RSS2

UK citizens have been deeply concerned about the use of facial recognition technology in public spaces, namely in the privately owned estate of Kings Cross in London.

The UK’s Financial Conduct Authority has raised concerns about the cryptocurrency market and has warned the public of the threats involved with unregulated cryptocurrencies.

HSBC UK Commercial Bank has announced its latest offering of a variety of ‘green’ finance services to help support businesses looking to meet their environmental and sustainability goals.

Acquisition extends the Entrust Datacard portfolio to include general purpose hardware security module offering that provides enhanced cloud, data security, compliance and payments capabilities.

The European Commission has published seven essentials for ethical, lawful, robust and trustworthy AI.

The global smart city movement continues to gather momentum and new revolutionary technologies will only serve to accelerate the process.

 The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, is partnering with eleven major UK businesses in a bid to make London the world’s greenest global city.

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has conducted a case study centered on Moscow's progress in meeting the objectives of its 'smart city' strategies and the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Entitled Implementing ITU-T International Standards to Shape Smart Sustainable Cities: The Case of Moscow​, the study was undertaken using the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for Smart Sustainable Cities developed by the United for Smart Sustainable Cities (U4SSC) initiative.

The Federal University Toulouse-Midi-Pyrenees (UFTMP) wants to make Toulouse "one of the world leaders in artificial intelligence" thanks to Aniti, a super-pole project dedicated to this field and bringing together laboratories and companies.

The Mayor of London has once again reiterated his desire to make the UK capital the 'smartest' city in the world by launching a new innovative tech entrepreneur program.

A German delegation is travelling to the headquarters of telecommunications vendor Huawei in Shenzhen, China - in an effort to become a fully-fledged smart city.

Some of Norway's largest companies are joining forces in establishing a national powerhouse for artificial intelligence. Its aim is to improve the quality and capacity for research, education and innovation in the field.

The +CityxChange consortium will be the new smart city lighthouse project as part of the Horizon 2020 initiative that will invest €20 million in funding which will be added to the additional €10 million received from project partners.

Japanese conglomerate NEC Corporation has officially announced that NEC Iberica, a wholly-owned subsidiary of NEC Europe Ltd., and Murcia City, Spain, have signed an agreement to develop an "innovation center" in collaboration with the University of Murcia.

The Finnish city of Espoo has been named as the 2018 Intelligent Community of the Year by the Intelligent Community Forum at a global summit held in London.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has expressed his confidence that the city's leadership in artificial intelligence can help it become a global-leading smart city.

Government entities in Paris and Beijing have signed a five-year partnership which will enable the two cities to combine their expertise and resources in order to focus on smart cities and sustainable development.

The Mayor of London has called on city leaders in both England and Wales to join him in his efforts to lobby the government to prohibit the sale of new pure diesel and petrol cars by 2030.

French President Emmanuel Macron has formally announced at a technology conference in Paris that it will invest €65m into technology-based startups in Africa. The charismatic French leader made the declaration at the third edition of the Viva-Tech trade fair which attracts some of the world's leading innovators, investors and entrepreneurs.

The Irish government has reiterated its commitment towards green energy by providing funding for an innovative new project that is set to boost 37 communities across 20 counties in the country.

The UK government has announced it will allocate £48m for an ultra-low emission bus scheme in England and Wales. The initiative was first introduced in 2016 as part of the government's overall strategy to reduce emissions nationwide.

US telecommunications colossus T-Mobile has taken the decision to implement AI into its customer care system in a bid to resolve a number of issues it is currently having with its customer service. The new customer care tool deployed by the US operator has been specifically designed to speed resolution of complex problems by applying Artificial Intelligence.

A report conducted by Phillips Lighting has named Singapore, London and Barcelona as the world’s best smart cities. The comprehensive study examined the drivers and hurdles presented by local authorities that are considering implementing smart city programs into their respective cities.

The UK city of Nottingham has been recognized by Huawei's latest UK Smart Cities Index for its progressive approach to energy conservation. Nottingham was given the Star Award in recognition for its energy efforts in the city.

Chinese telecommunications colossus Huawei has announced that it has signed a MoU with German city Duisburg in a collaborative effort to develop and subsequently implement a smart city strategy within the city.

The UK government has announced that it is set to invest £150 million in digital infrastructure and open data in its efforts to make Scotland's biggest city, Glasgow, a world-leading 'smart city'. Glasgow has already received £24 million since 2013 which has been circulated through the Innovate UK innovation agency. The investment has served to not only enhance connectivity in the city, but it has also helped Glasgow develop technologies of the future that will be cost effective and energy efficient.

The European Commission is pushing to speed up the implementation of EU-wide rules for the use of drones in the European Union. More than 1,200 safety occurrences - including near-misses between drones and aircraft - were reported in Europe in 2016, which underlines the pressing need for a modern and flexible EU regulatory framework.

Finland has established itself as one of the most progressive countries in the entire world - and that has once again been evidenced by Helsinki's latest proposal to combat climate change. A proposal tabled at making the capital city carbon-neutral by 2035 - was unanimously passed by Helsinki City Council.

Dutch telecommunications company KPN has been recognized as an "industry leader" in the telecommunications category of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index. The independent experts consider KPN the most sustainable telecom company in the world as it outranks all others in the index.

British telecom giant BT said it aims to reduce its carbon emissions 87 percent by 2030, setting itself on a path to help limit global warming to 1.5°C by the end of the century. As part of the transition to a low carbon business model, BT had previously set itself a target in 2008 of an 80 percent reduction of its carbon emissions by 2020.

Spain could increase its GDP by $48.5 billion, an additional 3.6 percent, by 2021, according to a report by Mobile World Capital Barcelona and Accenture Strategy called 'Opportunity of the Digital Economy in Spain: How digitalization can speed up the Spanish economy'.

German startup Lilium which is planning to develop a five-seater 'flying taxi' has announced that it has raised $90m following a round of financing which was led by Chinese internet colossus Tencent. It's the second round of financing the company has embarked upon, and its latest funding venture has now subsequently made it one of the best-funded electric aircraft projects on the market.

The European Commission has launched a public consultation on how Europe should promote digital innovation in health and care, for the benefits of citizens and health systems in Europe.

