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Network & Communications

  • MPs to probe government broadband tax
    The Digital Britain report is to be investigated by a cross-party committee in the wake of its launch on 16 June in order to assess if its recommendations are realistic and valid.
  • KCOM outsources network to BT as it looks to cut costs
    KCOM has signed a deal with BT to outsource the management of its network in a move aimed at cutting costs.
  • Comms tsar to quit after Digital Britain report
    Communications minister Stephen Carter is expected to leave government, according to a report in The Times.
  • PBX market decline continues
    The seemingly inexorable decline of the British corded PBX and IP PBX market is continuing in the face of the economic downturn.
  • Comtek calls on more industry support for repairs
    Repair specialist the Comtek Group has slammed a culture in the networking industry that attempts to dissuade users from patching up kit causing them to spend money to buy equipment that need not be purchased.
  • Cisco updates small business programmes
    Cisco has updated its small business programme in a move it claims will offer higher levels of support to its vast SMB channel in the UK.
  • Profile: Aruba values structure
    After a turbulent 2008, vice-president Duncan Fisken is very optimistic about the direction Aruba EMEA is taking
  • Mitel partner event to focus on support
    Mitel has outlined plans to step up the support its offers resellers in the next few months aiming to help them get through the recession.
  • KCOM pre-tax profits tumble for financial year
    KCOM has seen pre-tax losses mount for its financial year ended 31 March and indicated that it will keep a focus on driving costs down.
  • KCOM linked in outsourcing deal with BT
    KCOM is expected to outsource its national telecoms infrastructure to BT in an attempt to reduce costs.
  • Digital Britain plans face uphill struggle
    Lord Carter’s plans to get every UK home and business connected to fast broadband connections before the 2012 Olympics may be more of a challenge than previously thought, according to new evidence this week.
  • ICT sector leads the way in flexible working
    An independent survey of 4,500 employees commissioned by mobile network and business comms provider Orange has found that telecoms and IT companies are increasingly practicing what they preach when it comes to flexible working.
  • BT tussles with Ofcom over wholesale pricing
    Ofcom has granted BT Openreach the right to raise the wholesale prices that it charges other operators for LLU line rental by just over 6% to £86.40 for a fully unbundled line, but BT has claimed the rise doesn’t go far enough.
  • Resellers must bulk up UC strategy to exploit recovery
    Resellers that want to be in the best possible shape as the economy emerges from the recession should already be lining up on the starting blocks, with unified communications (UC) and process automation a key part of the recovery plan.
  • Brocade revenues rise but losses widen
    Brocade has managed to beat the expectations of Wall Street with its revenue numbers for its second quarter claiming that its acquisition of Foundry is already paying off providing it with greater market share.
  • Analysis: Public sector key to wireless adoption
    This week sees the Wireless ’09 show at Olympia, and MicroScope caught up with some of this year’s exhibitors to find out what’s setting the agenda in the wireless networking sector.
  • Nortel Q1 results covered in red ink
    Struggling Nortel has blamed the economy for its current woes after posting losses for its first quarter.
  • In-depth: the opportunity of unified comms in the call centre part II
    In the second part of the Avaya roundtable looking at the reseller opportunities for unified communications in the call centre we ask the selected panel to outline where they think the technology will have an impact.
  • In-depth: The Unified comm opportunity in the call centre part 1
    MicroScope recently hosted a round table debate concerning how the channel can profit from unified communications. Avaya and its channel partners discussed the potential impact of unified communications on the contact centre.
  • Carphone Warehouse bags Tiscali for £236m in cash
    Carphone Warehouse (CPW) has secured the future of Tiscali after shelling out £236m in cash to acquire the UK operation on a debt free basis, creating a powerhouse in the residential broadband market.
  • Cisco CEO latest to talk of recovering market
    Cisco’s CEO and chairman John Chambers has become the latest major IT figure to describe a market that is starting to show signs of recovery.
  • Colt Telecom benefits from managed services growth
    Telecom specialist Colt has helped end the week on a positive note after producing Q1 numbers that beat expectations.
  • KCom to bring super-fast broadband to Yorkshire
    KCom, alongside technology partners Alcatel-Lucent and Thales, has been appointed by Digital Region, a consortium made up of four local authorities in South Yorkshire, to build, manage and operate fibre-optic broadband infrastructure in Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield.
  • Digital Britain critical to UK competitiveness, Brown says
    UK content for UK users, supported by a super-fast, universally accessible digital network, is what the British Prime Minister Gordon Brown called for this morning.
  • UK plc must prepare for flexible workers
    Last Monday, legislation came into force extending the statutory right to request flexible working to a sixth of Britain's population.
