News

Fibre optic networks across the country have been deactivated, causing widespread disruption

This week, the Taliba have imposed a nationwide internet blackout in Afghanistan, largely cutting off the country’s 42.65 million people from the outside world.

The internet shutdown began with little warning yesterday, with citizens waking up to find they were no longer able to get online.

According to internet watchdog Netblocks, a watchdog organisation that monitors cybersecurity and internet governance, Afghanistan’s connectivity is “at 14% of ordinary levels”.

The shutdown was reportedly ordered by the Afghanistan Telecom Regulatory Authority (ATRA) and the Ministry of Telecommunications at the behest of Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, but no official statements have been made.

The Taliban first began cutting fixed internet across the country’s northern provinces earlier this month, with Attaullah Zaid, a spokesperson for the local government in Balkh, saying that Akhundzada had issued the order to ‘prevent immorality’.

As is to be expected, the cutting of fibre network cables is having widespread repercussions for Afghanistan far beyond fixed broadband services. These backbone networks carry data supporting a wide array of critical services, including banking and education, as well as being a key component of local mobile service delivery. As a result, much of the country has ground to a halt, with reports suggest that Kabul airport is at a standstill and banks are overflowing with customers that can no longer access their money online.

“All our business relies on mobiles. The deliveries are with mobiles. It’s like a holiday, everyone is at home. The market is totally frozen,” Najibullah, a 42-year-old shopkeeper in Kabul, told news agency AFP.

None of the country’s mobile operators, including Afghan Wireless (AWCC), Etisalat, and Roshan, have issued an official statement on the blackout.

The Taliban say the shutdown will last until further notice, with Zaid noting in the aforementioned social media post that “alternative options will be put in place across the country to meet connectivity needs”.

Far reaching internet shutdowns have long been a feature of repressive regimes, seeking to limit dissenters’ ability to communicate with each other and with the outside world. Perhaps the most notable example of this in recent years is Myanmar, which has instigated multiple blackouts since the military junta overthrew the civilian government in 2021.

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Also in the news
Connected Britain Award winners 2025 announced!
Netomnia announces ‘powerful and ambitious’ rebrand ahead of Connected Britain
VodafoneThree drops Samsung, relies on Nokia and Ericsson for £2bn network upgrade

Partner Article 

The rapid adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and cloud services, coupled with the new emerging high-capacity use cases, such as ultra-high-definition video streaming, telemedicine, Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality Gaming, are placing unprecedented demands on networks.  

The recent Huawei Optical Summit, themed “No Fiber, No AI: All Optical Networks Power AI for All Industries,” highlighted the growing relevance of high-capacity optical networks for different industry verticals to address the growing capacity and performance requirements. The summit shed light on global advancements in optical networks and their central role in driving digital transformation across various industries.  

Marcus Brunner, Vice-Chair of ETSI ISG F5G

“Digitalization, cloudification and AI-fication of applications are the key drivers of F5G Advanced (F5G-A) standards. Key features of F5G-A include isolation and separation of traffic, fibre sensing, AI-based optimization of the networks and AI-based data center networking, which enable a high-speed, ultra-reliable network and accurate sensing,” said Marcus Brunner, Vice-Chair of ETSI ISG F5G.  

The use of F5G-A is crucial to address the growing AI workloads, which will also help in bringing down the energy consumption. He also highlighted several emerging industrial use cases of F5G-A, such as intelligent power grid, urban rail, robotics as a service, smart sensor cloud for AI in industrial manufacturing, Wi-Fi 7 coordination for large campus networks and smart hospitals, among others.  

Kim Jin, Vice President of Huawei Optical Business Product Line

“Optical networks are now moving beyond the data center interconnect, extending into industrial sites and campuses. By enhancing and empowering computing with fiber, these advanced networks are vital to making the benefits of AI accessible and inclusive for different industries,” said Kim Jin, Vice President of Huawei Optical Business Product Line. He mentioned that over 2,000 enterprises across the globe have deployed AI applications based on all-optical networks this year, making it imperative to use all-optical networks for the rising use of AI applications.  

Huawei also released ten global all-optical network showcases, covering the government sector as well as industries such as electric power, transportation, education, healthcare, manufacturing, ISP, and hospitality.  