The UK government says it will introduce drone registration and safety awareness courses for owners of small unmanned aircraft (drones). The policy will affect all those who own a drone which weighs more than 250 grams (8oz).

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan has expressed his desire to see London become the world's leading 'smart city' during his address at London Technology week. The topic of 'smart cities' continues to dominate technology conferences and ICT exhibition - as government entities and city councils on a global basis examine ways in which they can implement technologies to make their cities 'smarter' for the benefit of its citizens and residents.

Singapore and Denmark have agreed to enter into a joint-partnership to test 'smart city innovations' in a bid to combat climate change by building inclusive 'smart cities'. Both countries will seek to benefit from each other's respective experience and skills in order to formulate a coherent plan to battle climate change.

The Nordic regions have reigned supreme in a report produced to find out which is the 'Happiest' country in the world to live in. Norway was crowned No.1 - while neighbors Denmark and Iceland were placed second and third respectively. In addition to this, Sweden also made the Top Ten. However, the US 'happiness factor' continues to slide with a 14th place ranking.

UK has announced plans to introduce new insurance rules to ensure victims of accidents involving self-driving vehicles are compensated in a quick fashion in an effort to remove a major obstacle currently facing the nascent industry of autonomous transportation.

NEXT Biometrics Group ASA, which is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, has formally announced that it has raised 156 million Norwegian Krone ($18.7 million US) in gross proceeds accumulated through a Private Placement which consisted of 1,167,000 new shares following the close of markets yesterday.

The first step has been taken toward implementing "free roaming" for the European Union. The bloc came to an agreement that travelers will no longer have to pay roaming charges for using their mobile phones within the EU. The new arrangement will take effect in June this year.

A candidate in the French presidential election believes that a 'digital revolution' will eventually lead to a work-free future. Socialist nominee Benoit Hamon has proposed that France adopt a universal basic income - a state handout of €750 a month - which is made to everyone in preparation for the impending 'digital revolution'.

Amazon Web Services (AWS) and BMW have announced a strategic collaboration that will see the companies develop innovative cloud technologies together to harness the data potential of future vehicle generations to maximum effect. The two companies are also cooperating to develop commercial off-the-shelf cloud solutions for securely managing vehicle data. The collaboration marks a continuation of the two companies' work together in the area of connected vehicles, which started in 2015. As in all previous collaborations, the BMW Group retains full and exclusive control of data and complies with the data protection regulations applicable in the respective markets.

du, from Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company (EITC), and Masdar City, a global leader in sustainable innovation and development, have partnered to build a 5G Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Masdar City, Abu Dhabi.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed during GITEX GLOBAL 2022, where du presented innovative showcases under the theme "Powering Governments, Shaping The Emirates Reality."

Under the arrangement, du will work with Masdar City, Abu Dhabi’s only planned and approved R&D cluster, to implement a Smart City Platform, which combines physical infrastructure, open and shared data, and smart applications to deliver unprecedented value. The project will also oversee the development of an advanced command and control center along with the CoE to showcase exponential technologies.

The plan will enable operational efficiencies for Masdar City management and improve the daily quality of life for residents and tourists. The partnership underscores du’s holistic approach to innovation in line with the UAE’s sustainability agenda and the Net Zero by 2050 strategic initiative.

Commenting on the development, Fahad Al Hassawi, chief executive officer at du, said, “Reinventing tomorrow is all about rethinking and rebuilding operating models for businesses and coming together to establish agile, innovative platforms to support our vision. We are excited to partner with Masdar to establish a 5G Centre of Excellence to present exponential technologies and become part of the equation to deliver a strong, connected future through the Smart City project.”

The Smart City vision encompasses an integrated approach to champion disruption with scalable and phased implementation and flexible frameworks and standards to achieve cost efficiency and agility. du will leverage world-class sustainable Internet of Things (IoT) technology to deliver a complete view on the sustainability of Masdar City’s assets while facilitating processes such as asset benchmarking, performance and predictive analytics, along with insights on digital operations. The partnership will facilitate seamless city operations, leading to optimized and improved services.

Ahmed Baghoum, executive director, Masdar City, said, “We are delighted to welcome du to develop a 5G Centre of Excellence in Masdar City. The CoE will bring du, partner organisations and educational institutions together to create real-world 5G applications. These applications will be tested at Masdar City, which is Abu Dhabi’s only planned and approved R&D cluster with a focus on innovative technologies, and further enhance its reputation as a Smart City. After proof of concept at Masdar City, these applications will be rolled out commercially across the UAE and beyond.”

In addition to the Smart City, the CoE will deliver transformative and disruptive technological innovations with a key focus on environmental, social and governance factors. Through substantiating and implementing next-generation technologies, du and Masdar will embrace advanced innovation to position Masdar City as the first 5G-enabled sustainable city in the world and create an enhanced future for the UAE.

Technology has dug its roots deep into the foundations of the sustainable existence of both modern enterprises and individuals. It has evolved to be indispensable for most of us by essentially catapulting our customer experience radically in various transactions. One current example can be seen in the growing trend of using cashless payments made across borders to buy real estate virtually. Gone are the days when one had to board a plane and physically reach a location to buy property. We’ve charted a new world, and such experiences will only evolve further with emerging technologies entering our digital mainstream. 

Decades of human activity in the natural environment have given birth to the concept of “built environment”. The term incorporates almost everything constructed by humans using brick, mortar and steel other than the natural landscapes. As such, the buildings, public parks and the infrastructure that supports human activity, including transportation networks, utilities networks, flood defenses, telecommunications and so on, would all fall under the purview of the “built environment”.

As the population grows, the size of the built environment is also bound to grow. By 2050, two out of every three people are likely to be living in cities or other urban centers, according to the United Nations. The international organization’s findings also estimate that by 2030, the world could have 43 so-called megacities, most of them in developing countries.

Cities already consume 75% of the world’s natural resources. The environmental impact of urban areas is has been palpable, and as they grow, the case for focusing on sustainability and reducing carbon emissions has become ever stronger.

How Has It Impacted Climate?

The 2020 Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction, from the Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction (GlobalABC), found that while global building energy consumption remained steady year on year, energy-related CO2 emissions increased to 9.95 GtCO2 in 2019. The increase was attributable to the use of fossil fuels with higher carbon content for electricity generation. Furthermore, adding emissions from the building construction industry on this accounted for 38% of total global energy-related CO2 emissions.

