Steven Marshall

At Telecom Infrastructure Partners (TIP) we are building the largest and most prolific global mobile and digital site lease and infrastructure aggregator in history. The reality is that, outside the United States and the UK, mobile and digital site lease aggregation really hasn’t been tried at scale. Only some “low hanging fruit” has been picked by “boiler room” sales types sending term sheets en masse. This is why only hundreds of investments have been made — even in jurisdictions with literally tens of thousands of sites. The UK is the world’s only jurisdiction with professionally licensed mobile site lease advisors: chartered surveyors. This is because, unlike in the rest of the world, renewing and renegotiating site leases is a bit of a cottage industry, historically based on the UK Landlord and Tenant Act 1954. In the UK many leases are renewed based on “Open Market Valuation” rather than mere inflation increases. Often advisors to property owners are in fact paid by the tenants (operators and tower companies) to renegotiate. At TIP we don’t hire salespeople and we don’t do sales training. A sale is when I give you a vacuum cleaner and you pay me. We are, first and foremost, world-wide investment advisors, just like the chartered surveyors in the UK. The fact is that an individual lease is a bad investment. Mobile site lease tenants are the only commercial lease tenants in the world who determine lease rates. In no other area of commercial leasing would the tenant have the gumption to try to set the rates. Mobile site leases can be terminated at will by the tenant, and tenants that stay often try to negotiate the rent down. Some investment! No wonder that no banker in the world will lend against an individual site lease! Luckily, portfolios of sites are GOOD investments (portfolio theory). Bankers WILL in fact lend against thousands of of sites in a single portfolio. Which means that lease aggregators can create significant value in the mobile telecommunications ecosystem. We can contribute literally billions of Dollars/Euros/Pounds to mobile network buildouts. We invite investment professionals, operators and infrastructure companies to work with us to create value in powerful ways not seen before. Because we are all stronger together! Find us at www.telecom-ip.com. #peoplefirstculture #youbeyou #professionalservices #continuouslearning #continuousdevelopment #thinkglobalactlocal #globalgrowth #exponentialgrowth #telecominfrastructure #telecoms #infrastructureinvestment

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The interdependency of rural and urban is incredible, and higher rural business growth and GDP is good for the whole lot. Built OTT of broadband, individual prosperity potential has never been so fantastic! while at the same time, has never been less dependent on population centers to do work. The potential in this is astounding; where place-based living supersedes place-based work. It’s an upside down world right now, and we’re here for it. Universal Service has never been more important as a moment such as this.

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How did MS3 Networks Limited bring free market competition to the peculiar telecoms island of Hull? Check out my latest industry interview with CEO Guy Miller to find out: https://lnkd.in/eX4hiE3D Big thanks Guy for a fascinating and unique insight into the very peculiar telecoms island of Hull, and how MS3 Networks has successfully built a full fibre Alt-Net there to compete with the incumbent, KCOM, significantly boosting free market competition.   MS3 has built to just over 200k premises, of which about 130k are in Hull and about 80k are in Scunthorpe, Grimsby, Cleethorpes, Immingham, and Mexborough. Guy tells me that Hull is more profitable than the Openreach areas, because although building in Hull is twice as expensive, MS3 enjoys three times the market penetration. With 15,000 customers on the network currently, MS3’s overall market penetration is about 7%, but that rises to 29% for areas that have been built for between 2 and 3 years.   Unlike many Alt-Nets, MS3 is wholesale only, and has around 50-60 partners, which guy says is probably too many. His “utopia” is to move towards a smaller number of bigger Layer 2 partners, with the current Layer 3 partners connecting via the Layer 2 partners. The impact of Ofcom’s/The One Touch Switching Company’s new consumer broadband switching regime was interesting to hear about, as MS3 used to take orders on behalf of its partners, but this is not allowed under One Touch Switch.   MS3 has just last week managed to get some access to KCOM’s ducts and poles, after a long struggle. This will allow MS3 to get to some of the more outlying areas of the Hull licensed area, and deliver on its ambition to cover all 210k premises.   Guy comments on MS3’s original ambition of a half-million premises network build, telling me that they didn’t anticipate there being 100 other builders when the ambition was set. He admits that building another 300k premises at this point would not be a good idea, and so acquisition would be the only sensible route to reach the original ambition.   Guy goes on to talk about the financial strength of MS3, in a market with its fair share of financial worry currently. MS3 is debt free, which is very unusual in the Alt-Net world, and Guy claims that MS3 will not only be EBITDA positive very shortly, but that it will be the first Alt-Net to be cash positive.   Finally, Guy talks about the spot of bother he’s had with telegraph poles in Hedon. #fullfibre #altnet #gigabit #hull #freemarketcompetition Zen Internet

