News

The deal will see over 185,000 premises added to CityFibre’s full fibre network

Today, wholesale fibre network operator CityFibre has announced the acquisition of smaller altnet Connexin’s network infrastructure.

The deal will see CityFibre integrate Connexin’s fibre-to-the-premise (FTTP) network in Hull and East Riding, which currently reaches over 80,000 premises, with a further 20,000 planned for the future.

The deal will also see CityFibre take ownership of Connexin’s Project Gigabit contract, worth £58.6 million, which pledges to rollout fibre to 34,000 hard-to-reach premises in Nottinghamshire and West Lincolnshire. This project will also “unlock a future expansion to over 50,000 non-subsidised premises in the target regions”, according to the company’s press release.

In total, CityFibre says the deal will potentially increase their fibre footprint by over 185,000 premises.

Financial details of the deal were not released.

“Connexin has built an outstanding network and it’s a brilliant fit for CityFibre. Our mature wholesale model will now bring Hull’s homes and businesses increased choice and access to unrivalled connectivity products, services and prices. After our rapid integration of Lit Fibre’s network, we have demonstrated that this is an effective way to expand our footprint and we look forward to playing an active role in the sector’s accelerating consolidation in 2025,” said CityFibre CEO Greg Mesch.

“Given our major role in the government’s Project Gigabit rollout, we are also pleased to take on a further contract, delivering next-generation digital infrastructure for more hard-to-reach rural communities across Nottingham and West Lincolnshire,” he added.

Connexin’s ISP and Smart Home businesses are not included in the deal and instead will gain access to CityFibre’s network via a new wholesale agreement.

“The next phase of our growth is tremendously exciting as we accelerate our focus on expanding our Smarter Home, Business, Enterprise, Public Sector and Utilities products and services across the UK, enabling these rapidly evolving markets to achieve ambitious goals through adopting smarter technology,” said Furqan Alamgir, CEO of Connexin.

Connexin’s primary backer, global asset investor PATRIZIA, will also become a minority shareholder in CityFibre.

The news comes just a week after CityFibre announced it was aiming to double the number of customers on its network to 1 million by the end of the year, 70% of which would come from the acquisition of smaller network players.

To support this goal, the company is currently in negotiations with various banks to secure a £1 billion loan. It is also seeking to raise a further £500 million from existing investors, including Goldman Sachs and Abu Dhabi’s sovereign investor Mubadala.

Speaking to The Financial Times, CityFibre said that the company was in a “strong position”, with shareholders that are “committed to CityFibre’s long-term success”.

Join CityFibre and the rest of the UK fibre market in discussion at Connected North, live in Manchester

Also in the news:
Google announces agreement to acquire Wiz for $32bn
How small moves ignite industry-wide change
Liberty Global in talks to acquire Vodafone’s stake in Dutch JV VodafoneZiggo 

News  

UK incumbent BT has approached AT&T Orange regarding potential partnerships for its international business, Bloomberg has reported, citing sources familiar with the matter

The article suggested that this could include the sale of a portion of BT’s global division, although the discussions remain in the early stages, with no guarantee of fruition. 

“We’re keeping everything open and this means we’ve been speaking to third parties about a range of possibilities,” said a BT spokesperson. 

Since Allison Kirkby took over as CEO in February last year, the company has been undergoing a strategic refocus, which has included the sale of its Irish business last month, and key leadership changes, with Jon James set to take over as CEO of BT Business this month. 

In the release of its financial results for the quarter ending 31 December 2024, Kirkby confirmed that “In Business, our core UK channels were stable. Cost transformation remains firmly on track, with excellent progress on both energy costs and productivity in the quarter.” 

“We continue to make progress towards becoming fully focused on the UK, with the sale of our data centre business in Ireland,” she continued. 

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

Also in the news:
Google announces agreement to acquire Wiz for $32bn
How small moves ignite industry-wide change
Liberty Global in talks to acquire Vodafone’s stake in Dutch JV VodafoneZiggo 

News 

Meta has announced the launch of ‘Meta AI’ in 41 European countries, its largest rollout to date 

Initially, it will support six European languages, with plans for further expansion. 

Users can access Meta AI for free through Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger via a blue circle icon within these apps. The assistant can be used in one-on-one chats or in group conversations. This group chat feature is launching first on WhatsApp and will soon be added to Messenger and Instagram Direct Messaging. 

