Startup Stories

Summarise your business in one sentence: 

A local, open-source hardware and software company building smart home and environmental sensors that prioritise privacy, performance, and community-driven innovation.  

Introduce your startup: 

Apollo Automation designs and manufactures smart IoT sensors for home automation, including motion, air quality, and plant health monitoring devices. Our sensors are open-source, fully local (no cloud required), and integrate seamlessly with platforms like Home Assistant and Homey. We aim to make reliable, privacy-respecting smart home technology accessible to everyone while keeping production and innovation rooted in the USA. 

What was your inspiration for founding the company? 

We started Apollo out of frustration with the lack of high-quality, transparent, and locally made sensors on the market. What began as a weekend hobby project quickly gained traction in the open-source community. After seeing the response, we decided to take the leap full time and build a company focused on doing things differently. 

Tell us about your business’s journey so far. What have been the biggest challenges and biggest successes? 

Apollo began in a small workshop in Kentucky in 2023 and has since grown into a full-fledged operation with multiple product lines and a global customer base. Our biggest challenge has been scaling manufacturing while staying local and transparent. Our biggest success has been building a passionate community of users and contributors who genuinely care about our mission and help shape our products.

What does the future hold for your business? Where do you see the company a year from now? 

We’re continuing to grow our product lineup and expand into commercial and industrial sensing. In a year, we see Apollo Automation as a recognised name in privacy-first smart sensors and a trusted partner for integrators and builders looking for flexible and local alternatives to cloud-dependent solutions. 

What are you most looking forward to about exhibiting at Broadband Communities Summit? 

We’re excited to connect with others who are building the future of connected spaces. We look forward to sharing what we’ve built, learning from other innovators, and exploring opportunities to bring our sensors into broader commercial and residential use cases. 

HQ location: Versailles, Kentucky, USA 

Number of employees: 6 (4 full-time, 2 part-time) 

Funding situation: Bootstrapped 

URL: https://apolloautomation.com 

Founders: Justin Bunton, Trevor Schirmer 

LinkedIn Address: https://www.linkedin.com/company/102172757 

As part of the new contract, MLL will also continue to enhance Fife Council’s connections at 150 schools. An immediate focus is the provision of a secure and resilient cloud-based connectivity service to support the Council’s ‘Transforming Learning’ initiative which involves the roll out of around 36,000 iPad computers to schools from now through March 2026.

The iPads and school infrastructure represent a £50million commitment over the next 10 years from Fife Council’s capital and revenue budgets. The digital learning and inclusion initiative will ensure all primary and high school students from P6 through to S7 receive an iPad which can be used in school as well as remotely.    

Additionally, MLL will continue to cost-effectively upgrade Fife Council’s MPLS network with the implementation of fibre connections. Where possible, Fife will leverage the grants and funding for fibre connectivity available from Gigabit Scotland and the UK Government.      

Andrew Milne, Infrastructure Manager, Fife Council, said: “Over the years MLL has reliably provided network services to transition and transform our wide area network and we are confident they will continue to support its evolution and enable the services we wish to deliver in the future. Our Transforming Learning programme is a good example of our commitment to leveraging the network for delivering social value, ensuring school students from all backgrounds have access to secure digital devices when studying at school or at home.”   

Kirste Johnston, MLL’s Strategic Client Director for Scotland & Northern England, added: “We are proud to be continuing our long relationship with Fife Council and to be playing an important role in evolving the network to support digital learning and teaching in schools as well as future initiatives.” 

Fife Council’s WAN service is fully supported by MLL’s centralised Network Operations Centre based in Marlow, Buckinghamshire and regional team in Scotland, including Client Management, Technical Consultancy, Project Management, Service Management and local Field Engineers.

News 

The company insists it will not follow rivals like Verizon in scrapping DEI policies to gain regulatory approval for deals 

Following AT&T’s $5.75 billion deal to acquire Lumen Technologies’ fibre assets, CEO John Stankey has emphasised the company’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), even as political and regulatory hurdles have pushed rivals in the opposite direction. 

“We don’t have to roll back anything,” Stankey said, speaking to Yahoo Finance. “Our policies and our approach at AT&T have always been that we progress people on merit. That any employee that comes to work here should have an opportunity to grow their career, work on building their skills, have an opportunity to succeed and earn a living.”  

His comments contrast with moves made by competitors to forego DEI frameworks in order to appease regulators.  

Earlier this month, Verizon received FCC approval for its $20 billion acquisition of Frontier Communications, but only after agreeing to dismantle its DEI programme. In a letter to FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr, Verizon said it would remove diversity targets from hiring plans and strip DEI language from training and public messaging. 

 These changes that will also apply to Frontier once the deal closes. 

The move reflects a wider crackdown on corporate DEI initiatives in the US, with firms like Meta, Amazon, and Google also scaling back internal efforts to align with the Trump administration. 

