Telecom Ramblings

The data center sector has been a dynamic place over the last decade, with lots of money passing through and plenty of technological shifts to adjust to.  But while it may seem as if M&A has touched everyone, there are some players that have managed to chart an organic path, such as Data Foundry.  They have steadily built out a footprint in Austin and Houston and are now looking at further expansion opportunities.  With us today to talk about their view of the market are Mark Noonan, Chief Revenue Officer, and Edward Henigin, Chief Technology Officer.  [Read more →]

Ok it has been a week of voting since we posted polls for the most likely US network operators to sell or buy in 2020. What do the plugged-in readers of Telecom Ramblings think M&A will look like this year? Here’s a quick look at my thoughts about the likely M&A targets according to readers: [Read more →]

Colt announced this morning the completion of an expansion project in London. They have added another 110km of fiber in the London metro area as part of a broader buildout of the Colt IQ Network in Europe. [Read more →]

The world is watching other things right now, but in telecom and internet infrastructure we do have a few more things to catch up on at midweek: [Read more →]

Time to catch up on a bit of news from the start of the week: two new products, a financial investment, and a CEO transition: [Read more →]

This Industry Viewpoint was authored by Michael Collins, Vice President of Marketing at Connected2Fiber

Think back to what the telecom space looked like in 2010. 5G was $5,000, Over the Top (OTT) was a Sylvester Stallone movie about arm wrestling and the cloud was, well, weather. Over the last decade, we witnessed some of the most significant technological advances that the telecom industry has seen in a generation. Some of these technologies, such as 5G, are gaining traction but have yet to [Read more →]

Yesterday, we asked who the likely targets of consolidation will be in 2020.  Today we reverse the question and ask who the likely strategic buyers of network infrastructure are in 2020.  Last year we only got one out of the top ten, and that counts Uniti’s Bluebird transaction as a buy when it was more of a swap.  But to be fair, there weren’t many strategic buyers out there in 2019.  What about 2020?  Who has both the appetite and the financial wherewithal to make some deals this year?   [Read more →]

This Industry Viewpoint was authored by Sanjay Bhatia, Vice President of Strategy and Solutions Marketing, Ribbon Communications

The transformation from hardware-based equipment to software is a journey that started many years ago, with some of the largest service providers in the world reaping the benefits of network functions virtualization (NFV) and software-defined networking (SDN). The promise of software designed, defined and delivered real-time data and communications networks is compelling: simplified operations, reduced costs and the ability to spin up new services anywhere in hours or days vs. months or years. The importance of [Read more →]

Happy New Year!  It’s that time of year again to take stock of the M&A landscape in the world of network operators.  Which network operators do you think are most likely to get bought this year?  Last year, we didn’t do so well, as just three of the top ten picks changed hands: Zayo, SummitIG and Bluebird.  Who is likely to be selling this year? (Not including already pending transactions). [Read more →]

Ok, as promised it is predictions time.  What will 2020 bring to the world of internet infrastructure?  Politics may intrude, as it is an election year.  But if you’re looking for a political prediction you’ve come to the wrong place.  There’s no way I’m going to stick my hand near that wood chipper.  Here are a few thoughts, some more specific than others: [Read more →]

So something interesting happened over the Christmas break that I missed initially. Seabras-1 Bermuda Ltd and Seabras 1 USA LLC have filed for bankruptcy, aiming for a quick reorganization. Seaborn Networks itself is fine, as apparently they structured things such that this was the case. However, it certainly can’t have been their preferred path. [Read more →]

It’s almost predictions time again, which means that first we need to take a look at how last year’s predictions turned out.  Well, we don’t *have* to, but in my mind a bite of humble pie is a necessary punishment for doing this sort of thing: [Read more →]

As I do every year, I have been looking back on the M&A in the infrastructure space in search of patterns to make sense of: what assets are hot, where they are, etc.  But this year it’s clear that the theme is more about who, as this year the infrastructure funds and longer-term, infrastructure-focused private equity groups have really taken charge.  Hence, it makes sense to group much of this year’s M&A activity by the financial family to which they belong.  So let’s take a quick survey of 2019’s M&A activity starting from that standpoint: [Read more →]

In what might be the last big deal of the year, Brookfield Infrastructure and Cincinnati Bell have announced a $2.6B deal. Brookfield will be purchasing the Midwestern service provider for a cash price of $10.50 per share that will take the company private. [Read more →]

Just two shopping days left until Christmas, but over in the EMEA region there’s still a few things to catch up on first: [Read more →]

This Industry Viewpoint was authored by Lucian Calugaru of Claro Enterprise Solutions

The purpose of the call is to propose a major new product initiative. You’ve prepared for weeks. You and your team dial in. Your CEO joins the bridge. Just as you launch into your pitch, the boss interrupts. “You’re breaking up….” [Read more →]

Some connected cars, some interconnection, and some fiber-to-the-mountain: [Read more →]

A few more items worth noting at midweek: [Read more →]

CenturyLink has picked up a significant research and education deal. Internet2 has selected CenturyLink’s new ITU-T G.652.D optical fiber to upgrade its network. CenturyLink recently leveraged all that empty conduit Level 3 and Qwest put in back in the dotcom bubble to pull the latest generation of fiber on key routes nationwide. [Read more →]

This Industry Viewpoint was authored by Wayne Hickey, Advisor, Product Marketing, Ciena

A blockbuster production of “Ford v Ferrari” starring Matt Damon and Christian Bale recently hit theaters, raking in nearly $185 million thus far and soon contending for Oscars in the new year. More than just popcorn fare or awards fodder, though, it can serve as a lesson for network operators, too. [Read more →]

A few items from across the sector to keep up with: [Read more →]

On Friday, NTT announced plans to begin constructing a new submarine cable system in the Indian Ocean via its Singaporean joint venture Orient Link Pte, Ltd.  The new MIST cable will connect Singapore with both Mumbai and Chennai as well as picking up Myanmar along the way.   [Read more →]

Two key regulatory deadlines are looming for emergency services in the telecommunications space.  Starting on February 16, 2020, enterprises will have to be in compliance with Kari’s Law and RAY BAUM’s Act, which aim to improve notifications and include better location information alongside 9-1-1 calls.  Bandwidth is a leader in the 911 space, enabling carriers, VoIP service providers and enterprises to set up their voice networks for emergency services.  With us today to help spread the word about how regulations are changing and what needs to be done is Bandwidth’s VP of Product Strategy, Lydia Runnels. [Read more →]