Meta AI launched in the US back in 2023 but was delayed due to regulatory challenges related to the region’s strict data protection and privacy laws, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). These regulations are more stringent than those in other regions, requiring Meta to ensure full compliance before rolling out the assistant in Europe. 

A key issue was how Meta AI’s large language models (LLMs) are trained using public content shared by users on platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Meta needed to ensure that this data usage met European privacy standards. 

“It’s taken longer than we would have liked to get our AI technology into the hands of people in Europe as we continue to navigate its complex regulatory system – but we’re glad we’re finally here,” read a press release from the company.  

“Over the coming weeks, we’ll take the first step in making Meta AI’s chat function available in six European languages, with a view to find parity with the US and expand our offering over time,” it continued. 

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

Also in the news:
Google announces agreement to acquire Wiz for $32bn
How small moves ignite industry-wide change
Liberty Global in talks to acquire Vodafone’s stake in Dutch JV VodafoneZiggo 

Contributed Article 

As 5G Advanced (5G-A) and AI continue to evolve, two industry players, Global Telecommunications Industry (GTI) and the GSMA, are taking big steps to advance their integration and commercialisation. At MWC Barcelona 2025, both companies introduced initiatives to foster innovation, strengthen industry collaborations, and explore new business opportunities in the 5G-A and AI ecosystem. With the launch of the GSMA Mobile AI Community Group and GTI’s 5G-A×AI 100 Commercial Campaign, these efforts reflect a growing focus on the role of AI-driven mobile networks in shaping the future of connectivity. 

The GSMA Mobile AI Community Group 

On the first day of MWC Barcelona , the GSMA and GTI, along with other industry leaders including China Mobile, du, Turkcell and Huawei, announced the creation of the GSMA Mobile AI Community Group at the Connect 5G Summit. The group will focus on two key areas: “Networks for AI” and “AI for Networks,” to boost 5G-A and AI integration across a wide range of industries. 

A large focus of the summit was 5G-A-driven business monetisation. GTI and the GSMA hosted discussions around the integration of 5G-A and AI technologies, with industry leaders highlighting how mobile AI can drive business monetisation opportunities. 

The summit explored applications such network slicing and Massive Internet of Things (MIoT), both of which rely heavily on AI and 5G-A to function at their full potential. A highlight was the appearance of humanoid and quadruped robots from Unitree Robotics, which provided a tangible example of how 5G-A and AI can be used in the real world. The robots, which are capable of performing complex tasks, demonstrate the potential of AI-driven mobile applications that could soon be commonplace both at home and the workplace. 

As the summit came to a close, twelve industry partners (GSMA, GTI, China Mobile, China Unicom, China Telecom, du UAE, LG U+, Turkcell, and Huawei, Leju Robot, Unitree Robotics, and Zhipu A) announced the establishment of GSMA Mobile AI Community Group. Together, the companies will explore more deeply into mobile AI applications, while also focussing on monetisation. In the future, the more partners and companies will be welcomed into the group. 

The 5G-A×AI 100 Commercial Campaign 

The following day, the GTI held a summit under the theme “5G-A×AI”. Here, GTI launched the 5G-A×AI 100 Commercial Campaign, a new initiative designed to accelerate the use of 5G-A (5G Advanced) and AI technologies. 

Established in 2011, the GTI is an international industry collaboration platform set up China Mobile, SoftBank, Vodafone, Bharti Airtel, and T-Mobile (then Sprint). Its latest launch, in February 2023, aims to increase the global cooperation in developing 5G-A technologies, speed up the integration of digital, IT, and telecom sectors, and support 5G monetisation. It currently has 146 operator members and 266 industry partners. 

The campaign was announced in partnership with over 30 global companies including, GSMA, Turkcell Türkiye, Telefónica Spain, LG U+ South Korea, Salt Switzerland, HKT Hong Kong, Zain KSA, MTN, Unitree Robotics, Leju Robot, Zhipu AI, and Huawei.  

According to GTI, the initiative aims to “accelerate the integration and commercialisation of 5G-A and AI technologies, which will drive the mobile information industry forward and usher in a new era of digital intelligence and unparalleled user experience.” 

Importantly, the campaign has four key objectives: 

1. Unite 100 partners to advance the innovation of 5G-A and AI applications. 
2. Make 100 capability APIs publicly available, creating an ecosystem for collaboration and technology sharing. 
3. Launch of 100 benchmark projects that demonstrate the successful integration of 5G-A and AI.
4. Then, introduce these technologies to 100 cities worldwide, helping to drive digital transformation and value creation on a global scale.

