Category: Tech News

Provizio Unveil 5D Perception platform at CES2023 to eliminate collisions and enable mass autonomous driving from 2025

Provizio, the leading vehicle perception company, today announces its plans to deliver its Radar and AI backboned perception stack for every road user by 2025. This mass adoption will be possible through the mass distribution and licensing of Provizio’s 5D Perception® technology.  Provizio’s 5D Perception® driving platform offers OEMs the fastest and most reliable path to Level 5 automation as part of Provizio’s mission to eliminate all road accidents and deliver a safe path to Autonomy.

Provizio will be unveiling and providing live demos of their new 5D Perception® driving platform at this year’s CES, in Las Vegas. This will be the first ever live demonstration of the driving platform and will be showcased on a Land Rover Defender. – Reply for demo.

5D Perception® technology:

The patented technology developed by Provizio utilises a five-dimensional perception system that can continually see, track and interpret road conditions and hazards enabling increased vehicular safety and ultimately providing a path to full autonomy . Provizio’s technology beats the resolution of next-gen incumbent Radar sensors by more than 30x and range by more than 3x – with no additional hardware.

AI is central to the system, Provizio uses machine-learning algorithms and a suite of in-build 5D Perception® Radar and vision sensors, continuously learning and processing the environment around the vehicle  to identify potential hazards with unprecedented accuracy and speed, slashing response times and delivering interventions which are 30–100x quicker than technology available for use in today’s vehicles.

Speaking on the launch of Provizio’s 5D Perception® driving platform, Barry Lunn, CEO of Provizio “Provizio are excited to launch a perception platform that is unprecedented in terms of performance, cost and scalability at the home of ground breaking innovations, CES. Our 5D Perception® driving platform will make driving safer and in partnership with our Tier 1 and OEM partners deliver the next generation Advanced Driver Assistance Systems and a true path to ubiquitous autonomy. 

Lunn adds: “This platform will revolutionise safety in the auto and mobility sectors by paving the way for the most advanced safety and autonomous driving systems and we firmly believe, in the near future, it will become as ludicrous to get in a vehicle without a 5D Perception® driving platform as it would be without seatbelts today. ”

LiDAR like point clouds but at 100x lower cost

The key to this technology for mass adoption is the ability for it to be implemented at scale, with Provizio working alongside Tier 1 and OEM partners to bring this to mass production by 2025.

The issue the industry faces today is that Autonomous Vehicle platforms use a combination of expensive sensors and computer resources to perceive the world. LiDAR allows these vehicles to succeed but, because it is needed in 360° all-round the vehicle, it is also a major scaling inhibitor. LiDAR is expensive and struggles to perform in bad weather. Radar doesn’t suffer from these issues which is why it is deployed in almost all vehicles on the road, but today’s Radars have lacked the resolution a LiDAR offers.

Provizio’s 5D Perception® driving platform is backboned by proprietary super-resolution imaging Radar. Our 5D Perception® Radar sees the world in a LiDAR like 3D point cloud, and also delivers precise range and velocity of every point. Uniquely, the entire Radar backend is built on a Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) which allows us to deliver AI perception on-the-edge, this is what we call the 5th D in our 5D Perception® solution. This offers multiple advantages to our partners and ultimately all road users.

With this Perception technology, Provizio is able to provide class leading systems for a fraction of the current cost. The cost associated with current geo-fenced LiDAR backed platforms means they remain a niche offering and cannot be mass deployed or impact the driving problem in the near term. Autonomous Vehicle systems today can cost upwards of $250,000,  impacting mass adoption. Provizio’s proprietary MIMSO® Radar delivers LiDAR like point clouds at 100x lower cost. This provides 500x more resolution than the Radar on vehicles today.

By leveraging this proprietary 5D Perception® technology and our partners technology in LiDAR and vision systems, Provizio supplies class leading systems for a fraction of the current cost with low integration complexity. Due to its high performance and low cost it is already being used in applications beyond traditional automotive such as micromobility, agriculture and mining.

