News 

The government has announced a trio of new projects, supported by the UK Space Agency, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), and the European Space Agency, aiming to provide reliable, high-speed internet for some of the UK’s hardest-to-reach areas 

This week, the UK government has announced new satellite projects aimed at delivering broadband to some of the country’s most remote communities. These projects typically combine the use of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and Geostationary Orbit (GEO) satellites to provide improved wireless communication, benefiting both residents and visitors to rural areas.   

It should come as little surprise that two of the three projects in the announcement relate to remote islands. These are locations that pose major deployment challenges for terrestrial infrastructure and are rarely populated enough to make such a rollout cost effective for mobile operators. As such, these islands are often left to languish with little or poor-quality connectivity.   

The first of these projects takes place on Rathlin Island, Northern Ireland. Located seven miles off the mainland, the island has 141 residents but attracts 40,000 visitors annually. Limited by poor mobile signals and no direct broadband cable, the government’s £2 million pilot project aims to combine GEO and LEO satellite terminals with wireless technologies to deliver improved connectivity for residents, businesses, and tourists.    

The second project relates to Papa Stour, one of the most remote Shetland isles. Here, a £1 million project will test similar hybrid networks to provide faster and more reliable internet. This is expected to support conservation efforts, tourism, and the daily lives of residents.    

Finally, a third project, dubbed the Nomadic Multi-orbit User Terminal Demonstrator, aims to develop portable satellite terminals capable of delivering gigabit speeds by combining both LEO and GEO satellite signals. These terminals can be mounted on vehicles to rapidly provide connectivity in remote regions, supporting emergency services, farmers, and event organisers in hard-to-reach areas.    

The government hopes that these projects will boost education, healthcare, tourism, and local economies while offering a model for expanding connectivity in rural and remote areas across the UK. 

“Digital infrastructure is essential for our modern way of life. But for too long, many businesses and communities have felt left behind,” said Telecoms Minster Chris Bryant in a press release. 

“This is why we must do whatever it takes to ensure we harness technological innovation to enrich people’s lives and tackle exclusion, rather than entrench existing inequalities. These pilots, for instance, will help shape the next generation of connectivity, using a combination of satellite technology and mobile networks to test innovative new services that could be a real game-changer for remote and rural communities,” he added. 

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The trial paves the way for bringing satellite-enabled messaging to customers in remote areas across Europe 

Deutsche Telekom, Qualcomm, and Skylo Technologies have completed what they claim is Europe’s first successful trial of text messaging direct-to-handset over satellite.  

The trial, conducted in Greece by Deutsche Telekom’s local subsidiary Cosmote, saw the Cosmote’s terrestrial mobile network integrated with Skylo’s GEO satellite network, allowing the device user to send and receive SMS messages. The devices used were equipped with a Snapdragon® X-80 5G Modem-RF System and integrated NB-NTN satellite connectivity. 

The messages were sent over Satellite Services (MSS) spectrum and were based technically on 3GPP’s Release 17 specifications for Direct-to-Handset (D2H) connectivity. This will allow customers to send and receive text messages globally, even in areas without traditional mobile coverage, using their regular phones, with no ad-ons or additional hardware.  

Perhaps the biggest advantage here is the use of commercially licensed MSS spectrum, which is available on a pan-European basis, allowing devices to roam seamlessly across international borders.  

“Soon, subscribers won’t have to think twice about coverage before texting, whether they’re on a remote island in Greece or venturing in regions without cell coverage – it’ll be a part of their cellular service. The future of satellite connectivity is strong integration into carrier networks and we’re excited to partner with Deutsche Telekom which has been paving the way for these new services”, said Parthsarathi Trivedi, CEO and co-founder of Skylo in a press rel ease. 

The technology could play a key role in improving coverage for rural communities, enhancing emergency response, and providing reliable connectivity wherever it is needed. 

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BT unveils new managed SASE service 

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The new service is powered by technology from California-based cybersecurity company Fortinet  

BT has expanded its secure networking service for UK businesses, introducing new features designed to protect cloud data and applications. The upgrade, powered by cybersecurity company Fortinet, adds increased security to BT’s existing Software-Defined Wide Area Network (SD-WAN) services, making it easier for companies to securely access the cloud and managing their networks effectively. 

The new capabilities include AI-powered Security Service Edge (SSE) features, such as firewall-as-a-service, secure web gateways, and zero-trust network access. These tools ensure that only verified users and devices can access sensitive company resources.  

As businesses increasingly shift to cloud-based operations and support employees working from various locations, these new features provide a solution for keeping data and applications safe. With this expanded service, BT aims to simplify network security and help companies protect themselves against growing cyber threats while maintaining seamless access to cloud services, the company said. 

