EU cloud computing initiative set to address concerns about data privacy years

The European Commission (EC) recently outlined its new EU cloud computing strategy.

Managed network and network outsourcing market set to boom

The demand for managed networks and network outsourcing is set to soar over the next five years, an official report has predicted.

IBM uses light to transfer data, reducing bandwidth pressures

IBM has announced that it has developed a technology that uses light to transmit information without the need for electrical signals.

Cloud computing contracts triple

The number of outsourcing contracts that involve an element of cloud computing has tripled since 2010, indicating that the cloud is very much at the centre of emerging technologies in the UK.

Half of all EU citizens have access to superfast internet

New EU statistics showing that half of all EU citizens have access to superfast broadband has upped the pressure on the UK government to improve access to fast connections for British users.

Senior managers getting interested in the cloud

A new survey by Capgemini has found that cloud computing may allow businesses to shift the control of their business technology more towards managers and other senior staff as opposed to the IT department alone.

EU denies holding back UK superfast broadband roll-out

The European Union’s competition commissioner, Joaquín Almunia, has denied Britain’s claims that Brussels bureaucracy delayed the roll-out of fast broadband across the UK.

IT professional to work remotely from Everest

An IT worker is pushing the concept of remote working to the extreme by planning to manage her team remotely while climbing to Everest Base Camp in the Himalayas.

Cloud Computing will remain integral to hotel sector, claims experts

An expert in hospitality IT has stated that Cloud Computing will continue to play an integral part in the industry.

Dublin Airport Authority sings praises of VMware virtualisation platform

Dublin Airport Authority has revealed the benefits of the new IT infrastructure it introduced last year, which included VMware’s vSphere platform.

The virtualisation project has helped the airport to save cash, create a centrally managed environment and standardise its IT.

Guardian says UK mobile internet speeds are improving

The average speed of internet connection in the UK has increased, according to an in-depth study carried out by The Guardian newspaper.

Cornish businesses benefit from FTTP

A business in Cornwall is one of the first to enjoy all the benefits of superfast broadband and is now considering upping its use of cloud computing after achieving speeds of 330Mbps.

Businesses should embrace remote working, claims HR expert

Although many businesses are beginning to offer remote working opportunities to some extent, an HR expert claims that embracing the practice even more fully could benefit companies and staff hugely.

uSwitch exposes difference in internet speeds

A recent report from uSwitch shows that UK internet speeds still vary enormously depending on the regions.

The very fastest internet speeds were recorded in a particular street in Telford, where residents enjoyed download speeds of 70Mbps. This is compared with the slowest, of just 0.13Mbps recorded in a street in Stamford.

'Office as a service' could become a reality, claims Intel

Tech giant Intel has predicted that the rise in cloud computing popularity and fast internet networks could put an end to the need for physical office space completely, leading to an 'office as a service' situation.

UK still lags behind on fast fibre connections

Only 0.05 per cent of UK households had fibre-to-the-household (FTTH) internet connections in summer this year, showing that the UK is still lagging behind in the drive to ensure everyone has access to a fast internet connection.

Researchers predict growth in Cloud adoption

Analysts from market intelligence firm IDC have predicted a rise in the number of cloud computing applications in 2013.

Head of Research, Matthew Oostveen, said that a growing number of firms will begin to outsource their IT systems as cloud computing becomes increasingly ‘the norm’.

Staff see homeworking as major perk

New reports suggest that providing staff with flexible working options and the ability to work from home will often be seen as a bigger perk than a pay rise.

Remote working offers benefits to businesses and staff

A growing number of businesses in the UK are agreeing to more flexible working for their employees, according to a new report from the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC).

Digital Derbyshire releases fast internet information pack

An information pack has this week been released for the residents of Derbyshire to explain about a new £15 million fast broadband service, backed by the Digital Derbyshire programme.

SMEs failing to make the most of the internet

New research suggests only 27 per cent of SMEs use the internet to market their products or services. So why are so many small and medium sized businesses failing to make the most of the web?

BT and Virgin appeal Birmingham Council's broadband plans

BT and Virgin are launching legal challenges against Birmingham City Council’s plans to create its own superfast broadband service.

Large bandwidth DDoS attacks becoming more common

Distribution denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks with more than 20Gbps bandwidth have become quite common, according to research by Prolexis.

Home working options could reduce 'presenteeism' problem

A recent briefing from experts claims that businesses need to take employee welfare more seriously if they are to remain competitive. This could lead to a greater number of businesses offering home working options to their staff members.

Number of remote-working jobs to grow

A recent survey carried out in the US, has found that the number of remote jobs, which can be carried out from home via a fast internet connection, is growing

Portsmouth turns to FTTC for superfast internet

Details of Portsmouth’s plans for superfast broadband have been revealed in the tender document for the plans. The document shows that the City Council are to rely on a Fibre-to-the-Cabinet network for the improved connection.

