UScellular urges customers to put down their phones in latest initative


Press Release

UScellular, the fourth-largest full service wireless carrier in the country, this week announced “Let’s Find US,” its goal is to inspire people, who on average spend more than five hours a day staring at their phone screen, to reset their relationship with technology. “Let’s Find US” is focused on being a leading voice in addressing the problem of over-connection.

It all kicked off last night with “Missing the Big Game,” a first-of-its-kind AI application that shared real-time data of how many fans in the stadium were looking at their phones instead of the field. This social experiment revealed that, even at the biggest, most exciting sporting events of the year, we are all still over-connected:

  • Over 16,000 fans missed touchdowns throughout the game
  • During halftime, 6,182 fans were watching their phones instead of the show
  • In the final stretch, 4,347 fans were looking at their phones instead of the winning field goal

“Let’s Find US”: Phones Down For 5

UScellular’s “Let’s Find US,” includes a deeply personal experiment called Phones Down For 5. It challenges people to voluntarily stop using their phone to reveal how addicted they are to it. The challenge is built on a simple action: taking a phone break for 5 days, 5 hours, or even just 5 minutes, to reset your relationship with technology.

The company is inviting everyone to participate in Phones Down For 5 by going to uscellular.com/findus to set a personal goal and share their experience using #PhonesDownFor5. The website will also offer tips to successfully make the most of the Phones Down For 5 challenge, including putting your phone where you can’t see it, turning off notifications, getting creative, and spending time outside.

“Through “Let’s Find US,” we are addressing the serious issue of over-connection with technology and lack of connection with one another,” said Eric Jagher, senior vice president and chief marketing officer for UScellular. “At UScellular, our goal is to help people connect to what matters most. We want to inspire connection by inviting everyone to have a reset moment with technology, the first step in having a healthier relationship moving forward.”

UScellular’s “Let’s Find US” is also being brought to life through a fully integrated advertising campaign  featuring a brand TV spot entitled “This Isn’t US,” captivating out of home advertising, social media, influencer activations, and additional programming launching throughout the year to inspire people to disconnect from their devices and reconnect with each other.

Are operators doing enough to ensure their customers maintain a healthy relationship with the technology their connectivity enables? Join the experts in discussion at this year’s live Connected America conference

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VMO2 and Vodafone give rural Scotland a 4G boost


Press Release

Traquair in Peeblesshire and Balmacara in Ross-shire have benefited from a partnership between Vodafone, Virgin Media O2, the Shared Rural Network and the Scottish Government

Virgin Media O2 and Vodafone have expanded their 4G networks to two rural Scottish communities, Traquair (Peeblesshire) and Balmacara (Ross-shire), as part of a collaboration between the Scottish Government’s Scottish 4G Infill Programme (S4GI) and UK Government’s Shared Rural Network (SRN).

Upgrade works have been completed at a mobile site in Traquair and a new mast has been built at Balmacara – both of which now host Virgin Media O2 and Vodafone 4G network equipment. The new equipment means residents, businesses and visitors in the area are now benefiting from better mobile coverage as well as greater choice of provider.

The roll-out is part of a commitment to the Shared Rural Network (SRN) programme. Created and funded by the mobile industry, Ofcom and UK Government, the SRN programme invests in new and existing phone masts to increase operators’ UK 4G coverage footprint in rural areas and signal not-spots.

The masts at Traquair and Balmacara follow upgrades at other sites such as New Luce (Dumfries and Galloway) and Ettrick (Scottish Borders), where both Virgin Media O2 and Vodafone have recently boosted coverage in partnership with the Scottish Government. The Government’s S4GI programme is delivered in partnership with WHP Telecoms and Scottish Futures Trust, and is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

Business Minister Ivan McKee MSP said: “This is great news and will be welcomed by the local communities. Our successful S4GI programme continues to deliver life-changing mobile connectivity to 55 rural and island communities that wouldn’t otherwise get access to this vital service.

“Thanks to the infrastructure deployed by our S4GI programme, Vodafone and Virgin Media O2 are now able to provide improved connectivity to local residents, businesses and visitors in these communities, enhancing the way they work, communicate and access public services.”

