Networking and communication

Global broadband speed clipping rockets over past 18 months

Research shows broadband speed clipping is rising sharply, with many subscribers hitting upper speed limits Continue Reading

How advanced comms can gain an edge in the post-pandemic world

Advanced communications not only connects the real world to the digital world, but also enables a hybrid and more environmentally friendly world of work Continue Reading

Nokia’s private LTE chosen by Bahrain’s Electricity and Water Authority

Nokia strikes further deal for private network infrastructure, helping leading MENA utilities company modernise its grids Continue Reading

Ensuring hybrid work works in the new normal

The hybrid business is becoming a reality, but how can firms ensure a positive employee experience and learn how to identify and manage risks? Continue Reading

4 trends spurring the evolution of network hardware

Major trends in network hardware highlight enterprise interest in vendor-agnostic options and open models. But legacy designs could stand in the way of adoption. Continue Reading

Leading telcos urge Europe to act now to build Open RAN ecosystem

Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Telecom Italia, Telefónica and Vodafone issue five-point clarion call for building an Open RAN ecosystem for Europe to ensure that the continent continues to play a leading role in 5G and, eventually, 6G Continue Reading

UK government enshrines law to strip out ‘high-risk’ suppliers’ tech from networks

UK Telecommunications (Security) Act receives Royal Assent, mandating stronger legal duties on telecoms firms to protect the UK’s networks and giving the government new powers to control use of high-risk suppliers Continue Reading

Alert over spate of Iran-linked BitLocker attacks

A joint advisory from western cyber agencies warns of a campaign of ‘ongoing malicious activity’ by an Iran-linked APT group exploiting BitLocker to extort its targets Continue Reading

Sky ECC provided free cryptophones to a Canadian police force

Internal emails disclosed in a US court show how Sky Global supplied sample encrypted phones to a Canadian police force before its phone users became subject to an international police investigation Continue Reading

Openreach hits six million homes with full-fibre reach

BT broadband provision division says full-fibre broadband roll-out programme is on track to reach 25 million premises by December 2026 Continue Reading

How SASE is set to determine the future

We take a look at the SASE environment and what challenges and benefits lie ahead in the adoption of secure access service edge Continue Reading

Qualcomm extends collaboration with BMW on automated driving systems

Tech giant drives into huge deal with automotive group to develop next generation of autonomous driving and driver-assistance systems Continue Reading

WBA, TIP team to bring open AFC for Wi-Fi in 6GHz unlicensed band 

Infrastructure solutions community driving global connectivity joins forces with Wi-Fi alliance to spur adoption of 6GHz Wi-Fi and enable better user experience Continue Reading

Increased 5G availability sees working from home mean working from phone for 24 million

Research finds that more than eight million workers who have bought a 5G-capable smartphone since the start of the pandemic are a key driver of the switch to mobile data Continue Reading

Ericsson launches Intelligent Automation Platform for smarter networks

Comms tech provider looks to bring scalability, performance and operations simplicity to mobile networks, including purpose-built and Open RAN Continue Reading

Orange Business Services powers Safran with smart-tracking IoT

Telco deploys more than 15,000 trackers and 250 antennas at two aircraft engine production sites in France to remotely locate and manage tools and equipment in real time Continue Reading

National Infrastructure Commission pinpoints strategic gaps in UK infrastructure planning 

UK infrastructure assessment stresses it remains critical for health of country that gigabit broadband is effectively rolled out to rural areas and towns to ensure genuinely universal provision Continue Reading

Vodafone claims solid half-year

Hot on the heels of signing a contract with City Fibre to gain UK fibre leadership, leading European comms operator’s results for the first six months of 2021 shows sustainable growth in both Europe and Africa Continue Reading

Does Wi-Fi 6 have better range than previous wireless standards?

Yes, Wi-Fi 6 provides better wireless range. But it's not because of higher power output. The key is certain Wi-Fi 6 features can improve data rates at a given range. Continue Reading

Blueprint for future high street shows tech’s role in creating thriving communities

Technology will play an important role in creating thriving communities after Covid-19 lockdowns renew interest in local high streets Continue Reading

Security Think Tank: SASE – more than the sum of its parts?

