It seems as if a day doesn’t go by without another billion dollar data center campus project getting announced. But yesterday we saw one go the other way all of a sudden. Microsoft has pulled back from its plans to build three data center campuses in the Columbus OH metro area. … [visit site to read more]
A report published late last month by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has revealed that the UK government risks missing out on the potential benefits of AI for the public sector due to dated IT systems, poor data quality, and a clear digital skills gap.
The report specifically highlighted five areas of improvement that are needed:
Outdated government IT systems using siloed data are major obstacles to AI adoption in the public sector. Despite being flagged as high-risk, nearly a third of the government’s legacy systems still lack funding for upgrades, at the time of the report.
The PAC is urging the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) to publish a detailed plan within six months on how it will prioritise and fund upgrades for the most critical legacy systems, and to track progress more transparently.
Secondly, the transparency around AI use in the public sector is minimal, therefore eroding public trust. Government bodies are not publishing enough information about how algorithms are used in decision-making.
“As of January 2025, only 33 records had been published on the government website set up to provide greater transparency on algorithm–assisted decision making in the public sector,” the report read.
Without clear standards and more transparent reporting, the public may lose confidence in government AI initiatives.
Recruiting and retaining digitally skilled professionals in the public sector continues to be a major issue in AI implementation. The report found that over 70% of departments reported difficulty sourcing AI talent, partly because of large pay disparities with the private sector making the civil service less competitive. Current reforms may not be sufficient to close the gap.
Many government departments are piloting the use of AI tools, ranging from natural language processing to image recognition. But despite these projects, there is little evidence that these tools are being rolled out more widely.
One major issue is the lack of a centralised process for combining insights from these pilots and sharing results between departments. Without this more holistic approach, promising innovations risk being overlooked, duplicated, or confined to isolated teams.
DSIT has acknowledged the gap and is trialling an AI Knowledge Hub to improve collaboration, but real progress will depend on stronger leadership and a more coordinated strategy.
The AI market dominated by a small number of large technology suppliers; as such, PAC has raised concerns about competition, innovation, and vendor lock-in. In response, DSIT has committed to developing a dedicated AI sourcing and procurement framework and establishing a digital commercial centre of excellence to ensure better value and broader supplier access.
“We want to make sure that the AI industry has a government that is on its side, one that will not sit back and let opportunities slip through its fingers. In a world of fierce competition, we cannot stand by,” the report concluded.
In response to the report, a government spokesperson said that “these findings reflect much of what we already know, which is why we set out a bold plan to overhaul the use of tech and AI across the public sector – from doubling the number of tech experts across Whitehall, to making reforms to replace legacy IT systems more quickly and building new tools to transform how people interact with the state.”
The Committee has set a six-month timeline for DSIT and the Cabinet Office to report back on progress in key areas, including legacy tech upgrades, transparency compliance, and digital talent reforms. A detailed Digital and AI Roadmap is expected later this year.
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Also in this month’s feature week:
Ciena survey reveals AI’s strain on data centre connectivity
Poland-based telecoms infrastructure company Emitel has signed an agreement with Orange to build several hundred new mobile towers across the country.
In a statement, Emitel said the new towers will be used for the installation of base stations and other telecommunications equipment. The infrastructure will be rolled out nationwide under a Build-to-Suit model over the coming years.
“We are pleased that Orange Polska has once again placed its trust in us by commissioning a significant infrastructure project,” said Emitel CEO Maciej Pilipczuk. “As an experienced technology partner, we guarantee the highest standards of execution and efficiency in delivering even the most demanding investments.”
As of the end of 2024, Emitel operated 762 towers and counts all of Poland’s major mobile network operators as tenants.
“Our many years of experience in building and managing telecommunications infrastructure enable us to support the expansion of mobile networks in Poland, meeting the growing needs of both operators and end users,” Pilipczuk added.
Two infrastructure expansion projects and two customer wins; … [visit site to read more]
Finnish development financier and impact investor Finnfund says it has closed a US$5million equity investment with Netwey, a Mexican internet service provider (ISP), to expand its fibre optic network and improve internet accessibility.
This investment, says Finnfund, aims to bring unlimited high-speed internet to more low-income households, bridging the digital divide. The digital infrastructure and solutions sector is one of Finnfund’s key strategic priorities and its most rapidly growing sector, although this is the group’s first digital sector investment in Latin America.
