As well as news from INCA itself we are keen to include relevant news items from INCA members. Please send relevant items of news, ideally including a photo where relevant, to news@inca.coop. We'll publish news from members that we feel is of interest.
As we approach our Annual Conference, we have great pleasure in announcing the names of the people and organisations that have been shortlisted for an INCA Gold Award this year.
As with last year, we received a high number of excellent entries. Our judging panel were impressed with the quality of submissions, which only served to make their task harder. However, they have reached a decision on the shortlist, which is as follows. The organisations shortlisted are:
When INCA started back in 2009 many of the leading independent digital infrastructure providers were a glimmer in the eye of their founders, or just starting out. Today they represent a genuine and fast growing force to compete with BT and Virgin Media, delivering the new communications networks that we will all depend on for decades to come.
Following a flurry of last minute activity to try to get awards entries submitted before the deadline, we've decided to extend the deadline to ensure that everyone has a chance to enter.
The time pressure is off, but not by much. There is still everything to play for. Our judges haven't seen any entries yet, and won't until after the new deadline has passed. So get cracking, and send us your entries to be in with a chance to win the recognition of your peers, and a shiny INCA Gold trophy to boot!
All the details you need are here. The new - and final - deadline is mifnight on Friday 13th September. Lucky for some!
We are hosting a number of exhibition pods for INCA Members at the Connected Britain event at the Business Design Centre in London's Islington this week 18/19 June.
We are also there to discuss two hot topics: Gold Standard Quality Mark, and Wholesale Switching / IP Migration.
As more Gold Standard accreditations are processed, this is a good opportunity to check your progress with INCA and, if you haven't applied yet, get your accreditation started.
The issue of IP Migration will affect every INCA Member providing wholesale or retail services in the marketplace. We are forming policy with interested Members and sit on various groups including the IP Consumer Communications Working Group. If you want your opinion in the mix, that's what INCA is for.
Secure Web Services Ltd (SWS) has become the first wireless services provider to achieve our Gold Standard Quality Mark which recognises network excellence. As a fixed wireless access (FWA) network provider, SWS met the stringent criteria of the scheme and can now use the Gold Standard Quality Mark Scheme logo as part of its branding to highlight that its network is among the best in regard to performance, design and operation.
New INCA and Point Topic survey finds industry expects this to rise – but INCA CEO says there is still more to be done to meet Government targets
A new report has today revealed that the UK’s independent network providers increased full-fibre coverage by 30% in 2018, reaching almost 1.3 million premises. Compiled for INCA by Point Topic, using data from independent network operators, the report – ‘Metrics for the UK independent network sector’ – puts the total number of premises passed or addressed by altnets at nearly 3.32 million premises. This includes more than two million premises which are estimated to be covered by Fixed Wireless Access (FWA).
The High Court ruling against CityFibre in the challenge to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) over fibre advertising is a disappointment to operators building full fibre networks, the Independent Network Co-operative Association (INCA) has said.
The ruling, delivered on Monday, dismissed CityFibre’s request for a Judicial Review of ASA’s decision that fixed line hybrid fibre connections containing copper, which are therefore slower, can be advertised as fibre broadband.
Plymouth is the first of the Local Full Fibre Networks Challenge Fund Wave 3 projects announced and joins the successful Wave 1 and Wave 2 bidders, listed here.
As ISPReview reports the Plymouth project starts by connecting public sector buildings, with plans for this to become an anchor tenancy for a wider FTTP build-out in the city.
Other Wave 3 project announcements are expected shortly.
As INCA members will know, the Chancellor announced in his 2016 Autumn Statement that there was to be a moratorium on business rates on new fibre built and lit from April 1st 2017 for 5 years - til 2022. In Scotland this is in the process of being extended for 10 years.
In England and Wales this resulted in two pieces of legislation:
Our Rural 5G event in Lincoln on March 26, chaired by Daniel Heery (pictured above), brought together about 30 network operators, government officials and policymakers from around the country to discuss how 5G could be delivered more effectively in rural areas across the UK. The lessons coming out of the 5G Testbeds 5GRIT and 5G Rural First grounded the audience in the current practical experience and challenges of deploying systems. They also pointed tantalisingly at the applications for rural areas promised by a 5G rural future.
