Business & Technology
Europe’s communications market is fragmenting
For years, the narrative around European communications has been one of scale. Think of pan-European coverage, standardised services, and consistency across borders.
But the reality on the ground is far more complex. That complexity is increasingly becoming about shaping how providers need to evolve.
Building a truly pan-European communications business means looking at each market in isolation. Each country has its own unique differences, with each one at a different moment in time in terms of digital transformation.
That tension between standardisation and localisation is at the heart of the next phase of growth for enterprise communications.
Shifting from national provider to multinational partner
Gamma Communications’ own trajectory reflects a broader shift in the market. What began as a UK SME-focused business has been reshaped by the demands of larger, more complex organisations.
Implementing larger solutions for larger organisations created a new mindset. These larger businesses typically want a direct relationship with a service provider.
It forced a structural change and ultimately led to the creation of a dedicated enterprise capability. Creating a systems integrator within the Gamma Communications Group led to the delivery of highly scalable, digital and turnkey solutions to larger enterprises.
But the real inflection point came when those enterprise customers started asking a harder question: how do you support us globally?
Why ‘pan-European’ doesn’t mean uniform
Expanding into Europe isn’t simply about replicating a UK model. Different markets are progressing at different speeds, particularly when it comes to infrastructure.
In the UK, fibre deployment is almost done. Soon, organisations will have ubiquitous fibre coverage underpinning their digital transformations.
However, in a nation like Germany, they’re behind on their own fibre rollout. This uneven maturity creates a challenge but also an opportunity for providers that can bridge those gaps.
That’s why it’s crucial to look at each market and plan accordingly. Either consolidate or create a single solution that can basically deliver a customers’ requirements across those markets.
In practice, that means building a portfolio that can flex across environments, rather than assuming a one-size-fits-all model.
The third digital revolution is already here
At the same time, AI is driving significant change. At our recent GX 2026 event, we spoke on how we’ve already entered the next digital revolution.
This time, the revolution is being defined by agentic AI capabilities. For enterprise customers, the conversation has already moved quickly from experimentation to execution.
Customers are looking for answers on what comes next. They need help on how best to deploy these solutions and achieve tangible outcomes. Operational efficiencies, better customer service – all achievable when done correctly.
It’s clear how the focus is no longer on technology for its own sake, but on measurable outcomes. These customers want to be a better, more competitive organisation.
New risks are shaping the agenda
Alongside opportunity, new forms of risk are rising rapidly up the board-level agenda.
First, there’s data sovereignty. Where data resides is a worldwide challenge and has now found itself at the top of the CIO agenda.
At the same time, cyber security concerns are evolving beyond traditional breach scenarios. There’s more concern around deep fakes, and organisations are wondering how they protect themselves against this new AI-driven tactic.
These pressures are forcing organisations to rethink both their technology stacks and their operating models. Together, it puts a greater incentive on finding the right partner to work with.
Why partnerships are becoming non-negotiable
In an AI-driven market, even the largest providers cannot build everything themselves. Unless they have few billion pounds dedicated towards R&D, it can be difficult to create transformational AI solutions.
Instead, value is being created through integration, combining hyperscaler capability with provider-owned services. At Gamma, that’s the route already being pursued.
These capabilities are being embedded into Gamma’s won assets. That way, there’s a whole layer of managed service and deployment services. Layering these services helps create a turnkey solution that allows organisations to focus on their core business.
Whether it’s a high street retailer, merchant bank, or a large public sector organisation, they’re having unnecessary complexity removed.
Ready to challenge
Taken together, these trends point to a communications market on the cusp of another major shift. The combination of AI, global demand, and regional complexity is creating the conditions for a new wave of challengers.
The next level of transformation is here. AI-powered tools from hyperscalers like Cisco and Microsoft will define what comes next. Embedding them into Gamma’s core infrastructure will create a whole new wave of innovative, disruptive products.
The status quo in Europe is on the brink of change. Now is the time for organisations to seize the moment.
Learn more about how Gamma Communications can support pan-European expansion and deliver the outcomes that matter most.
You may also watch the accompanying video here.
Business & Technology
PayPal adds new Pay in 30 Days option for UK shoppers
KAREN JOY BACUDO
Finance Editor
PayPal has launched Pay in 30 Days for eligible UK customers, adding a new buy now, pay later option to its British checkout offering.
