Fintech PR
Canada’s First 5G Wireless Network for Open Innovation is Open For Business
Canada’s first pre-commercial 5G wireless testbed is up and running, creating the backbone of Canada’s digital economy and drawing interest from small- and medium-sized companies (SME) to develop and test new products and services. Yesterday Vic Fedeli, Ontario’s Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, and Pierre Fitzgibbon, Quebec’s Minister of Economy and Innovation, received a progress update on the Evolution of Networked Services through a Corridor in Quebec and Ontario for Research and Innovation known as ENCQOR 5G.
ENCQOR 5G includes the first pre-commercial fifth-generation wireless network for open innovation in Canada housed at five hub locations in Ontario (Ottawa, Toronto, Kitchener-Waterloo) and Quebec (Montreal and Quebec City). The update hails the start of business collaboration in key areas such as transportation including connected and autonomous vehicles, remote healthcare, virtual/augmented reality, smart cities, fintech, industry 4.0, energy, cybersecurity and the Internet of Things (IoT).
“Technology is changing the way we live, work and do business — building our digital infrastructure is key to supporting an innovation economy and the next generation of jobs for Ontarians,” said Minister Fedeli. “Through this partnership, we are leveraging Ontario’s strengths in information and communications technologies and paving the way for future innovation and growth across sectors. 5G access shows Ontario is open for business.”
“Thanks to ENCQOR, to date, nearly 150 Quebec companies and organizations are carrying out or planning tests at the Montréal and Québec innovation sites to prepare for receiving 5G technology and to measure its benefits for their products and services,” said Germain Lamonde, Chairman of the Board of Innovation ENCQOR. “These facilities offer high connectivity, high capacity, low latency and all the promises of the 5G revolution. Many entrepreneurs, employees and managers of SMEs are now aware of these new capacities and can lean on them to innovate and become leaders of this revolution. And we are very proud of it.”
ENCQOR 5G brings together SMEs, industry, government, researchers and academia in both Quebec and Ontario to collaborate on the commercialization of disruptive products, processes, and services, providing a first-to-market advantage and to improve the ability of SMEs to scale.
“I am excited at the progress we are seeing through this innovative collaboration positioning Canada as a leader in development of 5G technologies.” said the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development. “From enabling doctors to perform surgeries-at-a-distance and unclogging our congested streets through AI-enhanced city planning, 5G technology will change the way we live, work and engage with one another. To prepare for the future, we must be bold, visionary and decisive.”
Applications are now being accepted in both provinces for entrepreneurs to submit their project proposals to help accelerate the development and adoption of digital technologies.
ENCQOR 5G includes five digital technology leaders (Ericsson, Ciena Canada Inc., Thales Canada Inc., IBM Canada, and CGI) as well as provincial coordinators INNOVATION ENCQOR, Prompt and CEFRIO in Quebec and Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE) in Ontario. The five-year ENCQOR 5G project is made possible in part by funding from the Canadian government and the provincial governments of Quebec and Ontario and is expected to create 4,000 jobs including 1,800 specialized 5G jobs.
QUOTES
Ericsson Canada
“Ericsson is a global leader with 22 publicly announced 5G contracts around the world. 5G mobile networks will provide new critical capabilities such as ultra-high capacity, super-high reliability and low latency, which will allow businesses to develop creative new solutions to unlock use cases that are simply not possible with 4G networks today,” said Graham Osborne, Head of Ericsson Canada. “Ericsson has provided the 5G mobile infrastructure in both Ontario and Quebec for the ENCQOR network. The ENCQOR program will enable early access by enterprises to a pre-commercial 5G infrastructure to develop and demonstrate a new wave of solutions for the economy of the future. Ericsson believes this initiative will enable Ontario and Quebec to develop a leadership position in the 5G market that will drive jobs and economic growth.”
Ciena
“ENCQOR paves the way for organizations to get a realistic view of how 5G will improve the way we communicate and interact,” said Scott McFeely, Senior Vice President, Ciena. “ENCQOR’s 5G wireless testbed platform, equipped with Ciena’s packet-optical technology, gives open access to small- and medium-sized enterprises to develop and test new 5G applications and use cases, which will push us even closer to experiencing the next generation of mobile digital communication.”
Thales Canada Inc.
“ENCQOR reflects Thales’ commitment to ensuring Canada is a leader in the global 5G digital transformation,” said Mark Halinaty, President & CEO, Thales Canada Inc. “Thales builds and develops its digital expertise around four major digital technologies which play a key role in critical decision-making chains: connectivity and mobility, big data, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity. We are proud that our expertise and technology powers key Canadian R&D activities and supports the engagement of SMEs across Ontario and Quebec, enabling rapid access to global business opportunities. Today’s announcement further demonstrates the importance of ENCQOR to the development and commercialization of Canadian 5G technologies which will support all aspects of our society, from safer commutes and smarter cities, to access to new economies.”