Spotlight on finance sector: Release of Whitepaper  

The Summit saw the release of a White Paper on Innovative Applications of Financial Optical Network Devices, by Huawei and Beijing National Institute of Financial Standardization. “Optical networks are gaining prominence in the financial industry as they are crucial to address three key challenges: a sharp increase in network load, growing security and compliance pressure and limitations of the traditional network architecture,” mentioned Han Zhuwu, director of Beijing National Institute of Financial Standardization. 

Advanced optical networks are designed to provide extremely high capacity, ultra-low latency and unprecedented reliability. This ensures seamless data transfer between headquarters and branch offices, ensuring service continuity. In addition, optical networks can also be integrated into security systems to improve the security and intelligence capability of financial infrastructure.  

Apart from the finance industry, the Summit also highlighted how other industries, including utility, transportation and medicine, are benefiting from high-performing optical networks. For instance, the utility distribution companies are under pressure to ensure more efficient business operations to reduce losses and provide greater transparent information systems for stakeholders and consumers.  

 “Fine Grain Optic Transportation Network or fgOTN is emerging as a solution of choice for utility providers as it integrates with the existing services and provides extreme reliability as well as bandwidth for AI-powered services,” said Marcio Szechtman, Past Technical Council Chair of CIGRE.  

 New-age Optical networks are also extremely relevant for medicine and smart cities. The growing usage as well as the increasing number of connected devices, is placing new demands on the networks.  

 “Huawei’s F5G-A FTTO campus solution has transformed our Pudong campus by enabling us to provide a smart teaching solution to our students. On the other hand, it is helping us to foster and accelerate research and innovation in our campus,” said Lu Qin, Director of the Network Information Center at Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine.  

 Huawei’s FTTO solution is designed to meet the requirements of local AI applications, Internet of Things (IoT) and ultra-HD video services. Deployed in over 10,000 campuses in more than 60 countries, FTTO is helping organizations build green, simple but smart campus networks.  

In Conclusion 

The Huawei Optical Summit underscored a central message that all-optical networks are no longer just about faster connectivity, but they are the foundation for AI-driven industries. From finance and utilities to healthcare, education and smart cities, optical networks are emerging as a critical enabler of next-generation digital services. As AI workload grows, industries that invest in advanced optical infrastructure will be better positioned to lead in the digital economy of the future. Without the foundation of robust all-optical networks, the promise of AI and digital transformation cannot be fully realized.  

Press Release

The IOEMA Project, planning to lay subsea fiber optic cables in Northern Europe, has selected Greenhouse Datacenters as an additional landing partner for the landing of the IOEMA subsea cable in Scheveningen (Rotterdam/The Hague area). This marks the seventh landing point in Northern Europe and the second in the Netherlands for the IOEMA cable. The first Dutch landing will be at Eemshaven, in the country’s northern region.

The IOEMA project is establishing a state-of-the-art, AI-ready, high-capacity fiber optic connection between the five key Northern European markets. The Netherlands, Germany, the United Kingdom, Denmark, and Norway will be directly connected via a 1,600-kilometer repeatered subsea cable (further connectivity to France is under consideration). IOEMA is taking international tensions and security into account by fully armoring and protecting the subsea cable system over its entire length. IOEMA is also considering adding sensors to the system to make it the first SMART cable in Northern Europe. IOEMA is collaborating on this initiative with partners including Eurofiber, Arelion, Colt, EXA Infrastructure, Relined, Bulk, and EWE TEL.

The latest collaboration with Greenhouse Datacenters is driven in part by its strategic South Holland location, just 12 kilometers from where the subsea cable from the North Sea comes ashore in Scheveningen (Rotterdam/The Hague). The extensive presence of connectivity partners in Greenhouse’s data centers also plays a role, including AMS-IX, Lumen, Delta Fiber, Odido, and DCspine, in addition to IOEMA partners such as Eurofiber and Relined.

