News

The partnership aims to tackle digital povery by making free connectivity more widely available

This week, Newcastle City Council has announced a new partership with global digital connectivity firm Purple to launch a unified city-wide Wi-Fi network.

The initiative provides free Wi-Fi access across various council buildings, gyms, libraries, commercial properties, and public spaces, positioning Newcastle among the UK’s most digitally connected cities. Users can access these hotspots through Purple’s ConneX App, guaranteeing users access to hundreds of Wi-Fi sites through a single sign-in.

“Even with near-universal broadband coverage, not everyone can afford reliable access on the go. We’ve used government funding to improve our free public Wi-Fi offer to improve performance for residents, and this new partnership will enable us to further tackle digital poverty and give residents free access in more places,” said said Cllr. Paul Frew, Newcastle City Council cabinet member for Resources and Performance. “This project is about fairness as much as technology.”

To encourage adoption and engagement with this new digital infrastructure, Purple is launching a city-wide digital ‘Egg Hunt,’ featuring five hidden eggs worth £1,000 each. Participation requires connecting to the Wi-Fi via the ConneX App or adding new venues to the network, creating an interactive incentive for users to explore and benefit from the expanded service.

As part of the initiative, Purple is also distributing £120,000 worth of free Wi-Fi hardware and licences to 1,000 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across Newcastle. This not only enables businesses to offer free connectivity to customers but also gives them access to location analytics and customer insights.

“Newcastle is home to more than 53,000 businesses, including one of the fastest-growing SME sectors in the UK,” said Purple CEO Gavin Wheeldon. “Local businesses face mounting pressures from rising costs, and this initiative arms them with the digital intelligence to attract more customers and compete in a tough market.”

This project builds upon Newcastle’s long-standing efforts to enhance public connectivity. Since 2015, the city has expanded free Wi-Fi across public buildings, including the Civic Centre, libraries, and museums, with outdoor coverage extending to pedestrian routes through partnerships with local councils and infrastructure providers like BT. In 2018, Newcastle introduced ultrafast free Wi-Fi and free phone services through the InLinkUK initiative, further broadening digital access and convenience for residents and visitors.

How is the public sector tackling connectivity challenges in 2025? Join the discussion at Connected Britain later this month!

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News

A tie-up between the South African telcos would create the country’s largest mobile player

This week, a report from Bloomberg suggests that MTN are once again considering making another takeover bid for rival telco Telkom.

According to anonymous sources, MTN is considering re-entering negotiations, while Telkom is in discussions with advisers over how to handle a potential offer.

The same sources suggest that formal negotiations could begin before the end of the year, however this is not guaranteed.

The combination of MTN and Telkom would create South Africa’s largest mobile player, with roughly 63 million subscribers, pipping the current market leader, Vodacom. As such,

MTN first approached Telkom regarding a potential takeover back in 2022. However, these discussions ultimately collapsed amid concerns over exclusivity and the heavy antitrust scrutiny the move would likely face.

This regulatory pressure will likely remain, but MTN is likely hopeful that the government watchdog will be more favourable this time, given the recent regulatory approval of Vodacom’s acquisition of a stake in Remgro Ltd.’s fibre business.

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Press Release

CSG^® (NASDAQ: CSGS) and Charter Communications today announce that they have signed a multi-year contract extension and expansion of their decades-long relationship. With this extension, CSG will continue as a revenue management and monetization partner for Charter through September 30, 2031, and will expand its support to include new areas of growth in Charter’s business.

“For more than 25 years, CSG has supported Charter teams in delivering innovative communications, entertainment and connectivity products and services,” said Mike Woods, EVP and President of North America Communications, Media and Technology, CSG. “We are honored to serve this industry leader into the next decade.”

As part of this expanded relationship, Charter will leverage CSG’s industry-leading, cloud-native SaaS platform, CSG Ascendon, for its seamless entertainment experience, which combines live TV with access to programmers’ streaming apps. Coupled with the CSG ACP billing platform, Ascendon will deliver the needed flexibility to support today’s digital entertainment services. Charter will continue to rely on CSG’s platforms to support its residential Internet, TV and home phone customer base.

Combining revenue and customer experience management capabilities with AI-powered analytics, CSG Ascendon is the ideal solution to power new digital offerings for leading global brands.

Learn more about how CSG Ascendon can help accelerate growth by unlocking new revenue streams, speeding up time to market and engaging customers at critical moments.