Sennheiser announces the all new Sennheiser IE 200

The Sennheiser IE range continues its history of excellence with the all-new IE 200. The newest member of the IE family shares considerable DNA with its renowned siblings but seeks to bring pure listening pleasure to a broader audience. With exceptional detail, clarity, and impact, users can now expect quality and features that are usually reserved for top-of-the-line devices.

“The Sennheiser IE 200 represents an open invitation for everyone to enjoy high-end sound,” says Jermo Koehnke, Sennheiser Audiophile Product Manager. “With balanced, true-to-life audio reproduction, users will be able to hear the details that they’ve been missing in ordinary headphones.”

Quality fit for audiophiles
​The IE 200 enables seasoned hi-fi enthusiasts and newcomers alike to experience new dimensions of sound quality. Based on 15 years of Sennheiser TrueResponse Transducer technology, the IE 200 features a 7-millimeter extra-wide band transducer for exceptional quality. A hallmark of the IE family, the latest addition to the in-ear lineup continues to bring superbly balanced and realistic audio to an ultra-compact form factor.
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​With IE 200, nothing stands between the user and discovering new sonic landscapes. Harmonic distortion is almost non-existent, with a natural frequency response curve typically found in earphones costing significantly more. Furthermore, the IE 200 can appeal to a variety of listening preferences thanks to its unique dual-tuning feature. Audiophiles can mount the included ear tips in one of two positions, giving them control over the balance of their audio experience – from deep and emotional bass response to texture-rich treble presence.

Comfortably Connected

​With an exceptionally comfortable fit, IE 200 is made for uninterrupted listening sessions. Able to accommodate ears of all sizes, their inconspicuous design boasts a proven ergonomic design that promotes a secure seal and lasting comfort. Viscoelastic foam and silicone ear adapters in multiple sizes block ambient distractions while maximising low-end response. A revised, braided cable reduces handling noise, and terminates to widely a 3.5mm stereo plug and MMCX connectors for connection to countless audiophile devices.
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​Pricing and availability
​The Sennheiser IE 200 will be available for pre-order globally on January 17, 2023, and will go on sale from January 31, 2023, with an MSRP of £129.99.

6G – What Are The Important Technological Developments To Watch?

While 5G mmWave has yet to take off, 6G research has already begun. But what exactly is 6G, and what are the emerging areas to watch?

This article will provide a high-level overview of 6G, including 6G frequencies, technological development trends, and noteworthy 6G applications. The information shared in this article is taken from the latest IDTechEx research report, “6G Market 2023-2043: Technology, Trends, Forecasts, Players”. This report provides critical insight and commercial outlooks for this emerging field.

Key areas of coverage in the IDTechEx report “6G Market 2023-2043: Technology, Trends, Forecasts, Players”. Source: IDTechEx

The Frequency Matters

This article starts at the most basic level – the frequency band. In 5G, sub-6 GHz (3.5 – 6 GHz) and millimeter wave (mmWave, 24 – 100 GHz) bands are the two new bands among the spectrum covered. In 6G, the frequency ranges under consideration include 7 to 20 GHz frequency band, W-band (above 75 – 110 GHz), D-band (110 GHz to 175 GHz), bands between 275 GHz and 300 GHz, and in THz range (0.3-10 THz). The bands between 7 and 20 GHz are considered because of the need for coverage that will enable mobile and “on the go” applications for numerous 6G use cases. The W and D bands are of interest for both 6G access and Xhaul (e.g. fronthaul, backhaul) networks. A solution that meets the objectives of both services is to be considered. As of September 2022, worldwide spectrum allocations do not go beyond 275 GHz. Nevertheless, frequency bands in the range 275-450 GHz have been identified for the implementation of land mobile and fixed service applications, as well as radio astronomy and Earth exploration-satellite service and space research service in the range 275-1,000 GHz.

Overview of 6G spectrum deployment strategy. Note that even though by definition the THz band runs from 300 GHz to 10 THz, telecom professionals have found it simpler to classify beyond-100 GHz applications as THz communications. Source: IDTechEx –
Overview of 6G spectrum deployment strategy. Note that even though by definition the THz band runs from 300 GHz to 10 THz, telecom professionals have found it simpler to classify beyond-100 GHz applications as THz communications. Source: IDTechEx – “6G Market 2023-2043: Technology, Trends, Forecasts, Players”

What Does 6G Promise and What Are the Challenges?

