Mobile networking

The Gulf is counting on its smart cities for a sustainable and profitable future

The countries in the Gulf region are leading the way in the development of smart cities as part of their economic diversification Continue Reading

Nokia presses pause on O-RAN Alliance

Citation of leading Chinese technology firms by US government department leads to Finnish comms tech giant halting activities in open comms software body Continue Reading

Singtel counts on telco edge to crack enterprise 5G market

Singtel is counting on its investments in its multi-access edge compute platform to stand out in the enterprise market for 5G services Continue Reading

AT&T teams with Cisco to boost enterprise-based IoT

Leading US operator and comms and networking tech giant say 5G network stands ready to deliver lower latency and faster speeds for enterprise customer internet-of-things deployments using 5G certified devices Continue Reading

Mobile trade-ins return more than half a billion dollars to US consumers in Q2

Second-quarter 2021 edition of mobile device tracker shows more than 150% year-on-year growth, with mobile device trade-in programmes back to pre-pandemic levels Continue Reading

Vilicom taps Mavenir for UK’s first offshore Open RAN private network for windfarm connectivity

Ending a week in which it announced technology for incorporating 2G into Open RAN standards and made a strategic acquisition to enhance its customer engagement platform, cloud-native networks software provider deploys private LTE network for windfarm application in Scotland Continue Reading

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 Continue Reading

Mavenir acquires Telestax, demos world’s first 2G containerised architecture

Just after announcing technology for incorporating 2G into Open RAN standards, cloud-native networks software provider makes strategic acquisition to enhance its business messaging and customer engagement platform Continue Reading

Extreme Networks strikes gold at Olympiastadion Berlin as official Wi-Fi solutions provider

New network set to be the first and largest end-to-end public Wi-Fi 6 deployment in a sporting arena in Europe Continue Reading

M1 deploys surveillance robots at Keppel Bay

Singapore telco M1 is deploying surveillance robots and other 5G-enabled equipment to beef up security and maintenance operations at Marina at Keppel Bay Continue Reading

Optus unveils first Australian demo of 5G NR-DC

Australian operator and global comms tech firms demonstrate new radio dual connectivity technology in Sydney, boosting 5G coverage area while maintaining superfast 5G speeds Continue Reading

Charge Analytics goes Soracom to connect advanced IoT monitoring and control

Internet-of-things solutions provider taps IoT connectivity firm to provide reliable cellular comms to simplify sending data to the cloud and support monitoring of environmental factors in highly regulated industries Continue Reading

Ericsson takes core 5G tech to Taiwan, Faroe Islands operators

Ericsson supports Asia Pacific Telecom to launch first 5G non-standalone multi-operator core network, while Faroese Telecom inks exclusive 5G core and radio access network deal Continue Reading

OneWeb maintains momentum with launch of more than 30 satellites

Company’s latest batch of low Earth orbit craft bring total in-orbit constellation to 288 satellites and it remains on track to deliver connectivity to hard-to-reach places by the end of the year Continue Reading

A1 selects Nokia, Ericsson tech for service roll-outs across middle Europe

Provider of digital services and communications solutions in Central and Eastern Europe chooses Nordic network technology suppliers for 5G roll-out in key selected markets Continue Reading

Vilicom, Virgin Media O2 boost enterprise comms with commercial Open RAN

Global network design and management firm teams with recently merged operator to roll out one of the first commercial sites built on its Open RAN technology platform Continue Reading

Telekom Romania taps Mavenir to deliver cloud-native IMS, VoLTE and VoWi-Fi nets

Move to virtualised IMS with tech from open communications software provider will facilitate operator’s network transition to 4G/LTE and 5G Continue Reading

NEC, Fujitsu begin 5G base station Open RAN tech interoperability testing

Japanese tech giants team up to accelerate the global reach of base station equipment conforming to O-RAN specifications and aim to stimulate growth and innovation in the open 5G market Continue Reading

Vodafone aims for accelerated transformation in UK water industry with ‘unique’ IoT offering

UK operator’s new internet of things offering enables water companies to integrate a range of devices and sensors into a single platform to reduce wastage and improve efficiency Continue Reading

Adam Crozier to lead BT transformation as chairman

Business transformation specialist and nineties and noughties UK business golden boy to take the reins as BT chairman at the end of the year Continue Reading

