NEWS

In 2020 the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) agreed to open up the 1.2GHz of spectrum covering the 6GHz band (5.925–7.125GHz) for unlicensed use. This promised the potential to help improve rural connectivity, by enabling Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 standards to deliver better (gigabit-plus) speeds, more simultaneous connections, and better security.

However, this same spectrum is already used by other applications in the US, supporting utilities, public safety, and wireless backhaul services.

The FCC’s work around was to treat standard power and low power Wi-Fi differently. Standard home or office low power could use the entire 6GHz band as it was unlikely to cause interference, whilst standard power – used for example in outdoor applications – needed a way to ensure it didn’t interfere with existing microwave systems.

Now the FCC has conditionally approved thirteen automated frequency coordination (AFC) systems to manage spectrum access for unlicensed devices in the 6GHz band.

Essentially standard-power applications use an AFC system to consult a database of existing 6GHz users, their location, frequencies used, and signal coverage to ensure there is no clash with existing systems before transmitting.

The proposed suppliers are: Broadcom; Google; Comsearch; Sony Group; Kyrio; Key Bridge Wireless; Nokia Innovations; Federated Wireless; Wireless Broadband Alliance; Wi-Fi Alliance (WFA); Qualcomm; Plume Design; and RED Technologies. Each will be required to conduct lab and public testing to assess the AFC system’s functionality.

FCC chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel commented: ‘American businesses and households rely on Wi-Fi for work, school, access to healthcare, and connecting with friends and family. We are moving forward on our plan to open doors for next generation, faster, better Wi-Fi – including Wi-Fi 6E and laying the groundwork for Wi-Fi 7. This is good news and real progress.’

The use of blended technologies for rural connectivity will be discussed at Connected America. Join us in Dallas on the 28-29 March 2023

NEWS

BT blames 18% fall in profits on need for additional savings after large increase in energy bills and soaring inflation

BT has warned of further job cuts after it was forced to find an additional £500m in additional savings due to rapidly rising inflation and energy bills. The telecoms giant, which has reported an 18% slump on pre-tax profits from £1bn to £831m year-on-year in the six months to the end of September, has stated that its energy bill will be £200m higher this year. The company’s last official plan for job cuts under previous CEO Gavin Patterson, saw 13,000 jobs cut over three years from 2018.

As a result, BT has said that it has been forced to raise its cost-savings target from £2.5bn to £3bn by the end of its financial year in 2025, in response to inflation hitting a 40-year high and the surge in energy costs.

As reported in The Guardian, “We are leaving no stone unturned to make sure BT can be the most-efficient organisation it can be,” said Philip Jansen, the chief executive at BT.

“Inevitably it means some jobs will not exist in the future but that has been true of the last few years too. We will use natural attrition as much as we can. In these difficult conditions we know we have to double down on our costs. There are no specific numbers in mind. This [cost-cutting programme] is up until the end of 2025. Everyone has to share the pain – all 100,000 people at BT – to get to this £3bn on cost savings.”

Jansen also reiterated plans to push-through higher than inflation price rises, which could see bills rise by 14% for customers, a move which has seen BT and other operators criticised, as Ofcom has indicated that nearly 8 million households have experienced difficulty paying their bills, having told operators to “think hard” about making further price hikes in the current climate.

BT indicated that the slump was due to higher costs across its business as well as costs incurred in the £15bn rollout of next-gen full-fibre broadband across the UK. BT, which has been hit by ongoing strike action by tens of thousands of its near 60,000 frontline workforce, said that the industrial action had affected the rollout of broadband to new customers, with 40,000 homes missing out on new connections due to the strike action.

Openreach, BT’s broadband network subsidiary, has also stated that its customer base fell by 89,000 in the company’s second quarter compared with a 29,000 increase in the same period last year.

With strike action set to continue, and energy prices likely to remain high, BT’s difficult year looks set to continue into the next.

Related content:
The sky’s the limit for BT
TIM looking to cut 2,200 more jobs by 2024

NEWS

BT blames 18% fall in profits on need for additional savings after large increase in energy bills and soaring inflation

BT has warned of further job cuts after it was forced to find an additional £500m in additional savings due to rapidly rising inflation and energy bills. The telecoms giant, which has reported an 18% slump on pre-tax profits from £1bn to £831m year-on-year in the six months to the end of September, has stated that its energy bill will be £200m higher this year. The company’s last official plan for job cuts under previous CEO Gavin Patterson, saw 13,000 jobs cut over three years from 2018.

