| Date: |
Title (Click to view): |
Abstract: |
| 01 May 2006 |
What makes IPTV such a big deal? |
Cheaper high-speed network access is just one of the likely benefits from the move towards IPTV |
| 30 March 2006 |
Will Ofcom allow BT prices to leap |
Ofcom is relying on its continuing control over wholesale pricing and the
effect of market forces to keep the telco giant in check |
| 03 March 2006 |
How to pick a mobile email system |
Focus on compatibility first then compare features and costs before pushing
the purchase button |
| 07 February 2006 |
Wireless overcomes speed restrictions |
Fibre and DSL are the leading technologies for fast connections, but wireless
will have a growing role |
| 12 January 2006 |
DSL cuts the cost of broadband |
Should a lack of service guarantees stop firms from swapping leased lines for cheap, fast DSL? |
| 03 October 2005 |
Being inclusive is good business |
Communications tools that can be used by disabled people reflect well on
firms that deploy them |
| 05 September 2005 |
Conferencing gets a new look |
Video conferencing could take off at home and at work thanks to new standards for IP systems |
| 21 July 2005 |
High fibre tax blocks BT rivals |
High-bandwidth fibre links to the home are stymied by business rates penalising wired connections |
| 27 June 2005 |
Standards promote healthy growth |
Technology standards can increase productivity, but do they stymie innovation? |
| 30 May 2005 |
802.11n supercharges Wi-Fi |
The forthcoming 802.11n standard will greatly increase the throughput and range of Wi-Fi equipment |
| 02 May 2005 |
Europe's broadband power struggle |
Access to broadband services through power lines may be dead in the water, due to DSL advances |
| 04 April 2005 |
Approach VoIP with caution |
Voice over IP services for teleworkers seem like a good idea in theory, but there are somre drawbacks |
| 31 March 2005 |
Approach VoIP with caution |
VoIP services for teleworkers seem like a good idea, but do have drawbacks |
| 07 February 2005 |
The future of mobile phones |
The amount of circuitry needed for mobile phones is getting smaller all the time, but the age of the wristwatch-sized personal communicator is still some way off, says Bill Pechey |
| 10 January 2005 |
Location, location, location |
Improvements to Global Positioning System technology will soon allow GPS to work with handhelds indoors and will result in new types of services, writes Bill Pechey |
| 22 November 2004 |
How to beam up more bandwidth |
Mobile working is hampered by low data rates, but a new antenna design could help, writes Bill Pechey |
| 25 October 2004 |
Voice messages arrive via SMS |
A lot of startup companies showed off their wares at this year's Symbian Expo, including the impressive SpinVox system for converting voice messages to text, writes Bill Pechey |
| 23 September 2004 |
Broadband crosses power lines |
Broadband over the electricity grid could cause problems with certain radio frequencies, and might not deliver the higher speeds users will soon come to expect, says Bill Pechey |
| 30 August 2004 |
WLANS suffer growing pains |
The rapid spread of wireless networks across the country is increasing the chances of interference reducing performance. Bill Pechey explains how problems can be minimised |
| 06 July 2004 |
Group effort may cut mobile costs |
A newly formed body aims to establish common programming interfaces for mobiles, writes Bill Pechey |
| 03 June 2004 |
BT's Bluephone has your number |
Will there come a day when fixed line and mobile networks converge? Asks Bill Pechey |
| 13 May 2004 |
Mobile future is fast and wireless |
A number of alternative wireless access technologies will eventually help to supplement 3G networks and provide roaming users with a true mobile data experience, says Bill Pechey |
| 13 April 2004 |
Broadband adds to village life |
The experience of his own village has convinced Bill Pechey that broadband-enabled teleworking can inject new commercial vitality into even the remotest rural communities |
| 15 March 2004 |
Nokia answers business call |
With support for Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and GPRS, Nokia's latest smartphone is a significant improvement, and is likely to prove popular among business users, writes Bill Pechey |
