Networking and communication

As commercial 5G nears, small cells generate interest

Interest in small cells as an element of commercial 5G mobile networks is growing, particularly in countries with supportive regulatory environments. Meanwhile, a UK trial of wholesale small cell infrastructure has kicked off in London Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Intelligent automation and the WAN: Is SD-WAN moving mainstream?

Take-up of software-defined networking in corporates is slower than expected. Where have we reached on the journey to software-controlled networks – and SD-WAN in particular – becoming the norm? Continue Reading

Tackling legacy systems by making IT evergreen

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we assess strategies for continuous IT improvement to help evergreen IT replace the difficulties caused by legacy tech. Our new buyer’s guide examines next-generation networking technologies such as SD-WAN. And we hear about digital transformation in the charity sector in an interview with the IT leader at Parkinson’s UK. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

APAC healthcare providers reaping digital transformation returns

Digital transformation could potentially double the improvements in integrated care by 2020, study finds Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Virtual Instruments aims to be “the brain of the datacentre”

Virtual Instruments hopes artificial intelligence and machine learning functionality that helps IT staff spot connections between application and storage performance could put an end to the “war room” Continue Reading

By

• Antony Adshead, Storage Editor

UK cyber security strategy making ‘good progress’

The National Cyber Security Strategy is making good progress, but there is much left to be done, according to a Cabinet Office official Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

120,000 police officers to receive cyber security training

Cisco is partnering with UK police forces to offer cyber security training through the Cisco Networking Academy Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

HPE shows off first fruits of $4bn edge computing investment

Tech supplier has beefed up its Edgeline portfolio with new hardware and software offerings to make it easier to manage edge devices, applications and data Continue Reading

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• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

China is growth engine for mobile data traffic

Being the world’s largest mobile market, China has unsurprisingly topped the charts when it comes to the growth in mobile data traffic. According to the latest figures from Ericsson, mobile data ... Continue Reading

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• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Bright future for OTT video – if the network can support it

The emergence of over the top video services is having a massive impact on underlying network technology, according to the ITP Continue Reading

By

• Tim Wright, Institute of Telecommunications Professionals

Billions missing out on digital society as internet use soars

As global internet usage continues to soar, billions of people around the world are missing out on the potential benefits of getting online, according to Cisco Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Poor Wi-Fi connectivity damaging to home life, say UK consumers

A study for BT has revealed a substantial proportion of UK families feel they are being let down by poor in-home Wi-Fi networks Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Openreach extends Gfast roll-out to a million more homes

Copper-based ultrafast broadband roll-out continues at pace Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Oslo: A hub for the social startup scene

The Norwegian capital is thriving from a unique combination of business agility, a cultural receptiveness to technology, and a social desire to do good Continue Reading

By

• Matthew Staff

Take the pain out of software patching

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we look at one of the oldest pain points for IT departments – software patching – and ask how to make it less complex across the enterprise. We examine the rise of Kubernetes, the open source container orchestration system that’s gathering popularity for cloud-native applications. And we look at the issues around storage strategy to support a multicloud environment. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

O2 and Nokia partner up on 5G-focused Massive MIMO trial in London

Mobile network operator O2 is carrying out an investigative trial involving Massive MIMO technology in Kings Cross and Marble Arch, London to ascertain how best to ready its network for an uptick in 5G-induced data usage Continue Reading

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• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

Smart meter benefits cut by old technology and rising costs

Energy companies may end up spending billions unless they can install smart meters more cheaply Continue Reading

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• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Nordic CTO interview: Martin Whitlock, Telenor Connexion

 Continue Reading

CW Nordics: Swedish IT sector advises on election security

The security measures assembled and implemented around the 2018 election in Sweden were devised in consultation with leading actors within the country’s private IT sector. Also read about how Denmark’s ambition to become a leading ocation for hyperscale datacentres is gaining momentum, and why Estonia wants to recruit IT professionals from the UK. Continue Reading

Cato SD-WAN service targets last-mile management

In networking news, Cato Networks unveils an SD-WAN tool to detect network outages; SolarWinds spotlights DevOps features; and Kaloom gets $10 million. Continue Reading

By

• Luke O'Neill, Executive Editor

Finland invests in IT to upgrade electricity network

National electricity transmission grid operator Fingrid’s Datahub system will play key role in retail market’s transition to a centralised information exchange Continue Reading

By

• Gerard O’Dwyer

Interview: Comms sector ripe for disruption as climate change takes hold

Humanity has just 12 years left to keep global warming to a maximum of 1.5⁰C and prevent climate meltdown. Paul Dickinson from the Carbon Disclosure Project discusses how CIOs can help take steps to avert disaster by changing their attitude to business communications Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

What are the pros and cons of blockchain in networking?

