Ericsson has announced the sale of its unprofitable Internet of Things (IoT) division to Aeris Communications, an IoT solutions supplier. The Swedish telecom equipment provider claimed that the transaction, which covers its IoT Accelerator and Connected Vehicle Cloud operations, will end the businesses’ past quarter-to-quarter losses of almost $24 million. Over 9,000 businesses use Ericsson’s IoT Accelerator to handle 22 million eSIM connections and over 95 million connected devices worldwide. For worldwide IoT cellular connectivity, these businesses and relationships make use of Ericsson’s current network of over 35 communications service provider partners. The Connected Vehicle Cloud business, in the meantime, is said to be the most comprehensive connected car platform available today, with automotive IoT leaders utilizing this service to connect over six million vehicles across 180 countries. More than 100 million IoT devices will be connected across 190 countries using Aeris and Ericsson’s combined IoT…
Ofcom has a plan for phone boxes Under new guidelines published by the UK communications regulator, Ofcom, stronger security for public call boxes went into effect. The new guidelines update from Ofcom’s aims to guarantee that strategically located phone boxes are not removed and that they are modified to provide extra services. As a result, phone boxes will be protected against removal if they are still needed by a local community. Millions of UK residents continue to rely on older technologies such as landlines and payphones for connectivity. Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/mryanv67 TIM to cut 1,200 jobs to minimize costs TIM has reportedly secured an agreement with labor unions that will allow the company to cut up to 1,200 positions, allowing TIM to save significantly on domestic personnel expenses. Cuts will be implemented through a voluntary early retirement program, which will be the first step in the Italian incumbent’s larger…
S-NET Communications, a provider of cloud-based business communications and networking solutions, and Versa Networks, a supplier of secure access service edge (SASE), have decided to expand their partnership to include Versa SASE as part of S-NET’s managed networking service portfolio, allowing the company to accommodate the secure communications and networking needs of its increasing amount of multi-location enterprise customers. S-NET can now provide an extensive communications and networking solution to its clients by adding Versa SASE to its portfolio of Secure SD-WAN, Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS), Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS), and Managed IT services. This allows S-NET to expand its share of the market among multi-location organizations. S-NET Communications is recognized for providing customers with cutting-edge cloud communications and networking solutions that help them develop their businesses faster, as well as committed, individualized customer support that helps them get the most out of their…
WOW! partners with Reach Mobile Wide Open West (WOW!) has teamed up with the MVNO aggregator Reach Mobile to launch a wireless service. WOW! mobile, powered by Reach, will be accessible in a few markets this spring, and the business is currently working on determining the initial launch sites. It is intended that the mobile product should be expanded to all of WOW! markets shortly after the launch. WOW! will be able to bring a mobile product to market rapidly by relying on their operational efficiency, a full-featured platform, and a fantastic customer experience in a lower-cost operating model by employing Reach Next. Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/2smnm38n Audi taps Verizon for 5G vehicles Audi of America and Verizon have launched a new cooperative venture, with the goal of utilizing Verizon’s 5G Ultra Wideband connection within Audi automobiles. Their offering will encompass augmented mobile services and new driving-assistance technologies, paving the…
SK Telecom, South Korea’s leading mobile carrier, has partnered with Joby Aviation, a California-based aerospace company developing an electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (eVTOL). The two parties will collaborate on urban air mobility, which is an ecosystem that includes personal air vehicles and infrastructure such as a new navigation system, take-off and landing fields, and charging technologies. Joby’s experience showcasing eVTOL will be included into SKT’s information and communication technology infrastructure under a strategic partnership agreement. The two businesses will collaborate in all areas, including aircraft and mobility as a service, to provide emissions-free aerial ridesharing to cities and communities around South Korea. SKT and Joby plan to enable multi-modal travel using SKT’s T Map mobility platform and UT’s ride-hailing service. SKT aspires to become a connected intelligence leader that logically links physical elements such as UAM airplanes, vertiports and ground transportation by utilizing its capabilities in…
Telefonica to offer industrial 5G services in 2022 For the first time, Telefonica will provide a range of industrial 5G services to selected partners starting in January 2022. In recent years, Telefonica has tested approximately 80 use cases across several industries, with a handful of solutions now ready for implementation. Telefonica will market three particular 5G use cases for industry through its Telefonica Tech unit: autonomously guided vehicles (ATGs), remote support solutions and drone solutions. Customers will be able to access all of these services via Telefonica’s public mobile network, as well as a virtual or dedicated private network. Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/46x6mcdj Verizon scores a $34.6M contract The US Department of Energy has awarded Verizon Public Sector two Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions (EIS) contracts for $34.6 million. Verizon will offer voice and data services to a variety of DOE sites, including the agency’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. Under the terms…
The BMW Group is the first premium vehicle manufacturer to incorporate the 5G mobile radio standard into a globally available production car with the BMW iX, and Vodafone is the first company to sell a 5G mobile radio contract for such a vehicle. As a result of this collaboration, iX drivers will be able to sign up for a contract that will enhance their mobile connectivity, while also allowing the iX to communicate with other vehicles on the road. Participating drivers must have a current Vodafone multi-SIM contract that can be extended with the Vodafone One Number Car option, which activates their personal eSIM in the vehicle. According to BMW, this turns the automobile into another networked gadget for consumers, similar to a smartwatch. For the first time, Vodafone and the BMW Group will use a personal eSIM and the Vodafone One Number Car program to link the…
On July 30, 2021, Ariane 5, a European heavy-lift space launch vehicle developed and operated by Arianespace for the European Space Agency, successfully launched its first flight in nearly a year. The aim of the mission is to deploy a pair of geostationary communications satellites for commercial operators in Brazil and France. One of the satellites, called the Star One D2, will be operated by Embratel, a Brazilian telecommunications company. The Star One D2 will give Embratel the ability to expand its broadband coverage to new regions in Central and South America, supply Internet access to those in under-serviced areas, and increase X-band payload for government use in the Atlantic region. The second satellite, named Eutelsat Quantum, which was developed as part of an ESA partnership with satellite operator Eutelsat and major manufacturer Airbus, has an active antenna, a first for the European commercial telecommunications industry. This revolutionary…
Telecommunications giant Orange and technology company SmartKey have created the first Blockchain of Thing (BoT) SIM card to implement access control and other smart city functions on a mobile phone. Thanks to the new partnership, access control, smart bikes, utilities and other smart city elements will soon be available to manage through blockchain technology. The partnership is based on the SmartKey pilot program “Rescue without Barriers”, which allows the Olsztyn city rescue services in Poland to have instant access to each safe area and building in their district using blockchain. The technology enables hospital barriers and other gates to automatically unlock and open for rescue vehicles, thereby reducing response times. This is one example of many possible access control features based on blockchain and connectivity in the licensed operator’s band, setting the scene for Orange as the first global operator to use blockchain to promote the smart cities of…
Spain approves entry for MWC participants The organizers of the Mobile World Congress 2021, which will take place in Barcelona this summer, have received much-needed good news from the Spanish government. Spain currently bans “non-essential” travel to and from non-EU/Schengen countries. But the GCMA, which manages the MWC, has announced that people who have registered for the event will be classified as “highly skilled workers” and therefore will be excused from this restriction. The GSMA intends to provide the Spanish authorities with details of all registrants and registrants will also be provided with a confirmation of participation. Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/35z7nub5 Lumen signs a deal with T-Mobile US Lumen Technologies has taken a major step in expanding its latest edge computing service with a new deal with T-Mobile US. This agreement will allow Lumen to receive access to the operator’s 5G network to reach more of the company’s customers. The…


