WAN performance and optimisation

SMEs need to acknowledge remote working lessons to prosper post-Covid

Research from integrated cloud communications platform provider finds that over two-fifths of SME employees believe that, with effective communication tools, productivity would be the most improved business challenge in the “new normal” Continue Reading

Linius aims to add magic to video conferencing with Whizzard

New product for the conferencing and enterprise collaboration markets offers the ability to transform hours of video footage into bite-sized pieces of content and increase knowledge sharing 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Iron Mountain scales global connectivity collaboration with Telia Carrier

Enhanced global network in APAC, EMEA and North America aims to deliver increased high-performance network diversity for datacentre customers Continue Reading

Why securing the DNS layer is crucial to fight cyber crime

Domain name system security is often overlooked by organisations, but focusing on this layer could actually improve the effectiveness of cyber security strategies. We explore the latest DNS trends and best practice Continue Reading

Almost two-thirds of cell sites set to deploy open RAN by 2026

With diversity in communications technology supply set to accelerate, open RAN will come to the fore and research suggests that enterprise small cells will be a key factor in its deployment Continue Reading

UK government hits superfast target but many still experience poor broadband

National Audit Office report says government’s target to roll out faster gigabit coverage nationwide by 2025 will be difficult to achieve for the hardest-to-reach premises Continue Reading

Small businesses’ remote working frustrations threaten exodus of best talent

While large firms mull massive investment to return to offices, over a quarter of European small business workers would switch jobs to somewhere better equipped for remote working Continue Reading

UK firms find obstacles to unlocking full potential of Edge

Survey finds almost of half of UK IT leaders in the UK are already actively using Edge technologies to deliver new outcomes and business value, but 87% of ITDMs are missing key skills to unlock the value of data Continue Reading

Cisco, Qwilt and Digital Alpha launch open caching CDN for service providers

Consortium of tech providers introduce new model for media delivery using open caching architecture, claiming ‘unprecedented’ levels of quality with open, global APIs Continue Reading

5G technology could increase global economy by $1.5tn by 2030

Research commissioned by Huawei suggests next-generation networks can stimulate growth and drive productivity as the global economy recovers from Covid-19 Continue Reading

Interdealer broker bets on BT for infrastructure

Market infrastructure provider Interdealer inks deal with BT, enabling enhanced customer experience, deeper insights and new compliance tools Continue Reading

How Ethernet became the world’s networking standard

Ethernet pioneer Bob Metcalfe outlines the technology’s early history, including the rivalry with IBM and what he did to convince people of the value of networks Continue Reading

Wi-Fi Vantage certification adds support for managed wireless advancements

Latest development from wireless collaboration forum see Wi-Fi 6 and WPA3 optimise and secure the Wi-Fi experience in managed networks Continue Reading

Skoda Auto transforms network infrastructure to accelerate business growth

Car manufacturer upgrades network with campus networking systems as part of its 2025 digital transformation strategy Continue Reading

Remote working world reveals cloud/SaaS security concerns

Research reveals pivotal moment when the cloud is playing a more important role than ever to support mass remote working, with CISO concerns over cloud security remaining stubbornly high Continue Reading

BT: UK government’s national fibre target could be missed by eight years

Government is in danger of not realising its full-fibre coverage broadband ambitions, says telco, which had identified seven key policy, legislative and fiscal enablers to get the plan back on track Continue Reading

SSE Enterprise Telecoms makes further investment in UK business connectivity, 5G

UK telco unbundles further 259 BT exchanges by the end of 2021 to significantly grow network, bringing total unbundled exchanges to 550 Continue Reading

Government remains in orbit to develop UK sat nav

Despite experts’ doubts, government confirms it will continue to look at a wider range of options for a sovereign satellite navigation and timing capability Continue Reading

West Midlands 5G, Transport for West Midlands unveil ‘revolutionary’ transport projects

After funding award to develop new products and services, comms and travel consortiums will launch 5G-enabled road and rail transport trials across the West Midlands Continue Reading

Somerset schools set to benefit from free full-fibre broadband

As it continues its mission to develop its gigabit network, West Country full-fibre infrastructure provider gets local educational establishments enrolled on broadband fast lane Continue Reading

Bechtel joins CityFibre gigabit broadband roll-out scheme

Engineering, construction and project management firm supports step-change in mobilisation of build projects worth £1.5bn Continue Reading

NBN Co pumps in A$700m to shore up business connectivity

Australia’s national wholesale broadband provider is creating up to 240 business fibre zones across the country to provide businesses with access to its enterprise ethernet service Continue Reading

Supporting mobile workers everywhere

With VPNs struggling to serve the unprecedented number of remote workers, we look at other ways of providing reliable remote networking Continue Reading

Current IT infrastructures not prepared for incoming strain of fourth industrial revolution

With the future of business increasingly driven by smart things, applications and digital services that use data for transformational purposes, CenturyLink is undergoing its own transformation Continue Reading

Independent wholesale broadband market could connect 11 million more premises by 2025

Research from Independent Networks Cooperative Association reveals surge in demand from members to provide wholesale broadband services across the UK Continue Reading

