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Huawei collaborate with Telefónica on 5G development

Huawei collaborate with Telefónica on 5G development

Mobile equipment maker Huawei and operator Telefónica have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) over joint development of 5G networking technology.

The MoU, signed in Hong Kong on November 5th, relates to joint evaluation and research into the requirement of 5G network architecture, with a focus on key air interface technology, performance evaluation and prototype verification.

Huawei has been researching 5G since 2009, claims to have wealth of experience in lab and field tests and already works on 5G with China Mobile, Vodafone, Deutsche Telekom, Japan’s NTT DoCoMo and Korean operators LG U+ and KT. In June, Huawei was recognised for making the ‘Biggest Contribution to 5G Development’ at industry event the LTE Awards.

Meanwhile another frontier of mobile networking has been rolled back as Huawei and Intel subsidiaryWind River have announced the completion of their joint investigation into network function virtualisation (NFV) Integration.

The tests, conducted at the NFV/SDN Open Labs in Xi’an, China, aimed to verify the potential for integrating different layers of the NFV network architecture. Wind River, which Intel created to address the IoT market, submitted its carrier grade NFV software platform Titanium Server to be validated with Huawei’s FusionServer E9000 server, vEPC/vIMSsoftware and MANO. The verification involved six types of use cases and 56 test cases. All test items passed the verification.

Service providers are looking for validated and market-ready end-to-end NFV systems for the IoT, explained Jim Douglas, senior vice president of marketing, Wind River. “Collaboration across the ecosystem is essential,” said Douglas.

Lastly Huawei announced it will open a new research and development lab in Dublin, Eire, in 2016. The new research facility will create 50 new R&D jobs, bringing Huawei’s total number of employees across Ireland to 120. The facility will research into business innovation, network services, cloud and customer experience and the ICT transformation of service provider operations. It will be the lead R&D office in Ireland, working in conjunction with Huawei’s other R&D locations in Dublin, Cork and Athlone.

The project is supported by Ireland’s Department of Jobs through IDA Ireland. Huawei has invested €35m in R&D in Ireland in 2015.

Activision buys King for $5.9bn in major mobile move

Activision buys King for $5.9bn in major mobile move

Activision Blizzard is to acquire King Digital Entertainment in a deal valued at $5.9bn. Under the terms of a definitive agreement recently announced, Activision subsidiary ABS partners will acquire all the outstanding shares of King for $18 each.

 

logo_activision

 

The deal makes Activision Blizzard the world’s top interactive entertainment company across mobile, console and PC platforms. Its portfolio already includes two of the top five highest-grossing mobile games in the US, the world’s top selling console game franchise and the world’s most successful personal computing franchise. Its titles include franchises such as Candy Crush, Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, Diablo, Guitar Hero, Skylanders and Destiny, along with over 1,000 game titles in its library. King has revenues of $2.1 billion after building one of the largest player networks on mobile and Facebook, with 474 million monthly active users in the third quarter 2015.

The combination of the two will create a global entertainment networks of half a billion combined monthly active users in 196 countries in a demographics that includes casual and core gamers, female and male players, and developed and emerging markets. The acquisition gives Activision Blizzard a strong presence in mobile gaming, which is expected to generate over $36 billion of revenue by the end of 2015 and grow cumulatively by over 50% from 2015 to 2019.

Post acquisition, Activision Blizzard will become the most profitable interactive entertainment company in the world, claimed its CEO Bobby Kotick. “With a combined global network of more than half a billion monthly active users, our potential to reach audiences around the world on the device of their choosing enables us to deliver great games to even bigger audiences than ever before,” said Kotick.

Last year Activision Blizzard had non-GAAP revenues of $4.7 billion and King had adjusted revenues of $2.1 billion, and for the same period, adjusted EBITDA of $1.6 billion and $0.9 billion, respectively.

Games market watcher Fabien Nicolas, VP of Marketing Communications & Community at App Annie, said the acquisition shows how mobile has become the vital growth ingredient for games publishers. “Activision has taken a more reserved approach to mobile, releasing only a handful of titles, while global competitors EA and Tencent have embraced this new sector,” said Nicolas. “This acquisition clearly demonstrates a new commitment to mobile for Activision and a need to diversify to a more global female audience.”

EU roaming charges officially scrapped

EU roaming charges officially scrapped

As the EU confirmed its complete ban on roaming charges which takes effect in June 2017 its ‘clear rules on the right to internet access’ have come under fire. It has been criticised for confusing the public and ignoring wider issues of net neutrality. Some critics even insist the ban is unenforceable.

