Category: Media Centre > News (Global)

In a bid to firmly establish itself as Europe’s most connected operator and cement its reputation as one to watch State-owned 120-year young operator JT Group has joined forces with 1oT to launch an innovative eSIM solution at this year’s MWC. This eSIM solution is set to open up a new level of global connectivity for IoT service providers.

Designed specifically for the needs of start-ups and small and medium-sized IoT service providers, this new 1oT eSIM, technically known as eUICC, will enable them to operate in multiple regions worldwide. What’s more, through this partnership with JT those customers will now also benefit from JT’s extensive worldwide roaming network.

This eSIM is set to simplify and revolutionise the market for these users by enabling a ‘virtual swap’ in the air between pre-negotiated operator services without the need to physically change the SIM card. It will also leverage the global roaming deals provided by JT opening up access to over 700 of JT’s partner networks potentially making it the world’s most flexible SIM.

Graham Hart-Ives, JT’s Head of IoT Sales, said: “We have continued to grow our offering over recent months and we are delighted that the work we have done to build a strong position in this market is bringing substantial benefits to our forward-thinking and long-term partners, like 1oT. This is a great example of leveraging partnerships and innovating using latest SIM technology to jointly provide the best possible product for customers.”

1oT is an operator independent global connectivity provider which handles the complexity of working with multiple operators in different regions for IoT service providers and device makers.

Märt Kroodo, founder and CEO of 1oT said: “This launch is an exciting next step in SIM technology which provides vastly improved convenience for customers. This partnership of JT’s innovation and flexibility in working with different partners and our expertise will together deliver connectivity products for IoT which greatly improve customers experience and take the market forward.”

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In its pacy drive to establish itself as Europe’s most connected operator, JT has announced the addition of another significant partner to its extensive global network; Speednet Communications. Through this new partnership with Belize’s leading mobile network operator, JT’s International team is pushing ahead with ambitious plans for global growth.

JT will provide a fully managed service, which is GSMA compliant, for both inbound and outbound roaming to Speednet Belize, using JT’s existing 2G, 3G and 4G roaming connectivity and supported through JT’s network extension platform.

Thanks to JT’s Roaming as a Service provision, Speednet Communication’s end-users also gain access to international roaming coverage across JT’s substantial 700+ networks around the world. In addition, JT will provide inbound roaming services, enabling visitors to Belize to connect and roam on Speednet Communications world-class 4G network.

Tom Noel, Managing Director of JT International, said: “JT’s customers in the Channel Islands already have access to one of the widest roaming networks available and our International team are using these unrivalled partnerships to now enable leading emerging markets to benefit from this service. Our energetic roaming team work tirelessly to enable customers access to roam where they want, when they want and this roaming as a service partnership is a natural extension of that success. Adding Speednet to our trusted global network of partners offers benefits and cost savings for their customers and for ours; with the freedom to roam with confidence.”

Leonardo Calle, the CTO at Speednet, said: “JT’s Roaming as a Service is a unique product that brings us the benefits of direct roaming relationships. The immediate access to over 700 of JT’s direct partners will give our customers the ability to roam across the globe seamlessly.”

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JT’s retail team will be on a stand at this year’s Digital ACE event organised by Digital Greenhouse on Saturday 2 February between midday and 5 pm at Beau Sejour. This popular annual event takes place ahead of National Safer Internet Day attracting high numbers of visitors keen to know more about the latest technology.

The exponential growth of the internet means our children and young adults are spending more time than ever online, both at home and at school for development and play. This explosion of use brings with it a need to help educate parents and young people to understand the risks they could face online. The JT team are ready to help giving easy to understand practical advice and tips on how to stay safe online.

They will also be demonstrating Haandle, an innovative parental control device for e-safety. The latest figures released by Ofcom show that more than a third of 12 to 15-year-olds find it difficult to moderate their screen time and Haandle can help families manage online activity. The device, which is exclusively available at JT, allows parents to set limits and manage their children’s internet access by setting times and parameters on devices their children have access to. This works across mobile data and Wi-Fi networks in and outside the home, so it can be a useful tool for parents to help encourage healthy usage.

The JT team will also give practical guidance on how to configure devices. And to keep the children entertained while we help answer questions, the stand has the latest Nintendo switch console available to trial and some great giveaways, including a chance to win a brand-new Nintendo Console.

Tamara O’Brien, JT’s Head of Customer Experience said: “It’s great to support the Digital ACE event again this year and to have the chance to provide islanders with advice, tools and safety tips as well as offering some fun, guidance and demonstrations at the event. This is such a valuable event for islanders to find out more about the power of technology we all now rely on, but also how to use it safely. We are looking forward to welcoming people and will be happy to help with any questions that they may have.”

