RootMetrics: EE maintains performance lead, but rivals are catching up

The latest Mobile Performance Review report from RootMetrics shows that EE remains the UK operator to beat, but rivals are catching up.

EE swept six RootScore awards for overall performance, reliability, speed, and data, call, and text performance. The operator delivered the fastest median download speeds – across all network technologies – in every city.

Marc Allera, CEO of BT’s Consumer Division, said:

“Delivering the best mobile experience for...

22 July 2021 | LTE

Watchdog issues another warning to Three over ‘real 5G’ claims

ASA (Advertising Standards Authority) has issued another warning to Three against making claims that it offers “real 5G” in marketing campaigns.

Rival operator EE first issued a formal complaint to ASA back in 2019 after Three boasted, “If it’s not Three, it’s not real 5G”. More recently, Vodafone issued a complaint about Three’s TV ad claiming that it was creating Britain's fastest mobile network and that consumers should "join the future on Three, it's real...

21 July 2021 | Networks

DISH switches to AT&T after accusing T-Mobile of anti-competitive behaviour

DISH will pay AT&T at least $5 billion over the next decade to access its network following a spat with T-Mobile.

Since August 2020, T-Mobile has stopped activating and selling phones that don't support VoLTE to encourage any holdouts still relying on 3G to upgrade. DISH isn’t happy with T-Mobile bringing forward its plans to shutter its 3G CDMA network earlier than originally intended and accused the operator of anti-competitive behaviour.

“T-Mobile’s plans to...

20 July 2021 | AT&T

Japan sets new internet record with 319Tb/s data transfer speed

Japan has set a new internet data transfer speed record of 319Tb/s just under a year after setting the previous bar.

Last year, Japan and the UK collaborated to achieve an internet speed record of 178Tb/s. That was an incredible feat, but the new record set by Japan’s National Institute of Information and Communication Technology (NIST) is simply astounding.

The 319Tb/s speed was achieved with a four-core fibre optic cable that remained around the size of a single. A...

19 July 2021 | Networks

Vodafone partners with Mavenir to develop indoor OpenRAN solution

Vodafone and Mavenir have developed a small cell OpenRAN solution for indoor network coverage.

The solution is designed for businesses with medium to large office spaces and uses OpenRAN to support interoperability and prevent vendor lock-in.

Andrea Dona, Chief Network Officer at Vodafone UK, said:

“So far, OpenRAN deployment has focused on outdoor connectivity, but there is significant potential for this technology in the office environment.

A simple...

8 July 2021 | LTE

Enea’s industry-first schema extends 5G Core to manage 4G data

Enea claims to have created the first virtualised data schema to extend 5G Core to manage 4G network data.

The schema enables mobile operators to map 4G and 5G data models into a single customisable view from the 5G Core to the edge.

Roland Steiner, Senior Vice President for Telecoms at Enea, said:

“Data is at the heart of 5G and operators need genuine agility to maximise their potential. But network providers have struggled to manage 4G and 5G data on their...

7 July 2021 | Networks

Research: These countries are the ‘most connected’ in the world

Research from CircleLoop has found the countries which have the fastest and most widespread 4G, 5G, and fixed broadband connections.

South Korea, unsurprisingly, comes out on top with an overall “connected score” of 9.55 out of 10. The country’s score is based on an average mobile download speed of 186.06Mbps, fixed broadband download speed of 241.58Mbps, and 98.3 percent 4G availability.

On average mobile download speed, South Korea is just beat by the UAE which...

6 July 2021 | LTE

Nokia launches the world’s first live 5G standalone 700MHz service

Nokia has launched the world’s first live 5G standalone 700MHz service in Australia in partnership with TPG Telecom.

The low-band service will help to cover wide outdoor areas in addition to deep indoor urban environments, making it particularly useful for IoT deployments.

Barry Kezik, Executive General Manager Mobile and Fixed Networks at TPG Telecom, said:

“We’re excited to be the first network in the world to realise the true potential of low-band 5G...

5 July 2021 | Networks

Let’s be FRANC, the UK wants to be a 5G OpenRAN pioneer

The UK Government has launched a £30 million scheme to cement the country’s leadership in developing the next generation of 5G networks.

FRANC (Future RAN Competition) will help to fund innovative R&D projects across the UK to help speed up the adoption of OpenRAN (Open Radio Access Network) technology. Projects vying to claim a share of the funding are encouraged to make proposals that will help to fast-track viable solutions and encourage further business and government...

2 July 2021 | Legislation & Government

UK satellite firm OneWeb receives a $500M boost from Bharti

UK-based LEO (Low-Earth Orbit) satellite firm OneWeb is continuing a big news week with a $500 million investment from Bharti Global.

OneWeb received $1 billion from the UK Government and Bharti Global last year.

Rt. Hon Kwasi Kwarteng, MP, Secretary of State, BEIS, said:

“Today’s additional $500 million investment in OneWeb by Bharti marks yet another vote of confidence in the company from the market. It’s clear that investors see a strong future for...

30 June 2021 | Networks