Ofcom has today published their latest UK consumer affordability report, which finds the take-up of cheaper social broadband ISP and mobile tariffs for those on state benefits has increased to 220,000 households (up from 136,000 six months ago). But that still represents just 5.1% of households on Universal Credit (4.3 million). Consumer broadband, phone and […]

Mobile operator O2 (VMO2) has, after analysing and blocking tens of millions of malicious and fraudulent text (SMS) messages targeting its UK customers, revealed the top five most common fraud texts blocked on their network (firewall) in March 2023. Topping the table were texts from criminals posing as someone’s mum or dad. Overall, the top […]

Bath-based alternative network ISP Truespeed, which is building a new 10Gbps capable Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband network across rural parts of South West England, has today reported that their network is now home to 15,000 customer connections (up from 13k in February 2023). The operator, which holds an “ambitious” target to reach 500,000 properties by the […]

News

This week saw the second edition of Connected North take place live in Manchester, bringing together the leading voices in local government, enterprise, and telecoms to discuss some of the biggest issues surrounding Northern connectivity.

Over 1,600 people took part in the event over two days, exploring topics big and small, from the ongoing controversy surrounding Equinox 2 to the neverending challenge of collaboration between the public and private sector.

Below you can see some of our highlights from the two days, including the vibrant keynote presentations, packed track rooms, and a bustling exhibition space.

We’re already preparing for Connected North 2024, so please check out the website and get in touch to join us next year in Manchester!

News

The world’s largest mobile network operator is exploring a buyout of Hong Kong’s largest telecoms firms, HKBN, with experts saying the deal could be worth over $1 billion

This week, anonymous sources have told the media that China Mobile has sent a request for proposal to a small group of banks, seeking a partner to help oversee the acquisition of Hong Kong’s HKBN.

According to sources, China Mobile is currently receiving approaches from various investment banks and has yet to decide on a formal offer.

Any deal would likely carry a price tag of over $1 billion, with HKBN having been valued at around $1.7 billion last year.

HKBN, one of the Hong Kong’s largest fixed broadband providers with around 37% broadband market share, has been receiving takeover interest for some time now. Last year, the company received separate offers from a trio of private equity firms – KKR, PAG, and Stonepeak, all of whom have a growing presence in the international telecoms market.

Ultimately, however, no deal was ultimately struck as a result of unresolvable issues surrounding the stock’s valuation and the unstable nature of the global economy.

More recently, in March this year, infrastructure investor I Squared Asia Advisors submitted a non-binding letter of interest to the telco.

Thus, potential interest from China Mobile could spark something of a bidding war for HKBN, particularly if sources suggesting that PAG also remains interested in the operator at to be believed.

However, the veracity of these reports about China Mobile remain to be seen, with some Chinese media sources denying the operator is interested in purchasing HKBN.

In somewhat related news, China Mobile released its latest financial report this month, noting that its mobile subscriptions had now reached 983 million – just a stone’s throw away from making the operator the first in the world to reach the

The operator said its active 5G subscribers has reached 363 million, almost a third of its overall subscriber base.

The company’s first-quarter profit was up 9.5% to CNY 28.1 billion ($4.08 billion).

Keep up with all of the latest international telecoms news with Total Telecom’s daily newsletter

Also in the news:
New study highlights a massive funding gap for a full fibre US
TIM shares slide as company receives new bids for fixed network assets
EE delivers monster upgrades to Shared Rural Network (SRN) programme

Good news. Openreach has quietly re-opened their Fibre Community Partnership (FCP) scheme, which works with disadvantaged communities (e.g. rural villages) around England, Wales and Scotland to help co-fund the deployment of new gigabit-capable Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband ISP networks. In case anybody has forgotten, the FCP scheme was paused in early 2022 after “soaring demand” put […]

The 2023 Northern Tech Awards has ranked broadband ISP and network builder Connexin as the 16th (out of 100) Fastest Growing Technology Company in the North. The provider is currently building a 10Gbps capable Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) network (here) across parts of Hull and Yorkshire in England. Connexin has climbed the ranking by 14 spaces this […]

News

Ahead of Earth Day this year, Vodafone Business’s “Light as you Need” (LayN) initiative is aiming to make streetlights 30% more energy efficient using the IoT and big data analytics

This week, Vodafone Business has announced a partnership with service integrator Serveo to rollout an innovative urban lighting management project known as LayN.