IBM Canada
“Our development initiatives in silicon photonics interconnections have been an integral part of IBM’s innovation efforts to respond to our clients’ growing needs in AI and high performance computing, including quantum and big data management,” said Louis Labelle, the Director in Chief of the IBM Canada Bromont plant. “The support we have received thus far through the ENCQOR consortium has been essential in accelerating our efforts to transform industries through the assembly and testing of key components in high bandwidth networks. We look forward to continued success and collaboration with our partners.”
CGI Canada
“ENCQOR hubs in Quebec and Ontario will fuel innovation and collaboration between CGI, academia and small/medium business,” explained Mark Boyajian, President of CGI’s Canada operations. “CGI’s expertise in Smart Grid solutions will support ENCQOR participants as we build a new generation of services and solutions for utilities, municipalities and other industries that exploit the clear benefits of 5G.”
Ontario Centres of Excellence
“Access to cutting edge technology like the ENCQOR pre-commercial 5G wireless testbed is key to the success of SMEs as they test and develop new products in Ontario,” said Claudia Krywiak, Interim President and CEO, OCE. “The ENCQOR 5G platform gives companies in many sectors of the economy a first-to-market advantage that can translate into jobs, national and global growth and an increased ability to scale.”
BluWave-ai (ENCQOR Program Participant)
“5G technologies are key for many of the emerging applications in the digital economy where machines are connected through these high-speed connections. At BluWave-ai, we are leveraging IoT sensors from renewable energy-oriented equipment like solar panels and batteries in electricity utility networks to aggressively displace fossil fuels with real time controls. To do this we need to have distributed AI prediction, optimization and subsequent management of utility networks leveraging high speed communications between the cloud and those IoT sensors,” said Devashish Paul, CEO, BluWave-ai. “Programs such as ENCQOR provide us with real world venues to test these technologies before deploying in complex utility networks and we’re proud to be a partner with OCE on this”.
Mnubo (ENCQOR Program Participant)
“The ENQCOR project is an exceptional opportunity for our SMEs. The Montréal and Québec Innovation Sites provide companies with resources and infrastructure to enable them to experiment with 5G products and services. And soon, practical workshops will aim to help those who do not yet have projects in development or who want to better understand 5G,” said Frédéric Bastien, President and CEO, Mnubo. “ENQCOR will offer them access to software and prototype equipment in order to carry out integration activities that will ultimately improve the competitiveness of Quebec businesses here and abroad.”
SOURCE Ontario Centres of Excellence Inc.
Fintech PR
President Emmerson Mnangagwa met this week with Zambia’s former Vice President and Special Envoy Enoch Kavindele to discuss SADC’s candidate for the AfDB
President Mnangagwa, who is SADC Chairperson, reaffirmed his own country’s and SADC’s enthusiastic support for Zambian candidate Sam Maimbo
LUSAKA, Zambia, Dec. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Special Envoy Kavindele released the following statement following the meeting:
“I am elated to witness the growing success and momentum of Sam Maimbo’s candidacy to become the next President of the African Development Bank. I am filled with gratitude to our friends across both SADC and COMESA for their continued support and good wishes.
Sam has garnered such wide consensus due to his being uniquely qualified to deliver the transformative change and empowerment our continent needs. Sam’s 30 years in development work is defined by driving outcomes, improving processes, and investing in people. The AfDB needs a hands-on leader who is laser focused on delivering results and who is unafraid of making tough decisions in order to best serve our continent. Sam is that leader. Sam has the track record and experience to drastically enhance the pace, scale, and impact of the Bank’s work in service of the people and governments of Africa.
Our region has a proud history of supporting fellow Southern Africans. For example, we all recall Lusaka’s role in hosting the African National Congress’ headquarters during the dark days of Apartheid oppression.
It therefore gives me no pleasure to observe my South African brothers, who have themselves leant on Zambia’s steadfast friendship over many decades, fail to rally behind both SADC and COMESA’s chosen candidate for the AfDB. Africa’s urgent economic development challenges demand transformational leadership at the AfDB, it is all of our responsibility to put forward the best candidate for the job. This is not the time or place for a government to act with narrow self-interest, we all must act in the continent’s and AfDB’s best interest.
I thank Sam Maimbo for his lifelong service to our entire continent, and I am eager to witness his enormous impact as President of the AfDB.”
LONDON, Dec. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Heimdal Security shares a practical holiday cybersecurity checklist, offering expert insights to help businesses safeguard against cyber threats this festive season.
With reduced staffing, remote work setups, and a surge in online shopping creating heightened vulnerabilities, this guide offers actionable tips to enhance business security.
Going beyond basic advice, the checklist also highlights the most common holiday scams and features videos showcasing real-life examples of Christmas-themed cyber scams and effective prevention strategies.
Key Tips to Protect Businesses This Holiday Season:
- Strengthen endpoints: Ensure devices are updated with antivirus and endpoint protection software; consider Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) and application whitelisting.
- Prepare for phishing spikes: Train staff to identify suspicious emails, enforce robust email filters, and establish protocols for reporting unusual activity.
- Secure remote access: Mandate VPN usage, monitor unusual logins, and deactivate inactive accounts temporarily.
