News

Unified 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 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 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 04, 2022 04 Jan'22

  BlueJeans and Google join forces to unlock value for remote workforces

  Leading US comms provider re-bundles flagship collaboration platform so it can be preloaded on Google’s Glass Enterprise Edition 2

• December 23, 2021 23 Dec'21

  Avaya comms support Santa-as-a-service tracking

  As sleigh bells ring, Avaya’s OneCloud contact centre services let you chart Father Christmas’s journey

• 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 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

• 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 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

  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 12, 2021 12 Nov'21

  Klaxoon enters US and launches next-gen meetings workshop platform for hybrid work

  French teamwork and smart work technology provider unveils its next-generation workshop platform and expands in the US with CEO and key executives

• November 09, 2021 09 Nov'21

  No device upgrade for most UK workers during pandemic

  Research finds that most workers are still using equipment issued before lockdowns, raising fears of a productivity gap as staff work from home

• November 08, 2021 08 Nov'21

  More than four-fifths of firms expect to keep hybrid work environment

  While business leaders are comfortable with and believe there are many benefits to hybrid work, most organisations are unprepared to deliver a seamless experience in a hybrid workplace, where the need for end-to-end data visibility and actionable ...

• November 05, 2021 05 Nov'21

  Fibre lights up BT half-yearly results

  BT has revealed a tough first six months of the financial year, but also claimed Fibre First build programme roll-out continues to accelerate, reaching record levels in second quarter

• November 03, 2021 03 Nov'21

  Windstream Enterprise and BlueJeans up the ante in collaboration

  Managed communications service provider makes additions to unified comms offerings to enable effective and scalable collaboration while Verizon-owned company announces support for Microsoft Direct Guest Join

• November 02, 2021 02 Nov'21

  Digital connectivity investment could unlock 500,000 jobs, £70bn of GDP growth by 2026

  First Digital Connectivity Index from recently merged fixed and mobile operator shows that UK is currently ranked eighth among developed countries for digital connectivity

• November 01, 2021 01 Nov'21

  India’s tech workforce braces for hybrid work

  A Nasscom study reveals that India’s tech workers and their employers are planning to return to offices thrice a week, paving the way for hybrid work

• October 28, 2021 28 Oct'21

  City of Edinburgh Council signs up CGI to implement smart city plans

  Five-year contract to support Scottish capital’s transformation into a smart city includes data insights, processes and tools to achieve transformational change and deliver high-quality services to citizens

• October 28, 2021 28 Oct'21

  Cisco supports hybrid workforce augmented reality meeting solutions

  IT giant evolves collaboration suite to combine Webex meeting functionality with real-time, photorealistic holographic experience

• October 27, 2021 27 Oct'21

  Microsoft’s latest results focus on combating inflation

  With prices set to rise, CEO Satya Nadella used the Q1 2022 earnings call to discuss the deflationary effect of digitisation

• October 25, 2021 25 Oct'21

  Chancellor sets aside £2.1bn to fund NHS IT modernisation

  Improving efficiency, reducing waiting times and expanding tests and scans are among the key targets for £5.9bn of extra NHS funding

• October 22, 2021 22 Oct'21

  Flexible a fixture as technology critical to hybrid working future

  Survey shows knowledge workers in leading economies believe that having an office space will be considered an employee benefit, rather than a mandatory way of working

• October 21, 2021 21 Oct'21

  Virgin Media takes full-fibre to west Berkshire, launches Wi-Fi 6 hubs

  Full-fibre contract between network provider and local authority aims to connect west Berkshire schools and public buildings to next-generation digital infrastructure

• October 21, 2021 21 Oct'21

  Gitex 2021: Batelco brings collaboration to Bahrain operations

  Aiming to deliver evolved teamwork capabilities to its customers to accelerate Bahrain’s transition to the digital workplace, digital communications solutions provider adopts new collaboration technology

• October 20, 2021 20 Oct'21

  Gitex 2021: Nuuday finds new voice to deliver cognitive customer universe

  Upstart Danish telco deploys communications-as-a-service technology and virtual assistant to restructure business, gain differentiation and extend to new touchpoints in highly competitive local market

