Ericsson elevates wireless WAN from failover to foundational

Copyright TechTarget - All rights reserved ComputerWeekly’s best articles of the day https://cyber.law.harvard.edu/rss/rss.html Techtarget Feed Generator en Sun, 17 May 2026 14:43:32 GMT https://www.computerweekly.com editor@computerweekly.com <p>As enterprises scale artificial intelligence (AI) and data-driven operations, the financial and operational impact of network downtime has escalated, with costs ranging from thousands to over a million dollars per day – and to address this issue, Ericsson has launched networking systems designed to help enterprises move wireless wide area networks (WANs) from a backup service to a foundational part of their network infrastructure.</p> <p>Contextualising the introduction of the <a href="https://cradlepoint.com/product/endpoints/ericsson-cradlepoint-w2255/">Cradlepoint W2255 adapter</a> and enhanced NetCloud Wireless WAN orchestration capabilities, the comms tech provider cited <a href="https://www.gartner.com/en/documents/6911366">research from September 2025 showing that a major network outage costs upwards of $500,000</a>, with more than one in three organisations indicating a $1m price tag, making network resilience a critical, board-level priority.</p> <p>Moreover, Ericsson believes traditional network strategies that treat cellular communications as a simple backup link are no longer sufficient for today’s always-on business demands. To that end, the company believes that with its new systems it can address businesses to meet evolving needs and allow them to shift their Wireless WAN strategy from a passive failover system to an active, operational layer of their network.</p> <p>The new systems combine <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366639116/Italian-Navy-sets-sail-with-Ericsson-5G">5G</a> and <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366640878/Delta-in-flight-connectivity-takes-off-with-Amazon-Leo">LEO satellite connectivity</a> with advanced orchestration capabilities to improve resiliency, visibility and control across distributed enterprise networks.</p> <p>The Cradlepoint W2255 is designed to elevate cellular communications, giving organisations the visibility, management and troubleshooting tools to deploy multi-provider Wireless WAN networks at scale. It delivers 5G performance and flexibility based on <a href="https://www.3gpp.org/specifications-technologies/releases/release-17">3GPP 5G SA Release 17 technology</a>, with “seamless” low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite integration.</p> <p>Designed as a single indoor/outdoor model, its industrial design is claimed to be suitable for in-office deployments, while its ruggedised, IP67-rated shell can withstand harsh outdoor conditions, giving organisations deployment flexibility for each location. </p> <p>Overall, Ericsson says the W2255 offers a range of advanced features for uninterrupted connectivity. These include 10x faster carrier failover; multi-WAN visibility; 5G SA multi-slice capability; automated carrier selection; and advanced multi-WAN capabilities.</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Dual SIM dual standby"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Dual SIM dual standby</h2> <p>Specifically, using dual SIM dual standby on a single modem, the W2255 is attributed with being able to switch to a standby carrier network up to 10 times faster when the primary link degrades, providing continuity for critical applications.</p> <p>The offering auto-detects and integrates LEO satellite traffic, providing telemetry for visibility and basic controls directly within NetCloud. This allows businesses to blend cellular and satellite links to provide both link and service provider diversity, while supporting a non-terrestrial connection to provide network resiliency in regions prone to severe weather conditions.</p> <p>The W22555G SA’s multi-slice capability offers support for User Equipment Route Selection Policy, enabling what is described as “predictable” performance through prioritised network slices offered by carriers. This allows an enterprise to isolate critical point-of-sale traffic on a carrier-backed, high-priority slice while routing best-effort guest Wi-Fi on another. </p> <p>With support for eSIM and Carrier Selection Intelligence, the adapter can automatically run speed tests on first boot to identify and select the best-performing carrier at each specific location, eliminating the need for specialised onsite staff and complex manual configuration.</p> <div class="extra-info"> <div class="extra-info-inner"> <h3 class="splash-heading">Read more about enterprise WAN</h3> <ul class="default-list"> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366635495/SASE-SD-WAN-evolve-as-enterprises-prioritise-unified-network-security">SASE, SD-WAN evolve as enterprises prioritise unified network security</a>: Research confirms trend that software-defined wide-area network implementations are increasingly tied to security, with the continual rise of cyber security incidents worldwide only accelerating this dynamic.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366638797/Private-LTE-5G-networks-reached-6500-deployments-in-2025">Private LTE/5G networks reached 6,500 deployments in 2025</a>: Analysis of private 5G market finds steadily growing market that is increasingly driven by organic demand from end users, with WAN and enterprise segments of near equal worth.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366625134/T-Mobile-for-Business-ups-5G-fixed-wireless-access-offer">T-Mobile for Business ups 5G fixed wireless access offer</a>: 5G enterprise cloud WAN provider teams with operator to deliver high-performance FWA connectivity for business customers throughout the US.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366641832/AK-Travel-journeys-with-Colt-for-global-quantum-safe-network">A&K Travel journeys with Colt for global quantum-safe network</a>: Travel giant chooses services arm of digital infrastructure provider to build out its global connectivity network based on quantum-safe encryption systems that operate without distance limitations.</li> </ul> </div> </div> <p>When combined with an Ericsson E-series router, organisations can scale up to five cellular connections and four LEO connections.</p> <p>Assessing the impact such a product could have on the enterprise WAN arena, Brandon Butler, senior research manager of network infrastructure and services at IDC, said: “Distributed enterprises depend on always-on connectivity across branches and edge sites – and the consequences of downtime are rising. A cellular-first, multi-WAN strategy that blends 5G with LEO satellite extends reach, adds path diversity and keeps critical workloads online when any single link fails.</p> <p>“For retail, manufacturing and other distributed sectors, this approach supports the uptime and resiliency that demanding applications – including AI workloads – require, while reducing the complexity of day-two operations.”</p> <p>Pankaj Malhotra, head of product and engineering for enterprise wireless solutions at Ericsson, added: “Outages remain one of the most disruptive risks to enterprise operations, which is why wireless WAN can no longer be treated as just a backup.</p> <p>“Our strategy is to elevate cellular to a foundational and active part of the network fabric. With the [new product we aim to] provide the visibility and control needed to manage 5G, satellite and primary links, giving IT teams the tools to ensure their branch networks remain online and manageable.” </p> <div class="pro-features-wrapper"></div> </section> Adapter with wireless wide area network orchestration said to be able to deliver enhanced resiliency and simplified wireless operations at scale for modern distributed enterprises https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/visuals/ComputerWeekly/Hero%20Images/Verizon-Cisco-SD-WAN-hero.jpg https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366643084/Ericsson-elevates-wireless-WAN-from-failover-to-foundational Fri, 15 May 2026 10:45:00 GMT Ericsson elevates wireless WAN from failover to foundational <p>Data from specialist comms analyst Opensignal has revealed the UK is very much not a leader compared with other parts of Europe, where in general, the fibre adoption bottleneck is now activation, not buildout.</p> <p>The study, <i><a href="https://insights.opensignal.com/2026/05/europes-fixed-broadband-landscape-from-fiber-coverage-to-in-home-experience/dt">Europe’s fixed broadband landscape: From fibre coverage to in-home experience</a>,</i> examined 18 European markets, including the UK and Turkey, assessing the region’s broadband infrastructure. By bringing together infrastructure progress and proprietary insights into real-world user experience, Opensignal said it can assess how close European markets are to realising fibre’s promise of “flawless connectivity”, and why the next stage depends on what happens inside the home.</p> <p>The study focused on three key metrics: broadband download speed; broadband upload speed; and broadband consistent quality. The latter was measured as the share of tests that exceed thresholds needed to support most common everyday online use cases, such as watching HD video, making video calls or playing online video games. The metric is a composite measure of download and upload speeds, latency, jitter, packet loss and time to first byte.</p> <p>Among the key findings were that Europe’s broadband market is entering a new phase in its fibre transition. Nearly a decade after Europe set its <a target="_blank" href="https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/library/connectivity-european-gigabit-society-brochure" rel="noopener">Gigabit Society</a> goals, the fibre transition has materially advanced, but remains incomplete, and is now facing a distinct set of new challenges.</p> <p>Opensignal quoted research from the FTTH Council’s <em><a target="_blank" href="https://www.ftthcouncil.eu/resources/all-publications-and-assets/2645/european-ftth-b-market-panorama-2026" rel="noopener">Europe’s 2026 market panorama</a></em>, showing that <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366632286/Nokia-launches-FTTH-digital-twin-AI-tools-to-boost-network-reliability">fibre-to-the-home/building</a> (FTTH/B) networks passed 191 million homes (76.8%) in the EU 27 and UK as of September 2025, yet only 105 million (42.1%) subscribed. This translates to a take-up of 54.9% among homes passed – the gap being one of the defining features of Europe’s broadband landscape today. The strategic problem is therefore no longer mainly whether fibre has been built, but whether operators can turn passed homes into active, paying fibre lines.</p> <p>In a number of markets, fibre coverage has far outpaced take-up, shifting the industry conversation away from how to accelerate deployment, and towards how operators can migrate customers to fibre and accelerate return on investment. At the same time, said the analyst, last-mile infrastructure is only part of the story.</p> <p>The battleground for reliable connectivity was seen to be moving increasingly inside the home, where <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366642758/Extreme-Connect-26-Wi-Fi-7-line-aims-to-address-needs-of-6GHz-era">Wi-Fi</a> frequently forms the real bottleneck to meaningfully improving the user experience.</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Conversion challenge"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Conversion challenge</h2> <p>Looking at fibre adoption in terms of activation, not just buildout, across the EU 27 and UK, FTTH/B roll-out efforts have only translated into take-up of 54.9% among homes passed, as of September 2025, showing that the main challenge is now about how to effectively convert the existing footprint into active lines.</p> <p>Somewhat worryingly, rapid roll-out has left many markets with a large adoption gap. In contrast, adoption has lagged more noticeably in the Nordics, where the coverage-to-adoption gap ranges from 16.5 percentage points in Finland to 37.5 in Denmark.</p> <p>A larger middle tier of markets – including the UK, Poland, Bulgaria, Hungary, Turkey and Italy – shows a wider disconnect, where fibre coverage is ranging from 72.2% to 90.2%, but adoption remains limited at just 21.6% to 39.6%. Coverage-to-adoption gaps reach as high as 50.6 percentage points in Italy and Bulgaria.</p> <p>Data showed that as of September 2025, FTTH/B adoption ranged from just 13.8% in Germany and 16.7% in Greece to 83.6% in France and 90% in Spain. Yet Opensignal stressed that this does not capture the full fixed broadband picture in markets where cable, modern fixed wireless or upgraded copper play important roles.</p> <p>The analyst also highlighted that coverage according to the <a href="https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/sdg_17_60/default/table">European Commission’s VHCN (Very High Capacity Network)</a> framework reached 82.5% of EU households in 2024, compared with its reported figure for FTTP coverage of 69.2%. This, said Opensignal, reflected the continued role of modern cable and other high-capacity networks in several markets, and highlights that gigabit-capable availability is somewhat ahead of active <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366640896/CityFibre-launches-85Gb-service-across-wholesale-multi-gig-network">full-fibre footprint</a>.</p> <p>All of this meant Europe had several different access-layer realities. Spain and France were the clearest fibre-advanced markets, with very high FTTH/B adoption and limited remaining copper dependence. Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Slovenia and the UK retain the highest share of cable/hybrid fiber-coaxial (HFC) base among the included markets (estimated at >15% of broadband connections), meaning cable remains large enough to influence pricing, competitive dynamics and the pace of migration to full-fibre.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="France speeds ahead"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>France speeds ahead</h2> <p>Among the European markets, France stood out with the highest average speeds at 182.5Mbps download and 135.3Mbps upload, while Norway reached 132.8Mbps down and 98.6Mbps up, and Spain 118.6Mbps down and 87.3Mbps up. These more symmetrical download and upload outcomes were said to be consistent with markets where fibre has become a much larger part of the fixed broadband base.</p> <div class="pro-features-wrapper"></div> <p>By contrast, more asymmetric profiles remain visible in HFC-legacy markets – such as the UK at 119Mbps down and 39.4Mbps up, and Germany at 76.8Mbps down and 27.5Mbps up.</p> <p>Opensignal noted that many HFC-legacy markets sit towards the higher end of this adoption gap, underlining how the continued presence of cable can slow migration onto fibre. Where existing cable or upgraded copper connections remain good enough for everyday needs, many households did not feel a strong reason to switch.</p> <p>The industry was also seen as creating an “overshoot market”, offering extreme multi-gigabit capabilities that exceed what the average consumer currently needs or is willing to pay extra for. Unless a household consists of gamers or other heavy data users, the technical superiority of fibre did not translate into an attractive selling proposition over the existing packages.</p> <p>In addition, the study also showed that fibre-led markets have delivered faster, more symmetrical speeds, but not always better overall experience. The data showed a weaker relationship between FTTH/B adoption and consistent quality of broadband, highlighting the role of non-fibre infrastructure and in-home Wi-Fi conditions in shaping broadband performance.</p> <div class="extra-info"> <div class="extra-info-inner"> <h3 class="splash-heading">Read more about European broadband</h3> <ul class="default-list"> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366637306/Europes-fibre-roll-out-failing-to-deliver-returns-in-key-markets">Europe’s fibre roll-out failing to deliver returns in key markets</a>: Analysis from global consultancy Kearney shows fibre investments across Europe are falling short of financial expectations.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366625021/Nokia-accelerates-multi-Gig-PON-fibre-broadband-services">Nokia accelerates multi-Gig PON fibre broadband services</a>: Line card product optimised for cost-effective mass market 25G PON, while co-existence network element enables ability to run single fibre 10G, 25G and 50G services.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366637498/Zayo-expands-network-across-Iberian-Peninsula">Zayo expands network across Iberian Peninsula</a>: Infrastructure provider partners with largest dark fibre operator in Spain to launch 400GE-enabled wavelength network and deliver low-latency, high-capacity connectivity between key hubs across Iberian Peninsula.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366610715/Vodafone-adopts-RDK-as-centralised-home-broadband-software-platform">Vodafone adopts RDK as centralised home broadband software platform</a>: Advanced CE software standard adopted by leading comms provider to standardise home broadband device software across its European footprint.</li> </ul> </div> </div> <p>Europe’s most fibre-advanced markets, France and Spain, demonstrate Consistent Quality scores of 79.7% and 78%, below those seen in Denmark at 85.3%, Norway at 84.3% or Sweden at 81.5% – where in-home Wi-Fi experience comes into play as the explanatory link.</p> <p>Moreover, Opensignal said the quality bottleneck issue has moved inside the home. It added that the micro-frictions created by poor Wi-Fi environment inside the home have a much stronger impact on overall connectivity experience, more so than the headline throughput capacity. Newer routers, better spectrum use, lower interference and stronger in-home coverage all translate into a better everyday user experience.</p> <p>The data revealed that markets where operators focus on providing customers with the latest Wi-Fi gateways were achieving stronger consistent quality. While fibre can raise the ceiling of broadband performance, the experience users actually feel is shaped by the Wi-Fi layer: router quality, device capability, band usage, interference, household layout and whether users remain stuck on older Wi-Fi generations.</p> <p>The biggest practical uplift comes from moving users off congested 2.4GHz connections and onto 5GHz or 6GHz, the latter as delivered by <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366631432/Federated-Wireless-Cisco-validate-commercial-standard-power-for-Wi-Fi-6E-7">Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi7 technology</a>.</p> <p>The burden on home networks was also seen to be rising. Households are connecting more smart home devices, and the progressively growing data demands create congestion on the Wi-Fi that is coming not only from within the home, but also from the neighbouring networks and offices.</p> </section> Research finds that European fibre broadband is evolving out of rapid roll-out phase and into activation, but faster, more symmetrical speeds are not translating into better overall service experience https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/visuals/ComputerWeekly/Hero%20Images/Openreach-fibre-vs-copper-hero.jpg https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366642846/Fibre-flourishes-across-Europe-but-performance-focus-shifts Fri, 15 May 2026 06:45:00 GMT Fibre flourishes across Europe but performance focus shifts <p>The United States Golf Association (USGA) has renewed its partnership with Cisco to deploy artificial intelligence (AI-)ready infrastructure and advanced solutions that help ensure its network can support complex and dynamic environments.</p> <p>The <a href="http://www.usga.org/">USGA</a> is a non-profit mission-based golf organisation which aims to “unify the golf community through handicapping nonprofit association and grassroots programmes”. Stated missions include showcasing talent through: the US Open, <a href="https://www.uswomensopen.com/">US Women’s Open Presented by Ally</a> and 13 other national championships and its museum; providing “unbiased global governance” with <a href="https://www.randa.org/en/">The R&A</a> through the playing, equipment and Amateur Status rules; and advancing issues important to golf’s future, with a focus on driving sustainability, accessibility and inclusion.</p> <p>The USGA also manages day-to-day operations for the US National Development Programme, the US’s first unified pathway for American talent; and the World Golf Hall of Fame, preserving and celebrating the legacies of the game’s greatest figures.</p> <p>Cisco has served as the official technology partner of the USGA since 2018, offering its <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366634213/Cisco-beefs-up-secure-AI-enterprise-network-architecture">AI networking</a>, cyber security and <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366569032/Cisco-unveils-innovations-for-observability-as-it-looks-to-future-networking-vision">observability solutions</a> to strengthen the USGA’s year-round operations as well as its marquee events, including the <a href="https://www.usopen.com/">US Open</a> and US Women’s Open.</p> <p>Through its renewed partnership with <a href="http://www.cisco.com/">Cisco</a>, the USGA will look to collaborate to deploy AI-ready infrastructure and advanced solutions that help ensure its network can support current and future device loads, socially those from emerging AI applications. The world of golf has rapidly adopted AI-driven connected intelligence platforms to gain required real-time insights and intelligence that can support current and future device loads.</p> <p>The two companies said that their extended and enhanced partnership is designed to pioneer a new chapter of innovation and technology for the USGA and its championships, setting the stage for the next decade and beyond.</p> <p>Cisco believes that <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366632280/Cisco-unveils-agentic-capabilities-for-next-generation-collaboration">AI is unlocking new experiences across industries</a> and that such technology will help the USGA continue to innovate and evolve its foundation by helping USGA officials monitor the health of venue infrastructure and networking equipment, as well as crowd management, identifying issues before they occur to ensure “seamless” event operations.</p> <p>In the near term, USGA is also helping to make the game’s official rules more accessible to everyday golfers through an AI-powered experience that provides clear, timely answers to rules questions. Cisco AI Defense – built to provide protection for enterprise AI – is being deployed to secure the integrity and security of the underlying AI. It also offers visibility into AI usage, validating models for risk and integrity and safeguarding applications at runtime against emerging AI-specific threats.</p> <p>Cisco’s technology will see initial use in connecting and protecting the <a href="https://www.uswomensopen.com/2026/articles/fast-facts-2026-us-womens-open-riviera.html">forthcoming championships at Riviera Country Club</a> (US Women’s Open Presented by Ally) from 4-7 June 2026, and the <a href="https://www.usopen.com/2026/articles/fast-facts-for-2026-us-open-shinnecock.html">US Open at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club</a> (US Open).</p> <p>Both championships will bring a range of connectivity including Cisco Wi-Fi 7 access points and Cisco switching architecture, delivering wireless comms to more than 240,000 expected fans, media and operators across the championship weeks.</p> <p>Cisco networking technology will also be deployed to deliver operational simplicity and prepare to defend against AI-powered threats, alongside physical security and secure firewall solutions that ensure the integrity of the entire digital ecosystem. This includes critical functions such as broadcast, scoring and on-site amenities.</p> <p>Meraki cameras will operate to offer enhanced security to monitor crowd flow and provide data-driven insights that improve event management. Customised dashboards from <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366630521/Splunkconf-Cisco-and-Splunk-expand-agentic-SOC-vision">Splunk Enterprise and Splunk Cloud Platform</a> will offer end-to-end monitoring and analytics, giving event operators real-time insight into network health and performance.</p> <p>USGA chief commercial officer Jon Podany said: “Cisco has been an essential partner in helping the USGA build a technology foundation worthy of the world’s greatest golf championships. This extended partnership ensures we’re not just ready for today’s demands, but well-positioned to push the boundaries of what’s possible at our championships and beyond to meet the changing needs of our fans and customers.”