News 

“It’s a bad day to be a scammer,” said VMO2 in its announcement

O2 has unveiled its new, unique weapon in its fight against scammers: Daisy, an AI-powered assistant designed to keep fraudsters talking and waste their time. As part of Virgin Media O2’s “Swerve the Scammers” campaign, Daisy’s mission is to distract scammers with realistic, rambling conversations, helping protect potential victims while raising awareness about fraud.

Developed with the help of popular YouTube scambaiter Jim Browning, Daisy can independently handle scam calls. Her lifelike conversations, peppered with stories about family or hobbies like knitting, have kept fraudsters on the line for up to 40 minutes. By doing so, she prevents scammers from targeting real people and highlights common tactics used in fraud.

Research from O2 shows that 67% of Brits are worried about being targeted by scammers, with one in five experiencing fraud attempts weekly. While 71% would like to fight back, over half (53%) said they wouldn’t engage directly due to the time it takes. Daisy bridges that gap, acting as a tireless scambaiter on behalf of consumers.

“The newest member of our fraud-prevention team, Daisy, is turning the tables on scammers – outsmarting and outmanoeuvring them at their own cruel game simply by keeping them on the line,” said Murray Mackenzie, Director of Fraud at Virgin Media O2 in a press release.

“But crucially, Daisy is also a reminder that no matter how persuasive someone on the other end of the phone may be, they aren’t always who you think they are. With scammers operating fulltime call centres specifically to target Brits, we’re urging everyone to remain vigilant and help play their part in stopping fraud by forwarding on dodgy calls and texts to 7726 for free.”

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Below are O2’s tips to stay vigilant and safe from scammers: 

‘STOP: If you receive a call out of the blue for someone claiming to be from O2, think about what you’re being asked to do. Does it feel right? Are you being asked for personal data or a code over the phone? If you have any suspicion that you might be speaking to a scammer, the best thing to do is hang up and call us back by dialling 202 from your O2 phone.

SEND to 7726: Worked out you might have spoken to or received a text from a scammer? Don’t just ignore it, take a few seconds to forward on to 7726. It spells SPAM on your phone’s keypad and is the free number to use to report to us so we can investigate. It helps keep you safe and allows us to block fraudsters numbers and prevent or shut down similar scams faster in future.

SPEAK OUT: Let your friends and family know about the scam. By telling others, you can help keep them safe and ensure they’re never caught off guard.’

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Contributed Article

At this year’s GITEX conference in Dubai, Huawei’s Corporate Senior Vice President Li Peng discussed how enterprises are embracing technologies like AI to revolutionise their business models

The term ‘digital transformation’ has been at the heart of conversations at GITEX for over a decade. This year, however, the rapid development of disruptive technologies like AI saw discussions move beyond how to simply connect and digitalise business functions, instead focusing on how to analyse, interpret, and automate them.

This was the key theme in the opening speech of Huawei’s Li Peng at this year’ GITEX conference, who called this emerging ‘intelligent economy’ the “main engine of global economic growth”.

“More and more enterprises are using AI to boost productivity and reduce operating costs. This opens the doors for more innovate business models and a better customer experience,” he explained.

Game-changing AI is already making an impact

The extent to which AI is already being used by enterprises should not be underestimated. A recent study from IBM found that 42% of enterprise companies are already actively deploying AI in their business, with a further 40% saying they are currently exploring the new technology.

From the manufacturing sector to the finance industry, the use of AI is helping enterprises to leverage more data points than ever before, driving efficiencies through automation and generating novel – and more personalised – services and revenue streams.

Huawei’s All Intelligence strategy

Of course, fully embracing AI and the benefits of more intelligent operations requires high quality digital infrastructure. To this end, last year Huawei launched its ‘All Intelligence’ strategy, aimed at providing the technological backbone behind this enterprise transformation. This strategy focusses not only on further developing technology, such as compute power, AI-ready cloud solutions, AI chips, and autonomous driving technology, but also expanding collaboration with the wider ecosystem.

According to Li, this strategy is already bearing fruit.

“We also released a reference architecture for the intelligent transformation of industries. It is collaborative, open, agile, and trustworthy, and can help to guide the transformation process,” explained Li. “In practice, the architecture is already producing results. Over the past year, we’ve used it to develop many industry-specific solutions. We have also published over 100 case studies for different organizations to use during their transformation process.”

