(Source: SFL Travel/Alamy Stock Photo)

UK telecom incumbent operator BT today announced it has bought TalkTalk and the wholesaler PlatformX Communications for an estimated £400 million (US$529 million) out of the administration of parent TalkTalk Group. The acquisition was made on a debt-free basis, with BT saying its priority is to stabilize the business. BT said it was motivated by fears over what consequences the company's potential collapse might have for vulnerable customers and key public services after no buyer emerged for the troubled company. TalkTalk was taken private in 2020 at a valuation of £1.8 billion ($2.4 billion), but it has since seen subscriber numbers fall while debt piled up.

Ofcom weighs in

The regulator Ofcom weighed in with its advice for TalkTalk customers, noting they will be able to continue to use services as normal, and adding it will watch over the transition to ensure their interests are safeguarded. It also wrote a letter to BT, highlighting among other its concerns over the limited visibility of vulnerable customers served indirectly through resellers operating on TalkTalk's network and its potential to impede consumer protection measures.

DT expects AI-related revenue to soar

Deutsche Telekom (DT) expects to grow AI-related revenue outside the US, saying it will reach €800 million ($896 million) by 2030. The projection comes as the company hosts a live-streamed AI investor day in Bonn. It also points to sovereign AI to become a growth business, with its industrial AI cloud in Munich as a key component. Reassuringly, CEO Tim Höttges affirmed he wants DT to remain a "human-led company," as well as a human-centric one, when speaking on stage. (See also: DT has 'not yet decided' on EU gigafactory bid – CEO.)

SWEN to carry Swedish emergency services' communications

Sweden is moving forward with plans to create a new emergency mobile network, prosaically called the Swedish Emergency Network (SWEN), to replace the retiring Rakel which is approaching the end of its technical lifespan. According to local media, Telia was awarded the contract to deliver dedicated radio access network (RAN) infrastructure. Net4Mobility, Tele2 and Telenor's joint network company, meanwhile signed a contract that will give SWEN access to their mobile network. SWEN will provide Swedish emergency services with access to 5G and the ability to share data and video in real time, none of which was available with Rakel.

Eutelsat OneWeb readies 32 satellites for orbit

The Paris-headquartered satellite operator Eutelsat will soon add 32 low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites to its OneWeb constellation. Airbus completed their construction, and they will soon by launched by SpaceX, according to Eutelsat. The satellites are part of the company's LEO renewal plan, which will add a total of 669 new satellites to orbit. (See also: Eutelsat hails 5G NTN to take on 'American giants.')

EE and Three praised for London voice services

In an article on voice services' quality worldwide, Ookla analyst Luke Kehoe highlighted EE and Three's voice services in London as some of the best outside Asia, with MEO's Portuguese network also mentioned. Kehoe notes that while the 5G-based Voice over New Radio (VoNR) is the newer and more advanced technology, the best voice networks globally are currently based on Voice over LTE (VoLTE).