KPMG in Ireland has opened entries for the 2026 Global Tech Innovator (GTI) competition. Now in its sixth year, KPMG is inviting ambitious Irish technology and tech‑enabled companies to compete for the chance to represent Ireland at the global final in Lisbon this November.
Commenting on the 2026 launch, Anna Scally, Global Head of Technology, Media, and Telecommunications at KPMG said:
“Dublin healthtech company Akara’s achievement in Lisbon was one of the competition’s strongest years for Ireland. Akara finished as first runner up at the 2025 global final and it showed the world that Ireland punches well above its weight in
technology. We now want to find the next Akara, an ambitious Irish tech founder ready to compete on the world stage.”
Reflecting on last year’s journey, Niamh Donnelly, co-founder and CTO of Akara, said:
“Winning the Irish competition validated years of hard work and confirmed that what we’re building at Akara genuinely matters. But representing Ireland on the global stage and finishing as first runner up out of 21 of the world’s most promising tech startups has opened doors we couldn’t have imagined. For Akara, this competition wasn’t just an award, it was a launchpad.”
Who can enter?
The competition is open to pure technology or tech enabled, tech driven, or tech led businesses which have operated for seven years or less, have generated revenue of between USD $1–15m, or have raised at least $500,000 in equity, and are registered and based in Ireland or Northern Ireland.
Shortlisted entrants will pitch their innovations and present their growth ambitions to a panel of judges – including successful entrepreneurs and investors – for the chance to be crowned Ireland’s winner and to compete at the global final.
Applications must be submitted by 22nd of May 2026 and you must be available to appear in-person for the Ireland final, which will be held in Dublin on the 30th of June 2026.
Benefits for the Irish winner include:
National and global exposure: Showcasing your innovation to industry experts, investors, partners, and customers; boosting local profile via media and social coverage. The Irish winner advances to compete globally in Lisbon in November.
Networking opportunities: Connecting with fellow tech innovators, join local and global peer networks, collaborating, and gaining insights from seasoned professionals.
Mentorship and growth: Accessing KPMG mentors and advisors for guidance on scaling; receiving ongoing feedback from judges and peers to refining your innovation and presentation skills.
Previous Irish finalists
Ireland’s track record Irish finalists and winners to date reflect the breadth of the country’s innovation, from Niamh Donnelly of Akara (2025 Irish winner) and Emma Meehan’s Precision Sports Technology (2024 Irish winner) to Conor Sheridan’s AI powered hospitality platform Nory, Barry Lunn’s accident prevention firm Provizio, and Terry Canning’s Belfast based CattleEye, the world’s first hardware independent autonomous livestock monitoring platform.
To enter, find out more about the competition and watch all the previous Irish finalists’ pitches, visit www.kpmg.ie/GTI
KINETIC7 the disruptive tech company – founded by Australian entrepreneur and philanthropist Rick Parish – has announced that it has developed a cheap clean energy platform and delivery solution to help tackle the global energy crisis. It comes at a time when energy prices are hitting unprecedented levels and impacting both the UK and Irish business and domestic energy markets.
It comes at a time when the British and Irish governments are under increasing pressure to do more to help consumers with their rising energy and fuel costs. Prime Minister Keir Starmer recently announced emergency support measures for UK households worst hit by the energy crisis.
The £57M package of targeted measures have been introduced to those ‘off grid’ households not covered by the energy fuel cap and not served by legacy mains gas utility companies.Over 4 million households across the UK currently using LPG and oil have seen the cost of heating their homes rise by 80% in just one week! The Prime Minister has also promised legal action against energy firms ‘exploiting’ the crisis, while the competition and markets authority (CMA) are now investigating heating oil suppliers over ’blatant profiteering’ from the Iran war.
With the world debates and procrastinates on how to produce and use sustainable hydrogen gas safely, Kinetic7 has achieved a global breakthrough in developing and safely producing hydrogen gas on demand. It comes at a time of growing global concern over the short and medium-term security and supply of gas energy in the UK, Ireland and across Europe. Rapidly increasing costs and scarcity of supply have been directly impacted by recent geopolitical issues with Russia and Ukraine and the current war between the US, Israel and Iran.
The Abu Dhabi based company – with offices in the UK, Australia, Italy and the US – has pioneered a unique multi-patented delivery mechanism and several portable delivery platforms that have safely harnessed the production and delivery of hydrogen gas on demand (HOD). The innovation dispenses with the need to capture and store hydrogen gas, which has traditionally been dangerous and is extremely expensive to build infrastructure and storage.The Kinetic7 technology produces hydrogen (HHO) gas on demand as and when needed with zero emissions, making it safe, clean, affordable energy that is accessible to everyone, everywhere and even in the remotest of locations.
Commenting on the breakthrough Kinetic7 Chairman and founder Rick Parish said
“The current energy crisis has highlighted once again how vulnerable the UK, Irish and European energy supplies are and the steps that need to be taken to ensure long term energy security is preserved at all costs. We have become far too reliant on legacy gas providers oil and LPG suppliers who control the supply and price of energy. The cost of energy has also risen steeply over the last few years amidst market volatility and geopolitical instability. Hydrogen on demand is the future for safe, clean and affordable energy that can be rolled out at speed.