Qualcomm claims new era with 5G, AI-enabled autonomous drones

Global mobile chip leader says platform will accelerate and scale development for manufacturers to deliver ‘powerful’ purpose-built craft that will see use cases in enterprise and industrial 5G Continue Reading

How mobile operators can cope with staycation boom and sport lockdowns lifting

The periods of lockdown implemented in response to the Covid-19 pandemic led to new mobile network traffic patterns. How can operators adapt to shifting consumer behaviours and continue delivering high-quality experiences? Continue Reading

5G smartphone penetration to reach tipping point in 2025

As consumers adopt 5G smartphones to take advantage of high speeds and reduced latency of next-gen networks, hardware suppliers will need to build out new device capabilities to encourage consumers to upgrade regularly and avoid churn Continue Reading

Tbaytel wraps new voice communications network with Ribbon

Independently owned telecommunications provider aims to offer its customers premium-quality voice services while reducing power costs and accelerating time to market Continue Reading

5G fixed wireless access broadband to rack up 60 million subscribers by 2026

Demand for efficient home broadband access expected to drive deployments and migration of FWA Continue Reading

Project Endeavour concludes with autonomous vehicle passenger rides in London

Multi-city demonstration of autonomous vehicle services ends with public showcase in London using co-ordinated fleet of six vehicles to host passenger rides for first time Continue Reading

Spectrum utilisation alliance calls for licence-exempt access to entire 6GHz band

Research reveals urgent need for access to 6GHz band which, when open, could add over $1tn to the world’s economy by 2025 Continue Reading

United Group contract sees Nokia hail core 3G/4G/5G tech success

Southeast Europe alternative telecom enhances wireless network so that it can transfer large volumes of data fast, securely and with very low latency to cope with surge in connected devices and other demands from mobile users Continue Reading

NTT claims first globally available private 5G network-as-a-service platform

Next-generation mobile comms infrastructure to provide a suite of services to help chief information officers and chief digital officers drive business outcomes and unlock ‘innovative’ business models Continue Reading

Global 5G market set for 3.2 billion connections by 2026

Study suggests that as network orchestration tools maximise monetisation, next-generation infrastructures will grow at a staggering rate of 940% over the next five years Continue Reading

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 Continue Reading

Healthcare providers to deliver 765 million teleconsultations globally by 2025

Research reveals patients will use remote consultation services 3.6 times per year on average, but need for mobile devices and connectivity will limit uptake of telehealth services to developed regions Continue Reading

Vodafone claims UK first with voice-integrated Wi-Fi booster with Alexa built-in

UK operator expands capability of in-home broadband infrastructure with Wi-Fi booster with built-in voice control, hybrid 4G broadband backup and dedicated Wi-Fi support Continue Reading

Inmarsat, Atlantic Bridge Capital and Civic Connect dig deep for IoT in global mining sector

Insight Terra secures $5.45m in Series A funding to accelerate the delivery of an end-to-end full-stack risk management solution to support compliance with global standards and to meet ESG requirements Continue Reading

Verizon, AWS take mobile edge computing to 13 of top 20 US metro areas

Developers and businesses in three new locations now able to build and deploy applications at the edge of communication provider’s wireless network through AWS Wavelength Continue Reading

Vodafone Spain modernises customer relationship management platform with Amdocs

Modernisation programme aims to enable Vodafone Spain to reduce the total cost of ownership and improve operational efficiency, automation and performance of its CRM system Continue Reading

Nokia, Taiwan Mobile claim first 5G carrier aggregation call in standalone architecture

Trial declared successful in aggregating spectrum in the 700MHz and 3500MHz bands for the first time to deliver enhanced connectivity and increased coverage and support Taiwanese operator’s vision to deliver 5G services. Continue Reading

IDC: Double-digit global smartphone growth in second quarter

Analyst finds global consumers around the world continue to show the need for mobile devices, and a particular increasing willingness to buy 5G devices as price points go down Continue Reading

Fibre to the fore as OECD countries add 21 million fixed broadband connections

The future is arriving fast in the broadband industry in developed nations, as OECD research finds fibre deployment is gaining traction at the expense of traditional copper-wire connections in a post-Covid environment Continue Reading