To achieve net-zero carbon emission by 2050 to limit global warming to 1.5°C, the International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that by 2030, direct building CO2 emissions need to fall by 50% and indirect building sector emissions by 60%. This equates to building sector emissions falling by around 6% per year until 2030, close to the 7% decrease in 2020 global energy sector CO2 emissions due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Achieving net-zero carbon buildings at a substantial level will require changes to every building element, including materials, thermal envelopes, passive heating and cooling design, active heating and cooling (HVAC), appliances, lighting and electricity generation.

What Role Can Digital Technology Play?

Digitalization is transforming every industry vertical in some form or the other. The buildings and urban development sector is not an exception.

CRTKL, a global cultural agency specializing in architecture, planning and design, introduced an

open-source platform, CLIMATESCOUT, which helps users design buildings that uniquely respond to a site by providing climate-specific design advice at the building scale. It connects architectural responses and expressions with the climate in real-time and aids in the ability to interact through a diagram between sustainable design strategies and climate conditions. CLIMATESCOUT pairs the Köppen-Geiger climate classification and building design strategies from Architecture 2030’s Palette – a database of sustainable data strategies. The web-based application uses a combination of images and data to enable the visualization of low carbon, regenerative, resilient and adaptive buildings.

Another technology gaining recognition in the sector is the digital twin technology – a virtual replica of a physical object that mirrors accurate functionality details with the use of sensors attached to the object. The digital twin can process the nuances of the construction design, including the components and materials used. The data is then relayed to a processing system and applied to the digital copy. Digital twins are also being used to monitor the quality of air within a building, maintain optimum temperature, schedule maintenance and predict the flow of inhabitants to reduce the risk of potential overcrowding.

Also, a regular feature in building development is Artificial Intelligence (AI) supported by advanced sensing and controls, systems integration, data analytics and energy optimization that are collectively improving energy efficiency and demand flexibility in buildings. Integrating these digital capabilities in “smart” equipment and appliances can provide additional benefits including improved reliability and remote management in addition to energy and emissions reductions. Additionally, such technologies are also used to improve the safety of buildings. The data harnessed from the buildings is      being analyzed to predict emergencies such as natural disasters and fires so that engineers can plan the most effective emergency exit design.

Rooting for Green Buildings

Policies that introduce minimum efficiency performance standards and energy-consumption labeling on appliances and equipment have led to reduced power consumption, lower carbon emissions and cost savings for consumers, according to an analysis published by the IEA and the 4E Technology Collaboration Programme (4E TCP).

It further states that in countries with long-running policies, appliances are now typically consuming 30% less energy than they would have done otherwise. A case in point can be the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) who have been successfully implementing intelligent technology for energy-efficient utility operations which are benefitting both the environment and the end-users of their services.

Globally, green building best practices are being applied from the design through the construction stages, including retrofitting residential as well as commercial buildings. The goal of improving the efficiency of existing buildings and reducing the carbon footprint of the built environment should be a game-changing move. And digital technology can play a vital role in this trajectory.

With the BMW iX, the BMW Group is the first premium manufacturer to integrate the 5G mobile radio standard with real ‘Dual-SIM-Dual-Active’ services into a globally available production vehicle. In collaboration with both Deutsche Telekom and Vodafone, mobility is entering the 5G era with benefits such as high bandwidth, low latency, and improved telephone quality.

Taking the cooking experience to a whole new level, Vodafone Germany has partnered with Nreal, a provider of augmented and mixed reality smart glasses, and celebrity TV chef Steffen Henssler, to launch Giga AR, a virtual reality cooking experience, highlighting the possibilities of mixed reality in daily living.

Nokia announced that it has been selected by Finnish Shared Network Ltd (SYV) – a joint operation by DNA Oyj and Telia Finland Oyj – as a supplier of 5G radio network equipment including deployment and managed services.

5G-enabled industries have the potential to deliver $8trn in value to the global economy by 2030 according to new research from Nokia and Nokia Bell Labs.

Nokia has announced that it has digitalized 100 percent of its 5G network deployments around the world, bringing high-quality, agility and transparency to customers globally.

For many years now, there has been a great deal of speculation surrounding the benefits of 5G and how it could unlock a world of unprecedented opportunities. 5G boasts ultra-low latency, super-fast speeds and high throughput ensuring a variety of real-time services, applications and solutions which could be applicable to virtually any industry. 

China Mobile and Huawei have jointly taken 5G connectivity to a new height by bringing the network to the summit of Mount Everest upon the completion of the world’s highest 5G base station on the altitude of 6500 meters.

The Scottish island of Orkney has been taking steps towards becoming carbon-neutral through the use of a 5G-powered digital twinning system.

ICT.Moscow, a digital platform devoted to tech-based solutions, together with the city’s Department of Information Technologies, has granted free access to a unified knowledge base on 5G.

Northumbrian Water has collaborated with telecom service providers to trial 5G to improve the management of water and sewerage services across the North East of the UK.

Telecommunications company Beeline has collaborated with Huawei and GMS Hospital to enable the first laparoscopy to be performed in Russia using 5G technology which will be piloted in Skolkovo.

In Moscow, MTS and Huawei have demonstrated the first two-way intercity holographic telebridge using 5G technology.

In Finland, Nokia is working in partnership with Telia to offer new and innovative solutions for end customers.

ICT.Moscow, a digital platform devoted to tech-based solutions, together with the city’s Department of Information Technologies (DIT), has granted free access to a unified knowledge base on 5G.

In the era of digital transformation, Moscow appears to be among the leading cities that are rapidly evolving into smart nations. In a discussion with Smart Cities World Forums, the head of the Department of Information Technologies of Moscow, Eduard Lysenko, delved into the city’s digitalization journey which encompassed an update on Moscow’s 5G journey and the progress achieved thus far in terms of launching of e-services.

Nokia introduced the 1830 Time-sensitive Packet Switch (TPS) family of time-sensitive networking (TSN) switches, which reduce the cost and complexity of Cloud RAN deployments by enabling packet-based transport for mobile fronthaul. The new family of switches transparently supports a mix of existing and new radio interface protocols, unifying mobile transport for 4G and 5G networks.