Jeanie York, Chief Technology Officer at Virgin Media O2, said: “We’re committed to investing in our network and providing seamless connectivity for all our customers across the UK. By working closely with industry partners and across government, we are delivering upgrades that will significantly improve 4G networks in rural communities, providing local people and businesses with faster and more reliable coverage than ever before, while also delivering benefits for the local economy and tourism.”

Andrea Dona, Vodafone’s UK Network and Development Director, said: “We remain committed to improving rural connectivity across Scotland. Vodafone played a leading role in the conception of the Scottish 4G Infill Programme when it was the first to go live with 4G at the New Luce site and that, alongside the Shared Rural Network programme is ensuring that we can now bring connectivity to the remotest parts of Scotland – connecting places for the first time and offering communities a wider choice of networks.

“We’re looking forward to announcing more locations going live as part of the programme in the future.”

Are the UK’s operators doing enough to ensure rural communities across the country have access to high quality connectivity? Join the experts in discussion at this year’s Connected North

Also in the news:
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EC proposes free roaming for Ukraine

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Starlink bags Rwandan licence amid school connectivity drive

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Philippines smartphone market declines

The Philippines smartphone market declined by 8.6% year-on-year as manufacturers shipped 16.3 million units in 2022, as consumer and vendor confidence was hit by macroeconomic conditions.

Q4 of 2022 registered a decline of 16.3% as vendors focused in the quarter on clearing out inventories instead of bringing in new shipments during the holiday season “due to unfavourable conditions”.

IDC Philippines senior market analyst Angela Medez said: “Both consumer and vendor confidence has been seriously dampened as inflation progressively soared throughout 2022 ending the year at a 14-year high.”

Chinese manufacturer Realme was the highest shipping company in 2022 after it launched several new smartphones for price-conscious consumers, but it saw a 5.9% decline to 3.72 million units, taking 22.8% market share.

Transsion, the parent of smartphone brands Tecno, Itel and Infinix, was the only top-five vendor to see growth with a year-on-year increase of 18.3% to 2.92 million – plus a market share of 17.9%. IDC noted the company launched more models in the price range of US$100 and above, as well as catering to entry-level device consumers.

Oppo suffered the greatest decline in the top five with a 12.3% decline to 2.3 million, Samsung was in fourth with 2.2 million units an 8.2% decline and finally, Xiaomi shipped 1.86 million in 2022, a 3.3% dip.

« Though inventory levels started to normalize towards the end of 2022, IDC is lowering its forecast for 2023 as vendors will remain cautious in their shipments amid the looming economic uncertainties and accelerating inflation, » Medez added.

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BT launches nationwide IoT roaming


Press Release

BT today switched on its IoT National Roaming SIMs for businesses across the UK, allowing them to keep smart devices connected wherever they are

IoT national roaming SIMs allow smart devices to connect to mobile networks ensuring they stay connected while on the move or in remote locations. BT’s IoT national roaming SIMs will connect devices to the UK’s best and largest network, EE, meaning data is quickly and reliably relayed where it’s needed most. As well as a primary connection to EE, part of BT Group, the SIM can connect to multiple other major UK networks, helping to keep smart devices online.

The rollout of BT’s new service is set to benefit courier and delivery companies in particular by giving them reliable, fast network access no matter where they are – whether in cities, rural areas, or by the coast. Just last week EE announced the arrival of 5G to over 500 new, predominantly rural locations, bringing the total number of UK cities, towns and villages where customers can access the service to over 1,000. At the same time, EE’s leading 4G network coverage is on track to reach 90% of the UK’s geographic landmass by the mid-2020s.

The new IoT service will help end users such as drivers and delivery workers improve accuracy and efficiency by giving them access to important information in real-time. An example of this would be providing visibility of fuel efficiency, changes to a delivery schedule and cold chain management so temperatures can be constantly monitored on a refrigerated vehicle.

IoT national roaming ensures that devices can continue performing to a high standard even in the harshest remote conditions thanks to the enterprise-grade IoT sims, offering reliable, fast connectivity. BT is also offering the product at the same competitive price as its existing pay-as-you-use IoT SIM service, meaning businesses only pay for the data they use rather than risking underutilising data on a fixed rate.

