ZDNet UK News - Communications News

Accenture buys Symbian services unit

mailroomuk@zdnet.com (David Meyer) — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 15:27:01 +0100

The deal means rival handset manufacturers will not need to go to Nokia for advice on how to implement the mobile operating system, which is soon to be open source

Email bigger strain on mobile networks than P2P

mailroomuk@zdnet.com (David Meyer) — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 16:17:02 +0100

Bell Labs has found that while web surfing and P2P account for much of the data volume in 3G networks, mobile email is a bigger resource hog

BT wins £99m MoD comms deal

mailroomuk@zdnet.com (Matthew Broersma) — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 17:34:02 +0100

BT will manage voice and data networks across 197 military bases as an extension of its Defence Fixed Telecommunications Service agreement

Symbian to set up app developer program

mailroomuk@zdnet.com (David Meyer) — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 16:57:01 +0100

The Horizon program will help selected developers write apps for the Symbian platform and distribute them in app stores compatible with Symbian-based handsets

Google Voice coming to Android, BlackBerry

mailroomuk@zdnet.com (Tom Krazit) — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 14:17:02 +0100

iPhone users will have to wait, but those on Android and BlackBerry devices will now be able make Google Voice calls directly from the handsets with two new mobile apps

Windows app store extended to existing models

mailroomuk@zdnet.com (David Meyer) — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 14:00:01 +0100

Windows Marketplace for Mobile will be made available to users of versions 6.0 and 6.1 of the mobile operating system, rather than just to users of the upcoming version 6

Mobile can fill in UK broadband gaps, says 3

mailroomuk@zdnet.com (David Meyer) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 16:32:01 +0100

The operator says 3G services can help fulfil the government's aims of universal 2Mbps broadband, but only if key radio spectrum issues are resolved

O2 to offer landline numbers for mobiles

mailroomuk@zdnet.com (David Meyer) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 11:45:02 +0100

The operator is set to offer a service that gives small business users a landline number that goes straight through to their mobile phone

BT fibre broadband coming to 69 more towns

mailroomuk@zdnet.com (Jo Best) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 18:20:02 +0100

The second stage of BT's £1.5bn rollout of high-speed fibre broadband will kick off in 69 towns and cities around the UK

Orange to exclusively sell Toshiba's 1GHz phone

mailroomuk@zdnet.com (David Meyer) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:27:02 +0100

The TG01 Windows Mobile handset will be on sale by the weekend, Orange has said

Maps compare 3G coverage across UK

mailroomuk@zdnet.com (David Meyer) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 13:29:02 +0100

Regulator Ofcom has published maps that reveal the extent of each operator's 3G coverage across the UK

O2 lands exclusive deal for Palm Pre

mailroomuk@zdnet.com (David Meyer) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 11:48:02 +0100

Parent company Telefónica has scored Europe-wide exclusivity on the Palm Pre, which will appear in the UK before Christmas

BT's fibre-to-the-cabinet pilot goes live

mailroomuk@zdnet.com (David Meyer) — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 16:15:02 +0100

The north London suburb of Muswell Hill and the Cardiff suburb of Whitchurch are the first locations for the rollout of BT's next-generation broadband access

Orange launches managed videoconferencing

mailroomuk@zdnet.com (David Meyer) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 17:21:02 +0100

Open Videopresence is a managed service that allows interaction between different kinds of videoconferencing kit and across various networks

Digital Britain phone levy not enough, says BT

mailroomuk@zdnet.com (David Meyer) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:05:01 +0100

The government's proposed 50p charge on fixed lines will not be enough to extend next-generation broadband coverage across the whole UK, BT's strategy chief has said

IBM offers AI help to mobile developers

mailroomuk@zdnet.com (Matthew Broersma) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 17:14:01 +0100

An EU-funded project uses brute force and intelligence to auto-optimise mobile software

BA: In-flight mobile for new aircraft only

mailroomuk@zdnet.com (Nick Heath) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:26:02 +0100

BA's chief executive has said the airline will not retrofit in-flight mobile comms to aircraft already in service as it would prove too expensive