SSE Enterprise Telecoms further extends 100Gbps capable network across the UK

New connections built to provide 100Gbps optical and Ethernet services will enable SSE Enterprise Telecoms to reach more than 90 datacentres across the UK Continue Reading

Openreach adds 67 locations to broadband fibre build plan

Growth accelerates in UK full-fibre network, with 32,000 homes and businesses gaining full-fibre broadband access every week Continue Reading

How data has helped in the fight against coronavirus

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we talk to the Office for National Statistics about the important role data plays in the battle against Covid-19. We also look at the speedy deployment of the Scottish contact-tracing app and report on a discussion about the UK government’s delayed response to its digital identity consultation. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

UK government furthers investment in rural broadband

Quarter of a million rural homes and businesses across England have been given access to more financial help to get super-fast and above broadband speeds up to gigabit Continue Reading

Small businesses projected to add £1.8tn to global GDP growth by 2024

Small Business Digital Maturity research finds nearly three-quarters of global small businesses surveyed are accelerating their digitisation rates to address Covid-19 challenges and respond faster to the new normal of remote working Continue Reading

Mobile stable as UK full-fibre broadband increases significantly over first half of 2020

Second interim 2020 update to UK comms regulator’s examination of connectivity shows fibre and superfast broadband proliferate since March as millions remain at home to work, learn and be entertained during the pandemic Continue Reading

Aberla Utilities forges UK fibre partnership with Gabitel Ingenieros

Spanish telecommunications expert digs out deal with Cheshire-based telecoms, energy management, renewables and engineering services to provide fibre communications Continue Reading

Western Europe dominates global broadband speed

Annual assessment of global broadband speeds calculates that the gap is widening between the leaders and the laggards, with the countries focusing on pure fibre achieving the most success Continue Reading

New normal of remote working compounds enterprise security challenges

Sudden changes in priorities, poor network visibility and lack of time cited by Juniper Networks as key issues for security professionals struggling to cope with new norms Continue Reading

Businesses go all in on wireless WAN for post-pandemic recovery

Report reveals extent of wireless WAN use, demand for 5G and how wireless connectivity will play a big part in businesses’ efforts to recover from the economic damage of Covid-19 Continue Reading

3 SD-WAN cloud connectivity options to explore

Enterprises can connect their SD-WAN infrastructure to cloud providers' platforms using three methods: back-to-back access, private PoP connections and internet VPN. Continue Reading

Gigaclear to take on 120 engineers for rural broadband expansion

New full-time field engineers will join rural broadband provider’s in-house team by the end of March 2021 to increase company’s build capacity Continue Reading

Bayer taps Verizon for global network infrastructure

Pharmaceutical giant chooses Verizon to provide software-defined infrastructure to support its future cloud-based business needs Continue Reading

Broadband upstream usage, speeds spike higher in Q2 2020

As the need for remote working, learning, information and entertainment makes broadband access more important than ever, a consumption report finds mass usage of applications such as Zoom driving uptake of higher-speed packages Continue Reading

CIOs raise IT budgets as increased remote working drives security concerns

Research finds that as the pandemic forces companies to accept the idea of permanent massed remote working, CIOs are waking up to the threat of increased cyber attacks Continue Reading

DAG Wireless unveils 4G/5G infrastructure for in-flight connectivity

Broadband access products provider announces new FCC and DO-160 certified in-flight broadband network designed to offer first-class wireless connectivity experiences Continue Reading

UK government gigabit broadband scheme nears half a million new premises benchmark

UK government celebrates reaching gigabit broadband services deployment milestone as part of its ambitious target over the lifetime of parliament Continue Reading

SD-WAN gains momentum with enterprises in Australia

As Australian businesses accelerate migration to the cloud, the underlying network will play an increasingly important role and nearly 60% of enterprises in the country have already implemented SD-WAN Continue Reading

‘Precipitous’ rise in network disruptions since March 2020

Research finds that since lockdown, regional network availability and performance has differed between ISP and cloud networks, with cloud provider networks showing greater resilience Continue Reading

Tata Communications unveils new secure digital experience

Global digital ecosystem enabler Tata aims to allow businesses to adapt to the realities of enterprise transformation, workforce mobility and consumer experience in the new digital-first environment Continue Reading

Application monitoring, video games dominate internet traffic in first half of 2020

Increased focus on digital presence during lockdown likely to have prompted companies to invest more in ensuring and measuring application uptime and enhancing customer experience Continue Reading

How to select and set up SD-WAN and DIA

When evaluating different options for SD-WAN and direct internet access, IT teams can't forget to consider application performance, network uptime and support for each option. Continue Reading

VMware completes participation in UK contact-tracing app development

The day after UK government announced that its long-awaited and controversial contact-tracing application would be available ‘shortly’, VMware revealed it has completed its role in the development Continue Reading

£400m full-fibre broadband expansion as Warburg Pincus, DTCP take control of Community Fibre

Expansion of full-fibre network across London will deliver up to 10Gbps of broadband to a million households and businesses Continue Reading

MainOne West African submarine cable implements Infinera to boost spectrum capacity

