• Swisscom launches embedded security solution
• Netomnia deploys Adtran’s 50Gbit/s PON gear
• Datacentre interconnect (DCI) investments drive optical systems sales growth

In today’s industry news roundup: Swisscom is offering next-level, network-based cybersecurity services to Swiss enterprises of all sizes; UK altnet Netomnia has deployed a 50 Gbit/s connection for a commercial customer using Adtran gear; the datacentre investment boom in the US is fuelling demand for optical networking tools; and much more!

Swisscom has introduced a new cybersecurity solution for enterprises from big to small. Called Beem, it directly integrates cybersecurity into its network. Swisscom claims to be “setting new global standards” and introducing a “world first”, as the protection is no longer primarily provided on devices or at company sites but via the operator’s network infrastructure. Essentially, Beem – which is being promoted as “Simply secure, for everyone, everywhere and always” – protects enterprise data whether it be stored locally or in the cloud, as well as safeguarding operating processes and business applications. The main element is the new solution is BeemNet, which the telco describes as “the trusted gateway to the internet.” It says that as soon as BeemNet has been activated, mobile phones, laptops, tablets and internet of things (IoT) devices fitted with a Swisscom SIM card are instantly and automatically protected in, and by, BeemNet. Furthermore, all devices and company sites connected to Swisscom will get the same protection, while devices on third-party networks or public wireless LANs (WLANs) can connect to BeemNet via the Beem app. As a secure gateway to the internet, all data traffic in BeemNet is automatically subject to an array of state-of-the-art security checks to avert cyberattacks and block harmful content. As far as secure access to enterprises’ company data is concerned, business customers benefit from assured access to apps and data from all locations and can take advantage of “customised access rules for business applications, such as accounting software, ERP [enterprise resource planning] systems and the like, thereby protecting data and operating processes.” Swisscom also claims that users will enjoy enhanced security without the need to use passwords because BeemNet authentication fully complies with the latest security standards and access is based on quick, simple and secure passkeys using a PIN, a fingerprint or facial recognition. Such upstream authentication enables customers to significantly reduce the risk of weak or compromised passwords. End-to-end encryption ensures that personnel can access company data securely and privately even when using public WLANs or third-party networks, whether in Switzerland or in other countries. Meanwhile, all connected devices are anonymous on the internet. Should an attempted cyberattack be detected, BeemNet users are told about it by push notifications from the Beem app. Swisscom’s Beem product which, it is claimed, can be activated simply and managed easily, comes in four versions depending on an enterprise’s specific protection requirements: Essential provides secure surfing in BeemNet; Basic provides secure access to business applications; Plus provides flexible protection and networking; and Premium, for assured data loss prevention and data protection with AI. While the inaugural focus is on the SME market, enterprise mobile subscriptions will transmogrify into Beem Protect & Connect user licences, while InOne SME office is to be upgraded significantly with BeemNet Protection & Privacy and will become Beem Office. Swisscom execs are hoping that Beem will put a smile on customer faces and boost the telco’s bottom line. According to Swisscom’s latest market data, the telco commands a mobile market share of 56%, and a 50% share of the broadband market in Switzerland.

