Network operator Openreach (BT) has introduced a new special offer for broadband ISPs that discounts the charge on 10Gbps Cablelinks for their FTTP and FTTC lines (GEA), nationwide, to just £399 +vat when taken on Layer 2 Switches (L2S) older than 6 months (the regular connection cost is normally three times higher).

The Cablelink (Ethernet) products are how Openreach provide data capacity for their full fibre and other connections (i.e. the connection between their fibre headend and an ISP’s equipment). Suffice to say that any discount on this side may also feed down to impact the price consumers may pay for their service from an ISP (more likely for the biggest providers), so they’re worth keeping an eye on.

The latest discount is available to ISPs irrespective of whether they’re already taking advantage of the “Equinox” offer for cheaper full fibre FTTP line rentals. But ISPs won’t be able to benefit from it if they’ve previously purchased a 10Gb Cablelink on the same L2S or the L2S is already at capacity.

The special offer will run from 1st December 2024 until 31st March 2026 (details here).

News

The operator’s rivals, Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio, both launched 5G services in 2022

This week, Vodafone Idea (Vi) has announced plans to launch commercial 5G services by March 2025.

The operator says its initial rollout will cover all metros and major cities in 17 of India’s 22 telecom circles (essentially licencing regions), beginning with Delhi and Mumbai.

Vi estimates the rollout will include the rollout of 5G equipment to 75,000 existing 4G sites over the next three years.

The news follows the announcement of multibillion dollar 4G and 5G equipment deals with Ericsson, Nokia and Samsung earlier this month.

Vi also noted that it continues to aggressively roll out 4G, aiming for 90% population coverage with 4G by June next year.

The operator’s existing 4G network covers roughly 77% of the population.

“We are not going to be too aggressive on 5G, we will go by case-to-case basis depending on how the 5G is growing, how the use cases and device penetration are happening,” said Vi’s chief technology officer Jagbir Singh.

Singh noted that 5G fixed wireless access (FWA) remains an exciting uses case for 5G, with Vi likely to launch a commercial 5G FWA offering “three to six months after the 5G launch”.

“This is a good use case right now, in absence of any other good use case to monetise 5G. We will also do it,” said Singh, noting that rivals Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel were both having significant success with their respective FWA services.

It is worth noting here, however, just how much of a 5G laggard Vi is compared to Airtel and Jio, both of which launched their own commercial 5G services in 2022. Jio already had 130 million 5G users as of August this year, having recently reached ‘nationwide coverage’. Airtel, similarly, is not far behind with roughly 90 million 5G subscribers.

Catching up to these figures will be a major challenge for cash strapped Vi. Knowing this, and with 5G revenues remaining relatively low across the sector, it should come as little surprise that the company is being relatively cautious in its expensive 5G rollout and instead trying to consolidate its position in 4G.

In related news, this week the Department of Telecoms (DoT) has reportedly drafted a Cabinet note proposing to eliminate bank guarantees for deferred spectrum payments.

If passed, this proposal would be a huge boon for Vi, which currently needs to provide the government with bank guarantees of almost $3 billion in the coming months, related to its spectrum repayments due next year.

Vi missed the first deadline to submit bank guarantees back in September and began petitioning the DoT to waive the bank guarantees shortly after.

Removing the need to secure these bank guarantees would significantly free up Vi’s cash flow for the following year and therefore have a major impact on the company’s 4G and 5G rollouts.

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

Also in the news:
Singtel becomes latest telco to launch AI cloud services
South Korean telcos accused of collusion, may face fines of $4bn
Hexatronic: Innovation will be needed to reach rural customers

Broadband ISP Plusnet has this week introduced a bunch of new discounts across their home broadband packages for new customers, which for example have reduced the monthly price of their top 900Mbps Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) package to just £39.99 per month on a 24-month term.

The internet provider’s fibre broadband packages are typically data-only plans (no home phone) that include unlimited usage, a new Hub Two wireless router (re-branded BT SmartHub 2), a 24-month minimum contract term, Plusnet SafeGuard and Protect – both powered by Norton – and free activation.