For Li, one of the keys to success here is understanding that each partner enterprise is unique, with specific requirements and challenges to overcome. Whether helping Cote d’Ivoire’s Ministry of Transportation build a traffic analysis platform or improving connectivity for over 1,000 government agencies in 33 Middle Eastern and African countries, effective collaboration between partners has been key to success.

“Our partnerships are growing fast in the enterprise market. To date, more than 47,000 partners have joined us. This year alone, our partnerships have grown by more than 18%,” said Li. “We have also built 14 OpenLabs worldwide to support joint innovation with local solution partners.

Big or small, intelligence for all

It is worth noting here that Huawei is not only working with largescale enterprises when it comes to intelligent transformation.

“There are so many SMEs that want to go digital and intelligent too,” says Li, noting that Huawei is “doing everything we can to help our partners serve them more independently, easily, and effectively”.

“We provide our partners with scenario-based, lightweight solutions, more marketable products, and efficient digital platforms. We also provide support in R&D, sales, marketing, supply, and services, giving our partners end-to-end business enablement,” he added.

In one example, Huawei and South African IT company BCX built a cloud management platform to serve more than 100 SMEs, allowing them to lease or buy network services, supporting their operations and management while reducing CAPEX by over 20%.

Finally, Li highlighted the importance of nurturing the digital skills that will allow the next generation to leverage intelligent digital technology effectively. Working alongside universities, Huawei has set up numerous ICT Academies in partner markets. So far, these academies have trained more than 36,000 ICT engineers and 1,000 developers in Egypt, while in Saudi Arabia, over 32,000 students have received ICT training, and 6,500 professionals have obtained Huawei ICT certification.

“Digital and intelligent transformation should not be a privilege for the few. It should be a benefit for all,” Li concluded.

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News 

The addition plays a key role in enhancing the team’s ability to respond to emergencies, especially in areas previously lacking coverage

EE has teamed up with Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team (LMRT) to improve the connectivity and support search and rescue operations on Ben Nevis. Using existing 35-meter mast site located in Glen Nevis, this collaboration aims to enhance safety in one of the UK’s most popular yet challenging outdoor destinations. 

The mast, which has been providing 4G connectivity to EE customers and 999 coverage to all visitors, is also part of the UK Home Office’s Emergency Services Network (ESN) – a critical communications system for emergency services. The site’s strategic location in Glen Nevis, a popular area that attracts over 400,000 visitors annually, is crucial for addressing coverage gaps, particularly in ‘shadowed’ areas where the natural terrain had previously blocked signals. 

EE and LMRT worked together to install a single antenna and cable to the mast, which has significantly expanded the network’s range and improved communication capabilities for rescue teams. Since the installation of LMRT’s equipment just under two months ago, the team has responded to 17 callouts. Notably, two of these were in areas with no coverage before, and nine were in parts of Ben Nevis where coverage has been greatly improved.  

“Communications play a vital role in all of our rescue operations. We primarily use VHF radios to communicate with our base and other team members on the hill. We have had communication challenges in Glen Nevis and some aspects of Ben Nevis for many years, and the opportunity to locate a ‘repeater’ on this tower, with the support of BT Group, will make our operations safer and more efficient,” said Ian Pooleman, Secretary and Medical Officer at LMRT in a press release. 

“This is a simple yet effective example of how we can diversify the use of our portfolio of physical assets, many of which are in remote locations, to support the UK’s broader digital needs and connect more people for good, both now and into the future,” echoed David McKean, BT Group’s Tower Division Director. 

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News 

The statement adds further fuel to the US–China geopolitical fire 

The US government’s ongoing investigation into cyber threats from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has uncovered a wide-reaching espionage campaign targeting commercial telecommunications networks, according to a joint statement released this week from the FBI and CISA (Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency). 

The findings have revealed that Chinese affiliated hackers have breached networks across multiple telecommunications companies in a “broad and significant cyber espionage campaign,” allowing unauthorised access to sensitive data and private communications. 

Specifically, the hackers have been able to access and steal customer call records, including information about individuals involved in political and government activities. In some instances, they also intercepted communications tied to US law enforcement requests under court orders, raising serious concerns about the integrity of confidential information and data privacy within US commercial networks. 