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’ Continue Reading

Investigatory Powers Tribunal finds UK spy agencies unlawfully collected personal data

Campaign groups Privacy International and Liberty are gearing up to bring further legal action after a court found that UK spy agencies unlawfully collected phone and internet records Continue Reading

Verizon, Samsung complete fully virtualised C-band 5G data session

Tech giant and US operator announce C-band trial that they say paves the way for a more programmable, efficient and scalable 5G network Continue Reading

5G adoption ‘purposely delayed’ by European network strategy decision-makers

Aiming to gain a deeper understanding of user perspectives on 5G, including adoption plans and implementation obstacles, research from IoT and wireless solutions provider claims to have found alarming lack of purpose to explore next-gen networks Continue Reading

Apple posts all-time high for Q3 revenues

Global tech giant continues storming the consumer electronics industry, reporting record revenues for its June quarter featuring double-digit growth in each of its product categories and significant improvements in its services segment Continue Reading

5G offers potential £6.3bn boost to UK manufacturing by 2030

In addition to outlining the potential of adding multi billions to the value of the UK manufacturing industry by the end of the decade, the UK operator recommends support for manufacturers to invest in 5G mobile private networks, and the creation of 5G test and innovation centres Continue Reading

5G roamers to surpass 200 million by 2026

With travel restrictions around the world being slowly phased out, analyst predicts 4,500% growth in 5G roaming subscribers over the next five years Continue Reading

Virgin Media O2 goes with Ericsson for 5G standalone core

Leading 5G infrastructure technology provider selected by newly merged UK operator to deploy its cloud-native, container-based, dual-mode 5G standalone core to pave the way to deliver connectivity to enable what are claimed to be the ‘most advanced’ enterprise applications and services Continue Reading

Three UK calls for policy reform to supercharge rural gigabit broadband

Operator says 5G-based wireless internet could deliver gigabit broadband access to rural areas more quickly and cheaply than with standard fixed-line technology Continue Reading

Qualcomm claims world first for 5G mmWave data connection

Showcasing what it believes will be features required in anticipated 5G mmWave roll-outs in China, mobile comms tech provider unveils mmWave capabilities for global expansion with support for 200MHz carrier bandwidth Continue Reading

Plume surpasses a billion connected devices on software-defined network

Research from SaaS experience platform provider finds consumers have accelerated investment in smart home devices during the pandemic Continue Reading

Vodafone widens reach with UK narrowband IoT coverage

UK mobile network operator announces NB-IoT infrastructure expansion to support ongoing investments in platforms and services that will support the growing number of businesses implementing such technology to increase operational efficiency and grow new revenues Continue Reading

Dynamic UK mobile landscape continues to evolve and improve

BT-owned network, EE, comes to the fore as competition drives 5G roll-outs, and leading operators show marked performance improvements across first half of 2021 Continue Reading

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 Continue Reading

Ericsson, MediaTek claim 5G mmWave milestone

Swedish comms tech giant and Taiwanese fabless semiconductor company team up to double current millimetre wave uplink speed ceiling to almost 500Mbps Continue Reading

Pegasus mobile RAT abused to monitor journalists and activists

Israel-based surveillance specialist NSO Group is facing renewed pressure after it emerged its Pegasus mobile surveillance tool may be being widely abused by repressive regimes Continue Reading

Legacy SonicWall kit exploited in ransom campaign

Users of older versions of SonicWall Secure Mobile Access 100 and Secure Remote Access products are at risk from a new ransomware campaign Continue Reading

Ericsson lands landmark Verizon 5G deal as it reports strong Q2

Just as it was announcing a robust end to its first half, global comms tech provider reveals massive contract with US communications giant to deliver 5G solutions Continue Reading

ODA reaches milestone as TM Forum calls on telcos to grab cloud opportunity

Industry association set up for driving digital transformation through collaboration calls on comms providers to take advantage of industry-defining cloud native standards Continue Reading

3G net to be retired in 2023 as BT promises 5G across entire UK by 2028

UK’s incumbent telco unveils new mobile and convergence ambitions with almost universal next-generation wireless over next seven years Continue Reading

EC approves pan-Nordic payments platform

Pan-Nordic payments platform will move to its next phase after receiving merger approval from the European Commission Continue Reading

