News

Smartphone technology

• January 15, 2021 15 Jan'21

  Google Cloud, Nokia accelerate readiness for cloud-native enterprise 5G solutions

  Cloud platform provider and comms tech supplier announce plans to jointly develop cloud-native 5G core solutions for communications service providers and enterprise customers with cloud capabilities to the network edge to accelerate enterprise ...

• January 14, 2021 14 Jan'21

  BT cries foul on rivals’ coverage claims as O2, EE extend UK 5G nets

  Two of the UK’s mobile giants make significant additions to next-gen networks, but BT consumer CEO warns that rivals are not giving customers meaningful levels of coverage and quality in their 5G offers

• January 14, 2021 14 Jan'21

  Port of Felixstowe lands funding for UK government 5G trial

  UK’s largest and busiest container port to test the potential of 5G across two use cases: enabling remotely controlled cranes and optimising predictive maintenance though IoT and AI

• January 14, 2021 14 Jan'21

  Zoom reveals phone product spike, public offer price

  Strong service performance, reliability and enterprise-grade features drive uptake of Zoom Phone as still rapidly growing conferencing firm announces $1.75bn share offering

• January 13, 2021 13 Jan'21

  Yearly expectations smashed with £105bn spent on mobile apps in 2020

  With the world of work changed forever due to the Covid-19 pandemic, mobile apps cash in, with consumer spend increasing 20% annually with business apps showing particular spike in usage

• January 13, 2021 13 Jan'21

  EE 5G to deliver BBC Green Planet augmented reality experience

  Increased 5G network capacity will enable AR experience for landmark BBC series using holographic video to explore the world from the perspective of plants

• January 13, 2021 13 Jan'21

  Covid-19 immunity passport tests to begin in UK

  A Covid-19 immunity and vaccination passport developed by two UK firms and backed by Innovate UK has entered the live testing phase

• January 12, 2021 12 Jan'21

  Virgin Media aims for in-home connectivity transformation with Intelligent WiFi Plus

  As it ramps up gigabit network development in locations across the UK, cableco launches Wi-Fi access devices to work with new access system to bring up to three times faster in-home wireless speeds

• January 11, 2021 11 Jan'21

  BT removes mobile data charges for BBC Bitesize educational content

  As part of a broader partnership between the UK’s public broadcaster and its incumbent telco, hugely popular and award-winning BBC Bitesize programming slot is to be zero rate for all EE, BT Mobile and PlusNet Mobile customers

• January 11, 2021 11 Jan'21

  Used smartphone sales to dial in near double-digit growth in 2020

  Research shows refurbished and used devices continue to provide cost-effective alternatives for businesses looking to save money when buying a smartphone

• January 08, 2021 08 Jan'21

  Government use of 'general warrants' to authorise computer and phone hacking is unlawful

  A court has ruled that the security and intelligence services can no longer rely on ‘general warrants’ to authorise the hacking of large numbers of computers and phones belonging to UK citizens

• January 08, 2021 08 Jan'21

  BT offers unlimited data for remote learning

  UK incumbent telco joins campaign to make sure disadvantaged children can get connected as Covid-19 lockdown closes schools and other educational establishments

• January 07, 2021 07 Jan'21

  Nordic digital innovation offers a proactive approach to mental health

  Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the need to support people suffering mental health issues – and digital technology can help

• January 07, 2021 07 Jan'21

  Jeremy Darroch steps down as Sky Group chief executive

  Exec who transformed former satellite TV provider into Europe’s largest multi-platform communications provider with mobile, telephony and FTTH steps down after 13 years

• January 06, 2021 06 Jan'21

  Qualcomm appoints new CEO

  Claiming validation of its business model and leadership in 5G, the communications chip giant appoints successor to retiring chief executive with brief to drive value

• January 06, 2021 06 Jan'21

  Viasat checks in with Delta to boost in-air connectivity

  US airline adds next-generation Ka-band satellite technology to mainline fleet to help modernise how passengers stay connected and enjoy content during travel

