Network routing and switching

UK government to drive gigabit broadband to half a million more rural UK homes

Project Gigabit quarterly update Autumn 2021 reveals the estimated sequencing, scope and dates for the English Phase 3 rural projects which will see 570,000 more rural premises in line for full-fibre broadband. Continue Reading

Fibre to the fore for fixed broadband in Q2

Though varied across different markets, overall quarterly global fixed broadband growth returns to normal at the end of the second quarter of 2021 Continue Reading

A quick guide to BGP best practices

The use of Border Gateway Protocol is prevalent among ISPs and enterprises. While BGP best practices change for specific use cases, some recommendations are helpful in all scenarios. Continue Reading

Openreach announces end of copper networks in 79 more UK locations

Further acceleration in BT-owned UK broadband provision firm’s plan to stop selling copper-based broadband and traditional voice services across the UK by 2025 Continue Reading

LightBasin hackers breach 13 telcos in two years

Hackers have obtained an undisclosed volume of subscriber information and call metadata in a sustained campaign against telecommunications firms Continue Reading

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 Continue Reading

IDEMIA to provide SIM for M1 5G standalone net in Singapore

With 5G a game-changer for enterprises, Singapore operator aims to drive technology change and apply technology that will make a difference Continue Reading

Static IP vs. dynamic IP addresses: What's the difference?

Static IP addresses are typically used for servers, routers and switches. Dynamic IP addresses, however, are commonly used for workstations, phones and tablets. Continue Reading

Telstra taps Infinera for 800G subsea cable connection

Telco chooses global supplier of open optical networking systems as part of its drive to increase capacity on all segments of its global network across its new and legacy cables Continue Reading

Oracle, Noovle, TIM team on multicloud services in Italy

Collaborators aims to accelerate digital transformation of Italian enterprises and public sector organisations Continue Reading

Wi-Fi 6/6E deployment set to be diffuse by 2022

Survey of service providers and technology suppliers reveals next-generation wireless communications standards will flourish over the course of the next year Continue Reading

Facebook unplugged for six hours due to configuration error

A configuration change effectively disconnected Facebook from the internet, with billions affected by loss of services Continue Reading

NEC teams with ADVA, Juniper Networks for 5G xHaul transport network automation

NEC and its Netcracker subsidiary join ADVA and Juniper Networks to announce integrated multi-supplier system to optimise wireless transport Continue Reading

CityFibre expands strategic alliance with Bechtel to support fibre roll-out acceleration

After a huge ramp-up in nationwide full-fibre roll-out in the last 12 months, infrastructure provider secures support for ambitions to serve eight million homes Continue Reading

Prysmian: Bend-insensitive fibre is key for optical nets’ future

Energy and telecom cable systems provider says new fibre technology can significantly reduce bend losses and extend expected network lifetime Continue Reading

Orange announces landing of new transatlantic submarine cable in France

Global telco claims significant reinforcement of connectivity and resilience after landing in western France with two next-generation transatlantic submarine cables Continue Reading

UK government claims ‘gigaboom’ as next-gen broadband reaches one in two premises

Hot on the heels of major expansion in fibre networks across the nation by a number of leading operators, government data shows 50.2% of UK premises are now able to access gigabit-capable broadband, up from 6% in 2019 Continue Reading

CityFibre continues UK full-fibre roll-out to Teesside, Norwich as it closes £1.125bn funding round

After announcing two new deployments in a matter of hours, CityFibre has gained what it says is the largest ever capital raise for UK full-fibre deployment Continue Reading

Grace Hopper subsea cable lands in UK

First private subsea cable to the UK funded by Google intended to improve diversity and resilience of network, underpinning consumer and enterprise products, increasing capacity and powering services such as Meet, Gmail and Google Cloud Continue Reading

Flourishing fibre buildouts and SD-WAN spur network tech market

Studies find cable and passive optical networking infrastructure technology driving broadband access equipment market while SD-WAN continues its sharp upward trajectory in first half of 2021 Continue Reading

BT advances hollow core fibre research with world’s first trial of quantum-secure comms

Incumbent UK telco announces latest innovations in hollow core fibre by conducting trial of ultra-secure network communications using commercial equipment over a 6km long Lumenisity CoreSmart cable Continue Reading

Rural Wales broadband specialist ramps investment to connect hard-to-reach communities

UK government-recognised superfast and ultrafast broadband provider expands team to bring gigabit to rural Wales Continue Reading

CityFibre extends network in Sussex, Scotland and announces Medway ISP

Fibre broadband provider announces further extension of its national broadband network in the Glasgow region and in West Sussex, while also sealing deal with service providers using its full-fibre infrastructure Continue Reading

Full Fibre to light up 13 UK market towns with gigabit broadband

Altnet reveals next series of ‘forgotten towns’ to benefit from its fibre-optic broadband infrastructure 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

