Advanced Television

Broadband

European FTTH subs up 15.7%

The latest figures of the FTTH Market Panorama prepared by IDATE have been released, revealing forecasts for 2020 and 2025 for the first time. The number of fibre to the home (FTTH) and fibre to the building (FTTB) subscribers in Europe increased by 15.7 per cent in EU39 since September 2017 with more than 59.6 […]

March 14, 2019

Study: Build future proof fibre and get 5G “free”

The FTTH Council Europe has revealed the results of its study aimed at quantifying the potential cost savings, which could be made by building converged 5G-fibre networks. In other words, can some savings be made if an operator anticipates and builds a FTT-5G network while planning and rolling-out a FTTH network? “5G has become a […]

March 14, 2019

Telesat LEO signs up ‘Super Yacht’ firm as first client

Ottawa-based satellite operator Telesat has signed up its first customer for its proposed Low Earth Orbiting mega-constellation. The new business comes from specialised maritime service provider OmniAccess which focuses on the super-yacht market. Telesat says it has signed a “major, multi-year contract for broadband service” with the Majorca-based Spanish business. Telesat’s service isn’t due to […]

March 14, 2019By Chris Forrester

OneWeb tests satellites at ground level

Every communications satellite is tested, retested and tested again while on the ground. The reason is obvious: you cannot send a technician into orbit to correct a defect. But OneWeb, which is looking to launch about 650 satellites into orbit over the next few years, is looking to adopt an even more rigorous testing regime […]

March 14, 2019

AirTies, AirSonics secure 30+ operators in North America

AirTies, a provider of managed in-home Wi-Fi solutions to global service providers, and AirSonics, a solutions provider to North American service providers, have revealed that more than 30 regional operators across North America presently deploy AirTies’ Smart Wi-Fi solutions to their subscribers. AirSonics serves as a strategic partner for AirTies, offering managed Wi-Fi solutions and […]

March 14, 2019

Nepal moves closer to ordering a satellite

Nepal is looking to order its own communications satellite. More than two years ago it made a ‘Request for Proposals’ from the world’s leading satellite builders, and now has committed to French prime contractor Thales Alenia Space. Reportedly there’s no cash on the table just yet, but a Letter of Intent, signed in Paris on […]

March 13, 2019By Chris Forrester

ZTE, Netgem strategic partnership

Netgem has signed a strategic partnership with ZTE, an international provider of telecommunications, enterprise and consumer technology solutions for the Mobile Internet, to offer connected home solutions to European fibre operators. ZTE will provide its devices portfolio and innovation roadmap backed up with its production capability and a long-term financing facility. Netgem will provide its […]

March 13, 2019

Vodafone Spain eyes profit in 2020

Vodafone Spain aims to go back to profit in 2020 – the first profits since the acquisition of ONO in 2015. This is the forecast from the company included in the file submitted to the Spanish authorities to justify the 1,000 job cuts in its redundancy plan, according to El Español. Vodafone estimates that the […]

March 12, 2019From David Del Valle in Madrid

SES under pressure over CBA tax threat

The potential freeing of C-band spectrum by Intelsat and SES over the US for use by 5G has been well covered in recent times. With a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) probably only weeks away, the temperature is rising amongst supporters and objectors. Some Capital Hill lawmakers are advocating the introduction of a special ‘windfall’ tax […]

March 12, 2019By Chris Forrester

Virgin Media launches Intelligent WiFi

UK multiplay telco Virgin Media has announced a series of new WiFi updates that it says will give millions of its customers the UK’s fastest widely available broadband speeds in more areas of their home, suggesting the move will revolutionise subscribers’ in-home connectivity. The technology – which has already

March 12, 2019By Colin Mann