Satellite heavyweights SES and Intelsat to combine in $3.1B merger

Two of the commercial satellite industry's biggest players are joining forces to fortify their position against the onslaught of emerging low-Earth orbit broadband constellations led by SpaceX's Starlink network.

In a $3.1 billion deal announced Tuesday, Luxembourg-based SES will acquire rival operator Intelsat—creating a combined fleet of around 100 satellites in geostationary orbit (GEO).

The new behemoth born from the merger will boast more than twice the number of...

1 May 2024 | Broadband

FCC votes to restore net neutrality protections

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has voted to reinstate net neutrality protections, marking a significant shift in policy that aims to ensure the internet remains fast, open, and fair for all users. The decision comes after years of public outcry and regulatory shifts that saw the rollback of previous net neutrality rules.

The rules prohibit Internet service providers from blocking and throttling lawful content and ban paid prioritisation. Cable and telecom companies...

26 April 2024 | Broadband

Connected Urban: CU Phosco Lighting set to revolutionise smart city infrastructure with innovative smart pole launch

CU Phosco Lighting has unveiled a groundbreaking new product, Connected Urban, which they believe will become the next evolution in smart city infrastructure. 

In response to the increasing demand for densification of 4G networks and to support the continued rollout of 5G, Connected Urban has been designed to enhance connectivity on our streets, delivering both macro and small cells within a single compact footprint.

Designed to accommodate multi-faceted services,...

10 April 2024 | 5G

NTT: AI risks ‘enormous and irreversible damage’ to society

In a joint proposal, Japanese telecom giant NTT and newspaper publisher The Yomiuri Shimbun have warned that generative AI poses risks of causing "enormous and irreversible damage" to society if left unchecked.

The companies acknowledge the benefits of generative AI, including user-friendly interfaces and improved productivity from summaries. However, they raise concerns about the lack of human control over the technology.

Among the challenges highlighted are...

9 April 2024 | Hot Topics

FCC denies spectrum request for Starlink’s mobile service

SpaceX's plans to expand Starlink to provide mobile services have encountered a roadblock as the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) dismissed the company's application to use several spectrum bands.

Starlink – the satellite internet division of SpaceX – is seeking approval to use up to 7,500 second-generation satellites with spectrum in the 1.6 GHz, 2 GHz, and 2.4 GHz bands to provide mobile services.

However, the FCC's Space Bureau ruled this week that SpaceX's...

28 March 2024 | 5G

BT and Global to upgrade legacy payphones through 10-year digital partnership

BT and Global, the Media & Entertainment Group, have formed a 10-year partnership to upgrade the nation’s legacy payphones and roll out more digital hubs for local communities.

The partnership is expected to provide better connectivity and hyper-local advertising in more than 200 towns and cities across the UK. Global will also continue to represent BT’s street furniture advertising sales for the next decade.

BT Group’s street furniture estate covers...

27 March 2024 | 5G

Ofcom’s consumer protections ‘fall vastly short’

Ofcom has introduced new rules aimed at better protecting UK mobile customers against unexpected roaming charges while using their phone abroad and at home.

Following the UK’s exit from the European Union, EU ‘roam like at home’ rules – and UK law requiring mobile operators to alert customers of roaming charges when they start to roam – have ceased to apply. Since then, many operators have voluntarily continued to send their customers alerts.

However, a review...

26 March 2024 | 5G

Global UCaaS market to reach more than 131m users by 2028

The global Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) market is set to grow to more than 131 million users by the end of 2028, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.3% over the next five years.

This is according to research by Cavell, a research and consulting firm specialising in the telecommunications industry.

Cavell’s set of 2024 Cloud Comms Market Reports surveyed over 100 service providers across the UK, Europe and US. The latest findings also...

25 March 2024 | Digital Transformation

UK led European full fibre rollout in 2023 but lags in uptake

The UK added 4.7 million homes to its full fibre broadband footprint in the year leading up to September 2023, outpacing every other European country.

According to the latest market report from the FTTH Council Europe, this rapid expansion brought the UK's total fibre homes passed to 17.1 million—ranking it third in Europe behind France (26.3 million) and Turkey (18 million).

Given the UK's population size and need to catch up on fibre deployment, its leading position...

21 March 2024 | Broadband

Government programme boosts 4G coverage in rural Wales

Several rural communities in Wales are now accessing fast and reliable 4G mobile coverage thanks to the UK government's Shared Rural Network initiative to tackle poor connectivity in remote areas.

The first of 86 planned 4G mobile masts have been switched on this month in places like Pont-rhyd-y-groes, Ysbyty Ystwyth, LLanafan, Tynygraig, West Fedw and Trawsgoed in Powys County. Residents, businesses and tourists in these areas can now benefit from improved 4G coverage from all...

19 March 2024 | Hot Topics