Networking

Demand for fast and reliable wi-fi is probably at an all-time high, as millions of people work from home, relying on Zoom and other video conferencing apps to keep in touch with colleagues and clients. Many organisations are also finding that video calls reduce the need for business travel and client visits.
That increased reliance on wi-fi can reveal problems, though — especially in larger offices or homes, where the wi-fi signal may struggle to reach more distant rooms on other floors.

Instead of relying on a conventional wi-fi router and access points or range extenders, an alternative solution is to opt for a ‘mesh’ networking system. Depending on the size of the building, mesh systems typically use a main router with a wired connection to a broadband modem, plus two or more wireless nodes that can be placed in different rooms or locations. The main router and the satellite nodes form their own ‘mesh’ wi-fi network, covering a wider area and delivering greater speed and reliability than a conventional wi-fi router, even with extra access points or range extenders.
Most mesh systems are aimed at home users and marketed as easily-configured solutions for ‘whole home wi-fi’, but some are particularly suitable for business users. These can include features such as multiple Ethernet ports, or the ability to create several networks with different passwords. The latest mesh systems are now adopting the new Wi-Fi 6 standard (a.k.a. IEEE 802.11ax), which is not an essential feature at the moment but is certainly worth considering by businesses wanting to future-proof their wi-fi setups.

Images: Asus
Asus makes a number of ZenWiFi mesh systems for home users, but promotes the RT-AC68U as the main option for businesses. You can buy a single RT-AC68U router on its own for £104.17 (ex. VAT; £125 inc. VAT) or $137, but it’s possible to use this as part of a mesh network with any other Asus router that supports the company’s AiMesh technology. This provides an affordable mix-and-match option for those who already own Asus wi-fi equipment.
If you’re starting from scratch, there’s a two-piece kit, priced at £183.33 (ex. VAT; £220 inc. VAT) or $279.99. Each router provides dual-band 802.11ac wi-fi with a combined top speed of 1900Mbps (600Mbps on 2.4GHz, 1300Mbps on 5GHz), along with four Ethernet ports for wired connections, and a dedicated WAN port for connecting to your existing broadband modem. Unlike many mesh systems aimed at home users, the RT-AC68U allows you to create separate networks using the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands, and there’s also a version called the 4G-AC68U which includes a 4G LTE Category 6 modem (300Mbps down/50Mbps up) as well.
£183.33 (ex. VAT; £220 inc. VAT) / $279.99
$280 at B&H Photo-Video

Images: BT
BT is still the dominant force in the UK telecoms market, providing broadband services to millions of businesses and home users. That makes its range of Whole Home Wi-Fi mesh systems an obvious upgrade for many BT customers (BT also points out that the system is compatible with broadband services from other providers too).
The standard Whole Home Wi-Fi is an affordable option, starting at £104.16 (ex. VAT; £124.99 inc. VAT) for a two-piece system using 802.11ac wi-fi. But BT has recently released a high-performance Premium model that steps up to the latest WiFi 6 (802.11ax) standard. It’s still competitively priced, though, starting at £191.67 (ex. VAT; £229.99 inc. VAT) for a mesh system with two of BT’s distinctive ‘disc’ routers. 
The Premium model is a tri-band system (2.4GHz 802.11n, 5GHz 802.11ac, 5GHz 802.11ax/WiFi 6), with a combined top speed of 3700Mbps. Each router also has two Gigabit Ethernet ports for wired connections.
There are three- and four-piece systems also available for larger buildings, and BT’s website has a useful ‘selector’ tool that can help you to choose the best option for your home or office.
From £191.67 (ex. VAT; £229.99 inc. VAT)
$199 at Amazon (UK)

