News

Smartphone technology

• August 13, 2020 13 Aug'20

  UK government redesigns contact-tracing app and begins new trial phase

  No official launch, but app is upgraded to offer alerts based on postcode, QR check-in at venues, symptom checker and test booking in conjunction with the official Test and Trace programme

• August 11, 2020 11 Aug'20

  PCCW Global and Sure Universal team up for home-based medical IoT

  Leading IoT software and platform developer teams with Hong Kong telco to offer global network of connected solutions for medical care from home, providing a customisable platform and interface to deliver global connectivity, simplify device ...

• August 11, 2020 11 Aug'20

  French data protection authorities to probe TikTok as suitors circle

  France’s CNIL has confirmed a new investigation into TikTok’s data protection practices

• August 11, 2020 11 Aug'20

  Hospitality sector is failing on contact-tracing obligations

  Cyber security experts urge the government to do more to help small hospitality businesses improve their contact-tracing data-handling practices

• August 10, 2020 10 Aug'20

  EE expands emergency services network to 500th site

  BT-owned UK operator announces milestone for emergency services network as it accelerates its strategy towards bringing 4G to more places across the country, particularly rural communities

• August 10, 2020 10 Aug'20

  Poor connectivity sees home workers lose over half an hour of work a day

  Business leaders reveal pressure of new normal with research revealing four-fifths of home workers experiencing unreliable internet connection while working from home, and nearly half having slow and/or unreliable internet connection

• August 07, 2020 07 Aug'20

  Isle of Wight trial shows positive effect of contact-tracing app, but data privacy body slams UK

  Rare piece of good news for long-awaited but much-criticised mobile app as technical conference highlights the positive outcomes for first large public test of coronavirus contact-tracing service

• August 07, 2020 07 Aug'20

  TikTok to be banned in US in 45 days

  Trump says his Executive Orders against Chinese mobile apps are in the interests of dealing with a national emergency

• August 06, 2020 06 Aug'20

  Qualcomm chip vulnerability puts millions of phones at risk

  Qualcomm has patched multiple vulnerabilities in its chip hardware that left hundreds of millions of smartphones open to compromise by malicious actors

• August 06, 2020 06 Aug'20

  Samsung and Microsoft extend Windows and Office 365 integration

  Samsung fleshes out OneDrive, Outlook and OneNote integration. Microsoft offers Link to Windows, to extend phones to Windows 10 PCs

• August 05, 2020 05 Aug'20

  Centrica calls on Vodafone 5G tech to assist delivery of gas storage facility

  Gas supplier aims to address 1970s problems at Easington storage terminal with 21st century private 5G mobile network solution

• August 05, 2020 05 Aug'20

  Brits, terrified of impact of second Covid-19 wave on finances, turn to money management apps

  People are using apps to help them manage their money amid fears of a second coronavirus lockdown in the UK

• August 05, 2020 05 Aug'20

  Covid collapses secondary smartphone sales but trade-in values increase

  $225 million returned to US mobile device consumers in Q2 2020, down by 50% compared with the same quarter last year, however US consumers see 9% increase in the value of their older devices

• August 05, 2020 05 Aug'20

  Inside Juniper’s radical IT transformation

  Western Australia’s aged care provider Juniper embarked on an aggressive strategy to completely transform its IT operations in just two years

• August 04, 2020 04 Aug'20

  Google links with eight US banks for current accounts

  Tech giant works with banks to layer digital services on top of secure and regulated banking infrastructures

• August 04, 2020 04 Aug'20

  Liverpool scores win with 5G health and social care project

  Quality of Mersey is not strained in mobile health communications solutions, with a further £4.3m for 5G-based health and social care innovation to provide safe, free and accessible connectivity to services including health, social care and education

• August 03, 2020 03 Aug'20

  BT launches drive to support UK SMEs

  Small Business Support Scheme will help country’s 5.8 million small businesses boost connectivity, cashflow and confidence following coronavirus pandemic

• August 03, 2020 03 Aug'20

  Apple smashes sales in third quarter, outpaces rivals in growth

  iPhone SE and iPhone 11 sales contribute to record June quarter as Apple defies expectations in first true half of the year

• July 31, 2020 31 Jul'20

  VMware completes participation in UK contact-tracing app development

  The day after UK government announced that its long-awaited and controversial contact-tracing application would be available ‘shortly’, VMware revealed it has completed its role in the development

• July 31, 2020 31 Jul'20

  UK contact-tracing app to be launched ‘shortly’ as Northern Ireland deploys service

  Launch imminent for long-awaited and controversial mobile application described as ‘cherry on the cake’ of UK’s Covid-19 test and trace strategy

