Even organisations that might not regard themselves as “digital first” are recognising that they need to be where their customers are, and that might no longer be on the other end of a landline.

Take UK and Europe-wide company Euro Car Parts — owned by the LKQ Corporation — which is something of a sleeping giant. The firm now boasts more than 330 branches and stocks over 160,000 distinct parts for automobiles.

The spare parts firm’s purpose-built 1 million sq ft national distribution centre in Tamworth, UK, is second only in size to Amazon’s warehouses. And yet, as head of sales excellence Chole Thomson explains: “Unless you’ve ordered a spare part from us, you’ve probably never heard of us!”

Given the size and scale of Euro Car Parts, it’s surprising to learn that, until recently, its sales offices relied on an old, end-of-life telephony system. Phone desks were still ringing constantly, but these were increasingly supplemented by WhatsApp messages between sales team members using their personal devices and customers.

According to Thomson, the firm recognised the need to bring these customer interactions back in-house and to save valuable data so that they could build up a better profile of these customers and their preferences.

WhatsApp: “There cannot be a British Internet” — Read the article here.

Euro Car Parts turned to customer experience vendor Genesys to integrate voice notes, WhatsApp, and other digital channels to meet these new generational customers’ expectations.

For Thomson, another advantage of using Genesys’ cloud-based orchestration system was getting a heads-up on incoming calls.

“Our old school way of doing things was to memorise the incoming phone number that came up on the screen so that you’d know ‘that is Sandra!’

“But knowing that a call is coming from ‘Bob’s Garage’ and immediately being able to see the customer’s likes/dislikes brand-wise is helpful,” Thomson enthuses.

The new system was installed in February and has now launched in England, Scotland, and Wales. Genesys and WhatsApp were fully deployed by mid-May, and according to Thomson, Euro Car Parts is now dealing with over 500 brand new WhatsApp conversations every day; a figure that, she adds, is growing “week-on-week”.

Genesys and Lighthouse Works partner to boost CX careers for blind workers

Data dive

One of the big business benefits of moving to the new system has been the amount of data the company has been able to gather on its customers and internal processes, according to Thomson.

It is currently in the process of pulling in the latest info it has gained from Genesys so that it can apply this data in meaningful ways.

“We’ve never had as much data as we do now,” she says. “We don’t have any more blind spots. We can see everything. We can now analyse the peaks and troughs of the different queries we receive as well as the different sales that are coming in. So, we can enhance that journey and look at what’s working and not working for our sales teams.”

In terms of the WhatsApp integration, Thomson explains that a typical interaction might include a customer taking a picture of a registration plate, and requesting some brake pads or a clutch and flywheel.

“The sales advisor will order that part but now they will be able to look at what those customer preferences are and add any weekly specials that we might have on brake fluid, for instance,” she says.

She adds that while Euro Car Parts comprises of sales offices, rather than contact centres, the firm is looking closely at this model and its customer journeys.

“We’re currently looking at what CX centres do well, looking at the customer journey and are learning how we bring that into our world,” she says.

AI capabilities

According to Thomson, the next step for Euro Car Parts is to integrate AI and gamification into its new orchestration system.

“We’re excited about using AI for data mining and sentiment analysis to understand what our customers want,” she says.

“AI will let us know things like whether we’ve already set up a promotion for a weekly deal that we’ve already offered before, five times. Or finding out whether there’s a tool on offer that they want. We want to use that information and give the customer what they want.”

Gamification, she adds, will also help celebrate the performance of the company’s sales teams, by giving managers a clear view of who the top performers are.

“In the past it was a bit more unpredictable – someone could just have sold one expensive part. Now we can see who has really been working hard on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis. It will certainly make them more competitive!”

• Chloe Thomson spoke with TechInformed at Genesys Xperience UKI tour 2024 in June at the Truman Brewery in East London. Live event photography by Nick Beard

The post Driving sales for a new generation appeared first on TechInformed.

According to CNN, two officials from the US have raised concerns about the Russian military unit named the ‘General Staff Main Directorate for Deep Sea Research’ (GUGI).

“We are concerned about heightened Russian naval activity worldwide and that Russia’s decision calculus for damaging US and allied undersea critical infrastructure may be changing,” a US official said.

“Russia is continuing to develop naval capabilities for undersea sabotage mainly through GUGI, a closely guarded unit that operates surface vessels, submarines and naval drones.”

Subsea cables are a critical piece of the world’s internet infrastructure, delivering more than 95% of the data worldwide.

The US often tracks Russian ships that patrol close to critical maritime infrastructure and undersea cables often far from Russian shoes, the officials said.

Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, Russia has been accused of sabotaging a cable connecting Estonia and Sweden in the Baltic Sea, which Putin denied. It has since been blamed on a pro-Ukrainian group – although President Zelensky has not confirmed knowledge of the operation.

Plus, increased naval activity off the Irish coast raised alarm in 2023, as many cables connecting North America to Europe run through the region.

TI investigated earlier this year what the threat to subsea cables means, how they are protected, and how easily the cables can be fixed. Read here for more.

The post US raises concerns over alleged Russian sabotage of subsea cables appeared first on TechInformed.

Elon Musk’s Starlink has blocked access to social media app X in Brazil. The billionaire Tesla owner initially skirted a Supreme Court order banning the platform in the country.