Nokia is celebrating twelve months of 5G ‘firsts’: a milestone defined by 23 game-changing achievements in the field of 5G.     

According to a new research report from IoT analyst firm Berg Insight, global shipments of NB-IoT devices reached 53 million units in 2018.

On 7th June 2019, during the St Petersburg International Economic Forum, Sergey Sobyanin, the Mayor of Moscow, and Alexey Kornya, CEO of mobile network operator MTS, signed an agreement on cooperation for the purposes of developing communication services and information-telecommunication technologies in the city of Moscow. 

5G plans in Brussels have been put on hold until radiation levels as a consequence of the new technology are measured accurately.

The IOTA foundation joins the EU’s Blockchain Initiative to interact with regulators and policy makers in the hopes of progressing global standards.

At Germany’s 5G spectrum auction, 4 bidders offered EUR 1.03 billion in the 75^th round, says the German Federal Network Agency.

Vodafone has plans to install 4G and 5G equipment underneath thousands of manhole covers across the UK to boost connection speeds in busy urban areas.

Nokia, ABB and Kalmar, part of Cargotec, announced they successfully conducted industrial trials that leverage the low latency capabilities of 5G to support time-critical applications and enhance protection and efficiency in smart electricity grid and harbor automation. The trials, conducted as part of the Wireless for Verticals (WIVE) research project, represent one of the first real-world applications of time-critical 5G applications on electricity grid and harbor automation.

Berg Insight estimates that global cellular IoT module shipments increased by 76% in 2017 to a new record level of 237 million, fuelled by exceptional volume growth in China. Until 2023, shipments of cellular IoT devices are forecasted to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 23.2% to reach 1.1 billion units.

Kerlink, a specialist and global leader in solutions dedicated to the Internet of Things (IoT), announced that the company has been chosen as hardware and software provider for IoT Scotland, a new nationwide, low-power, wide-area (LPWA) network in the country for IoT devices that will allow businesses and public-sector organizations to monitor the productivity and efficiency of assets and equipment without the need for Wi-Fi or cellular connectivity.

After having put in place an advanced mobile network infrastructure prior to the FIFA World Cup 2018, Moscow is now aiming to launch a 5G pilot next year.

Nokia today signed a EUR 500 million loan transaction with the European Investment Bank (EIB), supported by the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI), a key element of the Investment Plan for Europe, also known as the Juncker Plan.

Russian fishing fleet operator Dobroflot Group of Companies is set to deploy an IoT solution for fuel monitoring from Orange Business Services. The solution helps to optimize fuel consumption, analyzing weather and vessel position, to save up to ten percent of fuel costs, and also helps to prevent unauthorized fuel usage. The IoT solution takes advantage of a fully-managed satellite solution from Orange Business Services that connects Dobroflot's vessels and onshore operations.

Nokia is extending its command and control room portfolio for public safety agencies with the launch of the Advanced Command Center. The solution is a step towards next generation 911 and 112 standards, enabling rich media call taking, 360-degree situational awareness through video and IoT, and enhanced multi-agency cooperation through virtual emergency response centers.

Nokia has acquired Space Time Insight to expand its Internet of Things (IoT) portfolio and IoT analytics capabilities, and accelerate the development of new IoT applications for key vertical markets.

Nokia and SFR have successfully completed a 5G call, using the 3GPP-compliant 5G New Radio (NR) system over-the-air on the 3.5GHz frequency band. The test took place at the Nokia 5G Test Network and Competence Center in Paris-Saclay, France.

Ericsson and the Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology have teamed up to explore and develop industrial applications of 5G. The first use case for production of jet engine components for MTU Aero Engines is currently being evaluated and is presented this week (April 23-27) at the Hanover Fair in Germany.

An initiative which has been specifically designed to position the UK as a global leader in the development, deployment and adoption of 5G technology has been backed by the Tory-led coalition government in Westminster.

Telecommunications operator O2 has claimed that UK cities could potentially save £6bn per-year by upgrading to 5G. The findings are a result of a comprehensive report entitled 'The value of 5G for cities and communities' which was conducted by the UK operator.

Munich Airport has announced it is partnering with German conglomerate Siemens in an effort to work on the digitalization of the airport which includes developing solutions in areas such as mobility, energy management, safety and security.

Finnish telecommunications colossus Nokia has formally announced that it has signed a five-year strategic agreement with Swedish telecommunications operator Tele2 in an effort to enable the delivery of IoT services to Tele2 enterprise customers based on Nokia's worldwide Internet of Things network grid (WING).

UK telecommunications colossus Vodafone has partnered with Swedish vendor Ericsson to trial next-generation 5G technology in Ireland’s capital city Dublin. Vodafone has claimed that the trial was a success and the pilot represents the very first live 5G test of the emerging technology in Ireland.

The Hamburg Port Authority has announced that it has agreed to collaborate with Deutsche Telekom and Nokia in the testing of 5G applications in the city's port.

South Korea's telecommunication's incumbent SK Telecom is in collaboration with the Korean Transportation Safety Authority (KOTSA) on an innovative self-driving project.

Nokia and Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., a subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated, have successfully completed interoperability testing in the 3.5Ghz and 28Ghz spectrum compliant with the global 3GPP 5G NR Release 15 standard - which was formally confirmed in December - and using the commercially available Nokia AirScale base station and device prototypes from Qualcomm Technologies.

Nokia has been selected by French power utility EDF's R&D unit to test the performance of LPWA wireless networking technologies - key emerging standards for Internet of Things (IoT) device connectivity - to support critical operations for industries. The two companies will engage in a comprehensive testing regime, among the first of its kind in the industry, exploring the capabilities of LPWA technologies to support real-world industrial applications. Nokia is EDF R&D's exclusive partner for this effort.

The Dutch city of Rotterdam has announced that it is partnering with IBM to develop and deploy Internet of Things technologies that will be used in preparation for autonomous shipping in the city.

5G-connected ambulances will save millions of lives according to experts at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.  It was one of a number of astonishing claims made throughout a panel discussion which examined how Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies were completely transforming healthcare.

Swedish telecommunications colossus

Europe's telecommunication ministers have agreed on a joint blueprint in an effort to accelerate the development of 5G networks across the continent. The GSMA have projected that 5G will account for almost 31% of all mobile connections by 2025.