Mastercard, Verizon Business team to bring 5G to global payments industry

Global payments company harnesses comms provider’s 5G network to innovate in payments and commerce sector, delivering solutions to support immersive retail technology and point-of-sale Continue Reading

O2 Business improves in-store customer experiences with advanced connectivity-based AI technology

Technology uses artificial intelligence and video analytics to help retail businesses improve the in-store experience, with processes boosted by 5G Continue Reading

Vodafone Spain deploys Ericsson 5G Core Standalone for pre-commercial operation

Spanish subsidiary of Vodafone follows UK and German counterparts in selecting Ericsson for core standalone solution to unlock the full potential of next-generation networks Continue Reading

More women in South Asia using mobile internet

A GSMA study found that the gender gap is closing for mobile internet usage in South Asia, along with higher smartphone ownership fuelled by the falling cost of handsets and data Continue Reading

Buoyant Nokia expects to raise 2021 guidance

Comms tech provider says positive news likely in forthcoming Q2 results and despite some headwinds in the second half, it has good foundation for the full year Continue Reading

SNCF on track for industrial 5G in France

French train operator and technical partners unveil 5G Living Lab devoted to industrial practices, designed to extend 5G tests in local station and support modernisation of the group’s industrial entities Continue Reading

GSMA calls for 2GHz of mid-band spectrum to meet UN targets

Starting from the position that meeting mid-band spectrum needs is vital to the future of 5G and requires forward-planning from policy-makers, mobile industry trade association warns that without additional spectrum, it will be impossible to realise the full potential of 5G in some cases Continue Reading

KUKA taps Nokia to facilitate industrial 5G SA private wireless network

German industrial robot manufacturer turns to comms technology provider for 5G private wireless for reliable connectivity in the development of intelligent automation Continue Reading

Liverpool 5G Create, Blu Wireless develop industry-boosting IP

5G mmWave networking equipment provider teams with Liverpool-based part of 5G Testbeds and Trials Programme to develop new multi-sector intellectual property Continue Reading

CMA consults on market investigation into emergency services’ mobile radio network

Competition watchdog considers whether to launch market investigation into role played by Motorola’s mobile radio network used by all emergency services in UK Continue Reading

Enterprise 5G, cloud and IoT disrupting the comms service provider market

Research predicts major uptick in enterprise IT spending, spurred by edge, 5G and private network investments, representing significant opportunity for communications service providers in 2022 and beyond Continue Reading

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 Continue Reading

Enterprise private LTE, 5G networks projected to realise more than $7bn in annual spend by 2026

Study finds mission-critical use cases in manufacturing and energy/utilities driving demand for dedicated comms networks, but ecosystem remains challenging Continue Reading

Vodafone creating indoor OpenRAN solution for business customers

UK operator Vodafone continues its momentum in developing OpenRAN solutions by partnering with Mavenir to create an indoor small cell solution for business customers Continue Reading

Virgin Media O2 unveils ‘significant’ 4G and 5G boost

Ahead of the summer holidays, newly merged communications company announces what it says is a significant 4G and 5G boost to holiday hotspots Continue Reading

CSP share of enterprise 5G deals falls 5% in 2021

Study shows that while the number of enterprise 5G projects doubled over the past year, competition from alternative service providers has significantly impacted CSPs’ share of the market Continue Reading

CW Middle East: Pandemic speeds up edtech revolution in Gulf

One of the lessons the Covid-19 pandemic has taught governments across the world is that education providers can still teach when their premises are inaccessible. Read how organisations in the Gulf region’s education sector have been quick to adopt the latest education technology, known as edtech, to help in this endeavour. Also read in this issue how Indian IT services company TCS is bringing together universities, businesses, tech startups and government to work on sustainability challenges. Continue Reading

How the pandemic accelerated the Gulf’s edtech revolution

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UK 5G availability and speeds progressing at steady clip

Analyst’s latest monthly snapshot of next-generation mobile network development shows steady progress of 5G in Leicester, Liverpool, Manchester and Newcastle Continue Reading

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 Continue Reading

Colt enhances IBM partnership to gain 5G edge

Connectivity solutions provider joins IBM’s partner ecosystem to collaborate on 5G and edge technology for enterprise customers, simplifying distributed infrastructure operations Continue Reading

