Original article Total Telecom:Read More

London, 29^th April 2025 – Cerillion (AIM: CER), a leading provider of composable BSS/OSS solutions to the telecoms industry, announced today the launch of Cerillion 25.1, the new release of its pre-integrated BSS/OSS suite, which introduces a powerful, next-generation Promotions Engine designed to give communications services providers (CSPs) unprecedented agility in how they create, manage and scale personalised offers.

Many CSPs face challenges in improving customer retention, driving engagement and growing revenue, but traditional campaign systems lack the real-time integration to deliver dynamic and timely offers. Pre-integrated with Cerillion’s Convergent Charging System, the new Promotions Engine gives commercial teams the freedom to build and deploy highly targeted campaigns without coding or delays. It helps CSPs to increase revenue through dynamic promotional campaigns based on a wide range of customer behaviours and triggers, such as frequent top-ups, consistent monthly spending and usage patterns, following an “if this then that” pattern.

Cerillion 25.1 also delivers a set of new AI-powered intelligent assistants that streamline the customer and user experience:

• Bill Intelligence – uses GenAI to automatically compare a customer’s latest bill with their previous one, delivering clear, natural-language explanations for any differences through all engagement channels, and enabling a proactive approach to addressing bill shock.
• Sales Assistant – uses GenAI to enhance the buying experience, with customers able to describe in natural language what they need and the system intelligently selects the best-match products, automatically populating the shopping cart and generating a quote for acceptance.
• Promotions Assistant – uses GenAI-powered natural language and image recognition to help users build new promotions in seconds.

These new tools are designed to reduce complexity for both customers and internal teams – turning CSP operations into a more intuitive, human and helpful experience.

“Without a sophisticated promotions engine, CSPs risk losing valuable opportunities to incentivise customer loyalty and maximise revenue potential, particularly as customer expectations for personalised and timely offers continue to rise,” commented Louis Hall, CEO of Cerillion. “With Cerillion 25.1, we have reimagined how telcos can design, build and launch new promotions, with our AI integration making it faster, easier and more precise than ever before. Furthermore, we’re giving our customers tools that are not only powerful but also genuinely easy to use – and that’s where real transformation happens.”

Find out more about Cerillion’s BSS/OSS suite and BSS/OSS-as-a-Service solutions.

– ends –

Notes to Editors

About Cerillion plc

Founded in 1999, Cerillion (AIM: CER) is a leading provider of billing, charging and customer management systems delivering its solutions across a broad range of industries including the telecommunications, finance and utilities sectors. The Company has a global customer base, with c. 80 customer installations across c. 45 countries and customers include Liberty Global, Virgin Media, KDDI and Proximus. For more information visit: www.cerillion.com

Original article Total Telecom:Read More

The project aims to deliver smarter, faster, and more sustainable connectivity solutions, in a landmark intervention facilitated by Horizon Europe, that will push the boundaries of future network innovation.  

The European Commission-backed 6G project (6G LEADER) will bring together leading innovators from across Europe, fostering knowledge-sharing, cross-border collaboration, and the co-creation of next-generation solutions. Digital Catapult joins a consortium of eighteen industry and academic partners, including Samsung Electronics UK, Telefonica, Nokia UK, and Accelleran following the UK re-joining the Horizon Europe Programme last year.  

Key focus areas include the convergence of AI and wireless communications and the development of sustainable network technologies that could support the decarbonisation of telecommunications and accelerate the real-world application of deep tech innovations. Digital Catapult’s participation is testament to its commitment to driving the adoption of data driven, open and interoperable future networks, having championed advanced connectivity innovation through accelerator programmes and eight interconnected, 5G-enabled testbeds across the UK.  

Digital Catapult will develop proof-of-concept demonstrations for open radio access networks (Open RAN); explore AI-driven methods for network performance enhancements and share insights on 6G RAN technologies and O-RAN architecture. This will build on Digital Catapult’s success to date in advanced connectivity, including its participation in a national 6G research platform. 

The European Commission’s investment into the programme, under the SNS-JU (Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking), highlights the project’s strategic significance for Europe’s digital sovereignty and its influence in shaping future telecommunications standards. The programme will last for 36 months and is committed to achieving breakthroughs in future network innovation and wireless communication technology.  

Joe Butler, Chief Technology Officer at Digital Catapult, said: “We’re excited to be a key player in this 6G initiative, having participated in 17 Horizon projects to date, we’re now expanding our work in advanced connectivity with cutting-edge, AI-driven, and sustainable solutions. Through our collaboration with global industry leaders, we’re advancing 6G technology, paving the way for smarter, more efficient networks that will fuel the next wave of digital innovation.” 