Images: Devolo
Mesh networking systems can be pretty expensive, and if you’re just having trouble with the wi-fi signal in one room then a range extender is an affordable option that can boost the wi-fi signal in just that specific location. Alternatively, you could use a PowerLine adapter to send a wired network connection over your home or office electrical wiring — an ingenious and somewhat magical solution.
Several companies make range extenders and PowerLine adapters, but Devolo specialises in this area with its extensive Magic range of devices. Devolo’s latest Magic 2 adapters combine a wi-fi range extender with PowerLine wired connectivity, and are compatible with existing routers from other manufacturers. Unlike conventional range extenders, Devolo’s Magic adapters also include a ‘mesh’ option that allows you to link two or more devices in different rooms in order to create a more extensive wi-fi network.
Devolo has recently launched the Magic 2 WiFi Next starter kit with two adapters (a Magic 2 LAN adapter that plugs into your broadband modem, and a Magic 2 WiFi Next adapter) priced at £141.67 (ex. VAT; £169.99 inc. VAT) or $216. This supports dual-band 802.11ac wi-fi at up to 2400Mbps, and will boost wi-fi coverage in a room or floor, covering an area up to 120 square metres. Additional WiFi Next adapters cost £91.67 (ex. VAT; £109.99 inc. VAT) or $135; there’s also a three-piece WiFi Next Whole Home Kit, which costs £224.99 (ex. VAT; £269.99 inc. VAT).
from £141.67 (ex. VAT; £169.99 inc. VAT) / $216
View Now at Devolo (International) Devolo (UK)

Images: Google/Nest
The original Google Wifi mesh system got very good reviews when it was first launched in 2016, and it helped to introduce mesh technology to a mainstream audience. The original Google Wifi product has since been discontinued, but its successor emerged at the end of 2019 as part of the Google-owned Nest range of smart home devices. Clearly spotting a marketing opportunity, Google’s US website is currently promoting Nest Wifi as a ‘Workspace Expander’ for working from home.
The two-piece Nest Wifi system shown here consists of a primary Nest Wifi router (110mm diameter, 380g) which plugs into your broadband modem and a secondary Nest Wifi point (102.2mm diameter, 350g). This system, which costs £199.17 (ex. VAT; £239 inc. VAT) or $269, provides dual-band 802.11s wi-fi (a mesh-oriented variation of standard 802.11ac) with the main router running at 2200Mbps. The Wifi point runs at a more modest 1200Mbps, but that should still be more than adequate for streaming video, music, or Zoom calls with colleagues.
The Wifi point also includes a speaker and microphone that support the voice-controlled Google Assistant. The two-piece system should be able to cover homes of up to 3800 square feet (353 square metres), Google says, and you can purchase additional Wifi points for £107.50 (ex. VAT; £129 inc. VAT) or $149 if required, each of which can cover an additional 1600 square feet (149 square metres).
from £199.17 (ex. VAT; £239 inc. VAT) / $269
$349 at Best Buy $349 at Adorama $349 at Crutchfield

Images: Linksys
Linksys has an extensive range of Velop mesh systems, and recently added this new WiFi 6 model that could be suitable both for home and office use. You can buy a single MX5300 on its own for £308.33 (ex. VAT; £369.99 inc. VAT), and there’s a two-piece kit called the MX10600 priced at £583.33 (ex. VAT; £699.99 inc. VAT). In the US these models are referred to as the Velop MX5 and MX10, and cost $399.99 and $699.99 respectively.
Those prices make Velop one of the more expensive mesh systems on the market right now — even when compared with other new WiFi 6 systems — but it works hard to justify that price. A single MX5300 should cover homes of up to 3,000 square feet, while the two-piece MX10600 goes up to 6,000sq.ft, with both models providing tri-band WiFi 6 networking with an imposing combined top speed of 5.3Gbps. 
The Velop could be a good choice for offices too, as each router includes four Gigabit Ethernet ports for wired connections (plus a WAN port for your internet connection). Linksys also claims that the Velop can act as a security system, as it has the ability to detect movement within the area covered by your wi-fi network. This feature — called Linksys Aware — requires an additional subscription fee, but there’s a 90-day free trial available through the Linksys app for iOS and Android. 
from £308.33 (ex. VAT; £369.99 inc. VAT) / $399.99
$400 at Best Buy $475 at Walmart $399 at B&H Photo-Video

Images: Netgear
Netgear’s Orbi mesh systems have traditionally been fairly expensive, but in recent months the company has introduced some less expensive models as well. If you just need to give your wifi a bit of a boost for Zoom calls while you’re working from home then the entry-level Orbi Wifi System will do the trick, starting at just £108.33 (ex. VAT; £129.99 inc. VAT) or $179.99.
That price includes a two-piece mesh system, suitable for homes of up to 2,000 square feet, but there’s also a three-piece kit available that can cover up to 3,250sq.ft. Performance is relatively modest, with the Orbi just offering dual-band 802.11ac wi-fi with a combined top speed of 1200Mbps, but that’s still more than adequate for most home broadband services. Parents concerned about their kids’ safety online will need to take out an additional monthly subscription to Disney’s Circle app.
from £108.33 (ex. VAT; £129.99 inc. VAT) / $179.99
$450 at Amazon $450 at Best Buy $489 at Walmart

