Mobile operator and UK ISP Vodafone has today celebrated the launch of faster One Touch Switching (OTS) between home broadband providers by reminding new customers that they will offer up to £100 towards exit fees with your old ISP, which should make it easier for those still stuck in longer contracts to migrate.

Nearly all of the market’s largest broadband and phone providers, as well as many smaller players (i.e. those that lock you into a longer minimum contract term), will typically levy some form of Early Termination Charge (ETC), which applies to customers that choose to exit their contract early. Often this reflects a portion of your normal monthly fees and will vary depending upon how many months your current term has left to run.

Some ISPs that want to entice you away from your existing provider will often try to tackle this obstacle by offering bill credits as an incentive to those who can prove (e.g. copy of your bill) that they’ve incurred ETCs by switching. Since July 2024 Vodafone has been offering up to £100 towards such exit fees, although how much you can claim does vary depending upon your package choice.

Up to £25 account credit on:

Fibre 1
Fibre 2
Full Fibre 74
Full Fibre 80

Up to £50 account credit on:

Full Fibre 150

Up to £100 account credit on:

Full Fibre 500
Full Fibre 910
Full Fibre 1.6Gbps
Full Fibre 1.8Gbps
Full Fibre 2.2Gbps

Rob Winterschladen, Consumer Director of Vodafone UK, said:

“Thanks to the launch of One Touch Switch, switching broadband providers has never been easier. Customers who have been discouraged from getting the best deal by an often difficult and time-consuming process can now do so easily. We hope that customers will find that switching is no longer hard work – they just need to speak to us and we will take care of the rest – meaning they get Vodafone’s reliable Full Fibre Broadband for less without the hassle”.

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 operator has added support for MUBI‘s global streaming and film distributor platform via a new app on their set-top-boxes. You’ll also get a special discount.

Customers will benefit from an exclusive 70% discount for six months (usually £11.99 per month or £95.98 per annum) when signing up to the service via their Virgin TV set-top box or through Priority from O2. Priority members will also gain an exclusive opportunity to win an invitation to a special screening with MUBI. Virgin TV customers who would like the chance to enter should keep an eye on the Priority app over the coming weeks.

David Bouchier, Chief TV and Entertainment Officer at Virgin Media O2, said: “We are delighted to add the movie-lover’s destination MUBI to our entertainment line-up. Not only does it provide 24/7 access to incredible, award-winning films, but Virgin TV customers can benefit from an exclusive discount so they can sit back, relax and enjoy extra savings while they watch.”

The SCTE Membership App is designed to bring all the various verticals the SCTE is known for into one place. Under the various missions of the SCTE itself – Information, Communication and Collaboration – users can access the latest technical specifications, register for events and access discount codes, catch up on webinars, training sessions, lectures and podcasts via our Spotify and YouTube channels as well as read a mobile-friendly version of the SCTE’s quarterly publication, Broadband Journal, for the first time.  Using their website login credentials, members can also access the Members Area which includes a members directory and archive.

The app has been designed for easy use with a clean interface and sleek design, reflective of the recent rebrand the organisation underwent earlier this year. The app is built on the latest technology stack and can be used on both android and iOS devices.

“We are incredibly excited to finally be launching the SCTE Membership App,” said Dr Anthony Basham, President of the SCTE. “Our team has poured their hearts and souls into this project, and it’s been a vision of ours for some years now. We truly believe that it will change the way people interact with the SCTE, and more specifically Broadband Journal. We can’t wait for users to experience it for themselves.”

He added, “Our membership is diverse but one thing is certain; we are using our phones now more than ever. It is the right time to provide such added value to our members, and the app is another illustration of the SCTE continuing to reinvent itself as time – and technology – progresses.”

The SCTE Membership App is now available for download on the Apple App Store and Google Play.

https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/scte-membership-app/id6670315010

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.scte.scteapp&pcampaignid=web_share

 

Rome (Italy) /Gurugram (India), 12 September 2024

Sparkle, the first international service provider in Italy and among the top global operators, has signed an agreement with Airtel Business – the B2B arm of Bharti Airtel (“Airtel”), one of India’s leading telecommunications service providers – for additional capacity on a diversified low latency route between Asia and Europe.

