Graham Steele

Driving penetration is now the number one focus for the Altnets in the UK. The average consumer take-up across altnet networks is currently at 16%, half that of Openreach at 32%, despite the collective footprint of challengers now equalling that of the incumbent. We explore why this is and what needs to change to address it. I'm very happy to talk to anyone with a view on the situation and ways it can be addressed. In Part two (watch this space) we will provide valuble insights and actionable recommendations to drive penetration from some of the very best practice.

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Question for the day. Is a wholesale market for 5G network slices a good opportunity for differentiating an IoT MVNO? I'm digging into the intersection of 5G Stand Alone and IoT at the moment. Predominantly what monetisation opportunities there are for MNOs in 5G overall and particularly SA, and specific to IoT. So digging into things like RedCap (again!), Network Exposure Function, APIs, QoS, SLAs, cellular V2X, and a bunch of other things. Alongside dedicated slices for specific organisations (or e.g. emergency services) and functions (e.g. latency), there's also likely to be a wholesale market. So, perhaps, MNOs selling an optimised IoT-oriented slice for MVNOs. Which would create something of a two-tier IoT MVNO market. Can you provide high grade connectivity or is your offering just based on regular wholesale (or, indeed, someone else's wholesale)? Would anyone care? Maybe if it's marketed well enough. Having something that is a recognised term for a higher QoS/reliability/capability should presumably be appealing to customers. I can't help but note, though, that most enterprise customers have been conspicuously incapable of discerning the difference between a cheap and cheerful sponsored-roaming-based offering where disconnection or similar headaches aren't far away, and a robust offering based on local carrier agreements. So maybe they don't really care. Or maybe no-one ever quite came up with the right term for 'this is something you'd rely on' vs 'this is something you wouldn't'. When does it matter? Not for a long time since MVNOs operate overwhelmingly on n-1 generation and we have 10+ years of LTE still to go. But in a 5G world, maybe it does matter eventually.

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Openreach, the UK digital network provider owned and run at arm’s length by BT Group, is taking a significant step towards a more agile and automated future with the deployment of Nokia's Altiplano Access Controller platform across its fibre network. This move is important for the continuing shift over to Software-Defined Networking (SDN) and its potential to revolutionise fixed and fibre connectivity in the UK. Why this matters: ▪ Enhanced Network Automation: Altiplano's SDN capabilities will enable Openreach to automate network management tasks, improving efficiency and reducing operational costs. ▪ Improved Network Visibility: The platform should provide real-time insights into network performance, enabling proactive identification and resolution of issues. ▪ Increased Agility: SDN allows for dynamic provisioning of services, enabling Openreach to respond quickly to customer demands and market changes. It's probably very obvious why this is all very useful but providing fibre to the premises in both domestic and business environments is becoming increasingly mission critical for many. Adding in this level of control to large parts of the network should mean that the service is more reliable as issues are identified and resolved earlier and more quickly. That said, its not an easy integration process and is likely to take longer than many anticipate. The good news is that once it has been deployed it will be available to all providers who utilise Openreach network for their networks. In reality that is most of the broadband networks in the UK. #Openreach #Nokia #Altiplano #SDN #Fibre #Connectivity #Innovation #Telecommunications #UK

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The telecom industry is responsible for up to 2% of global carbon emissions. Network account for 90% of telco electricity consumption and RAN for 80% of this consumption. Beyond the obvious benefits of capex, opex reduction and aesthetics considerations, the neutral host networks are 38% greener and 47% more cost-effective than traditional standalone 5G deployment. Please see below the latest research from ABI Research and Boldyn Networks on the topic.

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We acknowledge BT's recent announcement to extend the switch-off deadlines from 2025 to 2027. While this move was not entirely unexpected, it remains frustrating for us and many other providers who have diligently worked to transition customers to replacement products and services in anticipation of the original 2025 deadline. As a business, we have consistently advocated for increased awareness of this transition, as the lack of communication with end users has led to significant confusion. Customers must receive clear messaging moving forward to fully understand the implications of the switch-off and the necessary steps to take. Despite the revised deadline, we remain steadfast in our commitment to the original timeline. Openreach will continue to raise prices, and we are urging businesses to move away from outdated services. Proactive communication is essential for a smooth and efficient transition. If you're in the dark about what the switch-off means for your business, get in touch. We're here to keep you informed. #bigswitchoff

