Nearly three years have passed since CityFibre first started rolling out their gigabit speed Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband ISP network across the Cathedral City of Chichester in South East England (West Sussex). The good news is that they’ve now passed 12,000 premises and are “fast approaching around 85% coverage of the city“.

The operator claims to have completed “most of its rollout in the area“, covering the “vast majority” of homes and businesses. CityFibre’s Chichester rollout also includes the areas of Fishbourne and Stockbridge, as well as other businesses and housing estates on the outskirts of the city.

The work supports CityFibre’s wider ambition of covering up to 8 million UK premises (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), although it’s unclear precisely when they will achieve this target (the original goal was for the end of 2025, but their current build + M&A plan may only get them to c.6m). The operator currently covers 3.6 million UK premises (3.3m RFS).

The company said they’re also exploring opportunities to reach more sites, including new build properties, multi-dwelling units, homes on private or unadopted roads and business parks – these are all often a bit harder to tackle due to issues of wayleaves (access), cost etc.

Adrian Smith, CityFibre’s Partnership Manager for Chichester, said:

“We’re really pleased to have brought our full fibre networks to the vast majority of homes and businesses in Chichester. This means even more people now have the opportunity to join our network and unlock the benefits of full fibre connectivity.”

As usual, CityFibre aren’t the only gigabit-capable broadband network present in Chichester, with both Virgin Media and Openreach also covering much of the area. Not to mention smaller deployments from Hyperoptic and OFNL etc.

Alternative network and UK ISP G.Network, which is building a Multi-Gigabit capable Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband network across parts of London (here), has today announced that they’ve agreed with USS, their long term equity investor, access to additional funding of £85 million to support their “next phase of growth“.

The provider, which is estimated to be live across around 250,000 to 300,000 premises in London, last received a funding boost from USS almost a year ago when the same investor committed “up to an additional” £150m (here) to help support their continued operations and expansion (the build programme resumed, after a long pause and some job cuts, in February 2024 – here).

G.Network claims that their “business is performing well and successfully executing against its strategic plan of creating a better-connected London, delivering improvements in revenues, productivity and customer service“. For example, the operator highlights how they’re driving blended ARPU towards £50 due to the “dense mix of affluent consumers and businesses served” by their FTTP network in central London.

The operator next plans to develop their B2B retail and wholesale business, while also building more fibre network with their Strategic Partners, such as Boldyn Networks. This network development will include fibre infrastructure to support small cells for mobile operators, CCTV and other smart city applications.

On top of that, they will also continue to make switching to fibre easy for customers by partnering with landlords and developers to pre-wire flats and office blocks across the network, where possible.

Kevin Murphy, CEO, said:

“It is an exciting time to be at G.Network as we continue to build momentum in terms of our operational and financial performance. Our vision to build a better-connected London is coming to fruition and would not have been possible without the ongoing investment and support of USS, who, along with the whole team, are looking to G.Network’s future with confidence”.

Residential customers of G.Network typically pay from £19 per month for a 150Mbps (50Mbps upload) service on a 24-month term with free installation (£24 thereafter), which rises to £30 for their top 900Mbps plan (£35 thereafter). Shorter 12 and 1 month contracts are also available, albeit at extra cost, and a symmetric speed 900Mbps plan also exists.

Press Release

Hamburg, June 27, 2024: Semiconductor manufacturer Nexperia today announced plans to invest USD 200 million (appx. 184 million Euros) to develop the next generation of wide bandgap semiconductors (WBG) such as silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN), and to establish production infrastructure at the Hamburg site. At the same time, wafer fab capacity for silicon (Si) diodes and transistors will be increased. The investments are jointly announced with Hamburg’s Minister for Economic Affairs, Dr. Melanie Leonhard, on the occasion of the 100-year anniversary of the production site.

To meet the growing long-term demand for efficient power semiconductors, all three technologies (SiC, GaN, and Si) will be developed and produced in Germany starting in June 2024. This means Nexperia is supporting key technologies in the fields of electrification and digitalization. SiC and GaN semiconductors enable power-hungry applications, such as data centers, to operate with exceptional efficiency and are core building blocks for renewable energy applications and electromobility. These WBG technologies have great potential and are increasingly important for achieving decarbonization goals.

“This investment strengthens our position as a leading supplier of energy-efficient semiconductors and enables us to utilize available electrical energy more responsibly,” comments Achim Kempe, COO and managing director at Nexperia Germany. “In the future, our Hamburg fab will cover the complete range of WBG semiconductors while still being the largest factory for small signal diodes and transistors. We remain committed to our strategy of producing high-quality, cost-efficient semiconductors for standard applications and power-intensive applications, while addressing one of the greatest challenges of our generation: meeting the growing demand for energy and while reducing the environmental footprint.”