By exploiting the large bandwidth in the THz frequency band, 6G is expected to enable 1 Tbps data rate. However, this rate is very challenging to achieve as a large continuous bandwidth is required, but in reality, the bandwidths that are available for use are limited and split over different bands. Another aspect is that spectral efficiency makes a direct trade-off with the required Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) for detection. The higher the required SNR, the shorter the respective range becomes due to transmitted power limitations at high frequencies as well as added noise. As an example, Samsung’s state-of-the-art D-band phase array transmitter prototype currently demonstrates the furthest travel distance of 120m but only achieves 2.3 Gbps. Other groups show higher data rates, but the over-the-air travel distance is only at centimeter level.

To further improve link range as well as enhance data rate, several requirements are needed to be considered when designing a 6G radio. For example, selecting appropriate semiconductors to boost link range is critical, pick low-loss materials with a small dielectric constant and tan loss to prevent substantial transmission loss. To further reduce transmission loss, a new packaging strategy that tightly integrates RF components with antennas is required. However, one must remember that as devices get increasingly compact, power and thermal management become even more critical.

In addition to device design, network deployment strategy is also a crucial area to research in order to address NLOS and power consumption challenges. Establishing a heterogeneous smart electromagnetic (EM) environment, for example, is being investigated, utilizing a wide range of technologies, such as reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RIS) or repeaters.

6G Applications

One significant change of 6G to previous communication generations is that it will now include non-terrestrial networks, which is a key development item in 6G that enables conventional 2D network architectures to function in 3D space. Low Altitude Platforms (LAPs), High Altitude Platforms (HAPs), Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), and satellites are examples of non-terrestrial networks (NTNs). China sent the world’s first 6G satellite in November 2020. This year, Huawei tested the NTN 6G networks using LEO (Low Earth Orbit) satellites. More and more activities in this area show that NTN networks will for sure be a key development trend.

Despite communications, 6G is also expected to tap into the world of sensing, imaging, wireless cognition, and precise positioning. Last year, Apple patented its THz sensor technology for gas sensing and imaging in iDevice. Huawei also tested several Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC) prototypes. Many more studies and trials are underway to fully leverage the potential of 6G THz frequency bands.

To learn more about 6G technology, applications, and market, please refer to IDTechEx’s newly released 6G market research report. “6G Market 2023-2043: Technology, Trends, Forecasts, Players“. This 6G report is built on IDTechEx expertise, covering the latest 6G technology development trend, key applications, player activities, and market outlook, aiming to provide the reader with a comprehensive understanding of 6G technology and market.

Dell’s new UltraSharp lineup includes a super-sharp 32-inch 6K IPS monitor

Dell has unveiled its latest monitor and peripheral releases of the year including the world’s first 6K monitor with IPS Black and world’s first Zoom certified collaboration keyboard.

Dell UltraSharp 32 6K Monitor

Fully compatible with both Windows and Mac operating systems, the Dell UltraSharp 32 6K Monitor (U3224KB) raises the bar with exceptional details, sharpness and color accuracy in stunning 6K resolution and VESA DisplayHDR 600 for detail-oriented professionals like graphic designers, engineers, and data scientists where every pixel counts. With 150% more pixels on 6K resolution  compared to 4K, the new UltraSharp 32 6K Monitor brings extra details and additional clarity.

The inclusion of IPS Black technology means an increase in depth for dark objects. even in dark environments, and accurate colors viewed from virtually every angle. Dell’s recently commissioned Hot Tech study revealed monitors with IPS Black technology offer up to 41% deeper black levels and up to 1.2 times better color accuracy than conventional IPSespecially in displaying low grays.

The UltraSharp 32 6K Monitor is also ideal for users looking for excellent video conferencing capabilities especially under low light conditions. It features a built-in dual gain HDR 4K webcam and provides auto framing, light adjustments plus enhanced clarity, automatic SafeShutter, echo cancellation mic and dual 14W speakers for an intelligent and more secure collaboration experience.

More Productivity Powerhouses

For creatives and business users who don’t require 6K resolution, Dell is also introducing two new UltraSharp monitors to suit users’ everyday needs.

