FCC Chairman Ajit Pai cited BarrierFree’s data to highlight improved rural broadband access, even though the company’s figures had been flagged as potentially inflated. The FCC launched the $20.4 billion Rural Digital Opportunity Fund last year as part of an effort to expand broadband to rural Americans who have long been underserved. On its website, … Read more

Let’s talk about WhatsApp. The popular over-the-top (OTT) messaging service — acquired by Facebook for $19 billion — has taken the next step by launching as a mobile carrier service. Beginning in Germany with carrier E-Plus, WhatsApp’s new MVNO offers a prepaid SIM priced at 10 euros. The SIM comes preloaded with 10 euros of … Read more

Vodafone is urging the UK government to back the recovery of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) after the pandemic by introducing stronger cybersecurity policies and support measures. A report commissioned by Vodafone and published today reveals that nearly one in four SMEs—approximately 1.3 million businesses—say they would be unable to continue operating after a significant … Read more

The communications service provider (CSP) industry is facing substantial disruption. Streaming platforms like Netflix, Amazon and Apple’s iTunes, along with direct-to-consumer IoT smart home devices, are increasingly bypassing traditional CSPs. To stay relevant and competitive, CSPs must offer services that deliver simple, personalized and seamless experiences. Data and analytics power these customer experiences and engagement … Read more

FCC commissioners have offered sharply different views on President Trump’s executive order aimed at limiting social networks’ ability to fact-check public posts. This week, President Trump signed an executive order targeting Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, the federal protection that shields online platforms from liability for user-generated content. The move was framed as … Read more

Digital Catapult has published what it describes as the UK’s first comprehensive 5G landscape report, revealing how the country is positioning itself to capitalise on the technology’s economic and societal potential. Global forecasts suggest 5G could enable up to US$12.3 trillion (€10.47 trillion) of economic output by 2035. Digital Catapult’s research indicates the UK has … Read more

Ericsson has joined Nokia in supporting BT’s replacement of Huawei 5G equipment in London and several other major UK cities. In September, BT announced a deal with Nokia that would make the Finnish vendor its largest equipment supplier. Today, BT revealed it has also selected Ericsson as a key partner for 5G deployments in London, … Read more

A tipster says Qualcomm plans to offer more 4G-only versions of its flagship chips, a move that could allow Huawei to work around current U.S. sanctions. Huawei remains on a U.S. sanctions list that restricts its access to many American technologies, particularly components and modules related to 5G. Those restrictions have also hindered Huawei’s ability … Read more

Swedish authorities say Russia deliberately interfered with the country’s satellite networks shortly after Sweden joined NATO earlier this year. The Swedish Post and Telecom Authority (PTS) detailed the disruptions in a letter dated June 4 sent to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in Geneva. PTS asked the ITU’s Radio Regulations Board to take up the … Read more

The rise of fiber optic cables once led many to conclude that copper was obsolete for telecommunications infrastructure. While fiber offers unmatched long-distance performance, copper remains more widespread and less expensive. Recent advances are changing that assumption: new technologies are revitalizing copper, enabling it to deliver higher speeds and greater capacity than previously possible. At … Read more