Submarine cable network nears 500 companies over 1.3 million km

New interactive map of sub-sea connectivity industry shows how providers are enhancing the user experience with new cables, landing stations, and upgraded search and select functionalities Continue Reading

Subscriber speed increases drive higher median broadband usage

Study shows continued surge in broadband data consumption, especially in upstream, leading to just over one-fifth of broadband subscribers being able to benefit from speed tier upgrade Continue Reading

Facebook develops Asia-Pacific, African subsea connectivity

With the tasty title of Apricot, social media giant unveils role in project to develop ultra-fast connectivity under the sea in key Asian region, while it announces expansion of existing partnership to boost African sea network Continue Reading

CityFibre continues full-fibre roll-out in Glasgow

The UK’s largest independent full fibre platform begins work on next stage as part of its national gigabit broadband roll-out in Scotland’s largest city 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

Extreme Networks aims to enhance SD-WAN offer with Ipanema acquisition

Cloud-driven networking company announces intent to establish second technology centre of excellence in Europe through acquisition of the SD-WAN division of Infovista Continue Reading

Community Fibre expands fibre reach out of London with Box Broadband acquisition

London's largest alternative fibre network expands into Surrey and West Sussex with majority stake in Surrey-based full-fibre network operator to help realise commitment to bridging the digital divide and promoting social inclusion Continue Reading

Virgin Media O2 gigabit capability covers more than half of UK network footprint

Latest gigabit switch-on from newly merged cable provider sees a further 1.5 million homes added to its network, allowing customers to access average broadband speeds of 1.13Mbps, said to be four times faster than the national average Continue Reading

DELTA taps Nokia to develop 400G optical transport network

High capacity optical network for both core and metro applications will support operator’s aggressive fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) roll-out in the Netherlands over the next decade Continue Reading

UK broadband trial to investigate connectivity through water pipes

Government-backed scheme to target broadband for hard-to-reach homes with fibre optic cables fed through utility mains, businesses and mobile masts without digging up roads Continue Reading

Dell’Oro: Full speed ahead for broadband tech spending

Analyst says worldwide broadband access market for technologies supporting cable, DSL, PON and fixed wireless improved again at 3% CAGR over the forecast horizon of 2020-2025 Continue Reading

Openreach announces 86 new copper network switch-off locations

BT-owned UK broadband provision firm accelerates its plan to stop selling copper-based broadband and traditional voice services across the UK by 2025 Continue Reading

Community Fibre hits milestone of 300,000 homes passed

Community-focused altnet adds 100,000 London homes passed in six months to drive the growing reach of its full-fibre network Continue Reading

Accelerating UK full-fibre sees altnet association register record membership growth

Independent Networks Cooperative Association enjoys membership boom as altnets build momentum in UK and take on comms big guns in dash for fibre to the home and premises Continue Reading

BGP vs. OSPF: When to use each protocol

BGP and OSPF are two of the most common routing protocols. While BGP excels with dynamic routing for large networks, OSPF offers more efficient path choice and convergence speed. Continue Reading

The differences between PAP and CHAP

PAP uses a two-way handshake to authenticate client sessions, while CHAP uses a three-way handshake. Both authentication processes are common, but one is more secure. Continue Reading

What's the difference between a MAC address and IP address?

A MAC address and an IP address each identify network devices, but they do the job at different levels. Explore the differences between the two and learn why both are necessary. Continue Reading

Static vs. dynamic routing: What is the difference?

Static routing uses preconfigured routes to send traffic to its destination, while dynamic routing uses algorithms to determine the best path. How else do the two methods differ? 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

Openreach calls on CommScope to deliver full-fibre broadband network across UK

BT broadband provision division and wired and wireless network technology provider enter into partnership to accelerate pace of gigabit network roll-out Continue Reading

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 Continue Reading

Virgin Media O2 boosts small business broadband in UK

Cable broadband provider clams to be ‘supercharging’ business connectivity with a free upgrade designed to help SMEs bounce back from the pandemic Continue Reading

Hyperoptic selects EXFO to accelerate fibre net deployment

As it embarks upon a nationwide expansion of network, the fast-growing UK gigabit broadband provider enters into partnership to obtain network testing technology to guarantee buildout optimisation Continue Reading

DISH, Dell announce Open RAN 5G edge infrastructure first for US

Leading US operator taps IT giant for cloud-native, open 5G radio access network and edge compute technology and announces collaboration on go-to-market strategies for joint edge solutions Continue Reading

More than $8bn forecast for cable investments over next three years

2021 Submarine Cable Map research reveals the changing dynamics in the market Continue Reading

UK altnets to invest nearly £12bn in fibre by 2025

Massive investments imminent by independent broadband providers to drive the creation and realisation of Gigabit Britain Continue Reading

Juniper Is Getting The Hang Of Acquisitions...

