UK – Page 3
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Network & Infrastructure
Vodafone hands VM O2 a spectrum bonus to win merger support
Following more than a year of talks, Vodafone wins Virgin Media O2 round to its proposed Three merger with an extended network sharing agreement and approval-dependent spectrum transaction. Questions remain about MBNL future, BT response, and CMA viewpoint…
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Network & Infrastructure
Virgin Media O2 scrapes past Shared Rural Network waymark… hard work begins now
VM O2 manages to reach interim 4G rural coverage target on deadline day. BT already ahead, Vodafone UK on track, but Three UK yet to confirm progress, with potential penalties from Ofcom looming. Read more…
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Public Affairs
nexfibre joins calls to tighten Openreach infra choker, ensure lasting UK fibre competition
UK fibre wholesaler calls for new and improved regulation to provide platform for altnet competition as attention turns to Ofcom’s next five-year framework. Echoes broad consensus among INCA members that more could be done to limit Openreach dominance, encourage altnet investment…
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Weekly Briefings
Infrawatch Weekly: Netomnia climbs UK altnet table, Poland drives on fibre, UK politicians play it safe
Latest from the digital infra scene in the UK and beyond, including the emergence of a new £1bn challenger in the UK fibre scene, collab-driven network advances in Poland, connectivity promises in the UK General Election; people moves, and plenty more…
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M&A
UK fibre M&A ‘easy’ (compared to challenges of compatibility, integration, compliance)
Challenger leaders at INCA gathering call out lack of industry standards as key obstacle to more M&A. Integration and migration are costly and complex, making compatibility a consideration for prospective buyers. Compliance also increasingly important in valuations. More positive is XGS-PON embrace, deemed a “damn fine standard for a starting place”, but beware legacy tech. Learn more…
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M&A
Altnets Netomnia-Brsk merging into UK FibreCo unicorn tier
This weekend sees confirmation of top-ten FibreCos combining into top-five integrated challenger with uprated three million footprint target, wholesale differentiation, prep’d for further M&A. Read more, including our updated market overview…
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M&A
Liberty mulls M&A opportunities for Virgin Media O2’s NetCo
Liberty Global CEO Mike Fries still “looking actively” at possible altnet acquisitions, noting potential for VM O2’s planned FibreCo spin-off to serve as a vehicle for consolidation in the UK’s fibre market.
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M&A
UK fibre altnet Voneus gets £18m funding boost
Existing investors plough another £18m into Voneus after the recently expanded group is said to be on a roll with increased build rate and sales.
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Network & Infrastructure
Vodafone links 2Africa subsea cable to UK hub
Vodafone onshores another section of 2Africa submarine cable, this time in Cornwall.
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Network & Infrastructure
Project Gigabit finally reaches Scotland with first rural fibre tender
UK government fibre build scheme opens procurement process for North East Scotland network, geared towards reaching 68,000 premises. Northern Ireland and Wales contracts in the pipeline, as are larger ‘call-off’ bundled lots that have piqued the interest of larger players…
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Network & Infrastructure
British parliamentarians depart with last swing at ‘unconvincing’ 5G plans
The outgoing Public Accounts Committee’s final report on mobile connectivity portrays government efforts to improve mobile coverage as lacking focus, data, and clear evidence of value.
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Weekly Briefings
Infrawatch Weekly: Project Gigabit acceleration, African expansion, and 5G streetlights
Latest from the digital infra scene in the UK and beyond, including: drone‑enabled 5G and IoT hidden in streetlamps; ongoing network and service building in Africa; Openreach eyeing under‑delivering Project Gigabit contracts; and plenty more…
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Strategy & Change
Yorkshire challenger Connexin tag-teaming Calix to unlock SME as ‘experience provider’
’Value-add tops megabits’: ambitious regional fibre challenger and key partner open up on winning ways at Connected North. SME segment presented as golden opportunity to strike against incumbents through solutions tailored using network and service data insights. And much more…
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Consumer (B2C)
BT delays Digital Voice switchover, revamps all-IP rollout plan
BT needs more time to complete the switch to digital landlines but hopes Digital Voice customer conversions will go hand-in-hand with full-fibre upgrades.
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Financial & Performance
Openreach to invade Project Gigabit, snap up altnet misfires
FY23–24: Closing in on infill Project Gigabit contracts, also eyeing altnet misfires. Line loss the new reality despite strong fibre build and take-up momentum. TelcoTitans BTwatch predicts altnets will step up, not roll over. New CEO Kirkby makes clear Openreach not for sale (yet). Read more…
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Weekly Briefings
Infrawatch Weekly: land grabs, power-sharing, and an AI tidal wave
Latest from the digital infra scene in the UK and beyond, including: plans for InfraCos to both attack and defend against challenges in the market with new land acquisition and energy plays; data centre prep for building ‘AI tidal wave’; a busy time for vendors in the evolving German infrastructure market; people moves; and plenty more…
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Financial & Performance
UK’s Digital 9 reshapes boardroom, weighs Arqiva options as wind-down progresses
Former Bank of Scotland exec Eric Sanderson named Chair to lead wind-down process, with one or more other Non-Execs to be added in near future. Steps made in asset sale but future of Arqiva stake not yet decided.
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Interview
Brace for ‘AI tidal wave’: Kao Data urges UK data centre step change
Next-gen specialist discusses Manchester Data Centre of the North investment sweetspot, need to prep for AI-fuelled tsunami of demand (nowhere in Europe ready). Read more…
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Network & Infrastructure
Job done on Scottish rural 4G initiative
Scottish 4G Infill programme wraps up after seven years.
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Network & Infrastructure
25G/50G slow-go: Openreach may hold out till 2030s on next-gen fibre tech
In depth report — two of the UK’s biggest fibre wholesalers have dampened expectations of imminent 25G and 50G PON upgrades, despite prep-work. Virgin Media O2-backed nexfibre sees no “imminent” case for commercial launch. Openreach also wants greater energy efficiency and to maximise older-gen GPON value extraction, with point-to-point eyed for enterprise. Read more…