Networking and communication

Activists call on Zoom to implement encryption for all

A coalition of tech organisations and nonprofits have urged Zoom CEO Eric Yuan to make end-to-end encryption available to all users Continue Reading

Ericsson upgrades 5G forecast as research finds mobile networks take added strain from Covid-19

While social distancing and keeping millions at home have put significant demands on infrastructure, with systems that support healthcare, education and businesses of all types under stress, telecoms networks have stood up to the task, says research from leading comms tech provider Continue Reading

Covid-19 contact-tracing apps: the key data protection issues

Organisations intending to deploy contact-tracing apps will need to maintain high standards of privacy compliance, security and ethics to guarantee sufficient uptake and meaningful results Continue Reading

Sassy Security

For all the impacts the likes of COVID-19 and technological advance have on IT, there are two immovable staples that we can rely on: Gartner to keep on introducing new acronyms to create new magic ... Continue Reading

UK network resilience improves during Covid-19 lockdown

UK’s fixed networks handling increased traffic well since lockdown, but customer experience is somewhat affected, especially when connected via Wi-Fi, on several days starting 20 March 2020 Continue Reading

Industry-wide consensus needed to put autonomous vehicles on the map

Shareable geospatial mapping data will be key to the predicted roll-out of self-driving vehicles in 2030, and the UK is in the fast lane to lead development of these regulations 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

University Hospitals Birmingham calls on BT for remote diagnostic station

UK’s largest health trust sets up clinicians to work with multidisciplinary teams for remote clinical support in real time over a converged 4G/5G and Wi-Fi network Continue Reading

UK government to investigate water and energy networks to deliver nationwide gigabit broadband

Existing utility pipelines to be examined as way to accelerate national fibre infrastructure roll-out, but critics voice concern about broadband strategy fixating on fibre Continue Reading

Coronavirus: Enterprise VPN adoption in India set to rise

Advancement in cloud technologies and secured remote access to applications will significantly contribute to the overall growth of India’s VPN market, says GlobalData Continue Reading

Salisbury becomes UK’s first city to go fully full-fibre

Politicians and broadband provision unit urge homes and businesses to switch to a new ultra-fast and ultra-reliable broadband network Continue Reading

Minister downgrades status of UK contact-tracing app from vital to ‘cherry on cake’

Scientists warn of fundamental flaws of Bluetooth technology in proximity measurement function of much-delayed app Continue Reading

100,000 cheap wireless cameras vulnerable to hacking

Active devices built by Chinese firm HiChip have been sold in the UK as webcams and connected baby monitors Continue Reading

5G at ‘tipping point’ as Nokia reveals biggest drivers for enterprise 5G

While analyst believes ‘enormous’ investment required and lack of killer apps put 5G growth in doubt, comms tech giant Nokia paints picture of IT decision-makers making tracks with next-gen infrastructure Continue Reading

CityFibre hires 10,000 people to facilitate UK full-fibre roll-out

UK’s third national digital infrastructure platform provider creates thousands of multi-skilled jobs across network of construction partners to facilitate network deployment 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

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

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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

Evidence emerges of slow increase in global mobile cellular network times

Smartphone users may have seen the worst of the negative impact from the coronavirus pandemic on their cellular experience, with time connected to Wi-Fi networks decreasing, Opensignal research finds Continue Reading

Ericsson continues 5G roll-out in the UK, writes down Chinese assets

It’s a classic case of swings and roundabouts for the Swedish communications technology provider, as it cheers UK win for its 5G technology but admits defeat in business in China Continue Reading

Licensed low-power cellular market gains high traction

With the current extensive deployment of 4G networks and continued expansion of 5G, licensed low-power IoT applications and use cases are set to take off Continue Reading

Virtual GP practice accidentally exposes patient video calls

A small number of users of Babylon’s GP at Hand service were briefly able to view other patients’ video GP consultations thanks to a bug in a new software feature Continue Reading

US networks weather unprecedented traffic during lockdown

“The networks were made for this,” says network technology provider as it shows how US networks have coped with added loads since the stay-at-home order Continue Reading

Coronavirus: How to go back to the office safely and securely

Security teams should be used to supporting remote workers effectively by now, but what’s going to happen when people start returning to their offices? We look at the risks and how to address them. Continue Reading

Businesses learn to cope with new normal as only 25% of UK workers crave return to office

Research from enterprise identity firm finds that even with no playbook, UK workers are coping well with mandated home working and have maintained productivity Continue Reading

SES Water turns on IoT tap to reduce leaks

Vodafone announces 10-year deal with utility firm to provide internet of things solution to revolutionise how water leaks are prevented and detected Continue Reading

