Customers of UK broadband ISP Virgin Media (O2), specifically those who take their pay TV service via one of the operator’s TV 360 or Stream platforms, may like to know that the Rakuten TV App is now available on their service at no extra cost – offering an array of content (8,000+ titles on demand, including new releases to rent and buy, 150+ FAST channels and more).

Access to the Rakuten TV app is said to be direct, with no subscription necessary. Virgin TV customers simply need to head to the app section on Virgin TV360 or Stream to access the app, whereby they can access three distinct services. These include:

No Extra Cost: a wide array of content at no extra cost, supported by advertisements. A vast library of movies and TV shows without any subscription fees.
Live TV: a variety of live TV channels at no extra cost, supported by advertisements. This includes a mix of popular channels and exclusive content.
Store: Virgin TV customers are able to buy or rent the latest movie releases via the app by simply registering an account, offering the flexibility to watch premium content.

David Bouchier, Chief TV and Entertainment Officer at VMO2, said: “Virgin TV is the home of great entertainment with a host of must-have apps, on demand shows and popular channels. The addition of the Rakuten TV app to our platform gives our customers access to even more unmissable content and fan-favourite films at the click of a button.”

The UK telecoms and media regulator, Ofcom, has today set out how they intend to update their guidance on network resilience in order to give broadband ISPs, mobile operators and other digital network providers greater clarity on how they can “reduce the risk of network outages“. But proposals to improve battery backup on mobile networks will come later.

Communications providers in the UK currently have a legal obligation to identify, prepare for and reduce the risk of anything that compromises the availability, performance or functionality of their networks. But such networks are highly complex and outages can still occur, with Ofcom warning that the consequences of these are “likely to become more severe as society becomes increasingly dependent on them to function.”

In response, the regulator plans to update their existing resilience guidance to provide greater clarity on how providers of public electronic communications networks and services (PECN and PECS) can comply with their security duties under a new framework for security and resilience, which originally came into force in October 2022.

Network providers are now expected to have regard to the New Network and Service Resilience Guidance when considering their resilience-related security duties. The hope is that this may reduce the chances of serious and protracted network outages occurring (e.g. last year’s BT outage of 999 services) or make them quicker to resolve. But modern networks are complex beasts that can fail due to all sorts of reasons (it’s often the ones you don’t foresee or expect that bite the hardest).

What Ofcom have decided – in brief

We are introducing an updated version of our resilience guidance for providers of PECN/S, which sets out measures we expect them to take in relation to the resilience of their networks and services as part of their security duties imposed by and under s105A-D of the Communications Act 2003.

These measures include:

• ensuring that networks are designed to avoid or reduce single points of failure;

• ensuring that key infrastructure points have automatic failover functionality built in so that when equipment fails, network traffic is immediately diverted to another device or site that can maintain end user connectivity;

• setting out the processes, tools, and training that should be considered to support the requirements on resilience.

The issue of power backup was also considered, although for now Ofcom has only chosen to recommend that electrical power provision at each “core site” should include the following: “Battery backup and fuel-powered electricity generators. These sites are expected to be able to survive power loss for a minimum of 5 days, with permanent electricity generators on site which can be refuelled while in operation.”

The regulator had also considered the potential for requiring a 4-hour power backup in active cabinets on fixed line broadband networks (some operators already target 3-4 hours), but the final guidance noted significant concerns over the “nature and scale of costs needed to retrospectively upgrade active street cabinets.”

Ofcom Statement on Power Backup (Active Cabinets)

Assessing the capability of existing networks to meet the proposed 4-hour minimum requirement may be challenging and may vary significantly between providers. This uncertainty extends to the potential cost implications for providers of retrospectively upgrading their active cabinets to achieve this specific target. Based on the evidence now available, we cannot be confident that including such a specific measure, a minimum 4-hour backup power supply that extends to all existing powered active components in street cabinets, would be a proportionate measure within the guidance.