Airtel Business is India’s leading and most trusted provider of ICT services with strategically located submarine cables, satellite networks and global networks spanning 400,000 Rkm (including IRU) across 50 countries and five continents. With 1200+ global carrier partnerships, the company enables its customers to connect across the world including hard-to-reach areas. In India, Airtel Business offers a wide gamut of solutions that include secure connectivity, cloud and data centre services, cyber security, IoT and cloud-based communications to enterprises, governments, carriers, and small and medium businesses.

Under the agreement, Sparkle will provide capacity on the Blue & Raman Submarine Cable Systems which will connect India to Italy. With this additional capacity, Airtel will further diversify its global network across multiple international submarine cable systems to serve the growing demand for data services in India and neighbouring countries.

The two companies will also work together on the development of new business opportunities and projects in the Indian sub-continent, leveraging their respective cable infrastructures.

Vani Venkatesh, CEO of Global Business at Airtel Business, said: “We are happy to partner with Sparkle as we further consolidate our leadership in global connectivity. This partnership will further diversify our network with large integrated capacities to meet the ever-growing connectivity needs and data demand of our customers.”

“We are very pleased with this agreement, based on the new solution provided by Blue & Raman, which supports the digital growth of the region and strengthens our historical partnership with Bharti Airtel”, added 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 telecommunication 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 Bharti Airtel

Headquartered in India, Airtel is a global communications solutions provider with over 550 million customers in 17 countries across South Asia and Africa. The company ranks amongst the top three mobile operators globally and its networks cover over two billion people. Airtel is India’s largest integrated communications solutions provider and the second largest mobile operator in Africa. Airtel’s retail portfolio includes high-speed 4G/5G mobile broadband, Airtel Xstream Fiber that promises speeds up to 1 Gbps with convergence across linear and on-demand entertainment, streaming services spanning music and video, digital payments and financial services. For enterprise customers, Airtel offers a gamut of solutions that includes secure connectivity, cloud and data center services, cyber security, IoT, Ad Tech and cloud-based communication. For more details, visit www.airtel.com

 

 

Sparkle Media Contacts

sparkle.communication@tisparkle.com

X: @TISparkle

 

Bharti Airtel Media Contacts

corporate.communications1@airtel.com

 

Many regions struggle with poor connectivity because operators cannot find economically-viable sites for their infrastructure in key locations. Site Finder solves this problem by proactively identifying areas with poor connectivity and capacity, and facilitating the use of shared sites.

WM5G’s Site Finder service identifies locations with poor coverage, finding sites on public land that can be shared by multiple operators. By bringing in neutral host providers and tower companies, Site Finder makes it feasible for operators to deploy infrastructure in previously neglected areas.

The Site Finder service uses WM5G‘s Connected Map – developed in conjunction with Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), local authorities and public asset holders – to provide a comprehensive, dynamic inventory of buildings, land, and infrastructure that can be used to support the UK’s expanding telecoms infrastructure. 

WM5G’s distinctive position in the industry means it is uniquely positioned to address the critical challenges involved with infrastructure deployment. 

Chris Hudson, connectivity director at WM5G, said: 

“Connectivity is crucial for businesses and citizens alike, but are we doing enough to address poor coverage areas? Our site finder service pinpoints key regions for new coverage, and today’s announcement of our service expansion underscores our commitment to providing ubiquitous connectivity across the West Midlands and beyond. Improved connectivity will drive economic growth, enhance quality of life, and ensure that no one is left behind in our increasingly digital world.”

The Site Finder service is a game-changer for tower companies and operators, enabling the rapid and efficient rollout of crucial telecoms infrastructure, as well as simplifying the complex process of site identification and acquisition. It is an approach that promises to turn the vision of a fully-connected society into reality. 

Features and benefits

Proactive Identification: Unlike traditional reactive methods, Site Finder actively seeks out locations with poor coverage.

Shared Sites: By identifying sites that can be shared, the service reduces the cost burden on individual operators.

