A new UK broadband wholesaler has pledged to shake-up the market with faster data rates and higher coverage than rivals. BE Wholesale, which is backed by O2, claims its ADSL2+ network reaches 70% of UK businesses at speeds at least 30% faster than competitors.
UK banking and payments firm Monetise is powering a mobile payments trial running at US Bank. Credit details are stored on a microSD memory card, enabling users to make point-of-sale purchases with their mobile phone.
Alcatel-Lucent has teamed up with Israel-based telco Bezeq International to deploy a high-speed subsea cable linking the country with Europe. The 2,297km cable will land in Italy, and will be the first to be fully owned by an Israeli firm.
Apple will launch its iAd mobile advertising network in Europe next month, starting in France and the UK. The network, which IDC estimates will generate 21% of US mobile display advertising revenues in 2010, will be expanded into Germany in January.
Verizon Wireless, the largest US mobile operator, is considering charging customers on the basis of mobile data speeds, Reuters reports.
Nokia will set up a research facility in Skolkovo, a high-tech center nicknamed Russia's Silicon Valley.
Microsoft yesterday launched Lync, a platform that combines instant messaging, presence, audio, video, web conferencing and voice services.
Separately, the firm revealed that 80% of consumers are concerned about the impact of counterfeit software, following a study of 38,000 users.
Cisco claims to have the lead in IPv6 certification for routers, switches and firewalls in the US, after a Presidential directive to government agencies to upgrade from IPv4.