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Ofcom plans to auction more 4G spectrum later this year
Ofcom is planning a fresh spectrum auction that will improve 4G coverage later this year. The regulator has 190 MHz to allocate to the major mobile networks, and today it's launched a consultation with possible auction formats. The concern is that some of the biggest carriers are undergoing mergers -- BT is buying EE, while the owner of Three UK is trying to acquire O2. if Ofcom awards all of the spectrum now, the balance of power could change unexpectedly if the deals don't proceed as planned. However, it could be six months before they're approved, and even longer before the transactions are completed, and the regulator doesn't want to waste any time putting the spectrum to good use.
BT under pressure to sort out super-slow broadband installations
We all want super-fast internet in our homes, but for many people that's borderline impossible, because there's no fibre optic infrastructure in their area. When they're told that a connection is finally available, it can also feel like forever before engineers set up the line. If you've ever been in a similar situation, then you might be interested in Ofcom's latest proposals. The regulator is considering new rules that would force Openreach, a BT-owned division that manages UK broadband connections, to react faster to new "leased line" orders from business customers (which includes internet service providers).
Carphone Warehouse's 'iD' mobile network launches tomorrow
Carphone Warehouse is launching its "iD" mobile network tomorrow, and in preparation it's revealed new details about its contracts and how they differ from the competition. For starters, they'll be separated into four tiers: Shockproof, TakeAway, Go To and SIM Only. The Shockproof tier starts from £7.50 per month and is designed to help you avoid expensive bills. To do this, iD will cap your usage automatically, while offering a customisable "buffer" just in case you find yourself craving a few extra GB. TakeAway, meanwhile, will offer plans from £25.50 per month with free roaming in 22 countries -- that's more than Three's "Feel at Home" initiative, if you're keeping score.
A cheat sheet to Project Fi, Google's mobile phone service
Rumors of Google breaking into the wireless carrier game have been fodder for scoops, breathless reports and thinkpieces for years now, and for the longest time it looked like the search giant just couldn't make it happen. Yesterday Google put all that to rest. Project Fi is finally here (if invite-only and fully compatible with one phone) -- here's what you absolutely need to know about it.
Google's Project Fi is great, but the UK doesn't need it
For years, there have been rumblings that Google was looking to get into the carrier business, but it took until yesterday for the search giant to finally reveal what it's been working on. It's called Project Fi, and it's a unique new service that bears little resemblance to the traditional operator model. To provide mobile coverage, Google will be piggybacking on the networks of T-Mobile and Sprint -- two of America's largest carriers -- and using millions of pre-vetted WiFi hotspots. Throw in unlimited free international texting, WiFi tethering and data coverage in over 120 countries, and you've got something genuinely exciting -- if you live in the US and own a Nexus 6, at least. You see, if you hail from the UK, what Google's offering just isn't that innovative. Perks that may make waves over the pond are pretty commonplace here, and are fast becoming standard competitive procedure.
Russia might have hacked the White House
Russia's military overtures haven't been limited to its recent arctic war games. Cyber operatives reportedly working for Russia have already compromised an unsecured State Department computer system. Now US officials have admitted that the White House's network has been hit as well. While the affected White House's computers were part of an non-classified network serving the executive office, the attackers were still able to access sensitive information like the president's real-time daily schedule. Even more disturbing, a CNN report suggests that the hackers used an account on the State Department network to phish their way into the White House.
Vodafone's revamped mobile contracts come with 4G as standard
Vodafone is introducing a host of new monthly plans today with 4G connectivity as standard. The change affects its range of 12 and 24 month contracts, now called "bundles," and mirrors the stance taken by other networks such as EE and Three. In short, customers want faster speeds, and now that 4G-enabled devices are cheaper and more prevalent, it makes sense for Vodafone to offer its full network capabilities to everyone.
Three UK's owner is buying O2
A huge mobile shake-up has just kicked off in Britain. Telefonica has agreed to sell O2 to Hutchison Whampoa, the owner of Three UK, for £10.25 billion. We knew it was likely, after the pair entered "exclusive negotiations" back in January, but now it's essentially a done deal. Provided the purchase is approved by regulators, it means the UK's four major networks will soon become three: Vodafone, EE and the combined might of Three and O2. The confirmation comes by way of Telefonica, although the company is saying little beyond the amount of money involved. For instance, it's unclear if Hutchison Whampoa plans to maintain O2's brand and services in the UK, or merge them entirely with Three.
