Mobile operator O2 (VMO2) has today hit a key milestone after they rolled out enhanced 4G (mobile broadband) coverage across 100 rural sites as part of their commitment under the £1bn industry-led Shared Rural Network (SRN) programme, which aims to extend geographic 4G cover (aggregate) to 95% of the UK by the end of 2025. […]

Mobile operator Vodafone has today launched their “Connected Spaces Vision” plan, which offers unlimited data to business customers that need to live stream video from IoT smart surveillance cameras over a mobile broadband (4G or 5G) network. But this is more than just a mobile plan, it’s a suit of video security features. The new […]

Alternative network provider Zzoomm, which is rolling out their new gigabit speed Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband network across parts of England, appears to have finally launched their new IP-based digital “Voice” (phone) service for customers on their full fibre lines. But it doesn’t seem to be a fully integrated product. The operator, which is being fuelled […]

After a lengthy pilot programme, Openreach (BT) has finally revealed the commercial launch date and final pricing for their faster Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband tiers, which from 1st April 2024 will make it possible for UK ISPs to push their top download speeds to 1.2Gbps and 1.8Gbps (both 120Mbps upstream) to consumers. The original pilot started […]

Scottish ISP Lothian Broadband (LBN), which is building a 10Gbps capable Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP / XGS-PON) network across rural parts of East Lothian, the Highlands and Fife, has announced that their network rollout is now being expanded across rural parts of the Black Isle area. The provider, which also operates the Highland Broadband sub-brand across the […]

Civil engineering (utilities contractor) firm OCU Group appears to have established a new Stockport-based company called Artemis Fibre (15129999), which sounds as if it might be looking to deploy and operate its own UK full fibre (FTTP broadband, Dark Fibre and Ethernet) network to help serve the needs of their clients. The development was revealed […]

Hampshire-based network builder and gigabit broadband ISP toob, which is rolling out its own Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) network across parts of South England, claims to have “fixed” a major network outage that began during the small hours of this morning and only began to subside an hour or so ago. But issues are ongoing in Southampton. […]

The UK telecoms regulator, Ofcom, has written a new letter that singles out big ISPs, including BT, Sky Broadband, TalkTalk and Virgin Media (VMO2), for being too slow to implement their One Touch Switch (OTS) system, which aims to make it quicker and easier for consumers to switch providers on different networks. The OTS system […]

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Deutsche Telekom’s subsidiary, MMS, will serve as a validator of Fetch.ai’s decentralised blockchain

This week, Deutsche Telekom has joined the Fetch.ai Foundation as the organisations first corporate partner.

The Fetch.ai Foundation, a non-profit founded by Fetch.ai and Bosch, is dedicated to creating an open platform to explore the interplay of AI, blockchain, and other Web3 technologies.

The central premise here is the use of AI-controlled autonomous agents that can coordinate resources, evaluate data, and, crucially, make automated payments (using decentralised currency) on behalf of the customer. These autonomous AI agents have a myriad of potential uses, from smart washing machines that detect when they are out of detergent and automatically order more, to connected electric vehicles that can locate and negotiate prices at nearby charging points.

Fetch.ai says this approach can have a myriad of potential use cases, with the company already offering services in sectors including healthcare, automotive, supply chain management, and digital identity.

Ultimately, the company’s vision is to help enable an Economy of Things, where broadly independent devices and services are being purchased and sold by autonomous AI agents on behalf of their owners.

But with the AI agents pulling data from numerous sources, as well as potentially handling consumers financial details, how can security be assured?

This is where Deutsche Telekom comes in, with the company’s subsidiary, Telekom MMS, serving a validator for Fetch.ai’s blockchain, ensuring network security as devices, individuals, and services are integrated. This blockchain serves to store and secure the large amounts of data that the AI rely on to make autonomous decisions.

“The collaboration between Telekom, Fetch.ai and Bosch is groundbreaking and combines industrial applications with the Internet of Things. Autonomous agents will automate industrial services, simplify processes and make them secure and scalable thanks to blockchain technology,” says Dirk Röder, head of the Web3 Infrastructure & Solutions Team at Telekom MMS.

“This partnership is a significant milestone for Fetch.ai. Through research, development and practical application of agents, AI and decentralized Web3 technologies, real-world use cases can be integrated that improve the existing network,” said Humayun Sheikh, Managing Director of Fetch.ai.

Deutsche Telekom has been a growing supporter of Web3 technologies – especially blockchain – for a number of years now. According to Röder, the company already supports eight blockchain networks with over 200 validators.

“Currently, over 60 million euros of assets from Chainlink, Ethereum, Celo, Q, Flow, Polkadot, Polygon and Energy Web are on our infrastructure,” he explained in a company blog post.

Want to keep up with all of the latest news from the German telecoms market? Join the operators in discussion at Connected Germany 2024

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The move comes just two months after the company announced the creation of new data centre business Nxtra

It seems that 2024 is a year of transformation for Airtel Africa, with the operator moving to restructure its business considerably to better capture value from Africa’s ever-growing digital landscape.

This week, the operator has announced the launch of new fibre wholesaler Telesonic, a subsidiary that will manage Airtel’s 75,000km terrestrial fibre network across its 14 African markets, as well as the company’s investment in the pan-African submarine cable 2Africa.

According to Airtel, initial steps will be launching local divisions of Telesonic in key markets to manage the fibre networks efficiently.

Services to be offered include national and international leased lines, dedicated internet access, IP/IP transit, and MPLS services,

“The establishment of Airtel Africa Telesonic Limited underscores Airtel Africa’s commitment to addressing Africa’s needs for the digital revolution by providing cutting-edge fibre-optic solutions that will empower businesses, education, healthcare, and communities at large,” said Airtel Africa’s Group chief executive Segun Ogunsanya.

“No doubt, Africa is experiencing a digital revolution, with surging demand for data across various sectors especially by the continent’s growing youth population. With robust and scalable infrastructure, we aim to bridge the digital divide and unlock opportunities for innovation and economic growth. Our investment signifies not just a technological advancement but also a catalyst for progress, connecting people and ideas across borders.”

The creation of Telesonic is the latest in a number of steps taken by the company as it increases its focus on supporting high quality connectivity across borders throughout the African continent. In December, the company announced the creation of Nxtra, a company aiming to deploy and manage five hyperscale data centres across the African continent. The first of these data centres will begin construction in Lagos, Nigeria, next month, with commercial operations due to begin in 2025.

When combined, Airtel believes Telesonic and Nxtra will create a solid connectivity backbone to support Africa’s ever-increasing digital needs.

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Also in the news:
Bell Canada announces plans to cut almost 5,000 jobs
EE to invest £6 million in retail stores
Mexican president calls for dissolution of telecoms regulator