Based in Waterloo, Ontario, the enterprise security software and services company BlackBerry Limited has announced the launch of BlackBerry Advanced Technology Development Labs (BlackBerry Labs). The company’s new business unit will be focusing on research and development (R&D) in the cybersecurity space, using artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning. According to a statement, BlackBerry chief technology officer (CTO) Charles Eagan will lead this initiative, which will include a team of over 120 software developers, researchers, system architects, product lead and security experts. These communications professionals will work together to identify, explore and create new technologies to ensure BlackBerry is on the cutting edge of security innovation. The company stated that the initial projects from BlackBerry Labs will focus on machine learning approaches to security, in partnership with BlackBerry’s existing Cylance, Enterprise and QNX business units. “The establishment of BlackBerry Labs is the latest in a series of strategic moves…
GSMA creates largest IoT community in APAC The GSMA has announced the expansion of its Asia-Pacific IoT Partnership Programme to 31 mobile operators across 15 countries. According to GSMA Intelligence, the Asia Pacific region (APAC) has the largest IoT market in the world and is expected to reach 11 billion connections by 2025 and be worth $386 billion. The programme brings together operators and partners including developers, manufacturers and system integrators, to share best practice, discuss challenges and review progress on the development of IoT across APAC. Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/yyjsllya Nokia brings 5G lab to Europe Nokia has opened a new lab at its global headquarters in Espoo, Finland, that will help demonstrate the full range of its 5G equipment, software and services. The “5G Future X Lab” will enable telecom operators, enterprises and infrastructure providers “to learn and understand the techno-economic power of a 5G end-to-end network to…
Globe Telecom, a major provider of telecommunications services in the Philippines, is seeking to increase the number of cell sites nationwide and is expanding its network of partner tower providers. The company has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Transcend Towers Infrastructure (Philippines), a wholly owned subsidiary of the global infrastructure firm American Tower Corporation (ATC), to build shared telecoms towers in the Philippines. Under the agreement, Transcend Towers will initially construct 150 new cell sites for Globe Telecom in North Luzon in support of the common tower initiative of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT). The government’s common tower policy aims to free telecommunications providers from costly capital expenditures in setting up communication towers. According to DICT, it is targeting the building of at least 50000 new common towers across the country in the next seven to ten years. As stated by Rizza Maniego-Eala, Chief Finance Officer…
LG Uplus launches preliminary 5G roaming services in China South Korean mobile carrier LG UPlus is rolling out its 5G roaming service in China in partnership with China Unicom, a state-run telecom operator. According to the statement, LG Uplus teamed up with China Unicom for the 5G roaming service in April and tested out own services in China from June. The preliminary service was launched after the two companies completed linking their networks on August 16. LG Uplus said its 5G roaming service is currently available only on the LG V50 ThinQ smartphone, but soon it will be expanded to Samsung Galaxy S10 and Note 10 users with software upgrades. Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/yyyhqm3v Oracle strikes deal to provide cloud support for VMware workloads Oracle and VMware have announced a deal resolving their bitter dispute over how Oracle provides technical support for VMware users. The deal will make it easier…
iPhone 11: Apple launches new Pro smartphones with better cameras Apple has unveiled a new line of iPhones – iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max – featuring faster processors, improved screens, and new camera systems. All three devices look similar to their predecessors, but the company has upgraded their respective camera systems to enable wide-angle photos and made improvements that result in a longer battery life and faster performance than before. There is also a variety of new colours available, with a new matte finish on the back of the iPhone 11 Pro. Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/y3ery8a6 Huawei wants to sell its 5G tech to rivals – report The Chinese tech giant is prepared to help create a competitor on the market by selling a perpetual licence to its 5G technology. Huawei founder and CEO Ren Zhengfei has made a remarkable claim that for a one-time fee,…