However, the final guidance does still include a soft recommendation, rather than a hard requirement: “Based on the factors above, we would consider power backup of approximately four hours to be good practice for active fixed access equipment in cabinets at the point of installation. In areas that suffer longer power outages more frequently, we would expect CPs to increase the duration of power backup as appropriate.”

The original consultation on all of this was also accompanied by a separate Call for Input (CFI) on the potential for improving power backup for mobile radio access networks (RAN), such as at the mast sites operated by Three UK, EE, Vodafone and O2. But we recently reported on how many mobile operators had balked at the costs of deploying national battery backup (here).

For example, their CFI asked questions about the feasibility of mobile operators installing a minimum 1 hour of battery backup on RAN sites. But Ofcom’s own illustrative example suggested that to install this on RAN sites, where power backup is likely to be feasible, could cost in the region of £0.9 – £1.8bn (this would end up being passed on to consumers as higher prices). Due to this, the regulator didn’t consider it “proportionate” to include such a measure in their future guidance “at this stage“, but they did seem to be hinting at a move in that direction.

Ofcom’s Response to the CFI (Battery Backup)

While the feedback showed strong interest in mobile resilience, some highlighted the need for a broader approach to power backup beyond the telecoms sector. Additionally, responses offered valuable insights into potential harms from power outages, such as the effect on emergency services and communication difficulties, particularly in rural areas where communities could be more vulnerable to the impacts of outages.

Over the coming months, we will further analyse the information gathered to determine if additional resilience measures are needed for the mobile RAN. This analysis will consider a range of solutions, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach, and we plan to work with government and industry to identify the most suitable way forward.

Suffice to say that we’ll have to wait a bit longer before Ofcom decides on its position with respect to battery backup at mobile sites, although they’ve already largely ruled out imposing a strict time requirement. The expectation we have is that the regulator will end up taking a more targeted and mixed-solutions approach (e.g. a focus on rural sites), which may also need support from other sectors (e.g. energy) in order to be effective.

The UK telecoms regulator, Ofcom, has today published their 2024 Mobile Matters report, which uses Opensignal’s crowdsourced data (collected between October 2023 and March 2024) to benchmark the performance of UK mobile broadband networks by both technology (2G to 5G), nation and operator choice – including Three UK, O2, Vodafone and EE.

The results hold few surprises, but they do still reveal some interesting details. For example, 78% of cellular network connections were to 4G networks over the 6-month period they looked at, with just 19.6% of connections being on 5G. Where a 5G network was available from their mobile network operator, mobile users were able to access data services on a 5G network on 98.4% of occasions (compared to 97.2% over 4G and 85.0% over 3G).

The proportion of mobile connections that were on 5G was also found to be twice as high in urban areas (20.9%) than in rural areas of the UK (10.4%). In rural areas, the proportion of connections on 4G (85.6%) and 3G (3.8%) networks were higher than in urban areas (76.9% and 2.1% respectively). But this splits down a little differently by each nation:

Naturally, 5G networks were also found to offer faster downstream connectivity than 4G and 3G. Some 47% of 5G connections had an average download speed of 100Mbit/s or higher (vs 11% on 4G and 4% on 3G) and just 1% had an average speed of under 2Mbit/s (vs 5% on 4G and 22% on 3G).

Speaking of which, Three UK had the highest share of 5G download speeds at 100Mbit/s or higher (60%), while the proportion of O2 connections with a 100Mbit/s+ download speed over both 5G (32%) and 4G (3%) was much lower than the other operators (MNOs) – O2 also had the highest proportion of 5G and 4G download speed measurements that were under 10Mbit/s.

In addition, Three UK had the fastest average response time (latency) over 5G of 16.3 milliseconds. Over 4G, EE had the fastest average response time (18.3ms), while O2 customers had the slowest average response time on 5G (21.4ms) and Vodafone had the slowest response time on 4G (23.7ms)

Ofcom’s Mobile Matters 2024 Results

Share of cellular network connections

• 5G and 4G accounted for 97.6% of cellular network connections. Our analysis shows that 78.0% of cellular network connections were to 4G networks over the 6-month period we looked at, with 19.6% of connections being on 5G networks, 2.3% over 3G and just 0.1% were on 2G.