• January 06, 2021 06 Jan'21

  Operators join UK government’s kids’ mobile access scheme

  UK mobile operators join scheme to help families that need access to connectivity to support their child’s learning needs during the latest lockdown, while BCS calls for free mobile access to education sites

• January 05, 2021 05 Jan'21

  Banking trade body calls for increased contactless payment limit

  UK Finance proposes an increase in the limit on spending using contactless cards

• January 05, 2021 05 Jan'21

  Ooredoo Group expands Ericsson 5G tech agreement

  New agreement promises new functionalities with faster time-to-market and enhancements to the digital experience for people, enterprises and industries across operating companies in 10 countries

• January 05, 2021 05 Jan'21

  Qualcomm expands 5G capabilities of Snapdragon 480 mobile devices

  Enhanced mobile platform line claimed to be able to accelerate global 5G commercialisation and deliver ‘series-defying’ features to mass-volume smartphone segment

• January 04, 2021 04 Jan'21

  Ericsson to power DTAC 5G network in Thailand

  Almost half of Thailand’s 70 million population to be served by a new 5G radio access network from leading local communications service provider DTAC

• December 30, 2020 30 Dec'20

  Top 10 telecoms and mobile stories of 2020

  Here are Computer Weekly’s top 10 telecoms and mobile stories of 2020

• December 29, 2020 29 Dec'20

  Top 10 financial services stories of 2020

  Here are Computer Weekly’s top 10 financial services IT stories of 2020

• December 23, 2020 23 Dec'20

  5G coverage set to reach over half of global population by 2025

  Despite 5G deployment still facing various challenges, operators are making progress in addressing major issues

• December 22, 2020 22 Dec'20

  Top 10 retail technology stories of 2020

  Computer Weekly looks at what 2020 had in store for the retail industry – just how did technology help retailers adapt to changing customer behaviour during the pandemic?

• December 21, 2020 21 Dec'20

  5G roll-outs to continue apace in 2021

  New 5G launches will be led by telcos in forerunner markets, but the industry’s near-term outlook will depend on the timing of an economic recovery

• December 21, 2020 21 Dec'20

  Gigabit proliferates as UK’s fixed and mobile networks take the strain from Covid

  The UK’s fixed and mobile networks take the strain of remote working and increased online entertainment uptake

• December 17, 2020 17 Dec'20

  Huge uptick in global 5G deployment across 2020

  Although yet to fully accommodate the boost it got from the recent launch of suitably enabled iPhones, the 5G market has enjoyed a strong third quarter, according to data from mobile testing specialist

• December 16, 2020 16 Dec'20

  Networking infrastructure issues peg back firms adapting to Covid-19 new normal

  Survey shows inadequate infrastructure is preventing businesses from meeting challenges around remote working and omni-channel customer demand and holding them back from embracing more innovative technologies

• December 15, 2020 15 Dec'20

  Ericsson sets sail with enhanced maritime connectivity

  Swedish tech provider aims to rectify lack of options for at-sea communications where traditional satellite comms have seen high prices, high latency and low throughput

• December 14, 2020 14 Dec'20

  Standards alliance adds to membership as NEC opens new Open RAN lab

  Japanese tech giant establishes Open RAN laboratory in India to complement centre of excellence in the UK, where Southampton University spin-off joins O-RAN Alliance

• December 14, 2020 14 Dec'20

  Giffgaff goes AWS to drive operational transformation

  UK mobile virtual network operator selects Amazon cloud as part of plan to accelerate innovation and enhance new services

• December 14, 2020 14 Dec'20

  Zoom, Google Meet, TikTok dominate mobile app downloads in 2020

  Study from leading analytics firm reveals how 2020’s mobile app arena has been transformed through Covid-19, and how the app providers are setting up for 2021

• December 11, 2020 11 Dec'20

  Three UK gears up for 2021 business expansion

  UK mobile network operator sets out plans to enhance business proposition over next 12 months, improving connectivity, how it operates and how it interacts with customers