Hydrogen gas has existed since the very start of evolution, but understanding how we can create, capture and store hydrogen gas safely has eluded even the greatest of minds. When we were innovating Kinetic 7, we asked ourselves what if we didn’t need to store hydrogen gas but instead could create it on demand. Today we have managed to harness the method of creating, producing and delivering hydrogen gas safely, on demand, without the need for storage. This circumnavigates the process of storing hydrogen gas and means that our Kinetic 7 gas is 100% safe and can be created as and when it is needed and most importantly its 100% carbon free.”
Originally the technology was conceived as a portable cooking stove for humanitarian use in developing nations. Kinetic7 has designed and produced the Tribe™️ and Nomad™️ stoves which are currently in production and will be ready to launch in the coming months. Both portable cooking stoves run off battery and solar power and will also be used for humanitarian, disaster relief, military and emergency services use. The technology meets 13 of the 17 United Nations sustainable development goals (SDG).
The Kinetic7 technology was then pivoted to address the wider global energy crisis impacting both the business and domestic energy markets. A much larger hydrogen on demand HODbox™ was designed and created specifically for the commercial catering and restaurant sectors and one for the domestic energy market. Further prototype pivots are currently being worked on for other industrial sectors of business and industry.
Not only does the residential HODbox™ produce carbon free hydrogen gas for cooking, hot water and heating, but it is produced and delivered from an adaptable ‘plug and play’ unit that can be simply attached to the side of a residential property. The Kinetic7 HODbox™ can produce clean gas at a fraction of the price delivered by LPG and heating oil companies and legacy mains gas suppliers. It’s simple plug and play instillation dispenses with the need for costly upstream infrastructure and extensive utility pipe networks and connections. It works on the same principle of how existing LPG and oil tanks connect into a residential property.
Each UK household will be able to effectively create its own supply of clean energy from the Kinetic 7 HODbox™, thus ensuring domestic energy supply and security to the home. Kinetic7 provides a viable alternative to the business and domestic energy markets.
It is believed that the hydrogen on demand system could represent savings of as much as 30-45% off household energy bills each year, without the reliance on legacy mains gas supply. It will also provide a 100% carbon free alternative energy source to the off grid residential market which is currently served by LPG, propane and biofuel.
The residential HODbox™ simply attaches to the side of a property and is then plumbed into the interior of the house. After an initial outlay cost for the purchase of the Kinetic 7 unit, the only other running costs to produce hydrogen gas on demand would come from the minimal supply of water and a small amount of electricity/or solar to power needed to power the unit and its auxiliary battery.
Rick Parish added.
“The crisis in the UK, Irish and European domestic energy market continues to impact households and squeezing incomes. Kinetic 7 can be delivered safely to the domestic energy markets. Householders and developers will have a real alternative energy source that is 100% carbon free and that can simply bolt onto the side of a house at very minimal cost and disruption. Kinetic7 will provide ultra clean and ultra cheap gas for cooking and heating a boiler for ambient heat and hot water. We expect to make further announcements on this exciting phase over the coming months.”
The UK government are currently piloting several residential schemes and trials using hydrogen gas. Hydrogen gas has historically been seen as unsafe and unstable due to its low flash point, making it very volatile under storage. Typically, hydrogen gas needs to be created, captured and stored in large storage facilities. It requires expensive infrastructure and is costly to produce and store.
The Kinetic 7 HODbox™ dispenses with the need to store hydrogen gas. It provides a completely safe and reliable clean energy source which requires no storage and is produced at the point of demand. It has minimal cost outlay over the traditional hydrogen pilot schemes currently operating in communities which have significant cost implications in the creation, storage and delivery of the hydrogen gas.
The technology was also recently demonstrated at the Palace of Westminster using the prototype Kinetic 7 Nomad™️ stove to an audience of peers, dignitaries and members of the House of Lords at the invitation of The Baroness Uddin, a sitting member of the House of Lords.
The Kinetic 7 portable stove technology has also been subjected to independent academic assessment, expert analysis and opinion by Professor Paul Fennell and Dr Andrius Patapas from the Department of Chemical Engineering at the Imperial College London, via Imperial Consultants.
Logistics operations are undergoing structural changes driven by automation technologies. Increasing delivery volumes, tighter service windows, and rising operational costs have made manual coordination inefficient. Automation introduces precision, scalability, and real-time responsiveness into logistics networks, particularly in last-mile delivery.
The future of delivery depends on how effectively systems can integrate data, optimize movement, and reduce human intervention in repetitive processes.
Automated Dispatch and Intelligent Scheduling
Dispatching is one of the most complex components of logistics. It involves assigning drivers, sequencing deliveries, and adapting to real-time constraints such as traffic and delays.
Automation replaces manual dispatch decisions with algorithm-driven scheduling. These systems evaluate variables including distance, delivery priority, and resource availability to generate optimal assignments.
Key benefits include:
Reduced manual planning time and human error
Dynamic reassignment of tasks based on real-time conditions
Improved utilization of drivers and vehicles
Automated dispatch ensures that delivery operations remain efficient under varying demand conditions.
