News

Telecoms networks and broadband communications

• September 23, 2021 23 Sep'21

  Satellite connectivity and video market expected to double over next decade

  Research finds the satellite industry is gaining a higher orbit with the non-geostationary market a key engine, and with recovery to pre-Covid revenues expected in 2022

• September 23, 2021 23 Sep'21

  CityFibre takes the high road with gigabit broadband across Scotland

  City of jute, jam and journalism now also the city of full-fibre gigabit broadband as leading network provider expands reach across Scottish Highlands

• September 23, 2021 23 Sep'21

  Global industry accelerates IoT adoption in response to Covid

  Research reveals enhanced development curve for industrial internet of things in 2021 across global supply chains in agriculture, electrical utilities, mining, oil and gas, transport and logistics

• September 23, 2021 23 Sep'21

  Colruyt takes Extreme step to optimise business operations and customer experience

  Global retailer migrates to a more resilient, robust, reliable cloud-managed network to handle increased capacity and create more operational visibility and intelligence

• September 22, 2021 22 Sep'21

  UK pivot to hybrid tech could add £76bn to GDP

  Study shows rise in hybrid working could boost GDP by £48bn annually as part-time workers increase hours and investment in hybrid technologies could add nearly £80bn over next four years

• September 22, 2021 22 Sep'21

  Employers worry about remote work productivity, but fail to invest in tech solutions

  Research warns employers to continue valuing in-person collaboration and to balance between safeguarding culture and a sense of team experienced though office-based working, with the virtues of hybrid working that is now essential in the new normal

• September 22, 2021 22 Sep'21

  Virgin to focus on business net as providers welcome new net neutrality debate

  Network providers call on UK government and regulators to adopt net neutrality regulations to align with new times in the communications industry as leading cableco announces a pivot to B2B

• September 21, 2021 21 Sep'21

  UK government claims ‘gigaboom’ as next-gen broadband reaches one in two premises

  Hot on the heels of major expansion in fibre networks across the nation by a number of leading operators, government data shows 50.2% of UK premises are now able to access gigabit-capable broadband, up from 6% in 2019

• September 21, 2021 21 Sep'21

  Connexin aims to break Hull broadband monopoly with full-fibre network

  After suffering ‘frustration’ working with incumbent suppliers around infrastructure sharing, Hull and East Riding altnet builds independent alternative full-fibre network for region

• September 21, 2021 21 Sep'21

  Virgin Media teams with Plume to support smart home service to all UK households

  UK cable operator teams up with smart home services provider to bring the nation smarter Wi-Fi with advanced device security, in-home motion detection and sophisticated controls

• September 20, 2021 20 Sep'21

  UK’s fastest 5G found outside south-east of England

  Analyst’s update on UK next-generation network shows 5G not just spreading, but flourishing across the country in terms of speeds and availability

• September 20, 2021 20 Sep'21

  Vodafone, ITU aim to bridge global smartphone digital divide

  First multi-stakeholder initiative to address global mobile internet access gap has been launched by operator and global comms body

• September 20, 2021 20 Sep'21

  CityFibre continues UK full-fibre roll-out to Teesside, Norwich as it closes £1.125bn funding round

  After announcing two new deployments in a matter of hours, CityFibre has gained what it says is the largest ever capital raise for UK full-fibre deployment

• September 16, 2021 16 Sep'21

  BT gifts small businesses £7.5m in street advertising as Street Hub 2.0 units go live

  Local businesses in Kensington and Chelsea are given the chance to advertise for free via digital screens in Street Hub 2.0 units while research reveals over 60% of small firms say local advertising will boost awareness of their business

• September 16, 2021 16 Sep'21

  Grace Hopper subsea cable lands in UK

  First private subsea cable to the UK funded by Google intended to improve diversity and resilience of network, underpinning consumer and enterprise products, increasing capacity and powering services such as Meet, Gmail and Google Cloud

• September 16, 2021 16 Sep'21

  Apple unveils iPhone 13 product line

  The money truck is set to roll again as Apple launches new flagship device attributed with pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in a smartphone

• September 16, 2021 16 Sep'21

  UK on a roll with 5G in second quarter of 2021

  After two years of stagnant speeds, UK next-generation communications network industry gets into gear in terms of download speeds and availability as all stakeholders work to make conditions ripe for opportunity, with Three UK a ‘decisive’ winner in...

