News
Telecoms networks and broadband communications
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August 01, 2018
01
Aug'18
Consumers spend less cash on connectivity, but more time online
The total amount of money consumers are spending on fixed and mobile connectivity services has fallen for the first time in five years
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July 31, 2018
31
Jul'18
Comms providers may be forced to notify out-of-contract users
Providers of landline, broadband, TV and mobile services will have to notify their customers when they approach the end of their minimum contract period under proposed new rules
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July 31, 2018
31
Jul'18
3 Hong Kong gears up for 5G with “epic” transformation
The Hong Kong telco is putting in an advanced technical architecture that will streamline and automate internal processes and IT as it prepares for the 5G era
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July 27, 2018
27
Jul'18
Openreach doubles down on full-fibre broadband roll-out
In its first annual review since splitting from BT, Openreach has recommitted to its targets for full-fibre broadband
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July 27, 2018
27
Jul'18
BT bounces back in strong first quarter
After a run of bad news, there were some bright spots in BT’s first quarter financial results
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July 26, 2018
26
Jul'18
O2 canvasses support from UK Plc to build case for 5G
O2 CEO Mark Evans is writing to every FTSE 100 boss in the UK seeking to build consensus around 5G use cases, and drum up support for investment
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July 25, 2018
25
Jul'18
Vodafone sales tick down on new reporting rules
Quarterly sales at mobile operator Vodafone dipped thanks to the impact of new reporting standards and foreign exchange headwinds
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July 24, 2018
24
Jul'18
Ofcom proposes regulatory changes to support broadband investment
Following the recommendations of the government’s Future Telecoms Infrastructure Review, regulator Ofcom has proposed a package of measures to better support investment in full-fibre broadband
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July 24, 2018
24
Jul'18
Openreach to cut wholesale broadband costs for CSP customers
Openreach plans to introduce wide-ranging cuts to FTTC and FTTP wholesale prices to get other providers to upgrade their users to faster broadband
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July 23, 2018
23
Jul'18
BDUK has £200m to kick-start rural full-fibre network build
Government plans to use money from the BDUK superfast broadband programme to drive the roll-out of full-fibre broadband to underserved rural areas
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July 23, 2018
23
Jul'18
Full-fibre broadband for all to cost £30bn
The government has released its Future Telecoms Infrastructure Review, setting the stage for the national roll-out of a full-fibre broadband network
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July 20, 2018
20
Jul'18
Confusion reigns over value of 5G, says report
An Analysys Mason report commissioned by the Broadband Stakeholder Group has highlighted some of the challenges facing the deployment of 5G mobile networks in the UK
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July 20, 2018
20
Jul'18
Cisco and UCL to open AI research unit in $100m digital economy boost
Cisco has extended its ongoing Country Digital Acceleration programme in the UK with a further $100m investment, part of which will go towards a new AI research centre
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July 19, 2018
19
Jul'18
Digital consortium aims to develop digital inclusion project
A consortium of firms has come together to develop a project involving technology and local government partnerships to promote digital inclusion for those who are not digitally capable
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July 19, 2018
19
Jul'18
Orange starts 5G tests in Paris
After successful trials in Romania, Orange begins testing 5G use cases in its home country
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July 17, 2018
17
Jul'18
Spectrum costs hit the world’s poorest hardest
The inflated cost of radio spectrum to support mobile network roll-out is harming the economic and social welfare of billions of the world’s poorest people, says the GSMA
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July 17, 2018
17
Jul'18
Kcom secures second aggregate HSCN contract
Network services provider Kcom will supply broadband connectivity over the Health and Social Care Network to 10 health organisations in the north-east of England
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July 15, 2018
15
Jul'18
A quarter of Brits think they already have full-fibre broadband
CityFibre research commissioned to support its campaign for more clarity in broadband advertising appears to show widespread misunderstanding of what fibre is or what it means
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July 10, 2018
10
Jul'18
NIC calls for nationwide broadband plan
The National Infrastructure Commission has called for a national broadband plan to support full-fibre roll-out
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July 09, 2018
09
Jul'18
UK slips down broadband speed league table
Although average broadband speeds in the UK have improved in the past year, other countries are moving faster, according to new data from comparison site Cable.co.uk
