Mobile networking

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 Continue Reading

Optus to test 5G mmWave technology

The Australian telco is testing mmWave technology using the 26GHz band at four locations in Sydney Continue Reading

How Malaysia’s industries are tapping IoT

Computer Weekly speaks to four industries that claim to have benefited from various IoT deployments and how it has changed their businesses Continue Reading

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 Continue Reading

APT groups’ mobile momentum finally faces resistance

State-backed APT groups are increasingly targeting mobile devices as Covid-19 puts the spotlight on remote working infrastructure security. We explore how the industry is fighting back Continue Reading

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 Continue Reading

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 Continue Reading

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 Continue Reading

How the Chelsea Flower Show blossomed as an online-only event

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we talk to the digital team at the Royal Horticultural Society about delivering the first online-only Chelsea Flower Show after the physical event was cancelled due to coronavirus. With all the talk about the consumer uses of 5G, we look at how next-generation mobile technology could benefit enterprise IT. And we examine the best practice in managing SAP systems during lockdown. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Global 5G subscriptions to hit nearly three billion by 2025

5G will account for a fifth of mobile subscriptions by 2025 in Southeast Asia and Oceania, underscoring the keen adoption of emerging technologies in the Asia-Pacific region Continue Reading

Home workers increase digital activity but raise broadband performance issues

Research finds lockdown prompts more engagement with the latest technology and gadgets for the home, but a quarter are concerned about a reduction in broadband performance Continue Reading

EE, Nokia claim first for 4G LTE air-to-ground network for emergency services

Air-to-ground network uses commercial 4G LTE, enabling emergency services personnel to rely on uninterrupted communications throughout UK Continue Reading

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 Continue Reading

Younger employees find remote working more difficult

Research reveals a disparity between millennials and older generations when it comes to their acclimatisation to remote working, prompting call for firms to provide targeted tools and training for employees during this difficult period Continue Reading

Malaysia’s telco industry on edge amid new developments, appointments

Spotlight trained on newly appointed key regulatory personnel that could see a change in Malaysia’s telco policy, including a deferment of 5G roll-out Continue Reading

New Zealand schools to get Wi-Fi 6 in connectivity boost

More than 2,000 schools across New Zealand will be among the first in the country to enjoy the improved coverage and access speeds of Wi-Fi 6 Continue Reading

Coronavirus outbreak will speed up enterprise automation

Forrester calls for enterprises to automate with empathy as they deploy an increasing range of intelligent technologies to reduce their dependence on human labour Continue Reading

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 Continue Reading

CW Europe: 5G rush in Russia

Russian mobile operators are pooling their resources to help them overcome the technical challenges of creating 5G networks. Also read why Swedbank is rebuilding its anti-money laundering systems, and how a public-private partnership in the Netherlands is combating business email compromise fraud. Continue Reading

Elisa enjoys 5G base station energy, emissions reductions from Nokia liquid cooling

Finnish telecoms operator reduces potential expenses of its base stations by up to 30% and emissions by approximately 80% through liquid cooling Continue Reading

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 Continue Reading

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 Continue Reading

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 Continue Reading

US senator implores UK legislators to ban Huawei from telecoms networks

US senator tells committee of MPs that deployment of Huawei in UK 5G phone networks would have been the equivalent of allowing Russia to build submarines during the Cold War Continue Reading

Worldwide user spending on cloud-based web conferencing technology will grow by nearly 25% in 2020

Global workplace restrictions will drive expansion of cloud conferencing user base throughout 2020, but growth will taper off next year Continue Reading

Keeping IT operations running for remote workers

Measuring employee experience and enabling self-service are some of the ways businesses can manage and empower a remote workforce Continue Reading

Revved-up electric vehicle market to drive associated connected services to 270% growth

Projected end of sales of petrol-engined cars set to propel higher adoption of electric vehicles and generate boom in connected vehicle tech to $378m by 2024. Continue Reading

Enterprises planning future with 5G and Wi-Fi 6

Deloitte study shows advanced wireless technologies increasingly seen as a ‘force multiplier’ for emerging technologies including AI, IoT, cloud and edge computing Continue Reading

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 Continue Reading

SmarTone deploys Ericsson Spectrum Sharing to open the gates to 5G-based smart city

Hong Kong operator deploys 5G broadly across territory using dynamic spectrum-sharing technology Continue Reading

Wireless Broadband Alliance calls for single global Wi-Fi network

Global wireless ecosystem consortium unveils WBA OpenRoaming to offer automatic and secure connection of billions of devices to millions of Wi-Fi networks Continue Reading

