WALTHAM, MA — June 25, 2024 — Netcracker Technology announced today that 4iG, a Hungarian convergent communications group, has launched a transformation program to migrate all retail customers of its subsidiary companies – Vodafone Hungary and DIGI – onto Netcracker’s full IT stack, which includes Netcracker Digital BSS and Netcracker Digital OSS, part of the flagship Netcracker Digital Platform.

The multi-year project to bring all operating companies on a single cloud-ready IT stack will help Vodafone Hungary and DIGI increase their use of automation and centralized processes, as well as improve customer experience by creating an integrated operation.

4iG’s subsidiaries and their customers will also benefit from a new far-reaching application development engagement, allowing the companies to support an expanding retail customer base and wide range of business requirements and processes.

The operator will continue leveraging Netcracker’s extensive managed service offerings to support existing deployments while targeting the highest levels of service stability. A robust Agile culture, reinforced with powerful DevOps automation processes and tools, will help deliver new functionality, operational enhancements and solution updates for faster time to delivery.

“Throughout our partnership with Netcracker, we have experienced continuously improving operational stability and development quality,” said Tamás Bányai, CEO at Vodafone Hungary. “Now that we are bringing our partners onto our network, that relationship will become even more critical, and we look forward to these new projects and additional success.”

“As 4iG grows its business and customer base, Netcracker is honored to continue its journey as the group’s IT partner of choice,” said Benedetto Spaziani, GM at Netcracker. “We are excited to be part of such a critical migration project that includes application development to help 4iG streamline its operations and deliver the best experience for its customers.”

About Netcracker Technology

Rapid digitization is disrupting the status quo of today’s communications markets. Constantly evolving customer needs and behaviors require service providers to adapt quickly and diversify their businesses to deliver the outcomes that their customers expect. Building digital ecosystems, anticipating customer requirements and delivering a digital-first experience are essential for service providers to accelerate innovation, expand into new markets and become the disruptors in the 5G era.

Netcracker Technology, a wholly-owned subsidiary of NEC Corporation, has the expertise, culture and resources to help service providers around the world transform their businesses to thrive in a digital economy. Our innovative solutions – including our flagship cloud-native Netcracker Digital Platform – value-driven services and unbroken delivery track record of three decades help service providers to achieve their digital transformation goals, drive the telco to techco evolution within their organizations and realize business growth and profitability. For more information, visit www.netcracker.com.

Media Contact

Anita Karvé
Netcracker Technology
MediaGroup@Netcracker.com   

Tollring has extended its longstanding relationship with Dstny by securing a new three-year contract to deliver its latest call recording solution to Dstny’s pan-European service providers.

Dstny, a leading European cloud business communications provider, has been working with Tollring since Dstny’s acquisition of Telepo in 2021.  The contract renewal reaffirms Dstny’s confidence in Tollring products and services which integrate seamlessly with their infrastructure and meet customer compliance requirements in each region.

Tony Martino, CEO of Tollring says, “As one of the fastest growing communications companies in the Deloitte Technology Fast 50, with 295% revenue growth over the past four years, we are delighted to continue our valued partnership with Dstny. Our relationship grows from strength to strength as they take advantage of our latest technical advances, including our newest call recording solution.”

Daan De Wever, co-founder and CEO of Dstny Group says, “We are excited to renew our partnership, which allows us to launch our new Dstny Premium Call Recording solution, powered by Tollring. The new user interface of the application meets our own objectives of delivering simplicity, intuitiveness and easy deployment. These priorities enable us to deliver an excellent experience both to our partners and their customers.”

About Tollring www.tollring.com

Tollring is a market leading software developer providing data visualisation and business intelligence tools that help manage, understand and control a wide array of communications information, resources and assets. 

With offices in the UK, the USA, India and Australia, Tollring specialises in business communications analytics, call recording solutions, telecoms expense management and fraud management systems.   Its innovative solutions are developed in-house and distributed via an extensive channel partner network to over 31,000 businesses globally. 

