News

Telecoms networks and broadband communications

• January 21, 2022 21 Jan'22

  Majority of UK employees prefer hybrid work

  Survey reveals the importance of hybrid working and shows a degree of WFH fatigue following Omicron, with firms assessing when it will be possible to return to in-person work

• January 20, 2022 20 Jan'22

  Police Digital Service offers £50m contract for Tetra products and services

  Delivery vehicle for the UK’s National Policing Digital Strategy announces major procurement contract for comms services and technologies

• January 20, 2022 20 Jan'22

  UK parliamentary committee casts doubt on government’s gigabit connectivity targets

  UK parliamentary committee pours scorn on Department of Culture, Media and Sport’s confidence in meeting targets for gigabit connectivity

• January 19, 2022 19 Jan'22

  LTE still has legs with permanent roaming IoT connections to reach 825 million by 2026

  Study from Kaleido Intelligence reveals significant demand for monitoring and telemetry-based internet of things applications to drive 27% CAGR in permanent roaming IoT connections

• January 19, 2022 19 Jan'22

  Verizon, AWS take mobile edge to 30% more US metro area locations

  Communications and cloud giants extend reach of mobile edge computing footprint in the US and announce deployment for drone and energy management applications

• January 19, 2022 19 Jan'22

  Vodafone switches on first UK 5G Open RAN site

  Vodafone teams with Samsung Networks Europe to switch on the UK’s first Open RAN site to carry live 5G traffic, marking a milestone in the commercial deployment of Open RAN network architectures in Europe, with more than 2,500 additional sites to ...

• January 19, 2022 19 Jan'22

  Chasm exists between ‘true’ and portfolio SASE approaches

  Survey of enterprise IT leaders finds little difference between respondents without SASE and those who adopted SASE product portfolios regarding issues such as trade-offs between performance and security

• January 19, 2022 19 Jan'22

  Arizona State University taps Verizon for 5G Innovation Hub

  Verizon 5G Ultra Wideband and mobile edge compute services enable researchers to develop and test real-world solutions to enhance immersive education, remote learning, virtual reality and data analytics

• January 18, 2022 18 Jan'22

  ‘Robust’ market opportunities ‘still abound’ in SD-WAN

  Research reveals demand for cloud agility and cross-enterprise visibility, and that the integration of enterprise-grade 5G will continue to drive opportunities in software-defined wide area networks

• January 18, 2022 18 Jan'22

  Exium, Teneo team to deliver digital experience, 5G-capable SASE platform

  Work-from-anywhere IT services company and cyber security provider enter into partnership to assist lean enterprise IT teams in their transition to a secure access service edge

• January 18, 2022 18 Jan'22

  Jisc selects Neos Networks for gigabit fibre network serving north-west England

  Business connectivity provider strikes partnership to connect major universities and research centres in Liverpool and Manchester to gigabit-capable fibre network offering up to 100Gbps connections and 10-fold increases

• January 17, 2022 17 Jan'22

  CityFibre extends full-fibre in Aberdeen

  Granite City sees rock-solid gigabit connectivity in £19m expansion of full-fibre network to homes and businesses in the Aberdeen area

• January 17, 2022 17 Jan'22

  International Space Station gets connected on SpaceDataHighway

  SpaceDataHighway deploys space laser communications to increase the operational flexibility of ISS, allowing more astronauts, scientists and researchers to benefit from a direct link with Europe

• January 17, 2022 17 Jan'22

  Connexin switches on full-fibre broadband network in Hull

  So-called ‘disruptive’ communications company specialising in building and operating smart city infrastructure connects first customer to full-fibre network in East Yorkshire

• January 14, 2022 14 Jan'22

  Full-fibre investment helps tackle digital exclusion in Greater Manchester

  Study from cable operator and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority reveals the massive significance that digital investment is making for local people, helping to assist those at risk of digital exclusion, create local jobs and tackle ...

