Four interesting expansion projects, two by international players in the American southwest, and two from international markets: … [visit site to read more]

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The regulator is proposing that direct-to-device (D2D) satellite services make use of spectrum already licenced by mobile operators for 4G and 5G

This week, UK telecoms regulator Ofcom has proposed new rules that would allow D2D satellite services to be provided using the same spectrum and terrestrial mobile networks.

The regulator says the rules would make the UK the ‘first country in Europe’ to adopt such an approach, giving the nation a lead in this emerging technology.

“For years, we’ve seen satellite calls in disaster movies on special handsets. We’re now on the cusp of people being able to make them on their everyday smartphones,” said Ofcom’s Spectrum Group Director David Willis. “Ofcom always strives to be at the forefront of technological change, and we’re the first country in Europe to press ahead with the next frontier in mobile connectivity. This would unlock investment, open doors to innovation and growth, and bring much-needed mobile coverage to rural areas.”

D2D satellite communication has been a growing topic of interest for a number of years now, with the technology potentially allowing mobile operators to ensure their customers remain connected wherever they go.

Currently, satellite communications typically require a satellite to connect to a terminal deployed by the end user, which then relays the signal to the end user’s device, or to a specialised satellite phone. D2D services do away with this middleman, allowing customers to connect directly to the satellite itself using an unmodified smartphone.

Elon Musk’s satellite behemoth Starlink is currently testing its D2D capabilities with T-Mobile in the USA, while other players like AST SpaceMobile are also advancing their capabilities. Just last week AST sought permission to launch the latest model of its BlueBird satellite, with the aim of launching commercial D2D services in 2026.

From a regulatory standpoint, however, these emergent services raise a question over spectrum usage. Current mobile spectrum licences for 4G and 5G do not provision for connection to satellites (at least in the UK) and doing so poses the risk of interference of existing mobile services.

Despite these technical challenges, allowing operators to make use of their existing spectrum licences is very attractive, potentially allowing them to roll out D2D services more quickly and efficiently. It could also potentially help them to reach their rural coverage obligations, in some instances.

Ofcom is suggesting three possible approaches to D2D satellite services: (i) a licence exemption; (ii) a variation to the MNO’s existing base station licence accompanied by a licence exemption; or (iii) a new licensing regime. The regulator says its preference is for option (ii) but is seeking comment from the wider industry.

The consultation will continue until 20^th May 2025, with commercial D2D services potentially becoming available later this year if the proposals are approved.

How is satellite connectivity reshaping the UK’s telecoms industry? Join the discussion at our Connected North conference live in Manchester!

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A data center, some FTTH, and two bits of cooling news: … [visit site to read more]

Malaysian operator Maxis has partnered with Nokia to deploy data centre networking solutions for large enterprises, aiming to meet the growing demand for AI and cloud adoption.

In a statement, Maxis described the partnership as a joint go-to-market initiative designed to equip enterprises, hyperscalers, and OTT players with more scalable, secure, and automated networking capabilities to fully leverage AI and cloud technologies.

As part of the collaboration, Maxis will provide high-performance connectivity using Nokia’s AI-powered Data Centre Fabric, a networking solution that enables data centre operators to enhance efficiency, automation, and resilience in their cloud environments.

“The rapid evolution of AI and cloud technologies is creating new opportunities and driving growth in the cloud and data centre landscape. Reflecting this transformation, our partnership with Nokia will support our ongoing efforts to deliver next-generation networking solutions to our customers,” said Maxis Chief Enterprise Business Officer Prateek Pashine.

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The partners say they expects to pre-lease the new London colocation facility to hyperscalers

This week, real estate investment firm Segro has announced a new joint venture with Pure Data Centres to build a £1 billion data centre facility in Park Royal in west London.

The 30,000sqm facility will have a capacity of 56MW, which will be leased to tenants that provide and manage their own server equipment.

The data centre will be owned equally by Segro and Pure DC. Segro will provide the industrial site with its associated power infrastructure, while Pure DC will outfit the facility with the power and technology infrastructure required to host data centre servers.

The joint venture is expected to sign a long-term lease agreement of more than 15 years with a global hyperscaler.

“This innovative joint venture with Pure DC allows us to develop our first fully fitted data centre, alongside a highly experienced partner with an excellent track record of delivering world-class facilities to global hyperscalers,” said David Sleath, chief executive of Segro.

