White House says broadband ‘is the new electricity’ as it pledges connectivity for all

President Joe Biden is returning to where his campaign started in Pittsburgh to launch a $2 trillion infrastructure plan, including a pledge to ensure connectivity for all.

The eight-year plan will see $100 billion spent on deploying broadband to underserved communities across rural America.

In a release, the White House wrote:

“President Biden believes that building out broadband infrastructure isn’t enough. We also must ensure that every American who...

31 March 2021 | Broadband

BT proposes a £1,500 bonus for its vital frontline workers

Telecoms workers are the unsung heroes which kept the nation connected when it needed it most, and BT wants to recognise their efforts with a £1,500 bonus.

Philip Jansen, CEO of BT, commented:

“BT has made a massive contribution to the national cause over the past year: we’ve supported the NHS, families and businesses, and avoided the use of redundancy or furlough in our response to the pandemic.

Our frontline colleagues and key workers have been true heroes,...

25 March 2021 | Broadband

Nok-picky: Nokia partners with Google Cloud, AWS, and Azure

Nokia has announced a flurry of new partnerships with all three of the major cloud providers—Google Cloud, Amazon Web Services (AWS), and Microsoft Azure.

The Finnish telecom giant’s partnership with Google Cloud will see the companies develop 5G solutions together which combine Nokia’s Radio Access Network (RAN), Open RAN, and Cloud RAN, with Google’s edge computing platform to deliver additional 5G monetisation opportunities for CSPs.

Bikash Koley, VP, Google...

15 March 2021 | 5G

Tim Berners-Lee: Improve connectivity of the young to ‘build a better world’ post-COVID

World Wide Web creator Sir Tim Berners-Lee is using the 32nd birthday of his invention to call for a global push to improve the connectivity of the young post-COVID.

In a blog post today, as part of the #WebChampions campaign, Berners-Lee celebrates the young people who are stepping up to tackle some of the world’s biggest challenges from COVID-19, to inequality, to climate change.

https://twitter.com/webfoundation/status/1370331794789130240

However, many...

12 March 2021 | Connectivity

Starlink expands its satellite broadband service to all UK regions

SpaceX’s satellite broadband service Starlink has expanded to all regions of the United Kingdom.

The service, currently still in beta, was previously only available in southern England. Today, the company has announced an expansion to cover parts of Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and northern England.

Starlink says users should currently expect data speeds to vary between 50Mb/s to 150Mb/s over the next several months, with brief periods of no connectivity...

10 March 2021 | Broadband

Eight 5G solution providers join Ofcom and Digital Catapult-led OpenRAN initiative

Eight 5G solution providers have joined an OpenRAN initiative led by UK telecoms regulator Ofcom and innovation centre Digital Catapult called SONIC.

The vendor-neutral and interoperable equipment OpenRAN delivers is seen as being the solution to disrupting the perceived monopoly held by the large telecoms vendors—helping to drive innovation, improve security, offer flexibility, and reduce deployment costs.

SONIC (SmartRAN Open Network Interoperability Centre) is a...

25 February 2021 | 5G

EE announces major rural 4G coverage expansion plan

BT-owned EE has announced plans to expand its 4G coverage in more than 500 areas this year to boost rural connectivity.

The expansion is part of the government’s Shared Rural Network (SRN) initiative signed by the UK’s four major operators: EE, Vodafone, O2, and Three.

Matt Warman, Minister for Digital Infrastructure, said:

"I'm delighted to see the great strides EE is making to boost 4G services in countryside communities as part of the Shared Rural...

24 February 2021 | Connectivity

Ericsson and Arkessa will provide global connectivity for Voi

Ericsson and its communication service provider partner Arkessa will provide global connectivity for Voi’s micro-mobility services.

Arkessa is powered by Ericsson IoT Accelerator and utilises the platform to deliver automation features and meet high security demands.

Andrew Orrock, CEO at Arkessa, says:

"Voi is a true pioneer of connected micro-mobility solutions and is committed to helping cities meet their 2030 climate goals. Arkessa is absolutely delighted...

19 January 2021 | Connectivity

NBN sets a world record for mmWave 5G transmission distance

NBN Co and its partners have set a new world record for long-range mmWave 5G transmission.

The Aussie network operator teamed up with Ericsson, Qualcomm, and Casa Systems to achieve the feat.

Gavin Williams, Co-Chief Development Officer, Regional and Remote at NBN, said:

“The NBN fixed wireless network plays a vital role connecting Australians right across regional and rural parts of the country. We face some unique challenges, not least vast distances and...

14 January 2021 | 5G

Verizon’s plan to shutter its 3G network is put on hold

Verizon is putting its plan to shutter its legacy 3G network on indefinite hold.

Speaking to Light Reading this week, Verizon spokesperson Kevin King said that the company’s “3G network is operational” and that it doesn’t “have a plan to shut it down at this time.”

Verizon has announced vague plans to shutter its 3G network on several occasions. Naturally, this started in 2012 after Verizon deployed its 4G network.

A few years after the deployment...

6 January 2021 | Connectivity