Mobile technology

Quarter of all UK shopping now happens on mobile devices

UK’s high-street spend is the lowest across Europe as mobile devices account for a growing portion of online shopping Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

O2 outage highlights importance of software certificate audits

A major outage on the O2 4G mobile network was caused by an expired certificate and could easily have been avoided, it has emerged Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Douglas Engelbart, the forgotten hero of modern computing

Half a century ago, Douglas Engelbart demonstrated an experimental computer that laid the foundations for modern computing. His vision to use computing power to solve complex problems in all areas of human activity has become reality, but not in the way that he imagined Continue Reading

By

• Jake Charles Rees

China demands release of arrested Huawei CFO

The Chinese government has called for the release of Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou, who was detained in Canada at the weekend Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Fashion retail’s sustainability challenge and how technology can help

UK fashion retailers were grilled in Parliament last month on sustainability, so how might technology like blockchain or online recommendation tools help as they look to improve their green credentials? Continue Reading

By

• Ben Sillitoe

Software failure paralyses O2’s 4G network

O2 is racing to fix a major outage on its 4G network that has left millions of mobile subscribers without access to data services Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

BT moves to strip Huawei kit from EE’s network

Telco will remove Huawei’s networking equipment from the core of EE’s 4G mobile network Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Nike and Zara drive fashion retail’s self-service future

New store openings from Nike and Zara show it is not just in grocery stores where self-service technology is impacting retail. Continue Reading

By

• Ben Sillitoe

The ruggedised reporter, part #1: Conker toughened tablets

The TSA once dropped my laptop and it made me nervous about the fact that a machine on the road is a delicate thing. To be clear, the fine people at the US Transportation Security ... Continue Reading

By

• Adrian Bridgwater

What are the security risks of third-party app stores?

Unlike most apps developed in app stores, users can download Fortnite from Epic Games' website. Expert Michael Cobb explains the security risks of third-party app stores. Continue Reading

By

• Michael Cobb

As commercial 5G nears, small cells generate interest

Interest in small cells as an element of commercial 5G mobile networks is growing, particularly in countries with supportive regulatory environments. Meanwhile, a UK trial of wholesale small cell infrastructure has kicked off in London Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Lloyds Banking Group in Google maps mash up

Lloyds bank is integrating its mobile app with Google Maps in a Mash up that will help customers keep track of spending Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

UK competition watchdog concerned with PayPal’s fintech acquisition

Competition and Markets Authority fears $2.2bn deal could reduce competition for payment services in the UK Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Bright future for OTT video – if the network can support it

The emergence of over the top video services is having a massive impact on underlying network technology, according to the ITP Continue Reading

By

• Tim Wright, Institute of Telecommunications Professionals

Billions missing out on digital society as internet use soars

As global internet usage continues to soar, billions of people around the world are missing out on the potential benefits of getting online, according to Cisco Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Unprecedented actions by Commons committee augur badly for Facebook

House of Commons’ serjeant-at-arms effectively arrested the CEO of a US software company and frogmarched him to Parliament, where he was told he would be imprisoned if he failed to hand over papers on Facebook Continue Reading

By

• Kevin Cahill

O2 and Nokia partner up on 5G-focused Massive MIMO trial in London

Mobile network operator O2 is carrying out an investigative trial involving Massive MIMO technology in Kings Cross and Marble Arch, London to ascertain how best to ready its network for an uptick in 5G-induced data usage Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

ASOS launches digital assistant to help customers find right size

Online fashion retailer ASOS has launched an artificially intelligent assistant to help consumers find the right size of clothing before they place an order Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

IKEA to focus on digitisation and convenience shopping

Swedish furniture brand IKEA will be cutting jobs and focusing on smaller stores and its digital pipeline in a bid to usher in a new era of business transformation Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

IFS Labs Sri Lanka gets 'hands on' with VR & AR development

In the modern age of software, it's no longer enough to simply have an application development and programming department. A new breed of emerging (sometimes experimental) app development and data ... Continue Reading