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Interesting to come across this white-paper showing that markets with independent tower deployment often have better wireless service and more widespread consumer benefits. The study, makes the simple but compelling case that more towers means better coverage, faster internet, higher quality service, increased competition, and affordable prices. At Helios Towers’ we have long been believers in the power of independent TowerCos to drive effective results, especially when underpinned by supportive governments and legislations. For those looking for more, visit here: https://lnkd.in/dfPBuJi6

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U.S broadband pricing has dropped in 2024 across both sub-1 Gbit/s speed tiers as well as 1-Gig options thanks in part to rising competition across the sector, USTelecom found in its fifth-annual Broadband Pricing Index (BPI). ( https://lnkd.in/ebcAz7MT ) #Broadband #Infrastructure #Internet https://lnkd.in/eEU4EMR9

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Innovative rail + telecom project example in the UK that Canada should look to for PSBN policy - building railway telecom links that also solve the Digital Divide.. This UK rail project is a successful real-world example of a similar shared spectrum model & #investment model that I've been advocating for in Canada - a #collaborative & creative approach to #PSBN Band 14 #spectrum deployment, in partnership with Canadian #rail & #utility #stakeholders in a PSBN. Such a collaborative rail + telecom investment model, similar in broad strokes to this successful real-world UK example, would permit utilities & railways to co-invest new sources of capital funds in PSBN #wireless telecom sites alongside their rail lines for #critical transportation #safety needs & in support of electric #gridcontrol & #greeneconomy system needs. A shared investment model + shared spectrum policy would permit railways in Canada & #electric utilities to co-deploy PSBN #radio sites & spectrum to *solve three problems at once* : 1.) meet railway and utilities' critically important need for highly #Cybersecure & reliable #telecom services for safer rail & electricity grid operation - and; 2.) would also save Canadian #taxpayers $Billions of dollars in costs for a PSBN through rail & utility co-investment, instead of continuing to rely on Canada's failed status quo approach for #ruralbroadband enablement; 3.) a collaborative co-investment model with rail & utilities - who are ready & willing to step in & fund telecom sites where Canada's incumbent carriers have declined to invest - would also help defray Canadian telecom service costs (which are among the very highest in the world.) In the same way that Canada's #railways historically bridged Canada's vast territory with transportation links to our cities & towns with the famous "Golden Spike" moment - they can again be part of bridging & solving Canada's chronic #DigitalDivide telecom problem for rural & First Nations Canadians in a #creative way - through leveraging #coinvestment for critical rail control signaling systems that also require telecom #infrastructure in those rural #communities - building telecom services and #spectrum access alongside #rail & #energy lines. I strongly encourage the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada and Public Safety Canada | Sécurité publique Canada, & the leaders of Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police / Association canadienne des chefs de police and Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs to look to this UK bellwether rail + rural connectivity project. Collaborative partnerships with rail and utilities can indeed work & help bridge Canadian #Rural & #FirstNations #communities that have sadly been left behind for wireless services with the status quo incumbent telecom approach. #innovation #4G #5G #wireless #ruralbroadband #ruralinvestment #municipalities #electricity #utilities #publicsafety #ROMA #AMO #cities #police #fire #ems #PPDR #Private5G

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A welcome discussion of new spectrum to fill in the short distance gaps in coverage in open spaces, because more and more mobile coverage is failing in towns due to contention (full signal shown, no data can be transferred).

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5G Small Cells: A Game Changer for Urban Connectivity Virgin Media O2 is setting a new benchmark in mobile connectivity with the UK’s first 5G standalone small cells, we can enjoy speeds up to 300mbps and help business connectivity everywhere. The shift from traditional mobile towers to small cells not only improves coverage in high-demand locations but also allows seamless connectivity. As the telecom sector continues to invest in 5G, these innovations show the growing potential for future-proofing urban infrastructure. More on this: https://heyor.ca/mCCnB4 #BusinessTelecoms #UrbanConnectivity #5GConnectivity #MobileInnovation

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🌐 Exploring the Evolution of Mobile Connectivity: Clarke Telecom’s Role in 5G and Beyond  From the early days of 1G to the transformative power of 5G, mobile connectivity has redefined how we communicate, interact, and live. Today, 5G isn’t just about faster speeds—it’s about enabling smart cities, industrial automation, IoT advancements, and bridging the digital divide. At Clarke Telecom, we’re proud to be at the forefront of this revolution, designing, upgrading, and deploying the critical infrastructure powering the UK’s 5G transformation. ➡️ Watch our video and click the link below to read the full article and explore our 5G capabilities: 🔗 https://lnkd.in/e5bk-cDP 📌 At a Glance: What You’ll Discover ✅ The critical leap from 4G to 5G: why infrastructure matters. ✅ How Clarke Telecom shapes 5G with street works, small cell technology, and rural connectivity solutions. ✅ Insight into the challenges and opportunities of 5G, from ultra-low latency to AI-driven networks. #5GConnectivity #TelecomInnovation #DigitalInfrastructure #DigitalTransformation #Telecoms #InternetofThings #ConnectivityMatters