• October 19, 2021 19 Oct'21

  Gitex 2021: Arc spans network ecosystem in Oman

  Integrated networking services provider invests in Nokia technology to offer added connectivity options for enterprise customers in key Middle East location

• October 18, 2021 18 Oct'21

  Gitex 2021: Avaya builds up AI experience to boost collaboration

  New communications and collaboration ecosystem launched to enable customers to achieve better business outcomes in the experience economy and the new hybrid working mode

• October 14, 2021 14 Oct'21

  Generation Novel hybrid workers bring new demands and risks

  Aruba survey warns business leaders that they must strike a balance between flexibility and security to address risky behaviours and evolving expectations of today’s tech-savvy workforce

• October 13, 2021 13 Oct'21

  FCA warns over future hybrid working security risks

  Earlier this week, the Financial Conduct Authority issued fresh guidance to regulated organisations on keeping hybrid workers safe and secure

• October 08, 2021 08 Oct'21

  Talent sits everywhere with hybrid work powered by mobile and artificial intelligence

  Cisco’s Hybrid work index reveals insights on people’s preferences, habits and technology usage in the era of hybrid work

• October 08, 2021 08 Oct'21

  Need for work equity and total meeting equality in world of hybrid work

  Research into the evolution of the workplace in the wake of Covid shows hybrid workers embracing anytime working as office culture ‘changes for ever’, but concerns over discrimination, career progression and noise weigh on employees’ minds

• October 08, 2021 08 Oct'21

  Telstra connects direct to Microsoft Azure and Operator Connect for Microsoft Teams

  Australia-based global carrier enhances connectivity to Microsoft cloud services and provides an integrated calling experience via flagship collaboration service

• October 08, 2021 08 Oct'21

  How Zoom is growing its APAC business

  Zoom is driving its growth in Asia-Pacific by embedding business processes into video communications, supporting the hybrid workplace and expanding its headcount in the region

• September 30, 2021 30 Sep'21

  NTT strengthens Microsoft alliance to support shift to hybrid working

  Technology and business solutions provider enriches enterprise telephony and connectivity with IT giant’s Operator Connect for Teams to assist users’ support for the new normal or working

• September 22, 2021 22 Sep'21

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

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

• September 22, 2021 22 Sep'21

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

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

• September 16, 2021 16 Sep'21

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

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

• September 15, 2021 15 Sep'21

  Zoom aims to ignite the next era of communications

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

• September 10, 2021 10 Sep'21

  Poor home connectivity risks jeopardising switch to hybrid working

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

• August 31, 2021 31 Aug'21

  Zoom posts first billion-dollar revenue quarter

  Pandemic conferencing breakout star sees revenues and subs maintain robust growth track in second quarter.

• August 26, 2021 26 Aug'21

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

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

• August 26, 2021 26 Aug'21

  Zoom plots path to hybrid return to the workplace

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

• August 25, 2021 25 Aug'21

  How to reconfigure for hybrid work

  While many businesses are reopening offices, staff are reluctant to come to the office every work day. We look at how to support hybrid work patterns

• August 09, 2021 09 Aug'21

  Need for strong internet connection keeps Brits indoors

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

• August 06, 2021 06 Aug'21

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

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

• July 29, 2021 29 Jul'21

  Virgin Media O2 unveils UK fibre upgrade plan

  Newly merged operator announces FTTP upgrade of fixed network starting this year with completion in 2028, taking advantage of what it says is efficient fibre deployment with ‘value accretive roll-out economics’

• July 29, 2021 29 Jul'21

  Profits, revenues fall but BT expands 5G, fibre in first quarter

  UK incumbent telco sees profits and revenues fall, but increases capital investments in next-generation wireless and extends Microsoft strategic partnership

• July 27, 2021 27 Jul'21

  Some 15 million UK consumers suffered major broadband outage in past year

  Study covering first full year of lockdown reveals how millions of home-workers and home-schoolers experienced internet outages when they would usually have been at their workplaces or in school