“We are pleased to announce an additional landing partner for the second Dutch landing point for the IOEMA fiber optic cable in the Netherlands, in the Rotterdam/The Hague area,” says Eckhard Bruckschen, CTO of IOEMA Fibre Ltd. “By partnering with Greenhouse Datacenters, IOEMA connects directly into a rich connectivity ecosystem, including an on-site AMS-IX PoP. This makes the IOEMA cable accessible to the broader market in South Holland and beyond. Organizations in this area can benefit from ultra-fast, redundant, secure, and AI-ready connections to other Internet hubs in Northern Europe via Greenhouse.”

Strategic Digital Hub at Greenhouse Datacenters

Greenhouse Datacenters CEO Ruben van der Zwan says the selection of Greenhouse as landing partner for the IOEMA subsea cable highlights the strategic importance of its data centers for the Dutch South Holland region and the Netherlands as a whole.

“The Axiom/Terabit report ‘Study on the development of the submarine cable market’, which was recently on the agenda of the Dutch House of Representatives, extensively examined the strategic national importance of new submarine cables for the Netherlands,” says Van der Zwan. “The deployment of new submarine cables contributes significantly to stimulating the digital business climate in the Netherlands. Together with data centers and Internet Exchanges, submarine cables form the basis for further economic development of the Netherlands as an international digital hub. The landing of this submarine cable at Greenhouse Datacenters is therefore much more than just the addition of a strong international network connection. It strengthens the European digital and economic competitiveness of the Netherlands, our data sovereignty and digital resilience, while reducing vulnerability to network sabotage and damage.”

“At the same time, it positions Greenhouse more clearly as a strategic addition to the busy Amsterdam data center market,” added Van der Zwan. “Greenhouse combines ultra-low latency connections to Amsterdam and an on-site AMS-IX PoP with sustainability, available power, and scalability. With the addition of direct connections to Northern European Internet hubs via the IOEMA subsea cable, Greenhouse positions itself as a strategic data center alternative to Amsterdam in South Holland.”

“The landing station for the subsea cable at Greenhouse is much more than a technical facility. It is a strategic digital hub,” says Rick Pijpers, who is involved in the project as a strategic advisor via PWDR.AI. “A data center that functions as a landing station becomes a gateway to international data traffic, attracting ecosystems of carriers, cloud providers, and enterprises, thereby strengthening the digital economy. For Greenhouse and IOEMA, this not only strengthens their own position, but also boosts international connectivity between Norway, Denmark, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Belgium. It creates a new sovereign AI corridor connecting the locations where AI factories will be established in the coming years with important locations such as The Hague, Rotterdam, and Brussels.”

According to Peter van Burgel, CEO of AMS-IX, the landing of the subsea cable in Greenhouse’s data centers in the Rotterdam/The Hague area will strengthen the AMS-IX Point-of-Presence located here. “This makes Greenhouse a powerful digital hub and an important alternative to the Amsterdam data center market,” says Van Burgel. “Enhanced by AI applications, the IOEMA subsea cable will bring huge amounts of international network traffic to Greenhouse, while the existing AMS-IX PoP will enable direct exchange with international and regional carrier, cloud, ISP, and content networks. This will deliver speed, redundancy, and (cost) efficiency in digital traffic, reinforcing the South Holland region as a digital hub for AI-driven growth.”

How is the global submarine cable industry evolving? Join the discussion at Submarine Networks EMEA, the world’s largest subsea connectivity event

NEW YORK – September 29, 2025 – TechSee, a global leader in visual agentic AI for customer experience, today released findings from its State of Home Connectivity 2025 survey. The results highlight that Wi-Fi problems remain widespread and disruptive, even among premium subscribers, fueling consumer frustration, repeat support calls, and growing churn risk.

Connectivity challenges remain nearly universal. 68% of U.S. households reported Wi-Fi issues in the past 12 months, with disruptions frequent: 18% experience them daily and another 20% weekly. Even among those with whole-home Wi-Fi packages marketed to guarantee coverage, 72% reported connectivity issues, underscoring a sharp gap between customer expectations and actual performance. Coverage gaps add to the frustration, with 76% said they experience weak or unreliable Wi-Fi in specific rooms. These dead zones are not minor inconveniences, they directly impact productivity, streaming, and the connected devices people rely on every day.

Consumers are not passive in the face of these challenges. More than half (51%) said their first instinct is to troubleshoot on their own, most commonly by restarting their router (80%) or purchasing extenders (27%). Yet only 62% succeed in resolving problems fully without help, leaving a large share dependent on their providers when frustrations persist.