• December 10, 2020 10 Dec'20

  Challenger banks hindered by lack of customer confidence

  Despite an acceleration in the use of digital banking services, challenger banks face the obstacle of winning customer trust

• December 10, 2020 10 Dec'20

  Deloitte: Cloud, intelligent edge and telemedicine set to accelerate in 2021

  Global market for intelligent edge computing will expand to $12bn in 2021, with more than 400 million video visits to doctors worldwide across the year

• December 09, 2020 09 Dec'20

  Amnesia:33 IoT flaws dangerous and patches unlikely, say experts

  The disclosure of multiple flaws by Forescout has raised big questions for the developers of connected products, and for their users

• December 08, 2020 08 Dec'20

  Societe Generale latest banking giant to cut costs and increase digital investment

  French bank Societe Generale is merging two retail brands and increasing investment in its digital offering to meet its ambitious customer acquisition plans

• December 07, 2020 07 Dec'20

  Nokia to be technology lead for EU 6G project

  Finnish comms tech provider is the project leader for European Commission’s flagship initiative for research into the next generation of wireless networks

• December 07, 2020 07 Dec'20

  Ericsson, TIM, Qualcomm, claim 5G FWA speed milestone

  Although fixed wireless access has not yet gained as much publicity as other use cases for the next-generation infrastructure, its potential in connecting those in remote areas to 5G is vast and a consortium of technology vendors and leading Italian...

• December 07, 2020 07 Dec'20

  GSMA launches digital access guidelines to help disabled people

  Industry organisation GSMA has launched a framework of guidelines aimed at making mobile technology more accessible for people with disabilities

• December 07, 2020 07 Dec'20

  Grindr and others patch critical Android bug

  Fixes for CVE-2020-8913 deployed as app developers shore up their defences against a disclosed Google Play vulnerability

• December 03, 2020 03 Dec'20

  Allied Irish Bank prioritises digital services as it cuts workforce

  Bank is cutting its operating costs by 10% with job cuts and facility closures, but will continue to invest heavily in technology

• December 03, 2020 03 Dec'20

  Lax Android app developers putting millions of users at risk

  Eight months after Google patched a critical vulnerability, developers have failed to update their apps, putting millions of users of apps such as dating services Bumble and Grindr at risk

• December 02, 2020 02 Dec'20

  Three continues UK 5G roll-out

  UK operator now offers 5G in 154 towns and cities serviced from over 800 sites across the UK and announces partnership with Ericsson that includes roll-out of 5G and improvements to 4G network

• December 01, 2020 01 Dec'20

  UK government sets out 5G tech diversification strategy

  Second reading of the Telecoms Security Bill outlines specific measures to restrict the use of Huawei’s goods, services and facilities in 5G networks and details of the new 5G Supply Chain Diversification Strategy designed to build a resilient, open...

• November 30, 2020 30 Nov'20

  UK government ploughs £3m into 5G test facility

  Harwell Campus 5G research facility gets financial boost to assist development of advanced communications for terrestrial and satellite-based broadband networks

• November 30, 2020 30 Nov'20

  Faster-than-predicted growth for 5G with 3.5 billion subs forecast by 2026

  Despite uncertainties caused by Covid-19, new research from Ericsson reveals that the pace of introducing new 5G functionality has increased in 2020

• November 30, 2020 30 Nov'20

  Orange unveils plans for French 5G roll-out

  Two years after gaining spectrum for 5G services in its home territory, the mobile network operator reveals first French cities for 5G deployment using 3.5GHz frequencies

• November 27, 2020 27 Nov'20

  Ericsson taps into industry momentum for network orchestration and automation

  Swedish comms tech provider rides the wave of orchestration and automation systems supporting cloud-native functions and orchestrating services across domains, from the edge to private and public cloud

• November 26, 2020 26 Nov'20

  Broadband access drives New Zealand remote working to be permanent fixture

  Covid-19 crisis pushes Kiwis to do more online and the changes are sticking, according to research from ANZ telco and media research and consulting firm