The investment is part of a US$10 million equity round in collaboration with IDB Invest, a multilateral development bank committed to promoting the economic development of its member countries in Latin America and the Caribbean through the private sector.
As Finnfund explains, more than 21 million Mexican households in underserved areas lack adequate internet access, with many in lower socioeconomic tiers. It agrees that significant investments have been made in fibre optic infrastructure but says that these investments have been largely concentrated in high-income urban centres, leaving a significant part of the country underserved.
The aim, therefore, is to broaden Netwey’s fibre optic network, enabling more low-income households to access high-speed internet. Increasing digital connectivity, Finnfund says, supports economic growth, facilitates inclusive access to critical services, and provides possibilities for small businesses to connect with global value chains.
Artificial Intelligence is driving investments in infrastructure of all types, although its direct impact is felt the most with data centers. But all these new facilities need fiber connectivity, and the high fiber counts and extra diversity hyperscalers were looking for are now just table stakes. FiberLight is one of the regional fiber specialists looking to meet the next wave of demand. With us today to talk about FiberLight’s expansion plans and viewpoint on growing demand for fiber from AI is CEO Bill Major. We talked to Bill a year ago, but it has certainly seemed like a particularly long year. … [visit site to read more]
Delivering a “best effort” connection is no longer good enough for today’s mobile customer. Quality of connection, coverage and reliability are hotly demanded, and communication service providers are under pressure to step up, or face subscriber churn as users turn to a network they judge more likely to deliver what’s needed. When it comes to 5G, there’s growing network complexity involved in meeting those demands. However, a new digital glue is set to transform network operations in the coming year, explains Anders Vestergren, Head of Solution Area Network Management, Ericsson.
Anders Vestergren, Head of Solution Area Network Management at Ericsson
The telecoms industry is caught between a digital rock and a theoretical hard place. There’s a growing need to innovate in ways that boost the development of new, lucrative services. However, network complexities that have arisen as a result of 5G advancement, as well as a lack of ‘killer apps’ to date, has created hesitancy across the market.
There are also concerns that unstructured innovation could introduce additional layers or offshoots of proprietary technology, which is the last thing that CSPs want. Complexity is already a bar to launching new network products and services; the industry-at-large is therefore looking for ways to simplify and streamline operations as a necessary condition for revitalizing innovation.
Currently, CSP are committing time and resources to managing the complexities of 5G advancement, while waiting for developers to unlock the innovation that will drive the next phase of 5G’s advancement – they risk being trapped in an endless cycle. They therefore need to find ways to shift their focus and resources from the intricacies of network management and become the innovation drivers themselves, or at least offer more tangible support to those who could make use of telecom networks capabilities to deliver that “killer app”.
Fortunately, the emergence of radio access network (RAN) automation applications, also known as rApps, could break the logjam and spark the service innovation revolution.
The digital glue
rApps are designed to run on the Non-Real Time RAN Intelligent Controller (Non-RT RIC) within a platform aligned with the O-RAN (Open Radio Access Network) framework for open network management and automation, known as SMO (Service Management and Orchestration). Combined, rApps and the platform have the ability to overcome a lack of continuity across the IT estate and act as the digital glue that joins a range of elements together in a coherent and streamlined unit, powered by automation.
At a basic level, the Open RAN management and automation platform will join together different generations of radio (including Open RAN or Cloud RAN, and purpose built) to deliver unified management in one platform.
rApps are also a catalyst for bringing together a range of parties within the wider technology community in an ecosystem with a clear objective. Last year, Ericsson introduced an rApp directory for commercially available rApps for use on the Ericsson Intelligent Automation Platform (EIAP), the company’s open network management and automation platform for open, multi-vendor and multi-technology networks, supporting all 4G and 5G Radio Access Networks (RAN). The ecosystem around that platform, built for developers and CSPs engaged with the EIAP, contains a software development toolkit and other supporting elements that can be used to develop new high-quality, high-value rApps that meet a CSP’s, or industry use case’, individual requirements. In addition, the directory provides ecosystem members the opportunity to showcase their rApp innovations and offerings, while potential users can discover new rApps, explore their functionality and connect with their owners.