</p> <p>As it was announced the new partnership, Cisco stressed that it had “a deep commitment” to growing the game of golf, shown through various ongoing initiatives, including Cisco’s support of the USGA’s Pathways Internship Program, designed to introduce college and graduate students to careers in the golf and sports industry. In addition, Cisco will continue to deploy Networking Academy Dream Teams at key championship events, creating opportunities for aspiring technology leaders to foster skill building and career development in a real-world environment.</p> <p>“We’re proud to partner with the USGA as it enters a new era of AI-driven innovation,” said Rob McQueen, vice-president of global sponsorships at Cisco. “As AI becomes foundational to the future of golf, Cisco’s leadership in networking, security and digital infrastructure will help the USGA deliver smarter, more connected and more immersive experiences for fans around the world.”</p> <div class="pro-features-wrapper"></div> <div class="extra-info"> <div class="extra-info-inner"> <h3 class="splash-heading">Read more about networking and IT in golf</h3> <ul class="default-list"> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366596514/The-data-networking-and-GenAI-driving-The-Open-golf-championship">The data, networking and GenAI driving The Open golf championship</a>: Computer Weekly goes behind the scenes at the 152nd Open golf tournament to find out how private 5G, data visualisation and deep learning tools are enhancing the ancient traditions of the sport.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/feature/Ryder-Cup-takes-its-best-network-shot">Ryder Cup takes its best network shot</a>: World golf’s leading tournament sets sporting and organisational bar higher than ever, depending on ‘an AI-driven connected intelligence platform’ to gain required real-time insights and intelligence</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366553657/HPE-drives-Ryder-Cup-connectivity-with-Wi-Fi-6E-Private-5G">HPE drives Ryder Cup connectivity with Wi-Fi 6E, Private 5G</a>: Tech provider delivers Athonet private 5G service alongside Aruba Networking Wi-Fi technology for the first time, providing connectivity for fans and operations staff at premier golf event.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366550814/Ryder-Cup-testbed-to-feature-tech-firsts-in-Rome">Ryder Cup testbed to feature tech firsts in Rome</a>: This year’s Ryder Cup will test out technology to improve how fans digitally consume the event while reducing the workload on IT teams.</li> </ul> </div> </div> IT and networking giant continues as official technology partner of United States Golf Association to bring next-gen connectivity, in particular AI networking, for 2026 championships https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/visuals/ComputerWeekly/Hero%20Images/Cisco-US-Open-May-2026-hero.jpg https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366643040/Cisco-USGA-set-to-drive-golf-into-the-AI-era Thu, 14 May 2026 08:25:00 GMT Cisco, USGA set to drive golf into the AI era <p>After looking to overturn a century-old truth in the automotive industry that cars depreciate from the moment they leave the factory, software-defined vehicles (SDVs) are now generating operational value even if automakers are starting to pull back from the idea that selling vehicle data will become a meaningful revenue stream, says research from Omdia.</p> <p>The study, <em><a href="https://omdia.tech.informa.com/om145209/sdv-market-forecast--2026">The 2026 SDV reality check: The great recalibration</a></em>, sponsored by SDV technology provider <a href="http://www.sonatus.com/">Sonatus</a>, analysed the responses of 559 automotive professionals across seven major markets – namely the US, Canada, UK, Germany, France, Japan and China – in March and April 2026.</p> <p>Assessment of the data showed the automotive industry has moved past the hype to tackle the complexities of real-world operationalisation. Overall, the research shows that the industry is moving out of the exploratory phase and into making more practical decisions about what actually works, and indeed what pays off.</p> <p>In particular, there has been a marked shift away from automakers selling drivers’ data, and instead, the original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are finding the data is more valuable invested back into development – such as <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/feature/CES-2026-Connected-vehicles-accelerate-the-pace-of-AI">ADAS</a>, product improvement and diagnostics – to create value-generating opportunities. In short, OEMs are using their data as the building blocks of intelligent, continuously improving vehicles.</p> <p>Predictive maintenance was found to be both the top artificial intelligence (AI) use case and the top revenue driver – one of the first clear ROI stories in this space – and there were clear regional differences in trends. For example, while China is focusing on enhancing in-car experiences and personalisation, North America is more focused on cost reduction and service.</p> <p>Specifically, the research established that smart diagnostics and predictive maintenance are the “killer apps for AI”. Smart diagnostics and predictive maintenance emerged as the top priorities for AI, cited by 34% of global respondents, underscoring the industry’s focus on AI applications that deliver measurable ROI.</p> <p>There’s also an evolution towards containerisation. That is, as automakers work to overcome legacy integration hurdles, respondents reported that already-deployed containerised applications increased 10% year-on-year, becoming the only technology to see double-digit gains. This, said Omdia, confirms the industry is moving towards flexible, cloud-native software architectures.</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="‘Data monetisation pivot’"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>‘Data monetisation pivot’</h2> <p>Moreover, the data revealed a “data monetisation pivot”. The analysis notes that the appeal of selling vehicle data to third parties is declining as OEMs recognise greater value in internal data utilisation. Rather than pursuing direct revenue through data sales, automakers are adopting the more mature strategy of channelling data into capability-building applications such as ADAS improvements (41%), product development (38%) and diagnostics.</p> <p>This pivot signalled what the analyst called a fundamental shift from external monetisation to creating value in their own vehicle ecosystems.</p> <p>“The data shows a decisive shift in how automakers are creating value with AI,” said Maité Bezerra, senior principal analyst at Omdia. “Predictive maintenance delivers <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366625280/Real-AI-use-cases-emerge-for-SDVs-but-readiness-gaps-persist">vehicle-centric value</a> that smartphones cannot replicate. It generates tangible value through an improved driving experience, enhanced reliability and a better overall ownership experience, ultimately driving customer loyalty. OEMs are enhancing data with AI to make vehicles better over time.”</p> <p>As regards geographic trends, there were sharp regional differences in how automakers plan to drive customer loyalty and after-sales revenue over the coming years.</p> <p>When evaluating which features drive the most customer loyalty and after-sales revenue, North American automakers were found to have prioritised service and recurring revenue models. The market is anchored by predictive maintenance (48%), followed by a tie between automated driving and in-vehicle entertainment (41% each), with entertainment seeing the region’s largest year-over-year surge at +11%.</p> <p>By contrast, Europe as a whole was seen as strongly aligned on services, tying with North America in ranking predictive maintenance as the top feature for driving customer loyalty and revenue (48%). A deeper look, however, revealed a critical execution gap in Germany, the region’s largest market.</p> <div class="extra-info"> <div class="extra-info-inner"> <h3 class="splash-heading">Read more about software-defined vehicles</h3> <ul class="default-list"> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366641716/UK-government-accelerates-autonomous-vehicle-development-funding">UK government accelerates autonomous vehicle development funding</a>: Projects exploring how autonomous vehicles could benefit businesses and communities across the UK receive government backing as part of £150m CAM Pathfinder programme.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366636975/CES-2026-rubber-hits-the-road-for-Qualcomm-automotive">Rubber hits the road for Qualcomm automotive</a>: Mobile tech leader uses CES to outline advances in automotive through key collaborations with Chinese startup technology company, IT behemoth and manufacturing group to boost, ADAS, IVI and AI compute.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366636964/Volkswagen-looks-to-deliver-advanced-infotainment-and-connectivity-capabilities">Volkswagen looks to deliver advanced infotainment and connectivity capabilities</a>: Auto manufacturer unveils primary tech provider for the launch of its zonal software-defined vehicle architecture, providing high-performance system-on-chips for infotainment capabilities starting in 2027.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366625280/Real-AI-use-cases-emerge-for-SDVs-but-readiness-gaps-persist">Real AI use cases emerge for SDVs but readiness gaps persist</a>: Research finds nearly two-thirds of global automakers believe artificial intelligence use cases – such as predictive maintenance, over-the-air optimisation and personalisation – will drive software-defined vehicles.</li> </ul> </div> </div> <p>German automakers ranked predictive maintenance as a top revenue driver (47%), yet also reported the lowest AI deployment for it globally (just 18%) – signalling, said Omdia, that the country remains in the planning phase while their global competitors scaled.</p> <p>Japanese automakers were found to be betting heavily on functional performance and quality to drive customer loyalty. Automated driving was their clear top priority (50%, a 10% increase from 2025), indicating growing confidence in autonomy as a safety differentiator. Notably, Japan also leads the world in prioritising ride customisation (37%), reflecting, the survey noted, a “unique cultural emphasis” on driving dynamics and comfort over aesthetic personalisation.</p> <p>China’s market was seen as undertaking a “dramatic” pivot. As the most advanced SDV market by deployment, China is experiencing a massive shift in how it drives customer loyalty. Traditional vehicle data monetisation dropped 25% compared with 2025, as Chinese OEMs made aggressive pivots towards automated driving (54%) and enhanced personalisation (53%) to create visible, experience-driven differentiation. </p> <p>Commenting on the research findings, Sonatus chief marketing officer John Heinlein said: “What stands out in this year’s results is how quickly operational AI is maturing. Automakers see value in strengthening diagnostics, reducing costs, and delivering a better service experience. Predictive maintenance is emerging as a strong proof point, supported by the industry’s move towards more flexible, software-driven architectures.” </p> <div class="pro-features-wrapper"></div> </section> Survey shows smart diagnostics and predictive maintenance emerging as top use cases for AI in software-defined vehicles industry, but expected monetisation yet to materialise https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/visuals/ComputerWeekly/Hero%20Images/automous-driverless-vehicle-smart-car-2-adobe.jpeg https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366643055/Software-defined-vehicles-enter-era-of-AI-driven-value-creation Wed, 13 May 2026 11:15:00 GMT Software-defined vehicles enter era of AI-driven value creation <p>A subsea infrastructure project, Via Africa, has been unveiled to strengthen connectivity between Europe and Africa, aiming to enhance the resilience and diversity of West Africa’s international communications.</p> <p>The Via Africa project will comprise a submarine cable system that will connect Europe to Africa along the Atlantic coast, and provide a subsea route alongside existing infrastructure at a time when, says the consortium, demand for cloud services, <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366642566/Extreme-Connect-26-Agent-ONE-takes-forward-network-AI">artificial intelligence (AI) workloads</a> and <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366642684/Alkira-acquisition-gives-Lumen-cloud-connectivity-control-plane">international traffic</a> is rapidly increasing across the continent.</p> <p>The communications system aims to connect Europe to South Africa – including landing points in the UK, France and Portugal – with destinations along the Atlantic coastline such as the Canary Islands, Mauritania, Senegal, Guinea, Côte d’Ivoire and Nigeria. Including extensions further south, the net result will be to contribute to greater diversity and resilience of international connectivity serving Africa, by providing a different subsea route than existing infrastructure and strengthening the robustness of regional connectivity.</p> <p>It will operate under a consortium model, and participating operators will be able to co-invest in the infrastructure and play a direct role in governance, deployment and future operation. By being managed as a consortium, the project is seen as enabling participating partners seeking autonomy and sovereignty to co-invest in the infrastructure and take part in its governance.</p> <p>They add that such a “robust and proven” model allows investors to participate directly in the decisions regarding the design, deployment and exploitation of the system, and contribute to decisions that best meet their needs.</p> <p>Major investors that have a signed a memorandum of understanding to initiate the scheme include major European telcos <a href="http://www.vodafone.co.uk/">Vodafone</a> and <a href="http://www.orange.com/">Orange Group</a>, as well as Guilab, International Mauritania Telecom, Orange Côte d’Ivoire, Silverlinks, Senegalese operator <a href="https://sonatel.sn/">Sonatel</a>, and <a href="https://www.canalink.tel/en/">Canalink</a>, whose business connects Africa, the Canary Islands and Europe.</p> <p>The partners say they have a shared ambition to develop international connectivity, to support traffic growth and to strengthen the resilience of networks across the African continent. The initial telco and digital player partners say they are open to additional partners potentially joining the project in the future.</p> <div class="extra-info"> <div class="extra-info-inner"> <h3 class="splash-heading">Read more about subsea communications</h3> <ul class="default-list"> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366640741/Colt-announces-subsea-terrestrial-network-routes">Colt announces subsea, terrestrial network routes</a>: Digital infrastructure company reveals plans to launch international connectivity routes connecting the US West Coast to Asia, marking the latest phase of its major global network expansion.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366637186/Subsea-cable-worth-1bn-to-link-Japan-with-Malaysia-and-Singapore">Subsea cable worth $1bn to link Japan with Malaysia and Singapore</a>: The Intra-Asia Marine Cable will deliver 320Tbps capacity across the region, complementing subsea cable investments by hyperscalers such as Google and Meta in recent years.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366632657/Orange-lands-first-Medusa-subsea-cable-in-Marseille">Orange lands first Medusa subsea cable in Marseille</a>: Global telco reveals key milestone in ongoing development of submarine networks connecting both sides of the Mediterranean, positioning the French city as a global digital hub.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366573415/SEA-ME-WE-4-doubles-undersea-capacity-with-optical-link">SEA-ME-WE 4 doubles undersea capacity with optical link</a>: Optical communications technology provider Ciena doubles capacity of undersea cable links covering South/Southeast Asia, the Middle East, North Africa and Europe to 122Tbps.</li> </ul> </div> </div> <p>As part of the initial phase of the project, consortium members will jointly finance a cable route study to identify the optimal cable route that balances resilience, technical feasibility and overall economic efficiency. In parallel, the consortium is preparing the procurement process for selecting a cable supplier, marking the next step in the development of the system.</p> <p>On behalf of Orange, Via Africa adds to the <a href="https://medusascs.com/">Medusa Submarine Cable System</a>, designed to transform infrastructure in the Mediterranean region. Owned by African infrastructure and telecoms operator <a href="https://afr-ix.com/">AFR-IX Telecom</a>, and which made its <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366632657/Orange-lands-first-Medusa-subsea-cable-in-Marseille">first landing on European soil in October 2025</a>, Medusa is 8,760km long, and will be the first and longest subsea cable to connect the main Mediterranean countries, providing access to telecommunications infrastructure and 16 landing points around the Mediterranean Sea.</p> <p>Operationally, Medusa has two main regions: Europe and North Africa. In Europe, it has local operational branches in Ireland, Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Greece and Cyprus. These branches hold licenses and permits. The Network Operations Centre is based in Europe. In North Africa, Medusa has agreements with local licensed operators for landing parties.</p> <p>Medusa is seen as being crucial for developing the digital ecosystem of populations in North African countries, taking a significant step towards closing the digital divide between Europe and North Africa, connecting countries such as Morocco, Tunisia, Libya, Algeria and Egypt with high-capacity fibre-optic links to six European Union member states: Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Greece and Cyprus.</p> <div class="pro-features-wrapper"></div> Europe-Africa submarine cable project backed by consortium model designed to connect Europe to Africa along the Atlantic coast, enhancing the resilience and diversity of West Africa’s international connectivity https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/visuals/ComputerWeekly/HeroImages/subsea-cable-aapsky-adobe.jpg https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366643009/Via-Africa-subsea-cable-project-to-strengthen-European-African-connectivity Wed, 13 May 2026 10:45:00 GMT Via Africa subsea cable project to strengthen European, African connectivity <p>There is a massive and clear opportunity for the telecom industry to capture the next wave of growth from artificial intelligence (AI-)driven services to private 5G and the internet of things (IoT), enabled by new capabilities. However, despite confidence in the industry that it can provide compelling AI and 5G use cases, most communication service providers (CSPs) are yet to begin implementing the capabilities required to deliver it.</p> <p>That is according to Ericsson’s <em><a href="https://url.us.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/3MpwC5ylW5FROEWGBfzfNUkS22F?domain=ericsson-my.sharepoint.com">Breaking the cycle of missed opportunities</a></em> global study, which was based on the opinion of 455 senior telecom executives and looked at how AI-driven applications place new demands on network performance and flexibility.</p> <p>Ericsson noted that over recent decades, telecoms leaders have repeatedly identified promising new growth opportunities, only to fall short of turning that promise into sustained commercial impact. It stressed that value has been left on the table “again and again”, with others managing to react faster.</p> <p>The research set out to explore a simple but critical question: is the industry genuinely better positioned to succeed this time? Encouragingly, the findings show that change is underway, with some CSPs already delivering tangible benefits, addressing long-standing challenges by investing in AI and automation technologies, exploring more agile ecosystems, and adopting cloud-native architectures.</p> <p>The study showed that growth is no longer defined by a single use case or market but by a diverse mix of region-specific, sector-led and application-driven opportunities. Many of these demand greater speed, flexibility and collaboration than traditional operating models were designed to support.</p> <p>The study found five key dynamics: there is no shortage of opportunity ahead; execution will determine who captures those opportunities; the industry has a clear view of where it has fallen short before; many of the capabilities needed to unlock future growth remain under-implemented; and closing the gap with industry front-runners will require simpler, more flexible deployment models.</p> <p>Telecoms leaders were confident about future growth and clear on where opportunities lie. What remains less certain is whether existing operating models and capabilities are ready to support those ambitions at the pace and scale required.</p> <p>Respondents showed strong alignment on both the opportunities telecoms failed to capitalise on and the reasons why. Legacy systems, slow decision-making, inconsistent investment and limited collaboration featured prominently. AI-driven operations, advanced 5G capabilities, cloud-native architectures and SaaS-based platforms were seen as essential enablers of future opportunity. Yet the uneven availability of capabilities such as 5G Standalone was limiting how developers and technology providers design new products.</p> <p>The majority (90%) of companies were confident in their organisation’s ability to unlock new revenue opportunities. It also highlighted how the industry was clearly aligned on where the opportunity lies, namely: private 5G and enterprise connectivity ranks as the top growth area (49%); consumer/enterprise digital services with tailored performance (44%); and wide-area IoT connectivity (40%).</p> <p>However, the research findings also cast a light on the fact that the deployment of several key enabling technologies is lagging behind the industry’s ambitions. As many as around 70% have not commenced implementation of the technologies they identify as critical to achieving that growth, with more than 80% saying future growth depends on scaling services rapidly and that the ability to experiment more easily would be a major advantage.</p> <p>Two-thirds of companies have not commenced implementation of AI-driven network operations and 61% have not commenced implementation of <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366623050/T-Mobile-rolls-out-5G-Advanced-across-US">advanced 5G capabilities</a>, including <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366639259/Global-5G-standalone-dynamic-shifts-from-coverage-to-capability">5G standalone and network slicing</a>. Some 68% have not commenced adoption of SaaS-based IT platforms.</p> <p>Concluding, Ericsson warned that a gap between belief and execution remains persistent and that history shows that this gap has repeatedly shaped outcomes for the telecoms sector.</p> <p>It emphasised that the real challenge – and where leadership must now focus their efforts – is translating that vision into action at pace and scale. Legacy systems, ingrained behaviours and rigid operating models have often slowed progress, allowing others to move faster and capture value – and CSPs must not let the past repeat itself.</p> <p>“The opportunity ahead for the telecom industry to capture the next wave of growth is clear, from AI-driven services to private 5G and IoT enabled by new capabilities,” said Razvan Teslaru, head of strategy, cloud software and services at Ericsson.</p> <p>“While there is no single path to capturing that opportunity, CSPs are aligned in the capabilities required to deliver it. The challenge is that adoption of those capabilities remains limited, and this execution gap will ultimately determine who translates ambition into real growth. This will require more flexible approaches, with technology partners and new ecosystems enabling operators to move faster and unlock value.”  </p> <div class="pro-features-wrapper"></div> <div class="extra-info"> <div class="extra-info-inner"> <h3 class="splash-heading">Read more about 5G</h3> <ul class="default-list"> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366643033/Vodafone-to-offer-5G-fixed-wireless-access-in-the-UK">Vodafone to offer 5G fixed wireless access in the UK</a>: Telecoms provider introduces 5G-based wireless broadband to deliver full-fibre-like speeds to a further 3.7 million homes across the country, especially areas and customers traditionally underserved by high-speed comms.