Images: Netgear
Netgear’s Orbi range of mesh systems includes a variety of different designs and price points — including the Orbi Voice with a built-in smart-speaker that supports Amazon Alexa. The most recent addition is the Orbi WiFi 6, which, as the name suggests, employs the latest WiFi 6 technology (a.k.a. 802.11ax).
The Orbi WiFi 6 System AX6000 is very much a top-of-the-range mesh system, starting at £591.66 (ex. VAT; £709.99 inc. VAT) or $699.99 for a two-piece system comprising a primary router and a secondary satellite. It offers impressive performance, though, with tri-band wifi capable of a combined top speed of 6Gbps — twice that of even the fastest Orbi systems based on WiFi 5/802.11ac.
It’s fast when it comes to wired connections too, with the primary router including a 2.5Gbps WAN port for a high-speed internet connection for office networks, along with four Gigabit Ethernet ports on both router and satellite for wired connections. 
The two-piece system is designed to cover buildings of up to 5,000 square feet; there’s also a three-piece system that covers up to 7,500 sq.ft, but won’t leave you much change from £1000/$1000.
from £591.66 (ex. VAT; £709.99 inc. VAT) / $699.99
$700 at Amazon $700 at Best Buy $700 at Adorama

Images: Netgear
Netgear has an extensive — some might say confusing — selection of mesh wi-fi systems in its Orbi range, but the Orbi Pro is one that’s specifically aimed at business users.
The hardware side of things is relatively straightforward, with the Orbi Pro offering tri-band 802.11ac wi-fi with a combined top speed of 3000Mbps, along with four Ethernet ports on each router for wired connections. The two-piece SRK60 kit shown here is designed to cover premises of up to 5,000 square feet, and costs £258.33 (ex. VAT; £310 inc. VAT) or $435; three-piece and four-piece systems are also available, as well as ruggedised add-on routers for outdoor locations, and ceiling-mounted routers for warehouses and larger premises.
However, it’s Netgear’s Insight app that really sets the Orbi Pro apart from conventional mesh wi-fi systems. With offices and retail locations in mind, the app allows you to set-up three separate wi-fi networks — each with its own password — that provide different levels of access for IT staff, employees and ‘guests’, such as retail customers or temporary visitors.
from (£258.33 ex. VAT; £310 inc. VAT) / $435
$389 at Amazon (US)

Images: TP-Link
The sheer variety of models, speeds, and differing designs offered by TP-Link’s Deco range of mesh systems is a little confusing, but the Deco M4 is hard to beat in terms of value for money. Prices start at just £91.67 (ex. VAT; £110 inc. VAT) or $110 for a two-piece M4 system that can cover medium size homes of up to 2800 square feet, and there’s a three-piece kit that can cover up to 4000 sq.ft as well.
You won’t get blazing fast wi-fi for that price, with the M4 providing dual-band 802.11ac at the relatively modest combined speed of 1200Mbps. Even so, that will still be perfectly adequate for most home broadband services, and the Deco M4 will provide a very affordable upgrade if you need to boost your wi-fi while working from home.
Each of the identical routers also includes two Gigabit Ethernet ports for wired connections, although one port will be required to connect one of the Deco units to your existing broadband router or modem.
from £91.67 (ex. VAT; £110 inc. VAT) / $110
$149 at Best Buy

Images: Ubiquiti
Ubiquiti’s AmpliFi HD is a neatly designed mesh wi-fi system whose ease of use will appeal to a wide range of users.
Most mesh systems use two or more identical-looking routers, but the AmpliFi HD takes a more imaginative approach — perhaps inspired by founder Robert Pera’s previous job at Apple. The three-piece AmpliFi HD system includes a primary router that consists of a compact 4-inch cube with a touch-sensitive LED display giving quick access to the main network settings. This is backed up by two larger ‘mesh points’ that plug directly into a mains power socket in rooms where your wi-fi needs a boost.
Other aspects of the design are more conventional, utilising dual-band 802.11ac wi-fi with a top combined speed of 1750Mbps. The AmpliFi HD costs a rather hefty £306.67 (ex.VAT; £368.05 inc. VAT) or $340, but its attractive design and simple controls help it to stand out from its many mesh rivals. There’s also a more affordable model, called AmpliFi Instant, although that doesn’t seem to be widely available in the UK at the moment.
£306.67 (ex.VAT; £368.05 inc. VAT) / $340
$185 at Amazon More