EC auditors criticise Galileo overruns

mailroomuk@zdnet.com (Tom Espiner) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 14:59:01 +0100

The project to develop a European civilian rival to the US's military GPS system was hampered by poor management, the European Court of Auditors has found

EU roaming price caps come into force

mailroomuk@zdnet.com (Reuters) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 12:48:02 +0100

Limits on the tariffs charged for mobile calls, text messages and data usage will end the 'roaming rip-off', according to Commissioner Viviane Reding

Cisco moves unified comms to the cloud

mailroomuk@zdnet.com (Victoria Ho) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 08:34:02 +0100

The company has cloud plans for its WebEx unified communications service, and intends to support both platform and top-layer SaaS delivery

BT hooks BlackBerry up to unified comms

mailroomuk@zdnet.com (Sally Whittle) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 16:26:02 +0100

Integration of RIM service with BT's unified communications platform means BlackBerry users will be able to use Wi-Fi rather than cell networks to make calls

Carphone gets EU green light for Tiscali buy

mailroomuk@zdnet.com (David Meyer) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 12:54:02 +0100

The merger of Carphone Warehouse's TalkTalk ISP and Tiscali UK will not be anti-competitive, the European Commission has ruled

Parliament to probe Digital Britain plan

mailroomuk@zdnet.com (David Meyer) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 12:47:02 +0100

A select committee is to investigate Lord Carter's Digital Britain recommendations, which include a 2Mbps universal minimum broadband speed and a 50p-per-month levy on fixed lines

'Billions' of everyday objects going online by 2020

mailroomuk@zdnet.com (Natasha Lomas) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 11:53:02 +0100

With mobile connectivity doubling every year, it is on track to reach even the smallest of household items. So expect smart toothbrushes and the like in a decade's time, according to Ericsson

HTC Hero gets SIM-free release date, pricing

mailroomuk@zdnet.com (David Meyer) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 15:16:01 +0100

Amazon has put HTC's own-branded Android handset, the first not tied exclusively to one operator, on its site for pre-order

O2 mobile broadband hooks up to BT Wi-Fi

mailroomuk@zdnet.com (David Meyer) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 14:00:02 +0100

An upgrade to O2's mobile broadband connection software gives access to BT Openzone hotspots, and also adds a data counter and warnings when the user is close to their usage limit

Report: Vodafone considering T-Mobile UK bid

mailroomuk@zdnet.com (Reuters) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 11:59:02 +0100

The mobile-phone operator may make a bid for T-Mobile UK, even though any deal could be stopped by regulators, according to the Financial Times

Android developers get native-code kit

mailroomuk@zdnet.com (David Meyer) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 12:36:02 +0100

The Android Native Development Kit allows application writers to reuse code in native languages such as C and C++, making it possible to write certain kinds of high-performing apps

Ofcom pleads for Telecoms Package to pass

mailroomuk@zdnet.com (David Meyer) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 11:38:02 +0100

As a net-neutrality amendment threatens to sink the product after years of negotiation, the UK's telecoms regulator calls on all concerned to come to an agreement

Intel, Nokia to develop mobile Linux devices

mailroomuk@zdnet.com (David Meyer) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 16:39:02 +0100

The companies will work together on the development of several Linux-based software projects, and Intel will acquire 3G-related intellectual property from Nokia

Ericsson signs LTE patent deals

mailroomuk@zdnet.com (Reuters) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 10:42:01 +0100

Swedish telecom equipment maker Ericsson has signed its first licence agreements for LTE technology patents, allowing other companies to use the technology

Europe calls on US to let go of Icann

mailroomuk@zdnet.com (David Meyer) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 12:25:02 +0100

The upcoming expiry of a deal between the US government and the body that governs the internet's core functions should lead to independence for Icann, the EC has said

IBM earmarks $100m for mobile research

mailroomuk@zdnet.com (David Meyer) — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 17:11:02 +0100

The tech giant will invest £61m over the next five years in a drive to develop new mobile services for the enterprise and emerging markets

BT moves infrastructure into the cloud

mailroomuk@zdnet.com (David Meyer) — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 13:45:02 +0100