While blockchain could be a valuable network management tool, enterprises don't exactly have a driving need for the ledger technology in the networking arena. Continue Reading

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• Amy Larsen DeCarlo, GlobalData

How the Science Museum is moving to the digital age

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we find out how London’s Science Museum is dealing with legacy IT to move into the age of digital and data. We examine Nationwide Building Society’s move to cloud and DevOps to transform its operations. And we look at how technologies such as machine learning and blockchain are helping to automate global supply chains. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

How Singapore Airlines is flying the digital skies

Top Asian carrier Singapore Airlines has been building a digital foundation to fend off potential disruption, but it is not just the IT team that is leading the charge Continue Reading

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• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Top IT predictions in APAC in 2019

Edge computing, data management and microservices will play a bigger role in the Asia-Pacific region in 2019 as enterprises reshape their technology architectures to become ‘digitally determined’ organisations Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Securing the SD-WAN: The next network challenge

Every time an enterprise weighs up whether or not to try SD-WAN, security is an essential part of the picture Continue Reading

By

• Christian Annesley

EE and Virgin Media fined for breaking consumer protection rules

Ofcom has imposed fines totalling £13.3m on EE and Virgin Media, saying both providers levied excessive charges on customers who ended their contracts early Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

CW ASEAN: Blockchain is no ‘magic wand’ for security

Blockchain is all the rage, although the technology is so much more than just about bitcoin and cryptocurrencies. In this issue of CW ASEAN, we examine how blockchain is being applied in cyber security, and whether the technology is really as secure as claimed by its proponents. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Broadband voucher scheme to end early thanks to high demand

The government has urged small business owners to consider signing up for its ultrafast broadband connection voucher scheme before the available funding runs out Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

5G will unleash digital transformation for UK enterprises

Mobile operator EE is working hand-in-hand with its largest enterprise customers to realise the potential of its future 5G mobile network Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Will the $34bn IBM-Red Hat mega-merger succeed?

In this week’s Computer Weekly, after IBM pays $34bn to buy open source specialist Red Hat in an attempt to boost its cloud capabilities, we analyse whether the deal can be a success. We examine the challenges that the emerging field of quantum computing presents for current encryption techniques. And our latest buyer’s guide looks at storage for the internet of things. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Government considering dedicated internet regulator, says digital minister

An upcoming white paper is likely to set out proposals for an internet regulator, a House of Lords committee has been told Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Researcher urges IoT security legislation

Suppliers of internet connected devices are largely failing to improve the security of their products, exposing users to privacy risks, so there is no choice but to legislate in this area, says a researcher Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Self-driving cars may have to break law, says Law Commission

Self-driving cars may have to break the rules of the road to operate safely, and the Law Commissions of England, Wales and Scotland are embarking on a consultation to seek input on how to manage this Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

AWS cloud network architecture could put users at heightened risk of disruption, study claims

A comparison study of AWS, Google and Microsoft's network architectures reveals stark differences in how they process user traffic, ThousandEyes report shows Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

Plymouth’s Derriford Hospital has capacity to spare after HSCN upgrade

University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust is unleashing the potential of digital for health after fixing up its internet connectivity with an upgrade to the new Health and Social Care Network Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

CW Benelux: Bikes face scooter challenge in Netherlands

The concept of rental scooters is perfect for the Netherlands, where bicycles are already the most widely used method of transport. Scooter startups see the potential to apply the latest smart technologies to the concept, but regulations could be a barrier. Also in this issue, read how chatbots are taking off with Dutch organisations, with KLM's chatbot a pioneering example, and find out how Dutch bank ING is getting a financial boost from an employee performance management rethink. Continue Reading

