Ian Ginn

Culprit no. 1: the new ECC, regulatory overreach that slowed Britain’s 5G roll-out to a crawl while the developed (and even some of the developing) world sprinted ahead. The U.S.: limited regulation, 95% 5G coverage across a country the size of a continent. The EU: slightly more regulation: 81% 5G coverage. The UK: dramatic regulatory overreach giving operators and infrastructure companies significant power to reduce rents without requiring that the resulting savings be used for network roll-outs: complete market collapse, 51% 5G coverage. Even Bulgaria, Costa Rica and the Philippines are doing better.

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The UK has a new government and a new Secretary of State for Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, Peter Kyle. At the time of writing the department's junior ministers - and specifically whoever is responsible for #telecoms and so-called "digital infrastructure" - had not yet been named, but I'll update this post when it happens . I wrote a quick thread on X yesterday about some thoughts and recommendations for the new people coming into office. These are repeated here, with a couple of edits and additions. Some recommendations for telecoms & innovation: - Don’t get hung up on specific network technologies like #5G or fibre #FTTP. There’s a wide range of alternatives & having a mix is good (for instance #satellite connectivity and #WiFi) - Be wary of numerical targets that are easy but not meaningful. You'll be given headline stats on gigabit "homes passed" or "mobile coverage" which need to be rethought. - #AI is important & shiny, but don’t ignore equally-important tech domains like connectivity & semiconductors - Don’t just listen to big companies or their lobby groups. Diversity of size & specialism is key in tech/telecom - Infra-sharing will be everywhere - wholesale networks for mobile & fibre, spectrum-sharing, datacentres etc - Ignore calls to try to tax Internet traffic, regulate interconnect or emulate the worst elements of the EU’s DMA or its white paper. Understand the criticisms - Liaise closely with colleagues involved with planning, electricity / transport infra to optimise network deployment & synergies - Be wary of large consulting companies churning out huge forecasts or parroting boilerplate views. NB the tyranny of consensus - Radio #spectrum is more important than you think. Consider if the VF/3 merger allows “national infra spectrum” as a remedy - Plenty of techs are important but overhyped. Satellite, 5G, #edgecompute, #GenAI etc. Seek out the underhyped ones - Push for collabs with US, Japan, EU, S Korea - but also don’t be scared of UK-specific approaches to regulation & policy - Avoid the word “digital”. It’s cringe - UK fibre deployment is fast-growing but a messy patchwork. Expect consolidation, encourage “open access” models - DSIT telecoms & broadband teams are good. So are many at Ofcom. Lots of tech expertise - If anyone says the word “nationalisation”, kick them out - The EU pushes agendas driven by old-school big telcos & against US tech companies. Take a different path for UK. Avoid temptation to be an asteroid that protects dinosaurs & kills mammals - Work with likeminded countries on key topics like cybersec & future #6G - Don’t be too risk-averse. Be wary of anyone citing the so-called “precautionary principle”. It’s often just Luddism & lack of weighing risks/benefits - Study the phenomena of path-dependency & tech lock-in. Keep options open & consider how to switch paths - Don't re-merge DSIT & DCMS - Reach out to independent analysts and experts 😉 Congrats & enjoy the role!

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Driving penetration is now the number one focus for the Altnets in the UK. The average consumer take-up across altnet networks is currently at 16%, half that of Openreach at 32%, despite the collective footprint of challengers now equalling that of the incumbent. We explore why this is and what needs to change to address it. I'm very happy to talk to anyone with a view on the situation and ways it can be addressed. In Part two (watch this space) we will provide valuble insights and actionable recommendations to drive penetration from some of the very best practice.

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Spectrum sharing announcements are always welcome. Recently in Spain, three MNOs have agreed to share spectrum, marking a step in the right direction though I have not seen tangible details or build-out commitments. Resource sharing among MNOs is becoming increasingly compelling due to flat ARPU, rising customer usage, the deployment of more spectrum with related equipment (antennas, RRUs, BBUs, power supplies, etc.), and the undeniable need for more coverage and capacity. Cellular sites will continue to proliferate for these reasons. We see deployments in-building, on campuses, for private networks, as small cells in populated areas, and macros in more rural locations. Rural applications include expanded coverage for basic connectivity, 911/Public Safety via programs like FirstNet, and Fixed Wireless Access. However, funding expansion for these use cases remains a challenge. Exclusive spectrum licensing places deployment in the hands of a few MNOs in the US, who are primarily accountable to Wall Street. These MNOs are tied up with their own pressing matters and lack (have not built in) the capacity to collaborate with smaller providers on innovative spectrum sharing or resource sharing via neutral host options. Historically, there has been little incentive to work with smaller providers, but this may be changing. CBRS has provided some relief, though power levels are extremely limited compared to the adjacent C-Band. Without a CBRS PAL channel, small providers face the power and interference constraints of GAA and unlicensed bands. The MNOs and their organization, the CTIA, call for more exclusive mid-band spectrum. However, this only extends the runway for FWA capacity growth and avoids addressing the fundamental issues of financial viability for deployments and practical means to deploy more sites through partnerships. Spectrum sharing, infrastructure sharing, and Open RAN are potential solutions. While each comes with significant operational challenges, it's clear that we cannot meet future needs by continuing with the status quo.