Airbus Cybersecurity’s Paddy Francis asks what makes an integration of the various components of SASE more the sum of their parts, and what are the benefits and pitfalls? Continue Reading

Broadband beats bedrooms for UK homebuyers

Research from global communications provider finds that fast internet access is now a top-two must-have for UK homebuyers Continue Reading

How cosmetics retailer Lush authenticates with ease

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we find out how Lush has modernised user authentication, governed by a desire to care for customer data. We also talk to the chief data officer at Nasa about data as a strategic asset, and the ground of better decision-making. And we foreground a call for the government and the Post Office to compensate victims of the Horizon computer system without delay. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

WM5G, Intercity Technology unveil 5G support session for West Midlands manufacturers 

5G innovation centre teams with enterprise mobility and collaboration provider to offer free sessions Continue Reading

How zero-trust SDP can work with a VPN for remote work

Implementing software-defined perimeter and zero-trust security models with a corporate VPN adds significant layers of user and device verification and authentication. Continue Reading

Openreach in consultation over next stage in transition to fibre

BT-owned UK broadband provision firm accelerates plan to stop selling copper-based broadband and traditional voice services, aiming to use five pilot areas to develop and test approaches for mass-migrating end-users to new digital offers Continue Reading

Security Think Tank: What to find out before investing in SASE

Petra Wenham of the BCS shares her thoughts on what organisations need to consider as they investigate whether or not to invest in secure access service edge technology Continue Reading

How to get the most from 5G mobile networking

Forrester analysts present a guide to help technology organisations optimise the use of 5G in the business Continue Reading

GSMA announces 5G mmWave accelerator initiative

Mobile industry trade association announces new accelerator, with an aim to drive education efforts and showcase innovation Continue Reading

Ofcom introduces rules to ease rural broadband development

UK comms regulator aims to address key issue preventing proliferation of gigabit broadband to hard-to-reach places Continue Reading

BT applies Covid-19 R number modelling to threat response

A prototype cyber security tool developed at BT uses epidemiological principles to detect and respond to cyber threats Continue Reading

Flexible working hours the key for increased productivity

With flexible working shifting from being a privilege to a necessity, company leaders must ensure their workers have a high-quality network service, efficient resources, hardware and cloud services, says Whit Andrews, distinguished research vice-president at Gartner Continue Reading

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 Continue Reading

IT Priorities 2022: APAC enterprises invest in digital future

Nearly two-thirds of enterprises in Asia-Pacific plan to increase their IT budgets next year in areas such as cloud computing and cyber security to secure their digital future Continue Reading

Vodafone anchors CityFibre nationwide network for UK full-fibre leadership

Strategic partnership expanded to anchor nationwide roll-out of full-fibre gigabit broadband to up to eight million homes, with long-term volume commitments Continue Reading

HPE’s Aruba networking unit hit by cyber attack

Undisclosed threat actor compromised data buckets used to run the Aruba Central cloud environment using a stolen access key Continue Reading

4 ideas for network cable management best practices

When organizing cable clutter, network engineers should follow some common best practices, including the use of cable labels, cable ties and proper documentation. Continue Reading

Post-Covid tech world to see 89% of UK tech operations hosted off-premise

Leading UK ISP releases research showing that emergence of the hybrid era means that dependence on on-premise infrastructure to support a full capacity office is no longer required Continue Reading

Mavenir accelerates AI for enterprises with intelligent video analytics on 5G

Network software provider announces video analytics powered by NVIDIA Metropolis artificial intelligence-on-5G technology designed to transform business processes for faster decision-making Continue Reading

CIO interview: Ralph Munsen, CIO, Warner Music Group

As organisations put more and more IT assets into the cloud, it makes more sense to manage networks cloud natively, says Warner Music CIO Continue Reading

Northumbria University enters next phase in developing a shoebox-size comms satellite

Researchers are collaborating on a new satellite system based on shrinking laser communications into a device no bigger than a shoebox Continue Reading

CW Benelux: Dutch IT company rips up the HR rule book for better work-life balance

One Dutch tech firm has used learnings from the pandemic to rip up its HR rule book and implement an official work-from-home policy. In fact, Infolearn has gone further than hybrid working, with a personal mobility budget for staff and a four-day working week, all with retention of full-time salary. Also in this issue, read how Dutch education administrators appear to be underestimating the threat of cyber crime. Continue Reading

Post-Covid tech world to see 89% of UK tech operations hosted off-premise

Leading UK ISP releases research showing that emergence of the hybrid era means dependence on on-premise infrastructure to support a full capacity office is no longer required Continue Reading

