelines in the UAE; defense sector 5G programs for the adoption of tactical cellular systems and permanent private 5G networks at military bases in the United States, Germany, Spain, Norway, Japan and South Korea; service territory-wide private wireless projects of 450connect, Ameren, CPFL Energia, ESB Networks, Evergy, Neoenergia, PGE (Polish Energy Group), SDG&E (San Diego Gas & Electric), Tampa Electric, Xcel Energy and other utility companies; and the recent implementation of a private 5G network at Belgium’s Nobelwind offshore wind farm as part of a broader European effort to secure critical infrastructure in the North Sea.

There has also been a surge in the adoption of private wireless small cells as a cost-effective alternative to DAS (Distributed Antenna Systems) for delivering neutral host public cellular coverage in carpeted enterprise spaces, public venues, hospitals, hotels, higher education campuses and schools. This trend is particularly prevalent in the United States due to the open accessibility of the license-exempt GAA (General Authorized Access) tier of 3.5 GHz CBRS spectrum. Some examples of private network deployments supporting neutral host connectivity to one or more national mobile operators include Meta’s corporate offices, City of Hope Hospital, SHC (Stanford Health Care), Sound Hotel, Gale South Beach Hotel, Nobu Hotel, ASU (Arizona State University), Cal Poly (California Polytechnic State University), University of Virginia, Duke University and Parkside Elementary School.

SNS Telecom & IT’s “Private LTE & 5G Network Ecosystem: 2024 – 2030” report predicts that global spending on private LTE and 5G network infrastructure for vertical industries will grow at a CAGR of approximately 20% between 2024 and 2027, eventually accounting for more than $6 Billion by the end of 2027. Close to 60% of these investments – an estimated $3.5 Billion – will be directed towards the buildout of standalone private 5G networks, which will become the predominant wireless communications medium to support the ongoing Industry 4.0 revolution for the digitization and automation of manufacturing and process industries. This unprecedented level of growth is likely to transform private LTE and 5G networks into an almost parallel equipment ecosystem to public mobile operator infrastructure in terms of market size by the late 2020s. By 2030, private networks could account for as much as a fifth of all mobile network infrastructure spending. For more information, please visit: https://www.snstelecom.com/private-lte

Press Release

The Xantaro Group, Europe’s leading solution provider for high-performance networks, IT security solutions and managed services, today announced the integration of the nicos group. The aim of the transaction is to significantly expand the enterprise division and to strengthen the managed services portfolio with a Service and Security Operations Centre (SOC) that has global reach, among other things.

The nicos group employs around 200 people who monitor, operate and protect more than 4,300 network solutions at over 2,200 customer sites worldwide. Its customers are mainly global companies such as Dr. Oetker, ebm-papst, KfW, MUBEA or EMAG.

With the integration of nicos, the Xantaro Group is also expanding its circle of technology partners to include Cisco Systems. Other nicos partners are Fortinet and Cato Networks – both also partners of Xantaro.

The nicos companies will continue to operate under their existing company names, with the addition of “Member of the Xantaro Group” once the transaction has taken effect. The Xantaro Group had already taken over the IT security specialist NetDescribe GmbH, Munich, in August 2024 and is continuing its announced expansion course with the acquisition of nicos.

Gerold Arheilger, CEO Xantaro Group: “The integration of the nicos group is an ideal complement to Xantaro’s managed services portfolio and strengthens our position in the strategically important enterprise market. Our brand claim ‘connecting the world’ also perfectly reflects the services offered by nicos. In addition, the partnership between nicos and Cisco significantly expands our bandwidth. We will combine the competencies of nicos with the know-how of the Xantaro and NetDescribe teams, offering our customers added value in the areas of network and security automation, private wireless solutions and AI-based platform and managed services. The acquisition is the next milestone in our strategy of strengthening the Xantaro Group with leading providers.”