| 16 February 2004 |
BT must share broadband spoils |
If taxpayers' money has to be used to help fund the expansion of broadband services across the UK, then it should be available to all carriers, not just BT, writes Bill Pechey |
| 19 January 2004 |
Better telecoms for the deaf |
Changes in the way UK telecommunications are regulated and pioneering services from the US may lead to improved telephone systems for deaf people, writes Bill Pechey |
| 01 December 2003 |
The future's fast and wireless |
By the time BT achieves 100 percent broadband coverage using ADSL, many users will be looking to wireless technology to provide even faster data access rates, says Bill Pechey |
| 03 November 2003 |
Broadband beyond the law |
Regional Aggregation Bodies may help to get high-speed internet services to rural areas, but the law may need to be changed if local businesses are to benefit, says Bill Pechey |
| 06 October 2003 |
Mobile carriers to harness hotspots |
New technologies and standards will soon make it easy for wireless LAN hotspots to be integrated with high-speed cellular services to support seamless roaming, says Bill Pechey |
| 08 September 2003 |
Free filters keep spam in check |
Victims of spam should not despair, as a growing range of effective open-source filtering software is available to help userts keep their inboxes free of junk, writes Bill Pechey |
| 28 July 2003 |
Rural Broadband on its way |
Many rural areas are still not served by BT ADSL, but high-speed access may spread sooner than expected thanks to local initiatives, says Bill Pechey |
| 30 June 2003 |
Is 3G rolling at last? |
Increasing competition and new price tariffs for 3G phone services are welcome if they lead to greater uptake and better deals for corporate customers, says Bill Pechey |
| 30 June 2003 |
Bluetooth links get simpler |
An improved version of the Bluetooth wireless connectivity standard is coming, but interoperability remains a concern, says Bill Pechey |
| 02 Jun 2003 |
Can MBWA compete with 3G? |
The IEEE's proposed standard for mobile broadband wireless access is designed to offer high-speed IP data services. But will it find a place in corporate systems, asks Bill Pechey |
| 27 May 2003 |
Gateway leads to VoIP |
New VoIP gateway could suit firms linking up branch operations by Bill Pechey |
| 05 May 2003 |
Taking Bluetooth for granted |
Having survived early glitches and a post-hype backlash, Bluetooth technology will soon be so ubiquitous that no one will bother to mention it any more, predicts Bill Pechey |
| 07 April 2003 |
Codec frees video telephony |
A new royalty-free video codec looks set to deliver reliable broadcast-quality video communications to relatively low-spec PCs and mobile phones, writes Bill Pechey |
| 10 March 2003 |
Weighing up wireless options |
The emergence of three wireless networking standards means IT managers now face a confusing array of options when buying WLAN kit. Bill Pechey offers some guidance |
| 10 February 2003 |
Voice over IP starts making sense |
Recent developments in voice over IP technology and the rise of telecommuting make this a good time for firms to reconsider the case for VoIP systems, says Bill Pechey |
| 13 January 2003 |
Price is right for BT Midband |
BT's fast Midband data links should attract teleworkers and branch offices, but broadband in the UK would be more advanced if it had arrived five years ago, writes Bill Pechey |
| 25 November 2002 |
Interference threatens broadband |
European Commission-led moves to limit interference to radio services could outlaw many DSL systems and set back broadband development by several years, warns Bill Pechey |
| 28 October 2002 |
Nokia explores the 3G frontier |
The dual-mode, MMS-enabled Nokia 6650 videophone is being aimed at consumers, but it could also serve as a useful testbed for mobile business applications, says Bill Pechey |
| 30 September 2002 |
Wireless broadband advances |
New developments in wireless technology and the government's approval of commercial 2.4GHz services will soon give people more broadband options, writes Bill Pechey |
| 16 September 2002 |
Deaf users challenge telecoms |
When the telecoms industry has made progress in meeting its obligation to offer services for those with hearing difficulties, glitches in the system still remain, writes Bill Pechey |
