Press release 

Manchester, UK – Connected North, the North’s Dedicated Digital Economy Event is returning to Manchester Central for its third year 

Hosted by telecoms media and events specialist Total Telecom, the event builds on the success of the Connected North’s debut in 2022, which saw over a thousand stakeholders meet to discuss the industry’s hottest topics in the region.  

This year, the event will see an incredible speaker lineup of over 200 industry experts and network with 2,500 attendees. 

Post pandemic, the North of the UK is at a turning point, with the attention both locally and nationally to build back better by affording equal opportunity for previously underserved areas. 

The push for better connectivity in the North of the UK continues, as part of the government’s pledge to make gigabit capable networks available for 85% of the UK by the end of 2025. 

However, upgrading digital infrastructure across the region is about more than just hitting government targets. It’s about improving lives for local communities, creating opportunities for local businesses, and increasing the region’s global competitiveness. The entire ecosystem across public and private sectors need to collaborate to make this happen. 

Across two action-packed days, the event will delve into six key themes covering topics such as Fibre & 5G delivery, rural connectivity, regulation and investment context and The Levelling Up Fund. 

Key speakers at this year’s event include:

Martyn Taylor, Chief Commercial Officer, BDUK  
Daren Baythorpe, Chief Executive Officer, ITS 
Georgia Grimes, Director of Fibre Build, Openreach   
Conal Henry, Chair of Fibrus 
Brian Potterill, Director of Mobile Network Strategy, Ofcom   
Eamonn Boylan Chief Executive Officer of Greater Manchester Combined Authority 
Dr Aileen Jones, Executive Director – Investment and Delivery, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority   
Sean Royce, Chief Executive Officer of Quickline 

“We’re delighted to be returning to Manchester for the third year of Connected North,” said Dominic Beresford-Webb, the event’s Senior Conference Producer. “The event really is an essential dedicated forum to spotlight the way connectivity can drive social and economic growth in the region,” he continued. 

For more information or to register to attend Connected North 2024, visit: https://www.terrapinn.com/conference/connected-north/index.stm  

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About Total Telecom
Since 1997, Total Telecom has provided the connection between the buyers and sellers in the global telecom market. We do this through high quality editorial content and events to facilitate discussion on industry issues, and recognise innovation and excellence by companies and individuals.  

Our community of 120,000+ telecom professionals rely on Total Telecom for daily news and regular in-depth insight, delivered through a number of channels including online, video, social media, and at our series of events. 

Our award-winning event portfolio includes, Broadband Communities Summit, the World Communication Awards, Connected North, Connected Germany, and the UK’s largest connectivity event Connected Britain.  

News

A cybersecurity advisory issued last month warns that “state sponsored actors” from the People’s Republic of China are compromising and maintaining persistent access to critical infrastructure in the United States, and several other nations

This article was originally released by our sister publication Broadband Communities

A February warning from three American agencies assesses that the Chinese government is sponsoring attempts to “pre-position themselves on IT networks” to have assets in place in case there is a conflict with the United States.

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the National Security Agency (NSA), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) released the Feb. 7 cybersecurity warning, which the advisory said was prompted by observations from U.S. agencies tasked with responding to incidents that compromised critical-infrastructure organizations.

The advisory claimed that a state-sponsored cyber group, known as Volt Typhoon, is preparing for “destructive cyberattacks against U.S. critical infrastructure in the event of a major crisis or conflict with the United States.”

According to the advisory, agencies that have “confirmed that Volt Typhoon has compromised the IT environments of multiple critical infrastructure organizations,” including the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Transportation Security Administration, along with other government cybersecurity agencies from Australia, Canada, the U.K., and New Zealand.

“The U.S. authoring agencies have confirmed that Volt Typhoon has compromised the IT environments of multiple critical infrastructure organizations—primarily in communications, energy, transportation systems, and water and wastewater systems sectors—in the continental and non-continental United States and its territories, including Guam,” the advisory read.

The advisory stated that American agencies “are concerned about the potential for these actors to use their network access for disruptive effects in the event of potential geopolitical tensions and/or military conflicts.”

While the risk to Canada’s critical infrastructure may be lower, according to the advisory, the nation would likely still be affected due to cross-border integration should the critical infrastructure of the U.S. become disrupted. The assessment said risks are also present for critical infrastructure in Australia and New Zealand, which “could be vulnerable.”

According to the warning, Volt Typhoon relies on valid online accounts and leverages strong operational security, which can allow for the group to develop a long-term undiscovered persistence.

Volt Typhoon actors have maintained access within some victimized IT environments for lengthy periods of time that can sometimes last years, the advisory stated.

“Volt Typhoon actors conduct extensive pre-exploitation reconnaissance to learn about the target organization and its environment; tailor their tactics, techniques, and procedures to the victim’s environment; and dedicate ongoing resources to maintaining persistence and understanding the target environment over time, even after initial compromise.”

The advisory urged critical-infrastructure organizations to apply mitigations and hunt for malicious activity, which, if discovered, should be reported to a relevant agency.

Click here to read the full advisory about Volt Typhoon’s alleged activities.

Reach Broadband Communities Editor Brad Randall at brad.randall@totaltele.com

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Intelsat have claimed that the announcement will put the company “at the forefront of the next wave in global connectivity”
France-based Eutelsat Group and America’s Intelsat have partnered to invest $500 million to advance the OneWeb Low Earth Orbit (LEO) Constellation.  

 

The collaboration, which was announced this week, will in begin mid-2024 with a $250 million commitment, has an option of a further $250 million, the company said. 

Starting mid-2024, Intelsat will integrate OneWeb’s LEO Network with its existing GEO and terrestrial networks. This move is expected to deliver unmatched services to customers in networks, government, and mobility industries.  

Intelsat will cooperate with Eutelsat to develop its Next Generation OneWeb constellation, providing direct design and functionality input to help ensure that the new constellation will meet increasing customer needs. 

“Today’s announcement elevates that partnership to unprecedented heights, bolstering our capacity to offer cutting-edge multi-orbit services and solutions across our diverse portfolio of customers and business segments,” Dave Wajsgras, CEO of Intelsat in a press release. 

Eva Berneke, CEO of Eutelsat Group, highlighted the importance of the collaboration in a press release, saying, “This expanded collaboration with Intelsat underscores a resounding vote of confidence in the prowess of the OneWeb satellite constellation, both today and in the foreseeable future.” 

The Eutelsat Group was formed through the merger of Eutelsat and OneWeb in 2023, becoming the first fully integrated GEO-LEO satellite operator with a fleet of 35 GEO satellites and a LEO constellation of more than 600 satellites to cater to mobile connectivity needs across Europe, the Middle East, and the Pacific. 

As the partnership evolves, it promises to redefine satellite communication possibilities, offering unprecedented connectivity solutions worldwide. 

Keep up to date with the latest telecoms news by subscribing to the Total Telecom daily newsletter  

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