Industry News
Stay up to date with the latest news stories from within the Wireless Communications arena by reading our syndicated news feeds.
Nokia to exploit data on mobile internet use
Mobile phone maker Nokia is going live this month with a Teradata datawarehouse that will help it match its phones more closely with the demands of mobile users by analysing how people use the internet while travelling.
21CN broadband launches but businesses still face wait for fast broadband
BT launches its 24Mbit broadband service over its 21st century network (21CN) this week, but small businesses will...
Royal Alexandra Hospital first Scottish hospital to use RFID asset-tracking
A Scottish NHS hospital is to be the first to use an asset tracking system using radio frequency identification (RFID) technology to keep tabs on portable equipment.
SME decision-makers pay too much for mobile communications
Research commissioned by T-Mobile reveals 60% of small business senior decision makers spend a minimum of five hours a week out of the office, but many are paying too much for their mobile communications.
Mobile telematics to embrace 200 million machines by 2012
Analyst Berg Insight says 186 million machines will be connected to mobile networks by 2012...
Vodafone broadens and simplifies mobile broadband
Beginning in June 2008, mobile broadband network will cover major cities and other key urban areas plus firm will typical download task times at point of sale
Mobile data and managed mobility services take off
Top three budget priorities for CIOs at large enterprises are mobile data, IP convergence, and overall cost management.
End users 'biggest winners' from HP's acquisition of EDS
End users could be the big winners following Hewlett-Packard's announcement that it is to acquire outsourcing company EDS for £7.13bn.
Mobile broadband modem market rising fast
The mobile broadband modem market is set for a new stage of growth according to new research
West Midlands council tenants get free web access via electrical power lines
West Midlands residents are to get free or subsidised web access via power lines.
Qualcomm makes femtocell investment in ip.access
Qualcomm, the 3G chipset company, is the latest company to invest in UK mobile femtocell...
Video: testing GreenRoad Technologies safer driving software
Can you use technology and software to improve people's driving and cut the number of fatalities on the road?
Smartphones the clear choice of mobile productivity tool
Devices' prospects boosted by established and successful channels of distribution and less than expected pricing
Smartphones becoming an increased security risk
94% of IT managers surveyed at InfoSecurity Europe regard smartphones as a growing problem
Analyst reviews opinion of use of embedded 3G in notebooks
New pricing plans and wireless WAN (WWAN) technology evolution are forcing changes in strategy
Apple's iPhone to the Enterprise
The new iPhone 3G offers 3G networking, built-in GPS, and iPhone 2.0 software that supports Microsoft...
Airlines could use mobile phones to cut costs
The airline...
Glasgow subway to get Airwave mobile comms network
Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) has awarded Airwave a £4.2m contract to install its mobile comms network throughout the Glasgow subway system.
Jury still out on fixed mobile convergence for enterprises
Many challenges remain before FMC is widely deployed even though the benefits are becoming clearer
Analysts acclaim Nokia’s Symbian acquisition
Open Symbian platform heralded as 'a refreshing sign of agility, and a changed mobile landscape'
WLAN next big thing in handset connectivity
Analyst firm predicts WLAN to be theprevalent connectivity technology in mass-market mobile handsets
Netgear embraces open source
Netgear is supporting...
Wimbledon boosted by Ethernet network software
Bandwidth at Wimbledon is being given a boost with a new bespoke Ethernet network system from Exponential-e. The All England Lawn Tennis Club has deployed...
Mobile Wimax set to grow
Mobile Wimax 802.16e will amass 80 million mobile subscribers globally by 2013, according to a paper published by Juniper Research.
Video: IT news review of 2007
ComputerWeekly.com's weekly video IT news highlights package.
Mobile femtocell market to increase tenfold next year
Worldwide sales of GSM/GPRS and 3G femtocell access points will grow tenfold from 2007 to 2008, with sales reaching more than £315m in 2010, says analyst Infonetics Research.
Milton Keynes gets first commercial Wimax network
From today, council-backed ConnectMK will be providing residents and businesses in the Milton Keynes area with access to Wimax services.
Swedish rail network improves mobile comms
Banverket, the Swedish railway administration, is improving its rail network management system with technology from Nokia Siemens Networks.
Avaya software enables iPhone to integrate with corporate IP networks
Avaya is doing its bit to make Apple's iPhone a genuine business tool by enabling its business mobile IP software to work with the must-have consumer Christmas gadget.
Ofcom to release more spectrum to support Wimax services
Ofcom has announced the release...