Economic Viability: Operators can now afford to provide connectivity in areas that were previously not financially viable.

Accelerated Rollout: The service simplifies the complex process of site identification and acquisition, speeding up the deployment of telecoms infrastructure.

Real-World Impact: More coverage to benefit citizens, businesses & public services

A series of new private 5G networks is set to transform food and wine production across West Sussex, enabling local businesses with the tools and skills to thrive in the digital age. This transformative initiative will co-develop foundational 5G use cases, testing technologies like sensors, drones, and cameras that can revolutionise farming practices and promote sustainable food production.

 

The announcement marks the next phase of the ‘Growing Sussex 5G Innovation Region’, an ambitious project aimed at driving sustainable food and drink productivity through 5G technology.

 

Boldyn Networks, a leader in shared networks infrastructure, will design and build four high-bandwidth private 5G networks across two grower sites and participating colleges, to pilot cutting-edge technologies such as automation and real-time remote control and monitoring. The networks will launch in Q1 2025.

 

From autonomous tractors to advanced drones, the project aims to trial new innovations across the region’s agriculture sector, to increase the uptake of 5G technology in growing practices across the country, to improve productivity, yields and profitability. By fostering the development of thought leaders, managers, and data analysts, the project will open exciting new career paths in the growing sector.

 

The project, a consortium of West Sussex County Council, West Sussex Growers, Brighton University, education centres and commercial producers, secured £3.8 million in funding from the Government’s Department of Science, Innovation and Technology as part of its 5G Innovation Regions programme.

 

Steve Waight, West Sussex County Council Cabinet Member with responsibility for Digital Infrastructure said: “Sussex provides a fertile environment for sustainable food and drink production, aligning with the government’s Food Strategy. By placing education at the core, we are equipping the workforce with digital skills to utilise modern technology across fields, farms, and vineyards. This approach not only supports local job creation in our key sectors but also broadens employment opportunities for students and workers, encouraging more to consider careers in horticulture, agriculture, and viticulture.”

 

The West Sussex horticulture sector generates £1 billion in annual sales and employs 10,000 full time employees. Recognising agriculture is a cornerstone of this region, this project will be looking to drive the industry’s expansion with greater job security and a desire for enhanced productivity.

 

Rachael Williams of West Sussex Growers’ Association said: “5G will be a game-changer for growers across the region. It has the potential to give growers the tools to further improve the efficiency, productivity and sustainability of growing practices. Through leveraging Boldyn Network’s technology – increased automation will provide better quality and timely data to enable improved decision-making to increase yields and productivity of home-grown fresh produce here in West Sussex. This project also has education at its heart, working together with our local colleges to update curriculums. Our aim is to develop the local workforce with the essential skills needed for commercial horticulture.”

 

Fionnuala Furmston, Country Manager UK, Private Networks Europe at Boldyn Networks said: “From increasing productivity to equipping the next generation of agricultural workers with the essential digital skills they need to thrive in this evolving landscape. We’re committed to helping shape the future of farming with the support of private 5G networks to accelerate a new era for agriculture. By integrating cutting edge technologies and enabling key use cases, we’re excited to transform the agricultural industry and help boost the West Sussex economy.

 

Furthermore, the project will establish a replicable model for 5G adoption in growing sectors across the UK. By enabling British growers to produce food and drink more efficiently and sustainably, it aligns perfectly with the current UK Food Strategy.”

 

Paul Rolfe, Associate Principal (Employers & Stakeholders) at Chichester College Group, said: “We look forward to the impact digital connectivity, including 5G, will have on agriculture and the future leaders of the industry, like the students at Brinsbury College. Technologies such as real-time data, precision studies, and AI will drive a sustainable food revolution that goes beyond improving food and wine production.

 

As part of the Growing Sussex Innovation Region, we are committed to leading change and equipping future generations with the digital skills they need for success. Through new qualifications in agriculture and land management, we are proud to develop a workforce ready to shape the future of farming in the UK and globally.”