Earlier this week, the Brazilian Supreme Court banned X — formerly known as Twitter — based on concerns about misinformation after it failed to appoint legal representation.

A Supreme Court panel unanimously upheld the block on Monday, undermining Musk and his supporters’ efforts to portray Justice Alexandre de Moraes as attempting to censor political speech in Brazil.

Starlink initially appeared to refuse to comply with the Supreme Court justice’s order to prevent users from accessing the app – but it has now released a statement saying it will block X.

Had Starlink continued to disobey Judge Moraes by providing access, it could have faced repercussions from Brazilian telecoms regulator Anatel.

Read more

Volvo slams brakes on EV-only 2030 target

Carmaker Volvo has abandoned plans to only see electric vehicles by 2030, saying it will continue to offer some hybrid models by that date.

Citing changing market conditions, Volvo said it was rowing back the EV ambitions that it unveiled three years ago, joining rivals including General Motors and Ford in reassessing plans.

Volvo said it now expects at least 90% of its output to be electric cars and plug-in hybrids by 2030, but it will also continue to sell a small number of traditional hybrids with conventional engines.

“We are resolute in our belief that our future is electric,” said Jim Rowan, chief executive of Volvo.

“However, it is clear that the transition to electrification will not be linear, and customers and markets are moving at different speeds.”

Read more

Nokia downplays mobile sale rumours

Finnish telecommunications vendor Nokia has downplayed reports that it is preparing to offload its mobile network business to rival Samsung.

A report from Bloomberg, citing anonymous sources, claimed Nokia has explored various options for its mobile telecoms arm, including selling part or the entirety of the division, spinning it off into a separate entity, or merging with a rival.

This prompted the Finnish firm to release a statement reaffirming its commitment to the mobile division.

“Nokia has nothing to announce in relation to the speculations published in an article today, and no related insider project exists,” the company stated. “Nokia is committed to the success of its mobile networks business, a highly strategic asset for both Nokia and its customers.”

The company highlighted recent progress in the division, stating: “The business has made significant progress this year both on right-sizing its cost-base while protecting its product roadmap and winning new deals with new customers and increasing share with existing customers.”

Read more

EU, US, and the UK sign agreement on AI standards

As stated by the Council of Europe human rights organisation, the first legally binding international AI treaty is open for signing by the countries that negotiated it, including European Union members, the US, and the UK.

The AI Convention, which has been in discussion between 57 countries in total, addresses risks AI may pose while promoting responsible innovation.

“This convention is a major step to ensuring that these new technologies can be harnessed without eroding our oldest values, like human rights and the rule of law,” said Britain’s justice minister, Shabana Mahmood.

The Council of Europe is an international organisation separate from the EU with a mandate to safeguard human rights. The AI Convention will mainly focus on protecting people affected by AI systems and is separate from the EU AI Act.

Read more

Verizon to buy Frontier in an all-cash deal with $20 billion

Network provider Verizon has stated that it will buy fibre-optic internet provider Frontier Communications for $20 billion.

The deal will enable Verizon to better compete against US rivals AT&T and T-Mobile as they double down on unlimited plans and bundling options.

Frontier has 2.2 million fibre subscribers in 25 states, which will add to Verizon’s 7.4 million such users in nine states and Washington, D.C.

“The acquisition of Frontier is a strategic fit,” Verizon CEO Hans Vestberg said.

The deal is expected to close in about 18 months and will expand Verizon’s coverage from the Northeast and mid-Atlantic regions to multiple states in the Midwest, Texas, and California.

Read more

The post Starlink bans X in Brazil, Volvo abandons EV target, and Nokia downplays mobile sale rumours appeared first on TechInformed.

As cities swell, so does the demand for robust and efficient infrastructure – from housing to transportation and healthcare, there is pressure on local governments to invest in services. And many of these are underpinned by connectivity.

Technologies such as 5G and fibre are not merely faster and more efficient – they are the bedrock on which innovation builds in both the public and private sector. These sorts of connectivity enable real-time applications, such as intelligent traffic systems and public safety announcements, and also play a key role in the daily lives of citizens and businesses.

But not all cities are built the same, and connectivity can vary greatly from nation to nation, or even in neighbouring cities.

Take London, for example. Despite being a major technology and financial hub, the UK capital has significant room for improvement when it comes to connectivity, according to telecoms measurement service MedUX, which names it as one of the worst for quality 5G experiences in a study of 10 European cities.

According to the MedUX – which works with telecom providers, regulators, and enterprises to quality assess fixed and mobile wireless internet broadband – Berlin has the best connectivity. It found that the German capital has an 89.6% reach and was also the best city for 5G streaming with an average latency of less than 40 milliseconds.

By comparrison, only 77.5% of London’s population has 5G on its devices, below the urban average. Plus, it has an average download speed of 143 megabits per second, while in cities such as Lisbon, the speed is 528 Mbps, and 446 Mbps for Porto.

“Investing in high-quality 5G networks is crucial for achieving the smart cities’ vision,” says MedUX CMO, Rafael González. “This involves more than just widespread 5G coverage; it requires networks that meet specific performance standards for different use cases.”

Future-proof cities

MedUX’s research found significant disparities in network quality between regions, such as the UK compared to Germany – but consistent and reliable connectivity is essential for real-time applications and critical mission services.