• July 30, 2020 30 Jul'20

  EE attains leadership in UK mobile network performance in first half of 2020

  As the way in which people use networks has dramatically changed over the course of the Covid-19 pandemic, 5G is changing the game in UK mobile, research has found

• July 28, 2020 28 Jul'20

  Garmin may have paid hackers ransom, reports suggest

  Garmin’s services are coming back online, but the company remains tight-lipped about what exactly happened to it

• July 28, 2020 28 Jul'20

  Global telco 5G network infrastructure spending set to almost double in 2020

  Research firm finds investments in next-generation networks will reach just over one-fifth of total wireless infrastructure spend

• July 28, 2020 28 Jul'20

  UK government aims fintech industry at Africa

  UK government is building fintech relationships with developing countries, beginning with a pilot programme in Africa

• July 28, 2020 28 Jul'20

  Ofcom to free up additional spectrum for wireless services

  Regulator takes steps to boost home network users who are now in their home offices and will be there for a considerable period of time

• July 27, 2020 27 Jul'20

  UK fintech investment down by more than 30%

  Less-established fintechs have been hit the hardest by the drop in investment capital, but there is light ahead for those that survive

• July 22, 2020 22 Jul'20

  New opportunities for Nordic startups post-Covid-19 as virtual offices become the norm

  As companies adjust to digital office life in the pandemic era, a host of Nordic startups are already helping them convert these short-term fixes into long-term strategy

• July 21, 2020 21 Jul'20

  Why now could be the right time to launch a digital bank

  Launching a bank during a global crisis is fraught with risk, but an established customer base, experience, agility and diversification could help Zopa do just that

• July 20, 2020 20 Jul'20

  Ericsson calls for Europe to ramp up 5G as it wins SoftBank cloud dual-mode core contract

  Cloud-native, dual-mode 5G core will provide container-based microservice architecture to help Japanese operator develop new business models

• July 20, 2020 20 Jul'20

  India’s Jio Platforms eyes global 5G opportunity

  Indian mobile network operator Jio Platforms has built a 5G solution that will meet domestic and global demand for 5G services

• July 17, 2020 17 Jul'20

  UK’s first 5G accelerator gains speed

  UK 5G testbed springs into life with 12 hours of content in a virtual event lasting over two days, offering business-orientated training programme to show the benefits the technology can bring to enterprises

• July 17, 2020 17 Jul'20

  Nordic CIO interview: Brede Nielsen, Avinor

  The Covid-19 pandemic put Avinor’s IT head at the centre of the airport operator's response

• July 14, 2020 14 Jul'20

  Huawei technology banned from UK national comms infrastructure

  After NCSC advice, and accepting billions in cost and a significant delay to 5G roll-out, UK government takes decision to remove so-called high-risk tech supplier’s 5G products from mobile network, and begins assessment of risk to fixed fibre nets

• July 14, 2020 14 Jul'20

  Nokia claims readiness to enable 5G transition ‘seamlessly’

  Software upgrade claimed to offer ‘seamless’ transition for installed 4G/LTE technology to 5G infrastructure, avoiding the need for tower climbs enabling immediate enablement of next-generation networks

• July 13, 2020 13 Jul'20

  Consistent trust gap in contact-tracing apps in US, Europe

  Survey of more than 16,000 users in the US, UK, France, Germany, Italy and Spain about mobile applications for Covid-19 tracking reveals global consensus that user trust needs to be rebuilt by giving citizens choice and control

• July 09, 2020 09 Jul'20

  HSBC customers targeted in new smishing scam

  SMS phishing scam is targeting HSBC customers in the UK to trick them into handing over their bank account details

• July 09, 2020 09 Jul'20

  Zoom Cloud Meetings grabs mobile market as mobile app usage soars in second quarter

  April 2020 sees a monthly all-time high of over 200 billion hours spent using mobile apps worldwide, with video-conferencing continuing its impressive run

• July 09, 2020 09 Jul'20

  More Joker malware apps chucked off Google Play Store

  Infamous Joker billing fraud malware continues to sneak past Google’s security controls

• July 09, 2020 09 Jul'20

  Huawei warns ban would cause ‘huge damage’ to UK digital economy

  On the eve of what are predicted to be swingeing limitations – if not an outright ban – on its products from UK, the Chinese communications technology supplier highlights how far its technology is embedded in national infrastructure

• July 08, 2020 08 Jul'20

  World’s first 5G eSIM service goes live

  Virtual SIM card plan claims to offer pathway to connect users instantly to the world’s fastest mobile network in select countries worldwide