By

• Adrian Bridgwater

Interview: Comms sector ripe for disruption as climate change takes hold

Humanity has just 12 years left to keep global warming to a maximum of 1.5⁰C and prevent climate meltdown. Paul Dickinson from the Carbon Disclosure Project discusses how CIOs can help take steps to avert disaster by changing their attitude to business communications Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Lincolnshire Police signs 10-year cloud control room tech refresh deal with Motorola Solutions

Lincolnshire Police is embracing cloud technologies within its control room environment as it strives to improve the efficiency of its operations Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

EE and Virgin Media fined for breaking consumer protection rules

Ofcom has imposed fines totalling £13.3m on EE and Virgin Media, saying both providers levied excessive charges on customers who ended their contracts early Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Russian banks to introduce contactless ATMs

Russian banks have introduced their first contactless ATMs, which customers can link to via smartphones and wearable devices Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

The Gym Group flexes its muscles with data analytics

No-frills fitness company The Gym Group is using analytics technology to find insights from its financial, HR and membership data, as it limbers up for rapid expansion in the UK Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

CYBG scraps Virgin Money digital bank project

It is not a surprise CYBG is ending Virgin Money's digital bank project following its acquisition of the company because it already has one Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

5G will unleash digital transformation for UK enterprises

Mobile operator EE is working hand-in-hand with its largest enterprise customers to realise the potential of its future 5G mobile network Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

NHS issues guidance for instant messaging use in acute settings

As NHS staff are increasingly turning to messaging apps to communicate with each other, the government issues guidance saying only tools meeting the NHS encryption standard should be used Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

M&S admits online remit “well behind” competitors

Food and clothing retailer Marks and Spencer has admitted its website and online fulfillment capabilities are behind that of its competitors, but it is seeing progress since implementing changes Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Self-driving cars may have to break law, says Law Commission

Self-driving cars may have to break the rules of the road to operate safely, and the Law Commissions of England, Wales and Scotland are embarking on a consultation to seek input on how to manage this Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Samsung phone folds like a cheap suit

Samsung has unveiled something resembling a VTech learning toy to try to maintain its foothold in the smartphone market. Commentators humoured the announcement, though, referring to the ... Continue Reading

By

• Ryan Priest

5G mobile masts bring installation challenges, EE finds

EE has switched on a fixed wireless access network in central London to test elements of its future 5G mobile service, but faced some challenges setting it up Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Fintechs advised on how to work with big banks

Advice backed by the government for fintechs on how to engage with traditional finance firms is published Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Lloyds Banking Group shaking up its workforce to reflect digital times

Lloyds Banking Group is revamping the roles of thousands of staff as it becomes digital Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

NatWest pilots digital bank for SMEs

App-based banking platform offers small enterprises other business tools on top of a current account Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

GSMA urges fresh action on 5G mobile spectrum

Mobile industry body says time is running out to ready enough radio frequency spectrum in the appropriate bands to account for the demands of 5G mobile networks Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

TalkTalk makes ‘fair broadband’ promises

TalkTalk has launched its own Fairer Broadband Charter as research reveals widespread dissatisfaction with some common industry practices Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

How Birchbox uses social media for personalisation and discovery

The UK marketing director of subscription service Birchbox told the Retail Week Tech conference about the retailer’s use of social media and data to offer customers a personalised service Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Ofcom has another go at liberalising duct and pole access

Telecoms regulator is making a new attempt to establish better access to BT’s duct and pole infrastructure for communication services providers Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Jlab 2019 to focus on experiential shopping

Each year, John Lewis hosts a number of retail startups intent on using technology to transform the industry. Next year they will be aiming to change the customer experience in-store Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

BT makes progress with Global Services restructuring

Telco sets out plan to get its troubled Global Services business unit fighting fit Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Apple drops unit shipments as it posts fourth-quarter results