This urban lighting management project will see IoT sensors added to streetlights, the data from which will then be used to help optimise energy resources and analyse mobility patterns.

Initial analyses will take place on large sets of anonymised customer location data from Vodafone, thereby measuring the real usage needs of each lighting installation.

According to Vodafone, the IoT sensors installed within the streetlamps will use 4G, 5G, and edge computing to control the lighting, while data analytics will be provided by the Vodafone Analytics tool help the sensors to understand where and when lighting is needed.

In this way, LayN will help to enhance existing urban lighting control mechanisms, as well as guide the efficient deployment of future streetlights.

In total, the companies estimate that deploying this intelligent lighting solution will allow for energy savings of roughly 30%.

“LayN represents the best combination of technological excellence applied to the sustainability of intelligent urban management, something that Vodafone has already adapted to areas such as mobility, but which has a long history in other many areas such as water management or lighting, among others,” said Daniel Jiménez, director of Vodafone Business.

LayN has already been tested in one of the cities operated by Serveo in Spain, with further deployments expected to take place in the near future.

Keep up with all of the latest international telecoms news with Total Telecom’s daily newsletter

Also in the news:
New study highlights a massive funding gap for a full fibre US
TIM shares slide as company receives new bids for fixed network assets
EE delivers monster upgrades to Shared Rural Network (SRN) programme

Press Release

Digital clinical diagnostics and diabetes home testing provider Digostics and University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust (UHS) announced today a partnership that will see expectant mothers under the care of UHS maternity services become the first, anywhere in the world, to access ground-breaking new remote testing technology designed to improve screening for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). The collaboration involves a pilot introduction of the only regulatory-approved home-use oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) testing-solution, GTT@home, developed by Digostics.

“We hope this revolutionary new at-home test is going to dramatically change the way we deliver gestational diabetes testing during antenatal care,” said Matthew Coleman, Consultant Obstetrician, UHS. “Not only is it better for the patients to self-test in the convenience of their own home, cutting down the number of antenatal appointments they attend, but it will also free up precious NHS time and resources.”

According to the International Diabetes Federation, up to 20%1 of UK pregnancies are impacted by GDM, with background risk factors2 including the age, ethnicity and body mass index of the expectant mother. Left undiagnosed or untreated, GDM can lead to perinatal complications such as foetal macrosomia (larger than average babies) that warrant unscheduled or even emergency changes to the birth-plan to protect both mother and baby. Additionally, 50%3 of women experiencing GDM can go on to develop type 2 diabetes (T2D) within 10 years. The condition also confers an 8-fold4 increase for the child of developing T2D in adulthood. Prompt identification of GDM is key.

“Digostics is excited to work with UHS to explore how GDM screening can be streamlined through home-testing,” said James Jackson, CEO and Founder, Digostics. “Our aim is to demonstrate how we can transform diabetes detection in pregnancy by taking the OGTT to the expectant mother, resulting in increased test uptake, reductions in test overheads for healthcare providers and the earlier return of GDM diagnoses.”

The OGTT – a fasting test involving an initial blood test, the immediate consumption of a glucose drink and then a second blood test after a two hour wait – is the only recommended test for detecting GDM.

However, as the OGTT is currently offered only in-clinic, the inconvenience for patients and the provisioning challenges posed for healthcare providers frequently constrains test throughput and can lead to delayed testing.

“From the admin resources it takes to book and manage clinics, the clinical time taken to run the service and the clinic space taken, this can all now be done with a simple test at home using the
GTT@home kit,” added Matthew Coleman. “In addition, patients are able to test at the earliest opportunity, meaning fewer delays and, if gestational diabetes is detected, they can be treated and
managed quickly helping to keep them and their babies safe.”

The GTT@home service is based on a simple-to-use home test kit containing the novel GTT@home test device, a glucose drink and finger prickers. The test kit is mailed to the expectant mother at the time the test is due. Easy to follow instructions, online guidance and telephone support ensure that the test can be completed conveniently at home on the day of choice.