Openreach increasing use of drones to help build fibre networks

Openreach plans to make greater use of drones to help it bring broadband to remote rural properties it could not previously touch Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

5G mobile masts bring installation challenges, EE finds

EE has switched on a fixed wireless access network in central London to test elements of its future 5G mobile service, but faced some challenges setting it up Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Investment fund buys into broadband supplier Hyperoptic

Mubadala Investment Company, the VC arm of the government of Abu Dhabi, is to acquire a minority stake in full-fibre broadband supplier Hyperoptic as the firm brings forward its roll-out Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

APAC firms warm up to SD-WAN to solve networking woes

A third of enterprises in the APAC region have already deployed SD-WAN at most of their sites, while 55% are in the process of doing so, a study shows Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Smart Dubai platform is the backbone of the city's transformation

Aisha bin Bishr, director general at Smart Dubai Office, talks about the Smart Data platform and soon-to-be-unveiled UAE Pass, a digital ID and signature which is being touted as one of the foundations a city needs to transform Continue Reading

By

• Edward Banda

Automation and CSR are driving reskilling process for UK plc, says Cisco

UK business leaders are planning to make dramatic changes to their organisations between now and 2020, according to a new report from Cisco Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

GSMA urges fresh action on 5G mobile spectrum

Mobile industry body says time is running out to ready enough radio frequency spectrum in the appropriate bands to account for the demands of 5G mobile networks Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Post Office IT system goes on trial

In this week’s Computer Weekly, 10 years after we revealed concerns over the Post Office’s Horizon accounting system, affected subpostmasters finally get their day in court. We look at how businesses are turning to wearable technology to help employees stay healthy. And we analyse the key players and products in the market for object storage. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Openreach launches Fibre First programme in Belfast and Nottingham

Openreach has named Belfast and Nottingham as the latest cities to benefit from a full-fibre broadband roll-out Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

TalkTalk makes ‘fair broadband’ promises

TalkTalk has launched its own Fairer Broadband Charter as research reveals widespread dissatisfaction with some common industry practices Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Future Decoded 2018: How Seadrill uses IoT 3km undersea

Sensors on deep sea rigs are part of Seadrill's digital transformation strategy, which combines advanced analytics, the internet of things and machine learning Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Wi-Fi 6 to spur industry confidence in Wi-Fi, report says

In networking news, a report shows increased confidence in Wi-Fi; Ciena releases an analytics-as-a-service product; and Avi Networks targets multi-cloud load balancing. Continue Reading

By

• Luke O'Neill and Michaela Goss

Ofcom has another go at liberalising duct and pole access

Telecoms regulator is making a new attempt to establish better access to BT’s duct and pole infrastructure for communication services providers Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

BT makes progress with Global Services restructuring

Telco sets out plan to get its troubled Global Services business unit fighting fit Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Industrial IoT makes your people more important, not less

The recent Industry of Things World conference in Berlin offered insights into the state of the much-hyped Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). At one end, big early adopters such as Airbus, ... Continue Reading

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• Bryan Betts, Freeform Dynamics

Alexa to manage Aerohive Wi-Fi networks

Access networking supplier Aerohive is to add Alexa skills to its HiveManager network management suite Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Robotic delivery service hits the streets of Milton Keynes

Following extensive testing and a limited commercial roll-out in campus enterprise environments, Estonian robotics firm Starship Technologies is launching a direct-to-consumer robot delivery service in Milton Keynes Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Three introduces 4G+ at 2,700 sites

Mobile operator Three hopes to boost average mobile data speeds by up to 33% through carrier aggregation Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

IoT R&D projects missed out on £10m of government funding

A series of delays and disruption caused chiefly by changes in project ownership meant the government’s IoT UK Research and Innovation Programme failed to use a quarter of its allocated budget between 2015 and 2018 Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Hyperoptic full-fibre network hits public housing milestone

More than 150,000 publicly owned homes have now been connected to Hyperoptic’s ultrafast fibre broadband network Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Ofcom releases BT from 2005 Openreach undertakings

Following the legal split of the two organisations, telecoms regulator Ofcom has formally ‘released’ BT from the 2005 undertakings set up to manage the Openreach infrastructure business Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Inside Schneider Electric’s Batam smart factory