Netomnia, one of the fastest-growing wholesale fibre altnets in Britain, has become the first UK network operator to deploy 50G PON (passive optical network)-based fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) technology that enables a 50Gbit/s service over existing infrastructure to a commercial (but, as yet, unidentified) customer. The UK’s altnet market is ultra-competitive and highly febrile, with many players expected to eventually be consolidated into larger rivals (others will just go to the wall) as the sector shakes itself out. However, Netomnia is growing quickly and claims that it will have 3 million UK homes “ready for service” by the end of this year, when it is also expected to break even (at an EBITDA level at least). Furthermore, the company has agreed new debt facilities of £160m to enable it to further extend its network and increase its ‘homes ready’ target to 5 million by 2027. If all goes well, Netomnia, with its retail broadband arms, YouFibre and Brsk, seems likely to be one of a coterie of just a few altnets that will be left standing when the dust eventually settles. PONs use fibre-optic cables to transmit data, point-to-multipoint, because it offers high bandwidth and low signal degradation over a single fibre source (usually at the service provider’s end) that splits the signal to multiple users via passive optical splitters. They are classified as ‘passive’ because they do not need power to function – only the devices at the source and the end-user terminal need that. PONs are fairly simple technology and their reliance on unpowered splitters means lower infrastructure costs in comparison to active networks. Most ISPs rely on PONs to deliver broadband internet access and other services to customers. Netomnia’s PON network equipment is provided by Adtran in the form of its ultra-high capacity SDX 6400 Series of 50Gbit/s PON optical line terminals (OLTs). These products are modular software-defined ‘building blocks’ able to increase capacity without disrupting the optical distribution network (ODN), enabling service providers to quickly adapt to changing market requirements simply by adding SDX 6400 OLTs to existing racks, as and when needed. Such seamless integration with existing PON networks enables cost-effective scaling with no service disruption. The disaggregated architecture supports open interfaces and network automation. Jeremy Chelot, group CEO of Netomnia, YouFibre and Brsk, commented, “We’re building a fibre network for whatever comes next – and with the UK’s first commercial 50G PON deployment, we’re proving it. This isn’t just about speed; it’s about power. From AI-driven smart homes to lag-free metaverse experiences and tomorrow’s enterprise demands, we’re making sure the most powerful internet lives on our network. Partnering with Adtran, we’re redefining what fibre can deliver – no compromises, no limits, just the future delivered.” Stuart Broome, GM of EMEA sales at Adtran, added: “We committed to Netomnia in 2024 that they would be the first provider in the UK to deploy a commercial 50G PON solution. Today, we achieved that milestone, helping them deliver a live ultra-high-speed service to an existing customer. As demand surges for bandwidth-intensive services like generative AI, 5G backhaul and enterprise connectivity, this project shows how we’re helping partners like Netomnia stay ahead of the curve.” Netomnia certainly won’t be the only UK provider to exploit 50G PON technology, indeed, Welsh ISP Ogi (the word translates to “use the harrow” in English) also has plans to introduce such a commercial service later this year and no doubt others across the UK will follow in due course, but Netomnia is a true pioneer with the exciting new broadband technology and, as such, it is making good on its promise to continually innovate. And kudos for that.

A surge in datacentre interconnect (DCI) systems investment in North America helped the value of the global optical transport equipment sector grow by 1% year on year in the first quarter of 2025, according to research firm Dell’Oro Group. And while the company didn’t even mention AI, it’s clear that the need to improve connections between datacentre facilities because of AI workloads is what is driving at least some of that growth in the US market. “Due to the strong demand for DCI, particularly among large internet content providers, the optical equipment market in the North American region experienced a 24% year-over-year growth,” noted the research firm. Jimmy Yu, VP at Dell’Oro, commented: “This was another great quarter for optical transport gear in North America. Now that we are out of the customer inventory correction phase, or digestion period, as some like to call it, we are seeing renewed spending on DWDM systems for more capacity between datacentres. We calculate that DCI spending increased over 40% year over year in the quarter, reaching a record revenue level. And this is just the direct spend by companies to build their networks. We think managed networks being built by operators for hyperscale companies is also growing on top of this,” added Yu. Among the companies investing heavily in such systems will be Lumen Technologies and Zayo, which are both seeking to capture as much business as possible from the hyperscalers as AI fuels a massive ramp up in infrastructure investments. The top-three optical equipment vendors in the first quarter of 2025 in the worldwide market were Huawei, Ciena and Nokia (which closed its acquisition of Infinera during the quarter). 

