News 

The move should give CityFibre a huge competitive boost as they look to take on market leader Openreach  

Sky and CityFibre have announced a long-term partnership allowing Sky to offer full fibre services over CityFibre’s network.  

As the UK’s largest altnet, CityFibre’s network currently reaches 3.8 million premises, with plans to expand to at least 8 million in the coming years. CityFibre is also a key player in the Government’s Project Gigabit Programme, with contracts in place obliging them to cover a further 1.3 million rural homes with their fibre-to-the-premise (FTTP) network.  

From 2025, Sky will be able to use this network to offer a new range of multi-gigabit speed capable packages to customers. 

“Sky’s new partnership with CityFibre will mean we can provide fast, reliable and great value broadband to more homes across the UK. This will mean we are able to reach even more people with full fibre, which is essential for the modern home,” said Amber Pine, Managing Director of Connectivity at Sky in a press release. 

“This partnership with Sky is a huge vote of confidence in our business and has cemented CityFibre’s position as the UK’s third digital infrastructure platform. With demand for digital connectivity continuing to grow, CityFibre’s network can provide the quality and reliability that people need and the infrastructure competition the UK deserves,” echoed Greg Mesch, CityFibre CEO. 

Sky currently serves its existing 5.7 million broadband customers on BT’s Openreach network, as such this new deal is likely to be a severe blow to the incumbent. According to a Telegraph article released today, roughly £1bn has been wiped off BT’s market value as a result.

Last month, Openreach lost a record number of customers, nearly 200,000 between April and June, amid growing market competition from altnets such as CityFibre.  

This morning’s partnership announcement sent BT shares down 5%. 

Join Greg Mesch at this year’s Connected Britain, 11-12 September in London. Get tickets here! 

Also in the news:
Meet our Top 20 Telco AI Champions!
Are AI and Sustainability Compatible?
Singtel partners with Bridge Alliance to boost GPUaaS offering

Network operator ICUK, which provides wholesale connectivity solutions to ISPs, has today informed ISPreview that they’ve launched version 22 of their portal (Control Panel) with support for Ofcom’s new consumer broadband and phone migration system – One Touch Switch (OTS).

The change means that ICUK’s resellers can now “effortlessly manage switch messages and customer transitions between service providers,” at least they can once OTS goes live from 12th September 2024 – this is even available to resellers with customers that have third-party services. “To our knowledge we are the only wholesale supplier who is offering our partners a fully managed path to the One Touch Switching hub,” said ICUK’s Paul Barnett to ISPreview.

“This feature streamlines the entire switching process, ensuring a smoother experience for both resellers and their end customers. ICUK has taken a bold step in offering this service without additional charges beyond the standard TOTSCo (Telecoms One Touch Switching Company) fees for services held within the ICUK platform,” said the announcement.

ICUK is a recognised Managed Access Provider (MAP) with TOTSCo, and their software is said to be suitable for supporting OTS regardless of whether you use ICUK’s connectivity and voice services, or a competitor.

News

We’re excited to unveil the very first edition of the Total Telecom: Top 20 Telco AI Champions!

After carefully evaluating industry submissions and conducting our own in-depth research, we’ve compiled a list spotlighting the most influential leaders at the forefront of AI innovation in telecommunications. These are the visionaries who are driving the change, creating groundbreaking AI-powered solutions, and leading vital discussions on the future of our industry.

This report showcases those making strides at the intersection of telecoms and AI, whether by developing new use cases or shaping the strategic direction for integrating AI in the sector. If you want to stay ahead of the curve and gain insights into the evolving role of AI in telecoms, these are the thought leaders you need to be following.

Don’t miss out on discovering the key players leading the charge in transforming telecoms with AI!

Read the Telco AI Champions report here!

Also in the news:
NTT to launch new AI company ‘NTT AI-CIX’
Thousands of kms of fibre could be left underutilised warns asset reuse specialist
IOH launches Southeast Asia’s largest digital intelligence operations centre

Alternative network operator Netomnia (YouFibre), which as part of the Brsk merger (here) have extended their 10Gbps capable Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband ISP infrastructure to cover c.1.6 million UK premises passed (RFS), has today joined the Fibre Cafe‘s (Strategic Imperatives) connectivity aggregation platform.

