News 

“Never before have Nvidia and HPE integrated our technologies so deeply,” says Nvidia boss Jensen Huang 

Nvidia and HPE have announced a partnership to co-develop AI solutions and joint go-to-market integrations to help businesses accelerate their adoption of generative AI. The partnership is a deepening of a decades-long collaboration between the two companies. 

The announcement was made in Las Vegas at HPE’s Discover event by HPE’s President and CEO Antonio Neri, who was joined on stage by NVIDIA founder and CEO Jensen Huang. One of the key offerings is HPE Private Cloud AI, which will integrate Nvidia’s software and computing technologies with HPE’s storage solutions, which will allow customers to run generative AI workloads efficiently and securely. The companies say that this is the first time the companies have integrated their solutions so fully. 

“Generative AI holds immense potential for enterprise transformation, but the complexities of fragmented AI technology contain too many risks and barriers that hamper large-scale enterprise adoption and can jeopardize a company’s most valuable asset – its proprietary data,” said Neri. 

“To unleash the immense potential of generative AI in the enterprise, HPE and NVIDIA co-developed a turnkey private cloud for AI that will enable enterprises to focus their resources on developing new AI use cases that can boost productivity and unlock new revenue streams,” he continued. 

According to the announcement’s press release, the HPE Private Cloud AI will offer: 

Support for inference, fine-tuning and RAG AI workloads that utilise proprietary data.
Enterprise control for data privacy, security, transparency, and governance requirements.
Cloud experience with ITOps and AIOps capabilities to increase productivity.
Fast path to consume flexibly to meet future AI opportunities and growth.

“Never before have NVIDIA and HPE integrated our technologies so deeply – combining the entire NVIDIA AI computing stack along with HPE’s private cloud technology – to equip enterprise clients and AI professionals with the most advanced computing infrastructure and services to expand the frontier of AI,” confirmed Huang. 

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Also in the news:
Nokia and Google Cloud expand partnership for telco APIs
Microsoft to invest $7.16 bn in Spanish data centres
Vietnam suffers three subsea cable outages

The Rydal Group, which is a UK telecommunications and managed IT provider, has announced that they’ve moved to boost their presence in the market by acquiring Cambridge-based provider My Communications Ltd for an undisclosed sum, which offers an array of business-focused broadband and phone services.

The “strategic move” is said to enhance Rydal Group’s presence in the telecom industry, while also expanding its client base to over 2,500 (i.e. the deal adds 400 telecom clients to the Rydal Group family) and boosting its annual turnover to over £11 million.

Under the deal, My Comms will continue operating from its Cambridgeshire office, with no changes. The existing management team and employees of My Comms will then be integrated into Rydal Groups’ structure, with a primary focus on helping them further expand their Telecoms Services to their clients.

Alex Mason, Director of My Communications Ltd, said:

“Having known Steffan and his team for years and witnessing their industry success, I am confident in this acquisition’s fit and its benefits for all parties involved. Rydal Group’s experienced support desk, dedicated account management team, and broader national support from their multiple offices will enhance My Communications offerings.

Additionally, integrating Rydals top-tier products and services will further meet our clients’ needs and strengthen our existing partnerships. I’d like to say a huge thank you to our staff for their dedication and to our customers for their loyalty, both of which are greatly valued.”

Steffan Dancy, Group MD of Rydal Group, said:

“We’re thrilled to announce the acquisition of My Communications Limited, based in Newmarket, Cambridgeshire. Big thanks to Alex Mason, the Director of My Communications, for building an incredible business with a loyal client base.”

The Scottish National Party (Pàrtaidh Nàiseanta na h-Alba) has today published details of their 2024 Manifesto for the 4th July UK General Election, which sets out plans for a seemingly cheaper “statutory” social tariff for broadband and mobile services.

The SNP is the current party of government in Scotland and therefore we already know something about their approach to digital infrastructure, which is being headlined by their £600m Reaching 100% (R100) project. The R100 scheme largely involves working with Openreach to extend “full fibre” (FTTP) networks to another 114,000 premises – in areas that lack access to “superfast broadband” (30Mbps+) – by 2027/28.

In addition, they’re also in the process of harnessing an investment of £450m from the national £5bn Project Gigabit programme (example), which should help to spread 1Gbps broadband speeds into some of the most remote rural areas of Scotland (benefitting up to around 410,000 premises). But this is a UK government programme and so doesn’t count as one of the SNP’s own policies.

Suffice to say that we were interested to see what today’s SNP 2024 Manifesto (PDF) document might contain, at least in terms of any new commitments for digital infrastructure. This is particularly true after all the recent talk of a social tariff for broadband and mobile (here), which caused a bit of controversy because such tariffs already exist (Guide to UK Social Tariffs) and it’s unclear how the SNP’s approach would differ.