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366642345/EE-evolves-5G-strategy-after-major-usage-surge">EE evolves 5G strategy after major usage surge</a>: UK’s leading mobile provider announces set of 5G+ network upgrades as it continues coverage roll-out while embarking on plan to improve overall performance at scale.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366639259/Global-5G-standalone-dynamic-shifts-from-coverage-to-capability">Global 5G standalone dynamic shifts from coverage to capability</a>: Annual study of 5G SA market reveals coverage gap between major economic blocs narrowing by the end of 2025, but with growing signs of more consequential signs of divergent spectrum strategies, investment depth and network optimisation.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366634793/5G-Standalone-growth-spurs-differentiated-connectivity-services">5G Standalone growth spurs differentiated connectivity services</a>: Mobility Report shows 33 CSPs currently offer differentiated connectivity services based on network slicing, with a combined total of 65 offerings with around 1.4 billion people expected to be served by fixed wireless access.</li> </ul> </div> </div> Despite current patchy deployment of key 5G services, study finds that across regions, company sizes and markets, telecoms leaders are strikingly confident about their ability to capture the next wave of growth https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/visuals/ComputerWeekly/HeroImages/Ericsson-Intel-HPE-Cloud-RAN-PR-hero.jpg https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366643095/Implementation-gap-threatens-progress-in-AI-and-5G Wed, 13 May 2026 08:18:00 GMT Implementation gap threatens progress in AI and 5G <p>Hot on the heels of announcing its parent company has entered into a deal worth £4.3bn to buy CK Hutchison’s stake in the recently merged VodafoneThree in the UK, Vodafone has launched 5G Broadband, bringing high-speed connectivity via its 5G network to an additional 3.7 million homes and premises currently unable to access full-fibre networks.</p> <p>By combining 5G Broadband and its <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366625847/VodafoneThree-begins-operation-with-5G-SA-broadband-push">existing full-fibre footprint,</a> Vodafone says it can now bring full-fibre-like speeds to over 26 million homes, more than any other UK provider. The offer is targeted at households who cannot currently access full-fibre – renters, students and anyone who, says Vodafone, “wants powerful connectivity with flexibility”.</p> <p>The launch reinforces the commitment made by VodafoneThree to connect every community <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366625847/VodafoneThree-begins-operation-with-5G-SA-broadband-push">as part of its £11bn investment programme</a> to build out a network that can compete with the likes of BT/Openreach and Virgin Media O2. By bringing together <a href="https://www.vodafone.co.uk/newscentre/features/merger-sharing-mobile-networks-everything-you-need-to-know-mocn/">the Vodafone and Three networks</a>, the company said the combined 5G footprint will expand rapidly nationwide.</p> <p>The offer is also a result of bringing the Vodafone and Three networks together and deploying its <a href="https://www.vodafone.co.uk/newscentre/press-release/vodafonethree-delivers-automatic-coverage-improvement-millions/">Multi Operator Core Network</a> (MOCN) technology in more than 10,000 sites nationwide. This is designed to provide users with improved coverage with higher speeds in areas where it wasn’t previously available.</p> <p>The enhanced coverage will also enable Vodafone 5G Broadband to reach 3.7 million more homes where there is currently no full-fibre. This complements Vodafone’s existing full-fibre footprint of 23.2 million homes – the largest of any UK provider.</p> <p>With the service, customers can enjoy speeds from 50Mpbs to up to 150Mbps – 3x faster than a typical part-fibre connection – and unlimited data on every plan. For homes where the outdoor 5G signal is stronger than indoors, Vodafone assured that it would soon launch an outdoor hub to provide an extra boost.</p> <p>The outdoor hub will require self-installation outside the property, where it will lock on to the strongest 5G signal available in the area and connect directly to the indoor Power Hub router. The result is claimed to be a consistent connection and “fast, seamless experience” throughout the home, even in rural areas.</p> <div class="extra-info"> <div class="extra-info-inner"> <h3 class="splash-heading">Read more about fixed wireless access</h3> <ul class="default-list"> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366635592/Hong-Kong-FWA-services-market-set-for-96-growth">Hong Kong FWA services market set for 9.6% growth</a>: Special administrative region sees increase in fixed wireless access market being driven by extensive 5G network coverage and local operators’ efforts to expand FWA services and position it as an alternative to fixed services.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366634216/Broadband-Forum-5G-FWA-offers-broadband-fix-for-multi-dwelling-units">Broadband Forum: 5G FWA offers broadband fix for multi-dwelling units</a>: Trade association publishes report highlighting simplification of delivering 5G broadband to apartment buildings through new specification that allows a single 5G fixed wireless access modem to deliver high speed connectivity.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366632142/5G-enabled-FWA-CPE-shipments-form-majority-in-4-out-of-7-global-regions">5G-enabled FWA CPE shipments form majority in 4 out of 7 global regions</a>: Annual fixed wireless access CPE market survey reveals that as 5G-based FWA is increasingly the norm, suppliers expect shipments to accelerate, with over 50% of sales in key regions being 5G-enabled.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366626513/FWA-flies-with-global-5G-subs-set-to-near-three-billion-by-end-of-2025">FWA flies with global 5G subs set to near three billion by end of 2025</a>: Analysis of mobile communications sector highlights a significant shift in how service providers are monetising 5G, particularly through fixed wireless access, and points to a dramatic increase in 5G traffic over the next five years.</li> </ul> </div> </div> <p>Rob Winterschladen, consumer director at VodafoneThree, said: “Millions of households are still paying over the odds for unreliable and slow broadband that often only reaches 74Mbps. With Vodafone 5G Broadband, we’re giving those homes a genuinely fast alternative, at great value, with no installation, no waiting and no hassle … By adding 5G Broadband, we can now reach millions more [homes]. This launch is about giving customers real choice: full-fibre where it’s available, and powerful 5G broadband where it’s not – plus, better options for anyone wanting speed with ease and flexibility.”</p> <p>Launching alongside Vodafone 5G Broadband is an integrated availability checker on <a href="https://www.vodafone.co.uk/">Vodafone.co.uk</a>, designed to make choosing the right connection effortless. Customers simply enter their postcode and are shown whether full-fibre or 5G broadband will give them the fastest speeds in their area.</p> <p>Users can choose from a rolling 30-day or 24-month plan starting at £21 a month, with a £2-a-month discount for Vodafone Together customers. However, the operator cautioned that while the service operates on 5G where available, it may use 4G networks in limited circumstances.</p> <div class="pro-features-wrapper"></div> UK provider introduces 5G-based wireless broadband to deliver full-fibre-like speeds to a further 3.7 million homes across the country, especially areas and customers traditionally underserved by high-speed comms https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/visuals/ComputerWeekly/Hero%20Images/5G-mobile-network-abstract-adobe.jpeg https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366643033/Vodafone-to-offer-5G-fixed-wireless-access-in-the-UK Tue, 12 May 2026 11:15:00 GMT Vodafone to offer 5G fixed wireless access in the UK <p>After publishing research into the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in network automation, which found that the comms industry is rapidly moving to build infrastructure capable of enabling powerful and successful AI, Nokia has unveiled agentic AI capabilities for its fixed network product lines to help drive productivity and operational intelligence across broadband networks.</p> <p>The global comms tech provider said that with the telecoms industry set to invest $6.2bn in <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366639478/Nokia-AWS-demo-agentic-AI-network-slicing-with-du-Orange">agentic AI</a> by 2030, agentic AI <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366642566/Extreme-Connect-26-Agent-ONE-takes-forward-network-AI">systems capable of autonomous reasoning and decision-making</a> will be a key driver of the cognitive broadband era, enabling networks to move beyond basic connectivity towards self-optimising, AI-driven infrastructures.</p> <p>Designed for the cognitive broadband era, Nokia’s AI-enabled fixed networks portfolio is claimed to boost user experience, increase operational efficiency and accelerate fibre roll-out. The move will see the supplier embed AI agents and natural language interaction across its <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366632286/Nokia-launches-FTTH-digital-twin-AI-tools-to-boost-network-reliability">Altiplano</a>, Corteca and Broadband Easy platforms, enabling network providers to modernise operations and reduce costs.</p> <p>Drawing on insights, experience and expertise from over 600 million broadband lines, Nokia said it was confident that the agentic AI capabilities would help operators tackle fibre and Wi-Fi challenges, from design and planning to roll-out and operations. Moreover, it assured that an open and secure AI agent approach would allow providers to integrate their own AI tools and data sources.</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="How AI agents will benefit network operators"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>How AI agents will benefit network operators</h2> <p>As a result, Nokia said operators would be able to resolve problems proactively, scale operations without adding headcount and diagnose network issues using automated root cause analysis.</p> <p>Importantly, the tech firm said the AI agents would make an immediate and tangible difference for operators, including lifting first-contact helpdesk resolution rates above 50%, network incident qualification within five minutes, and a 50% reduction in return visits to construction sites and <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366639043/Silverstone-takes-mobile-connectivity-to-full-throttle">connected homes</a>.</p> <p>Underpinning this is an open and secure approach that is attributed with integrating AI agents, live data and external services while ensuring compliance, data sovereignty and supplier independence. Operators are said to be able to retain full control and choose to work with a large language model (LLM) that best fits the specific use case, use their own interfaces, or connect data sources as they scale AI across their business.</p> <p>Specific capabilities attributed to the agents include an AI assistant with a conversational interface that gives technicians and support teams instant access to product knowledge, accelerating training and day-to-day problem-solving.</p> <p>AI-powered text, voice and image guidance assists field technicians during surveys and installations, and computer vision technology helps validate the quality of work done and build a live <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366632286/Nokia-launches-FTTH-digital-twin-AI-tools-to-boost-network-reliability">digital twin of a fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) network</a>.</p> <p>In addition, automated diagnostics will be used to detect degradations and prevent outages, giving frontline support teams more operational precision and analytical depth. A troubleshooting agent is designed to improve root cause analysis and speed up remediation across home and access networks, using advanced reasoning to pinpoint faults faster, reduce ticket volume and increase first-call resolution rates.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="AI support for field teams and troubleshooting"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>AI support for field teams and troubleshooting</h2> <p>Commenting on the launch, Nokia’s fixed networks president, Sandy Motley, noted that AI makes users less likely to churn, engineering and helpdesk teams more productive, and field teams able to make more connections more quickly.</p> <div class="pro-features-wrapper"></div> <p>“We’re fundamentally changing how home and broadband networks are deployed and run,” she remarked. “AI only works with quality data, and when data is AI-ready. Our recent market outlook on AI in network automation underscored that the industry is rapidly moving to build infrastructure capable of enabling powerful, successful AI.”</p> <p>Grant Lenahan, partner and principal analyst at Appledore Research, said suppliers such as Nokia, which combine deep domain expertise with real-world scale, were best positioned to deliver reliable outcomes.</p> <p>“Nokia’s approach reflects many of the right architectural principles, including autonomous control loops, structured data models and open APIs [application programming interfaces], which are critical to making automation easy and AI responses accurate,” he said.</p> <div class="extra-info"> <div class="extra-info-inner"> <h3 class="splash-heading">Read more about AI in networking</h3> <ul class="default-list"> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366642566/Extreme-Connect-26-Agent-ONE-takes-forward-network-AI">Extreme Connect 26 – Agent ONE takes forward network AI</a>: Network firm launches ‘smarter, faster, autonomous’ approach to enterprise networking, with its operating model moving from assistive AI to autonomous, always-on operations.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366641094/Marvell-scales-up-networking-to-extend-Nvidia-AI-ecosystem">Marvell scales up networking to extend Nvidia AI ecosystem</a>: AI GPU leader sees extension of AI infrastructure through collaboration with infrastructure technology to deliver more choice and flexibility for customers with fully compatible systems.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366641242/Cisco-network-readiness-a-determining-factor-for-AI-success">Network readiness a determining factor for AI success</a>: Report reveals how firms are harnessing AI to drive progress and overcome industry challenges, with most expecting ‘significant’ increases in connectivity and reliability demands.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366641133/AI-driven-operating-model-key-to-cloud-native-autonomous-networks">AI-driven operating model key to cloud-native, autonomous networks</a>: Operator-driven guidance outlines how mobile network operators can adopt AI-based operating models to enable increasingly autonomous network operations.</li> </ul> </div> </div> </section> As the telecoms industry looks to invest heavily in agentic AI, Nokia unveils a plan to tackle fibre and Wi-Fi challenges, boost user experience and increase operational efficiency https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/visuals/ComputerWeekly/HeroImages/Nokia-PON-2024-PR-hero.jpg https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366642981/Nokia-enters-cognitive-broadband-era-with-agentic-AI-capabilities Tue, 12 May 2026 08:10:00 GMT Nokia enters cognitive broadband era with agentic AI capabilities <p>Alwin Bakkenes, head of <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366618219/InterviewVolvos-engineering-lead-discusses-tech-stacks">software engineering at Volvo Cars</a>, reckons that leading a team to develop the technology stack powering the next generation of mobility at the automotive giant is one of the best jobs you can imagine.</p> <p>“I’m not saying it’s always easy, but it’s incredibly rewarding and great fun,” he says. “People are passionate about our products, and you get instant feedback on the quality of what you do from consumers – whether that’s from friends, family or a community like Reddit. There’s just so much feedback, and that motivates and makes us better.”</p> <p>Bakkenes reports to Volvo CTO Anders Bell and is a member of the extended executive management team that oversees operational governance. “I’m part of that group because software, of course, has a massive transformational impact on the company,” he says.</p> <p>On a day-to-day basis, Bakkenes’ team works closely with technology and content partners to deliver customer experiences, with innovations in safe automation, core computing architecture and Android-based infotainment services. His team manages technology associated with Volvo’s <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366641586/Qualcomm-expands-strategic-advanced-driver-assistance-systems-immersive-eyewear-collaborations">advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS)</a> and an in-house artificial intelligence (AI) factory.</p> <p>“We also manage mobile network contracts because we operate in 85-plus countries globally,” he says. “So, we have a large scope, and our work defines a big part of how the vehicles behave and helps us to create different types of relationships with our customers.”</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Connecting vehicles"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Connecting vehicles</h2> <p>Bakkenes joined Volvo in November 2022, having previously been vice-president at Aptiv, chairman of the board of directors at Smashing Ideas, and executive vice-president for automotive at Luxsoft.</p> <p>One of his big achievements at Volvo has been leading the digital transformation that accompanied the unveiling of the <a href="https://www.volvocars.com/intl/news/articles/ex60-the-most-intelligent-volvo/">EX60</a>, the first car designed to launch with Google Gemini AI assistant and connectivity delivered by the Snapdragon Auto Connectivity Platform from Qualcomm Technologies.</p> <p>As Computer Weekly discovered in January, <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366637420/Volvo-EX60-hits-accelerator-on-in-vehicle-connectivity-and-AI">the EX60 is the most intelligent Volvo</a> and can travel 810km on a single charge. The car also has the latest iteration of HuginCore, the manufacturer’s in-house-developed core system for its software-defined vehicles (SDVs).</p> <p>“Volvo Cars has always been known for safety,” says Bakkenes, referring to the journey the in-house software team has taken during its digital transformation. “Over the years, after we started to do innovations in terms of collision avoidance – because, of course, avoiding a collision is better than protecting people in a collision – we started to bring computer vision and radar into cars.”</p> <p>Bakkenes says the software team learned that getting data from cars digitally would enable them to do even more. “So, we started making every single car connected and started doing more in-house development. We built an AI factory and built an in-house team of some 3,000 developers that build this software stack for us,” he says.</p> <p>“One of our biggest accomplishments with the optimisation work that we did for the EX60, where we did our second-generation zonal architecture, was that we really simplified the approach. We reduced weight, a lot of packaging space, we made the technology much more efficient and made it applicable to every single car in our cycle plan.”</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Digitising the stack"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Digitising the stack</h2> <p>Bakkenes says the result of this digital transformation is that Volvo has transitioned from a mechanically oriented company to an organisation that successfully manages its technology base, with HuginCore sitting at the heart of its future automotive innovations.</p> <div class="pro-features-wrapper"></div> <p>“We now have a single tech stack strategy for our cars, which ultimately gives us more time to spend on building fantastic customer features and experiences,” he says. “And that’s one of the biggest parts of the journey that we’ve been on over the past few years.”</p> <p>HuginCore features an electrical architecture, a core computer, zone controllers and software. The name Hugin comes from Nordic mythology – Odin had two ravens, Hugin and Munin. Bakkenes says Hugin was the raven who flew to scout and then whispered in Odin’s ear about everything in the vicinity.</p> <blockquote> <div class="imagecaption alignLeft"> <img src="https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/rms/computerweekly/Alwin-Bakkenes-Volvo-PR-140px.jpg" alt="Headshot of Alwin Bakkenes."> </div> <p><strong><span style="color: #34495e;">“We now have a single tech stack strategy for our cars, which ultimately gives us more time to spend on building fantastic customer features and experiences”</span></strong></p> <p><em><span style="color: #34495e;">Alwin Bakkenes, Volvo Cars</span></em></p> </blockquote> <p>“That’s like what we are doing with the core system,” he says. “HuginCore perceives the world around it and gives us the right information to make decisions on avoiding collisions and more. It’s the core system and tech stack that we’re standardising on. And, of course, it’s much more than a piece of compute. It’s vehicle architecture, cloud infrastructure and factory infrastructure.”</p> <p>Beginning with the EX60 implementation, Bakkenes says the aim is to ensure the company builds its innovations around this stack, rather than using multiple platforms. “Which is ultimately not how modern tech companies, like Apple, would do things,” he says, referring to the company’s shift to becoming a company that manages its technology foundation.</p> <p>“For example, we have a partnership with a UK company called Brief that is really good at database analytics on battery cells and how you store energy as fast as possible. So, not only do we have a good, robust 800-volt system, we’re able to push a lot of energy into the cells for a prolonged period of time, meaning that we avoid the standard curves of charging cars.”</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Delivering innovation"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Delivering innovation</h2> <p>The progress made by Bakkenes and his team was recognised recently, with Volvo <a href="https://www.volvocars.com/uk/media/press-releases/A015B3D74C214AE3/">achieving S&P Global Mobility Level 5 capability in SDVs</a>, the highest category in its assessment of automotive software maturity. Notably, Volvo is the only legacy manufacturer to have achieved this rating.</p> <p>“They looked at what we were doing,” says Bakkenes, referring to the evaluation process. “We explained to them how we work and what the architecture looks like. Having a fully software-defined architecture means we should create significant customer benefits. So, we’re proud. It’s recognition that we’re doing good work.”</p> <p>The recognition from S&P Global highlights Volvo’s attempts to improve vehicle functionality through software, including over-the-air updates to add safety features, unlock faster charging speeds, increase driving range and enhance user experiences. Bakkenes says the company’s digitisation is all about leaving behind traditional domain-based architectures.</p> <p>The new approach being pioneered by Volvo focuses on three levels: a high-performance compute cluster where the team works with key partners, such as Nvidia and Qualcomm; zonal architecture with high-integrity applications that require low latency and fast response times, such as for safety-critical functions, including brakes and acceleration; and infotainment, where Volvo works closely with Google and its Android operating system (OS).</p> <p>“We work very heavily with partners to build the foundations for that strategy. We work with Nvidia on developing the safety-critical, high-performance execution environment, so we can execute high-integrity applications on compute clusters, such as ADAS,” he says.</p> <p>“We also work with Google deeply and closely, because the Android platform creates an openness and an ecosystem that is a fantastic foundation to build a modern infotainment system, which has customer-facing functionality, such as Gemini for conversational AI and Google Maps, and an open app store that we use to bring in massive amounts of content.”