For anyone who can’t get to Digital ACE, JT’s High Street shop team are always happy to see people in-store and help with useful information and friendly advice on the latest range of technology. They can also help customers with enabling Internet routers to block certain sites or seeing first-hand the devices we have available to help them stay in control online.

In 2018 JT teams raised £21,831 for their chosen charities through a combination of group events and individual challenges across all JT’s locations.

In Jersey the team worked with Littlefeet Environmental and Jersey Marine Conservation while the Guernsey team supported the Marine Biology Section of the Société Guernesiaise. The money raised by the teams will directly benefit local environmental causes, providing much-needed funds to support valuable work in the communities that JT is a part of.

Spurred on by the JSPCA’s plea for help to save the Jersey Animal Shelter, the JT team in Jersey have decided to put their full support behind the charity in 2019. While in Guernsey the JT team will focus on supporting the great work of the much-loved local animal charity, the GSPCA.

Christophe Chateau, JT Group Head of Culture and Staff Engagement, said: “Animals play an important role in many people’s lives, as valued companions for some and for many others they are a lifeline. Right now, help is needed to ensure that the people that look after the animals and pets in our community have what they need to continue to provide islanders with a vital service.

“We are committed to supporting the JSPCA’s efforts to help fund the shelter in the same enthusiastic way that we have supported local charities and initiatives for decades. For us, it’s a great way to bring people together, have fun, raise money and change something in our community that needs our help.

“We are in close contact with the JSPCA to ensure that volunteering and fundraising efforts meet the charity’s most immediate needs, working out a programme of events for JT’s people to get involved in. We have had some great successes with charity-focused events in the past, they are enormously popular and attract a lot of participation from the wider community. We hope to be just as successful this year.”

More information about the company’s work in the community is available on the charity and community pages of the JT website.

Following our public appeal for support, JT has chosen the JSPCA as its charity of the year in 2019 and will be encouraging staff to support the charity in the coming year with events and corporate and personal fund-raising.

Earlier this year we took steps to engage the public to support us and ensure that both the charity and Animals’ Shelter would be able to continue providing services for the Jersey community for many years to come.

Kevin Keen, the JSPCA’s volunteer Chief Executive Officer said: “To end the year with positive news is great for everyone involved. We are really pleased that our campaign has resulted in JT choosing us as the beneficiary of their annual fund-raising. Their support will help raise awareness of the services we provide and generate funds.”

Christophe Chateau, JT Group Head of Culture and Staff Engagement, said: “The JSPCA were an obvious and popular choice for us as our 2019 charity of the year. So many of us will have had contact with the Animals’ Shelter over the years and know just how vital their services are for the Island’s sick, injured or homeless and lost pets. Without their presence, a much-needed service would disappear from our community. We know that our people at JT will get behind the efforts of the charity to help fund the shelter in the same enthusiastic way that they have thrown their support behind many local charities and initiatives by fundraising and volunteering for decades. We are very hands-on and passionate about our community.

“As a locally-owned company, we’d also love to see other Jersey companies take up the opportunity to choose the JSPCA as their focus for fund-raising in 2019 and beyond so that we continue to have a Shelter and service to be proud of.”

As well as encouraging corporate sponsorship and funding the charity has reached out directly to Islanders to support them through ongoing donations and fundraising. For more information about fundraising for the JSPCA go to our Support Us page.

Analysis by Ookla® of Speedtest Intelligence® has confirmed that JT customers enjoy the fastest mobile data speeds in both Guernsey and Jersey.

Results from all mobile networks in the Channel Islands were analysed by Ookla, the global leader in fixed broadband and mobile network testing applications, data and analysis between April and September this year.

Those tests, which are carried out by islanders themselves, confirm that JT has the fastest mobile networks.

Ookla’s results are widely trusted by regulators, trade groups and analysts and are used by virtually every major mobile carrier and internet service provider in the world. Each day, more than ten million tests are actively initiated by consumers across all Speedtest platforms, with over 20 billion completed to date.

Daragh McDermott JT, said: “Our customers regularly tell us that they enjoy the speed of our 4G networks in Jersey and Guernsey, and these test results from Ookla provide the research data to confirm their feedback – JT’s networks are the quickest.

“We’re really pleased to have that confirmed, for the third year running, by Ookla, as its clearly good news for our customers, and testament to the hard work of JT’s engineering teams who are responsible for building and maintaining the best possible mobile networks.

“We see it as our responsibility to deliver the best connectivity that we can for Channel Islanders, and have demonstrated that through our fibre broadband networks, our 4G networks, and more recently with the announcement that we will begin to install 5G (subject to the necessary radio spectrum being allocated by the regulator) in 2019.

“Our aim is to make the islands one of the best-connected places in the world, and this recognition from Ookla confirms that work is paying off.”

