On March 9th, the European Commission unveiled its vision "for a successful digital transformation of Europe by 2030". A series of objectives to be met in less than ten years, such as the availability of all key public services on the web or the increase in skills of individuals.

5G is one of these objectives. Mobile broadband is gradually arriving on the Old Continent and Brussels wants this new technology to be available in all populated areas by 2030.

According to the European Commission, 14% of populated areas will be covered by 5G by 2021. A figure that may seem high given the very recent nature of this standard. But the wording chosen by the European executive excludes uninhabited areas, which in fact evacuates large parts of the continent from the calculation. Nine years would therefore be enough to fill the remaining 86%.

But countries are free to go faster if they wish. In France, the entire network could be in 5G by 2030. This is in any case the perspective that the former president of Arcep, Sebastien Soriano, has drawn in 2019. A first step will have to be taken in 2025, with two thirds of the population covered.

The timetable for 5G contains several appointments, depending on the imperatives of territorial planning (coverage of major transport routes and more rural areas) and the circumstances of current events (like the Summer Olympics Games in 2024). In addition, the regulator will provide additional licenses to operators to operate additional frequencies.

 Read the article

Source : Numerama

The government has just announced a "digital and environmental roadmap" to reduce the carbon footprint of digital technology in France. With several measures, this document is the result of collaboration between the offices of Cédric O, Secretary of State for Digital Technology, and Barbara Pompili, Minister for the Ecological Transition. An aid fund with a budget of 300 million euros is also planned.

Among these measures, telecoms operators will have to encourage customers to bring back their unused mobiles. The goal is to inject them into the reconditioning circuit or direct them to the recycling circuit.

If turning to easily repairable devices (thanks to the repairability index in place since January 1, 2021) or reconditioned devices (from players such as Back Mark, ReCommerce or PRS Solution) is better but not ideal either. Cédric O indicates: "We have entrusted Arcep with a mission to look into the model of smartphones subsidized by telecom operators. This may be a gas pedal for the renewal of telephones and therefore problematic for the environment. We want to delve deeper into this subject and objectify the impact of these commercial practices before taking any decisions on the subject".

The French Secretary of State for Digital Technology is notably thinking about pushing "the leasing of smartphones from operators, as is done in other countries".

For his part, the telecoms gendarme has been asked to create an "environmental barometer of digital players". This will be based on data collected from players such as data center managers, smartphone manufacturers and telecom operators.

The Arcep will also have to take into account the environmental aspect when allocating 5G frequencies. As a result, the allocation criteria could include the energy consumption of the relay antennas, as well as the coverage of the territory.

Not forgetting the giants of the Net, especially popular video platforms such as Neflix. Barbara Pompili explains: "What is the point of broadcasting very high quality video on smartphone screens just a few centimeters wide? We need to avoid aberrant practices such as automatic video playback, for example, which lead to unnecessary energy consumption".

The government will also have to set an example by turning to refurbishment and supporting the industry. "The government must set an example. We would like to see 20% of public orders for telephones or computer equipment to be for reconditioned devices," says Barbara Pompili.

 Read the article

Source : Univers Freebox

The President of the Republic announced a plan to support the French cybersecurity sector. These computer attacks affect all countries in all sectors, with attacks sometimes with cybercriminal aims and sometimes with a desire to destabilize another State.

On this subject, Emmanuel Macron recalls the progress already implemented by Anssi since 2017, and details the government's additional efforts in this area.

The objectives of the plan announced by the government are to strengthen the cyber security sector and support the digital transition of the players, companies and local authorities affected by this upsurge in attacks.

A four-part plan. The first part will be devoted to funding research and development of a "cutting-edge" technology offering in the security sector, to the tune of 500 million euros. Public funds will finance 290 million, while the rest will come from private players.

The second part of the plan represents 148 million euros and concerns the "strengthening of links in the sector". State investment will amount to 74 million euros.

The third component aims to "support demand", with a plan of 176 million euros. 136 million will be allocated to Anssi through the recovery plan and the rest will be aimed at supporting the training effort.

The final component, valued at 200 million euros, will concern direct investments by the State in cybersecurity companies. Here too, the State is counting on public/private partnerships to support the emergence of new players.

 Read the article

Source : ZDNet

During the Covid19 crisis, digital technology demonstrated its full potential by enabling us to continue some of our daily activities but also to provide better patient care.

However, companies in the sector are no less impacted by the crisis: 1 in 2 company managers are faced with requests for price renegotiations from their customers.

Questioned in the Syntec Numérique barometer, 80% of company directors anticipate an average drop in their forecast turnover of almost 20% over the second quarter of 2020. This estimate can be explained by the decrease in order intake forecasts from April to June 2020, which concerns 96% of respondents.

In an open letter also signed by TECH IN France, France Fintech and the Alliance Industrie du Futur, Syntec Numérique calls for massive investment by public authorities in the technologies and industry of the future (industrial internet, AI, 5G, robotisation...).

With the aim of accelerating the digitisation of the State and local authorities, these major technological projects are part of public procurement. The digital transformation of companies, and more particularly in industry, will require a massive effort to support productive investment. But also to place greater emphasis on education and training in these new methods and technologies.

A plan to better digitalise health, public services, administrations, schools and businesses while providing technical solutions to societal and environmental challenges.

The survey conducted by Syntec Numérique was sent online from 20 May to 1 June 2020 with 166 respondents. A panel of respondents including all professions and all sizes of companies. The distribution of the sample corresponds to the orders of magnitude of the digital sector represented by the union.

 Read the article

Source : Datacenter Magazine

A new contract between the Region, the 4 Auvergne departments and Orange, signed 10 months ago, provides for broadband coverage of the entire Auvergne region by the end of 2020. Everything suggests that this objective will be achieved, as will the goal of making 91% of the Auvergne population eligible for fibre by the end of 2022.

In order to finance the equipment of rural areas, the Auvergne Region and the 4 departments had created a Public Initiative Network (RIP). Last year, Laurent Wauquiez renegotiated phase 3 of the RIP, getting the national operator to do "better (800 communes instead of 400), faster (2022 instead of 2025) and for less (137 million saved)".

A monitoring committee was then set up to ensure that Orange respects its commitment. It met for the second time on 7 February. Jérôme Barré, Head of Wholesale Markets at Orange, declared bluntly: "In 2019, we have hit the grand slam".

In figures: 50% more sockets connected in 2019 than in 2018, 166,000 customers already connectable, 48,000 customers connected, i.e. a penetration rate of 28%.

Since July 2019, connected households have been able to choose another operator, Free. Jérôme Barré also announced that the entire offer (with SFR and Bouygues) will be available in 2021. And this will be a first for an RIP.

On the business side, Orange is committed to "putting fibre everywhere". An offer at 250 € is proposed to them, whereas the previous tariffs were prohibitive, Laurent Wauquiez recalled.

 Read the article

Source : La Montagne

Supports a digital transformation of organizations via the migration of their Information System towards connected services, developing with them customised solutions and providing resources on demand in the IT, IoT and Telecom sector. Agora Calycé is an alternative to the large groups by providing a better level of proximity service.

Agora Calycé is present at the LyonIX 2D rack.

ASN : AS47833

Learn more

Find more details here: Agora Calycé