VMO2 Owners Make Substantial Acquisition to Gain Altnet Broadband Business
InfraVia, Liberty Global and Telefónica, via their joint venture Nexfibre, announced a £2 bn acquisition of Substantial Group, the owner of altnet Netomnia. The deal adds roughly three million premises and 450,000 customers, targeting an eight‑million‑premise footprint by 2027 and a combined 20 million with VMO2. The partners are committing £1 bn of new funding and a 15 % stake for VMO2, unlocking an estimated £3.5 bn of investment to challenge BT Openreach. Completion is expected in Q3 2026, subject to regulatory approval.
Global 5G Standalone Dynamic Shifts From Coverage to Capability
5G standalone (SA) networks have moved from launch to execution, with global SA availability rising to 17.6% in Q4 2025 and delivering a 52% speed premium over non‑standalone (NSA) networks. The Gulf Cooperation Council, led by the UAE, now tops performance...
Interview: Richard Corbridge, CIO, Segro
Richard Corbridge joined Segro as CIO in November 2024, bringing digital leadership experience from the NHS, Boots and the Department for Work and Pensions. He is steering a three‑pillar transformation plan through 2026: simplifying complex processes with IBM and HCL, unlocking...
IT Sustainability Think Tank: AI Infrastructure, Shared Responsibility and the Real Cost of Progress
Microsoft is urging a community‑first approach to AI infrastructure, highlighting the growing energy and environmental costs of AI‑driven data centres. The call emphasizes that responsibility for these impacts must be shared between hyperscalers and the enterprises that consume AI services....
Making Sense of AI’s Role in Cyber Security
Executive interest in AI has flooded the cyber‑security market, prompting CISOs to evaluate a surge of AI‑enhanced tools. While some solutions genuinely reduce analyst workload and improve detection, many are marketing‑driven add‑ons lacking proven risk reduction. Experts warn that AI...
Direct-to-Device Connectivity Set to Underpin Next Generation of Industrial IoT
Viasat’s latest survey of 600 IoT decision‑makers across agriculture, energy, transport, mining and utilities finds direct‑to‑device (D2D) connectivity is poised for mass adoption within 18 months. Ninety percent of respondents say D2D will accelerate the global rollout of industrial IoT,...
College of Policing Accounts ‘Disclaimed’ by Auditor for Second Year in Wake of IT Failure
The National Audit Office refused to endorse the College of Policing’s 2024‑25 accounts for a second consecutive year, citing lingering fallout from a botched migration to the Home Office’s Oracle‑based Metis system. The IT switch triggered inaccurate financial reporting and...