</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Embracing AI"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Embracing AI</h2> <p>Volvo continues to hone its approach to SDVs. As Computer Weekly reported at the time, <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366624216/Google-gets-in-gear-with-Volvo-to-drive-connected-vehicle-AI/">the company extended its partnership with Google in May 2025.</a> Volvo believes that with Gemini in the car, drivers can better understand what they want through natural conversations.</p> <p>As well as using AI services to boost internal operational efficiency, Bakkenes says the company uses emerging technology in two key product areas.</p> <p>First, in collision-avoidance systems. With a strong heritage in vehicle safety, Volvo has collected millions of data points since 2020, all with customer consent, to improve ADAS.</p> <p>“We’ve seen that building AI models that we train on what happens and what will go wrong – thereby preventig things from happening – is incredibly valuable,” he says. “So, we literally built a company, a subsidiary called Zenseact, which is part of my scope. I’m the chairman of the company, and it’s deeply integrated into our way of working in engineering.”</p> <p>Second, Bakkenes says his team is focused on customer-oriented, AI-enabled products. Using tools such as Gemini, drivers will use in-car systems to plan routes, help schedule activities and organise their lives. “AI is not just about telling you things,” he says. “It’s about becoming more agentic and taking care of tasks in your life.”</p> <p>While Volvo has made significant advances in AI with the launch of the EX60, the company is eager to ensure that drivers of older vehicles can also benefit from its data-powered services. To that end, the company recently announced that <a href="https://www.volvocars.com/uk/media/press-releases/B6E914771F82F5C4/">Google Gemini is rolling out to Volvo vehicles dating back more than five years</a>. Bakkenes suggests this decision is a step change in how drivers interact with cars and how manufacturers support them.</p> <p>“We’re bringing Gemini to every car we’ve produced since 2020,” he says. “Six years ago, we had no idea what a transformer-based conversational assistant was or would become. So, the fact that we can bring Gemini to those cars is fantastic.”</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Scaling improvements"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Scaling improvements</h2> <p>Bakkenes reflects on the digital transformation changes he’s overseen during the past few years and suggests his team is approaching what he calls “harvest time”.</p> <p>“We now have a foundation where we have a good architecture,” he says. “We have a large amount of high-performance computing to grow and develop in the future. The foundation of the technology is there, and it’s about applying and scaling it.”</p> <p>Bakkenes says the desire to push Gemini-powered services to older vehicles shows that his team’s efforts aren’t just focused on tomorrow’s technology – they’re also focused on supporting long-standing customers who have committed money to the car company. </p> <p>“The harvesting part is about us saying, ‘OK, so now we can put more energy into enhancing the experiences’, and that means refining the user interface implementation, and tweaking and optimising it until you get a product that fits day-to-day usage perfectly,” he says. “We want our cars to keep improving over time.”</p> <div class="extra-info"> <div class="extra-info-inner"> <h3 class="splash-heading">Read more interviews with automotive IT leaders</h3> <ul class="default-list"> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366640716/Interview-Thierry-Martin-head-of-enterprise-data-and-analytics-Toyota-Motor-Europe">Interview: Thierry Martin, head of enterprise data and analytics, Toyota Motor Europe</a> – A sketch artist by night, and a vehicle engineer by training, Toyota Europe’s data chief is bringing elements of both capabilities to bear in delivering better data insights and building a foundation for AI.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366628079/Interview-How-ITSM-helps-deliver-results-at-McLaren-Racing">Interview: How ITSM helps deliver results at McLaren Racing</a> – We speak to Dan Keyworth, director of business technology at McLaren Formula One Team, about how IT keeps the F1 team on track.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366615343/CIO-interview-Steve-OConnor-Aston-Martin">CIO interview: Steve O’Connor, Aston Martin</a> – Skills gaps, electrification and customisation driving need for change, says Aston Martin CIO Steve O’Connor.</li> </ul> </div> </div> </section> As cars become increasingly software-driven and AI-enabled, the Volvo software chief is at the cutting edge of connected vehicles and advanced mobility tools for drivers and passengers https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/visuals/ComputerWeekly/HeroImages/Volvo-EX90-CREDIT-Volvo-Cars-Group-PR-hero2.jpg https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366642570/Interview-Alwin-Bakkenes-head-of-software-engineering-Volvo-Cars Tue, 12 May 2026 06:30:00 GMT Interview: Alwin Bakkenes, head of software engineering, Volvo Cars <p>Building on the completion of similar work in rural parts of the county to London’s eastern border, more than 9,500 more homes and businesses in Essex that have to date been struggling with older, slower broadband services are to be upgraded to fast and reliable internet by Openreach, as the government expands its <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/252524353/Project-Gigabit-broadband-plan-covers-70-of-UK-homes-businesses">Project Gigabit</a> roll-out. </p> <p>Introduced in 2021 with the aim of accelerating the UK’s recovery from Covid-19, the £5bn Project Gigabit programme was set up to boost high-growth sectors such as tech and the creative industries, and levelling up the country by spreading wealth and creating jobs.</p> <p>The programme specifically targets places typically regarded as too expensive for commercial providers to reach. It was designed from the outset to help meet the growing demand for reliable connectivity, stimulating local rural economies and reducing regional disparities by enabling remote working and attracting new businesses.</p> <p>At its launch, the previous UK government said the scheme would prioritise areas with slow connections that would otherwise be left behind in commercial broadband companies’ plans and give rural communities access to the fastest internet on the market, helping to grow the economy.</p> <p>One of the first acts by the Labour administration elected in July 2024 was to reconfirm the original objectives to build a broadband infrastructure that would see 85% of the UK have gigabit-capable connectivity by the end of 2025, and full nationwide coverage by 2030.</p> <p>A month later, the <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366603072/Openreach-to-light-up-312000-rural-UK-premises-in-Project-Gigabit-next-phase">UK government announced it was investing up to £800m to modernise broadband infrastructure in rural areas of England, Scotland and Wales</a>.</p> <p>Explaining why it was ramping up the scheme, the UK government said hundreds of thousands of rural homes and businesses were still struggling to fulfil basic online tasks due to outdated infrastructure, making it necessary to obtain major internet speed upgrades and narrow the existing <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366558677/Stark-digital-comms-divide-between-UK-rural-and-urban-areas">digital divide</a>.</p> <div class="extra-info"> <div class="extra-info-inner"> <h3 class="splash-heading">Read more about UK broadband</h3> <ul class="default-list"> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366640896/CityFibre-launches-85Gb-service-across-wholesale-multi-gig-network">CityFibre launches 8.5Gb service across wholesale multi-gig network</a>: UK’s largest independent full-fibre platform provider makes the next step in its roll-out of its 10Gb-capable network, and claims strong customer growth continuing as it approaches one million users.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366639950/Altnets-force-to-be-reckoned-with-in-UK-broadband">Altnets ‘force to be reckoned with’ in UK broadband</a>: Research shows peers reaching around 19.7 million premises, with more than 3.5 million live connections, outperforming the major providers on customer satisfaction and value.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366640374/UK-government-unveils-gigabit-broadband-upgrade-tracker">UK government unveils gigabit broadband upgrade tracker</a>: As full-fibre broadband deployments maintain steady pace across the nation, UK government introduces tool to allow businesses across England and Wales to discover if they are due a government-backed broadband service.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366640321/Ofcom-sets-out-regulation-to-push-UK-gigabit-broadband-to-final-phase">Ofcom sets out regulation to push UK gigabit broadband to ‘final phase’</a>: UK communications regulator lays down regulation required to drive full-fibre roll-out through its end phase to universal access across the country, aiming to allow businesses to unlock economic gains.</li> </ul> </div> </div> <p>Part of the move saw the UK’s leading broadband provider, Openreach, engaged to deliver access to gigabit-capable broadband to 290,000 homes and businesses across the nation. Initial rural UK communities able to access ultra-fast broadband speeds included those in the countries of Wiltshire, Hertfordshire, Powys and Devon. Over 1.3 million premises across the UK have been upgraded through UK government support to date.</p> <p>Backed by an extra £8.3m in government funding, the Essex development extends broadband roll-out to more homes and businesses in Essex – connecting communities that would have otherwise missed out in earlier commercial plans. This latest investment builds on the £1.2bn originally earmarked for the provider to build in disconnected areas.</p> <p>In addition, the development marks the first Project Gigabit contract to target pockets of poor connectivity in towns and cities, as well as the countryside. “Project Gigabit is bringing better internet to more blackspots across the UK, thanks to government backing,” said UK telecoms minister Liz Lloyd. “This is the very first contract that’s focusing on urban areas, not just the countryside. Pockets of our towns and cities are still left disconnected. To reach our 99% coverage target, it is vital no urban neighbourhood slips through the net.</p> <p>“We’ve already got the ball rolling to connect areas of Essex missing out, and now we’re extending our efforts so that even more residents can access the digital opportunities they deserve.”</p> <p>Openreach is to begin work to connect the premises immediately, covering areas including Brentwood, Chelmsford, Basildon, Clacton and Ardleigh. While much of Essex can be quickly upgraded through existing underground ducting that avoids the need for digging up roads, some areas – including housing estates, business parks and blocks of flats – are currently connected via underground cables without it, making them too costly for providers to reach via commercial roll-out due to the additional engineering works. </p> <p>Openreach partnership director for London and the South East, Kieran Wines, said: “As well as reaching rural communities, it’s vital we keep strengthening connectivity in towns and cities. This Project Gigabit contract helps us extend <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366640252/Openreach-trials-pioneering-fibre-optic-water-leak-detection">full-fibre broadband</a> into more urban neighbourhoods across Essex, adding to the almost 575,000 homes and businesses across the county that we’ve already reached through our own roll-out.”</p> <div class="pro-features-wrapper"></div> Latest part of £5bn ultrafast broadband development scheme sees expansion of gigabit roll-out to cover full-fibre blackspots in urban areas, as well as the countryside https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/visuals/ComputerWeekly/Hero%20Images/OPenreach-nighttimefibrecabling-hero.jpg https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366642976/Thousands-of-Essex-premises-to-gain-upgraded-broadband Mon, 11 May 2026 11:00:00 GMT Thousands of Essex premises to gain upgraded broadband <p>5G has significantly improved sectors such as manufacturing, healthcare and logistics through higher speed, lower latency and the ability to simultaneously connect a vast number of devices. However, 5G roll outs are still incomplete in many regions across the world, with core performance and infrastructure issues persisting. </p> <p>Despite this, several enterprises are already preparing for 6G, the next generation of mobile connectivity, even though the technology is still in the applied research and development phase. Official standards are expected to be fully determined by around 2029, under the <a href="https://www.3gpp.org/ftp/Information/presentations/Presentations_2024/03_2024_09_17_Puneet_v03.pdf">3GPP Release 21</a>, according to the European Parliament. This has raised a number of important questions for organisations.</p> <p>Are enterprises jumping the gun on 6G preparation when key challenges around 5G performance and infrastructure remain unsolved? And could early investment result in expensive architectural lock-ins down the line, once standards are fully finalised? </p> <p>“6G is not simply about streaming richer <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366626082/University-of-Oulu-shows-machine-vision-can-replace-expert-presence">AR experiences</a>. It is about transforming every sensor, robot and AI [artificial intelligence] system into an active node in a unified, adaptive digital nervous system,” says Khaled Elbehiery, professor at the Open Institute of Technology.</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Why 6G is not just a mobile upgrade"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Why 6G is not just a mobile upgrade </h2> <p>As a system-level shift, 6G is far more than simply an incremental mobile connectivity upgrade. Rather than treating AI-driven networks, edge computing, sensing and communications as add-on features, as with 5G, <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366639874/Qualcomm-plots-out-6G-Wi-Fi-8-future-with-AI-as-the-new-user-interface">6G is expected to fundamentally integrate them into core architecture</a>. </p> <p>For enterprises, this could considerably change the role of connectivity, as data transmission signals will also be used for environment monitoring, motion detection and automation support, especially in smart traffic management, industrial robotics and emergency services.</p> <p>6G will also introduce higher levels of network automation, with <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366639271/Artificial-intelligence-drives-autonomous-networks-customer-service-gains">self-optimising networks</a> handling real-time resource allocation, network configuration and inference management. Predictive maintenance is expected to help resolve traffic spikes and network failures before they happen as well, which will boost reliability.</p> <p>As an “edge-native” architecture, 6G will have distributed intelligence and low latency, which can significantly advance remote surgery, augmented reality and on-device model training.</p> <p>“The real value of 6G lies in device density, deterministic latency and integrated sensing, not headline gigabit rates. Despite early warnings about cyber security risks, many early discussions lack a strong emphasis on security by design,” says Elbehiery.</p> <p>Basically, given the widespread impact of 6G on core infrastructure, treating it only as “faster 5G” could be a crucial mistake. </p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Where enterprises are already getting 6G wrong"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Where enterprises are already getting 6G wrong </h2> <p>By looking at 6G only as incremental connectivity, several enterprises are already making investment and infrastructure planning decisions based on near-term feature expectations that may not exist when practical deployments come into effect.</p> <div class="pro-features-wrapper"></div> <p>One of the most immediate mistakes is mis-timing commercialisation and investment strategies. By failing to devise early revenue generating and monetisation strategies and still relying on 5G’s “build and they will come” mindset, enterprises risk treating 6G as a frantic race. This can lead enterprises to over-investment in premature technology before standards are fully defined, rather than developing practical deployments for the 2030s.</p> <p>Organisations could also make architectural and infrastructure mistakes. By relying on single vendors and closed architecture, enterprises will vastly increase the risk of expensive and complicated lock-ins down the line, especially since 6G standards are still in flux.</p> <p>There are inflated expectations that 6G will fix 5G shortcomings such as dead zones as well. However, in reality, bridge technologies such as 5G-Advanced (3GPP Release 18+) will likely continue to be needed. Similarly, 6G is unlikely to eliminate the need for Wi-Fi through universal coverage, due to persistent practical constraints such as high frequencies struggling to penetrate walls. </p> <p>“Many organisations out there are deploying edge compute in a way that is optimal for current 5G use cases, without thinking about what those environments are going to need to do in terms of interoperability across several networks and locations in a 6G world,” says Tomas Novosad, consumer technology analyst and founder of Fibre in my Area. </p> <p>Organisations are also under-accounting for system complexity and governance gaps in 6G, especially when it comes to the massive integrations, high energy and hardware needs the technology requires. Additionally, AI-native narratives have been overhyped at times, particularly around early 6G applications. While standards are expected to heavily integrate AI for beam management and energy efficiency, it is still likely to remain optional for critical infrastructure in the future.</p> <p>With the rise of AI-manipulated network management, data ethics, privacy and accountability questions will become more complex and need to be addressed as well. </p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="The real danger: lock-in risk"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>The real danger: lock-in risk </h2> <p>Currently, the biggest risk of early 6G decisions is lock-in, which can come in many forms. The most common is supplier lock-in, when enterprises continue to rely on established infrastructure providers to reduce integration failures. However, this can often result in high-cost, multi-year maintenance contracts and dependence on single ecosystems, which can be slow and complicated to reverse once deployed.</p> <p>Cloud infrastructure highlights a similar problem, where data, networking and orchestration layers become less portable over time, embedded in single environments. When this happens, migrating to another provider becomes a full architectural rebuild rather than a quick technical transition.</p> <p>Despite increased policy support, enterprises are still hesitant to fully embrace <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366639876/NVIDIA-teams-with-global-telecom-leaders-for-6G-development">Open RAN</a>, mainly due to commercial pressures. This often means that supplier diversification remains largely theoretical at scale.</p> <p>Another risk is committing too early to pre-standardised 6G technologies (pre-3GPP Release 21). This can lead to infrastructure being built on assumptions that later standards do not hold up, necessitating expensive replacements or redesign once standards are fully determined.</p> <p>Early architecture and spectrum decisions may also cause long-term rigidity at the physical layer. 6G is likely to need much more mid-band spectrum than 5G. However, committing infrastructure to current assumptions, could cause incompatibility with potentially higher-frequency and denser deployments years later.</p> <p>Given the accelerating shift towards a multi-network future, which will include 6G, Wi-Fi, <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366641709/Amazon-acquires-Globalstar-to-expand-satellite-comms-business">satellite systems</a> and private networks, overinvestment in any single network model could trap organisations into structures that no longer align with how connectivity is delivered. </p> <p>“The most expensive 6G mistake will not be buying the wrong radio. It will be building a network that cannot evolve to support innovation and the explosion in service demand without a procurement crisis,” warns Leid Zejnilovic, co-academic director of the digital data design institute at <a href="https://www.novasbe.unl.pt/en/community/institutes/digital-data-design-institute/overview">Nova SBE</a>. </p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="What enterprises need to fix for 6G right now"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>What enterprises need to fix for 6G right now </h2> <p>To minimise the chances of expensive 6G lock-ins and long-term rigidity, organisations need to take some concrete steps right now. “First, audit where current vendors control data gravity and operational workflows,” says Zejnilovic. “Second, insist on open interfaces for telemetry, policy and automation in new contracts. Third, put governance around AI-driven network changes in place now, before those tools become too embedded to challenge.”</p> <p>A key step is building architectural resilience through network-agnostic, hybrid connectivity design, prioritising cost control over optimisation-driven investments. This requires modular, AI-aware architectures that separate connectivity from application logic and use portable interfaces to enable flexibility across both local and global environments.</p> <p>Ideally, systems should be able to work across 5G, 6G, Wi-Fi and private networks, rather than focusing too narrowly on only one. This is because no single connectivity layer is expected to remain dominant or stable long enough to back long-term infrastructure decisions.</p> <p>Private networks and edge deployments should be treated as useful targeted tools, not default architecture, as overuse can cause more fragmentation and operational complexity than they solve. This is particularly when they are deployed without clear workload-dependent criteria.</p> <p>Organisations must prepare for automated and AI-driven networks as well. Observability, governance and accountability will all become much more critical as network operations become more autonomous. This is likely to shift risk from connectivity failure to hard-to-audit automation layers. </p> <p>“The question is no longer just whether the network can optimise itself,” Zejnilovic adds. “It is whether the enterprise can explain, constrain and reverse those optimisations when they affect performance, resilience or compliance. Auditability and human override will become core control points.”</p> <p>Similarly, enterprises should avoid chasing incremental headline speed improvements and investments on the back of supplier-driven “6G-native” narratives, to minimise chances of future expensive rebuilds once standards are fully formed. </p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="From 5G to 6G: an uneven transition"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>From 5G to 6G: an uneven transition</h2> <p>Instead of a clean shift, the path from 5G to 6G will likely be messy, uneven and highly fragmented, impacted by geopolitical, commercial and technical limitations.</p> <p>One of the main reasons for this is 5G’s ongoing underperformance in several areas and not being fully monetised, despite significant infrastructure investments. This has made funding for yet another massive infrastructure upgrade for 6G harder to obtain currently. As a result, rather than a reset, the technology is being seen more conservatively as an incremental extension.</p> <p>Increasing focus on 5G-Advanced as a bridge to 6G has further complicated the transition. Instead of a clear shift, networks are expected to evolve in overlapping phases, which could extend a hybrid environment and slow large-scale adoption. </p> <p>Significant technical challenges – such as building much denser infrastructure and increasing energy capacity – remain. Both deployment complexity and costs are likely to be higher than previous generations.