Comparison of cellular technologies

• The proportion of cellular data connections that were successful was highest on 5G. Where a 5G network was available from their mobile network operator, mobile users were able to access data services on a 5G network on 98.4% of occasions. This compared to 97.2% over 4G and 85.0% over 3G.

• The time taken to download a 2MB file was much longer over 3G than 4G and 5G. Downloading a smaller (2MB) file can be representative of many typical activities undertaken on mobile devices, for example downloading photos or short low-resolution video clips in messaging apps or social media usage. On average, it took 4.3s to download a 2MB file over 3G, compared to 0.8s on 4G and 0.3s over 5G.

• Larger file downloads highlight the benefit of 5G over 4G. While 2MB downloads took an average of 56% less time over 5G than 4G, 5MB downloads took 65% less time on 5G than over 4G.

• Upload times for 1MB files were shortest on 5G. On average, it took 0.5s to upload a 1MB file over 5G, a significantly shorter amount of time than the 0.8s average over 4G and the 3.8s average recorded on 3G.

• 5G networks offer faster downstream connectivity than 4G and 3G. We analysed data connection speeds using tests that consume as much data as possible over the duration of the test. The results of these show that 47% of 5G connections had an average download speed of 100 Mbit/s or higher (vs 11% on 4G and 4% on 3G) and 1% had an average speed of under 2 Mbit/s (vs 5% on 4G and 22% on 3G).

• The same is true for upload connection speeds over 5G. The results of similar timed upload tests show that 29% of 5G uploads had an average speed of 20 Mbit/s or higher (compared to 15% on 4G and 3% on 3G) and 11% were less than 1 Mbit/s (compared to 20% on 4G and 44% on 3G).

• Response times on 3G are around double those on 4G and 5G. Average response times (latency) recorded over 3G connections (42.3ms) were around twice of those on 4G (21.9ms) and 5G (18.9ms).

MNO comparison

• Three customers had the highest proportion of cellular network connections that were on 5G. Over the period we looked at, 21.4% of Three cellular network connections were on 5G. Vodafone had the lowest proportion of connections that were on 5G (15.0%) and the highest average share of connections on 4G, at 82.7 %. O2 customers had the lowest 4G proportion, at 73.9%.

• EE had the highest average data connection success rates over both 4G and 5G. However, the differences observed between the MNOs’ 5G and 4G data connection success rates were very small (with there being less than 0.5 percentage points between the lowest and highest recorded values for each technology).

• File downloads took longer on O2 than on the other MNOs’ networks. This was true of 2MB, 5MB and 10MB file downloads over both 4G and 5G mobile networks.

• Three had the fastest average response time (latency) over 5G. Over 4G, EE had the fastest average response time (18.3ms), while O2 customers had the slowest average response time on 5G (21.4ms) and Vodafone had the slowest response time on 4G (23.7ms).

• Three had the highest share of 5G download speeds at 100 Mbit/s or higher (60%). The proportion of O2 connections with a 100 Mbit/s+ download speed over both 5G (32%) and 4G (3%) was much lower than the other MNOs and O2 also had the highest proportion of 5G and 4G download speed measurements that were under 10 Mbit/s.

• EE had the highest proportion of 5G and 4G upload speed tests that were 20 Mbit/s or higher. EE also had the lowest proportion of upload speeds under 1Mbit/s over 5G, while Vodafone customers had the lowest proportion under 1 Mbit/s on 4G. O2 had the lowest proportion of 5G and 4G speed tests at 20Mbit/s or higher, and the highest proportion under 1Mbit/s over both cellular technologies.

Comparison by nation and rurality

• The share of cellular network connections that were on 5G was twice as high in urban areas than in rural areas. In urban areas of the UK, 20.9% of cellular network connections were on 5G, compared to 10.4% in rural areas. In rural areas, the proportions of connections on 4G and 3G were higher than in urban areas.