• November 26, 2020 26 Nov'20

  Government must hold technology companies to account on e-waste

  MPs urge UK government and global technology companies to deal with ‘tsunami of electronic waste’, which is throwing away valuable resources vital for building a sustainable future

• November 26, 2020 26 Nov'20

  UK broadband industry ‘confused’ by government funding claims

  National broadband suppliers and trade bodies express surprise and lack of enthusiasm for Spending Review claims of providing positive outcome for gigabit roll-out across the country

• November 26, 2020 26 Nov'20

  Vodafone, Ericsson trial automated flight paths for connected drones

  UK fixed and mobile operator and comms technology provider take to the sky to ensure safe passage for drones

• November 26, 2020 26 Nov'20

  Inadequate home internet speeds contribute to ‘digital divide’ during UK lockdown

  Survey reveals connectivity speeds are considered inadequate in 30% of properties and over one-third admit to judging the competence of colleagues who have connectivity issues during conferencing sessions

• November 24, 2020 24 Nov'20

  UK telecoms industry gives guarded welcome to Telecommunications Bill proposal

  New legislation aims to provide a basis to strengthen the security framework for technology used in 5G and full fibre networks, including the electronic equipment and software at phone mast sites and in telephone exchanges

• November 24, 2020 24 Nov'20

  Belgian security researcher hacks Tesla with Raspberry Pi

  Belgian security researcher Lennert Wouters once again succeeds in hacking a Tesla vehicle, this time by exploiting the Bluetooth Low Energy standard

• November 24, 2020 24 Nov'20

  Nokia enables global enterprise IoT connectivity for China Mobile

  Comms tech giant and leading Chinese operator reach strategic agreement to provide IoT global connectivity services for both China and international customers based on Worldwide IoT Network Grid managed service, expanding operator’s capability

• November 23, 2020 23 Nov'20

  Birmingham, Dudley councils accelerate 5G roll-out

  Local authorities say developing fifth-generation mobile network infrastructure is critical to driving economic recovery in the region post-Covid

• November 20, 2020 20 Nov'20

  RCS forecast to deliver $52.2bn for mobile operators by 2028

  Inability for digital banner advertising to drive consumer brand engagement will see billions in media spend diverted to RCS brand campaigns, dramatically boosting mobile operator revenues.

• November 20, 2020 20 Nov'20

  Widespread adoption of WBA OpenRoaming on the cards

  Cross-industry survey reveals rapid uptake and widespread acceptance of wireless broadband standard announced in May 2020

• November 19, 2020 19 Nov'20

  Covid-19 shift to remote working adds to Earth’s growing e-waste problem

  The shift to remote working has forced firms to purchase new IT equipment, but many are still lacking sustainable end-of-life processes for their devices

• November 19, 2020 19 Nov'20

  Global networks take the strain in roller-coaster 2020

  Research from network tech provider reveals implications for service providers and internet service delivery chain, with significant growth in video streaming, gaming, video conferencing and DDoS

• November 19, 2020 19 Nov'20

  Nokia, Elisa and Qualcomm claim 5G speed record with 8Gbps connectivity in Finland

  Combined speeds from two devices hit 8Gbps on a commercial 5G network on mmWave spectrum, showing support for low-latency, high-bandwidth services such as high-speed video downloads and virtual and augmented reality

• November 19, 2020 19 Nov'20

  5G defies Covid to stay set to transform industries across the board

  Despite fears of a halt to development, study sees increased 5G investment during pandemic, with 5G-related investment rising by double digits compared with 2019 forecast and 5G-related jobs set to soar

• November 18, 2020 18 Nov'20

  Huawei claims £3.3bn contribution to UK economy

  Extent of communications technology provider Huawei’s positive contribution to the UK economy in terms of cash and jobs has been identified in independent report

• November 17, 2020 17 Nov'20

  5G-powered manufacturing, construction and agriculture to lead £15bn in UK growth

  Research finds full realisation of 5G could deliver significant additional economic growth for the UK, with three industries accounting for more than three-quarters of projected business