Prices currently start at £27.99 per month for their 145Mbps service (£43.20 after 24-months), before rising to £29.99 for 300Mbps (£49.38 thereafter), £32.99 for 500Mbps (£58.02 thereafter) and £39.99 for 900Mbps (£67.89 thereafter). But be aware that prices tend to rise mid-contract each year on 31st March by £3.

Several recent statements and FCC filings for SpaceX’s popular Starlink service, which offers ultrafast broadband connectivity via a global mega constellation of satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), have hinted that the provider is still aiming to deliver gigabit (1Gbps+) speeds to consumers, and they have a plan for achieving it.

At present Elon Musk’s Starlink network has 6,458 satellites (c.2,200 are v2 Mini / GEN 2A) in orbit – mostly at altitudes of c.500-600km – and they’re in the process of adding thousands more by the end of 2027. Customers in the UK typically pay from £75 a month for a 30-day term, plus £299 for hardware on the ‘Standard’ plan (inc. £20 postage), which promises internet latency times of 25-60ms, downloads of c. 25-100Mbps and uploads of c. 5-10Mbps.

However, those with a long enough memory may recall that, prior to its commercial launch, the operator was originally aiming to deliver up to 1Gbps speeds to customers (possibly even rising up to 10Gbps in the future). But once launched, the service has often struggled to get much above peaks of around 200-300Mbps, while average performance is still considerably lower.

For example, the average (median) UK download speed on Starlink is currently 90.7Mbps and this rises up to 156.9Mbps for those with the top 10% of fastest connections, while upload speeds average 11.2Mbps or 16.4Mbps for those in the top 10% (here). Suffice to say that the network is currently a long way off the 1Gbps+ mark, which also helps to keep it affordability.

What the future holds

SpaceX has long envisaged that their new Starship rocket, which is currently still a work-in-progress but is rapidly nearing the point of being able to handle commercial launches, as being the game changer that would be needed in order to loft a much larger number of fully sized (heavier) next generation v2 and even v3 Starlink satellites. Such satellites would be able to handle much more capacity.

The good news (credits to PC Mag) is that, as Starship progresses, we’re now starting to see signs of Starlink talking about gigabit speeds again. For example, SpaceX recently requested that the FCC allow it to make several updates to its v2 (second generation) satellites, which would bring them a bit closer to earth (i.e. lowering their altitudes from 525-535km to 480-475km) and allowing them to harness additional radio spectrum in the E band (i.e 71-74GHz downlink and 81-84GHz uplink).

The language used in this filing does not mince words, including talk of these changes making it possible to “deliver gigabit-speeds, low-latency broadband and ubiquitous mobile connectivity to all Americans and the billions of people around the world who lack adequate broadband.” The same goal was recently echoed by one of SpaceX’s top executives.

Michael Nicolls, VP of Starlink Engineering at SpaceX, said (X):

“The next generation @starlink satellite will launch on Starship and deliver gigabit connectivity anywhere in the world. We got one step closer to that reality today [13th Oct 2024] with an amazing Flight 5!”

Naturally, we still don’t know when this would become viable at the consumer level and rivals may yet attempt to block some of the recent FCC requests, which has happened before (LEO is an increasingly competitive environment). At the same time, we’ve heard all this talk of gigabit and fibre-like speeds before – some years ago now, although turning that aspiration into an affordable reality for consumers remains a slow, expensive and complex process.

Some customers of alternative network provider LightSpeed Broadband, which has built a gigabit-capable broadband (FTTP) network across 250,000 premises in the East of England, are reporting that the operator has been experiencing network disruption since around 2pm yesterday.

Sadly, LightSpeed is another one of those ISPs that doesn’t have a dedicated Service Status page, which has made it difficult for customers to find answers without needing to contact the provider directly. The provider’s social media pages on X and LinkedIn were similarly devoid of any useful updates, although their Facebook Page did carry a notice, which was only posted 2 hours ago (despite the problem starting yesterday).

“We know that some of our customers have been affected by an outage we have experienced in our Kings Lynn Exchange. We are extremely sorry for the inconvenience that this may have caused,” said the statement. The provider also stated that their customers should now be “back up and running“, although we separately note that a few people are still complaining about problems.