• January 14, 2022 14 Jan'22

  Hispasat expands North America strategic collaboration, bolsters Brazilian holdings

  Spanish satellite operator expands agreement with Swedish connectivity services company to offer high-capacity portable broadband solution in North America, and acquires the full share capital of its subsidiary in Brazil

• January 14, 2022 14 Jan'22

  Lacuna, Semtech expand LoRaWAN IoT coverage through to satellite connectivity

  Wireless and space technology companies collaborate to accelerate IoT adoption with what is described as affordable and simplified connectivity designed to expand further long-range, low-power comms standard

• January 13, 2022 13 Jan'22

  BT appoints MD of advanced enterprise comms division, inks ABB contract

  Managing director appointed for what is regarded as a likely key growth engine for UK incumbent telco’s enterprise business, moving it from a telco to a techco by expanding into services that go beyond traditional calls and lines

• January 13, 2022 13 Jan'22

  Satellite broadband boost as Intelsat expands fleet, Inmarsat supports IoT

  Satellite providers take connectivity to higher orbit as Intelsat continues investment in global 5G software-defined network while Inmarsat supports IoT monitoring for RWE’s hydroelectric power stations in Wales

• January 13, 2022 13 Jan'22

  98 more Openreach exchange areas to go digital in copper network shutdown

  Mildenhall and Salisbury test sites will be first to stop selling copper-based services in 2022 in a further acceleration of Openreach’s plan to halt traditional broadband and voice services across the UK by 2025

• January 13, 2022 13 Jan'22

  WM5G gains funding to further 5G RAN

  UK’s first region-wide 5G innovation company awarded funding to support the growth of innovative telecoms services across central England

• January 13, 2022 13 Jan'22

  NCSC sounds alarm over Russia-backed hacks

  The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre joins US calls to be wary of Russian state interference in critical national infrastructure IT systems

• January 12, 2022 12 Jan'22

  Extreme transforms Sweden’s Borås Stad into smart city

  Cloud-driven networking company partners with smart technologies provider to transform Swedish municipality into a smart city with secure and reliable public Wi-Fi and simplified network management

• January 12, 2022 12 Jan'22

  4G dominates IoT with more than 60% of all cellular module models

  Internet of things research programme finds 4G represents 60% of the module models catalogued, spanning both high bandwidth and low bandwidth, with 5G lagging currently

• January 11, 2022 11 Jan'22

  EU roaming fee return creates opening for eSIM providers

  Reintroduction of roaming charges by three of four telco giants sees eSIM providers lining up to take advantage

• January 11, 2022 11 Jan'22

  CityFibre gets to work on bringing full-fibre to Cambridgeshire

  Further expansion from network provider will fulfil Fenland District Council’s digital needs, bringing previously unavailable full-fibre connectivity within reach of thousands of homes and businesses

• January 10, 2022 10 Jan'22

  Mavenir, BAI Communications to deliver Sunderland smart city project

  Network software firm enters collaboration with global communications infrastructure provider for smart city project

• January 10, 2022 10 Jan'22

  Qualcomm announces Microsoft collaboration to boost AR in the metaverse

  Mobile chipmaker enters into collaboration with Microsoft to design custom augmented reality chips and integrate software platforms

• January 10, 2022 10 Jan'22

  I-6 F1 satellite begins electrical orbit-raising process

  What is claimed to be the world’s most advanced commercial communications satellite begins its journey to geostationary orbit

• January 10, 2022 10 Jan'22

  Samsung breaks 8Gbps barrier for 5G downloads

  Comms tech provider lays claim to fastest downlink speeds recorded using a single user device during tests based on 5G standalone dual connectivity that aggregates mmWave and mid-band spectrum

• January 10, 2022 10 Jan'22

  Digital Catapult and Formula 1 rev up for 5G

  UK technology provider Digital Catapult and 5G accelerator 5PRING team up with Formula 1 to explore how 5G can elevate the experience of motor racing fans and unlock new commercial opportunities for F1 stakeholders

• January 06, 2022 06 Jan'22

  Qualcomm rides Snapdragon Digital Chassis into auto market

  Chip giant uses CES 2022 to display automotive solutions supported by its Snapdragon portfolio to support automakers in meeting evolving consumer and enterprise demand for a connected, intelligent experience

• January 06, 2022 06 Jan'22

  Wi-Fi 6 Release 2 revealed

  Demand for better connectivity sees Release 2 of next-gen Wi-Fi standards with enhanced support for more upstream activity boosting video conferencing and IoT applications