 

ENDS

 

About Boldyn Networks

 

Boldyn Networks is one of the world’s largest neutral host providers, delivering the advanced shared network infrastructure needed for a smart, inclusive, and sustainable future. It brings together the combined scale and expertise of industry-leading companies with a single purpose: to unlock the power of an interconnected future. From interconnected transit, venues and enterprises, smart cities, next-generation and bespoke private networks, to smart campuses –through Apogee Telecom, a Boldyn Networks company- Boldyn enables new possibilities in the way people live, work and play. Bringing connectivity to the most complex environments. Our portfolio is harnessing fiber, advancing 4G/LTE, accelerating 5G, preparing for 6G–and looking beyond to the next breakthroughs. With headquarters in the UK, our global operations span North America, Europe, and Asia. Boldyn Networks. Reimagine tomorrow. Transform today. 

 

Learn more at: www.boldyn.com  

 

For more information contact

Boldyn Networks

M <07921 450882> | E < boldyn@lexcomm.co.uk >

Etten-Leur, Netherlands, 11 September ’24 – Future Connections, the independent telco solutions provider and software developer with in-depth experience in network performance assurance, RAN optimisation and automation and in telco managed services, today announced the expansion of its operations with the opening of new offices in Mexico.

 

The company has set up the new operations in the Americas to respond to a specific request from customers and partners alike. Its move to be closer to the American market makes more readily available to local mobile network operators its expertise in developing and implementing customer-focused, scalable, cost-effective automation and orchestration solutions.

The office will be located in Polanco, the popular business district of Mexico City. It will be headed by Jair Segura, a local professional with extensive knowledge of the American market, having previously worked in senior roles in Business Development, Sales and Technical Sales for companies such as Viavi, Samsung, TeleWorld Solutions and LCC (Tech Mahindra). Jair commented: “I am excited to join Future Connections at a time when its presence in the region is desired and automation and orchestration of network processes and operations are recognised worldwide as the enablers to achieve much needed higher efficiency levels and end-customer satisfaction”.

Alejandro Medina, CTO at Future Connections, added: “As service assurance and autonomous network solutions evolve with the attractive adoption of more sophisticated and promising technologies and methodologies such as OpenRAN, cloud native developments and AI/ML, we felt compelled to bring our expertise in these areas closer to customers, prospects and partners located in the Americas. This is in line with our customer-centric approach and supports our mission to help communication service providers (CSPs) worldwide to achieve highly improved levels of efficiency in their network performance and satisfaction of their end-customers. We welcome Jair in our team and look forward to working closely with him in the American market”.

Cannes, France, 11 September 2024 – SmartCIC Group, the work smarter company, has appointed Catherine Hemingray as its Chief Impact Officer to maintain and scale the group’s business culture as it enters its next phase of growth. Hemingray will lead initiatives at a group level that support its diversity, culture and values across its two businesses, SmartCIC Global Services and xvolv. Hemingray co-founded SmartCIC alongside Group CEO, Toby Forman in 2008. Over the last two years, she has led the sales team as Sales Director at SmartCIC Global Services. In her new role, Hemingray will build on the group’s heritage as a customer-centric, agile, and solution-focused organisation.

 

SmartCIC Group is headquartered in France with 13 offices across the globe. The Group includes global connectivity provider SmartCIC Global Services and AI and wireless intelligence innovator xvolv. It serves customers and partners in over 200 countries and territories with a multi-lingual team speaking more than 22 languages. SmartCIC’s core values of flexibility and agility are driven by the team’s approach to solution-orientated design.

 

“We are taking our business to another level, and it is critical that we maintain and scale the business culture that got us to this point. I’m extremely proud of everything that the team has achieved and now I want to be sure that we are nurturing and growing SmartCIC Group as an organisation that has a positive impact on our people, customers and the environment. We’re seeing massive growth and we’re taking our culture seriously and dedicating time and resource to ensuring we’re focused on what got us here,” said Catherine Hemingray, Co-Founder and Chief Impact Officer at SmartCIC Group. “In my new role, I’m prioritising listening, empowering teams, and leading by example. We love the team we’ve built and we want to set them up for long-term success. This role isn’t just about building up the Group, it’s about building up our people.”