</p> <p>Geopolitical fragmentation is shaping 6G development too. Digital sovereignty bids and competing standards across the US, Europe and China could hinder interoperability, creating a multi-speed global roll-out instead.</p> <p>Most importantly, 6G still doesn’t have a clear commercial driver, unlike previous generations. There is no “killer app” or immediate need that supports widespread adoption, making demand uncertain, despite expectations of advanced sensing and holographic communication.</p> <p>These factors highlight a transition which will be defined by coexistence, not replacement. As such, organisations need to be prepared to operate across overlapping connectivity generations, rather than anticipating a single, clear transition to 6G.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="What 6G readiness looks like"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>What 6G readiness looks like</h2> <p>6G isn’t about early adoption, but rather about avoiding potentially regrettable and expensive decisions today. Disciplined, architecture-first enterprises which focus on hybrid connectivity and network-agnostic systems will be most able to adapt as standards become defined.</p> <p>However, organisations waiting for a clean reset and swayed by overhyped “6G-native” narratives risk losing more in premature investments that will be difficult to reverse down the line.</p> <p>“6G is more than just another generation of wireless technology; it is a redefinition of how digital systems connect, compute and coordinate across the planet and beyond,” Elbehiery concludes. “Organisations that recognise this early will design for flexibility, openness and intelligence. Those that do not risk locking themselves into architectures that cannot evolve with the future.”</p> <p>The real challenge is not preparing for 6G but learning to adapt to a messy, overlapping transition.</p> <div class="extra-info"> <div class="extra-info-inner"> <h3 class="splash-heading">Read more about 6G</h3> <ul class="default-list"> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366640451/Ericsson-SK-Telecom-ink-memorandum-of-understanding-to-strengthen-AI-RAN-5G-to-6G-innovation">Ericsson, SK Telecom ink MOI for AI-RAN, 5G to 6G innovation</a>: Global comms tech provider and Korean telco hold joint R&D to advance AI-powered RAN, 5G monetisation, open and autonomous networks, zero-trust security, and 6G standardisation.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366639876/NVIDIA-teams-with-global-telecom-leaders-for-6G-development">MWC 2026: Nvidia teams with global telecom leaders for 6G development</a>: AI behemoth and global operators and infrastructure providers team to build next-generation mobile infrastructure to advance AI-native 6G innovation based on open and trusted software-defined wireless platforms.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366639378/SK-Telecom-outlines-mid-to-long-term-6G-network-evolution">SK Telecom outlines mid- to long-term 6G network evolution</a>: A paper on 6G development by South Korean operator highlights direction of infrastructure in the AI era, with vision rooted in fundamental network values such as security, stability and quality.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366639874/Qualcomm-plots-out-6G-Wi-Fi-8-future-with-AI-as-the-new-user-interface">MWC 2026: Qualcomm plots out 6G, Wi-Fi 8 future with AI as the new user interface</a>: Comms tech platform provider unveils agentic radio access network management service and AI enhancements for commercial RAN platforms to accelerate value for telcos on the path to 6G.</li> </ul> </div> </div> </section> 6G networks will be coming over the course of the next three to four years, offering more unprecedented capability than their predecessors, but this does not mean unprecedented amounts need to be spent to make them viable https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/visuals/ComputerWeekly/HeroImages/5G-6G-mobile-network-next-gen-SmileStudioAP-adobe.jpg https://www.computerweekly.com/feature/What-businesses-need-to-fix-now-to-avoid-expensive-6G-lock-ins Mon, 11 May 2026 09:40:00 GMT What businesses need to fix now to avoid expensive 6G lock-ins <p>According to research from connectivity firm Eseye, internet of things (IoT) technology deployment has seen a significant uptake in the past few years, with implementations at mid-sized companies in particular rising from 51% in 2021 to 76% in 2025. Furthermore, according to business management firm <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/tech-and-ai/our-insights/iot-value-set-to-accelerate-through-2030-where-and-how-to-capture-it">McKinsey</a>, IoT technology is expected to generate around $5.5tn to $12.6tn of global economic value by 2030.</p> <p>However, growth across sectors has not been uniform so far. For example, agriculture <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366638459/Vodafone-IoT-and-Skylo-bring-NTN-NB-IoT-connectivity-to-global-customers">IoT deployments</a> have scaled across millions of acres and are using low-cost sensors to decrease chemical usage, improve irrigation and boost yields, despite patchy connectivity in remote areas. In contrast, similar deployments have often struggled to scale beyond pilots in <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/iotagenda/tip/Top-9-applications-of-IoT-in-healthcare">healthcare and home care</a>, slowed down by high security requirements and integration challenges.</p> <p>“IoT scales in agriculture and logistics because those environments can usually absorb some delay, packet loss and partial visibility. A soil sensor can miss a reading and the farm still functions. A pallet tracker can reconnect later and the shipment still arrives,” says Leid Zejnilovic, co-academic director at <a href="https://www.novasbe.unl.pt/en/community/institutes/digital-data-design-institute/overview">Nova SBE’s Digital Data Design Institute</a>.</p> <p>“Healthcare is different because the cost of a bad assumption is not inconvenience but harm. The hard problem in healthcare is not connectivity alone, but trustworthy operation inside a safety-critical workflow.”</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Where IoT works"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Where IoT works </h2> <p>One of the sectors where IoT has scaled most effectively is agriculture, transforming traditional farming into <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366582872/Intelsat-and-CNH-sow-seeds-of-smart-farming-satellite-connectivity">smart farming</a>. Sensors offer real-time data on temperature, soil moisture and nutrient levels, allowing hyper-targeted input applications of water and fertilisers.</p> <p>Advanced data analytics predict plant disease and harvest quality through crop growth monitoring, whereas automation and robotics enable self-driving machinery to plough, plant and harvest autonomously. Connected wearables such as smart collars and ear tags enable remote health monitoring, enhancing productivity and decreasing animal losses.</p> <p>The main reason IoT works so well in agriculture is because of the environment, rather than the technology. Agricultural systems have low bandwidth requirements and can tolerate intermittent connectivity, packet loss and latency without many major consequences. </p> <p>“Agriculture and logistics are forgiving environments. If a soil sensor misses a reading for 15 minutes, the crop doesn’t die. If a fleet tracker drops a signal in a tunnel, the driver is still driving. It’s not that there’s no business impact, but in most cases, slight failures can be absorbed,” says Pratik Mistry, executive vice-president of technology consulting at custom software development company <a href="https://radixweb.com/">Radixweb</a>.</p> <p>This makes agriculture well-suited to LPWAN technologies such as NB-IoT and <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366637812/Netmore-claims-Actility-acquisition-to-herald-transformation-of-Massive-IoT">LoRaWAN</a>, which provide long battery lives, wide coverage and lower costs, even in rural areas with patchy connectivity. </p> <p>Similarly forgiving conditions are also seen in supply chains and logistics, where IoT is used to monitor storage conditions and track shipments. Here, systems can also still function efficiently despite incomplete or delayed data. As such, IoT functions best in settings where connectivity does not have to be reliable or continuous. </p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Where IoT breaks down"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Where IoT breaks down </h2> <p>Yet despite IoT’s progress in various sectors, the technology still struggles to scale in some areas, especially healthcare. Even though IoT has significantly helped to advance remote patient monitoring, many deployments have not scaled beyond pilots, especially in care homes. This is mainly because healthcare environments work under zero-tolerance conditions.</p> <div class="pro-features-wrapper"></div> <p>“When you’re monitoring a patient’s cardiac rhythm or managing a connected insulin pump, the tolerance for failure just disappears. It doesn’t shrink, it just isn’t there,” Mistry points out. “When that happens, all the assumptions you built your system on like the network is stable, that latency is acceptable, that the device will behave the same way in ward four as it did in your controlled pilot get stress-tested in ways they never were in a greenhouse.”</p> <p>High security and compliance requirements further complicate deployments in environments with sensitive patient data, as does the risk of cyber attacks. </p> <p>“Many IoT and OT devices in healthcare are not secured to the same standard as mainstream IT systems. They often have longer lifecycles, weaker patching routines, limited update capability and poor visibility once deployed,” adds Martin Butler, professor of digital transformation at Vlerick Business School. “This creates a serious problem in healthcare. A compromised device can expose sensitive patient data, disrupt care processes, or create a route into wider clinical systems.”</p> <p>Scaling involves high costs and operational roadblocks when growing healthcare deployments across entire regions or trusts. This makes funding harder to obtain, especially when ROI [return on investment] cannot be easily quantified in clinical terms.</p> <p>Integrating new sensors with legacy electronic patient record systems further adds to costs and holds back deployment cycles. When pilots do show early promise, healthcare staff may resist IoT systems that introduce extra steps into workflows, reducing day-to-day clinical adoption.</p> <p>At the organisational level, a lack of clear outcome ownership constrains pilot scaling, which cannot roll out fully without procurement alignment, governance structures and accountability. Projects are thus left without actionable roadmaps and stumble between experimentation and production. </p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Connectivity choices: the real make-or-breaks"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Connectivity choices: the real make-or-breaks </h2> <p>Connectivity choices are often underestimated when it comes to IoT deployments, despite being a key cause of scaling failures. This leads to deployments being incorrectly set up right from the get-go.</p> <p>“A large share of failure does come from unrealistic assumptions about connectivity, latency and reliability. Many projects are designed around average conditions, when high-stakes environments are governed by exceptions,” says Zejnilovic. “If the workflow needs deterministic behaviour, ‘usually connected’ and ‘about right’ is not enough. That is why successful deployments push more resilience to the edge through local decision-making, store-and-forward logic and explicit fallback paths.”</p> <p>Different connectivity types are optimised for different use cases, which can lead to struggles if applied elsewhere. A key mistake that enterprises often make in connectivity choices is choosing what is available, rather than what the use case requires, which can cause higher maintenance, weaker data quality and shorter battery life at scale.</p> <p>Low-powered wide-area network (LPWAN) works best for low-data, low-power deployments and long-lasting battery-operated devices, such as in smart cities or agriculture. However, high latency and limited payloads cause them to break down in environments that need high-volume or timely data, such as critical care.</p> <p>By contrast, cellular technology provides mobility and scale, ideal for fleet management and consumer wearables, but is very expensive and complex to manage at scale. Security concerns also make it unsuitable for highly regulated environments dealing with sensitive data such as healthcare or national industrial systems. Wi-Fi can be relatively cost-effective, especially for smart homes, but risks instability when deployed across distributed or dense environments such as city-wide applications. </p> <p>“Choosing the right connectivity is critical, as poor decisions can lead to exponential deployment costs, typically from underestimating the project’s full scale,” says Iker Mayordomo, solutions consultant at Zebra Technologies. “To avoid this, you must answer key questions from the start: How many assets need tracking? What level of accuracy is required? Is point-in-time location sufficient, or is real-time visibility necessary? How frequently is position data needed?”</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Why so many IoT deployments fail to scale beyond pilots"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Why so many IoT deployments fail to scale beyond pilots</h2> <p>Over 70% of IoT deployments never grow beyond the pilot stage, despite showing promise, according to IoT solutions company <a href="https://metadeskglobal.com/iot-pilot-failure-and-how-to-avoid-it/#:~:text=Final%20Thoughts,most%20misleading%20narratives%20in...">Metadesk Global</a>. This is mainly due to the “pristine environment” fallacy, as pilots run in ideal conditions that often do not reflect practical deployment conditions. </p> <p>“Pilots are almost designed to succeed. You’ve got a controlled environment, a motivated team, the supplier is on-site, leadership is paying attention, everything is freshly configured. Your network, data governance, even device lifecycle management is all for 50 devices, 50 people and 50-minute tests – times it by 10 and your system come crashing down,” says Mistry.</p> <p>The key reason for this pilot purgatory is enterprises still treating IoT pilots as technical experiments, instead of strategic operational initiatives, making them underprepared for sharp scaling costs and challenges.</p> <p>“Many IoT projects stall after pilot because the pilot proves possibility, not operational scale. It can hide manual provisioning, extra engineering attention and a narrow estate,” says Zejnilovic. “The real roll-out exposes simple things like battery replacement cycles, or firmware updates, to more complex socio-technical challenges like support ownership, dead zones, identity management and integration with legacy systems. That is where organisations discover they funded a demo rather than an operating model.”</p> <p>Similarly, total cost of ownership (TCO), is underestimated, as long-term maintenance, data storage and support costs quickly add up. This results in funding and resource mismatches, inviting more C-suite hesitancy. The labour and resource cost of device management and security at scale is a challenge too, with thousands of devices needing provisioning, firmware updates and security patching. Keeping track of device battery lifecycles adds another layer of complexity. </p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="What enterprises get wrong about IoT"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>What enterprises get wrong about IoT</h2> <p>Despite IoT’s widespread uptake in recent years, organisations still consistently misunderstand what drives success. Strategy misconceptions about IoT’s value are the biggest issue. Several enterprises assume that the technology will directly improve efficiency and deliver predictable ROI and cost savings at scale. </p> <p>This lends to the expectation that a successful pilot in one, tightly controlled environment will scale effortlessly across others. In reality, IoT’s value is highly dependent on deployment contexts. Returns often only appear in specific and narrow environments, while scaling unveils considerable operational and cost factors previously invisible at the pilot stage.</p> <p>Many organisations also make flawed architectural and design assumptions. This occurs mainly by treating IoT as a one-time modular hardware roll-out that can easily be plugged into existing infrastructure, instead of a continuously managed system. Through this, enterprises also tend to defer integration problems with legacy systems to be solved later. </p> <p>However, legacy systems are brittle and not modular, and ignoring integration costs and hurdles can cause them to compound monumentally at scale. This can have significant consequences in situations where systems need to support continuous data flows, interoperability across environments and device management. </p> <p>Enterprises also widely assume that connectivity will be stable enough everywhere – however, practical variations such as density, buildings and geography can fragment connectivity. </p> <p>“The assumption I see most often is that because a hospital has Wi-Fi everywhere, connectivity is solved, which is understandable. The coverage maps look great and the signal strength looks fine,” says Mistry. “But coverage and reliability are completely different things. Imaging equipment, patient monitors, visitor phones and staff tablets all compete on the same infrastructure. IoT devices, especially continuous biometric streaming ones, tend to be the lowest-priority traffic on that network. When things get congested, they get throttled first.”</p> <p>Organisations also often overestimate what pilot success proves, buoyed by confidence from artificially controlled wins. However, in practical environments, system dependencies, cost pressures and variability change outcomes significantly. As a result, enterprises risk building growth strategies based on limited evidence and treating systemic problems as edge cases, which allows confidence to grow faster than capability. </p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="The key decider: environments, not technology"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>The key decider: environments, not technology</h2> <p>Deployment conditions matter far more than sophisticated technology when it comes to IoT success, especially as the technology continues to be applied in a variety of industries globally.</p> <p>“Some applications scale well because the data is useful, the costs are manageable and the system can be integrated into everyday operations,” says Butler. “Others struggle, not because the sensors are inadequate, but because governance, integration, liability, reliability or operating costs make scale difficult for a specific use case.”</p> <p>As such, organisations which design for practical network realities instead of perfect conditions, will be best suited to scale IoT deployments successfully.</p> <div class="extra-info"> <div class="extra-info-inner"> <h3 class="splash-heading">Read more about IoT</h3> <ul class="default-list"> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366638922/Direct-to-device-connectivity-set-to-underpin-next-generation-of-industrial-IoT">Direct-to-device connectivity set to underpin next generation of industrial IoT</a>: Research from satellite comms firm finds D2D connectivity will underpin the next generation of industrial internet of things, with almost all IoT decision-makers set to adopt the technology in the next 18 months.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366638967/Myriota-introduces-satellite-based-scalable-global-asset-tracking">Myriota introduces satellite-based scalable global asset tracking</a>: Global provider of satellite IoT connectivity unveils long-life asset tracker designed to deliver reliable global visibility beyond the reach of traditional cellular networks and overcome traditional barriers.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366638459/Vodafone-IoT-and-Skylo-bring-NTN-NB-IoT-connectivity-to-global-customers">Vodafone IoT, Skylo bring NTN NB-IoT connectivity to global users</a> In a ‘notable’ step in enabling the next wave of internet of things solutions, the IoT division of telco teams with non-terrestrial network provider to deliver satellite-based narrowband connectivity.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366640346/Telenor-IoT-expands-global-connectivity-with-launch-of-global-APN">Telenor IoT expands global connectivity with launch of global APN</a>: Internet of things division of leading Nordic telco aims to simplify global IoT deployments by enabling companies to use a single access point name across all regions.</li> </ul> </div> </div> </section> Deployment environments matter far more than sophistication, when it comes to IoT success. This includes scaling costs, on-ground network realities and the difficulty of integrating new tech into legacy systems https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/visuals/German/article/industrial-IoT-1-adobe.jpg https://www.computerweekly.com/feature/Why-IoT-grows-in-agriculture-but-needs-tonic-for-healthcare Mon, 11 May 2026 09:15:00 GMT Why IoT grows in agriculture but needs tonic for healthcare <p>With the 2026 football World cup in the US, Canada and Mexico only days away, planning for the UEFA Euro 2028 football tournament in the UK and Ireland has begun to gather pace with the appointment of BT Group as its Official Telecommunications Partner.</p> <p>The eighteenth tournament of its kind for the top-rated football nations in the European region, organised by governing body UEFA Europe, <a href="https://www.uefa.com/euro2028/news/028f-1b599fe02d18-0c758142f5e4-1000--euro-2028-all-you-need-to-know/">Euro 28</a> will take place in the UK and Republic of Ireland from 9 June to 9 July 2028. Nine stadiums will host matches, including Wembley Stadium in London, Glasgow’s Hampden Park, the Dublin Arena, the National Stadium of Wales in Cardiff, the Hill Dickinson stadium in Liverpool, Newcastle’s St James’ Park, the Etihad stadium in Manchester, the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, and Villa Park in Birmingham.</p> <p>The communications contract for BT extends its <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366618530/EE-scores-Wembley-Stadium-connectivity-renewal">existing support of the national game</a> in England and will see BT’s network power every part of the football tournament. This will encompass connectivity at the nine stadiums and 24 team base camps to the broadcast operations that will connect a global audience that is estimated to be in the region of more than two billion fans.</p> <p>BT added that the connected experiences for fans and customers surrounding the tournament will also include public screenings and <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366642413/Eseye-boosts-global-IoT-resilience-with-SGP32-eSIM-orchestration">eSIM services</a> to enhanced network performance in host cities.</p> <p>BT said this will allow fans to enjoy every second of the action. “UEFA Euro 2028 is a perfect example of a brilliant moment that BT sits behind. It will be an event of national significance that will connect the UK and a global community of fans, leveraging the unique strength of BT’s networks and technologies to deliver unforgettable experiences for fans, customers and the country,” added BT Group chief executive Allison Kirkby.</p> <p>“For 180 years, BT has played a critical role – trusted to connect people, businesses and communities. Having invested heavily into our networks in recent years, this is now the moment to invest even further in our brands, products and services, so that more of our customers and more of the country can experience and benefit from being connected by BT.”</p> <p>UEFA executive director of marketing Guy-Laurent Epstein said: “UEFA is delighted to welcome BT as the Official Telecommunications Partner of UEFA Euro 2028, bringing on board a true industry leader in the UK. By combining BT’s world-class network and technical expertise with UEFA’s ambition for innovation, we share a clear commitment to enhancing the fan experience in stadia and for viewers worldwide, delivering seamless connectivity and memorable moments throughout the summer of 2028.”