• January 04, 2022 04 Jan'22

  Nokia expands Ligado collaboration into 4G/LTE, private 5G and furthers Baltics 5G RAN

  Comms tech provider to target enterprise customers with digital automation cloud private networks solution and Ligado’s 3GPP Band 24 nationwide licensed spectrum and will supply 5G RAN technology to Tele2 in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania

• January 04, 2022 04 Jan'22

  Aviva invests further £100m in Truespeed for full-fibre roll-out

  Just after appointing a new CEO, regional UK internet service provider gains £100m worth of funding from Aviva Investors to fast-track ultra-high-speed broadband connectivity

• December 24, 2021 24 Dec'21

  Top 10 networking stories of 2021

  Here are Computer Weekly’s top 10 networking stories of 2021

• December 23, 2021 23 Dec'21

  UK must continue to embrace technological innovation and invest in mobile infrastructure

  Video conferencing and livestreaming over mobile have entered the mainstream, but speed testing finds many users suffer from connectivity issues that prevent them from making full use of these services

• December 23, 2021 23 Dec'21

  UK government reveals next step in plans for gigabit broadband in new-build homes

  Latest part of programme to accelerate gigabit broadband across the UK will see it included in new-build homes

• December 23, 2021 23 Dec'21

  More than 800,000 UK homes switch broadband for first time in 2021

  Survey finds that even though almost one in five UK broadband users have never switched provider, unprecedented numbers are set to migrate for the first time

• December 22, 2021 22 Dec'21

  Data consumption surges in lockdown Britain

  Virgin Media O2 reveals performance data showing 2021 was a record year for data consumption

• December 22, 2021 22 Dec'21

  NEC delivers packet core for NTT DOCOMO 5G SA net, drives Open RAN

  Leading IT and communications technology provider ends 2021 in a flurry, with services for leading Japanese operator’s standalone 5G

• December 22, 2021 22 Dec'21

  Digital Infrastructure gains £100m investment to forge full-fibre roll-out

  ‘New era’ full-fibre network operator obtains nine-figure investment from independent transatlantic investment firm to deliver wholesale, residential and business connectivity

• December 21, 2021 21 Dec'21

  Three, EE agree to provide mobile connectivity across whole London Tube network

  Mobile operators’ deal gives their customers coverage across London Underground with connectivity to ticket halls, platforms and tunnels

• December 21, 2021 21 Dec'21

  Nokia wins five-year sole vendor 5G deal with Elisa Estonia

  Comms tech provider replaces incumbent supplier in enabling Baltic telco to swap out existing 4G network nationwide with 5G AirScale portfolio and develop O-RAN ecosystem

• December 21, 2021 21 Dec'21

  Top 10 telecoms stories of 2021

  Here are Computer Weekly’s top 10 telecoms stories of 2021

• December 21, 2021 21 Dec'21

  UK IT shapes up for hybrid new normal in 2022

  The latest Computer Weekly IT Priorities survey shows that secure connectivity and cloud remain at the core of enterprises’ needs for the foreseeable future

• December 16, 2021 16 Dec'21

  EE to upgrade 4G in more than 2,000 rural UK areas by 2024

  BT-owned UK mobile operator sets out to improve rural connectivity across the UK as part of the Shared Rural Network (SRN) programme, with more than 1,500 upgrades to follow as it invests to reduce partial notspots

• December 16, 2021 16 Dec'21

  5G, fibre flourish in UK in 2021

  Full-fibre broadband is now available to more than eight million homes as roll-out accelerates and ‘decent’ broadband is at highest-ever level

• December 15, 2021 15 Dec'21

  Neos Networks brings high-capacity fibre access to leading UK cities and Oxfordshire

  UK business connectivity provider opens first of four metro access networks to offer last-mile services direct to nearly 10,000 regional businesses and those in the City of London while also announcing rural county expansion plan to connect over 200...