For governments, the real task goes beyond laying fibre and erecting 5G towers. It requires a concerted effort to ensure these infrastructures are utilised to their full potential.

“In smart cities, high-quality connectivity is essential not just for enabling future-proof technologies like 5G but also for societal development, efficiency, and competitiveness,” says González.

He adds that real-time data transmission enabled by high-speed, low-latency networks are crucial for applications in traffic management, public safety, emergency response and more.

“Reliability and consistent performance also play a critical role in ensuring access to services and improving overall city efficiency.”

Take smart traffic management, such as Manchester city’s ongoing digital transformation of its transit system, where 5G connectivity can help in providing real-time data of transportation.

This will aid in streamlining transportation so commutes are timelier and can also help traffic light systems with reducing traffic and ensuring a better flow of vehicles.

“I really believe in the next five to ten years we will start to see smart transportation as a reality,” he adds.

“Smart traffic management, in general, is a very interesting use case, not only for real-time traffic data but also for autonomous vehicles,”

González points to the future idea of controlled lanes that will host only autonomous vehicles that will wirelessly communicate with each other and infrastructure: “That’s going to take more time, but of course, we are going to see that.” And 5G quality must keep up.

“Another use case that is very important is telemedicine.”

Similarly how the UK city of Liverpool has implemented 5G cells around the area of Kensington to ensure residents using telemedicine devices are connected, and nearby GPs can monitor their health remotely.

However, as cities become busier and GPs and hospitals become more strained, this type of remote monitoring will become more essential – so the need for quality 5G is equally important.

UK telco response

Given the poor results, TI asked telecoms operators in the UK what was going on – perhaps surprisingly, they acknowledge the performance issues, blaming market issues.

Robert Finnegan, CEO of Three UK tells TI: “UK mobile networks rank an abysmal 22^nd out of 25 in Europe on 5G speeds and availability, with the dysfunctional structure of the market denying us the ability to invest sustainability to fix this situation.”

Finnegan claims his firm’s proposed merger with Vodafone will “unlock £11 billion” worth of investment in digital infrastructure to help improve 5G networks across the UK.

Reza Rahnama, MD of mobile networks at BT Group says since EE, which it owns, launched in 2019, “it has prioritised quality of experience and reliability.”

The MedUX report supports this, with EE ranked the highest for UK mobile operators.

“While some networks have focused on peak speeds in small areas, EE’s approach has been a more consistent experience for a wider number of customers.”

“A lot of the focus has therefore been on continuous coverage, by upgrading areas of coverage, rather than some of the less targeted approaches that can be adopted by others.”

Recently EE implemented 5G ‘small cells’ in the London borough of Croydon.

Small cells are street-level miniature masts that attach the existing street furniture, like phone boxes and lampposts, with the aim of boosting signal in busy areas.

“These sites are a crucial part of our mobile network and help to reduce congestion, boost speeds and improve experience,” says Rahnama.

“By using advanced network analytics, we’re able to identify areas of London and the rest of the UK that experience high traffic demands and would therefore benefit the most from small-cell deployment.”

What did local government have to say? A spokesperson for the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, tells TI: “The Mayor’s Connected London programme has supported the delivery of core 5G infrastructure, and over the last seven years this has seen full fibre coverage rise from 4% to nearly 70% of the city.”

“This is an addition to hundreds of kilometres of London Underground tunnels and stations getting 5G coverage. Above ground, thousands of TfL and council assets, such as lampposts, are being used to help boost 5G on high streets and busy areas.”

Investment and permits

For cities such as London which are lagging behind, González points out that more investment is needed, and the challenge of achieving permits to deploy physical infrastructure adds to the delay.

Plus, in 2020, the UK banned Chinese telecoms giant Huawei’s infrastructure over concerns that it posed a risk to national security.

Kester Mann, analyst at CCS Insight explains that this has caused the UK to take a step back as operators had to replace a lot of existing equipment, costing around £500 million (though other European countries face similar challenges.)

Mann adds that there is a lot more caution in the UK in general for deploying 5G networks compared to the 4G era.

“4G was a significant period, with networks being at the forefront because of the 1800 MHz spectrum which allowed telcos to deploy 4G quickly and allowed for more use cases,” says Mann.

“With 5G, the ‘C-band’ spectrum, which is valuable for coverage, requires more infrastructure to achieve the same coverage.”

He also says that concerns about the return on investment have halted more money going into infrastructure.

“Investing in the next stage of digital infrastructure like 5G is important. While there’s a valid point about the lack of consumer use cases, the next stage, 5G standalone, presents potential new applications and services, particularly for enterprises.

Operators like BT are moving towards launching standalone 5G, which could generate more interest.”

BT’s Rahnama says: “It’s worth remembering that 4G remains a reliable and fast alternative. In fact, 4G small cells offer speeds of up to 300Mbps and ensure that our customers receive unrivalled reliable mobile connectivity.”

“What’s more, to date, 5G deployment has been done over a 4G core. The rollout of 5G standalone – where the technology sits on its own core – should help to improve customer experience further in the years ahead.”

Mann concurs that the move to 5G standalone could kickstart the market, alongside the merger between Three and Vodafone, “potentially leading to stronger investment in the UK.”

“Having three strong providers might be better for the UK market compared to having two major and two subscale operators. This has worked well in other countries like the US, China, and South Korea, which mainly have three networks.”