Uniti has gained approval to operate on a functionally separate basis after receiving the nod from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).
The ACCC made its decision after conducting a public review process, Uniti said.
Since August, following amendments to the Telecommunications Act 1997, network owners have been allowed to apply for an undertaking that enables superfast fixed-line broadband networks serving residential customers to operate on a functionally separated basis. 
Previously, network owners were only allowed to operate on a structurally separated basis.
With the approval, Uniti is the first superfast broadband network owner to operate as both a wholesale and retail provider since the amendments.
The amendment was touted by the Australian government as being an attempt to create new commercial opportunities for providers and encourage them to invest and compete to offer better services for consumers.
According to Uniti, functional separation will enable it to actively promote its retail brands to around 110,000 connected premises nationwide and an additional 44,000 premises that are currently under construction when they become connected. 
“Being able to drive greater activation on its owned networks allows us the opportunity to secure both the retail and wholesale revenues, from each connected port, which is expected to deliver material incremental earnings to Uniti in the future,” Uniti said. 
The terms of the undertaking will be for an initial period of 10 years.
Separately, Uniti is currently in the midst of a bidding war against Aware Super to acquire greenfields fibre company Opticomm.
Uniti currently has the highest bid, with an offer that values Opticomm at AU$6.67 per share. This consists of AU$5.20 cash for each OptiComm shares, including a fully franked special dividend of AU$0.10 per share, and 1.07 Uniti shares per OptiComm share.
Opitcomm’s directors have unanimously recommended that the company’s shareholders vote in favour of Uniti’s latest offer unless a better proposal arises. Shareholders will be able to vote on whether to approve the deal on November 4, and should the plan proceed, it will be implemented on November 20.
Since June, Opticomm has attracted a bevvy of offers from the two bidders. Uniti placed the initial offer, which set Opticomm’s price at AU$5.20 per share or an enterprise value of around AU$560 million.
Two months later, Aware Super put its hat in the ring, placing a takeover offer of AU$5.85 per share.   
Uniti then amended its takeover offer a week later, increasing its bid to AU$5.85 per share for all of Opticomm’s shares other than the ones it already owns. This offer comprised of AU$4.835 in cash per share and 0.8 Uniti shares per Opticomm share.
Aware Super remained at the bidding table, however, sending another proposal that raised the price to AU$6.50 per share on October 12. This was then shortly re-upped by Uniti’s current offer.  
Both Uniti and Opticomm focus primarily on providing fibre broadband connections to greenfields housing developments across Australia.
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Image: Chris Duckett/ZDNet
Australia’s two largest mobile network operators want the Australian government to take into account in-building mobile coverage when selecting sites for future rounds of the mobile blackspot program (MBSP).
The Commonwealth is currently consulting on the design of round 5A of the program, having released submissions and a set of draft guidelines on Wednesday, to which interested parties have 14 days to respond.
In its submission, Optus said an issue with the program is that coverage is compared to public maps from telcos, which are measured when a device is outdoors or has an external antenna. Offering an alternative in its submission, the telco suggested a new measurement at -90dBm be used instead.
“[Public coverage maps] should not be used as a means of assessment, since we note that overwhelming feedback during varying Regional Telecommunications Reviews clearly shows a desire for enhanced in-building and in-vehicle (including in-paddock) coverage,” Optus said.
“MBSP design should use as part of its criteria ‘new handheld coverage at -90dBm’ which is an in-building level of radio coverage and addresses the feedback from residents in regional areas.
This view was echoed by Telstra, which said a large percentage of complaints were due to in-building coverage rather than a wider blackspot.
“Around half of the blackspots logged by communities on the government website are either mainly or solely due to poor or absent indoor coverage,” the telco said.
“These sites are more spread-out and hence more distant from the homes they’re serving than in the metropolitan suburbs and the presence of intervening terrain and trees is more common, all of which reduces the signal that can reach indoors.”
An example of how poor in-building coverage can affect one town was submitted by the Guyra and District Chamber of Commerce, a town in the Northern Tablelands of New South Wales. The Chamber said businesses on the main street of the town typically currently only receive one bar or no coverage from Telstra.
“Guyra Pharmacy is an essential service for health and wellbeing in the district. Pharmacy staff frequently have to walk their Eftpos machine to their shop front door or onto the footpath to access the mobile network,” it said.
“Other Guyra main street businesses, such as the two supermarkets, a number of cafes, accountants, fuel station, bread shop, hotels, and sundry other businesses are disadvantaged by weak mobile coverage.”