Tollring prides itself in its high levels of technical capability and strives to deliver outstanding support having been certified in quality standard ISO 9001 and ISO/IEC 27001 for Information Security Management. It is a Microsoft Gold Partner in application integration, data analytics, application development, cloud platforms and a Silver Partner in project and portfolio management.

About Dstny www.dstny.com

Dstny is a premier global provider of cloud-based business communications solutions. With over 3,5 million users, Dstny simplifies communication for companies, partners, and service providers with products delivered as a service across all formats, including voice, video, and chat. Featuring a mobile-first design and easy integration, Dstny’s innovative technology and strong local partnerships allow for delivering exceptional user experiences. Headquartered in Brussels, Dstny has ca. 1000 employees in 8 countries.

For two decades, Beaming has been at the forefront of providing internet and voice services that meet the ever-changing demands of businesses. Beaming was established during the broadband rush of the early noughties to fill a gap in the market for high-quality connectivity and communications products combined with excellent customer service.

Beaming was the first UK internet service provider to offer a combined call and broadband package and one of the first to specialise in serving business customers. It has established a reputation for rock-solid connectivity and a successful niche serving organisations with complex internet and IT requirements. Customers include multisite businesses and schools, organisations requiring guaranteed internet uptime such as radio stations, and those seeking maximum cybersecurity protection.

Sonia Blizzard, Managing Director of Beaming, said: “The past 20 years have been remarkable for Beaming and the internet. We’ve become an established ISP serving thousands of businesses nationwide and have seen the web transform from a nascent technology to an indispensable business tool. In that time, we’ve focused relentlessly on ensuring our customers stay connected, protected and competitive in our increasingly digital world.”

“As we celebrate our 20th anniversary, we wanted to give something back to the community that has supported us. Beaming’s brief history is a resource for anyone interested in understanding how far the internet has come and potentially where it is heading in the future.”

To celebrate its anniversary, Beaming has published a ‘Brief History of the Modern (Business) Internet’, a video and online report highlighting 100 significant events in the tech and internet business landscape over the last 20 years.

This issue has forced the majority of employees to leave their office building simply to make a phone call (60%), with reports of decreased productivity (74%) and increased stress levels (72%) as a result.

Most of the UK has access to strong mobile signal in their home and local community, yet these latest findings indicate that buildings are proving a barrier to workers receiving this service in the office. Many hybrid workers are looking to their organisations to address this, with nearly two thirds of those surveyed (61%) calling on their employers to increase investment in office mobile connectivity.

The recent survey of 2,000 UK hybrid workers reveals that slow internet speeds (40%), weak mobile network signal (39%) and dealing with areas in the office which have poor or no mobile coverage (36%) are the top connectivity issues faced. In fact, over a quarter (27%) of those experiencing connectivity issues experience this on average two to three days per week.

With many of today’s office buildings consisting of thick concrete or stone walls, brick and steel structures and an increased use of metallised-glass, over half (55%) of those surveyed report that their mobile connection is better at home than the office. According to the findings, the top three problem areas at work with weaker mobile signal include office stairwells, meeting rooms and communal spaces such as kitchens or break rooms.

Edmund Wilkinson, Head of Sales for In-Building solutions from Cellnex UK said: “These findings emphasise that many office buildings across the country are not yet fit for purpose when it comes to facilitating the needs of a modern workforce and we must ensure that our infrastructure is suitably upgraded to meet demand.

“In today’s increasingly digital world, reliable mobile connectivity is essential for productivity and employee wellbeing. By addressing these issues businesses can expect to not only increase productivity, but also create a more collaborative and less stressful work environment for their employees.”

The majority of those surveyed (86%) also stated that they believe reliable mobile connectivity plays an important role in job performance. Poor mobile connectivity would also deter 68% of hybrid workers surveyed from coming into the office, and 40% stated they have considered changing jobs due to persistent mobile connectivity issues.

