During Super Bowl LVII in Glendale, Arizona, Verizon customers broke the company’s data use record. On game day, 60% of the 67,827 spectators used Verizon’s cellular network, consuming 47.8TB of data in and around State Farm Stadium. This statistic reflects a 36% increase in data use over Super Bowl LVI in 2022. The highest data use surges happened during the halftime performance and during kickoff. The network’s peak download rates reached 4,200Mbps, while the median download speeds were 2,300Mbps. A team of 100 Verizon engineers operated the Network Command Center 24 hours a day, seven days a week to provide a dependable network experience for spectators, first responders and public safety teams. In preparation for the game, Verizon committed more than $100 million in network improvements and enhancements in and around State Farm Stadium and the surrounding Phoenix region. The company installed 5G Ultra-Wideband in various zones within…
GoTo, a supplier of IT management, support and corporate communication services through its flagship products, has announced GoTo Customer Engagement. This multi-channel solution combines GoTo Connect’s telephone system and customer communication tools, analytics and digital platform to help organizations reach a larger audience and build their business. By providing a single, user-friendly inbox for handling different communications channels such as phone, SMS, webchat and social media, this solution enables organizations to engage with consumers more effectively. This service enables businesses to contact their consumers wherever they are, increasing the likelihood of a response. Businesses may interact more effectively with GoTo Customer Engagement by including webchat, social media and SMS into their channel mix. The system is simple to implement and operate, making modernizing company communications a breeze. The shared inbox also enables several team members to handle customer inquiries and respond to queries and comments swiftly, regardless of…
Google has announced the development of Bard, an AI-powered conversational service that will compete with OpenAI’s ChatGPT. The technology, dubbed an “experimental conversational AI service,” will respond to users’ inquiries and engage in discussions. The program will first be made accessible to a select number of “trusted testers,” before being freely available in the near future. Google has deep expertise in the sort of AI that powers ChatGPT. However, the business has been more cautious about making its AI technologies accessible to the general public. LaMDA, the language model that supports Bard, has already been made accessible through Google’s AI Test Kitchen program, although it has certain limitations. Tech businesses are generally concerned about the possible backlash against untested AI. Large language models like LaMDA and GPT-3.5 have a history of producing harmful information. With the introduction of Bard, Google has significantly changed its approach to AI…
We may not always realize it, but we spend a good part of our lives online. We frequently reveal our names, addresses and credit card numbers when accessing shopping and social networking sites, and trust those sites to keep us and our information secure. You lock the door when you wish to keep your home safe. The same should apply on the Internet, where we can considerably limit our exposure to a variety of hazards by implementing a modest number of Internet safety measures. You know what they say – the Internet is like your front door: a lock doesn’t do much good if you leave the key under the welcome mat. Is it safe to be in the Internet? Learning about cybersecurity and online safety might feel like swimming through a sea of technical jargon. There are several cybersecurity terminologies to be familiar with, but we’ve selected a handful of…
T-Mobile has announced its latest sustainability initiative, a commitment to reach net-zero emissions across its entire carbon footprint by 2040. The operator has also joined The Climate Pledge, a community of organizations working together to combat global carbon emissions. T-Mobile is the first wireless company in the United States to set a net-zero objective that has been certified by the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) using its Net-Zero Standard. The target includes direct and indirect emissions from T-Mobile’s operations and facilities, purchased electricity, and all remaining indirect scope 3 emissions, such as those produced by suppliers, customer device usage, materials, employee travel and other factors, accounting for roughly two-thirds of the company’s total carbon footprint. The Climate Pledge, launched in 2019 by Amazon and Global Optimism, is a pledge to reach net-zero emissions 10 years before the date targeted by the Paris Agreement. T-Mobile joins almost 400 companies…
Greek authorities to investigate telecoms operators The Hellenic Authority for Communication Security and Privacy (ADAE) in Greece is about to launch an investigation into telecommunications companies for improper monitoring demands made by the Greek secret services. This probe follows a controversy last year in which the government reportedly spied on journalists and politicians using Predator malware. The Greek government has acknowledged some of the monitoring activities, but insists that they were carried out legitimately and that it did not purchase the malware. ADAE will form a team to supervise the probe and will analyze private data using powers given by the Greek Constitution. Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/mwwms58e PBX-Change is now KUDUCOM™ KUDUCOM, a Tampa Bay, Florida-based communications company, has rebranded itself and introduced a new name, brand, vision and mission. For almost two decades, the company, originally known as PBX-Change, has offered organizations voice, internet and cloud-based communication services. The…
Viasat, a leading global communications company, has announced that it has been awarded a contract extension worth up to $325 million over a five-year period by the US Special Operations Command (SOCOM). This indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract is an extension of a previous IDIQ contract worth $350 million that was awarded to Viasat in 2017. Under the terms of the contract, Viasat will continue to provide advanced mission equipment and services, and support to SOCOM forces in order to improve their situational awareness, integration, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), tactical satellite communications, information assurance and network management capabilities. This IDIQ contract is intended to be flexible in order to respond to rapid technological advances and the changing mission needs of SOCOM forces. This latest deal allows for the implementation of new concepts of operation (CONOPS) and the achievement of desired mission outcomes through the rapid deployment…
Amazon Web Services awarded $724M cloud contract The US Navy has issued a single contract to Amazon Web Services (AWS) potentially worth $723.9 million. Under a five-year enterprise software license (ESL) agreement, AWS will provide the Department of the Navy access to AWS’ commercial cloud environment, including training, certification courses and professional services from the cloud provider. The ESL includes work to be performed from December 2022 through to December 2028. Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/5ynmx3at Infovista unveils its 360° Assurance solution for VoLTE and VoNR Infovista, a global leader in network lifecycle automation, has introduced its 360° Assurance for VoLTE/VoNR solution. This advancement will equip mobile voice service providers with a comprehensive, end-to-end solution to ensure a better customer experience when using voice services. Infovista’s 360° Assurance for VoLTE/VoNR solution is designed to address specific problems that service providers face when assuring VoLTE and VoNR services, including detecting and resolving one-way…
DIDWW, a global provider of premium quality VoIP communications and SIP trunking services, has further expanded its license portfolio that offers businesses compliant two-way Voice and SMS communications. Slovenia, Croatia and Spain have been added to the constantly growing list of 28 countries where DIDWW holds national telecom operator licenses with its own numbering resources. The importance of telecom operator licenses has greatly increased over the years as VoIP services are being adopted by a growing number of larger corporations and governmental institutions. Being a licensed carrier confirms that a company is able to ensure a high level of service quality and availability and allows license holders, such as DIDWW, to match the stringent regulatory requirements demanded by wholesale VoIP providers, enterprises and businesses. Voice and SMS-enabled global phone numbers and first-class SIP trunking services are some of the most important components for any company when optimizing their business…