“However to ensure continuation of services we will be planning to replace [some related] hardware to mitigate the risk of this occurring again in the future. This replacement is being planned for today. There may be a further short break in service whilst our engineers physically replace the affected component,” added the operator. This may help to explain why everything isn’t yet 100% back to normal.

According to feedback from some of the affected customers, the issue appears to have impacted a wide area around Norfolk and possibly beyond. Once again, we really must stress the importance of ISPs ensuring that they’re able to both offer a useful Service Status page and to ensure it’s kept up-to-date in a timely fashion.

Visual Map of LightSpeed’s Network

Press Release

An innovative ‘Dig Once’ policy is continuing to demonstrate its value in reducing carbon emissions, minimising disruption and successfully expanding the county’s digital connectivity.

Through Light Blue Fibre, a joint venture between Cambridgeshire County Council and the University of Cambridge to commercially market the fibre assets of both the University and the Council, this forward-thinking approach is helping to yield substantial environmental and economic benefits.

The Dig Once policy, which was first introduced in 2019 as part of the Connecting Cambridgeshire programme, integrates fibre ducting into new transport infrastructure projects.

Councillors at the Council’s Asset & Procurement Committee meeting on Tuesday 15 October were given an update about the progress of Light Blue Fibre over the last year, and heard how the Council’s Dig Once Policy of installing fibre ducting into new transport schemes enables telecom operators to avoid costly retrofitting and reduces carbon emissions.

To date, over 21km of additional fibre ducting has been installed or is planned across Cambridgeshire by 2025, ensuring gigabit-capable broadband is rolled out quickly and efficiently. The policy has already prevented the release of more than 20 tonnes of CO2 – the equivalent of nearly half a million miles driven by an average car – while reducing the need for costly, disruptive roadworks.

Cllr Ros Hathorn, Chair of Cambridgeshire County Council’s Assets and Procurement Committee, said: “The Light Blue Fibre venture showcases the value of long-term collaboration and the importance of strategic planning to deliver greener and smarter infrastructure.

“Connecting Cambridgeshire’s Dig Once policy demonstrates how we can work together to improve connectivity while reducing carbon emissions and disruption in our communities. By integrating digital infrastructure into our transport planning, we’re not only delivering short-term benefits but also laying the groundwork for a sustainable, connected future for the region.

“So far, this policy has resulted in a huge CO2 reduction and significantly less disruption to road users, thanks to the proactive installation of ducting as part of new road projects.”

Light Blue Fibre has played a pivotal role in enabling telecom providers like CityFibre and Gigaclear to connect hard-to-reach areas, speeding up the deployment of gigabit broadband and benefiting thousands of homes and businesses. Pre-installed fibre ducting has allowed Gigaclear to avoid disruptive engineering works and provide full-fibre broadband to over 2,000 properties in Linton and surrounding communities.

In Whittlesey, fibre ducting installed under the new Ralph Butcher Causeway – built to replace the Kings Dyke level crossing – is being used by CityFibre to bring gigabit connectivity to over 5000 homes and businesses that would otherwise have been challenging to reach across busy rail lines.

Light Blue Fibre is also in discussions with a global cloud services provider to further extend the reach of its infrastructure, ensuring that the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough area continues to benefit from cutting-edge digital connectivity while supporting the Council’s ambition to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2045.

Connecting Cambridgeshire

The Connecting Cambridgeshire programme, hosted by Cambridgeshire County Council and led by Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority, with additional funding from the Greater Cambridge Partnership, is driving improvements to Cambridgeshire’s digital connectivity infrastructure – for fibre broadband, mobile and public access Wifi coverage – and using smart technology to support economic growth and help businesses and communities to thrive.

As part of the programme, the Smart initiative brings together Cambridgeshire-based Universities, local authorities and businesses with a focus on improving the use of data, embedding digital solutions and exploring how emerging technologies can be used to develop innovative solutions to improve the quality of life in market towns across the county.

This multi-agency programme, is working with Government bodies, local councils, and external organisations, including telecoms suppliers, mobile operators and technology experts to make it easier to access public services, and help meet some of the key challenges of our age – including climate change mitigation, sustainable transport and the management of water and energy resources.

