News

As rural hard-to-reach communities go, Teesdale pretty much typifies the type of area that the UK government’s Project Gigabit scheme is intended to serve.

So a week ahead of the Connected North event in Manchester, it is good to see that Borderlink, trading as GoFibre, have started connecting 4,000 hard-to-reach homes and businesses in a project that will run until 2025, encompassing Middleton-in-Teesdale, Barnard Castle, Gainford, West Auckland and neighbouring communities.

The £6.6 million contract was awarded to GoFibre last Autumn, who have spent the last six months planning and surveying for the build alongside the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and Durham County Council.

Neil Conaghan, Chief Executive Officer at GoFibre, said: “For years, rural towns across northern England, including Teesdale, have faced a persistent digital connectivity problem, which has left local communities frustrated and very much behind in terms of infrastructure upgrades.”

Digital Infrastructure Minister Julia Lopez commented that “Teesdale was one of the first contracts awarded as part of Project Gigabit, our £5 billion plan to connect hard-to-reach areas and deliver on the Prime Minister’s priority to grow the economy. Now spades are in the ground, thousands in the region are a big step closer to feeling the benefits of lightning-fast broadband.”

Cllr Susan McDonnell, Durham County Council’s Cabinet member for digital, customer added “Not only will it allow for the creation of more opportunities for employment and education, particularly around studying or working from home, it will also help our communities to connect with each other and develop further social opportunities.”

Teesdale lies approximately 120 miles north of Manchester, an easy hop down the M61 if you want to attend Connected North on the 17-18 April. BOOK YOUR PLACE HERE

News

The newly announced UK Wireless Infrastructure Strategy from Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) includes a pot of up to £148 million to help “boost the UK’s digital connectivity’

This week, the UK government has announced a new policy framework, the Wireless Infrastructure Strategy, aiming to buttress the wireless landscape as 5G technology matures and advances towards 6G. The new outline includes a number of new ‘ambitions’ for the UK telecoms industry and has allocated up to £148 million towards reaching some of these goals.

DSIT’s first priority is expanding 5G standalone (SA) coverage to all populated areas in the UK by 2030, which it says will “supercharge” the UK economy by enabling various latent technologies like driverless cars, drones, and robotics.

In short, 5G SA means coupling both 5G-enabled radio equipment with 5G core network technology, enabling much higher throughput and lower latency than non-standalone (NSA) 5G, which uses 5G radio kit alongside 4G core technology.

According to government figures, 77% of the population currently has access to 5G NSA coverage from at least one mobile operator, with Virgin Media O2, EE, and Vodafone having all announced 5G SA trials in recent months, in preparation for the arduous task of a nationwide network upgrade to 5G SA.

Alongside this 5G SA goal, DSIT has also pledged $40 million to establish 5G Innovation Regions across the UK. These Innovation Regions will set up taskforces to help encourage 5G uptake at a local level, the flagship project of which will be to equip all new UK hospitals with “5G or equivalent” wireless infrastructure.

The majority of the funds being announced, however, will not go towards 5G connectivity at all, but rather directed towards 6G research, aiming to make the UK a “science superpower” of the future.

“Our 6G strategy outlines how we will draw on our expertise and experience and provide an initial investment of up to £100 million to pioneer future telecoms and 6G research and shape the global debate on the standards which underpin it, protecting our position in an increasingly competitive global economy, securing the UK’s international competitiveness and ensuring that our wireless future works for British people and businesses in every corner of the country,” explained Michelle Donelan, Secretary of State for Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.

The remaining £8 million in funding is being reserved to help connect up to 35,000 of the most hard-to-reach locations to satellite broadband. At least some of this funding will likely go to UK based low Earth orbit satellite operator OneWeb, who today announced the government had selected them to begin trials to connect very remote communities.

Underpinning these projects will be a renewed commitment to better coverage reporting, particularly for areas that are currently poorly reported upon, such as rural areas, indoor locations, and on railways.

“This package of measures turbocharges our progress towards becoming a science and tech superpower with a substantial initial investment in the future of telecoms. We want to ensure that 6G is developed to meet the needs of people and businesses right across the UK and bolster our international competitiveness throughout the economy,” concluded Donelan.