As a result, BT has said that it has been forced to raise its cost-savings target from £2.5bn to £3bn by the end of its financial year in 2025, in response to inflation hitting a 40-year high and the surge in energy costs.

As reported in The Guardian, “We are leaving no stone unturned to make sure BT can be the most-efficient organisation it can be,” said Philip Jansen, the chief executive at BT.

“Inevitably it means some jobs will not exist in the future but that has been true of the last few years too. We will use natural attrition as much as we can. In these difficult conditions we know we have to double down on our costs. There are no specific numbers in mind. This [cost-cutting programme] is up until the end of 2025. Everyone has to share the pain – all 100,000 people at BT – to get to this £3bn on cost savings.”

Jansen also reiterated plans to push-through higher than inflation price rises, which could see bills rise by 14% for customers, a move which has seen BT and other operators criticised, as Ofcom has indicated that nearly 8 million households have experienced difficulty paying their bills, having told operators to “think hard” about making further price hikes in the current climate.

BT indicated that the slump was due to higher costs across its business as well as costs incurred in the £15bn rollout of next-gen full-fibre broadband across the UK. BT, which has been hit by ongoing strike action by tens of thousands of its near 60,000 frontline workforce, said that the industrial action had affected the rollout of broadband to new customers, with 40,000 homes missing out on new connections due to the strike action.

Openreach, BT’s broadband network subsidiary, has also stated that its customer base fell by 89,000 in the company’s second quarter compared with a 29,000 increase in the same period last year.

With strike action set to continue, and energy prices likely to remain high, BT’s difficult year looks set to continue into the next.

Related content:
The sky’s the limit for BT
TIM looking to cut 2,200 more jobs by 2024

NEWS

A new wholesale operator is being formed with the objective of deploying local fibre-optic networks in underserved areas across Germany, with ISP’s novanetz and YplaY responsible for marketing the fibre-optic network to customers.

The initial aim is to give access to full fibre to at least 150,000 homes in Hessen and North Rhine-Westphalia.

Open German Fiber is a join venture between MEAG – the asset manager of insurers Munich Re and ERGO – pension fund Arzteversorgung Westfalen-Lippe (AVWL) and investment firm Primevest Capital Partners.

This is the first investment for MEAG’s new infrastructure equity fund MEAG European Infrastructure One. The head of infrastructure equity at MEAG, Dominik Damaschke, said “We see a huge market potential for the FTTH market in Germany. Despite its position as Europe’s largest economy, Germany significantly lags behind in FTTH coverage.

Markus Altenhoff, CIO at ÄVWL said they were “proud to be able to support the nationwide expansion of the fibre-optics network in Germany.”

The most recent data from the FTTH Council Europe, their Fiber to the Home / Building (FTTH/B) Global Ranking published in May 2022, shows that seven European countries have passed the 50% penetration rate mark (Iceland, Spain, Sweden, Portugal, Norway, Romania, Latvia). Germany lags far behind with 6.3% penetration – marginally above the UK on 5.9% (although the UK has more FTTH subscribers).

To keep up with the latest on Germany’s broadband progress join Total Telecom in Mainz on the 6 – 7 December 2022 for Connected Germany

INTERVIEW

At #ConnectedBritain 2022, Vitruvi Software, an industry leader for end-to-end Build Management Software announced their newest game changing Roll-Out Feature for UK Altnets: A55 Management.

Vitruvi’s award winning build management solution is empowering Altnets to rollout fibre at record speeds – enabling them to build smarter & faster. With GIS at the core, altnets can manage a variety of OpenReach PIA and design data, while maintaining full project controls for production costs and schedules. This enables streamlined Openreach reporting from A55s, NOIs, to SPO Evidence, and Whereabouts. Reducing overhead, expediting survey, and getting fibre in the ground faster. Teams are able to make real-time, data-driven decisions, cut inefficiencies – ensuring fast and efficient project rollout across all of the UK. 

Vitruvi was a finalist for Enterprise Solution of the Year Award at #ConnectedBritain 2022. We spoke to Bryan McIver, CEO of Vitruvi Software to find out how they are helping Altnets to deploy smarter.  

[embedded content]

About Vitruvi™ Software

Vitruvi is an innovative construction management software that allows you to efficiently manage every aspect of your telecommunications or utility infrastructure construction project. It’s a single, end-to-end, GIS-based platform that connects everyone, seamlessly, for unmatched project control and collaboration. Vitruvi’s best-in-class functionality spans the entire project build: from scoping & planning through to reporting & close-out. Build smarter & deploy faster with Vitruvi™. To learn more, visit www.vitruvisoftware.com.