Beyond indoor coverage, one of the issues tackled in the submissions was the potential of infrastructure sharing.
Unsurprisingly, Vodafone remains a fan of the idea, but it pointed out there was little value in sharing infrastructure if a gap remained between the new MSBP coverage and the telco’s existing footprint.
“Telstra’s regional mobile monopoly coverage footprint means there are invariably gaps of potentially hundreds of kilometres between new unique coverage areas and the other operators’ own networks,” the telco now sitting under TPG Telecom banner said.
“Well-intentioned initiatives to provide new unique coverage under shared RAN [radio access network] models are likely to be substantially undermined unless solutions to the isolated versus contiguous coverage issue are in place.”
Equally unsurprising, Telstra was not a fan of sharing infrastructure, saying it was against mandated RAN sharing.
“Active RAN sharing would require all operators to agree to a common network design — adding unnecessary complexity that could halt or delay a site build or lead to a lower level of service quality for rural and regional customers when compared to urban customers,” it said.
“Telstra builds its network to provide industry-leading reliability, speed and performance for our customers and we could not deliver this where other operators must agree to equipment specifications and network design.”
The incumbent telco further said shared sites would lag on upgrades and the act of sharing has upfront costs that would offset any savings it could provide. However, the telco said it thought a new sharing model for round 5A where the telcos engaged with each other or third party builders of towers could be used.
“This will allow the sharing of infrastructure costs, lowering the cost to build for each operator, rather than an individual operator having to fully fund each site,” the telco said.
“Additionally, it will allow carriers to determine the most efficient method of sharing infrastructure at each site, minimising cost to government whilst encouraging innovation by operators through efficient market driven sharing outcomes.
“In addition to the accelerated facilities access sharing, Telstra also supports increased passive infrastructure sharing (potentially including huts, power and backhaul where feasible) to improve the economics of site deployments for both carriers and government.”
Optus put forward a number of options, including having a third party own the infrastructure and equipment.
“The three carriers would have the opportunity of connecting to sites owned and run by the neutral host supplier independently,” it said.
“To practically implement this approach, Optus recommends that the government should release a list of all coverage locations it wants in future rounds rather than having an open ended process as in the current program.”
The telco also pointed to the model used by the Victorian Regional Rail Connectivity Project, which involved Optus, Telstra, and Vodafone working together to build towers.
“This state-based project should be considered by the federal government for delivery of a more effective operating model for its MBSP that would encourage greater co-building and collaboration involving carriers in areas where they are keen to invest,” it said.
Optus added that once a carrier has a contract to build a tower, other telcos do not automatically look to collocate since they likely need a similar level of funding to use the new site.
Adding a further way to lower costs, Vocus said the cost of backhaul from new towers back to telco’s core networks was prohibitive in regional areas, particularly fibre backhaul needed for 5G and therefore, a third party could provide open-access backhaul — something the company said it could offer.
“The deployment of new fibre backhaul constitutes a much higher proportion of the cost of a new mobile tower than RAN equipment, so the economic benefits of fibre backhaul sharing are likely to promote competition outcomes to a greater degree than RAN sharing alone,” it said.
“As well as improving the investment case for new base stations in non-commercial areas, backhaul sharing could also deliver auxiliary benefits by driving fibre deeper into regional Australia, improving the business case for further fixed-line and fixed-wireless network deployments to nearby communities.”
In Senate Estimates on Wednesday, representatives from the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications said infrastructure sharing during the first four rounds of the MBSP sat at around 22% for some form of sharing.
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Netgear reported better-than-expected third quarter earnings as home offices were upgraded with the latest Wifi routers, workers built out home audio and visual systems for video conferencing and small businesses became more savvy about networks.
The company reported third quarter revenue of $378.1 million, up 42.2% from a year ago. Net income for the third quarter was 83 cents a share with non-GAAP earnings of $1.13 a share.
Wall Street analysts were modeling non-GAAP earnings of 66 cents a share on revenue of $313.5 billion.
Also: Working from home 101: Every remote worker’s guide to the essential tools for telecommuting | Netgear’s BR200 small-business router offers built-in site-to-site VPN | Here’s what remote workers need for their home offices