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July 09, 2018
09
Jul'18
Superbike team adds managed UC to support racers
Crescent Racing, Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team has enhanced its existing relationship with MSP GCI to include new unified comms and Skype for Business elements
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July 09, 2018
09
Jul'18
Three chooses SSE for 5G fibre backhaul
SSE Enterprise Telecoms will connect Three’s mobile network into BT’s local telephone exchanges as the mobile operator ramps up its preparation for 5G
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July 09, 2018
09
Jul'18
London NHS organisations pick Kcom for HSCN
Network services supplier Kcom has been named as the preferred bidder for the Once for London Health and Social Care Network contract
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July 05, 2018
05
Jul'18
Ofcom lays out plan for UK fixed wireless networks
Telecoms regulator has set out a wide-ranging plan covering the roll-out of fixed wireless access networks in the UK to support national connectivity and other uses
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July 05, 2018
05
Jul'18
Australian startups team up to keep wind turbines humming
Using acoustic sensors and nanosatellite connectivity, two Australian startups hope to identify potential turbine problems before they occur to secure the country’s wind energy
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July 04, 2018
04
Jul'18
Slow broadband fuels a post-Brexit storm for rural communities
Lack of access to reliable broadband and mobile networks threatens rural livelihoods after Brexit, according to a Local Government Association report
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July 04, 2018
04
Jul'18
Industry bets on fixed wireless access for first 5G deployments
Separate tests in Romania and the UK have been demonstrating the potential of fixed wireless access as a component of 5G
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July 04, 2018
04
Jul'18
Software firm Clevermed enhances NHS user experience on Health and Social Care Network
Clevermed, a supplier of maternity and neonatal care record software to the NHS, reveals how users are benefiting after it switched to the new Health and Social Care Network
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June 29, 2018
29
Jun'18
Home Office criticised over ESN review progress
In an appearance before the Public Accounts Committee, Home Office permanent secretary Philip Rutnam defended the progress of the ESN project review
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June 29, 2018
29
Jun'18
Openreach starts full-fibre roll-out in Exeter
Network builder Openreach adds Exeter to its Fibre First FTTP broadband roll-out
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June 27, 2018
27
Jun'18
Brent Council tenants to receive full-fibre broadband service
Borough-wide FTTP broadband roll-out could address up to 100,000 homes and businesses in North London
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June 26, 2018
26
Jun'18
SSE Enterprise Telecoms bids to solve UK’s backhaul problem
By layering Infinera technology over its existing network, SSE Enterprise Telecoms plans to deliver what it refers to as a ‘dark fibre-like’ access product for communications services providers
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June 25, 2018
25
Jun'18
Openreach extends Gfast broadband roll-out
Openreach commits to rolling out Gfast broadband services to 59 new locations in the next phase of its ultrafast deployment plan
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June 25, 2018
25
Jun'18
Mobile spectrum sharing is vital for UK 5G roll-out, says report
A report commissioned by independent network builders’ body Inca has warned that current approaches to how spectrum is apportioned are leaving vast amounts unused, and this needs to change
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June 22, 2018
22
Jun'18
How Australia is gearing up for 5G
From trialling 5G networks at the recent Commonwealth Games to flying drones in surf sport lifesaving, Australia is becoming a test bed for 5G services with its dense cities and wide-open spaces
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June 22, 2018
22
Jun'18
SME provider takes on Cambridgeshire public sector network contract
Managed network services provider MLL Telecom has been awarded the EastNet contract to run WAN services across Cambridgeshire, replacing a legacy Virgin Media Network
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June 21, 2018
21
Jun'18
M1, Huawei to transmit VR content in 5G live trial
Mobile operator M1 and Huawei will be streaming virtual reality content in Singapore’s first 5G live trial in June
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June 20, 2018
20
Jun'18
Vodafone to start 5G trials this autumn
MNO announces 5G trials in seven UK cities, with new mobile network infrastructure to be rolled out from October
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June 20, 2018
20
Jun'18
Mobile operators appeal for dark fibre access to back 5G
O2, Three and Vodafone unite in calling for more to be done to open up dark fibre networks to supply desperately needed capacity for their future 5G networks
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June 19, 2018
19
Jun'18
Government’s broadband service obligation derided by industry
As Ofcom starts the process of finding a provider willing to step up to manage the government’s 10Mbps broadband universal service obligation, the project has been derided by network builders and stakeholders alike