When problems escalate, they take a toll on service operations. Two third of households contacted their ISP at least once in the past year for connectivity issues, and nearly 39% had a technician dispatched. While most visits resolved the issue, around 20% of those visits failed to do so, creating repeated frustrations for households and driving up costs for providers.

The loyalty impact is stark. More than half of consumers (51%) said they would switch providers if their issues were not resolved quickly, while 48% would leave for better whole-home coverage. And 34% even said they would pay more for reliable connectivity, proof that reliability, not price, is now the real driver of loyalty.

Consumers are equally clear about what they expect next. 76% want providers to proactively flag coverage gaps during installation, and 77% expect technicians to test and demonstrate that every room is connected before leaving. More than half (56%) said they would be open to purchasing additional equipment if given clear, evidence-based recommendations.

Visual tools are emerging as a critical solution. 66% of consumers said they would use a mobile app that maps Wi-Fi coverage in their home, and 69% said step-by-step visual guidance would help them avoid calling support. Together, these findings point to a future where connectivity becomes not only reliable but transparent and visible.

“Connectivity experience has become the new battleground,” said Eitan Cohen, CEO and Co-Founder of TechSee. “Consumers don’t just want faster speeds, they want reliability they can see and trust. Providers who embrace proactive testing, visual diagnostics, and guided self-service will not only cut churn and support costs, but also create new opportunities for growth in the connected home.”

TechSee polled nearly 4,000 consumers in the U.S for the census-weighted study. Men and women ages 18 to 60 of varying incomes, educations, and geographic locations. More details can be found here.

About TechSee
TechSee is the leading Agentic AI-powered platform harnessing computer vision to transform customer service. By enabling businesses to see and resolve what their customers see, TechSee eliminates friction, reduces costs, and enhances satisfaction. Trusted by Fortune 500 companies and global leaders in telecom, home automation, and consumer electronics, TechSee delivers seamless, intelligent service experiences at scale. The company is headquartered in Tel Aviv with offices in New York, London, and Madrid. For more information, visit www.techsee.me.

Press Release

MS3 Networks CEO Guy Miller (left) and Zen Internet CEO Richard Tang (right)

The Connected Britain Awards winners have been announced, following a highly successful Connected Britain conference

With a record-breaking number of entries this year, the Connected Britain Awards 2025 showcased the most innovative and exciting elements of Britain’s ever-growing and rapidly evolving digital economy. This year’s shortlist included a fantastic array of diverse organisations and individuals, all of whom were highly deserving of praise. 

A big thanks to all our award presenters and to our expert panel of judges for lending us their expertise in selecting the winners.

B2B Service Provider of the Year

The B2B Service Provider of the Year award recognises a company going above and beyond to serve business customers, not just through connectivity, but through outstanding operational delivery.

This year’s winner stood out for their hands-on support of major industry players, their consistent investment in service excellence, and a strong track record of results that speaks for itself.

Winner: Nets International Group

Digital Skills Award

The Digital Skills Award celebrates projects that tackle skills gaps and broaden access to digital learning.

This year’s winner stood out for directly addressing digital exclusion, reaching thousands of children and educators, and embedding digital confidence across the education sector. The judges praised the initiative as a scalable, inclusive model with truly impressive results.

Winner: Three UK – Three Discovery – Empowering in Education

Highly commended: Liverpool City Region Combined Authority – Digital Inclusion Initiative

Broadband Provider of the Year

The Broadband Provider of the Year award recognises a broadband provider that truly puts its customers and communities at the heart of everything it does.

With industry-leading retention, outstanding customer feedback, and strong partnerships across housing and local organisations, this winner sets a benchmark for service, innovation, and trust in the broadband space.

Winner: Lightning Fibre

The Access Innovation Award

The Access Innovation Award recognises breakthrough initiatives that deliver connectivity where it was once thought impossible.

This year’s winner impressed the judges with an ambitious engineering project in one of the UK’s most remote communities, deploying subsea fibre and innovative network design to overcome extreme challenges. The result is reliable, high-quality broadband that respects the local environment and transforms life for residents – a powerful example of access innovation at its best.