Huawei launches charm offensive to fight ‘high-risk’ label

Global communications technology provider begins fightback against perceived high-risk status and stresses its fundamental role in UK telecoms as it finds itself under further attack from UK and US politicians Continue Reading

The software innovation impact of coronavirus

Software developers can work remotely, but if workers are expected to work remotely in the long term, can organisations maintain a software innovation cycle? Continue Reading

How retailers are staying connected during their coronavirus shutdown

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we look at how the hard-hit retail sector has turned to technology to stay connected with staff during the coronavirus lockdown. Our latest buyer’s guide examines best practice in data quality and how to avoid “garbage in garbage out” syndrome. And we look at how remote working affects software development teams. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Australia’s AGL to move most systems to Azure cloud

Energy supplier is moving more than 200 applications and most systems to Azure in a three-year deal with Microsoft Continue Reading

Progress needed for UK fibre roll-out to catch up to peers

Even with the best efforts of the government in meeting its target and various initiatives to support deployment, meeting UK full-fibre gigabit goals depends on ultimate switch-off of the copper network Continue Reading

South Korea takes global 5G leadership

Initial Omdia market assessment shows home of Samsung as the world’s powerhouse for establishing and commercialising 5G networks Continue Reading

Third of UK internet users report worse service since lockdown

Even though operators assured at beginning of lockdowns that their infrastructures could cope with the extra strain on home networks, UK internet users say the quality of their online experiences has demonstrably worsened Continue Reading

Police chiefs working with Public Health England on contact-tracing security

Police force representatives are in talks with Public Health England over operational security concerns arising from the NHS Test and Trace coronavirus contact-tracing scheme Continue Reading

Gamgee and QuantWiFi announce managed Wi-Fi strategic partnership

Network technology providers Gamgee and QuantWiFi team up to develop solutions ensuring Wi-Fi for a growing number of consumers whose network experience has become more crucial than ever Continue Reading

Global enterprise WLAN market dips in first quarter of 2020

Consumer market buoyed but Covid-19 lockdowns blow headwind into enterprise sector for worldwide wireless local area network market for the first quarter of 2020 Continue Reading

Why GovTech is building its own robotics stack

Singapore’s Government Technology Agency has developed a robotics technology stack that will power robots using capabilities from commercial suppliers and the open source community 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

Data privacy groups pile in on UK contact-tracing app

UK-based digital privacy and free speech campaigning organisation files complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office about contact-tracing app 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

The Security Interviews: How the BSI protects the IoT from itself

David Mudd of the BSI reveals how a pragmatic and realistic approach to security vulnerabilities underpins its internet of things kitemark, helping give users the confidence to buy smart devices safely Continue Reading

UK employees complain of lacking tools to work at home effectively

Even though employees expect to continue working remotely for the foreseeable future, a significant proportion of teleworkers lack access to the required technological equipment Continue Reading

Covid-19 drives Zoom boom in first quarter of 2020

Now ubiquitous conference software firm Zoom cashes in as coronavirus spurs higher demand for distributed, face-to-face interactions and collaboration 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

How Teams and Office 365 connect NHS staff during the lockdown

NHS’s AGEM Commissioning Support Unit has migrated from on-premise SharePoint to Office 365 and is now using Teams 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

Telefónica Deutschland, Bell Canada select Ericsson as 5G network partner

Ericsson scores wins for next-generation infrastructure technology on both sides of Atlantic for both core and radio segments 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

Vodafone gives six months’ free business broadband to UK SMEs

UK telco introduces scheme to help UK small businesses attempting to cope with new phase in Covid-19 lockdown 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

Covid-19: Global smartphone sales take a tumble in Q1 2020

Leading analyst Gartner attributes 20% year-on-year decline in device sales to effect of coronavirus pandemic, with leading brands showing sharp falls Continue Reading

European network traffic volumes stabilising

The updated summary report from body of European regulators for electronic communications on how network operators can cope with increased demand for network capacity finds that, by mid-May 2020, all is well. Continue Reading

What will be the IT security priorities of the post-coronavirus world?

In this week’s Computer Weekly, with the working world after the pandemic set to be very different, we assess the IT security priorities for the ‘new normal’. Facial recognition firms are racing to identify people wearing face masks. And how did Europe’s telecoms networks cope with the switch to remote working? Read the issue now. 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

GSMA, O-RAN team to open up 5G networks

Collaboration aims to accelerate an ‘industry-wide consensus’ on the adoption of open, interoperable interfaces and radio access network virtualisation 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

Government launches IoT security funding round

A £400,000 funding pot is on offer for innovators to design schemes that boost internet-of-things security Continue Reading

Cisco eyes up ThousandEyes purchase

Networking giant says acquisition of internet and cloud intelligence platform provider will enhance its network performance and monitoring capabilities across the enterprise and into the cloud 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