Smartphone users opt for VoIP and instant messaging apps

A growing number of smartphone users in Europe and the US are opting to use instant messaging apps and VoIP instead of the text and voice minutes services offered by their provider.

Swindon tries out superfast broadband

The Borough of Swindon has introduced the first 4G LTE network, backed by the local council this week. Local businesses and homeowners can opt in to the new super fast broadband, but it will come at a cost.

Broadband speeds becoming more important to house buyers

Good internet connectivity is more appealing to house buyers than other amenities, such as off-street parking, it has been revealed.

4G roll-out will benefit UK businesses

The government claims that the roll-out of 4G internet half way through next year will have a positive impact on businesses in the UK.

UK Broadband CEO says wireless could play a part in broadband roll-out

A more ‘joined–up’ approach to rolling out fast broadband is needed, according to Nicholas James of UK Broadband in a recent interview with Computing magazine.

WAN report published

IT research and analysis provider, Information Week, has published the results of a recent survey into the use of and demand for Wide Area Networks (WAN).

The 2012 Next Generation WAN Survey results have been detailed in a wider report by Information Week, which also gives advice and guidance to WAN users on how best to optimise their budgets and their bandwidth to get the best business results.

Rural lobby group calls for broadband universal service obligation

A lobby group acting on behalf of rural communities and businesses, is calling for the introduction of a universal service obligation (USO) for the delivery of broadband in the UK.

EU calls for major investment in the cloud

The European Union is calling on businesses and Government bodies to make major investments into the cloud computing sector.

The push comes as part of a bid by the EU to increase employment opportunities and to stimulate economic growth across Europe.

Cloud Industry Forum reports on cloud uptake in UK

The Cloud Industry Forum has released new research which shows that businesses across the UK are increasingly turning to the cloud, despite some ongoing concerns regarding data security.

Tesco invests in datacentre to expand its cloud offerings

Supermarket giant Tesco is to create a new datacentre in a bid to expand its cloud-based IT services to the US and central and Eastern Europe.

The chain has invested £65 million in the centre, which is to be hosted by datacentre operator Sentrum, and will be based in Watford, Hertfordshire.

NGOs increasingly turning to the cloud

New research has revealed that an increasing number of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are realising the benefits of cloud computing.

The research, which was carried out by nonprofit social enterprise TechSoup Global, found that a majority of NGOs are planning to move their IT systems over to the cloud in the near future.

Major Australian telecom firm to benefit from SAP cloud

Australia’s top Managed Hosting and business-only telecommunications company, Macquarie Telecom, has acquired SAP cloud services certification for its data centres.

Small firms missing out on cloud benefits, survey finds

Whilst the majority of small firms are not taking advantage of cloud technology, those that have done are reporting revenue increases.

According to new research carried out by business software provider MYOB, 79 per cent of small and medium-sized enterprises are not making use of the cloud.

Cloud computing 'offers less threat' to IT security

According to an IT expert, cloud computing offers less of a threat to corporate IT security than the non-cloud environment.

Microsoft China to expand cloud computing services

Technology giant Microsoft has announced that it plans to grow its China operations in a bid to bring cloud computing to the masses.

Firms reluctant to change hosting provider despite dissatisfaction

Business connectivity quality is truly vital but too many companies still have a relaxed attitude towards it, according to a new survey by Redshift Research.

Irish minister pledges fast broadband for all

Ireland’s Communication Minister, Pat Rabbitte, has pledged to put the country on the map with regards to its broadband access, with minimum speeds of between 70Mbps and 100Mbps for half the population.

Hong Kong leads fast broadband race, with UK trailing in 21st place

Hong Kong leads fast broadband race, with UK training in 21st place

The latest State of the Internet report has shown that Hong Kong is now leading the way in terms of broadband speeds, with the UK trailing in at number 21.

VoIP can be cheap to install but needs a fast connection

Although VoIP is growing in popularity among businesses who want to reduce the cost of making calls, some are still wary about the initial investment needed. They shouldn’t be, claims PC World blogger, Brad Chacos, who says that the cost of installing VoIP is much less than people think.

Video streaming proved popular during the Olympics

The demand for enhanced connectivity could rise as a growing number of households and individuals are tuning into online broadcasts and using video streaming for events such as The Olympics.

Ofcom published consultation findings for dispute resolution procedures

Communications regulator, Ofcom, has published consultations on the review of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) schemes for telephone, fixed line and mobile broadband.

Culture Secretary pledges 'UK will have fastest broadband in Europe by 2015'

Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt has claimed that the UK will be able to boast Europe’s fastest broadband connectivity by 2015, in an address to businesses based at East London’s 'Silicon Roundabout',

Olympics seen as 'watershed' prompting VoIP boom

The fact that so many people successfully worked from home and used remote technologies such as VoIP during the Olympics has been a major boon for the video conferencing industry.