Voice networking and VoIP

Nokia launches first commercial enterprise 5G standalone private wireless networking

New technology aims to provide ‘direct to 5G’ entry point for high-spec industrial use case validation and ecosystem development Continue Reading

India’s Jio Platforms eyes global 5G opportunity

Indian mobile network operator Jio Platforms has built a 5G solution that will meet domestic and global demand for 5G services Continue Reading

Three areas of remote working to consider

A number of tech firms have used the shift to working from home, to develop new product offerings. We look at the IT impact Continue Reading

Locked-down Nationwide staff make 2.5 million video calls in June

Home-working technologies are no longer just a contingency for large companies, with future working practices set to change Continue Reading

Cops take out encrypted comms to disrupt organised crime

The UK’s National Crime Agency, alongside other law enforcement agencies in France and the Netherlands, have busted illicit arms and drugs rings after disabling an encrypted comms platform Continue Reading

Zoom making progress on cyber security and privacy, says CEO

Three months after being hit by a spate of security incidents, Zoom’s CEO, Eric Yuan, has been discussing progress towards a more secure product Continue Reading

Two-thirds of UK adults to work remotely more often after Covid-19

Research commissioned by Ciena reveals how coronavirus pandemic will likely change UK internet usage, as increased use of online home working applications is complemented by commensurate rise in online education Continue Reading

Zoom U-turns on end-to-end encryption

Embattled video-conferencing provider Zoom backtracks on previous refusals to provide end-to-end encryption to free users Continue Reading

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

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

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

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

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

2B or not 2C? That is the question for 5G

A flurry of 5G network launches in all major markets in Asia, North America and Europe, focused on consumer applications and services. This looks set to change in 2020 as the operators get down to business Continue Reading

Covid-19: NHS reveals comms network strain as virus spread

Patients hit the web and phone lines for coronavirus assessments, with demand peaking as lockdown was announced, says health service Continue Reading

Ericsson bullish on 5G despite Covid-19

Comms tech company’s chief highlights the importance of connectivity during times of crisis and unprecedented surge in network traffic Continue Reading

Brits expected to call time on office life after lockdown

O2 Business study reveals currently displaced workers see a permanent change to their company’s approach to flexible working Continue Reading

UK transport research body calls for safer in-vehicle technologies

Voice-controlled systems are the future of autonomous, according to TRL, whose recommendations follow a report into Apple CarPlay and Android Auto demanding improved standards in voice-activated infotainment systems Continue Reading

Pre-owned device values stay strong amidst coronavirus pandemic

More than half a billion dollars returned to US consumers in Q1 2020 as used and new mobile device markets stabilise after Covid-19 disruption Continue Reading

How Vonage is riding the e-commerce wave in Asia

The surge in online sales across Asia has boosted demand for cloud-based communications services as more e-commerce players look to integrate text messaging, voice and video into customer engagement platforms Continue Reading

Fifth of UK small businesses concerned about prolonged remote working

Small firms find the potential prospect of indefinite working from home a major challenge to future business Continue Reading

Managed services rev up revenues for SD-WAN in fourth quarter of 2019

Analyst Omdia highlights the steady transition in 2019 from hardware-based to software-defined networking and predicts good times despite Covid-19 Continue Reading

Coronavirus puts brakes on 5G core deployments

Research firm identifies short- and long-term impacts that global pandemic will have on 5G core and edge networks Continue Reading

Samsung, AWS claim world’s first mission-critical comms video call

MCPTX solution powered by leading cloud platform said to enable first responders to accurately assess vital moments using voice, data and video calls Continue Reading

BCS calls for IT recognition in coronavirus response

Campaign launched by BCS aims to recognise the importance of IT staff in keeping UK workers connected during the coronavirus crisis Continue Reading

Wireless industry hails FCC spectrum announcement as game changer for Wi-Fi 6

Proposed opening of the 6GHz band to Wi-Fi 6 technology in US set to provide more capacity than all other current Wi-Fi bands put together Continue Reading

Coronavirus: Vodafone confident of staying on the line

The coronavirus outbreak has caused the UK’s pattern of working behaviours to change completely – and network operators are confident they can cope Continue Reading

Coronavirus: Is Zoom safe and should security teams ban it?

