Reduced Prices for Home Telecoms

Consumers may be on the brink of reduced home telephone and broadband services as Ofcom make moves to level the wholesale playing field. 

The telecoms regulator has revised the list of rates that Openreach, which manages BT's network, can charge other providers for using its services.  The proposals are the start of a consultation process that will end on 9 June.

With wholesale prices potentially falling by more than 10% per year, companies such as TalkTalk and Sky will see real benefits that could be passed on to consumers.  However, those that provide their own cable network, such as Virgin Media, will not experience those benefits.

Under Ofcom's proposals the prices of two of the ways that BT's rivals get access to its network will come down.  The first, called Local Loop Unbundling, allows telecoms firms to site their equipment in BT exchanges and take over lines to customers.  The second, is called Wholesale Line Rental, which involves telecoms firms simply renting lines from Openreach.

In response, BT released a statement which said: "BT invests more than any other company in the UK's communications infrastructure, so it is critical that it is able to achieve a fair rate of return in order to continue its investment in copper and fibre-based services."

Any concerns BT have will be raised during the continued consultation process, the conclusions of which will be published in the autumn.  Any price changes will take affect later this year.

Cyber Criminals Target Business Secrets

Last week we reported on a collaborative move by the UK and US governments to train future generations in the fightback against cyber criminals.  This week a report by McAffe supports the fear that intellectual property and business secrets are fast becoming a target for cyber thieves.

Security has always been a key component to building a successful business data platform because, as we all know, there have always been net thieves attempting to compromise PCs using viruses and trojans in a search for logins or credit card details.

However, what has been highlighted in the report, is that there is now a market ready to do business for the data they are finding. In some cases, thieves are running campaigns to get at particular companies or certain types of information.

In the wake of the report and of a series of recent calculated attacks, we urge companies to know who looks after their data as it moves into the cloud or third-party hosting centres.

For support or advice on your voice and data security systems call us now 0115 970 1471

Related Stories: 

The Rising Threat of Telephone Fraud

Hackers Running Rampant

A British Summer Time iPhone Glitch

Apple iPhone users were faced with yet another glitch this morning after the clocks ‘sprung’ forward over the weekend. 

The problem does not appear to have affected everyone with an iPhone, but some owners complained of being late for work on Monday Morning after an apple software glitch caused their alarms to malfunction.

According to user reports, the glitch has affected non-recurring alarms set within the iPhone's calendar application, rather than its dedicated alarm clock.  The affect found their wake-up alert coming one hour late, one hour early or not at all.

Apple has yet to comment on what caused it, but similar problems have previously hit iPhones in the US. 

Have you ever considered security for your mobile phone yet?  Contact us now to learn more 0115 970 1471

"Novel" Mobile Memory Storage

Researchers from Edinburgh University have been working with researchers from Konkuk University and Seoul National University, in Korea to create a device that improves memory storage for mobile technology.

The device, that could be used in MP3s, smartphones and cameras, uses a tiny mechanical arm to translate data into electrical signals.  This allows faster operation and uses less energy compared with conventional memory storage products.

The device measures the current passing through a carbon nanotube, and the binary value of the data that is recorded, is determined by an electrode that controls the flow of current.

Prof Eleanor Campbell, from Edinburgh University's school of chemistry, said: "This is a novel approach to designing memory storage devices.

"However, one of the issues with these novel devices is how easy they can be manufactured on an industrial scale, which we are yet to see."

Quote for the Week!

“Persistence is to the character of man as carbon is to steel.”

Napoleon Hill

Microsoft Poised to Buy Net Addresses

Microsoft has offered to pay $7.5m (£4.7m) for 666,624 IP version 4 (IPv4) net addresses from bankrupt telecoms firm Nortel.

The blocks of IPv4 are valuable at the moment because the pool of addresses is close to running dry and some companies are therefore facing a costly migration to the newer IPv6.

The suggested deal is yet to be approved, and anyone who objects to it can file their comments before 4 April.  However, Microsoft's bid was the highest of the 80 firms asked if they wanted to make an offer for the IP addresses.

If it goes through, Microsoft will get hold of 470,016 of the IP addresses instantly and the remaining 196,608 will be released as former customers of Nortel are moved to other telecoms firms.

Fighting Back against Cyber Criminals

"Last year alone, the US logged over 300,000 virus attacks on their networks and noted that organised crime now makes more money from cyber crime than any other activity."  These were the words of Professor John Williams, director of the Geospatial Data Centre at a recent conference on cyber security held in Cardiff.  However, the problem is Global…

In the UK, it is estimated that cyber crime is costing the economy up to £27bn every year.  Officials say cyber criminals, terrorists and other nations are getting better at penetrating state and private networks, whether to spy, to steal data or damage critical infrastructure.

The summit in Cardiff agreed that the UK and the US would need to produce many thousands of people with expertise in fighting off criminal and terrorist IT attacks over the next few years.  The summit has ended with a university deal to do just that. 

All data that is important to you needs protection, that includes your business phone system, your data network and your PC’s.  Have you ever considered security for your mobile phone?   Smartphone’s require protection in the same way that your PC does, AntiTheft, AntiVirus and AntiSpam are all possible.

For more information call us today 0115 970 1471

Quote for the Week!

"Change always comes bearing gifts" - Price Prichett

Do Something Funny For Money

For five days Ronni Ancona, Craig David, Lorraine Kelly, Scott Mills, Olly Murs, Dermot O’Leary, Nadia Sawalha, visually impaired Radio 4 presenter Peter White, and Kara Tointon embarked on a gruelling 100km desert journey, The BT Red Nose Desert Trek.