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June 19, 2018
19
Jun'18
CIO interview: Michael Cole, European Tour and Ryder Cup
Michael Cole, chief technology officer at the European Tour and Ryder Cup, discusses how he is helping the sport of golf broaden its appeal through his “connected course” digital transformation vision
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June 14, 2018
14
Jun'18
Ofcom satisfied with progress on BT Openreach split
Ofcom has published its first annual report on the legal separation of BT and Openreach, and said it is broadly satisfied with progress to date, despite hiccups relating to the BT pension scheme
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June 12, 2018
12
Jun'18
Mayor Khan bids to make London the world’s smartest city
At London Tech Week, mayor Sadiq Khan launched a city-wide initiative to harness the capital’s technology talent to address London’s most pressing problems
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June 12, 2018
12
Jun'18
CityFibre wins key decision in fake fibre case
CityFibre has been granted permission to proceed with a judicial review of the ASA’s November 2017 decision about the use of the term fibre in broadband ads
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June 10, 2018
10
Jun'18
Singapore government to regulate eSIM technology
The government is gathering feedback on key proposals such as forbidding telcos to lock embedded SIM-enabled devices to their networks
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June 08, 2018
08
Jun'18
BT’s Gavin Patterson quits under shareholder pressure
Patterson’s resignation comes just weeks after he announced 13,000 redundancies across BT
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June 07, 2018
07
Jun'18
Newcastle Council to show off smartest street in Britain
The Great Exhibition of the North will see Mosley Street in Newcastle upon Tyne transformed into Britain’s smartest street as part of a demonstration of IoT technology
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June 07, 2018
07
Jun'18
5G transformative for UK plc, but potential impacts still vague
5G mobile technology looks set to transform the UK economy for the better, but the immaturity of the technology and lack of standards makes its true impact harder to judge, according to a report by Deloitte
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June 06, 2018
06
Jun'18
EE confirms October 2018 UK launch date for first 5G live trials
Mobile operator outlines plans to test its 5G network within London’s Tech City startup hub, as its push to become the UK’s first to market with the technology gathers pace
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June 01, 2018
01
Jun'18
Ethical hacker, 86, rises to Santander’s challenge
Elderly hacker with little computing experience was able to hack WiFi and create phishing attack
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May 25, 2018
25
May'18
Former Macedonian PM convicted in corruption case exposed by illegal government surveillance
Information exposed by leaked recordings that were part an illegal mass surveillance campaign orchestrated under the government of former prime minster Nikola Gruevski have led to his conviction for corruption. He was found guilty of rigging a ...
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May 23, 2018
23
May'18
Government pledges full-fibre broadband for all by 2033
In a speech to the CBI, chancellor Philip Hammond pledges to build a nationwide FTTP network by 2033
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May 22, 2018
22
May'18
Qualcomm and Facebook working on FWA broadband
Qualcomm is to integrate a number of its chipsets with Facebook’s Terragraph technology to build fixed wireless access broadband solutions for urban areas
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May 21, 2018
21
May'18
Openreach launches Scottish fibre training school
Openreach has launched its Scottish engineering school in Livingston as it prepares to train 400 new broadband specialists to run its full-fibre roll-out
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May 18, 2018
18
May'18
Three ditches 3G mobile phones
Three has become the first of the big four UK mobile operators to stop selling 3G mobile devices
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May 18, 2018
18
May'18
GDS seeks advice on migration from Public Services Network
The Government Digital Service has started the process of moving public sector organisations away from the Public Services Network
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May 16, 2018
16
May'18
BT and EE to converge fibre broadband, 4G networks
BT’s consumer unit has launched a network convergence strategy designed to make the most of its national fibre and 4G network assets
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May 15, 2018
15
May'18
Vodafone CEO Colao steps down
Long-serving Vodafone CEO Vittorio Colao will step down in October after just over a decade in charge
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May 15, 2018
15
May'18
Openreach starts countdown to the end of analogue phone services
Openreach has started a consultation on the future of telephony services as its parent signals plans to switch off analogue PSTN phone services in seven years' time
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May 14, 2018
14
May'18
MPs demand 4G mobile network coverage obligation for rural areas
The Rural Business All-Party Parliamentary Group has written to Matt Hancock calling for the government to put legally binding targets in place for 4G mobile network coverage