Any reader interested in learning more about Digital Catapult’s future networks activity can learn more here.  

Original article Total Telecom:Read More

BROOMFIELD, Colo. & FOSTER CITY, Calif. – April 22, 2025 – Exabeam, a global leader in intelligence and automation that powers security operations, today released new research highlighting the gap between executive confidence in artificial intelligence (AI) and the daily reality experienced by front-line security analysts. The Exabeam report, From Hype to Help: How AI Is (Really) Transforming Cybersecurity in 2025, based on a survey conducted by Sapio Research, analyzed responses from 1,000 cybersecurity professionals globally and revealed that while AI adoption is widespread, its impact on productivity, trust, and team structure varies sharply by role and region.

The findings confirm a critical divide: 71% of executives believe AI has significantly improved productivity across their security teams, yet only 22% of analysts — those closest to the tools — agree. This perception gap reveals more than a difference in opinion; it underscores a deeper issue with operational effectiveness and trust. Executives often focus on AI’s potential to reduce costs, streamline operations, and enhance strategy. But analysts on the front lines report a very different experience — one shaped by false positives, increased alert fatigue, and the ongoing need for human oversight.

For many, AI hasn’t eliminated manual work; it’s simply reshaped it, often without reducing the burden. This disconnect suggests that some organizations may be overestimating the maturity and reliability of AI tools and underestimating the complexity of real-world implementation.

“There’s no shortage of AI hype in cybersecurity — but ask the people actually using the tools, and the story falls apart,” said Steve Wilson, Chief AI and Product Officer at Exabeam. “Analysts are stuck managing tools that promise autonomy but constantly need tuning and supervision. Agentic AI flips that script — it doesn’t wait for instructions, it takes action, cuts through the noise, and moves investigations forward without dragging teams down.”

AI Delivers Most Impact in Threat Detection, Investigation, and Response

 While the findings reveal a difference in perception, they also demonstrate AI’s positive impact, most consistently in threat detection, investigation, and response (TDIR). Fifty-six percent of security teams report that AI has improved productivity in these areas by offloading repetitive analysis, reducing alert fatigue, and improving time to insight. AI-driven solutions are strengthening security operations with enhanced anomaly detection, faster mean time to detect (MTTD), and more effective user behavior analytics.

Still, trust in AI autonomy remains low — only 29% of teams trust AI to act on its own, and among analysts, that figure drops to 10%.  The industry is aligned on one thing: performance precedes trust. In security operations, organizations aren’t looking to hand over the reins — they’re counting on AI to exceed the limits of the human mind at scale. By consistently delivering accurate outcomes and automating tedious workflows, AI can become a force multiplier for analysts, enabling faster, smarter threat detection and response.

Security Teams Are Restructuring in Response to AI

AI adoption is driving structural shifts in the security workforce. More than half of surveyed organizations have restructured their teams due to AI implementation. While 37% report workforce reductions tied to automation, 18% are expanding hiring for roles focused on AI governance, automation oversight, and data protection.

These changes reflect a new operational model for modern security operations centers (SOCs), one where agentic AI supports faster decisions, deeper investigations, and higher-value human work.

Regional Gaps Signal Uneven Adoption

The report also surfaces regional disparities in the adoption of AI and its impact on productivity. Organizations in India, Middle East, Turkey, and Africa (IMETA) report the highest productivity gains (81%), followed by the United Kingdom, Ireland and Europe (UKIE) (60%) and Asia Pacific and Japan (APJ) (46%). In contrast, only 44% of North American organizations report similar improvements.

Bridging Strategy and Execution

As AI continues to reshape the cybersecurity landscape, organizations must reconcile leadership ambition with operational execution. Organizations that want to close the gap between vision and reality can look at adopting agentic AI for its proactive, action-based capabilities. Successful strategies will be defined by their ability to align AI capabilities with front-line needs, involve analysts in deployment decisions, and prioritize outcomes over hype.

To access the full report, From Hype to Help: How AI Is (Really) Transforming Cybersecurity in 2025, visit: http://www.exabeam.com/report

Methodology

This research was conducted by Sapio Research on behalf of Exabeam in February and March 2025. The global survey included 1,000 cybersecurity professionals from 17 countries — ranging from analysts to CISOs — across a variety of industries including finance, manufacturing, healthcare, and government. Respondents represented organizations of all sizes and were selected based on their direct involvement in cybersecurity operations or leadership. The definition of AI was left open-ended to reflect the diverse tools in active use, from machine learning and generative AI to agentic systems.