</p> <p>As it was announcing the UEFA partnership, BT unveiled its <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aALy4plc9KY">Behind Brilliant Things brand campaign</a>, said to be the biggest of its kind this decade. The operator said that the campaign will not only see the introduction of a suite of BT products and services but also highlight “the vital, but often unseen” role it plays for the UK connecting, protecting and “supercharging the UK”.</p> <p>The company stated it connects more homes and businesses than anyone else, protects the UK from millions of cyber threats every day, and is investing billions in the UK’s digital backbone to supercharge the country’s growth. Examples cited ranged from <a href="https://informaplc-my.sharepoint.com/personal/joseph_ohalloran_informa_com/Documents/Apps">running the emergency services network</a> and helping answer 999 calls, to helping customers deal with more than four million scam attempts every day.</p> <p>The upgraded products and services are said to be designed for consumers and businesses relying on safe, secure connectivity. Noting that with four million Brits falling victim to digital scams last year, BT said it was introducing free enhanced cyber threat protection for every residential broadband customer.</p> <p>Customers can also now access BT Smart Hub 3 Wi-Fi and a redesigned MyBT app for managing their services. Noting the popularity of bundling services, BT is a introducing a line up of mobile connectivity plans exclusively for its broadband customers. There will also be upgrades to offerings for small and medium-sized enterprises, including connectivity solutions and free advice for businesses to help them respond to changing risks in a digital environment.</p> <div class="pro-features-wrapper"></div> <div class="extra-info"> <div class="extra-info-inner"> <h3 class="splash-heading">Read more connectivity for football</h3> <ul class="default-list"> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366637319/Chelsea-shoots-for-enhanced-mobile-connectivity-in-and-around-Stamford-Bridge">Chelsea shoots for enhanced mobile connectivity in and around Stamford Bridge</a>: Leading English football club upgrades mobile network in and around home stadium to deliver enhanced connectivity for fans attending matches and events, based on new and upgraded small cells.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366630109/Neos-Networks-to-deliver-live-broadcast-connectivity-for-Premier-League">Neos Networks to deliver live broadcast connectivity for Premier League</a>: Provider of global connectivity services for broadcast and events taps dedicated B2B network provider to ensure high-quality delivery of Premier League football.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366618530/EE-scores-Wembley-Stadium-connectivity-renewal">EE scores Wembley Stadium connectivity renewal</a>: <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/contributor/Joe-OHalloran"></a> UK’s leading mobile comms provider extends title connectivity partnership with England’s national football stadium in London, as well as with all four Home Nations Football Associations.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366620455/Extreme-Networks-scores-next-gen-Wi-Fi-deal-with-United-Soccer-League">Extreme Networks scores next-gen Wi-Fi deal with United Soccer League</a>: AI-powered networking automation firm gets result in emerging football league for enhanced wireless connectivity and network insights to elevate fan experiences and streamline league operations.</li> </ul> </div> </div> UK’s leading telco appointed Official Telecommunications Partner of the UEFA European Football Championship 2028, with BT launching products and services designed for customers nationwide https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/visuals/ComputerWeekly/HeroImages/football-stadium-fans-Melinda-Nagy-adobe.jpg https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366642997/BT-scores-EURO-2028-connectivity-deal Mon, 11 May 2026 08:45:00 GMT BT scores Euro 2028 connectivity deal <p>Offering autonomous networking capabilities to accelerate secure, artificial intelligence (AI)-native operations, <a href="https://www.hpe.com/nl/en/home.html">HPE</a> has unveiled self-driving network capabilities that it says will enable customers to boost efficiency and proactive operations, and significantly reduce help desk tickets.</p> <p>HPE said it was clear that the self-driving network is no longer aspirational; it is operational – and with the introduction of self-driving actions across HPE Mist and HPE Aruba Central lines, it is delivering on its vision of secure, AI-native, fully autonomous networking by enabling networks that can detect, diagnose and resolve issues in real time without human intervention.</p> <p>Central to this approach is what the company calls a differentiated architecture powered by microservices, autonomous agents and an advanced agentic mesh, designed to move beyond insight-driven operations to true autonomy, and proactively resolve issues before they impact revenue, operations or brand reputation.</p> <p>The autonomous agents – the capabilities of which form the base of the self‑driving network – are intended to further reduce the need for manual intervention, delivering capacity and radio optimisation, self-securing actions and user roaming issue resolution.</p> <p>Together, said HPE, these capabilities enable networks to proactively improve user experience and prevent issues before they disrupt business operations. Self‑driving actions designed to optimise and secure end user experiences include: dynamic capacity optimisation; autonomous missing <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchnetworking/tip/How-to-set-up-a-VLAN-for-enterprise-networks">virtual local area network</a> (VLAN) remediation; rogue DHCP protection; real-time dynamic frequency selection (DFS);<b> </b>client roaming insights; and user experience latency metrics.</p> <p>Capacity optimisation features will now autonomously identify capacity bottlenecks, and dynamically tunes RF parameters, including band selection, channel bandwidth and power levels, beyond predefined operational ranges by leveraging learned utilisation patterns. This is intended to deliver optimised end-user capacity, coverage and roaming experiences for wireless users.</p> <p>Autonomous missing VLAN remediation offers a trusted self-driving action that autonomously fixes VLAN configuration errors in the access layer to prevent blackholing of client traffic. This is an evolution from driver-assisted VLAN remediation, assuring even faster problem resolution for better user experiences.</p> <div class="extra-info"> <div class="extra-info-inner"> <h3 class="splash-heading">Read more about AI for networking</h3> <ul class="default-list"> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366642566/Extreme-Connect-26-Agent-ONE-takes-forward-network-AI">Extreme Connect 26: Agent ONE takes forward network AI</a>: Network firm launches ‘smarter, faster, autonomous’ approach to enterprise networking, with its operating model moving from assistive AI to autonomous, always-on operations.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366641094/Marvell-scales-up-networking-to-extend-Nvidia-AI-ecosystem">Marvell scales up networking to extend Nvidia AI ecosystem</a>: AI GPU leader sees extension of AI infrastructure through collaboration with infrastructure technology to deliver more choice and flexibility for customers with fully compatible systems.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366641242/Cisco-network-readiness-a-determining-factor-for-AI-success">Network readiness a determining factor for AI success</a>: Report reveals how firms are harnessing AI to drive progress and overcome industry challenges, with most expecting ‘significant’ increases in connectivity and reliability demands.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366641460/Optical-networks-to-bridge-the-AI-compute-consumption-gap">Optical networks to bridge the AI compute-consumption gap</a>: With AI spurring gigawatt-scale datacentre builds across APAC, Ciena is deploying ultra-fast, energy-efficient optical networking and AI-driven automation to ensure AI services can reach consumers.</li> </ul> </div> </div> <p>The system also autonomously detects and remediates unauthorised DHCP servers to mitigate potential external security risks and prevent end user connectivity disruptions. DFS capabilities mean that self-driving complements AI-driven radio resource management (RRM) to adaptively learn and proactively avoid association issues on frequently impacted channels to mitigate wireless client disruptions.</p> <p>Client roaming insights are designed to ensure smooth, uninterrupted roaming for users by analysing client connectivity metrics, including location, leading to self-driving actions. In addition, the features are designed to accelerate root‑cause identification by measuring Wi‑Fi performance at “first connect” and providing clear, end‑to‑end visibility into latency from the user’s device to the cloud.</p> <p>Both HPE Mist and HPE Aruba Central also support expanded <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366639282/AIDA-Cruises-fleet-sets-sail-with-OpenRoaming-for-Wi-Fi-connectivity">OpenRoaming integration</a> to reduce costs and operational complexity while supporting easier, more secure Wi-Fi access across locations without constant logins, and protecting users with strong identity checks. This capability is attributed with helping to simplify operations and move organisations faster towards <a href="https://www.techtarget.com/searchitoperations/tip/Zero-trust-in-the-IT-ops-stack-Securing-hybrid-workloads">zero trust security</a>.</p> <p>Rami Rahim, executive vice-president, and president and general manager of networking at HPE, said: “The network HPE now delivers represents a pivotal shift for our customers and marks a breakaway moment for them to capture the benefits of the next frontier of autonomous actions. This fundamentally changes the role of networking from a system that informs to one that takes action on behalf of the business, freeing customer networking teams to focus on innovation instead of operations.”</p> <p>In addition to outlining the capabilities of the products, HPE also pointed to customers gaining benefits from full agentic autonomy via a self-driving network, one of which was the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice">UK Ministry of Justice</a>, which is said to have significantly improved network operations, achieving a “significant” reduction in help desk tickets and dramatically streamlining issue resolution.</p> <p>“Over the past four years, the Ministry of Justice has transformed how it operates a highly complex, multi‑vendor digital estate, embedding intelligence directly into the network at national scale,” said Nava Ramanan, director of technology at the Ministry of Justice. “The HPE self-driving network enables trusted autonomous actions that help us anticipate and resolve issues before users are impacted. This approach has contributed to an approximate 75% reduction in service desk tickets and enabled us to bring the management of around 15,000 devices in‑house, giving our teams greater ownership, control and flexibility to deliver resilient, always‑on justice services today and into the future.”</p> <div class="pro-features-wrapper"></div> Self-driving network capabilities added across core lines to enable secure, AI-native, fully autonomous infrastructure through networks that can detect, diagnose and resolve issues in real time without human intervention https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/visuals/ComputerWeekly/Hero%20Images/HPE-server-hardware-AngeloB-adobe.jpg https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366642866/HPE-announces-autonomous-networking-capabilities Mon, 11 May 2026 07:45:00 GMT HPE announces autonomous networking capabilities <p>The use of immersive technologies in physical locations tends to be limited to some three-dimensional, sometimes holographic, visuals and advanced sound technologies. Only some dedicated venues highlight wind, smell or water drops to accompany short movies for entertainment purposes.</p> <p>Several articles have <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/feature/Expanding-sensory-experiences-in-virtual-environments">looked at efforts to address a wide range of senses beyond sight and sound for virtual reality (VR)</a> applications. Augmented and mixed reality (AR and MR) promise to bring many of these experiences and sensations into real-world environments for healthcare, entertainment, training, education and many other applications.</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Bathing in sensory experiences"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Bathing in sensory experiences</h2> <p>Researchers at the Max Planck Institute in Germany experiment with virtual, multi-sensory forests for therapeutic services. In Japan, <em>shinrin-yoku</em> describes the process of immersing oneself in forest environments for meditative purposes. The activity is often referred to as forest bathing and involves focusing on the sensory sensation of experiencing nature. The researchers found “forest <a href="https://www.mpg.de/25020718/0702-bild-virtual-forest-bathing-alleviates-stress-149835-x">bathing in virtual reality improves emotional well-being</a> and increases connectedness to nature, particularly when several senses (sight, hearing, smell) are simultaneously engaged”.</p> <p>Employing 360-degree virtual reality (VR) imaging, the sound of forests and the smell of firs, the study exposed test subjects to several simulations. Combining these three sensory stimuli resulted in mood improvements and stronger emotional connection to nature in contrast to only applying individual stimuli. More research is needed to deepen understanding, but “we can already say that digital nature experiences can absolutely produce an emotional effect – even if they don’t replace actual nature”, says Leonie Ascone, lead author of the study and researcher at the University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf.</p> <p>Simone Kühn, director of the Centre for Environmental Neuroscience at the Max Planck Institute and leader of the study, points to healthcare and wellness applications: “Especially in places with limited access to nature – such as clinics, waiting areas or urban interiors – <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/07/250705084325.htm">multisensory VR applications or targeted nature staging</a> could support mental well-being. The images, sounds and scents of nature offer previously underestimated potential for improving mood and mental performance in everyday situations.”</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Experiencing multisensory art"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Experiencing multisensory art</h2> <p>The multisensory art exhibition <a href="https://resound-nyc.com/">reSound</a> New York teases <em>Feel the Light, See the Sound, Touch the Moment</em>. Seven stages attract visitors with various synaesthetic experiences, which are experiences that cross senses (similar to the way that some musicians perceive musical notes and melodies as colours). South Korean’s <a href="https://www.dstrict.com/index">design firm d’strict</a>, which develops “innovative spatial experiences”, and Arte Museum New York unveiled reSound in October 2025. The organisers invited artists and art studios to reinvent the exhibition space as a distinct sensory and psychological environment, evoking emotional and physical responses that merge art, sound and interaction.</p> <div class="pro-features-wrapper"></div> <p>Exhibitions include d’strict’s <em>Arrival</em>, featuring a large video installation that establishes a “dark, immersive wave that surrounds visitors with sound and motion”. Meanwhile, <em>Boundless</em> “translate[s] complex narratives into unforgettable, interactive experiences” and features a tactile orchestra by Dutch design firm <a href="https://www.fillipstudios.com/">Fillip Studios</a> that transform walls into instruments. The walls enable visitors to create musical harmonies through touch. Eric Gunther’s <em>Boundless Body</em> reimagines poetry as “vibration along a twelve-foot wooden bench”.</p> <p>Inspired by black holes, astrophysicist Erin Kara, anthropologist Ian Condry and several collaborators created <em>Echo</em>, an installation that fuses scientific sonification with kinetic light and spatial sound. Clearly, verbal descriptions are insufficient; these installations are meant to be experienced.</p> <p>Revealing the overall objective, Sean Lee, d’strict’s CEO, says: “To us, immersive art means engaging all the senses in an innovative way to create an indelible experience that fully surrounds and involves the audience.”</p> <p>L.J. Kim, d’strict’s director, adds: “It’s about touch, sound, emotion and perception, not just screens or devices.” Highlighting an aspect of immersive technologies that points to future use cases, Kim notes: “A shift in sound, a vibration, a resonance or a distant echo can change not just our perception of the artwork but our awareness of the space and of others nearby.”</p> <p>A similar concept, Japan’s <a href="https://www.teamlab.art/e/">teamLab</a> showcases immersive art globally. In April 2025, teamLab’s location <a href="https://www.teamlababudhabi.com/">Phenomena Abu Dhabi</a> opened, featuring some two dozen artworks that immerse visitors in multisensory landscapes such as projected forests, hologram ceilings and colour-lit waterfalls. TeamLab has been around for a quarter century but continues to incorporate newest technologies in its installations.</p> <p>Its cofounder Toshiyuki Inoko outlines the art corporation’s mission to connect to the potential that spatial and immersive technologies enable: “What people have created historically just happened to be tangible objects, so that’s how people perceive the world, but there’s a <a href="https://www.artbasel.com/stories/inside-teamlab-immersive-art-abu-dhabi-toshiyuki-inoko">lot of the world that is not object-based in the physical sense</a>.”</p> <p>Other groups explore the power of immersive technologies to empower visitors to tell their own stories. <a href="https://www.visions2030.studio/about">Visions 2030</a>, a New York design studio, is using immersive technologies to create societal narratives on climate issues, social justice and urbanisation, for example. Leveraging “diverse disciplines such as design, art, science and technology, [the artists] strive to explore the immense potential of imagination to facilitate new ways of thinking”.</p> <p>The group created the <em><a href="https://www.visions2030.studio/programs/the-lumisphere">Lumisphere Experience</a></em>, a “multi-sensory, immersive journey” that guides visitors through three domes via visual and narrated storytelling. Visitors are immersed in moving projections and sound environments. The purpose of the installation is to let visitors explore potential worlds. In the final dome, they can use a tablet and “are invited to create the ideal eco-future they just dreamed”.</p> <p>Artificial intelligence (AI) creative Refik Anadol makes visual art that leverages portfolios of photos and visuals to create mesmerising work. His work has been featured by the Sphere in Las Vegas and at the façade of the Walt Disney concert hall in Los Angeles. Most prominently, the Museum of Modern Art in New York commissioned the art installation <a href="https://www.moma.org/calendar/exhibitions/5535"><em>Unsupervised</em></a> in 2022. In a recent <em>60 Minutes</em> portrayal, he outlines his approach to leveraging AI.</p> <p>“<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LPV-hb1CKU">Data around us has its own voice</a>…When I think about data as a pigment, I think it doesn’t need to dry,” he says. “It can move, in any shape, any form, any colour and texture.”</p> <p>Anadol is also incorporating sensory sensations such as a neck-worn device that pumps out scents of rain and flowers, and he is experimenting with a wrist-worn device that measures wearers’ vital statistics such as their heartbeats to then change the art in real time according to the measurements.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Calling out immersive sound"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Calling out immersive sound</h2> <p>Sight and sound naturally go together and are most-used senses in art and entertainment. As visuals advance rapidly towards three-dimensional, immersive landscapes, sound is perhaps only some steps behind in creating multilayered, textured soundscapes. New solutions can create personalised sound experiences in public spaces, to cancel out noise to create silent bubbles for individuals, or to focus relevant information on selected individuals such as making navigation information in cars only audible to drivers.</p> <p>A research team of Assembly AI, Microsoft and University of Washington has shown how to use AI to create silent zones. These zones enable speakers to have conversations without noise interference from outside, with the team saying: “<a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/noise-cancelling-headphones">This sound bubble</a> allows people within a radius of up to 2 meters to converse with hugely reduced interference from other speakers or noise outside the zone.” The group’s system “analyses audio data to clearly identify sound sources within and without a designated bubble size. The system then suppresses extraneous sounds in real time”.</p> <p>In another effort at the University of Washington, a research team developed AI headphones for use in public spaces, an environment where many existing applications fail due to the surrounding noise. The University of Washington team created <a href="https://www.washington.edu/news/2025/05/09/ai-headphones-translate-multiple-speakers-at-once-cloning-their-voices-in-3d-sound/">Spatial Speech Translation</a>, which leverages existing noise-cancelling headphones and microphones and combines them with a newly developed algorithm.</p> <p>“The team’s algorithms separate out the different speakers in a space and follow them as they move, translate their speech and play it back with a 2 to 4 second delay,” says the team. The system not only translates the speech but also “maintains the expressive qualities and volume of each speaker’s voice”.</p> <p>Researchers at Pennsylvania State University and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory say that “recent advancements in digital signal processing and loudspeaker array design have enabled us to <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.2408975122">experience immersive spatial audio in virtual/augmented/extended reality environments</a> in our daily lives”. The team is working on “highly localised remote audio spots” that they call audible enclaves to enable novel future opportunities to create immersive sound applications. The Penn State researchers readily admit that their technology “isn’t something that’s going to be on the shelf in the immediate future” – distortion affecting sound quality and power efficiency are some of the issues that will hold back commercial use for some time.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Moving towards a sensory internet"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Moving towards a sensory internet</h2> <p>Multisensory environments will become commonplace as technologies advances, costs come down, and professionals and consumers get familiarised with related applications.</p> <p>Ericsson’s chief technology officer Mallik Tatipamula, and Google’s chief internet evangelist Vinton Cerf, even see a <a href="https://spectrum-ieee-org.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/spectrum.ieee.org/amp/history-of-internet-7-phases-2674228201">sense-focused incarnation</a> as one of the seven phases of the internet that they identified: “Through every phase, connectivity has been the unifying principle, although with every successive phase also comes new forms of connection.”</p> <p>They argue that after the original internet, the mobile internet, the internet of things and the internet of AI agents (which is currently emerging), the internet of senses will develop, which will focus on perception. Researchers foresee the final two phases as being the ubiquitous internet and the quantum internet.</p> <p>They outline their vision of the internet of senses: “Multisensory communication expands the network’s palate beyond just text, audio and video. In the age of the internet of senses, networks will carry signals that convey the modalities of touch, taste and smell. Advances in haptic wearables, digital olfaction and brain-computer interfaces (BCI) will allow a shopper to ‘feel’ the texture of clothing online or ‘smell’ perfume before buying. In healthcare, doctors will remotely examine patients using haptic gloves that transmit the sense of feeling. Meanwhile, education will become more immersive, enabling students to explore history or science through tactile and sensory experiences.”