• July 08, 2020 08 Jul'20

  Use of spyware apps linked to domestic abuse soars in lockdown

  The rise in domestic violence during the pandemic has been linked to increase use of stalkerware apps by abusers

• July 07, 2020 07 Jul'20

  Nokia accelerates Open RAN availability with performance, security enhancements

  Leading communications technology supplier announces update in open radio access network solutions to support more rapid development of open innovation ecosystem and telecom supply chain

• July 07, 2020 07 Jul'20

  UK contact-tracing app development leaders fail to reveal launch date

  Described as not being a silver bullet on its own, the UK’s contact-tracing app is also a silver bullet that won’t be fired any time soon, as leaders of development project struggle to convince Lords committee of progress to date

• July 06, 2020 06 Jul'20

  Vodafone claims UK standalone 5G first

  UK operator says standalone wireless technology will support capabilities such as network slicing, bringing efficiency benefits in mission-critical services

• July 03, 2020 03 Jul'20

  Bergen’s tech hub seeking to scale after positive start

  Norway's second largest city is building a tech ecosystem that is beginning its development with a focus on the city's industrial heritage

• July 03, 2020 03 Jul'20

  Virgin Media, Cisco unveil first-ever commercial deployment of OpenRoaming at Canary Wharf

  Wireless communications based on new connectivity aims to ‘dramatically’ improve efficiencies for more than 20,000 businesses, entrepreneurs, independent retailers, bars, cafes and workspaces in London’s Docklands

• July 02, 2020 02 Jul'20

  Cops take out encrypted comms to disrupt organised crime

  The UK’s National Crime Agency, alongside other law enforcement agencies in France and the Netherlands, have busted illicit arms and drugs rings after disabling an encrypted comms platform

• July 02, 2020 02 Jul'20

  Police secrecy over ‘IMSI-catcher’ mass surveillance of mobile phones

  Following a tribunal ruling, constabularies in England and Wales can refuse to confirm or deny whether they use mass surveillance devices, known as IMSI-catchers to monitor people’s location, phone calls and text messages

• June 30, 2020 30 Jun'20

  Partially accurate exposure notification may be best users get from UK contact tracing app

  Renowned UK mobile expert warns that adoption, capability, privacy and user behaviour are issues yet to be addressed with UK contact-tracing app, and that results may not be worthwhile to overall fight against Covid-19

• June 30, 2020 30 Jun'20

  Remote working set to remain but so do management challenges

  Businesses are preparing for staff to repopulate workplaces, while preparing for an inevitable increase in more flexible working

• June 30, 2020 30 Jun'20

  BNP Paribas uses biometrics to increase contactless payment limit

  French bank BNP Paribas is enabling customers to make higher value contactless payments through fingerprint-recognition technology

• June 29, 2020 29 Jun'20

  Ericsson gets head of steam for 5G connectivity in European rail industry

  Swedish tech supplier joins Association of the European Rail Supply Industry to show how next-generation networks can enable the industry to meet tomorrow’s IT and communications challenges

• June 25, 2020 25 Jun'20

  Pub ‘check-in’ apps provoke fresh privacy concerns

  With pubs and restaurants required to collect customer data for contact tracing when they reopen, data privacy risks will be heightened

• June 25, 2020 25 Jun'20

  Verizon and Digital Catapult create enterprise 5G accelerator programme

  Venture will enable retail and brand partners to work directly with UK startups and tech innovators to explore 5G-enabled solutions

• June 25, 2020 25 Jun'20

  Ericsson, Nokia to power Singapore’s 5G networks

  European telecoms network suppliers Ericsson and Nokia have been selected by Singapore telcos to deploy the country’s two standalone 5G networks

• June 23, 2020 23 Jun'20

  Viavi introduces 3D geolocation for 5G networks

  Looking to ‘command’ 5G infrastructures, network monitoring and assurance technology firm unveils what it claims is first patented 3D 5G geolocation system

• June 23, 2020 23 Jun'20

  UK counts the cost as Ireland presses ahead with contact-tracing app

  Irish eyes smiling as Republic’s heath executive said to be on verge of giving greenlight to Covid-19 tracker app, while UK reveals £11.8m cost of development to date for no return as yet

• June 23, 2020 23 Jun'20

  Nokia claims US live C-band network demo first

  Ahead of the expected US spectrum auction in December 2020, Nokia completes first successful US-based 5G trial in C-band

• June 18, 2020 18 Jun'20

  iPhone issues see UK government dump centralised model for Covid-19 contact-tracing app

  Department for Health makes U-turn on contact-tracing app after trial finds distances are not measured well enough, with particular detection problems for app users with Apple iPhones

• June 18, 2020 18 Jun'20

  Data protection watchdog calls for controls on police mobile phone stop-and-searches

