Networking and communication

Telcos could face huge fines under new security laws

Government boasts of unprecedented powers to boost the security standards of the UK’s critical national infrastructure Continue Reading

Xbox Series X, PlayStation 5 launches unleash UK network traffic surge

Game console launches show network providers need to upgrade their infrastructure and invest in the latest networking technology to ensure reliable, resilient and robust performance Continue Reading

OneWeb emerges from bankruptcy, prepares for 17 December launch

UK government and Bharti Global confirmed as new owners of low-cost satellite broadband provider, which emerges from financial woes to eye up commercial connectivity services to the UK and the Arctic region in 2021 Continue Reading

Zen to offer gigabit broadband over CityFibre networks

Zen Internet becomes former altnet’s third national consumer ISP to offer full-fibre services to consumers with gigabit-speed consumer broadband products Continue Reading

SITA and Orange Business Services check in for SD-WAN at global airports

Global mobile network operator and IT provider for the air transport industry roll out agile and scalable software-defined network already introduced at more than 60 airports globally Continue Reading

Birmingham, Dudley councils accelerate 5G roll-out

Local authorities say developing fifth-generation mobile network infrastructure is critical to driving economic recovery in the region post-Covid Continue Reading

Pricing questions persist but Openreach overall observes Ofcom independence mandates

UK communications regulator notes real progress made in implementing its requirements, but more is needed to be done to strengthen broadband provision division independence and engagement Continue Reading

RCS forecast to deliver $52.2bn for mobile operators by 2028

Inability for digital banner advertising to drive consumer brand engagement will see billions in media spend diverted to RCS brand campaigns, dramatically boosting mobile operator revenues. Continue Reading

Widespread adoption of WBA OpenRoaming on the cards

Cross-industry survey reveals rapid uptake and widespread acceptance of wireless broadband standard announced in May 2020 Continue Reading

Global networks take the strain in roller-coaster 2020

Research from network tech provider reveals implications for service providers and internet service delivery chain, with significant growth in video streaming, gaming, video conferencing and DDoS Continue Reading

Nokia, Elisa and Qualcomm claim 5G speed record with 8Gbps connectivity in Finland

Combined speeds from two devices hit 8Gbps on a commercial 5G network on mmWave spectrum, showing support for low-latency, high-bandwidth services such as high-speed video downloads and virtual and augmented reality Continue Reading

£165m gigabit broadband boost for Northern Ireland

NIE announces connectivity deployment scheme to deliver gigabit-capable broadband infrastructure to more than 76,000 premises in hard-to-reach places across province Continue Reading

5G defies Covid to stay set to transform industries across the board

Despite fears of a halt to development, study sees increased 5G investment during pandemic, with 5G-related investment rising by double digits compared with 2019 forecast and 5G-related jobs set to soar Continue Reading

Huawei claims £3.3bn contribution to UK economy

Extent of communications technology provider Huawei’s positive contribution to the UK economy in terms of cash and jobs has been identified in independent report Continue Reading

Konvoy Group to track keg fleet with IoT

Australian supplier of rental kegs to breweries is deploying beacons to monitor the location and temperature of 70,000 kegs in Australia and New Zealand Continue Reading

Cato collects $130m investment to extend SASE proposition

New funding round for SASE pioneer Cato, the largest to date for the company, brings total financing to $332m, leading to what the company calls a unicorn valuation demonstrating leadership of SASE market Continue Reading

How Aarogya Setu is addressing scale and security challenges

India’s contact-tracing platform leverages microservices, encryption techniques and cloud-based visibility tools to address scale and security requirements Continue Reading

Masergy goes deeper with SASE to strengthen SD-WAN security

Supplier claims to offer the broadest choice in security solutions, best-of-breed technologies and a leading global network platform for businesses of all sizes Continue Reading

5G-powered manufacturing, construction and agriculture to lead £15bn in UK growth

Research finds full realisation of 5G could deliver significant additional economic growth for the UK, with three industries accounting for more than three-quarters of projected business Continue Reading

Huawei unveils solutions for 1+N target 5G networks

Chinese comms giant launches new network technology to enable operators to tap into what it says will be huge potential for delivering 5G at greatly reduced per-bit costs Continue Reading

