In order to extend mobile service to isolated rural regions, the Belgian communications operator BICS has inked a deal with the satellite-direct-to-phone telecoms business Lynk. This agreement will make it possible for mobile network operators (MNOs) to provide services to subscribers in rural areas in North America, the Caribbean, Latin America, South-East Asia, and a number of rural African regions. BICS focuses on cloud, mobility and IoT, while offering digital communications on a worldwide scale. The company also collaborates with MNOs and mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs). This collaboration aims to solve the problem of remote locations that currently lack any form of mobile connectivity. BICS will use its network to connect the cell carriers with the Lynk satellite constellation. Lynk’s solution enables conventional roaming partner integration without requiring that the mobile operators’ networks undergo hardware or software upgrades, thereby expanding coverage to outlying regions, islands, and…
PLDT and Omnispace to develop space-based 5G In order to create space-based 5G applications, US satellite and communications company Omnispace has partnered with the wireless arm of Philippine telecom PLDT, Smart. The goal of the partnership is to use LEO satellites to investigate and demonstrate the potential of 5G communications. This comes after the debut of Omnispace Spark’s first phase, which the business bills as “the world’s first global 5G-capable satellite network.” The list of potential use cases includes expanding network coverage for disaster relief, allowing 5G connection in remote locations and more. Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/32zdkdrm AT&T donates to digital literacy programs 65,000 individuals are expected to benefit from AT&T’s digital literacy programs by learning how to use computers and mobile devices securely and responsibly. More than 400 libraries and community centers will get bilingual, in-person digital literacy training as part of AT&T’s $6 million in donations. The lessons…
CMA probes ViaSat acquisition of Inmarsat The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) of the UK has said that it is starting its own investigation into ViaSat’s acquisition of Inmarsat. The two operators had initially expressed their expectations that the transaction would conclude in the middle of 2022, with input from different regulatory organizations. By October 5, the CMA is anticipated to decide if a thorough probe into this transaction is necessary. The merged corporation will initially operate a fleet of 19 satellites in various orbits and spectrum regions, with ten more in the works. Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/y8zcwwtz FCC stops subsidies for SpaceX Starlink The FCC has refused to approve the Starlink proposal, stating that it was uncertain if the technology could reach the advertised speeds in its current state. The regulator highlighted that Ookla’s most recent projections indicated a reduction in the speeds Starlink may offer in 2022. According…
A cloud-based business Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone system called Hosted Voice will be added to the Smart City Networks portfolio of goods and services, the US-based provider of cutting-edge technology and communication services for trade exhibitions and events, has announced. The Smart City Hosted Voice solution, which was created with mobile users in mind, provides one-number calling from any device, and round-the-clock access to admin and user portals that let users individually manage their phone settings, greetings, out-of-office messages, phone mail, and other features. Smart City Hosted Voice provides a mobile app that allows any device to be used alternately for incoming and outgoing calling, and the system may be linked with Microsoft Teams deployments. Hosted Voice is a telecommunications platform that provides crystal clear call quality, flexibility and a variety of capabilities to tailor the product to the specific demands of any site, whether…
Ericsson has announced that the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) has approved its $6.2 billion acquisition of Vonage Holdings. The transaction is scheduled to close by Thursday, July 21. The Swedish vendor’s most significant purchase to date is that of Vonage. This acquisition is a crucial component of Ericsson’s strategy, which calls for creating a market-leading service for businesses. Both the company’s boards and shareholders have approved the $6.2 billion all-cash transaction, but the deal was briefly put on hold while the Committee on Foreign Investments in the United States (CFIUS) looked at it. Following the transaction’s announcement, Ericsson became involved in a controversy in February involving payments to the Islamic State militant organization in Iraq. This incident led to investigations by various U.S. authorities, raising concerns that the deal would be in jeopardy. In spite of Ericsson’s offer price of $21 per…