Comms tech provider works with global operator to optimise performance on undersea cable serving as West African backbone network for Orange’s international connectivity in Africa Continue Reading

Verizon completes long-haul 800Gbps single-wavelength fibre data session

US comms giant sends 800Gbps across long-distance fibre in preparation for significant increase in amount of data from enterprise and consumer 5G applications Continue Reading

Masergy expands SD-WAN portfolio with SASE, added analytics

With the addition of SD-WAN Secure, software-defined network and cloud platform claims to be the sole source of a single, unified SD-WAN solution Continue Reading

Manchester City Council deploys 8x8 to maintain remote services

One of the UK’s largest local government authorities implements cloud-based communications system to keep critical services running while keeping agents safe during UK lockdown Continue Reading

US remote workers take significant productivity hit through IT disruption

Analysis of remote employee experience and digital workplace post-Covid finds enterprise remote workers have encountered long wait times to address IT and other technical issues 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

More than 90% of UK’s fixed lines meet the challenges of working from home

Study from network benchmarking firm Umlaut reveals that despite fears over whether UK networks could cope with mass remote working, only very few fixed-connection users faced limitations Continue Reading

Covid-19 accelerates UK digital transformation efforts by over five years

Over a third of UK business decision-makers believe changes in operations since Covid-19 have increased digital transformation budgets “dramatically” Continue Reading

NS1 closes $40m series D round to fund connected economy tech

Multimillion-dollar funding round set to accelerate innovation in modern application and access network solutions that power the connected economy Continue Reading

HPE extends edge to home network

With employees working from home, IT departments are struggling to provide adequate remote access to corporate systems Continue Reading

Yorkshire Water teams with BT to turn on tap for NB-IoT

Narrowband internet of things pilot scheme examines potential to optimise the management of utility firm’s estate and provide greater access for local businesses in South Yorkshire to take advantage of IoT advancement to boost economic growth Continue Reading

Half of UK organisations question the relevance of SD-WAN in Covid-driven remote workplace

Research reveals confusion among UK organisations concerning SD-WAN, with optimised WAN covering many bases already and over half of firms leaning towards SASE solutions to meet their requirements Continue Reading

INCA calls for added investment in apprenticeships and skills to hit government broadband target

The Independent Networks Cooperative Association welcomes UK government plans to increase investment in workplace training and apprenticeships to address the growing skills shortage in the sector Continue Reading

Aryaka, 8x8 enhance enterprise communications across managed SD-WAN

Cloud-first WAN company and integrated cloud communications platform forge partnership to accelerate digital transformation for organisations across global workplaces Continue Reading

Nearly half of employed in UK worked remotely in April 2020

Covid-19 drives upsurge in home working in UK, and of those who did some work remotely, around a third worked fewer hours than usual and the same percentage worked longer hours Continue Reading

Orange, Nokia claim first successful trial of next-gen optical technology

Next-generation optoelectronics technology designed to allow tripling of total transported capacity on long-haul links Continue Reading

SD-WAN goes mainstream in remote work surge but network visibility, security are concerns

Survey reveals effect of Covid-19 in what is said to be an age of dynamic disruption, with full sight of traffic activity across much more distributed infrastructure a key priority Continue Reading

Getting infrastructures in shape for the big return to work

As firms get used to a partial return to the workplace, what will this mean for those that have been charged with keeping business networks up and running during lockdown? Continue Reading

CIO interview: David Allison, global head of IT, First Quantum Minerals

For his first global CIO role, the IT chief had to tackle unusual challenges such as reliable networking and IT use in inhospitable mining environments in developing countries Continue Reading

Virgin Media spreads UK gigabit broadband reach

Launch of gigabit broadband in Merseyside and Edinburgh sees Virgin Media add more than 600,000 homes to fibre network, taking total to 2.7 million properties Continue Reading

Virgin Media, Cisco unveil first-ever commercial deployment of OpenRoaming at Canary Wharf

Wireless communications based on new connectivity aims to ‘dramatically’ improve efficiencies for more than 20,000 businesses, entrepreneurs, independent retailers, bars, cafes and workspaces in London’s Docklands Continue Reading

Optimised network infrastructure, visibility, experience management form next frontier in business

Business leaders, C-suite and IT decision-makers must come together to ensure that they invest in the right infrastructure or they will face business failure, says Riverbed report Continue Reading

Alibaba Cloud comes together with Aryaka for global, fully managed SD-WAN

Cloud-first WAN company claims to provide Chinese cloud giant with superior application performance to enterprise customers worldwide Continue Reading

Ford gets into gear with Vodafone 5G for future-proof electric vehicle production

Global automotive giant gains funding to implement and develop the potential of 5G in electric vehicle manufacturing processes in particular as regards cross-site connectivity Continue Reading

SASE And Cato; The Fit...

As promised in the previous blog, given the seeming importance of SASE, here’s more definition in terms of what briefings with Cato Networks revealed. If we look at the key areas where SASE and ... 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

Cisco makes statement of intent for ‘new normal’ networking priorities

Networking technology giant adds new capabilities across its intent-based networking portfolio to give customers greater control, security, insights to drive better digital experiences. 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

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