“Building upon our decade-long partnership, we’re proud to collaborate on the new SASE service with BT to enable its UK customers to converge networking and security,” said Nirav Shah, Vice President, Products and Solutions at Fortinet in a press release.  

“SASE complements the cybersecurity platform approach to delivering integrated security and secure network access regardless of where users are located. By combining Fortinet’s cutting-edge SASE and secure networking solutions with a leading choice of fixed and 5G access networks from BT, customers can have a nimble, robust, and more secure network to help them get the best from the cloud,” he continued. 

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News 

The report, commissioned by Openreach, is summary of the ‘spatial, employment and social impacts’ of the company’s full fibre rollout 

A new report commissioned by Openreach and produced by the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) has outlined the value of ultrafast connectivity could deliver to the UK economy by 2034.  

The report forecasts that the rollout of full fibre could add £66 billion a year to the UK economy by 2029, rising to £73 billion by 2034. It attributes this growth to improved productivity and the return of over 620,000 people to the workforce by the end of the current parliament, with numbers climbing to 652,000 by 2034. 

Realising these potential economic gains, however, relies heavily not only on  the technology’s effective delivery, but on its widespread, especially in less connected regions. Recent research from Point Topic suggests that fibre take-up in the UK currently sits at 34.7%, below the European average of 54.4%.  

The report also highlights the shift to remote work, which was accelerated by the pandemic, as a key driver in fibre’s ongoing economic impact. By 2029, it estimates an additional 900,000 people will be working from home compared to 2024, many in rural areas. This could help reverse rural depopulation trends by allowing people to live further from major cities while maintaining their careers. However, delivering reliable broadband to hard-to-reach areas remains a major challenge. 

The environmental benefits of the fibre rollout could also be significant. By 2034, the reduction in commuting is expected to cut over 4 billion kilometres of car travel annually, leading to a reduction of 320,000 tonnes of carbon emissions each year. While these numbers are encouraging, they hinge on widespread adoption of remote work and sustained progress in building digital infrastructure. 

The report also highlights how full fibre could enhance public services. It estimates that the NHS could enable 5 million additional online appointments by 2029, while better broadband access may help thousands of students achieve higher grades.  

Beyond its economic and environmental impacts, Openreach emphasises the social value generated by the rollout. The company estimates that small and medium-sized businesses gain £1.2 billion annually from enhanced connectivity, and it reports over 8,000 hours of staff volunteering in community projects. Openreach has also implemented ethical training for its 16,000 suppliers to strengthen responsible practices.  

The UK’s fibre rollout is a significant infrastructural investment, but it is not without challenges. Ensuring equitable access across regions, maintaining delivery pace, and helping communities adapt to new technologies will all be critical. While the report paints an optimistic picture of what ultrafast broadband could achieve, turning that potential into reality will require close collaboration between government, industry, and local stakeholders. 

Join us at next year’s Connected North 2025 live in Manchester! Discounted tickets are available here 

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News

The Federal Communications Commission has voted to launch a major review of licensing rules surrounding submarine cable rules.

A new Notice of Proposed Rulemaking adopted by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will begin a review of the regulations surrounding submarine cables.

The rulemaking notice, approved Nov. 21 by the FCC, will now seek public comment regarding how the commission can streamline the rules around submarine cables to ensure efficient deployment.

According to the FCC’s release following the vote, the agency has not conducted a major review of submarine cable rules since 2001.

“Oversight of submarine cables traces back even before the existence of the commission itself,” the FCC’s release following Thursday’s vote stated.

According to the release, there are currently a total of 84 FCC-licensed submarine cable systems.

As part of the rulemaking notice approved Thursday, the FCC will also seek comment on how the commission can improve security and protection of submarine-cable infrastructure.

“This proceeding will look to streamline the agency’s review process,” the release stated. “It proposes a three-year periodic reporting requirement for cable landing licenses and, in the alternative, seeks comment on shortening the current 25-year license term.”

As of Dec. 2022, the FCC reported that cable-landing licensees had more than 5.3 million Gbps of available capacity, with an additional 6.8 million Gbps in planned capacity this year alone.

“Today’s action continues the FCC’s recent efforts to support national security,” Thursday’s release continued. “The commission has proposed new rules that would require, for the first time, companies with international telecommunications authorizations to file renewal applications with the FCC.”

Join the submarine cable industry in discussion at Europe’s most important subsea connectivity event, Submarine Networks EMEA 2025

News

The operator says it will shift customers to “alternative network technologies such as LTE-M”

AT&T will decommission it narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) network, with IoT workloads to be shifted to alterative technologies like LTE-M early next year.