  • Canalys sees bright spots in slowing enterprise infrastructure market
    The recession is doing its bit to kill off large-scale traditional communications investments, but there are some growth areas out there, according to Canalys’ latest figures on the EMEA enterprise infrastructure market.
  • Viatel launches home-working package
    Business comms services provider Viatel has launched a home-working package including introductory special pricing in an attempt to help end-users drive down costs during the credit crunch.
  • Forrester sees UC market continuing to grow
    Forrester’s latest research on the unified communications (UC) market has affirmed suggestions that UC may be a nice little earner during the recession.
  • Brocade talks up LAN prospects
    Brocade is putting the finishing touches to its unified channel programme following the acquisition of Foundry, MicroScope has learned, and a key focus will be on making LAN resale a more attractive proposition.
  • Chinese money could rescue handset market
    With the mobile handset market in freefall in recent months, Chinese telecommunications equipment and network solutions provider ZTE is offering to remedy the slump.
  • ZyXEL teams up with security disti
    Network access vendor ZyXEL is to make a move on the IP-CCTV sector after signing a partnership agreement with specialist surveillance kit disti and Panasonic house CCTV Center.
  • BT announces super-fast broadband roll-out
    People unlucky enough to not live in Ebbsfleet will have access to super-fast broadband offering speeds of up to 60 Mb/s from early 2010, BT said today as it unveiled the first sites in line for deployment of fibre to the cabinet (FTTC) technology.
  • D-Link launches global reseller scheme to develop solutions
    D-Link has enhanced its partner programme along global lines with the aim of encouraging resellers to share knowledge with the aim of developing solutions that can increase the services revenue for partners.
  • Cisco partners must skill up for data centre push
    Cisco is urging partners to start skilling up to meet demand for its Unified Computing System (UCS), a new computing architecture launched yesterday that knits together compute, network, storage access and virtualisation into a modular system.
  • Digital Britain plan risks leaving UK in the slow lane
    Independent watchdog Consumer Focus has become the latest body to lay into the government’s Digital Britain Interim Report, saying that comms minister Lord Carter’s plans lack vision, neglect consumer interests and risk leaving the UK in the Internet ‘slow lane’.
  • UK plc demanding managed UC
    Resellers offering unified comms solutions as a managed service will find favour with the business community, with 56% of UK organisations advocating a managed service approach, according to research by Siemens Enterprise Communications.
  • Disruptive networkers spy opportunity on UK shores
    Even as the economy slows, niche networking vendors are vying to break into the UK market, and the recession is forming a key part of their pitch. Alex Scroxton reports.
  • WiMAX still growing despite rush to LTE
    The death of WiMAX technology at the hands of LTE may have been announced prematurely, says ABI Research.
  • Alcatel-Lucent back in play
    After a troubled few years, Alcatel-Lucent is finally putting its troubles behind it, writes Alex Scroxton.
  • Alcatel-Lucent begins channel programme revamp
    Streamlining partner engagement across its various business units will be the focus of Alcatel-Lucent's revamped channel programme, details of which began to emerge today.
  • Downturn drives demand for flexible working
    The impact of the recession is already being felt in the demand for flexible working applications that will enable companies to cut costs.
  • Recession catches up with Ethernet switching market
    The deepening economic downturn is catching up with sectors previously thought to be quite resilient, according to the latest report on the Ethernet switch market from analysts at Infonetics Research.
  • Resellers urged to break down UC discussion
    Comms dealers have been warned that they risk alienating potential customers if their pitches rely too heavily on still undefined concepts such as unified communications.
  • Fragmented communications wastes thousands
    Research by Siemens Enterprise Communications has revealed compelling evidence that dealers should encourage SMEs to ramp up their unified comms spend.
  • Target gets into broadband
    Target Components and 3G network provider 3 have put their signatures to a distribution agreement that will see Target offering 3 mobile broadband starter kits alongside its wireless router and laptop offerings.
  • Alcatel-Lucent forms 4G alliance
    Alcatel-Lucent has launched a global multi-vendor technology alliance designed to foster development of device, applications and content for 4G and LTE services.
  • Keeping mobile communications open
    It promises to be a tough year for mobile comms as companies concentrate on cutting costs, giving priority to critical business areas such as security, systems management and enterprise applications
  • Mobile data demands to soar
    Mobile internet is set to soar dramatically in spite of the severe recession, according to new research carried out on behalf of voice, video and data services specialist Tellabs.
  • Ofcom plans to speed up wireless
    Ofcom has proposed biting into parts of the spectrum bands operated by Vodafone and O2 in order to make good on the government’s promise to provide universal broadband in the UK within the next four years.
  • Blue Coat focuses on applications not just ports
    Bluecoat believes it can shake up the networking channel with a product that focuses on application management rather than just the standard ports and ISP addresses.