Ericsson claims strong momentum across Africa

Swedish comms tech provider Ericsson bags series of contracts across African continent, highlighting growing footprint in region as communications service providers move to strengthen their networks and cater to demand for enhanced mobile services Continue Reading

How Mastercard is taking digital payments into a new era

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we talk to Mastercard about how the credit card giant is using new technologies to take digital payments into a new era. After months of unprecedented uncertainty, we ask CIOs how they are planning for the next 12 months. And we examine how the growth in remote working will affect IT salaries. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

5.5G on the way as Huawei predicts golden decade for advanced comms

Huawei chiefs predict bright times ahead for 5G market with evolved standard imminent offering improved real-time interaction experiences for individual users and new scenarios Continue Reading

Wireless industry warns of urgent need for more Wi-Fi spectrum

As demand for broadband connectivity surges worldwide, bodies representing wireless companies highlight what they say is a pressing need for access to the 6GHz frequency band Continue Reading

NHS completes transition to HSCN

All 950 NHS, social care, private sector and local authority organisations have migrated from the legacy N3 network to the Health and Social Care Network Continue Reading

Firms with connected culture see boost in employee productivity

New study from enterprise cloud collaboration provider sheds light on role of employers in embracing a connected culture to power remote and prepare for hybrid workforces Continue Reading

BT taps VMware to launch global SD-WAN services

Incumbent UK telco aims to ensure global customers can benefit from flexibility and choice as they optimise networks for cloud services Continue Reading

Verizon, AWS drive mobile edge computing platform to Dallas and Miami

Leading comms provider and IT and cloud giant add two more 5G mobile edge computing cities in US to enable development of latency-sensitive applications that can transform industries ranging from healthcare to transportation Continue Reading

5G, IoT technology to transform health and social care

Research from UK operator shows how advanced connected technologies offer a pathway to a flexible model of healthcare delivered at the point of patient need Continue Reading

IT Priorities 2020: ‘Benestrophe’ for networking as UK IT departments come to terms with new normal

As 2020 ends, all traditional bets are off as Covid-19 completely changes the landscape of IT, with secure connectivity and cloud emerging at the core of enterprises’ needs for the foreseeable future Continue Reading

SD-WAN keeps Darling Ingredients on the table through Covid-19 pandemic

For some businesses, the Covid-19 pandemic and the resulting need to support mass remote working will have accelerated something they began working on some time ago. Darling Ingredients is one such firm, whose SD-WAN roll-out puts it in good stead for the future Continue Reading

NTT DATA and Continual collaborate to deliver in-vehicle mobility experiences

Consulting and IT services and cloud-based analytics firms announce Tier 1 mobile operator is already implementing combined in-vehicle system Continue Reading

Hounslow to trial UK’s first autonomous road delivery vehicle

Custom-built autonomous delivery vehicle promises to offer contact-free form of delivery while maintaining the road network across the UK Continue Reading

DDoS mitigation strategies needed to maintain availability during pandemic

The growing prevalence of DDoS attacks combined with the increased reliance on internet connectivity during the pandemic means enterprises can no longer afford to ignore the threat of DDoS attacks. Computer Weekly explores organisations’ perceptions of the risks and best practice for mitigation Continue Reading

Wi-Fi 6 ready for carrier network deployment

Wireless standards body reveals successful trial for next-generation Wi-Fi, proven to deliver nearly three times faster than its predecessor and with significantly higher throughput and lower latency Continue Reading

IT Priorities 2020: Budgets rejigged to support 2021 recovery

IT has been essential in helping organisations remain operational. IT chiefs are now considering the IT to drive a sustained business recovery Continue Reading

CW Benelux: Dutch Alzheimer’s app helps dementia patients

An app aimed at helping dementia patients and their families has been developed by the Alzheimer Society in the Netherlands. Also in this issue, read about a Belgian startup's app based on blockchain technology to help container handling at ports, and why Rabobank ditched its legacy backup. Continue Reading

What businesses can learn from GovTech’s digital strategy

Modernising its infrastructure and putting digital at its core has given Singapore’s Government Technology Agency the agility it needs to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic Continue Reading