• November 17, 2020 17 Nov'20

  Huawei unveils solutions for 1+N target 5G networks

  Chinese comms giant launches new network technology to enable operators to tap into what it says will be huge potential for delivering 5G at greatly reduced per-bit costs

• November 17, 2020 17 Nov'20

  Ericsson claims strong momentum across Africa

  Swedish comms tech provider Ericsson bags series of contracts across African continent, highlighting growing footprint in region as communications service providers move to strengthen their networks and cater to demand for enhanced mobile services

• November 16, 2020 16 Nov'20

  5.5G on the way as Huawei predicts golden decade for advanced comms

  Huawei chiefs predict bright times ahead for 5G market with evolved standard imminent offering improved real-time interaction experiences for individual users and new scenarios

• November 16, 2020 16 Nov'20

  Wireless industry warns of urgent need for more Wi-Fi spectrum

  As demand for broadband connectivity surges worldwide, bodies representing wireless companies highlight what they say is a pressing need for access to the 6GHz frequency band

• November 13, 2020 13 Nov'20

  Verizon, AWS drive mobile edge computing platform to Dallas and Miami

  Leading comms provider and IT and cloud giant add two more 5G mobile edge computing cities in US to enable development of latency-sensitive applications that can transform industries ranging from healthcare to transportation

• November 13, 2020 13 Nov'20

  5G, IoT technology to transform health and social care

  Research from UK operator shows how advanced connected technologies offer a pathway to a flexible model of healthcare delivered at the point of patient need

• November 13, 2020 13 Nov'20

  IT Priorities 2020: ‘Benestrophe’ for networking as UK IT departments come to terms with new normal

  As 2020 ends, all traditional bets are off as Covid-19 completely changes the landscape of IT, with secure connectivity and cloud emerging at the core of enterprises’ needs for the foreseeable future

• November 12, 2020 12 Nov'20

  Wi-Fi 6 ready for carrier network deployment

  Wireless standards body reveals successful trial for next-generation Wi-Fi, proven to deliver nearly three times faster than its predecessor and with significantly higher throughput and lower latency

• November 11, 2020 11 Nov'20

  Vilicom, BT, UK academia gain funding to spearhead 5G and AI research

  Strategic network consultancy teams with incumbent UK telco and universities in all-new scientific research project based on advanced communications

• November 11, 2020 11 Nov'20

  EU aid funds used to train ‘unaccountable intelligence agencies’ in high-tech surveillance

  Hundreds of documents obtained by campaign group Privacy International show how the EU is supporting surveillance programmes in the Balkans, the Middle East and Africa

• November 10, 2020 10 Nov'20

  Mobile is failing over two-thirds of frontline workers

  New data shows frontline workers are experiencing a global increase in mobility problems which negatively impact their work and their company

• November 10, 2020 10 Nov'20

  Ericsson and Telstra take enterprise cloud to the edge

  After successful 5G edge computing trial with financial institution in 2019, Australian telco and comms tech supplier develop enterprise solution with an extension into the hybrid cloud space

• November 09, 2020 09 Nov'20

  Nokia partners with A1 Austria to enable LTE, 5G campus networks

  Three-year deal between tech firm and operator covers services for all existing and new private LTE and 5G enterprise campus network deployments in Austrian market, piloting network slicing

• November 09, 2020 09 Nov'20

  Tampere’s perfect storm triggers a startup revolution

  Previously a hub for Nokia and Microsoft, Finland’s second-largest city is capitalising on a wealth of technical knowhow to become the dark horse of the Nordic startup scene

• November 06, 2020 06 Nov'20

  Mobile device trade-ins return to rise in value in Q3

  HYLA Mobile study reports strong trade-in values amid the Covid-19 pandemic – with the value of devices at trade-in maintaining an upward trend in the third quarter

• November 06, 2020 06 Nov'20

  Samsung, KT complete Korea’s first 5G common core deployment

  Leading Korean operator collaborates with Samsung to prepare for the launch of 5G standalone networks so that enterprises can scale business-specific services such as network slicing