As long as it is making money, why worry how may iPhones are out there, the company argues Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Amido code leader: inside Kubernetes and ITIL

This is a guest post for the Computer Weekly Developer Network written by William Ayerst in his role as senior consultant at Amido, a company that specialises in the implementation of ‘cloud-first’ ... Continue Reading

By

• Adrian Bridgwater

Robotic delivery service hits the streets of Milton Keynes

Following extensive testing and a limited commercial roll-out in campus enterprise environments, Estonian robotics firm Starship Technologies is launching a direct-to-consumer robot delivery service in Milton Keynes Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Three introduces 4G+ at 2,700 sites

Mobile operator Three hopes to boost average mobile data speeds by up to 33% through carrier aggregation Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

How Bahrain plans to become a regional fintech hub

Bahrain is a small island with big plans for its financial technology industry Continue Reading

By

• Alicia Buller

IoT R&D projects missed out on £10m of government funding

A series of delays and disruption caused chiefly by changes in project ownership meant the government’s IoT UK Research and Innovation Programme failed to use a quarter of its allocated budget between 2015 and 2018 Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Budget 2018: No great leap forward for broadband, but no need to panic

The chancellor set aside £1.6bn for digital technology in the Budget, but broadband services did not draw much attention. Is this a surprise, or a reflection of growing commercial investment in full-fibre, and what should the role of government be? Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

How Avanade keeps pace with Microsoft and the market

Systems integrator Avanade has had to adapt to Microsoft’s evolution into an “ecosystem platform” that includes open-source software Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

O2 extends rural 4G network to 339 communities

O2 has extended its rural network roll-out, targeting over 300 small communities all over the UK Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

What is software feature (flag) management?

Applications have features, so, logically, feature management (and delivery) is now a thing. The very logically named Rollout is a company that describes itself as a feature delivery and management ... Continue Reading

By

• Adrian Bridgwater

Vodafone claims UK 5G first

Mobile network operator Vodafone claims the activation of a trial site in Manchester marks the first time mobile data traffic has been streamed to and from the internet exclusively over 5G technology Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Nordic banks target SME customers with fintech services

Traditional Nordic banks are slimming down workforces as they turn increasingly to technology-based service delivery, and some are linking up with small fintech companies to deliver online products. Continue Reading

By

• Gerard O'Dwyer

SMEs use fintech in fight against online giants, but fears remain

Online SMEs are turning to financial technology to help them make payment processes easy for customers as they try to compete with online giants Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Cab firm to map 250,000 miles of London roads for CAVs

Cab operator Addison Lee has teamed up with CAV software specialist Oxbotica to start preparing the streets of London for self-driving cars Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

CIO interview: Tamara Lohan, founder and CTO of Mr & Mrs Smith

Head of technology and co-founder of luxury travel firm Mr & Mrs Smith explains how the firm is revamping its technology to provide customers with a seamless experience Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Russians using less cash after accelerated use of electronic payments

Russians are increasingly using electronic payments rather than cash, a recent study by Sberbank has found Continue Reading

By

• Vladimir Kozlov

Competition, not consumer demand, is driving full-fibre roll-out

Market competition among telecoms operators, not consumer demand, appears to be driving the trend towards ultrafast full-fibre broadband roll-out in Europe Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Drivers have dangerous misconceptions about self-driving cars

People seem to be confused about the difference between autonomous and assisted driving technology, with worrying implications for road safety, says Thatcham Research Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Home Office ‘seriously’ considered ESN shutdown

New disclosures from those responsible for the troubled Emergency Services Network project have revealed that, contrary to previous denials, the Home Office came close to pulling the plug earlier this year Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Contactless payments surpass Chip and PIN in UK shops

Contactless card payments now account for more spending in UK stores than Chip and PIN Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

UCaaS supports British Medical Journal’s cloud-first ambitions

With a growing global business and a CIO intent on doing everything in the cloud, the British Medical Journal turned to unified communications-as-a-service provider RingCentral to make its comms infrastructure fit for the cloud era Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Nordic CTO interview: Anders Johanson, Husqvarna

Husqvarna is on a journey to transform itself into a product and services company by using the latest digital technology and Anders Johnson is a driving force behind it Continue Reading

By

• Jane Hamrin

A smartphone for your smartphone?