• December 15, 2021 15 Dec'21

  Avaya enhances educational and logistics environments with UCaaS and cloud

  Supply chain leader supports business expansion and supercharges agent retention with cloud comms platform, and enables ‘exceptional’ education experiences for thousands of students with unified comms as a service

• December 14, 2021 14 Dec'21

  Increased Altice BT shareholding fuels UK government jitters

  Significant increase in stakeholdership by potential buyer of UK incumbent telco prompts UK government to warn of potential threat to levelling-up agenda

• December 13, 2021 13 Dec'21

  F1 accelerates into advanced networking

  Networking providers boost UAE circuit’s communications infrastructure and see use in providing leading team with an agile and highly automated network platform across new technology campus

• December 13, 2021 13 Dec'21

  Volvo Car UK deploys Vodafone IoT stolen vehicle tracking technology

  Car manufacturer taps telco to provide 24/7 monitoring of vehicle location using internet-of-things tracking device for all models across the UK and 44 other European countries, working in partnership with local police authorities

• December 10, 2021 10 Dec'21

  More than 50% of UK workers would quit without hybrid work

  Research provides insight into the views of UK workers regarding splitting time between the office and home

• December 09, 2021 09 Dec'21

  CIOs, senior IT management accelerate private 5G network deployment

  Research of more than 200 CIOs and senior executives reveals the acceleration of private 5G networks as organisations look to improve security, reliability and speed

• December 09, 2021 09 Dec'21

  NEXTDC opens edge datacentre on the Sunshine Coast

  NEXTDC’s SC1 facility is the first in a series of edge datacentre sites that will provide low-latency services to regional businesses and global linkages

• December 08, 2021 08 Dec'21

  UK 2G and 3G mobile networks to be switched off by 2033, Open RAN to carry 35% of traffic by 2030

  Latest part of UK government’s £50m package to boost innovation in mobile technology and increase diversity in supply, will see acceleration in Open RAN, with 2G and 3G to be phased out by 2033

• December 07, 2021 07 Dec'21

  Virgin Media O2 completes full gigabit access over entire footprint

  Gigabit speeds now available across UK cableco’s entire network, offering average download speeds of 1.130GMbps supporting hyperfast services

• December 07, 2021 07 Dec'21

  Volkswagen begins 5G private wireless network pilot project

  Private 5G wireless network to support industrial connectivity at the production development centre and pilot hall at car giant’s headquarters plant in Wolfsburg

• December 06, 2021 06 Dec'21

  Network technologies shaping post-Covid global recovery

  Latest round-up ranking world’s most ‘network ready’ markets revealing how countries around the world are using information technologies to emerge from the Covid pandemic and become network ready.

• December 06, 2021 06 Dec'21

  Streaming surges see BT chief call for new net neutrality regulations

  Marc Allera demands action on fairness in internet carriage as Amazon-hosted Premier League football drives new peak in traffic, 12% above previous high

• December 03, 2021 03 Dec'21

  Virgin Money adapts offices to fit flexible and collaborative working

  Virgin Money is repurposing its offices to fit a future where staff will work from home and visit offices to collaborate

• December 02, 2021 02 Dec'21

  AWS throws down the gauntlet in private 5G sector

  Many analysts forecast that 2021 would be the year of private 5G. Now such predictions have received an almost royal seal of approval with the launch of AWS Private 5G

• December 02, 2021 02 Dec'21

  Chipset shortages to put brake on 5G roll-out in 2022

  Research firm reveals telecoms, media and tech trends to watch in 2022, highlighting developments in Metaverse, 5G, gaming and connectivity

• December 02, 2021 02 Dec'21

  Orange Business Services, Wirepas team for IoT smart tracking

  Internet-of-things collaboration will focus on the ability to bring concrete results to businesses, such as saving time, and securing and traceability of assets

• December 01, 2021 01 Dec'21

  Neos Networks completes latest leg in infrastructure expansion

  UK business connectivity provider hits target of 550 unbundled BT exchanges and confirms plans to continue expansion and boost local access networks

• December 01, 2021 01 Dec'21

  Global satellite broadband addressable market to grow to 330 million premises by 2026

  Research warns that even with the proliferation of mobile and fixed broadband access globally, there is still a significant portion of the population that suffers from poor coverage, offering a huge opportunity for satellite comms

• December 01, 2021 01 Dec'21

  Rakuten Mobile and University of Tokyo investigate LEO satellite-based IoT

  Japanese operator and local university begin research and development programme as part of the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology’s Beyond 5G R&D Promotion Project

• November 30, 2021 30 Nov'21

  Satellite and 4G/5G-driven autonomous shuttle hits the road in Oxfordshire

  Darwin Innovation Group is running an autonomous shuttle to transport passengers around Harwell Science and Innovation Campus in a one-year trial funded by UK and European space agencies to demonstrate how self-driving vehicles operate in a ...