Earlier this month the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) finally published its recommendations on low-earth orbit (LEO) satellite spectrum allocation for the next five years, extendable by two years to a maximum of seven. They cover spectrum assignment terms for satellite-based commercial comms services and recommend the use of the Ku, Ka, Q/V spectrum bands for data and internet, and L, S and C bands for mobile links. The recommendations still need to be ratified by the Indian government, but it is apparent that the new regulatory regime will spur much-needed satellite internet access across the entirety of the subcontinent and open the market to the likes of Elon Musk’s Starlink. The TRAI also recommended that satellite systems owners should pay 4% of their adjusted gross revenue (AGR) for the period of their licences for the privilege of using the spectrum allocated to them. The regulator set the rate for both geostationary and non-geostationary operators at US$41 per MHz capped at 4% of AGR, while non-geostationary satellite operators, such as Eutelsat OneWeb and Starlink, will be required to pay an additional $6 (depending on the Indian rupee/US dollar exchange rate) per subscriber per annum for urban areas. However, rural and remote areas will be exempt from the subscriber fee. The government has let it be known that it is minded to consider subsidising satellite terminals in unserved and underserved remote and rural areas. India’s three biggest operators, Bharti Airtel, Reliance Jio and Vodafone Idea, initially lobbied hard that the government should opt for a spectrum auction process on the grounds that an administrative allocation would distort the market by enabling satellite broadband providers to compete unfairly with traditional telcos by offering cheaper internet services. The argument got short shrift from the regulator, with the chairman of the TRAI saying it regards satellite broadband to be a complementary service for terrestrial broadband, rather than a competitive one because of the big difference between the capacity of India’s terrestrial networks and that of satellite systems. And since then, of course, both Airtel and Jio have struck partnerships with Starlink – see this article on the Airtel tieup and this coverage of Jio’s deal.  The Times of India reports that the government’s policy and adaptive regulatory environment will ensure the nation will be the fastest in the world to roll out nationwide satellite communications (satcoms). Jyotiraditya Scindia, India’s Minister of Communications, speaking at a TRAI event on World Telecom and Information Society Day, said that many companies have applied for permits to provide satcoms and that the pent-up demand for broadband connectivity across the sub-continent could see revenues in the sector increase tenfold over the next three years – from today’s $2bn to over $20bn by 2028.

Last month, the Atomic Clock Ensemble in Space (ACES), built by the European Space Agency (ESA), was launched into orbit from Florida in the US on a SpaceX rocket designated as “Commercial Resupply Mission No: 32”.  Its destination was the International Space Station. The ensemble comprises two connected atomic clocks, one with caesium atoms and the other containing hydrogen, to produce a single set of ‘ticks’ with higher precision than either clock can achieve on its own. From space, ACES will link to some of the most accurate clocks on Earth to create a synchronised timekeeping network. Atomic clocks are vital to global positioning systems (GPS) because they provide the very precise time signals necessary for accurate positioning and navigation. Atomic clocks, synchronised to a common time reference, allow GPS receivers to triangulate their location based on the time it takes for signals to travel from satellites. The atomic clocks in today’s GPS satellites will, on average, either lose or gain a second every 3,000 years. ACES will neither gain or lose a second but remain in perfect time for 300 million years – rather longer than the life expectancy of any satellite constellation, GPS system or, inevitably, life on earth (“as we know it, Jim”). GPS systems are not new. Originally designed and built for US military applications, the system was, in a degraded and considerably less accurate form, eventually made available for use by the US public. Today there are four main global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) (the full official name of what are commonly called global positioning systems) operating worldwide. They are GPS (US), GLONASS (Russian Federation), BeiDou (China) and Galileo (European Union). In addition, several regional and local augmentation systems are in place to enhance the timing accuracy of the global systems in remote areas. And GNSS systems use extremely accurate time measurement to calculate distance as well as satellite ranging where the time it takes for a signal to travel from a satellite to a GPS receiver is measured and combined with the known speed of light, for even more accurate measurement of distance. Position determination is calculated by measuring the time differences of multiple satellites, permitting a GPS receiver to pinpoint its location on Earth with high accuracy while time synchronisation, whereby atomic clocks on GPS satellites provide a precise time standard that can be used to synchronise clocks on Earth, is a facility vital to applications, including the internet, financial networks and air traffic control. ACES will also conduct two years of experimentation into various aspects of fundamental physics and timekeeping. And, finally, here’s an interesting factoid: Earth’s gravity weakens the further away from the planet you are. Thus, your bipedal extremities experience higher gravity than your head. Therefore, if you are of average height and live to the age of 80, your head will be ten billionths of a second older than your feet. That explains a lot.

– The staff, TelecomTV