The collaboration follows the launch of the 5G-A×AI Development Program by GTI in April last year, which encouraged partnerships and innovation between 5G-A and AI across technology, services, ecosystem development, and business models through open labs and collaborative efforts. The 2025 campaign emphasises a more concrete, large-scale push towards commercialisation. 

Huawei, as a member of both the programme and GTI, has played an active role in helping to improve the practical applications of 5G-A and AI. The company has been working with global partners on several initiatives, including intelligent O&M (operations and maintenance), network optimisation, intelligent energy saving, and the monetisation of user experiences.  

The power of industry collaboration 

The creation of the GSMA Mobile AI Community Group and the launch of the 5G-A×AI 100 Commercial Campaign once again highlight the vital role of partnerships in advancing 5G-A and AI integration. By bringing together operators, manufacturers, and AI experts, these partnerships are paving the way for the widespread adoption of 5G-A and AI, driving digital transformation across a huge variety of industries, from healthcare to manufacturing. And, as the technology continues to grow, the strength of these collaborations will become increasingly important. 

News 

SoftBank has announced an agreement to acquire US based semiconductor design company Ampere Computing Holdings LLC for $6.5 billion

The deal, made through SoftBank subsidiary Silver Bands 6 Corp, highlights SoftBank’s growing interest in AI and energy-efficient computing technology. 

Ampere specialises in high-performance, energy-efficient computing solutions based on the ARM architecture. The acquisition is expected to strengthen SoftBank’s presence in AI computing, an area of increasing importance as demand for AI-driven data processing continues to grow. “The Transaction is aligned with SBG’s broader strategic vision and commitment to driving innovation in AI and compute,” the press release read. 

SoftBank’s Board of Directors has approved the deal, but it still requires regulatory clearance, including approval from US antitrust authorities and the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS).   

SoftBank expects the acquisition to close in the latter half of this year. Once finalised, Ampere will become a wholly owned subsidiary of SoftBank. 

Back in June last year, SoftBank was one of the founding companies of the Global Telco AI Alliance, along with Deutsche Telekom, SK Telecom, e& and Singtel. The joint venture was signed for telco AI development, with each company equally investing. 

The five companies have agreed 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 newsletter 

Also in the news:
Google announces agreement to acquire Wiz for $32bn
How small moves ignite industry-wide change
Liberty Global in talks to acquire Vodafone’s stake in Dutch JV VodafoneZiggo 

Partner Article 

As AI technology continues to mature, it is increasingly clear that the industrial sector is poised to be one of the biggest beneficiaries of integrated digital intelligence. From AI-powered robots to advanced real-time analytics and automation, the scale of the market opportunity is enormous; indeed, AVEVA’s Industrial Intelligence Index (III) Report 2024 saw 97% of manufacturing executives agree that industrial AI solutions will be required to remain competitive, with 74% prioritising investments in industrial intelligence solutions in the next 12 months. 

But despite this acknowledgement of the technology’s necessity, exactly how to incorporate industrial intelligence into daily operations remains a challenge for most industrial players. These companies not only have very specific needs when it comes to digital infrastructure and ICT architecture but are also typically working with a wide range of legacy systems that cannot be easily replaced without major disruption.  

At Huawei’s Industrial Digital and Intelligent Transformation Summit, hosted this year at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Leo Chen, Huawei’s Corporate Senior Vice President and President of Enterprise Sales moved to address these pain points, presenting a framework for accelerating intelligent transformation across industries.  

The four pathways to intelligent industry 

Speaking on the keynote speech, Chen introduced four key areas that must be considered to rapidly advance industrial intelligence: “Firstly, we must deeply integrate technologies into industry scenarios and build a target ICT architecture for industrial intelligent transformation based on industry requirements, pain points, and development stages. Secondly, we need to build advanced, AI-oriented ICT infrastructure to support the exponential growth of AI workloads. Thirdly, we must develop high-performance AI products that seamlessly integrate with open-source models, enhance AI development toolchains, and collaborate with industry partners, enabling AI to shift from technical showmanship to broad, inclusive accessibility, accelerating transformation in industries like healthcare and education. And fourthly, we must train ICT talent in a more targeted manner.” 

Taken together, these four focus points will create a powerful foundation for success in industrial intelligence. 