Route Planning and Optimization Algorithms
Route efficiency directly affects delivery speed and cost. Traditional routing methods are static and fail to adapt to real-time disruptions.
Modern systems implement route optimization using algorithms that calculate the most efficient paths based on traffic patterns, delivery windows, and geographic constraints.
These systems continuously update routes as conditions change, ensuring that drivers follow the most efficient paths at all times.
Optimized routing reduces fuel consumption, shortens delivery times, and increases the number of deliveries completed per route.
Warehouse Automation and Order Processing
Automation in logistics begins before delivery. Warehouse operations now rely on automated systems for sorting, picking, and packing.
Robotic systems and conveyor-based technologies improve accuracy and speed in order processing. Automated inventory tracking ensures that stock levels are updated in real time.
Warehouse automation provides:
Faster order fulfillment cycles
Reduced picking errors and inventory discrepancies
Improved coordination between storage and dispatch
Visibility is essential for managing logistics networks. Automated tracking systems provide real-time updates on shipment status, location, and estimated delivery times.
GPS integration and IoT sensors allow continuous monitoring of vehicles and cargo. This data is transmitted to centralized platforms where it can be analyzed and acted upon.
Real-time tracking supports:
Accurate delivery time predictions
Immediate response to delays or disruptions
Transparent communication with customers
Improved visibility enhances both operational control and customer satisfaction.
Integration of Data Across Systems
Automation relies on the integration of multiple data sources, including order management, inventory systems, and transportation platforms.
Integrated systems ensure that information flows seamlessly across the logistics network. This eliminates data silos and reduces the need for manual data entry.
Data integration enables:
Consistent information across all operational stages
Faster decision-making based on real-time data
Reduced errors caused by inconsistent records
Unified systems improve overall efficiency and coordination.
Cost Reduction Through Process Automation
Manual logistics processes are labor-intensive and prone to inefficiencies. Automation reduces reliance on manual intervention, lowering operational costs.
Cost savings are achieved through:
Reduced labor requirements for repetitive tasks
Lower fuel consumption due to optimized routing
Decreased error rates leading to fewer corrective actions
Automation allows businesses to scale operations without proportional increases in cost.
Scalability and Demand Management
Logistics demand is highly variable, with peak periods requiring rapid scaling of operations. Manual systems struggle to adapt to sudden increases in volume.
Automated systems can scale dynamically by adjusting routes, schedules, and resource allocation in real time. This ensures consistent performance during high-demand periods.
Scalability is critical for maintaining service levels as delivery volumes grow.
Autonomous Delivery Technologies
Emerging technologies such as autonomous vehicles and delivery drones are expanding the scope of logistics automation. These systems reduce dependency on human drivers and enable continuous operation.
Autonomous delivery offers:
Extended operating hours without labor constraints
Reduced human error in navigation and handling
Potential cost reductions over time
While still developing, these technologies represent the next phase of logistics automation.
Predictive Analytics and Decision-Making
Automation systems generate large volumes of data that can be analyzed to improve performance. Predictive analytics uses this data to forecast demand, identify inefficiencies, and optimize operations.
Analytics tools can predict:
Delivery delays based on traffic patterns
Demand fluctuations across regions
Maintenance requirements for vehicles
Data-driven insights enable proactive decision-making rather than reactive responses.
Risk Management and Operational Resilience
Logistics networks are exposed to risks such as weather disruptions, traffic congestion, and equipment failures. Automation improves resilience by enabling rapid response to these events.
Automated systems can reroute deliveries, reassign resources, and adjust schedules without manual intervention. This reduces the impact of disruptions on overall operations.
Resilient systems maintain service continuity under changing conditions.
Automation is transforming logistics by introducing efficiency, accuracy, and scalability across all stages of delivery. From warehouse operations to last-mile routing, automated systems reduce costs and improve performance. As technologies such as predictive analytics and autonomous delivery continue to evolve, automation will remain central to the future of logistics and delivery systems.
Vodafone Ireland has marked a major milestone for connectivity on the island of Ireland, successfully completing Ireland’s first mobile phone video call via AST SpaceMobile BlueBird satellite using a standard smartphone. This achievement highlights the potential of satellite technology to help close coverage gaps, strengthen network resilience and ensure people can stay connected wherever they are, benefitting people living or working in remote areas, farmers, sailors, hikers and mountaineers for example.
The announcement was made during a visit to Ireland by Vodafone Group Chief Executive, Margherita Della Valle, to mark 25 years of Vodafone in Ireland and to meet with the Taoiseach. She briefed him on Ireland’s first satellite enabled mobile broadband call delivered by the company and discussed the future of connectivity, innovation and continued investment. She was joined by Vodafone Group CEO of European Markets, Ahmed Essam.
The video call was made, in partnership with Satellite Connect Europe connecting to AST SpaceMobile’s satellite constellation, by Vodafone Ireland engineer Robert Ivers from Clare Island, Co. Mayo to Vodafone Ireland CEO Sabrina Casalta in Dublin. The call is the first satellite broadband video call to a standard smartphone in the EU. It follows Vodafone’s world‑first mobile video call via satellite in the UK last year.
