Telefónica Tech and Fortinet announce new SD-WAN service As the hybrid and cloud-centric work model has become the new normal, Telefónica Tech and the cybersecurity firm Fortinet have unveiled a new worldwide managed, software-defined wide area networking (SD-WAN) solution aimed at the work-from-home market. Fortinet’s latest solution, flexWAN, will debut in Spain before being rolled out internationally across Telefónica’s European and American markets. For corporate personnel connecting from their workplaces or other locations to their jobs, this solution combines networking and security into a single product. Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/yrtssb94 Vodafone launches Eco-SIMs Vodafone has announced that it will begin providing customers half-sized Eco-SIM cards manufactured from recycled plastic. The Eco-SIM should reduce the requirement for 320 tonnes of new plastic to be manufactured each year, resulting in a reduction of about 1,280 tonnes of CO2 emissions each year. Eco-SIMs are expected to be gradually introduced in all twelve of…
Virgin Media expands its gigabit network Virgin Media has successfully upgraded 1.5 million additional premises to DOCSIS 3.1, allowing users to achieve internet speeds exceeding one gigabit per second. Over half of the 15.5 million subscriber homes in the UK may now get gigabit services thanks to this latest initiative. The network improvements were made at a variety of sites around the United Kingdom, including cities such as Bournemouth, Bristol, Northampton, Southampton, Wolverhampton, Wigan, and York. VMO2 will continue to roll out DOCSIS 3.1 improvements throughout the rest of its network, after earlier stating that they will have updated their whole footprint by the end of 2021. Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/hj4emdmf Avature in partnership with DIDWW Avature has teamed up with DIDWW, an international telecom operator that offers high quality VoIP services. By using DIDWW’s two-way SIP services, Avature will be able to maintain continuous communications and worldwide connection across…
VCC Live partners with DIDWW VCC Live, a provider of innovative cloud-based contact center software for inbound, outbound and cross-channel contact centers, has announced a strategic partnership with global telecommunications operator DIDWW, which provides high quality VoIP and SIP trunking services to businesses and telecommunications operators around the world. As part of the partnership, VCC Live will take advantage of DIDWW’s extensive virtual telephone number coverage, which will allow VCC Lives’s contact center business to grow effectively in all geographic areas. DIDWW’s vast inventory of virtual phone numbers allows VCC Live to continue the rapid growth of their global business. Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/xhu9xheb Microsoft collaborates with O2 UK Microsoft and O2 are developing a proof-of-concept investigation to determine the benefits of on-premises Mobile Edge Computing (MEC) inside a private 5G network, focusing on security and low latency. The possible benefits of this proposed architecture are noteworthy, combining secure, high-bandwidth…
Cisco, a global giant and provider of IT, networking and cybersecurity solutions, has announced that it has received the final regulatory approval for a $4.5 billion agreement to purchase Acacia. The merger was reportedly approved by the Chinese government’s State Market Regulatory Administration (SAMR) on Tuesday. The consent from SAMR was the last hurdle to clear for Cisco to complete the deal. Cisco’s plans to acquire Acacia Communications were first announced in July of 2019. The deal was on a fully diluted basis to buy the company for $70 per share in cash for a total of $2.6 billion. Cisco had then received the regulatory go-ahead from the United States, Germany and Austria. Cisco has received the approval under certain conditions. According to SAMR, the deal could progress as long as Cisco and Acacia continue to fulfill existing contracts in China, as well as supply Chinese companies in…
T-Mobile, the third-largest carrier in the United States, that has recently completed a $26 billion merger with Sprint, announced that it had experienced a second data breach in December, 2020. The security breach may have revealed call-related information and phone numbers of some of its customers. According to the company, it recently discovered illegal access to some customer account information, including data that T-Mobile collects on its customers when considering the provision of mobile services. However, the company reported that the information affected by the violation did not include the customer’s account names, physical or email addresses, financial data, credit card information, social security numbers, tax IDs, passwords or PINs. The information accessed by hackers is known as Customer Proprietary Network Information (CPNI). This data can include call records, such as when the call was made, how long it lasted, the caller’s phone number and destination phone numbers,…