• Differences in 5G and 4G data connection success rates across the UK nations were only small. Our analysis showed bigger differences over 3G, with Northern Ireland having the highest and Wales the lowest average success rates. Connection success rates were higher in urban areas than in rural areas at a UK level over 3G, while the opposite was true for 4G and 5G (although the differences were small).

• There was minor variation in 2MB file download times over 5G and 4G across the UK nations. The observed differences were larger over 3G, with England recording shorter average time to download a 2MB file (4.3s) than Northern Ireland and Wales (4.8s and 4.6s respectively). The average time to download a 2MB file was longer in rural areas than in urban areas over all three cellular technologies at a UK level.

• Northern Ireland had a lower-than-average proportion of 5G and 4G download speed measurements of 100 Mbit/s or higher and a higher proportion under 10 Mbit/s. Urban connections had a higher proportion of faster connections and a lower proportion of slower connections than in rural areas over all three cellular technologies at a UK level.

• Northern Ireland also had the lowest proportion of 5G upload speeds at 20 Mbit/s or higher (25%) and the highest proportion under 1 Mbit/s. Over 4G, Northern Ireland and Wales had a lower-than-average proportion of upload speed tests with speeds of 20 Mbit/s or higher, and a higher-than-average proportion under 1 Mbit/s. The proportion of upload speed tests at 20 Mbit/s or more was higher (and the proportion under 1 Mbit/s lower) in urban areas than in rural areas across all three cellular technologies.

The CEO of Openreach (BT), Clive Selley, has today set out their position with respect to Ofcom’s forthcoming Telecoms Access Review 2026 (TAR), which amongst other things sees the UK operator call for the regulator and Government to push Virgin Media (O2) and others into opening up access to their cable ducts to help reduce the number of broadband poles being built.

The regulator’s Telecoms Access Review 2026 (TAR) is a wide-ranging market study, which is typically only conducted every 5-years and will usually look to make changes that “promote competition and investment” in gigabit broadband and business connectivity. Such things are always easier said than done, with vested interests frequently clashing.

The outcome of the last review, which was published in March 2021 (here), introduced a variety of key changes, such as regulation of Openreach that varied by geography, a new Dark Fibre Access (DFA) product, measures to help retire legacy copper-based networks, restrictions on broadband discounts and new Quality of Service (QoS) standards.

Reviews like this have historically tended to expend most of their energy on demanding changes of the market incumbents (i.e. Openreach across the UK and KCOM in Hull), such as requiring them to open up access to their own cable ducts and poles (Physical Infrastructure Access) so that rivals could more easily deploy gigabit-capable broadband networks (usually via FTTP technology).

However, the last review was arguably a bit softer on Openreach in order to give them a “fair bet” in rolling out full fibre networks across the UK. The dramatic increase in competitive FTTP builds since 2021 may similarly have an impact on Ofcom’s thinking in the next review. So far we’ve already seen some of Openreach’s rivals calling for improvements to PIA and related pricing (here), but today it was Openreach’s turn to set out their stall.

Clive Selley said:

“Ofcom’s Wholesale Fixed Telecoms Market Review (WFTMR), which took effect on 1 April 2021, delivered a five-year package of rules that the regulator said would endure for at least ten, assuming the outcomes were as expected. It also made clear that “full fibre must be a fair bet” for investors over the longer term.[2] This was crucial, given the risk and long paybacks involved in big infrastructure investments.

Fast-forward to today and more than 150 companies are now using our ducts and poles to build competing networks and we’ve made full fibre available to more than 15 million premises nationwide off our own back. We’re reaching a further one million properties every three months, and we’re on track with our ambition to reach 25 million by the end of 2026. In fact, Ofcom expects 96 per cent of the UK could have access to full fibre by 2027, compared with just two per cent in 2016.

In a nutshell: the WFTMR isn’t just working, it’s working better than expected for the UK. But the job’s not done yet. And investors are yet to see if their big bets will pay off.