The UK government has a target for all populated areas in the UK to have standalone 5G coverage by 2030.

“This is primarily being rolled out by private mobile network operators EE, O2, Vodafone and Three,” says the spokesperson for Sadiq Khan.

Mann added that London’s urban landscape could potentially make coverage a challenge compared to more open European cities.

“Small local deployments, or small cells, might address this.”

The spokesperson for the Mayor of London says “Khan is committed to improving mobile coverage in busy and built-up areas in London and is future-proofing mobile connectivity by reforming planning laws to require all new developments to have sufficient connectivity.”

“Improving digital connectivity in London will help to increase innovation, productivity and growth across our economy and will help us to continue building a build a better London for everyone.”

The post How London aims to improve its 5G, rated the worst in Europe appeared first on TechInformed.

As with any live event, being there in person and experiencing the atmosphere is unlike anything else, but many large older venues face challenges enhancing the fan experience digitally due to a lack of mobile connectivity.

Anfield is one of football’s oldest and most historic venues, home to the iconic Liverpool FC since its formation in 1892. One of English football’s most successful clubs, Liverpool are also one of the most widely supported sports teams in the world.

The Reds will play Brentford FC in their first home game of the new Premier League season, and the game will mark a turning point for connectivity in Anfield, after the club partnered with Extreme Networks to address poor mobile signal.

“Similar to other venues, Liverpool FC was challenged by the need to engage with their fans,” says Markus Nispel, CTO EMEA at Extreme Networks.

“Liverpool has an estimated 700 million to 1 billion fans they can connect with through their digital platforms. However, the challenge arises when fans come to the stadium.”

A lack of connectivity not only hampers fans’ ability to share their experiences and engage with digital apps, but it also limits Liverpool’s ability to monitor fan activities and cater to their demands – something Extreme Networks has previously addressed in the US with the NFL, Major League Baseball, NASCAR, and the National Hockey League, and has now expanded its efforts to Europe and Asia.

“Liverpool wanted to be at the forefront. They had an existing Wi-Fi environment that only covered the concourse – the area behind stands – while the wider environment wasn’t connected,” explains Nispel.

Although the deployment of Wi-Fi within Anfield began in 2022, initial efforts were prolonged due to a delayed expansion of the Anfield Road stand, that led the construction firm involved – Buckingham Group – to go bankrupt in August 2023.

Drew Crisp, SVP of digital at Liverpool FC, adds: “Anfield is an enduring symbol in UK football history and has stood for 139 years, hosting countless historical moments and legendary matches. With Extreme Wi-Fi, we’ve brought the stadium into the digital age, seamlessly blending our rich history with modern innovation.”

Extreme Networks also provides connectivity for one of Liverpool’s great rivals, Manchester United, and like the logistics of fitting 1,200 network components in Anfield was as challenging it was in Man United’s famous Old Trafford home.

Currently, Anfield seats 61,000 fans, and Extreme Networks expects around 50-70% of them to connect to its Wi-Fi during games.

Not only are these seats now connected, but Extreme Networks’ Wi-Fi also extends to concession stands, video surveillance, and mobile ticketing areas outside of the ground. This means ticket gates can be extended to allow a streamlined flow of fans and facilitate commercial activities outside the stadium.

During matches, fans can connect with friends, use loyalty apps, and watch the game on their phones if they happen to be away from the pitch.

Alongside this, Extreme Networks’ analytics and cloud solutions provide valuable insights to the IT, marketing, and stadium operations teams.

“The marketing team can observe fan behaviour, websites visited, and potentially strike marketing partnerships with that data,” explains Nispel.

Net gains

Stadium operations can also benefit from crowd analytics, helping to optimise the placement of facilities to manage crowd flow.

This includes identifying popular concession areas, tracking fan foot traffic, and understanding app usage across the stadium. It also involves pinpointing peak moments during games when fans are most digitally engaged and identifying where they most often congregate. With this data, the Club can determine areas in the venue that may need more staff.

In partnership with Verizon Business, Extreme Networks enters a fine-tuning phase post-deployment to optimise app design and network performance based on real-time crowd behaviour.

With this in hand, future augmented and virtual reality use cases could revolutionise the in-stadium experience.

“Fans want a similar experience to watching from home with replays and data, but enjoyed within the stadium,” says Nispel. “AR and VR can enrich the in-stadium experience by providing different camera angles and replays,” something Nispel expects to see in the next three to five years.

Extreme Networks is also researching energy optimisation: “Though Wi-Fi access points already have low energy consumption, more dynamic solutions can be implemented,” says Nispel. “AI can also help optimise energy use specifically in venues not used all the time.”

Drew Crisp, senior vice president of digital at Liverpool FC, adds, “Anfield is an enduring symbol in UK football history and has stood for 139 years, hosting countless historical moments and legendary matches. With Extreme Wi-Fi, we’ve brought the stadium into the digital age, seamlessly blending our rich history with modern innovation.”

The post Liverpool FC scores connectivity upgrade at Anfield appeared first on TechInformed.

We explore the challenges and innovations involved in providing connectivity and communication services for the largest sporting event in the world. High-speed and reliable connectivity is crucial for various services and applications such as push-to-talk for organisers, real-time audio commentary for spectators, and live streaming of events for remote spectators.