Westcon-Comstor, a global technology provider and specialist distributor, today announced it has joined forces with Extreme Networks to help transform spectators’ sports and event experiences by driving adoption of Extreme solutions across stadiums and venues throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA).

Westcon-Comstor is now the first distributor in the EMEA region to be officially recognised as a delivery and solutions partner for stadiums looking to leverage Extreme’s market-leading solutions, which have already been deployed by world-famous football clubs including Manchester United and Borussia Dortmund as well as US-based sporting bodies such as Major League Baseball, NASCAR and the National Football League (NFL).

By spearheading the rise of the connected stadium, Extreme is revolutionising the matchday experience for sports fans.

High-speed Wi-Fi connectivity and Wi-Fi analytics enable seamless experiences including mobile ticketing, cashless transactions, in-seat concessions ordering, real-time sports betting, and improved stadium app performance, driving fan engagement while boosting revenue generation for venues. Strong network infrastructures improve ticketing, security, and staff collaboration and provide data-driven insights for better resource allocation and operational planning.

Westcon-Comstor and Extreme Networks have a long-standing relationship, and the new agreement sees Westcon bring Extreme’s solutions to the IT channel in EMEA for the first time.

Through its network of channel partners including technology resellers, systems integrators and service providers, Westcon will accelerate adoption of Extreme’s solutions across the region – creating new growth opportunities for its channel partners while adding value through its own services. Westcon’s experienced services team will install and deploy the infrastructure to meet each venue’s specific requirements.

“Extreme Networks is an innovator in the space – shaking up the status quo and helping customers find new ways to drive better outcomes. They’ve taken a leadership position in driving seamless deployments across large venues and stadiums, and we’re excited to partner with them as they continue to expand their presence across EMEA,” said Martin Flensburg, VP, Business Operations, Global Supply Chain Solutions and Services at Westcon-Comstor. “This new element in our relationship with Extreme creates exciting new opportunities for our partners and adds to our long-held collaboration, enabling the delivery of projects across Extreme’s networking solutions, supported by Westcon services.”

“Good connectivity is not just a modern luxury, it’s the basis to deliver an exceptional fan experience and for effective fan engagement. Fans demand more than just a thrilling game; they seek an immersive experience where the talent on the field is complemented by seamless and secure connectivity in the stands,” said Markus Nispel, CTO EMEA at Extreme Networks. “The combination of Extreme’s industry-leading solutions and deep knowledge of stadium environments with Westcon-Comstor’s rich heritage in creating strong, scalable customer relationships creates a significant opportunity for both companies to continue to expand across EMEA.”

ielo, the French neutral operator for fiber infrastructures, announces a €208m structured funding package from leading international banks including NAB, NordLB, NIBC, EdRAM, LBPAM and LCL. The deal follows a successful initial fundraising from DIF Capital Partners in July 2020. This new stage will enable ielo to sustain its growth while continuing to develop a state-of-the-art fiber infrastructure nationwide. Thanks to its networks, ielo works alongside its operator partners to support companies and public authorities in their digitization. ielo is reaffirming its position as the sole neutral infrastructure operator in the French market.

Thanks to the vision of its founders and the dedication of its teams, ielo, which was established in 2016, has become a national, neutral and independent infrastructure operator in less than ten years.

Since acquiring funds from DIF Capital Partners in 2020, ielo has increased the size of its metropolitan network tenfold and created its own national long-distance network. These homogeneous, ultra high-capacity networks provide unique end-to-end service quality and a competitive advantage for its operator partners.

In 2024, ielo operates and maintains:

a 16,000 km metropolitan fibre network to be as close as possible to end-customer sites;
an 11,000 km long-distance network to transport the data of its partners and their customers from one side of France to the other;
a presence in almost 200 data centres in France and Europe.

