CMA raises concerns about proposed Vodafone-Three merger

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has expressed concerns over the proposed merger between Vodafone and Three, two of the UK's four major mobile network operators.

The regulator launched its initial Phase 1 investigation in January after the two companies announced a joint venture agreement last year that would combine their 27 million customers under a single network provider.

The CMA's 40-day Phase 1 review aimed to identify whether the deal could lead to a...

22 March 2024 | 5G

Cybersecurity agencies issue warning over Chinese hacking group

Government cybersecurity authorities in the US and allied nations are sounding the alarm bell again over the Chinese hacking group known as Volt Typhoon.

In a joint advisory issued on Tuesday, the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), National Security Agency (NSA), FBI, and eight international partners warned that the Beijing-backed Volt Typhoon gang may be gearing up for disruptive or destructive cyber strikes targeting critical infrastructure...

20 March 2024 | Legislation & Government

Government programme boosts 4G coverage in rural Wales

Several rural communities in Wales are now accessing fast and reliable 4G mobile coverage thanks to the UK government's Shared Rural Network initiative to tackle poor connectivity in remote areas.

The first of 86 planned 4G mobile masts have been switched on this month in places like Pont-rhyd-y-groes, Ysbyty Ystwyth, LLanafan, Tynygraig, West Fedw and Trawsgoed in Powys County. Residents, businesses and tourists in these areas can now benefit from improved 4G coverage from all...

19 March 2024 | Hot Topics

French government cyber crisis teams ‘useless’ against DDoS

Several French government websites and networks have been crippled by an intense and ongoing series of cyberattacks over the past day, with pro-Russian hacker group Anonymous Sudan mocking the government's cyber defense capabilities as "useless" against the onslaught.

The French prime minister's office confirmed the disruptive attacks on Monday, stating that "since [Sunday], several government departments have been the subject of cyberattacks whose technical methods are...

12 March 2024 | Security

BT misses Huawei equipment ban deadline

The deadline set by the UK government for telecoms operators to remove Huawei equipment from their core networks has elapsed, with BT falling a bit short.

In November 2022, the government issued formal legal notices to telecoms operators – including BT – outlining their obligations to eliminate Huawei kit due to security concerns. 

The initial deadline of 28 January 2023 was later extended to 31 December 2023 as several operators expressed difficulties in...

2 January 2024 | 5G

Airbus secures £95M for satellite in TRUTHS mission

Airbus has clinched £95 million from the UK Space Agency, in collaboration with the European Space Agency, to spearhead the TRUTHS mission's satellite design and development phase.

TRUTHS (Traceable Radiometry Underpinning Terrestrial- and Helio- Studies) aims to revolutionise Earth observation and climate monitoring. The funding marks a crucial step towards creating a groundbreaking “climate and calibration observatory in space.” 

Airbus will leverage the...

4 December 2023 | Satellites

UK invests £36M in pioneering ‘5G Innovation Regions’

Ten multi-local authority areas spanning the entire UK will benefit from £36 million in funding, becoming designated 5G Innovation Regions (5GIRs). The initiative aims to drive the development and adoption of 5G and other cutting-edge wireless technologies, ushering in a new era of connectivity for towns, cities, and rural areas.

Among the winners is Glasgow City Region, which will receive over £3 million to implement a healthcare-focused project using 5G and other technologies...

16 November 2023 | 5G

CityFibre awards contracts for its Project Gigabit rollouts

CityFibre has awarded its first round of contracts to build partners as part of Project Gigabit.

Project Gigabit is the government’s £5 billion programme to connect 715,000 rural properties, ensuring they have access to high-speed broadband services.

CityFibre has appointed the following as its build partners:

Granemore Group in Cambridgeshire OCU Group and CCN Communications in Hampshire OCU Group in Norfolk Telelink, OCU Group, and Granemore Group...

22 September 2023 | Broadband

UK to rejoin EU’s Copernicus and Horizon schemes

In a step forward for European space and scientific collaboration, the UK is set to rejoin the Copernicus and Horizon Europe programs. 

The UK was a major expertise and financial contributor to both programs prior to its decision to leave the EU. The EU blocked an agreement in the Brexit deal for the UK to become an associate member of Horizon over the long-running dispute over the Northern Ireland Protocol.

A resolution to the dispute was reached under the Windsor...

7 September 2023 | Legislation & Government

Risk Register 2023: Infrastructure cyberattack could harm thousands

In a stark warning, the UK government has alerted the public to the impact of a cyberattack on critical infrastructure.

The findings come from the latest National Risk Register report, which is based on the government’s classified National Security Risk Assessment and considers malicious risks like terrorism and cyberattacks alongside non-malicious risks such as severe weather incidents.

The government estimates there’s a 5-25 percent likelihood of a serious...

4 August 2023 | Security