The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has named Kaspersky Lab, a Moscow-based cybersecurity business and developer of popular antivirus software, as one of the organizations posing an unacceptable danger to US national security. Kaspersky is the first Russian company to be added to the list, which is currently dominated by Chinese telecoms companies. The FCC has now released its most recent list of untrustworthy vendors, which includes, for the first time, a non-Chinese company: Kaspersky. Kaspersky joins Huawei Technologies, ZTE Corporation, Hytera, Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Company, Dahua Technology Company, China Telecom (Americas) and China Mobile International USA on the list. Once a company has been included on the list, it is illegal for that organization to use federal subsidies, which are distributed through the FCC’s $8 billion yearly Universal Service Fund, or to buy any of its products or services. Domestic consumers, with the exception of government employees,…
Orange and MasMovil in talks about joint venture Orange and MasMovil have stated that they are in talks to launch a 50:50 joint venture (JV) in Spain. Orange’s Spanish subsidiary is valued at €8.1 billion, while MasMovil is valued at €11.5 billion, for a total enterprise value of €19.6 billion. The merged operator would include around 7.1 million fixed line customers and 20.2 million mobile users, with a combined FTTH network of approximately 16 million residences. The operators claim that the combination would result in a slew of meaningful synergies of more than €450 million within three years of the merger closing. Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/y5d9h3y7 Google acquires Mandiant to boost its cloud offering In a move aimed at bolstering the capabilities of its Google Cloud platform, Google has agreed to pay $5.4 billion for the cybersecurity firm Mandiant. To address harmful information and software vulnerabilities, Google Cloud currently offers…
Telefonica partners with Meta A new agreement between Meta and Telefonica has been inked to create a Metaverse Innovation Hub in Madrid. Local startups and developers will have access to a 5G laboratory inside the Hub, where they will be able to use a metaverse end-to-end testbed using Meta and Telefonica’s networks and equipment. The hub’s goal is to test innovative network topologies, use cases and devices in order to speed metaverse network and device readiness. Participants will have access to Telefonica’s open innovation ecosystem, as well as the Innovation and Talent Hub Resources and Meta’s engineering capabilities. Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/mf2jbjxu Turkcell partners with Ribbon and Odine Ribbon Communications has teamed up with Odine, a virtualized and containerized infrastructure and solution integrator, to provide Turkcell, a Turkish integrated telecommunications and technology services provider, with next-generation voice interconnect services. Ribbon’s SBC SWe, which delivers the features and capabilities of appliance-based…
The telecom industry is responsible for keeping the globe linked through communications services. There are many aspects of these services that we take for granted, from private calls to business interactions. However, it is only because of the telecom sector that we are able to swiftly connect to individuals all over the world, whether by phone, internet, airwaves or cables. For years, cybercriminals have targeted telecom operators because they maintain and manage vital communications infrastructure that is used to transport and store vast quantities of private and sensitive data. Cyber-attacks on the telecom industry in particular, have risen dramatically in recent years as technology has advanced and our world has evolved to become more connected. In this article, we hope to shed light on the cyber security threats that the telecommunications sector is facing. Also, explain how providers can defend their digital environments and key infrastructure from possible cyber-attacks Why…
Technology is rapidly progressing, resulting in a significant acceleration in technological advancements. Technological improvements have boosted innovation, agility and market development. Telecommunications is one of those businesses where experts debate which developments will have the most influence in the near future, as the latest technologies are essential in a fast-moving and fast-changing sector like telecoms. Now that we are getting closer to the start of 2022, it is time to look at the trends that will influence the telecom business in order to better grasp how this sector will change in the coming year. So, let us take a look at some technological advancements so you know what to look forward to and embrace. Wi-Fi 6 Wi-Fi 6 is a Wi-Fi network with an extendeds range, allowing for a higher density of connected devices, and providing faster communications. For starters, expanding Wi-Fi 6 networks will increase capacity, speed and reduce…
Consolidated Communications launches new gigabit service Consolidated Communications has introduced Fidium Fiber, a new Gigabit consumer fiber internet brand with an entirely new customer experience. Fidium Fiber internet will first be available in certain locations in Northern New England, providing symmetrical, Gigabit internet to residential consumers with no data limitations. Fidium provides simple, uncomplicated plans and pricing, with a range of high-speed fiber services beginning at $35 per month. Fidium is currently available in communities throughout Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont, with new locations being added on a weekly basis throughout Northern New England. Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/2m53cs8n Nokia introduces SaaS services Nokia announced the launch of several Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) applications for communication service providers (CSPs), with the objective of providing operators with a more cost-effective, flexible, and customer-centric approach for running existing networks and delivering new services. Nokia’s approach to SaaS for CSPs is to provide new software that…
IBM to purchase security firm ReaQta IBM intends to buy endpoint security firm ReaQta in order to improve its automated cybersecurity threat detection and response capabilities. The acquisition broadens IBM’s capabilities in the extended detection and response (XDR) sector, consistent with the company’s objective to supply security through an open approach that spans diverse technologies, data and hybrid cloud environments. IBM also introduced QRadar XDR, a new suite of XDR capabilities designed to assist security analysts in breaking down the walls between the industry’s growth of point products and gaining full insight through security tools and data sources, both in the cloud and on-premises. Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/ftyj3ds Airtel Africa and UNICEF enter a multi-million-dollar partnership Airtel Africa, an African telecoms service provider, has established a partnership with UNICEF to expedite the roll-out of digital learning by connecting schools to the Internet and assuring free access to educational platforms in…
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…