• September 15, 2021 15 Sep'21

  Zoom aims to ignite the next era of communications

  Breakout conferencing and collaboration company shows range of innovations will enable businesses in the post-Covid era to embrace change, enable hybrid workforces and grow their businesses

• September 14, 2021 14 Sep'21

  Flourishing fibre buildouts and SD-WAN spur network tech market

  Studies find cable and passive optical networking infrastructure technology driving broadband access equipment market while SD-WAN continues its sharp upward trajectory in first half of 2021

• September 14, 2021 14 Sep'21

  Vodafone: Tech will be driving force for UK achieving net-zero targets

  Study urges UK government to deploy 5G, IoT and other digital and connectivity technologies in its forthcoming energy efficiency and sustainability strategy, claiming this could reduce emissions by up to 4% a year

• September 14, 2021 14 Sep'21

  BT advances hollow core fibre research with world’s first trial of quantum-secure comms

  Incumbent UK telco announces latest innovations in hollow core fibre by conducting trial of ultra-secure network communications using commercial equipment over a 6km long Lumenisity CoreSmart cable

• September 13, 2021 13 Sep'21

  Virgin Media O2 and Fotokite trial 5G connected tethered drone

  Swiss drone company partners with UK telecoms operator to test 5G-enabled, tethered drones in a simulated rescue mission as part of a trial to elevate possibilities for emergency services and first responders

• September 13, 2021 13 Sep'21

  Rural Wales broadband specialist ramps investment to connect hard-to-reach communities

  UK government-recognised superfast and ultrafast broadband provider expands team to bring gigabit to rural Wales

• September 10, 2021 10 Sep'21

  Providers drive into the core network fast lane as 5G race accelerates

  Study finds that in the next-generation network arena, 5G standalone core dominates key service provider activity, with an enduring need for agility and responsiveness

• September 10, 2021 10 Sep'21

  National Broadband takes on UK fibre with 5G business broadband

  New 5G-based broadband complements existing 4G infrastructure and aims to offer towns and cities compelling alternative to fibre broadband

• September 10, 2021 10 Sep'21

  Poor home connectivity risks jeopardising switch to hybrid working

  CityFibre, Chartered Management Institute survey warns once-in-a-generation opportunity to change working practices for the better could be put at risk because of network issues

• September 10, 2021 10 Sep'21

  Microsoft, Nokia seal space, 5G agreement for South Australia

  IT giant and leading communications technology provider team to work with South Australian development board and local companies to bring together interdisciplinary experts to develop, test, and deploy new space technologies

• September 10, 2021 10 Sep'21

  UK full-fibre forges ahead but broadband digital divide persists

  Comms regulator’s survey finds full-fibre networks are being built at a record rate, but work is still needed to get decent broadband to remote parts of the country

• September 09, 2021 09 Sep'21

  OneWeb achieves higher orbit with Eutelsat investment, AT&T deal

  Controversial UK government and Bharti-owned satellite operator closes investment from leading French satellite operator and seals deal with US comms giant to provide high-speed broadband connectivity to hard-to-reach locations via satellite

• September 09, 2021 09 Sep'21

  UK government reveals £4m trial to use streetlamps and bus shelters to boost 5G

  Two-year project will begin to ramp up use of street furniture and public buildings to host 5G radio kit, with CCTV poles, traffic signals and other roadside infrastructure potentially used to boost coverage

• September 09, 2021 09 Sep'21

  Ericsson gets smart with 5G network services deployment

  Leading comms tech provider keeps up the pace of launches of technologies supporting next-generation network development with modular suite of tools and services

• September 08, 2021 08 Sep'21

  Blackpool illumination for full-fibre broadband

  Neos Networks unveils significant network expansion across Lancashire to facilitate high capacity fibre connectivity for hyperscalers, large-scale content providers and businesses using UK fibre network and connections to Ireland

• September 08, 2021 08 Sep'21

  CityFibre extends network in Sussex, Scotland and announces Medway ISP

  Fibre broadband provider announces further extension of its national broadband network in the Glasgow region and in West Sussex, while also sealing deal with service providers using its full-fibre infrastructure