About Exabeam
Exabeam is a leader in intelligence and automation that powers security operations for the world’s smartest companies. As a global cybersecurity innovator, Exabeam provides industry-proven, security-focused, and flexible solutions for faster, more accurate threat detection, investigation, and response (TDIR). Cutting-edge technology enhances security operations center performance, optimizing workflows and accelerating time to resolution. With consistent leadership in AI innovation and a proven track record in security information and event management (SIEM) and user behavior analytics, Exabeam empowers global security teams to combat cyberthreats, mitigate risk, and streamline operations.

Learn more at www.exabeam.com

Contact

Gemma Hamilton
PR for Exabeam

gemma@ilexcontent.com

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

Internet provider TalkTalk has today launched a free new tool called ‘Broadband Proactive Alerts‘, which is designed to notify customers about local network issues, “often before they even notice a problem“. But only some of the provider’s customers will be able to benefit from it.

The free service or App notifies customers, specifically ONLY those who are on one of Openreach’s older Fibre-to-the-Cabinet (FTTC / VDSL2) based broadband lines, of nearby network outages quickly after they occur, which TalkTalk said should improve their online experience and help them feel more in control.

The service combines proactive outage notifications with dedicated case management, enhanced self-service and real-time tracking, to give customers some much-needed reassurance. But it’s currently unclear why they aren’t doing this for Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) lines, although such lines are generally more reliable and TalkTalk’s use of several different alternative FTTP networks may complicate such matters.

Leigh Halliwell, Head of Service Assurance at TalkTalk, said:

“Our research shows that tech troubles and broadband disruptions are a major cause of everyday stress. Brits have been crying out for much-needed tech and life admin support at home – with one-third even admitting it’s something they’d pay for. We’re continuously innovating to deliver a service that not only meets our customers’ needs but also empowers them to get the most out of their connection.

This is why we’re happy to give households across the nation one less thing to worry about, solving tech-mares through our new Broadband Proactive Alerts service. It minimises stress for our customers by making them aware of nearby network issues quickly after they occur, removing uncertainty and giving much-needed reassurance and support.”

A number of other ISPs already offer similar services, although it remains an uncommon feature to offer across the industry. But when employed correctly, such services can also help to reduce the burden on support staff by minimising the need for customers to make a related call or raise an online support ticket etc.

As part of today’s launch TalkTalk also engaged OnePoll during April 2025 to survey a nationally representative sample of 2,000 people in the UK, which noted how 67% said it became a major inconvenience when their broadband goes down, with Millennials being the most impacted group (75%). But 61% said knowing their broadband was down would help to better manage their related stress over such issues.

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

Network operator BT Wholesale, which supplies a number of UK ISPs with broadband and other communication services, has today launched a new ‘Teams Phone Mobile‘ service for its partners that combines Microsoft Teams’ collaboration features with EE’s mobile connectivity.

In short, the new Teams Phone Mobile service claims to allow users to make and take calls, send messages, and collaborate “seamlessly” via a single app across multiple devices. This makes it easier for BTW’s customers to capitalise on unified communications, digital voice, and collaboration opportunities.

End users will require a Teams Phone SKU or E5 licence with Teams for this service, while BTW partners can purchase Teams Phone Mobile on ‘Complete Mobile’ in order to deliver a ready-to-go solution.

BTW Stated Benefits of Teams Phone Mobile 

For users: 

• Greater reliability: Calls can be carried over the mobile network or fixed connectivity, leading to greater reliability and quality of service. Users can move seamlessly between devices without dropping calls or losing context. 
• Better collaboration: Users can seamlessly “uplift” mobile calls to Teams on any type of device, giving them more ways to collaborate. 
• A unified experience: Users can access a combined call history, unified voicemail and status options, across their Teams devices. 

For organisations:  

• One number, everywhere: Users can have one number for mobile, desk and Microsoft Teams, so they can work flexibly and securely from any location, device or network. Teams Phone Mobile users can make and receive calls using their native dialler as well as the Teams app. 
• Security as standard: Businesses can extend enterprise-grade business policies such as recording and retention to voice calls on native mobile devices. Calls from users’ devices can also be set up to appear as though they’re coming from the organisation, keeping users’ mobile numbers hidden. 
• Streamlined communications: Organisations can consolidate redundant fixed-line and mobile services, as well as reducing the number of devices and hardware to buy, manage and support. 