• July 22, 2021 22 Jul'21

  Satellite and 5G firms announce ubiquitous UK communications trial

  Space agencies and leading technology businesses test ubiquitous UK communications coverage for transportation market in region of south-west England notorious for poor communications

• July 19, 2021 19 Jul'21

  Zoom expands into contact centre market

  Zoom is steadily expanding its enterprise offering and has now spent $14.5bn on an acquisition to fill a gap in its product portfolio

• July 12, 2021 12 Jul'21

  IoT at tipping point but multi-region connectivity, device deployment hinder UK adoption

  Research from connectivity specialist finds three-quarters of UK respondents say their internet-of-things project is at best only somewhat successful in meeting expectations and realising benefits, but 91% still plan increased investment

• July 07, 2021 07 Jul'21

  Hybrid working model significantly affects helpdesk and support

  SASE provider’s survey finds that the IT challenge with deployed remote access technology is failing to meet enterprise requirements, forcing support and helpdesk to compensate

• July 07, 2021 07 Jul'21

  Remote workers feel disconnected from company IT departments

  As hybrid working becomes the norm, study advises that now is the time to invest in more robust technology to support remote workforces for the long term, and to fend off lingering feeling of resentment over lack of support

• June 30, 2021 30 Jun'21

  Incoherent technology investment saps motivation at mid-size businesses

  Research suggests that mid-size businesses are falling into the trap of investing in technology for technology’s sake, rather than identifying what the business actually needs, with stress especially acute supporting remote working

• June 29, 2021 29 Jun'21

  Productivity apps here to stay as quarterly mobile app spending hits all-time high

  Research from leading mobile data and analytics company App Annie finds $7bn jump in app spending year on year, suggesting the start of a global economic rebound

• June 24, 2021 24 Jun'21

  UK workers demand economic recovery to be built on better internet access

  Cisco announces index of broadband services in the UK and reveals lead role in government’s levelling-up initiative designed to help close the digital divide

• June 23, 2021 23 Jun'21

  Majority of global knowledge workers will be remote by the end of 2021

  Leading research firm predicts remote work will drive PC and tablet shipments to over 500 million units for the first time ever by the end of 2021

• June 22, 2021 22 Jun'21

  Users’ network expectations change in new normal

  Ciena study reveals how sustainability, connected industries and always-on connectivity are shaping the UK’s digital post-Covid landscape

• June 18, 2021 18 Jun'21

  Vodafone taps Ericsson to strengthen UK 5G core

  Partners to deploy cloud-native dual-mode 5G core to bring the full promise of 5G services to business users

• June 18, 2021 18 Jun'21

  Telenor, Telia tap Nokia for 5G joint network roll-out in Denmark

  Nokia to work with leading Danish mobile operators via their joint network to accelerate the delivery of 5G services across Denmark following the availability of 3.5GHz spectrum

• June 17, 2021 17 Jun'21

  Garden Court Chambers makes the case for communications transformation with UCaaS

  Rapid transition from limited on-premise systems to cloud-based video conferencing and workstream collaboration sees leading London legal firm gain ‘frictionless’ digital workplace for a team-centric experience

• June 15, 2021 15 Jun'21

  Cisco unveils catalyst for 5G at industrial IoT edge

  Communications and services giant enhances portfolio of internet of things routers to unite edge networks and scale IoT deployments in factory and production environments

• June 14, 2021 14 Jun'21

  Collaboration challenges loom but UK adults demand hybrid working

  Analysis of the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on attitudes to future working practices in the UK reveals that population wants more remote working despite technical hurdles

• June 11, 2021 11 Jun'21

  Evidence emerges of new digital divide in UK connectivity

  Study shows extent to which online connectivity impacts quality of life but reveals that renters are nearly twice as likely to describe their connection as only average or unreliable, compared with home owners

• June 10, 2021 10 Jun'21

  Zoom aims to empower hybrid workforce with phone appliances

  Video conferencing provider introduces devices that offer an all-in-one desk phone solution for calls and meetings, with hardware solutions from Poly and Yealink

