Vodafone’s Andrea Dona: The UK has fallen behind on 5G, but not lost the race


Viewpoint Article

by Andrea Dona, Chief Network Officer, Vodafone UK

Although the UK got off to a fast start in the 5G era, we have lost our way a bit. However, the race is far from over and there is still plenty to be hopeful for.

While the “race to 5G” is not as simple as winners and losers, there will be those who win more than others. Developing the right environment for business to thrive not only increases the economic potential of those businesses that already exist, but it attracts international investment to create new jobs and new opportunities.

This increased economic prosperity will also have a hugely positive impact on our society and on us as citizens. Generally speaking, the better performing a countries economy, the better its public services function and the happier its people are.

In a world which is increasingly becoming dominated by technology, having the right digital infrastructure is critical to achieve this objective.

That means 5G, and to be more specific, 5G Standalone, deployed at scale across the length and breadth of the UK.

Sitting in the chasing peloton

Vodafone launched 5G Non-standalone services in 2019, becoming one of the first companies in the world to do so. As a result, the UK took a leadership position in the 5G race.

But much has changed in the last four years. The UK has incrementally moved forward, but not at the same pace as other nations. Looking at the statistics from Open Signal, the UK currently sits in 21st for median 5G download speeds compared to other European nations, and 20th for 5G coverage.

During the summer, we announced the launch of the UK’s first 5G Standalone network. While this is another promising step forward, we must be realistic. Until 5G Standalone, the technologically superior and fully upgraded 5G network, is installed at scale, we will not fully realise the full economic benefits of this new digital era.

Currently, the UK is an “also ran” in the 5G race. There will be benefits from the work we are doing, but let’s not settle for mediocrity.

What is the 5G opportunity?

The 5G opportunity is relatively simple when you condense it down to the simplest message – improving what we have today.

We have all experienced the benefits of digital technologies, from online banking through to simply being connected to our loved ones. And even during the toughest of times, the COVID-19 pandemic, technology enabled business and society to function in ways it would have never been able to in previous generations.

5G will build on that foundation and go far beyond it.

For starters, better digital infrastructure means greater efficiencies. Through real-time access to data and embedding AI, we can improve on what we have today. That could mean less energy intensive factory operations, or an NHS that monitors patients remotely in real-time so we can treat symptoms not diseases.

And then we have the ideas that are impossible today. 5G will bring to life ideas that would normally be at home in Sci-Fi movies. Driverless vehicles, robots to deliver packages, hologram video calls or learning through augmented reality.

5G Standalone could be worth £150 billion to the UK by 2030. This is new revenue growth for existing businesses that embrace the new digital era and the creation of new companies and jobs.

Realising the full potential of 5G

At Vodafone, we believe there are still many miles left in the race and significant opportunity to drive both economic and societal benefit. We just have to create the right environment.

Firstly, the proposed merger between Vodafone UK and Three UK would create a more competitive marketplace. Both Vodafone UK and Three UK are subscale operators, meaning we do not have enough customers to drive return-on-investment for the money we are spending on network deployment. This is unsustainable.

By merging Vodafone UK and Three UK together into a single entity, you create an organisation that can compete with BT/EE and VMO2. Both of these companies have greater scale, and as it stands, we believe the UK is effectively a two-player marketplace. We do not believe this is the best way to deliver value for consumers, businesses or the UK as a whole.

Secondly, we have to create the right policy environment for digital to succeed. The UK Government reformed the broadband market and now fibre installation is growing across the UK. The same should be done for the mobile market.

With reforms to spectrum policy, introducing public sector 5G procurement incentives, addressing the challenging with planning permission for new infrastructure and introducing an investment-first approach to regulation, we can get the UK back on track.

Building momentum in the final furlongs

The UK Government and Ofcom have already begun shifting the dial in the right direction with the Wireless Infrastructure Strategy and the Net Neutrality Consultation, but we need to move faster, and we need to create the right environment to succeed. This means creating three, scaled telecoms players that can effectively compete against each other.

5G is a race for economic opportunity and societal benefit across the UK. We’ve fallen off the pace, but we can quickly gather momentum with the right strategic approach.

Andrea (pictured, centre) spoke about this topic at length on the opening keynote panel of Connected Britain 2023, which took place ealier this week. Use the hashtag #ConnectedBritain to catch up with all the action online! 