• November 30, 2021 30 Nov'21

  5G becomes the fastest-deployed mobile generation to date

  Tenth anniversary edition of in-depth study of mobile market reveals 5.5 billion additional smartphone users since 2011 and 4.4 billion 5G subscriptions forecast by the end of 2027

• November 30, 2021 30 Nov'21

  Rapidly changing hybrid workforce sees IT departments struggle to keep up

  Research finds faulty technology is leaving businesses ill-equipped to support the future of working, warning that tech-savvy workers will expect more from their employers

• November 29, 2021 29 Nov'21

  5G to the fore in five-year Ooredoo-Nokia strategic agreement

  Multi-country strategic deal sees Nokia supply telco with technologies including 5G, RAN, Core, Optics, IP and microwave across Middle East, North Africa and Southeast Asia

• November 29, 2021 29 Nov'21

  Porsche revs up for private 5G in production

  Leading sports car manufacturer enters into research partnership with Ericsson to take advantage of 5G networks to accelerate production capabilities at manufacturing production complex

• November 29, 2021 29 Nov'21

  Singapore telcos get more 5G spectrum

  Singtel, M1-StarHub and TPG will be getting 2.1GHz spectrum to support the growth of 5G services in the city-state

• November 26, 2021 26 Nov'21

  Nokia strikes gold in Lapland with 5G private wireless network

  Comms tech provider implements private network at gold mine, reaching depths of up to 1km to connect people, equipment, sensors, devices and vehicles

• November 26, 2021 26 Nov'21

  Ericsson, Telstra claim 5G industry first deployment with spectrum sharing

  Comms tech provider teams with Australian operator for first successful deployment of spectrum sharing to simplify the management and evolution of multiple generations of technology on base station sites, enabling expanded 5G coverage

• November 26, 2021 26 Nov'21

  VMware, Mitacs set sights on discovering sustainable path for 6G

  Partnership will drive applied research with Canadian universities in the areas of sustainable grid, digital equity and clean tech involving 6G

• November 26, 2021 26 Nov'21

  Vodafone announces trial of self-powered mobile masts

  Operator says self-powered masts could enable new sites to be built in the most remote parts of the UK without the major challenge and cost of connecting to the electricity grid

• November 25, 2021 25 Nov'21

  CityFibre launches first 800Gbps infrastructure backbone ring

  UK’s largest independent network provider announces 800Gbps ring, launched in collaboration with Ciena, to serve 23 cities and six ‘super core’ sites as part of a multi-terabit, national backbone project

• November 24, 2021 24 Nov'21

  Connectivity issues disrupting most businesses’ IoT roll-outs

  Research commissioned by mobile satellite communications provider finds that in the face of significant momentum in uptake of IoT since the pandemic outbreak, poor or unreliable connectivity is a seen as a typical gating factor in deployment projects

• November 24, 2021 24 Nov'21

  Global IoT roaming data traffic to reach 650PB in 2026

  Study from Kaleido Intelligence finds that likely supply chain concerns are considered as no deterrent to a surge in global mobile and internet of things roaming activity over the next five years

• November 24, 2021 24 Nov'21

  Zoom boom rolls on over to Q3 2021

  Partial return to the office fails to stop momentum of breakout collaboration technology giant in the third quarter of 2021

• November 23, 2021 23 Nov'21

  Hyperscalers top telcos in private network stakes

  Research identifies cloud providers as first port of call for enterprises looking to deploy and gain benefits from private mobile networks, with Microsoft named top innovator ahead of AT&T and Deutsche Telekom