The bad news is that their document doesn’t add much to yesterday’s news. The only mention of broadband and mobile connectivity in the whole document was this little sentence: “Call for a statutory social tariff for energy, broadband and mobile charges for all who need one.” The key bit of new detail here is that use of the word “statutory“, while the current social tariffs have all been introduced under a voluntary model.

However, it remains unclear whether the SNP would force all ISPs to adopt one or only the largest players, as well as what practical differences the SNP may ask providers to make. Not to mention the question of how ISPs will introduce a tariff that, if required to be different, may only be available to people in Scotland. The latter would be tedious for ISPs to juggle, especially around the border communities, where the dividing lines of availability could become contentious or confusing.

Press Release  

Three UK and Ericsson have improved energy efficiency by up to 70 per cent at selected sites

Combination of hardware and software upgrades deliver energy efficiency benefits and lower CO2 emissions

Artificial intelligence (AI), data analytics and Micro Sleep features allow radio components to autonomously deactivate during low traffic hours or when not active

19 June 2024 – Three UK has hit a new milestone in its network sustainability journey thanks to the deployment of next-generation AI-powered hardware and software solutions from Ericsson. As part of an ongoing network modernisation initiative over the last 18 months, Three UK has worked with Ericsson on improving network energy performance thanks to a combination of industry leading energy efficient radios and the use of AI and data analytics.

Late in 2023, Three UK became one of the first major operators in the UK to deploy Ericsson’s award-winning dual-band Radio 4490, which consumes less power and is 25% lighter than previous models, simplifying site access and speeding up site upgrades.

Combined with the deployment of more energy efficient radios, Three UK has also implemented a series of software features that consume less power per radio during low traffic hours. Thanks to advanced machine learning, passive cooling and power-saving features, the new generation of radio works autonomously across 4G and 5G networks to switch off radio components when not active, while having the capability to switch on again in microseconds for the next service request.

So far, the partnership between Three UK and Ericsson has resulted in an improvement of network energy efficiency of up to 70 per cent at selected sites, all completed while improving network performance but reducing site footprint and lowering CO2 emissions.

Iain Milligan, Chief Network Officer, Three UK, said: “Three UK’s collaboration with Ericsson marks a milestone in our commitment to sustainability. We’ve achieved excellent improvements in energy efficiency while expanding network capabilities for our customers. We plan to take these learnings on board for future projects, ensuring that we continue to improve the environmental impact of our network.”

Evangelia Tzifa, Chief Technology Officer, Networks & Managed Services, Ericsson UK and Ireland, said: “Together with Three UK, we are redefining the network of the future and making it both smarter and more energy efficient. To increase network availability and performance while reducing network energy consumption is a testament to the technology and expertise of our two great teams. I am both excited and proud to know that we are building a modern digital infrastructure together that brings not only superior performance for Three customers, but also helps to make the future more promising and sustainable.”

Mobile operator Three UK has announced that they’ve been able to work with strategic supplier Ericsson to improve the energy efficiency of their national 4G and 5G (mobile broadband) network by up to 70% “at selected sites“. This is largely thanks to the deployment of next-generation AI-powered hardware and software solutions.

The mobile operator has spent much of the last 18 months delivering a network modernisation programme, which has included various changes. For example, at the end of 2023 Three UK became one of the first major operators in the UK to deploy Ericsson’s latest dual-band Radio 4490, which consumes less power and is 25% lighter than previous models (i.e. easier to install on some rooftop sites).

The operator has also upgraded some of their existing software, which introduced features that have enabled some of their kit to consume less power per radio during low traffic hours (i.e. advanced machine learning, passive cooling and power-saving features). In simple terms, this switches off radio components when not active, while having the capability to switch them on again in microseconds for the next service request.

Iain Milligan, Chief Network Officer of Three UK, said:

“Three UK’s collaboration with Ericsson marks a milestone in our commitment to sustainability. We’ve achieved excellent improvements in energy efficiency while expanding network capabilities for our customers. We plan to take these learnings on board for future projects, ensuring that we continue to improve the environmental impact of our network.”

As well as helping to save money on electricity, this also means that Three UK’s network will produce lower CO2 emissions and all without comprising on their network performance. But it should be said that other network operators have been deploying the same or similar solutions, and the removal of older 3G services will also be contributing to greater energy efficiency and performance.

Ofcom has just confirmed that they will revoke the current mobile operator licences – held by EE (BT), Three UK and O2 (Virgin Media) – for the unpaired part of the 2100MHz band (1899.9 – 1920MHz) by 3rd April 2029, which was originally auctioned off in April 2000 to support the rollout of 3G mobile (mobile broadband) networks.

All four of the major mobile network operators (inc. Vodafone) already make use of paired radio spectrum in the 2100MHz band (see below). But today’s update on Ofcom’s plan from last year concerns the smaller 20MHz frequency slice of unpaired spectrum in that same band.