Pharrowtech claims first viable fibre alternative with wireless

Launch of 60GHz high-speed board designed to allow manufacturers and service providers to test broadband capabilities and support high-speed internet roll-out Continue Reading

OneWeb confirms successful launch and contact with 36 new satellites

Controversial satellite operator OneWeb completes its ‘Five to 50’ mission to cover regions north of 50 degrees latitude, including UK, Canada, Alaska and Arctic region Continue Reading

TPG Telecom taps Nokia to launch world’s first live 5G standalone 700MHz service

Leading Australian telco unveils low-band 5G standalone service to cover wide outdoor areas, as well as deep indoor urban environments using Nokia’s triple-band remote radio unit Continue Reading

Port of Ipswich trials IoT system to digitise operations

BT and ABP deploy intelligent asset platform across East Anglian maritime commercial hub to help its voyage towards smart port status Continue Reading

Aurrigo gets into autonomous gear through Vodafone, AWS partnership

Autonomous vehicle specialist becomes one of the first UK companies to benefit from a new technology partnership between UK comms operator and leading cloud provider Continue Reading

Qualcomm, Capgemini collaborate to boost 5G private network implementations for industries

Partnership between 5G comms tech provider and leading business management firm looks to improve interoperability, provide proven performance and ease deployment for clients looking to unlock benefits of 5G private networks Continue Reading

UK government launches 5G network building competition

Latest part of UK government’s 5G diversification strategy sees launch of competition to put UK at the cutting edge of developing tech for 5G mobile networks Continue Reading

Ericsson, Huawei claim 5G core tech lead with Mavenir, Affirmed Networks leading challengers

Research reveals 5G core dominance is contingent on supplier positioning and strategy, but also that hungry pure-play software suppliers were already offering disruptive innovation and agility Continue Reading

AT&T to move 5G mobile network to Microsoft Azure

Leading US operator to run its mobility network on leading cloud platform as it aims to deliver cost-efficient 5G services at scale, while network cloud technology will be deployed to gain competitive advantage through streamlined operations and service differentiation Continue Reading

Ericsson, Deutsche Telekom, Samsung claim world first in 5G network slicing trial

Global operator joins leading tech firms in test showcasing the benefits of 5G end-to-end network slicing optimised for cloud virtual reality game streaming, while also allowing service providers to offer customer-focused service assurance Continue Reading

Half of mobile phones sold in the UK at risk of security issues

Lengthy mobile phone contracts leave buyers at risk of their devices losing support for security updates Continue Reading

Orange unveils Europe’s first 5G SA fully end-to-end experimental cloud network

Global operator to launch region’s first standalone fully end-to-end cloud network from devices to IS in a cloud-native mode Continue Reading

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 Continue Reading

Google Cloud, Ericsson target telcos with 5G, edge cloud solutions

Google Cloud and Ericsson form partnership based on respective compute platform and 5G technology portfolios to help comms service providers deliver capabilities to the edge to unlock new possibilities for enterprises Continue Reading

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 Continue Reading

UK government reveals full extent of benefits of mobile, fibre development schemes

Scotland, Wales and North East England set to benefit most from mobile coverage boost under £1bn scheme with more than 230,000 Welsh homes and businesses to get access to faster broadband through Project Gigabit, and nearly 1,000 public buildings and 150,000 homes and businesses in Northern Ireland to get full-fibre connections Continue Reading

MWC 2021: Global mobile industry leaders show commitment to 5G mmWave

Mobile industry leaders unite as key 5G business segment expands its momentum across multiple regions, aiming to allow operators and OEMs to meet rising demand for data and expand into new service opportunities Continue Reading

OneWeb, BT sign agreement to explore rural satellite connectivity solutions

Low Earth orbit satellite constellation provider OneWeb announces agreement with BT to discover how satellite technology might support improved capacity, mobile resilience, backhaul and coverage in challenging geographic locations Continue Reading

UK government announces high-tech lab to boost 5G diversification strategy

As a central pillar of strategy to build a more secure and innovative 5G supply chain, Sonic Labs test facility opens to explore ways of building 5G networks in a ‘simulated’ real-world environment Continue Reading