Axel Metzger, CEO of nicos AG: “We are pleased to take the next step in the development of our 25-year-old company as part of the Xantaro Group. With around 200 employees of the international nicos group, spread across three continents, we are responsible for more than 4,300 network solutions at over 2,200 customer sites worldwide. During our transaction discussions with Xantaro, both sides have identified numerous opportunities and great potential for how we can jointly create unique added value for our respective customers and convince new customers of our future portfolio. Our customers, who are mainly globally active medium-sized companies, appreciate the fact that nicos takes full responsibility for their network and security infrastructure: from migration, configuration and operation, to dispatching and managing local service providers for on-site conversion, companies are in good hands with us – 24/7, 365 days a year. With Xantaro, these companies now also have access to hardware consulting and procurement, security automation, AI-based and private wireless solutions. As part of the Xantaro Group, we continue to pursue ambitious goals and are convinced of the expansion course.”

How is the German connectivity landscape changing in 2024? Join the ecosystem in dicussion at this year’s Connected Germany conference live in Munich

Also in the news: 
Vodafone and Three defend merger amid CMA warnings
Verizon offloads mobile towers to Vertical Bridge for $3.3bn
Korea Telecom and Microsoft sign multibillion-dollar AI partnership

Press Release

UK leading full fibre broadband provider, brsk, has announced that work is underway to upgrade connectivity to 11,000 homes and businesses in Colne, Lancashire to world-class infrastructure that will provide symmetrical speeds up to 2Gbps. 

This network deployment is part of brsk’s mission to transform digital connectivity in underserved areas, giving those without access to full fibre technology the chance to enjoy faster speeds and reliability at competitive prices, on a superior service compared to the existing copper connections still serving some premises today. 

Brsk recently released a 2Gbps product to the market following a trial with a selected number of customers, which received very positive feedback. This exciting product expansion will see customers on the brsk network able to enjoy some of the fastest broadband speeds in the UK, with pre-existing customers now able to upgrade their services.  

Speaking of the rollout, brsk Lancashire Regional Head, Darryl Nieuwenhuizen said, “We are thrilled to be bringing cutting-edge technology to Colne. Access to fast and reliable broadband is crucial in today’s digital age, and we are committed to ensuring that smaller towns in the county like Colne get the connectivity they deserve.” 

Having passed 126,000 premises in Lancashire already, including Burnley, Blackburn with Darwen, Bacup and Rossendale, to name a few, Colne is the latest area to benefit from brsk’s investment. 

Anyone wanting to check their full fibre coverage can do so at www.brsk.co.uk  

Is the North’s connectivity evolution happening fast enough? Join the network operators in discussion at Connected North 2025

Also in the news: 
Vodafone and Three defend merger amid CMA warnings
Verizon offloads mobile towers to Vertical Bridge for $3.3bn
Korea Telecom and Microsoft sign multibillion-dollar AI partnership

Leader in eSIM technology, Mobilise has successfully partnered with digital mobile operator Gist Mobile to upgrade its operations, adding new functionalities and improved UX to the business. Through Mobilise’s digital business support system (BSS) platform, HERO, Gist Mobile now offers eSIM data connectivity packages, advanced VoIP functions and a host of back-end upgrades.

Founded in 2020, Gist Mobile started as a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service provider, offering virtual numbers, voice and SMS features to help customers stay connected from anywhere in the world. Building upon its initial success, Gist Mobile sought to elevate its offerings by improving user experience through a revamped UI and incorporating data connectivity into its repertoire to offer affordable data worldwide. To enable this, Gist has partnered with Mobilise to introduce eSIMs to its mobile application through HERO, Mobilise’s digital BSS platform.

Mobilise has extensive expertise in developing digital-first telco propositions having worked with 40+ Service Providers across ten countries. Its digital-first patented platform, HERO, delivers a cloud-native modular platform that gives the flexibility to seamlessly integrate with existing systems and third-party services.

HERO simplifies the management of complex digital services, offering comprehensive control to seamlessly coordinate all components of the digital ecosystem and, in many cases, compensating for legacy systems and infrastructure unable to deliver on today’s digital technology requirements. And that includes eSIM.

The integration of eSIM technology into Gist Mobile’s platform signifies a shift in how its customers will engage with mobile connectivity. With the introduction of HERO, Gist Mobile now offers in-app eSIM activation on Android devices, and QR code eSIM activation on iOS, creating a suite of services tailored to the travel segment. Gist’s data connectivity packages are available in combo bundles, putting them at a price point competitive with local operators internationally.

