A report by Ericsson and Imperial College London has found that rising mobile broadband penetration significantly boosts national economies. The study analyzed data from 135 countries to quantify how increased access to mobile internet affects GDP. The researchers concluded that a 10 percent rise in mobile broadband penetration corresponds to a GDP increase of roughly … Read more
Virgin Media O2 is offering small businesses a free broadband speed boost to aid recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. In a difficult year for many companies, Virgin Media and O2 received a significant regulatory win in May when the Competition and Markets Authority approved the £31 billion merger between the two telecoms firms. Now, Virgin … Read more
VodafoneThree opened with a bold promise: an average 20% speed increase for seven million customers across Three and SMARTY. The merger between Vodafone and Three UK is being described as a “seismic shift in the UK’s mobile landscape,” but emphasising peak speeds may miss the point that matters most to users. Opensignal’s analysis shows Three’s … Read more
They are everywhere. We see them on billboards, on TV, and in online ads: broadband, cable, satellite TV, and bundled Internet packages. After a while the numbers and options start to blur together, and choosing the right plan can feel like deciphering a foreign language. The good news is that with a little structure and … Read more
Piracy harms creative industries. Although some people argue that legal and licensing barriers leave them no choice but to turn to unauthorized sources, piracy still damages creators and diverts income away from those who produce the music, films and other content people enjoy for free. Current figures indicate that roughly one in every four downloads … Read more
(c)iStock.com/jamesteohart A practical new working guide from the Small Cell Forum (SCF), a vendor and operator industry body, outlines technical and commercial best practices for operators planning to deploy network function virtualisation (NFV). The guide consolidates current real-world NFV deployment experience with small cells at the network edge, offering actionable guidance for network evolution. Published … Read more
Ten multi-local authority areas across the United Kingdom will share £36 million in funding after being designated as 5G Innovation Regions (5GIRs). The programme is designed to accelerate the development and adoption of 5G and related advanced wireless technologies, improving connectivity for urban, suburban and rural communities and supporting new digitally enabled services. Glasgow City … Read more
Ericsson today unveiled a series of new services within its M-commerce portfolio ahead of next week’s Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. The announcements expand the company’s offerings for mobile payments and digital wallets, targeting operators, financial institutions, large merchants and internet brands with solutions designed to accelerate adoption and streamline monetization across the m-commerce ecosystem. … Read more
LTE operators in the UK have often been compared to the world of Game of Thrones: a fierce, competitive struggle for dominance where rivals do whatever it takes to gain an edge. Three’s announcement of its 4G plans is the latest move in that battle and one of the most disruptive to date. For nearly … Read more
We’ve all experienced disappointing broadband speeds at some point, but many people are permanently stuck with download rates that fall well below what their provider advertises. Long-established consumer magazine Which? is urging that broadband speeds be guaranteed for customers. Based on a survey commissioned by Which?, 45% of respondents reported slow download speeds, and more … Read more