In a vote in the EU Parliament, the law to ban roaming fees for calling, sending text messages and using the mobile internet abroad in the EU (and in EEA countries) was given final approval. The debate was attended by was attended by only 50 MEPs out of the European Parliament’s total of 751 and proposed amendments to other aspect of the Telecoms Single Package were rejected.

By not accepting any amendments to the Council’s position in first reading, MEPs adopted the new law. From 30 April 2016 roaming surcharges (added to the price paid at home) must not exceed €0.05 per minute for outgoing voice calls, €0.02 for text messages (SMS) or €0.05 per megabyte of mobile internet use.

However, to protect the industry against abuses such as permanent roaming (where people buy a phone in one of Europe’s developing economies with lower tariffs) mobile operators could in certain circumstances be allowed to charge a small fee, lower than current caps, according to a “fair use” policy.

According to German Pirate Party MEP Julia Reda, this gives telcos room to wiggle out of the regulations. With the ruling subject to a review of pricing and consumption patterns, the 15 June 2017 deadline is unlikely to be met and roaming surcharges will only be suspended up to a ‘fair use’ limit beyond which they still apply, said Reda.

“Bill shock from holidaying in the EU affects more than 9 million UK mobile users a year according to our research.” said Ernest Doku, telecoms expert at uSwitch.com.

“But the major concern is if and how mobile operators will recover their costs because we all know there’s no such thing as a free lunch. If this regulation change isn’t properly managed, higher mobile phone bills for all may just prove to be the sting in the tail, with infrequent travellers drawing the short straw.”

Meanwhile the issue of true net neutrality, a less publicised component of the bill, was sidelined in order to push through the crowd pleasing roaming charge ban, said Reda “Unfortunately Ansip [Andrus Ansip, the vice-commissioner responsible for the EU Digital Market] claims amendments would delay package by years,” Reda tweeted, “Actually it’s only 6 weeks until the 3rd reading.”

SuperFast Broadband For Free

SuperFast Broadband For Free

SuperFast Britain – The BDUK Connection Voucher Scheme

Financial support to help your business work faster and smarter

To encourage UK businesses to improve their connectivity, the government has set aside £150m to contribute towards the costs of upgrading, enabling them to benefit from technologies that support business growth and give them a competitive advantage.

The BDUK Connection Voucher Scheme provides financial support to small and medium-sized enterprises to get superfast fibre connections or use against Ethernet upgrade costs.

Hundreds of UK businesses, registered charities and social enterprises are already benefitting from affordable superfast broadband. The scheme has been extended until March 2016 – so make sure you take advantage now.

In simple terms…

Government vouchers of up to £3000 (excl VAT) are available for every eligible applicant to offset the cost of connecting to the internet at superfast speeds, providing that they meet the initiative’s conditions.

The non-repayable grant applies to any connectivity service that costs more than £100 and offers 30Mb download speeds or more.

Are you eligible?

In order to benefit from the scheme, your business must be located within a defined postcode in any of the following cities across the UK.

  • Greater Cambridge
  • Greater Ipswich
  • Norwich
  • Peterborough
  • Southend on Sea
  • Birmingham
  • Coventry
  • Derby and Chesterfield
  • Leicester
  • Milton Keynes
  • Nottingham
  • Oxford
  • Stoke on Trent
  • Wolverhampton
  • Greater Manchester
  • Kingston-upon-Hull
  • Leeds-Bradford
  • Liverpool City Region
  • Middlesbrough and Tees Valley
  • Newcastle
  • Preston and South Ribble
  • South Yorkshire
  • Sunderland
  • York, Harrogate and Selby
  • Bournemouth City Region
  • Chelmsford
  • Greater Brighton City Region
  • Greater Southampton
  • London
  • Milton Keynes
  • Oxford
  • Portsmouth
  • Reading
  • Southend on Sea
  • Bristol
  • Exeter
  • Gloucester
  • Plymouth
  • Swindon
  • Belfast
  • Derry City and Strabane District
  • Aberdeen
  • Dundee City and Angus
  • Edinburgh and South East Scotland
  • Glasgow and Clyde Valley
  • Inverness
  • Perth City Region
  • Stirling
  • Cardiff Capital Region
  • Newport
  • Swansea Bay City Region

In addition to this your business must also meet the criteria of a small to medium enterprise as defined by the European Commission . In simple terms these are:

• you employ between 1 and 249 staff or volunteers

• your turnover is less than £41 million and/or balance sheet under £35.5m*

Each council area may also have certain specific criteria.