Winner: Openreach – Baltasound, Isle of Unst, Shetland

Highly commended: Dorset Council

The Smart Places Award

The Smart Places Award celebrates the transformative use of connectivity, data, and technology to improve lives and communities.

This year’s winner stood out for tackling both rural and urban challenges head-on, deploying cutting-edge 5G OpenRAN networks and smart infrastructure to deliver tangible benefits. The judges praised it as a bold and forward-looking model for what a smart place can achieve.

Winner: Cambridgeshire Open RAN Ecosystem (CORE HDD) Consortium – Cambridgeshire County Council, AWTG, Benetel, Ontix, Gooi, Wolfram, University of Surrey & University of Cambridge              

The Industrial Innovation Award

The industrial Innovation Award shines a light on how digital transformation is reshaping the backbone of industry.

This year’s winner took a sector that had long relied on traditional methods and injected it with the power of private 5G, revolutionising productivity, improving quality, and delivering huge efficiency gains. Judges described it as a remarkable demonstration of what happens when cutting-edge connectivity meets real-world manufacturing, setting a new benchmark for industrial innovation in the UK.

Winner: Ayrshire 5GIR Project and Anderson Stewart Castings          

The Barrier Removal Award

The Barrier Removal award celebrates initiatives that have broken down the toughest obstacles to connectivity rollout.

This year’s winner impressed the judges with a unique industry-wide collaboration that removed long-standing commercial barriers, transformed rural coverage, and delivered results ahead of schedule. By tackling partial not-spots on a national scale, the project is ensuring more communities can benefit from equitable access to mobile connectivity.””

Winner: Mova, on behalf of EE, Three, VMO2 and Vodafone for their work on the Shared Rural Network programme      

Highly commended: Glasgow City Council

The Startup Award

Winner: NodeQ

Highly commended: Unified Telecoms Supplier

The Sustainability Award

The Sustainability Award recognises projects that put environmental responsibility at the heart of telecoms.

This year’s winner impressed the judges with a practical, large-scale initiative to cut emissions, consolidate infrastructure, and embed sustainability into everyday operations. With clear evidence of energy efficiency gains, a strong commitment to the circular economy, and real social impact, it demonstrates how major players in our industry can lead by example.

Winner: BT Group – Networks Data Centre Optimisation Programme

Digital Council of the Year

The Digital Council of the Year award highlights councils that have embraced digital transformation.

This year’s winner has embraced digitalisation with purpose and clarity, delivering real improvements in public services, from smarter infrastructure and sustainable transport to enhanced care and connectivity. Their collaborative, tech-forward approach is helping redefine what local government can achieve in the digital age.

Winner: Coventry City Council

Highly commended: Fylde Council

The Wireless Innovation Award

Wireless innovation is unlocking opportunity across the UK and this year’s winner is proving just how powerful fixed wireless access can be.

By targeting hard-to-reach areas with faster, more reliable services, they’re transforming connectivity for rural homes and businesses. The judges applauded their ambition, their smart use of international learnings, and the impressive performance gains already being delivered.

Winner: Airband Community Internet  

Project Rollout Award

The Project Rollout award honours exceptional achievement in accelerating gigabit-capable broadband delivery.

This year’s winner was praised for rolling out fibre at scale and speed, reaching tens of thousands of premises on time and on budget while pioneering innovative engineering techniques to reduce risk. Judges highlighted the project’s strong community engagement and its role in boosting connectivity and economic prospects in one of the UK’s most challenging regions.

Winner: Fibrus

Highly commended: CityFibre

The Enterprise Solution Award

The Enterprise Solution Award recognises innovation that transforms the way enterprises connect and operate.

This year’s winner delivered a breakthrough in indoor mobile coverage, combining all UK operators into a single small cell solution. Judges praised its impact on productivity, energy efficiency, and user experience, a clear example of enterprise innovation with measurable results.

Winner: Freshwave’s Omni Network on the ANDREW RP5000 

The Rising Star Award

One of the most exciting awards of the evening, the Rising Star Award celebrates emerging talent making a lasting mark on the connectivity sector.