Ultimately, the government says that its main priority with its new Wireless Infrastructure Strategy is to create an ecosystem where the technology can flourish, building a “pro-investment framework” from which mobile network operators can expand with confidence.

As a final note, it is notable here that DSIT also took the opportunity to reiterate a point it first made in the 2018 Future Telecoms Infrastructure Review, saying there is no ‘magic number’ of mobile network operators in the market. Could this be a nod towards the ongoing merger discussions between Vodafone and Three UK, hinting at a supportive government attitude towards industry consolidation?

Only time will tell.

Join the UK’s leading telecoms voices in discussion at the upcoming Connected North conference live in Manchester next week

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Telkomsel to merge with Indonesia’s largest fixed broadband operator
French operators head to court seeking compensation for forced Huawei removal
US wireless operators move to allay 5G aviation fears

We’ve lost count now of how many times ISPreview has had to say this over the years, but there are still far too many broadband ISPs in the UK – particularly larger players – that fail to clearly inform their customers of how much their package will cost post-contract. As a result, consumers often feel […]

Rural broadband ISP GoFibre (BorderLink) has announced that they’ve entered the building phase of their Government state-aid supported £6.6 million Project Gigabit contract, which was awarded in September 2022 (here), to upgrade more than 4,000 hard-to-reach Teesdale premises in Northern England with 10Gbps capable Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) technology (Lot 4.01). The new project aims to cover […]

VIEWPOINT

With an average age of only 30.2, and explosive growth of unicorns, Asia Pacific has entered the golden time of digital economy and ICT infrastructure development, driven by sustained demand for ICT infrastructure and abundant digital content for consumers.

Meanwhile, the pandemic has sped up digitalization in Asia Pacific. Since the gradual opening up, major countries in the region are expected to maintain good recovery momentum in 2023, with GDP growth forecasts over 4%, leading to an upgrade in telecom consumption.

The communications industry is expanding at an incredible pace in the Asia-Pacific. The need for connectivity in ICT infrastructure is growing rapidly as businesses and industries advance their digital transformation initiatives and millions of devices become connected thanks to 5G. While this change has given businesses many new opportunities, it has also presented several challenges.

In certain 5G areas, where breakthroughs and deployments are showcasing increasingly fascinating application scenarios and metaverse applications, 5G development is gaining even greater traction. With the advent of 5G, telcos will have a tremendous opportunity to fully realize the promise of technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT) and Edge and develop new sources of revenue.

It becomes imperative that 5G networks continue to advance and evolve in order to meet this challenge because rapid development also places increasing demands on the network’s capabilities. Here, based on region-specific 5G network deployment stages, global telco solution supplier Huawei has been closely collaborating with the sector and assisting Asia-Pacific telcos in getting ready for a new era of connectivity.

Diverse deployments

The features offered by 5G enhance the secure remote execution of mission-critical communications (such as industrial automation and remote healthcare), high-speed video streaming and connecting a vast number of sensors. However, the challenge for telcos is all regions of Asia Pacific are at different stages of 5G deployments.

While some are working to increase 4G speeds and services, others have jumped into 5G deployments to expand coverage. There are many who, while waiting for favourable government policies and rising customer demand to build the 5G infrastructure, nevertheless wish to enhance 4G LTE capabilities.

“The challenge for the industry, is that various countries are at different stages of 5G deployment; some are further along than others. Some nations are still utilizing 4G technology and are working to increase the network’s capability. Although 5G is popular, operators must contend with varying levels of device penetration,” says Abel Deng, President, Carrier Business Group – Asia Pacific Region, Huawei. He was speaking in conversation as part of a roundtable at Mobile World Congress 2023.

Deng continues by stating that there are three ways to the 5G installations. Massive base station deployments for 5G are part of it, and other nations are still building 5G-ready networks and LTE, respectively.