| 2 September 2002 |
Hope for broadband have-nots |
Firms and homeworkers in areas that BT has deemed unsuitable for commercial broadband services may soon have access to high-speed links via other carriers, writes Bill Pechey |
| 29 July 2002 |
Developers push mobile mail |
GPRS services can already provide a useful means to deliver email to mobile users. With the addition of suitable encryption, other applications will be sure to follow, says Bill Pechey |
| 15 July 2002 |
Picture the benefits of MMS |
Now that all the UK's mobile carriers are committed to the Multimedia Messaging Service, businesses should start to investigate ways to exploit the standard, writes Bill Pechey |
| 01 July 2002 |
Bluetooth gets down to business |
The buzz from the latest Bluetooth Congress and Exhibition suggests the wireless technology will soon be adopted. Wireless Connectivity Report by Bill Pechey |
| 01 July 2002 |
Villagers lobby for broadband |
Despite growing clamour for rural broadband services and some imaginative approaches from local communities, the operators are continuing to drag their feet, says Bill Pechey |
| 17 June 2002 |
Wireless standards speed up |
New standards for broadband wireless access may cut the costs of building forthcoming 3G networks and in some cases may provide better alternatives to landlines, says Bill Pechey |
| 10 June 2002 |
Bluetooth in the ascendant |
Report on the Bluetooth SIG meeting in Amsterdam from Bill Pechey |
| 03 June 2002 |
Rosy picture develops for 3G |
Standards are progressing for third generation mobile services, and a number of potentially very popular applications are emerging. Bill Pechey predicts big opportunities for business. |
| 20 May 2002 |
The case for rural ADSL |
BT argues that many rural areas will not provide enough customers to make the rollout of ADSL services worthwhile. But has the telecoms giant got its sums right, asks Bill Pechey |
| 06 May 2002 |
Bluetooth on the brink of a boom |
Technical issues and high prices have delayed the progress of Bluetooth wireless connectivity. But recent developments in smartphones mean it will soon be ubiquitous, says Bill Pechey |
| 22 April 2002 |
Phones smarten up for business |
Two new smartphones show that the Symbian operating system will have an important role in supporting a wide variety of business and consumer applications, says Bill Pechey |
| 25 March 2002 |
Will unbundling ever work? |
The unbundling of BT's local loop has made such slow progress that only a few carriers remain committed to it. Can they succeed and offer firms more choice, asks Bill Pechey |
| 25 February 2002 |
DSL traffic shows upstream flow |
Swedish network operator Telia has discovered that data traffic ratios in its DSL lines are changing. The trend suggests broadband provision needs a rethink, says Bill Pechey |
| 28 January 2002 |
The Bluetooth car is the star |
With up to 70 percent of mobile calls being made in vehicles, Bill Pechey welcomes the extra safety and ease of use that Bluetooth car kits bring to cellphone communications |
| 17 December 2001 |
Does SMS need a home? |
Standards to allow SMS to be used from fixed line phones are being developed, but will there be any demand for this type of service, wonders Bill Pechey |
| 19 November 2001 |
Mesh on right frequency |
BT's entry into the mesh radio fray may lead to cheaper broadband vonnections and wider coverage, if residential trials prove successful |
| 22 October 2001 |
Another fine mesh provider |
The emergence of a second UK provider of mesh wireless services shows the technology is advancing, and better broadband services could soon follow, says Bill Pechey |
| 24 September 2001 |
Bluetooth stays in the pink |
The Bluetooth connectivity standard will not lose out to 802.11B wireless LANs, because the two standards are complementary and will co-exist |
| 3 September 2001 |
Can VoIP be mainstream? |
The success of VoIP in international telephony should encourage firms to take another look at the merits of combined voice and data services, argues Bill Pechey |
| 6 August 2001 |
Weaving a wireless mesh |
Wireless local loops could be costly and controversial to build. But a mesh of co-operating sites could shift the balance, creating a real rival for DSL, says Bill Pechey |