Home Office Tours

Netgear is benefiting from the remote work trend amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Logitech also posted strong results due to home office upgrades. And Zoom, the poster child of the work-from-home movement, delivered strong growth and outlined plans to expand its ecosystem with native third-party apps.
Patrick Lo, CEO of Netgear, said demand was “robust” for gear that provides Wifi that covers the entire house. Lo added:

As the pandemic persists, it is clear that families are adapting their lives to accommodate the need to pursue more of their daily activities virtually from home. This “more from home” transition is stretching well beyond work and school to include movie premieres, doctor visits, grocery shopping, fitness classes and visiting loved ones, and they now all require a whole home, fast and reliable WiFi connection.

Meanwhile, SMBs are upgrading with low port count switches and commercial grade Wifi.
Netgear noted that it may face supply chain issues as the COVID-19 pandemic persists, but strong demand is likely to continue well into 2021.

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After failing to kill off its 40% capacity boost to retailers in September, NBN has unveiled a new plan to dial the boost down over two months.
Using a new baseline that is calculated as the difference between a retailer’s capacity usage at the beginning of the September billing period compared to that in February, the company responsible for the National Broadband Network (NBN) will offer retailers 75% of that difference in December, and 50% in January next year.
“NBN Co’s tapering of COVID-19 CVC Credit offer to internet retailers recognises that peak data demand is returning to normal forecast levels of growth,” the company said.
Meanwhile, the company said it would keep its 45GB boost for satellite users until the end of March 2021.
“This offer, which came into effect at the end of March, added 45GB to the applicable fair use rolling four-week threshold for each standard Sky Muster service,” NBN said.
“From 1 April 2021, the Sky Muster satellite service will revert to the standard fair use policy threshold of 45 GB of wholesale download data on average per service across a rolling four-week period.”
The changes were detailed as NBN announced it would offer retailers a new set of discounts to get users onto higher speed tiers, with hopes it is as successful as its previous Focus on 50 discounts that helped shift users up to the speed tiers on offer.
Reusing its campaign titles, the Focus on Fast discounts will look to get users onto its 100/40Mbps plan and the new Home-labelled 100/20, 250/25, and 500-1,000/50Mbps speed tiers. As of August, it has 45,000 premises on its new Home plans.
To encourage a shift, NBN will offer increased capacity inclusions from December, and six-month pricing rebates from February.
Across the 100/20 Home Fast, 100/40Mbps, 250/25 Home Superfast, and 50-1000/50Mbps Home Ultrafast tiers, NBN will provide an extra 0.5Mbps of capacity, while the discounts will be AU$2, AU$9, AU$12, and AU$24 each month for half a year, respectively, when a user is upsold or connected for the first time.
For the 50/20Mbps plan, NBN will offer an AU$8 a month rebate for six months when a customer is upsold.
According to an Essential poll released this week with 1,082 respondents, the percentage of respondents connected to the network increased from 59% in January 2019 to 76% in October.
In answering the question whether the NBN service was better than previous services, the percentage of people who said it was better remained at 51%.
When respondents were asked whether they approved of the eventual privatisation of the NBN, which has been planned from its inception, 33% said they approved and 38% said they did not. Broken down by party voting intention, Coalition and Greens voters were the most enthusiastic of selling it at 38%, while supporters of the party that designed the NBN to be sold, the ALP, disagreed the most that it should be sold, with 48% of ALP respondents disapproving a sale.
In age terms, 18-34 year-olds supported the selling off by 45% for and 29% against, with support trending down across the age bands until those aged over 55 who disapproved by a majority of 52%, with only 19% supporting its sale.
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Verizon has reported relatively strong Q3 2020 results — considering the disruption caused by COVID-19 — and has increased its annual outlook and guidance for the full financial year.