 

SmartCIC Group has demonstrated its commitment to diversity, inclusion and giving back to the industry through its partnership with Maxim Nyansa, an African non-governmental organisation (NGO). In 2023, it announced it would provide young people across Africa with hardware, IT training and micro-financing. The partnership is focused on enabling more African youth, in particular young women to build careers and launch successful IT businesses in their local areas. In September 2024, Maxim Nyansa welcomed a new class of students from West Africa with 100% women enrolled in the programme.  

 

“Catherine lives the SmartCIC brand every day and brings energy to every meeting. From her role in the NHS to her leadership roles in telecoms, she’s inspiring and in this role, Catherine will communicate our core values across the group. The timing is great and she’s in a position to have a massive impact on the business,” said Glenda Brady, Board Member – ESG at SmartCIC Group. “It is refreshing to see a rapidly growing business double-down on its business culture and appoint a dedicated Chief Impact Officer. SmartCIC is putting culture, diversity, and sustainability front and centre in its growth journey and it will pay massive dividends over time.”

 

SmartCIC Group has grown its headcount exponentially over the last 12 months. Most recently, it appointed Paula Valverde as CTIO at xvolv, and Albert Bosch as Managing Director at SmartCIC Global Services. Earlier this year, Carl Roberts, Glenda Brady and Michael Schwieter also joined the group as Non-Executive Directors.

 

— ends —

 

SmartCIC Group

 

SmartCIC Group is headquartered in France with 13 offices across the globe. The Group includes global connectivity provider SmartCIC Global Services and AI and cellular intelligence innovator SmartCIC Technologies. It serves customers and partners in over 200 countries and territories with a multi-lingual team speaking more than 22 languages. SmartCIC’s core values of flexibility and agility are driven by the team’s approach to solution orientated design. SmartCIC’s strategy is to deliver fully flexible solutions that meet the needs of demanding and evolving environments.

 

We help customers work smarter to achieve their objectives.

 

www.smartcic.com

 

 

xvolv

 

xvolv delivers applied intelligence that empowers connectivity providers, enterprises and any organisation to answer the biggest questions in next-generation networking. It combines artificial intelligence, innovation and consultancy to enable customers to solve challenges, monetise assets and accelerate growth. xvolv operates an innovation hub in Barcelona, Spain with an objective to explore how organisations can use next-generation networks to power connected worlds. xvolv brings together data scientists, network engineers, consultants and strategists to innovate and solve industry challenges. 

 

www.xvolv.com

LINX Nairobi is a neutral, multi-site interconnection fabric providing peering services and more for networks wanting to improve performance, increase redundancy and lower latency.

Launched back in November 2023, the new Internet Exchange Point (IXP) is going from strength to strength with a strong community of local Internet Service Providers (ISPs), global content networks and strategic partners already interconnected, and traffic starting to build.

The team at LINX have spent a lot of time with the local engineering community and following interest from key networks located at PAIX it was decided that the infrastructure needed to grow – only 9 months after launch.

PAIX Nairobi NBO-1 is located at the Britam Tower in Upper Hill, Nairobi, the central business district and a known key financial hub for East and Central Africa.

Networks located at the PAIX facility in Nairobi are soon to be just a single cross connect away from peering opportunities with any network present at LINX Nairobi, from global content networks like Meta to local ISPs such as ICON Fiber, Mtaani Telecom, Mymanga Networks and PepeaNet.

LINX Nairobi has a fully interconnected and dual fibre infrastructure between the data centre sites for full resilience and redundancy. The addition of PAIX will enhance the LINX fabric to a 4-site interconnection hub and the installation work is being prepared and looking to go live in the coming weeks.

Emmanuel Makina, Sales Manager of PAIX Data Centres says:

“With our cloud- and carrier-neutral datacentre located in the centre of the business district, we host communities of interest for the financial and content industries, so that includes financial services, advertising, broadcasting, and entertainment companies. The customers that host their mission critical equipment in our facility have a requirement to be online 24×7 in today’s digital economy. They all benefit from being able to connect to multiple networks, easily scale their bandwidth, reduce their connectivity costs, and have the lowest latency to their partners…”

“Further, the PAIX facility is a natural communications hub for Nairobi: in a very central location in Upper Hill, and next to Britam Tower where our customers can colocate their antennas for wireless connectivity to all parts of the city.”