“With millions of tests taken using Speedtest every day, Ookla has developed a robust and comprehensive view of worldwide internet performance. It is our pleasure to recognize JT as the Fastest Mobile Network in Guernsey & Jersey based on our rigorous analysis. This award is a testament to JT’s exceptional performance, as experienced by their own customers, in Q2 and Q3,” said Jamie Steven, Executive Vice President at Ookla.

Just 4 years on from the successful deployment of its 4G network JT is again partnering with ZTE to create a new 5G mobile network for our Islands. The deal was signed on Tuesday in Shenzhen, China, during an official Jersey trade delegation to further develop the Islands’ business links with Asia.

Now contracts are signed, JT will begin work with ZTE on this new network aiming to launch a test service during 2019, subject to CICRA licensing spectrum. Whilst the 5G standard is not complete yet, JT aims to roll out incremental improvements as standards solidify and expects to offer a Channel Island wide service by 2021.

5G enables download speeds up to 10x faster than today’s speeds, together with the ability to connect many more devices. In time it will play a key part in supporting our Islands’ role as an Internet of Things ‘Digital Sandbox’. JT forecast that, in addition to thousands of IoT devices, by 2023 10% of Islanders will have 5G enabled devices.

Graeme Millar, JT CEO said: “Our goal is to build the best networks we possibly can for islanders to enjoy. We aspire to build on our island’s world beating fibre network and now offer Channel Islanders the best 5G service in the world.  Our role is to support our customers, providing them the technology to do whatever they want. By building these information super highways we make this possible.

ZTE are the ideal partner, who’ve supported us already with our 4G network. We know customers appreciate its speed and quality. Indeed, our ZTE 4G network has been ranked as the fastest in the CI by global assessor Ookla for the last three years running. We expect more of the same from our Islands’ new 5G network.

We’re committed to ensuring customers continue to enjoy the best connectivity in the world by both wire and air: the journey moving from 4G to 5G will be similar to the revolution from copper to fibre. Whilst it will be a complex project involving the complete upgrade of our mobile network, new customer handsets and other changes, we believe we are ideally placed to help our customers experience the benefits this technology offers.

It was an honour to sign this deal during a formal trade delegation visit to China, when we were also able to support Jersey in developing business in Asia. We are proud to give voice to our Islands on the world stage and firmly believe the Channel Islands can hold their own in terms of connectivity against any country in the world. We thank all Channel Islanders for supporting the development of our advanced networks and services.”

Kenneth Cao, Managing Director ZTE UK commented: “This is a key milestone for both ZTE and JT to start the journey of 5G. 5G is an enabler for technology innovation and digital transformation and at ZTE we aim to be a world leader in 5G solution development. As we did through our 4G partnership, ZTE are determined and committed to provide the best possible 5G solution and service to JT and for the Channel Islands. ‘

Issued by James Filleul at Direct Input. Telephone 01534 735253 or email james@directinput.je for more information.  To find out more about 5G visit www.jtglobal.com/5G and to find out more about Ookla’s global speed test rankings visit www.jtglobal.com/fastestnetwork.

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In Photos: Graeme Millar CEO JT Group, Daragh McDermott Corporate Affairs Director JT Group, Kenneth Cao, Managing Director ZTE UK and Dr Han Gang, Vice-President ZTE Corporation

The first JT-sponsored Institute of Directors’ Winter Seminar of the series is set to provide a fascinating insight into the benefits and risks of new technology, particularly in relation to the advancement of boards. The seminar, titled The Shape of Things to Come will be held at the Old Government House on Friday 16 November at 12.15 pm.

Panellists will include Emma Bailey, the GFSC’s Director of the Authorisations and Innovation Division; Wayne Atkinson, Partner at Collas Crill; Susie Crowder, Non-Executive Chairman at Nexus Technology Ltd and CEO of Bright Futures LBG, and Matt Thornton, co-founder of Guernsey-based tech start-up, Cortex Technologies.

Iain Beresford, organiser of the JT-sponsored Winter Seminar series, said: “There’s no doubt that innovation and technological disruption is affecting every business, every industry and every economy, including Guernsey, and while it can be a powerful and opportunist force for driving business and economic growth and performance, it also presents significant risks to some companies.

“While there is no question that, by their very nature, technological disruption and innovation provide significant challenges to regulators and policymakers, can they also create an environment to cultivate and promote innovation, and potentially deliver innovations to the marketplace in a way in which they could not have developed on their own? In this seminar we’ll be looking to explore these ideas and understand their implications.

Tamara O’Brien, Deputy Managing Director of JT Guernsey, said: “We’re really pleased to continue our long-standing support of these topical lunchtime events in partnership with the IoD. As an enabler of new technology ourselves, through our mobile and broadband networks, we’re very aware of the benefits and also the challenges that innovation brings. One of the best ways to manage disruption is to discuss it openly and honestly, which these important seminars allow our business community to do. It promises to be a fascinating event with debate stimulated from an informed expert panel.”