Successes already on show with global partners 

The results of this four-pronged approach are already bearing fruit for Huawei, who demonstrated 83 global showcases across 71 key industrial scenarios at MWC, proving a valuable reference point for industrial companies just beginning their digital and intelligent transformation.  

More impressive, however, was the launch of 10 solutions co-developed with industry partners across different sectors. These solutions, based on Huawei’s Industrial Intelligence Reference Architecture released last year, provide a suite of technologies aimed at supporting these sectors on their digital transformation journey. 

For example, the launched Digital Training 2.0 Solution offers courses in 22 technical directions and project management globally, encompassing overseas training labs in 11 technical disciplines, such as AI, cloud computing, and big data. 

Additional solutions here cover some of the world’s largest industrial sectors, including the Inclusive Connectivity – Digital Village Solution (for public utilities), the Government Service Digitalization Solution (for public utilities), the Digital Training Solution (for education), Financial Data Center Resilience Solution (or finance industry), the Intelligent Distribution Solution 2.0 (for electric power companies), the Smart Railway Yard & Station Solution (for rail), the Intelligent Multi-level Port Operation Management Solution (for ports and shipping), and the Intelligent Chemical Solution (for manufacturing). 

Collaborate and grow 

At the heart of these solutions – and indeed Huawei’s philosophy throughout the Summit – was the close collaboration with industry partners, and this was clearly reflected. 

Speaking at the summit, Ciyong Zou, Deputy to the Director General and the Managing Director of the Directorate of Technical Cooperation and Sustainable Industrial Development, UNIDO (United Nations Industrial Development Organisation), highlighted “the power of multi-stakeholder cooperation”.  

“Huawei has been instrumental in the AIM Global, playing a key role in accelerating the sustainable adoption of cutting-edge technologies,” he said. “These partnerships reinforce our shared belief that technology must serve humanity—not the other way around. As we look ahead, three principles must guide us: equity, sustainability, and collaboration. Equity ensures that digital transformation benefits all, sustainability ensures that technology contributes to a greener future, and collaboration ensures that no country, industry, or entrepreneur is left behind.” 

Other partners, including French retail technology company VusionGroup, echoed this sentiment. “At VusionGroup, we aim to help build a more sustainable future by digitising physical stores, as they play a pivotal role in this respect. By partnering with Huawei, we design innovations that serve this purpose, driving a greater impact for business and society,” said Guillaume Portier, the company’s EVP. 

Huawei will continue to work with a wider range of partners to expand its industrial solutions portfolio. As AI continues to shape industries such as energy, retail, transportation, and finance, Huawei’s focus on collaboration will help deliver tailored solutions that meet the evolving needs of these sectors. This ongoing commitment to working with diverse partners will play a key role in supporting the broader adoption of industrial intelligence. 

News 

The two companies formed the JV back in 2016 

Liberty Global has entered into talks with Vodafone over a potential acquisition of Vodafone’s stake in Dutch joint venture VodafoneZiggo, Bloomberg has reported. 

VodafoneZiggo is a Dutch telco company formed as a joint venture (JV)  between Vodafone Group and Liberty Global in 2016. The JV is spit equally between the companies. It was formed as a merger between Vodafone’s mobile services and Ziggo’s broadband and television operations in the Netherlands. 

The potential deal, which has been in negotiations for several months, could see Vodafone’s stake valued at over €2 billion. If the acquisition proceeds, Liberty Global would gain full control over VodafoneZiggo. 

The move does not come as a total surprise. Speaking at the Goldman Sachs’ European Communacopia Conference in September last year, Liberty Global Chief Executive Officer Mike Fries said despite the success of the JV, “seven years is a long time for a joint venture. So, we need to think about where we’re going with that business.” 

All three partied have declined to comment on the report. 

Keep up to date with the latest international telecoms news by subscribing to our newsletter, three times per week into your inbox 

Also in the news:
Vodafone and Ericsson cut 5G energy bill by a third in latest ‘sleep mode’ trials
Startup Stories: Introducing automation and observability specialist Telaverge Communications
Shock U-turn as Jio and Airtel both sign up for Starlink

News 

The investigation, which has led to multiple arrests and searches across Europe, has raised concerns about foreign interference and political integrity in the EU 

This week, Belgian authorities have arrested several people as part of a corruption investigation related to the European Parliament and Chinese tech giant Huawei. 