The unpaired part is currently largely unused and the operators don’t have any plans to deploy higher-power services in the spectrum, which is largely due to the lack of a supportive ecosystem, as well as the need for a guard band against paired spectrum (used to reduce the risk of interference) and the limited bandwidth it offers. But this approach also contributes to a reduction in an already limited pot of spectrum.

The regulator is naturally seeking optimal use of the unpaired 2100MHz spectrum, which at the end of 2023 resulted in their decision to revoke all of the existing licences. Ofcom believes the spectrum due to be freed could be better used by the emergency services, railways or the utilities sector (the latter has a spectrum requirement for a secure wireless network).

Ofcom has now confirmed this move and formally given five years’ notice to the operators, which means the revocations will take effect on 3rd April 2029.

Energy and communications provider Telecom Plus, which trades as Utility Warehouse (UW), has just published their latest Full Year Results and revealed that their broadband ISP grew its total UK customer base to 374,792 (up by 20.67k in the year) and their mobile base hit 466,216 (up by 72k).

As previously reported (here), the company recently passed the 1 million customer milestone (currently 1,011,489, which is up from 886,579 in 2023) and are now setting their sights on “doubling in size to two million customers … over the medium term“. Most of those take their residential energy services, but we should add UW also has a shrinking base of 20,047 legacy phone line-only customers (down from 21,827).

The main developments – on the telecoms side – for UW over the last year have included the launch of their first 5G tariff, building out CityFibre as a full fibre (FTTP) broadband partner and improving their Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems by introducing ‘one-way’ video (i.e. allowing advisors to understand and resolve energy and broadband queries faster by enabling them to see the problem the customer is having).

UW Summary of Broadband and Mobile Services

Broadband

The broadband market remains highly competitive although switching levels remain low. With many people still working from home at least part-time, there remains an added reliance on broadband and WiFi making many consumers fear switching. This reluctance to switch has tempered our broadband growth, although we are pleased to have increased our broadband service numbers to 374,792 over the course of the year.

We are optimistic that the imminent retirement of old legacy copper broadband services in favour of full fibre broadband will give many consumers a reason to switch, and we are already seeing around 48% of new customers now taking a full fibre service.

At our Amplify event in September, we announced the launch of CityFibre which added an additional 3 million properties to our addressable full fibre market. To support this launch we organised a number of ‘town takeovers’ where Partners worked together in areas where full fibre had recently been made available, with more localised campaigns being planned.

Unlike most major broadband providers, we do not impose ‘in contract price rises’ for broadband customers, and we applied a lower price increase to those who are not in contract compared with most other leading suppliers, increasing our relative competitive position. With consumers still focused on a reliable service, we were pleased to be voted 4th in Which? 2024 Best Broadband Survey, and with our WiFi home hub retaining its Which? Best Buy status.

Mobile

The trend in the mobile market continues to be led by ‘SIM only’ plans with many customers choosing to keep their handsets for longer, making our simple sim only offering very attractive. Our competitive and straightforward proposition has led to further strong growth in our mobile business of over 18%, ending the year with 466,216 services.

We introduced 5G on our new Unlimited+ tariff making it one of the best value unlimited deals in the UK, delivering 99.6% population coverage on the EE network. We also increased the amount of data on our Essentials tariff from 5GB to 8GB making it more suitable and competitive for many less intensive mobile users. Customers now also benefit from coverage on some of the London Underground as well as WiFi calling when they are connected to broadband.

We expect mobile service growth to further accelerate during FY25, as we evolve our multiservice offering to give customers access to our multi-service discounts when they take a second mobile sim in their bundles, whereas previously only the first sim counted

Meanwhile, on the financial front, the operator saw total revenue shrink sharply to £2,039.1m (2023: £2,475.2m) – mostly due to the headwinds from a reduction in Ofgem’s energy price cap. Meanwhile gross profit was up 16% to £355.2m (2023: £306.2m) and adjusted pre-tax profit went up 21.5% to £116.9m (2023: £96.2m).

News 

The investment will be spread over the next ten years  

Microsoft is set to invest €6.7billion ($7.16 bn) in data centre development in Aragon, Northeastern Spain. 

According to a report from local Spanish newspaper El Heraldo, Microsoft has applied for a construction permit to build its data centres near Zaragoza, in the Northeast of the country.  

“Microsoft’s new data centre region will provide cutting-edge, sustainable, and secure AI solutions for Spain and the rest of Europe,” said Spanish Minister for Digital Transformation, José Luis Escrivá. 

“It is a great satisfaction that Microsoft is once again betting on Spain for the deployment of state-of-the-art infrastructure and services, thus contributing to the positioning of our country at the forefront of digital transformation,” he continued. 