| 23 July 2001 |
Will DECT muddy the waters? |
Bill Pechey looks at recent advances in the Digital European Cordless Telecommunications standard and wonders what the effect will be on wireless markets |
| 9 July 2001 |
WLANs go free with DIY |
Wireless LAN and Bluetooth technology is being used to build neighbourhood networks in the US with free access. Bill Pechey asks if the UK is likely to follow suit |
| 25 June 2001 |
Bluetooth and beyond |
Backers of Bluetooth are now tackling tasks that were not on the agenda when the system was devised. A host of new problems must now be solved, says Bill Pechey
|
| 25 June 2001 |
Monte Carlo Congress shows that Bluetooth is far from bust
|
Products based on Bluetooth technology have taken a long time to appear, but the standard is now gathering momentum, both for connecting peripherals and for networking, as Bill Pechey reports |
| 11 June 2001 |
Time for GPRS to look beyond WAP |
GPRS wireless services require new applications that will expand their functionality, believes Bill Pechey |
| 28 May 2001 |
Firms get the SMS message |
The popularity of the Short Message Service has created a rapidly growing array of third-party services, which will benefit mobile staff and managers, says Bill Pechey |
| 14 May 2001 |
Getting the message across |
The 3G version of SMS will handle voice, images and video as well as text. But limited network coverage and storage issues may delay its uptake, says Bill Pechey |
| 23 April 2001 |
Everything over IP |
Carriers have found that it makes commercial sense to put voice on packet-switched IP networks. And the same should be true for corporates, says Bill Pechey |
| 2 April 2001 |
Mobiles come together |
Mobile data devices are converging on two platforms. This is good news for users, who will not have to start from scratch with each new device, says Bill Pechey |
| 19 March 2001 |
Can phones pass the test of time? |
Bill Pechey considers what mobile phone manufacturers can learn from enduring products of the past |
| 5 March 2001 |
Bluetooth brushes up |
Products are arriving to support Bluetooth wireless links between devices, and they could quickly change the shape of corporate networks, argues Bill Pechey |
| 19 February 2001 |
Time for the full picture |
Increased bandwidth and the falling costs of mobile network connections mean the videophone might at long last become a genuine success, says Bill Pechey |
| 5 February 2001 |
VDSL faces interference |
Broadband VDSL might support video and fast network and Internet connections for consumers and businesses. But the technology is not yet proven, says Bill Pechey |
| 22 January 2001 |
Roaming on the cheap |
Following an appeal from readers for more advice on how to save money when using mobile phones abroad, Bill Pechey returns to the subject of roaming charges |
| 8 January 2001 |
Time to cut roaming costs |
A European Commission report says that firms may be paying too much for mobile calls across borders. But Bill Pechey says companies can take steps to cut costs |
| 11 December 2000 |
Communication for all |
By designing telecoms services for staff and customers with hearing impairments, firms can gain more business and make sure they stay within the law says Bill Pechey |
| 27 November 2000 |
ITU raises modem standards |
Standards now being hammered out at the International Telecommunication Union will have a big effect on how we communicate over the next decade, says Bill Pechey |
| 13 November 2000 |
Mobile and dangerous |
Intelligent phones are coming, accompanied by the possibility of security breaches. Defences can be built in but, as Bill Pechey says, no network is ever fireproof |
| 30 October 2000 |
Patents in the dock |
There are some worrying trends in the use of patents, argues Bill Pechey. But tampering with a law that has survived 500 years requires some very careful thinking |
| 16 October 2000 |
Data is ripe for squeezing |
A new data compression standard from the ITU could cut costs and speed up many applications, so it will not be long before almost everyone is using it, says Bill Pechey |
2 October 2000
|
Gearing up for GPRS |
Despite its teething problems, General Packet Radio Service is very fast and will make a huge difference to smaller firms with remote users, says Bill Pechey |