The first curved WQHD monitor with IPS Black technology, the Dell UltraSharp 34 Curved USB-C Hub Monitor (U3423WE) allows users to connect and display content from two PCs using Picture-by-Picture (PBP) and Picture-in-Picture (PIP) features, while enjoying clear audio with the integrated dual 5W speakers.

A productivity powerhouse and a collaboration dream wrapped into one, the Dell UltraSharp 43 4K USB-C Hub Monitor (U4323QE) allows users to connect one PC to the monitor and split it into multiple (up to four) screen partitions, as well as the ability to connect up to four different PCs to the monitor, view all four inputs, and switch between them using KVM.

Innovative Peripherals for Maximized Collaboration

Dell has kicked off 2023 by also unveiling the world’s first Zoom-certified6 collaboration keyboard, the Dell Premier Collaboration Keyboard (KB900). Its sleek design features dedicated touch controls to easily manage Zoom calls easily, allowing users to mute and unmute the microphone, toggle between video on and off, easily screen share and bring up the chat panel. The device has 15 programmable keys and fast one-minute USB-C charging for a full day of battery life or up to 20 days on a single charge.

Dell Premier Collaboration Keyboard and Mouse

Dell is pairing the keyboard with the new Dell Premier Rechargeable Mouse (MS900), featuring a design with a comfortable palm grip. This mouse has a track-on-glass sensor that allows users to work seamlessly on virtually any surface, while smooth gliding advanced four-way scrolling provides a more intuitive navigating experience. The device allows for seamless switching between three devices and fine tune speed, tracking (with up to 8K dpi) and precision with Dell Peripheral Manager. The mouse provides half a day of use with one-minute USB-C quick charging and up to three months of battery life on a full charge. Both devices are seamless and more secure with Dell Pair one click connectivity and transmission is encrypted to help keep users’ data safe.

Commenting on the new releases, Yoon Lee, VP, Monitors, Dell Technologies, said: “Regardless of where you work, technology remains a staple in facilitating productive and collaborative employee experiences. At the center is the overarching PC experience driven largely by an entire ecosystem of devices bringing employees closer to their teams, customers and clients. With more than 50% of employees surveyed rating monitors as the most important device to improve productivity across different workspaces in a recent Dell-Forrester study, our newest additions to the UltraSharp family promise to up-level the performance and experience on which  you’ve grown to depend on.”

Availability

The Dell UltraSharp 32 6K Monitor (U3224KB) will be available in the first half of 2023, while the Dell UltraSharp 34 Curved USB-C Hub Monitor (U3423WE) and Dell UltraSharp 43 4K USB-C Hub Monitor (U4323QE) will be available on January 31st, 2023. The Dell Premier Collaboration Keyboard (KB900) and Dell Premier Rechargeable Mouse (MS900) will be available January 31st, 2023 or as a bundle on March 23rd, 2023. Pricing will be announced upon release.

 

 

 

Sennheiser launches the Conversation Clear Plus

Many people find it difficult to clearly understand conversations in noisy environments, such as in a busy restaurant or on a loud street. Conversation Clear Plus features advanced speech enhancement technology to let your conversation take centre stage in every interaction. With their smart, intuitive features, these stylish earbuds set a new standard for speech-enhanced consumer wearables

Effortlessly clear conversations in noisy environments

​Utilising sophisticated Sonova chip technology, conversations and calls are enhanced thanks to the Sennheiser Automatic Scene Detection feature, which analyses the noise level of a user’s environment and matches the speech enhancement level to their surroundings.
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​Integrated into the compact and modern earbuds, Automatic Scene Detection ensures the clearest speech in challenging environments, be it in person or on the phone. In concert with Active Noise Cancellation, Conversation Clear Plus works dynamically to block distracting noises and improve the clarity of conversations for every level of background noise.
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​Conversation Clear Plus lets you choose how much background noise you want to hear. Active Noise Cancellation blocks out distractions, while the Ambient Awareness mode enables more connection with the outside environment when desired.
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​”Sennheiser Conversation Clear Plus reflects our customers’ dynamic lives, allowing users to follow every conversation with ease, wherever they are,” says Daniel Holenstein, Sennheiser Senior Product Manager. “An independent study showed 95% of users experienced significant speech enhancement in noisy situations when using the product.”