Mobile industry makes ‘rapid’ progress towards 5G despite Covid-19

BPI Network Survey suggests operators are rethinking security in the light of 5G network traffic, and shows “dramatic” increase in connected devices and new mission-critical use cases Continue Reading

The software innovation impact of coronavirus

Software developers can work remotely, but if workers are expected to work remotely in the long term, can organisations maintain a software innovation cycle? Continue Reading

Constructing the future for engineering – finding the right model where one size does not fit all

Design and engineering has rapidly evolved to be all about interconnected devices. We see how one of the leading manufacturing software suppliers is meeting the challenge Continue Reading

Covid-19 calculated to cause 18% drop in net new IoT devices in 2020

Fleet management, heavy transport vehicles, equipment, fixed assets and digital signage are among the internet of things applications hit hardest by the pandemic 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

IoT buyers eye private network deployments for added security

Fully private, segregated networks for IoT deployments are becoming increasingly attractive to many organisations, according to a report Continue Reading

UK government unveils NHS Test and Trace service to combat Covid-19

UK government unveils framework to stop the spread of coronavirus, but contact-tracing launch date not revealed Continue Reading

Revealed: Surveillance camera network that covered Dominic Cummings’ lockdown travel

A network of automatic number plate recognition and local authority traffic cameras could help police track Downing Street chief of staff Dominic Cummings’ journeys to Durham and Barnard Castle during the Covid-19 lockdown Continue Reading

Coronavirus: CIOs should consider a new desktop IT strategy

Although the Covid-19 lockdown is easing, office life will not return to normal any time soon, and few will be buying new PCs 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

Huawei hits out at fresh UK network probe

UK cyber security agency confirms it will conduct a new investigation into the security-worthiness of Huawei’s 5G technology 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

Small firms seize digital lifeline to get back to business

Research shows Covid-19 crisis has kick-started a small business digital revolution to power recovery, with over a quarter of firms responding to running their businesses remotely with videoconferencing Continue Reading

Rancho Water turns tap on Extreme connectivity for critical water delivery

US public utility uses secure and resilient wired and wireless network systems to power 45,000 service connections across 100,000 acres Continue Reading

Global consortium launches ‘transformative’ subsea cable for African connectivity

2Africa, one of the world’s largest subsea projects, will connect 23 countries in Africa, the Middle East and Europe Continue Reading

Hancock to Harman: No contact-tracing privacy law

Health secretary claims existing data protection law is good enough to guarantee the security of contact-tracing data Continue Reading

UK workers struggle to unplug from ‘new normal’ at home

As the country enters month three of enforced working from home, research reveals that as personal devices and app overload blurs home-work life, concerns arise over productivity and the mental state of the workforce Continue Reading

CW Nordics: Startups face tough decisions as coronavirus hits

Tech startups based in the Nordic region face difficult decisions as the Covid-19 pandemic leads to falling sales and investment. Also read why Swedbank is rebuilding its anti-money laundering systems, and how Nordic fintechs are developing apps to prevent more adults getting into financial difficulty. Continue Reading

Openreach taps Nokia to extend full-fibre network capacity

Deal covers essential equipment to extend Gigabit fibre access network across UK 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

Coronavirus: Dutch work on XR technology shows promise in pandemic scenario

Netherlands leads the way in the development of extended reality technology, which could prove its value in a crisis such as Covid-19 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

Microsoft Build 2020: Nadella praises developers for their work during pandemic

IT has played a key role in supporting people and businesses during the coronavirus lockdown Continue Reading

NCSC discloses multiple vulnerabilities in contact-tracing app

National Cyber Security Centre has received mountains of feedback on the security of the government’s Covid-19 contact-tracing app, and has now taken the step of making multiple disclosures 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

Coronavirus: How CIOs can prepare for business recovery

Economic recovery will require business to work differently. CIOs may be asked to automate more and support high levels of remote working 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

Doubts mount over effectiveness of UK contact-tracing app

Studies from BCS and Anomali reveal that a significant proportion of the UK population is not prepared to download the Covid-19 contact-tracing app Continue Reading

Multiple network outages costing enterprise businesses millions of pounds a year

More than half of IT decision-makers and network managers globally say they have had four or more network outages lasting more than 30 minutes, costing between £250,000 and £5m in downtime Continue Reading

European network traffic volumes stabilising

The updated summary report from body of European regulators for electronic communications on how network operators can cope with increased demand for network capacity finds that, by mid-May 2020, all is well Continue Reading

Huawei: US using technological strengths to ‘crush’ companies outside its own borders

Chinese tech giant hits back at White House decision to extend technology ban and says it will ultimately be self-harming 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