Openreach’s fibre network now reaches half of Scotland

Half of Scottish homes and businesses can now get connected to ultrafast broadband from Openreach, which says the fibre rollout could generate £4 billion for the Scottish economy.

Openreach says it has spent more than £435 million on full fibre links for Scotland so far, with 1.45 million properties now able to upgrade and take-up at 38%, which is apparently ahead of the UK average.

DSIT’s Future Networks Programme: Security

As the Future Network Programme concludes, UKTIN is working with DSIT to reflect on the government-funded projects, outlining the key outcomes and the lessons learned to help improve future telecoms initiatives. 

The UK’s increasingly complex and connected telecom systems pose numerous security challenges, including data breaches, DDoS attacks, and insider threats. 

BT Group trials 5G SA network slicing at Belfast Christmas market

BT Group has reached a major milestone with the first-ever real-world implementation of 5G Standalone (SA) network slicing capabilities on the EE mobile network.

The technology was trialled at Belfast’s Christmas Market last month, delivering faster and more reliable mobile payments in the bustling Lavery’s Beer Tent, BT said.

Freshwave deploys portable 5G network to test farming robots

Freshwave has teamed up with the National Robotarium in Edinburgh to deploy a portable 5G private network to test out agriculture robots.

The first robot to be used on the portable 5G private network is called Spot – a quadruped wireless robot made by Boston Dynamics. The robot is being tested to meet an agricultural technology (agritech) need for a National Robotarium customer, and during the test it will stream live video content, do 3D mapping, and infrared assessments out in the field.

Customer caution over data misuse tops EY's telco risk ranking

Escalating cyberthreats and AI anxiety are among the biggest risks telcos will face this year, according to EY.

According to the consultancy's annual top-10 ranking of telco risks, CSPs "face substantial challenges" to their status as data custodians.

It stands to reason given the number of telcos that have suffered damaging data breaches in recent years.

Nokia, and Ericsson call for bold action to secure digital future at Brussels summit

Europe’s connectivity leaders, Nokia and Ericsson, alongside ASML and SAP, are spearheading a critical summit in Brussels today to drive a bold vision for the continent’s digital future.

The "New Industrial Ambition for Europe" summit aims to galvanise policymakers and industry leaders to implement key reforms that will bolster European technological leadership and economic prosperity.

FarrPoint Survey Unveils Connectivity Priorities for UK Local Authorities for 2025

Connectivity remains a critical but evolving priority for local authority digital leaders, as the importance of 5G grows, connectivity data and funding challenges persist, and the adoption and take-up of digital solutions become a bigger focus. 

These are some of the key findings from the third annual survey of digital leaders at councils across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, conducted by connectivity consultancy, FarrPoint.

LightSpeed boosts UK fibre broadband with Neos Networks partnership

LightSpeed has partnered with Neos Networks to accelerate the rollout of fibre-to-the-remises (FTTP) and wholesale services.

As a result, the partnership strengthens LightSpeed’s pledge to deliver Gigabit broadband to underserved communities while also enhancing its network infrastructure.

According to the company, by tapping Neos Networks’ extensive UK-wide infrastructure, LightSpeed can provide greater connectivity options and availability for its wholesale customers.