For more information visit connectingcambridgeshire.co.uk.

Witbe’s New Remote Eye Controller Update Empowers Video Service Providers to Remotely See, Control, and Monitor Their Services on Any Real Device

NEW YORK — Oct. 2, 2024 — Witbe (Euronext Growth – FR0013143872 – ALWIT), a worldwide leader in automated testing and monitoring technology for video service providers, today revealed a new version of its widely deployed Remote Eye Controller (REC) application. This latest update is packed with features that expand the REC’s monitoring, recording, and customization capabilities, boosting it into a central station for all live and on-demand video monitoring needs.

The REC now becomes a true virtual Network Operation Center (NOC), allowing providers to remotely control, monitor, and test any real device, from set-top boxes and web applications to mobile devices and smart TVs. Designed for the current operations standard of continuous post-release testing in the field – following brief intensive pre-production QA testing – Witbe’s latest technology speeds up time-to-market, giving providers a competitive edge.

A core tenet of the redesign is customization. When users log on to the new REC for the first time, they now have the option to choose how much information is displayed on their device’s streams, allowing them to tailor the software’s mosaic view to their specific needs. Users can optimize experiences whether they are accessing the REC from a mobile device, computer, or across multiple screens in their office NOC. By remotely accessing video services, users will benefit from the REC’s new ability to record a device’s live feed at any time – whether to capture an error outside of an automated testing session or record steps to reproduce an error in the field. Recordings can then be shared with the appropriate teams to escalate an issue and resolve it quickly, capturing errors that can only be seen on real devices.

In a transformative new feature, Witbe’s Remote Eye Controller will now display key performance indicators and alerts in real time on the mosaic view. When errors are automatically detected, such as live channels or on-demand assets with no audio, ad slates, or black screens, video service providers will immediately see them in the REC. This easily readable instant feedback empowers video service providers to supervise their service’s availability, performance, and video quality from one central application without the need to consult separate software for different monitoring needs – centralizing their workflow and streamlining operations.

“Witbe’s Remote Eye Controller continues to evolve to meet the ever-changing, cutting-edge needs of video service providers. This new version is the largest software update we have ever launched,” said Mathieu Planche, CEO at Witbe. “It transforms the REC from the most efficient device control center on the market into a comprehensive video monitoring application, combining video streams running on real devices in the field with alerts from automated test scenarios running on the Witbox. Witbe has made a virtual NOC for every service provider, accessible from any web browser at any time, ensuring remote troubleshooting in the field is easier than ever.”

Webinar
Witbe’s new Remote Eye Controller was previewed in September at both the IBC2024 show in Amsterdam and the SCTE TechExpo 24 in Atlanta and will be deployed for all current and incoming customers later this year. Witbe CEO Mathieu Planche will host a webinar on Tuesday, Oct. 8 revealing more of the new virtual NOC’s features. The webinar will take place at two separate times to ensure attendees from a range of time zones can listen in. To register, please follow the links below.

EMEA/APAC – 10:00am CEST: app.livestorm.co/witbe/new-rec-virtual-noc-october-8th-2024
Americas – 12:00pm EDT: app.livestorm.co/witbe/new-rec-virtual-noc-october-8th-2024

To learn more about Witbe’s technology, please visit www.witbe.net.

# # #

About Witbe (www.witbe.net)
Witbe (Euronext Growth – FR0013143872 – ALWIT) makes automated testing and proactive monitoring technology for global video service providers. The company’s award-winning technology accurately measures the Quality of Experience that viewers receive. Witbe’s non-intrusive, plug-and-play technology replicates user behavior to automatically test and monitor video services from anywhere in the world. The Witbe Software Suite allows teams to remotely access their Witbox robot, which can control, test, and monitor any video app running on a real device. The essential data collected by the Witbox can then be analyzed and shared in Witbe’s observability platform.

Witbe’s recent innovations include its streamlined Automated Testing Set, deploying automation and providing QA results faster than ever before; its popular Ad Monitoring and Matching technology to resolve dynamic ad insertion errors; its acclaimed Smart Navigate AI algorithm; and its new Mobile Quality of Experience and Video Traffic Optimization technology. Witbe has a dozen offices around the world and is proud to have customers — including Comcast, Cox, Verizon, Peacock, and Orange— in more than 50 countries. More information and further updates are available at www.witbe.net.

