Phones4U, a long-standing UK mobile phone retailer facing financial and contractual difficulties, has entered administration, leading to the closure of approximately 550 stores across the country. The collapse follows a series of mobile network operators withdrawing support after being unable to finalize new distribution agreements with the company. In a statement, Vodafone said: “Phones4U was … Read more

IBM and Vodafone Business have formed a strategic commercial partnership to provide European and global clients with open, flexible technologies that simplify multi-cloud integration and prepare organizations for the next wave of digital transformation driven by AI, 5G, edge computing and software-defined networking (SDN). As organizations adopt an increasing number of cloud environments, connectivity between … Read more

The head of the UK’s signals intelligence agency, GCHQ, has warned that the rollout of 5G could raise the risk of digital terrorism by extending the reach of critical infrastructure and increasing potential points of vulnerability. Jeremy Fleming, Director of GCHQ, outlined his concerns in the Sunday Times about the next generation of mobile networks … Read more

The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has issued a stark warning about rising risks to the nation’s Critical National Infrastructure (CNI), reporting that current resilience levels fall short of what is required to protect vital services. “The threat is evolving. While we are making progress building resilience in our most critical sectors, we aren’t … Read more

The telecom regulator in India has introduced a new cap on the number of text messages a single mobile phone can send, aiming to curb aggressive telemarketing practices and reduce the volume of unsolicited messages consumers receive. This step follows repeated but ineffective efforts to control telemarketing firms that routinely send unsolicited promotional texts. Under … Read more

Vietnam has increased its use of 5G equipment from Chinese firms Huawei and ZTE this year, signaling a shift in how Hanoi collaborates with Beijing. Seven people familiar with the matter told Reuters that these new contracts have already prompted concern among Western officials. Historically, Vietnam was cautious about using Chinese technology in sensitive networks. … Read more

The Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA), working with leading telecom operators such as Telefónica and AT&T, has announced a series of trials for next-generation hotspots (NGH) designed to expand public Wi‑Fi availability worldwide. The WBA’s stated goal is “to secure an outstanding user experience through the global deployment of next-generation Wi‑Fi,” and the initiative has attracted … Read more

Virgin Media O2 has started rolling out a new “smart support” service designed to proactively detect and resolve broadband problems for customers at no additional cost. Company research suggests that over a third (34%) of UK broadband users lack confidence to troubleshoot WiFi problems on their own, even though 98% depend on the internet in … Read more

The European Union has imposed additional sanctions on three Russian nationals for their alleged roles in cyberattacks that compromised classified and sensitive information. According to the Council of the European Union, the individuals are officers attached to Unit 29155 of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation (GRU). The Council statement … Read more

Telecoms Tech’s coverage at Mobile World Congress earlier this week ranged from Mark Zuckerberg to operator strategies and discussions about the future of voice. Yet the most-read piece from Barcelona centred on a 5G panel featuring European Commission VP Neelie Kroes. Here, Tech Portfolio editor James Bourne takes a different perspective: what will become of … Read more