Privacy watchdog calls for RFID regulations
Consumers who buy RFID-enabled goods should have an automatic veto against their personal details being collected and associated with the device, says the European Data Protection Supervisor.
Honda rolls out mobile devices across European operations
Vehicle manufacturer Honda is rolling out handheld mobile devices to its staff across Europe in a move that is expected to save £63,000 for every 100 users in productivity gains in the first year.
Netgear unveils new Wi-Fi family for bandwidth intensive apps
Netgear has launched its next-generation Wireless-N family of Wi-Fi products incorporating internal antenna technology that helps increase range and bandwidth.
London Evening Standard and Newsquest adopt wireless mobile screens
The London Evening Standard and regional newspaper group Newsquest are using wireless mobile screens at newspaper outlets to help boost sales.
Microwave IP links help track polar bears across the Arctic
Polar bears in Canada are being tracked by remote cameras linked via an IP network to increase awareness of their dwindling numbers.
Ryanair signs deal for onboard sales technology
Low cost airliner Ryanair has signed a deal with GuestLogix for on-board sales technology.
Aruba to acquire AirWave for £18.5m
Aruba Networks is acquiring AirWave Wireless for £18.5m in stock and cash to widen its Wi-Fi offering to firms.
IT on the London Underground: Podcast interview with Adrian Davey of Tube Lines
Podcast interview with Adrian Davey of Tube Lines on the IT that keeps the London Underground running, including an innovative new project, SmartStep, which aims to improve maintenance of escalators.
Motorola unveils voice over IP-enabled barcode scanner
Motorola has unveiled a barcode scanner that doubles up as a wireless voice over IP phone.
Bristol Water taps into mobile workforce management to improve field operations
Bristol Water is deploying a mobile workforce management system from Aspective to improve its field operations.
Blue Coat offers free Wan optimisation for remote workers
Blue Coat Systems has introduced the Blue Coat Proxyclient, a wireless area network (Wan) optimisation software client with integrated security and control.
Future network trends: wireless Wan will regroup
Until recently, a prediction that WiMax would gain traction in 2008 would have seemed pretty likely. But then, Sprint Nextel pulled its deal with US-based company Clearwire, which would have seen a country-wide network of towers supporting the wireless metropolitan area network technology.
Blue Coat integrates Wan optimisation and security
Blue Coat Systems has introduced the Blue Coat Proxyclient, a wireless area network optimisation software client with integrated security and control.
Salisbury NHS Trust expands Wi-Fi network to support bedside care
Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust is expanding its Wi-Fi network across its site.
Salisbury NHS Trust expands Wi-Fi network to support bedside care
Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust is expanding its Wi-Fi network across its site.
Ipswich council slashes remote working costs
Ipswich Borough Council is using a text messaging system to increase its network security and save thousands of pounds in its remote working programme.
Ford's Land Rover divisions trials RFID system
Ford Motor Company's Land Rover division has begun a pilot programme to deploy and active radio...
London's wireless network leaves other cities behind
Despite the benefits of wireless working, some cities are still much less wired than others, says research commissioned by Lexmark.
Farnham Castle deploys self-adjusting wireless internet access
Staff at Farnham Castle Conference Centre in Surrey have overcome challenges at the 900-year-old site by implementing...
Professional services the key for mobile data
Customer satisfaction seen as the differentiator in telecoms market
Professional services the key for 02 mobility
Customer satisfaction seen as the differentiator in telecoms market
Aerophone slashes cost of mobile calls from planes
A new platform from Aerophone could allow users to make cheap worldwide mobile phone calls from planes.
UK’s first mobile Wimax network to go live in Maidstone
The Mobile Wimax Acceleration Group (M-WAG), a collaboration of companies demonstrating the business case for mobile Wimax, is to deliver the first UK mobile Wimax pilot network over 2.5GHz in Maidstone, Kent.
London Fashion Week designer uses mobile NFC system to boost sales
This year's London Fashion Week has seen the first use of mobile near field communications (NFC) to help sell a fashion range.
Terminal 3 begins six month RFID trial
BAA and Emirates Airline have launched the largest Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) baggage trial which could reduce the number of misread bags at Heathrow airport.
Photo story: Heathrow Terminal 3 RFID trial
Pictures of the RFID trial at Heathrow's Terminal 3. Terminal 3 will spend £150,000 trialling Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) for six months to see if it reduces the number of misread bags over existing barcode methods.
Heathrow Terminal 3 begins six month RFID trial
BAA and Emirates Airline have launched the largest Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) baggage trial which could reduce the number of misread bags at Heathrow airport.
Will RFID technology truly reduce lost luggage at airports?