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We acknowledge BT's recent announcement to extend the switch-off deadlines from 2025 to 2027. While this move was not entirely unexpected, it remains frustrating for us and many other providers who have diligently worked to transition customers to replacement products and services in anticipation of the original 2025 deadline. As a business, we have consistently advocated for increased awareness of this transition, as the lack of communication with end users has led to significant confusion. Customers must receive clear messaging moving forward to fully understand the implications of the switch-off and the necessary steps to take. Despite the revised deadline, we remain steadfast in our commitment to the original timeline. Openreach will continue to raise prices, and we are urging businesses to move away from outdated services. Proactive communication is essential for a smooth and efficient transition. If you're in the dark about what the switch-off means for your business, get in touch. We're here to keep you informed. #bigswitchoff

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Smart meters are key to helping reduce the UK’s carbon footprint and CHH’s smart connectivity solutions are helping scale up installations across the UK. We are proud of our track record in helping deliver the UK’s smart meter infrastructure. CHH’s Managed Services division has proved instrumental in equipping field engineers with everything they need for a successful installation. Utility providers are charged with installing smart meters in at least 74.5% of homes and nearly 69% of small businesses by the end of 2025. Be it tools, PPE or consumables, our next day delivery service is helping utility providers meet their installation targets. Read about how our experience in the smart meter sector is helping us expand our offer to support the installation of solar panels and EV charge points. See the full article here: https://lnkd.in/eF6ctbxw #CHH #Smartmeters #SmartConnectivitySolutions #NetZero #EnergyConsumption #UtilityProviders #Decarbonisation #Sustainability

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More consolidation in the UK Fibre market with Netomnia and Brsk announcing a merger. Not a surprise given the amount of altnets in the market, and a trend that mirrors the MNO landscape of consolidation in order to pursue growth. Will be interesting to see what happens next. #connectivity #networks #merger #investment #innovation #mnos #fibre #business #enterprise #altnet #UK #fibre #property #realestate #growth #telecoms #telecommunications #technology

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Is the 2025 telecoms network switch-off going to be switched off? Or at least delayed? Reports suggest extending the deadline for BT and Openreach's copper-based analogue line services switch-off until the end of 2027. 🆘 This follows a pause implemented in December after pensioners could not call for help when lines were changed to IP! The delay stems from challenges in ensuring uninterrupted access to emergency services like Telecare and addressing the needs of vulnerable home users during the transition. 😴 This really should have been sorted out a long time ago! “𝘐𝘵 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘮𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘣𝘰𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘥,” 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘋𝘦𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘴 𝘙𝘦𝘦𝘥, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘪𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘝𝘰𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘪𝘨𝘯, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘉𝘛 𝘰𝘧 𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘯 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳-70𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘤𝘩.𝘛𝘦𝘹𝘵 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘳 2024 ! 🤔 Meanwhile, are businesses breathing a sigh of relief at this delay? Russell Tilsed at telecoms company 8 x 8 highlights the impact on businesses, emphasising the financial implications: "𝘈𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘤𝘩-𝘰𝘧𝘧 𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘺 𝘱𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘥𝘦𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘚𝘛𝘕, 𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘢𝘯𝘪s𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘦𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘺. 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘹𝘵𝘳𝘢 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘩-𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘴." Amidst this turmoil, Vidicode UK continues to support businesses with their call recording and speech analytics needs, whether they're transitioning to all IP or using existing on-premises systems like Unify's new Openscape X1R or cloud-based solutions such as Mitel, Teams, 3CX, Wildix, and NEC. Stay tuned as the telecommunications industry navigates this critical transition phase. #Telecoms #DigitalTransformation #BusinessImpact #CallRecording ......................................................... PS: Our new Partnership Prosperity Programme offers special concessions to IT and Telecoms resellers when they bundle our call recording with their own phone system offering.