It has been confirmed that a large-scale investigation is ongoing into potential corruption, forgery, and money laundering occurring “very discreetly” since 2021.  

More than 100 officers carried out 21 searches in Belgium and Portugal, while one arrest was made in in France. Officials also sealed offices within the European Parliament belonging to two suspected parliamentary assistants.  

The probe alleges that Huawei offered luxury gifts, paid travel, and event invitations “under the guise of commercial lobbying” while seeking to directly influence European politics. In some cases, the investigators claim, remuneration was even provided for taking specific political positions.  

 It is also believed that some payments have been disguised as business expenses or sent through third parties.  

According to Belgian newspaper Le Soir, which organised the investigation along with fellow paper Knack and investigative website Follow the Money, one of the central figures in the probe is Valerio Ottati, a Belgian–Italian lobbyist who joined Huawei in 2019. Before becoming the company’s EU public affairs director, he worked as an assistant to two Italian MEPs involved in EU–China relations. 

Huawei has strongly denied the allegations, with a spokesperson saying, “Huawei has a zero-tolerance policy towards corruption or other wrongdoing, and we are committed to complying with all applicable laws and regulations at all times.” 

Huawei has faced various bans and restrictions across Europe due to concerns over threats to national security, allegations of corruption. Countries such as the UK, Germany, France and Sweden have all implemented bans of Huawei infrastructure in mobile networks. The European Commission emphasised its security concerns over Huawei’s involvement in Europe’s 5G networks. The European Commission itself has not yet commented, but EU Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier warned that the “security of our 5G networks is obviously crucial for our economy.”  

“Huawei represents materially higher risks than other 5G suppliers…a lack of swift action would expose the EU as a whole to a clear risk,” he continued. 

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

Also in the news:
Vodafone and Ericsson cut 5G energy bill by a third in latest ‘sleep mode’ trials
Startup Stories: Introducing automation and observability specialist Telaverge Communications
Shock U-turn as Jio and Airtel both sign up for Starlink

Interview

We caught up with Ehsan Ahmadi, CEO of VOX Solutions, to discuss the many monetisation opportunities offered by AI and why telcos must evolve to take advantage

You founded VOX Solutions back in 2010 – how has the industry changed since then and what has that meant for VOX?

The telecom industry used to be a walled garden. Now? It’s a battlefield. Traditional telcos aren’t just competing with each other anymore, they’re up against tech giants, AI-driven platforms, and cloud-based disruptors. If you’re not innovating, you’re dying.

VOX Solutions saw this shift early. We’ve been building automation, AI-driven and smarter monetisation solutions such as A2P Voice/flash call monetisation, A2P SMS monetisation and Ad-tech to help telcos survive, and thrive, in a market that’s evolving at warp speed.

Monetisation is still a huge problem for telcos. Where do you see them going wrong?

Too slow. Too bureaucratic. Too stuck in the past.

Telcos are sitting on a goldmine of data and infrastructure, but many still operate like it’s 1999. Meanwhile, tech companies are eating their lunch with cloud platforms, AI, and over-the-top (OTT) services.

The future belongs to those who move fast, automate ruthlessly, and leverage AI to unlock new revenue. Telcos that don’t evolve will become dumb pipes, just infrastructure for others to profit from.

What is your approach to tackling these problems at VOX? How big are the potential financial benefits here?

Simple: AI + Data + automation = massive efficiency and revenue.

We help MNOs stop leaving money on the table. Every call, every message, every data point is a monetisation opportunity if you have the right tech. We’re turning telcos into AI-powered revenue machines, optimising every aspect of their operations.

The financial upside is huge. The telco industry is a multi-trillion-dollar space. Those who adapt will dominate. Those who don’t… won’t exist.

You’ve been incorporating AI and machine learning in your solutions for years – what’s your take on how AI can impact telcos’ monetisation efforts?

AI isn’t the future, it’s the present. And if you’re not using it, you’re already behind.

Telcos have massive amounts of untapped data. AI turns that into money, automating fraud prevention, optimising pricing, and creating entirely new revenue streams. This isn’t about small improvements; it’s about rewiring the industry.

At VOX Solutions, we don’t just use AI, we build with it at the core. Our goal is simple: make AI the engine that increases telco profitability.

The telecom industry continues to change rapidly – what do you think MNOs’ business models will look like in 10 years, and what role do you see VOX playing in that transformation?