Additionally, Mobilise’s HERO platform has upgraded the back end of Gist’s operations, with the introduction of a robust CRM system. It empowers the Gist team to see all their customer tickets at a glance, including all plan information, transaction history and customer activity. This better equips the team to manage customers and access analytics to improve their quality of service.

“Through this incredible and impactful partnership with Mobilise, we have built a user-friendly and highly engaging mobile app that allows travellers access to data and phone plans in over 180 countries using their existing smartphones without the need of local SIM cards,” explained Aramide Adebanjo, co-founder of Gist Mobile. “Users can now travel and feel like a local in Gist Mobile’s coverage countries, with access to convenient, affordable, and flexible mobile plans.”

“Travel eSIMs are a growing market — our own survey revealed that over 73 per cent of travellers consider remaining connected abroad on their mobile device, using mobile data, an important part of travelling. And in particular, Gen Z and Millennials are keen to find a cost-effective, simple way to achieve this,” explained Hamish White, CEO of Mobilise. “Our work with Gist has created an app that is a game changer, offering high-quality global connectivity at competitive prices with unique bundles tailored to their needs.”

To learn more about Mobilise’s eSIM services, and how the team can support your business to launch connectivity services successfully, please visit the website to schedule a free demo.

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Mobile operator and broadband ISP EE (BT) has today announced that they’ve extended and expanded their strategic partnership Sky UK, which among other things means that Sky Stream will launch in EE retail stores, via the their website, and telesales from 15th October 2024; it can also now be taken alongside EE’s home broadband and mobile services.

The move is interesting because Sky’s internet-based TV and streaming service, Sky Stream, is technically a competitor for EE’s own TV product. But now, for the first time, EE’s customers will be able to order Sky Stream alongside EE home broadband, “enhancing EE’s TV portfolio by offering customers a wider choice of viewing options and bringing the benefits of Sky into the homes of millions more“.

Clearly, EE sees the move as “giving customers a choice of viewing platform“, which they say will build on their longstanding relationship since 2017 – supporting their strategy to partner with leading consumer electronics and entertainment providers to offer customers a wide range of options.

Marc Allera, CEO at EE, said:

“As part of our strategy for new EE, we’re continually looking to partner with some of the world’s leading brands to provide our customers with the very best in entertainment. Extending our partnership with Sky allows us to give customers even greater choice, so they can take a TV service that best suits their lifestyle, matched with EE’s great new home broadband offering.”

Sophia Ahmad, Chief Consumer Officer at Sky, said:

“Sky Stream offers a transformative viewing experience, making it even easier for customers to access Sky’s market-leading entertainment offer, with no dish required. We’re excited to be partnering with EE to take the benefits of Sky Stream into the front rooms of even more customers, bringing them one of the highest standards in viewing experience combined with great live sport and award-winning Sky Originals all in one place.”

It’s easy to forget that, not so very long ago, BT was still spending big in order to try and build up its presence in the Pay TV market and weaken the hold on premium content and services that Sky was perceived as having. But BT has long since retreated from that effort and today’s market is a lot more complex, with a plethora of streaming platforms and wide scale content fragmentation.

Alternative network operator and ISP Brsk, which has already built their 2Gbps Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband network to cover “over” 676,000 UK homes and is in the process of being merged with Netomnia (here), has today announced that their full fibre service is being extended to cover 11,000 premises in the Lancashire town of Colne.

The town of Colne already has access to gigabit-capable broadband from Virgin Media (O2), while Openreach have also expanded their own FTTP across much of the area and Brsk will thus be the third gigabit network to operate in the same location. All of this should complement the 126,000 premises in Lancashire that the operator has already reached, including in Burnley, Blackburn with Darwen, Bacup and Rossendale, to name a few.

New customers of the service currently pay from just £19 per month on a 24-month term for symmetric speeds of 150Mbps, then £25 for 500Mbps, £30 for 900Mbps and £55 for their top 2Gbps (2000Mbps) tier. The packages all include free installation, a router and a pledge of no mid-contract price rises.

Darryl Nieuwenhuizen, Brsk’s Lancashire Regional Head, said:

“We are thrilled to be bringing cutting-edge technology to Colne. Access to fast and reliable broadband is crucial in today’s digital age, and we are committed to ensuring that smaller towns in the county like Colne get the connectivity they deserve.”