The Government’s Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, will next week meet with the heads from all of the UK’s major regulators as part of a drive to help bring down inflation by encouraging utility providers (i.e. energy, water, broadband and mobile) to ensure they’re passing on any wholesale costs savings to consumers. The issue, at least so […]

Network access provider Openreach (BT) has published a new industry consultation that sets out, in more detail, how they’re proposing to close the first 103 of their “priority exchanges” by 2030 (pilot phase). But eventually the plan is to shut 4,500 exchanges across the UK, which will impact various broadband, PIA and Ethernet services. Openreach […]

Press Release

Nokia and its partners have announced the successful completion of Europe’s first live hybrid quantum encryption key trial with Proximus. Using technology from Nokia, ID Quantique and evolutionQ, Proximus was able to establish a quantum-safe optical network connection using quantum key distribution (QKD) to successfully encrypt and transmit data between two datacenters located in Brussels and Mechelen, Belgium. The live demonstration represents a significant milestone in the development of quantum key technologies and highlights the future of network security in the era of quantum computing.

Quantum computers are expected to usher in a new world of possibilities with the power to solve currently unsolvable problems. However, they can also pose a significant risk to online security, capable of breaking some of today’s most widely used security protocols in a matter of seconds. To prepare for Q-day – the eventual day when quantum computers are capable of performing sophisticated computations that can break asymmetric, mathematical based encryption schemes – enterprises, operators and governments will need to ensure their data and networks are safe from quantum attacks. Quantum cryptography allows operators to use the principals of quantum mechanics to encrypt and send messages securely.

The trial with Proximus highlights how quantum cryptography can be implemented in a live network to help protect against malicious hacks or attacks from future quantum computers. Using Nokia’s Quantum-Safe Networks solution alongside hardware and software from ID Quantique and evolutionQ which create, distribute and manage the quantum keys, Proximus was able to encrypt data running over its live optical network and use photonic properties to ensure the safety of the data transmitted. Adding an additional layer of security, Nokia’s SMS (Security Management Server), a quantum-safe key generator and orchestrator, provided classic quantum-safe encryption using symmetric key distribution in instances where the stability of data using QKD were compromised or altered.

Geert Standaert, Chief Technology Officer at Proximus, said: “Network security is not just a vital business priority; it’s the bedrock upon which our digital operations thrive. In an increasingly interconnected world, where data breaches and cyber threats loom large, protecting our networks is paramount. To prepare for Q-day, we need to take the proactive steps to safeguard our critical systems from quantum threats and this live trial is the first step. Working with Nokia and its partners, we’re confident that we’ll be able to continue to safeguard our critical systems and successfully navigate the ever-evolving threat landscape in the quantum computing world.”

James Watt, President Optical Networks Division at Nokia, said: “The trial we did with Proximus and our partners represents a groundbreaking leap forward in securing our digital future. We’re excited to demonstrate the industry’s only hybrid quantum key distribution system which we believe will be essential to unlocking a safer and more resilient digital landscape.  By combining the inherent properties of quantum mechanics with symmetrical cryptography, operators can safeguard their networks today against current and future Q-day threats such as store now, decrypt later activities.”

Rudy Hoebeke, Vice President of Product Management, IP Networks Division at Nokia, said: “Today’s trial with Proximus is an industry milestone in network security. With the industry’s only hybrid quantum encryption key solution, we’re able to provide Proximus with an unprecedented level of data security and resilience against existing and future threats stemming from the inevitability of Q-day. It also opens the door to new quantum-safe services for customers seeking to safeguard intellectual property or critical sensitive data against sophisticated quantum based cyber-attacks.”

Are operators doing enough to protect their customers’ sensitive data? Just how big of a threat is quantum computing to network security? Join the operators in discussion at this year’s Total Telecom Congress live in Amsterdam

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Mobile operator EE has revealed that 125 network upgrades are being installed on temporary 4G and 5G mobile (mobile broadband) masts at locations across the country, which are designed to complement existing permanent sites and to increase network capacity to help manage a “huge surge in seasonal demand.” The main focus of this effort is […]

News

The contract will see BT provide managed Wi-Fi services across 162 new military sites

This week, UK operator BT has announced a multi-million-pound deal with the British Army to deliver managed Wi-Fi services, dubbed MOD Wi-FI, to 162 sites across the UK.

The five-year contract will see the MOD Wi-Fi services deployed across every building at the respective sites, including offices, hangars, training facilities, technological accommodation and workshops. The Wi-Fi services will also cover recreational spaces.

Beyond providing improved connectivity to these areas, the deal will also bolster site security with the service’s built-in firewall.

BT also suggests that the increased digitalisation of these sites will also help maximise building occupancy for more efficient energy consumption.

In future, BT’s partnership could be expanded to other areas of the military, including the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy.

“This is another critical delivery under the ambitious British Army Digital Transformation Initiative – Programme THEIA,” said Major General John Collyer, the Army’s Director of Information. “We are thrilled to partner with BT for the Army Estate Wide Internet work – which will deliver ubiquitous internet access across our estate – for business use, research, leisure, gaming, innovation, trials and more. Another leap forward, and I thank the staff of BT and in Army HQ for their Herculean work getting us to this stage. It will make a huge difference for our people and our outputs.”

BT’s Defence team already manages connectivity at 200 sites in the UK, Cyrus, and Germany on behalf of the Ministry of Defence and have been exploring the creation of ‘smart bases’ for some time. Indeed, the operator is already working to build a ‘smart base’ in Larkhill, Wiltshire that incorporates both fibre and private 5G, aiming to facilitate various new technologies such as smart security cameras and sensors, facial recognition, smart building entry and management, digital signage, and secure printing.

How is the UK’s telecoms industry transforming in 2023? Join the operators and the wider connectivity ecosystem in discussion at this year’s Connected Britain event

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A new Opinium survey of 2,000 UK adults, which was commissioned by Uswitch, has claimed that British people have had to fork out approximately £539m in “unexpected roaming” costs over the past 12 months since most mobile operators reintroduced EU roaming charges. The survey noted that 32% of respondents are planning to use their mobiles […]

News

Youfone is the third largest mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) in the Netherlands with around 540,000 customers

This week, KPN has announced the acquisition of Youfone’s local MVNO business for roughly €200 million.

Youfone is the third largest MVNO in the Netherlands. It has roughly 540,000 customers, around 10% of which are fixed broadband customers.

The company already provides mobile services to customers using KPN’s network, hence there should be little disruption to existing customers, with KPN noting that they will retain the Youfone mobile brand.

Following the acquisition, Youfone’s customers will be added to KPN’s existing subscriber base, which includes over 3.5 million mobile customers and nearly 3 million mobile customers. According to retail customer data reported earlier this month, these additional subscribers will make KPN the largest mobile operator in the Netherlands, topping previous leader T-Mobile Netherlands.

As always, the deal requires regulatory approval.

In related news, earlier this week KPN announced that it was acquiring the Dutch fibre assets of Primevest. The deal increases KPN’s fibre coverage by around 127,000 premises, primarily located in Rotterdam, The Hague, and Eindhoven.

KPN is aiming to cover 80% of the Netherlands with full fibre by 2026. The operator’s fibre footprint currently covers over four million premises.

How is the Dutch telecoms market shifting in 2023? Join the operators in discussion at this year’s Total Telecom Congress live from Amsterdam

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Budget broadband provider Plusnet has today discounted the prices on their ultrafast and gigabit-capable Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) powered packages again for new residential customers covered by Openreach’s national network, which will be available to order until 7th July 2023. As usual, all of their full fibre packages include unlimited usage, a new Hub Two wireless router […]