This year’s winner was praised for their leadership in digital inclusion, building partnerships across sectors, and delivering measurable social impact. Judges highlighted their deep community engagement and innovative approach, recognising not just a promising career, but a rising star already changing lives and shaping a more inclusive digital future.

Winner: Will Plant –  Cambridgeshire County Council

The Community Improvement Award

Our final award was one of the most hotly contested of the evening. It attracted the largest number of entries, and the judges’ scores were incredibly close across the shortlist.

This year’s winner stood out for its scale, longevity, and ability to reach hundreds of thousands of people since its launch. Judges praised its commitment to bridging the digital divide, empowering vulnerable groups through skills training, and showing how a major organisation can use its resources to create meaningful social change.

Winner: Three UK – Three Discovery – Free skills training UK-wide to help bridge the digital divide    

News

Netomnia has unveiled a new rebrand to better reflect the scale and longevity of its full fibre ambitions

The rebrand follows the company’s 2024 merger with brsk, which saw the company become the second-largest altnet in the UK, after CityFibre. Netomnia currently has 2.8 million premises serviceable and 400,000 customers connected as of September 2025, with the stated goal of passing five million premises passed by 2027.

To achieve this, Netomnia is backed by around £1.6 billion in funding, the last £300 million of which was secured earlier this month.

According to the altnet, the rebrand places greater emphasises on its role as a future-ready fibre network built to enable tomorrow’s innovations. In a press release, the company explained its new logo:

“‘Net’ represents the inclusive network built for everyone, while ‘Omnia’ (Latin for ‘all things’) conveys readiness to power whatever innovations come next. The refreshed circular abstract element symbolises both ‘the right connection’ and ‘the potential’, forming a complete circle that suggests connectivity and continuous progress. Modern typography and a vibrant colour palette – bold red-pink paired with deep blues and contrast black – project dynamism, confidence, and innovation, ensuring Netomnia stands out with clarity and strength.”

“This is more than a design change. It’s a signal of the company we’ve become – powerful, ambitious, and building the UK’s third fibre infrastructure. Where the most powerful internet lives is both our idea and our promise,” said Jeremy Chelot, Group CEO of Netomnia, YouFibre and brsk.

The rebrand will see its first public outing at this year’s Connected Britain conference taking place on Wednesday 24th September and featuring a keynote address from Group CEO Jeremy Chelot.

For more information, visit Netomnia at booth 247

Tickets for Connected Britain are still available! Get yours today.

Press Release

Just a few months after its creation, VodafoneThree has today announced the next major milestone in building the UK’s best network, with the appointment of strategic build partners to support the delivery of one of Europe and the UK’s largest, privately-funded infrastructure projects, totalling contracts worth more than £2 billion. 

Global communications technology leaders Ericsson and Nokia will deliver part of the unprecedented £11 billion network investment plan. By providing world-class connectivity to all corners of the UK, this investment will boost the UK economy by up to £102 billion (between 2025 and 2035). In turn, delivering the infrastructure needed by all sectors to power Britain’s digital future, including energy, financial services, manufacturing, security and technology. The deal will span an eight-year period and uses the latest technology and R&D to make sure that VodafoneThree’s network will deliver world-leading 5G technology over the course of the decade. 

VodafoneThree’s fully funded and regulated plan to build the network at pace will bring jobs to every region of the UK, creating as many as 13,000 jobs in the engineering, construction and maintenance of telecom towers, fibre optics, and base stations over the entire eight-year build period. 

The majority (74%) of roles created will be outside of London and the South East, bringing employment opportunities to people in towns and communities across the four nations. This reinforces VodafoneThree’s commitment to supporting national growth through digital transformation, while equipping today and tomorrow’s talent with the skills they need for the future. 

VodafoneThree’s plan is front loaded. In year one, nearly three-quarters of the population will have access to VodafoneThree’s fastest 5G speeds, increasing to 90% of the population with access to 5G SA in year three. The network build will transform connectivity across the country, bringing 5G Standalone (5G SA) to 99.95% population by 2034. 

Max Taylor, CEO, VodafoneThree, said: “We said we would deliver at pace and, just a few months in, we are delighted to announce our strategic partners, Ericsson and Nokia, that will work with us to deliver our ambition of building the UK’s best network. They bring the scale and expertise needed to accelerate the delivery of a resilient, secure, world-class and future-ready network, and together, we are laying the foundations for the UK’s digital future.” 