The French energy management and automation firm has nearly halved material wastage by applying smart manufacturing technologies at its Indonesia plant Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Budget 2018: No great leap forward for broadband, but no need to panic

The chancellor set aside £1.6bn for digital technology in the Budget, but broadband services did not draw much attention. Is this a surprise, or a reflection of growing commercial investment in full-fibre, and what should the role of government be? Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Government consults on full-fibre for tenants, new-build homes

Proposed legislation would compel landlords and property developers to offer full-fibre broadband to tenants and customers Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

O2 extends rural 4G network to 339 communities

O2 has extended its rural network roll-out, targeting over 300 small communities all over the UK Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

NGA secures £22m for Bristol-Newport fibre link

Ultrafast wholesale network builder Nextgenaccess has been awarded funding from the National Digital Infrastructure Fund to improve connectivity in South Wales Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

British Airways data breach worse than thought

British Airways has admitted that up to 185,000 more people than first thought may have had personal details compromised in August’s data breach Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Openreach slashes cost of full-fibre to new-build homes

Property developers will receive a 75% discount on the cost of full-fibre installation Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

IoT ecosystem needs to be investigated, say experts

A conference of IoT experts convened by Enisa and Europol has made key recommendations to ensure security vulnerabilities do not overshadow benefits Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Vodafone claims UK 5G first

Mobile network operator Vodafone claims the activation of a trial site in Manchester marks the first time mobile data traffic has been streamed to and from the internet exclusively over 5G technology Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

BT picks fintech leader to succeed Gavin Patterson

BT has named Philip Jansen, current co-chief executive of global payments services group Worldpay, as the successor to outgoing chief executive Gavin Patterson Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Autonomous taxi trials underway in Dubai

Dubai’s transport authority has started road testing the region’s first autonomous taxi, designed in partnership with Dubai Silicon Oasis and DG World Continue Reading

By

• Edward Banda

CityFibre backers pump £2.5bn into full-fibre broadband

Network expansion will add 27 towns and cities to CityFibre’s current roll-out to 10 locations in support of a consumer full-fibre service delivered by Vodafone Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

HP ties up with Singapore university on Industry 4.0

The personal computing and printer giant has opened a research facility at Nanyang Technological University to advance digital manufacturing technologies Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Cab firm to map 250,000 miles of London roads for CAVs

Cab operator Addison Lee has teamed up with CAV software specialist Oxbotica to start preparing the streets of London for self-driving cars Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

How the IoT can form part of a targeted approach to infrastructure asset management

This is a guest blog by Manish Jethwa, CTO at IoT specialist Yotta Our national infrastructure assets are under more strain than ever. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the UK ... Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Will SDN replace MPLS? Not so fast

This is a guest blog post by Tony Judd, MD UKI and Benelux at Verizon With the popularity of new technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT)  and ... Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Competition, not consumer demand, is driving full-fibre roll-out

Market competition among telecoms operators, not consumer demand, appears to be driving the trend towards ultrafast full-fibre broadband roll-out in Europe Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Drivers have dangerous misconceptions about self-driving cars

People seem to be confused about the difference between autonomous and assisted driving technology, with worrying implications for road safety, says Thatcham Research Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Internet of things challenges in storage and data

The internet of things (IoT) brings challenges, with a host of new edge devices and data. We look at edge and core processing, compliance and information lifecycle management in IoT Continue Reading

By

• Chris Evans

Middle East gears up for 5G

The race for 5G is well and truly under way, and the UAE and Saudi Arabia are well positioned to be among the first countries in the world to deliver the benefits of this new telecoms protocol Continue Reading

By

• Edward Banda

Home Office ‘seriously’ considered ESN shutdown

New disclosures from those responsible for the troubled Emergency Services Network project have revealed that, contrary to previous denials, the Home Office came close to pulling the plug earlier this year Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

UCaaS supports British Medical Journal’s cloud-first ambitions

With a growing global business and a CIO intent on doing everything in the cloud, the British Medical Journal turned to unified communications-as-a-service provider RingCentral to make its comms infrastructure fit for the cloud era Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Nordic CTO interview: Anders Johanson, Husqvarna