Link to Word Doc: www.202comms.com/Witbe/241002-Witbe-New_REC.docx

Photo link: www.202comms.com/Witbe/Remote_Eye_Controller.png
Photo Caption: Witbe’s Remote Eye Controller is now a virtual NOC for comprehensive video monitoring.

FiberSense a deep technology fibre sensing company and  the European network provider Sipartech, have today announced their partnership to deliver the world leading DigitalAsset™️ monitoring and protection service on key parts of the Sipartech network across Europe.

DigitalAsset delivers enhanced network security and availability. The state-of-the-art service provides 24×7 monitoring and real-time detection and localization of a variety of threats to fibre networks, providing total “always on” cover.  The early warning capability of the services allows for cued intervention before a break happens, delivering greater than 50% outage reduction, year on year.

“ Our collaboration with FiberSense, combined with our own proprietary solutions, brings a distinctive advantage to our network management capabilities, setting a new standard in the industry. It goes beyond traditional offerings by incorporating advanced fiber optic sensing technology across our network.  This enables us to provide enhanced real-time monitoring and proactive security measures for critical infrastructure. In today’s increasingly complex digital landscape, where new threats are constantly emerging, we are committed to ensuring network resilience and safeguarding our clients’ assets” declared Julien Santina, Founder and CEO of Sipartech.

With initial deployments across Marseille and Paris metro networks, and a full rollout across its long-haul network in early 2025, Sipartech aims to build resiliency across its European network.

Founder and CEO of FiberSense, Mark Englund indicated “FiberSense is extremely excited to be partnering with Sipartech, a leading provider of fibre networking and services across Europe. Sipartech immediately saw the benefits of deploying our DigitalAsset service across key areas of their network to deliver real-time actionable data and insights to deliver a greater than 50% reduction in cable breaks year on year. Working together we will ensure that Sipartech has market leading resilience and uptime.”     

ABOUT SIPARTECH
Sipartech is one of the leading neutral and independent infrastructure operators in Europe. Provider of dark optical fibre and very high connectivity services (optical transmission, Ethernet services, IP Transit, Internet access, cloud connectivity …) for data centres, operators, and enterprises, Sipartech deploys, operates, and maintains an extensive network of more than 34,000 km across Europe. Discover more on www.sipartech.com
Media Enquiries: co*****@*******ch.com

ABOUT FIBERSENSE
The FiberSense suite of proprietary technologies leverages existing telecom fiber cables to provide valuable insights to a wide range of customers. These insights can prevent strikes to critical underground and subsea assets such as telecom, water and gas pipelines or high voltage power cables. By converting fiber into an array of sensors, FiberSense can detect, classify and track events and objects in real time, such as vehicles, pedestrians, excavators, pit tampering and route flapping events. https://fibersense.com/
Media Enquiries: in**@********se.com

Overview

When you think of smart wearables, you might picture a sleek smartwatch or a fitness tracker, but this industry is evolving far beyond the basics. An increasing interest in wearable technology is seen from the astounding 21% of adults worldwide who own a smartwatch. Let’s take a closer look beyond the basics and see the forces shaping the smart wearable device industry, what’s driving its growth, and the trends.

Brief history and evolution of the wearable tech industry

Smart wearables have come a long way since their early days. In the 1960’s Edward Thorp created the first wearable computer. Further, the industry evolved with Casio’s calculator wristwatch, Bluetooth headsets in 2002, and a boom in devices like fitness trackers and smartwatches in 2014. What started with basic fitness trackers has evolved into high-tech gadgets that monitor health, sync with smart homes, and even enhance fashion. Today’s wearables are all about blending style with advanced tech, making them an essential part of our digital lives.

The Rise of Connected Ecosystems

Wearables are no longer just standalone devices, they’re now integral parts of larger connected ecosystems. It was estimated in 2022 that there were more than 1.1 billion wearable gadgets in use worldwide.