• June 10, 2021 10 Jun'21

  Boom in hybrid working, high-speed connectivity drive influx into UK market towns

  Network data from TalkTalk shows many UK employees are moving house as hybrid working transforms working habits and becomes very much here to stay

• June 09, 2021 09 Jun'21

  Cisco reveals new Webex to power ‘inclusive’ future of work

  Collaboration suite has new look and feel, and supports hybrid work collaboration at what is claimed to be 40% lower cost than à-la-carte systems

• June 04, 2021 04 Jun'21

  Inclusivity and participation top issues for employees in new normal

  Canva study reveals pressing need to bridge the hybrid workforce divide and for companies to adopt new technologies and processes to sustain employee happiness and productivity

• June 03, 2021 03 Jun'21

  Connectivity and flexibility deemed vital for the future of small businesses

  Research from mobile operator Three UK uncovers post-Covid work job opportunities as hybrid working set to become the default for businesses, especially small and medium-sized enterprises

• June 03, 2021 03 Jun'21

  Zoom boom carries over into 2021

  Breakout video conferencing firm’s current fiscal quarter revenues almost treble those posted at the end of April 2020

• June 01, 2021 01 Jun'21

  Small business workers fear missing out on hybrid opportunity

  Research finds three in five small business workers expect to be predominantly office-based after Covid-19 restrictions ease, due to high levels of admin and paper-based processes

• June 01, 2021 01 Jun'21

  Businesses hail new Openreach rural full-fibre focus

  BT broadband provision division announces next step in gigabit broadband deployment programme to offer levelled-up connectivity for premises in hardest-to-reach parts of the UK

• May 25, 2021 25 May'21

  Edge computing drives business innovation

  Intel research identifies edge computing as a critical factor that businesses must harness to navigate and understand data now and into the future

• May 25, 2021 25 May'21

  BSO draws on Arc to deliver on-demand connectivity in Middle East

  Joint venture will interconnect companies’ network footprints in the Middle East, connecting digital hubs and providing inter-regional connectivity

• May 21, 2021 21 May'21

  Zoom launches Events platform for virtual experiences

  Breakout conferencing platform makes next evolutionary step with platform for producing and monetising interactive virtual events and conferences

• May 20, 2021 20 May'21

  Virgin Media, O2 merger gains final UK regulatory approval

  Competition watchdog CMA removes last stumbling block and gives green light for what is being described as a watershed moment for the UK comms market

• May 20, 2021 20 May'21

  5G-enabled sales to surpass €400bn and offer huge green gains by 2030

  Commissioned by global telco, study in five European geographies finds hugely positive socio-economic impact from 5G roll-out in terms of enabled sales, employment and reduced greenhouse gas emissions

• May 18, 2021 18 May'21

  Covid lockdowns dent Vodafone fiscal year

  Revenues fall for fixed and wireless operator as mobile users obey stay-at-home orders but overall yearly service takings are described as stable, returning to growth in the second half

• May 17, 2021 17 May'21

  AT&T to focus on fibre, 5G after WarnerMedia merger with Discovery

  Media mega-deal presents leading US operator with opportunity to unlock value and be one of the best capitalised broadband companies

• May 13, 2021 13 May'21

  Employers rethinking office space, collaboration and technology in new hybrid workplace

  As the pandemic eases, many business leaders are engaged with effectively offering remote working flexibility and are creating and communicating plans to their employees, setting expectations and guidelines moving forward

• May 13, 2021 13 May'21

  BT raises fibre broadband roll-out target despite challenging year

  Impact of Covid-19 on consumer business combined with reduction in enterprise activity dents revenues and profits in a tough financial year, but UK telco promises significant growth in gigabit broadband roll-out

• May 12, 2021 12 May'21

  Cisco indicates intent to buy Socio Labs, Sedona Systems

  Network giant aims to purchase developer of technology to deliver automation for routed optical networking, and modern event technology platform provider

