Pseudo geek, adviser, commentator and climber into dark, wet holes in the ground. If you like tweets they're mine - if not they're someone else's.
Is this you? As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.
Claim your profile
Articles by Al Blake
“Rapid technology responses to disruption need to become the norm”, say ANZ public sector executives
Never let a good crisis go to waste ANZ public sector leaders have adjusted to more change in the last 18 months than at any time outside of war. COVID enabled long-stalled technology initiatives in many organisations. Anything related to remote working and organisational resilience got the green light with administrative processes significantly shortened and a ‘get it done’ approach opening many doors.
Connected TV World Summit 2017: TV's biggest changes will begin behind the scenes - Ovum
Revolution: A dramatic and wide-reaching change in conditions, attitudes, or operation. This term is overused – and abused – by many in the technology industry. But when it comes to how TV and video service providers are changing how they run their platforms, it’s strikingly apt. Last month, I had the privilege of chairing the Future of TV Operations track of this year’s Connected TV World Summit.
Avoiding robotic responses across citizen contact channels - Ovum
Recent events in the airline industry have highlighted the risk of putting operational processes before customers. While governments do not have customers in the traditional sense, poor delivery of public services and lack of information can have an equally negative effect. Traditional contact services, such as 311 services in the US, are evolving and becoming more complex with the rise of digital channels.
White paper: The Customer-Adaptive Enterprise - Ovum
The technology landscape over the course of this century has impacted customer behaviors and customer expectations. The 20th century industrial age of predictability and demand outstripping supply is well and truly over. Smartphones and social networks have created a febrile environment where opinion and influence go global at the speed of light. Twenty-first century behemoths like Amazon, Alibaba, eBay, Facebook, Google, and Weibo have changed consumer expectations.
Ofcom hopes duct and pole reforms will spur greater full-fiber deployment - Ovum
On Dec. 6, 2016, UK regulator Ofcom published initial plans to improve the process operators follow for building ultrafast broadband networks using BT’s ducts and poles. Duct and pole access (DPA) was first introduced in the UK in 2010, though take-up has been limited. Ofcom’s reforms are aimed at ensuring that the regulator’s vision of large-scale competing ultrafast broadband networks is achieved. The new plans are under consultation until Jan.
Digital Testing and Multi-Speed IT in the Asia-Pacific Region - Ovum
Today’s enterprises are having to come to grips with the fact we are in the midst of a major technology revolution—specifically a digital revolution—with digital now dominating every sector of the economy. In this fast-paced digital economy, eco-systems and enterprises do not conveniently operate at just two speeds.
Cherwell strengthens enterprise service management proposition with Advanced Marketplace acquisition - Ovum
Cherwell Software has announced the acquisition of Advanced Marketplace (AMP), an ITSM implementation service provider that specializes in supporting organizations embracing service management practices and technology. The acquisition will help Cherwell strengthen its mApp ecosystem, broadening the value proposition of the popular service management platform beyond just the IT department. Enterprise service management (ESM) is a topic of great focus and much conversation.
ESBs are doing well as SOA declines as a heavyweight approach - Ovum
Enterprise service buses (ESBs) continue to be the backbone of integration infrastructure of many large enterprises. The upcoming Ovum report, 2017 Trends to Watch: API-led and Cloud-based Integration, elaborates on the gradual demise of service-oriented architecture (SOA) as a heavyweight “big bang” solution architectural approach and examines why ESBs continue to enjoy a successful independent existence as a robust piece of middleware.
Webe plots to disrupt Malaysia's mobile telecoms market with unlimited data plan - Ovum
A new disrupter has shown up in Malaysia’s mobile telecoms scene – Webe. The mobile arm of Telekom Malaysia, Webe is counting on its aggressively priced postpaid plan with unlimited data, voice, and text to capture 4–5% market share in a couple of years in a market with four strong MNOs. A new disrupter has shown up in Malaysia’s mobile telecoms scene – Webe. Webe, the mobile arm of Telekom Malaysia, in September 2016 launched an LTE service in the capital, Kuala Lumpur, and other big cities.