What Norwegians are learning as they pioneer autonomous ships

Norway is leading the world in developing autonomous ship technology – and the world should pay attention to its latest developments Continue Reading

Cisco aims to conquer complexity in hybrid world of work

Network tech and services giant Cisco unveils solutions designed to simplify complex environments as the world embraces flexible ways of working, giving global view of SaaS application health and outages map Continue Reading

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 Continue Reading

More than 90% of Virgin Media O2’s network now gigabit-ready

After switching on gigabit-capable services for 1.6 million more homes, UK cable provider claims to be within touching distance of enabling its entire network to access broadband download speeds of up to 1.13Gbps Continue Reading

BT unveils robotics test lab to speed infrastructure roll-out

Telco opens UK’s first dedicated telecoms civil engineering robotics test facility designed to help fibre network development and roll-out in challenging environments Continue Reading

A guide to Windows DHCP server configuration

The main steps to configure DHCP on Windows Server are installation, Active Directory authorization, creating a scope and DNS registration. Learn about other tasks and best practices. Continue Reading

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 insights intensifies Continue Reading

Qualcomm collaborates with NEC to develop open and virtualised 5G

Mobile chip giant partners with IT and network technologies provider to fast-track commercialisation and accelerate adoption of 5G open and virtualised infrastructure at scale Continue Reading

5G set for 2.6 billion subs by 2026

Increasing use of mobile networks to access video content, digital payments, online retail and video conferencing all contribute to 5G traffic growth, with ongoing roll-outs driving the adoption of higher data packages Continue Reading

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 Continue Reading

Evaluate the components of Cisco SASE

Cisco's SASE platform, Umbrella, has all the components of a SASE architecture, but it has a lot of integration complexity and a reliance on appliances. Continue Reading

What are the 6 components of structured cabling?

The six components of structured cabling are Entrance Facilities, Equipment Room, Backbone Cabling, Telecommunications Room, Horizontal Cabling and Work Area. Continue Reading

NASCAR revs up with Wi-Fi 6 to accelerate fan experience

NASCAR is to use cloud-driven Wi-Fi 6 net to offer high-efficiency, high-capacity networking to power experiences such as mobile ticketing, mobile concessions and mobile sports betting Continue Reading

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 Continue Reading

CityFibre breaks million milestone in full-fibre roll-out

Pace of transformation of third-largest fibre network provider shown as former altnet racks up milestone figure for homes ready to tap into gigabit-capable infrastructure Continue Reading

Security Think Tank: SASE – marketing buzz or the future of security?

SASE architectures promise to prevent multiple types of cyber attacks, but deciding whether SASE is right for your organisation will require understanding whether SASE is a fit for your use cases in IT Continue Reading

Totem begins standing for Orange network sharing strategy

Leading comms operator switches on European TowerCo subsidiary, which will aim to derive value from passive mobile infrastructure and open up these assets to other operators Continue Reading

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 Continue Reading

BT secures industry-first global partnership with OneWeb

Just weeks after increased investment from French operator Eutelsat, growing satellite firm inks distribution partner agreement with UK telco for low Earth orbit communications services Continue Reading

Mavenir shows path to monetise network as a service

Network software provider looks to address use case-driven future with agile charging and monetisation platform and composable architecture designed to make the transition to future platforms easier Continue Reading

Inmarsat launches IoT platform to enable flexible connectivity for businesses

Leading satellite provider unveils platform of internet of things connectivity services, solutions and ecosystems designed to help businesses with their IoT roll-outs and to support new innovations built on the connectivity backbone of ELERA network Continue Reading

What the Budget means for UK technology

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we look through the Chancellor’s Autumn Budget and Spending Review to find what it means for the UK tech sector. As COP26 starts, we assess the green credentials of the IT industry. And we hear one CTO’s experiences of learning the privacy lessons of GDPR. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Scotland 5G Centre opens for business

The Dumfries-based Innovation Hub has gone live, and is set to make 5G testing accessible for a wide range of firms across the region Continue Reading

5G fundamental to Europe achieving climate targets

Europe-wide analysis from leading comms tech firm reveals next-generation network-enabled solutions could reduce EU CO2 emissions by 15% by 2030 Continue Reading