In January 2024, ielo announced an invoiced sales of €43M.  Over the last four years, ielo has recorded continuous annual growth of 33% and has become one of the most dynamic players in the digital infrastructure sector. These positive results are driven by the renewed confidence of its 400 active operator customers, who were joined in 2023 by 60 new national and international players.

Today, ielo is entering a new stage in its development with a €208M structured funding package. The aim of this investment is to provide the necessary framework and financial stability for new projects over the next five years. Now that ielo has reached maturity and financial equilibrium, it will continue to focus on developing the company while supporting the digital ecosystem of its partners.

Arthur FERNANDEZ, CEO of ielo, commented: “This funding demonstrates the buoyant momentum that ielo has built year after year.  Today, we are even prouder of the progress we have made, as it has been achieved without compromising what ielo is founded on, namely our independence, our ethics and our expertise. Thanks to this investment, our teams will be able to continue rolling out a state-of-the-art fibre infrastructure in France. And now, more than ever, we intend to accelerate our development to serve our partners and the French digital ecosystem as a whole.”

RBC Capital Markets, Latham & Watkins and Dentons advised ielo on this transaction. The lenders were advised by A&O Shearman.

Press Release

Telefónica and Nokia today announced an agreement to jointly explore new opportunities leveraging 5G Standalone (SA) capabilities for network APIs to support developers in creating new use cases for consumer, enterprise, and industrial customers.

Through this agreement, Telefónica will harness Nokia’s NEF for various purposes that enable developers to access the operator’s 5G network capabilities, like precise device location, enhanced notifications based on connectivity status, edge discovery, and more.

Having access to these capabilities will enhance developers’ capacity to build new applications and drive new service APIs for the industry.

Nokia’s NEF solution, based on 3GPP specifications, provides a process for interfacing with well-defined functions in the core network. It also enables API mashups so developers can combine multiple APIs from different core functions into a new customized API, which is easier for developers to use to create new applications.

Nokia’s Network as Code platform with developer portal brings together networks, systems integrators, and software developers, into a unified ecosystem that provides developers a simple way for integrating advanced 5G capabilities into their applications; without having to navigate the complexity of the underlying network technologies.

Nokia has signed collaboration agreements with 14 network operators and ecosystem partners, in Europe, North America, and South America, to use the platform since its launch in September 2023.

Cayetano Carbajo Martín, Core & Transport Director, Global CTIO at Telefónica said: “We are pleased to take this step with Nokia in recognition of the tremendous opportunity we have to further empower developers with the tools they require to deliver new use cases and experiences for their customers and beyond. This partnering agreement is about steering the industry in building new APIs and more use cases over 5G SA capabilities that have been launched across Telefonica’s main operations”.Shkumbin Hamiti, Head of Network Monetization Platform, Cloud and Network Services at Nokia said: “There continues to be a rising recognition that sustaining closed networks is a thing of the past and that embracing ecosystems is the way forward for deepening collaboration and creating new use cases; delivering better customer experiences; and generating new revenue opportunities. Our agreement with Telefónica is added proof of the much greater telco ecosystem openness that we are now seeing today and we look forward to jointly working to support developers in harnessing a broader array of network capabilities.”

Infrastructure firm M Group Services, which among other things also caters for the UK and Ireland via its various broadband and mobile focused civil engineering brands (Avonline Networks, magdalene, Morrison and waldon), is reportedly in “advanced talks” with private equity giant CVC Capital Partners over a possible £1.5bn acquisition deal.

The M Group’s Telecom Division typically provide 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. But the group also extends into water, energy and transport.

However, a recent report on Sky News claims that Luxembourg-based CVC, which floated on the Euronext Amsterdam Stock Exchange during May 2024, is now the final remaining bidder for M Group after seeing off rival interest from the Apollo Global Management and others. A deal is expected to be signed sometime this summer.