Easy set-up and operation
​With step-by-step guidance in the companion app, getting started with Conversation Clear Plus is easy. In combination with the Conversation Clear Plus app, the earbuds deliver an intuitive, hassle-free user experience for tailoring listening preferences.
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​Dedicated settings for three different listening scenarios make personalising the audio experience effortless. The ‘Relax’ listening scenario lets sound enthusiasts customise the amount of background noise they want to block, while the ‘Communication’ and ‘Streaming’ scenarios automatically adjust settings for the best performance and clarity during conversations and while streaming content, respectively.
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​Connecting is a breeze with integrated true wireless technology, making pairing with any Bluetooth-enabled device quick and hassle-free. Offering excellent comfort with its ergonomic design, the Conversation Clear Plus earbuds feature an outstanding nine-hour battery life so that they are charged and ready for whenever they are needed. The charging case makes recharging user-friendly on the go, offering another 27 hours of usage time.
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​Conversation Clear Plus complements the new Sennheiser hearing solutions product category, with best-in-class products for different situations to come in 2023 and beyond.
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​Pricing and availability
​The Sennheiser Conversation Clear Plus will be available for pre-order on January 5, 2023, and on sale on January 20 with an MSRP of £749.

Jabra showcases true wireless expertise for consumers, enterprise and medical #CES2023

Jabra, leader in personal sound and office solutions, is showcasing its extensive true wireless range at CES with the latest additions to its Elite, Evolve and Enhance series.  

Jabra Elite 5 is the newest product to Jabra’s flagship Elite line-up, featuring Hybrid ANC and 6-mic call technology for powerful calls and music from anywhere. Jabra Evolve2 Buds, the newest product in Jabra’s Evolve series, are earbuds designed for flexible, hybrid and remote working. Jabra Enhance Plus, offered in the new over-the-counter hearing aid category, enables hearing enhancement, music and calls in a miniaturised true wireless form factor. 

All three products have been named honourees in the 2023 CES Innovation Awards, with Jabra Elite 5 and Evolve2 Buds as honourees in the personal audio and headphones category and Jabra Enhance Plus as an honouree in the digital health category. 

Jabra Elite 5: true wireless earbuds with Hybrid ANC    

This latest product in Jabra’s Elite range features new Hybrid ANC technology, powered by the Qualcomm QCC3050 Bluetooth chipset. The Hybrid ANC uses feedback microphones on the inside of the ear, and feedforward microphones on the outside. This makes the ANC less sensitive to the positioning in the ear, ensuring a more reliable noise cancellation across a wider range of frequencies.  

This all-round hero is made for those needing to take calls from anywhere and is great for enjoying media during leisure. This is thanks to 6-microphone call technology with external mics that are constantly active, as well as internal mics that give your voice a helping hand when it’s windy outside.  See our review HERE

Jabra Evolve2 Buds: pocketable earbuds for hybrid working  

Designed to boost concentration and improve collaboration, the Evolve2 Buds are perfect for professionals working on the go. The true wireless buds are certified for leading virtual meeting platforms, including Microsoft Teams and Zoom, and use the latest technology to reduce disruptive background noise and enable clearer calls.   

The Evolve2 Buds enable users to have high-quality conversations with Jabra MultiSensor Voice™, which uses a unique combination of four microphones, bone conduction sensors, and advanced algorithms to block out as much of the surrounding noise as possible.  

Jabra Enhance Plus: OTC 3-in-1 earbuds for hearing, music and calls  

Jabra Enhance Plus sets a new standard for bringing together the convenience of true wireless earbuds with advanced hearing technology to alleviate unaddressed hearing needs. As part of the new OTC hearing aid category and cleared by the FDA as a self-fitting hearing aid, Enhance Plus empowers millions of Americans with mild to moderate hearing loss to take the first step on their hearing health journey. 

Jabra Enhance Plus delivers a 3-in-1 experience in a miniaturised true wireless form factor design, around half the size of Jabra’s smallest true wireless earbuds. It includes the calls and music functionality that users expect from true wireless earbuds and provides hearing help for users in a discreet and comfortable design.