Investment in full fibre needs to continue for the rest of the decade as the build extends to the more challenging and costly parts of the UK and the industry connects customers to the new networks. And for our part, we’re confident that we can reach 30 million premises by the end of 2030, assuming the right regulatory and investment environment exists.”

Selley goes on to state that Ofcom should “reject self-interested calls from some parts of the industry to restrict how Openreach competes … Because it’s clear that would lead to higher prices, weaker competition and a dilution of choice for consumers and businesses.”

Openreach’s boss also wants the regulator to address the “challenges of moving to a full fibre world“, such as by “supporting a drive for efficiency and enabling Openreach to retire legacy buildings and services where modern alternatives exist. Quality of Service (QoS) standards must also evolve to reflect the positive shift from copper to fibre.” But rivals will be hoping that “evolving” QoS standards doesn’t lead to weaker performance.

Openreach’s Ambitions for 2026 and Beyond (TAR)

✓ Maintaining certainty and stability on price regulation for at least the rest of the decade – as was envisaged back in 2021 – continuing to only set direct charge controls on legacy services, with caps kept flat in real terms, and with the same regulation applied across the country

✓ Sustaining an approach that allows us to compete fairly and introduce offers that support full fibre adoption

✓ Reducing regulation where entry has occurred, and competition is effective

✓ Supporting exchange exit and other efforts to improve long-term efficiency

✓ Evolving Quality of Service standards to reflect the changing mix of services used by customers

The operator’s full report also echoes the CEO of BT Group, Allison Kirkby, who called for various improvements to planning laws (something the government are looking at) and support for flexi-permits (i.e. a single permit can cover a wide geographical area instead of numerous separate street applications). But Selley’s most interesting remark is one of his last.

“Ofcom and Government should also require Virgin Media O2 (VMO2) and others to open up their duct and pole networks on the same transparent terms including price as Openreach’s duct and poles product,” said Openreach’s CEO, Clive Selley. Openreach argues that this would help to support the government’s current drive to increase infrastructure sharing and thus reduce the number of new poles being deployed (here).

Ofcom has previously rejected this idea, which is partly because Virgin Media’s closed network has largely stayed under the coverage level that would otherwise deem them to have Significant Market Power (they have over 16 million premises). This may be partly why some of the operator’s parents (Liberty Global and Telefonica) have sought to continue their network expansion, albeit via an open access model, under a new company – nexfibre.

Just to recap. Telefónica, Liberty Global and InfraVia Capital Partners originally setup the 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. The two networks, combined, could thus conceivably end up covering 23m premises (nexfibre has so far reached 1.3m).

Virgin Media are of course due to split off their own network of 16m+ premises into a new NetCo next year, which will open it up to wholesale. Quite how Ofcom will view all of this is a complex matter, but at present we wouldn’t be at all surprised if the regulator chose to wait until the 2031 review to make a decision, rather than the one for 2026. But by then most of the fibre build will be done. Tricky.

Right now, there are still many unknowns with how the market and company structures may evolve, while nexfibre’s coverage is still low and semi-separate from Virgin Media. In addition, none of Openreach’s smaller rivals in the alternative network space are even close to having SMP. Forcing PIA upon smaller operators in a weaker and higher risk position, particularly in this climate, would not be without negative consequences.

As always, we expect a lively debate to flow around Ofcom’s major market review.

UPDATE 2:50pm

We’ve received a comment from Virgin Media, which notes that it’s already possible to use their ducts on a “commercial basis“, but making that attractive enough for wide adoption is often another matter entirely (Openreach above are talking more about a PIA style regulated solution).

A Virgin Media O2 spokesperson said:

“The ability to use Virgin Media’s ducts on a commercial basis already exists, but Openreach has significant market power in the UK and a footprint that covers almost all of the country, so it is right that it remains appropriately regulated to ensure it cannot use its monopolistic muscle to constrain emerging competition.

Virgin Media O2 and others are building fibre to increase network choice in the UK and it’s important that Ofcom supports these investments so that truly scaled competition can be realised in future. Calling for regulatory intervention on others who are building alternative networks is a worrying and diversionary tactic that Openreach has used before with no success.”