  • Recession boosts uptake of managed services
    Providers of managed services are well positioned to take advantage of firms looking to cut costs
  • Even to a BT shareholder VoIP just makes sense
    Voice over Internet Protocol can come into its own as consumers look to cut costs
  • Network at the heart of Digital Britain
    Proposal by BERR contains good news for networking dealers and integrators as the UK aims to lead digital economy
  • Information superhighway open despite snow, say UC specialists
    As parts of the UK shut down yesterday after experiencing their heaviest snowfall since 1991, unified communications vendors have been talking up the benefits of collaborative and home-working solutions.
  • Nortel cans WiMAX venture
    Nortel announced yesterday that it has ditched its mobile WiMAX business, canning its JV with specialist developer Alvarion.
  • Government outlines digital Britain vision
    The government has today outlined its plans to secure the UK’s place at the forefront of the digital global economy, with an ambitious guarantee to provide broadband to every home in Britain by the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympics forming a key part of the strategy.
  • Smartphone adoption paving way for netbook boom
    Acceptance of Blackberries and other smartphone devices has laid the groundwork for potential recession-busting growth in the netbook sector, according to analysts at ABI Research.
  • Polycom Q4 figures flat year on year
    Communications specialist Polycom has reported flat figures for its fourth quarter after introducing a restructuring plan designed at shaving costs off the bottom line.
  • Unified comms strong, but help needed with ROI story
    Building a business case for the boardroom is key to making solutions easier to sell, writes Alex Scroxton
  • InTechnology inks 5-year BT deal
    InTechnology is prepping a massive expansion of its UK Ethernet coverage after signing a five-year pact with BT to take its Wholesale Ethernet service over 21CN.
  • Didata laments lack of UC knowledge
    CIOs still see a lack of understanding when trying to convince their bosses that unified comms is a sound investment, according to new figures out from Dimension Data.
  • Comment: Making unified communications work
    A unified network means effective UC deployments and better collaboration and productivity among employees
  • Making the case for convergence
    Resellers must spell out all the business benefits of converged networks to large corporations
  • Networking: what does 2009 hold?
    How will the networking industry shape up over the next year?
  • Wireless networks must upgrade to keep pace
    Wireless network provider Ruckus has warned that while new smartphone devices such as the iPhone are seeing good levels of take-up, many wireless networks are unable to support their demands and are in need of an upgrade.
  • Huawei sales surge could mask internal strife
    Full-year sales at Chinese communications vendor Huawei soared 46% in 2008 to $23.3bn (£15.2bn), but the secretive vendor may be drawing a veil over internal problems.
  • O2 welcomes Ofcom broadband figures
    Mobile comms provider O2 has welcomed figures released today by Ofcom showing that despite claims to the contrary from many ISPs, broadband speeds in the UK average 3.6Mbit/s.
  • Cisco to showcase consumer plans
    Cisco boss John Chambers is expected to use his address tomorrow at CES Las Vegas to reveal Cisco’s first consumer product, a digital home stereo system that will allow end-users to stream wireless audio content to multiple rooms.
  • Netgear signs Enta Technologies to carry SME range
    Netgear has formalised its relationship with Enta Technologies appointing the distributor to increase its business in the SME space.
  • Government USO proposals could benefit comms providers
    The communications channel could shortly be looking at new business areas after the government’s review of the telecoms industry suggested BT could be stripped of its universal service obligation (USO) to provide basic service to every home and business in Britain.
  • ConSentry goes against the grain with price cuts
    ConSentry has unveiled a series of small price cuts on its LANShield switch range together with changes to its licensing model in the run-up to Christmas in the hope of broadening opportunities and growing margins for its reseller channel.
  • Trapeze acquires Newbury Networks
    Trapeze Networks has acquired Newbury Networks as part of its ongoing strategy of extending its portfolio.
  • Network hardware shipments hold up in tough times
    The networking market is continuing to defy the downturn, according to figures out today from Boston-based Infonetics Research that show impressive sales growth of Ethernet switches.
  • Gamma hits the road
    Business broadband specialist Gamma Telecom will be taking to the road over January and February to run a series of roadshows across the country.
  • Online crooks getting smarter, warns Cisco
    Cisco has warned that the online criminal economy is becoming increasingly savvy and much more sophisticated as profit-driven crooks hone their approaches to compromising end-user data in its 2008 Annual Security Report.
  • Resellers must be clear on VoIP capabilities
    Business internet services specialist Viatel has called for resellers to be clearer when selling VoIP services to SMBs in order to boost take-up.
  • Trapeze welcomes networking consolidation
    The prospect of further consolidation in the networking market is being welcomed by those that believe they have the ability to take market share from rivals.