First production lines for high-voltage GaN D-Mode transistors and SiC diodes started in June 2024. The next milestone will be modern and cost-efficient 200 mm production lines for SiC MOSFETs and GaN HEMTs. These will be established at the Hamburg factory over the next two years. At the same time, the investment will help to further automate the existing infrastructure at the Hamburg site and expand silicon production capacity by systematically converting to 200 mm wafers. Following the expansion of the clean room areas, new R&D laboratories are being built to continue to ensure a seamless transition from research to production in the future.

In addition to advancing technology, the semiconductor supplier expects the initiative to stimulate local economic development. The investments make an important contribution to securing and creating jobs and enhancing the European Union’s semiconductor self-sufficiency. Nexperia works closely with universities and research institutes to benefit from each other’s expertise and promote highly qualified employee training. Nexperia relies on a robust research and development ecosystem in Hamburg and throughout Europe. Development partnerships and co-operations, e.g. in the field of GaN technology as part of the Industrial Affiliation Program (IIAP) of the nanoelectronics research center imec, play a crucial role. These and other collaborations ensure continuous innovation and technological excellence in Nexperia’s products.

“The planned investment enables us to bring WBG chip design and production to Hamburg. However, SiC and GaN are by no means new territory for Nexperia. GaN FETs have been part of our portfolio since 2019, and in 2023 we expanded our range of products to include SiC diodes and SiC MOSFETs, the latter in collaboration with Mitsubishi Electric. Nexperia is one of the few suppliers to offer a comprehensive range of semiconductor technologies, including Si, SiC, and GaN in both e-mode and d-mode. This means, we offer our customers a one-stop shop for all their semiconductor needs”, explains Stefan Tilger, CFO and managing director at Nexperia Germany.

The investment is yet another milestone in the 100-year history of Nexperia’s production site in Hamburg-Lokstedt. Since the foundation of Valvo Radioröhrenfabrik in 1924, the site has continuously developed and today supplies around a quarter of the global demand for small signal diodes and transistors. Since its spin-off from NXP in 2017, Nexperia has invested substantial sums in the Hamburg site, increased the workforce from 950 to around 1,600 and brought the technological infrastructure up to the state-of-the-art. This continued expenditure underlines the company’s commitment to remaining at the forefront of the industry and providing innovative solutions to its customers worldwide.

Private equity firm CVC (Fund IX) has this morning confirmed that they’ve acquired UK civil engineering firm M Group Services from PAI Partners. As well as catering for the water, energy and transport sectors, M Group also has a broadband and mobile focused telecoms division via several familiar brands (Avonline Networks, magdalene, Morrison and waldon).

M Group’s telecoms division typically provides a full end-to-end service offering to fixed, private and mobile operators that covers everything from the design, build and maintenance of the telecom infrastructure for key clients like Openreach, Virgin Media, Three UK, Gigaclear, CTIL, Hyperoptic, MBNL and more.

According to today’s announcement, CVC is investing in the business out of Fund IX, its most recent fund that closed at €26 billion in 2023, becoming the largest private equity fund ever raised, and brings substantial experience of investing in and growing UK businesses. Previous reports have valued the deal at around £1.5bn, although today’s announcement doesn’t confirm a specific figure.

CVC said they will work closely with M Group Services’ management team to accelerate its organic growth and development in this next phase, which is expected to be “complemented by further strategic value-enhancing” mergers and acquisitions in the near future. The new owner added that they were committed to upholding the Group’s commitment to safety, client-focused delivery, sustainability and innovation.

Andrew Findlay, CEO of M Group Services, said:

“We would like to thank PAI Partners for their strong support and commitment to our growth since 2018. We are delighted that CVC has decided to support our clear and ambitious plan to continue to grow and deliver at pace, built on our solid market-leading foundations. We look forward to working in partnership with CVC to deliver our future plans. This is great for our people, our clients and their customers.”

Dominic Murphy, Managing Partner and Co-Head of the UK Team at CVC and Tim Gallico (Partner), said:

“M Group Services is a leader in an attractive market growing on the back of structural trends linked to ageing infrastructure, decarbonisation initiatives and technology transitions. We are delighted to support its management team in this exciting next phase of its growth and development.”

According to M Group’s last investor update in November 2023, the company’s order book and bid pipeline were continuing to grow. On 30th September 2023, the order book was £6.7 billion (vs £5.4 billion last year) with a further £400m awaiting signature. This provided visibility for 94% of their FY24 budget revenues (up from 86% a year ago).