• September 07, 2021 07 Sep'21

  Only a tenth of global vehicles adopt ADAS

  Huge opportunity knocks in the realm of advanced in-vehicle software as surprisingly low number of global cars make use of ADAS features

• September 07, 2021 07 Sep'21

  Ukrtelecom and Iskratel launch €12m fibre network expansion in Ukraine

  Partnership between Ukrainian telecom operator and leading European ICT supplier designed to help expand the country’s fibre optic network as it continues to bridge the digital divide

• September 07, 2021 07 Sep'21

  Virgin Media O2 reaches 10 million homes in gigabit roll-out

  Recently merged operator adds nearly two million customers from mid-size cities and large towns to footprint of gigabit broadband estate

• September 07, 2021 07 Sep'21

  Openreach aims to plug digital divide by scrapping broadband connection fees in select homes

  BT-owned broadband provision division makes latest step in campaign to address key financial issue that could hinder roll-out of broadband networks capable of supporting the ‘new normal’ of work

• September 06, 2021 06 Sep'21

  Qualcomm, Google bring premium and intelligent in-vehicle experiences to Renault Mégane

  Electric version of French car range to use third-generation Snapdragon automotive cockpit platforms and Google Technologies to design ‘seamless and cutting-edge’ in-car experiences

• September 03, 2021 03 Sep'21

  Full Fibre to light up 13 UK market towns with gigabit broadband

  Altnet reveals next series of ‘forgotten towns’ to benefit from its fibre-optic broadband infrastructure

• September 03, 2021 03 Sep'21

  Wirepas gains €10m injection to accelerate first non-cellular 5G tech development

  Increased client demand ramps up commercial launch of new enterprise IoT and 5G standard technology, now slated for 2022

• September 03, 2021 03 Sep'21

  Vodafone taps Ericsson to halve 5G energy consumption, reinforces 4G network

  Vodafone announces update to its network strategy, in particular how it is transitioning and refarming 3G spectrum to 4G, and deployment of a new 5G radio that saw energy consumption decrease

• September 03, 2021 03 Sep'21

  5G-ENCODE reveals next phase of network slicing for industrial 5G

  UK government backed next-generation network project 5G-ENCODE switches on the second phase of its network at the National Composites Centre, as it bids to move a step closer to realising the commercial benefits of 5G in manufacturing

• September 02, 2021 02 Sep'21

  Post-Covid home Wi-Fi consumer needs, expectations fundamentally altered

  Study finds remote workers encounter significantly more home Wi-Fi issues than before the pandemic, with most reporting daily issues with their home wireless networks

• September 02, 2021 02 Sep'21

  Global smartphone sales grow 10.8% in Q2 2021

  Research finds global smartphone arena showing double-digit growth despite supply constraints, production disruption, component shortages, factory shutdowns and closure of retail businesses

• September 02, 2021 02 Sep'21

  The Gulf is counting on its smart cities for a sustainable and profitable future

  The countries in the Gulf region are leading the way in the development of smart cities as part of their economic diversification

• August 31, 2021 31 Aug'21

  Nokia presses pause on O-RAN Alliance

  Citation of leading Chinese technology firms by US government department leads to Finnish comms tech giant halting activities in open comms software body

• August 31, 2021 31 Aug'21

  Submarine cable network nears 500 companies over 1.3 million km

  New interactive map of sub-sea connectivity industry shows how providers are enhancing the user experience with new cables, landing stations, and upgraded search and select functionalities

• August 31, 2021 31 Aug'21

  Singtel counts on telco edge to crack enterprise 5G market

  Singtel is counting on its investments in its multi-access edge compute platform to stand out in the enterprise market for 5G services

• August 27, 2021 27 Aug'21

  AT&T teams with Cisco to boost enterprise-based IoT

  Leading US operator and comms and networking tech giant say 5G network stands ready to deliver lower latency and faster speeds for enterprise customer internet-of-things deployments using 5G certified devices

• August 27, 2021 27 Aug'21

  CPaaS market hits record high for growth in Q2

  Twilio, Vonage and Sinch drive a market that has been positively affected by the Covid crisis as demand for cloud communications over the past year expanded use cases and prompted new suppliers to enter the market

• August 27, 2021 27 Aug'21

  Zen gains Cisco SD-WAN accreditation

  Leading UK provider of comms and technology services awarded Cisco Powered SD-WAN Service SD-WAN status, which it says leaves it well set to prosper

• August 26, 2021 26 Aug'21

  Mobile trade-ins return more than half a billion dollars to US consumers in Q2

  Second-quarter 2021 edition of mobile device tracker shows more than 150% year-on-year growth, with mobile device trade-in programmes back to pre-pandemic levels

• August 26, 2021 26 Aug'21

  Vilicom taps Mavenir for UK’s first offshore Open RAN private network for windfarm connectivity

  Ending a week in which it announced technology for incorporating 2G into Open RAN standards and made a strategic acquisition to enhance its customer engagement platform, cloud-native networks software provider deploys private LTE network for ...