Börje Ekholm, President and CEO, Ericsson, said: “We are proud to partner with VodafoneThree as their primary vendor to power them with the most advanced programmable network products, software and solutions in the world. Trusted high-performing programmable networks are critical to success for the UK’s digital economy. AI, automation and virtual/augmented reality won’t reach their potential without them.” 

Justin Hotard, President and CEO at Nokia said: “Today’s networks need new levels of performance, trust, and resilience. We are pleased that VodafoneThree has chosen our industry-leading network solutions to build a future-proof 5G Standalone network across the UK to meet the needs of customers today and as the AI supercycle accelerates.” 

As part of the agreement, Ericsson will deploy its next generation, high-performing Radio Access Network (RAN) and core network solutions across the UK. In addition to modernising existing 4G and 5G infrastructure, the deployment of Ericsson RAN over 10,000 sites in the UK will underpin VodafoneThree’s population-wide rollout of 5G SA connectivity by 2034. 

Nokia will supply equipment from its ultra-performance Radio Access Network portfolio to approximately 7,000 sites across the UK. Nokia will also modernise part of VodafoneThree’s voice core. This will deliver premium connectivity to VodafoneThree’s customers nationwide with improved speeds, coverage, capacity and a smooth transition to 5G Standalone networks. 

The two partners make up the majority, but not the entirety, of VodafoneThree’s network build which will culminate in a greater number of sites. 

Four British based site-build partners with extensive experience – Beacon Communication Services Limited, Circet Wireless Limited, M Group Limited and WHP Telecoms Limited – will accompany the technology partners, delivering vital work to enable the build across the UK. 

How is the UK connectivity market changing in 2025? Join the discussion at Connected Britain, taking place this week! Free tickets still available

Press Release

A comprehensive new analysis warns that data centre operators and telecom infrastructure providers face their most challenging decade yet, as AI workloads create unprecedented demands on power, water, and regulatory systems that threaten traditional operating models.

The strategic report “From Infrastructure to Intelligence” by StrategyARX Managing Director Roland da Silva argues that AI workloads now represent 20-25% of data centre capacity and are growing at 300% annually, demanding GPU-dense architectures that consume 10x more power per rack than traditional enterprise workloads.

Infrastructure Bottlenecks Reshape Market Dynamics
The analysis identifies critical infrastructure constraints now defining market entry strategies:

• Grid Access Crisis: New facilities facing 2-7 year lead times for grid connections and water access, with Northern Virginia experiencing particular strain
• Water Resource Scarcity: Water consumption has increased 3-5x for AI-optimized facilities, triggering regulatory pushback in water-stressed regions
• Regulatory Timeline Extensions: Development timelines in developed markets have extended to 5-7 years due to planning processes, environmental reviews, and community resistance

Competitive Landscape Transformation
The report projects significant market consolidation, with the top 10 players controlling 80-85% market by 2030. However, new entrants including utilities, sovereign wealth funds, and government entities are disrupting traditional competitive dynamics through superior resource access and regulatory relationships.

Utility companies particularly pose a strategic threat, offering 22% lower power costs through direct generation integration and average 18-month approval timeline vs. 42 months for traditional operators.

Geographic Arbitrage Opportunities
The analysis highlights emerging regulatory arbitrage opportunities, with jurisdictions like Estonia offering 6-month approval process versus Ireland’s 7-year moratorium. This regulatory fragmentation creates what da Silva terms “generational wealth transfer” opportunities for operators willing to target Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets.

Technology Investment Strategy Framework
The report recommends a three-horizon technology investment approach:

• Horizon 1 (70%): Proven systems including current-generation cooling and power infrastructure
• Horizon 2 (20%): Emerging technologies such as advanced immersion cooling and small modular reactor partnerships
• Horizon 3 (10%): Breakthrough options including quantum-ready infrastructure and direct air capture integration

Financial Impact and Investment Requirements
Market entry investment requirements vary significantly by tier:

• Tier 1 Markets: $500M-$2B+ with 4-15% IRR expectations
• Tier 2 Markets: $200M-$1B with 8-18% IRR potential
• Tier 3 Markets: $100M-$500M targeting 10-25% returns

The report emphasizes that development timeline and utilization rate have 2x greater impact on returns than power costs, contradicting industry focus on energy efficiency optimization.