The service lets shoppers make an online purchase with PayPal and pay the full amount up to 30 days later. It is available on eligible transactions worth between £1 and £900, with no interest, sign-up fees or additional charges.
The launch expands PayPal’s existing buy now, pay later range in the UK, which already includes Pay in 3. That product lets customers split a purchase into three payments, with one taken at checkout and two more over the following two months.
Pay in 30 Days is available to eligible users across PayPal’s nearly 30 million-strong UK customer base. Customers can access the option through the existing PayPal checkout flow without opening a separate account or downloading another app.
Purchases and repayments are handled through PayPal’s own system. The 30-day window is intended to give customers more flexibility to pay at a point that better aligns with payday or other household bills.
Consumer demand
The launch comes as deferred payment products continue to gain ground with British shoppers. PayPal cited market data showing that 25% of UK adults used a buy now, pay later service at least once in the previous year.
It also linked the launch to changing expectations around how these products are offered, saying consumers want more flexible and transparent payment choices as regulatory scrutiny of the sector increases.
“British customers are smart. They want the flexibility to pay on their terms – but they’re also more discerning than ever about who they trust with their money. We’ve seen that in how our customers use PayPal, and our BNPL product offering, including both Pay in 3 and now Pay in 30 Days, is our response: genuine flexibility, zero fees, and the reassurance of a brand that’s been part of UK shopping for over two decades,” said Tamer El-Emary, General Manager UK at PayPal.
“As BNPL becomes regulated by the FCA, and continues to grow in the UK, the bar for trust and transparency will only rise – and we think that’s a good thing. For businesses, it means customers will increasingly gravitate toward payment options from names they recognise. PayPal’s Pay in 30 Days gives merchants a way to meet that demand, backed by a checkout experience their customers already know and trust.”
Merchant angle
For retailers, PayPal is positioning the new option as an addition to its current checkout rather than a separate technical project. Merchants that already use PayPal checkout do not need a new integration to offer Pay in 30 Days.
The company also cited research among 1,000 UK business owners and senior representatives who offer buy now, pay later services. In that survey, 64% said customer trust in their provider mattered most, while 50% said offering a broad range of payment options at checkout directly supported conversion.
This forms part of a wider battle among payments groups to retain a visible place at online checkout, where instalment products and short-term deferred payment options have become more common. Providers are trying to appeal to both consumers seeking flexibility and merchants seeking to reduce friction before a sale is completed.
PayPal’s approach in the UK centres on expanding the range of choices available under one brand. Alongside Pay in 3 and the new 30-day deferred payment option, customers enrolled in PayPal+ can earn PayPal+ Points on eligible Pay in 30 Days purchases.
The UK is an important market for the group, and buy now, pay later remains a closely watched area across consumer finance and digital commerce. Businesses in the segment are under pressure to demonstrate that their products are clear to use and easy for customers to manage as official oversight intensifies.
Pay in 30 Days is designed to sit within the same account and payment environment customers already use for online shopping. Eligible shoppers can select the option at checkout, complete the purchase and then settle the full amount within 30 days.
The product arrives as payment groups compete over trust, ease of use and checkout placement in a market where short-term credit has become a routine part of online spending. Pay in 30 Days is being made available to eligible customers across PayPal’s nearly 30 million-strong UK user base.
Business & Technology
Intruder launches AI pentesting for web apps on demand
Intruder has launched an AI pentesting service for web applications, adding on-demand penetration testing to its security platform.
The service lets customers connect source code repositories through GitHub or GitLab so tests can be scoped and started automatically. Results and audit-ready reports are produced within hours, rather than the weeks or months often associated with manual engagements.
The launch builds on Intruder’s earlier use of AI for issue-level investigations, where autonomous agents validated scanner findings. With the new release, the company is moving into full-scale white-box testing, using access to a codebase to search for weaknesses across an application.
Intruder says the system was built and trained by CREST-certified pentesters and is intended to mirror how experienced human testers work. The agents reason through applications and adapt their approach as they test.
Cost pressure
Pricing starts at USD $3,500 per test. According to Intruder, automated web application tests cost 25% or less of a traditional manual engagement.
That pricing is aimed in part at smaller businesses that may struggle to pay for frequent manual pentests. Existing customers can view web application pentest findings alongside attack surface, cloud, and vulnerability data in the same platform.