• August 26, 2021 26 Aug'21

  Zoom plots path to hybrid return to the workplace

  Pandemic’s breakout conferencing tool provider plans to support the new normal of hybrid working with systems recognising both remote and in-office work

• August 26, 2021 26 Aug'21

  Gartner survey shows 44% rise in workers’ use of collaboration tools since 2019

  As the onset of a hybrid workforce becomes a reality for more firms, research shows massive spike in virtual meeting and collaboration tools since 2019, and stresses that digital workplace technologies will be essential for enabling innovation in ...

• August 25, 2021 25 Aug'21

  Mavenir acquires Telestax, demos world’s first 2G containerised architecture

  Just after announcing technology for incorporating 2G into Open RAN standards, cloud-native networks software provider makes strategic acquisition to enhance its business messaging and customer engagement platform

• August 25, 2021 25 Aug'21

  Extreme Networks strikes gold at Olympiastadion Berlin as official Wi-Fi solutions provider

  New network set to be the first and largest end-to-end public Wi-Fi 6 deployment in a sporting arena in Europe

• August 25, 2021 25 Aug'21

  M1 deploys surveillance robots at Keppel Bay

  Singapore telco M1 is deploying surveillance robots and other 5G-enabled equipment to beef up security and maintenance operations at Marina at Keppel Bay

• August 24, 2021 24 Aug'21

  Optus unveils first Australian demo of 5G NR-DC

  Australian operator and global comms tech firms demonstrate new radio dual connectivity technology in Sydney, boosting 5G coverage area while maintaining superfast 5G speeds

• August 24, 2021 24 Aug'21

  UK government adds to Northern Ireland gigabit broadband funding

  Further financial support given to develop next-generation full-fibre network across rural regions in province, particularly those that currently have the slowest speeds, such as Mid Ulster, Fermanagh and South Antrim

• August 24, 2021 24 Aug'21

  Charge Analytics goes Soracom to connect advanced IoT monitoring and control

  Internet-of-things solutions provider taps IoT connectivity firm to provide reliable cellular comms to simplify sending data to the cloud and support monitoring of environmental factors in highly regulated industries

• August 24, 2021 24 Aug'21

  Ericsson takes core 5G tech to Taiwan, Faroe Islands operators

  Ericsson supports Asia Pacific Telecom to launch first 5G non-standalone multi-operator core network, while Faroese Telecom inks exclusive 5G core and radio access network deal

• August 24, 2021 24 Aug'21

  OneWeb maintains momentum with launch of more than 30 satellites

  Company’s latest batch of low Earth orbit craft bring total in-orbit constellation to 288 satellites and it remains on track to deliver connectivity to hard-to-reach places by the end of the year

• August 23, 2021 23 Aug'21

  A1 selects Nokia, Ericsson tech for service roll-outs across middle Europe

  Provider of digital services and communications solutions in Central and Eastern Europe chooses Nordic network technology suppliers for 5G roll-out in key selected markets

• August 23, 2021 23 Aug'21

  Vilicom, Virgin Media O2 boost enterprise comms with commercial Open RAN

  Global network design and management firm teams with recently merged operator to roll out one of the first commercial sites built on its Open RAN technology platform

• August 23, 2021 23 Aug'21

  Telekom Romania taps Mavenir to deliver cloud-native IMS, VoLTE and VoWi-Fi nets

  Move to virtualised IMS with tech from open communications software provider will facilitate operator’s network transition to 4G/LTE and 5G

• August 19, 2021 19 Aug'21

  NEC, Fujitsu begin 5G base station Open RAN tech interoperability testing

  Japanese tech giants team up to accelerate the global reach of base station equipment conforming to O-RAN specifications and aim to stimulate growth and innovation in the open 5G market