Strategic Framework for Market Leadership
Da Silva proposes a new success equation: Intelligence × (Power + Water + Permission) × Social License = Market Leadership, emphasizing that future market leaders must excel across technology capability, resource access, regulatory approval, and community acceptance.
“The winners will not be those who predict the future most accurately,” states da Silva, “but those who build adaptive capabilities that perform well across multiple possible futures.”
Industry Implications

For telecom infrastructure providers and data centre operators, the analysis suggests:

•  Immediate Action Required: 3-year window for first-mover advantages in emerging markets
• Partnership Strategy: Utility partnerships and government relationships becoming strategic necessities
• Technology Hedging: Balanced approach between proven systems and innovation pilots
• Community Engagement: Social license to operate now critical for long-term viability

The full report “From Infrastructure to Intelligence: Strategic Pathways for Data Centres in the Age of AI, Energy Scarcity, Water Constraints, and Digital Sovereignty” is available from StrategyARX Advisory.

About StrategyARX Advisory
StrategyARX Advisory is a boutique strategy consulting firm specializing in telecommunications and technology

Press Release

Gigaclear becomes the first retail fibre provider to harness Vyntelligence AI technology, transforming rural broadband installations. This makes Gigaclear the first retail fibre provider to adopt Vyntelligence’s Agentic AI-powered Vyn® platform, setting a new benchmark for innovation in the UK fibre industry. 

Since launching the initiative, Gigaclear has already seen impressive results. To date, over 1,100 customer submissions have prevented nearly 200 avoidable site visits, saving time, improving first-time installation success rates, and minimising disruption for customers in some of the UK’s hardest-to-reach areas. 

In fact, the partnership has been so successful that the technology will now be rolled out to all Gigaclear customers.  

The technology enables Gigaclear customers to capture short guided videos of their homes and preferred installation routes using just their smartphones. Vyntelligence’s Agentic AI then analyses the footage, summarising key information and automatically assessing installation complexity. As a result, Gigaclear engineers and contractors can prepare more effectively, cutting down unnecessary visits, reducing costs, and ensuring smoother, faster connections for rural households and businesses. 

Ben Woods, Chief Operating Officer at Gigaclear, said: “As the UK’s largest rural-focused full fibre provider, we’re committed to removing barriers to connectivity. Partnering with Vyntelligence puts customers in control of their installation journey while helping our teams deliver a faster, more reliable service.  

“Being the first retail fibre company to adopt this technology underlines Gigaclear’s commitment to innovation and to bridging the digital divide in rural communities.” 

The collaboration also supports Gigaclear’s sustainability goals. By reducing the number of unnecessary callouts, the partnership cuts vehicle journeys, helping to lower carbon emissions and lessen the environmental impact of fibre rollout. 

Vyntelligence, which has delivered similar solutions in utilities, renewable energy, mobile & fixed networks, and retail, is excited to extend its award-winning platform into retail fibre for the first time. 

Vyntelligence CEO, Kapil Singhal, commented: “We are excited to welcome Gigaclear as a ‘game changer’ partner committed to improving experience for its customers. Our purpose is to make everyday customer and field processes simpler, smarter, and more sustainable. By deploying Agentic Video Intelligence into Gigaclear’s customer journey, we’re proud to support both efficiency and sustainability, while enhancing the experience for rural communities that have traditionally been underserved.” 

This partnership will be showcased at Connected Britain 2025, where Gigaclear CEO Nathan Rundle will join a panel on rural connectivity, highlighting how innovation can unlock greater broadband adoption across the UK’s countryside. 

With a network that already covers over 600,000 premises across 26 counties, Gigaclear continues to lead the way in connecting rural Britain – now with the added advantage of AI-powered customer journeys that make installation simpler, faster, and greener. 

To find out more about Gigaclear, visit www.gigaclear.com. 

Meet us at Connected Britain – Booth 328

Register for a Connected Britain ticket here