The particular area of Spain has become a recent hotbed for data centre investment, in part due to the area’s renewable energy capacity to power their facilities with. Last month, Amazon Web Services (AWS) announced plans to invest €15.7 billion in the region, two years after opening its AWS Europe (Spain) hub in three locations in the area. AWS has said that its recent investment in the region will support 17,500 full-time equivalent jobs in local businesses on an annual average basis, and will contribute an estimated €21.6 billion to Spain’s GDP until 2033. 

In a near region of Spain, Microsoft has opened its first cloud region of data centres in the Community de Madrid, which will provide AI, cloud services and solutions to European companies, offering them “reliability, security, privacy, and data residency,” says Microsoft. The deployment is part of the company’s commitment to invest $2.1 billion in Spain before the end of next year. 

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

Also in the news:
Vietnam suffers three subsea cable outages
South Korea revokes Stage X’s mobile license  
Brsk and Netomnia merge as UK alnet consolidation continues 

The Powys County Council (Cyngor Sir Powys) in mid-Wales has this afternoon announced that they’ve awarded a broadband roll-out contract to the BT Group (Openreach), which will connect 24 “hard to reach sites” to a new full fibre network and will also benefit at least 78 more that are on route to them (possibly rising to as many as 119).

The project, which is part of the council’s Digital Powys transformation programme and being funded by public funding from the Welsh Government’s (WG) Local Broadband Fund (LBF), has already entered the surveying and planning phase. Construction is due to start at most sites “soon” and the aim is to have the network “completed by the end of March 2025.”

The announcement doesn’t actually clarify what sort of “sites” Openreach’s new fibre will be connecting, although contracts like this have, in the past, often tended to be more focused on linking up remote public sector sites via Dark Fibre style connections.

The areas of Powys benefitting from the full-fibre internet build are:

Forest Coal Pit (NP7 7LY) – six hard to reach sites.
Builth Wells (LD2 3YR) – three hard to reach sites.
Guilsfield (SY21 9DB) – one hard to reach site.
Newbridge-on-Wye (LD1 6HB, LD1 6LN & LD1 6LS) – four hard to reach sites.
Llandrindod Wells (LD1 6SY & LD1 6SP) – two hard to reach sites.
Llanfyllin (SY22 5LZ) – one hard to reach site.
Erwood (LD2 3EQ, LD2 3EZ, LD2 3PQ & LD2 3EX) – seven hard to reach sites.

Ellen Sullivan, Powys County Council’s Head of Digital Services, said:

“We know access to fast and reliable broadband is important for our businesses and residents. And, while the number of sites that will benefit from this project is relatively low, they are all in areas that are never likely to get full-fibre internet without the help of grant funding.

Having better connectivity can really help level the playing field for some of our most rural communities.”

Susi Marston, BT Group’s Head of Local Government and Education in Wales, said:

“Access to high speed, reliable broadband is vital in the modern world and underpins so much of our daily lives. From helping to improve public services like healthcare, to helping businesses and residents access the latest technology, good connectivity is now so important for all communities. That goes whether you’re in a busy city centre, or in a rural location.

We’re pleased to be working with Powys Council to bring fast broadband to some of the most remote parts of the county.”

We have asked the local authority for a bit more detail on the project’s funding and the specific sites being targeted. We hope to update again soon.

News 

The partnership aims to empower developers, drive innovation, and enhance 5G adoption

Nokia has expanded its partnership with Google Cloud to help developers create new 5G applications more quickly. This collaboration will use Google Cloud’s AI tools, including Vertex AI and Gemini 1.5 Pro, to enhance Nokia’s Network as Code platform. 

Nokia’s platform, now running on Google Cloud, will provide developers with the tools they need to build 5G apps. These tools include software development kits (SDKs), network API documentation, a sandbox for testing code, and code snippets. The platform operates on a revenue-sharing model among developers, operators, and Nokia. 

Initially, the partnership will focus on the healthcare industry, aiming to improve telehealth services for better and safer customer experiences. The two companies plan to extend this focus to other industries in the future. 

“Through this important collaboration with Nokia, we are enabling our global developer community to tap into the greenfield opportunity that 5G networks provide,” said Ankur Jain, Vice President, Google Distributed Cloud and Global Telco Industry at Google Cloud in the announcement’s press release.

“Our developer community is a strong innovation driver globally, and we believe the telecom space offers significant value creation opportunities through new applications,” he continued. 

“We are excited to expand our collaboration with Google Cloud, enabling thousands of Google Cloud developers to tap into our network capabilities so that they can create value for their customers faster,” said Raghav Sahgal, President of Cloud and Network Services at Nokia. 

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

Also in the news:
Freshwave to deploy small cells in Manchester for VMO2
SGP.32: A reality check on the latest remote SIM provisioning standard
Vodafone Germany partners with FlyNex on industrial drone platform