Carphone Warehouse staff will help you choose the best network for your area
Now that Phones4u is no more, Carphone Warehouse is one of the few independent retailers selling mobile phone contracts in the UK. With mounting competition from dedicated carrier stores, the company hopes to stand apart by offering its customers better impartial advice. To that end it's teamed up with RootMetrics, a firm that specialises in monitoring mobile network performance. Using its CoverageMap app, which combines professional and crowdsourced network tests, Carphone Warehouse staff will now tell shoppers which carriers offer the best coverage in their local area. Whether you're interested in call quality or download speeds, this information could save you from picking a weak network. You can always download the app for yourself or check RootMetrics' map online, but a timely reminder just before you sign up for a new contract can't hurt.
Dixons Carphone is planning its own mobile network too
If Three's owner Hutchison Whampoa successfully buys O2, the pair could wield even greater power in the UK than we thought. Less than a week after Sky announced its plans for an O2-powered mobile network, Dixons Carphone is doing the same -- only it's struck a deal with Three. Details are scarce, but the FT reports the merged retailer will stand out with tariffs that allow customers to easily switch their minutes and data mid-contract. The idea being that if you have 5,000 texts, but find that you're only using half of them each month, you won't have to wait two years before downsizing your contract.
AT&T throttles unlimited data plans at 5GB, no congestion required
It's no secret that AT&T throttles its users unlimited data connections. The company has been rather open about the policy. However, the carrier insisted that the practice is used to reign in the biggest bandwidth consumers, only necessary to keep network congestion at a minimum. Well, that doesn't seem to be the case. Big Blue's info page for "customers with legacy unlimited data plans" explains that when folks hit the 5GB threshold, they're gonna experience reduced speeds until the billing cycle is up. The reduction to compensate for congestion bit only applies to phones with unlimited data between the 3GB and 5GB mark. Of course, the FCC claims AT&T hasn't been clear about such practices, including just how slow the connection can get, despite the carrier claiming throttled customers get a text message when speeds are cut. In fact, an Ars Technica report found those figures to dip to half a megabit per second. At any rate, if you're a big data user, you can expect slower speeds above 5GB, even when the network's traffic is manageable. [Photo credit: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images]
Light-bending silicon strips are the key to super-fast computers
No, that's not a barcode you're looking at -- instead, it's the likely future of computing. Stanford University researchers have developed an optical link that uses silicon strips to bend light at right angles, which future processors will likely need to transmit data at super-fast speeds. The key, as you might have gathered, is the series of gaps. When light hits the device, the combination of those gaps and silicon sends different wavelengths left and right. You're not limited to specific light bands or directions, either; you can use an algorithm to design the link you need within a matter of minutes.
Google grabs its first carrier partner for Project Loon tests in Australia
Google's internet-transmitting Project Loon balloons are set to float above Australia and beam data down to residents below. The company announced plans to use balloons to bring the internet to disconnected areas last year, and after semi-successful trials in New Zealand, Brazil and the States, it's teaming up with a local carrier (Australia's Telstra) for the first time to launch Loon's biggest test flight to date.
National roaming: why mobile operators are fighting the UK government
The concept of national roaming first appeared back in June, when Culture Secretary Sajid Javid began advocating a system that would allow UK mobiles to switch networks in places where the carrier they're supposed to be on offers no signal. The idea is to rid Britain of so-called mobile "not-spots," rural areas where populations are small and coverage is minimal, by coercing the major carriers to share their networks with each other. The government recently launched a consultation to explore ways it can achieve this goal. Operators, however, have been vociferous in their opposition to the plans. What's their excuse?