Enterprise mobility: A vital piece of the digital transformation puzzle - Ovum
Digital transformation is, undoubtedly, a hot topic and an area of significant interest to organizations across the globe. It’s important to remember that digital transformation means different things to different organizations and encompasses many different themes and considerations. There are, however, common areas that are imperative to any digital transformation effort, and mobility is certainly one of them.
Infinera announces a meshponder to address the need for 200G and 400G - Ovum
The next-generation PIC in Infinera’s meshponder provides 2.4x the capacity of its previous PIC, 200G, and a roadmap to 400G. The new meshponder can be connected to different meshponders with different slices (channels) directed to the appropriate meshponders. The slicing capability is enabled by the new Flexgrid ROADM. Infinera’s solution can slice “elephant flows” of traffic for data centers and “mouse flows” for carriers and everything in between in 100G increments.
Digital tools still need to work with analog brains - Ovum
Digital productivity tools are useful in enabling users to create, share, and distribute their work efficiently. However, there are significant educational benefits to some old-fashioned analog skills that are critical to the way we think.
Four short-term challenges for broadcasters - Ovum
The outlook for broadcasters over the next five years is difficult to predict, but in Ovum’s opinion, they have four key challenges to face in the short term.
Digital tools still need to work with analog brains - Ovum
There is no doubt that digital productivity tools, delivered via laptops, mobile phones, and tablets, are useful in enabling users to create, share, and distribute their work efficiently. However, research suggests that there are significant educational benefits to some old-fashioned analog skill sets that can be critical to the way we think and solve problems.
Infinera announces a meshponder to address the need for 200G and 400G - Ovum
On November 17, 2016, Infinera announced the Infinite Capacity Engine, a meshponder for 200Gbps+ that utilizes Infinera's fourth-generation Photonic Integrated Circuit (PIC). Infinera has been lagging the market with its 200G+ solution and point solutions in regional networks, so this will allow it to compete more effectively by offering higher capacity and purpose-built point solutions for high traffic scenarios.
$2.1 trillion in communications capex up for grabs in next five years - Ovum
Ovum’s new capex forecast projects that communications provider (CP) capex will exceed $2.1 trillion over the next five years (2017–21). Well over $800bn of this capex will reach vendors. Spending their technology budgets wisely, though, will continue to challenge CPs as revenue growth rates slow. Total revenues for the three types of communications providers (CPs) we track will grow from $2,851bn in 2015 to $3,427bn in 2021.
Microsoft Teams – a workspace for those who "don't do email" - Ovum
Microsoft has thrown down the gauntlet to Slack and other chat-based workspace providers with the announcement of a new Office 365 product family member. Called Microsoft Teams, the web-based product and mobile companion app presents a new experience for users of the popular cloud-based communication, collaboration, and productivity platform.
2017 ICT Enterprise Insights: Government investment priorities - Ovum
Ovum’s latest ICT Enterprise Insights (ICTEI) survey once again provides a timely snapshot into the thinking of government CIOs across the globe. This year’s survey highlights how government CIOs are focusing on allocating spend to improving employees’ access to a wider range of mobile applications. At the same time, investment is flowing into customer relationship management and analytic tools.
With tighter regulations and increasingly savvy consumers, cybersecurity transitions from an IT to a business-wide profitability concern - Ovum
Major players across a variety of consumer-facing industries have been targets of cybersecurity attacks in recent years (e.g., Anthem, Sony, Target, Home Depot). Therefore, the security of consumer data is rapidly becoming an issue that companies have to prioritize not only in their cybersecurity/IT infrastructure agenda but also within their public relation endeavors.
To drive adoption of SDN, OIF demonstrates Transport Application Programming Interface (TAPI) - Ovum
The goal of networking standards groups is to establish multivendor/multicarrier standards that interoperate. To achieve that goal, the OIF (Optical Internetworking Forum) is conducting a global interoperability demo to test software-defined networking (SDN) Transport Application Programming Interfaces (TAPI) among 5 global carriers and 11 system and software vendors.
