All articles by Neal Doran
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Weekly BriefingsUK Infrawatch briefing: NVIDIA swoops; BDUK target stretches; altnet ownership wobbles
Latest from the digital infra scene in the UK, including: AI’s role in future connectivity, UK and local government investment plans; altnet acquisition rumours; people moves, and plenty more…
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TechnologyCarla Penedo interview: Celfocus’s network AI evangelist charts path forward
Exclusive insights from network AI leader on navigating complexities of converging networks, integrating legacy systems, and leveraging network digital twins, Agentic AI, and AIOps for measurable impact. In-depth interview reveals strategies and partnerships redefining telco transformation in cloud-native, AI-enabled era. Humans included…
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Financial & PerformanceCityFibre ups the ante with 5Gbps fibre launch
New 5.5Gbps offering to be available across national footprint once XGS‑PON upgrade completed. While notably differentiating in the UK, 5G-10G services increasingly available elsewhere in Europe, and at low cost…
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Weekly BriefingsUK Infrawatch Briefing: APFN’s new platform, Avanti’s court win, Netomnia grows backbone
Latest from the digital infra scene in the UK, including: wholesale aggregation gathers pace; rural coverage ups and downs; Netomnia’s core capacity expansion; and plenty more…
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Financial & PerformanceOpenreach seeks another gear as altnets gain and CPs flop
FY24–25: BT CEO Allison Kirkby has tossed earlier promises of lower capex, instead fuelling an accelerated fibre build “now that we’ve got the engine humming” to bolster a defence against altnet incursions, and make up for CP shortcomings…
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Financial & PerformanceVodafone sees the bright side of global chaos
FY24–25: As Vodafone Business surpasses €8bn in revenue, driven by Digital Services, anticipated hikes in cybersecurity, defence, and sovereignty spending in politically uncertain times is expected to provide another boost.
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Weekly BriefingsUK Infrawatch Briefing: altnets prove worth, AI plans develop, nexfibre stalls
Latest from the digital infra scene in the UK, including: UK MVNO market reinvigorated by challengers; Kao Data schmoozes with DSIT; a £70m network upgrade contract floated in Wales; people moves; and plenty more…
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Weekly BriefingsUK Infrawatch Briefing: altnets and Openreach square up, data centres spread out
Latest from the digital infra scene in the UK, including: data centres embrace regional opportunities; overbuild threats loom; a closer‑than‑expected scale fibre platform; people moves; plenty more…
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Financial & PerformanceCost leadership key as UK FibreCo Grain sows seeds of profitability
Connected North: Grain CEO Richard Cameron positions “cost leadership” as the key to long‑term success for a consolidating and converging altnet sector, following positive earnings in most recent quarter.
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EventwatchOpenreach and altnet ‘Gladiators’ trade blows on future costs of PIA
Connected North 2025: In robust exchanges at Connected North, Fibrus Chair warns regulator is on the verge of repeating mistakes of the past on PIA pricing, and too easily steered off course on policy.
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M&ACityFibre’s Holden: altnets and backers must pull together for investment‑grade nirvana
In-depth from Eight Advisory’s London event: as UK fibre altnets face financing challenges, optimistic CityFibre COO reveals vision for consolidation, suggesting sector is “a very small number of M&A transactions away” from creating a sufficiently scaled platform to rival BT/Openreach and VM O2. Additional Greg Mesch and Rob Hamlin coverage from FTTH Conference in Amsterdam…
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Network & InfrastructureINCA hails altnet heroes as spectre of overbuild looms
In a punchy, positive report altnet industry group INCA hails “dynamic” altnets on a mission to bring “fairer, faster, and more resilient” connectivity to the UK, but competitive benefits may not be sustainable, and the spectre of ‘supervillain’ Openreach still looms large.
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Innovation (R&D)Gov report predicts £15bn telco productivity boost by 2035
PwC research on emerging technologies sees AI as leading economic transformation, but future telecoms one of the five biggest contributors to GDP growth of 8% by 2035.
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Weekly BriefingsUK Infrawatch Briefing: supply vulnerabilities, vendors value altnets, aggregation opportunities
Latest from the digital infra scene in the UK, including: APFN breaking down national fibre barriers, Xantaro driving Wildanet’s ‘aggressive’ expansion; DSIT tackling UK’s vendor duopoly; people moves, and plenty more…
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Suppliers & SCMNokia and Xantaro flag value of altnet supply deals
Kit vendor and solution provider sign contracts with Fibrus and Wildanet respectively as altnets emerge as increasingly significant to vendors…
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Suppliers & SCMIn-depth: UK grapples with ‘high dependency’ in network supply chain after security risk clampdown
Deep dive: supply chain watchdog addresses risk of over‑reliance on Ericsson and Nokia in access networks and warns of Ericsson dominance in mobile core. Multi-vendor environment remains a goal, but complexities come with it…
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Weekly BriefingsUK Infrawatch Briefing: fibre consolidation, regulatory consideration, core reinvigoration
Latest from the digital infra scene in the UK, including fibre consolidation questions raised; Ofcom and government open up opportunities; Neos Networks plans a comeback; people moves, and plenty more…
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Network & Infrastructure£50m bonus: Fibrus secures Cumbrian Project Gigabit extension
CEO Dominic Kearns talks to TelcoTitans as the Northern Irish altnet readies to deliver fibre to 21,000 premises as part of a £50m Project Gigabit contract extension in Cumbria.
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TechnologyDT, Orange and Celfocus pin strong management strategy as key to GenAI impact
Insight into how telecom giants are leveraging AI to revolutionise network automation, including Deutsche Telekom’s cultural shift, Orange’s ambitious 2026 goals, and Celfocus’ insights on managing network complexity.
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M&ACityFibre returns to M&A with Connexin deal
Acquisition of network assets in Hull and surrounding region could see additional 184,000 premises passed by CityFibre network.