Page 38 - SAMENA Trends - September 2019

REGIONAL & MEMBERS UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

BT and the Telecom Infra Project Launch Third

Wave of Start-Up Accelerator Program

BT, the Telecom Infra Project (TIP), and Facebook have launched facilities, hardware and testing capabilities. In addition, they will
their third annual competition for start-ups in telecom infrastructure gain access to potential investors, build their network across
to join the UK’s TIP Ecosystem Acceleration Centre (TEAC), based the TEAC global community, and raise their company’s visibility.
at the BT Labs in Martlesham, Suffolk and in London’s Tech City. Interested companies should apply by 18th October 2019 via
This year’s competition is seeking innovative start-ups with the TEAC UK website. Entries will be judged by a panel of senior
services which can deliver business or social benefits by utilizing network and technology leaders from BT and TIP. The shortlisted
Edge Computing or 5G Private Network Infrastructure. Winners companies will be announced at the TIP Summit in Amsterdam on
will work with globally recognized scientists and engineers at November 12th-13th, and will then be invited to a final pitch event
the BT Labs at Adastral Park, one of the world’s leading centers at BT Tower on Thursday 5th December, where the winners will
for telecommunications research, with access to BT’s network be chosen. Howard Watson, CTIO of BT, and a member of the TIP
Board notes: “TIP is playing a crucial role in helping to tackle some
of the big challenges in global connectivity, supporting innovation
across the telecoms sector and opening up opportunities for
companies with exciting ideas, regardless of scale. This year,
we’re particularly interested in entries from companies who are
using Edge Computing or 5G Private Network Infrastructure in
innovative ways to create new business opportunities or benefit
society.” The TEAC initiative is part of the Telecom Infra Project,
which was founded in 2016. TIP is a global community that
includes more than 500 member companies, including operators,
infrastructure providers, system integrators, and other technology
companies working together to transform the traditional approach
to building and deploying telecom network infrastructure. This
year’s competition represents the third wave of entries into
TEAC UK. Last year, two companies; Tethir and Accelleran, were
welcomed into the TIP community.

BT Spearheading Talks on Copper Switch-Off with Government, Other
Infrastructure Providers

British fixed line incumbent BT Group and other local broadband to commit to building pure fiber networks in rural areas, as well as
infrastructure operators are reportedly in talks with the in towns and cities.
government regarding a timetable for the switch-off of copper
broadband connectivity, Sky News claims. The news outlet says
it has learnt that BT is spearheading an initiative which has been
under discussion with other operators, regulators and ministers
for ‘a number of weeks’. It is understood that under plans
developed by BT CEO Philip Jansen, full-fiber broadband would
replace existing copper networks on a region-by-region basis
over the next six years. A final switch-off date of 2027 has been
mooted for customers using the remaining copper lines, as part
of the negotiations between the various parties, with residential
users and businesses expected to be given two years in each
area of the country to move their service to a pure-fiber-based
alternative. According to unnamed sources who were said to have
been briefed on the companies’ proposals, the proposals would
see copper broadband lines terminated on a staggered basis, once
fiber infrastructure had been fully rolled out in each region. For
their part, infrastructure providers would, meanwhile, be obliged

38 SEPTEMBER 2019