The successful satellite video call demonstrates Vodafone Ireland’s ambition and success in delivering the next frontier in connectivity for its customers, integrating satellite technology with existing mobile networks. Critically, satellite connectivity can provide a vital safety net for those living in remote or hard‑to‑reach areas and help keep emergency services and communities connected during severe weather events or major outages, when mobile networks can be impacted by disruption to their power supply.
Vodafone Ireland secured Ireland’s first test and trial licence from ComReg, enabling this satellite call to be made using terrestrial spectrum. Building on this milestone, Vodafone is now progressing further technical development and regulatory engagement, with the ambition of bringing satellite broadband connectivity to customers as soon as possible.
25 Years of Vodafone in Ireland
This landmark achievement comes as Vodafone Ireland marks 25 years of serving customers, businesses and communities across Ireland. Over that period, Vodafone has invested more than €20 billion in Ireland, in today’s terms, including €5.8 billion in capital investment and €6.3 billion contributed to the national exchequer through spectrum licence fees and taxation.
Vodafone Foundation has invested €24 million in support of community and digital inclusion initiatives, having been the first company to establish a corporate foundation in Ireland. More than 2,000 people currently work with Vodafone across its Dublin headquarters and 80 retail stores nationwide.
Looking ahead, Vodafone Ireland said the next 25 years will be defined by innovation, continued investment and the deployment of advanced technologies that enable the competitiveness of Ireland’s digital economy, public services and communities. Vodafone Ireland continues to invest heavily in its mobile and fixed networks nationwide, ensuring customers benefit from the best services available.
COMMENT
An Taoiseach, Micheál Martin TD, said: “Our new National Digital & AI Strategy, Digital Ireland reflects the Government’s ambition to strengthen our position as a digital leader and a global hub for AI innovation. This includes ensuring Ireland remains one of Europe’s best-connected nations, and Vodafone’s innovations in this space are particularly exciting. Ireland’s first satellite mobile call demonstrates how innovation can strengthen resilience, extend connectivity to remote communities and support emergency services. As Vodafone marks 25 years in Ireland, today’s announcement highlights the significant contribution the company has made to our digital economy, connectivity and employment, and how Vodafone continues to build on that legacy through transformative innovation.”
Margherita Della Valle, Vodafone Group Chief Executive said: “Ireland’s first satellite-enabled call reflects Vodafone’s ambition to push the boundaries of connectivity and to invest in technologies that deliver real impact for customers and society. Ireland has been a key part of Vodafone’s success for 25 years connecting people, businesses and communities across the country. To sustain innovation and continued investment in advanced networks, it is essential that this ambition is matched by a stable, forward looking regulatory and legislative environment that supports long term infrastructure investment.”
Ahmed Essam, CEO, Vodafone European Markets said: “Investment in telecommunications is far from over. As technology evolves, our networks must evolve too, and the sector must continue to invest to ensure customers remain connected. Innovations such as 5G Standalone and satellite are opening up the next frontier of connectivity, enabling new services and capabilities that were not possible before.”
Sabrina Casalta, CEO, Vodafone Ireland said: “This milestone is a powerful demonstration of how technology can make a real difference for people. By integrating satellite and mobile networks, we are extending connectivity beyond traditional limits — helping to keep customers, communities, businesses and emergency services connected, particularly in remote areas and during times of disruption, using their everyday smartphone.
For 25 years, Vodafone Ireland has consistently raised the bar for connectivity, underpinned by sustained investment and the dedication of our people. We were the first to roll out 3G, 4G and 5G nationally, alongside delivering a series of other Irish firsts — from fibre connectivity and the establishment with the ESB of SIRO to Real Time Text — helping to shape Ireland’s digital landscape.
As we mark 25 years in Ireland, this satellite call represents a significant next step, reflecting our commitment to ensuring no one is left without access to vital communications, wherever they live. Our focus now is on progressing towards commercial satellite services, working closely with partners to advance the regulatory frameworks and technologies needed to make this next phase a reality.”
Meredith Sharples, Managing Director of Satellite Connect Europe, said: “This video call, completed from a part of Ireland with no mobile connectivity using a standard smartphone, is yet another step forward as we continue to demonstrate the performance of space-based cellular connectivity while expanding the constellation and advancing deployment with mobile network operators across Europe. Our focus is on delivering a seamless extension of existing networks, providing reliable coverage in areas where traditional infrastructure alone cannot reach.”
Anyone who has ever tried to collect data from websites at scale runs into the same problem sooner or later: blocks. At first everything works. Then requests start failing, pages stop loading properly, and eventually access disappears completely.
In most cases the reason is simple. Websites monitor traffic very closely. If dozens or hundreds of requests come from the same IP address, the system quickly assumes automation and shuts the door.
That is exactly the situation where residential proxies become useful.
A residential proxy works through an IP address assigned by an Internet Service Provider to a real household connection. To the website, the visit looks like a normal person opening a page from home rather than a script running somewhere on a server.
Over the past few years demand for these tools has increased a lot. Data has become a core part of business decisions. Companies monitor search rankings, track prices, analyze competitors, and verify advertising campaigns.