The transaction is expected to complete during Q3 2024. Deutsche Bank acted as lead financial adviser to PAI, with Citi also acting as financial adviser. Evercore acted as financial adviser to CVC.

Broadband ISP and mobile operator EE (BT) has today launched a second 1.6Gbps speed Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) package on Openreach’s network, which is called the ‘Broadband Made for Gamers‘ bundle and claims to offer online gamers “lower latency, game server geofencing and in-home network prioritisation,” among other things.

In case anybody has forgotten, EE already launched a 1.6Gbps (120Mbps upload) package for £69.99 per month last year (here), which came alongside their new Wi-Fi 6 capable Smart Hub Plus router and other kit. This was based on Openreach’s latest 1.8Gbps tier (requires a new 2.5Gbps port ONT to be installed in your home) and was also promoted for use by gamers.

The fact is that an FTTP connection, at any speed, should deliver excellent latency times for gaming and thus the key question we have to ask today is – what does that that extra £10 per month get you with this new bundle (the new bundle is £79.99 per month)? Followed by, is it worth the extra money?

According to EE, the Smart Hub Plus router that comes with this package includes ‘Game Mode‘, which is something that previously came as part of their WiFi Enhancer Boost. This feature is powered by Netduma and adds geo-filtering, as well as ping-optimise. On top of that, the bundle also includes 24-months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate (worth almost £200 in total), giving players access to hundreds of games, which is good if you like Microsoft’s platform.

What is Game Mode?

➤ Geo Filter – chooses the highest quality servers and blocks any that have increased lag for best in game play.

➤ Ping Optimiser – allowing customers to enjoy a fine-tuned connection with less buffering when gaming, with reducing server ping by up to 24% according to tests carried out by developers Netduma.

However, whether or not you really need Game Mode is debatable, as a good vanilla FTTP line should already be delivering excellent latency and stability, unless your ISP is being particularly crap with their routing/peering/capacity arrangements. Not to mention that humans are usually pretty good at ‘Geo Filtering’ from a server list themselves.

Sam Kemp, Director of Gaming at EE, said:

“By introducing Broadband Made for Gamers, we believe we’re making a huge step in our ambition to become the number one destination for gaming in the UK, by creating a broadband package that has been truly tailored for gamers to enhance their in-game experiences. Features such as Game Mode as well as 1.6Gbps Full Fibre will give gamers the extra edge when they’re playing, and customers will never be short on the latest and most exciting titles with our inclusive 24-month Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.”

EE adds that tests conducted on their Full Fibre network using Cisco’s ThousandEyes (formerly SamKnows) performance monitoring technology “reveals it offers a latency reduction of over a third compared to standard broadband“, although they don’t provide any specific details or define what “standard broadband” means. A more interesting test would to see how the new package compares with their entry-level 100Mbps+ FTTP plans for latency.

Admittedly, we’re always a little bit sceptical when an ISP claims to offer a multiplayer optimised service for online video games because there’s a limit to how much you can tweak FTTP connections in order to extract improvements in latency. In addition, the netcode that multiplayer games use has to be optimised for slower connections too, which means that there’s an element of diminishing returns for those with the lowest latencies.

Not to forget that your latency (ping times) will also depend on aspects of your own local network setup too, such as whether your device is connecting via WiFi (what standard?) or wired etc. Overall, it seems like the main cost difference with this bundle is the addition of that Xbox Game Pass.

New and existing customers of UK internet provider File Sanctuary, which sells FTTP, G.fast (SOGFast) and FTTC (SOGEA) broadband packages via Openreach, may like to know that the ISP has just expanded their line-up of discounted routers, which now includes the FRITZ!Box 7690, FRITZ!Box 7530 AX routers, the FRITZ!Repeater 3000 AX, and the FRITZ!Fon C6.

According to File Sanctuary, these devices are available “significantly below RRP” (recommended retail price) for both new and existing broadband customers. “If you’re already a customer, there’s no requirement to renew your contract to get a new router! Better yet, the routers are yours to keep, and we don’t lock them to our network,” states the ISP.

A quick look at the provider’s website shows that they’re selling, for example, the FRITZ!Box 7690 at £216 inc. VAT, the FRITZ!Box 7530 AX for £108 and the FRITZ!Repeater 3000 AX is also being sold for £120. The provider previously only seemed to offer a range of Wi-Fi 6 routers from Zyxel.