NB-IoT – a low-power wide-area network technology – was standardised by 3GPP in 2016. Designed specifically to handle low-power IoT devices, the technology was built to allow devices to be more energy and spectrum efficient.

AT&T subsequently began offering NB-IoT services in 2019 and, according to the company’s 2023 sustainability report, currently has more than 127 million connected devices on its network as of Q4.

Now, however, AT&T says that it is aiming to improve IoT services for business customers by moving devices to alterative technologies like LTE-M, which can handle higher data rates.

“We are improving our IoT services for business customers by moving from NB IoT to the LTE-M network. This change will provide more data capacity for both fixed and mobile devices. As a result, we’ve stopped the certification of new NB-IoT devices and the sale of data plans utilizing the NB-IoT network. We’re working closely with customers to make this process as seamless as possible,” said AT&T in a statement reported by RCR Wireless.

The operator says it hopes to have fully transitioned customer devices off of its NB-IoT network by Q1 next year.

In addition to LTE-M, AT&T is also exploring another promising IoT technology in the form of the newly released 5G Reduced Capacity (RedCap). While this technology is still in its infancy, it potentially represents the next step-up from LTE-M, offering even greater capabilities for IoT devices while reducing energy usage and spectrum usage.

But while AT&T seemingly feels its IoT infrastructure warrants an upgrade, its rivals Verizon and T-Mobile consider the issue much less pressing, with both confirming to Light Reading that they have no immediate plans to shut down their own NB-IoT networks.

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News 

The case highlights the growing regulatory focus on Big Tech’s influence and raises questions about balancing innovation with fair competition  

The US Department of Justice (DOJ) has proposed that Google sell its browser, Google Chrome, to address concerns about its dominance in the search and digital advertising markets.  

The recommendation is part of a wider antitrust case following a court ruling in August that found Google had illegally maintained a monopoly over online search engines. 

Back in 2020, the DOJ sued Google, accusing it of dominating the internet search market through anticompetitive contracts, exclusionary practices, and the preferential treatment of its own services. It highlighted Google’s agreements with other companies to make its search engine the default on devices and browsers, which the DOJ argued harmed competition.  

The DOJ also separately suing Google, accusing the company of monopolising the adtech market. 

As a result, the DOJ’s recommendations includes several measures aimed at create healthy competition in the search market. These include: 

• Divestment of Chrome: Separating Chrome from Google’s ecosystem could weaken the company’s monopoly on both search engines and advertising. 

• Unbundling Android: Google may be required to decouple its Android operating system from services like Google Search and Google Play, which are currently bundled together. 

• Introducing new data and AI rules: Websites should have the option to opt out of contributing data to Google’s AI training, and Google might also be required to share search data with competitor. 

Google has responded to these proposals by arguing that such drastic steps could harm consumers and developers as a result of disrupting services and slowing innovation. The company also continues to claim that its dominance is the result of offering superior products, and not unfair practices. 

If the court approves the DOJ’s recommendations, the impact could reach far beyond Google. Chrome is the most popular browser in the world, used by over 60% of internet users, and a forced sale would mark one of the most regulatory actions against a major tech company in many years.  

The next court hearing is scheduled for April next year, with a final decision expected by August.  

Join us at next year’s Connected America, 11-12 March in Dallas. Get discounted tickets here! 

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Dotlines UK, the latest venture from global tech company Dotlines, has officially launched with a mission to transform business solutions, digital security and connectivity across the UK.

Aiming to address key challenges in the UK telecoms industry, Dotlines UK sets out to deliver innovative, user-friendly solutions that empower telecommunication network providers, small businesses and households. Its approach centres on creating technology that makes life and business simpler.

Building on its rapid success in South and Southeast Asia, the UK launch is a strategic move for the company. Led by Jaki Chowdhury, former Product Director at TalkTalk, Dotlines UK aims to replicate its proven model here, blending local insights with global expertise.

Jaki Chowdhury, CEO of Dotlines UK, who has nearly two decades of experience in the telecoms industry, said: “We believe it’s time for a change. The telecoms industry has long grappled with issues such as legacy infrastructure and the need for more efficient, accessible services. With a focus on simplicity and user-centric design, our solutions aim to streamline operations, bridge connectivity gaps, and provide robust security measures for businesses and consumers alike.

“Dotlines UK isn’t just about selling products, it’s about building meaningful connections between people, processes and technology, with a focus on delivering simplicity through tech solutions. Our goal is to help businesses grow efficiently, in turn, allowing them to deliver value to their users.”

Dotlines UK will serve as the parent brand to a portfolio of technology solutions set to launch in early 2025. The products, designed for telecommunication operators, small businesses and consumers, will span business management, security and connectivity to meet modern demands.

