NOTE – Intellect is helping MOD engage industry with the DCNS programme. The following is a direct extract of the most recent Blog from Cdre Jamie Hay RN who is the DCNS Programme Director (more…)
Telecoms
DCNS Announcement
Wednesday, 16 May, 2012
Intellect talk to BBC Technology Correspondant Rory Cellan-Jones ahead of FES2012
Monday, 14 May, 2012With just 5 weeks to go until our annual entertainment summit, I talked to summit chair Rory Cellan-Jones to discover what he’s looking forward to most at this year’s event and what he thinks the biggest trends will be over the next 12 months. (more…)
A ‘second screen’ opportunity to engage your audience
Thursday, 3 May, 2012Whether it’s a tablet, laptop, or smart phone the rise in use of second screens as companion devices around the TV cannot be denied. The second screen phenomenon represents a true shift in consumer behaviour and allows advertisers and programme makers to truly engage with their audiences for the first time.
No broadcast TV isn’t dead, and no the internet is not the solution to all our entertainment needs. However, the marriage of the two platforms when utilized across devices is actually a rather powerful trend, and one which is starting to impact traditional business models by opening up new avenues to engage with the consumer.
Breaking News: DCNS seeks a Strategic Partner
Wednesday, 29 February, 2012An advert was placed today (29 February) in the OJEU and the MOD Contracts Bulletin seeking expressions of interest for a Strategic Partner to support the delivery of the DCNS Programme. This is the MOD’s ICT Services Acquisition Change Programme that aims to deliver the next generation of contracts for ICT services for the MOD. (more…)
Everything Everywhere… but not quite yet
Friday, 24 February, 2012Days before the Mobile World Congress (MWC) begins in Barcelona, Everything Everywhere has announced an urban 4G/LTE trial and significant network upgrade. (more…)
DCNS Update: Blog#1 from Cdre Jamie Hay RN – DCNS Programme Director
Thursday, 23 February, 2012Intellect is helping MOD engage industy with the DCNS programme. The following is a direct extract of the most recent Blog from Cdre Jamie Hay RN who is the DCNS Programme Director:
Welcome to my first blog as the DCNS Programme Director. I am delighted to have the opportunity to lead the DCNS Programme – there can surely be few other programmes in Defence that will impact every single member of the Armed Forces and MOD Civil Service!
How we all work, now and in the future, depends on the successful delivery of the changes and future ICT services that we are charged to deliver.
My predecessor has very successfully set the scene on how we are going to meet the challenge to reduce costs, provide more integrated services to users and be more agile to meet the unpredictable needs of the future while making the most of the very rapid development and innovations in the ICT sector. My theme now is that we move at pace to implement our new model for ICT services acquisition. Our priority must be to ensure that we have our new commercial arrangements in place for transition of our current ‘Big 5′ to meet their current contract end dates. It is also important that all our DCNS Programme workstreams continue to move together at the pace needed so we achieve this transition in such a way that we move rapidly on the journey to becoming an agile Services Delivery organisation. There is much to play for, particularly in working with other public and private sector organisations which have embarked on a similar journey and in working closely with the other change programmes in the Defence Transformation Portfolio so that we stay in step with them and seize the opportunities that will arise along the way. It will be an exciting ride and we are in this together as ‘one team’!
On the theme of ‘pace’, top of my in-tray this month is to address the questions arising from the Business Case submissions taken by the Investment Approvals Committee in late December. We are working closely with COM Joint Enablers and CDM on this. On the theme of ‘one team’ a number of events will be taking place to further develop how the ISS Programmes team works, both internally and externally, so that we use everyone’s expertise, experience and energy to deliver as quickly, effectively and efficiently as we can as we move to the ‘cutting metal’ stage.
Payments systems in the future: Understand the challenges first, then catalyse demand
Thursday, 23 February, 2012Understanding what the obstacles and drivers are to the uptake of technology-enabled payments systems is increasingly important to tailoring these solutions so that they solve specific social and economic challenges – and are not merely the application of technology for technology’s sake. You solve a problem of sufficient magnitude and you increase demand for that solution. This discussion was the central theme of last year’s inaugural Payments Council/Intellect ‘Driving Change in Payments Conference’, which saw over 180 representatives from banks, technology innovators, mobile operators, consumers, retailers, charities, the public sector and others meet in Central London in a conference that was the first of its kind. Now, as we start the lead up to the second conference on the 03 May 2012, interest from attendees has already started to mount – in part because these challenges remain present but, one year down the line, we are starting to see the development of payments solutions that are focused on solving a specific problem or challenge.
Barclays have, in recent years, been regarded by many as one of the most innovative of the retail banks when it comes to pushing through what it sees as demand-led innovative payment services. Think contactless cards which Barclays were the first to roll out in March 2009. However that is now three years ago – a lifetime in the evolution of payments technology. Whilst other organisations such as RBS, Lloyds, and HSBC have now also rolled out contactless cards, one could argue that efforts might now be better spent exploring how to move away from plastic, and how to embrace what many could argue to be its natural successor, the smartphone. (more…)
UK Cyber Security Strategy 2.0
Tuesday, 29 November, 2011The much anticipated new version of the Cyber Security Strategy is finally out. But is it any good? Well, generally its reception has been good and, from an Intellect point of view, we support it.