2017 Trends to Watch: Security - Ovum
2017 is the year next-generation security providers need to step up to the plate In 2017 the IT security market will continue to evolve to meet a new and ever-changing range of cybersecurity threats. In this context, IT security will increasingly be referred to generically as cybersecurity.
Ripple moves to new phase as Larsen steps down as CEO - Ovum
Chris Larsen is stepping down as chief executive of distributed ledger pioneer Ripple at a watershed moment in the development of the company he cofounded in 2012. The past year saw some good milestones being passed in terms of paying customers signing up and collaborative ventures established, but the company now has to keep up the momentum is has built while making the transition from start-up to grown-up.
Standards, regulation, and accountability are required to avoid IoT Armageddon - Ovum
Potential security concerns regarding the deployment of an ever-increasing number of Internet of Things (IoT) devices are well documented.
CenturyLink acquiring Level 3 to create stronger US player and larger global challenger - Ovum
CenturyLink just announced its agreement to acquire Level 3 Communications for $34bn, a move that will create a larger fiber-rich national carrier in the US and a larger global challenger for its enterprise business and customers. Both companies have a strong US presence and footprint, but they will combine their global assets to create a stronger global enterprise provider.
Acquisition of Level 3 by CenturyLink creates North American wholesale giant - Ovum
On October 31, CenturyLink announced it would spend $34bn to acquire Level 3 Communications. In January, Ovum predicted that “increased M&A activity will impact the wholesale market in a variety of ways.” Provided the transaction secures the necessary approvals, it will create a third giant in the North American wholesale market and a significant player in the global wholesale market.
Following M&A boosts, organic expansion remains the key engine of telco TV growth - Ovum
Telcos will account for more than a quarter of global pay-TV subscriptions by 2021, with market shares exceeding 50% in Latin America and Western Europe. After the recent wave of pay-TV acquisitions by telecoms operators, Ovum expects the bulk of telco TV subscriber growth to be driven by organic IPTV expansion over the coming years.
Graphcore goes public with venture to launch Intelligent Processing Unit AI accelerator - Ovum
Graphcore, a Bristol, UK-based start-up, went live today, announcing a successful and oversubscribed series A venture funding round of more than $30m, a record in the UK. The names now backing the new venture have stellar backgrounds, with key funders linked to high-technology firms, such as Bosch and Samsung, and VC firms with a history in successful ventures (Apple and Google to name two).
Engagement and efficiency are the key drivers of IoT adoption - Ovum
Ovum’s ICT Enterprise Insights 2016/17 report shows a clear desire to use emerging Internet of Things (IoT) technologies to improve customer experience and engagement, as well as to drive greater operational efficiencies within IoT technology adopters’ own organizations. Vendors would do well to play up their capabilities in these areas to increase adoption.
MapR scores $50m funding on top of strong sales growth
As venture firms double down on their investments, MapR has just scored a $50m fifth round of funding, from largely the same backers as previous rounds. The company has stated that the financing, which comes on top of year-over-year results showing strong customer retention and net growth, should clear the path for a 2017 IPO.
Ovum Opens San Francisco Office
SAN FRANCISCO – June 1st, 2016 – To support its growing customer base, Ovum has further expanded its global footprint by opening a new office in the Bay Area. The timing coincides with a period of accelerated investment and integration of its telecommunications, media and technology capabilities.
Indonesia "levels up" telecoms regulatory environment to include OTT providers
The Indonesian Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) has issued draft regulation for the provision of content over the Internet by over-the-top (OTT) providers. This would require OTT providers to operate as permanent establishments and to register their activities with the Indonesian telecommunications regulatory authority, BRTI. The providers would also be subject to various other competition, advertising, and taxation laws.
Ovum says E-government is so passé - welcome to digital government
Ovum says E-government is so passé – welcome to digital government Most governments have already picked the low-hanging fruit of single-function ‘fix my pothole’ applications, and will need to stretch higher to deliver integrated, citizen-focused services, according to global analyst firm Ovum.
Show More
loading
Actions
Is this you?
As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.Get in touch with Al
Contact Al, search articles and posts on X, monitor coverage, and track replies from one place.
Learn more about Muck Rack