Zoom’s rapid rise to prominence has highlighted a score of security problems with the service. Should CISOs try to steer their organisations away from it, or ban it outright? Continue Reading

HPE unveils open source software to reduce 5G complexity

Open distributed infrastructure management software launched to resolve complexity that telcos face in rolling out 5G networks across thousands of sites equipped with multiple suppliers’ IT infrastructures Continue Reading

Coronavirus: Zoom accelerates away as office workers make video calls

The Covid-19 pandemic has required people to change their working habits, and many are routinely using conferencing tools Continue Reading

Coronavirus: Mobile comms finds its voice as usage patterns evolve

UK operators declare readiness of mobile networks as they enter uncharted water with millions of users displaced from offices during the working day Continue Reading

Coronavirus: Virgin finds new data trends as it creates 500 contact centre jobs

Cable network provider issues assurance on the resilience of its infrastructure, which is under unprecedented strain from domestic users, and beefs up service staffing Continue Reading

Ericsson wins exclusive 5G contract with Cosmote Greece

Swedish comms firm tapped for 5G radio access network to strengthen Greek provider’s existing networks and boost network quality, capacity, speed and operational efficiency Continue Reading

Coronavirus: UK comms regulator launches national campaign to assist home workers

Ofcom, with the backing of government, broadband and mobile industries, launches guide for teleworkers to get the most from connections Continue Reading

4G arrives for eastern half of Jubilee Line

Full 4G mobile connectivity arrives on half of one of London’s busiest Underground transport links, paving the way for extended communications throughout the network Continue Reading

Carphone Warehouse to close 531 standalone stores in UK

Troubled UK computer and comms retailer takes what it calls essential next step in turnaround of UK mobile business Continue Reading

Covid-19: Three technology areas that CIOs must address

CIOs will need to consider the IT measures that will be needed to support their organisations as the government ramps up its response to the coronavirus Continue Reading

Ericsson to acquire MC-PTT provider Genaker

Swedish comms tech firm sees acquisition strengthening its ability to meet demands of transforming mission-critical communications and private network market Continue Reading

IT Priorities 2020: Benelux organisations and budgets focused on digital transformation

IT leaders in Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg expect bigger budgets this year, with spending on digital transformation projects and related technologies being prioritised Continue Reading

IT Priorities 2020: IP network investments top priority for Middle East IT leaders

IT leaders in the Middle East expect to see increased spending on IP networks as digital transformation continues across the region Continue Reading

Birmingham and Liverpool take top spots in metro UK mobile speed tests

Midlands and Merseyside metro areas come top for best places in the UK that power daily connected experiences Continue Reading

Nokia claims end-to-end 4G and 5G New Radio slicing first

Finnish comms tech provider beefs up comms network essential equipment offer with 4G, 5G end-to-end slicing Continue Reading

More than half of UK businesses lack confidence to implement 5G

EY study finds 5G investment set to soar among British businesses, but the majority are not confident in their organisations’ ability to deploy 5G Continue Reading

Coronavirus, global economic slowdown to cap 5G smartphone sales in 2020

First half of 2020 will likely be much weaker than expected for the 5G smartphone market, but a strong bounce-back is possible in second half of the year if the coronavirus spread is brought under control Continue Reading

Cloud and 5G to drive SD-WAN adoption in APAC, says Silver Peak

Cloud migration and 5G services will boost the uptake of SD-WAN in a region where some markets are still in the early adopter phase Continue Reading

Qualcomm makes major moves in 5G essential equipment

Chip giant Qualcomm introduces third-generation 5G modem-RF system to enhance 5G performance and 5G/4G mobile filter technology Continue Reading

‘Enormous’ growth prospects for 5G in enterprises

Newly formed research body predicts global 5G enterprise mobile subscriptions will rise from 500,000 to 175 million by 2024 Continue Reading

UK consumers demand greater reliability, not more speed, from mobile networks

UK mobile users’ demands evolve as operators hit sweet sport for speed and consumers calling loud and clear for greater emphasis on network reliability Continue Reading

Cisco unveils business transformation suite for hyper-connected enterprise

New tools claimed to help businesses push their boundaries by reimagining their applications, empowering their teams, securing their data and transforming their infrastructure Continue Reading

Openreach extends full-fibre network to rural UK

UK national broadband infrastructure provider ramps up programme to deliver full-fibre to 200 locations, mainly towns and villages hitherto not passed by network Continue Reading

Singapore’s StarHub and M1 team up in 5G licence bid

The two telcos are working towards the 17 February 2020 closing date for 5G proposals Continue Reading

Spry cancels out P&J Arena dead zones with multi-operator 4G coverage

Tech supplier installs smart mobile signal booster in Aberdeen to ensure high-speed data connectivity for live video streaming and social media activities Continue Reading

Liberty Global Europe shakes up executive leadership

UPC Switzerland chief executive flies in to take financial reins at Virgin Media in UK while former UPC Netherlands boss takes over Swiss and select eastern European operations Continue Reading

Vodafone extends UK 5G reach and introduces 5G roaming to Ireland

Leading UK mobile operator claims 5G tech first and broadens 5G reach across UK and into the Republic of Ireland Continue Reading