The Wall Street Journal first reported the attack last month, and suggested that both telcos and broadband providers, including AT&T, Verizon and Lumen were among the targets, although the most recent has not named specific companies. At the time, the Chinese Embassy in Washington has denied the claims, calling them a “a distortion of fact” and a political attempt to “smear” China.  

The FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) are working together to support affected companies, share information to prevent further attacks, and improve cybersecurity across the telecom sector. Organisations concerned about breaches have been encouraged to contact their local FBI office or reach out to CISA for assistance. 

In recent years, US–China tensions have grown over tech and telecom security, driven by concerns around control of critical infrastructure like 5G and semiconductors. The US has placed restrictions on Chinese telecom companies, including Huawei, and imposed export limits on advanced technology, citing national security risks. Alleged cyber intrusions by Chinese hackers into US telecom networks and privacy concerns over apps like TikTok have added to these strains, fueling a push for self-reliance and competition over key technologies. 

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News 

No financial details of the deal will be disclosed, Nokia said 

Nokia has announced its acquisition of technology assets from Rapid, which includes the world’s largest API hub and a skilled research and development team. This acquisition marks a major step in Nokia’s plan to grow its network API offerings, aiming to support a wider ecosystem of telecom operators, software providers, and cloud giants to unlock the potential of 5G and 4G networks. 

Rapid (formerly known as RapidAPI) is a company that provides a platform for discovering, connecting, and managing APIs (Application Programming Interfaces). It’s particularly well-known for hosting one of the largest API hubs globally, which allows developers to access a vast library of APIs from various providers. Through this hub, developers can find, test, and integrate APIs into their applications, making it faster and more efficient to develop software that interacts with other services or platforms. 

As telecom companies look for ways to capitalise on massive investments in 5G, network APIs are becoming essential tools. By standardising network functions, these APIs allow developers to create new applications for consumers and industries. Nokia’s Network as Code platform, now enhanced with Rapid’s API technology, will give operators a way to integrate their networks, control API usage, manage lifecycle processes, and connect with Rapid’s global developer base. 

Since introducing its Network as Code platform in September 2023, Nokia has attracted 27 partners, including major players like BT, DISH, Google Cloud, and Telefonica. With Rapid’s assets in hand, Nokia is positioned to strengthen its role in the expanding 5G API market, helping operators transform network investments into new revenue streams. 

“Operators need a bridge to connect to thousands of developers to drive enterprise and consumer value creation and monetize their networks. Rapid’s technology and talented R&D team, together with Nokia, will allow us to bring a robust API infrastructure platform to accelerate network API-related product development and drive adoption across its broad global developer community,” said Raghav Sahgal, President of Cloud and Network Services at Nokia in a press release.  

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News

The deal is set to boost connectivity in the capital

Neos Networks has joined forces with London-based fibre provider Vorboss to offer new high-capacity, last-mile connectivity options in London. The deal will allow Neos Networks’ customers to access Vorboss’s extensive fibre network through the LIVEQUOTE platform, giving businesses a transparent view of prices for services up to 10Gbps.

The collaboration comes in response to surging demand for high-bandwidth, affordable connectivity in London, particularly as businesses look for resilient networks to support growing digital demands.

“By combining our extensive nationwide network with Vorboss’ advanced London infrastructure, we’re increasing the options for businesses demanding top-tier connectivity. This deal allows us to extend our reach in the capital, providing more organisations with access to the robust, secure networks they need,” said Lee Myall, CEO at Neos Networks in a press release.

“Enabling the London last-mile for Neos will pitch our network directly against the legacy players in London, and will show just how strong we are in performance, delivery timeframes, and value.

The companies say that they are helping to contribute to the UK’s digital infrastructure goals through this deal. By “increasing the availability of high-capacity backhaul and last-mile connections in the capital,” the companies are aiding the government’s nationwide broadband coverage target. The government’s current target is for gigabit broadband to be available to 85% of the UK by 2025 and nationwide by 2030. As of January 2023, the figure sat at around 72% of UK premises (according to Ofcom).