  • Cisco to chase consumers and video in '09
    Speaking at Cisco’s annual C-Scape analysts’ knees-up in California, Cisco CEO John Chambers has vowed to ramp-up Cisco’s consumer-facing business next year, giving valuable clues as to exactly how he plans to avoid making anybody redundant.
  • UC Linux outfit takes potshot at Microsoft
    Unified communications software outfit has fired a broadside at Microsoft Exchange with the launch of what it claims is the first Linux-based UC software solution to be made available free of charge.
  • Smartphone sales up but slowing, says Gartner
    The global smartphone market saw its weakest year-on-year growth since records began during the third quarter of 2008, according to Gartner’s worldwide smartphone sales numbers just released.
  • Making the most of legacy systems
    Faced with economic uncertainty, many businesses are choosing to prolong the life of their IT infrastructure rather than implement expensive new systems. What are the opportunities for the channel?
  • Resellers focus on value
    One of the sights you cannot avoid, if you go down any high street or onto any e-tail website, is the numbers 20% or 30% plus the words “off everything”.
  • New coat of paint for Packeteer kit
    WAN optimisation vendor Blue Coat will rebrand PacketShaper appliances from 1 January 2009, the firm said today as it announced the end of the integration of application delivery specialist Packeteer.
  • BT to raise wholesale broadband prices
    Comms regulator Ofcom has given BT Openreach the green light to hike its wholesale prices for broadband providers running their services over BT infrastructure.
  • Cisco trots out wireless CCIE specialisation
    Cisco has lifted the wraps on the latest addition to its CCIE training programme in the shape of a wireless networking accreditation, enabling resellers to add expertise in designing, deploying, managing and troubleshooting wireless LANs built around Cisco gear.
  • BlackBerry shipments suffer in downturn
    BlackBerry-maker Research in Motion (RIM) has taken a beating after issuing an unexpected profit warning late Tuesday and admitting it would add about 300,000 fewer new customers than expected over the three months to the end of December.
  • Financial houses still demanding faster networks
    Although some of the world’s most respected investment banks have collapsed in ignominy over the past quarter, those that remain are continuing to drive demand for fast, low-latency network infrastructure, research house Datamonitor has claimed.
  • Alcatel-Lucent shuffles management pack again
    Alcatel-Lucent continues to shuffle its senior management team with the role of chief financial officer being the latest to be replaced.
  • Affiniti blamed for KCOM revenue drop
    Kingston Communications (KCOM) has blamed Affiniti, its integration arm for a fall in revenues during its fiscal first half year.
  • Cisco aims to beat recession with remarketing channel
    In a move aimed at appeasing the concerns of resellers struggling to make ends meet on low-margin networking gear, Cisco is understood to be ramping up its official remarketing channel.
  • IT dealers to assault mobile data market
    Vodafone-owned business-to-business comms provider Yes Telecom plans to muscle in on the mobile data market on behalf of IT resellers with the roll-out of a new series of communications services.
  • Lack of consumer confidence hobbling mobility market, says IDC
    Shipments of mobile devices in Europe slumped during Q3 as cautious consumers delayed upgrading their handsets, research from IDC has revealed.
  • Colubris brand to be phased out by HP
    HP ProCurve said today that the Colubris brand will be phased out over the coming months as it pushes an enhanced line of wireless LAN (WLAN) gear through the channel.
  • Nortel cuts jobs following woeful Q3 results
    Nortel has announced job cuts and cost saving measures following the announcement of a third quarter loss of $3.4bn.
  • Resellers must take slice of Mobile 2.0
    Internet-connected mobile technology offers fresh sales for those resellers alive to the market opportunity.
  • Mainstream mover
    Darryl Brick, UK and Ireland country manager at HP ProCurve, tells Alex Scroxton how he's dealing with the challenges of leading a growing force in the network-building industry.
  • Is ultra-fast Bluetooth a step too far?
    High-speed Bluetooth is possible, but according to Motorola, phone engineers and consumers aren't ready for it.
  • Vanco name axed as owners set sights on big leagues
    Indian comms operator Reliance GlobalCom has completed the rebranding and integration of its recently-acquired Vanco unit, making it the core of a new Global Data Business unit, along with its Yipes and Flag subsidiaries, according to boss Mark Thompson.
  • SMC launches free network portal
    LAN and broadband hardware vendor SMC Networks has unveiled an online portal to provide certified training that it claims is the only free-of-charge offering on the internet.
  • Aruba launches research project
    Wireless LAN and mobility vendor Aruba Networks has launched its Aruba Labs research project to promote research into wireless networking through a Developers’ Programme, an Advanced Directed Research Programme and an education-focused project dubbed Green Island.
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