Civil engineering firm Glenevin, which in recent years has helped to construct full fibre broadband networks for a number of operators across the United Kingdom (e.g. CityFibre, Voneus, Openreach etc.), has sadly just become one of the latest digital infrastructure builders to fall into administration.

Established in 2013, the Livingston-based business was a well-known multi-utility infrastructure development and maintenance business operating nationally, but predominately in Scotland. It employed 45 employees, and in the year ending August 2022 had annual turnover of c. £40 million.

However, all does not appear to have been going well for Glenevin this year, which ISPreview understands appointed both Gareth Harris and Paul Dounis of RSM UK Restructuring Advisory LLP as Joint Administrators of Glenevin Limited and its subsidiary GCL Hire Limited on Friday 30th August 2024.

According to RSM UK, the decision to appoint Administrators was made after a “material deterioration in market conditions led to funding being withdrawn for many of the pipeline contracts“, ultimately leaving the “company unviable“.

Unfortunately, despite concerted efforts in a short space of time, it was ultimately found to be “not possible to find a buyer for the business” and it has therefore been “closed down with all employees made redundant.”

Gareth Harris, Partner at RSM and Joint Administrator, said:

“This has been a very fast-moving situation but due to market circumstances outside their control, and without a viable solution the Directors have had no choice but to shut the business. Employees have been paid up to the end of the month, but sadly all have been made redundant on appointment.”

ISPreview has been investigating the situation around Glenevin since the early summer, when we first began to receive reports that the contractor had downed tools on their deployment with Voneus. Back then a spokesperson for Voneus informed us that: “The builds that we contracted with Glenevin are either complete or close to completion.” But the wider UK situation appears to have been more complex.

Network operators and, by extension, any civil engineering firms they use are currently under a lot of pressure from rising costs (build, leases etc.), competition from rivals (e.g. overbuild, take-up) and the challenge of raising fresh investment during a period of high interest rates. Quite a few operators have already restructured or scaled-back their build plans, which has fostered a rise in consolidation and redundancies.

RSM was advised by James Davison and Victoria Procter at DLA Piper.

Alternative network operator Grain (Grain Connect), which has already grown their gigabit-capable Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband network to cover 220k UK premises RFS (21st May 2024) and 30k customers, has announced that they’re going to expand their existing deployment in the East Yorkshire city of Hull.

The operators full fibre network can currently be found in parts of 59 UK locations (plus over 150 new build housing developments), which includes a lot of small-to-modest sized patches of various urban areas like Leicester, Liverpool, Accrington, Grimsby, Cleethorpes, Scarborough, Carlisle, Barrow-in-Furness, Hartlepool, Newport, Sunderland, Blackburn and so forth.

Grain’s deployment in Hull first went live all the way back in mid-2023 (here) and at that point their network was claiming to have reached around 20,000 premises, although they’ve since expanded a bit more. This is despite facing aggressive competition from gigabit-capable rivals like KCOM (the local incumbent), Connexin and MS3.

However, despite the seemingly high level of local overbuild, it appears as if Grain are now “excited to bring our gigabit network to more areas across Hull“. But the catch is that they haven’t said precisely how many premises will benefit from this expansion, over what timescale or which new areas they’re intending to target.

“Unlike some providers, we’ve adopted a more thoughtful approach to our network expansion by keeping our infrastructure out of sight. All of Grain’s optical cables are installed underground, meaning there’s no need for unsightly telegraph poles. This not only improves connectivity but also respects Hull’s landscape and local concerns,” added Grain’s announcement.

Customers of the new service normally pay from just £19.99 per month (currently discounted to £9.99 for 6 months) for a symmetric 150Mbps package on an 18-month term, which goes up to just £29.99 (discounted to £14.99 for 6 months) for their top 900Mbps plan. But take note that out-of-contract prices are £5 higher than this.