About CSG

CSG empowers companies to build unforgettable experiences, making it easier for people and businesses to connect with, use and pay for the services they value most. Our customer experience, billing and payments solutions help companies of any size make money and make a difference. With our SaaS solutions, company leaders can take control of their future and tap into guidance along the way from our fiercely committed and forward-thinking CSGers around the world.

Want to be future-ready and a change-maker like the global brands that trust CSG? Visit csgi.com to learn more.

Contacts:

Julia Dakhlia

Public Relations

+1 (402) 431-7376

julia.dakhlia@csgi.com

John Rea

Investor Relations

+1 (210) 687-4409

john.rea@csgi.com

This Industry Viewpoint was authored by Todd Mussman, GTT Product Manager

Managing the ill effects of extreme weather events has unfortunately become a recurring part of network operations. Yet many enterprises plan as if such events are rare, leaving critical systems exposed when major disruptions occur. According to a recent S&P Global report, only one in five have a formal climate change adaptation plan, and fewer than half of those plan to act on it within the next decade. … [visit site to read more]

Press Release  

Telehouse Thailand, a renowned global provider of data center colocation services, has partnered with National Telecom Public Company Limited (NT) to deliver high-capacity international data transmission via submarine cable systems. This initiative serves to significantly enhance the country’s telecommunications backbone and support digital transformation across the public and private sectors.

The partnership sees NT’s international submarine cable network linking directly to the now fully operational Telehouse Bangkok facility, enabling Telehouse Thailand to offer domestic content providers and ISPs from neighboring countries seamless access to the Asia Direct Cable (ADC) and Asia America Gateway (AAG) systems.

The ADC network provides connectivity between China, Hong Kong, Japan, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, many of which host data centers for major cloud and content providers, while the AAG network extends connectivity from Asia to the United States, linking together major global economies from around the world.

NT’s domestic submarine cable system provides alternative routing via Thailand’s Gulf coast to NT’s international cable landing stations in Songkhla and Satun, ensuring reliable global reach across multiple regions.

Alongside benefits to private and public organizations, the partnership will serve to advance the Thai government’s vision of establishing the country as an ASEAN Digital Hub, enabling digital transformation of the Southeast Asian region and encouraging global investment.

Colonel Sanpachai Huvanandana, President, National Telecom Public Company Limited commented: “This collaboration expands Thailand’s business potential and telecommunications readiness in the AI era. With terabit-scale capacity and high-reliability network design, our international connectivity infrastructure addresses the critical requirements of global cloud and content providers when considering investment in Thai data center facilities.”

Ken Miyashita, Managing Director of Telehouse Thailand, added: “Leveraging NT’s submarine cable network, a core element of Thailand’s telecommunications infrastructure, enables our customers to efficiently handle the huge volumes of data traffic from Gen AI and cloud services, which are expected to significantly grow. As Bangkok’s leading carrier-neutral interconnection data center, Telehouse further strengthens this submarine connectivity and high service availability with the four diverse incoming fiber routes.

About National Telecom Public Company Limited (NT)

NT is Thailand’s leading integrated telecommunications and digital service provider, delivering end-to-end connectivity solutions domestically and internationally. Its network spans terrestrial fiber, more than seven international submarine cable systems, satellite communications, and wireless technologies.

About Telehouse

Telehouse, a subsidiary of KDDI Corporation, is a leading global data center provider, with 45 or more sites in 10+ countries and bringing together a range of business partners. With over three decades of expertise and partnerships with more than 1,000 network providers worldwide – including carriers, mobile and content providers, enterprises, and financial services companies. – Telehouse delivers highly reliable, interconnected, and carrier-neutral data center solutions.

Press Release

Telecom operator Telia Lietuva, in cooperation with ALGO Poland, has completed the construction and launched the first ZeroSite® base station in the Užkanavė district of Palanga. Named “Meldas” (Lithuanian for bulrush), the project is a prime example of how modern telecom infrastructure can combine functionality with harmony in the landscape.

The new station delivers more stable and faster 5G connectivity for both residents and visitors and is ready to host equipment for all three mobile operators active in the Lithuanian market. In the future, its resources can be shared, ensuring more efficient use of infrastructure.

Technology in harmony with nature

“Meldas” is an intelligent, multifunctional ZeroSite® telecom pole standing 15 meters tall (8 m pole + 7 m head). The on-site installation took just two days and included both pole assembly and the full configuration of active equipment.