SEAT President Luca de Meo and Telefonica's Spanish President Luis Miguel Gilperez have signed an agreement that aims to promote a joint effort to develop innovative initiatives in the automotive industry. The agreement reached, which makes Telefónica a strategic IT supplier to SEAT, is set within the framework of SEAT's strategy to position itself as a benchmark company in connected, digitized mobility solutions.

UK telecommunications colossus Vodafone is launching a consumer IoT product which will allow its customers to connect millions of home and leisure electronic products to the company's dedicated global IoT network, which is subsequently the largest in the world.

Oscilloquartz, an ADVA Optical Networking company, announced today that T-Mobile Netherlands has deployed and fully implemented its OSA 5420 Series, enabling the nationwide rollout of TD-LTE services.

Glasgow has extended its Internet of Things gateway as it accelerates its efforts to become a 'smart city'. The addition of another gateway, which now brings the total to nine, will significantly enhance connectivity and coverage across the Scottish city.

A Scottish property technology startup is set to deploy non-intrusive 'smart sensors' in an effort to help the NHS build efficiency within its system. The new sensing technology developed by Scottish startup Beringar is set to drastically overhaul how the UK's National Health Service manages its physical assets in a much more effective manner.

US multinational technology firm Cisco has announced that it has agreed to collaborate with Southend-on-Sea Borough Council in a bid to help the seaside town become 'smart'. Cisco announced that it will work closely with local officials to explore the digital future of the scenic costal town which is located close to London.

More than 30 percent of Europe's mobile connections will be running on 5G networks by 2025, according to a new GSMA study. The 2017 Europe edition of the GSMA's Mobile Economy series, forecasts that there will be 214 million 5G connections in Europe by 2025, establishing the region as one of the largest 5G markets in the world by that point.

MTS, the largest telecommunications operator in Russia, and Ericsson, have agreed to upgrade the network of MTS. Ericsson will deliver the newest software features that will be continuously developed during the next three years.

At the 2017 Global Antenna Technology & Industry Forum recently held in Munich, Huawei partnered with Telefónica Deutschland to launch the world's first 5G-oriented antenna deployment solution. During the evolution to 5G, this solution can resolve the challenge of insufficient antenna installation space for the deployment of both high-band 4T4R over Sub 3 GHz and Massive MIMO.

Swedish telecom provider Telia is deploying the first public 5G live network use cases in Europe in collaboration with Ericsson and Intel. This includes a high-speed 5G connection to a commercial passenger cruise ship delivering internet connectivity to the ship and its passengers while in port, and an industrial use case featuring a construction excavator remotely controlled with a live 5G network.

Norway-based Telenor Group and Wireless Trondheim are joining forces to open a new IoT powerhouse to boost innovation, build competencies and promote Norwegian competitiveness. The IoT ProtoLab will be open to start-ups, developers and students looking to rapidly prototype and develop IoT products and services.

Nokia is to completely modernize the nationwide LTE network for Ukkoverkot, the Finnish private network operator offering wireless data communications services for infrastructure operators, the industrial IoT market, public safety authorities, the maritime industry and both residents and enterprises in remote areas.

Swedish network provider Blink Services, which provides LoRaWAN for 'smart city' solutions has announced that it has selected its partner for its nationwide Internet of Things program. Multi-Tech Systems has been chosen by the Swedish firm after an intensive vetting process. It has been reported that Multi-Tech's close working relationship and shared partnership with French LPWAN organization Actility played a significant role in the company earning the contract.

Turkish telecommunications operator Turkcell has announced that it will rollout Narrow-Band-Internet of Things (NB-IoT) in order. to support 'smart city' applications and innovations which will be introduced in different sectors all across the country

A consortium of German network solutions providers has combined their expertise and capabilities in a bid to accelerate the deployment of IoT network rollouts across Germany. Telent, which is an organization that specializes in networks systems for critical infrastructure has formally announced that it aims to accelerate the deployment of LoRaWAN and enterprise IoT solutions for smart city, transport, energy and Industry 4.0 sectors all over the country.

BT announced the launch of a new project with See.Sense, an innovative cycling company from Northern Ireland, to provide sensor-enabled and connected bike lights to up to 180 cyclists across Manchester as part of CityVerve, the UK's smart city demonstrator.

To meet growing customer interest in 5G, Nokia is broadening its focus into multiple areas of early 5G mobility use cases, including enhanced mobile broadband and ultra-reliable, ultra-low latency communications. Nokia will push for accelerated 3GPP industry standardization while building on early customer experiences with its Nokia 5G FIRST end-to-end solution, launched in February at Mobile World Congress.

France's regulatory body has expressed its confidence that operators will be in a position to launch 5G services next year, as it formally announced its plans to auction off spectrum for the next-generation technology that is set to revolutionize the world as we know it.

The telecommunications sector in the Czech Republic has announced that two incumbents alongside two new industry players is dividing the spoils of the country's 5G spectrum band. Existing operators O2 Czech Republic and Vodafone Czech Republic each gained a block of 40MHz in the auction of the 3.7GHz band which was conducted by the Czech Telecommunications Office.

Italian operator Telecom Italia has announced that the Republic of San Marino will become the first country in Europe to have a 5G mobile network. Telecom Italia made the prediction following the disclosure of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with government officials from San Marino.

Germany's Minister for Digital Infrastructure has vowed to make the country an innovation leader in 5G technology - by unveiling its strategic roadmap for the implementation of 5G in Germany. Alexander Dobrindt, launched the nation's 5G strategy, which disclosed plans to rollout a 'high-quality' wide area network by 2025.

Nokia announced the availability of the largest, most comprehensive line of connected consumer health products in the market. Completing the transition of products from the Withings brand, Nokia trackers, scales, vital health devices and home products will now be available in store and online through top retailers.

The CEO of leading UK operator EE has called on the British government to revise and amend its policies in relation to 5G technology, and failure to do so will risk the prospect of the UK falling behind other countries in relation to the implementation of 5G. Marc Allera, has urged policymakers to remove barriers to mobile infrastructure deployments and said the government has to support the rollout of the new telecom infrastructure that will be revolutionary once deployed.