Telinta, a global leader in white label cloud-based switching and billing solutions for VoIP service providers, and DIDWW, a leading provider of premium quality VoIP communications and two-way SIP trunking services, today announced an integrated solution for Hosted PBX. phone.systemsTM is a fully-featured, cloud-based virtual PBX solution from DIDWW, integrated with Telinta’s softswitch and billing platform. The solution is specifically designed to interconnect with any service provider for VoIP Origination and Termination, and requires no special hardware to purchase and maintain. The white label solution includes: An intuitive drag-and-drop user interface, where configurations are instantly activated as they are graphically assembled. Highly scalable options to meet the needs of any size business customer, from simple home-based businesses to complex multi-location enterprises. Popular PBX features such as Call Queuing, Ring Groups, IVR, Voicemail, Conference Calling, Call Recording, Fax via G711u and T.38 codecs, Attended and Unattended Call Transfers, and…
Vodafone signs a multi-year agreement with Oracle Vodafone and Oracle have announced an agreement to modernize their European IT infrastructure and accelerate its transition to the cloud. The companies will migrate a broad range of systems to dedicated, fully managed regions of Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) that will be deployed in Vodafone’s main data centers that are managing its European IT and network operations. According to Scott Petty, Chief Digital & IT Officer, Vodafone, the flexibility offered by OCI enables the company to build a robust cloud platform in their data centers. This advancement will also provide the operational agility and scalability required to support the growth and diversification of the Vodafone business. Read more at https://tinyurl.com/ye27dmsv Telinta taps DIDWW to deliver a white label hosted PBX solution Telinta, a global leader in white label cloud-based switching and billing solutions for VoIP service providers, has announced a collaboration with DIDWW,…
Intel and Exfo release tool for 5G issue detection Operators will be able to monitor a 5G network in real time thanks to a new solution developed by Exfo, a Canadian telecommunications testing company, and Intel, a US chip manufacturer. The new service, dubbed “Exfo’s full-stack assurance solution,” is marketed as a way for 5G network operators to detect and correlate service degradation concerns.The software is said to combine system, monitoring, and telemetry data flows, monitor them in real time, and respond quickly if a fault is detected. Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/9x66wd2z Qualcomm’s €1 billion antitrust punishment lifted Qualcomm was fined €997 million by the EU in 2018, in what was considered as a major victory for regulators over ‘big tech.’ The General Court, Europe’s second-highest court, has now overruled this order. The complaint concerns Qualcomm’s payments to Apple running into the billions of dollars between 2011 and 2016 to…
Intrado Corporation, a global supplier of technology-enabled services, has launched Intrado Power Access, a cloud-based solution designed to make operations at Public Safety Answering Points (“PSAPs”) more accessible, dynamic and cost-effective. As Next Generation 911 (NG911) becomes a reality, PSAPs are increasing their capabilities and preparing for an increase in delivered services and requests for assistance from a vast, ever-growing number of sources enabled by 5G communications and the Internet of Things (IoT). To tackle these difficulties, Intrado has enhanced its established emergency communications systems with additional features that are included in the Intrado Life & Safety cloud environment. Power Access, which is based on Intrado’s trusted emergency response software solutions that have served public safety for over 40 years, enables Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) to initiate the transaction at any starting point and proceed at a pace they can support. Power Access includes a browser-based…
3CX, a provider of commercial communications solutions, and Snom Technology, an IP telephone manufacturer, are celebrating their ten-year strategic technology partnership. Both organizations collaborate closely in the field of customer service with the goal of providing their clients with coordinated solutions. Snom’s Research and Development group guarantees that all new versions and features of the 3CX UCC system are supported by Snom phones. Likewise, 3CX has provided assurance that future Snom phone functions will be compatible with the 3CX system. Both companies’ offerings have always been built on the open SIP standard and have consistently delivered noteworthy solutions. Both are equipped with a wide variety of features with the objective of achieving a high level of barrier-free interoperability between their products. This collaboration will create coordinated and inventive unique selling features that will persuade partners and resellers to use 3CX and Snom technologies in a UCC infrastructure.…