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Today we announce our Q1 2024 financial results as Virgin Media O2. While there is much to do in the remainder of the year, we are gathering momentum in accelerating fibre build and marketing the nexfibre footprint, launching new services to enhance and improve customer experience, and progressing wider IT efficiency programmes as we continue our digital transformation. Ahead of price rise implementation, we delivered improved service revenue growth across both mobile and consumer fixed. Our teams also continue to innovate as shown by the targeted launch of #5G Standalone and a new 2Gbps broadband service on the nexfibre network in Q1, highlighting the future evolution of our networks as demand rises and new technologies emerge. Our performance in Q1 sets the foundations for our full year guidance as we make key investments to support future growth. Our Earnings Release here ➡️ https://lnkd.in/g9tWnGDJ #VirginMediaO2Results #TeamVirginMediaO2

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Great write up by Ray Le Maistre from TelecomTV about why 5G rollouts have grown at speed, but not necessarily delivered for #MNOs. This is a question i get asked all the time - by landlords, tenants, venues and sports clubs among many others, a really misunderstood aspect of the telecoms sector. #connectivity #networks #privatenetworks #private5g #investment #innovation #mnos #2g #3g #4g #5g #business #enterprise #spain #ireland #UK #germany #coworking #towers #masts #inbuilding #property #realestate #growth #mobile #mobilenetworks #telecoms #telecommunications #technology https://lnkd.in/en8Jw8SM

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The 2G sunset is on the horizon across Europe and is a major challenge for legacy IoT deployments. If this is an issue facing you or your company, then sign up below for Wireless Logic's webinar on Wednesday 8th May at 3 pm BST to learn more about how our LPWAN & CAT 1 BIS solutions are helping to ensure smooth transitions away from 2G. #2g #iot #m2m #2gsunset

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5G is halfway through its lifecycle as a one-generation solution, but why is its growth so difficult in the UK? Operators have never really understood the business model of 5G and have tried to replicate the success of the network pipeline operations of the 3G and 4G era. They wasted lots of time.... https://lnkd.in/edMBBFUm It's time to rethink your application business. https://lnkd.in/ejt54TC3

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The podcast is coming! Keep an eye out for the edits and my full article.. Meanwhile we are at Connected North for the next 2 days, keen to talk about Installations, Automation, Mobile and much more!

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It was wrong for the CRTC to set an objective for “affordable access to high-quality Internet services” without a more complete discussion or definition of "affordable". The way the term was used in the wholesale broadband policy strikes me as an attempt to score political points. The Commission might consider investing its attention to the more serious challenge of identifying the non-price factors inhibiting adoption of digital connectivity. What is affordable broadband? • Telecom Trends https://lnkd.in/eNs2TrRe

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Very interesting debate held between Openreach, NexFibre, and CityFibre earlier at #Connectedbritain Interesting topics from market conditions, landscape of investment, and the consolidation of the Alt-Net market…. Although they didn’t agree on all points, what was evident is the future of network deployment is very positive, with lots still to do and the need to do it faster. #openreach #nexfibre #cityfibre

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A good business ISP will be able to segment your 1Gbps Internet access so that some is directed straight to your cloud provider. This means you get the benefits of a direct link without having to install a completely separate circuit.

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This is a great potential way to monetise 5G networks for MNOs – network slicing with different charging models depending on capacity used. @Vodafone trailed the approach at this year’s #Glastonbury Festival This sort of deployment of networks would allow much more flexibility for vendors as well as reducing the risk of fraudulent transactions costing business’ money. Also amazing is that according to Vodafone, 200,000 people attended this year’s festival, generating 225 TB of data across its network — a year-on-year increase of 33% - massive numbers! #connectivity #networks #investment #innovation #mnos #2g #3g #4g #5g #business #enterprise #UK #towers #masts #growth #mobile #mobilenetworks #telecoms #telecommunications #technology #slicing https://lnkd.in/eQdisy2f