How does VoIP Telephony Work?

How does VoIP Telephony Work?

VoIP Telephone Systems

VoIP can turn a standard Internet connection into a way to place free phone calls.  The Upside of this is that by using some of the free VoIP software that is available to make Internet phone calls, you’re bypassing the phone company (and its charges) entirely.

VoIP is a revolutionary technology that has the potential to completely rework the world’s phone systems. VoIP providers like Cisco have already been around for a while and are growing steadily. VoIP is basically a clever “reinvention of the wheel.” In this post, we’ll explore the principles behind VoIP, its applications and the potential of this emerging technology, which will more than likely one day replace the traditional phone system entirely.

The interesting thing about VoIP is that there is not just one way to place a call. There are three different types of VoIP service in common use today:

  • ATA — The simplest and most common way is through the use of a device called an ATA (analog telephone adaptor). The ATA allows you to connect a standard phone to your computer or your Internet connection for use with VoIP. The ATA is an analog-to-digital converter. It takes the analog signal from your traditional phone and converts it into digital data for transmission over the Internet. Providers like CIsco and Horizon are bundling ATAs free with their service. You simply crack the ATA out of the box, plug the cable from your phone that would normally go in the wall socket into the ATA, and you’re ready to make VoIP calls. Some ATAs may ship with additional software that is loaded onto the host computer to configure it; but in any case, it’s a very straightforward setup.

 

  • IP Phones — These specialized phones look just like normal phones with a handset, cradle and buttons. But instead of having the standard RJ-11 phone connectors, IP phones have an RJ-45 Ethernet connector. IP phones connect directly to your router and have all the hardware and software necessary right onboard to handle the IP call. Wi-Fi phones allow subscribing callers to make VoIP calls from any Wi-Fi hot spot.

 

  • Computer-to-computer — This is certainly the easiest way to use VoIP. You don’t even have to pay for long-distance calls. There are several brands offering free or very low-cost software that you can use for this type of VoIP. All you need is the software, a microphonespeakers, a sound card and an Internet connection, preferably a fast one like you would get through a cable or DSL modem. Except for your normal monthly ISP fee, there is usually no charge for computer-to-computer calls, no matter the distance.

If you’re interested in trying VoIP, why not visit our page and enquire about prices.

Energy Saving Tips for Businesses

Energy Saving Tips for Businesses

Eco-friendly policies are a must-have for businesses worldwide. Due to the general public becoming increasingly wary about their business having a high environmental impact and with climate change targets being set in legal stone; we must now strive to be more environmentally friendly, lest we suffer the consequences.

This is a series of business-focused guides about measures you can take to be a lean, green and hopefully save some cash!

Smart Extension leads

Throw single sockets out with the old and bring smart extension leads in. These multiple-socket power strips prevent the flow of electricity from turned off appliances, reducing your carbon footprint. You may also improve your office look; many smart power strips are now available in sleek wall-mounted designs allowing you to control the device via a wireless remote or mobile app! Although they’re a little pricier than the next best extension lead, you’ll soon start to see the benefit when you’re saving money on your Business energy bill.

Energy Saving Bulbs

Compared to traditional incandescents, energy-efficient lightbulbs such as halogen incandescents, compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), and light emitting diodes (LEDs), typically use about 25%-80% less energy than traditional incandescents, saving you money and can last 3-25 times longer.

Today’s energy-efficient bulbs are available in the wide range of colors and light levels to ensure your work space is not compromised. While the initial price of energy-efficient bulbs is typically higher than traditional incandescents, newer bulbs cost less to operate, saving you money over the life of the bulb. Many of the newer bulbs last significantly longer than traditional bulbs, so you won’t need to replace them as often.

Flick the Switch

Printers, scanners, photocopiers and other equipment used intermittently should be set to sleep mode or be switched off when you don’t need them. Remember to shut down your computer before you leave, this can easily reduce energy consumption by nearly 40 per cent according to Rainforest Alliance (2015).

Keep the air circulated

Be sure to keep your work space as clutter free as possible, especially in the vented areas. FACT: Did you know that books and bulky items absorb the air circulated by vents and cooling units?  Meaning those nasty winter bugs, germs, bacteria and smells have no room to escape, and continue to circulate around the office.

