UK
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Network & InfraEurope moots UK tech tie-up on new-gen IRIS² satellite system
European Space Agency offical signals openness an IRIS2 technology partnership and services agreement with the UK government should it want direct involvement in the regional mega-project…
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M&A‘We need to get on with it’: nexfibre boss wants to see altnet acquisition action
Fibreco chief suggests some investors will have to swallow losses on altnets as the industry goes into consolidation mode.
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Analyst BriefingsUK Infrawatch analyst briefing: write-down worries, results revelations, Openreach outrage
Latest from the digital infra scene in the UK, including: altnet debt reality bites, rivals sideswiped by Openreach discounts, CityFibre contract gains, and plenty more…
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Financial & PerformanceAs lenders wobble on UK fibre, should altnets brace for potential write-downs?
FTTH Congress CEE: ING warns that lender peers are weighing up debt write-downs as UK and European fibrecos fail to deliver on business case promises. Altnet leaders warn that investors are ‘scarred’ by past shortcomings, but can be reconvinced…
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Network & InfraOpenreach expands role as Project Gigabit contract sweeper-upper
Openreach picks up Project Gigabit premises previously allocated to UK altnet Voneus, seeing the incumbent add another lot of homes to its Call-Off collection…
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Public Affairs‘Enormously aggressive’: nexfibre leads altnet complaints against Openreach copper-to-fibre discounting
Connected Britain 2025: As Openreach pulls levers to combat massive broadband losses, and drive fibre adoption alongside, altnet leaders have called out the discount pricing strategy as unsustainable. nexfibre execs have called it an exploitation of the incumbent’s significant market powers, CityFibre warns of structure advantage, plus views from other altnets, rivals…
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Network & InfraExtra millions flow to UK fibrecos as Project Gigabit contracts updated
CityFibre once again sees a boost to a Project Gigabit contract value as Leicestershire & Warwickshire deal is updated and geographically expanded, becoming the latest fibreco to benefit from Project Gigabit perimeter adjustments…
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InnovationOpenreach taps VR startup for 3D fibre planning
Openreach adds another weapon to its fibre building arsenal through Glasgow startup, using VR mapping to accelerate the cable routing process.
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Strategy & ChangeFrom upstart to fibre-mobile powerhouse: Netomnia CEO plots BT take-down
Connected Britain: Jeremy Chelot refreshes provocative vision for fibreco segment, with fixed-mobile convergence latest outcome of choice. The ultimate prize could be a scaled altnet merging with VodafoneThree, or a new MNO — creating a new heavyweight contender to BT/Openreach…
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Strategy & ChangeGrain skewers wholesale model as altnets ponder consolidation
At Connected Britain the UK’s largest fibre platforms called on investors and smaller players to accept the inevitability of consolidation. Niche challenger Grain rebutted the assumption that scale is now critical, and instead called into question the foundations of current wholesale‑led models.
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Public AffairsBT’s Kirkby pulls no punches in review of UK regulatory, fiscal policy
Connected Britain: Allison Kirkby lets loose on Downing Street policy, with greater fiscal certainty needed to fund much-needed infra investment and AI adoption. Regulatory policy comes in for inevitable criticism too, as the BT boss sets the scene for the Chancellor’s upcoming Budget and Ofcom’s pending Telecoms Access Review…
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Financial & PerformanceFibrus focuses on journey towards breakeven as revenue and EBITDA grow
In conversation: Fibrus CFO talks virtues of the altnet’s integrated business model as it reports steadily rising earnings and nears positive cash flow. Fibre ARPU ‘walk-up’ ongoing, but potential bolt-ons are under consideration…
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Network & InfraUK scopes out satellite partners for emergency services network
The UK Space Agency is seeking players in the non-terrestrial networks sector willing to explore potential integration of satellite solutions into the Emergency Services Network, moving on previously stated ambitions to bring more satcos into the project…
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PeopleUK small cell player Ontix appoints fresh CEO
Chris Newall joins neutral host and small cell business as CEO, seeking to accelerate rollout of the provider’s wireless infra solutions…
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Analyst BriefingsUK Infrawatch Analyst Briefing: Zen means business, Ofcom unleashes spectrum, Mesch moves up
Latest from the digital infra scene in the UK, including: Ofcom’s advances on satcomms and mmWave, UK plans to address AI energy demand, arrivals at Zen and big moves at CityFibre, and plenty more…
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Network & InfraUK AI council looks north as energy demand set to soar — but connectivity an afterthought
Initial meetings of the government’s AI Energy Council see predictions of surging energy demand and challenges in ensuring existing infrastructure is up to the job, but connectivity requirements appear sidelined with fibre operators asbent…
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B2BZen enters ‘next phase’ of B2B with new leadership, evolving strategy
Ex-TalkTalk Business exec Jon Nowell steps in to lead Zen Business with a mission to disrupt, urges UK enterprises to reconsider status quo.
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Network & InfraUK takes step closer to D2D satellite services go-live
Regulator Ofcom to launch a framework that will permit direct-to-device satellite services next year, using BT, VodafoneThree, and Virgin Media O2 spectrum.
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Partnerships & AlliancesNetomnia forays off-net with Openreach tie-up, lures new debt investors
UK altnet to add 1.5 million premises to footprint as it seeks to attract fresh customers and reduce churn through wholesale tie-up with the nation’s incumbent provider. Coincides with new investors and long-term backers completing debt raise with a £140m boost.
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Partnerships & AlliancesVirgin Media O2 smartens up fibre rollout with IQGeo and Deepomatic combo
As IQGeo completed an acquisition of Deepomatic earlier this month, Virgin Media O2 emerged as one of the first operators to use their combined geospatial software and computer vision software tools to speed its fibre rollout.