Zegona in talks to buy Vodafone Spain


News 

This morning, Zegona disclosed the discussion with Vodafone to the London Stock Exchange 

British investment telecom company Zegona has confirmed today that it is in talks with Vodafone regarding the potential acquisition of its Spanish business.  

“(Zegona) confirms that it is in discussions with Vodafone Group in connection with the potential acquisition, and with banks in relation to its financing,” the company said.

The deal is subject to agreements on funding and due diligence. 

“Therefore, there is no certainty that the potential acquisition will proceed, nor as to the final terms of any such potential acquisition,” the firm continued.

Spanish newspaper Expansion reported that Zegona was interested in Vodafone’s Spanish business, which has been the subject of takeover interest for some time. 

The value of the potential deal has not been disclosed by either company. Although, according to Expansion, Zegona is searching for financing to buy a maximum 50% stake in the company, which could value the whole company at over €5 billion. 

Zegona’ strategy, as detailed on their website, is to invest in businesses in the European TMT [technology, media and telecom] sector with the objective to improve their performance to deliver attractive shareholder returns with a ‘Buy-Fix-Sell’ Strategy’. 

The nature of the Spanish telecoms market is highly competitive, which Vodafone has is known to lament. Competition is fierce with Movistar, Orange, and MásMóvil in an ongoing price war.  

Because of this, Vodafone had long hoped that market consolidation would provide a solution to these issues, with rumours of a potential merger with MásMóvil finally withdrawn after the latter merged with Orange last year. 

In last quarter’s earnings call, Vodafone CEO Margarita Della Valle said that “structural change” was very much necessary in the Spanish market, in the context of market conditions. She said the company was “considering a range of options” but it was too early to comment. 

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Also in the news: 
Connected Britain 2023: the award winners
VMO2 conducts Connected Farm trial in Barnsley
Project Gigabit contracts awarded by CityFibre 

DITO Telecommunity lands $3.9bn loan for rollout

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New project aims to bring advanced comms to Poland’s railways

The Future Railway Mobile Communication System (FRMCS), an advanced communications standard meant to replace the currently used GSM-R system, may soon be on its way to Poland.

Transportation solutions company Alstom, telecoms giant Ericsson, NetWorkS!, the largest provider of radio access network solutions in Poland, and the Polish Railway Institute, which conducts scientific and R&D activities for railway transport, have signed a letter of intent regarding the implementation and testing of FRMCS in Poland.

The main goal of FRMCS is to increase the capacity of existing railway networks and optimise their costs of operation. It has been designed by the International Union of Railways, in cooperation with key representatives of the railway sector, and, it is claimed, represents an important step towards the full digitalisation of rail transport.

As part of the newly announced cooperation, the signatories of the letter of intent will engage in joint research and development projects, verify requirements and solutions in actual railway conditions, and create and develop training models and certifications for the FRMCS system.

Specifically, Alstom will provide a modern control subsystem for vehicles; Ericsson will provide a radio telecommunications network for the FRMCS pilot implementation; and NetWorkS! will provide competences in telecommunications solutions for the railway sector, as well as the construction and maintenance of the FRMCS test network. The Polish Railway Institute will provide the necessary research infrastructure where the FRMCS system will be tested.

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Connected Britain 2023: the award winners 


News

The Connected Britain Awards took place last night at the Connected Britain Afterparty. Hundreds joined us for an evening of networking, live music and the highly anticipated winner announcements.  

We had a record breaking number of entries this year, reflecting Britain’s ever-growing and rapidly evolving digital economy. 

Our shortlist this year represented a fantastic array of diverse organisations and individuals, with the traditional big players being joined by many organisations of varying sizes from all corners of Britain. This is a clear reflection of how the whole digital economy is now working towards the same goal of improving lives through connectivity. 

From the latest technological innovations to the most impactful community initiatives, the Connected Britain Awards strives to highlight excellence in every corner of the UK.  

A big thanks to all our award presenters, our generous sponsors and the excellent panel of judges, who spent the last number of months analysing entries for each of the 15 categories. 

Onto the 16 awards… 

The Full Fibre ISP Innovation Award 

Winner: Brsk Ltd 

Featuring a massive increase in homes passed (919%) over the year in question and an excellent customer satisfaction record, Brsk is well on the way to becoming a fibre powerhouse in the north of the UK. “Good customer feedback, great use of locally based community liaison officers, and quality engagement with other local stakeholders.” 