Samsung's experimental 5G network delivers 150MB per second at freeway speeds
5G isn't quite a thing yet. Industrial standards and the finer details are yet to be completely cemented, but that's not stopping companies with a thumb in the carrier network pie trying to show us some crazy (but awesome) ideal of future wireless... ness. Samsung's next in line, and it's been able to crank its 5G network download speeds to 940MB while stationary, which is bananas. However, the company then decided to take the testing outdoors, to the racetrack, and apparently notched download speeds of around 150MB per second, while racing around at 100KPH (roughly 62MPH). Samsung says these impressive figures are due to the high-frequency 28GHz signal used. Previously, this meant a short range, but the company says it's got around that weakness with "Hybrid Adaptive Array Technology" that boosts the range of the signal. And if that collaboration between Korea and Europe still stands, these ridiculous on-the-go speeds could well make their way outside Asia. Please. Please.
Shroud of the Avatar's update 10 stresses stability, challenge dungeons
Any game with a strong online component is only as strong as its servers. You could make the best game in history, but if no one can log in and play it, it's not going to be worth much. The latest update on Shroud of the Avatar's development notes that one of the big issues plaguing the game's 10th major update was stability. That means that the team needs more people connected and playing (or trying to) so that the issues can be documented and solved. The team also introduced the Challenge Dungeon to get a clearer picture of PvE combat, noting that it had become a bit too single-note even against different sorts of enemies. PvP, meanwhile, is a matter of constantly moving, which is very network-intensive. The update discusses some of the patches planned to address both issues in the future, including better enemy AI and skills reworked to not make constantly darting about the most attractive update. Take a look at the full developer dispatch for more information.
Phones4u forced into administration after EE says it's pulling the plug
Less than two weeks ago, we remarked that things were looking tough for Phones4u. Today, it looks as though the company no longer has a future. After Vodafone said it was dropping its partnership deal with the company to go all in with Dixons Carphone, EE, the biggest carrier in the UK, has done what it threatened to do earlier in the year and announced it too is going alone. In a statement, Phones4u said that EE has decided not to renew its current contract, which expires in just over a year, leaving the company with no other choice than to call in the administrators. "The unexpected decisions by both Vodafone and EE have come as a complete shock to the business," it noted, adding that it'll honour existing contracts (no word on iPhone 6 pre-orders) but close stores while it assesses its options.
With big ambitions, 120 Sports aims to be the internet's ESPN
Despite being crowded by major networks such as Fox Sports, NBC Sports and, of course, ESPN, surely this space could still make room for one more. At least that's what the new, young brand 120 Sports is hoping for. As opposed to the rest of them, however, 120 Sports isn't trying to make broadcast TV its bread and butter; instead, it is seeking all-digital avenues to distribute video content, with a website and mobile applications that offer 24/7 sports coverage, live and on-demand. But, perhaps most importantly, it's delivering content without requiring authentication from a cable or satellite provider, and that's something made possible by having some high-profile backing.
The Post Office will soon let you pick up a mobile SIM along with your stamps
No longer just a place to send letters and exchange money, the Post Office is set to add another service to its ever-expanding list of utilities: mobile contracts. The company announced today that it's joining the list of providers that rely on EE's network to launch its own mobile service in the UK. It'll initially be sold online, over the phone and in 50 Post Office branches this autumn, with a view to expanding nationwide later this year (if it's successful). The move will see it take on supermarkets like Tesco, Sainsbury's and Asda, which all offer mobile packages in addition to home phone and broadband bundles, but also bigger players like Virgin Media. There's currently no word on cost, but given the large number of players in this market (currently standing at 24), the Post Office will likely need to price tariffs competitively to get customers to grab a mobile SIM along with their car tax renewal.
UK government wants to end mobile deadspots with 'national roaming'
Mobile operators might be doing more to put an end to signal blackspots in rural areas, but large parts of Britain's countryside remain underserved. BBC News reports that in a bid to change this, the government is thinking about forcing carriers to share their networks in these areas as part of a new "national roaming" initiative. As you may expect, networks are against the idea, arguing that it would offer less incentive to build more mobile towers and could result in extra costs being pushed to customers. Nevertheless, Culture Secretary Sajid Javid wants to implement a system where you'd switch to an alternative network if your carrier's is not available, just like when you travel abroad. Worryingly for providers, the government could pressure them into sharing their networks using existing legislation, meaning they might not have a say in it anyway.