The move comes as security teams face pressure to review software released more frequently by engineering groups using AI coding tools. Intruder cited its own survey of security leaders, which found that 49% named AI and automation as their top investment priority for 2026.
Intruder argues that annual pentests no longer match software release cycles in many businesses, where major deployments may happen weekly. It also points to a shrinking window between the disclosure of vulnerabilities and their exploitation by attackers.
The service is designed for security, IT, and development teams that want more regular application testing without the scheduling overhead of conventional pentest projects. Reports generated by the service can be used as evidence for compliance frameworks including SOC 2 and ISO 27001.
Andy Hornegold, Chief Security Technologist at Intruder, said the launch reflects the company’s long-standing aim to broaden access to security testing.
“Our mission at Intruder has always been to make robust cybersecurity accessible to everyone,” said Andy Hornegold, Chief Security Technologist at Intruder. “Providing web application testing marks an exciting step on that journey. By delivering the depth of a pentest on demand and at a fraction of the price, we’re helping businesses keep up with an accelerating threat environment.”
Broader shift
The launch comes as suppliers across the market try to use AI to automate more of the work traditionally carried out by security consultants. Intruder pointed to recent industry attention on AI systems that can identify software flaws, while warning that attackers are using similar tools to speed up offensive activity.
For customers, the main operational change is the ability to run tests more often and closer to release cycles. Rather than commissioning a one-off annual review, organisations could use automated pentesting as part of routine software delivery.
Chris Wallis, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Intruder, framed the argument around time and budget constraints for smaller organisations.
“Historically, the cost of a pentest has been very high and has taken a long time,” said Chris Wallis, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Intruder. “In today’s accelerated threat environment, that timeline and cost don’t hold up. We’re ensuring that resource-constrained small and medium-sized businesses aren’t excluded from good security purely based on budget.”
One customer cited by Intruder said the appeal lies in filling the gap between formal annual assessments. Yembo, which continues to use human pentesters, said more continuous testing is needed to reduce exposure between scheduled reviews.
“Securing a global AI platform requires continuous defense,” said Zach Rattner, Chief Technology Officer and Co-Founder of Yembo. “While Yembo continues to leverage human pentesters, annual assessments alone leave dangerous windows of exposure. Intruder’s AI pentesting bridges that gap by delivering human-grade depth at machine speed to keep our platform permanently hardened.”
Business & Technology
Oxfordshire sandwich shop slammed with poor food hygiene rating
Matsho Africaribbean in unit 6, 7 and 8 in Victoria Cross Gallery Market Place in Wantage was visited by Vale of White Horse District Council‘s Environmental Health team on Monday, June 8.
Inspectors were not impressed with what they found and stated that ‘major improvement’ was necessary at the shop.
As a result, the supermarket was given a one-out-of-five hygiene rating after the inspection.
The report outlined one key issue at the eatery which was highlighted as a cause of concern.
Management of food safety at the venue required ‘major improvement’ according to inspectors.
READ MORE: Princess Diana’s Oxford-educated barrister faces retrial over £2m tax dodge
This refers to whether there is a system or checks in place to ensure that food sold or served is safe to eat.
It also concerns whether there is evidence that staff know about food safety and if the food safety officer has confidence that standards will be maintained in future.
The cleanliness and condition of both the facilities and the building were then rated as ‘good’.
This includes having an appropriate layout, ventilation, hand washing facilities and pest control to enable good food hygiene.
This refers to the preparation, cooking, re-heating, cooling and storage of food.
Meanwhile, the hygienic food handling was also deemed as ‘improvement necessary’.
The Oxford Mail have contacted Matsho Africaribbean for a comment.
-
Oxford News3 weeks agoJune heatwave would be ‘virtually impossible’ in 1976
-
Oxford Events3 weeks agoStage Watch: ‘I think we need much more laughter in the world’ says John Cleese
-
Student Life4 weeks agoOxford Union holds “This House Believes the West is Right to be Suspicious of Islam” Debate
-
UK News4 weeks agoUS to review benefits of having troops in Europe with ‘era of free-riding’ over – Europe live | World news
-
UK News4 weeks agoDriver killed in Bedford train crash named
-
UK News4 weeks agoCCTV shows moments leading up to arrest in anti-Muslim attacks probe
-
Oxford News4 weeks agoDidcot kids wanted by police for throwing eggs at cars
-
Business & Technology4 weeks agoCyberCube & Affinity Marketplace streamline SME cyber quotes