Development of 5G and 5.5G

It is essential that 5G networks continue to develop and advance if they are to completely realize their potential and satisfy the continuously expanding connectivity needs of users. To completely improve network connectivity, switch from connectivity-based development to full-service enablement, and working with industry partners to transition to an intelligent society, Huawei has been actively working on the concept of 5.5G Core, which may significantly boost new application scenarios and services.

” broadband  speed acceleration and latency reduction are one of the important features of 5.5G.  5G and 5.5G will enable the industries digitalization. For example, to get the automation going, low latency is important, which need 5G or even 5.5G to get higher precise manufacturing; M2M requires high uploading rates, which 5.5G can perfectly meet this demand;” Deng says.

The evolution to 5.5G, which will be characterized by improvements in enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB), ultra-reliable low-latency communication (URLLC), and Massive Machine-Type Communications (MMTC), as well as new capabilities for sensing, passive IoT, positioning, and intelligence, is being driven by emerging 2C and 2B applications, which call for further advancements in 5G capabilities.

But is 5.5 G a whole new network? “The idea is to upgrade the existing network but will need to be done on a case-by-case basis,” Deng clarifies.

Improving the infrastructure for connectivity

Several cutting-edge products and services have been offered by Huawei (H) to the Asia Pacific region. It sets aside over 25.1% of its 2022 annual income for R&D. The company’s market-leading technologies, such as Blade AAU and META AAU, which have been used by some of its most significant clients, may increase customer satisfaction and capacity while reducing energy usage by up to 30%.

It is helping APAC telcos gradually evolve from traditional networks to “autonomous networks” to achieve high-quality 5G development and intelligent O&M (NSOC O&M Mode).

Huawei, one of the few in the market to offer a full suite of ICT solutions with ‘cloud-pipe-device’ synergy, combining the physical and digital worlds, has established more than 160 Smart Cities in more than 100 nations and regions. Particularly in the Asia Pacific, its solutions have assisted Pattaya in reducing traffic bottlenecks by more than 30%, increasing travellers by more than 10%, and boosting operators’ profits through high-value connections.

Another example for Asia-Pacific is its collaboration with SCG, a leading conglomerate that runs its operations in accordance with ESG criteria to create autonomous driving systems using 5G technology. The self-driving capability has helped SCG reduce energy consumption by more than 50% and improves transportation efficiency by 8%.

Deng asserts that utilizing digital technologies, especially 5G, is expanding prospects. The industry must always consider how things will be in ten years, and Huawei is taking steps to modernize our networks and embrace the chances. “We are working with various carriers to build amazing 5G application cases. ” says Deng.

 

 

Software and internet technology giant Microsoft have today announced an expanded 10-year partnership with broadband ISP and mobile giant EE (BT). This is said to reflect a “commitment in cloud gaming to bring PC games built by Activision Blizzard, following the acquisition, and Xbox” to customers of the UK telecoms provider. At the time of […]

Press Release

OneWeb, the low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite communications company, announced today that it has been selected for two trials to connect remote communities for the UK government’s Very Hard to Reach Premises connectivity programme, which aims to connect the UK’s most remote homes and businesses.

As part of the programme, OneWeb’s high-speed, low latency LEO network will deliver connectivity for trials through its partners BT and Clarus. Trials will take place in the Shetland Islands and on Lundy Island, near the north Devon coast. These trials build on OneWeb’s strong track-record of delivering community broadband to sites in remote locations such as Canada, Greenland, and soon to British territories in the South Atlantic.

“Our Wireless Infrastructure Strategy sets out our plan to ensure everyone, no matter where they live, can reap the benefits of improved connectivity. With the help of companies like OneWeb, we are committing £8m to provide satellite connectivity for our most remote communities so that no one is left behind, while ensuring all populated areas in the UK will be served by what I call ‘5G-plus’ technology by 2030,” said Michelle Donelan MP, Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology. “This package of measures turbocharges our progress towards becoming a science and tech superpower with a substantial initial investment in the future of telecoms.”