A consortium of businesses led by Ericsson have been tasked with the responsibility of leading an innovative 5G CAR project - with the primary aim to develop an overall 5G system architecture that provides optimized end-to-end vehicle-to-everything (V2X) network connectivity for highly reliable and low-latency V2X services.

Ericsson has published its latest ConsumerLab report, From Healthcare to Homecare. The report reveals consumer insights into the impact of 5G on the future of healthcare and its transformation across preventative, routine, and post-operative care.

Telensa, a British IoT firm which is the global leader in driving connected street lighting and Smart City Applications has today confirmed that it has joined the Smart Cities Council. The Smart Cities Council is the world's premier consortium of smart city practitioners and experts. Boasting over 120 members that helped contribute to over 10,000 projects.

Orange Business Services, a global integrator of communications products and services for multinational corporations has announced details of an exciting Internet of Things (IoT) collaboration with European car rental company Hertz. The innovative project which has been launched by Orange will be rolled out across Europe - and will provide 'connectivity' for all Hertz enterprise vehicles.

AI innovation will be central to the achievement of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and will help solving humanity's grand challenges by capitalizing on the unprecedented quantities of data now being generated on sentiment behavior, human health, commerce, communications, migration and more.

US software company Microsoft has formally announced that it will open a new Internet of Things (IoT) lab in Munich, Germany. Industrial companies in Europe are bolstering efforts to modernize production with sensors and software - and Microsoft has recognized a gap in the market to grab a portion of the spending.

Ericsson CEO, Borje Ekholm has admitted that momentum towards 5G is now building and that the Swedish telecommunications giant is poised to explore 'unchartered territory' in its attempts to rollout and implement 5G technologies for its customers.

UK Power Networks has launched the world’s first smart substation in Maidstone, Kent, an important milestone in the United Kingdom’s journey toward a more efficient and sustainable future.

The Oxford City Council has announced the commencement of an innovative eco-mooring initiative, providing electric infrastructure for boats to reduce air pollution in the city’s waterways.

The European Union’s (EU) Horizon Europe program has launched the Sustainable Multi-functional and Recyclable Heat Pumps (SMART-PUMPS) project, delivering innovative, energy-saving, and highly efficient heat pumps (HPs) for residential buildings across Europe.

At a time when Europe is struggling with high electricity bills as a result of reduced energy supplies from Russia, the market for smart electricity meters is set for robust growth, with a total of 106 million smart electricity meters forecasted to be deployed across the region during 2022–2027, according to the latest study of the European smart metering market. More than 56% of the electricity customers in EU27+3 had a smart meter by the end of 2022. The study has closely tracked the development of the market since the research company’s inception in 2004. At the end of 2021, the EU27+3 region was home to nearly 163 million smart electricity meters, corresponding to a penetration rate of 53%. Growing at a robust CAGR of 5.8%, the installed base of smart electricity meters is expected to reach a penetration rate of 74% by 2027, driven by large rollouts in the UK, Poland and eventually also Germany and Greece, in combination with nationwide rollouts in several small- and mid-sized countries. The European smart gas metering market will meanwhile increase its installed base of devices, from 46 million units in 2021 to 76 million units in 2027.

In a bid to support Londoners who are digitally excluded, the London Recovery Board’s Digital Access for All Mission, jointly chaired by the Mayor of London and London Councils has set a goal for every Londoner to have access to good connectivity basic digital skills and the device or support they needed to be online by 2025.

If all goes according to plan, Britons will soon get to know which countries they can travel to without the hassle of quarantine or isolation.

Since its launch in late 2018 and an updated version in 2020, My Moscow mobile app’s services such as, My Payments and News & Events sections now have users over 100,000, according to Moscow’s Department of Information Technologies.

Employee supervision systems, digital passports for builders, video surveillance systems, unmanned aerial vehicles, digitally controlled disposal of construction and demolition waste, and many other things will be an integral part of the smart construction site in Moscow, according to Eduard Lysenko, minister of the government of Moscow and head of the city’s department of Information technology.

Orange is joining forces with ENGIE, the leading developer of solar and wind power in France, to deliver a global renewable energy supply solution in the country. This will involve creating new solar energy production capacities, managing the production of all renewable electricity capacities contracted by Orange with other producers and supplying additional volumes to cater to Orange's actual consumption.

Moscow ranked third among cities in the world in the Coronavirus Innovation Map ranking, which shows the quantity and quality of innovative solutions against COVID-19.

The Scottish capital of Edinburgh has announced a new three-year digital strategy to further its plans to become a smarter and more sustainable city.

Addressing the increasing demands of customer contact centers and call center agent productivity, Blue Prism today announced the availability of Blue Prism Service Assist. This new offering delivers a real-time, unified 360-degree view of all customer interactions helping free up agents so they can be more responsive, empathetic and engaging, to better serve customers.

The European Commission has deemed the Belgian city of Leuven as the continent’s capital of Innovation.

A mixed-use community in the UK’s West Midlands, comprising of 25 businesses and catering to over 750 homes, has revealed its plans to install a smart energy lighting system. 

In the era of Industry 4.0, smart cities are characterized by advanced, next-generation technologies which are incorporated into a given city or area’s infrastructure to better the lives of the respective city’s citizens. Through the wider adoption of emerging technologies such as 5G, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), big data analytics, the Internet of Things (IoT) and Augmented/Virtual reality (AR/VR), among others, smart cities are no longer a thing of the future.

Blink, the “smart employee” app, has been launched officially in an effort to ensure the health and safety of frontline workers during the pandemic.

ICT.Moscow, a digital platform devoted to tech-based solutions, has granted open access to an artificial intelligence (AI) knowledge base of practices relevant for multiple industry verticals and business practices.

More than 167,000 suppliers have subscribed to receive personalized AI-generated email alerts from the government of Moscow’s ‘Supplier Portal’ site.

A ‘Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution’ is to be established in Russia, dedicated primarily to smart city developments across Moscow.

Since the start of 2019, over 15 building sites in Moscow have been equipped with the Personal Smart-Tracker system, which helps to monitor the construction process itself and improve the safety of each worker by determining the number of staff on site and measuring the activities of different categories of workers.

Helsinki’s city administration has announced its plans to create a data strategy, following the appointment of a new head of data strategy and implementation, Kimmo Karhu.

