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UK reportedly aims to drop Huawei from 5G networks in 3 years
The UK is reversing course with plans to drop Huawei from its 5G networks in three years.
BBC will open its Sounds app to non-BBC podcasts
The BBC is opening its Sounds app to third-party podcasts in a bid to be a hub for audio talent.
Hive's smart home devices finally work with HomeKit
A handful of Hive's smart home devices finally work with HomeKit.
The UK finally welcomes e-scooters
The UK government is finally embracing e-scooters.
UK will begin testing its COVID-19 tracking app this week
The UK will begin testing its COVID-19 tracking app in a pilot on the Isle of Wight this week.
Tesla has applied for a license to become a UK energy provider
Tesla has applied for a licence to become an energy provider in the UK, according to the Telegraph. That means it may bring it’s lithium-ion PowerPack battery technology to Britain, much as it did with its 100 megawatt Hornsdale PowerPack installation in south Australia.
Virgin and O2 might merge to create a UK telecom giant
Virgin Media and O2 might unite in the UK, creating a mobile, cable and internet behemoth.
NHS healthcare workers in the UK have been given free access to 85,000 games
NHS workers in the UK are being thanked for their efforts fighting COVID-19.
UK’s NHS won’t use Apple-Google approach to COVID-19 tracking
The NHS is opting for a "centralized" approach to contact tracing, opposed to the "decentralized" Apple-Google model.
Dyson won't build ventilators for the UK after all
Dyson is stopping work on ventilators as they're 'no longer required' in the UK, although it might have customers elsewhere.
Bad WiFi forces pro darts players out of at-home matches
At least two pro dart players won't be able to take part in the PDC's Home Tour thanks to poor internet connections.
Facebook will provide free Portal devices to UK hospitals and care homes
As many as 2,050 Portal video calling units
Racing to make coronavirus tests
Labs know how to make COVID-19 tests, but making enough is proving to be a huge challenge.
'Candy Crush' will get in-game 'stop the spread' ads in the UK
To slow the spread of COVID-19, the UK government's Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) is working with the some country's biggest video game developers to tell gamers to stay inside.
UK carriers would appreciate you not setting cell towers on fire
The arson attacks against 5G masts in the UK have become serious enough that carriers are joining together to put a stop to the incidents. EE, O2, Three and Vodafone have issued a joint statement both urging people not to set fire to cellular masts, threaten engineers or spread conspiracy theories falsely linking 5G to COVID-19. As the companies reiterated, cell networks are critical in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.
UK phone masts attacked over bogus 5G coronavirus conspiracies
Unfounded beliefs about 5G are leading to real damage to the UK's telecom network. People have torched cellular towers in multiple parts of the country in attacks possibly linked to debunked conspiracy theories claiming that 5G masts could play a role in spreading COVID-19. On top of this, telecom engineers have been facing verbal and even physical threats for supposedly putting lives at risk by installing 5G infrastructure.
UK internet providers will lift data caps during COVID-19 pandemic
The UK is echoing others in lifting internet restrictions to keep people online during the COVID-19 pandemic. Major telecoms like BT/EE, Openreach and Virgin Media have struck an agreement that will remove "all" data caps on current landline broadband services. Mobile and fixed providers also have to offer "generous" new packages to help people stay connected (particularly the vulnerable), such as data boosts at lower prices and free calls.
UK raises contactless payment limit to £45 amid coronavirus spread
The limit for contactless card payments in the UK will be increased to £45 from April 1st. According to UK Finance, the decision was already under consideration by those in the industry, but the process has been sped up to respond to the coronavirus outbreak, and to support consumers that would rather pay by contactless at this time. It's important to clarify, however, that the World Health Organization has not warned people against using paper money and coins, but it does advise thorough handwashing after handling it.
UK to levy additional tax on big tech companies beginning April 1st
The UK's two percent tax on large, multinational tech companies goes into effect on April 1st. As much as big tech companies in the US may object, this is not an April Fools' Day joke. Unsurprisingly, the US government strongly objects.
Facebook, Google and others adopt guidelines intended to fight child abuse
Today, the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Homeland Security -- along with government counterparts in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom -- published guidelines to help the tech industry fight online child exploitation. The principles were developed "in consultation" with Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Roblox, Snap and Twitter, after all six companies agreed to tackling the online child sexual abuse epidemic.