Indonesian telecom operator Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison has unveiled impressive financial results for the first quarter of 2024, alongside highlighting strategic partnerships with global tech giants Nvidia, Cisco, and Mastercard. In Q1, Indosat recorded total revenue of $873 million, marking a robust 15.8% year-on-year increase. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) surged by 22.1%, with an EBITDA margin of 47.0%, while net profit soared by 39.4% to reach $82 million.
Virgin Media O2 (VMO2) has unveiled a groundbreaking service named ‘smart support’ aimed at automatically monitoring and resolving home network issues for broadband customers. Leveraging Cisco ThousandEyes technology, the innovative system will debut with 300,000 Virgin Media broadband users, with plans for a comprehensive rollout in the future.
Several major technology companies have joined forces to establish The AI-Enabled ICT Workforce Consortium, aimed at enhancing skills and knowledge among tech professionals facing potential disruption from artificial intelligence (AI). Notable participants include Cisco, Accenture, Eightfold, Google, IBM, Indeed, Intel, Microsoft, and SAP, supported by key industry and labor organizations.
GoTo’s Miradore Premium+ is a new subscription tier designed for growing businesses, offering enhanced MDM capabilities. CallTower introduces CT Text with MMS and SMS features in Cisco Webex. NGMN’s report underscores the necessity of industry-standard measures for tracking energy consumption in virtualized mobile networks. Casa Systems is selling its Axyom business to Lumine Group and its cable interests to Vecima Networks due to reduced capital spending.
The latest report from Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) reveals a stark reality: only a mere three percent of organizations worldwide possess the necessary level of readiness to combat modern cybersecurity risks effectively. Released today, the 2024 Cybersecurity Readiness Index underscores a notable decline from the previous year, where 15% of enterprises were classified as mature in their cybersecurity readiness.
Amid the AI giants like Google and Microsoft, stands Amazon with its prolific investment of $2.75 billion in San Francisco’s AI startup, Anthropic. This strategic venture is Amazon’s biggest external contribution since its establishment. In return, Anthropic pledges to use Amazon Web Services as its chief cloud solution, employing AWS’s state-of-art infrastructure for their AI models. With $7.3 billion funding recently, Anthropic is galvanizing investors globally.
Stepping Hill Hospital partners CDW, a prestigious IT solutions provider, for a digital overhaul designed to boost staff functionality and enhance patient care. As part of an 18-month transformation, the collaboration introduces advanced solutions like a new Cisco wireless network, and real-time location services, among others.
In telecom news, global circular solutions provider TXO bolsters its sustainability commitment by acquiring network decommissioning specialist Lynx UK, expanding its team and global presence. Meanwhile, the FCC strengthens rules against telemarketing abuse, aiming to protect U.S. phone subscribers from unwanted calls. Enreach introduces a Contact App Suite for enhanced business connectivity, integrating voice and call control with Microsoft collaboration tools. Additionally, Tollring unveils Record AI, an affordable cloud call recording solution democratizing AI automation for improved customer experiences across organizational scales. These strategic moves signal advancements in telecom sustainability, regulatory protection, business connectivity, and AI innovation.
Ericsson, Vodafone, and Qualcomm Technologies recently pioneered data transmission via RedCap on a European network for the first time, unlocking a more streamlined, efficient mode of connectivity for IoT and other devices. Tested on Vodafone Spain’s 5G platform, the Ericsson’s RedCap technology enhances connectivity potential while providing economic and efficient data transmission. Furthermore, the demonstration introduced a new technology, New Radio Light, for extending battery life of customer devices.
Nokia, the renowned network equipment manufacturer, recently joined the Ultra Ethernet Consortium (UEC). Anchored by the Linux Foundation, the UEC fortifies Ethernet technologies to satisfy the escalating requirements of AI and high-performance computing. With members such as AMD, Cisco, and Microsoft, the consortium seeks to equip Ethernet with more advanced networking functions, while maintaining its simplicity and affordability.