- Segment and shield networks: Isolate sensitive areas, deploy DNS security and advanced firewalls, and maintain full visibility over network traffic.
- Apply timely patches: Regularly update all systems and test patches in a controlled environment to minimize disruptions.
- Mitigate supply chain risks: Assess vendors thoroughly and limit their access to essential systems.
- Have a response plan ready: Tailor incident protocols for the holidays, create an on-call rotation for the IT team, and enable rapid action against suspicious activity.
“ Cybercriminals thrive on holiday distractions, but with proactive measures like phishing training, secure endpoints, and network segmentation, businesses can stay ahead of potential threats,” said Alex Panait, System Administrator at Heimdal Security.
Common Holiday Scams That Businesses Should Watch For:
Cybercriminals often tailor their tactics to exploit the festive season. The most common scams include:
- Spear phishing: Emails disguised as holiday bonuses or event invitations that steal credentials or spread malware.
- Malicious holiday E-Cards: Festive greetings that contain links deploying ransomware or spyware.
- Fake E-Commerce sites: Fraudulent websites offering discounts to steal payment information.
- Insider threats: Distracted or disgruntled employees mishandling or exploiting sensitive data.
- Corporate travel scams: Fake booking platforms targeting business travelers.
- Business email compromise (BEC): Fraudulent requests for urgent wire transfers during year-end financial rushes.
For more, read the full article here or watch the video on YouTube to see how these threats unfold and learn actionable prevention strategies.
About Heimdal:
Established in Copenhagen in 2014, Heimdal® empowers CISOs, security teams, and IT administrators to improve their security operations, reduce alert fatigue, and implement proactive measures through a unified command and control platform.
Heimdal’s award-winning cybersecurity solutions span the entire IT estate, addressing challenges from endpoint to network levels, including vulnerability management, privileged access, Zero Trust implementation, and ransomware prevention.
For further press information:
Madalina Popovici
Media Relations Manager
[email protected]
View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/stay-cyber-safe-this-holiday-season-heimdals-checklist-for-business-security-302337465.html
Fintech PR
According to Tickmill survey, 3 in 10 Britons in economic difficulty: Purchasing power down 41% since 2004
The people who have the most problems are women (30%) and are between 35 and 49 years old (39%)
ROME, Dec. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — The purchasing power in the UK has dropped by 41% over the last 20 years. Today, £100,000 left in a bank account since 2004 without being invested would now be worth £59,021.
This figure is one of the findings from a study conducted by Tickmill, an international online trading broker that compared the economic situation in the UK and the European Union through the infographic “Purchasing Power and Cost of Living: UK vs EU”.
The analysis reveals a slight decline of 0.4% in the UK’s purchasing power, which currently stands at £41,573. In contrast, the European Union has seen a modest rise of 0.1%, reaching £40,874.
Why is purchasing power declining in the UK? One key factor is the cost of living. If the UK were still part of the European Union, it would rank as the fifth most expensive country, behind Ireland, Luxembourg, Denmark, and the Netherlands.
Unsurprisingly, 3 in 10 Britons are struggling with the cost of living. Women (3 in 10, compared to 25% of men), those aged between 35 and 49 (4 in 10), households earning less than £15,000 (6 in 10), and single parents (1 in 2) are among the most affected groups.
Among UK nations, Northern Ireland is the hardest hit, with 34% of its population facing financial difficulties, followed by Wales (31%), England (28%), and Scotland (22%). In England, the North East has the highest percentage of people struggling, with 4 in 10 residents affected. Even in London, the high costs impact 1 in 4 adults.
In response to these challenges, Britons are making significant adjustments:
- 53% have cut back or delayed spending on smaller items like eating out, entertainment, subscriptions, clothing, toys, books, etc.;
- 52% have reduced household energy consumption;
- 48% have decreased their grocery spending;
- 41% have scaled back or postponed major expenditures, such as holidays, cars, and weddings;
- 26% are working longer hours, taking on overtime, or pursuing additional jobs to earn extra income.
The British also made changes on the financial side. One in four adults has been forced to dip into their savings or investments to cover daily expenses. Moreover, 44% have stopped saving or investing entirely or have reduced their savings and investments—a 4% increase compared to 2023.
The lack of investment is another critical factor contributing to the decline in purchasing power. It is estimated that 13 million UK residents hold £430 billion in cash deposits but do not invest. The reasons? Seventy-four percent say they cannot compare investment products effectively, and 43% are afraid of losing their money.
A lack of knowledge and fear are preventing many savers from taking advantage of an important opportunity: preserving or increasing their purchasing power in the long term.
Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2586123/Tickmill.jpg
Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2586129/Tickmill_Logo.jpg
View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/according-to-tickmill-survey-3-in-10-britons-in-economic-difficulty-purchasing-power-down-41-since-2004-302337354.html
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President Emmerson Mnangagwa met this week with Zambia’s former Vice President and Special Envoy Enoch Kavindele to discuss SADC’s candidate for the AfDB