Gartner: IT spending to focus on fast time to value

There are no surprises in Gartner’s latest forecast. IT budgets are being spent on supporting remote workers, but CIOs have new metrics Continue Reading

Vilicom, BT, UK academia gain funding to spearhead 5G and AI research

Strategic network consultancy teams with incumbent UK telco and universities in all-new scientific research project based on advanced communications Continue Reading

Orange strengthens West African connectivity with first regional network

Global telco and subsidiaries commission and make commercial launch of the first pan-African backbone covering eight major countries in the region Continue Reading

EU aid funds used to train ‘unaccountable intelligence agencies’ in high-tech surveillance

Hundreds of documents obtained by campaign group Privacy International show how the EU is supporting surveillance programmes in the Balkans, the Middle East and Africa Continue Reading

Cloud RANs offer promise in APAC, but not in near future

While there is growing interest in cloud-based radio access networks, experts argue that telcos will still cautiously approach the technology in a phased manner Continue Reading

How service mesh enables microservices networking

As microservices applications grow more popular, IT teams need to enable reliable networking between them for proper communication. That's where service mesh comes in. Continue Reading

Productivity shrinks, but office and remote workers optimistic about new normal

Despite the bleak times caused by Covid-19, study finds a silver lining in the form of accelerating digital transformation and technology investment for remote workers Continue Reading

Mobile is failing over two-thirds of frontline workers

New data shows frontline workers are experiencing a global increase in mobility problems which negatively impact their work and their company Continue Reading

Zoom rapped over historic security practices

The US Federal Trade Commission rules that Zoom’s practices undermined the security of its users Continue Reading

Ericsson and Telstra take enterprise cloud to the edge

After successful 5G edge computing trial with financial institution in 2019, Australian telco and comms tech supplier develop enterprise solution with an extension into the hybrid cloud space Continue Reading

Gartner: Composability will make business more resilient and agile

CIOs have stepped up to the challenge of supporting their organisations during the global coronavirus crisis. Now they are set to do more – with less Continue Reading

IT Priorities 2020: After Covid-19, security goes back to basics

This year’s transition to remote working highlighted big gaps in the fundamentals of security, as updated TechTarget/Computer Weekly data reveals Continue Reading

SK Telecom furthers Deutsche Telekom partnership to advance in-building 5G

Latest cooperation between leading German and Korean operators aims to create what companies believe will be major innovations, starting with improving 5G experiences Continue Reading

Nokia partners with A1 Austria to enable LTE, 5G campus networks

Three-year deal between tech firm and operator covers services for all existing and new private LTE and 5G enterprise campus network deployments in Austrian market, piloting network slicing Continue Reading

Global telcos defy previous performance expectations

Better-performing Asia-Pacific operators lead charge driving analyst to adjust upwards previous forecast for worldwide connectivity services market Continue Reading

Optus to acquire Amaysim, signals decline of MVNO market

Optus’s A$250m acquisition of Amaysim could signal the decline of the mobile virtual network market, according to Venture Insights Continue Reading

Mobile device trade-ins return to rise in value in Q3

HYLA Mobile study reports strong trade-in values amid the Covid-19 pandemic – with the value of devices at trade-in maintaining an upward trend in the third quarter Continue Reading

CityFibre awards £1.5bn to fund full-fibre construction across 27 towns and cities

Broadband provider signs contracts to create over 3,750 local network construction jobs in three-year recruitment and training programme to provide up to 10,000 people with jobs to develop fibre network Continue Reading

Samsung, KT complete Korea’s first 5G common core deployment

Leading Korean operator collaborates with Samsung to prepare for the launch of 5G standalone networks so that enterprises can scale business-specific services such as network slicing Continue Reading

UK, Jersey, Gibraltar contact-tracing apps now interoperable

Apps now interlinked to cover and protect 66 million people through digitally reinforced contact tracing Continue Reading

Virgin brings gigabit broadband to London and Northern Ireland

Nearly three million homes in UK capital and Ulster gain access to gigabit connections with the next-generation infrastructure now in 45% of Virgin’s network across the UK Continue Reading