The MD of BT Wholesale, Thea Sztejka, said: “We see significant opportunities for channel partners to diversify and grow within the business communications market. By combining Microsoft Teams with the UK’s best mobile network, our partners can help empower customers to work anywhere, anytime, while strengthening their brand and driving ROI.”

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

Online shopping giant Amazon last night succeeded in launching their first batch of 27 ultrafast broadband satellites into Low Earth Orbit (LEO) for Project Kuiper. The platforms were put into space by a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V 551 rocket that unleashed some 2.7 million pounds (12 megaNewtons) of thrust.

The company currently has approval to deploy and operate their own constellation of 3,236 LEO satellites as part of Project Kuiper and mission “KA-01” is merely the first of 80 such launches due over the next few years. The new spacecraft, each of which can process data traffic at speeds of up to 1Tbps (Terabits per second) – shared between many users, will ultimately come to rest at an altitude of between 590km and 630km.

The latency (often c.20-40ms) and speed of the new broadband service, once live, is expected to be similar to that of Starlink (SpaceX) and will similarly focus on reaching “unserved and underserved communities“. Project Kuiper’s smallest ultra-compact (7-inch square) ground terminals are, for example, expected to support downloads of “up to” 100Mbps (Megabits per second), while their slightly larger standard model (11 inches square) delivers up to 400Mbps, and the largest model (19 inches) should be able to deliver up to 1Gbps (Gigabit per second). The latter is more intended for government and enterprise users.

However, performance isn’t solely dictated by the satellites themselves, which means that Amazon will still need a strong global network of Ground Stations and supportive regulators in the USA, UK and many other countries in order to deliver an effective service (Ofcom has already granted approval).

The satellites flying on KA-01 are a “significant upgrade” from the two prototype satellites that Amazon tested in 2023, featuring better performance, phased array antennas, new processors, solar arrays, propulsion systems, and optical inter-satellite links. The satellites have also been coated in a dielectric mirror film, unique to Kuiper, that scatters reflected sunlight to help make them less visible to ground-based astronomers.

The first commercial beta service is expected to kick off with a few initial users around the end of 2025. The new network should provide some serious competition for SpaceX’s Starlink network, although the extremely high cost of creating such networks will limit Amazon’s ability to offer a significantly cheaper or more flexible service.

At the time of writing, it’s still too early to know whether the satellites themselves will reach their desired orbit without fault (this stage takes a bit of time), but so far everything appears to have gone as expected. As with other LEO constellations, the satellites are only designed to stay in orbit for a few years before they’re dragged back down to be burnt up (disposed) in the atmosphere.

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

UK ISP BT has published their first biannual progress update for 2025 on their delivery of Ofcom’s somewhat maligned 10Mbps Universal Service Obligation (USO) for broadband. The provider has so far helped to build a USO connection to over 8,411 premises (up from 8,248 in Oct 2024), with 349 further builds in-progress (up from 215).

The USO is a legally-binding and industry-funded obligation that falls on BT across the UK and KCOM in just Hull. In short, people living in areas where they can’t yet receive a 10Mbps or faster download speed, and aren’t expected to be covered by such a network in the next 12-months, can request a service capable of 10Mbps+ downloads (1Mbps upload) from the aforementioned internet providers.

A cost sharing model also applies here, which means that the providers will “calculate the total excess cost of the build and divide that between the eligible premises. If that amount is below £5,000 per premises (on top of the £3,400), we’ll automatically split the costs“. But some areas can still end up costing hundreds of thousands of pounds, even up to £1-2m, and would thus find the USO route to be unviable (here and here).

Ofcom states that 58,000 UK premises (0.2%) currently fall into the USO gap (i.e. those outside of suitable fixed line, fixed wireless or 4G mobile coverage) or 385,000 premises if you exclude wireless solutions. But the regulator predicts the current 58k figure could fall to 48k by the end of 2025, mostly as a result of upgrades delivered via publicly funded schemes (connection vouchers, project gigabit contracts etc.).

Just to be clear about this. Many of those who pursue the USO option via BT say they were offered 4G (mobile broadband) connections via EE instead, but those actually considered to have been delivered under the USO itself usually get Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP). Commercial builds of the latter have also helped to shrink the USO gap.

The gap will continue to shrink as both commercial and subsidised builds (e.g. the Gov’s £5bn Project Gigabit programme) expand. The government are also still exploring how best to reach those who live in “Very Hard to Reach” areas even faster speeds – roughly equating to the same sort of area as the USO is focused upon – and at the same time they’re due to review the USO itself (here), which could lead to changes. But this work seems to have been delayed a bit by the recent change in government.