The British Airport Authority is testing Radio frequency identification (RFID) technology at Heathrow Airport to see if baggage tags can be read with fewer mistakes than ones with barcodes.
Ubiquitous enterprise mobility has arrived
Have you noticed how often the word "convergence" has cropped up in IT conversations throughout this decade?
Dell unveils smaller, lighter Inspiron laptop for £250
Dell has updated its Inspiron laptop range with a £250 model that is 25% smaller than previous machines.
Optimising small business networks
Much has been said about network optimisation recently. The expected onslaught of new wave applications - so called at least - such as VoIP, IPTV and the rest, means that we do have to optimise and re-architect our networks if this stuff is actually going to be deliverable at acceptable quality levels, says Steve Broadhead, director of Broadband-Testing Labs.
Enforce wireless security with good sense and good technology
Your CEO is sitting in the cafe before your next meeting using instant messenger to talk to his vice-president of marketing while sending an e-mail to the financial director asking about next month's results. The guy in the corner sipping his coffee and staring intently at his laptop is not reading the news, he is reading your CEO's conversation. And when he is finished, he is going to install a trojan program on his laptop. How? And what should IT managers do to stop things like this happening?
Video: Web 2.0 head-to-head debate
Yahoo, Google, Amazon, all of these websites have changed a lot over the last decade but is web 2.0 an internet revolution or is it more of an internet evolution.
Mobile usage to overtake fixed lines in Western Europe this year
Mobile calls will overtake fixed line calls for the first time in Western Europe this year, says a new report.
Scottish council provides high speed residential broadband to public
Scotland's Renfrewshire Council has implemented a wide area wireless network as part of its digital inclusion project to provide citizens with residential high speed broadband.
Proposed changes to BT broadband rules provokes criticism
Proposed changes to relax the rules covering BT's wholesale broadband division have met with criticism from industry experts, who claim the changes could...
Forum of Private Businesses calls on firms to inspect terms of new BT contract
The Forum of Private Business (FPB) has told small businesses that they should scrutinise the terms of a new service contract with BT.
Cambridge Constabulary rolls out remote service portal
Cambridgeshire Constabulary has implemented a remote service portal to make its IT systems accessible to members of neighbourhood policing teams and other staff outside its secure network.
Machines propose love at Victoria Station
There has been a high tech theme to 29 February, the day that lovestruck women propose to their sweethearts.
CeBIT to cover Web 2.0, RFID, green IT
The growing relevance of social networks to business, RFID and green IT will be dominant themes at this year's CeBIT event in Hanover, Germany.
Air travellers move to trains as Wi-Fi access becomes free
Businesses have turned away from air travel to a major UK rail route after the train operator introduced free wireless internet access.
WiMAX mobile comms advantage shrinking
Despite WiMAX’s head start on the 4G market, other technologies’ evolution is happening quicker than expected
Somerfield sets out stall for WiMAX access to network
The supermarket chain will pilot the WiMAX solution at its Manchester sites as an alternative to a leased line
German packaging firm rolls out RFID pallet tracking
German packaging manufacturer Heuchemer Verpackung has implemented a UK-developed radio frequency identification (RFID) based plastic pallet tracking system to increase visibility of pallets and products.
BAA picks barcodes over RFID for Terminal 5
BAA has rejected advanced RFID technology in favour of 2D barcodes to track baggage at Heathrow's new terminal 5 in a move that it say will help it improve its track record on lost bags.
Virgin Trains upgrades Wi-Fi lounges, but passengers still cannot make calls or access web on the move
Virgin Trains has teamed up with T-Mobile to provide free and improved Wi-Fi facilities in all of its first class lounges in stations.
IT news round-up podcast for 10 March: National ID card scheme faces new criticism
Weekly IT news round-up podcast for 10 March 2008. Stories this week include fresh criticism of the UK national identity database / ID card scheme from the Crosby report and other sources, and BAA's rejection of RFID technology in favour of barcodes for baggage tracking.
Ultra mobile devices enjoy ‘momentous’ 2007
Major moves by processor manufacturers will continue to enable new ultra mobile PCs and mobile Internet devices
University of Birmingham overhauls Wi-Fi network to extend coverage to all sites
The University of Birmingham is overhauling and widening its Wi-Fi network coverage to improve data speeds and increase access to students.
Scania rolls out wireless network to reduce carbon footprint
Truck, bus and engine manufacturer Scania has implemented a wireless communication network at its main production facility in Sweden to reduce the company's carbon footprint.