But the moment automated traffic becomes noticeable, websites begin limiting access. That is why many teams end up searching for the bestresidential proxyprovider instead of relying on basic proxy solutions.
The difference becomes obvious very quickly: some proxy networks work smoothly for weeks, while others start failing after a few hundred requests.
What Are Residential Proxies and Why Businesses Use Them
To understand why residential proxies are so widely used, it helps to look at how websites evaluate incoming traffic.
Servers rarely see the user directly. Instead, they see the IP address and some behavioral patterns. If the IP belongs to a hosting provider, it immediately raises suspicion. Many automated tools operate from datacenter infrastructure.
Residential IPs look different. They belong to real internet subscribers. From the server’s point of view, the request appears to come from someone sitting at home with a laptop or phone.
This difference alone changes how the request is treated.
Feature
Residential Proxy
Datacenter Proxy
IP source
Real ISP connection
Hosting server
Detection risk
Lower
Higher
Location precision
Often city-level
Usually generic
Blocking rate
Relatively low
Much higher
Typical price
Higher
Lower
Because residential traffic appears more natural, companies use it for tasks that require stable access to websites.
Where residential proxies are commonly used
large-scale web data collection
checking search results in different regions
monitoring advertising placements
tracking competitor pricing in e-commerce
managing multiple social media or marketplace accounts
Take price monitoring as a simple example. A retailer may want to track how competitors price products in several countries. If all requests come from a single address, the store’s security system may block them within minutes.
Using residential proxies spreads those requests across many real connections. From the website’s perspective it looks like normal visitors browsing the catalog.
That is why businesses working with large volumes of data rarely rely on random proxy lists. Instead they compare services and try to find the best residential proxy provider that offers stable infrastructure and enough IP addresses.
Key Features of the Best Residential Proxy Provider
Once someone starts comparing proxy services, the number of options can be surprising. Many platforms promise fast speeds, unlimited access, and massive IP pools.
In practice, the differences become clear only after using the service for real tasks.
Experienced users usually pay attention to several practical details when evaluating the best residential proxy provider.
Important things people look at
how large the IP pool actually is
whether the network covers many countries
connection stability during long sessions
options for rotating IP addresses
availability of APIs for automation
transparency about where the IPs come from
responsiveness of support teams
The size of the network matters more than beginners expect. When the IP pool is small, the same addresses get reused frequently. That increases the chances of websites recognizing the pattern.
Location coverage is another factor. Some tasks require traffic from very specific regions. Search results, for instance, can look completely different depending on the city or country of the visitor.
Connection reliability is also easy to underestimate. If proxies constantly disconnect or respond slowly, automated scripts begin to fail. Over time that creates gaps in collected data.
Another point worth checking is how the residential IPs are sourced. Established providers usually work through opt-in programs where users agree to share their connection. This approach keeps the network transparent and avoids legal concerns.
When these factors come together — large IP pools, stable connections, and proper infrastructure — a provider begins to stand out as the best residential proxy provider for many professional tasks.
Top Residential Proxy Providers Compared
The residential proxy market has grown quickly during the last decade. What used to be a niche tool for developers is now widely used by marketing teams, researchers, and data analysts.
Several companies have built particularly large networks. Different providers appeal to different types of users.
Large data companies often prefer services with massive IP pools and advanced APIs because they run complex data pipelines. Smaller teams sometimes choose simpler platforms that are easier to configure.
There is also a separate category of static residential proxy providers. Instead of rotating addresses frequently, these services offer residential IPs that remain stable for longer periods.
Such proxies are often used for account management or monitoring tasks where changing the IP address too often may trigger security checks.
In reality, the best residential proxy provider depends heavily on what the user wants to do. Data scraping, market research, and account automation all have slightly different requirements.
In the next part of this guide we will look closer at static proxies, rotating networks, and whether using residential proxy free services is actually practical.
Static vs Rotating Proxies: Understanding Static Residential Proxy Providers
When people first hear about residential proxies, the difference between rotating and static IPs is often confusing. In reality, the concept is quite straightforward once you start using them in practice.
Rotating residential proxies automatically switch the IP address after a certain number of requests or after a short period of time. The idea behind this approach is simple: every request appears to come from a different user. For large-scale tasks this behavior is extremely useful.
Static proxies work the opposite way.
Instead of constantly changing the address, the same residential IP stays assigned to a user for a longer time. Services built around this concept are often referred to as static residential proxy providers.
Both options solve different problems.
Rotating proxies are typically used when the goal is to access many pages quickly without triggering rate limits. Data collection tools, for example, rely heavily on this type of rotation.
Static proxies are usually chosen when stability matters more than constant IP changes. Some platforms expect a consistent connection and may treat frequent switching as suspicious activity.
That is why static residential IPs are often used for:
managing multiple accounts
accessing dashboards or web services
monitoring websites over long periods
running automation tools that require session stability
In other words, rotating proxies are better for large volumes of requests, while static proxies help maintain a stable identity online.
Are There Any Residential Proxy Free Options?
A lot of beginners start their search by looking for residential proxy free solutions. At first it sounds logical. If a free option exists, why not try it?
The problem is that free proxy networks rarely behave the way people expect.
