SOFIAH NICHOLE SALIVIO

News Editor

Antevia Networks and Ontix have partnered to deploy Multi-Operator Core Network technology for hybrid private and public mobile networks aimed at indoor and campus coverage.

The model uses shared radio infrastructure, allowing private mobile networks to operate alongside mobile network operator services on the same equipment. Antevia is supplying its radio access network technology, while Ontix is providing its Neutral Host Service Gateway, Nexus, and its service model.

The partnership addresses a longstanding problem in indoor mobile connectivity, where private network roll-outs and in-building coverage projects have often been constrained by cost, deployment complexity and the need for specialist integration. By combining a private 5G set-up with neutral host infrastructure, the partners aim to reduce the number of separate systems installed at a site.

How it works

MOCN allows a single set of indoor radios to serve multiple mobile operators at once. Under this structure, a building owner or venue can also use the same physical network for a private 5G system supporting operational applications such as industrial internet of things services, security, automation, payments and critical communications.

This differs from traditional in-building mobile projects, where operators may install separate equipment or a private network is built as a standalone system. The shared model is designed to reduce duplication in radio infrastructure and provide venues with a single layer for both visitor connectivity and internal services.

Antevia’s platform is based on its 5G Shift system, which uses a cloud-based virtualised radio access network architecture built on O-RAN principles and commercial off-the-shelf hardware. Its multiplexing and shared cell technology allow multiple radios to operate as a single 5G cell, reducing handovers and lowering the amount of infrastructure needed.

According to Antevia, some deployments have required as little as one-tenth of the infrastructure needed for Wi-Fi. The system is also intended to simplify design, installation and operation for smaller businesses and venues that have often found private 5G too expensive or too complex to adopt.

Commercial push

The partnership also reflects a broader effort in the telecoms sector to make private mobile networks more accessible beyond large industrial groups and major transport hubs. While private 5G has drawn interest from manufacturers, logistics operators and site owners, adoption has remained uneven because of high upfront costs and the need to combine radio systems, spectrum access and core network functions.

Neutral host models have been one way to address poor indoor coverage, particularly in offices, campuses and public venues where mobile signals can be weak or inconsistent. Adding private network services to the same infrastructure could improve the economics for property owners and for operators seeking coverage without duplicating deployment costs.

Simon Cosgrove, Chief Executive of Antevia Networks, said the economics of indoor mobile coverage had remained a central obstacle for the sector. “In-building coverage has remained a stubborn problem for the mobile industry, and while solutions exist the economics of delivery has remained the blocker. In particular, the issue of ‘who pays?’ for the network,” he said.

He said the shared model could change how those systems are funded and installed. “Our partnership with Ontix changes the economics, providing a clear path to solving the in-building challenge. MOCN-based neutral host means one shared radio layer for public and private networks resulting in fewer separate deployments and competing systems,” Cosgrove said.

Chris Newall, Chief Executive of Ontix, said the model was intended for venues, campuses and enterprise sites that need both public mobile service and dedicated network functions. “For venues, campuses and enterprise environments, our approach creates a more practical route to high-performance indoor connectivity. One shared network layer can support public mobile access for visitors, staff and customers, while also enabling dedicated private 5G services for operational systems including IoT, security, automation, payments and critical communications,” he said.

SOFIAH NICHOLE SALIVIO

News Editor

Argyll Data Development has launched a sovereign AI inference cloud for UK organisations, designed to keep infrastructure and model control within UK jurisdiction.

The Dunoon-based company built the platform with SambaNova for organisations that want to run production AI workloads without relying on foreign-owned hyperscale cloud providers.

The launch comes as businesses and public sector bodies move AI systems from pilot projects into live operations, bringing greater scrutiny over where data is held, who controls the underlying systems, and how services meet regulatory requirements. In sectors such as defence, healthcare and finance, those questions have become more pressing because some workloads cannot be moved offshore.

Argyll says the platform combines UK-owned infrastructure with SambaNova hardware and software so that data, models and operations remain under UK control. It is intended to address concerns about reliance on overseas cloud groups for AI inference.

Sovereignty focus

At the centre of the service is SambaNova’s Reconfigurable Data Unit architecture, running the company’s SambaManaged system. The design can be deployed in existing UK data centres, with racks operating at about 10kW, in contrast to the higher power demands and cooling requirements often associated with GPU-based systems.

The cloud hosts open-source models including Minimax and can deliver speeds of up to 400 tokens per second within a UK-resident environment. It is designed for real-time AI applications ranging from customer operations to fraud detection.

Argyll has also structured the platform as a disaggregated system, allowing compute, storage and networking to be distributed across multiple UK locations while functioning as a single inference layer. The company says this offers resilience and flexibility for regulated and security-sensitive users.