London is world’s leading enterprise Wi-Fi location
London is the world leader when it comes to hosting enterprise Wi-Fi use, with annual usage up 156% in the second half of 2007.
Smartcard technology reaps security benefits
Two and a half years ago, Nikk Gilbert, head of security architecture at a multinational transport and energy firm, had the dream that staff could swipe a smartcard to enter a building, use that same card to pay for coffee in the canteen, then log on to their laptops by inserting the card into a reader, all without needing a password written on a Post-it note. Now his dream is reality at the firm's transport headquarters in France, which is home to 1,500 employees.
Mobile internet usage in Europe to surge over the next five years
125 million Europeans will access the Web regularly from their mobile phone by 2013; triple the number that do so today.
IBM unveils worlds tiniest optical chip switch for energy efficiency
IBM researchers have developed the world's tiniest switch to rout optical data between computer chip cores in...
Nokia tops new smartphone ranking
Nokia tops analysis programme designed to provide an understanding of smartphones vendors’ innovation and implementation skills.
IBM unveils worlds tiniest optical chip switch for energy efficiency
IBM researchers have developed the world's tiniest switch to rout optical data between computer chip cores in...
Femtocells to boost enterprise communications by end of year
Premises-based comms systems could potentially provide enterprises with greatly discounted calling
Heathrow Terminal 5 - the latest from Computer Weekly
BAA’s latest London airport terminal, Heathrow Terminal 5 is based on ambitious and innovative use of IT, despite its currebt difficulties. Catch up on the background and latest news
Shell signs record $1.6bn IT deal with AT&T
Oil giant Shell has signed a five-year deal worth $1.6bn with AT&T to manage its worldwide communications infrastructure, which includes mobile telephony....
Multimedia a growing must-have for mobile devices
Users demanding devices that can be personalised and offer voice, messaging, social networking and multimedia
Shell signs record $1.6bn IT deal with AT&T
Oil giant Shell has signed a five-year deal worth $1.6bn with AT&T to manage its worldwide communications infrastructure, which includes mobile telephony....
Worldwide mobile broadband market flying
GSMA predicts that there now exist more than 32 million mobile broadband (HSDPA) connections worldwide compared with just over 3 million at the end of the first quarter of 2007.
Last-mile WiMAX to topple DSL
Speed of deployment gives WiMAX significant opportunity to act as a DSL substitute technology
Silverjet airline debuts mobile website for handheld devices
Silverjet is the first UK airline to introduce a website for handheld devices to enable customers to view and amend travel information.
Silverjet airline debuts mobile website for handheld devices
Silverjet is the first UK airline to introduce a website for handheld devices to enable customers to view and amend travel information.
Barclaycard rolls out more contactless cards
Barclaycard is sending out more than a million contactless payment cards in the UK this year as existing cards are replaced with cards fitted with contactless technology.
Heathrow's Terminal Five hit by more baggage handling problems
Heathrow's terminal five was hit by a fresh round of technical problems over the weekend after the baggage system failed again.
Devices key to mobile broadband development
Growth in mobile broadband will only come about by plugging the gap between users, infrastructure and devices
SMBs taking to unified communications
UC helping small business needs during challenging economic times
More than 100 million users of mobile LBS in Europe by 2012
Location, location, location the key in mobile market future
Welsh Assembly uses satellite tracking for gritter fleet
The Welsh Assembly Government is to use a web-based satellite-tracking system to co-ordinate a fleet of gritting vehicles.
Airbus signs 'largest' RFID manufacturing deal with IBM and Oatsystems
Airbus has chosen IBM and Oatsystems for what it calls "the world's largest RFID-enabledmanufacturing initiative".
Juniper Research forecasts 816 million mobile banking usesr by 2011
Juniper Research predicts 816 million consumers will use mobile devices for banking services by 2011, but there will be problems along the way.
Business centre users get improved IP comms
Occupants of United Business Centres (UBC) are to get the latest in IP communications services.
Juniper Research forecasts 816 million mobile banking users by 2011
Juniper Research predicts 816 million consumers will use mobile devices for banking services by 2011, but there will be problems along the way.
Coach firm Chambers deploys mobile tracking for vehicles
Chambers, a Northern Ireland coach and bus operator, has implemented mobile tracking from Masternaut Three X.
St John's Hospital speeds records access with wireless system
St John's Hospital in Limerick, Ireland, is using a wireless network to allow doctors to access patients' records at the bedside.
RFID baggage systems could save airline industry £350m a year
The airline industry could save about £350m a year in lost baggage costs if it adopted radio frequency identification (RFID) technology across the board.