Positioning itself as an “impact-driven” brand, Dotlines UK is dedicated to making a positive difference. A portion of profits will be directed toward charitable and environmental initiatives, including tree planting, carbon offsetting and not for profit partnerships, ensuring that the company’s success directly benefits communities and supports sustainability efforts.

For more information visit Dotlines UK.

Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 19 November 2024 – Ezditek, a leading expert in data center and digital infrastructure services in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), has broken ground on its flagship data center facility, RUH01, in Riyadh to provide a sustainable and scalable foundation for local digital transformation. The facility will be located in the world’s biggest female university, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University (PNU) on a 35,000+ sqm plot and is expected to go live by Q1 2026. 

RUH01’s strategic location provides an ideal entry point for hyperscalers, cloud providers and enterprises looking to establish a presence in the KSA with direct access to major carriers. RUH01 will reach 100% of public and enterprise customers in the Saudi central region and deliver a maximum capacity of 24 MW. 

“As one of the most vastly developing and transforming cities in the world, Riyadh provides a natural hub for digital transformation. It is the heart of the KSA’s rapidly expanding technology sector, and this makes it the perfect location for our flagship data center,” said Ibrahim Almulhim, CEO at Ezditek. “We’re matching experience with delivery across the Kingdom. Breaking ground on RUH01 marks a critical milestone in our mission to make it simple and efficient for organizations to grow their local presence in the KSA.”

RUH01’s capacity to reach 90% of Saudi population within 25 milliseconds enables it to serve growing demand for rapid connectivity. The facility supports digitalization by enhancing the Kingdom’s data sovereignty and strengthening its position as a global digital hub. It will host Saudi Arabian Internet Exchange (SAIE), available at 100+ GBPS of speed to reduce latency and improve localization of content and traffic. 

“We’re committed to ensuring the region’s cloud, connectivity and AI needs are met while advancing the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 goals. RUH01 matches AI-enablement with sustainability, enabling customers to benefit from emerging technologies and meet ESG goals,” said Almulhim. We’re ready to meet scaling demand for future-ready data center facilities as we affirm our on-the-ground presence in the Kingdom and commitment to minimizing environmental impact.”

Ezditek is focused on delivering high-capacity infrastructure to support local connectivity needs in the AI-era. The construction of RUH01 follows the launch joint venture with Gcore to deploy an ‘AI Factory’, which can be used for building, training, and deploying generative AI solutions locally and across the globe.

About Ezditek

Ezditek is a leading Saudi Arabian company specializing in the development and operation of state-of-the-art data centers. With a proven track record in delivering scalable and energy-efficient data center solutions, Ezditek plays a key role in supporting the Kingdom’s growing digital economy. Learn more at Ezditek.com.

News 

The altnet has collapsed under mounting debt pressure 

UK altnet Spring Fibre, has been sold to Harmony Networks for £1.5 million, the company has announced. The sale reflects the challenges smaller broadband providers face in scaling operations and competing with larger players in the UK’s full-fibre rollout. 

Founded in 2019 with the ambition of rolling out gigabit broadband to one million premises across the UK, Spring Fibre initially sought to position itself as a key player in the UK’s fibre race. The company’s rollout officially began in Lincolnshire in 2021, with the company having raised £150 million to fuel its expansion. 

Progress, however, was mired by rapidly growing operational costs and stiff regional competition. To date, Spring Fibre has only succeeded in passing 12,000 UK premises with full fibre.  

The extent of the company’s financial woes only became apparent recently, with a report from the Telegraph confirmed that Spring Fibre was on the brink of collapse, with its debt pile standing at £11 million, and had made a loss of £3.8 million in 2022. 

“While we can confirm we’ve had a significant level of interest, including indicative offers for the business, we don’t today have an offer that provides the necessary liquidity in the time we have available,” said Gareth Greppellini at the time. 

 “Unfortunately, with this in mind, we have taken the difficult decision to file a notice of intention [to appoint administrators],” he added. 

At the time, Greppellini said discussions with potential purchases were still ongoing with the aim of reaching a deal that “maximises value for the business”. 

On Friday, a buyer was finally announced with civil engineering and utility construction contractor Harmony Networks agreeing to buy the altnet for £1.5 million, representing a considerable loss for Spring’s investors. 

The acquisition highlights the challenging economic environment for the UK’s broadband altnets, where smaller players are struggling to maintain financial viability while deploying infrastructure in underserved areas. 

The sale also highlights broader issues within the market, including the sustainability of large expansion plans and the financial pressures faced by new entrants. As competition intensifies, Spring Fibre’s story reflects the difficulties of maintaining momentum in a crowded and capital-heavy industry, and foreshadows the sectors inevitable consolidation.  

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

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