Most of them rely on very small pools of IP addresses that are shared by many users at the same time. As a result, those addresses quickly become overused. Websites start recognizing them and blocking access more aggressively.
Another issue is performance. Free proxies are often slow and unstable. Connections drop, requests time out, and scripts fail unexpectedly.
Security can also be a concern. When a proxy service is completely free, it is often unclear how the network is maintained or who controls the infrastructure.
For that reason, residential proxy free services are sometimes used for testing small tools or learning how proxies work. But once a project becomes serious, most users move to paid services that provide larger IP pools and stable routing.
In practice, reliability usually matters more than saving a few dollars.
Expert Opinion on Residential Proxy Networks
Residential proxy networks have gradually become an important part of modern data infrastructure. Companies that analyze online markets or monitor competitors often depend on them every day.
Industry researchers also emphasize their role in large-scale data collection.
“Residential proxies are the most reliable way to access large-scale web data without getting blocked.” — Sedat Dogan, CTO at AIMultiple. Source: research.aimultiple.com
This statement reflects a simple reality. When a project requires thousands or even millions of requests, ordinary connections stop working very quickly. Residential proxy networks make that scale possible.
Because of this, organizations usually spend time evaluating several services before choosing the best residential proxy provider for their workflow.
Conclusion: Choosing the Best Residential Proxy Provider
Residential proxies are now used in many different fields, from market research to SEO monitoring. In practice, they help solve a very specific problem — getting access to websites without running into constant blocks.
In the end, the right provider is simply the one that keeps your workflow running without interruptions.
FAQ
What is a residential proxy in simple terms? A residential proxy is basically an internet connection that lets your requests go through an IP address belonging to a regular home user. Because websites see that address as a normal household connection, the traffic usually looks like it comes from an ordinary visitor rather than from automated software.
What do static residential proxy providers offer? Services known as static residential proxy providers give users a residential IP address that stays the same for longer sessions. This can be useful when working with platforms that expect a stable connection. For example, some dashboards or accounts react negatively if the IP address keeps changing.
Do residential proxy free services really work? You can find offers online that promise residential proxy free access. They sometimes work for short tests, but the experience is often inconsistent. Speeds can be slow, and the same IP addresses may be shared by many people, which makes them easier for websites to recognize and block.
Why do people look for the best residential proxy provider? Not every proxy network performs the same way. Some have larger IP pools, better routing, and more reliable connections. When projects depend on steady access to websites — for example, during data collection or market monitoring — users usually try to find the best residential proxy provider available to avoid interruptions.
Can residential proxies help with checking search results in other countries? Yes, this is one of the practical uses. Residential proxies allow someone to access search engines as if they were browsing from another location. That makes it easier to see how results appear in different regions and compare how rankings change from place to place.
Are residential proxies legal to use? In most places they are legal as long as they are used for legitimate purposes. Many companies rely on them for research, analytics, or advertising checks. It is generally recommended to work with providers that clearly explain how their residential IP network is obtained and managed.
The landline telephone network, which has been in service since the 19th century, will enter a well-deserved retirement when Elisa will discontinue landline connections by 30.6.2026. The change affects both consumers and companies, and is part of the development towards newer and more functional technologies. Elisa will contact landline customers during the spring. The number of landline telephone network users has decreased drastically in recent decades, as Finns have switched to using modern and more functional mobile networks.
Elisa founder Daniel Waden played a significant role in the development of the Finnish landline network. Even in the 1990s, landlines were a familiar sight in Finnish households. As mobile networks and mobile phones developed rapidly in the early 2000s, the number of landlines began to decline significantly. Despite this, many people still remember the landline numbers of family and friends, even after decades.
Now the moment is coming when the telephone wires will finally stop singing on June 30, 2026.
“The change is part of the development towards newer and more functional technologies, and it affects both consumers and businesses. Currently, Elisa’s customers only have a few thousand landline connections, and the number is decreasing all the time. Landline connections have been used in landline telephones, faxes, switchboard solutions and elevator phones, among other things. New connections have not been sold for years,” says Ilkka Pohtola, Business Director responsible for consumer connections at Elisa .
Modern 4G and 5G mobile networks offer users not only a more affordable option, but also a more weather-resistant and technologically capable one. Elisa’s 4G network covers over 99.9 percent of Finns and the 5G network over 97 percent. Elisa has also launched an independent 5G network, which will help to fully utilize the potential of the comprehensive 5G network.
You can keep your landline number
The aim is to make the transition to newer technologies smooth for both businesses and consumers.
The landline network services will operate until the end of June, so you can replace your old one with a suitable alternative during the spring. For business customers, replacement solutions will be mapped out, and they will receive a customer newsletter during January. All consumer customers affected by the change will be contacted by letter at the end of April, and they will be offered a replacement option. In addition, more information is available on Elisa’s website.
It is possible to keep your landline number even if the landline connection itself ceases to exist. There are subscriptions that utilize the mobile network, to which the familiar number can be transferred as is. The subscription can then be used at home, at work or at the cottage with a regular mobile phone or a GSM desk phone similar to a landline.
This is how the shutdown of the landline network progresses:
Elisa says it will discontinue landline connections in January 2026.