In 10 years, telcos won’t be telcos. They’ll be AI-driven digital platforms.

Voice, SMS, and data bundles? That’s the past. The future is automation, AI, Ad-tech, API, IoT and services we haven’t even imagined yet. The winners will be those who evolve into tech companies, not just connectivity providers.

VOX Solutions is making sure MNOs don’t just keep up, they lead. We’re building the AI-powered tools that will redefine what a telco can be. The next decade belongs to those who think big and move fast.

Can you give examples of successful and unsuccessful MNOs? What sets them apart?

The difference between success and failure in telecom is simple: adapt or die.

At VOX Solutions, we’ve helped 20+ MNOs boost their EBITDA by over $100 million — that’s an average of $5 million per operator, improving margins by 5%. These are the MNOs that embrace AI, automation, and new monetisation strategies. They move fast, optimise aggressively, and win.

On the flip side, we’ve seen plenty of MNOs that refuse to evolve. Some claim they’ll build in-house solutions — but never do. Others just don’t bother at all. The result? Declining revenue, shrinking margins, and a slow death. If they don’t change course, they’ll either collapse or get taken over by stronger MNOs at distressed prices.

This industry doesn’t wait for anyone. The question is: will you lead or be left behind? If you’re ready to scale revenue, optimise efficiency, and future-proof your business, let’s talk.

You can learn more about Vox Solutions here

News

By: Brad Randall, Broadband Communities

The Fiber Broadband Association CEO pushes back against rhetoric questioning the feasibility of subsidizing rural fiber at Connected America.

Gary Bolton, the CEO of the Fiber Broadband Association, was outspoken in defense of rural fiber broadband subsidization at Connected America in Dallas this week.

Bolton’s comments came in response to another panelist during a keynote discussion on Day 2 of Connected America, titled “Fiber for Everyone?”

“You hear this rhetoric about, why would you spend $100,000 pulling fiber to a home that’s only worth $125,000,” he said. “Well, I’ll tell you why. Because the reason it costs $100,000 to get that fiber is because there’s no infrastructure to that home.”

Bolton said once fiber is provided to rural residences it operates as a complete game-changer.

(L to R) Patience Haggin, of the Wall Street Journal, moderates “Fiber for Everyone?,” a keynote panel at Connected America 2025. She’s joined by Gary Bolton, the CEO of the FBA, Cameron Kilton, the CTO of Nextlink Internet, Jose Espinel, an SVP at Comcast, and Tom Monahan, a VP at AT&T.

“So, if you were able to put this fiber infrastructure all the way to this home that might be rural low income, well guess what? That rural low-income home now has access to world class healthcare, world class education, jobs, and all of a sudden that low-income house becomes a middle-income house,” Bolton passionately stated.

Bolton’s comments came in response to those from Cameron Kilton, Nextlink Internet’s CTO.

‘We’ll never get to 100 percent fiber’

“Despite our best efforts, despite program fundings, we’ll never get to 100 percent fiber,” Kilton said, adding that he doesn’t like to use the word “never” often. “It’s just not realistic.”

Kilton also said he believes “it’s not financially responsible for the government to go spend $150,000 a passing.”

He further suggested that Starlink-provided connectivity could be a more viable option for off the beaten path rural residents.

Additionally, Kilton said fiber networks are providing more bandwidth than customers need.

From his experience, Kilton said peak usage for a family of eight is 22 megabits per second.

“Is it nice to have a big, giant download pipe,” Kilton asked. “Of course it is. Everything comes a little bit faster when you need it.”

He said uses beyond 22 to 25 megabits per second for families are “not often unless you have a big download.”

‘This is a fantastic investment’

In his response to Kilton’s comments, Bolton also addressed what fiber in rural areas does for communities, allowing them to erect cell towers and provide reliable cell service.

“So, now this rural area that has zero connectivity has cell service,” he said. “Now that you have fiber, cell service, and a middle-income home, other homes start to be developed. Now you have economic development.”

Bolton said fiber in rural communities can also help those communities generate taxable revenue. He predicted revenue generated would exceed the cost of the subsidies to build fiber.

“So, this is a fantastic investment,” he said of fiber.

Evidence for fiber’s value as an investment should be derived from the results of the Rural Electrification Act, Bolton argued.

“Then, all of a sudden, you start to see everybody, all Americans, start to move up in their quality of life,” he said.

Learn more about Broadband Communities Summit 2025 in Houston.

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