Whether it’s syncing with your smartphone to give you notifications or integrating with smart home devices to control your environment, the seamless interaction between different gadgets is a big part of what makes wearables so appealing. In 2020, the global wearable technology user penetration rate was 5.9%.

The future of wearables lies in the connectivity. As per observations in a survey conducted, 74% of respondents think wearing wearables and sensors will improve their ability to connect with other gadgets and the real world.

Importance   and Relevance in Today’s Market

Health and Fitness: The Heartbeat of Wearable Innovation

At the core of the smart wearable boom is our collective obsession with health and fitness. But it’s not just about counting steps anymore. Modern wearables are equipped with advanced sensors capable of monitoring everything from your heart rate variability to your sleep stages.

These devices are becoming personal health assistants, giving real-time insights into our wellness and helping in making data-driven decisions about health. As per analysis, by 2020, 30% of adult Americans used wearable technology for medical purposes. On the other hand,  over 80% of users were eager to discuss their results with their care provider, and nearly 50% of users rely on this technology on a daily basis. Additionally, a data published by American Heart Association states that an estimated 3.6 million people with heart diseases and 34 million people who are at risk use wearable.

With the integration of ECG monitors, blood oxygen sensors, and even features that can detect atrial fibrillation, wearables are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in personal health.  In this regard, cutting-edge health functions like blood oxygen saturation monitoring and sleep tracking are included in Apple’s Series 7 model, which was introduced in 2021.

And it’s not just about collecting data- these devices are able to offer actionable advice, turning them into essential tools for anyone serious about their health.

Fashion Meets Functionality

As much as wearables are about technology, they’re also about style. The convergence of fashion and tech is more apparent than ever, with wearables being designed to look as good as they perform. In a World Economic Forum survey, 92.1% of business executives predicted that by 2025, 10% of individuals would have internet-connected clothing.

Companies are collaborating with fashion brands to create devices that people actually want to wear- whether it’s a sleek smartwatch that pairs perfectly with business attire or a fitness tracker that looks just as good at the gym as it does at a dinner party.

Customization is another trend taking hold, with users wanting to personalize their devices with interchangeable bands, custom watch faces, and more. This focus on aesthetics and personalization is helping to broaden the appeal of wearables, making them a must-have accessory for a wider audience. For instance, recently Oura and Gucci teamed to track health metrics like heart rate and sleep using fashion wearables.

Sports & smart Wearables Devices

Smart wearable devices are revolutionizing the sports industry by offering advanced performance analytics and real-time feedback. Athletes use smartwatches, fitness trackers, and wearable sensors to monitor metrics like heart rate, sleep quality, and muscle strain, which helps optimize training and prevent injuries. With regard to this, the world leader in sports-specific training goods, SKLZ, introduced  SKLZ Hyper Speed, a cutting-edge wearable technology device that monitors speed, agility, and vertical leap.

Moreover, trends include enhanced integration with AI for personalized insights, improved accuracy in data collection, and the use of AR  for immersive coaching experiences. These innovations are elevating performance, enhancing training efficiency, and transforming how sports are played and analyzed. In 2020, over 27 million sports wearable technology units were supplied globally, in response to the growing demand for sports technology.

Industrial Landscape

The smart wearable device industry is booming, driven by advances in technology and increasing consumer demand for health, fitness, and connectivity. According to forecasts, the market for smart wearable devices is expected to reach USD 528.7 billion by the end of 2036, expanding at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 19.7% from 2024 to 2036. The market for smart wearables was valued at USD 64.9 billion in 2023.

With innovations in sensors, AI integration, and stylish designs, wearables are transforming personal and professional life, enhancing health monitoring, productivity, and user engagement across various sectors.

 The Road Ahead: What’s Next for Wearables?

The future of wearables is about more than just smarter watches or better fitness trackers- it’s about creating devices that are truly indispensable. With advancements in AI, wearables will likely become even more intuitive, anticipating our needs before we even know we have them. Imagine a wearable that not only tracks your sleep but also adjusts your alarm based on your sleep cycle, or one that detects stress and suggests a quick meditation session.