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May 11, 2018
11
May'18
KCOM picks Amdocs to enhance network transition
East Yorkshire and Humberside’s incumbent telco to implement new service delivery platform as it upgrades its network
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May 10, 2018
10
May'18
Connectivity problem hits thousands of Post Office branches
Post Office branches unable to connect to Horizon computer system for several hours after morning opening time
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May 10, 2018
10
May'18
BT to shut London HQ and cut 13,000 jobs
Another round of cuts comes as BT struggles to reposition itself for sustainable long-term growth
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May 09, 2018
09
May'18
Vodafone becomes largest next-gen broadband player in Europe
Vodafone has acquired the operations of Virgin Media parent Liberty Global in four European markets, giving it access to 110 million homes and businesses
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May 08, 2018
08
May'18
Virtual tripwire to keep elephant poachers out of Zambian national park
Cisco and Dimension Data are working to protect Zambia’s at-risk elephant population after a successful pilot project in South Africa
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May 03, 2018
03
May'18
Fibre network breakthrough has implications for data security
Researchers have devised a new protocol that they claim vastly extends the range of quantum key distribution over fibre networks
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May 03, 2018
03
May'18
TalkTalk worst for broadband customer satisfaction
Ofcom has released statistics on communications service provider customer service metrics, and TalkTalk does not come out of it well
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May 01, 2018
01
May'18
Gulf Cooperation Council smart city initiatives garner momentum
The Middle East is a hotbed for smart city developments, with activities in the region maturing and adapting to what citizens want
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May 01, 2018
01
May'18
Three starts to prepare core network for 5G
Mobile operator Three has enlisted SSE Enterprise Telecoms to bring 20 core datacentres on-net as it prepares to start rolling out 5G
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May 01, 2018
01
May'18
Bristol’s historic bridge pressed into service for rural broadband
Gigaclear is running cables underneath Bristol’s historic Clifton Suspension Bridge to bring ultrafast full-fibre services to forgotten communities
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April 30, 2018
30
Apr'18
Over a million homes can now access FTTP, says Ofcom
Access to viable broadband services continues to improve across the UK, according to Ofcom
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April 30, 2018
30
Apr'18
Yorkshire and Humber region awards HSCN contract to Redcentric
Network services provider Redcentric wins the first major regional Health and Social Care Network contract as procurements around England gather pace
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April 30, 2018
30
Apr'18
Even the smallest of Dutch towns are becoming smart
An increasing number of Dutch towns and cities use street sensors and big data to tackle societal problems. From smart lighting to artificial intelligence that spots violent behaviour in surveillance footage, smart technology is booming in the ...
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April 27, 2018
27
Apr'18
BT risks ‘fading away’ in full-fibre future, says Ofcom CEO
BT risks being consigned to the dustbin of failed tech companies if it messes up the transition to full-fibre broadband networks, says Ofcom CEO Sharon White
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April 26, 2018
26
Apr'18
O2 reveals plans for new 4G mobile spectrum
O2 has already turned on 100 new mobile sites since winning big in the Ofcom spectrum auction, and hopes to activate 900 more this year
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April 26, 2018
26
Apr'18
NCSC shows support for common standards for secure communication
The UK cyber security authority is supporting an industry drive towards common standards for secure communication by joining an industry organisation that aims to achieve this goal
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April 24, 2018
24
Apr'18
Full-fibre broadband specialist CityFibre acquired for £538m
Full-fibre broadband specialist CityFibre is to be bought by a Goldman Sachs-backed consortium as it seeks more cash to fulfil its expansion plans
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April 24, 2018
24
Apr'18
Unified communications supplier Mitel bought by VCs
Unified communications and networking technology supplier Mitel is to be acquired by affiliates of Searchlight Capital Partners for $2bn
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April 24, 2018
24
Apr'18
Vodafone CityFibre broadband venture gathers pace
Residents of four more cities – Coventry, Edinburgh, Huddersfield and Stirling – will be hooked up to the ultrafast full-fibre broadband service in the coming months
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April 23, 2018
23
Apr'18
Community Fibre gets £25m to fund broadband in London
Broadband supplier receives backing from the National Digital Infrastructure Fund to bring full-fibre services to 100,000 more properties across London
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April 18, 2018