Stop the heat from escaping

Stop the heat leaking out through the windows in the winter months. Most businesses do not realise how much of their heat escapes from doors and windows which need repairing. Look out for gaps and cracks!

When put into this kind of context, some of these statistics are mind blowing. Many of us assume that there’s no harm in leaving things switched on when they’re not in use, but it’s clear to see just how much energy and money we are wasting through sheer carelessness and laziness.

To ensure you’re not burning money, you’ll need to get your staff on board. By showing them these figures, they’ll get a clearer idea of how much their bad habits are costing the company.

Renewing your Business Energy Contracts

Renewing your Business Energy Contracts

Avoid getting rolled over

Many businesses in the United Kingdom are still unaware of the practice of automatic contract renewal for business energy – also referred to as being rolled over – and don’t realise the implications that this can have on the businesses energy bills.

When a company is nearing the end of its current business energy contract, if they do not contact their energy supplier to terminate their current contract or renegotiate a new one, within the renewal window, their contract will automatically be renewed, or rolled over, as it is commonly known.

Being rolled over can cause a huge problem for businesses, as being rolled over on your contract can result in paying a much higher rate for business energy, whilst being prevented from shopping around for the best possible business energy deals – which in the current economic state is a vital step for business efficiency.

Energy Contract Rollover Checklist

Here is a checklist we designed to help businesses when signing a new business energy contract:

  1. Make sure you know when your renewal date is and how much termination notice is required.
  2. Provide your supplier with the correct termination notice.
  3. Shop around for a competitive deal
  4. Thoroughly read all paperwork, including terms and conditions of the contract, before agreeing to or signing a new contract.
  5. Ensure you understand the pricing structure of the deal, as well its terms and conditions, remember there is no cooling off period.
  6. Any paperwork related to the contract should be stored in a safe space so it can be referred to at a later date if required.
  7. Use a good energy provider, like ourselves, to help with all the paperwork and to make sure the deal is right for you.

Renewal rates are mostly higher

Most businesses fall into the trap of getting rolled over which means that energy companies take the risk of applying a higher renewal rate. If your company has a contracts department, most likely you will be saved due to negotiation, nevertheless majority of businesses in the UK are paying over the odds for Utilities due to the fact that they do not check their renewal notices.

You can renew upto 6 Months before your end date

Yes it’s true, businesses who have renewed with us earlier have made huge savings on their energy bills. This is because the rates change dramatically in the winter months therefore, it is best practice to review and shop around well before your notice letter arrives (30 days before).

Understanding fixed & variable rates

It is always best practice to make sure that you have been offered a fixed rate rather than a variable which keeps changing. A fixed rates ensures that you are paying the same amount for KWH – secure your price even further by signing up for a 24 month contract rather than a year as your rates will be secured and you will not be affected by price changes the following year.

 

Need a Quote?

We guarantee a saving on renewals!

All you have to do is fill in a quick form in order for our team to send you a quote that your happy with.

Welcome to G2Connect, Our First Post

Welcome to G2Connect, Our First Post

We are proud to present our new website.

G2Connect

What to expect?

With the rapid growth of the internet, we felt that we needed to start making it easier for our customers to shop for our services online. The traditional cold calling and email methods are still implemented by many companies, nevertheless we felt the importance of having a good online presence.

At G2Connect, our aim is to provide a seamless process which enables our business customers to find quotes and view our services online, without us having to bombard them with emails & phone calls, allowing you to focus on what matters most.

If you are not familiar with what we do, here is a list of all our services:

  • Business Electricity & Gas
  • Business Telephone Systems
  • Business VoIP Systems
  • Business Landlines, Minutes & Broadband
  • Hosting & Data Storage Solutions
  • Business Mobile Phones & Tariffs

So… people may be wondering how we compete with major organisations such as British Gas, E-On etc, however these are all our partners which means we have exclusivity in terms of what we can offer our customers. Our relationships date back over 15-20 years which allows us to work efficiently and have an excellent partnership model allowing us to save our customers money when they come through us. Therefore, if you are thinking of going direct, be sure to check in at G2Connect to see the difference.

Saving Money is not the only advantage with G2Connect, we also provide dedicated account managers to all our customers which saves them the hassle of going through a call centre before being dealt with for their queries. We will give you one point of contact, saving you precious time allowing you to focus on more important issues.

Remember, we do not charge a single penny for our services as we are not brokers, we are providers!