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Viewpoint

[Bangkok, Thailand, November 5, 2024] TM Forum, a leading authority in the ICT industry, successfully hosted the Innovate Asia 2024. There, Dr. Philip (Xiaodi) Song, Chief Marketing Officer for Huawei Carrier Business, delivered a keynote speech titled “ADN Unleashes New Momentum for Networks with Intelligence.” He shared details about Huawei’s innovative AI Copilot and Agent applications, designed to help communications service providers (CSPs) evolve towards Autonomous Networks (AN) Level 4.

Over the past few decades, technological advancements have improved network productivity and customer experience helping to revitalize the communications industry. However, the advent of the intelligent era has raised the requirements for telecom network latency and bandwidth, significantly increasing operational expenditure (OPEX). To simplify network operations, many CSPs around the world have incorporated AN into their strategies and deployed Huawei’s Autonomous Driving Network (ADN) solution. This is helping them achieve AN Level 3 and actively evolve toward Level 4. Against this backdrop, AI foundation models are a crucial stepping stone for automating repetitive and to simplify complex O&M challenges in telecom operations scenarios.

Dr. Philip explained, “Telecom networks have transitioned from the era of small AI models developed based on expertise to the era of AI foundation models. Foundation models overcome the constraints of logic, rules, and scenarios, enabling comprehensive efficiency improvements in the ICT field. Built on their Telecom Foundation Model, Huawei provides a set of role-based Copilot and scenario-specific Agent applications, significantly enhancing network O&M efficiency and delivering excellent customer experiences in high-value scenarios.”

Dr. Philip also elaborated on Huawei’s Copilot and Agent solutions customized for intelligent O&M, network optimization, and experience operations, as well as their implementation achievements. This will help CSPs evolve value scenarios from AN Level 3 to Level 4.

• For intelligent O&M, Huawei offers two innovative agents: CompSpirit (complaint handling agent) and AssurSpirit (fault handling agent). They use the Telecom Foundation Model for intelligent diagnosis of complaints and faults, achieving E2E automatic troubleshooting, reducing skill requirements for telecom personnel, and significantly enhancing the automation rate of alarm analysis and troubleshooting efficiency.
• For network optimization, Huawei’s OptimSpirit (network optimization agent) detects poor-QoE incidents in milliseconds and uses the Telecom Foundation Model to generate and implement optimization policies automatically. This reduces the optimization time from hours to minutes and significantly improves network traffic usage.
• For experience operations, Huawei offers HCEMate (home connection engineer copilot) that works with AssurSpirit and OptimSpirit to provide E2E home broadband user experience assurance, from service deployment and troubleshooting to user experience optimization. This solution significantly enhances the marketing success of home broadband services and reduces user complaint rates.

In closing, Dr. Philip called on telecom industry partners to collaborate on further AI applications across the industry and evolve toward AN Level 4.

News 

The installments will boost connectivity for the city’s residents 

Virgin Media O2 (VMO2) has introduced the UK’s first 5G standalone (SA) small cells in Birmingham, boosting mobile connectivity in some of the city’s busiest areas, it claimed in a press release this week. These new 5G small cells, installed on street furniture around Broad Street and Fleet Street, are designed to improve mobile capacity where demand is highest. 

Initial performance data suggests that the new 5G SA cells provide a smoother mobile experience, helping customers with activities like browsing and streaming.  

Unlike large cell towers, the small units can be fitted onto existing structures to bring focused coverage improvements in urban spaces. This latest installation adds to Virgin Media O2’s ongoing rollout of small cells across the country.  

The 5G standalone network, launched by Virgin Media O2 earlier this year, now covers over 300 towns and cities. Unlike older 4G and 5G networks, standalone 5G offers faster speeds and lower delay times, giving O2 customers better,faster and more reliable connections at no extra cost. 

Partnering with Ontix and Alpha Wireless, VMO2 has also introduced MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output) technology, which allows speeds of up to 300Mbps in Birmingham’s city centre. 

MIMO works by using multiple antennas at both the transmitter (in this case, the small cells) and receiver (such as a user’s smartphone), allowing for simultaneous data streams. This technique maximises the efficient use of available spectrum, meaning more data can be transmitted at once, leading to higher speeds and lower latency. 

“Small cells are playing a vital part in our mission to bring reliable mobile coverage to all customers and improve services in the busiest areas,” said VMO2 CTO Jeanie York. 