Is SASE mere vendor hype? It’s more nuanced than that

There’s no doubt that SASE is being overhyped, but nevertheless the concept holds value that security teams should not discount, according to PA Consulting analysts Continue Reading

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 Continue Reading

Use network standardization to facilitate automation

Network teams can automate and standardize network designs to improve configurations, simplify operations and more easily implement changes within their networks. Continue Reading

Roaring iPhone drives Apple in flagging Q3 smartphone market

Record September quarter drives double-digit growth in Apple’s fiscal year but global smartphone market loses steam in third quarter as shipments decline in wake of supply chain woes Continue Reading

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

CIA sought revenge against Julian Assange over hacking tool leaks, court hears

The CIA discussed kidnapping Julian Assange after WikiLeaks published thousands of documents revealing its arsenal of hacking tools, defence lawyers tell a London court Continue Reading

Nokia launches first shared 5G network in Taiwan, takes private LTE across Argentina

Nokia lands deal building on existing relationship with Taiwanese operator to power first 5G service across the island using a multi-operator core network, while private LTE selected by Argentinian operator to connect rural regions and boost Industry 4.0 Continue Reading

What digital experience monitoring means for network teams

Digital experience monitoring integrates several monitoring tools to provide a comprehensive view into the performance of endpoints, applications and the network. Continue Reading

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 Continue Reading

Cisco supports hybrid workforce augmented reality meeting solutions

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

UK Competition and Markets Authority opens investigation into Motorola’s Airwave

Three months after considering whether to launch a probe, UK competition watchdog opens market investigation of role played by tech firm in mobile radio network used by emergency services Continue Reading

Ericsson launches Time-Critical Communication to guarantee real-time 5G experiences

Software toolbox aims to guarantee the consistent low latency and high reliability demanded by time-critical applications running on 5G networks Continue Reading

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 Continue Reading

UK, India strike 5G collaborations

UK foreign secretary’s visit to India sparks a number of collaborations in developing next-generation network projects Continue Reading

TPG Telecom takes Nokia nodes to deploy Asia-Pacific’s first live 5G femtocell

Leading Australian operator deploys modular 4G/5G Smart Node solution from leading comms tech provider to become first network operator in the Asia-Pacific region to deploy a live 5G femtocell Continue Reading

Eero reveals boom in ISP customer network business

Amazon company reveals increased business with service provider partners following new integrations of its technology with TalkTalk, MasMovl, Mediacom, and others Continue Reading

Managing cyber risk by integrating supply chains

In this week’s Computer Weekly, our latest Buyer’s Guide examines the security and IT integration challenges of modern supply chains, especially post-pandemic – while we also talk to the CEO of software provider SolarWinds about how the company overcame its huge supply chain attack. And we look at how a small town in Lancashire was chosen as the HQ for the UK’s new National Cyber Force. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Vodafone teams with Deloitte to launch Centre for Health

Strategic alliance aims to enable greater access to healthcare across Europe Continue Reading

Cisco lands fixed, 5G wins with Telenor, Deutsche Telekom

Networking tech giant announces deal with leading European operators with what is claimed to be state-of-the-art 5G equipment and its highest bandwidth router Continue Reading

London calling for infrastructure as business nets expand four times faster than pre-pandemic

As the new way of working in the post-pandemic arena evolves, research finds digitally mature businesses are hitting the accelerator on digital infrastructure Continue Reading

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 Continue Reading

Huawei teams with UK innovators to create 5G futures

Next-generation network facility in Cambridge claims to be breaking fresh ground across multiple industries and creating a true first-mover advantage with private 5G Continue Reading

Network redundancy vs. resiliency: What's the difference?

The difference between network redundancy and resiliency is redundancy duplicates network devices while resiliency is the self-recovery of system failures. Continue Reading

Multi-government operation targets REvil ransomware group

REvil has been forced offline by a multi-government hacking operation, marking the second time in 2021 that the group has gone dark 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

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 Continue Reading

What are the different types of network cables?

The main types of network cables are coax, fiber optics, and shielded and unshielded twisted pair. As enterprises deploy new technologies, it's critical to select the right cables. 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

Virgin Media O2 enters into 4G, 5G trials with Samsung

Telco embarks on technical trial with comms network technology provider as part of what it calls a milestone in its journey to provide optimised possible 5G experience for customers as well as boosting 4G network Continue Reading

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 Continue Reading

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 Continue Reading

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 Continue Reading