A ruling known as the “Data Retention Directive” was introduced after the 2004 and 2005 terrorist bombings in Madrid and London. The directive required telecom companies across the European Union to retain customers’ telecommunications metadata—records of calls, text messages, and internet access—for up to two years, making that information accessible to competent national authorities. The … Read more

Nokia appears to be benefiting from Huawei’s recent challenges, securing a notable share of new 5G equipment orders in recent weeks. The Finnish vendor has won 42 commercial 5G contracts, placing it ahead of rivals Huawei and Ericsson in the current tally. Huawei remains close behind with roughly 40 commercial 5G agreements. Ericsson trails with … Read more

The latest Ericsson Mobility Report highlights the growing importance of Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) as a leading 5G use case for communications service providers (CSPs) around the world. The report, which includes Ericsson’s newest mobile industry forecasts, regional analysis, and customer case studies, shows a notable rise in the number of CSPs providing FWA services … Read more

(Image Credit: iStockPhoto/scisettialfio) It might sound like an April Fools’ story, but two of the UK’s largest telecom rivals have teamed up to oppose Ofcom’s proposal to separate Openreach from BT. In a joint letter to the regulator, the companies argue that forcing Openreach out of BT would harm consumers rather than help them. At … Read more

Microsoft’s reputation, like that of several other leading technology companies, suffered after the NSA disclosures. According to Edward Snowden’s leaks, Microsoft may have been linked to the surveillance programs—whether knowingly or unknowingly—damaging public trust in the Redmond-based firm. Now Microsoft’s general counsel, Brad Smith, has publicly addressed customers’ concerns about government surveillance and outlined steps … Read more

A coalition representing small and medium-sized cable operators has asked federal authorities to investigate Comcast on allegations that it is abusing its market power. The American Cable Association (ACA), which represents more than 700 independent cable companies, has urged U.S. Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim to open a formal probe into Comcast’s business practices. ACA … Read more

SpaceX’s satellite broadband service Starlink has now expanded across the entire United Kingdom. Previously available mainly in southern England while still in beta, Starlink today announced coverage has been extended to include parts of Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and northern England. Starlink advises users to expect variable download speeds between approximately 50 Mb/s and 150 … Read more

Verizon customers may soon be eligible for payments of up to $100 each from a $100 million settlement resolving a class-action lawsuit over the carrier’s monthly “Administrative and Telco Recovery Charge.” Despite the settlement, Verizon plans to continue assessing the fee and reserves the right to increase it in the future. The settlement follows claims … Read more

The 10th London Tech Week opened with a number of strategic initiatives designed to reinforce the UK’s standing in telecommunications and improve connectivity for communities and businesses nationwide. Key actions announced during the event include: Supporting local authorities to procure and pilot smart lampposts and multi-purpose street columns to enhance local connectivity and public services … Read more

(c)iStock.com/VikaValter Nokia has announced plans to present its 5G roadmap and reveal technologies it says will form the foundation for the next generation of adaptive, intelligent networks. At the upcoming IEEE Globecom 2016 conference, Nokia will demonstrate how operators can make the most of scarce resources such as spectrum to deliver the dramatic increases in … Read more