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 Continue Reading

O2 completes Innovate UK cyber security project blueprint for self-driving cars

Leading UK telco O2 finalises projects to protect data integrity of connected cars as part of major UK project into autonomous vehicles on UK roads Continue Reading

European General Court annuls ban on proposed Three UK/O2 merger

Court reverses European Commission judgment blocking 2016 purchase of leading UK mobile providers Continue Reading

Three-quarters of people expect to work remotely more often after the lockdown

Current changes in working patterns through the Covid-19 outbreak set to see marked shift in the future, and have major impact on digital infrastructures Continue Reading

Covid-19: Managing spikes in website traffic now IT leaders’ biggest challenge

AppDynamics research reveals that 95% of companies plot new tech course after Covid-19 outbreak as technologists see opportunity to show their value to the business Continue Reading

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 Continue Reading

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 Continue Reading

Nokia joins the Open RAN Policy Coalition

Finish comms tech provider reinforces its commitment to the development of future secure mobile radio technologies for 5G by joining open and software-defined network technology consortium Continue Reading

Lack of clarity around 5G fuels misconceptions about next-generation networks

Revolutionary potential of next-generation 5G network is huge, but research suggests key messages are not hitting home with businesses or consumers Continue Reading

Thailand gears up for 5G

Thai government forms 26-member committee to develop a roadmap for 5G adoption and address roadblocks related to the recall of unused spectrum from state agencies Continue Reading

Coronavirus: How MyIX is keeping Malaysians connected

Malaysia’s MyIX internet exchange has been classed as critical national infrastructure, with member telcos adding more capacity to meet the surge in demand for internet services Continue Reading

UK contact-tracing app set to miss official launch date as Google, Apple release API

Government ministers aim to shore up contact-tracing strategy after junior minister concedes much-publicised app set miss-stated start date and Silicon Valley giants officially launch API for apps that follow different route than NHS Continue Reading

Nokia, KDDI trial fully virtualised 5G cloud RAN

Finnish comms tech supplier Nokia adds to portfolio of customers trailing its cloud RAN solutions in deal with leading Japanese operator KDDI, including Nokia AirScale Continue Reading

Nearly two-thirds of US small businesses to continue with remote working post-pandemic

Survey reveals small businesses are having a big rethink on remote working as a fundamental business practice when the coronavirus pandemic has passed Continue Reading

Personal devices putting Singapore employers at risk

More than half of Singapore respondents to a CrowdStrike-commissioned survey believe their devices are only somewhat secure against advanced cyber threats Continue Reading

Ericsson extends 5G reach with China Telecom, China Unicom

Leading Chinese operators tap Swedish comms tech giant for 5G core portfolio systems, including cloud packet, NFVI, dynamic orchestration and spectrum sharing Continue Reading

2B or not 2C? That is the question for 5G

A flurry of 5G network launches in all major markets in Asia, North America and Europe, focused on consumer applications and services. This looks set to change in 2020 as the operators get down to business Continue Reading

Worldwide comms services industry projected to take limited hit from Covid-19

Coronavirus pandemic has changed some trends in the global telecom services market, but operators have adapted quickly and temporarily pushed aside some earlier priorities, says IDC Continue Reading

Covid-19: NHS reveals comms network strain as virus spread

Patients hit the web and phone lines for coronavirus assessments, with demand peaking as lockdown was announced, says health service Continue Reading

Harman seeks to bring private member’s bill over contact tracing

Chair of Human Rights Committee aims to put the proposed Contact Tracing (Data Protection) Bill 2020 before parliament as a private member’s bill if necessary Continue Reading

CW APAC: Trend Watch – business response to coronavirus

With countries the world over reeling from the Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak, which has meant sweeping changes both economically and socially, Computer Weekly looks at how firms in the Asia-Pacific region have adapted to what has so quickly become the new normal. Continue Reading

US maintains ban on Chinese tech firms as Huawei, ZTE make 5G leaps

White House extends executive order that effectively bans US companies from using comms equipment made by firms posing a national security risk, while Huawei and ZTE reveal new 5G advances Continue Reading

Vodafone aids Covid-19 fight with added capacity for NHS Scotland, and introduces IoT thermal camera

Comms tech to the fore in assisting key workers at temporary coronavirus facility in Glasgow, while heat detection camera combining thermal imaging and IoT capability will help facilitate people’s return to work Continue Reading