The structure was designed to minimise environmental impact:

• no large concrete structures or heavy fencing,
• a compact form that blends into its surroundings,
• ability to be dismantled and relocated in the future.

Partner statements

Sigita Šeputienė, Head of Real Estate Development at Telia Lietuva:

“We understand how important reliable connectivity is for the residents and visitors of Palanga. At the same time, we want to preserve what makes this place special – its unique natural beauty. ‘Meldas’ shows that modern infrastructure can coexist with nature.”

Šarūnas Vaitkus, Mayor of Palanga:

“Palanga attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists every year, which places a significant load on the network. This investment ensures stable internet access, convenience for daily life, and the continued growth of our resort.”

Adam Gołąbek, COO ALGO Poland

“ZeroSite® is a blend of aesthetics, cutting-edge technology, and rapid deployment. We are proud to deliver a solution for Telia Lietuva that perfectly fits such a prestigious location.”

Palanga – a prestigious and historic resort

Palanga is one of the most important seaside resorts on the Baltic coast, visited by hundreds of thousands of tourists each year. It is known not only for its sandy beaches and unique microclimate but also for its rich history dating back to the 19th century, when it became a fashionable holiday destination.
Today, Palanga combines the amenities of a modern tourist hub with cultural heritage landmarks such as the Tyszkiewicz Palace, the Botanical Park, and the iconic pier stretching into the Baltic Sea.

Next steps

Similar solutions are planned in Monciškės and Vilnius (Kalnų Park), where a new ZeroSite® station will enhance network performance during large public events.

Technical specifications – ZeroSite® “Meldas”

• Height: 15 m (8 m pole + 7 m head)
• Support for up to 3 operators
• Prepared to host: 3 sector antennas and 9 5G panel antennas
• Installation time: 2 days
• Optional features: environmental sensors, cameras, Wi-Fi, EV charging stations
• Compliant with Palanga City’s architectural and urban planning requirements

Contact: apg@algo.com.pl

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Netomnia secures £300m for network expansion

Press Release

The facility strengthens Netomnia’s position as the UK’s fastest-growing Alt-Net, supporting its path to profitability in 2025 and rollout target of five million premises by 2027.

Netomnia, the UK’s second-largest alternative network provider (Alt-Net), has completed its £300 million junior debt raise. This includes £160 million from existing investors I Squared Capital and Palistar Capital, originally part of the May 2025 funding, and an additional £140 million subscribed through increased commitments from I Squared Capital and Palistar Capital alongside new lenders Rand Merchant Bank (RMB) and Bain Capital. This latest investment builds on Netomnia’s £880 million senior debt commitment, bringing total debt funding support to £1.2 billion.

Netomnia, together with YouFibre and brsk, now serves 2.7 million premises serviceable and 375,000 premises connected. With an annual build rate of one million premises, Netomnia is on track to achieve three million premises serviceable by the end of 2025 and is targeting five million by the end of 2027. The group has also achieved positive EBITDA.

“The last funding round was oversubscribed, showing the clear demand for Netomnia from both new and existing lenders,” said Jeremy Chelot, Group CEO of Netomnia, YouFibre, and brsk, “This £140 million extension reinforces confidence in our ability to deliver at scale while staying firmly on track with our build plan and profitability targets. Our mission remains clear: connecting millions more homes and businesses with the UK’s most powerful internet.”

“Netomnia has established itself as one of the UK’s leading digital infrastructure players, combining rapid rollout with cost efficiency while driving the delivery of critical connectivity across the UK. RMB is proud to partner Netomnia and its shareholder grouping once again as part of our sponsor led strategy”** Robert Leon, Global Co-head of IBD and Sponsor Client Segment at RMB David Haswell, a Director at Bain Capital, added**: “Bain Capital is delighted to support Netomnia as they reshape the UK fibre market by delivering both innovation and resilience in critical infrastructure. The leadership team has an impressive track record of execution and a clear vision for the next phase of bringing affordable, full-fibre connectivity to more UK consumers.”

Supported by Advencap, DigitalBridge, and Soho Square Capital, Netomnia, YouFibre, and brsk remain firmly on track to become the UK’s most scaled and capital-efficient retail, wholesale, and consolidation platforms.

Join the UK’s biggest digital economy event, Connected Britain on 24-25 September 

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