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Ericsson Ireland loses Vodafone contract to Nokia | European Commission to invest over EUR2bn in research for SMEs
Ericsson Ireland has lost out on a contract to supply telecommunications equipment for Vodafone's roll-out of 3G services in Ireland. Rival company Nokia was awarded the contract earlier this week. Ericsson has reportedly described the failure to win the contract as a "serious setback" for the Irish operation.
It has been announced that the European Commission is to invest over EUR2 billion in research projects for SMEs. The forthcoming 6th EU Research Framework Programme (FP6) is targeting SME-related research and innovation by allocating EUR2.2 billion, the largest budget ever earmarked for this type of initiative. Of this, EUR1.7 billion will go to SMEs developing innovative products and processes in areas such as biotechnology, information technology, nanotechnologies and materials, aeronautics, energy and transport, food and food processing safety.
Microsoft has announced that 15 roles in its Irish-based .NET team are to be relocated to the company's headquarters in Seattle. The decision follows a global review of the software giant's .NET team structure. Microsoft said it would undertake a six-week period of consultation with employees affected by the decision and explore the possibility of the workers taking on alternative roles in the company.
In other news of Microsoft, the company this week unveiled a new licensing plan for small businesses, offering three-year licences, with payment spread over the course of the contract. The company said its "Multi-Year Open Licence" is available for companies that wish to buy Microsoft product licences for at least five PCs. The licence includes software upgrades over the three-year duration of the contract.
Dublin-based e-business services company Clearscape has said that difficult economic conditions have not deterred Irish companies from adopting e-business. During August and September, Clearscape signed-up 10 clients for new projects including Electrolux Ireland, Farrell Grant Sparks and Minmet. The projects included initiatives involving e-commerce, corporate Intranets and content management solutions using Clearscape's Control One software.
Irish company Eontec, a provider of Enterprise Java Banking software, has been listed as one of "Ten Tech Companies to Watch" by Bank Technology News, a US publication in the banking sector. Eontec was applauded in the article for the successful deployment of its branch renewal software and multi-channel banking solutions in large banks such as the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC). Other companies tipped in the article include Metavante, PeopleSoft and SAS Institute.
Esat BT has welcomed the publication of a survey by the Chambers of Commerce of Ireland's Business Digital Council, which revealed that nearly two-thirds of Irish businesses would use the Internet more if flat-rate Internet access (FRIACO) was available. Esat BT's chief executive, Bill Murphy, said the telecom has received similar feedback. Murphy also said Esat BT would press ahead with its plans to introduce unlimited flat-rate Net access in Ireland in the first quarter of 2003. Read the details of the CCI survey as reported by ElectricNews.net on Tuesday.
The Dublin Business School (DBS) plans to use text messages to communicate with its 4,000 students this year. Using software developed by Phorest Communications, a provider of SMS applications, DBS will be able to inform students about reading lists, lecture times and other developments at the college. DBS spokesperson Clodagh Heeney said, "Text messaging will really allow us to achieve a twofold objective: we will be able to have instant contact with the student body and also keep the cost of such communication to a minimum."
Thus, a UK telecoms and Internet provider, has accused Nominet, the UK registry for Internet domain names, of violating the privacy rights of some businesses, according to a report in the Financial Times. Nominet had announced that it intends to publish the names and contact addresses of all domain name registrants that were not classified as "individuals", in an attempt to expand its business directory. Thus is claiming that the move is illegal, and Ian Hood, director of regulation at Thus, said the company plans to make a complaint on behalf of its Internet service customers.
Pace Micro Technology has unveiled what it claims is the UK's first digital terrestrial personal video recorder (PVR). The "Twin Digital TV Recorder", which is expected to be available in retail outlets for STG349 before Christmas, will let users record free-to-air terrestrial digital TV on the unit's hard disk. The system also includes twin digital tuners and an information page that contains news, TV schedules and interactive services.
The Liberty Alliance Project, which is looking to build technology to facilitate single-sign-on Internet authentication, plans to support interoperability between its system and Microsoft's rival Passport system, said Paul Madsen of Liberty Alliance member Entrust, according to InfoWorld. Madsen acknowledged, however, that Microsoft may not be interested in allowing Passport users to log in to Web sites supporting the rival technology.
After a wave of criticism both domestically and abroad, the Greek government has issued a clarification of a new law that bans electronic games. The government said that police should restrict arrests to gambling-related offences. Earlier this year the government banned all electronic games, leading to a handful of arrests, but video game players and cyber cafe owners said the law's scope was excessive and would put many firms out of business.
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