As if smartphone devices aren't already taking over our lives enough, a US company has launched a miniature phone to act as a companion to your main device. In a world where smartphones are ... Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Commuter trains may need over 3Gbps of mobile data capacity by 2025

Ofcom has set out its vision of what will need to be done to meet the government’s goals around data connectivity on the UK’s rail network Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

ASOS launches voice shopping on Google Assistant

Online fashion brand introduces voice shopping service to help customers navigate its thousands of products more easily Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Watchdog calls for clarity on Schedule 7 terrorism powers

The Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation has called for greater clarity over police Schedule 7 powers to seize mobile phones and computers and question people without grounds for suspicion at ports and airports Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly
• Fiona O'Cleirigh

Detail of Dutch reaction to Russian cyber attack made public deliberately

Four Russian intelligence officials were expelled from the Netherlands after an attempted hack on the global chemical weapons watchdog. The Dutch government has been open about the detail Continue Reading

By

• Tijs Hofmans

Ofcom says government should lead on internet regulation

Representatives from the telecoms regulator tell House of Lords that the government should build a framework for internet regulation that other bodies can follow and enforce Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Grab signs up for Azure, nabs investment from Microsoft

Ride-hailing, delivery and mobile payments firm will use slew of Azure services to improve operations and customer experience Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

EE switches on 5G test network at Canary Wharf

MNO explores high-capacity zone testing for its 5G network roll-out, with the first phase expected to target hotspots such as London’s Canary Wharf Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Telenor retrains 20,000 staff as it prepares for impact of digital tech

Norway-based mobile phone company Telenor, which provides phone services in Scandinavia and Asia, is challenging its workforce to spend 40 hours a year learning digital skills as it prepares for the impact of digital technology Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Wozniak x3 times

Technology events generally host ‘inspirational’ speakers at some stage, usually on the last day. After the product keynotes, the technical sessions, the platform updates, the CTO breakdowns and ... Continue Reading

By

• Adrian Bridgwater

APAC SMEs still hanging on to older PCs

A majority of small and medium-sized business in Asia-Pacific are still using PCs older than four years out of cost and application compatibility concerns Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

DataStax code leader: how to be a good guru

Developers need thought leadership, it’s a fact. It is for this reason that software application development focused tech vendors often employ futurists, evangelists and advocates. Computer Weekly ... Continue Reading

By

• Adrian Bridgwater

Diversity key for innovation, says Carnival Corporation CEO

The CEO of travel brand Carnival told Splunk.conf 2018 that having diverse teams is the best way to drive innovation throughout a business Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Full-fibre broadband penetration reaches 5%

The number of UK properties able to access a full-fibre broadband connection has hit a small but significant milestone, according to Ofcom Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Two autonomous vehicle projects funded in government contest

The National Infrastructure Commission’s Roads for the Future contest has awarded a £50,000 prize fund to two projects exploring how to make the UK’s roads ready for connected and autonomous vehicles Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Mobile will be more disruptive for retail than online, says Facebook representative

Facebook’s retail industry head says mobile technology is likely to cause a bigger shift in retail than online shopping did Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Perfecto CTO: the changing role of the developer

Uzi Eilon is chief technology officer at cloud-centric continuous testing company Perfecto. As CTO of a test automation specialist, Eilon says he has seen software application developers have to ... Continue Reading

By

• Adrian Bridgwater

Citizens Advice makes super-complaint over rip-off phone charges

Citizens Advice is calling for a fair deal for consumers that it claims are being ripped off by out-of-contract charges by communications services providers and the financial services industry Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Brighton’s 5G experiment enters new test phase with focus on virtual reality