Such an agreement would also need the blessing of private equity firm PAI Partners, which since 2018 has been the majority owner of M Group (Citi are said to be advising PAI on the process). The deal, if approved, could give M Group an important boost and help them to expand, although they don’t appear to be short of orders.

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).

Network access provider Openreach (BT) has revealed that a good number of their UK broadband and phone engineers will now be given an extra fun task to perform, which involves measuring the number of bugs that get unceremoniously splatted across their vans.

The company currently operates the UK’s second-largest commercial van fleet, which totals around 29,000 vehicles and covers more than 4 million miles every year. Suffice to say that a lot of insects get wiped out on their vehicles and this is of interest to the ‘Bugslife‘ study (supported by the Kent Wildlife Trust), which is a national citizen science project that aims to raise awareness of insect conservation.

The UK wide survey, which started on 1st May 2024 and runs until 30th September 2024, essentially encourages volunteers to measure insect splats (the number of dead insects) on vehicle number plates as a sign of insect abundance. Naturally, the addition of Openreach’s fleet could make a huge difference to this, with the operator “aiming to double last year’s input data by recording 4,000 Openreach journeys alone.”

The hope is that Openreach’s commitment might inspire other businesses to get involved. But the network operator also sees this as helping in their efforts to “minimise its disturbance to natural habitats and move towards becoming a nature positive business.”

Andrew Whale, Chief Engineer for Openreach, said:

“Using our fleet and our engineers on the ground to support this important piece of citizen science is simply the right thing to do, and an easy one for everybody to take action for nature; we can all get involved, it’s very simple to do and we are proud to support one of our partners in improving this critical data”

The “Bugs Matter” study has been conducted on an annual basis since 2001, based on a reference survey by the RSPB in 2004. Analysis of records from nearly 26,500 UK journeys over this period shows a continuing decrease in insect numbers, with the number of insect splats nationwide in 2023 being 78% lower than that of 2004. Good news if you’re planning a countryside picnic, at least.

On the one hand, counting insects gives an estimate of the abundance of insect life in our towns, and countryside, and a measure of the health of our environment. This can be used to show where wildlife is recovering and thus how effective any related conservation efforts have been, as well as where there may be problems. On the other hand, yuk!

Alternative broadband operator Airband, which aims to cover 400,000 premises in rural parts of Wales and South West England via a mix of fixed wireless access (FWA) and full fibre (FTTP) networks by 2026, has done something that we don’t often see from Altnets by launching a TV campaign to promote their service.

The TV ad, which will be shown in parts of the country where Airband has a presence, features the voiceover of BAFTA award-winning comedy actor Charlie Cooper characterised as a duck who is comparing life in the countryside with the conveniences of living in a city to help highlight Airband’s connectivity solutions for rural communities.

The announcement states that Airband has already brought “superfast connectivity access” to over 315,000 premises in over 200 communities across 7 counties. This is the same figure that majority shareholder, abrdn, promoted in March 2024.

However, it’s worth noting that this reflects 230,000 premises as Ready for Service (RFS) and combines both their wireless and full fibre deployments (they also had 19,000 customers). We think upwards of 220k premises from that 315k total are being catered for solely by FTTP.

James Hyland, Head of Marketing at Airband, said:

“For too long communities and businesses outside of major cities have had to put up with little to no broadband provision. Airband changes all of that, our funny and slightly tongue-in-cheek campaign shows that we understand that country life is very much like city life, just with a better view!.”

Ordinarily, the launch of a new TV ad campaign wouldn’t be particularly interesting, which is partly because most of those come from the major providers and are thus part of routine. But it’s much less common to see smaller players putting in the not insignificant investment to do something similar, although Gigaclear did do one in 2022 (here).

The move will be seen as part of Airband’s efforts to improve take-up of their service(s), which follows after a period of restructuring that disrupted some builds and caused redundancies (here and here). But since then, the operator has been able to secure additional investment from abrdn to “accelerate rural broadband expansion” across the West of England (here).