On Wednesday, the telecoms giant posted third-quarter financial results (statement) reporting consolidated revenues of $31.5 billion, down 4.1% in comparison to Q3 2019, and $1.05 earnings per share (EPS). Excluding special items — namely, a pension charge — adjusted EPS is recorded as $1.25.  
Wall Street analysts expected $1.22 earnings per share at a revenue of $31.6 billion, versus $32.9 billion in Q3 2020.
Verizon says overall operating revenue is down due to “lower customer activity and the timing of certain device launches.”
Verizon added, “the company estimates that third-quarter 2020 EPS and adjusted EPS included approximately negative 5 cents of COVID-19-related net impacts,” and also included a “net pre-tax charge of about $1.1 billion related to a mark-to-market adjustment for pension liabilities.”
Year-to-date cash flow is recorded as $32.5 billion, an increase of $5.7 billion year-over-year, and year-to-date expenditure reached $14.2 billion, with investment pouring into supporting traffic on existing 4G infrastructure; building and launching 5G networks, deploying new fiber systems, and upgrading the firm’s Intelligent Edge Network. 
Verizon’s net income in Q3 2020 was $4.5 billion. Adjusted EBITDA (non-GAAP) was $11.9 billion.
In the consumer sector, Verizon reported revenues of $21.7 billion, a decrease of 4.3% compared to Q3 2019. The company added 136,000 postpaid retail net additions, including 142,000 net phone additions and 258,000 postpaid smartphone net additions. 
Fios Internet consumer services are improving with the net addition of 139,000 in comparison to 30,000 new signups in Q3 2019. Verizon also says that an additional 144,000 Fios Internet (net) have been added across the Consumer and Business segments, the most recorded since 2014.
TechRepublic: Verizon develops 5G-enabled EMS solutions with its fourth First Responder Lab The Verizon Business unit, however, is not performing quite as well, on the whole. Total revenue is reported as $7.7 billion over the third quarter, a decrease of 1.7% year-over-year. 417,000 wireless retail postpaid net additions are reported, consisting of 141,000 phone, 86,000 tablet, and 190,000 other connected device net additions. 
Business wireless service revenues were $3 billion in Q3 2020, rising by 4.9% year-over-year. Verizon says this increase is primarily due to signups within the public sector and SMB markets. 
Total wireless service revenues were $16.4 billion, a 0.3% increase year-over-year. In total, Verizon recorded 553,000 retail postpaid net additions, including 283,000 phone net additions and 428,000 postpaid smartphone net additions.  
CNET: Verizon to buy Bluegrass Cellular in continued push into rural service areas
Verizon Media revenues accounted for $1.7 billion of the total over Q3 2020, down 7.4% in comparison to Q3 2019. 
“We continue to demonstrate our strength and resilience by delivering very strong third-quarter financial results,” said Verizon Chairman and CEO Hans Vestberg in a prepared statement. “We are energized by the transformational technology that our 5G Ultra Wideband and 5G nationwide bring. Our purpose-driven culture paired with our network leadership will shape the future, for the better.”
Verizon has also updated the firm’s financial guidance and outlook for the full 2020 fiscal year. The company now projects adjusted EPS growth of 0% to 2%, rather than -2% to 2%. In addition, Verizon predicts total wireless service revenue growth of at least 2% in Q4 2020, and capital spending is expected to hit between $17.5 billion to $18.5 billion.
Update 14.09 BST: 
Speaking to investors on a conference call discussing the Q3 2020 results, Vestberg said that while we are in the midst of a “crisis” due to COVID-19, “the executive team is working with business as usual to see that we continue to move this company forward” — with a focus on monetizing 5G networks. 
The executive said the launch of the next-generation wireless technology infrastructure “commercially made sense” with the launch of the Apple iPhone 12 and the 5G/ultra-wideband ecosystem that Verizon is creating will go beyond consumer applications in order to tap into the commercial sector. 
Verizon has three main business cases for 5G: consumer, 5G Home, and mobile edge compute — the latter of which is a corporate application of the technology on the same infrastructure. 
“We now have five mobile edge compute centers together with Amazon,” Vestberg commented. “We also announced that Microsoft is now joining us on the mobile edge compute as well, focused on the private side of the 5G mobile edge compute. So we are actually gathering in some of the most important partners in the ecosystem to see that we can actually monetize this investment work done in the Network-as-a-Service [market].”