UK’s contact-tracing app targeted by scammers

Even though it is only operational on the Isle of Wight as a beta test, the UK government’s coronavirus contact-tracing app has already attracted the attention of cyber criminals Continue Reading

Vodafone shrugs Virgin move as it posts steady financial year

UK operator claims to have defied the odds and bucked the market in last financial year but warns of impact of Covid-19 on business Continue Reading

UK said to be on verge of major technology shift for Covid-19 contact-tracing app

Technology community awash with reports of potential sea change in much-publicised and much-criticised app away from controversial centralised database Continue Reading

Contact-tracing app fails to protect privacy and human rights

Reassurances over the security and human rights implications of NHSX’s approach to developing its Covid-19 contact-tracing app are insufficient, says the cross-bench Human Rights Committee Continue Reading

Brits expected to call time on office life after lockdown

O2 Business study reveals currently displaced workers see a permanent change to their company’s approach to flexible working Continue Reading

UK comms experts continue to question contact-tracing app

Academics and comms industry experts challenge UK government scientists on their defence of NHS contact-tracing app, in particular the issue of centralised data gathering Continue Reading

Singapore to test 5G in Industry 4.0 trial

Trial, spearheaded by IMDA, IBM, Samsung and M1, will test the use of 5G, along with AI and IoT technologies, in manufacturing Continue Reading

Contact tracing: The privacy vs protection debate

The Covid-19 pandemic has necessitated extreme measures not seen in peacetime for over 100 years. Contact-tracing apps are being developed as a tool for managing the pandemic, but are they a step too far? Continue Reading

Building security and privacy into contact-tracing apps

Governance and data decentralisation are among measures that organisations can take to allay security and privacy concerns over contact-tracing apps, according to RSA Continue Reading

No silver bullets and ‘bumps in the road’ likely but UK contact-tracing app development gathers pace

UK scientific experts address doubts on contact-tracing app’s effectiveness, particular regarding data privacy, but admit that its nature may have to evolve as the roll-out scales up Continue Reading

5G on the ropes as Covid-19 set to land $51bn blow on global mobile services industry

Research predicts mobile revenue will drop 4.1% worldwide because of pandemic, with European operators taking a particular heavy hit Continue Reading

Why you should think before you Zoom

Feel free to use Zoom during the coronavirus lockdown, but think before you discuss anything confidential Continue Reading

Pre-owned device values stay strong amidst coronavirus pandemic

More than half a billion dollars returned to US consumers in Q1 2020 as used and new mobile device markets stabilise after Covid-19 disruption Continue Reading

Unified communications: The key to prospering in the new working reality of Covid-19

Covid-19 lockdowns are causing a collective rethink in the way companies operate, with unified communications transformed from a nice-to-have to a business essential as remote working becomes the new normal Continue Reading

IMDA to issue 5G spectrum to Singtel and StarHub-M1 venture

Singapore’s telco regulator will award 5G spectrum to major operators whose proposals have exceeded its requirements in some cases Continue Reading

Coronavirus: Cash use plummets during UK lockdown

Consumers are switching to digital payment methods amid the current global pandemic crisis Continue Reading

Adtran initiates software-defined access network project, advances the smart home experience

Partnerships with Orange and Plume will evaluate and test SDN-based programming for next-gen fibre access networks, and boost customer experience management of Wi-Fi-enabled services Continue Reading

Wireless stakeholders cheer ‘historic’ FCC Wi-Fi 6GHz spectrum allocation decision

US broadcast and telecoms regulator confirms proposal lauded as a milestone moment that will no less than supercharge connectivity Continue Reading

NHSX reveals full details of UK Covid-19 contact-tracing strategy

National Health Service’s digital innovation unit aims to allay fears over privacy and confidentiality in forthcoming contract-tracing app Continue Reading

Coronavirus: RAF flies in for UK contact tracing app test

NHS announces test at air base of app designed to alert users of the close proximity of those carrying or having symptoms of Covid-19 Continue Reading

ABB Power plugs into Ericsson 5G tech to increase factory productivity

Ericsson gears up for the post-coronavirus world with confidence in 5G and reveals project for its 5G-ready Industry Connect with global leader in power technology Continue Reading

Coronavirus: Surge in Wi-Fi upload traffic shows need for advanced Wi-Fi adoption

Prolonged home working will see home networks, based on older Wi-Fi technologies rather than the likes of Wi-Fi 6, put under intolerable strain, warns analyst Continue Reading

Coronavirus: Banking and mobile sectors collaborate to stop text scams

Initiative aims to protect 50 genuine brands and government organisations from being impersonated by cyber criminals Continue Reading

Australian workers are weakest link in fight against cyber attacks

About four in 10 employees are sharing inappropriate data across mobile devices and half of all security incidents in 2019 occurred through inappropriate IT use, new study finds Continue Reading

Fifth of UK small businesses concerned about prolonged remote working

Small firms find the potential prospect of indefinite working from home a major challenge to future business Continue Reading

What if we find we rather like this working from home thing?