Marc Overton, Managing Director, Division X at BT, said: “Businesses across the UK are increasingly understanding the benefits of using IoT devices in running their operations. And now, with the unveiling of our IoT national roaming SIMs, we’re making sure those connections stay strong no matter where business takes you. Whether in the heart of a bustling city or out in the countryside, our solution ensures data is transmitted quickly and reliably. We’re excited to help both our existing and new customers fully harness the power of their smart devices with lightning-fast mobile connectivity.”

In addition to the improved connectivity, BT’s IoT national roaming service will offer a secure management portal with full security measures to protect important data and help businesses keep track of all their smart devices. The added security helps to ensure the safe and efficient use of devices, allowing companies to focus on their core operations without worrying about data breaches or device mismanagement.

The launch of BT’s IoT offering is poised to shake up the B2B IoT market thanks to its connectivity capabilities, powered by the UK’s largest and most reliable network, EE. The added benefit of being able to switch to other operator networks, when necessary, also offers greater simplicity for businesses with many currently negotiating separate deals with mobile network operators depending on where they have operations in the country.

To find out more about how you can utilise BT’s IoT national roaming SIMs, please visit here.

Want to keep up to date with all of the latest news from the UK telecoms industry? Join the telecoms ecosystem in discussion around some of the sectors biggest issues at this year’s Connected North

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Elisa to turn network into Europe’s largest virtual power plant


News

The Finnish government has allocated Elisa €3.9 million to roll out the operator’s Distributed Energy Storage (DES) solution across its network

One of the major challenges associated with renewable energy sources like wind and solar is their intermittent nature. The sun is not always shining (especially in Finland) and the wind is not always blowing, potentially putting strain on the energy grid at times of high demand.

As such, the growing (and undeniably vital) use of renewable energy worldwide can represent an enormous management challenge for transmission system operators (TSOs), those companies entrusted with balancing the electrical grid and ensuring that supply meets demand.

Now, Finnish operator Elisa thinks it can be part of this solution using their newly developed DES solution.

The DES technology leverages AI and machine learning to intelligently charge and discharge the energy storage batteries located at mobile sites across the country. The system optimises the timing of electricity purchases to coincide with times when renewable energy is available, ensuring that the mobile network runs on as green energy as possible and reducing procurement costs.

But beyond delivering more cost-effective renewable energy for the mobile network itself, this solution can also provide significant support to the local TSO.

When balancing the electricity grid, TSOs send requests for power every few seconds. In response, the DES can dynamically adjusting the power consumption of Elisa’s base station across the country in real time.

Trials of the technology have already been completed at 200 base stations on Elisa’s network last year, with the technology already receiving the approval of Fingrid, the national TSO.

Once DES tech is completely rolled out across its network, Elisa says its network will have an expected capacity of around 150MWh, making it the largest virtual power plant in Europe.

“Achieving a fully carbon neutral economy in Europe is a tremendous challenge. DES helps to facilitate the further deployment of intermittent renewable sources of energy, such as wind power. Exponential growth is expected in renewable deployment in the coming years, but the intermittent and unpredictable nature of the source requires intelligent storage and management solutions such as DES to support and maximise their impact.  We believe that telecommunications industry can make a gigawatt hour-scale contribution with solutions like DES for accelerating the transition,” said Jukka-Pekka Salmenkaita, Vice President of AI and Special Projects at Elisa.

“By building out storage capacity in our network and managing it in a smart way, Elisa has not only improved network resilience but also saved energy costs and contributed to the zero-carbon energy transition by facilitating storage from renewable sources. It’s good for the network, good for business and good for the planet,” he added.

The Finnish government is helping to fund the rollout with a contribution of €3.9 million as part of the country’s Recovery and Resilience Plan, which is focussed on promoting the use of renewable energy.

Are operators doing enough to support the use of renewable energy throughout society? Keep up to date with the latest sustainability news from the telecoms sector with Total Telecom’s daily newsletter

Also in the news:
China Mobile and China Telecom withdraw from Sea-Me-We 6 project
CityFibre’s network up and running in Inverness
KDDI selects Samsung for its 5G Standalone core