Another exciting frontier is augmented reality (AR). Wearables with AR capabilities could revolutionize the way we interact with the world around us, overlaying useful information directly in our field of vision.  For instance, Meta and EssilorLuxottica collaborated to introduce a new line of Ray-Ban Meta smart spectacles in September 2023. The updated glasses feature improved audio and cameras, over 150 distinct bespoke frame and lens combinations, and a lighter, more comfortable design. The potential applications, from navigating to gaming to workplace training, are vast.

The smart wearable device industry isn’t just growing- it’s evolving at a pace that’s hard to keep up with. As these gadgets gets smarter and more integrated into our daily routines, they’re becoming indispensable. So, whether you’re a tech enthusiast or just someone who likes the convenience of glancing at your wrist for updates, there’s no denying that smart wearables are here to stay, and they’re only going to get better.

However, for a more detailed analysis comprising regional, segmental, and industrial landscapes is required to have a broader and more precise perspective of the smart wearable device market.

Source:

https://www.researchnester.com/reports/smart-wearable-devices-market/5935

London, 15 October 2024

Sparkle, the first international service provider in Italy and among the top global operators, and Mobily, a leading innovator in the Telecommunications, Media, and Technology (TMT) sector in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to create a new route to connect Europe to South-East Asia and thus meet the growing demand for secured and diversified connectivity between the two continents.

Under the MoU, signed during the Capacity Europe 2024 event in London, the parties agreed to leverage on Sparkle’s and Mobily’s terrestrial networks and the AAE1 cable in Jeddah to create a diversified and low latency route that will connect Italy to Saudi Arabia reaching Singapore.

With this new path, network providers, ISPs, OTTs, content and application providers as well as enterprises will enjoy reliable, low latency route in multiples of capacity levels from 10 GB to 100 GB and beyond. In addition, customers will benefit from the full expanded network of Mobily and of its partner to access their rich portfolio of services such as Layer-1, Layer-2 and IP portfolio, which provides virtual access to leading Internet Exchange Points (IXPs); and also benefit from Mobily services in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Sparkle services in Italy and Europe.

“This new diverse route will enhance the resiliency of global network connectivity between East/Middle East to Europe, thereby supporting the growth of Data Centers and content diversification for OTTs and Hyperscalers in the region. We are happy to have this cooperation between Mobily and Sparkle for such an important project”, said Thamer A. Alfadda, SVP Wholesale of Mobily.

“We are pleased to collaborate with Mobily in the realization of this intercontinental digital corridor, in which Saudi Arabia plays a primary and pivotal role, that will enable better communication between Europe and the Indo-Pacific while accelerating the development of digital services in all the countries crossed”, said Enrico Bagnasco, CEO of Sparkle.

About Sparkle

Sparkle is TIM Group’s Global Operator, first international service provider in Italy and among the top worldwide, offering a full range of infrastructure and global connectivity services – capacity, IP, SD-WAN, colocation, IoT connectivity, roaming and voice – to national and international Carriers, OTTs, ISPs, Media/Content Providers, and multinational enterprises. A major player in the submarine cable industry, Sparkle owns and manages a network of more than 600,000 km of fiber spanning from Europe to Africa and the Middle East, the Americas and Asia. Its sales force is active worldwide and distributed over 33 countries.

Find out more about Sparkle following its X and LinkedIn profiles or visiting the website tisparkle.com

 About Mobily (Etihad Etisalat Company)

Etihad Etisalat (Mobily) is a Saudi company launched as the second Telecom service provider of KSA in May 2005. Mobily provides integrated services for three main sectors, individuals, businesses, and carriers. It has one of the largest wireless network coverages in Saudi Arabia and one of the widest FTTH networks in addition to diverse data centres spanned across multiple cities in KSA. Mobily lands 3 major Submarine cables in KSA as on date – AAE1, TGN (EA) & TGN (Gulf). Mobily also invested in the upcoming cables Africa1 & SMW6 to land in KSA which is expected to be operational by 2026. It is also working on various projects to enhance the diverse connectivity in the Middle East though multiple submarine & terrestrial cable initiatives in line with Saudi Arabia’s VISION 2030.

Sparkle Media Contacts:

sp*******************@*******le.com

X: @TISparkle