In particular, Intellect was very pleased to see some recommendations from our November 2010 paper Improving Cyber Security Partnerships reflected in the strategy. For example, our recommendations about HMG sharing cyber threat information with the private sector, the adoption of a widely recognisable kitemark, the rationalisation of UK standards applicable to cyber security products and solutions, and greater transparency of public funded research on cyber security have been incorporated into the HMG’s 2011 Cyber Security Strategy. It is also encouraging that our input into this strategy has also been incorporated into the document.
So what does it say?
First of all, the strategy recognises that the Internet is vital to the UK’s economy. Internet businesses comprise 6% of GDP and are slated to create 365,000 jobs over the next five years. Moreover, HMG’s ‘digital by default’ agenda and its move to migrate services to the cloud will mean that the UK will become more and more dependent on cyber space for our public services.
These growth figures are mimicked internationally. For example, e-commerce sees US$8 trillion change hands annually and current estimates suggest that for every 10% increase in broadband access, global GDP will rise, on average, by 1.3%.
As a result, ensuring that the UK is a safe place to do business is critical to the economic wellbeing of the UK.
The strategy also rightly makes the point that cyber security cannot be achieved by placing responsibility solely in the hands of HMG. However, the view from HMG is companies need to ensure their IPR is protected adequately and need to ensure cyber is recognised at a board level. It’s also been suggested by Government that company audit committees should routinely review this risk.
Some companies are already very good at protecting themselves from the cyber threat. Unsurprisingly, these tend to be the Defence Primes or Internet Technology Companies. This means, other companies – both in the UK and worldwide – need to take action to protect themselves and recognise cyber as a real risk to their business. Achieving cyber security does not require massive investment in new technology. It’s largely accepted that 80% of cyber risks can be addressed by applying good practice within companies, which would include keeping anti-malware applications up to date, ensuring operating system and third party application updates are installed quickly and educating staff correctly.
One of the most important recommendations in the new strategy is the call for greater co-operation between HMG and the private sector with regard to cyber security. Organisations such as GCHQ will now need to work in partnership with commercial organisations. This recommendation is being implemented through the development of a hub and node solution to share information and best practice between the public and private sectors. Intellect and its members fully support this activity. In fact, Intellect – along with ADS – has been working with 25 of its members for the last six months to develop a virtual node that will enable companies in the advanced technology industry to share cyber threat information with each other. We hope that, over time, this node will be integrated into HMG’s Hub initiative.
Intellect also praises the strategy’s recognition that cyber presents a host of opportunities to UK business. Therefore, UKTI will be committed to working with trade associations to ‘to turn the threat into opportunity and make strong cyber security a positive for all UK businesses’.
So how will this affect your business?
Intellect suspects that the impact of the Cyber Security Strategy will be that ‘cyber’ will become part of normal business risk assessment. There will be more pressure from clients (particularly public sector clients), shareholders, and auditors to demonstrate how your business is mitigating cyber threats.
These greater expectations will be complemented by the general public, commercial entities, and public sector customers having better knowledge and an easier time in mitigating the cyber threat. This is because ‘kite-marked’ products, cyber-specific standards, and best or good practice guides will be developed and widely distributed.
To support this Intellect will be issuing its good practice guide aimed at SMEs in early to mid 2012 and will continue to work in partnership with ADS to deliver the advanced technology industry node (Virtual Task Force) next year.
The manufacturing renaissance in the UK ought to be ‘high tech’
Tuesday, 22 November, 2011With Chinese wages rising at about 17% per year and the value of the Yuan continuing to increase, the gap between Western countries and Chinese wages is narrowing rapidly. Some analysts overseas expect net labour costs for manufacturing in China and the US to converge by around 2015. After adjustments are made to account for American workers’ relatively higher productivity, wage rates in Chinese cities such as Shanghai and Tianjin are expected to be about only 30% cheaper than rates in low-cost US states. And since wage rates account for 20-30% of a product’s total cost, manufacturing in China will be only 10-15% cheaper than in the US – even before inventory and shipping costs are considered. After those costs are factored in, the total cost advantage will drop to single digits or be erased entirely. (more…)
4G/LTE, the quick and the dead…!
Friday, 18 November, 2011Following Intellect’s successful 4G Mobile Broadband conference, I would like to thank our speakers and panellists for their enlightening and provoking presentations and insights during the panel discussions.
Our day was kicked off by John Higgins who introduced John Woodget of Intel, followed by H Nwana of Ofcom and Frank Mather of the European Commission.
John Woodget spoke about the service provider sector - particularly the need for the industry to regain leadership. Intel believes this can be facilitated by a number of measures including; swift release of spectrum, development of longer term strategies, regaining international influence and the promotion of UK industry. (more…)