Following a period of public debate, the UK government has decided on new security requirements for telecom providers. It now intends to introduce the Electronic Communications (Security) Measures Regulations 2022 and an accompanying Telecommunications Security Code of Practice to Parliament before the regulations take effect. The new rules seek to better secure UK telecoms networks from cyberattacks. Once in effect, telecoms businesses will be expected to follow tight standards around network failure or the theft of sensitive data, with the regulatory agency Ofcom receiving additional powers to verify providers are adopting suitable and proportional security measures. The government declared that the new telecommunications security legislation, designed in collaboration with the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), will be among the toughest in the world and will provide the UK with much stronger measures. They will strengthen the UK’s cyber resilience by incorporating strong security practices into providers’ long-term investment…
To provide agile cloud networking solutions to companies throughout the Asia Pacific region, Console Connect by PCCW Global and Master Concept, a cloud technology advisor, have signed a distribution agreement. Thousands of enterprises in Asia Pacific rely on Master Concept for cloud strategy, implementation, and integration assistance, as well as training and platform updates.Master Concept offers its customers a variety of cloud connectivity services, including direct Layer 2 connections to hyper-scale cloud providers such as AWS, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure, as well as Layer 3 mesh connectivity between and among different cloud providers and cloud regions, all managed through a single management portal. Mr Michael Glynn, Senior Vice President, Digital Automated Innovation, PCCW Global, commented: “Secure and flexible connectivity is fundamental to any cloud transformation project. We are excited to be working alongside Master Concept to enhance their cloud solutions portfolio and make it easier for…
Chinese government-backed hackers have attacked major telecoms businesses throughout the world in a cyber-espionage effort that has lasted at least two years and has successfully compromised at least 13 telecommunications groups. In a recent advisory, the FBI, NSA and CISA stated that hackers linked to the People’s Republic of China (PRC) had targeted and hacked major telecommunications businesses by exploiting simple and well-known network and system vulnerabilities. According to the report, Chinese espionage is often initiated with hackers surveying target networks and exploring the manufacturers, models, versions, and known vulnerabilities of routers and networking equipment using open-source scanning tools such as RouterSploit and RouterScan. The Chinese government consistently disputes charges of hacking. The statement from the American security agencies did not name the victims of the hacking, nor did it specify the extent of the damage. However, US authorities did list specific networking equipment, such as routers…
Choosing the best SIP trunking service to meet your company objectives may be a challenging task. If you have spent any time researching telecommunications services, you will know that this sector is complex, tough to navigate and offers a myriad of solutions to choose from. SIP trunking services vary in terms of the types, quality and scope of services provided, as well as in terms of pricing and customer service. Selecting a solution can be difficult, but if you focus on what matters most, such as ser
T-Mobile US has begun offering commercial Voice-over-5G (also known as Voice over New Radio, or VoNR) in certain regions of Portland, Oregon, and Salt Lake City, Utah, with the intention of expanding the service to a larger area later this year. VoNR, which is based on 5G Standalone (5G SA) network technology, is now available on the Samsung Galaxy S21 5G smartphone and will be available later this year on a variety of additional 5G handsets, including the Galaxy S22. Voice over 5G represents a significant hurdle for the whole wireless industry, however all US providers will most certainly want to transition voice calling to 5G at some point in the future to free up LTE spectrum for 5G. Voice conversations via 5G offer decreased latency, lightning-fast speeds, real-time response and immense connectivity. Ericsson, Nokia, Samsung and Qualcomm all contributed to TMUS’s voice over 5G service debut.…
BT announces a new deal with Amazon Web Services BT’s Digital division has announced a new partnership with Amazon Web Services (AWS), which will see the cloud giant assist BT in migrating internal applications to the cloud. This initiative is part of BT’s larger strategy, which aims to modernize the company’s operations and save up to £2 billion each year by 2025. The operator claims that it will continue to make large investments and leverage AWS technology to improve its internal operations. Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/2p9ykxaz Apple under pressure over NFC access Apple has been accused by the European Commission (EC) of misusing its position to prevent competitor mobile wallets from being used on iOS devices. The European Commission stated that in order to benefit Apple Pay, the vendor restricts third-party wallet software developers’ access to the NFC input on its devices. If this statement is confirmed, it would appear…
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…
Oracle Communications has been chosen by Vodafone UK to lead the network policy for its standalone 5G network. Vodafone will be able to make more intelligent policy decisions and swiftly test and deploy new services using Oracle’s cloud native network policy management technology as part of its 5G core. Customers will be able to get their hands on exciting new 5G options sooner, thanks to this new agreement, which includes holographic calls, lag-free 5G game streaming and film downloads up to 4X faster than 4G networks. The solution, which is comprised of Oracle’s 5G Core Policy Control Function (PCF) and Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF), enables the implementation of sophisticated network policies across wireless, fixed and cable networks, as well as IoT and machine-to-machine (M2M) networks. In the case of Vodafone, the solution will provide data from which Vodafone customers may select the optimal network offer…
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…