“Everything is XXL in terms of size and that’s what makes complexity the challenge of running the Olympics,” Rojat provides insights into how 5G networks, finger cams, and immersive imagery are bringing the games to life like never before and shaping the future of sports events.

Read our recent article here for more details on how Orange is working to bring the Paris Olympics to screens worldwide.

The post Connecting the Paris Olympics, with Bertrand Rojat, Orange appeared first on TechInformed.

Before even entering the stadium, food and beverage vendors close by benefit from private 5G to take smartphone payments – they also use it to monitor stock in real-time.

Blind and visually impaired fans join in the fun with a ‘Touch to See’ tablet. At rugby games, the pitch-shaped tablet is equipped with a magnetic disc that replicates the movement of the ball as it happens – enabled with 5G, edge computing and AI, alongside in-ear commentary.

And, for those lucky enough to be inside Orange’s Terrace (a private box), they can talk to players ‘face to face’ through a full body-length screen called La Vitre, livestreaming to another, La Vitre placed outside the locker rooms.

Even at home, fans of non-TV broadcast events, such as women’s football can still watch via a livestream that is connected to the Wi-Fi and powered remotely. Online, of live streams of these events can change the angle of the camera.

How Orange is kicking off private 5G in France

Event staff in the Orange Velodrome can talk through connected equipment called ‘Team Connect’ which works like a walkie-talkie, except Orange claims the private 5G makes it secure and clearer.

And, photographers who need to share content in real-time, make use of the 5G network to upload their high-quality photos on the sidelines. With this, Orange developed an AI tool that can detect certain objects within the many photos.

For instance, thanks to its collaboration with sportswear brand Puma, an AI tool autodetects any photos of players wearing its shoes so the retailer can upload to its social media accounts.

Orange is also using smart technology to ensure that the velodrome is on track for its sustainability goals.

TI speaks with Orange Business’ Laurent Godicheau, director of strategy, partnerships & sustainable development, and Solene Verdier, partnership success manager, within the company’s 5G Lab, nestled in the venue.

Sustainability goals 

According to Godicheau, Orange Business has an aim to produce 45% less CO2 by 2030, and to be completely net zero by 2040. As part of its net zero plan, Godicheau adds that the firm is taking steps to measure how much energy its current products are consuming.

At the Orange Velodrome, with as many as 67,000 fans entering the stadium one day, and an empty arena the next, the focus has turned to the amount of energy the Wi-Fi consumes.

Since 2016, the venue has had 1,100 Wi-Fi devices, including 1,041 access points (APs), and forty-three switches across seven floors – the challenge, they are always on.

“We have 30 big events per year, we don’t need them every day,” says Verdier.

By installing an appliance on the Wi-Fi devices that were able to capture and monitor real-time power consumption, Orange Business discovered that, whether the venue was at full capacity or completely empty, energy consumption levels stayed the same.

After that, the partnership placed a ‘Smart Power Delivery’ solution, or a switch, on each access point that can be remotely turned on or off – this worked alongside a dashboard that could monitor energy levels as it was controlled.

“Through the connected switches, we could shut down the internet connection for APs, so it doesn’t consume any power,” explains Verdier.

While no one is there, the APs remain off, but during small events, Orange Business can implement the amount of Wi-Fi that’s needed.

“For one year, it has a proven potential to save 52% of Wi-Fi energy consumption,” says Verdier.

She says that this type of technology is interesting for customers such as banks, who can choose to turn off their Wi-Fi during the night, reduce energy consumption, and keep more secure.

Notably, Verdier says Orange Business didn’t need to replace or waste any existing equipment that still worked and instead was able to adapt what was currently there.

“A big part of our footprint as a telco company is driven by hardware,” Godicheau explains.

“A lot of effort is about making sure that you extend the lifetime of the hardware by recycling it, reselling it to another customer if it’s still fit for purpose, and buying refurbished equipment.”

Godicheau explains that Orange Business’s clients are requesting the carbon footprint of a product more frequently.

To this end, Godicheau says that its product developers are applying an ‘eco design methodology’ to every new product it’s making – ensuring that all options are considered to optimise the footprint for products during the design and usage phases.

Orange is also measuring the footprint of existing products, and gauging the amount of CO2 the business is expected to produce as it evolves and changes.

Within the Orange Velodrome, it has also implemented Cisco Webex devices and sensors in its conference rooms. The cameras can detect whether the room is empty and thus turn off the lights and any temperature control.

Booking the rooms online means that the rooms can prepare the temperature in advance, and the firm can monitor energy consumption.

Gen AI monitor 

In terms of using generative AI for use cases such as the autodetection for Puma sneakers – Godicheau assures that there are several measures in the pipeline in terms of optimising its footprint.

According to studies by the International Energy Agency, the rise of generative AI has taken a toll on the environment. For instance, simply training an AI model is estimated to use more power than one hundred households in a year.

“One of the key optimisations Orange Business is making, will be using generative AI only when it’s required, not just for anything,” says Godicheau.

“Then, the models themselves will be optimised and simplified in terms of their intensity,” he explains.

This in turn will hopefully reduce the amount of infrastructure needed, such as data centres, reducing consumption there.

“We do have a specific task force with Orange Business assessing the CO2 impact of generative AI and how we can master it,” he says.

The post Boosting sustainable connectivity and AI at Orange Velodrome appeared first on TechInformed.