Telecommunications trends tend to change dramatically every year. No one could have foreseen where 2020 would take us: during this year there were more digital transformations than in the whole of the last decade, with these transformations being accelerated by the global pandemic. Given the modernization of technology and the current situation, customer demand for reliable services has grown significantly. This means major changes and even more challenges for the telecommunications industry. With 2021 being within arm’s reach, let us take a look at the future trends and forecasts for the telecommunications and VoIP industry. 5G will go mainstream, with 6G being planned 5G technology is one of the most discussed trends in the telecommunications market today. 5G is a revolutionary fifth-generation wireless networking technology that will radically change the Internet. Its main advantages are faster internet speeds and shorter response times, while eliminating packet loss and network congestion during…
Telefonica acquires Govertis Advisory Services The Spanish international telecommunications company, Telefonica, has announced the acquisition of the Valencia-based consulting company Govertis Advisory Services. The procurement was made through its subsidiary the cybersecurity company ElevenPaths. According to Telefonica, Govertis offers solutions that combine both legal and technological aspects of cybersecurity. The purchase of Govertis is related to Telefonica‘s ongoing investments in security through the development of proprietary solutions, the implementation of technologies in the global SOC network, and the acquisition of and investment in new companies. Eduard Chaveli, CEO and founder of Govertis, commented that this deal was a “natural next step in a long-standing relationship”. Read more at https://tinyurl.com/y2lr9pl7 Argentinian government freezes Telco prices Argentina‘s government has extended a ruling applicable to Internet, mobile and pay-TV providers, preventing them from raising their prices until the end of 2020. These measurements were first implemented in May of this year to combat…
Pentagon will allow telecoms to use military airwaves for 5G networks On Monday, the Pentagon and the White House announced plans to issue a permit for telecommunication service providers to use air waves that were previously reserved for military radar, to build new high speed 5G networks. This initiative is in response to wireless service providers, who say they need more airwaves to support growing demand for 5G signals. Sales of the 3450-3550 megahertz bands are scheduled to begin in December of 2021. According to Dana Deasy, chief information officer for the Department of Defense, the Pentagon will continue to use this bandwidth for military purposes. Read more at https://tinyurl.com/yy4k4nhb HMD gets $230 million funding from Google, Qualcomm and Nokia HMD Global, Nokia’s brand marketing agency, announced to have secured a $230 million investment from Google, Qualcomm, Nokia and other undisclosed investors. As stated by HMD Global, the funds will…
The outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic has impacted industries and businesses all across the globe and has brought the world economy to a halt, with millions of people placed under lockdown. With most of society working and studying from home, the need for technology has increased considerably, and the significant rise in the use of digital tools during social distancing has put the telecommunications sector at the forefront in facilitating the situation. What kind of impact has Covid-19 had on the telecom sector? Now that the global supply chain has been thrown into chaos and the work-from-home concept has become the “new normal“, the need of remote communication has risen significantly so as to ensure business continuity. The telecommunication sector is witnessing significantly higher demands, as they play a key role in facilitating the connectivity required by customers implementing these essential digital tools . Rise of demand for Telco services…
Deutsche Telekom hits 50% 5G population coverage Deutsche Telekom, the largest German telecommunications company, has expanded its 5G connectivity to 3,000 towns across all German states. A total of 18,000 antennas, out of the 30,000 already installed, have been upgraded to support 5G services in the last 5 weeks, and as a result, 50% of Germany‘s population now has 5G coverage. Walter Goldenits, Head of Technology, commented: “The 50 percent is no reason for us to rest on our laurels. The 5G rollout continues with the same intensity. Two thirds of the population are our next target. And we want to achieve this too this year.” Read more at https://tinyurl.com/y4z6fd2m Google Cloud and Orange announce their collaboration Google Cloud and Orange announced that they are partnering up for data, AI and edge computing development. The two companies plan on transforming Orange’s IT infrastructure, developing future cloud services, improving operational efficiency…