Taking true wireless tech to new levels, the device packs four key audiological features: Warp Compressor for analysis of sounds similar to human ear, Digital Noise Reduction for keeping speech clear, Digital Feedback Suppression to keep feedback from interfering with sound quality, and Binaural Beamformer with directionality to isolate sounds. 

Calum MacDougall, SVP at Jabra said, “We are delighted to be back in Las Vegas to showcase the newest products in our true wireless line-up. In the past year we have brought several unique additions to our offerings, from earbuds engineered for hybrid work to hearing enhancement earbuds in the new OTC hearing aids category. CES marks the start of yet another exciting year of innovation to come.”  

Find out more about Jabra at CES at www.jabra.com/ces.  

Availability and pricing  

The Jabra Elite 5 (£149.99), Jabra Evolve2 Buds (£279.60) and Jabra Enhance Plus ($799), are available at selected retailers. For more information visit www.jabra.co.uk 

eir release ‘2022 Year in Data’ highlighting Irish data usage trends for 2022

eir, Ireland’s superfast broadband network, has revealed its ‘2022 Year in Data’, an annual snapshot of home broadband and mobile data usage across its national customer base across the year. Showcasing when, where and how we use our data, the ‘2022 Year in Data’ highlights some interesting trends across the last 12 months including:

Fixed Broadband

  • Total broadband data usage in 2022 dropped slightly versus 2021, with 4,400 PB in 2022 vs 4,500 PB in 2021 as Covid restrictions lifted.
  • For the first five months of the year, data in 2022 was lower than in the same months in 2021 as customers returned to normal post Covid.
  • Fibre-to-the-Home broadband data increased by 37% in 2022 at 1,500 Petabytes (PB), up from 1,100 PB in 2021.
  • On average, each household used just under 6,000 Gigabytes (GB) across the 12-month period, this is equivalent to 8 hours of video per day.
  • The record high in data usage in 2022 so far was 15.9 PB on Sunday 4th December.
  • Lowest data usage for fixed broadband in 2022 was on Wednesday 4th May at 9.3 PB.
  • Surges in eir TV traffic occurred at several moments in the year including the 2022 FIFA World Cup Final on Sunday December 20th, the RTE Late Late Toy Show on Friday 25th, the GAA All Ireland Finals on July 17th and 24th.
  • On average, Sunday was the highest data usage day of the week across 2022.
  • Weather incidents such as Storm Eunice in February saw a surge in usage as households spent more time at home.
  • The total broadband usage across the network (4,400PB) is the equivalent of 220 billion hours gaming, or 13 billion hours of video chat, or 2 billion hours film streaming or 678 billion songs streamed.

 

Mobile Data

  • 12 million minutes of mobile voice calls were recorded on Christmas Eve, making it the busiest day for mobile conversation as people shared festive wishes with friends and family.
  • Tuesday, December 27th was the busiest day for mobile data usage, as customers streamed video and music services.
  • The equivalent of five million movie downloads took place across the mobile network over the festive period, December 24th – 28th, an increase of over 40% on the same period in 2021 as customers streamed entertainment on the go.
  • Traffic doubled across eir’s 5G network versus the same period in 2021. 5G, is the fifth generation of mobile technology that is up to 100 times faster than 4G, providing faster connectivity speeds, ultra-low latency and greater bandwidth, excellent gaming and video streaming experiences.

Commenting on eir’s ‘2022 Year in Data’, CEO Oliver Loomes: “At eir, we provide our customers with access to world leading technologies and the highest-quality connectivity. The ‘2022 Year in Data’ report provides interesting insights into how our customers use eir’s services, helping us to continuously innovate to ensure that we are constantly delivering what they need, when they need it and helping them connect throughout the year. To this end, eir is investing €250 million per annum in our network to improve speed, coverage and resilience, with 5G already available to over 530 cities and towns and full fibre broadband made available to more than 900,000 homes and businesses across the country. We are well on our way to our ultimate target of 1.9 million homes and businesses across Ireland connected with full fibre superfast broadband.”