News

EE are only the third carrier in the UK to rollout 5GSA, behind Vodafone and VMO2

EE has launched its new 5G standalone (5GSA) mobile network in 15 major UK cities, alongside a new Wi-Fi 7 Smart Hub Pro for home broadband users. The 5GSA network is designed to enhance mobile coverage and performance, while the Wi-Fi 7 hub provides faster, more reliable connectivity indoors.

The new 5GSA network, is now live in Bath, Belfast, Birmingham, Bradford, Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Hull, Leeds, Leicester, Liverpool, London, Manchester, and Sheffield. The plans offer improved outdoor coverage and is available through a new range of monthly plans. Built to support the growing number of AI-powered devices, the network provides faster speeds, lower latency, and enhanced reliability. A key feature of the 5GSA network is “Network Boost,” which improves performance in busy areas by allocating additional capacity to users on select plans.

“Today, EE is launching UK firsts in network capabilities designed to unleash the huge potential of a wave of AI powered devices. 5G standalone is a new mobile network giving enhanced performance to customers from day one and unlocks game-changing new services of the future. It’s been built to handle the growing range of AI-powered devices, from smartphones to laptops, tablets and more,” said EE CEO Marc Allera in a press release.

“Wi-Fi 7 for the home is another first for EE customers, giving households higher speeds and better capacity to support devices in every corner of their home. Together, these new technologies bring EE customers the best networks in and out of the home,” he continued.

EE’s new mobile plans also offer unlimited data options and include roaming allowances for the EU and select international destinations. Customers on premium plans will have access to Google One AI Premium tools, as well as services like Apple One, Netflix, and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.

On the home broadband front, EE’s new Wi-Fi 7 Smart Hub Pro, developed with Qualcomm, delivers faster speeds, less interference, and better coverage. Full Fibre customers will benefit from gigabit speeds and a guaranteed 100Mbps connection in every room, with a money-back guarantee for dissatisfied users.

Join Marc Allera at next week’s Connected Britain, 11-12 September in London. Get last minute discounted tickets here!

Also in the news:
Coastguard’s emergency network gets an upgrade from Telent
AT&T fined nearly $1m over 911 failings
How will the CityFibre–Sky deal really affect BT?

News 

It is the world’s first legally binding AI treaty, and other countries, including the US and Australia, are invited to join 

This week, the Lord Chancellor Shabana Mahmood will sign a new international agreement to protect human rights, democracy, and the rule of law from potential risks posed by AI. 

The treaty, agreed by the Council of Europe, commits countries to work together to regulate AI and prevent its potential misuse. While AI offers benefits like improved productivity and analytics, it also poses risks, such as spreading misinformation or using biased data. The treaty ensures that nations monitor AI developments and manage the technology responsibly.  

Once ratified, it will strengthen existing UK laws and regulations on AI. 

The agreement has three principles: 

Protection of human rights – ensuring personal data is handled appropriately, privacy is respected, and that AI systems do not discriminate. 

Preservation of democracy – preventing AI from undermining public institutions and processes. 

Upholding the rule of law – requiring countries to regulate AI-specific risks and protect citizens from potential harm. 

“Artificial Intelligence has the capacity to radically improve the responsiveness and effectiveness of public services, and turbocharge economic growth,” said Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood in a statement. “However, we must not let AI shape us – we must shape AI.” 

“This convention is a major step to ensuring that these new technologies can be harnessed without eroding our oldest values, like human rights and the rule of law,” Mahmood concluded. 

Peter Kyle, Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, echoed this sentiment and invited governments around the world to join the treaty 

“Once in force, [the treaty] will further enhance protections for human rights, rule of law and democracy, – strengthening our own domestic approach to the technology while furthering the global cause of safe, secure, and responsible AI,” he said. 

Join the conversation around AI in telecoms at next week’s Connected Britain, 11-12 September in London. Get last minute discounted tickets here! 

Also in the news:
Coastguard’s emergency network gets an upgrade from Telent
AT&T fined nearly $1m over 911 failings
How will the CityFibre–Sky deal really affect BT?