The finalists were: 

Gigabit Networks 

Giganet 

Hey! Broadband 

Hyperoptic 

TalkTalk Wholesale Services 

 

The Barrier Removal Award 

Winner: Intelligens Consulting with Renfrewshire Council 

Intelligens Consulting’s work supporting Renfrewshire Council’s fibre journey has been transformational, turning a previously underserved area into the third most fibre-enabled local authority in Scotland. 

 

The judges praised the entry’s clarity, saying it clearly outlined the scale of the challenge at hand, the methodology used to meet that challenge, and the exceptional results delivered. 

The finalists were: 

CityFibre 

Kent County Council – Kent Wayleave Toolkit 

Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (LCRCA) 

Lothian Broadband Networks (LBN) 

Trenches Law 

 

 

The Industrial Innovation Award 

The winner: Vodafone – 5G SA Slicing  

Vodafone’s entry demonstrated the success of 5G network slicing on one of the biggest stages of all, supporting the broadcast industry to deliver live footage of the coronation of King Charles III. 

 

“This is a perfect example of what 5G slicing is intended to do,” said one of the judges, noting the broadcast industry’s unique set of requirements, especially for covering a major event such as the coronation.“ 

The finalists were: 

Dexgreen Ltd – Virtual Buddy Training App 

Neutral Wireless – Private 5G Network Deployed for King Charles III’s Coronation 

Prodapt OpenFibreXchange 

Zeti Limited 

 

 

The Wireless Innovation Award 

Winner: Quickline Communications 

Quickline Communications delivered fascinating project using fixed wireless access over a bespoke cloud-based 5G standalone network using shared spectrum. Overall, a great use-case cited for rural broadband coverage. 

 

“Proper innovation with extensive real-world applicability,” commented one of the judges, with another calling it “a true commitment to the use of high bandwidth FWA to serve the most challenging rural areas”. 

The finalists were: 

EdgeQ 

Freshwave and the City of London Corporation 

Jangala 

Neutral Wireless – Private 5G Network Deployed for King Charles III’s Coronation 

Scottish Water, Blackspot Networks and Atos 

 

 

Broadband Provider of the Year 

Winner: Brsk Ltd 

With impressive growth, customer-centric initiatives, and an excellent Trustpilot rating, Brsk demonstrated impressive results since its launch in 2020. 

“The focus on customers appears to permeate the entire organisation,” concluded one of the judges, while another noted that “ambitious deployment plans and innovative approaches, including same-day installation, sets Brsk apart”. 

The finalists were: 

Fibrus 

Giganet 

Lightning Fibre 

Truespeed 

Wessex Internet 

Wildanet  

 

Enterprise Solution of the Year 

Winner: Vitruvi Software 

Virtuvi’s GIS-based build management software offers altnets a way to automate a traditionally highly manual process, ultimately allowing them to deploy fibre at recording-breaking speeds. 

 

The solution was praised as “a highly impressive tool” by the WCA judges, who also commented on the excellent customer feedback supporting the entry. 

The finalists were: 

Eseye Infinity IoT Platform 

IFS Planning & Scheduling Optimization (PSO) 

Jetty 

Qualcomm Technologies, Wi-Fi 7 Networking Pro Series platforms 

VETRO 

 

 

Project Rollout Award 

Winner: Liverpool City Region Combined 

Authority (LCRCA) and LCR Connect 

An excellent example of public–private collaboration in action to deliver major community benefits. This project shows a local authority that truly appreciates the importance of delivering high quality connectivity infrastructure to deliver economic growth. 

“A good partnership model and phased deployment that is delivering some impressive results” 

The finalists were: 

CityFibre 

County Broadband Ltd 

Lothian Broadband Networks (LBN) 

Openreach 

Truespeed 

 

The Access Innovation Award 

Winner: Norfolk County Council 

With a holistic approach to expanding broadband penetration in Norfolk through numerous initiatives, Norfolk County Council has more than doubled the county’s superfast coverage to 96%. 

 

“This entry demonstrates an excellent appreciation for numerous technologies and doesn’t shy away from the challenges of delivering broadband to some of the UK’s hardest-to-reach areas,” said the judges. 