• May 11, 2021 11 May'21

  UK digital leaders expect long-term changes to future working patterns

  Research from digital infrastructure company reveals changing working patterns brought about by Covid-19, including a surge in digital infrastructure investment

• May 11, 2021 11 May'21

  New normal of remote, hybrid working sees two-thirds of European businesses increase IT spend

  Remote IT support, cloud-based systems and cyber security infrastructure are among top IT investment priorities across all sectors as firms reassess priorities and practices in post-Covid working environment

• May 07, 2021 07 May'21

  Mildenhall claims digital communications upgrade first for East of England

  Openreach focuses on Suffolk market town for the next step towards upgrading to digital services, with properties now unable to buy copper broadband if they are upgrading, regrading or switching provider

• May 07, 2021 07 May'21

  Brunel goes SD-WAN with Orange Business Services

  Global specialist recruitment consultancy aims to accelerate time to market for new global offices with software-defined networking architecture

• May 07, 2021 07 May'21

  Ericsson, Telarus team to take 5G-ready virtual workspace to small businesses

  5G-ready virtual desktop subscription service will cover business applications, compute, storage and security needs for small and medium-sized businesses

• May 05, 2021 05 May'21

  Deloitte: Widespread broadband infrastructure critical to the US economy

  Deloitte study finds that increased broadband coverage, adoption and speed is needed to create more US jobs and GDP, but warns of diminishing returns due to lack of widespread, high-quality broadband access

• May 04, 2021 04 May'21

  Aryaka acquires cloud-based SASE platform Secucloud

  SD-WAN provider makes its first-ever acquisition with purchase of German security company

• April 26, 2021 26 Apr'21

  JLL assures better office experience for hybrid workforce

  Real estate and investment management professional services firm introduces collaboration suite designed to enhance employee connectivity, solidifying its suite of hybrid workplace offerings

• April 21, 2021 21 Apr'21

  Neos Networks launches business-grade Ethernet FTTx service across UK

  Former SSE Enterprise Telecoms aims to provide a cost-effective, sub-1Gbps solution to support growing demand for full-fibre connectivity

• April 21, 2021 21 Apr'21

  Virgin Media innovation trials deliver 2.2Gbps broadband speeds

  Latest stage in cableco’s trials of multi-gigabit broadband speeds in Southampton and Manchester deliver speeds around 40 times faster than the local average connection

• April 21, 2021 21 Apr'21

  EMEA business leaders out of touch with employees’ needs in new hybrid workplace

  Research finds more alignment with staff is needed for firms to address the new hybrid world of work but nearly half of businesses plan tech investments to further improve the workplace experience

• April 20, 2021 20 Apr'21

  Zoom unveils $100m apps fund

  After a blazing year fuelled by the pandemic, breakout conferencing solutions provider announces venture fund to stimulate innovation in the apps ecosystem

• April 16, 2021 16 Apr'21

  CityFibre switches on Milton Keynes to gigabit and names Edinburgh infrastructure lead

  Gigabit provider City Fibre says it is enabling thousands more residents in Milton Keynes to access its full-fibre network and high-speed broadband services, and names Paul Wakefield as lead of infrastructure build in Edinburgh

• April 15, 2021 15 Apr'21

  Openreach selects STL as a strategic partner for full-fibre build-out

  BT-owned broadband provision division teams with digital network integrator to hasten full-fibre network build and provide skills and innovation to extend reach and scope

• April 14, 2021 14 Apr'21

  UK employees’ adaptation to Covid workplace creates digital transformation dilemma

  Research finds nearly two-fifths of UK employees fear the ‘old way’ of doing things will return after the pandemic

• April 13, 2021 13 Apr'21

  UK workforce finds happiness in ability to work from anywhere

  Study finds 44% of UK workers consider the ability to work remotely as a driver of happiness and 61% would support government policies aimed at the widespread adoption of ‘hybrid’ working practices

• April 12, 2021 12 Apr'21

  Software République consortium to cash in on intelligent, sustainable mobility opportunities

  With new value propositions at stake, five IT, industrial, automotive and comms leaders have laid the foundations for an open innovation ecosystem in the mobility market