Fibre Cafe’s platform was designed to tackle the integration and automation challenges for broadband ISPs when onboarding new networks (e.g. common processes, a national availability checker, alternative network agnostic order journeys and a unified interface etc.), whilst enabling such operators to more easily bring their own wholesale propositions to market.

Jeremy Chelot, CEO of Netomnia and Brsk, said: “Joining The Fibre Café opens up new avenues for collaboration with more ISPs and service providers. Leveraging Strategic Imperatives’ platform allows us to accelerate onboarding and connect more homes to our full-fibre network. With a goal to serve 1 million customers by 2028 and 162,000 already on the platform, we’re eager to work closely with Strategic Imperatives to deliver an unparalleled internet experience, while driving innovation and fostering further consolidation among Altnets.”

The figure of 162,000 customers also represents a nice increase from the 140,000 recorded on 15th June 2024.

Insight

This article was written by Jai Thattil, Senior Marketing Director, Industry and Sustainability at Juniper Networks 

Few technological advancements have had the immediate and powerful impact of artificial intelligence (AI). Although AI’s foundations are well established, its recent thrust into the public consciousness—and adoption throughout industries—is astonishing by any measure.   

In 2024, AI’s moment is only growing stronger. Yet, an ongoing concern around AI’s adoption is its potential incompatibility with must-have sustainability strategies. Consider today’s data center where AI requires huge amounts of computing power to generate queries. Inevitably, these requirements will level out, but the concern is real.  

While businesses in all sectors are grappling with the consequences of AI, C-level executives are also prioritizing sustainability as public demand and government regulations push for more energy-efficient actions in corporate Environment, Sustainability, and Governance (ESG) programs.   

In this infographic from Enterprise Strategy Group, a TechTarget company, the research group reports that, “97% of organizations with established ESG programs agree that ESG affects their strategic planning, and most of those respondents agree it does that at a significant level.”   

If you’re responsible for AI initiatives, ESG initiatives, or perhaps both, you may be asking if they are compatible.   

 The new report from Enterprise Strategy Group outlines the tough issues around AI and sustainability and highlights many of Juniper’s contributions to help solve these complex challenges. To help you understand the issues, check out the report, Using AI To Enable and Enhance Enterprise Sustainability Initiatives, by Mike Leone, Principal Analyst.   

In the report you’ll find:  

A summary of enterprise AI concerns   

An overview of Juniper’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions   

Examples of how Juniper is using sustainable technology and minimizing e-waste.  

Commitment and support for AI and sustainability  

Juniper’s approach to sustainability and AI is two-fold. First, we are committed to internal efforts to build AI-Native, sustainable products that are more energy-efficient, along with management tools that improve the performance and efficiency of data networks. Second, we support our customers’ sustainability goals by helping them build their own AI systems that use our AI-Native Networking Platform to increase networking efficiency, maximize use of real estate, and provide the insights needed to make sustainable decisions throughout the organization.   

As organizations face more and diverse demands on issues such as smart sourcing, energy use and management, product packaging, and eco-friendly disposal policies, they must consider AI’s role. At Juniper, we believe AI and sustainability are absolutely compatible and invite you to learn more and apply sustainability principles to your AI strategies.  

Juniper Networks are a gold sponsor at this year’s Connected Britain, 11-12 September.  Be sure to pay them a visit on stand 36!

Broadband ISP Quickline, which is building a new gigabit-capable full fibre (FTTP) and fixed wireless (5G FWA) network across rural and semi-rural parts of the North East and Midlands of England, has today named three additional villages in South Yorkshire that have just been connected to their new network.

The latest additions include Finningley, Auckley and Blaxton, which are located close to Doncaster. The new fibre across this area is understood to have reached “more than” 2,000 premises (homes and businesses). Customers will typically pay from £29 per month on a 24-month term for 200Mbps speeds (usually 100Mbps) with free installation, and that goes up to £49 for their top 900Mbps (450Mbps upload) tier. The first 3 months of service are also free.

Quickline is being supported by funding of c.£500m from Northleaf Capital Partners, c.£296.4m of public subsidy from Project Gigabit (here, here and here), £225m in term loans and debt guarantees from the UK Infrastructure Bank (UKIB) and a £25m term loan from NatWest.

The provider ultimately holds an aspiration to cover around 500,000 premises in rural and semi-rural areas across Northern England and beyond with “ultrafast broadband” – via both FTTP and wireless technologies – “by 2025” (here). Some 200,000 of those rural premises will be tackled by their wireless network, with the other half or more coming from FTTP.