Viewpoint

Reilly McClure, Senior Product Marketing Manager, Digital Infrastructure @ Sitetracker

In the fast-paced world of telecommunications, the deployment of fiber networks is accelerating at an unprecedented rate with growing demand for high-speed internet and substantial funding for infrastructure projects. Network operators and contractors face immense pressure to deploy quickly and efficiently. Sitetracker’s latest eBook, “Navigating Fiber Deployments: A Digital Roadmap for Success“ provides a comprehensive guide to leveraging digital transformation to streamline these complex processes.

Embracing Digital Transformation

The fiber deployment sector is at a critical juncture. The first operator to market gains a significant competitive edge by capturing early subscribers and securing ongoing revenue streams. However, challenges such as workforce shortages, rising labor and material costs, and complex approval processes complicate the path to success. Traditional methods like relying heavily on emails, spreadsheets, and manual data entry, are no longer viable.

Digital transformation offers a real solution. Operators and contractors can significantly enhance efficiency by replacing outdated methods with a centralized, standardized system. Key stakeholders, from field crews to executives, can have real-time access to crucial information that improves communication, reduces errors, and faster project completion.

The Benefits of Digital Tools

Digital transformation in fiber deployments provides several key advantages:

Accelerated Deployments: Centralized data and streamlined workflows reduce delays and expedite project timelines, enabling operators to operate in new markets faster.
Cost Efficiency: Automation and standardized processes minimize manual labor and reduce the risk of costly errors, leading to substantial financial savings.
Enhanced Collaboration: Real-time data sharing and improved communication foster better collaboration between operators and contractors, ensuring smoother project execution.
Scalability: Digital platforms enable efficient management of multiple concurrent projects, allowing companies to scale their operations quickly with their existing labor force.

Strategic Steps for Successful Transformation

Implementing digital transformation requires a strategic and structured approach. To do so, you’ll need

Executive Commitment: Strong support from top management is essential for driving transformation forward.
Choosing the Right Platform: A robust and flexible digital platform that meets the organization’s specific needs is crucial.
Continuous Optimization: A culture focused on continuous improvement ensures that processes remain efficient and adaptable to new challenges.

In an industry where speed and efficiency are critical, digital transformation is a game-changer. Fiber network operators and contractors can overcome challenges by adopting advanced digital tools and standardized processes and position themselves for long-term success. Sitetracker’s “Navigating Fiber Deployments: A Digital Roadmap for Success” offers valuable insights and practical guidance for companies looking to thrive in this competitive landscape. Embrace digital transformation today to stay ahead in the race to connect the world with high-speed fiber networks.

Want to learn more? Find out more about how you can evolve fiber deployment with Sitetracker here.  

News

Verizon is buying Frontier Communications in a $20 billion deal to strengthen its fibre network, with the deal representing significant growth for Verizon’s fibre business. 

Verizon, announcing the purchase on Thursday, stated that the purchase, which adds Frontier’s 2.2 million subscribers in 25 states to Verizon’s 7.4 million in nine states and Washington D.C., will shore up its developments in artificial intelligence and connected devices. 

Frontier, has largely concentrated on its fibre network capabilities in recent years, investing upwards of $4bn in its network over the last half-decade. Verizon, based in New York City, will pay $38.50 for each Frontier share. The deal is expected to close in about 18 months. It still needs approval from Frontier shareholders, as reported by AP. 

“The acquisition of Frontier is a strategic fit,” Verizon CEO Hans Vestberg said, as it provided an opportunity to be more competitive in additional markets. The deal, once passed, will represent something of a re-merger, with Verizon having previously sold its TV and internet business in Texas, California and Florida to Frontier in a $10.54bn deal back in 2016. 

However, as reported by Reuters, there has been some scepticism from analysts towards the deal with Verizon’s fibre network covering less than 10% of the U.S. and the acquisition will give it roughly another 3%, while AT&T covers less than 15%, MoffettNathanson analyst Craig Moffett said. 

“You would describe it as going from small to a little bit less small, but that’s about the best you could say about it,” Moffett said. “There’s simply no conceivable path where they can reach meaningful scale with fibre.” 

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