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Articles for Category Tag - Science

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Microsoft Backed Researchers Significantly Improve Hollow Core Fibre Cables

1st September, 2025 (6 Comments)

A team of Microsoft backed and largely UK based researches, which were originally part of Lumenisity – a spinoff from the Optoelectronics Research Centre (ORC) at the University of Southampton, appear to have succeeded in reducing attenuation and other signal degradation phenomena in next gen hollow core fibre (HCF) broadband cables – boosting speeds by 45%.

AI 6G Researchers from Ulster University Image

Ulster University Uses AI to Develop Faster MIMO Tech for 6G Mobile

26th August, 2025 (0 Comments)

Researchers working out of Ulster University in Northern Ireland (UK) have harnessed AI (Artificial Intelligence) in order to develop a new type of Massive Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (ma-MIMO) technology. The team say this could be used to make future 6G (IMT-2030) based mobile broadband networks “faster, smarter, and far more energy-efficient“.

Results of the UK’s Largest Mobile Network Survey for the River Severn Region

21st August, 2025 (5 Comments)

Network analyst firm Streetwave has today published its results from the UK’s “largest mobile coverage survey“, which used bin lorries to test the 4G/5G (mobile broadband) network coverage and speed of each mobile operator across the River Severn Partnership Advanced Wireless Innovation Region (RSPAWIR) – reflecting 33 councils in Wales and England’s West Midlands.

Network map of United Kingdom. Country digital connections map. Technology, internet, network, telecommunication concept. Vector illustration.

UKRI Gives £13m to 11 UK Projects to Develop Future 6G and Fibre Technologies

18th August, 2025 (3 Comments)

The UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) agency, which is the national funding agency for investing public money into science and research projects, recently announced that 11 telecoms and networking projects had each secured a slice of £13m to help commercialise their work on advanced connectivity technologies (e.g. 6G [mobile broadband], fibre optics and more).

Openreach Trial Use of UK Broadband Network to Detect Gas and Water Leaks

13th August, 2025 (4 Comments)

Network access provider Openreach (BT) has joined with a number of major new partners, including Arcadis, Thames Water, Cadent, Affinity Water and Lightsonic, to trial a couple of different approaches for detecting mains water and gas leaks, which cleverly works by harnessing the operator’s existing fibre optic broadband network.

WhoFi – Researchers Find Way to Identify and Track People via WiFi Signals

23rd July, 2025 (2 Comments)

Over the years we’ve seen various different uses for wireless WiFi signals being developed, such as the ability to see through walls (here) or to act as a motion sensing alarm system (here). Now a team of Italian researchers have figured out how to identify individual people by the biometric identifier they give off when walking through Wi-Fi signals.

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UKHSA Publish New Study Assessing Exposures to 5G Mobile Radio Waves

11th July, 2025 (0 Comments)

The issue of mobile broadband networks and human health just cropped up again after the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) published the outcome from its “extensive programme of research” to assess exposures from 5G Base Stations. The study found exposure to radio waves from 5G remain “well below the guidelines” and is “generally lower or similar” to 4G EMF exposure.

Virgin Media O2 UV Sensing Smartphone Case

O2 UK Launch Smartphone Skin Case to Visualise Sun’s Harmful UV Rays UPDATE

7th July, 2025 (8 Comments)

Customers of mobile network operator O2 (Virgin Media) might like to know that they’ve today launched a “first-of-its-kind phone case“, which has been designed to “visually indicate the sun’s harmful UV rays and remind holidaymakers to stay safe“. The case reflects a collaborated with Researcher and Creative Technologist, Marc Teyssier.

Vodafone UK Tests Photonic Processor to Boost Mobile Network Signals

26th June, 2025 (2 Comments)

Mobile operator Vodafone is working with the Photonics and Radiofrequency Research Lab at the University of Málaga (Spain) to develop a new computer chip design, which can help to direct a wireless mobile signal straight to a user’s smartphone using microwave photonics (i.e. optical beamforming to process, steer, and precisely focus mobile traffic).

Wessex Internet Founder James Gibson Scoops King’s Birthday Honours

14th June, 2025 (0 Comments)

The annual King’s Birthday Honours (2025) have just been published, which includes a couple of people from the United Kingdom’s telecommunications sector, such as the founder of alternative rural broadband ISP Wessex Internet, James Gibson Fleming, who scooped an MBE for services to community, charity and businesses in Dorset.

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Vodafone UK Harness Quantum Tech to Help Build and Upgrade Networks

10th June, 2025 (5 Comments)

Mobile operator Vodafone has today announced that they’ve agreed a new partnership with UK-based quantum company, ORCA computing. The deal will see the network provider harnessing quantum technology to help them quickly map out the fastest and cheapest route when building and upgrading future mobile and fixed broadband networks.

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World Record as 1.02 Petabits Per Second Sent Over 1808km of Optical Fibre

29th May, 2025 (3 Comments)

A Japanese team has today set a new world record for long-distance high-capacity transmission in optical fibre communications, which saw them achieve a data speed of 1.02Pbps (Petabits per second) over a distance of 1,808 km using a 19-core optical fibre cable with a standard 0.125mm cladding diameter.

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Broadband Forum Start Interoperability Testing of 50G-PON and 25GS-PON Kit

7th May, 2025 (4 Comments)

The Broadband Forum has begun interoperability testing for the next generation of 50Gbps and 25Gbps (Gigabits per second) capable fibre optic broadband technologies, 50G-PON and 25GS-PON. Participating companies included Adtran, Broadcom, Calix, CIG, Cortina Access, Gemtek, Lambda Networks, MT2, Nokia, Sagemcom, and Vantiva.

Bundle of optical fibers with lights in the ends lay on keyboard.

Universities Demo UK’s First Long-Distance Quantum-Secured Fibre Network

10th April, 2025 (12 Comments)

Researchers from the Universities of Bristol and Cambridge claim to have demonstrated the UK’s “first long-distance ultra-secure transfer of data over a quantum communications network” using “standard [single-mode] fibre optic infrastructure“. The test successfully transmitted a live quantum-secured video call over a distance of 410km (between Bristol and Cambridge).

Vodafone Rain Detector via Mobile Network

Vodafone Update on Harnessing UK Mobile Network to Measure Rain

10th April, 2025 (2 Comments)

Broadband ISP and mobile operator Vodafone has revealed more details about how they’re harnessing their UK mobile network to provide more accurate rain “nowcasting” (i.e. short-term forecast of rainfall – from a few minutes to a few hours ahead). This is supported by the River Severn Partnership’s Advanced Wireless Innovation Region (RSPAWIR) and Wireless DNA.

Government Invests £23m into Cutting Edge UK Telecoms R&D

10th March, 2025 (11 Comments)

The UK Government’s Science and Technology Secretary, Peter Kyle, has today outlined a raft of new investments, reforms and appointments aimed at “supercharging innovation and helping to grow the economy“, which among other things includes an investment of £23m into “cutting edge telecoms research and deployment“.

Digital Catapult is One of the First Sites to join UK 6G Research Platform

12th February, 2025 (5 Comments)

The self-proclaimed “deep tech innovation organisation“, Digital Catapult, has today become one of the first sites to connect to the University of Bristol (UB) led JOINER project (Joint Open Infrastructure for Networks Research), which is working to research and help accelerate the commercial deployment of future 6G based mobile broadband technologies across the UK.