In a big development, Sky UK (Comcast) has this morning announced that they’ve finally reached a “long-term partnership” (wholesale) agreement with alternative network operator CityFibre, which will enable ISP Sky Broadband to finally launch a new range of multi-gigabit speed capable full fibre (FTTP) broadband packages “from next year“.

All of Sky Broadband’s packages are currently served via Openreach’s national Fibre-to-the-Cabinet (FTTC) and Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) networks, but it has long been expected that Sky might choose to expand their reach via CityFibre too.

Part of the reason for this stems from the fact that Sky has worked together with CityFibre before – over a decade ago in fact – via a Joint Venture with TalkTalk to pilot FTTP networks in the UK (aka – Ultra Fibre Optic), which was later re-named FibreNation and sold back to CityFibre in 2020 for £206m (here). At the time of that sale, Sky Broadband had already downgraded their involvement, but they remained a wholesale partner.

However, it’s taken another four years for CityFibre to finally succeed in converting Sky Broadband to a full wholesale partnership on their national network, which is a move that may well cause some concern for Openreach. Sky is the UK market’s second-largest provider of residential broadband services, with around 5.7 million customers, although Virgin Media are very close to taking that spot.

CityFibre itself currently aspires to cover up to 8 million UK premises with their new FTTP network (funded by c.£2.4bn in equity, c.£4.9bn debt and c.£800m of BDUK subsidy) – across over 285 cities, towns and villages (c.30% of the UK). But it remains unclear precisely when this will be achieved. The original goal was for the end of 2025, although their current build + M&A plan may get them up to c.6m (if it all goes well).

Amber Pine, Sky’s Managing Director of Connectivity, said:

“Sky’s new partnership with CityFibre will mean we can provide fast, reliable and great value broadband to more homes across the UK. This will mean we are able to reach even more people with full fibre, which is essential for the modern home.”

Greg Mesch, CEO at CityFibre, said:

“This partnership with Sky is a huge vote of confidence in our business and has cemented CityFibre’s position as the UK’s third digital infrastructure platform. With demand for digital connectivity continuing to grow, CityFibre’s network can provide the quality and reliability that people need and the infrastructure competition the UK deserves.”

Sky should benefit from the deal by virtue of the fact that they’ll be able to launch faster (symmetric speed) and more competitive full fibre broadband packages, often at lower prices, into areas currently covered by CityFibre’s network (these will be given preference in areas of overbuild with Openreach). The ISP will also benefit from having access to CityFibre’s planned deployment to 1.3m rural premises under their Project Gigabit contracts (inc. both subsidised and complementary commercial build).

At the same time CityFibre will benefit through the addition of a third major ISP after Vodafone and TalkTalk (fourth if we also consider Zen Internet’s contribution), which has the potential to significantly increase take-up on their new network. This will in turn help to support their economic model for future deployments and improve investor confidence.

Breaking news.. more to follow..

Italy-based Prysmian, which specialises in the global manufacture and supply of fibre optic cables (inc. related kit), has won $96.5 million (£74m) in a trade-secrets lawsuit that took place in South Carolina (USA) against India’s rival Sterlite Technologies (STL). But STL plans to appeal the verdict.

The case originally began in June 2021 after Prysmian filed a lawsuit claiming that one of its former executives, Stephen Szymanski, who left in August 2020, had taken trade-secrets from his time within the company and shared them with his new employer STL. At trial, Prysmian were able to prove that STL had taken “thousands and thousands of pages” of their confidential information and trade secrets.

The materials found to be in STL’s possession included information about Prysmian’s customers, its newest products and plans for the expansion of their manufacturing plants. Much of the information was found in the possession of not just Szymanski and STL, but also in the possession of executives at Sterlite’s global headquarters in Pune, India.

The jury found that STL was “unjustly enriched by taking Prysmian’s trade secrets” and awarded $96.5m in damages against STL. In addition, the jury found that Stephen Szymanski had been unjustly enriched by misappropriating Prysmian’s trade secrets and awarded $200,000 (£154,000) against Mr. Szymanski, personally.

Andrea Pirondini, Prysmian North America CEO, said:

“This case came down to the basic principle of right versus wrong, and we are pleased that the jury came to this decision. It was clear that we had a solid case, and the jury decision confirms how America looks at the protection of trade secrets. It also demonstrates we will not stand still when it comes to defending our confidential information and trade secrets, competing fairly in the marketplace, and doing right by our customers.”