Until spring 2026, landline connections will continue to function as before.
Corporate customers will be contacted starting in January.
Consumer customers will receive a more detailed customer letter for changing their subscription and phone at the end of April.
The landline network will cease operations on June 30, 2026.
If you glance at crypto news, you might think only prices and rules matter. Out of sight, a far less dramatic contest is changing the whole field: the push to build hardware that is more efficient and more reliable.
That hardware is the ASIC miner — a chip built for one task, and nothing else. The idea has been around for years, but the pace of fresh designs keeps rising, pushed by high power prices, thin profit margins, and the need for data-centre-grade gear instead of home-built rigs.
ASICs in 2026: Less “Garage Tech,” More “Industrial Compute”
At the start, anyone could mine on a laptop over the weekend — now the job looks like running a small server hall. Current ASICs are heavy-duty boxes that pull large currents, pour out heat, and demand fast network links. Because of that, talk has moved away from “Which coin?” toward “What’s the real total cost of ownership?”
Operators today weigh the same points a classic IT manager would:
Energy efficiency (J/TH) — the watts needed for one unit of hash work
Thermal management — how to shift heat, guide airflow, hold down noise, and keep rooms cool
Uptime and reliability — firmware that stays steady, hash rate that holds, and parts that do not fail often
Logistics — import tax, warranty length, delivery dates, and whether spare boards are on the shelf
In short, ASICs now behave less like household electronics and more like dedicated infrastructure assets.
Why Efficiency Became the Main Battleground
Power bills remain the largest day-to-day cost. When the gap between “profitable” and “painful” rests on a few percent gain, every improvement counts. New generations of machines therefore aim at:
Cleaner power rails, as well as finer voltage steps
Tighter chip design and careful binning
Hash rates that stay high even when intake air reaches 45 °C
Smarter fans and extra thermal probes
Operators also see that efficiency is not only about cost — it decides who survives. As networks grow more crowded and rewards swing, wasteful rigs end up unplugged first.
The “Operational Layer” Is Now Part of the Product
A miner is no longer a metal crate you plug into the wall — the room around it decides success. Power rails, monitoring, and upkeep form one system. Many first-time buyers learn this the hard way.
Noise can equal a jet taking off. Heat can push a garage past 50 °C in minutes. Home wiring rarely meets the sustained load. One wrong firmware flag can turn a stable box into a reboot loop.
That’s why buyers now study the whole purchase journey — where the unit comes from, whether it is genuine, how it will be delivered, and who will help months later — not only the big hash rate number on the advert.
Half-way through your search, you will land on supplier pages that line up models and stock. If you want tobuy asic miner gear by type and see what is actually on the market, a tidy list saves time before you pick the route that suits your site.
What Tech Buyers Should Check Before Purchasing
For a small farm, a hosted hall, or a corner of the house, treat the order like IT hardware, not a spur-of-the-moment buy.
Authenticity and provenance Fake trackers, second-hand rigs dressed as new, or plain non-delivery happen every day. Stick with vendors that publish clear rules and let you check every step.
Power requirements Note exact voltage, amperage, and plug shape — many miners need 220–240V lines and their own breaker, not the socket that feeds the kettle.
Cooling plan Without a way to move hot air out, the unit will slow itself or die. Extractor fans or open racks are often mandatory.
Noise constraints Many machines roar like a server hall — if neighbours are close, decide whether the room can stand the din.
Support and spare parts Fans, power supplies, and control boards wear out — the ease of getting replacements counts far more than most people expect.
The Sustainability Angle Is Getting Real
Sustainability is no longer a slogan. Operators pipe waste heat into greenhouses, balance loads to spare the grid, or place farms where power is steady and clean.
This matches Europe’s push for energy accountability. In that light, “better hardware” is not only extra hash — it is more work per kilowatt, and a set-up that rising power tariffs will not shut down.
Final Thought: ASIC Mining Is Becoming a Tech Discipline
The biggest shift is cultural: mining is now viewed as a technical operations job. Victory rarely goes to whoever grabs the latest rig — it goes to teams that design power, cooling, buying, and risk the way professionals run a data centre.
For people who work with technology, the important point is straightforward. ASICs are just custom-built chips for one job, and the support network around them is growing up quickly. Treat them as basic equipment, not as a quick fix, and you will choose more wisely, stay away from costly errors, and create a system that keeps working for years.
Work chat has quietly become the place where real work happens. Research from Microsoft WorkLab points to rising chat activity outside standard hours, which matches what many teams already feel in practice. Telegram with its abundant features and paid channels can help, but only if you build a few sensible habits around it, especially when it becomes a place where files are stored and passed around like a shared drive.
When a proxy layer helps your work chat stay steady
In day-to-day work, the biggest frustration with any messaging tool is not features but reliability. A message that sends late, a file upload that stalls, or a call that drops can break momentum and leave people guessing. It is in this context where a proxy layer can matter, especially when staff move between office Wi-Fi, home broadband, mobile data, and guest networks.
In Telegram settings, this idea is packaged as Telegram Proxy support. You can set the app to use a special type of proxy, like a SOCKS5 or MTProto, after which, all the app’s traffic will go through it. For work, this means simple wins: fewer messages that fail to send, fewer files that stop uploading halfway, and less time doing the same task over again.