Extreme Networks claims Wi-Fi 6 a game changer for US sports stadiums

Cloud-driven networking technology and services company rolls out Wi-Fi 6 technology for Tennessee Titans, Houston Dynamo and Dash, Leeds Beckett University and West Texas A&M Continue Reading

EE scoops top rating in UK mobile connectivity assessment

BT subsidiary wins top spot in UK mobile quality benchmark survey for sixth time running Continue Reading

SK Telecom gets close to the edge with global MEC task force

As operators’ remits expand beyond providing mobile connectivity to offering new value based on infrastructure, leading Korean operator announces mobile edge computing association Continue Reading

Asia-Pacific to lead 5G technology adoption to 2024

GlobalData analysis predicts that in the 5G era, Asia will lead the field and will hold half of 5G subscriptions globally by 2024 Continue Reading

2020 The year of VOIP assisted on-line fraud

The Internet as we know began with a DARPA three way trial of Voice over IP using a Packet Radio Van to simulate the needs of the military for secure mobile communications. The wheel has come full ... Continue Reading

Nokia notches 63 commercial 5G tech equipment deals

Finnish comms giant reveals huge strides in 5G essential technology deployment around the world Continue Reading

Poor UK internet connectivity and technology cited as hampering SME productivity

Study suggests small businesses could be losing out on two and a half working weeks a year from employees because of unreliable internet connections and technology issues Continue Reading

Telco revs set to increase, but suppliers face critical challenges in 2020

Potential good times set to roll for telecoms industry in 2020, with SD-WAN first deployments of 5G, but NB-IoT needs to gain traction to stay relevant, says research Continue Reading

China Broadcasting Network begins 5G services

China’s national radio and TV network operator becomes fourth company to offer 5G services in the country, serving the cities of Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai and Shenzhen Continue Reading

Qualcomm and ZTE claim 5G landmark with voice-over-NR call

Successful 5G VoNR calls sees tech companies declare an important step towards the commercial use of 5G voice experiences Continue Reading

OTT challenge to see mobile operators lose voice over next five years

Harsh times predicted for voice services over the next five years as revenues are expected to nearly halve, but operators stand to be partially offset by nascent 5G-based offers Continue Reading

2020 set to usher in age of 5G always-on portable computing

Analyst identifies key 5G trends that will bear fruit in new year and pours cold water on one hyped technology that it thinks won’t make it Continue Reading

Comms-platform-as-a-service revenues outpace unified-comms-as-a-service

Communications-platform-as-a-service uptake is benefiting from its ability to quickly add new functionality, the ease with which it can be customised and the flexibility of its pay-as-you-go service model Continue Reading

EE switches on 5G in six more UK locations

Operator broadens UK’s largest 5G network with six additional locations and announces aggressive plans for 2020 Continue Reading

Cisco bolsters low-latency networking with Exablaze acquisition

Networking giant makes strategic acquisition of Australian provider of ultra-low latency devices and FPGA-based applications Continue Reading

Ofcom eases broadband switch process and outlaws locked mobiles

Regulator plans to make it easier for UK broadband customers to transition between different networks, or a full-fibre service on the same network Continue Reading

Smart speakers gain volume as VoLTE set for 140% growth over next five years

Research shows products such as Amazon Echo and Google Nest will drive voice over LTE market growth Continue Reading

Huawei counted in as Telefónica Deutschland lays out mid-term strategy

3G to be switched off in 2022 by Telefónica Deutschland as it lays out strategy to drive growth with particularly aggressive plan to accelerate 5G development Continue Reading

China, Japan, India to drive APAC networking spend to 2023

Asia-Pacific enterprises are continuing to strengthen their network agility and service delivery capabilities with a view to offering converged service offerings, says GlobalData study Continue Reading

Wells to become UK’s next gigabit city

Medieval Somerset city hopes to encourage business growth and attract new employers by going gigabit Continue Reading

5G to reshape global telecoms sector in 2020

Study says next-gen technologies and the pressures of digital transformation are likely to continue to reshape what it means to be a telecoms operator next year Continue Reading

Scots urge councils to embrace smart city technologies

Survey of Scottish citizens indicates a number of benefits that local communities can gain from IoT and other connected technologies Continue Reading

Connectivity is levelling the playing field for small businesses in UK creative sector

Research shows key segment of UK creative industry small businesses produce their best ideas and work on the go, increasingly relying on connectivity to drive productivity Continue Reading

‘Poor’ comms and collaboration tools cost UK plc over £7,500 per employee per year

Survey reveals workplace productivity is deeply impacted by an organisation’s communications and collaboration practices and technology Continue Reading