Stankey acknowledged the political backdrop, but said he remains confident AT&T’s inclusive approach will stand up to regulatory scrutiny. “We run the business in a really responsible manner,” he said. 

The Lumen acquisition is expected to close early next year 2026, pending regulatory approval. 

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Also in the news:
AT&T agrees $5.75 billion deal for Lumen’s consumer fibre assets
Telefónica exits Uruguay in $440m Millicom deal
“You’re not keeping your word”: Louisiana fibre firm rails against Trump govt over BEAD delay

London, UK. May 22, 2025. Adtran and Netomnia today announced a major milestone in the evolution of the UK’s broadband market with the first-ever commercial deployment of a 50G PON service. Netomnia is using Adtran’s SDX 6400 Series to upgrade an existing residential customer with an ultra-high-speed service. The deployment is the first of its kind in the UK and will provide real-world insight into how providers can leverage next-generation PON technology to meet growing demand for ultra-high-speed connectivity. The flexibility of Adtran’s SDX 6400 Series enabled Netomnia to easily deploy the service alongside existing PON technologies with no interruption.

“At Netomnia, we’re building a fibre network for whatever comes next — and with the UK’s first commercial 50G PON deployment, we’re proving it,” said Jeremy Chelot, Group CEO of Netomnia, YouFibre and brsk. “This isn’t just about speed; it’s about power. From AI-driven smart homes to lag-free metaverse experiences and tomorrow’s enterprise demands, we’re making sure the most powerful internet lives on our network. Partnering with Adtran, we’re redefining what fibre can deliver — no compromises, no limits, just the future delivered.”

Netomnia, the UK’s second-largest alternative network provider, now serves 2.4 million premises, with YouFibre and brsk connecting 310,000 customers. With an annual build rate of one million premises, the group is on track to reach five million serviceable premises by 2027. Together, Netomnia, YouFibre and brsk have secured £1.5 billion in funding, reinforcing their position as one of the UK’s most scalable and capital-efficient retail, wholesale and consolidation platforms.

The deployment uses Adtran’s SDX 6400 Series, a modular, software-defined OLT platform engineered for high-density environments and advanced service delivery. The solution enables providers to deliver ultra-high-capacity services while seamlessly coexisting with already deployed PON networks. The system’s disaggregated architecture supports open interfaces and network automation, while its energy-efficient, compact design helps operators meet sustainability goals. By delivering 50G PON rates over existing fibre infrastructure, the deployment demonstrates how 50G PON can support future residential services, enterprise access, mobile transport and emerging smart city applications.

“We committed to Netomnia in 2024 that they would be the first provider in the UK to deploy a commercial 50G PON solution. Today, we achieved that milestone, helping them deliver a live ultra-high-speed service to an existing customer,” commented Stuart Broome, GM of EMEA sales at Adtran. “The deployment demonstrates how our SDX 6400 Series empowers operators to scale capacity, accelerate service delivery and support next-generation applications, all while leveraging their existing infrastructure. As demand surges for bandwidth-intensive services like generative AI, 5G backhaul and enterprise connectivity, this project shows how we’re helping partners like Netomnia stay ahead of the curve.”

News 

Despite weaker sales abroad, BT’s leaner strategy is paying off, resulting in stronger margins 

BT has ramped up its full fibre rollout plans after hitting record build and connection highs during FY25, even as overall revenue declined 2% to £20.4 billion. 

Chief Executive Allison Kirkby described the year as one of “strong progress,” highlighting the group’s network buildout, customer experience improvements, and over £900 million in annualised cost savings.  

BT’s full fibre footprint now reaches 18 million UK premises, with more than 6.5 million already connected, a 36% take-up rate. Openreach passed 4.3 million new premises with full fibre this year, 1.8 million of which are already in use by customers. The company has now upped its FY26 build target by 20% to 5 million, keeping it on course to hit 25 million premises passed by the end of 2026. 

BT’s revenues fell slightly this year, driven by weaker handset sales and international performance, but profit before tax rose 12% to £1.3 billion.  

In mobile, EE retained its crown as the UK’s best network for the eleventh year running, with 5G standalone now live in 50 towns and cities and coverage reaching over 40% of the population. BT’s 5G customer base grew 15% to 13.2 million. 

“BT Group delivered strong progress against its strategic priorities in FY25, as we stepped up the pace of build of the UK’s leading next generation networks,” Kirkby in a company press release. 

“With the leadership team now in place to take our strategy forward, I am confident that as we build and connect at pace, our transformation will accelerate and deliver a better BT for all of us – our customers, our colleagues, the country and our owners,” she continued. 