Had an excellent catch-up with Apstra, a company I’ve followed since day one, fascinated by its concept of “intent-based networking”. After all, my IT raison d’etre is to prove that stuff “does ... Continue Reading

BT begins trial on ‘revolutionary’ optical fibre

Researchers conduct trials of hollow-core fibre at BT’s research facility labs in collaborative project with Southampton University spin-out company and open radio access network mobile supplier Mavenir Continue Reading

Upstream data usage flattens but gigabit-speed subscribers continue to rise

As businesses emerge from the pandemic, research suggests the way in which firms use broadband may have changed for ever, with upstream data consumption flat amid seasonal average usage declines Continue Reading

Vodafone, CityFibre extend partnership to include Ethernet services

Partnership that has gained rapid traction on the home front is taken to the business environment, offering organisations more choice, lower cost and a faster private data network Continue Reading

Openreach taps Ciena to boost connectivity services for UK carriers

To hasten full-fibre network build out and help meet growing customer demand, BT-owned broadband provision division deploys new routing, switching and optical solutions Continue Reading

Nokia, Microsoft team to offer public cloud AI use-case library for telcos

Nokia’s AVA AI use-case library now delivered as a service on Azure public cloud, claiming to combine telco-grade security and instant web scale architecture scalability Continue Reading

Hard Rock Hotel checks in Extreme Wi-Fi 6 to enhance guest experience

Advanced cloud-managed Wi-Fi enables secure, reliable connectivity and simplified network management throughout historic site of renowned global hotel chain Continue Reading

Work begins on CityFibre gigabit network for Middlesbrough

In second deployment in two days to a mid-sized conurbation, former altnet switches attention from north-west to north-east to “future-proof” digital foundations of Teesside hub Continue Reading

CityFibre makes £30m full-fibre investment in Preston

Rapidly growing former altnet gets to work on its aim to ‘future-proof’ digital foundations of north-west city with expanded fibre infrastructure Continue Reading

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 Continue Reading

Fibre roll-outs gather pace in Europe

Number of homes and businesses reached by fibre grows rapidly in 39 leading European territories, with FTTH/B coverage in Europe surpassing more than half the total number of homes Continue Reading

Openreach extends analogue switch-off to further 700,000 homes and businesses

UK broadband provider ramps up the pace of its plan to stop selling copper-based broadband and traditional voice services across the UK by 2025 Continue Reading

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 Continue Reading

Telemedicine to save healthcare industry tens of billions globally by 2025

Research predicts good times ahead for key network-based industry, especially as teleconsultations improve patient care, but warns that deregulation of telemedicine is needed to maximise growth Continue Reading

Toob teams with Neos Networks to facilitate full-fibre

Broadband provider and connectivity firm will utilise growing UK fibre network to deliver reliable broadband services addressing the needs of consumers in Hampshire and Surrey Continue Reading

Juniper Networks offers path to ease SASE transition

New cloud-based portal is designed to help customers transition seamlessly and securely to a secure access service edge architecture by safeguarding users, applications and infrastructure amid network transformation Continue Reading

Community Fibre, City Fibre ramp up UK gigabit roll-out

Altnets further expand the reach of UK gigabit broadband networks with deployments in London and Ipswich Continue Reading

How satellite connectivity can combat the digital divide

Research shows satellite connectivity is now a credible alternative for demanding customers, and there are various actions that operators can take to help combat the digital divide Continue Reading

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 Continue Reading

2020 network upstream growth rate nearly 4x pre-pandemic levels

OpenVault study shows the impact of business hours increases and individual subscriber behaviour on upstream capacity is putting unprecedented strain on network operators Continue Reading

CW Innovation Awards: Jio Platforms taps machine learning to manage telco network

Why India’s largest telecom operator built its own machine learning platform to meet the growing data and signalling requirements of new networks Continue Reading

Openreach defies Covid to hit full-fibre target

BT-owned broadband provision division includes more than 170 city locations in multi-billion-pound gigabit broadband build including cities of Birmingham, Belfast, London and Manchester Continue Reading

Nokia claims 5G throughput breakthrough and deploys first SE Asia 5G standalone RAN

Finnish comms tech supplier marks the first 5G standalone RAN sharing network in Southeast Asia, enables M1-StarHub joint venture to gain Singapore-wide 5G coverage, and breaks a speed barrier Continue Reading

Altnet association warns of threat to UK full-fibre roll-out

Independent Networks Co-operative Association warns that recent momentum in gigabit broadband implementation could be delayed if independent providers and their investors believe UK comms regulator is not willing to listen to their concerns Continue Reading

Cinia cuts Ribbon deal for transport network upgrade

Real-time communications software and network solutions firm sees OTN platforms deployed in upgrade of backbone transport network in Finland and Northern Europe Continue Reading

