IBM today announced it is working with Bancroft, a major provider of specialized services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, to manage a cloud-based educational program. Staff and students can now access a library of more than 300 educational and clinical apps via an iPad more securely.

Micronet Enertec Technologies, Inc. announced that its MRM subsidiary, Micronet Ltd, has established a strategic partnership with Verizon to make its line of mobile data terminals more widely available to Verizon customers, VARs, and channel partners. In turn, a greater number of Micronet customers will benefit from access to the Verizon Wireless network.

The South East Asia-Middle East-Western Europe 5 (SEA-ME-WE 5) consortium has announced that the contract for the deployment of the SEA-ME-WE 5 undersea cable system spanning 20,000 km from Singapore to France has come into force.  The new 100G SEA-ME-WE 5 will deliver ultra-broadband capacity and faster access to consumers and businesses. Its ultimate design capacity of 24 Terabit per second (Tbit/s) will be used to serve the countries along its route. The system will connect Singapore to Europe (Italy and France) and traverse Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan, Oman, UAE, Yemen, Djibouti and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Alcatel-Lucent has started construction of the segments spanning from Sri Lanka to France. Co-contractor NEC will be deploying the Singapore to Sri Lanka segment.

Multinational telecoms company ZTE has announced a new partnership with computer-based testing provider Pearson VUE to launch a series of new telecoms certification exams which are set to further raise industry standards.