Vodafone and Intel announce their M2M solution development collaboration at Mobile World Congress 2011, just days after Deutsche-Telekom and France Telecom-Orange announce an M2M agreement of their own. 

The companies will combine Intel's processor platforms with Vodafone's network and connectivity services-- targetting vertical applications such as smart grid, building automation, connected appliances and connected vehicles. 

The 2 firms' first aim will be production of low-powered Intel Atom processors and SDKs for M2M system development, embedding Read more...

To facilitate the roll out and take up of fast and ultra-fast broadband in the EU, the European Commission creates a 3-prong package

• a Commission Recommendation on regulated access to Next Generation Access (NGA) networks that provides regulatory certainty to telecom operators (trying to encourage investment yet safeguard competition)
• a proposal for a Decision to establish a Radio Spectrum Policy Programme to ensure sufficient spectrum is made available by 2013 for wireless broadband
• and a Broadband Communication that calls Read more...

Gartner forecasts W.W. IT spending to reach $3.6T in 2011-- a 5.1% increase over 2010. This prediction is better than Gartner's earlier forecast of 3.5%-- but the company says it's not a certain forecast, thanks to current macroeconomic uncertainty. 

Last year's global IT spending reaches $3.4T (5.4% over 2009). 

The slow economic growth in key economies like W. Europe hampers the speed of recovery, even if the analysts remain cautiously optimistic on "continued healthy spending" on technology. 

The forecast says the Read more...

Canalys bases their reseller recommendations for 2011 on strong market rebound, increasing impact of globalisation and shift back to private sector leadership.

Recommendations include setting of optimistic budgets, definition of one's role in next-gen data centres and increase in staff training. Run-rate infrastructure sales are expected to disappoint, but device growth is to be strong, says Canalys.

Canalys CEO Steve Brazier urges resellers to specialize into sectors promising sustainable value, like disaster recovery, data center Read more...