The nine famous faces braved temperatures of up to 40 degrees as well as a host of deadly snakes and spiders as they cross the Kaisut Desert in Northern Kenya to raise cash.

To help the team get off to a great start, BT held ‘Chat for Change’ day on Friday 18th February 2011. On behalf of its customers, BT donated 1p to Comic Relief for every call made from a BT home phone line as well as every call made from a BT payphone. Plus they donated 25p for every call to BT’s Directory Enquiry Service 118500 from any landline or mobile.

Red Nose Day coverage begins tonight on BBC One at 7pm but you can donate now using the below link:

https://www.comicrelief.com/donate

Drop in Costs For Cross Network Calls

The fee mobile phone firms charge rivals for handling calls from their networks, is set to fall by 80% over the next four years following cuts imposed by Ofcom. 

Currently, mobile operators charge between 4.18p and 4.48p for delivering a call to another network.  However, Ofcom wants this to be reduced to 0.69p by 2014-15, and says it expects the cuts to be passed on to customers.  The proposed changes should increase competition within the market and thus, improve prices for consumers.

The phased reductions will begin on 1 April with the termination rate for the big four operators - O2, Everything Everywhere, Vodafone, and 3UK - cut to 2.66p. Lower termination rates will also reduce the cost to landline companies of passing calls to mobile phones.

Pedestrian’s banned from using Mobile Phones

Under new laws being discussed by local politicians in America, New Yorkers may be banned from using their mobile phones or iPods while crossing the road. 

In an attempt to deter the city’s streets of joggers and commuters from wearing electronic devices due to fears about safety, those caught breaking the rule would face a fine of $100 (£63) and a court summons. 

Carl Kruger, a Democratic state senator, said the new law was necessary to prevent accidents being caused by people locked in the "deceptive serenity" of their phones or music players.

The Governors Highway Safety Association says that pedestrian deaths account for 12 per cent of fatalities on US roads, and that numbers increased last year after being in decline for several years.

Here in the UK, the emphasis has been on preventing drivers from using their mobile phones when behind the wheel, but should we put more emphasis on distractions that affect pedestrians?

Quote for the Week!

"There is nothing wrong with change, if it is in the right direction"  Winston Churchill

Slow Take Up on Super-Fast Broadband

Last month, Labour MP Ian Lucas told the government to "pull its finger out" because as yet, no firms or technologies have been chosen to pilot next-generation broadband in the earmarked remote test areas. 

The government has pledged to make the UK the best place for super-fast broadband in Europe by 2015, and as a result, they are pushing ahead with a second wave of funding.

There will be a further £50m made available to local authorities around the UK.  It is estimated that the extra funding will help a further 800,000 homes to benefit from next-generation broadband.

North Yorkshire, Cumbria, Herefordshire and the Highlands and Islands, were all listed as pilot areas for test in October, however no firm or technologies have yet been chosen to be used in the tests.  This is the third of UK homes that are not economically attractive to firms such as BT and Virgin Media because offering next-generation services there would cost too much money.

"This is very much a locally-driven process and we encourage bids from all local people with plans for improving broadband in their local area," said Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne.

For more information visit:  Broadband Delivery UK

Quote for the Week!

"If nothing ever changed, there'd be no butterflies."  Unknown

Happy Birthday Mr. Bell

Happy birthday to Alexander Graham Bell, the eminent Scientist, Inventor, Engineer and Innovator who is credited with inventing the first practical telephone in 1876.


In retrospect, Bell considered his most famous invention an intrusion on his real work as a scientist and refused to have a telephone in his study.  He was born in Edinburgh, Scotland on March 3, 1847 and died, in Canada in 1922 at 75.

Average Broadband Speeds, No Such Thing

Broadband ‘Up to’ 20Mbps is a familiar sight in ISP marketing, but according to Ofcom's latest research, very few consumers actually get these kind of headline speeds.  As a result, the industry regulator is seeking to stop providers from advertising unrealistic broadband speeds

The research suggested that just 14% of customers on 'up to' 20Mbps services received speeds of over 12Mbps, while 58% averaged speeds of 6Mbps or less.  For example;

• BT 'up to' 20Mbps - 6.9 to 8.7Mbps
• Sky 'up to' 20Mbps - 7.4 to 8.8Mbps
• TalkTalk 'up to' 24Mbps - 7.7 to 9.3Mbps

Ofcom that ISPs should use Typical Speed Rates (TSR) to avoid confusing consumers.  It has set guidelines for these speeds. It recommends that ADSL services currently advertised as 'up to' 20Mbps (megabits per second) be changed to a TSR of between 3 and 9Mbps.

The response from the industry has been less than positive.  With BT far from impressed, John Petter, managing director of BT Retail said "We have real concerns with their approach. Broadband speeds vary from line to line and so it is meaningless to use one speed for advertising.

TalkTalk Pays Millions in Compensation

As consultants in the Telecoms industry, we regularly see elements of bad practice from suppliers.  For example, we recently came across a situation where unreasonable connection charges were hidden within the terms and conditions of a suppliers contract.

However, it is a case of bogus billing that has taken to the headlines this week.  Industry regulator Ofcom launched an investigation in July 2010, following more than 1,000 complaints from customers who received aggressive demands for the payment of bills they did not owe.

As a result, two telecoms firms, TalkTalk and Tiscali, have repaid nearly £2.5m to customers in compensation, amounting to an average of £40 per customer. 

TalkTalk put the problems down to a new billing system introduced after it bought Tiscali in June 2009.  Following the complaints, Ofcom have confirmed that the two firms, who together have 4.2 million customers, have now taken steps to fix the problem.