Keep up to date with the latest telecoms news by subscribing to our newsletter    

Also in the news:
AT&T agrees $5.75 billion deal for Lumen’s consumer fibre assets
Telefónica exits Uruguay in $440m Millicom deal
“You’re not keeping your word”: Louisiana fibre firm rails against Trump govt over BEAD delay

Claremont, NC, May 21, 2025 – CommScope (NASDAQ: COMM), a global leader in network connectivity, and Emtelle, an industry leader in manufacturing blown cable, announced today a collaboration to manufacture hardened connectivity for blowable fiber optic drop cable. CommScope’s Prodigy® solution, which supports ubiquitous legacy hardened connectivity, will be combined with Emtelle’s blowable fiber optic micro-cable as the first offering of its kind in North America.

The combination of Emtelle’s REVOLink3™ cable, a versatile pre-connectorized 3-in-One drop cable, and CommScope’s Prodigy hardened connectivity technology creates a powerful solution for fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) deployments. It enables fast, cost-effective installation while delivering the quality and performance service providers expect. Through this agreement, Emtelle has the ability to manufacture drop cables pre-terminated with the Prodigy universal FTTH connector—adding a consistent, installation-friendly option to their portfolio that supports faster rollouts, reduced costs and flexible integration across diverse network environments.

Tony Rodgers, Emtelle Group Chief Executive, said, “Emtelle is renowned throughout the world for producing innovative, ground-breaking solutions that not only simplify the installation process but also set new standards in the passive network solutions industry. Our REVOLink3 is the perfect example of this: since its introduction it has been hailed as a major leap forward in telecommunications infrastructure technology. To that end, we are delighted to be collaborating with CommScope to combine REVOLink3 with their proven Prodigy solution. Together this new, unique hardened connectivity will set a new benchmark for FTTH deployment in the North American market.”

“We’ve always been proud of the innovative technology behind the Prodigy solution which allows it to service multiple types of terminals, and we’re now pleased to see it utilized with a pushable and blowable fiber solution,” noted John Chamberlain, VP Technology, Connectivity and Cable Solutions, CommScope. “We are excited to collaborate with Emtelle through this agreement. The interoperability, speed and simplicity provided with the Prodigy solution makes it an ideal option for the next generation for FTTH hardened connectivity and it’s great to work with Emtelle to extend its availability in the North American market.”

CommScope’s Prodigy hardened connector product line offers the flexibility to mate to any legacy fiber optic hardened connector. In addition, the Prodigy connector’s smaller footprint allows for smaller handholes and less visual impact, resulting in a more sustainable solution.

For additional information on the Prodigy universal connector platform, please visit the CommScope website.

News 

By joining the Innovation Park Artificial Intelligence (IPAI) platform, the German operator looks to play a more active role in shaping how AI is developed and used across industry and public services 

IPAI is a growing initiative backed by the state of Baden-Württemberg, the Dieter Schwarz Foundation, and a range of private and public partners. It is designed to bring together businesses, researchers, and policymakers to test and apply AI in real-world settings. Over 70 organisations are already involved, with the aim of building a European AI hub focused on responsible and practical deployment. 

Deutsche Telekom will contribute its experience in rolling out AI across network operations, customer service, and enterprise products. The company said its focus will be on supporting scalable and secure AI solutions that serve both business and public sector use cases. 

The IPAI campus in Heilbronn is currently under development and will eventually cover 30 hectares and support more than 5,000 workers. Facilities will include data centres, lab space, and collaborative work areas, with the first phase expected to open later this year. 

“AI reaches its full potential only when we collectively bring it into practice,” said Klaus Werner, Director Business Customers at Telekom Deutschland in a press release. “Europe needs to invest in AI now. That’s why initiatives like IPAI are essential: for the digital sovereignty of Germany and Europe, enabling them to further expand their independence and drive innovation.” 

This partnership is the latest in a long line of AI collaborations for Deutsche Telekom. The operator was notably a founding member of the Global Telco AI Alliance in June last year, along with SK Telecom, e&, Singtel and SoftBank. The initiative aims to develop Large Language Models (LLMs) that are specifically designed to meet telco needs, in areas such as improving customer interactions via digital assistants and chatbots.  

The LLMs will be tailored to the needs of the five companies in their respective markets, allowing them to reach a combined customer base of around 1.3 billion people in 50 countries 

Keep up to date with the latest international telecoms news by subscribing to the Total Telecom daily newsletter  

Also in the news:
SKT data breach potentially leaks data from 26.9 million users
Building the UK’s digital infrastructure based on tomorrow’s needs
Thailand’s AIS and True circling National Telecom’s subscriber base 

News 

Verizon says the deal will allow it to upgrade its fibre network in 25 states 

Verizon has been given approval from the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for its $20 billion acquisition of Frontier Communications, in part for agreeing to drop its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. 