“SEGRO choosing to enter into a joint venture with Pure DC for its first fully fitted data centre development demonstrates our capability to create world-class digital infrastructure. Together we will develop a 56MW data centre in central London capable of handling next-generation cloud and AI workloads,” added Dame Dawn Childs, CEO of Pure DC.

In total, the data centre project is expected to require a combined investment of £1 billion, with Segro providing an initial £150 million.

The data centre market has boomed over the past year, driven by a surge of AI-related investment and the subsequent demand for cloud compute power. While the construction of these new facilities carry major challenges – such as land and renewable energy availability – they also offer margins “too large to ignore”, according to Sleath.

Construction of the facility is expected to start next year, with commercial availability beginning from 2029. The construction process itself is expected to generate hundreds of jobs.

“This announcement is another powerful endorsement of Britain as a home for tech investment, which will not only bolster the local economy and create job opportunities but also pave the way for a digital and AI-powered future,” said Secretary of State for the Department of Science, Innovation & Technology (DSIT), Peter Kyle MP. “Private investment like this innovative partnership between SEGRO and Pure DC will help us ensure the UK has the digital infrastructure it needs to thrive, helping us harness the power of technology to grow the economy and raise living standards, the central missions in our Plan for Change.”

How is the data centre boom impacting the North of the UK? Join the industry in discussion at the Data Centre Summit, co-located at the Connected North conference in Manchester

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One fiber M&A and three interesting partnerships: … [visit site to read more]

Recent cable landing station news from eastern India and West Africa underlines the continuing growth of the submarine cable business across both regions.

The state of Odisha in eastern India is aiming to establish itself as a global digital hub; to this end the state government’s Electronics and IT department has initiated plans to set up a cable landing station (CLS) in a coastal city called Puri.

A detailed project report is apparently being jointly prepared by ICT neutral telecom infrastructure provider RailTel and consultancy Deloitte.

The facility will provide direct international fibre connectivity, reducing latency, improving internet speed, and, it is hoped, positioning Odisha as a prime destination for hyperscalers, global capability centres and enterprises.

According to India’s Economic Times news service, the state’s Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja has emphasised the need for consultations with hyperscalers and key ecosystem players to ensure a comprehensive and future-ready implementation. He has also called for early submission of the detailed project report for approval with a focus on completion of the project within three years.

Puri was identified as the ideal location for the cable landing station due to its strategic geographic position, suitable coastline, scalability potential and robust infrastructure.

Meanwhile, in West Africa, ACE Gabon, part of the ACE (Africa Coast to Europe) subsea cable consortium, and Medusa Africa have signed a construction and maintenance agreement to land the Medusa submarine cable in Port-Gentil, Gabon. 

According to the Data Centre Dynamics website the original plan was for The Medusa submarine cable, which is powered by AFR-IX Telecom – an infrastructure and telecom operator in Africa – to have 17 landing points across Algeria, Cyprus, Egypt, France, Greece, Italy, Libya, Morocco, Portugal, Spain, and Tunisia. Now, however, as well as connecting all Mediterranean countries it will extend into West Africa. 

ACE Gabon will act as the landing party in Gabon, providing both domestic resources and investment as well as continuous operational and maintenance support in Gabon and its territorial waters for the lifetime of the cable, expected to be 25 years.

ACE Gabon will also own rights along the trunk of the Medusa system, enabling it to provide regional and international broadband services to the country’s enterprises and people.

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 

Some regional expansion, a new PoP, some FTTH, and some quantum network security: … [visit site to read more]

MegaFon Tajikistan has switched on 60 new 4G base stations across the country as part of its efforts to enhance service quality.

In a translated statement, the operator said that since the beginning of the year, 20 new 4G sites have been deployed in Khatlon, making it the most expanded region, with several cities and districts benefiting from the rollout. The Sughd region saw the addition of 14 base stations, while several unspecified sites were also activated in Dushanbe province.

The expansion is supported by government initiatives aimed at developing Tajikistan’s digital economy and driving innovation.

“2025-2030 have been declared the ‘Years of Development of the Digital Economy and Innovations’ in our country. Sharing the goal of making digital services widely accessible, we have been actively launching base stations across cities and regions since the start of January. This aligns with both technological advancements and the expectations of our subscribers,” said Anatoly Izyumnikov, CEO of MegaFon Tajikistan.