When completed, the user can immediately send their test data to their care team by scanning a snapoff fob attached to the test device with a smartphone using the GTT@home mobile app. This is
enabled by the near field communication (NFC) functionality within the device, with the process akin to making a contactless mobile payment in a store. Alternatively, the patient can post the fob in the supplied prepaid envelope for processing. The GTT@home testing service also includes a software platform that enables the antenatal care team to schedule tests and view patient results.

Key aims of the collaboration include improving healthcare equity of access and reducing health inequalities by eliminating barriers associated with in-clinic testing that can be felt more acutely within specific at-risk patient cohorts. To support this, Digostics is creating multilingual home-user support.

“We also hope that testing at home proves to be appealing to the complete background social and demographic populations that we work with and we look forward to receiving feedback from those involved in the next phase of research.” further explained Matthew Coleman.

GTT@home achieved UKCA and CE market authorisation in 2022, becoming the first and only regulatory approved alternative to the in-clinic OGTT. A first phase pilot of GTT@home involving a
small caseload of patients was conducted with UHS in November 2022. This announcement reflects the move to a higher volume second-phase project designed to prove the service’s overall
effectiveness.

“With this pilot representing a global-first, UHS’ international reputation for clinical innovation makes it the perfect partner for this project.” said Oenone Duroe, UK Market Access Director, Digostics. “We hope a successful pilot will see maternity services at other NHS trusts take their cue from UHS and explore the merits of GTT@home for diabetes home-testing.”

Also in the news:
New study highlights a massive funding gap for a full fibre US
TIM shares slide as company receives new bids for fixed network assets
EE delivers monster upgrades to Shared Rural Network (SRN) programme

Press Release

stc Group, an engine of digital transformation in the MENA region, announces today that its ICT infrastructure subsidiary, TAWAL, has signed an agreement to acquire United Group’s telecommunications tower assets.

The agreement, valued at EUR 1.220 bn supports stc Group’s ambitious strategy to expand its international footprint in key markets with significant growth potential.

Marking TAWAL’s first step in Europe, this move represents a major milestone in its international expansion journey and stc Group’s growth ambitions which have been active growing in the ICT adjacencies including recent investments in ICT, IoT, Cloud, Cybersecurity, Fintech and digital entertainment through its subsidiaries.

Following completion of the acquisition, TAWAL will own and operate more than 4,800 sites across Bulgaria, Croatia, and Slovenia (all European Union member states, two of which are already members of the Eurozone), providing the full range of passive infrastructure services ranging from ground-based towers, rooftops small cells to in-building-solutions. As part of the 20-year master services agreement with United Group, TAWAL will deploy over 2,000 additional sharable sites, while co-location relationships with other mobile network operators will be maintained and expanded, enabling stc Group to drive digital transformation through providing world-class connectivity.

Olayan Alwetaid, Chief Executive Officer, stc Group, said: “Our agreement with United Group represents an exciting new chapter for TAWAL and the wider stc Group. The agreement is a significant milestone in our ambitious growth strategy and the expansion of our international footprint. We are already leading the transformation of Saudi Arabia’s digital capabilities and this transaction reinforces our commitment to investing in best-in-class technology and infrastructure to lead the way in enabling the world to connect.”

Mohammed Alhakbani, Chief Executive Officer, TAWAL, said: “We are delighted to partner with United Group in our first investment in the European market. The partnership supports our goal to continue to provide innovative and efficient ICT infrastructure solutions to our partners and deliver the quality of services we are renowned for.”

The transaction is subject to regulatory approval from the relevant authorities in Bulgaria and Slovenia. Upon completion, TAWAL’s operations in the European market will be rebranded as “TAWAL Europe” and will serve as TAWAL’s platform for any future expansion in Europe.

TAWAL currently owns a portfolio of over 16,000 telecom towers. The company is actively supporting digital transformation plans in Saudi Arabia, expanding its reach across new cities and rural areas in the Kingdom and actively rolling out smart-city-ready technologies such as camouflage telecom towers, smart poles capable of hosting 5G and IoT applications, in-building solutions, and small cells.

Also in the news:
New study highlights a massive funding gap for a full fibre US
TIM shares slide as company receives new bids for fixed network assets
EE delivers monster upgrades to Shared Rural Network (SRN) programme