BT Global Services is about to move its Virtual Data Centre service out of the trial stage, in a move analysts say will help BT become a services-centric company

2012 Olympics may see Tube mobile coverage

mailroomuk@zdnet.com (Natasha Lomas) — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 09:17:02 +0100

Lord Carter's Digital Britain report has reignited plans for mobile coverage on the London Underground, months after plans were shelved indefinitely

New iPhone OS due on Wednesday

mailroomuk@zdnet.com (David Meyer) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 17:14:02 +0100

Version 3.0 of the handset's operating system will bring system-wide search, cut-and-paste, push notifications and enhanced keyboard options to Apple's popular device

Digital Britain report panned by Tories, experts

mailroomuk@zdnet.com (David Meyer) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 16:09:02 +0100

Politicians and IT industry players have criticised Lord Carter's report over its recommendations for taxing broadband, providing 2Mbps universal coverage and tackling file-sharers

HP turns telepresence into webcasting

mailroomuk@zdnet.com (David Meyer) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 13:04:02 +0100

A new feature for HP's high-end Halo teleconferencing kit allows users to broadcast conferences to thousands of viewers on the web

Digital Britain calls for 50p broadband levy

mailroomuk@zdnet.com (David Meyer) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 18:02:02 +0100

Lord Carter has laid out plans for charges on fixed copper lines to fund rural fibre, and has called on Ofcom to force ISPs to crack down on illegal file-sharing

Android gets voice search in Google Maps

mailroomuk@zdnet.com (Matthew Broersma) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 16:13:02 +0100

The search-engine company adds voice search to Google Maps on its Linux-based Android software platform

Nokia shows off E72 business smartphone

mailroomuk@zdnet.com (David Meyer) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 13:08:02 +0100

The successor to the popular E72 has faster 3G connectivity, a better camera, a standard headphone jack and an optical navigation key

EC: New net-neutrality law is unnecessary

mailroomuk@zdnet.com (David Meyer) — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 16:17:02 +0100

A French court's ruling that internet users cannot be disconnected without a court order proves pan-European net-neutrality laws are not needed, the Commission has said

O2 blames Apple for UK iPhone 3G S prices

mailroomuk@zdnet.com (David Meyer) — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 17:20:02 +0100

Apple is charging O2 the same wholesale rate for this year's mid-range iPhone as it did for last year's top-end model, the operator has said

Orange lines up Android phone for UK release

mailroomuk@zdnet.com (David Meyer) — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 17:12:02 +0100

The operator expects to release an Android-powered handset for the UK in 2009 possibly within three months

BT wants BBC to pay for iPlayer

mailroomuk@zdnet.com (Tom Espiner) — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 17:07:01 +0100

The ISP has admitted limiting iPlayer download speeds for some of its customers, and says content owners should not expect a 'free ride'

Synchronica offers push email for low-end phones

mailroomuk@zdnet.com (David Meyer) — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 17:11:01 +0100

The mobile-device management firm has released a tool to let enterprises roll out push email for low-end handsets

Study: Mobile-broadband speeds are below 1Mbps

mailroomuk@zdnet.com (David Meyer) — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 15:14:02 +0100

Subscribers in the UK are getting mobile-broadband download speeds that are just a quarter of those advertised, according to a new report

Bluetooth gets green light for health tech

mailroomuk@zdnet.com (Sally Whittle) — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 17:16:02 +0100

The latest version of Bluetooth has been chosen by Continua Health Alliance, an industry group for health IT, as a preferred wireless technology for devices

Cloud pushing telecoms into bandwidth boost

mailroomuk@zdnet.com (David Meyer) — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 16:36:01 +0100

Net neutrality constraints and cloud computing and are forcing telecoms operators to build more bandwidth into core infrastructure, according to an Ovum analyst

New iPhones will cost up to 87pc more

mailroomuk@zdnet.com (David Meyer) — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 14:58:02 +0100

While prices for the new iPhone 3G S models in the US match those of the previous versions on launch, O2 is charging UK buyers a lot more