HCS to grow its telecoms revenue to €1 million following Fixaphone acquisition

HCS, a leading business IT, security and telecoms company, is today announcing that it has acquired Waterford-based Fixaphone, a leading provider of business telephone systems. Following the acquisition, HCS forecasts that its telecoms turnover will reach €1 million in the next three years. The acquisition will add 750 Fixaphone business telecoms customers to HCS’ portfolio, which will increase by 125% following the deal.

In business for more than 20 years, Fixaphone specialises in on-premise PBX telephony sales and maintenance for small businesses. Combining this deep industry knowledge with HCS’ modern cloud-hosted telecoms solutions will provide both customer bases with an enhanced service offering as the move to the cloud continues in earnest.

HCS provides secure integrated IT, telecoms and productivity solutions to enable better business performance for Irish organisations. The company uses secure by design principles to ensure that it significantly reduces risk for customers with security built in. Headquartered in Waterford and with a base in Dublin, the company recently opened a third location in Cork.

Fixaphone will integrate into HCS and trade under the HCS brand with immediate effect. The acquisition will enhance HCS’ telecom sales team and allow it to cross-sell to each customer base, driving value and enabling them to grow and innovate. Fixaphone customers include Brothers of Charity Services, Keeling’s, Fitzgerald Power Chartered Accountants, and Mount Congreve Estate.

Mick Foley, Managing Director, Fixaphone: “HCS are leaders in the hosted telecoms sphere, so I’m delighted that we are joining forces. By combining our skillsets, we can provide an enhanced level of services and support to our existing and prospective clients.

“Though technologies and platforms are changing, the telecoms knowledge and experience built up with Fixaphone over the last 20 years will be invaluable on the next stage of the journey. We have the golden opportunity to leverage each other’s expertise to accelerate our shared growth.”

Sean Hegarty, Head of Operations, HCS: “We are thrilled to announce this acquisition and welcome Fixaphone to our team. Merging the pool of knowledge and experience that Fixaphone brings with our modern telecommunications solutions will give us a powerful edge. We look forward to building on this as we continue on our upward growth trajectory.

“In today’s hybrid work environment, effective business communication is paramount. We feel we are well placed as the move from on-premise to cloud accelerates and traditional non-digital telephony becomes obsolete. This acquisition will bolster our telecoms services offerings, so we can provide our customers with best-in-class solutions to allow them greater flexibility and enable them to grow.”

Mercku to Showcase Premium Mesh System M6s at CES 2023

Mercku, the Canadian smart home brand, today announces it will reveal details of the soon-to-launch M6s Wi-Fi mesh system, as well as Mercku Labs, a new B2B service helping brands to bring their connected devices visions to life, at CES 2023 in January.

The Mercku M6s is set to build on the innovation achieved in its previous M6a Plus system, featuring a high-performance combination of a premium router and two of the industry’s smallest Wi-Fi 6 nodes, forming the Wi-Fi backbone for homes of any size or configuration.

Mercku’s M6s Mesh System future-proofs next-generation Wi-Fi and smart home automation. The system intersects proprietary hardware and Mercku’s award-winning design with next-generation Wi-Fi 6 innovations, supporting smart homes with hundreds of devices and substantial bandwidth requirements. Discreet heat dissipation elements and soft fabric outer casing ensures maximum system performance and device longevity, blending elegant design with intuitive functionality.

Erik Ackner, President of Mercku Europe, comments, “CES is the flagship event for new technologies, making it the perfect stage to tease details of our latest launch, the M6s. We look forward to meeting customers and attendees in Las Vegas, and invite people to visit our stand to experience this incredible technology for themselves.”

Mercku will also showcase its new B2B service, Mercku Labs, which will support other companies on their journey to building successful mesh systems. Mercku Labs lets partner companies leverage Mercku’s extensive experience with Networking and IoT Product Design and Development to bring their product idea to market. The service allows operators from various industries to shorten the go-to-market time by accelerating the design and build process and developing custom integrations with mobile applications, cloud systems or the operator’s own solutions.

Erik adds, “Mercku Labs is the natural progression for us in realizing our goal of Building the Next Era of Connectivity. With our extensive technical knowledge and experience, we’re perfectly positioned to support other companies as they look to build their own connected visions.”