BT’s April 2025 Broadband USO Report

The latest statistics continue to show that the delivery of USO is a slow process (e.g. in April 2023 there were 800 builds in progress, then 185 in Oct 2023, 265 in April 2024, 215 in Oct 2024 and now an uptick to 349). We suspect this may be a combination of factors, such as a lack of consumer familiarity with the USO (apply for it here), new services like Starlink becoming available, the shrinking area of USO eligibility and the fact that the policy may be running into the limitations of economically viable deliverability.

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

Three Business, the business-to-business arm of mobile network operator Three UK, this morning claims to have launched the “UK’s first large-scale eSIM trial” for over 50,000 business, albeit initially only available to those in the Birmingham and Bristol areas. The trial will allow customers to test Three’s network before making the commitment to switch providers.

Unlike physical SIM cards, eSIMs embed an electronic SIM into your device (Smartphone) that could – once fully implemented – make it easier and quicker to switch between operators (e.g. not having to wait for a SIM card to arrive) and to use additional networks alongside your main mobile service (e.g. eSIMs for travel when abroad).

However, so far eSIM based services have tended to be more focused on consumers, but Three Business are looking to change that. Switching mobile networks can be a big decision for businesses too, with coverage and service quality varying significantly by location. Traditionally, businesses have relied on coverage maps, external reports, and third-party analysis to make their choice, but these tools don’t always reflect real-world conditions.

The goal of the new eSIM trial, which will be delivered in partnership with eSIM Go, is to allow businesses to experience the Three network first-hand for 30-days alongside their existing provider. This will allow such firms to make a more informed decision based on actual performance.

Snehal Bhudia, Director Three Business, said:

“Choosing the right mobile network can feel overwhelming with conflicting information and the risk of getting it wrong. That’s why we’re offering businesses a free trial of our market-leading 5G network – alongside their current provider. It’s a simple, hands-on way to experience the difference for themselves, helping them make a confident, informed decision that drives real productivity gain for their business.”

The two cities were selected by Three Business due to their rapidly growing business ecosystems and status as major UK tech hubs. But it’s currently unclear how long the new trial will run for or when the final service might launch.

Original article ISPreview UK:Read More

Customers of Sky’s sibling NOW Broadband (NOW TV) ISP sub-brand, specifically those on their older “part-fibre” (FTTC) based superfast broadband packages, have been informed that their bundled Hubs (routers) are now unsupported and won’t be replaced if they develop a fault. But don’t “worry“, say NOW, because if that happens your service can be terminated or moved to Sky.

Sky Broadband itself has, thus far, been doing a modestly good job of offering upgrades to customers with bundled broadband routers that may have reached End of Life (EOL). This largely reflects recent changes in UK law, which requires ISPs to be more security conscious and “open with consumers on the minimum time they can expect to receive important security updates” for their smart / connected devices.

However, it appears as if NOW TV are taking a different approach for customers on their older own-brand NOW Broadband FTTC plans. This is seemingly focused upon those who are currently or will soon be in the process of considering whether to re-contract when their current package term comes to an end.

The problem is that this effectively seems to leave many existing NOW Broadband customers, at least those who want to use a secure and supported router, with little option but to either leave the ISP or switch to a package powered by Sky Broadband instead (something they’ve been offering, mostly via FTTP lines, since last year).

Extract from NOW TV’s Customer Email

Changes from March 2025

Please note, your Hub is no longer receiving security and service updates, or will stop receiving security updates by 2025. However, your Hub will continue to work as normal and will keep you connected to the internet.

We recommend, as a minimum, changing your Hub admin password to reduce the risk of security threats. This won’t change your WiFi password, just the password used to check your Hub details … From July 31st 2025, should your Hub develop a fault, we unfortunately won’t be able to provide a replacement. If this happens, don’t worry, you’ll be able to end your service immediately without any termination fees.

Most people will quickly note that changing the Hub’s admin password is not a panacea for all network and internet security related threats that users of unsupported NOW Hubs may face in the future. Likewise, telling customers not to “worry” because NOW TV still leaves them with the option of a free service termination, is far from ideal. Hopefully, those who want to exit their contract early don’t suddenly start dropping older hubs in the sink – totally by accident, of course.

The final option that NOW TV offers, if retaining unsupported kit or service termination are not palatable, is to switch to one of their more recent ‘NOW Powered by Sky‘ broadband packages. The newer packages started to be introduced last year, and at the time many people felt this had signalled the start of NOW Broadband’s gradual demise as a semi-independent broadband brand. The latest development may reinforce that perception.