This combination of resources will enable CSPs to plug the power of the developer community into their business strategies, unlocking game-changing simplicity in automating RAN, and creating dynamic, efficient and responsive networks that are ready to deliver on demanding and specialised use cases. With rApps and their associated ecosystem, a window of opportunity has opened for CSPs to work alongside developers to drive 5G innovation forward.
A delivery mechanism for AI
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no stranger to telecoms but the additional levels of testing required by the sector, and specialized industry training required by the various models, has slowed down its widespread implementation. rApps, with defined purposes and objectives, delivered through the open network management platform already deployed on the network, can be seen as a way to implement AI-powered capabilities in a network without onerous integration and adaptations in the existing network set up – once more the digital glue in joining together key elements integral to the success of 5G networks.
For example, AI-powered rApps currently available can help improve network performance by identifying suboptimal configurations in a RAN more effectively than previously possible. Unlike the earlier generation of tools or manual methods, an application can be written and deployed that doesn’t just compare cell performance to a set of pre-defined KPIs; it will constantly run network-wide pattern analyses and use AI to detect cells that are acting outside of the specification, revealing issues before they start causing degradation. This scale and speed is helping providers improve their networks in near real-time and monitor KPIs.
Unlocking the future of telecom innovation
Importantly, rApps enable CSPs to manage and optimise their networks at scale, handling the increasing complexity and diversity of network services and devices. They also facilitate the rapid deployment of new use cases and services, enabling telecom CSPs to innovate and gain a competitive edge. And finally, they can help reduce energy consumption by optimising network operations, contributing to more sustainable network management.
Taken together, the functionalities supported by rApps will help unleash the full potential of 5G technology as well as opening the industry up to outside developers, who will help make it easier and more efficient for CSPs to better manage network complexity. The result: an across-the-board improvement of network performance for any vendor and any radio technology, providing a common and consistent level of service and customer experience – delivering efficiency gains for the CSP in the first place, and also ensuring these 5G networks are ready to act as a platform for innovative businesses to build monetizable services on.
Revolutionising network management
The traditional ways of managing networks, through static configuration planning and human-centric rollout, are no longer capable of delivering the required levels of performance. However, the auguries are good: a growing open ecosystem that supports innovation and the monetisation of new use cases is starting to emerge, with an industry-wide effort to create clean, usable telecom data that can power AI tools, and AI-powered rApps underpinning efficient network operations.
What is clear is that intelligent automation will be required to manage complexity and meet growing customer expectations while optimising operating costs and capital expenditure. That’s where rApps deliver – these powerful tools enable telecom CSPs to enhance network management, reduce costs and improve the overall performance and sustainability of their networks. All of this can be unlocked by harnessing developer-led innovation.
The hope of creating a more manageable and agile network, while dealing with the complexities inherent in the current model, is about to become a reality.
Four expansion projects in four markets, both organic and inorganic, to catch up with: … [visit site to read more]
Distinguished Leader in AI-First Business Transformation Joins from BT, Bharti Airtel
REDWOOD CITY, Calif., April 3, 2025 — Equinix, Inc. (Nasdaq: EQIX), the world’s digital infrastructure company®, today announced the appointment of Harmeen Mehta as Executive Vice President and Chief Digital and Innovation Officer (CDIO), effective April 4. With 28 years of experience in leading extensive digital transformations within the technology infrastructure sector, Mehta brings substantial expertise to Equinix as the company continues to advance its leadership in digital infrastructure.
“Harmeen is a visionary leader with a proven track record in digital transformation and innovation,” said Adaire Fox-Martin, CEO and President, Equinix. “Her experience in leading complex programs and developing innovative solutions will equip us to better serve our customers and enhance experiences across the organisation. I look forward to her leadership in advancing innovation and value across our ecosystem.
Serving in the new role of CDIO, Mehta will align technology capabilities with business strategy to drive the company’s digital transformation and innovation strategy, leveraging emerging technologies to enhance customer experience, improve operational efficiency and foster innovative business models. She will serve on the Equinix Executive Staff reporting to Equinix CEO and President, Adaire Fox-Martin.
“Equinix is a truly unique company — the hidden layer that enables the innovations that people rely on every day, from video calls and online shopping to the foundational pillars of modern society like food production and drug discovery,” said Mehta. “With an eye on innovation, I look forward to leading Equinix’s transformational journey to deliver even greater opportunities for the thousands of customers that rely upon Equinix every day for their mission-critical digital infrastructure.”