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Good news! Broadband providers can achieve high scores for customer satisfaction metrics like NPS *without* resorting to price competition. Our latest report on fixed broadband customer satisfaction reveals that operators can maintain high Net Promoter Scores (NPS) without resorting to price cuts. This is particularly significant as fibre roll-outs continue to level the playing field in terms of speed and reliability. 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 🔹𝗗𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗯𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗲: Operators are finding innovative ways to differentiate their services. For instance, Orange in France and Deutsche Telekom in Germany have achieved high NPS by focusing on service quality and bundling additional services, despite having lower price satisfaction scores. 🔹𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀: Challenger operators like DIGI in Spain and Quebecor Media in Canada have also excelled by offering competitive prices, leading to higher customer satisfaction. 🔹𝗦𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀: High satisfaction with service elements such as customer service and reliability can significantly boost NPS, even when price satisfaction is low. As the market evolves, it's clear that a strategic focus on enhancing service quality and offering value-added services can help operators achieve high customer satisfaction without compromising on revenue. For a deeper dive into these findings, check out the full report here: https://lnkd.in/ec_XAiTk #Telecoms #CustomerSatisfaction #Broadband #NPS #ServiceQuality #MarketTrends

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I'm pleased to announce the 24th edition of our Fibre Pricing Benchmark - a study that I launched 16 years ago! Our latest edition shows the ongoing ascent of multi-gigabit tariffs. 7% of the tariffs recorded in our tracker now have downstream speeds of more than 2Gbit/s. Most operators have increased their monthly access charges, but below the level of inflation, despite raising their speeds. This has led to a decline in the real cost of a 24-month service for most tariffs. We're seeing this decline in the real cost of services playing out in improved customer satisfaction metrics like NPS - Tom Rebbeck has an article coming out on this very topic in the coming days. I'll be sure to link it here when it's published! In the meantime, here's the fibre pricing benchmark report: https://lnkd.in/eP8JNiUB #pricing #telecoms #broadband #fibre #fiber #FTTH #multigig #FTTR #strategy #marketintelligence

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The Shadow Transport Secretary Louise Haigh recently unveiled Labour’s plans for the UK railway system.     We were pleased to see mobile connectivity, including 5G, recognised as a core way to improve passenger service quality.    The integration of advanced 5G technology can transform travel, offering passengers seamless internet access for work and entertainment and providing railway staff with instant access to crucial operational data.    In addition, implementing 5G-enabled sensors on railway tracks could significantly improve infrastructure. Our research shows that by reducing faults and delays, these upgrades are expected to save over 25 million hours for passengers over the next five years, boosting both productivity and well-being with an estimated value of £326 million.    As a result of our proposed merger with Three UK, we can provide extensive 5G coverage for the majority of the UK’s railway stations and tracks, contributing to a more efficient and connected future for UK rail transport.   #TogetherWeCan #5G 

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Fixed Broadband down? This month we've launched a new service that provides a backup solution, allowing our customers to always be connected https://lnkd.in/eD3GzSWA The new Wi-Fi backup service quickly restores a customer’s fixed broadband in the event of an outage by automatically connecting to the mobile network. Vodafone Smart Wi-Fi Backup, the service launched Italy under the name “Sempre Connessi” and will be rolled out across Vodafone’s European markets. It works by re-establish the broadband internet connections in seconds, using a mobile 4G/5G connection. All previously connected devices, including PCs, TV, smart doorbells and games consoles, are effortlessly connected without the need for any reconfiguration. The service doesn’t require any additional equipment, such as a dongle, and there is no additional charge to send and receive data (the service is zero-rated). Congratulations to all central and local team members that developed this new service, ensuring our customers continue to receive the best services.  #alwaysconnected #innovation #broadband

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We want everyone to be ready to make the transition from 3G together, so we’ve decided to extend our 3G network closure by two months. We will close our 3G network on 31 August 2024.   If your device is 3G only, if it doesn’t support Voice over 4G (VoLTE), or if it’s 4G enabled but hardwired to use 3G for emergency calls, then you need to upgrade before the 3G closure to stay connected. This will also affect medical devices and other hardware connected to our 3G network, like EFTPOS terminals or farm machinery. If you’re not sure if your device will be impacted, SMS ‘3’ to 3498 and we’ll let you know. For other devices, contact the supplier or manufacturer, or call us if you’re not sure. Soon you’ll also hear a short message when you make an outgoing call from an impacted device, as a reminder that you need to upgrade.   Closing Australia’s 3G networks is a big step towards better connectivity for everyone on 4G and 5G networks, but we don’t want to leave anyone behind. 

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