Telecom Ramblings

This Industry Viewpoint was authored by GeoLinks’ Melissa Slawson

We’ve all heard the term “future proof” – the concept of building something unlikely to become obsolete. In the broadband world, a future-proof network is one that can accommodate the ever-changing needs of an ever-growing, ever-more-bandwidth-hungry society. While no one knows what network technologies await us, “future proof” has become synonymous with “fiber only.” However, promoting projects that exclude any technology except fiber makes the promise of a “future-proof” network more costly, more time consuming and much more difficult to deliver. [Read more →]

Some metro and regional deployments, product enhancements, and an IX: [Read more →]

A few upgrades, product rollouts, and interconnections worth noting at midweek: [Read more →]

In a major M&A move in the data center space today, DataBank has announced a definitive agreement to acquire zColo from Zayo. I wondered if Zayo might step back into the M&A game now after EQT and Digital Colony took them private, but I didn’t actually expect them to do so from the other side of the table. But of course Digital Colony is kind of on both sides of this particular table. [Read more →]

Some DC power, a bit of vendor M&A, and a couple of 5G deployments: [Read more →]

The data center sector has evolved substantially over the last few years with both hyperscale demand and the influence of infrastructure funds changing historical patterns, and this year’s COVID-19 pandemic has added yet more to the mix. Newer, dynamic players have been moving quickly in response.  One such player is Aligned, which is rapidly expanding in markets like Ashburn, Dallas, Phoenix, and Salt Lake City.  Aligned recently raised $1B for the next phase of its growth in a move the company bills as the data center sector’s first-ever sustainability-linked financing as well as one of the largest private debt raises in data center history.  With us today to talk about Aligned’s business model, its plans, its relationship with Macquarie, and the effects so far from the pandemic is Tim Shaheen, EVP, Strategy & Development. [Read more →]

This Industry Viewpoint was authored by David W Wang

As we approach Q4 of 2020, what does the landscape of major growth drivers for the CSPs (communication service provider) look like? The following are 5 top ones worth some review. [Read more →]

A few partnerships, expansions, and contracts to keep up with: [Read more →]

A few items from data centers, managed services, regional fiber, and SD-WAN to note at midweek: [Read more →]

Windstream’s journey through the dark tunnel of chapter 11 is now over. Yesterday they company officially completed its financial restructuring, reducing its debt by $4B and starting a new life with access to $2B in new capital. And of course shedding the burden of those pesky public shareholders and getting a new set of private ones. [Read more →]

Lighting all that fiber that connects all the world is the gear produced by the optical sector.  The latest 400G, 600G, and 800G technologies are in various stages of growing up and will soon carry the bulk of that traffic.  I remember when Infinera first broke onto the scene with its PICs two decades ago, and they continue to push the pace in a neighborhood dominated by much larger competition.  With us today to talk about what’s going on at Infinera and in the optical industry as a whole, whether it’s about technology or the pandemic, is Rob Shore, SVP of Global Marketing. [Read more →]

The Australian infrastructure fund Macquarie seems to be everywhere these days, and always with a big checkbook in hand. Today the Italian energy utility Enel says it has received a bid from Macquarie Infrastructure & Real Assets for its stake in Open Fiber. [Read more →]

This Industry Viewpoint was authored by Munendra S. and Mogan A.B. of Prodapt Solutions

As the telecommunications industry embraces various technologies to enhance their Order-to-Billing (O2B) process, they continue to see a lag in the conventional method. A Digital Service Provider (DSP) who gets this process done right will experience two key benefits- increased cash flow and enhanced customer satisfaction. The major drawbacks in a traditional O2B process include [Read more →]

Some refinancing moves, a network expansion, and a couple of interesting vendor deals: [Read more →]

Some fiber, some software, and a developing ecosystem: [Read more →]

The next target of FirstLight Fiber’s steady drumbeat of regional fiber and infrastructure acquisitions has landed. Today the northeastern operator announced a definitive agreement to acquire the network assets of the Keystone Initiative for Network Based Education and Research, or KINBER. [Read more →]

In an interesting M&A move on the wireless front, Verizon made a deal yesterday to purchase Tracfone. The purchase price is $6.25B, half in cash and half in Verizon stock, with another $650M on the table if performance targets are met. [Read more →]

Here’s a set of network infrastructure quick-takes to catch up on: [Read more →]

The big news at CenturyLink that was rumored over the weekend has officially come out. It’s primarily a re-branding rather than anything more drastic, looking to breathe new life into the company’s approach to the market. [Read more →]

There are rumors out there this weekend that CenturyLink is about to shake itself up in a big way this coming week. According to a  now-retracted internal email that is making the rounds out there, it goes something like this: [Read more →]

In the last roundup of the week, here are three contract wins in three different sectors, plus a bit of cloud connectivity. [Read more →]

Four interesting items from vendors to note from the last couple days: [Read more →]

A few network and partnership expansions to note at midweek: [Read more →]