However, STL has already indicated that it will appeal, with the company stating its belief that the “verdict is not supported by the evidence and testimony in the case, and the case was filed for anti-competitive purposes only.” STL added that, during the long-running lawsuit, the court had dismissed all but two of Prysmian’s causes of action.

“We believe the verdict is not supported by the testimony and evidence presented at the trial and intend to appeal and vigorously pursue all available post-trial remedies,” concluded STL’s regulatory filing.

Consumers looking to join UK internet provider File Sanctuary, which until now only sold broadband packages via Openreach’s national network, may like to know that the ISP has just become the latest to launch a new range of packages based off CityFibre’s national Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) network.

The two new CityFibre FTTP plans are available in two tiers – 160Mbps and 1000Mbps, both with symmetric download and upload speeds. The new plans are available with free installation on a 12-month contract term, or paid installation (£66) on a 1-month rolling contract.

File Sanctuary are offering both residential and business plans with pricing as follows:

FTTP CF 160 Residential: £38/month inc VAT

FTTP CF 1000 Residential: £42/month inc VAT

FTTP CF 160 Business: £34/month ex-VAT

FTTP CF 1000 Business: £38/month ex-VAT

All of their FTTP plans come with IPv4 and IPv6 support, UK support and optional static IPs. “We also allow customers a choice of choosing one of our great FRITZ!Box routers, or bringing their own,” said a spokesperson for the ISP. More information on the new packages can be found at https://www.filesanctuary.net/broadband/fttp/cityfibre/ and this link can also be used to place orders, starting today.

Rochdale-base broadband ISP Zen Internet today claims to have beaten BT (EE) to become the “first major provider” to launch a WiFi 7 (802.11be) capable router for customers on their full fibre (FTTP) packages, which reflects the outcome of their partnership with Amazon. The provider also confirmed that their first “up to” 2Gbps plans will launch this autumn.

Sadly, there’s a bit of a catch in the aforementioned claim. Zen’s new “gigabit-plus” (i.e. speeds of “up to” 2Gbps) broadband package(s) will actually come with Amazon’s eero Pro 6E router as standard, while the eero Max 7 will only be offered as an “upgrade option” on all its Full Fibre Max packages “supporting fast, reliable whole-home connectivity.”

Customers can get “priority first access” to this router by pre-registering (here), which will also unlock eero secure as a free add-on (usually £3 per month) as well as entry to a “prize draw for a free upgrade” to eero Max 7, retailing at circa £600. Zen’s website further clarifies that Full Fibre Max broadband will launch sometime in September 2024.

The announcement also claims that Zen’s new “Full Fibre Max packages … will initially be available at all full fibre-enabled postcodes“, which risks causing some confusion as Zen currently only supports three of the UK’s full fibre broadband networks – Openreach, CityFibre and Trooli.

David Barber, Zen’s Strategy Director, said:

“Anyone familiar with Zen will know we have always stayed at the forefront of technology and so we are massively excited to be the first major provider to launch WiFi 7, the UK’s fastest WiFi technology, over our multi-gigabit full fibre services.

What some may not realise is that the internet speeds advertised are at the point of entry into the home. As the WiFi signals travel around the home, varying factors can interfere, and slow things down. That is why the underlying devices that feed connectivity around the home are crucial. With speeds of up to 2Gbps and the eero Pro 6E device included as standard, our Full Fibre Max packages are set to revolutionise the home internet experience. Does everyone need these speeds? Certainly not, but they will undoubtedly appreciate and notice the difference.”

At the time of writing, Zen hasn’t yet released any other details or pricing for their future gigabit-plus packages, although we strongly suspect that it will only be selling speeds of 2Gbps via the CityFibre and Trooli side of their network agreements. By comparison, those covered by Openreach’s slower FTTP network may be offered a fallback to c.1.6Gbps.

Otherwise, the eero Max 7 features 2 x 10Gbps LAN and 2 x 2.5Gbps LAN/WAN Ethernet ports, theoretical tri-band wireless (WiFi) speeds of up to 4.3Gbps, WPA3 encryption, support for ‘Alexa’ smart speakers/AI, 4GB flash storage and the eero TrueMesh technology (add more units to improve the wireless coverage). But be aware that Amazon’s kit doesn’t have any ports for analogue phone or USB storage devices.