UK
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Network & Infrastructure
INCA 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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Weekly Briefings
UK 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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Network & Infrastructure
Openreach’s new deputy CEO: fibre take-up accelerating, ‘and we can go even faster’
FTTH Conference 2025: Katie Milligan teases Q4 build and take-up figures as Openreach keeps up the fibre rollout pace. Altnets reframe competition battle around migration…
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Suppliers & SCM
Nokia 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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Network & Infrastructure
AllPoints revs fibre platform engine as aquila nears launch
APFN ‘opens the taps’ of aquila platform, onboarding early ISPs and readying for more, one month ahead of formal launch.
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Suppliers & SCM
In-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 Briefings
UK 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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M&A
FullFibre eyeing next M&A target as UK altnets enter ‘consolidation phase’
FTTH Conference 2025: FullFibre CEO James Warner teases more M&A to come as altnets prepare for ‘consolidation phase’, underpinned by regulatory certainty and investor confidence…
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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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M&A
UK investor Actis picks up South African tower player
Actis joins forces with local investors to acquire Telkom’s Swiftnet tower business, with plans to expand to become a market leader.
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M&A
CityFibre 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.
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Interview
Boldyn champions as-a-service benefits for private 5G
Interview: MPN forerunner Mikko Uusitalo shares how Boldyn Networks is reshaping private 5G with its innovative ‘as-a-service’ model, tackling cost and complexity barriers, as the neutral host seeks to continue leading the way with innovative use cases.
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Network & Infrastructure
Game of two halves: Ofcom preps for next five years’ fibre investment
Ofcom declares its fibre strategy to date a success, but reiterates it was implemented with a long‑term outlook running at least over the course of the next review period.
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M&A
2025: the year UK FibreCo cash becomes king?
This year may see further billions injected into altnets to pump-prime M&A consolidation, while 2026 could start to see what the end-state looks like (third scale player or continued swarm).
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Interview
Neos Networks on renewal of its UK backbone for altnets, AI and hyperscalers
Neos Networks is reshaping its trajectory with a sharpened focus on optical connectivity and strategic partnerships like Project Reach with Network Rail. Learn how this SSE-Infracapital-backed UK backbone operator considers itself uniquely placed to leverage opportunities in AI-fuelled data centre expansion and altnet consolidation.
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Network & Infrastructure
Vantage Towers hopeful on ‘massive’ European small cells potential, with UK bringing the blueprint
MWC 2025: Head of Business & Product Development Jaime Abril paints optimistic picture of European market, but calls for regulatory shift and cultural change among MNO customers.
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Network & Infrastructure
Community Fibre: don’t fear the overbuild
London altnet CEO Graeme Oxby asserts the presence of fibre competition is a spur for greater adoption, as Community Fibre sees accelerating progress on uptake across its 1.3 million premises footprint.
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Network & Infrastructure
VM O2 takes aim at mobile network ‘pain points’ with £700m spend plan
UK operator expects to spend £700m this year to alleviate network “pain points” for customers and improve mobile service experience.
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Suppliers & SCM
EE, IBM assemble ecosystem to rescue UK’s emergency services network
BAPCO Annual Event: Emergency Services Network contract holders EE and IBM build out programme supply chain, with calibre of partners adding confidence in the Home Office that ESN will deliver.
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Weekly Briefings
UK Infrawatch Weekly: Netomnia goes mobile; ESN mobilises; Freedom Fibre walks
Latest from the digital infra scene in the UK, including altnet strategies on uptake acceleration; Project Gigabit and SRN updates; altnet and data centre investment plans; people moves, and plenty more…