I've had many conversations with people about IcyTea over the past two weeks, and there has been a question that keeps coming up... What even is a 'Managed Connection'?! 🤔⁉️ With connectivity you have two main types of connection: 🛜 Wires-only 🛜 Managed Think of a wires-only connection as plain-old vanilla internet. It gets you connected, keeps your business online and generally does the job. The difference between this and a #managedconnection is clearly visible when there are #connectionissues. With a wires-only connection, things go like: You realise that your internet has gone down 🤬 You get on the phone to your supplier 🤳 Supplier raises a support ticket 🎟️ Network provider/carrier gets to work on finding the issue and getting you back online ✅ With our MANAGED connections, however, see if you can spot the difference: IcyTea's monitoring equipment notifies our service desk that your connection has failed ⚠️ We contact you, and run you through the basic checks - including any possible quick fixes 📃 Info in hand, we raise a ticket with the network carrier 🎟️ We liaise with the carrier, keeping you updated until the issue is fixed ✅ As you can see, the key part to highlight here is the value of us being a #proactiveprovider, not a reactive one. Our monitoring ticks away in the background and lets us know as soon as something doesn't look right, enabling us to act fast and get your back online in the fastest possible time. Efficiency is key in business, and a managed connection encourages efficiency at the time you need it most - when issues inevitably crop up. Even if you pay £1000's a month for a 10Gbps leased line, issues will always occur at some point - this is exactly why no provider can ever guarantee 100% uptime. So, if you know you will have an issue at some point, ask yourself this question: 🤔What would happen to MY business if I had no internet for 1 hour/5 hours/2 days etc. etc. If the answer is that you start to sweat and your heartbeat raises... let's have a chat!

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Did you miss Connected North 2024? 💡 Get an insight into our CEO's talk on Connexin’s vision and how we’re focusing on the purpose and potential of our infrastructure in TelcoTitans round-up below ⬇️ #ConnectedNorth2024 #ConnectedNorth

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Interesting article by Mike Dano about mobile voice. But wow. 15 years after I started running “Future of Voice” workshops & advising on voice applications “beyond the call”, parts of the mobile industry are finally starting to wake up to the idea that there could be options beyond basic telephony. ☎️ But these use-cases are still the same old “session” and call-centric ideas. And they’re stuck in the trap of thinking that IMS is a platform. They’re blending dead-end phone calls with undead zombie RCS 🤦🏻‍♂️ As a reminder, IMS was already obsolete in 2006 and yet here we are, nearly 20 years later, still trying to pretend it’s a suitable basis for voice innovation… just because operators were forced to deploy it to support the deeply-flawed VoLTE. 📞 Meanwhile the real world of value in voice communications has bypassed telcos. Look at the world of non-call voice, from chatbots & smart speakers, to in-game voice chat and even podcasts. There are no 5G microphones at 5G conferences, for instance. 🎤 I’ll have to do a deep dive on this at some point, but I’ll note that the GSMA “5G New Calling” paper doesn’t once mention the words “acoustic”, “echo” or “noise”. This should give a warning of how much they understand the broader world of audio communications and human voice experience. A further warning of irrelevance should be its use of the term “OTT” and its insistence on the 140 year model of a “call”. 🔊 (Edit: a historical note that in the 1890s, it was already possible to get one-way "streaming music" via phone networks, aka The Theatrophone. No, it wasn't monetised by telecom operators, beyond the user paying for a phone call as access) #5G #standards #VoLTE #GSMA #RCS #mobile

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East Lothian, Scotland. 1st May 2024: BT Group has installed its first EV charge point powered from a street cabinet, marking the first phase of trials which could lead to the wider upgrade of cabinet units across the UK. The charger, which is powered by a BT Group owned cabinet traditionally used to store broadband and phone cabling, forms part of a nationwide pilot by the business’ start-up incubation hub Etc., designed to address the shortfall in public EV charging infrastructure. The first charger has been installed in East Lothian, Scotland, for use by local residents, who will be able to charge their electric vehicles at no cost until 31st May as part of the pilot. The pilot will focus next on West Yorkshire, with ambitions to scale up to 600 trial sites across the UK. EV drivers can use the charge point with ease by downloading the trial app from the App Store or Google Play Store. The app is designed and developed by the Etc. team in conjunction with EV drivers and includes the features they most want to see, such as visibility of EV chargers across the UK, alongside real-time pricing, availability and charge speed, the ability to start, stop and monitor charge sessions via the app and to filter by connector type, kW speed and charging network. #bt #btgroup #uk #scotland #evchargepoint #ev