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5G and Beyond! Fantastic article, video and insight from Clarke Telecom In today's rapidly evolving infrastructure landscape, many critical industries are embracing the game-changing benefits of 5G, and at Clarke Connect, we're enabling industries to take advantage of the power of 5G connectivity - IoT sensing and AI-assisted computer vision are driving efficiency, sustainability and safety. From remote environmental monitoring to AI-driven site surveillance, and real-time data analytics, contact Clarke Connect to transform how your organisation operates. https://lnkd.in/egx8NJf5

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Joint Radio Company is the proud sponsor of the @REA 2024 Energy Transition Readiness Index. The report highlights that while the UK has made progress towards its decarbonisation goals, it still faces significant barriers to delivering Clean Power by 2030. As a country, we are using 20th century operational telecommunications to manage a 21st century energy system. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Many countries in Europe are adopting private wireless-based communications, enabled by access to dedicated radio spectrum for energy network operators. Mirroring this approach in the UK would allow us to connect more low carbon technologies faster and at less cost - a crucial step on the path to net zero. To find out more, click the link in the comments section now.

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Exciting times ahead for IoT and satellite connectivity.   I’ve been closely following the evolution of the IoT and its interconnection with satellite technology for many years, so I was interested to see a recent report from Juniper Research that predicts a 150% increase in the number of satellites supporting Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity over the next five years, with the total number of satellites increasing from 10,000 in 2024 to more than 24,000 in 2029.    The report highlights the critical role of multi-orbit structures, which combine the low latency of LEO satellites with the wide coverage of GEO satellites, which will be key to meeting the needs of IoT applications, from data-intensive operations to low-power, wide-area connectivity.   With the value of global satellite IoT transactions set to nearly quadruple by 2030, strategic partnerships will be essential to fill coverage gaps and provide seamless service. This is a defining moment for the satellite broadband industry and Brdy is committed to being at the forefront of this development, enabling reliable connectivity for all sectors. Find more information here: Satellite IoT Services Market Report 2024-30: Size, Growth www.juniperresearch.com #IoT #SatelliteConnectivity #LEO #GEO #BrdyBroadband

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The amazing and very different Full Fibre business model of rural broadband firm B4RN - Broadband for the Rural North Ltd – check out my interview with incoming CEO Tom Rigg: https://lnkd.in/epdgCCKC   Tom explains how B4RN’s not-for-profit community focused approach has resulted in an industry-beating market penetration of around 50% of homes connected on their 27,000 premises full fibre footprint.   Is Building Digital UK (BDUK) a waste of taxpayer’s money? Tom says “no”, as you would expect from a broadband provider that has benefited from the government’s rural funding pot, but he explains very well why he thinks BDUK has worked well.   Will niche rural players like B4RN survive long term, with Openreach’s Clive Selley saying “Openreach will build everywhere”? Tom surprisingly welcomes the competition and is not concerned about his “corner shop” being outgunned by the biggest of the big “supermarkets”.   I very much hope B4RN does survive long term, as it’s a wonderful business that, in my mind, is part of the solution to the evils of capitalism. Customers get a great service at a great price, with none of the mid-contract or out-of-contract price hikes that are typical of most other broadband providers. B4RN and Zen Internet are in the small minority of broadband providers that avoid deliberately sucking customers in with great deals, only to hike their prices later so they end up paying more than they expect – the aptly termed “loyalty penalty”.   Big thanks Tom for doing this interview, which really was inspiring! #fullfibre #altnet #broadband #rural #notforprofit

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In today's PolicyTracker story, Adrian Scrase of GSA (Global mobile Suppliers Association) shares his insights into 3GPP Release 19. He says Release 19 has two main themes. "One is that it will continue to further evolve the portfolio of capabilities and functionalities of 5G. The other theme is that it will pave the way for the next generation." Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) will play a big role in the next releases. "FWA appeared in the later stages of the development of the 5G standard," Scrase said. "At the time, I think there was a little bit of scepticism about why we were doing that. But history has shown that actually, FWA has been hugely attractive, because it helps to improve coverage in areas where broadband access may not be otherwise viable." Another key aspect of Release 19 will be indoor connectivity and a closer alliance with WiFi. "Mobile systems are particularly designed to provide great outdoor coverage, and they do that rather well, but they're not very good when it comes to building penetration," said Scrase. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/gRADdjAU

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Signal problems plague smart meters in Northern England... Secure and reliable connectivity should be a priority for any smart meter manufacturer. And yet half of the UK's smart meters are successfully running on cellular connectivity, while the North of the UK meters instead rely on longer-range radio frequencies. Customers are being forced to submit manual readings and receive estimated bills due to connectivity issues with their smart meters, which aren't passing back usage data to suppliers. BBC Panorama investigate 👇 Head to Eseye to compare the strengths and limitations of different connectivity types for smart meters https://okt.to/2UnT5G

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