Sometimes it takes a major economic shock to change the accepted wisdom of economics and work – our working life after the coronavirus crisis might be very different Continue Reading

Coronavirus shines spotlight on mobile connectivity

Mobile operators in Asia-Pacific are playing their part in the fight against Covid-19, even as some of them are facing roadblocks in rolling out 5G networks Continue Reading

Orange expands mesh Wi-Fi into Belgium, reinforces marine service capabilities

SoftAtHome’s mesh Wi-Fi now available for Orange Belgium customers while Orange ship begins undersea cabling survey work off coast of Sicily Continue Reading

Samsung claims 4.3Gbps 5G speed breakthrough

Korean tech giant’s latest lab demonstration uses MU-MIMO technology to showcase 5G’s potentially vast capacity, new radio, NR, 28GHz access unit Continue Reading

Coronavirus puts brakes on 5G core deployments

Research firm identifies short- and long-term impacts that global pandemic will have on 5G core and edge networks Continue Reading

How Singapore’s Niometrics is changing network analytics

By extracting granular data and emphasising privacy protection, Niometrics’ network analytics technology is being put through its paces in a variety of use cases Continue Reading

Samsung, AWS claim world’s first mission-critical comms video call

MCPTX solution powered by leading cloud platform said to enable first responders to accurately assess vital moments using voice, data and video calls Continue Reading

Liverpool top of the league for mobile business usage in UK

Merseyside rated as the sweetest of sweet spots for business wireless connectivity Continue Reading

UK government, mobile trade association, operators slam attacks on UK 5G masts

Criminal damage to phone masts and abuse of telecoms engineers condemned as the product of “crackpot” online conspiracy theories Continue Reading

Google data shows high interest in security and remote working

An analysis of the most Googled technology terms during the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic has highlighted the scale of the cyber security challenge presented by the crisis Continue Reading

Coronavirus: What does the ‘new normal’ mean for how we work?

Examining the long-term impact of the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic on the world of work, security, privacy and networks Continue Reading

Coronavirus: Standardisation delays threaten long-term enterprise 5G

Covid-19 outbreak could see delays in essential technology roll-out, leading to the 5G industry missing out on up to 10% of total revenues, says research firm Continue Reading

Australian broadband providers team up to meet network demand

NBN Co and five retail service providers have formed a working group to manage congestion and take steps to address the surge in demand for broadband connectivity amid the Covid-19 outbreak Continue Reading

Malaysia’s business continuity planning readiness a mixed bag

Larger Malaysian enterprises have BCP in place, but SMEs lag behind and will find it harder to weather the Covid-19 storm Continue Reading

Huawei extols 2019 as ‘extraordinary’ year

Despite political challenges across the world restricting use of its technology, Chinese comms tech giant posts strong yearly increase in sales and profit Continue Reading

Coronavirus: Teleworking drives new application usage growth for Comcast

Largest network operator in US issues assurance that huge shift in usage patterns and extra demands on home networks are well within infrastructure’s capability Continue Reading

Fujitsu unveils Japan’s first commercial private 5G network

Successful verification under provisional licence opens path to commercial launch for private 5G network for Japanese tech giant Continue Reading

Coronavirus: internet providers enhance support for customers, end data caps

Supporting the UK’s government efforts to prevent the spread of Covid-19 and support home working, UK network operators agree a wide range of supportive measures Continue Reading

Microsoft targets 5G arena with Affirmed Networks acquisition

IT giant turns sights on telecoms opportunities, bringing expertise of virtualised, cloud-native network software provider into Azure fold Continue Reading

Russia presses ahead with developing 5G, but allocation of frequencies needs to be resolved first

Russian mobile operators are pooling their resources to help them overcome the technical challenges of creating 5G networks Continue Reading

Nokia, LG Uplus build fully automated 5G IP transport network in Korea

Finnish comms firm wins another Asian contract with Korean operator to improve speed of 5G service deployment Continue Reading