US consumers ‘confused’ by 5G

Six months in, and after major operators roll out coverage with great fanfare and suitable devices in their branded stores, confusion exists in the US 5G arena Continue Reading

Verizon, Qualcomm and Ericsson demo dynamic spectrum sharing in US

US comms giant Verizon teams with Qualcomm Technologies and Ericsson to use dynamic spectrum sharing technology to extend reach and hasten development of 5G Ultra Wideband network Continue Reading

Ericsson: More than 2.6 billion 5G subscriptions by end of 2025

Latest Ericsson Mobility Report reveals that 5G has the potential to cover up to 65% of the world’s population and handle 45% of global mobile data by 2025 Continue Reading

State backs Norway’s fibre cable capacity building

Norway is increasing investment on communications infrastructure in an effort to reduce reliance on Swedish and Danish networks Continue Reading

Europe in the driving seat for global smartphone market

Samsung, Huawei and Xiaomi lead the charge to drive unprecedented shipment numbers in the third quarter of 2019, says Canalys study Continue Reading

Aryaka aims to disrupt traditional SD-WAN and legacy service provider models

SD-WAN provider Aryaka claims to have unyoked enterprises from what it calls carriers’ burdens and ‘rigid, limited’ offerings with new regional WAN models Continue Reading

Swisscom takes step towards nationwide 5G coverage

Telco deploys spectrum-sharing technology to help realise its goal of reaching 90% 5G coverage of Switzerland by end of this year Continue Reading

5G to be first mobile generation to have bigger impact on enterprises than consumers

GSMA Intelligence report says 5G could see private enterprise networks explode and become a competition battleground between telcos and cloud companies within five years Continue Reading

Qualcomm eyes up slice of $13.2tn 5G sales enablement market

At the end of its financial year, mobile chip giant Qualcomm sets its sights firmly on profiting from a 5G economy which it believes will generate more than $10tn in sales enablement by 2035 Continue Reading

Cisco promises CIO digital transformation gains with new collaboration suite

Suite deploys artificial intelligence to create a personalised meetings experience Continue Reading

Orange begins 5G services with roll-out in Romania

Orange Group joins the 5G service provider roster, with offer in Romania said to be capable of delivering internet download speeds of up to 1.2Gbps and average download speeds of 600Mbps Continue Reading

Gigabit broadband to transform working lives across Europe

Report from economist Oxera predicts that many social and economic benefits will result from the widespread roll-out of gigabit broadband, as increased connectivity changes the way people interact with each other Continue Reading

Optus fires first salvo in Australia’s 5G roll-out

Australia’s second biggest telco, Optus, has flipped the switch for its 5G fixed wireless broadband service in key cities, with mobile services in the pipeline Continue Reading

BT network investments dig into half-year profits

The need for speed, and the need to lay down and connect high-speed broadband and fibre, has put a break on the financial performance of BT over the first six months of its fiscal year Continue Reading

Openreach: momentum needed now to hit all IP UK network target

Openreach says time is very much of the essence if it is to meet its 2025 target of upgrading the UK’s comms infrastructure to a full fibre and All-IP technologies Continue Reading

Europe, MENA and enterprise adds colour to modest Orange Q3

Solid commercial performance in France, Africa and the Middle East, as well as increased revenues from the Europe and enterprise segments, are drivers for modest profit and revenue growth for Orange Continue Reading

C-Band Alliance offers new spectrum proposal to hasten US 5G roll-out

In its goal of clearing and repurposing C-band spectrum to support fast 5G wireless deployment, C-Band Alliance updates its spectrum clearing proposal to US regulator the FCC Continue Reading

AT&T puts major acquisitions on hold for three years after mixed Q3

Acquisitions on hold at AT&T after third quarter growing strategic and managed business services, US wireless and IP broadband are offset by declines in revenues from legacy wireline services, recently acquired WarnerMedia assets and domestic video Continue Reading

Ofcom updates mobile airwaves plan

UK broadcast regulator reveals plans to release airwaves to improve mobile services for customers aiming to help more areas get better comms services Continue Reading

Nordic governments open to Huawei’s ‘no spy’ offer

Chinese tech giant seeks to reassure Nordic governments over security concerns in 5G contracts Continue Reading

Asset sharing essential to making 5G RAN affordable

Rethink Technology finds that upfront cost containment has been the number one priority for cellular operators in the first stage of 5G deployment, and that three main tactics have been used to achieve this ambition Continue Reading

O2 promises ‘revolutionary’ offers as it joins UK 5G party

O2 has become the latest operator in the UK to offer a 5G network and claims to be able to demonstrate real-world 5G business use cases that can potentially boost the British economy Continue Reading