Connectivity the ‘unsung hero’ of the future of work

Research finds that by stripping away bureaucracy, flattening hierarchies and streamlining processes, the response to Covid-19 has given an indication as to how work could and should change for the better, but there will be losers along with the winners Continue Reading

Virgin Media trial demos multi-gigabit upgradeable bandwidth

Virgin Media trials optical networking technology that could pave way to faster internet connectivity that is easier to upgrade Continue Reading

Openreach taps VIAVI to ensure network quality for UK full-fibre build-out

Openreach opts for optical network monitoring system to address network quality, including validating new construction, performing pre-activation checks and monitoring ongoing services Continue Reading

UK government pumps £4.5m into central Scotland gigabit connectivity plan

Key Scottish population belt identified as the first territory for investment as part of UK government’s £5bn investment in next-generation broadband Continue Reading

Australia’s Macquarie Telecom debuts SD-LAN service

The software-defined local area networking service will make it easier for enterprises to manage Wi-Fi networks and regulate the density of people at a given location Continue Reading

Nokia wins multi-year 5G radio and core contract with A1 Austria

Central European telco signs further deal with Finnish comms provider to begin commercial implementation of 4G and 5G network slicing following successful pilot Continue Reading

Altran, Qualcomm collaborate for 5G NR small cell software

Altran and Qualcomm join forces to expedite development of high-speed, low-latency private and public 5G small cells Continue Reading

Telecom Egypt implements IBM hybrid cloud to transform operations

Leading regional telco deploys Cloud Pak for Automation technology to modernise network operations and deliver fast and secure services to clients and looks to IBM Global Business Services to build and manage its datacentre Continue Reading

CE consortium calls on comms regulator to ignore pleas to delay 6GHz certification

As users’ reliance on wireless devices increases, the US Consumer Technology Association warns FCC to ignore lobbying to pause progress of Wi-Fi 6E equipment certification Continue Reading

Collaboration to the fore as ‘staggering’ change predicted for IT in 2021

With 2020 exposing the leaders versus the laggards in enterprise digital transformation, research shows companies intend to invest in SD-WAN and MPLS, UCaaS and CCaaS to stay competitive in 2021 Continue Reading

O2, Three, Vodafone team to enhance rural mobile coverage

Three of the UK’s leading mobile operators announce plan to build and share infrastructure to boost 4G rural coverage in the first part of a national scheme to improve mobile connectivity in hard-to-reach places Continue Reading

Next-gen network roll-outs drive 5G FWA broadband CPE market

Continued momentum revealed for fixed wireless access as analyst sees such services using 5G technology capable of supporting gigabit speeds, creating huge potential to compete with existing fixed broadband services Continue Reading

Orange announces submarine cable linking US East Coast to France

Global telco claims significant reinforcement of connectivity and resilience on what it says is the most important submarine route in the world, with two next-generation transatlantic submarine cables Continue Reading

Hong Kong Airport Authority takes off with upgraded IP/MPLS network

Next-generation network to offer key regional hub migration of legacy applications to support increased passenger capacity, reliability and ease of expansion Continue Reading

BNP Paribas, Orange Business Services deploy SD-WAN to French retail sites

Co-construction approach between leading bank and telco ensures business continuity during deployment of software-defined infrastructure across France as part of its digital transformation strategy Continue Reading

Five easy tips to improve working from home networks

With many people having to work from home, we look at how to get the most from an existing broadband internet connection Continue Reading

Telstra International appoints South Asia head

The international arm of Telstra has hired former DXC Technology executive Geraldine Kor as its managing director for South Asia to tap new growth opportunities Continue Reading

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 Continue Reading

‘Litany’ of UK government failures in gigabit broadband roll-out

Second UK MPs’ report in matter of weeks slams government for dismal failure and lack of sufficient progress in meeting already scaled-back benchmark for gigabit-capable connectivity by 2025 Continue Reading

Five million UK households paying £804m more than they should for broadband

Significant number of UK householders won’t switch broadband networks for fear of losing their connection or the perceived hassle of switching, but many are left paying too much, research shows Continue Reading

Vodafone announces free data schemes for small business

As research shows the strain on business from Covid, UK communications operator announces programme to offer free high-speed connectivity Continue Reading

euNetworks rounds on The Loop Manchester

Bandwidth infrastructure company enhances footprint with unique routes, extra capacity and flexibility with dedicated high-speed fibre-optic network in northern powerhouse Continue Reading

Top 10 networking stories of 2020

Here are Computer Weekly’s top 10 networking stories of 2020 Continue Reading

EU looks to enter broadband space race

European Union looks to extend communications frontier through consortium examining the design, development and launch of a European-owned space-based communications system Continue Reading