“Having already turned on our cutting-edge 5G standalone network in more than 300 towns and cities, available to customers at no extra cost, we’re working hard to ensure all our customers consistently receive an exceptional network experience wherever they are and even at the busiest times,” she continued. 

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News 

Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ recently announced budget is set to hike up BT’s costs as a result of national insurance payment increases  

BT released its financial results for the half year ending on 30 September 2024 this week, which showed a mixed bag of developments in a challenging economic landscape.  

The UK incumbent reported a 3% decline in revenue, primarily driven by issues in non-UK operations and a competitive retail environment. Reported profit before tax sits at £1 billion, down 10%. This was “primarily due to lower revenue, higher specific costs and higher net finance expenses,” the company explained. 

A significant highlight in BT’s recent performance is the speed of its fibre rollout, which has now reached over 16 million premises. Openreach passed 2.1 million premises with fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) in the last six months and has set an ambitious target to reach 4.2 million premises for FY25. The company has reported 446,000 new active connections on this network, raising its total to 5.5 million. 

Additionally, BT’s 5G network expansion continues to lead the market, covering 80% of the UK population, more than any other operator. 

I addition to its rollout updates, BT also confirmed that its workforce has been cut by 2,000, or 4% year-on-year, to 118,000, which saved the £433 million in annual costs in the first half alone. 

However, the latest UK budget posed new hurdles for the operator. The government’s decision to hike employers’ National Insurance contributions could cost BT an additional £100 million annually. In response, CEO Allison Kirkby outlined several measures to mitigate this impact, including potentially passing costs on to mobile and broadband customers. She also said that cost-cutting initiatives through automation and AI would be accelerated.  

“We are confirming our EBITDA, capex and cash flow guidance for FY25, albeit on lower revenue guidance. We remain firmly on track to meet our long-term cost savings and cash flow targets, and today announce an interim dividend of 2.40pps. The accelerated modernisation of our operations, combined with a focus on connecting the UK, puts us in a strong position to generate significant value for all our stakeholders,” said Kirkby in the announcement. 

Despite these financial pressures, BT remains ‘committed to its strategic priorities’, particularly its full fibre and 5G rollout plans. The company is also exploring options for its international arm, BT Global, which may include a sale or restructuring to better optimise its operations. 

Back in May, the company said it had hit its target to save £3 billion by 2025 a year early, with much of this total being driven by the company’s ongoing job cutting programme that will see 55,000 jobs eliminated by the end of the decade.  

Kirkby now says it will aim to repeat this, cutting a further £3 billion in costs by 2029.  

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News 

The plan was first announced back in July, two months after Zegona  acquired Vodafone Spain for €5 billion 

Zegona Communications, owner of Vodafone Spain, has announced it has signed a binding contract with Telefonica to launch a new Spanish fibre company. 

The new FibreCo will cover 3.6 million premises across the country, and provide fibre access for 1.4 million Vodafone and Telefonica customers. It will be majority owned by Telefonica (63%) and 37% by Vodafone Spain. 

“Entering into this FibreCo partnership with Telefonica demonstrates our commitment to transform Vodafone Spain’s fixed line strategy. This transaction gives our business guaranteed access to a future-proof all fibre network with attractive economic terms. Creating and monetising this FibreCo is expected to deliver significant capital returns to Zegona creating value for all stakeholders,” said Eamonn O’Hare, Chairman and CEO of Zegona in a press release. 

The transaction is subject to regulatory approval. Completion of the deal, along with the incorporation of a third-party investor is expected in the first half of next year. 

As well as this deal, Zegona has also announced the signing of a five-year binding deal between Vodafone Spain, Telefonica and fibre company Bluevia Fibra for fibre wholesale in Spain. Telefonica owns a controlling stake (55%) of Bluevia Fibra.  

Earlier this year, Zegona communicated that it has signed non-binding agreements with FibreCos with Telefonica and MasOrange, as well has a non-binding wholesale agreement for a wholesale deal with Telefonica. 

“This new contract complements the Telefonica FibreCo which was also signed today. Both contracts cement our long term partnership with Telefonica, deliver significant economic benefits and represent key milestones in our journey to transform Vodafone Spain,” said O’Hare in the separate announcement. 

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