Mehta previously served as Chief Digital and Innovation Officer at BT Group, where she led the digital and AI-driven transformation of the company, significantly enhancing customer experience and operational efficiency. Prior to BT, she was Global Chief Information Officer & CEO, Cloud and Security Business at Bharti Airtel Limited, where she led digital transformation initiatives for one of the largest global telecom companies. She has also held senior technology leadership roles at BBVA, Bank of America, Merrill Lynch and HSBC, and she has worked as a consultant to British Airways and Qantas. Mehta currently serves as a non-executive director on the board of Lloyds Banking Group, and as Vice-Chair and Board member of TM Forum.
Mehta is a recognized industry leader having earned numerous distinctions, including: the prestigious MIT Sloan CIO Leadership Award; the TM Forum Global CIO of the Year Award; the Women of the Decade in Innovation & Leadership distinction from the Women Economic Forum; and recognition by the Economic Times as one of the top ten women in the telecom and tech industry globally.
About Equinix
Equinix (Nasdaq: EQIX) is the world’s digital infrastructure company®. Digital leaders harness Equinix’s trusted platform to bring together and interconnect foundational infrastructure at software speed. Equinix enables organizations to access all the right places, partners and possibilities to scale with agility, speed the launch of digital services, deliver world-class experiences and multiply their value, while supporting their sustainability goals.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from expectations discussed in such forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause such differences include, but are not limited to, risks to our business and operating results related to the current inflationary environment; foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations; stock price fluctuations; availability of power, increased costs to procure power and the general volatility in the global energy market; the challenges of acquiring, operating and constructing IBX® and xScale® data centers and developing, deploying and delivering Equinix products and solutions; delays related to the closing of any planned acquisitions subject to closing conditions; unanticipated costs or difficulties relating to the integration of companies we have acquired or will acquire into Equinix; a failure to receive significant revenues from customers in recently built out or acquired data centers; failure to complete any financing arrangements contemplated from time to time; competition from existing and new competitors; the ability to generate sufficient cash flow or otherwise obtain funds to repay new or outstanding indebtedness; the loss or decline in business from our key customers; risks related to our taxation as a REIT; risks related to regulatory inquiries or litigation; and other risks described from time to time in Equinix filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In particular, see recent and upcoming Equinix quarterly and annual reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, copies of which are available upon request from Equinix. Equinix does not assume any obligation to update the forward-looking information contained in this press release.
Project Kuiper is positioning itself in direct competition with SpaceX’s Starlink, which leads the market with the world’s largest active LEO satellite constellation of over 5,000 satellites
Amazon has confirmed that it will launch the first satellites of its orbital broadband constellation, Project Kuiper, later this month.
The mission, dubbed Kuiper Atlas 1 (KA-01), will see 27 satellites launched on a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The launch is scheduled for no earlier than 9th April.
This deployment is the start of full-scale production and deployment for Project Kuiper, which aims to provide high-speed, low-latency internet access to underserved regions worldwide. The company plans to deploy a total of over 3,200 LEO (Low Earth Orbit) satellites in its first constellation.
Following the initial launch, satellites will deploy into a 280 km parking orbit before reaching their final orbital altitude of 630 km. Once in place, they will travel at over 17,000 mph, orbiting Earth roughly every 90 minutes.
Amazon plans at least seven additional launches on the Atlas V, 38 launches via ULA’s Vulcan Centaur, and 30+ launches from other providers, including Arianespace, Blue Origin, and SpaceX.
“We’ve designed some of the most advanced communications satellites ever built, and every launch is an opportunity to add more capacity and coverage to our network,” said Rajeev Badyal, vice president of Project Kuiper in a press release.
“We’ve done extensive testing on the ground to prepare for this first mission, but there are some things you can only learn in flight, and this will be the first time we’ve flown our final satellite design and the first time we’ve deployed so many satellites at once. No matter how the mission unfolds, this is just the start of our journey, and we have all the pieces in place to learn and adapt as we prepare to launch again and again over the coming years.”
The company says it expects to begin customer service rollout later this year.
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Also in the news:
Millions of Brits have no home internet access, Ofcom warns
Connected North launches Data Centre Summit to drive UK’s digital future
Trump announces tariffs on ‘Liberation Day’ at White House