The latest phase of the Digital Catapult’s 5G mobile network testbed in Brighton has begun, with digital businesses from across Sussex taking part in trials of augmented, mixed and virtual reality technology Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Finland’s e-retail sector driven by international growth

Finland has a fast-growing e-retail industry as a positive consequence of the huge job cuts at Nokia Continue Reading

By

• Gerard O'Dwyer

Infor teams with #YesWeCode to promote diversity in technology

As part of its Infor Inforum conference and exhibition held in Washington DC this September, industry-specific cloud applications company Infor and #YesWeCode today announced the launch of GenOne. ... Continue Reading

By

• Adrian Bridgwater

Motorola turns 90

The company's 90 year history has seen it broadcast messages from the Moon, power FM military transmitters and launch the first commercial mobile phone Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Mapping the future at Ordnance Survey

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we find out how the UK mapping agency, Ordnance Survey, is innovating to put geospatial data at the heart of smart cities. We look at how to manage subscription and licensing costs when moving to the cloud. And we examine how proposals to change the UK visa system could help to tackle IT skills shortages. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Indigo subsea cable lands in Perth

Cable system will utilise new spectrum sharing technology, so each consortium member can take advantage of technology advancements to support growing demand for bandwidth Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Mobile-first strategy rings true for jeweller

Mobile has played a key role in how London jeweller Taylor & Hart has changed the rules for buying a ring Continue Reading

By

• Christian Annesley

Phased roll-out of ESN to start in early 2019

The government will adopt a phased approach to the roll-out of the new emergency services 4G communications network Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

What to expect from Spiceworks SpiceWorld 2018

It’s hard to believe, but it has been four years since the Computer Weekly Developer Network set foot on Texan soil for a Spiceworks SpiceWorld event. As we have detailed before, Spiceworks is a ... Continue Reading

By

• Adrian Bridgwater

RBS, Barclays and NatWest customers suffer more mobile banking outages

Banks apologise for problems that have affected mobile and internet banking services Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Doorstep challenge: How retailers are innovating on delivery and fulfilment

Every retailer selling online in 2018 needs great shipping options for customers who have got used to an expanding list of choices. How are some retailers developing the proposition, and where does technology fit into the equation? Continue Reading

By

• Christian Annesley

Rural areas will be among the first to get Vodafone 5G

Parts of Cornwall and Cumbria will be among the first locations to get access to Vodafone’s 5G mobile network when it launches in 2019 Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Out-of-contract users paying millions for phones they already own

Despite calls for MNOs to change their ways, users are still being overcharged for their devices, says Citizens Advice Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Medical firm debuts internet-connected prosthetic limbs

Orthotic and prosthetic services business Hanger is trialling five connected prosthetic limbs with support from AT&T’s Foundry innovation lab Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Employers turn to wearable technology to help staff manage work-life balance

Companies are realising that there are sound business reasons for ensuring their employees get enough sleep and exercise, so they are turning to wearable technology to help their staff stay healthy, despite the pressures of work Continue Reading

By

• Christian Annesley

BMW innovation lab bears fruit with insurtech deal

BMW has struck a deal with one of the tech startups that participated in its innovation incubator Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

EU needs clear 5G regulation to guarantee mobile success

The mobile ecosystem could be worth more than 4% of European GDP by 2022, if the right regulatory actions are taken by the European Union government Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Sustainability and the smartphone: How to give your old device a second life

Find out what happens to your smartphone after you’re finished with it and why you should commit to the circular economy. Continue Reading

The importance of smartphone sustainability

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we examine the considerable environmental footprint of the mobile phone industry and ask what can be done to further the circular economy. We find out how disaster recovery as a service (DRaaS) is being used and when it’s an option for businesses. And we look at some of the UK’s emerging fintech success stories. Read the issue now. Continue Reading