In a letter to FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr, Verizon said it would eliminate DEI-focused roles, drop diversity targets from hiring plans, and remove DEI language from training, recruitment, and public messaging. The changes will also apply to Frontier following the close of the acquisition. 

The move comes in a wider political and regulatory push in the US against corporate DEI frameworks, with government bodies and large firms under pressure to scale back such efforts. Major tech firms like Meta, Amazon, and Google have all rolled back their DEI programmes to align with the Trump administration. 

The Frontier deal, which was announced in September last year, gives Verizon access to a major fibre footprint across the US, helping it reach an additional one million homes per year with broadband, including in hard-to-reach rural areas. The telco is aiming to strengthen its fibre business as competition ramps up in both fixed and mobile markets.  

State-level approvals are still needed to close the deal. In Connecticut, regulators have given provisional support, with a final decision due next month. Verizon expects to complete the acquisition early next year. 

Keep up to date with the latest telecoms news by subscribing to our newsletter 

Also in the news:
Charter and Cox reveal agreement to combine companies
BT in final talks to sell 50% stake in TNT Sports to Warner Bros Discovery 
BT creates standalone international unit as strategic restructuring continues 

Rome, 15 May 2025

Sparkle, the first international service provider in Italy and among the top global operators, announces the results of the Artificial Intelligence Sparkle Network Assurance (AISNA) project aimed at implementing artificial intelligence in its Network Operation Center (NOC) dedicated to managing and monitoring the international network.

Developed in collaboration with Engineering – a leader in digital transformation for businesses and public administrations – AISNA enables the automation of monitoring, management and quality improvement activities, thereby reducing the risk of errors and misalignments, and allowing faster responses to customer support requests.

By simplifying access to information and automating more repetitive tasks, the solution has reduced by 30% the operational handling time of alerts at the NOC and by up to 80% the average execution time for massive network update campaigns. Furthermore, thanks to AI’s ability to analyze email content, summarize key information and automatically update tickets, it has been possible to reduce by approximately 3,000 hours per year the time spent on customer reporting and by about 700 hours per year the time spent on RFO (Report for Outage). This has allowed staff to focus more on direct customer interaction and problem resolution, with a positive impact on the overall quality of service.

“Sparkle is engaged in several projects aimed at improving customer and employee experience through AI, as well as enriching our market proposition. The AISNA project, focused on network management, has been a top priority for its impact on customers and operations,” said Lorella Scalcione, Chief Information Officer of Sparkle.

“Thanks to this project,” confirms Danilo Decaroli, Head of Operations at Sparkle, “our NOC is now able to interact with customers even more promptly and transparently, while also operating more efficiently and with a greater focus, reducing the burden of repetitive activities in favor of customer care and problem solving.”

About Sparkle

Sparkle is TIM Group’s Global Operator, first international service provider in Italy and among the top worldwide, offering a full range of infrastructure and global connectivity services – capacity, IP, SD-WAN, colocation, IoT connectivity, roaming and voice – to national and international Carriers, OTTs, ISPs, Media/Content Providers, and multinational enterprises. A major player in the submarine cable industry, Sparkle owns and manages a network of more than 600,000 km of fiber spanning from Europe to Africa and the Middle East, the Americas and Asia. Its sales force is active worldwide and distributed over 32 countries.

Find out more about Sparkle following its X and LinkedIn profiles or visiting the website tisparkle.com

Media Contacts:

sparkle.communication@tisparkle.com

X: @TISparkle

News 

Verizon has pledged $5 billion over the next five years to support small business suppliers across the US, through the launch of its new Small Business Supplier Accelerator 

The initiative is designed to lower barriers to entry for small enterprises, seeking to engage with large corporate supply chains. 

The accelerator will offer practical support such as tailored onboarding, training and more flexible commercial terms. These include adjusted indemnity requirements, modified insurance terms and faster payment cycles, which are all designed to make it easier for small businesses to work with Verizon and other big buyers. 

“Verizon recognises that small businesses are the backbone of the American economy and a staple in our local communities,” said Hans Vestberg, Verizon’s CEO in a press release.  

“Our long-standing commitment and investment in small businesses aims to empower local businesses and communities with financial, technology and business expertise and resources to advance economic growth and foster job creation,” he continued. 

The programme complements Verizon’s ongoing efforts through its Small Business Digital Ready platform, a free online hub offering on-demand courses, mentoring, and funding opportunities. Since its launch in 2021, the platform has supported nearly 500,000 small businesses to become equipped to “thrive in a digital economy”, with a target of reaching one million by 2030. 

The move comes amid growing pressure for large enterprises to diversify their supply chains, support local economic growth and improve resilience in the face of global disruption. Verizon, in partnership with LISC (Local Initiatives Support Corporation), has also announced a new round of $10,000 grants for eligible Digital Ready users.  

Join us at Broadband Communities Summit, 23-25 June in Texas. Get tickets here! 

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