See also: Samsung to supply Verizon with $6.6 billion worth of network equipment
In related news earlier this month, Verizon announced the acquisition of Bluegrass Cellular, a rural wireless operator serving roughly 210,000 customers in Kentucky. The deal also builds upon the recent $7 billion purchase of mobile carrier Tracfone.
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Image: NBN
The Australian Labor Party has latched onto admissions from representatives of the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications that AU$51 billion plus AU$6 billion does indeed equal AU$57 billion.
As mentioned in NBN’s latest corporate plan released last month, the initial rollout of the NBN has a cost of AU$51 billion, and when topped up with AU$6 billion in bank credit announced in May, the total is AU$57 billion.
Of the bank credit, AU$4.5 billion has been allocated to upgrading the fibre-to-the node network, and AU$1.5 billion has been set aside to simplify NBN’s IT setup, provide CVC boosts and financial assistance during the pandemic, provide extra regional capacity, and connect 300,000 new premises.
Under questioning from ALP Senator Nita Green, the department strove to avoid mentioning the number.
“I think there’s a couple of different concepts caught up here,” Secretary of the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications Simon Atkinson said.
“The peak funding related to the initial rollout, which is almost complete now … In terms of investment decisions post-initial rollout of the NBN, they’re a different consideration … these investments are being funded from public debt markets.”
Senator Green further asked why the price of the multi-technology mix NBN kept going up, something that was repeated later in the day by Shadow Communications Minister Michelle Rowland.
“In 2013, the Liberals promised their inferior multi-technology mix would cost AU$29.5 billion. That increased to AU$41 billion in 2014, to AU$49 billion in 2016, to AU$51 billion in 2018,” Rowland said.
“Under the watchful eyes of Turnbull, Fifield and Fletcher, Australians have been saddled with an inferior NBN that costs more and does less than the original fibre plan.”
Department representatives further added the AU$6 billion credit facility taken on by NBN would increase “outcomes for consumers”, jobs, and the national gross domestic product.
Earlier on Tuesday, Telstra had its own idea for how to increase GDP, as it released a report it commissioned from PwC which claimed digitising the economy could “unlock” AU$90 billion for the economy and create 250,000 new jobs.
“Running a business in a post-COVID world is very different to how we did things pre-pandemic. How we work, shop and interact with our customers has fundamentally changed,” Telstra enterprise group executive Michael Ebeid said.
“The jobs created in a digital Australia aren’t just roles you need an engineering or IT degree for either. Accelerating the digital economy will create a ripple effect across industries, creating jobs in all sectors from customer service, logistics, design and professional services.”
The report simultaneously says that digitisation is more efficient, yet will also create jobs in sectors such as education and healthcare, supply chains, and government itself.
“Warehouse workers can better prepare for deliveries using blockchain technology and smart tracking solutions, to add security and transparency over their supply chain, and reduce work-related injuries through artificial intelligence, smart video analytics and IoT,” the report describes one job-creating scenario that would total 15,000 new roles.
Quite how the education sector will create the report’s claimed 30,000 jobs, while funding to universities is reduced and the institutions undergo massive layoffs, remains to be seen.
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Image: Unif
Sweden has banned telcos from using Huawei or ZTE network equipment for their 5G rollouts as the nation joins a growing list of western countries that have restricted the Chinese companies’ involvement due to security concerns. 
The Swedish Post and Telecom Authority (PTS), the country’s telecommunications agency, made the decision after conducting a security assessment that found the companies’ kits could potentially harm Sweden’s security.
The security assessment was made in consultation with the Swedish Armed Forces and the Swedish Security Service, the PTS said. 
The decision comes a few weeks ahead of the nation’s 2.3GHz and 3.5GHz 5G spectrum auction that has been set for November 10. 
Sweden’s four main telcos, Hi3G Access, Net4Mobility, Telia Sverige, and Teracom have already gained approval to participate in the auction. 
320 MHz in the 3.5GHz band and 80MHz in the 2.3 GHz band will be available during the auction. To partake in the auction, telcos will have to provide a minimum bid of SEK 1.5 billion for spectrum in the 3.5Ghz band — SEK 100 million per licence of 20 MHz — and SEK 160 million — SEK 20 million per licence of 10 MHz — for the 2.3 GHz band.
The ban issued on Tuesday also mandates that telcos must phase out any Huawei and ZTE products currently being used in existing infrastructure for the radio access network, the transmission network, the core network, and the service and maintenance network by the end of 2024. 
Last week, two of Belgium’s major telcos chose to use Nokia and Ericsson equipment for their 5G networks while also dropping Huawei gear in the process.
Meanwhile, the UK’s largest telco, BT, also picked Nokia to build more of its 5G networks across the country as part of plans to move away from its partnership with the Chinese telecommunications giant. The country itself has also set a timeline of removing all Huawei equipment by 2027. 
All of Canada’s major telcos have also gone elsewhere for their 5G rollouts and, although not officially banned, Huawei has not made any inroads in New Zealand after GCSB prevented Spark from using Huawei kit in November 2018.   In the United States and Australia, Huawei and ZTE are banned from supplying 5G equipment for any 5G rollouts.
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