GSMA calls for whole-of-government approach to digital societies

Asia-Pacific countries need to take a whole-of-government approach and not regulate the telecoms industry in isolation to advance their digital societies Continue Reading

Community Fibre claims fastest home broadband package in London

Altnet unveils what it says is a gigabit connectivity industry-first for homes in the UK capital Continue Reading

University of Warwick graduates to BT 5G to accelerate innovation

BT installs UK’s first dedicated public 5G network for the University of Warwick, aiming to bring new opportunities for research and further enhance students’ learning experience through its EE mobile network Continue Reading

Horiba Mira accelerates autonomous vehicles with Vodafone 4G and 5G

Expert in engineering driverless technologies partners with leading UK operator to bring 5G to its Nuneaton headquarters with a private mobile network designed to allow vehicles to communicate with each other and surrounding infrastructure, such as traffic signals Continue Reading

Mixed blessings for robots in retail

Ocado has acquired two US firms to boost its robotics expertise, while Walmart has reverted to using staff for shelf inventory checks Continue Reading

Cambridge Consultants takes off with airborne 5G

5G connectivity takes to the skies as Capgemini division announces what it says is a breakthrough for service which will beam signals through the stratosphere from fleet of aircraft Continue Reading

Industrial IoT connections to reach 37 billion by 2025

Smart factory concept realised as research reveals smart manufacturing will represent three-fifths of global industrial internet of things connections over next five years Continue Reading

Why networks should apply security by design principles

Security by design incorporates security and risk management directly into network architecture, using segmentation and Agile infrastructure design. Continue Reading

Sky launches new fibre-to-the-home across UK

Provider aims to install fibre to more than seven million UK households by the end of the first quarter of 2021 Continue Reading

Cambridge Broadband Networks enhances fixed wireless access offer

After corporate identity shift, fixed wireless network system provider reveals next phase of evolution with new partner programme to address growing FWA market demands Continue Reading

SmartNIC market capitalizes on advances in programmability

Traditional NICs are getting an upgrade, thanks to smartNICs and function accelerator cards that add programmability. But this doesn't really change things for enterprises -- yet. Continue Reading

What we need in the UK’s telecoms diversification strategy

Removing Huawei from the UK’s 5G networks creates huge problems in the resiliency and deployment of next-generation mobile. The government’s strategy must tackle these challenges Continue Reading

The role of SD-WAN templates before and during deployment

SD-WAN deployments require knowledge of network design and trust in software to take over some network maintenance duties. This is where SD-WAN templates come into play. Continue Reading

Learn to onboard, provision devices in Cisco's SD-WAN book

Here's a look inside Cisco's SD-WAN book, which details design and deployment for network teams looking to deploy SD-WAN and insights for SD-WAN certification hopefuls. Continue Reading

6 practice questions for SD-WAN certification training

Before you start SD-WAN certification training, try this quiz from Cisco's official SD-WAN guidebook, which covers onboarding and provisioning devices, as well as SD-WAN templates. Continue Reading

Nearly half of firms to increase investments in IoT despite the impact of Covid-19

Gartner research finds that a third of companies that have implemented IoT will likely have implemented AI in conjunction, with at least one IoT project with digital twins also a key driver, by 2033 Continue Reading

England and Wales Covid-19 app updated as Scotland, Northern Ireland, Jersey, Gibraltar link up

Major upgrades for contact-tracing apps across all parts of the UK as initial ghosting issues are resolved and accuracy improved Continue Reading

UK comms task force leader warns of East v West 5G standards battle

UK Parliament told of long road ahead to rectify ‘market failure’ of lack of diversity in essential communications technology supply lines and of need to reassert influence in global standards Continue Reading

Victims contest technology firms’ attempt to dismiss cobalt mining deaths case

Technology companies say they cannot be held responsible for the deaths of children mining for the cobalt used in their products Continue Reading

How Shell is fleshing out a digital-twin strategy

Digital twins are among the innovations that use AI, IoT and big data to help asset-intensive industries manage their operations Continue Reading

Comms needs to take ‘giant leap forward’ to address new normal

Ericsson research finds Covid-19 pandemic has created a tipping point for what workers expect of the future digital office Continue Reading