• November 06, 2020 06 Nov'20

  UK, Jersey, Gibraltar contact-tracing apps now interoperable

  Apps now interlinked to cover and protect 66 million people through digitally reinforced contact tracing

• November 05, 2020 05 Nov'20

  Mastercard: Looks like a tech firm, acts like a tech firm, is a tech firm

  Financial services giant finds itself in a prominent position as the volume of digital transactions increases

• November 04, 2020 04 Nov'20

  University of Warwick graduates to BT 5G to accelerate innovation

  BT installs UK’s first dedicated public 5G network for the University of Warwick, aiming to bring new opportunities for research and further enhance students’ learning experience through its EE mobile network

• October 29, 2020 29 Oct'20

  England and Wales Covid-19 app updated as Scotland, Northern Ireland, Jersey, Gibraltar link up

  Major upgrades for contact-tracing apps across all parts of the UK as initial ghosting issues are resolved and accuracy improved

• October 29, 2020 29 Oct'20

  UK comms task force leader warns of East v West 5G standards battle

  UK Parliament told of long road ahead to rectify ‘market failure’ of lack of diversity in essential communications technology supply lines and of need to reassert influence in global standards

• October 29, 2020 29 Oct'20

  Victims contest technology firms’ attempt to dismiss cobalt mining deaths case

  Technology companies say they cannot be held responsible for the deaths of children mining for the cobalt used in their products

• October 29, 2020 29 Oct'20

  Comms needs to take ‘giant leap forward’ to address new normal

  Ericsson research finds Covid-19 pandemic has created a tipping point for what workers expect of the future digital office

• October 28, 2020 28 Oct'20

  Ericsson scoops urban part of BT 5G communications network

  Building on the operator’s selection of the comms tech firm’s 5G core solutions earlier in 2020, Ericsson wins deal to upgrade BT’s existing radio access network infrastructure on EE mobile network.

• October 28, 2020 28 Oct'20

  Qualcomm unveils next-generation mesh Wi-Fi networks platform

  New modular architecture designed to bring high-performance, cost-effective Wi-Fi 6E mesh deployment to deliver wireless gigabit speeds throughout connected homes

• October 28, 2020 28 Oct'20

  Belfast Harbour steams ahead to UK and Ireland’s first 5G private network for ports

  5G private network accelerates Belfast Harbour’s ambition to become the world’s best regional smart port, stimulating innovation across transport, logistics, public safety, physical security and sustainability

• October 27, 2020 27 Oct'20

  Ericsson looks to the cloud for increased RAN flexibility

  Cloud-based radio access network for communications service providers regarded as offering more versatility to network buildouts as a complement to existing purpose-built 5G networks and addressing a variety of 5G use cases

• October 27, 2020 27 Oct'20

  In-building wireless infrastructure, 5G indoor revenues will exceed $16bn by 2025

  Research predicts digital distributed radio systems will change the way traditional distributed antenna systems are designed and implemented due to their simplified and future-proofed architecture

• October 27, 2020 27 Oct'20

  Covid crisis proves tech can replace office space and support cost-cutting at Barclays

  Bank says it will continue to look at its use of office space as it targets further cost-cutting measures

• October 26, 2020 26 Oct'20

  BT brings out RCS business messaging to UK customers

  Telco announces that platform based on next generation of rich mobile messaging is now through early-stage pilots and is available for businesses to enhance customer experience

• October 26, 2020 26 Oct'20

  Nokia chalks up new Finnish 5G win

  Global comms tech provider selected by Finnish joint venture to supply 5G radio network equipment including deployment and managed services

• October 22, 2020 22 Oct'20

  Orange Belgium reveals first 5G innovations in Port of Antwerp

  Augmented field operators and connected tugboats are potential use cases as applications based on next-generation network aim to go full steam ahead at Belgian port

• October 22, 2020 22 Oct'20

  O2 makes further expansion to UK 5G network

  Almost exactly a year after it switched on 5G in the UK, O2 takes next-gen network locations into treble figures and eyes up business use cases