The club first announced its preference to build on the Bramley-Moore Dock site in Liverpool in 2017 and confirmed plans to build the new 52,000-seater the following year, with main contractor Laing O’Rourke beginning work in July 2021.

For Everton’s director of technology Phil Davies, a new stadium offered an opportunity to provide fans and staff with the best matchday experience possible by freeing the club from some of the restraints inherent in operating from a century-old building.

“Retro-fitting modern technology on stadiums built hundreds of years ago is a challenge,” he tells TI. “They were built at a certain point in time, so they don’t really have the necessary infrastructure to support modern systems that require an enormous amount of space and power.”

In the modern world of events, connectivity is “no longer just a nice-to-have” he adds.

For Everton, the new venue is not solely about football – though that remains the primary function – with plans to hold other events, such as music gigs, once the stadium is live.

“It is about football. It is about concerts. It is about opening up the stadium for restaurants and premium bar experiences, or for stadium tours and immersive experiences,” explains Davies.

“Moving into a new stadium, the club wants to get people in earlier, to spend more, and to have a completely different matchday experience.”

Everton worked closely with user groups, including carrying out several surveys, to build a modern stadium that could cater for the matchday experience demanded by the modern fan.

According to Davies, connectivity was high on the list. “Fans want to be able to interact socially with the game. You have traditional fans who maybe won’t use their phones during a match, but for younger fans expect that ability to interact and connect while inside the venue.”

Getting key stakeholders on board early was also important. Everton set up a risk committee for the stadium project to look at the risks and challenges not just on matchday, but also during other events, and how these could be overcome.

“We mapped the potential pain points out and then mapped the technology against each of these,” he explains. “What are the expectations of the fans, the players, the media, the stewards and police? We mapped them into different user groups and journeys and built the technology around that.

“We got all the stakeholders in a room and looked at what we wanted to deliver and worked with them to develop strategic pillars, before we went into the design phase. And that is where HPE Aruba forms quite a central piece.”

Link-up play

Last month, Everton announced that enterprise network infrastructure provider HPE Aruba would become the club’s official connectivity supplier, contracted to supply a secure and intelligent networking infrastructure solution across the footprint of the Blues’ new home.

The new network will include switches, access points, Wi-Fi and wired network management and security software, as well as network design, management and monitoring services.

The contract isn’t just limited to the Bramley-Moore Dock site, with HPE also set to work with Everton on its six other locations.

Speaking with TI about the agreement, HPE Aruba Networking CTO UK and Ireland Simon Wilson called the agreement a “great feather in our cap”.

It isn’t the firm’s first stadium gig, having fitted out Tottenham Hotspur’s new stadium with connectivity when it went live in 2019. Aruba also recently announced an agreement to support Barcelona’s new renovated Camp Nou stadium, scheduled for completion in 2026.

Wilson believes that Tottenham’s new stadium is a flagship example of one that has been future proofed, with everything driven through the network.

“What that means is you can innovate in every area of the stadium and encourage fans to spend more time there both before and after the game. They can make a full day of it.”

Retrofitted and older stadiums often take an overhead approach, with antennas located above the fans among the stadium’s rafters. But this, adds Wilson, leads to a lot of reflections, especially when using 2.4GHz Wi-Fi – which only has three channels available.

This leads more fans to connect to the 5GHz band, but this has limited spectrum, meaning not every fan gets a good experience.

“Wi-Fi 6 will help with this,” Wilson explains. “The big advantage of a newly built stadium is you can future proof it. You can plan the technology and how it might develop in future while you’re designing the stadium.”

For this reason – as well as ease of access – Everton and HPE opted to use under seat access points (APs)  instead of the downward facing ones found in other stadiums.

There will be one AP for every 75 seats in the stadium long with several above ensure the connectivity is as reliable and accessible as possible.

“We’ve proven in pretty much every environment that the under-seat model is optimal,” explains Wilson.

“You get a higher density of access points, you get less interference, and it makes implementation and upgrading much easier than having to climb into a gantry. Also, it is more aesthetically pleasing than putting them above your head.”

Key to future proofing the technology – and linking it with Everton’s other sites – is building a cloud-native infrastructure that can be managed remotely.

The solution will be built on HPE’s Greenlake platform, which allows users to deploy and manage resources across private and public clouds while retaining control of their data and over how they consume and manage services, HPE claims.

“This will offer a lot of flexibility for Everton, but it also can help the team identify opportunities for improvement or to fix problems quickly,” says Wilson.

“It comes with built in telemetry which we can then compare with other sites, which can all be managed from Aruba Central,” he adds.

Game on

Everton selected HPE after an open tender process, which saw several major tech firms whittled down to just two frontrunners. This was carried out during Covid, with all the concurring concerns around supply chains.

“We worked out our key goals and put out an RFI [request for information],” explains Everton’s Phil Davies.

So, what does an organisation like Everton put into an RFI of this scale?

“Key was the connectivity element, and security was also a big concern for us,” Davies explains. “Visibility over the network was also really important, and making sure the infrastructure sits in the cloud, so we can see what is happening across all sites at all times, but especially during the matchday window.”

Davies needed to be able to centrally manage the network from Everton’s head office, located in the century-old Royal Liver Building on Liverpool’s historic waterfront.

“It’s not just the stadium – we are spread over 10 sites. We need to centralise our network because we run a small team but we need to be able to see what is happening across the entire network.”