 

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Jersey’s digital best were honoured at an exciting new awards ceremony last night and Digital Jersey is proud to announce that the 2018 Jersey TechAwards winners are as follows:

Digital Company of the Year – JT

Digital Start-Up of the Year – Pinpoint

Best Use of Technology in Education – Beaulieu Convent School

Technology Project of the Year – States of Jersey, Concerto asset management

Digital Creative Project of the Year – Flux

Technology Student of the Year – Adam Le Tarouilly

Technology Teacher of the Year – Rory Steel

Digital Growth Business of the Year – JT

Digital Leader of the Year – Damon Eastwood, Switch Digital

Digital Team of the Year – Race Nation

The ten winners were chosen by a judging panel comprising representatives from both the private and public sectors, from both on and off the Island. All of whom have a broad interest in, and understanding of, the digital sector.

The event took place in the Chart Room at Castle Quay and the awards were presented by the host for the inaugural event financial writer, technology advocate and acclaimed British comedian, Dominic Frisby.

Tony Moretta, CEO of Digital Jersey, said ‘We are thrilled to see Jersey’s digital best celebrated in this way. We had so many excellent and vastly diverse entries for these awards, testament to the fantastic work being done around the island to grow our digital industry. Huge congratulations go to our first ever Jersey TechAwards winners, all of whom really stand out as exceptional contributors to our industry.’

The Jersey TechAwards, organised by Digital Jersey, in association with the Jersey section of BCS (the International section of the Chartered Institute for IT) and sponsored by Prosperity 24/7, was established to showcase key aspects of the digital sector including the Internet of Things, Digital Health and FinTech.

David Cartwright, chairman of BCS Jersey, said “An exciting evening saw ten extremely worthy winners take home awards that acknowledge their excellence and their contribution to the technology industry in Jersey. One must also acknowledge the others on the shortlist: we had dozens of very strong entries but, of course, not everyone can win an award. When we conceived the Tech Awards the intention was to make it an annual event, and I hope next years will be both stronger and more plentiful”.

Chris Clark, CEO of Prosperity 24/7, said to be able to sponsor the inaugural awards was an honour. As we all know, technology is pervasive and is the life blood of Industry in Jersey. Seeing this recognised, applauded and celebrated last night amongst 250 peers, creates an indelible mark in the memories of all who attended. The positive energy and ground swell regarding the potential for digital transformation to support productivity and innovation across our economy is an accolade that Digital Jersey should also take pride in, as they act as the focus point for us all to support, enabling the Digital economy to continue to grow and prosper.

Jersey TechAwards marked the culmination of Jersey Tech Week, an event dedicated to the digital sector, featuring keynote convention speakers with topics ranging from AI to blockchain; smart homes and cyber security, and which also saw the launch of the Island’s first Internet of Things hub: DJX.

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Islanders of all ages are invited to join volunteers from JT and professional athletes of the Super League Triathlon to help clean the beach at West Park before the world-class action gets underway.

The big JT Beach Clean will take place on Thursday 27 September from 3.30 pm and is being organised by JT in association with Little Feet Environmental and Jersey Marine Conservation, JT’s chosen charities for 2018. A team of volunteers from across all business areas of JT will be taking part and hope Islanders of all ages will join them to help ready the area for worldwide attention.

Eight athletes who will be competing in the Super League Triathlon that weekend (29/30 September) will also be joining in, providing a great opportunity for the public to meet the professionals before their attention turns to the high-speed competition around the Harbour and Waterfront.

Christophe Chateau, JT’s Head of Culture & Employee Engagement, said: “We’d like as many people as possible to come down to the area in front of La Frégate Café for 3.30 pm, or as soon as you can after the schools finish. The eyes of the world will be on that part of Jersey in the following days, so we want to make sure Jersey is looking its very best. It should be a great community event, with the charities, athletes, team JT and the people of Jersey taking part.”

As the official Technology Partner of Super League Triathlon, JT is actively involved over the weekend, including running the free JT Fan Zone – an area above the Waterfront car park which will include live music, food and drink, children’s activities and a ‘tech zone’ for adults and children alike to test their sporting prowess in a Virtual Reality world.

Michael D’Hulst, CEO and co-founder of Super League Triathlon, said: “At Super League Triathlon, we are passionate about being a sustainable company and reducing our impact on the world. Our athletes share this passion as they are out in nature training for so much of the year. We will be reducing the use of plastic as much as possible across the RBC Super League Jersey event, helped by JT. Come along to the JT Beach Clean and join our athletes in keeping Jersey and our oceans clean.”

The clean will be led and coordinated by Little Feet Environmental and Jersey Marine Conservation. It should last around two hours, although the more people who turn up, the quicker the clean will be.

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