Transport for London (TfL) has piloted a project which uses artificial intelligence (AI) to plan cycle routes in the city.

Huawei and Barcelona City Council have signed a Letter of Intention (LoI) at Smart City Expo World Congress (SCEWC) to collaborate on new projects within the city relating to technology, smart city applications, digital transformation and 5G.

SK Telecom has signed a Memordanum of Understanding (MoU) with BreezoMeter to provide accurate hyper-local air quality information.

Large areas of London are set to be upgraded from copper cables to full fibre optics using the Tube network and public buildings, thanks to a £10 million investment launched by the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan. The plans represent the largest investment in connectivity City Hall has ever made.

Centrica, UK energy firm, has announced that it will roll out new smart hot water tanks to track hot water levels and help consumers better understand their usage within their households.

Nokia today opened a 5G Future X Lab at its global headquarters in Espoo, Finland, enabling customers to experience Nokia’s full end-to-end portfolio of 5G equipment, software and services. The Lab will enable communications service providers, enterprises and infrastructure providers to learn and understand the techno-economic power of a 5G end-to-end network to better serve their customers and unleash new value.

Rajeev Suri, President and CEO of Nokia, announced the company’s commitment to reset its science-based emission reduction targets in line with the goal to limit average rises in temperatures to 1.5°C. Nokia joins a coalition of global business, civil society, and UN leaders in responding to what the latest climate science indicates is needed to limit the worst consequences of climate change.

The Center for Energy at the Austrian Institute of Technology has launched a City Intelligence Lab (CIL) in an effort to produce smart city solutions that are based more around the needs of residents rather than urban planning.

Deputy head of Moscow’s IT Department, Alexander Gorbatko, said at the Moscow Ubran Forum that a 5G demo center for testing promising technologies and city services will be set up in the city. The center will be accessible for both Russian and foreign companies.

The UN has called for investors to look into green infrastructure such as ecosystem-based solutions in an effort to reduce disaster risk and the negative impacts of climate change.

Deutsche Telekom has been working with representatives from various municipalities and cities to accelerate digitization in Germany.

Deutsche Telekom has announced its ‘smart city co-creation toolbox’ which enables administrations to find out what citizens and companies want when developing a smart city strategy.

Three businesses are to collaborate on a decade-long project that will digitalise water services across France.

A district on the south east of Moscow has become a ‘living lab’, where Russian authorities test, evaluate and adjust citizens to smart city technologies.

The largest retail network of electric vehicle (EV) chargers will be rolled out across 600 Tesco stores in the UK within the next three years, it has been announced. The British supermarket has partnered with Volkswagen to provide a charging network that will comprise of 2,400 EV charging bays, and will be installed by UK-based independent public operator, Pod Point. Customers will be able to charge their electric cars using a standard 7kW fast charger for free or benefit from the use of a rapid 50 kW charger for a small cost in line with the market rate.

Fifteen of London’s iconic bridges are to be illuminated in a new “ground-breaking” project that will transform and invigorate the Thames riverfront. The Illuminated River Foundation and Signify have partnered together to provide connected LED lighting that will light up the historic landmarks via centrally managed software. More than 22,000 connected LED light points, capable of displaying over 16 million colours, will be used to create dynamic lighting effects in the city’s first holistic lighting strategy.

Huawei showcased its Digital Platform based on leading new ICTs including artificial intelligence (AI), internet of things (IoT), big data and cloud, enabling city-wide intelligence and sustainable development across the international smart city industry, at the Smart City Expo World Congress (SCEWC) 2018.

According to a new report from the IoT analyst firm Berg Insight, yearly shipments of smart energy meters in Europe will reach a record level of 31.3 million units in 2018. Smart electricity meter shipments grew 16% compared to the previous year to 22.2 million units. At the same time, smart gas meter shipments increased 9% to 9.1 million units. Growth in both segments will be sustained into 2019 and 2020, driven by ongoing large-scale rollouts in multiple countries.

A French global energy services company and a real estate developer have agreed to partner on an ambitious new project that will create what they describe to be as a new 'smart city of tomorrow' in Paris.

The largest European energy storage system in a commercial building was inaugurated in Amsterdam at the city’s Johan Cruijff ArenA by industry giants Nissan, Eaton, BAM, The Mobility House and the Johan Cruijff ArenA, supported by the Amsterdam Climate and Energy Fund (AKEF) and Interreg.

Chinese telecommunications behemoth Huawei has revealed that it hopes its plans to digitize a German city can be used as a model to be replicated all across Europe if the project is a success. Huawei recently launched its innovative and cutting-edge Rhine Cloud platform which it claims can build smart city applications.

The deployment of 'smart lampposts' could potentially save Europe €2.1bn every year according to analysis which was conducted by Sharing Cities, a Europe-wide Smart Cities organization. The comprehensive report highlights that currently Europe spends around $3bn on street lighting on an annual basis.

A UK city has taken a progressive approach to facilitating its movement towards electric vehicle adoption by appointing an energy firm to erect electric charging infrastructure.

Power and automation technology firm ABB has been awarded a lucrative contract by a leading Swedish energy firm to develop and implement smart city solutions in the city of Vasteras.

The Swiss city of Davos has announced a long-term partnership agreement with ABB Group in order to provide the city with e-infrastructure for its public and private transportation systems. ABB was showcasing some of its innovative solutions at the annual World Economic Forum which was recently held in Davos.

The stunning Italian city of Florence has introduced an innovative smart safety alert system that has been specifically designed to make cities safer. The revolutionary system has been launched by EIT Digital, which is the European Innovation and Education organization driving Europe's digital transformation.

Vodafone Portugal and NOS, a Portuguese media holding company, have signed an agreement to deploy and share a fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) network which will be marketable to around 2.6 million homes and businesses in Portugal. The two companies will provide reciprocal access to each other's networks on commercially agreed terms.

Officials in the Finnish capital city of Helsinki have confirmed that they will introduce pioneering 'smart city' solutions in an effort to reduce its energy usage by 10-20%. Helsinki is one of three European Lighthouse Cities, and it has finalized its plans for a three-year implementation project which has been specifically designed to transform energy performance in targeted urban areas.