“We are excited to demonstrate the impact of LEO connectivity through these trials. From the beginning, OneWeb’s mission has been to bridge the digital divide for communities, but there are still countries around the world where reliable access to connectivity is unattainable,” said Neil Masterson, CEO OneWeb. “Working with the government, alongside our trusted partners and customers, OneWeb can help to bring connectivity to the communities and businesses that need it most, in underserved regions in the UK and around the world.”

Having recently completed its 18th launch, OneWeb now has a constellation of 618 LEO satellites, enabling the roll-out of global coverage later this year. This enhances OneWeb’s existing connectivity solutions, which are already live in regions north of 50-degrees latitude and delivering connectivity to previously unconnected and underconnected communities, businesses and local governments.

OneWeb has 400 staff today based in the UK, the majority of which are in STEM roles, making a significant contribution to the upskilling of the UK economy and building a new industry in the UK.

Is the UK broadband industry doing enough to ensure that every part of the UK receives high quality coverage? Join the community in discussion next week at Connected North

Also in the news:
Telkomsel to merge with Indonesia’s largest fixed broadband operator
French operators head to court seeking compensation for forced Huawei removal
US wireless operators move to allay 5G aviation fears

News

With the cost of launching new chip fabs in the US ballooning alongside inflation, semiconductor giants are growing concerned over the conditions attached to receiving CHIPS subsidies

Back in 2022, US President Joe Biden signed into law the CHIPS Act, a programme providing $280 billion in funding to boost domestic research and production of semiconductors. Of this total, around $39 billion was set aside to subsidise manufacturing that took place on US soil, hoping to entice chip giants like Samsung and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSCM) to set up shop in America.

CHIPS effectiveness was quickly apparent, with TSMC, Intel, and Samsung all having committed to new semiconductor fabrication plants in the US. Combined, these new sites are worth more than $100 billion.

However, the subsequent downturn of the global economy, with rising inflation and numerous supply chain woes, have left these chipmakers uneasy about the exploding cost of their planned investments; Samsung, for example, says that its planned $17 billion chip fab in Texas, announced in 2021, will in fact likely cost them $25 billion.

More recently, concerns have also started to be raised about the conditions attached to the CHIPS subsidies. Recent guidelines from the US Commerce Department including sharing excess profits with the US government and potentially revealing sensitive cost structure information.

“All of this is confidential information. The most important thing in chips is cost structure. Experts will be able to tell our strategy at a glance,” explained an anonymous source speaking to Reuters.

Since this revelation, the various chipmakers have been communicating with the US government over these stipulations, with TSMC suggesting that the conditions in their current form “cannot be accepted”.

The US Department of Commerce, meanwhile, is attempting to allay concerns, saying that all confidential business information will be protected and that the sharing of excess profits will only occur when projects significantly exceed projections.

The exact size of the subsidies being sought by the semiconductor firms has not been revealed.

The resolution of this issue is especially pressing for TSMC, which missed its sales target for the second straight quarter earlier this month, citing lukewarm demand.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, these discussions are also of great interest to the Taiwanese government, for whom TSMC is at the heart of one of its largest and most geopolitically important industries.

“The Taiwan government and industry have a very close understanding [of what is going on] and hope that the details of the relevant subsidy legislation will not affect industrial cooperation between the two sides and costs for industry-related construction,” said Taiwan Economy Minister Wang Mei-hua earlier this week.

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Also in the news:
Telkomsel to merge with Indonesia’s largest fixed broadband operator
French operators head to court seeking compensation for forced Huawei removal
US wireless operators move to allay 5G aviation fears

The seventh contract awarded under the UK’s £5bn Project Gigabit broadband rollout scheme – worth “nearly” £14 million – has today been awarded to ISP Wessex Internet, which will upgrade connectivity for “around” 10,500 hard-to-reach homes and businesses across rural parts of the New Forest in Hampshire (England). The provider already has plenty of experience […]

Earlier today the Government revealed (here) that they’d commit £8m to help deliver “high-speed broadband” (they didn’t clearly define this) via Satellite ISP solutions for up to 35,000 of the UK’s “most remote properties” (i.e. those unable to get gigabit-capable connections). We now know that this will involve OneWeb’s Low Earth Orbit (LEO) network via […]