Husqvarna is on a journey to transform itself into a product and services company by using the latest digital technology and Anders Johnson is a driving force behind it Continue Reading

By

• Jane Hamrin

Commuter trains may need over 3Gbps of mobile data capacity by 2025

Ofcom has set out its vision of what will need to be done to meet the government’s goals around data connectivity on the UK’s rail network Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

UK faces 10 cyber attacks a week as hostile states step up hacking, says NCSC

The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre has thwarted more than 1,600 attacks over the past two years – many by hostile nation states Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Tech companies should not be under legal duty to remove terrorist material, says watchdog

The internet should not be a safe place for terrorists, but making it compulsory for technology companies to trawl for radical content risks interfering with the rights of innocent people, says Max Hill QC, the independent reviewer of terrorism legislation Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin & Fiona O'Cleirigh

Cost of WannaCry attack to NHS set at £92m

Department for Health and Social Care estimates the immediate cost of the May 2017 WannaCry attack on the NHS was £92m, and says it will have spent about £275m on improvements to its cyber security infrastructure by the end of 2021 Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Big expectations, huge presence: Gitex 2018 opens

Artificial intelligence, blockchain, 5G, robotics, and virtual and augmented reality are all in the spotlight at Gitex Technology Week 2018 in Dubai Continue Reading

By

• Edward Banda

IoT firms sign up to UK security code of practice

Internet of things technology firms have begun signing up to a UK code of practice to strengthen the security of internet-connected devices. The code is expected to form the basis of an international standard Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

No Cloud Over VDI!

Unsurprisingly, whatever the IT genre and whatever the weather, cloud is always on the horizon right now. One of several top meetings I had last week within IP Expo's confines was with Morteza ... Continue Reading

By

• Steve Broadhead, Broadband Testing

AVIn A Well Balanced Time...

Me and Load-Balancers (the artist wot became known as the Application Delivery Controller at some point in its life, even though it always did this anyway) go back a long way; 20 years basically, ... Continue Reading

By

• Steve Broadhead, Broadband Testing

Highways England demonstrates connected cars in Kent

Connected cars are being demonstrated on roads in Kent as part of a project to improve safety and improve traffic flows Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

CW Middle East: Middle East warms to humanoid robots

Countries in the Middle East are warming to humanoid robotics, robotic process automation and artificial intelligence as these technologies become widely accepted globally. Also in this issue, read why Saudi Arabia has called on London’s fintechs to set up in the country with the promise of government support, and find out how the Gulf Warehousing Company has introduced cloud-based technology to replace paper processes used by its HR department. Continue Reading

Huawei Connect 2018: Huawei tackles barriers to effective AI

At its annual customer and technology event, Huawei chairman Eric Xu set out 10 key challenges facing AI, and revealed how the networking supplier’s strategy will help to address these Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Access to full-fibre broadband continues to expand under Vodafone-CityFibre partnership

Customers in three more towns and cities will soon be able to access ultrafast fibre-to-the-premises broadband service Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

When networks collide: how M&A brings infrastructure together

Enterprise IT runs on networking, so fixing up the network should be a priority issue during mergers and acquisitions – but that’s not always the case. Find out how the pros manage it. Continue Reading

Huawei Connect 2018: China on the hunt for AI talent

At Huawei Connect 2018 in Shanghai, Huawei shared insights into how the developing artificial intelligence industry is changing the face of IT talent development in Asia-Pacific Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

EE switches on 5G test network at Canary Wharf

MNO explores high-capacity zone testing for its 5G network roll-out, with the first phase expected to target hotspots such as London’s Canary Wharf Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Telenor retrains 20,000 staff as it prepares for impact of digital tech

Norway-based mobile phone company Telenor, which provides phone services in Scandinavia and Asia, is challenging its workforce to spend 40 hours a year learning digital skills as it prepares for the impact of digital technology Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

How Angolan telecommunications could shape global software development

Here’s a suggestion for you… software application developers should be looking at the technical newswires to gauge where the global interconnection pipes of the web are going to next strengthen up ... Continue Reading

By

• Adrian Bridgwater

Technology shouldn’t leave anyone behind, says Jeremy Wright

DCMS secretary of state highlights investment in 5G and superfast broadband, and says no one should be left behind by technology Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad