EU Commission Opens Investigation into Three and O2 Merger

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Less than a week after the UK telecoms regulator Ofcom cleared BT’s controversial acquisition of EE, the European Commission has opened an in-depth investigation into the proposed merger of Hutchison-owned Three and O2 UK. If approved, the deal would combine the UK’s fourth-largest and second-largest mobile operators and create the country’s largest mobile network by … Read more

Boeing Delivers First O3b mPOWER Satellites to SES for High-Capacity Connectivity

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Boeing took a pointed swipe at Starlink while announcing the delivery of the first two O3b mPOWER satellites to Luxembourg-based telecom operator SES. “SES’s O3b mPOWER system is a true gamechanger and will transform the way people think about connectivity,” said Ruy Pinto, CTO at SES. “Delivering performance above all, O3b mPOWER will provide connectivity … Read more

Mobile Industry Adopts Open Network APIs to Launch New Digital Services

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The GSMA, which represents the interests of more than 750 mobile network operators worldwide, has launched GSMA Open Gateway — a standardized framework of network APIs designed to give developers consistent, secure access to operator capabilities. Backed initially by 21 mobile operators, the initiative aims to transform how telecoms deliver services in an API-driven economy … Read more

Experts Say Huawei Ban Won’t Put UK in a Digital Slow Lane

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A poll of IT professionals indicates that the UK’s decision to ban Huawei is unlikely to push the country “into the digital slow lane,” despite warnings from the company. The survey, conducted by BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, gathered responses from around 3,000 professionals working across the technology sector. More than half of those … Read more

FCC Announces Plan to Stop SIM Swap Fraud and Protect Consumers

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The FCC has introduced new rules intended to protect consumers from scams that take over mobile phone accounts. These proposed regulations, aimed at preserving consumers’ ability to choose their devices and carriers, would require wireless providers to use stronger authentication measures when swapping SIM cards or porting phone numbers to another carrier. FCC Chairwoman Jessica … Read more

Rocket Failure Grounds Amazon Kuiper Satellite Launch Plans

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Just as Amazon prepared to launch its latest group of Kuiper internet satellites, a technical issue forced a halt to the operation. The launch was scheduled for Monday afternoon from Cape Canaveral. With roughly 30 minutes remaining before liftoff, United Launch Alliance (ULA) paused the countdown after detecting an unexpected rise in temperature in a … Read more

New Google TV Launching in Europe: Is It Worth the Upgrade?

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Google’s new TV platform will launch in Europe next month, representing the company’s latest attempt to build a successful smart-TV experience outside the United States. In partnership with Sony, Google will introduce two devices: the NSZ-GS7 Internet Player and the NSZ-GS9 Blu-ray Player. Both devices bring Google’s smart-TV features to homes that want an embedded … Read more

5G Drone Trials Boost Emergency Patrols in UK National Parks

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With almost three quarters (73%) of Britons having walked or hiked in a UK national park this year or planning to do so soon, Virgin Media O2 has announced a trial of 4G and 5G‑connected drone technology in partnership with Snowdonia Aerospace Centre to support emergency services and Mountain Rescue volunteers in protecting lives. Virgin … Read more

Huawei Appeals to FCC: Stop Labeling Us a National Security Risk

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Huawei has urged the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) not to proceed with formally designating the company as a national security risk. The United States has repeatedly voiced concerns about Huawei’s ties to the Chinese government, allegations the company continues to deny. Over the years, U.S. policy has discouraged American carriers from using Huawei equipment, … Read more

Canada Says No Ban Needed on Chinese Telecom Firms, for Now

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Canada says it has safeguards in place that mean it does not need to follow the United States and Australia in banning Chinese telecoms firms such as Huawei. Telecommunications networks are among a nation’s most critical pieces of infrastructure. The rollout of 5G will deepen that dependence, powering use cases ranging from healthcare and autonomous … Read more