</p> <div class="extra-info"> <div class="extra-info-inner"> <h3 class="splash-heading">Read more about immersive technologies</h3> <ul class="default-list"> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/feature/Expanding-sensory-experiences-in-virtual-environments">Expanding sensory experiences in virtual environments</a>: Augmented, virtual and extended realities are all trying to allow users to interact with virtual information in ways we are used to in real life.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/feature/AI-XR-digital-twins-set-to-transform-robotics">AI, XR, digital twins set to transform robotics</a>: The availability of advanced sensors, artificial intelligence, digital twins, XR and robotics has changed technology-driven markets. We look at how the intersection of these technologies will create commercial opportunities.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366626251/AR-VR-headset-market-reaching-critical-tipping-point">AR/VR headset market reaching ‘critical tipping point’</a>: Research finds marked uptick in immersive technologies market with 18.1% year-on-year growth fuelled by immersive and versatile experiences, with future growth anticipated to be driven by mixed and extended reality.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/feature/The-many-ways-AI-can-empower-XR">The many ways AI can empower XR</a>: There is an almost ‘irresistible’ marriage between artificial intelligence and extended reality, yet while their combination will create benefits, there will also be some downsides.</li> </ul> </div> </div> <p><em>Martin Schwirn is the author of ‘</em>Small data, big disruptions: How to spot signals of change and manage uncertainty’<em> (ISBN 9781632651921). Schwirn has advised companies internationally for SRI International and Business Finland. He is a strategy and innovation consultant for Global 2000 companies.</em></p> </section> As extended reality advances, truly immersive environments will emerge to improve and enable an entire host of applications that benefit from sensory experiences https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/visuals/ComputerWeekly/Hero%20Images/AR-VR-team-headset-2-adobe.jpg https://www.computerweekly.com/feature/Multisensory-experiences-drive-immersive-physical-environments Mon, 11 May 2026 06:45:00 GMT Multisensory experiences drive immersive physical environments <p>Virtual reality (VR) has already seen many commercial and industrial uses. Yet VR also can be one of the most powerful tools for storytelling, visualising ideas and enhancing narratives – most obviously in the arts and entertainment sphere, where VR brings enhanced capabilities and enables artists to indulge in experiments to try out new approaches.</p> <p>Other storytelling uses support societal causes, enable new judicial procedures, boost education and become emphatic conduits. Simply, VR can put storytelling in a higher gear.</p> <p>Showing how VR enables new storytelling avenues and approaches for artists and entertainers, artist Charlotte Mikkelborg noticed the transformative power VR could unleash for narratives when <a href="https://charlottemikkelborg.com/">she first tried on a VR headset in 2015</a>: “I realised that I didn’t have to just watch a scene, I could live it.”</p> <p>Since then, she has created an immersive concert for Coldplay; a multisensory narrative game; and <em>Adventure</em>, her series for Apple that portrays extreme athletes in VR.</p> <p>Meanwhile, artist Estella Tse “merges tech and visual storytelling into <a href="https://estellatse.com/">a new art form</a>”, adding: “The immersive nature of VR metaphorically and literally puts the viewer into a different world. The brain feels like it is transported to another place.” In contrast to Mikkelborg’s VR experiences, Tse’s stories resemble art installations rather than narratives.</p> <p>It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the annual Venice Film Festival features an<a href="https://www.labiennale.org/en/cinema/2025/venice-immersive"> entire section related to the emerging artform</a>. Venice Immersive “is entirely devoted to immersive media and includes all XR means of creative expression”. Eligible for submission are all immersive videos, VR, MR, AR and XR works of any length, including installations and virtual worlds. A review by the <em>Guardian</em> describes 2025’s selection as a “flourishing <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/sep/05/venice-film-festival-extended-reality-xr-immersive-storytelling-ancestors-blur">lineup of immersive storytelling experiments</a>, [which] are taking visitors into novels, nightclubs and outer space”.</p> <p>At the 82nd Venice Film Festival in August and September 2025, the island of Lazzaretto Vecchio featured a wide range of XR artwork that invited audience members to immerse themselves into stories rather than just looking onto them. For example, <em>The Time Before</em> is “a virtual reality journey through memory, imagination and dreams”, which steps into the main character’s mind to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oahwg3hyE0">explore the imaginary worlds</a> his sister builds to protect them from the anger of their father. The piece <em>1968</em> is “communal VR theatre that explores the transformative power of protest through illusions to 1968, which was a year <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPgr1nul4ro">charged by societal, political and cultural unrest</a>”.</p> <p>Venice Immersive Jury chair Eliza McNitt sees XR as “<a href="https://www.anothermag.com/design-living/16597/venice-immersive-2025-xr-festival-eliza-mcnitt">the beginning of a revolution</a> ... [artists can] push the boundaries of storytelling”.</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Conveying societal causes"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Conveying societal causes</h2> <p>The way VR can bring stories and narratives closer to an audience lends itself to highlight social and societal issues in more impactful ways than previously possible. Journalist Becca Warner outlined her experience with VR content created by South African Habitat XR. The company’s objective is to create “<a href="https://www.habitatxr.com/">immersive nature storytelling</a> that drives public engagement, education, fundraising and conservation outcomes.”</p> <p>Warner watched <em>A Predicament of Pangolins</em>, an immersive story featuring two wild pangolins in the Kalahari Desert who are facing the challenges of climate change. The anthropomorphised animals are created “for maximum empathy and cognitive connection to the present reality of climate change”. Warner highlights VR’s impact: “A virtual reality pangolin made me cry and care more about the planet: is this the <a href="https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250306-the-future-of-conservation-might-be-in-vr-headsets">real power of VR headsets?</a>”</p> <p>Exploring how humans live with nature is a common theme. <a href="https://wildimmersion.io/">French company Wild Immersion</a> is “dedicated to raising awareness of environmental issues through 360° films, VR experiences, AR journeys, wildlife encyclopaedias and interactive drawings”. And the British artist collective <a href="https://marshmallowlaserfeast.com/">Marshmallow Laser Feast</a> is using stories in immersive experiences and XR that are “designed to carve out space to expose, explore and expand our relationship with the living world”.</p> <p>The UK’s Natural History Museum uses VR headsets to look a century into the future to <a href="https://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit/exhibitions/visions-of-nature.html">visualise humans’ impact on nature</a>. The showcase’s main takeaway is that “the actions we take today will help build a better tomorrow.”</p> <p>Alex Burch, director of public programmes at the museum, explains that the immersive story shows “the aftermath of centuries of human industrial activity as well as to the interventions we have introduced to remedy our unsustainable activity”.</p> <p>New York artist Sam Wolson <a href="https://www.samwolson.com/">uses VR</a> to tell political narratives. For instance, <em>Re-educated</em> puts viewers into a Chinese re-education camp to convey the experience of prisoners, with first-hand testimony informing the animation. And <em>No Place at Home</em> follows a mother and her transgender teenager on their search for gender-affirming care, combining photorealistic three-dimensional imagery.</p> <p>Wolson explains where VR can improve storytelling: “With virtual reality and interactive visual features, it comes down to whether a story is suited to multimedia or nonlinear narratives, in which the viewer can be placed directly into a story with the freedom to move around.”</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Recovering memories, creating experiences"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Recovering memories, creating experiences</h2> <p>A less-known and emerging use of VR is visualising memories to resurrect past experiences. For instance, in December 2024, judge Andrew Siegel of Florida’s Broward County Circuit Court used a <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/larsdaniel/2025/01/06/historic-first-judge-dons-oculus-vr-headset-to-experience-crime">VR headset to a recreate the imagery</a> of an aggravated assault. The defence hired an expert to visualise the defendant’s perspective in a stand-your ground trial. <a href="https://dl.acm.org/doi/epdf/10.1145/3411764.3445464"></a></p> <div class="pro-features-wrapper"></div> <p><a href="https://dl.acm.org/doi/epdf/10.1145/3411764.3445464">Previous research at the University of South Australia</a> indicated that test subjects showed improvements in spatial recall, “remembering the correct placement of evidence items”, and some aspects of narrative recall when using VR in comparison to the use of still imagery.</p> <p>The approach offers benefits when crime-site visits are difficult or dangerous, contextual information plays an important role, or interactions among individuals are complicated to follow. Louisiana Fifth Circuit Court judge Scott Schlegel, who investigates new technologies for legal applications, points to a potential drawback. Virtual reality recreations “may powerfully convey emotions and perspective; it may be less reliable for <a href="https://judgeschlegel.substack.com/p/from-foam-board-to-virtual-reality">conveying specific factual details</a> that are crucial in legal proceedings.” In other words, emotions might cloud or even bias factual judgement.</p> <p>Other applications for recreating memories exist. Researcher Rob Martin at South Carolina’s Clemson University employs VR so that hospice patients can have an experience they always wanted to have. After taking a survey of local patients, he found that most wanted to experience one more Clemson football game. With <a href="https://news.clemson.edu/one-last-game-students-build-virtual-reality-experience-for-hospice-patients">the help of the Clemson’s Tandem VR team</a>, Martin created such a visualisation.</p> <p>Tandem VR is a part of Clemson’s Virtual Reality and Nature Lab. The lab’s director Olivia McAnirlin developed a concept that allows users to share a VR experience “in tandem”. The “experiences are synchronised (simultaneous) so they can fully enjoy them together, personalised to their preferences based on their experiences, dreams or memories”.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Informing education"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Informing education</h2> <p>Storytelling is set to play a bigger role in tomorrow’s teaching and learning, and XR can transform education though new ways to bring stories alive. Eli Joseph at Columbia University School in New York believes that the merging of literature and technology “<a href="https://www.weforum.org/stories/2025/03/xr-technology-could-revolutionise-storytelling">transforms storytelling from a linear into an interactive experience</a> in which the reader’s choices can influence the narrative”.</p> <p>Joseph notes that readers can immerse themselves in stories by addressing multiple senses, and that multisensory environments for genuinely immersive experiences enables users to take a closer look at ways how XR can create layers of experiences. Joseph also believes that the technology can benefit text books – for instance, by visualising dissection of cells in biology class.</p> <p>VR not only can create narratives but also tell stories from the past. For example, the Illinois Holocaust Museum’s Experience360 is using VR to make history palpable. <a href="https://www.ilholocaustmuseum.org/experience360">The Chicago museum uses the technology</a> “to witness stories of survival, ask questions and reflect on the past in ways that inspire empathy, respect and hope”.</p> <p>Other institutions have taken note. The Centreville Regional Library in Fairfax, Virginia, partnered with the Illinois Holocaust Museum. Luis Aponte, an information services librarian who <a href="https://www.fairfaxtimes.com/articles/hear-the-stories-of-holocaust-survivors-through-virtual-reality/article_04157b0f-4684-4778-9efe-ca0c03fae557.html">brought the experience to Centreville,</a> praises “the Illinois Holocaust Museum’s dedication to preserving history in a way that transforms the future”.</p> </section> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Eliciting empathy"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Eliciting empathy</h2> <p>Educational use of VR can deepen the experience by eliciting empathy for history’s protagonists and witnesses. In a study by Stanford University, researchers looked at <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-21098-z">the effect VR can have to “reduce psychological distance to locations</a> affected by climate change, influencing climate emotions and risk perceptions”.</p> <p>One group of test subjects were only listening to news broadcasts about flooding in selected locations due to climate change while other participants were virtually flying through a three-dimensional representation of the floodings. Participants that experienced the virtualisation became concerned about climate change.</p> <p>“<a href="https://news.stanford.edu/stories/2025/10/virtual-reality-climate-change-communities-research">Utilising VR for climate education</a> can enhance awareness and inspire constructive actions, moving beyond traditional fear-driven narratives,” said the study.</p> <p>VR can also elevate emotional participation. In 2015, musician Björk released the album <em>Vulnicura</em>, which deals with her emotional breakup of a long-time relationship. She recently worked with Pulse Jet Studios <a href="https://www.pulsejetstudios.com/">to create a VR visualisation of the songs</a>. Björk explained her motivation: “I realised that I’d written a whole heartbreak album ... what most people were complaining about with VR is it was very isolating.”</p> <p><a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/09/23/nx-s1-5543338/bjork-vr-vulnicura-remastered">The VR journey</a> starts in an austere landscape of Iceland, where Björk hails from. Users then can thread together Björk’s broken heart. Her initial VR art was released shortly after the album’s release, but over time she frequently updated the storytelling as VR become more powerful and capable, resulting in the most recent 2025 version.</p> <p>And this takes the conversation back to arts and entertainment. VR’s impact on storytelling can affect many applications areas across industries, sometimes in surprising ways. Over time immersive capabilities will become an expectation rather than a surprise when experiencing stories and narratives across various types of content.</p> <div class="extra-info"> <div class="extra-info-inner"> <h3 class="splash-heading">Read more about immersive technologies</h3> <ul class="default-list"> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/feature/Expanding-sensory-experiences-in-virtual-environments">Expanding sensory experiences in virtual environments</a>: Augmented, virtual and extended realities are all trying to allow users to interact with virtual information in ways we are used to in real life.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/feature/AI-XR-digital-twins-set-to-transform-robotics">AI, XR, digital twins set to transform robotics</a>: The availability of advanced sensors, artificial intelligence, digital twins, XR and robotics has changed technology-driven markets. We look at how the intersection of these technologies will create commercial opportunities.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366626251/AR-VR-headset-market-reaching-critical-tipping-point">AR/VR headset market reaching ‘critical tipping point’</a>: Research finds marked uptick in immersive technologies market with 18.1% year-on-year growth fuelled by immersive and versatile experiences, with future growth anticipated to be driven by mixed and extended reality.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/feature/The-many-ways-AI-can-empower-XR">The many ways AI can empower XR</a>: There is an almost ‘irresistible’ marriage between artificial intelligence and extended reality, yet while their combination will create benefits, there will also be some downsides.</li> </ul> </div> </div> <p><em>Martin Schwirn is the author of ‘Small data, big disruptions: How to spot signals of change and manage uncertainty’ (ISBN 9781632651921). Schwirn has advised companies internationally for SRI International and Business Finland. He is a strategy and innovation consultant for Global 2000 companies.</em></p> </section> Storytelling will play a bigger role in tomorrow’s society – whether through teaching and learning, arts and entertainment, or health – with virtual reality technology seeking to transform experiences by bringing stories alive https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/visuals/ComputerWeekly/Hero%20Images/Ericsson-5G-VR-AR-PR-hero.jpg https://www.computerweekly.com/feature/Immersive-narratives-how-VR-transforms-industries-through-storytelling Fri, 08 May 2026 06:51:00 GMT Immersive narratives: how VR transforms industries through storytelling <p>Europe’s mobile networks risk falling further behind the world’s digital leaders unless investment conditions change quickly through targeted government campaigns, warns a GSMA study, which found the region’s operators are investing significantly less per connection than global peers, despite rising data usage and growing demands from artificial intelligence (AI), transport and industry.</p> <p>Furthermore, the <a title="https://url.us.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/o3l-CDkY05iMXZ5RjsWfrUjvALg?domain=urldefense.com" href="https://www.gsma.com/about-us/regions/europe/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Mobile-Investment-Needs-in-Europe-GSMA.pdf"><i>Mobile investment needs in Europe</i></a> report from the global mobile trade association calculated that investment of as much as €475bn was required over the next decade to complete Europe’s 5G journey and regain digital leadership, but a €205bn funding gap is currently leaving critical infrastructure, innovation and resilience at risk.</p> <p>The report was conducted by the investment arm of the trade body and is said to have come as Europe’s digital capabilities continue to lag behind leading global standards. It noted that while <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366639259/Global-5G-standalone-dynamic-shifts-from-coverage-to-capability">5G standalone</a> (5G SA) – essentially what it described as “full” 5G, with faster speeds, lower latency, and innovative services and features deriving from <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366639478/Nokia-AWS-demo-agentic-AI-network-slicing-with-du-Orange">network slicing</a> – is already available to 80% of the population in Greater China and almost 50% in India, in Europe, it reaches only 2% of citizens.</p> <p>Much of the lag described by the GSMA is attributed to the more favourable investment conditions in these non-European markets. Indeed, the study discovered that capital expenditure (capex) per connection in Europe is just €35, compared with €70 for global connectivity leaders. The stark net result, stressed the GSMA, was that the European bloc remained unable to keep pace and compete. </p> <p>And while mobile internet usage has increased every year since 2018 by an average of 27%, operator revenues were found to have fallen by an average of 3% per year over the same period, further restricting available investment capital. The GSMA also highlighted how the financial burden currently sits with the industry itself, with operators themselves putting up 85% of the investment into network infrastructure, <a href="https://www.gsma.com/solutions-and-impact/connectivity-for-good/public-policy/gsma_resources/mobile-infrastructure-investment-landscape/">according to other data from its intelligence arm</a>.</p> <p>The GSMA also regarded the new analysis as a timely update on the <a href="https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/library/investment-and-funding-needs-digital-decade-connectivity-targets">European Commission’s 2023 research</a> into the likely cost of achieving the <a href="https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/europes-digital-decade">Digital Decade</a> targets. This estimated that around €174bn, rising to more than €200bn, of digital investment was needed by 2030.</p> <p>However, the GSMA warned that the operators have already invested €141bn since 2021 and Europe has not yet met those targets, while trailing further behind global 5G leaders. The report finds that of the current €475bn investment need to 2035, only 57% is currently forecast to materialise.</p> <p>Of the aforementioned €205bn, the 43% deficit, around half was seen as needed to provide 5G coverage across Europe’s main transport routes such as road, rail and waterways. A further €35bn was seen to be required to extend 5G coverage to the entire European population, while €38bn was seen as appropriate to build greater network resilience and €28bn to underpin AI-based services and innovation.</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="What can be done to close the investment gap?"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>What can be done to close the investment gap?</h2> <p>Looking at how the industry would close the gap and create the required investment conditions to unlock the remaining 43%, the report outlined three areas of major potential regulatory reform: in-market consolidation, effective spectrum management and addressing asymmetrical regulation.</p> <p>Regarding the former, the study observed that since 2015, <a href="https://www.gsma.com/about-us/regions/europe/news/competition-dynamics-in-mobile-markets-in-europe/">three-player markets in Europe have experienced higher investment levels</a> as a proportion of revenues and per connection relative to four-player markets, while also improving service quality by comparison.</p> <blockquote class="main-article-pullquote"> <div class="main-article-pullquote-inner"> <figure> Europe needs a significantly more pro-investment regulatory environment to secure the continent’s digital future and enhance global competitiveness </figure> <figcaption> <strong>Vivek Badrinath, GSMA</strong> </figcaption> <i class="icon" data-icon="z"></i> </div> </blockquote> <p>In addition, the GSMA observed that spectrum costs in Europe have almost tripled over the past decade and <a href="https://www.gsma.com/connectivity-for-good/spectrum/gsma_resources/spectrum-pricing-and-renewals-in-europe/">applying measures such as low-cost renewals could free up to €30bn in capital</a>, with more than 500 licences due for renewal by 2035. The GSMA believes that long-term certainty offered by indefinite licences, such as those proposed in the European Union’s draft Digital Networks Act, would also lead to improved investment incentives.</p> <p>The association also remarked that a range of current regulations, including around open internet access and net neutrality, the Cyber Resilience Act, and the European Electronic Communications Code, could impose additional costs and reduce revenue growth opportunities.</p> <p>It suggested that a more balanced relationship between mobile operators and other players in the digital ecosystem could encourage investment in networks, and ultimately drive industry and innovation.