FS’ Summary of the New Routers

FRITZ!Box 7690: The Powerhouse Router

The FRITZ!Box 7690 is a marvel of modern technology, supporting future connection speeds all the way up to 2.5 Gbps, while providing high-speed Wi-Fi 7 up to 5760 + 1400 Mbps. It’s the perfect choice for those who demand ultra-fast browsing, streaming, and gaming. With its intelligent Mesh Wi-Fi, you can enjoy seamless coverage throughout your home or office when paired with a FRITZ!Repeater.

FRITZ!Box 7530 AX: Affordable Connectivity

The FRITZ!Box 7530 AX brings you the latest in Wi-Fi 6 technology, with speeds up to 1800 Mbps + 600 Mbps. It’s designed to handle the increasing number of devices in our homes and offices, ensuring optimal data rates even under heavy network usage.

FRITZ!Repeater 3000 AX: Expanding Your Horizons

Say goodbye to dead spots with the FRITZ!Repeater 3000 AX. This tri-band wireless repeater supports Wi-Fi 6 and offers a speeds of up to 2400 Mbps. It works in harmony with your FRITZ!Box router to extend the range of your Wi-Fi network, ensuring perfect coverage in every corner.

FRITZ!Fon C6: The Smart Telephone

The FRITZ!Fon C6 is not just a telephone; it’s a smart device that supports HD telephony for natural sound quality and offers a range of features like email reception, web radio, and Smart Home control. It’s the ideal companion to our Hosted VoIP service and your FRITZ!Box, bringing you a great way to replace your landline phone, while bringing convenience and clarity to your calls.

File Sanctuary’s ultrafast FTTP packages start at £40 per month for 150Mbps (27Mbps upload) on a 12 or 18 month term and rise to £55 per month for their top 900Mbps (110Mbps upload) tier. They also have some slower packages for a slightly lower price than £40.

Network operator nexfibre, which shares some of their parentage with UK broadband ISP partner Virgin Media (O2), has today announced that they expect to cover 15,000 premises in the neighbouring Buckinghamshire (England) towns of High Wycombe and Marlow via their new wholesale accessible 2Gbps Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) network.

The deployments reflect somewhat of an extension for Virgin Media, which already covers a sizeable amount of both locations. In addition, the towns also have some sizeable but patchy FTTP coverage via a mix of different operators, such as Openreach, Swish Fibre (All Points Fibre), OFNL, Hyperoptic, CityFibre, Trooli and others.

Nexfibre has already covered over 1 million premises across the UK with their new full fibre network, and they’re currently in the process of investing another £1bn during 2024, which should enable them to cover an additional 1 million UK premises (on top of their existing footprint).

Just for some context. 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 of 16m+ premises. The funding reflects £3.3bn of fully underwritten financing and up to £1.4bn in equity commitments.

News 

The partnership is Nvidia’s first large-scale entry to the Middle Eastern market 

Nvidia and Ooredoo have partnered in a deal to deploy “thousands” of Nvidia’s GPUs (graphic processing units) in 26 data centres in five countries (Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Algeria, Tunisia, and the Maldives). 

The value of the deal has not been disclosed, but it marks Nvidia’s first large-scale entry into the Middle East. 

The Qatari operator has become an Nvidia Cloud Partner, meaning that is “developing an AI-ready platform powered by NVIDIA’s full-stack innovation across systems, software, and services.” It also means that Ooredoo will be the first company in the MENA region whose clients will have access Nvidia’s AI and graphics processing technology, said the companies. 

“Implementing NVIDIA’s full-stack platform for accelerated computing and generative AI, Ooredoo is equipped to be at the forefront of the AI revolution in MENA, driving digitalisation and innovation as the leading digital infrastructure provider in the region. Working with NVIDIA, we aim to meet the significantly growing demand for accelerated computing infrastructure to support advanced AI models,” said Aziz Aluthman Fakhroo, Group CEO at Ooredoo in the announcement’s press release. 

“As a trusted regional telecommunications provider, Ooredoo Group combines deep enterprise and consumer relationships with the ability to invest in and deploy AI infrastructure and services,” Ronnie Vasishta, Senior Vice President of Telecom, NVIDIA. 

“By providing NVIDIA’s full-stack AI computing platform to customers, Ooredoo will help make it easier for their customers to deploy generative AI applications and services,” he continued. 

Recently, The US has imposed restrictions on the sale of advanced semiconductors to certain Middle Eastern nations, motivated by concerns that these high-tech chips could end up in the hands of China. These chips, which are critical for advanced computing and military applications, have become a focal point in the technological and geopolitical rivalry between the US and China. 

This deal, however, is compliant with the latest US impositions. It is A100 and H100 chips that are the focus of the restrictions, not GPUs. 

“As a telecom operator, dealing with very stringent regulation is business as usual. We are used to dealing with regulators and government authorities, whether they’re local or international,” said Fakhroo when speaking to CNBC. 