Jennifer Holmes, CCO for LINX comments:

“We didn’t expect to be expanding the LINX Nairobi network this soon, but we like to pride ourselves in our commitment to the local community. They said, we listened. By expanding the peering opportunities to the customers at PAIX we are adding value to the entire LINX Nairobi community and prospective new local and global networks who we are in talks with.”

Wouter van Hulten, CEO & Founder, says:

“PAIX Data Centres is fully committed to the development of Kenya’s digital infrastructure, with support for all the latest AI hardware and software. PAIX Data Centres is invested in by Africa50, a private equity fund in which the Republic of Kenya is a shareholder. We are building and operating the infrastructure to enable Africa’s digital economy, with local datacentres, local teams, and world class operations, all essential ingredients for the developments that lie ahead. We warmly welcome LINX to the PAIX Community in Kenya.”

Mole ploughs broke the ground in Stapleford last week, as Wessex Internet began its physical work to deliver full fibre internet to 14,500 homes and businesses in South Wiltshire.

This work is part of Project Gigabit, a government-funded programme to enable hard-to-reach communities to get fast, reliable broadband. The contract is worth £18.8 million and will see Wessex Internet expanding its existing network in the Wylye Valley, going across the Salisbury Plain, connecting villages surrounding Amesbury, and going as far north as Chisbury and Little Bedwyn. The first communities to be connected will be Stapleford, Wylye and Bapton.

 

The contract was awarded by the government in March 2024 to be delivered over the next five years. The infrastructure work that started this week follows six months of detailed planning to design the network route, liaison with landowners and communities in the areas that will be connected, and the opening of a new construction base in Codford, where civils operatives delivering the project are based.

 

Meanwhile, as the network build gets underway to deliver one of Wessex Internet’s latest Project Gigabit contracts in South Somerset, the company has also just reached a significant milestone in delivering its first Project Gigabit project in the North Dorset area, with more than 50% of the properties in this contract now connected. Villages recently connected include Kington Magna, Buckland Newton and Holwell.

 

All the homes and businesses being connected across South Wiltshire and North Dorset will benefit from full fibre broadband, also known as Fibre to the Premises (FTTP). This means a fibre optic cable goes all the way to each building, rather than stopping at a cabinet down the road. This delivers connection speeds of up to 10Gbps, with far superior speeds and reliability compared to old copper telephone lines.

Minister of State for Telecoms Chris Bryant said:

“Connectivity is a vital part of modern life, for individuals, families, communities, businesses and government. I’m delighted that months of hard work are now paying dividends in South Wiltshire where villages that were once cut off will soon be able to access state of the art broadband.

 

“This will be a game-changer for residents, not only because it will provide them with faster internet, but because it will help create equal opportunities, boost rural businesses, and ensure our villages aren’t left behind in the digital age.”

 

Hector Gibson Fleming, CEO of Wessex Internet, said:

“Wessex Internet is determined to continue our mission delivering ultrafast broadband to rural communities that would otherwise be left behind by traditional providers. Supported by the government’s Project Gigabit, we continue this work at pace, and it’s exciting to see milestones being reached in both our first and one of our newest contract areas.

“This is great news for homes and businesses in the North Dorset and South Wiltshire, who will be able to access world-class connectivity and the many economic and social benefits it provides. We will continue working closely with the residents and businesses across these two contract areas, involving them in our planning process and informing them as soon as our future-proofed broadband is available in their communities.”

Wessex Internet’s rollout will continue over the next five years in South Wiltshire and complete within the next two years in Norh Dorset. It will target hard-to-reach rural areas that, without government investment, would have missed out on faster speeds. This gigabit-capable connectivity is being supported by the government to help expand opportunity, reduce inequality and drive economic growth, by making it easier for rural communities to access broadband that will meet people’s needs for decades.