Vodafone Germany said it plans to invest €2 billion in its fixed infrastructure as it moves to deliver gigabit fiber broadband to 13.7 million customers. The company said it aims to finish the investment by 2021 and will focus on three segments in cooperation with partner companies in Germany.

UK city Manchester has announced that the phased opening of its new 'smart motorway' will begin next month. There are current restrictions in place on the M62 as construction on the innovative infrastructure project nears completion.

New research has suggested that UK homeowners have pinpointed home security as a top priority when exploring the prospect of investing in smart technology. The research which was conducted by One-Poll suggests that the demand for home security products and solutions will kick-start the 'smart home' revolution in the UK.

Germany's Deutsche Telekom has defended its record on expanding broadband services, after the country's digital focus became a hot topic leading up to the federal election campaign. Deutsche Telekom has focused on upgrading its copper network with new VDSL techniques, and some have criticized the company for not investing more in full fiber networks (FTTH).

Norweigan telecom firm Telenor and Sweden's Telia have signed a managed services contract with Nokia that will see the company manage their joint mobile radio network in Denmark. The agreement will allow Telia and Telenor to offer customers of Denmark's largest mobile network even better coverage and greater capacity for a world-class mobile experience, Nokia said in a release.

Swedish telecommunications firm Telia has announced expansion plans for its connected car service in new markets in both Northern and Eastern Europe. The connected car service which is entitled Telia Sense, is a cloud-based platform that offers connected car services to both old and new vehicles has proved to be a massive success following its deployments in Sweden and Denmark.

Commuters have warmly welcomed the announcement made by city authorities that it will provide 4G connectivity for passengers using the London Underground from 2019 onwards. This latest program represents the latest in a series of initiatives being spearheaded by city officials, who are aiming to make London one of the world's 'smartest cities'.

The European Commission has endorsed under EU state aid rules three German virtual access products that will allow the use of so-called vectoring technology in state funded high speed broadband networks. This will boost connectivity in rural areas, whilst maintaining competition in the Single Market.

French firms SUEZ and Bouygues Construction have announced that they have signed a MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) in a collective bid to accelerate the development of sustainable ‘smart cities' that have circular economic solutions.

British telecommunications colossus BT has announced that it will invest £600m in faster broadband services in rural parts of the United Kingdom. BT believe the investment will enable them to provide all households in Britain with access speeds of at least 10 megabits per-second, which will allow users to be able to stream content from OTT services such as Netflix and YouTube.

Ukraine's leading telecom operator, lifecell, has joined hands with Huawei to deploy the Easy Macro 2.0-based PoleStar site solution in the famous tourist city of Lviv, becoming the world's first operator to use Easy Macro 2.0 commercially.

Japanese technology and IT colossus NEC Corporation has announced it will build a 'smart city infrastructure' platform aimed at integrating a range of data sources in the Portuguese capital of Lisbon. The innovative project is part of the government's initiative to make its capital a 'smart city' by enhancing connectivity, and utilizing data that can improve the services it provides for its citizens.

US technology firm Cisco Systems has announced that its technologies will be used to help roll-out free public Wi-Fi in London. Last week, London Mayor, Sadiq Khan vowed to make London the 'smartest city' in the world - and one way of ensuring that vision is to enhance 'connectivity'.

Together with MTS, the largest mobile network operator in Russia, and Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., a subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated, Ericsson has conducted the first successful live trial with a commercial small cell product of Rel-13 Licensed Assisted Access (LAA) technology in Russia.

Ericsson has been named connectivity partner for Stamford Bridge – Chelsea Football Club’s home stadium in Fulham, London. Free Wi-Fi coverage will be provided via the Small Cell as a Service connected venue business model whereby Ericsson designs, builds and operates the network on the customer’s behalf.

The Investment Plan for Europe, the so-called "Juncker Plan", has backed a €150 million EIB loan agreement with Cosmote, a Greek telecommunications operator, to upgrade its mobile broadband network. This agreement was made possible by the support of the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI).

Broadband users in London experience slower speeds than the nationwide average, according to new figures from the consumer group Which?. In some areas of London, users barely achieve speeds above 10 megabits per second which is considered the acceptable standard by British telecom regulator Ofcom.

Huawei and Vodafone Turkey have launched the TechCity 2.0 Project in Istanbul. This new project enables broader co-operation between both sides, with Vodafone Turkey, a company that leads digitalization in Turkey, and Huawei both being leaders in future technologies and vertical industries.

One of Finland's leading telecommunication companies has joined an innovative program which is aimed at transforming the Finnish city of Tampere into a 'smart city' through the utilization of mobile and fixed technology.

Nokia and Skyguide, which provides air navigation services for Switzerland and certain adjacent parts of neighboring countries, announced the first stage of a successful modernization of the mission-critical communications network that is at the heart of Switzerland's air traffic control system.

44% of Telefónica's electricity consumption is already renewable, which is equivalent to the average annual consumption of 203,749 households. This means that the company has doubled its use of renewable electric energy from 21% one year ago. Telefónica is accelerating the fulfillment of its goals to help support the Paris Agreement: to reach 50% renewable energy by 2020 and 100% by 2030, combined with a reduction in energy consumption.

A new study published by Swisscom, a major telecommunications provider in Switzerland and IMD business school supports public authorities on the road to digitization. The document provides a comprehensive methodology and a decision-making tool to assist city leaders in the selection of digital projects.

Nokia has joined 'Smart Tampere', an initiative to introduce smart city services that will foster economic development and improve the daily lives of citizens in Tampere, Finland. Smart Tampere brings together local companies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), local government and citizens to explore how digital technologies can be implemented in areas such as smart mobility, e-health, smart lighting, smart energy, extended user experience and more.

The European Commission (EC) has indicated its plans to help generate funds for a number of European cities who have expressed a desire to erect 'smart' streetlamps in their respective cities across the EU. Research has uncovered that local governments in the EU spent around €7.6bn to light public street lights in 2015. However, the bills could be slashed by up to 70% if local authorities agree to pay extra to install new 'smart' lighting systems aimed at energy efficiency.

During the FTTH Conference 2017, Beltelecom and Huawei showcased their commercial Smart Home services. Beltelecom also highlighted the development history of the Smart Home service in Belarus, the problems it encountered, and how it closely cooperated with Huawei to solve the challenges it faced.