The finalists were: 

Avanti Communications 

DexGreen Ltd 

Lothian Broadband Networks (LBN) 

Scottish Water and Atos using Starlink 

 

 

The Smart Places Award 

Winner: Connected for Success: 

Welcome to Sunderland, City of Smart 

Featuring a layered approach using a range of technologies for different industry verticals, this entry sought to drive ‘cross-fertilisation’ of ideas between sectors. 

“With a focus on infrastructure, skills, digital inclusion, and applications – Sunderland showed it has everything needed for a Smart City to really develop” 

The finalists were: 

FarrPoint Western Isles IoT Project 

Living Map Ltd 

NYnet Ltd / North Yorkshire Council 

Virgin Media O2 Business and partners. Greater Manchester Local Full Fibre Network programme 

 

 

The Community Improvement Award 

Winners: Get Online London 

Greater Manchester Combined Authority – 

Get Online Greater Manchester: for care leavers 

For the first time ever in the history of the Connected Britain Awards, the judges were unable to separate two excellent projects, both of which supported some of the most vulnerable people in society. 

 

“Both of these projects feature the coordination of fragmented resources to help make a real and lasting difference to peoples’ lives. Digital inclusion at its best” 

The finalists were: 

Coventry City Council #CovConnects

FullFibre – Fibre Heroes’ Community Investment Fund 

Ogi, ‘Cefnogi’ Community Fund 

Sunderland City Council’s local connectivity shapes communities fit for the future 

Three Discovery 

Wildanet 

 

 

B2B Service Provider of the Year 

Winner: Vodafone Business UK 

With its comprehensive range of products and services backed by numerous success stories, Vodafone Business’s dedication to meeting their business customers evolving needs was evident throughout this entry. 

 

“V-Hub, the business.connected programme, and free training courses for SMEs demonstrate the company’s commitment to going above and beyond when it comes to customer support.” 

The finalists were: 

Gigabit Networks 

Giganet 

ITS Technology Group 

Pangea 

Truespeed 

 

 

 

Digital Skills Award 

Winner: Dorset Council – Embedded digital champions 

Dorset Council’s Digital Champions initiative showcases a proactive and impactful initiative to tackle the digital divide head on, providing digital skills to empower those that need it most. 

 

“Digital Champions are a proven means of delivering digital skills at scale – perhaps the only proven means of delivery at scale,” said one of the judges. “Dorset Council’s approach of encouraging and supporting a wide range of individuals to become Digital Champions should be seen as best practice for the future.” 

The finalists were: 

Innovation Nottinghamshire – 5G Careers Programme 

Kent County Council (Digital Kent) 

Lloyds Banking Group and We Are Digital 

Vodafone Business & Enterprise Nation – business.connected 

 

  

The Sustainability Award 

Winner: Wildanet 

 Wildanet’s B23 strategy saw them greatly improve their sustainability credentials, leading the charge in their local communities. 

“Here’s a company that’s tackling the issue of sustainability in numerous forms and bringing local businesses along with them. Very impressive” 

 

The finalists were: 

FarrPoint Western Isles IoT Project 

iLOQ Oy – iLOQ 5 Series Battery Free Locking Solution 

KCOM 

Openreach 

Zayo: Zeus 

  

The Rising Star Award 

Winner: Dorset Council – Embedded digital champions 

James’ journey from soldier to cable specialist exemplifies the enormous potential a telecoms career can offer anyone with passion, drive, and the will to learn. What’s more, with Cable Giants, James is helping others take that same journey, building a highly successful company in the process. 

“Hard work, skills and a positive attitude are clearly paying dividends” 

 

The finalists were: 

Chris Founds, CJ Founds Associates 

Franck, Courbon, Ethicronics 

Haseeb Ahmed, NETS International Ltd 

Liam Ceaplen, Jetty 

Phil Bairsto, Freedom Fibre 

The Startup Award

Winner: Artifeel

The winner was selected by the judges on day one of Connected Britain, with all shortlisted entries having their chance to take to the stage and present their business case.

The shortlist was:
AssetHUB
Emu Analytics
Groundhawk io
Inteliports
Jetty
Lumilinks
SecHard
Stacuity
Weaver Labs

Want to keep up to date with all of the latest international telecoms news? Sign up for Total Telecom’s daily newsletter 

Also in the news:
EE announces 3G switch off timeline
VMO2 conducts Connected Farm trial in Barnsley
Project Gigabit contracts awarded by CityFibre

Somalia invites feedback on National 5G Strategy

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