Besides the new stadium, and traditional home Goodison Park, Davies and his team looks after networking in other sites including the club’s Finch Farm training ground, the Liver Building HQ, several community campuses across Merseyside, and even a school the club runs, located next to Goodison.

Sustainability was also a key consideration. On matchday, Everton will see over 50,000 data points flock to the new stadium, as well as managing activities going on at the other sites.

With music gigs,  this number could be higher. Yet for the other six days in a week, there will be less people in the ground, meaning the network needs to be scalable and flexible, and power sensitive for those times where it is less busy.

“We were really impressed with HPE and their approach to scalability, as it is really hands on. The company  invited us to see the technology in similar arenas and they will act much more like a partner.”

The Everton Stadium is due to open for the 2025-26 Premier League season and will be one of the UK’s host venues during the UEFA Euro 2028 championships.

For Davies, establishing the network and testing it before the season’s end—when Everton will host several trial events with fans—is a pressing yet thrilling deadline. His team will be handed the stadium in December, and then the implementation begins.

“We are on schedule – in fact, maybe a little bit ahead,” he smiles. “We are transitioning from the old network to the new cloud-based one across all of our sites, and we are already working on the operational plans for kick-off.”

With the new stadium will come an updated Everton app which aims to boost the experience of fans attending games. It is part of a wider digital overhaul at the club.

“It is important we get the experience right from day one,” he concludes. “It is a once-in-a-lifetime thing. With everything we are putting in place, we think fans will be surprised, but they will also really enjoy the experience.

“You want your home stadium to be a fortress and I’ve been into the new ground a lot, and at pitch level, it is quite intimidating – that is nice. If we can bring that experience for the fans, then from an atmosphere perspective, it will really meet expectations.”

The post Everton FC’s tech director reports on team’s new “future proof fortress” appeared first on TechInformed.

The Connect network, designed and maintained by Thales for 20 years, provides the radio, transmission, and operational CCTV communications tech for TfL staff to use on the underground.

Connect is hosted by a multi-service network (MSN), initially provided by incumbent Ericsson.

During a press round table in central London, where Chatham House Rules applied, spokespeople from TfL, Nokia, and Thales discussed what the contract meant for the future of the London Underground’s operations.

Apart from ensuring passenger safety, one of the most significant uses of the MSN, according to TfL, is talk groups between railway station staff to ensure that passengers with accessibility needs have the support they need.

According to TfL, while the current system operates at 99.9% availability, legacy systems can gradually become unreliable, potentially disrupting services and leading to passenger journey delays.

One of the challenges of the new system, according to Thales, is maintaining this reliability across 272 stations and rolling out the new system on a complex 150-year-old brownfield site.

The renewal was commissioned to ensure that the MSN continues to operate at peak performance and to accommodate extra bandwidth to host future applications.

TfL said that new applications it may add in the future include predictive maintenance, telemetry, and real-time monitoring of station assets.

Nokia’s mission-critical internet protocol/multi-protocol label switching routing system provides the backbone, offering what it claims is “secure, reliable, and scalable connectivity”.

Nokia added that the telco provider would also support the mission-critical system in the long term.

Thales’ Ground Transport Systems (GTS), the division which runs Connect, mentioned that it has already carried out a critical radio upgrade of the Connect system, replacing 295 radio base stations.

Thales added that the project’s next stage will focus on the fibre network, connecting the remaining elements.

Like the previous system, the new MSN will support the emergency services network Airwave, which Thales also co-runs.

Vertical thinking: Nokia’s plans to transform enterprises with 5G

Driverless trains on the underground?

After the round table, Andy Bell, the vice president of Thales Transport UK, spoke exclusively to TechInformed.

He mentioned that one of the biggest challenges for GTS during this project was to ensure that, with partners Nokia and TfL, they came up with a solution that was “future-proof” during the concept design phase without knowing precisely what the future might hold.

Asked whether the contractors were urged to consider driverless trains as part of this future concept — which would require onboard CCTV cameras that present their own connectivity challenges) — a TfL spokesperson said that while this wasn’t part of the contract’s scope, they considered it important to have “enough bandwidth for a network to scale in the future.”

Bell stated that the network accommodated all operational possibilities when asked if Thales was encouraged to consider driverless cabs from a safety perspective as part of the future concept. He used the example of the Docklands Light Railway (DLR), which Thales began working on over thirty years ago.

“For [driverless trains], the network doesn’t really change. That’s more to do with the signalling. If you look at the driverless DLR trains in operation across London, they still have a guard on the train to make sure everything is running.

“So, you need reliable comms between the control centre and whoever is on the train — no matter where the operator is situated on the train. It does not change the need for a reliable high-integrity comms system,” he said.

AI and predicitive analytics

According to Bell, using AI and analytics to improve the CCTV offering has the potential to provide a great opportunity for passengers in the future.

“Whether that’s information about crowding on platforms, crowds from football matches, or misplaced luggage — there are so many applications where technology could help,” he said.

Bell added that the big challenge in this instance was processing the data and trying to turn it into useful information.

“How do you take all that data, all the CCTV images that are going on, and use AI or data analytics to, for instance, spot whether there’s an incident happening in Baker Street or overcrowding in Liverpool Street?