The phrase “proxy solutions” covers a wide range, from a shared company-managed server to a trusted provider. The best setups are boring in the right way: stable uptime, predictable speed, and clear access controls.
So, when people talk about using proxies for Telegram, it is easy to focus on the technical steps and forget the work impact. The goal is not complexity but the smoother messaging and steadier file sharing, especially when the chat thread is acting like the hand-off point for documents and deliverables.
Why Telegram often becomes a lightweight file hub
Once a team starts relying on Telegram for work, file sharing tends to grow naturally. A link and a short message often beat a long email, and the context stays attached to the document. Telegram also supports sending many file types and keeping them accessible across devices, which makes it tempting to treat chats as a “good enough” shared space for day-to-day assets.
A key practical limit to know is file size. Telegram’s FAQ states that you can send and receive files “up to 2 GB in size each.” For many teams, that covers slide decks, design exports, short videos, and large PDFs without needing a separate transfer tool. But the bigger challenge is organisation. If you do not build a simple naming and storage habit, files become hard to find later, especially when projects run for weeks.
The table below captures a few numbers that explain why chat and file sharing are blending together in modern work.
The table is created by us, specifically, for this article.
Guardrails that make Telegram safer and easier to manage at work
If Telegram is part of your work stack, the question is not whether it can handle daily collaboration. It is whether your team can keep it clean, searchable, and low-risk as usage grows. That starts with understanding how conversations behave across devices. Telegram supports cloud-based chats that sync widely, while Secret Chats are designed differently. Telegram’s own Support Force documentation explains that:
Cloud Chats can be accessed across devices
Secret Chats are device-specific and use end-to-end encryption, which is why they do not sync in the same way
Focus on people and process, not just settings. Many security issues come down to rushed sharing, wrong recipients, or weak account habits. Verizon’s 2025 DBIR executive summary puts it plainly: “the involvement of the human element in breaches remained roughly the same as last year, hovering around 60%.” The same summary notes that the share of breaches involving a third party doubled from 15% to 30%, which is a reminder that partners and external collaborators can add risk if access is loose.
In day-to-day terms, guardrails look like simple choices, such as:
turning on strong account protection
keeping work groups permissioned
limiting who can add members
using consistent conventions so files are easier to locate later
When Telegram becomes a file lane, it helps to treat key threads as shared workspaces, with clear ownership and a habit of pinning or summarising the latest version of important documents.
Centripetal, the global leader in cybersecurity threat intelligence, has exposed critical security gaps leaving hundreds of thousands of Irish networks vulnerable to cyberattack.
Using its proprietary threat intelligence analytics platform, Centripetal has mapped cyberattack entry points across Ireland down to individual IP addresses* and networks, revealing which regions, industries, and organisations face the greatest risk.
The findings are stark:
349,000 Irish networks (3.6% of the total) remain unprotected from active cyber threats.
44% have exposed vulnerabilities.
Half a million vulnerabilities exist on exposed assets across Ireland as of September 2025.
Dublin faces the highest risk, recording the greatest concentration of vulnerabilities across all industries.
Centripetal’s Attack Surface Map identifies specific attack vectors – the methods cybercriminals use to exploit vulnerabilities and gain unauthorised access to systems, networks, and sensitive data. This granular visibility enables organisations to understand their exact exposure and take immediate action.
The threat is active and escalating:
63% of compromised networks are leveraged to conduct active reconnaissance – attackers are probing systems and planning their strikes through Irish infrastructure
11% are acting as command-and-control centers to coordinate attacks – cybercriminals have already infiltrated these systems and are working to further seize control of other target networks
35% increase in active attacks launched or coordinated through Irish networks since 2024 – the scale of attacks has expanded dramatically as cybercriminals automate campaigns and target vastly more organisations simultaneously by leveraging sophisticated tools and technologies including AI.
This means thousands of Irish organisations are likely under attack right now, many without knowing it.
David Silke, Managing Director, Centripetal Ireland says, “Across Ireland, we can see that there are Critical National Infrastructure organisations that are currently exposed to attack vectors. We can see that the largest attack vector in Ireland at present are the ISPs (Internet service providers – the telecoms and hosting providers). Our technology can drill down to a granular level to show which customers of a particular provider are affected by these vulnerabilities at a street level.
“We’re calling for organisations in Ireland to review their cybersecurity provision and asking them to put more emphasis on the use of threat intelligence to protect themselves. We know that only 20% of organisations currently do this. At Centripetal, our technology effectively cloaks these vulnerabilities, hiding them from attackers so they can’t be targeted,” says Silke.
CleanINTERNET technology, including its new Fusion product, blocks 99.99% of threats by providing complete network visibility. Unlike traditional solutions that only monitor traffic entering and leaving the network (north-south), Fusion also monitors internal traffic flows (east-west), creating comprehensive protection from every angle.
This dual capability means organizations can now:
Stop external threats before they breach the network
Detect insider threats by identifying suspicious behavior from internal users and systems
Receive real-time alerts when unusual activity occurs, whether from outside attackers or internal sources