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SHAKING UP UK BROADBAND: NETOMNIA AND BRSK’S GAME-CHANGING DEAL Big news in the UK broadband world: Netomnia and Brsk are joining forces in what's being called the biggest merger yet among alternative network providers. This move is part of the industry's bid to give BT and Virgin Media O2 a run for their money in the full-fibre rollout across the country. The companies struck the deal last week, creating one of the largest "altnets" out there. Investors have been pouring billions into these altnets, hoping to challenge the big players. With the focus shifting from just laying down fibre to actually signing up customers, this kind of consolidation was pretty much expected. Everyone’s looking to get a return on their investment in the digital upgrade. We've seen other big moves recently too. For example, CityFibre announced it was buying Lit Fibre back in March, and Virgin Media O2 agreed to take over Upp in September. In this deal, Brsk will come under Netomnia’s parent company, Substantial Group, but it’ll still run independently with Brsk's CEO, Giorgio Iovino, staying in charge. They’re also creating a new wholesale company to combine their networks and potentially bring other altnets on board. Jeremy Chelot, CEO of Substantial, Netomnia, and their sister company YouFibre, said this merger is a major step towards becoming the UK’s third-largest full-fibre network, aiming to compete with Openreach and Virgin Media O2. Chelot mentioned that the market has been pretty fragmented with many small players, leading to uncertainty. This deal aims to create a more stable competitive environment, and they’re open to further consolidations. Currently, their full-fibre services reach 1.5 million premises with 140,000 customers already connected. They’re planning to use up to £900 million in debt to expand to 3 million premises and around 500,000 customers by the end of 2025. Iovino added that merging will help them break even on earnings a lot sooner and make the group an attractive consolidator in the market. The merger is set to be finalised soon, pending regulatory approval. No job cuts are expected. By the end of 2023, altnets collectively reached 12.9 million premises and had 2 million customers. #broadband #consolidation #netomnia #brsk #altnets

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Is Fixed Wireless Broadband a game changer? Recent forecasts from Omdia provide a fascinating glimpse into the shifting landscape of fixed broadband subscriptions. Over the next five years, we can anticipate an addition of approximately 200 million new subscriptions, culminating in a global total of 1.8 billion of fixed internet subscriptions. This rapid expansion highlights the evolving technological preferences of consumers seeking home internet solutions. A critical insight from the forecast is the evident decline of ADSL and cable technologies. These once-dominant options are steadily being supplanted by fiber and fixed wireless access (FWA) technologies. With a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5% for fiber and an impressive 13% for FWA, it’s clear that FWA is emerging as the fastest-growing method for home internet connectivity. Despite its rapid growth, FWA is expected to remain somewhat niche, capturing around 8% of the total market share, equivalent to 124 million subscriptions by 2029. Nonetheless, this represents a doubling of FWA subscriptions within five years, underscoring its significant potential. The trends in average revenue per user (ARPU) across different technologies are equally noteworthy. The overall ARPU is expected to stabilize at around $19 per month. However, there are stark differences between technologies. FWA commands a premium, with an average ARPU of approximately $27 per month, significantly higher than fiber's $14 per month. Cable, on the other hand, remains the most expensive technology at $44 per month. This high cost likely contributes to its decline, as consumers gravitate towards more cost-effective and technologically superior alternatives. The rising prominence of FWA in the home internet market is driven by several factors. Its rapid deployment capabilities, often bypassing the need for extensive infrastructure, make it an attractive option in underserved or remote areas. Additionally, advancements in technology have enhanced the reliability and speed of FWA, making it a viable competitor to traditional wired solutions.

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Another excellent piece by Iain Morris at Light Reading, this time a recap of TM Forum’s Digital Transformation World Series along with a candid review of the industry’s challenges. Full article in the comments 👇 The telecom industry is grappling with significant challenges. The article quotes several important figures from the operator side, giving candid views on the financial challenges and innovation woes threatening the sector's stability. “The reality is that our return on investment, our growth, is not good enough, and we can't be happy with where we are as an industry at the moment," said Kim Andersen, the chief technology officer of Australia's Telstra, in a DTW call to arms. "We need to reinvent this industry and save this industry." An unusually candid view from the CTO of a major telco. Genuine product innovation is occurring all around the telcos and is difficult to watch. For me, real change will only be possible with a total upheaval of the industry’s culture. Which, unfortunately, is the hardest part to change. Therefore, the much-needed innovation is probably going to have to come from an outside disrupter. In the meantime I suggest the short term answer from the vast majority of telcos will likely be more consolidation and cost cutting….Sniff 🥲. #TelecomIndustry #DigitalTransformation #TMForum #Innovation #telecoms

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