“How do we get tech to automate this and feedback in real-time? Right now, it’s very reliant on the human eye, and then the operator making decisions on what to do or how to react.

“Using technology to help in this process is a real opportunity. The network has more capacity as the tech gets smarter; it can automate some of this decision-making process.”

Bell added that Thales is investigating heavily in AI.

“We do a lot of data analytics, looking at patterns and learning from trends. We’re trying to apply it to things like: ‘What does an overcrowded platform look like? What do certain behaviours look like? — to spot issues before they occur. It’s an evolving field of investigation.”

The post Thales & Nokia to upgrade London Underground’s multi-service network appeared first on TechInformed.

The annual event, which takes place at the Fira Gran Via in Barcelona, had always been a distant buzz of activity beyond my daily routine when I lived there. But now, it was the stage for my deep dive into the world of telecoms and technology.

My colleagues had one piece of advice: “Wear comfortable shoes.” They weren’t kidding. The Fira was an expansive tech jungle — but rather than trees and tigers, I was surrounded by VR headsets and robot dogs.

Walking from one side of the Fira to the other was a feat unto itself, although somewhat sweetened by the Android Partner Walk, a fun little game that involved collecting different Android pins from 16 stands scattered across the 8 halls — collecting all 32 won you a prize, apparently.

Connectivity: beyond wifi and private 5G

The buzz around wifi and private 5G at MWC24 was impossible to ignore — unless you were walking past SK Telecoms’ giant flying “urban drone.” Yet a deeper narrative rustled under the surface for anyone willing to hear.

“Connectivity is not just about faster speeds or broader coverage. It’s about making those advancements accessible and meaningful,” said Panch Chandrasekaran, head and director of the 5G Carrier Infrastructure Segment at ARM.

This sentiment was echoed, albeit with a hint of caution, by Udo Schneider, Trend Micro’s GRS lead and security evangelist. He added, “While we chase the future, let’s not forget the security lessons of the past.”

The dialogue around connectivity wasn’t just a tech debate; it was a reflection on how we ground innovation, making sure it’s secure, sustainable, and, above all, serves a purpose.

Chandrasekaran’s words indicated a shift towards integrated solutions, where the amalgamation of CPUs, GPUs, and accelerators promises to redefine our approach to connectivity and data processing.

Sustainability: the clean energy transition

As tech enthusiasts and leaders, we’re often so focused on the digital that we forget the physical world around us.

Barcelona’s water shortage, a silent plea for conservation echoed throughout the venue (and on the MWC24 mobile app), served as a stark reminder of our environmental responsibilities.

“We’re not just integrating technology; we’re integrating sustainability into our core,” Simay Akar from AK Energy Consulting passionately stated.

A passionate advocate for clean energy and senior member of the IEEE, Akar emphasised the critical role of technology in achieving sustainable development goals.

Our conversation spanned the gamut from solar energy technologies to the electrification of transportation, painting a picture of a future where green cities and smart infrastructure harmonise with the environment.

The conversations at MWC24 weren’t just about the next big thing in tech but also about ensuring that this ‘big thing’ contributes positively to our planet — or so help us all!

Inclusivity: AI as a catalyst for change

At a conference centred around connectivity, it was uplifting to see a genuine interest in connecting everyone. The potential of AI to foster inclusivity emerged as a compelling theme.

“AI for inclusivity isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s a must-have,” Yo-en Chin, a creative technologist from Deloitte Digital, told me.

Our conversation revealed how AI could be leveraged to enhance experiences for neurodiverse individuals in the workplace and beyond.

The sentiment carried through in many of the people I spoke to, including Sarit Assaf. The general manager at Amdocs spoke of how AI could be the great leveller, giving everyone access to data that was previously reserved for a privileged few, opening doors for marginalised groups.

Collaboration: the key to unlocking potential

Ensuring inclusivity across the board ensures one thing: collaboration. The importance of collaboration in driving technological advancement is unmistakable.

One message reiterated over and over was that the future is built on the foundation of cooperative effort.

This was particularly evident in discussions around the deployment of IoT and critical infrastructure, where the collective endeavour of governments, corporations, and innovators is paving the way for secure, efficient, and accessible technology solutions.

One of the most thought-provoking sessions was “The European Dilemma: Digital Situations, Aspirations, and Rising Challenges.”

The CEOs of Orange, Deutsche Telekom, Telefonica, and Vodafone didn’t just share a stage; they shared a call to arms for the industry.

The consensus was that Europe is at a crossroads, and collaboration, innovation, and a reimagined regulatory landscape are the keys to unlocking its digital potential.

“When we work together, we do pretty cool stuff,” one remarked, capturing the spirit of MWC24.

Grounding our gaze

I guess the biggest takeaway from my first encounter with the MWC beast is that technology isn’t just about devices; connectivity isn’t just about radio waves.

From the discussions on connectivity and security to the urgent calls for sustainability and inclusivity, the conference was a testament to the power of collaboration.

The future of tech is not just about innovation; it’s about making that innovation meaningful, accessible, and, above all, responsible.

And although I didn’t complete the Android bingo, I do now have a lovely collection of pins that I’m sure I’ll find some use for before 6G rolls out.

For more great stories and event roundups like this, click here! And watch Ricki’s roundup video below.

The post Sustainability, inclusivity and collaboration: my time at MWC24 appeared first on TechInformed.