“We are working very closely with the different regulators and with Nvidia to see all the required approvals and to provide all the guarantees required,” he continued. 

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

Also in the news:
Telefónica and Nokia sign agreement to boost adoption of network APIs
Orange mulls selling its stake in Mauritius Telecom
Ericsson Mobility Report: 5G driving change in service providers’ FWA strategies

After winning the Rural Enterprise category for the South West region of the 2024 Countryside Alliance Awards earlier this year (here), alternative rural broadband provider Wessex Internet has today announced that they’ve just won the same category at the national awards too.

The Countryside Alliance Awards, which are now in their 17th year, exist to help recognise businesses that go the extra mile within their communities, such as by supporting the local economy and championing local goods and services. Wessex Internet was initially nominated anonymously by their customers, before later topping a public vote to win the earlier award in the South West. The national award was then chosen by a panel of judges.

The operator’s existing network footprint is currently said to cover “tens of thousands of homes” (some of this may include their old fixed wireless network too), while their business plan targets an “additional” 150,000 premises by 2027 through a combination of subsidised and unsubsidised capital investment. The ISP has also secured four Project Gigabit contracts from the UK Government to help connect 36,000 premises to their FTTP network.

Prices for their full fibre packages start at £29 per month for a 100Mbps (15Mbps upload) tier on a 12-month term, but this only comes with a meagre 100GB data allowance (£44 for unlimited), and you’ll have to pay £49 (one-off) for activation. By comparison, their top unlimited usage plan will give 900Mbps (450Mbps upload) for £79 per month, which is fairly expensive by today’s standards, albeit still good if nobody else can supply FTTP.

Hector Gibson Fleming, CEO at Wessex Internet, said:

“I’m absolutely over the moon that we have been recognised as Rural Enterprise champion at the 2024 Countryside Alliance Awards. This is a huge testament to the history of the business, the hard work of all of our people, and because we have stayed true to our values since forming as a small company to help our neighbours to now serving rural communities across Dorset, Somerset, Wiltshire and Hampshire.

It was particularly heartening for the judges to recognise not only the impact we make directly on the rural economy as a growing company and local employer, but more widely that the ultrafast broadband we provide enables other rural businesses to thrive and allows people living in the countryside to enjoy a higher quality of life.

Whether by enabling remote and hybrid working for professionals, keeping businesses connected to their customers, helping families to keep in touch with loved ones, or simply enabling people to enjoy the range of entertainment and essential services available online, we are determined to bridge the digital divide.”

The event itself was held at the House of Lords in London yesterday (Tuesday 25 June).

Network operator and broadband ISP WightFibre, which is building a gigabit speed Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) network across the Isle of Wight – just off the South Coast of Hampshire (England), has today revealed that they’ve managed to grow their take-up to 21,000 customers (30% market share).

The operator has already spent over £80m (Dec 2023) – rising to £110m by 2030 – to cover around 80% of the island (70,000 premises) with their new full fibre network (i.e. the ‘Gigabit Island‘ project), which should increase to 86% (74k) of the island by the end of 2024, then 90% by the end of 2025 and 98% by 2027 (c.82,000 premises).

The Government’s (Building Digital UK) Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme (GBVS) has also helped to fuel some of their progress in the hardest to reach areas, with over £3.1m in vouchers claimed to date. We should add that WightFibre’s network is roughly 85% built in their own underground ducting, with less than 15% using Openreach’s existing cable ducts and poles (PIA).

John Irvine, CEO of WightFibre, said:

“Our growing customer base and unwavering loyalty speak volumes. We’re not just a provider, we’re rapidly becoming woven into the very fabric of the Isle of Wight. WightFibre’s secret sauce? Localness. It’s what sets us apart, allowing us to deliver exceptional service at competitive prices.”

Andy Matthews, Head of Greenfield at Infracapital, said:

“As WightFibre nears its completion on the Island, we are very pleased with the progress. This is a real success story and the connectivity will bring social inclusion, jobs and many wider benefits to its communities”.

The news represents good progress, even if it is taking a bit longer than originally expected to build, and we’d expect their market share to increase in the future. The main challenge to this will be coming from Openreach (BT), which has already invested £4.5m to cover 15,000 premises across the Isle of Wight (here) and is expected to reach around 45,000 premises by 2026.

Otherwise, WightFibre’s packages start at £28.95 per month for a 150Mbps (symmetric) package, rising to £41.00 for 900Mbps. A social tariff of £19.95 for 100Mbps is available to customers in receipt of means tested benefits, and speeds of 10Gbps are available to business customers.