NATO launches hub to safeguard critical undersea infrastructure

NATO has inaugurated a specialised centre focused on the security of extensive undersea energy pipelines and cables, which are crucial for global communications, energy supply, and economic stability yet remain vulnerable to attacks.

The newly established NATO Maritime Centre for Security of Critical Undersea Infrastructure (CUI) is based at NATO Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM) in Northwood, UK. The centre, which recently achieved Initial Operational Capability (IOC), serves as a...

29 May 2024 | Broadband

Satellite heavyweights SES and Intelsat to combine in $3.1B merger

Two of the commercial satellite industry's biggest players are joining forces to fortify their position against the onslaught of emerging low-Earth orbit broadband constellations led by SpaceX's Starlink network.

In a $3.1 billion deal announced Tuesday, Luxembourg-based SES will acquire rival operator Intelsat—creating a combined fleet of around 100 satellites in geostationary orbit (GEO).

The new behemoth born from the merger will boast more than twice the number of...

1 May 2024 | Broadband

FCC votes to restore net neutrality protections

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has voted to reinstate net neutrality protections, marking a significant shift in policy that aims to ensure the internet remains fast, open, and fair for all users. The decision comes after years of public outcry and regulatory shifts that saw the rollback of previous net neutrality rules.

The rules prohibit Internet service providers from blocking and throttling lawful content and ban paid prioritisation. Cable and telecom companies...

26 April 2024 | Broadband

EU antitrust chief warns against telecoms mergers  

EU competition chief Margrethe Vestager has issued a stern warning against further consolidation in the bloc's telecommunications industry, countering a recent EU report that advocated for mergers among operators to bolster networks.

Speaking at a conference in Brussels, Vestager forcefully rejected the notion that more concentrated national telecoms markets would lead to better outcomes.

"No evidence suggests that more concentrated national markets lead to better...

18 April 2024 | 5G

FCC to decide on net neutrality’s future

The FCC is gearing up for a vote aimed at regaining regulatory power over ISPs and reinstating federal net neutrality rules discarded by the Trump administration in 2017. Net neutrality is designed to ensure that the choices of internet users, not ISPs, dictate online activities.

Early in April, the FCC revealed its draft rules, which have since garnered praise for various reasons. Notably, the rules demand an end to the practice by mobile carriers such as T-Mobile, AT&T, and...

17 April 2024 | Broadband

Chinese telcos given 2027 deadline to ditch foreign chips

To reduce dependence on foreign technologies, Chinese officials have reportedly mandated the country's leading telecom operators – including China Telecom, China Mobile, and China Unicom – to eliminate foreign semiconductors from their networks by 2027.

Beijing’s directive particularly targets chips made by American giants Intel and AMD, which have been a staple in Chinese telecom infrastructure.

Issued by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the...

15 April 2024 | 5G

Google is spending $1B on new US-Japan subsea cables

Google has announced that it’s spending $1 billion on new subsea cable systems to boost internet connectivity between the US and Japan.

The tech giant said the initiative, called the Pacific Connect, includes the development of two new undersea fibre-optic cables: Proa and Taihei.

Google is partnering with several telecoms companies – including KDDI, ARTERIA, Citadel Pacific, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) – on the...

11 April 2024 | Broadband

US ISPs must display broadband ‘nutrition’ labels from today

US internet service providers with over 100,000 subscribers must now display standardised broadband labels that lay out the true costs, speeds, and data caps for their services.

The new rules from the Federal Communications Commission take effect today in response to widespread complaints about hidden fees and misleading marketing tactics used by broadband companies.

"For too long, the ISP industry has gotten away with burying the true cost of their services in fine...

10 April 2024 | Broadband

Virgin Media O2 launches ‘smart support’ to proactively solve issues

Virgin Media O2 has begun rolling out a new "smart support" service aimed at proactively solving broadband issues for customers at no extra cost.

According to the company's research, over a third (34%) of British broadband users wouldn't feel confident trying to fix WiFi issues themselves—despite 98 percent relying on the internet daily.

The smart support service promises to enhance streaming, video calling, and gaming by monitoring customers' WiFi hubs and connection...

8 April 2024 | Broadband

Nokia and Vodafone test latency-busting technology

A new internet standard called L4S (Low Latency, Low Loss, and Scalable throughput) has been successfully tested by Vodafone and Nokia Bell Labs.

In tests simulating a heavily congested fibre-to-the-home broadband connection over Wi-Fi, the companies reduced latency from 550 milliseconds to just 12 milliseconds. With an ethernet cable instead of Wi-Fi, the latency dropped even further to only 1.05 milliseconds.

Latency over 100ms can cause noticeable lags during...

3 April 2024 | Broadband