SES Networks, a provider of global connectivity and managed data services through the only multi-orbit satellite-enabled network and wide-ranging infrastructure on the ground, has announced that it will deliver dedicated, private network connectivity from any vessel, airplane, enterprise, energy or government site in the world to Microsoft Azure using its satellite systems. According to the announcement, SES is able to provide connectivity services across its global fleet of 50 Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) and 20 Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) satellites. The company’s 20 O3b MEO satellites are able to deliver MEF-certified data connectivity with low latency via Azure’s global gateway network and earth-bound network infrastructure, resulting in services that are suitable for edge computing. As the first Microsoft Azure ExpressRoute services partner with a cloud-scale satellite network, SES Networks will offer Azure customers the ability to leverage their satellite-enabled managed services to connect locations and sites in remote and…
Samsung Electronics has officially revealed the first 5G smartphone in its mid-range Galaxy A series. The announcement comes just a few weeks after launching the company’s flagship Galaxy S10 5G and Galaxy Note 10 5G devices. The new Galaxy A90 with 5G connectivity offers near flagship-grade hardware and includes some impressive features like Samsung DeX support, “Desktop Experience” software for mirroring the phone’s screen and apps on a PC or TV, and Game Booster for enhanced gaming performance. DJ Koh, President and CEO of IT and Mobile Communications Division at Samsung Electronics, said, “We’re excited about the success of the Galaxy A Series – a generation of smartphones built for the new Era of Live that focuses on essential features people want the most, including a high-quality camera, long-lasting battery and immersive display. Samsung has worked tirelessly with our partners in the 5G ecosystem to bring 5G to as…
Verizon to enable spam call filtering by default on select Android phones Verizon has begun auto-enrolling eligible customers in its free Call Filter service, thus automatically protecting Android users through spam-detection and blocking of high-risk calls. The Federal Communications Commission’s recent ruling has given phone carriers more authority to block spam calls, and Verizon is taking advantage of it to better protect customers. The Call Filter app will automatically block calls from any numbers reported as fraudulent and forward them to voicemail. Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/y5ctqelq Google and Dell team up on the first Chromebooks made for business Dell Technologies Inc. and Google LLC have announced the launch of their jointly developed laptops – the Dell Latitude 5300 2-in-1 Chromebook Enterprise and Dell Latitude 5400 Chromebook Enterprise. These two laptops are based on existing Dell’s Latitude models, except they run Chrome OS and offer extra security and organisational features.…
The Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei has unveiled their brand-new Artificial Intelligence (AI) chipset Ascend 910 at its Shenzhen headquarters, together with the accompanying AI computing framework, MindSpore. The company claims this chip to be the world’s fastest AI processor ever with the greatest computing power available on a single chip, and optimized for AI applications. “We have been making steady progress since we announced our AI strategy in October last year,” said Eric Xu, Huawei’s Rotating Chairman. “Everything is moving forward according to plan, from R&D to product launch. We promised a full-stack, all-scenario AI portfolio. And today we delivered, with the release of Ascend 910 and MindSpore. This also marks a new stage in Huawei’s AI strategy.” Huawei originally announced the processor’s planned specifications last year at its Huawei Connect flagship event in Shanghai. After a year of intense development, test results reveal that the Ascend 910…
VvAA Groep B.V to transform service experience and performance with Vonage’s NewVoiceMedia solution Vonage’s NewVoiceMedia contact centre platform has been chosen by Dutch insurance provider VvAA to enhance its members’ customer experience. After conducting a market evaluation, the company implemented Vonage’s NVM solution for its Salesforce integration and rich functionality. VvAA Groep’s advisors will have immediate access to entire history of customers interactions, also, inbound calls will be dynamically managed and routed, improving handling time and customer satisfaction. Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/y5l2maho Telenor completes acquisition of majority stake in DNA Norwegian telecommunications company Telenor Group has completed the acquisition of Finland’s third-largest mobile operator DNA. Telenor has acquired 54 percent of the shares in DNA for EUR 20.90 each in cash, or a total of EUR 1.5 billion after the deal approval by DNA shareholders, Finda Telecoms and PHP Holding, and Finland’s Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment. Helsinki-based…