</p> <p>Ultimately, the GSMA said that realigning Europe’s investment environment through these policy reforms would allow the region’s capex per connection to potentially double over the coming decade and reach similar levels to those in North America and East Asia. This, in turn, could help deliver the real user and market benefits of 5G SA and <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366639874/Qualcomm-plots-out-6G-Wi-Fi-8-future-with-AI-as-the-new-user-interface">ultimately 6G connectivity</a>, and underpin Europe’s economy, resilience and innovation in the digital age.</p> <p>“The numbers are clear: to support Europe’s digital ambitions and expectations, almost €0.5tn in investment into mobile networks is needed over the next 10 years, and only around half of that is currently likely to come through. Europe needs a significantly more pro-investment regulatory environment to secure the continent’s digital future and enhance global competitiveness,” said GSMA director general Vivek Badrinath.</p> <p>“There are encouraging opportunities for policymakers, both in the ongoing <a href="https://competition-policy.ec.europa.eu/mergers/review-merger-guidelines_en">review of the Merger Guidelines</a> and in delivering on the promise of the Digital Networks Act proposals, correcting for its known shortcomings without watering down its more ambitious aspects. Inaction now is not an option with Europe’s digital future on the line.”</p> <div class="pro-features-wrapper"></div> <div class="extra-info"> <div class="extra-info-inner"> <h3 class="splash-heading">Read more about 5G in Europe</h3> <ul class="default-list"> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366627194/UK-among-worst-performers-in-Europe-for-fundamental-5G-metrics">UK among worst performers in Europe for fundamental 5G metrics</a>: Study from mobile network testing firm uncovers gaps in UK 5G performance compared with European leaders, with ‘significant’ disparity between theoretical population coverage and the daily reality for millions.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366619530/Europe-severely-lags-other-major-regions-in-5G-standalone">Europe ‘severely’ lags other major regions in 5G standalone</a>: Research from network intelligence company shows interplay of earlier deployments, more diversified multi-band spectrum and greater willingness to invest in new use cases have driven 5G SA roll-outs at a faster rate.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366639110/Telefonica-activates-commercial-Edge-services-in-Spain">Telefónica activates commercial Edge services in Spain</a>: As part of its Edge Plan in Europe, Spain-based global telco begins marketing business-to-business services in five of the 17 nodes planned for this year supported by FTTH, 5G network and Open Gateway APIs.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366627652/European-5G-landscape-on-a-rollercoaster">European 5G landscape ‘on a rollercoaster’</a>: Research finds impact of spectrum availability across Europe, leading to disparity of 5G download speeds with increases in the use of the 3.5GHz spectrum strongly correlating with faster 5G downloads.</li> </ul> </div> </div> </section> The global mobile association calls on targeted regulatory reform from European governments to close the 5G funding gap by focusing on consolidation and smarter spectrum policy https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/visuals/ComputerWeekly/HeroImages/T-Mobile-5G-Advanced-mast-PR-hero.jpg https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366642836/GSMA-205bn-funding-gap-leaving-Europes-critical-infrastructure-at-risk Fri, 08 May 2026 06:25:00 GMT GSMA: €205bn funding gap leaving Europe’s critical infrastructure at risk <p>Noting that, for decades, networking ran in the background, but is now a true central nervous system that determines how fast businesses can move, how much they spend and, perhaps crucially right now, whether AI investments produce value, infrastructure firm Lumen Technologies is to acquire cloud-native, carrier-agnostic networking platform Alkira.</p> <p>Alkira serves enterprise customers across financial services, technology, retail, healthcare and manufacturing sectors globally. The proposed $475m all-cash transaction – expected to close in the third quarter of 2026 – is designed to pair Alkira’s hybrid and multicloud native control plane with Lumen’s fibre network, advancing the latter’s digital platform strategy to deliver cloud-like consumption for global enterprise networking.</p> <p>On closing the transaction, Lumen plans to begin offering Alkira’s core connectivity services to its enterprise base, with deeper platform integration to follow. For Alkira, the combination with Lumen will pair its cloud-native orchestration with a high-bandwidth, low-latency fibre network, including private networks, significantly extending its reach and performance. Lumen’s commercial engine and global customer base will also provide a scaled distribution path.</p> <p>The underlying rationale for the acquisition is said to be the programmable network imperative in how AI is reshaping how enterprises operate and how their networks must perform. Lumen noted that <a href="https://www.lumen.com/blog/en-us/kate-johnson-programmable-network">more than half of current internet traffic is automated traffic generated by software systems rather than human users</a>. That means networks have to be big enough, fast enough, intelligent enough and secure enough to keep up.</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="A new category of enterprise networking"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>A new category of enterprise networking</h2> <p>Yet, said Lumen, many enterprise networks remain static, manually configured and fragmented across providers. To alleviate this issue, it said it is working to define a new category of enterprise networking – one built on world-class physical infrastructure, a programmable network and a connected ecosystem of clouds, applications and partners. </p> <p>Lumen regards the acquisition as a way to accelerate its vision of a programmable network with a single control plane that orchestrates connectivity beyond its network across datacentres, multiple clouds, partner ecosystems and on-premise environments.</p> <p>Combined with Lumen’s core assets, the acquisition is seen as able to deliver strategic value through fronts such as platform acceleration, expanded addressable market, international reach, deeper partner integration and “world-class” talent.</p> <p>Once acquired and integrated, the Alkira product will unify Lumen’s on-net and off-net services, cloud on-ramps and multicloud gateway into a single programmable platform. Lumen believes this will advance its roadmap by several years and substantially complete its digital architecture.</p> <p>Lumen’s network-as-a-service (NaaS) business is currently concentrated in premises-to-cloud (north-south) connectivity. The acquisition is also seen as accelerating Lumen’s move into cloud-to-cloud and datacentre-interconnect (east-west) connectivity – the fastest growing segment of enterprise networking. Lumen estimates Alkira’s global footprint and cloud-native capabilities will bring its total addressable market to approximately $70bn.</p> <p>Another key facet is AI-ready agility. That is, networks can be activated and modified on demand, with capacity that scales up or down as workloads shift, so customers pay only for what they use. This is said to deliver the <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366641133/AI-driven-operating-model-key-to-cloud-native-autonomous-networks">performance, resilience and security AI workloads require</a>, turning network changes from multi-month projects into real-time actions.</p> <p>Commenting on the deal, Alkira CEO Amir Khan said: “We built Alkira on a single conviction: enterprise networking had to be reinvented for the cloud and AI era – programmable, on-demand, consumed, not built. By joining Lumen, we will pair our cloud-native orchestration with one of the world’s most expansive fibre networks and a proven commercial engine, setting a new standard for how enterprises build and run networks in a multicloud and AI world.”</p> <div class="pro-features-wrapper"></div> <div class="extra-info"> <div class="extra-info-inner"> <h3 class="splash-heading">Read more about AI for networking</h3> <ul class="default-list"> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366642566/Extreme-Connect-26-Agent-ONE-takes-forward-network-AI">Extreme Connect 26: Agent ONE takes forward network AI</a>: Network firm launches ‘smarter, faster, autonomous’ approach to enterprise networking, with its operating model moving from assistive AI to autonomous, always-on operations.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366641094/Marvell-scales-up-networking-to-extend-Nvidia-AI-ecosystem">Marvell scales up networking to extend Nvidia AI ecosystem</a>: AI GPU leader sees extension of AI infrastructure through collaboration with infrastructure technology to deliver more choice and flexibility for customers with fully compatible systems.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366641242/Cisco-network-readiness-a-determining-factor-for-AI-success">Network readiness a determining factor for AI success</a>: Report reveals how firms are harnessing AI to drive progress and overcome industry challenges, with most expecting ‘significant’ increases in connectivity and reliability demands.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366641460/Optical-networks-to-bridge-the-AI-compute-consumption-gap">Optical networks to bridge the AI compute-consumption gap</a>: With AI spurring gigawatt-scale datacentre builds across APAC, Ciena is deploying ultra-fast, energy-efficient optical networking and AI-driven automation to ensure AI services can reach consumers.</li> </ul> </div> </div> </section> Acquisition to see physical infrastructure and programmable network united with cloud-native control plane to deliver a single, digital connectivity platform with cloud-to-cloud and datacentre-interconnect https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/visuals/ComputerWeekly/Hero%20Images/fibre-broadband-FTTP-abstract-adobe.jpeg https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366642684/Alkira-acquisition-gives-Lumen-cloud-connectivity-control-plane Fri, 08 May 2026 05:50:00 GMT Alkira acquisition gives Lumen cloud connectivity control plane <p>As it furthers its journey into providing critical infrastructure throughout the UK, business connectivity provider <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/search">Neos Networks</a> has teamed with mobile infrastructure services firm Cornerstone to provide connectivity services to UK “microscaler” StonesThro to support distributed sovereign edge cloud infrastructure.</p> <p>Seeking to establish a difference between <a href="https://www.stonesthro.co.uk/">StonesThro</a> and hyperscalers that centralise infrastructure in major datacentres, <a href="https://neosnetworks.com/">Neos</a> noted that microscalers distribute cloud and artificial intelligence (AI) compute power to localised sites.</p> <p>By connecting these regional hubs into its national, business‑dedicated network, Neos assured that StonesThro and <a href="https://www.cornerstone.network/">Cornerstone</a> could serve users in key urban and industrial areas. The planned deployments will also use Cornerstone’s national infrastructure footprint, enabling distributed cloud nodes to be deployed at scale.</p> <p>The partners believe that such a distributed model is already unlocking new capabilities for sectors where proximity is important for functionality, ranging from autonomous vehicles and large enterprises to local authorities and high-security sovereign software providers. Additionally, they say that for critical national infrastructure (CNI) customers handling sensitive data, the UK sovereign model offers an alternative to international cloud providers.</p> <p>In 2025, in partnership with Network Rail, Neos Networks announced <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366634755/First-fibre-laid-under-Project-Reach-UK-digital-backbone">Project Reach, claimed to be the biggest core fibre network deployment</a> in decades. Neos’ UK-wide network will support Cornerstone and StonesThro in delivering secure connectivity to CNI operators, such as those in the rail industry, which often require domestic infrastructure.</p> <section class="section main-article-chapter" data-menu-title="Supporting UK digital ambitions"> <h2 class="section-title"><i class="icon" data-icon="1"></i>Supporting UK digital ambitions</h2> <p>In what the firms believe will be another key advantage, they stressed how they are supporting the UK government’s AI and datacentre ambitions through an alternative infrastructure model. Rather than concentrating compute power in large southern datacentres, they believe that StonesThro’s distributed approach moves AI capabilities closer to where they’re needed and closer to where power is generated, addressing both the <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366640935/Data-dive-Government-2030-datacentre-capacity-targets-look-shaky">UK’s datacentre capacity shortage</a> and grid transmission challenges.</p> <p>“Our national footprint is the ideal backbone for Cornerstone and StonesThro’s edge AI cloud,” commented Neos Networks CEO Lee Myall. “Through our high-capacity connectivity, we are providing the UK-wide sovereign coverage, optionality and technical resilience required for high-security projects. We are proud to power the infrastructure that will enable the next generation of real-time applications and critical national services.</p> <p>“Working with Neos Networks and Cornerstone allows us to develop and scale sovereign edge AI infrastructure with national reach,” added StonesThro chief information security officer Andy Bates. “Its position as the UK’s largest B2B connectivity provider, alongside its access to the rail network through Project Reach, makes it the ideal collaborator to help us deliver a local solution for local people.”</p> <p>Specifically designed to end the worst signal blackspots on the major rail arteries of Britain and no less than rewire the UK for the next decade of digital growth, Project Reach’s nationwide roll-out will see at least 1,000km of high-grade fibre laid alongside Britain’s railways. By using the rail network as a national corridor for new fibre, Neos stated that it was taking advantage of the most direct, secure and future-proof routes available.</p> <p>The infrastructure will support everything from rail operations and transport digitisation to the surging demand created by AI, cloud and datacentre expansion. Structurally, the project brings together public and private sector investment and infrastructure, and its developers claim they will be able to save taxpayers around £300m while delivering substantial benefits to rail users.</p> <p>The scheme also aims to <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366626732/UK-rail-network-gets-on-track-for-enhanced-connectivity">create a high-performing digital connectivity backbone</a> for businesses, providing connectivity to datacentres and high-performance edge facilities, supporting the UK’s digital ambitions and driving innovation.</p> <div class="pro-features-wrapper"></div> <div class="extra-info"> <div class="extra-info-inner"> <h3 class="splash-heading">Read more about UK critical network infrastructure</h3> <ul class="default-list"> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366640692/Zayo-provides-critical-connectivity-infrastructure-for-AI-cloud-datacentres">Zayo provides critical connectivity infrastructure for AI, cloud datacentres</a>: Enterprise network provider deploys connectivity infrastructure to one of the UK’s largest AI cloud datacentre campuses to support up to 720 MW of AI-ready infrastructure.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366639976/Render-Networks-unveils-synchronised-agentic-critical-infrastructure-architecture">Render Networks unveils synchronised agentic critical infrastructure</a>: Critical infrastructure execution and intelligence software provider unveils agentic AI architecture designed for dynamic, scalable execution at infrastructure operators and constructors.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366638864/Cisco-shapes-up-for-delivery-of-critical-infrastructure-in-the-AI-era">Cisco shapes up for delivery of critical infrastructure in the AI era</a>: Annual European expo reveals what IT and networking behemoth claims will be a leap forward in AI adoption, with new products encompassing switches, optics, agentic operations and SASE.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366632062/3bn-opportunity-in-digital-network-upgrade-of-UK-critical-infrastructure">£3bn opportunity in digital network upgrade of UK critical infrastructure</a>: Study from BT highlights multibillion-pound net benefit that could be unlocked by upgrading critical services to digital platform.</li> </ul> </div> </div> </section> Strategic collaboration designed to enable distributed microscale AI compute with national, resilient connectivity for critical sectors https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/visuals/ComputerWeekly/Hero%20Images/Neos-Networks-Ethernet-hero.jpg https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366642748/Neos-Networks-Cornerstone-StonesThro-power-UK-sovereign-edge-cloud Fri, 08 May 2026 05:18:00 GMT Neos Networks, Cornerstone and StonesThro power UK sovereign edge cloud <p>In the latest part of its recent continued efforts to build end-to-end space systems, Swissto12 has inked a major contract with German high-performance space subsystem provider HPS/LSS to provide its HummingSat platform with a large deployable L-band reflector antenna that unfolds in orbit after launch.</p> <p>Adding extra capability to its core system, opening up an entirely new category of space system and an alternative to traditional low Earth orbit (LEO)-based D2D architectures, <a title="https://url.us.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/dYJuCqxV2vtR9zLKNsXhRUEWbsq?domain=urldefense.com" href="https://url.us.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/dYJuCqxV2vtR9zLKNsXhRUEWbsq?domain=urldefense.com">Swissto12</a> hopes to reinforce Europe’s advanced capabilities in satellite engineering, bringing together Swiss and German expertise in an ecosystem backed by the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European space agency (ESA)</a>.</p> <p>Specifically, the collaboration will see the Munich-based consortium provide a large deployable reflector subsystem (LDRS) for the Neastar-1 mission, built on HummingSat, enabling what is claimed to be the world’s first direct-to-device media broadcasting capabilities from geostationary orbit.</p> <p>The <a href="https://swissto12.com/hummingsat">HummingSat platform</a> is described as a new class of geostationary satellites that are “significantly” smaller and more cost-efficient than conventional GEO craft. HummingSat is seen as offering new economics for the geostationary satellite market, unlocking faster builds, lower costs and ride-share launches. It should also offer a telecoms-grade service backbone that plugs directly into the 3GPP non-terrestrial networks standard, designed for mass-market adoption.</p> <p>Swissto12 believes its form factor can support cost-effective production and ride-share launch opportunities with its proprietary, space-qualified additive manufacturing technology and advanced radio frequency (RF) systems, further enhancing payload performance, streamlining production, and reducing manufacturing time and cost.</p> <p>The craft was developed in collaboration with the ESA through its public-private partnership programme. The company said its RF products benefit from unique and patented 3D printing technologies and associated radio frequency product designs that deliver lightweight, compact, high-performing and “competitive” RF functionality. First deliveries are scheduled for 2027.</p> <p>The German-led antenna reflector subsystem is the result of more than 15 years of development under the ESA’s Advanced Research in Telecommunications (Artes) programme, ESA’s Earth Observation Technology Development activities, and the EU’s Horizon 2020 programme. The contract for the Neastar-1-LDRS is co-funded by ESA, with core funding from the German Space Agency within the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) and further contributions from additional ESA member states.</p> <p>Since the inception of the HummingSat programme, Swissto12 has developed a large industrial footprint in Germany, and the company noted that this latest contract further strengthens the German partnership and contribution to HummingSat.</p> <p>In the context of future cooperation, Swissto12 said it is positioning its small geostationary satellite and advanced multi-orbit payload technologies as a “strong technical and strategic fit” with the German Federal Government’s Space Strategy, in particular, with its priorities around secure communications.</p> <p>The HPS/LSS consortium joins a network of German supply chain partners including ASP, AST, DLR, Tesat, Thales Germany, Jena Optronik and Rockwell Collins Germany.</p> <p>The company said that this ecosystem reflects an increasingly confident space posture, whereby European satellite companies are selected to build advanced systems for European customers – both commercial and government.</p> <p>“Collaboration with HPS/LSS was fast and effective from the first day. We value their culture of precision engineering, deep-tech innovation, and commitment to excellence along with a drive for fast and efficient execution,” said Emile de Rijk, CEO and founder of Swissto12. “They have demonstrated a strong technical heritage and proven track record in building LDRS, notably for ESA missions, underscoring the progress of ESA and DLR’s vision to develop resilient, sovereign space capabilities.”</p> <p>Laurent Jaffart, director of resilience, navigation and connectivity at ESA, added: “ESA’s long-term investment in innovation and partnerships enable cutting-edge technologies to be brought to market, crucially boosting Europe’s global competitiveness, while strengthening autonomy and resilience. By leveraging Europe’s industrial excellence within two of our key member states, this contract is a prime example of how strong collaboration will be translated into advancing the next-generation of connectivity – particularly in the direct-to-device domain.”</p> <div class="pro-features-wrapper"></div> <div class="extra-info"> <div class="extra-info-inner"> <h3 class="splash-heading">Read more about space communications</h3> <ul class="default-list"> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366642501/TMobile-Starlink-aim-to-reinvent-business-internet-from-ground-up-sky-down">T‑Mobile, Starlink aim to reinvent business internet from ground up, sky down</a>: US 5G internet provider inks deal with leading satellite constellation to deliver broadband with ‘virtually unbreakable’ connectivity.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366641709/Amazon-acquires-Globalstar-to-expand-satellite-comms-business">Amazon acquires Globalstar to expand satellite comms business</a>: Strategic purchase to see satellites, radio frequency spectrum and operational expertise to enable existing Leo business to add direct-to-device services to future.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366641666/SES-gains-altitude-for-in-flight-connectivity-with-Boeing-Japan-Airlines">SES gains altitude for in-flight connectivity with Boeing, Japan Airlines</a>: Satellite operator claims milestone towards line-fit offer for multi-orbit connectivity, with streamlined factory installation on Boeing craft and deal with Japanese carrier.</li> <li><a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366641696/Sateliot-launches-100m-series-C-financing-round">Sateliot launches €100m series C financing round</a>: Barcelona-based satellite operator announces investment that will see use in financing deployment of constellation and starts selection process for a lead investor in new round expected to close in summer.</li> </ul> </div> </div> Swiss manufacturer of advanced satellite solutions collaborates with German space subsystem provider for space tech system intended enable operations of small-GEO D2D satellite https://cdn.ttgtmedia.com/visuals/ComputerWeekly/Hero%20Images/earth-space-satellite-network-comms-adobe.jpeg https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366642763/SWISSto12-HPS-LSS-intro-satellite-unfurling-antenna-reflector Fri, 08 May 2026 04:39:00 GMT Swissto12, HPS/LSS intro satellite unfurling antenna reflector ComputerWeekly.com 60 editor@computerweekly.com