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Europe’s communications market is fragmenting

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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.



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Intruder launches AI pentesting for web apps on demand

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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.”



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Oxfordshire sandwich shop slammed with poor food hygiene rating

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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.





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The hidden cost of synthetic identity fraud

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UK fraud losses reached £1.17 billion in 2024, with more than 3.3 million confirmed fraud cases. Identity fraud continues to accelerate, driven by synthetic identities, AI-assisted scams, and increasingly sophisticated payment fraud. As reimbursement rules tighten, financial institutions are facing a new reality: fraud is no longer just a security problem; it is becoming a direct financial liability.

Generative AI is making synthetic identities easier and cheaper to create, allowing fraudsters to combine authentic personal information with fabricated addresses and identities at unprecedented scale. Authorised push payment (APP) fraud alone accounted for £450.7 million of UK losses in 2024, while government-linked fraud reporting recorded a record 421,000 identity fraud cases during the same period. The fastest-growing category was false identity fraud, which increased by 60% year over year and now accounts for nearly one-third of all identity fraud cases.

While the UK’s reimbursement rules are specific to its regulatory environment, the underlying drivers – AI-enabled fraud, digital onboarding, instant payments, and synthetic identities – are affecting financial institutions worldwide, including Australia. What’s changed in the UK is that regulators have made the cost of inaction explicit. A mandatory reimbursement scheme puts a defined liability, capped at £85,000 per claim, on the banks that move fraudulent payments, split between the sending and receiving institution. That is a line item now, not a hypothetical, and it is a preview of where fraud prevention and AML accountability are heading in other markets.

Where the Finance Function’s Exposure Actually Sits

Most fraud prevention and KYC budgets are built around two layers: document verification at onboarding and biometric checks to catch deepfakes and presentation attacks. Both matter, and both are becoming more sophisticated as AI-generated fraud grows harder to detect. But there is a quieter layer underneath both that finance teams often underweight: the accuracy of the address data attached to every application, invoice, and payment instruction.

Synthetic identity fraud works precisely because it blends one real credential, commonly a genuine national identifier, with fabricated supporting details. Unlike names or identity documents, addresses must correspond to real-world locations. Verifying that an address is valid, deliverable, and consistent with identity records provides an additional layer of trust that synthetic identities often fail to satisfy. Most onboarding and fraud detection systems check whether an address looks plausible rather than whether it actually exists, which is exactly the gap synthetic identities are built to exploit.

That gap has a direct cost attached to it for finance leaders, not just a compliance one. Every synthetic identity that clears onboarding becomes a credit risk, a reimbursement liability, and, in many cases, a remediation cost once the account is flagged and unwound. None of that appears as a fraud loss on day one. It shows up months later – compounded.

Invoice and mandate fraud carry a similar blind spot. Business email compromise (BEC) scams that redirect payment instructions frequently rely on a plausible-looking but incorrect billing or remittance address to move funds to a criminally controlled account before anyone notices the mismatch. High-profile BEC incidents have resulted in losses exceeding £20 million after organisations acted on fraudulent payment instructions. Address verification at the point where payment instructions change, not just during onboarding, can help identify these inconsistencies before funds are transferred.

Why This Belongs on the CFO’s Desk, Not Just Risk and Compliance

Fraud prevention has traditionally been viewed as the responsibility of risk, compliance, or cybersecurity teams. However, reimbursement mandates and increasing regulatory accountability mean the financial consequences ultimately land on the CFO’s desk. When a reimbursement claim lands, it becomes a direct cost. When a synthetic identity account defaults after building a credit history over several months, it becomes a bad debt write-off that finance must explain. When an invoice fraud payment leaves the business, it is cash that may never be recovered.

For finance teams building the business case for stronger fraud controls, the conversation that resonates with boards is rarely about simply “reducing fraud.” It is about avoiding measurable financial liabilities: reimbursement exposure, remediation costs that increase the longer fraudulent accounts remain active, and the reputational damage that follows a public payment fraud incident.

What This Looks Like in Practise

Closing this gap does not require replacing an existing fraud prevention or AML stack. Instead, finance teams should validate address data at key points throughout the customer lifecycle:

  • When a customer or account is created
  • Whenever payment or remittance details change
  • Periodically for dormant or high-risk accounts

In each case, the same questions should be asked:

  • Does the address exist?
  • Is it correctly formatted using authoritative postal reference data?
  • Is it consistent with the other identity or payment information on file?

Address validation is a fast, low-friction control compared with document review or biometric verification, making it one of the most cost-effective additions to an organisation’s fraud prevention strategy. It is particularly valuable for detecting synthetic identities, which often establish a seemingly legitimate credit history over months before being used for fraudulent withdrawals or defaults. Periodic address verification helps identify these risks before they become financial losses.

Address verification solutions such as Melissa’s help organisations validate addresses in real time during onboarding and whenever payment details change. By ensuring address data is accurate, standardised, and deliverable, finance, fraud, and compliance teams gain greater confidence in the customer information used to support payment and identity decisions.

As fraud becomes more sophisticated and more expensive, trusted address data is no longer just an operational requirement. It is an increasingly important financial control.

Learn more about Melissa UK Address Verification.



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