18
Apr'18
BT to supply European air navigation network
BT has been selected to provide the upgraded air traffic management network across Europe
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April 18, 2018
18
Apr'18
Twilio offers IoT developers programmable mobile connectivity
Developers of internet of things applications and devices will be able to use the Twilio Programmable Wireless mobile communications platform to build mobile connectivity into their services
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April 17, 2018
17
Apr'18
Huawei invests in 5G mobile networks, but eases back on the hype
Telecoms supplier Huawei has been updating the industry on its 5G vision at its annual Analyst Summit in Shenzhen, China, but shied away from making bold predictions
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April 17, 2018
17
Apr'18
Huawei wants to unlock ASEAN’s digital potential
The Chinese technology supplier is working with communications service providers such as Converge in the Philippines to bolster their networks to support new digital services
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April 12, 2018
12
Apr'18
O2 and Arqiva begin small cell roll-out in London
Mobile operator will use small cells to boost 4G mobile network data capacity in busy areas, such as around stations
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April 05, 2018
05
Apr'18
5G mobile spectrum auction raises £1.3bn
The principal bidding stage in Ofcom’s latest mobile network spectrum auction has concluded, raising more than £1bn for the Treasury
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April 04, 2018
04
Apr'18
LGA proposes full-fibre broadband kitemark for homebuyers
The Local Government Association has urged housing developers to adopt proposals for a fibre-to-the-premises broadband kitemark for new-build homes in rural areas
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March 28, 2018
28
Mar'18
Government sets deadline for affordable 10Mbps broadband
Ofcom set the task of implementing the rules that ensure everyone in the UK can access affordable high-speed broadband by 2020
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March 26, 2018
26
Mar'18
Swedish industry contributes to 5G evolution
Swedish industrial companies have played a role in the development of Ericsson’s 5G services in the country
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March 23, 2018
23
Mar'18
Scottish village rolls out FTTP broadband at half normal cost
Residents of the remote village of Balquhidder in Stirlingshire have banded together to roll out a full-fibre broadband network at just half the cost of a normal fibre network build
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March 22, 2018
22
Mar'18
Colt pioneers blockchain in telco voice wholesaling
Colt Technology Services and Hong Kong Telecom’s international unit PCCW Global teamed up to trial the use of blockchain in wholesale voice settlements
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March 22, 2018
22
Mar'18
Canadian broadband expertise speeds Gigaclear fibre dig
Rural broadband provider Gigaclear has enlisted Canadian firm Lite Access Technology to assist in the roll-out of full-fibre services to 10,000 properties in Oxfordshire
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March 22, 2018
22
Mar'18
CityFibre consumer broadband collaboration hits Peterborough
CityFibre is returning to one of its earliest Gigabit City projects with Vodafone in tow to upgrade thousands of homes in Peterborough to gigabit-capable full-fibre broadband
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March 22, 2018
22
Mar'18
Uber autonomous vehicle death raises questions for UK law review
Uber suspended testing of autonomous vehicles in North America after one of its cars struck and killed a pedestrian this week, and the tragic accident raises big questions in the light of the UK’s ongoing legal review of self-driving cars
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March 21, 2018
21
Mar'18
Train leasing firm demos mobile edge computing for smart trains
Rolling stock leasing company Angel Trains is demonstrating edge computing over a wireless mesh network to make life easier for its customers’ on-board staff
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March 20, 2018
20
Mar'18
Case study: Stationery firm gets things moving with FTTP broadband voucher
Nuco, a Midlands-based supplier of paper and stationery products, has improved its business agility and is moving its IT into the cloud thanks to the government’s full-fibre broadband connection voucher scheme
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March 20, 2018
20
Mar'18
Ofcom opens 5G spectrum auction
Ofcom has opened the bidding in the auction of spectrum to support 4G and 5G mobile networks
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March 19, 2018
19
Mar'18
Gatwick Airport turns to driverless tech to keep staff moving
Gatwick Airport plans to trial driverless technology to move staff around the airfield, in the hope of creating an Uber-like service to cut costs and emissions
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March 19, 2018
19
Mar'18
Southwark brings full-fibre broadband to council estates
London’s Southwark Council has enlisted Hyperoptic to deliver FTTP broadband services across its housing portfolio
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March 16, 2018
16
Mar'18
Ofcom sets out 5G spectrum auction process
Regulator has given details of the two-stage 5G mobile network spectrum auction process that will begin next week