• November 23, 2021 23 Nov'21

  Mid-band dominates 5G in emerging markets

  Research highlights importance of mobile operators taking advantage of globally harmonised spectrum bands and economies of scale for 5G

• November 23, 2021 23 Nov'21

  Ericsson boosts business play with $6.2bn Vonage acquisition

  Acquisition of IP communications provider expands Ericsson’s presence in wireless enterprise and broadens its global offerings, creating a global network and communication platform for open innovation

• November 23, 2021 23 Nov'21

  Four-day week introduced for staff at digital bank

  UK’s Atom Bank brings in four-day working week for employees with no salary reduction

• November 23, 2021 23 Nov'21

  FTTH Council Europe calls on policymakers for measures to reap full-fibre rewards

  Industry organisation with a mission to advance ubiquitous full-fibre connectivity across Europe welcomes publication of the European Commission’s latest ‘Digital economy and society index’ and calls for demand-side measures to boost take-up of ...

• November 22, 2021 22 Nov'21

  Mobile trade-in programmes are key driver in stimulating 5G smartphone upgrades

  Mobile device tracker for third quarter of 2021 shows continued year-on-year market growth, with new 5G smartphone launches and trade-in promotions contributing to growth of mobile trade-in and upgrade programmes

• November 22, 2021 22 Nov'21

  Global broadband speed clipping rockets over past 18 months

  Research shows broadband speed clipping is rising sharply, with many subscribers hitting upper speed limits

• November 19, 2021 19 Nov'21

  Nokia’s private LTE chosen by Bahrain’s Electricity and Water Authority

  Nokia strikes further deal for private network infrastructure, helping leading MENA utilities company modernise its grids

• November 18, 2021 18 Nov'21

  Leading telcos urge Europe to act now to build Open RAN ecosystem

  Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Telecom Italia, Telefónica and Vodafone issue five-point clarion call for building an Open RAN ecosystem for Europe to ensure that the continent continues to play a leading role in 5G and, eventually, 6G

• November 18, 2021 18 Nov'21

  UK government enshrines law to strip out ‘high-risk’ suppliers’ tech from networks

  UK Telecommunications (Security) Act receives Royal Assent, mandating stronger legal duties on telecoms firms to protect the UK’s networks and giving the government new powers to control use of high-risk suppliers

• November 18, 2021 18 Nov'21

  Openreach hits six million homes with full-fibre reach

  BT broadband provision division says full-fibre broadband roll-out programme is on track to reach 25 million premises by December 2026

• November 17, 2021 17 Nov'21

  Qualcomm extends collaboration with BMW on automated driving systems

  Tech giant drives into huge deal with automotive group to develop next generation of autonomous driving and driver-assistance systems

• November 17, 2021 17 Nov'21

  WBA, TIP team to bring open AFC for Wi-Fi in 6GHz unlicensed band 

  Infrastructure solutions community driving global connectivity joins forces with Wi-Fi alliance to spur adoption of 6GHz Wi-Fi and enable better user experience

• November 17, 2021 17 Nov'21

  Increased 5G availability sees working from home mean working from phone for 24 million

  Research finds that more than eight million workers who have bought a 5G-capable smartphone since the start of the pandemic are a key driver of the switch to mobile data

• November 17, 2021 17 Nov'21

  Ericsson launches Intelligent Automation Platform for smarter networks

  Comms tech provider looks to bring scalability, performance and operations simplicity to mobile networks, including purpose-built and Open RAN

• November 17, 2021 17 Nov'21

  Orange Business Services powers Safran with smart-tracking IoT

  Telco deploys more than 15,000 trackers and 250 antennas at two aircraft engine production sites in France to remotely locate and manage tools and equipment in real time

• November 16, 2021 16 Nov'21

  National Infrastructure Commission pinpoints strategic gaps in UK infrastructure planning 

  UK infrastructure assessment stresses it remains critical for health of country that gigabit broadband is effectively rolled out to rural areas and towns to ensure genuinely universal provision

• November 16, 2021 16 Nov'21

  Vodafone claims solid half-year

  Hot on the heels of signing a contract with City Fibre to gain UK fibre leadership, leading European comms operator’s results for the first six months of 2021 shows sustainable growth in both Europe and Africa