Peter Griffiths outlined the company’s view of what constitutes sovereign AI infrastructure.

“Sovereignty in AI is not a label you can apply to a contract or a colocation agreement. It is a condition that has to be demonstrated – who is accountable, where the infrastructure sits, who controls the intelligence layer, and whether all of that aligns with the expectations of the society being served. Our platform satisfies those conditions. We are building the standard that others should be measured against,” said Peter Griffiths, Chairman of Argyll Data Development.

The launch reflects a wider debate in the UK over how AI services should be built and governed as adoption grows. Much of the market relies on large US cloud providers for computing and model access, but some organisations have raised concerns that dependence on overseas platforms could complicate compliance, procurement and public trust.

Energy use and operating costs have also become central issues as AI models are deployed at scale. Argyll and SambaNova are positioning their offer as an alternative to GPU-led systems, arguing that power consumption, cooling needs and ongoing infrastructure costs can become barriers when organisations move from testing to full production use.

Jude Sheeran, who leads SambaNova in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, said many users had not fully considered those trade-offs.

“As organisations scale AI, many are defaulting to GPU infrastructure without fully accounting for long-term cost, energy and operational complexity. Our work with Argyll provides an alternative, enabling high-performance AI inference that is more efficient, deployable and aligned with sovereignty requirements,” said Jude Sheeran, Managing Director for EMEA at SambaNova.

Argyll describes itself as a developer of renewable-powered infrastructure for AI in the UK. Its flagship project is the 184-acre Killellan AI Growth Zone in Argyll, where it plans to combine on-site wind, wave and solar generation with data-centre infrastructure.

That broader strategy links the company’s sovereign cloud pitch to domestic energy supply as well as data jurisdiction. For UK organisations deciding where to place sensitive AI workloads, Argyll is arguing that control over infrastructure, operations and location should sit together rather than be split across contracts and overseas cloud platforms.

JOSEPH GABRIEL LAGONSIN

News Editor

Vertesia and Florence Consulting Group have formed a strategic partnership in Europe focused on rolling out AI systems for large organisations.

The partnership combines Vertesia’s AI software with Florence Consulting Group’s integration and delivery capabilities to help businesses move AI projects into live operations.

Italy-based Florence Consulting Group works with large organisations in sectors including financial services, infrastructure, manufacturing, automotive, pharmaceuticals, the public sector and retail. It has offices in Florence, Milan, Rome, Cosenza and Madrid, and employs nearly 200 professionals.

Under the agreement, the companies will focus on document-heavy and data-intensive workflows that span core business systems. The work will cover AI strategy, integration and deployment across cloud, on-premise and hybrid environments.

The aim is to address a common problem in corporate AI programmes, where projects remain limited to chatbots or proof-of-concept work rather than being integrated into business processes.

“Organisations have spent years investing in AI, but many initiatives remain stuck at the stage of simple chatbots or proofs of concept,” said Niccolò Francini, chief executive of Florence Consulting Group.

“Our partnership with Vertesia allows us to provide enterprises with the best foundation for integrating AI into core processes and decision-making to make agentic AI truly operational,” Francini said.

Platform update

The announcement coincides with a product update from Vertesia, which has released more than 50 new skills and more than 50 new tools for its platform.

The additions are intended to expand the range of tasks AI agents can handle within business workflows. Vertesia describes its platform as software for intelligent content processing, context-aware workflows and automated task execution with governance and compliance controls.

In Europe, demand for AI systems that can be deployed within existing regulatory and operational requirements has become a central issue for technology suppliers and their consulting partners. Companies are under pressure to show returns on AI spending while maintaining oversight of data use, security and internal controls.

This has helped drive more partnerships between service providers and software firms. Platform vendors are seeking local delivery partners with established relationships with large enterprise customers, while system integrators want access to specialist AI software that can be embedded into broader transformation programmes.

Tim Hood, senior vice president for EMEA at Vertesia, said the partnership reflects the complexity of deploying AI in large organisations.

“AI transformation in the enterprise is not a product decision; it is a program,” Hood said.

“It requires partners who understand complex architectures, long-term client relationships, and what it takes to make technology work in production. FCG is exactly that. Modern enterprises need AI-native solutions built for complexity, not bolted on after the fact, and we are proud to partner with a team that shares that standard,” he said.

Florence Consulting Group says it has more than 10 years of experience in enterprise IT consulting and works across cloud and digital transformation, data and AI, digital process automation, cyber security, networking and DevOps.

For Vertesia, the deal adds a European consulting and systems integration partner with an established position in Italy and operations in Spain. For Florence Consulting Group, it provides access to a platform aimed at customers that want AI embedded in core processes rather than used as a standalone assistant.

The joint work will target secure, compliant and governable AI deployments in production environments for enterprise customers across Europe.