  Information commissioner wants new safeguards on the use of police powers to download sensitive personal data from the mobile phones of suspects and crime victims

• June 18, 2020 18 Jun'20

  Nordic business is leading open banking charge in Europe

  Nordic region has the right ingredients to prove open banking can benefit consumers, businesses and the economy

• June 18, 2020 18 Jun'20

  Environmental concerns set to put brake on future business trips

  Research finds nearly half of UK workers are concerned about the negative environmental impact of business travel, with almost two-fifths actively wanting to reduce the number of times they travel for work

• June 17, 2020 17 Jun'20

  Data privacy fears emerge as German contact-tracing app downloaded 6.5 million times in first day

  After prolonged development path, Germany’s Corona-Warn-App launches to almost immediate success and almost immediate controversy regarding anonymity

• June 16, 2020 16 Jun'20

  Ericsson upgrades 5G forecast as research finds mobile networks take added strain from Covid-19

  While social distancing and keeping millions at home have put significant demands on infrastructure, with systems that support healthcare, education and businesses of all types under stress, telecoms networks have stood up to the task, says research...

• June 16, 2020 16 Jun'20

  Covid-19 contact-tracing apps: the key data protection issues

  Organisations intending to deploy contact-tracing apps will need to maintain high standards of privacy compliance, security and ethics to guarantee sufficient uptake and meaningful results

• June 12, 2020 12 Jun'20

  Brits get used to life without cash

  British people are getting used to life without cash, as the Covid-19 lockdown forces the adoption of digital payments

• June 12, 2020 12 Jun'20

  Fake contact-tracing apps delivering banking trojans

  Spoof government coronavirus apps are popping up all over the world, says the Anomali Threat Research team

• June 12, 2020 12 Jun'20

  Minister downgrades status of UK contact-tracing app from vital to ‘cherry on cake’

  Scientists warn of fundamental flaws of Bluetooth technology in proximity measurement function of much-delayed app

• June 12, 2020 12 Jun'20

  100,000 cheap wireless cameras vulnerable to hacking

  Active devices built by Chinese firm HiChip have been sold in the UK as webcams and connected baby monitors

• June 12, 2020 12 Jun'20

  5G at ‘tipping point’ as Nokia reveals biggest drivers for enterprise 5G

  While analyst believes ‘enormous’ investment required and lack of killer apps put 5G growth in doubt, comms tech giant Nokia paints picture of IT decision-makers making tracks with next-gen infrastructure

• June 11, 2020 11 Jun'20

  O2 extends 5G network, hits 10,000 mark for LTE-M in UK

  Operator says network technologies will revolutionise the way people and businesses use mobile connectivity, unlocking huge possibilities for the UK’s economy and society

• June 11, 2020 11 Jun'20

  Evidence emerges of slow increase in global mobile cellular network times

  Smartphone users may have seen the worst of the negative impact from the coronavirus pandemic on their cellular experience, with time connected to Wi-Fi networks decreasing, Opensignal research finds

• June 10, 2020 10 Jun'20

  Licensed low-power cellular market gains high traction

  With the current extensive deployment of 4G networks and continued expansion of 5G, licensed low-power IoT applications and use cases are set to take off

• June 10, 2020 10 Jun'20

  Virtual GP practice accidentally exposes patient video calls

  A small number of users of Babylon’s GP at Hand service were briefly able to view other patients’ video GP consultations thanks to a bug in a new software feature

• June 08, 2020 08 Jun'20

  Progress needed for UK fibre roll-out to catch up to peers

  Even with the best efforts of the government in meeting its target and various initiatives to support deployment, meeting UK full-fibre gigabit goals depends on ultimate switch-off of the copper network

• June 08, 2020 08 Jun'20

  South Korea takes global 5G leadership

  Initial Omdia market assessment shows home of Samsung as the world’s powerhouse for establishing and commercialising 5G networks

• June 05, 2020 05 Jun'20

  Police chiefs working with Public Health England on contact-tracing security

  Police force representatives are in talks with Public Health England over operational security concerns arising from the NHS Test and Trace coronavirus contact-tracing scheme

• June 04, 2020 04 Jun'20

  Small businesses failing on remote worker protection

  Only one-third of people working for small businesses have received any guidance from their employers on how to secure their remote working set-up

• June 04, 2020 04 Jun'20

  Data privacy groups pile in on UK contact-tracing app

  UK-based digital privacy and free speech campaigning organisation files complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office about contact-tracing app

• June 04, 2020 04 Jun'20

  Outlook for 5G remains positive despite Covid-19

  While the current health crisis and economic uncertainty will have a short-term impact on adoption of the next-gen network, analyst insists future for 5G remains bright with more than a billion global 5G connections by 2022