• August 19, 2021 19 Aug'21

  Vodafone aims for accelerated transformation in UK water industry with ‘unique’ IoT offering

  UK operator’s new internet of things offering enables water companies to integrate a range of devices and sensors into a single platform to reduce wastage and improve efficiency

• August 19, 2021 19 Aug'21

  Microsoft Azure first cloud to gain orbit with O3b mPOWER

  As more critical workloads move to the cloud, SES medium Earth orbit satellite system will provide additional network diversity, service resiliency and gigabit connectivity for IT giant’s leading data platform

• August 18, 2021 18 Aug'21

  Adam Crozier to lead BT transformation as chairman

  Business transformation specialist and nineties and noughties UK business golden boy to take the reins as BT chairman at the end of the year

• August 18, 2021 18 Aug'21

  Qualcomm claims new era with 5G, AI-enabled autonomous drones

  Global mobile chip leader says platform will accelerate and scale development for manufacturers to deliver ‘powerful’ purpose-built craft that will see use cases in enterprise and industrial 5G

• August 18, 2021 18 Aug'21

  Perth & Kinross council enlists Neos for full-fibre infrastructure

  Latest deployment of gigabit connectivity in Scotland sees full-fibre network delivered to key council datacentres and public facilities in Perth and Kinross to help underpin the region’s digital future and navigate challenges such as the pandemic

• August 18, 2021 18 Aug'21

  Global VPN downloads soar in first half of 2021

  Song remains the same with VPNs as repressive regimes’ continued regulatory demands and remote working see virtual private network usage rocket over the first six months of the year

• August 17, 2021 17 Aug'21

  Subscriber speed increases drive higher median broadband usage

  Study shows continued surge in broadband data consumption, especially in upstream, leading to just over one-fifth of broadband subscribers being able to benefit from speed tier upgrade

• August 17, 2021 17 Aug'21

  CityFibre digs in to develop digital foundations for Sunderland full-fibre net

  Former altnet turned third- largest fibre broadband provider maintains heady pace of UK gigabit roll-out by beginning work in key northeast city

• August 16, 2021 16 Aug'21

  Facebook develops Asia-Pacific, African subsea connectivity

  With the tasty title of Apricot, social media giant unveils role in project to develop ultra-fast connectivity under the sea in key Asian region, while it announces expansion of existing partnership to boost African sea network

• August 16, 2021 16 Aug'21

  Vocus enlists Nokia to drive 200G optical network over 4,000 km in Australia

  Enterprise, government and wholesale customers set to benefit from improved broadband speeds and experience from 200G terrestrial optical network connecting Brisbane and Darwin

• August 13, 2021 13 Aug'21

  OneWeb satellite gains higher orbit with Hanwha investment, Northwestel connectivity MoU

  Controversial satellite operator makes next step in its Five to 50 mission to cover regions north of 50 degrees latitude with Canadian coverage deal

• August 13, 2021 13 Aug'21

  Tbaytel wraps new voice communications network with Ribbon

  Independently owned telecommunications provider aims to offer its customers premium-quality voice services while reducing power costs and accelerating time to market

• August 13, 2021 13 Aug'21

  Verizon expands global automation capabilities in collaboration with Equinix

  Expansion of SDI solution aims to enable enterprise and public sector customers to connect their MPLS and Ethernet private networking services to hundreds of cloud, infrastructure and service providers with automated, same-day connectivity

• August 13, 2021 13 Aug'21

  CityFibre continues full-fibre roll-out in Glasgow

  The UK’s largest independent full fibre platform begins work on next stage as part of its national gigabit broadband roll-out in Scotland’s largest city

• August 13, 2021 13 Aug'21

  5G fixed wireless access broadband to rack up 60 million subscribers by 2026

  Demand for efficient home broadband access expected to drive deployments and migration of FWA

• August 12, 2021 12 Aug'21

  Project Endeavour concludes with autonomous vehicle passenger rides in London

  Multi-city demonstration of autonomous vehicle services ends with public showcase in London using co-ordinated fleet of six vehicles to host passenger rides for first time

• August 12, 2021 12 Aug'21

  Spectrum utilisation alliance calls for licence-exempt access to entire 6GHz band

