Virgin Media O2 (VMO2) has unveiled a groundbreaking service named ‘smart support’ aimed at automatically monitoring and resolving home network issues for broadband customers. Leveraging Cisco ThousandEyes technology, the innovative system will debut with 300,000 Virgin Media broadband users, with plans for a comprehensive rollout in the future.
Darryll Dewan, CEO of Total Site Solutions (TSS), unveils the dynamic landscape of data centers in 2024. TSS’s report highlights key trends: modular data centers’ rise, heightened security needs, sustainability emphasis, and the widening skills gap. Dewan emphasizes adaptability amid AI-driven shifts, underscoring the need for proactive planning and collaboration.
Unearthing the UK’s surprising predilection for telephone poles, an ISPA survey reveals 70% of respondents would welcome a new pole for improved broadband. As connectivity takes precedence over visual impact, 75% agreed to poles ensuring excellent broadband, while only 17% disapproved. A noteworthy 37% were indifferent, rarely noticing the poles.
Telecom26 and MiWire are pushing the envelope with a pioneering maritime connectivity trial. The eSIM-based service aims to shift the commercial shipping industry’s reliance on costly and inflexible satellite technology, unlocking cost-effective data accessibility. Ships that stick to set routes can benefit from seamless, uninterrupted service leveraging terrestrial cellular networks for up to 50km sea distance, before transitioning to satellite connectivity.
GoTo’s Miradore Premium+ is a new subscription tier designed for growing businesses, offering enhanced MDM capabilities. CallTower introduces CT Text with MMS and SMS features in Cisco Webex. NGMN’s report underscores the necessity of industry-standard measures for tracking energy consumption in virtualized mobile networks. Casa Systems is selling its Axyom business to Lumine Group and its cable interests to Vecima Networks due to reduced capital spending.
In a significant move, AT&T has pledged an additional $3 billion investment by the end of the decade to address the digital divide in the United States, bringing its total commitment to this cause to $5 billion. This announcement comes as part of the telco’s ongoing efforts to ensure more Americans have access to affordable high-speed internet.
The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is gearing up for a pivotal vote on April 25 to reinstate net neutrality, a move that has stirred controversy, particularly among Republican commissioners.
With the looming switch-off of ISDN and PSTN circuits, businesses in the UK will have no choice but to update their phone systems to the cloud before December 2025. This is when the old networks will be turned off. These older networks are being replaced with newer technology, such as VoIP as well as the discontinuation of ISDN and PSTN; broadband lines with a dial tone such as ADSL and FTTC are also being discontinued and replaced with new products such as SOGEA and FTTP (Fiber to the Premise).
The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is ready to plunge into an in-depth probe into a possible £15 billion merger between telecommunications giants Vodafone UK and Three UK, a decision that could reshape the mobile market landscape. This action, while not surprising, showcases how the regulator continues to question the ambiguous benefits claimed by the companies regarding impact on competition and investment.
Singtel, the parent company of Australian telecommunications giant Optus, has once again rebuffed rumors of selling its stake in Optus, dispelling speculation that talks with Canadian firm Brookfield have hit a standstill.