• June 04, 2020 04 Jun'20

  Malaysian minister backtracks on spectrum allocation decision

  Amid reports of a surreptitious decision to allocate spectrum to five Malaysian operators, the communications minister rescinds his own order, calling for a more transparent review of the allocation process

• June 03, 2020 03 Jun'20

  Telefónica Deutschland, Bell Canada select Ericsson as 5G network partner

  Ericsson scores wins for next-generation infrastructure technology on both sides of Atlantic for both core and radio segments

• June 02, 2020 02 Jun'20

  Covid-19: Global smartphone sales take a tumble in Q1 2020

  Leading analyst Gartner attributes 20% year-on-year decline in device sales to effect of coronavirus pandemic, with leading brands showing sharp falls

• June 01, 2020 01 Jun'20

  Privacy campaigners call for radical changes to contact-tracing app

  Liberty, Privacy International and the Open Rights Group join calls for the government to either put in place better data protection policies or abandon its Covid-19 contact-tracing app altogether

• May 29, 2020 29 May'20

  Qualcomm aims to tap into Wi-Fi 6E with ‘world’s most advanced’ mobile wireless portfolio

  Hot on the heels of FCC action described as milestone and watershed moment for innovation that will supercharge connectivity, wireless processor giant aims to cash in on new wireless standard

• May 29, 2020 29 May'20

  Test and Trace has not passed data protection impact assessment

  Public Health England failed to complete the required impact assessment before launching the Covid-19 Test and Trace programme

• May 28, 2020 28 May'20

  Covid-19 calculated to cause 18% drop in net new IoT devices in 2020

  Fleet management, heavy transport vehicles, equipment, fixed assets and digital signage are among the internet of things applications hit hardest by the pandemic

• May 28, 2020 28 May'20

  Public Health England to keep contact-tracing data for 20 years

  PHE will retain the data it collects via the NHS Test and Trace programme for 20 years

• May 28, 2020 28 May'20

  UK government unveils NHS Test and Trace service to combat Covid-19

  UK government unveils framework to stop the spread of coronavirus, but contact-tracing launch date not revealed

• May 27, 2020 27 May'20

  Fears contact-tracing app will open the floodgates for cyber criminals

  Study of UK consumers reveals worries over an uptick in cyber crime and a lack of trust in government

• May 27, 2020 27 May'20

  EE network sees fivefold leap in Zoom users, 45% increase in voice calls, apps since lockdown

  Research from mobile operator highlights changing habits of UK citizens during lockdown, with video conferencing seeing massive leap

• May 26, 2020 26 May'20

  StrandHogg mobile vulnerability has evil twin

  Variant of the dangerous StrandHogg vulnerability affecting Android phones could allow hackers to access almost all apps on a target device

• May 26, 2020 26 May'20

  Huawei hits out at fresh UK network probe

  UK cyber security agency confirms it will conduct a new investigation into the security-worthiness of Huawei’s 5G technology

• May 26, 2020 26 May'20

  Ericsson enables commercial 5G network for Telia in Stockholm

  Swedish operator lays the foundations for the next phase of digital transformation with 5G network designed to open up new user experiences and accelerated innovation in areas such as entertainment, healthcare, manufacturing and transport

• May 26, 2020 26 May'20

  Android security vulnerabilities differ by country, say researchers

  Manufacturers of Android devices including Huawei, Samsung and Xiaomi shipped devices with different levels of security in different regions, leaving their users exposed to attack

• May 22, 2020 22 May'20

  Hancock to Harman: No contact-tracing privacy law

  Health secretary claims existing data protection law is good enough to guarantee the security of contact-tracing data

• May 20, 2020 20 May'20

  Coronavirus: Pandemic spurs QR code app upgrade at PayPal

  PayPal introduces QR code payment functionality to its mobile app to support social distancing

• May 20, 2020 20 May'20

  NCSC discloses multiple vulnerabilities in contact-tracing app

  National Cyber Security Centre has received mountains of feedback on the security of the government’s Covid-19 contact-tracing app, and has now taken the step of making multiple disclosures

• May 19, 2020 19 May'20

  GDPR wholly inappropriate to govern contact-tracing data

  Human Rights Committee Chair Harriet Harman says current data protection law is not up to the job of governing the data collected by the Covid-19 contact-tracing app

• May 19, 2020 19 May'20

  Doubts mount over effectiveness of UK contact-tracing app

  Studies from BCS and Anomali reveal that a significant proportion of the UK population is not prepared to download the Covid-19 contact-tracing app