Zero-trust investment seen accelerating through pandemic

New analyst report details some of the main indicators for success in zero-trust implementation Continue Reading

Ericsson scoops urban part of BT 5G communications network

Building on the operator’s selection of the comms tech firm’s 5G core solutions earlier in 2020, Ericsson wins deal to upgrade BT’s existing radio access network infrastructure on EE mobile network. Continue Reading

VMware: Management practices need to adapt to manage remote working

Study finds distributed working practices – office, home, on the move or hybrid – have proven business and employee engagement benefits, but leadership and business culture need updating Continue Reading

Qualcomm unveils next-generation mesh Wi-Fi networks platform

New modular architecture designed to bring high-performance, cost-effective Wi-Fi 6E mesh deployment to deliver wireless gigabit speeds throughout connected homes Continue Reading

Belfast Harbour steams ahead to UK and Ireland’s first 5G private network for ports

5G private network accelerates Belfast Harbour’s ambition to become the world’s best regional smart port, stimulating innovation across transport, logistics, public safety, physical security and sustainability Continue Reading

Corporate WANs and their network providers not meeting new business needs

Global connectivity firm warns that network providers are letting down firms, with security and service flexibility cited as key issues Continue Reading

Avalon Airport deploys touchless kiosks, CT screening

Australia’s Avalon Airport has rolled out touchless check-in and bag drop systems that passengers can control using speech, head gestures and eye gaze Continue Reading

Ericsson looks to the cloud for increased RAN flexibility

Cloud-based radio access network for communications service providers regarded as offering more versatility to network buildouts as a complement to existing purpose-built 5G networks and addressing a variety of 5G use cases Continue Reading

In-building wireless infrastructure, 5G indoor revenues will exceed $16bn by 2025

Research predicts digital distributed radio systems will change the way traditional distributed antenna systems are designed and implemented due to their simplified and future-proofed architecture Continue Reading

What’s next for Wi-Fi?

New and emerging 802.11 wireless LAN technologies continue to develop. Users who need to replace routers have a decision to make: buy now or wait for the next upgrade cycle in 2021? Continue Reading

EC green light for Iliad to press Play on Polish mobile acquisition

As Polish mobile acquisition gets go-ahead, French operator extends partnership with wireless infrastructure and services company to finance roll-out of fixed network in Poland and accelerate roll-out of 4G/5G networks Continue Reading

Covid crisis proves tech can replace office space and support cost-cutting at Barclays

Bank says it will continue to look at its use of office space as it targets further cost-cutting measures Continue Reading

Pet project: How Pets at Home cares for customers with data analytics

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we talk to the chief data officer of Pets at Home, about using data analytics to care for customers. British Airways had its GDPR fine reduced to just £20m – we ask what this means for data protection regulation. And we look at GPT3, the language prediction tool that could revolutionise AI. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

BT brings out RCS business messaging to UK customers

Telco announces that platform based on next generation of rich mobile messaging is now through early-stage pilots and is available for businesses to enhance customer experience Continue Reading

Nokia chalks up new Finnish 5G win

Global comms tech provider selected by Finnish joint venture to supply 5G radio network equipment including deployment and managed services Continue Reading

Chatbots will not replace call centre agents

Chatbots have not lived up to their promises and are better poised to support call centre agents in the blended realm of customer service and employee collaboration, says a regional Avaya executive Continue Reading

Scotland gets gigabit broadband funding boost

Agreement will help rural areas get gigabit-capable broadband connections, with first tranche of £6m to connect hundreds of public sector buildings across Angus, Dundee, and Perth & Kinross Continue Reading

Taylor Construction successfully trials 5G for high-tech applications

5G use cases established for Australian-based construction company claiming 20x the performance of 4G with 5G, making next-gen in-field applications possible Continue Reading

Project Endeavour gets in gear to begin first public autonomous vehicle trials

Government-backed autonomous vehicle consortium adds new partners and begins field trials in three major UK cities Continue Reading

Orange Belgium reveals first 5G innovations in Port of Antwerp

Augmented field operators and connected tugboats are potential use cases as applications based on next-generation network aim to go full steam ahead at Belgian port Continue Reading