  Research reveals urgent need for access to 6GHz band which, when open, could add over $1tn to the world’s economy by 2025

• August 12, 2021 12 Aug'21

  United Group contract sees Nokia hail core 3G/4G/5G tech success

  Southeast Europe alternative telecom enhances wireless network so that it can transfer large volumes of data fast, securely and with very low latency to cope with surge in connected devices and other demands from mobile users

• August 11, 2021 11 Aug'21

  Extreme Networks aims to enhance SD-WAN offer with Ipanema acquisition

  Cloud-driven networking company announces intent to establish second technology centre of excellence in Europe through acquisition of the SD-WAN division of Infovista

• August 11, 2021 11 Aug'21

  Community Fibre expands fibre reach out of London with Box Broadband acquisition

  London's largest alternative fibre network expands into Surrey and West Sussex with majority stake in Surrey-based full-fibre network operator to help realise commitment to bridging the digital divide and promoting social inclusion

• August 11, 2021 11 Aug'21

  NTT claims first globally available private 5G network-as-a-service platform

  Next-generation mobile comms infrastructure to provide a suite of services to help chief information officers and chief digital officers drive business outcomes and unlock ‘innovative’ business models

• August 11, 2021 11 Aug'21

  Virgin Media O2 gigabit capability covers more than half of UK network footprint

  Latest gigabit switch-on from newly merged cable provider sees a further 1.5 million homes added to its network, allowing customers to access average broadband speeds of 1.13Mbps, said to be four times faster than the national average

• August 10, 2021 10 Aug'21

  DELTA taps Nokia to develop 400G optical transport network

  High capacity optical network for both core and metro applications will support operator’s aggressive fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) roll-out in the Netherlands over the next decade

• August 10, 2021 10 Aug'21

  BSO named first non-domestic global connectivity provider for Indian stock exchange

  Growing global infrastructure and connectivity provider BSO confirmed as one of the first official international approved connectivity partners to meet demand for trading at the National Stock Exchange of India International Exchange

• August 10, 2021 10 Aug'21

  Global 5G market set for 3.2 billion connections by 2026

  Study suggests that as network orchestration tools maximise monetisation, next-generation infrastructures will grow at a staggering rate of 940% over the next five years

• August 09, 2021 09 Aug'21

  UK broadband trial to investigate connectivity through water pipes

  Government-backed scheme to target broadband for hard-to-reach homes with fibre optic cables fed through utility mains, businesses and mobile masts without digging up roads

• August 09, 2021 09 Aug'21

  Need for strong internet connection keeps Brits indoors

  Study from leading UK communications provider highlights that although a new normal is coming for a significant number of UK workers, so are new problems and the need to create a better work-life balance

• August 09, 2021 09 Aug'21

  Healthcare providers to deliver 765 million teleconsultations globally by 2025

  Research reveals patients will use remote consultation services 3.6 times per year on average, but need for mobile devices and connectivity will limit uptake of telehealth services to developed regions

• August 06, 2021 06 Aug'21

  Vodafone claims UK first with voice-integrated Wi-Fi booster with Alexa built-in

  UK operator expands capability of in-home broadband infrastructure with Wi-Fi booster with built-in voice control, hybrid 4G broadband backup and dedicated Wi-Fi support

• August 06, 2021 06 Aug'21

  Inmarsat, Atlantic Bridge Capital and Civic Connect dig deep for IoT in global mining sector

  Insight Terra secures $5.45m in Series A funding to accelerate the delivery of an end-to-end full-stack risk management solution to support compliance with global standards and to meet ESG requirements

• August 06, 2021 06 Aug'21

  Verizon, AWS take mobile edge computing to 13 of top 20 US metro areas

  Developers and businesses in three new locations now able to build and deploy applications at the edge of communication provider’s wireless network through AWS Wavelength

• August 06, 2021 06 Aug'21

  Half of Gen-Z would leave job if not given a hybrid work option

  Even though two-thirds of workers surveyed by workspace technology company say hybrid work benefits mental health and productivity, over half believe that their employers are not prepared to implement it

• August 05, 2021 05 Aug'21

  Dell’Oro: Full speed ahead for broadband tech spending

  Analyst says worldwide broadband access market for technologies supporting cable, DSL, PON and fixed wireless improved again at 3% CAGR over the forecast horizon of 2020-2025