New MERICS Study on Export Controls and the US-China Tech War
5GLIVE to advance 5G potential across industries worldwide
Ranplan announces partnership with China Unicom
“Advanced fiber networks are critical to address exponential 5G demands,” urges INNO Instrument America Inc. at ISE Expo 2019
WBA & NGMN Examine Options for Convergence, Management of Wi-Fi6 & 5g
Broadband wireless access leader embodies seamless integration, flexibility, performance and stability in a fresh logo for the new digital era
Tata Communications Transformation Services and Smart Africa Alliance set to bridge the skills gap for next-generation technologies in Africa
Ranplan recognised for world-leading 5G NR planning capability
Smarsh and CellTrust Team to offer API-Driven Voice Capture and Archiving
Energy scavenging technology wins funding to help power imminent 5G and IoT generation
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ProLabs to launch its innovative solutions at NGON Europe 2019
ProLabs will unveil its pioneering solutions for next generation Data Centres and 5G networks at NGON Europe in Nice, 21-23 May 2019. The company will highlight the changes necessary for operators to prepare for the continuously growing capacity requirements and complexity of the future 5G network. Debuting its new Optical Channel Monitor to the European market, ProLabs will showcase the EON-OMP-2, which allows for the remote monitoring of WDM wavelengths on optical fibres. The EON-OMP-2 will enable network issues to be identified quickly and without causing major infrastructure disruption whilst saving time. For fibre laid in locations such as rural communities or remote unmanaged locations, this has previously been a major issue. “The launch of our new Optical Channel Monitor signifies ProLabs transition into complete solutions enabling our customers to manage their fibre and monitor capabilities laying the foundations for 5G evolution,” said Anthony Clarkson, Technical Director at ProLabs. “The EON-OMP-2 is the first product in the launch of our Active Solutions portfolio. When combined with our full range of compatible products, it gives utmost control over maximising infrastructure development to our customers at an affordable price with no compromise to the quality of data transmission that they demand.” The EON-OMP-2 enables network operators to have a greater visibility into their network which can assist their operators, provisioning and monitoring teams. This innovative new product drastically reduces the time taken to troubleshoot network issues and can prevent engineers needing to travel to remote sites for troubleshooting purposes. The product can also be used in older legacy networks, where up-to-date record keeping of in-use wavelengths might be lacking. Alongside the launch of its Optical Channel Monitor, ProLabs will be showcasing its solutions for 5G and Data Centre Interconnect including its range of SFP28 25G products, e-band WDM and transponder solutions. Anthony adds: “NGON is the perfect place to introduce our new Optical Channel Monitor for the first time. Each year we have attended NGON, we have seen the industry welcome new innovative technology. The introduction of our latest product, the EON-OMP-2, combined with our 5G and Data Centre Interconnect solutions will present an exciting opportunity for operators to achieve greater network visibility and enhance their optical networks ready for 5G.” NGON Europe 2019 visitors can learn more about ProLabs solutions for 5G and Data Centre Interconnect at Stand 24.
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InfiNet Wireless solutions deployed to create digital oilfield
InfiNet Wireless has successfully delivered a wireless infrastructure solution at a major Kazakhstani oilfield to provide real-time control and accounting of oil production, marking a major step in the transition to a digital oilfield future. InfiNet Wireless and JSC Karazhanbasmunai, one of Kazakhstan’s major oil producers, have successfully collaborated to provide the solution at the Karazhanbas oil field located in Mangistau region. With telecommunications company KRIS-Service, responsible for the development and implementation of system of facility remote monitoring (SFRM), the solution was designed to automate oil production processes and reduce illegal oil turnover. The infrastructure allows for the transmission of real-time data on the volume of oil produced, the number of different impurities, the condition of the equipment and other parameters of the automated system from the intelligent control stations (ICS) installed at each well. In total, 114 existing wells and 100 new wells were equipped with InfiNet devices, from which data was transmitted online to the operator's console to enable full control of the oil production process. Based on the results of the experimental tests, InfiNet devices were selected as the sole wireless equipment to provide complete coverage for the Karazhanbas field area. In total, the project includes a planned upgrade of 370 wells and installation of new ICS for 2,500 wells. “Our ability to operate in some of the most challenging and severe climatic conditions played a key part in us being selected for this,” said Roman Smirnov, Commercial director at InfiNet Wireless. “We have provided a reliable, highly functional and high network throughput service for the oil site and in doing this we have successfully demonstrated the versatility of our services and shown how we are at the forefront of technological advancements in so many sectors.”
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SK Telecom unveils ‘5G Smart Office’ at press conference
On February 13, SK Telecom introduced a 5G Smart Office at the press conference held at Centropolis Building in Jongno-gu, Seoul. The event was held to show ‘5G Smart Office’ that had been operating for a month as a test bed, and was attended by the officials of SK Telecom including Sang-kyu Shin, Head of ER Group, Nak-hoon Choi, Leader of 5GX IoT and Data Group, Kyung-nam Kim, Leader of Security Labs, and Jin-soo Jeon, Leader of Media Labs. Sang-kyu Shin, Head of ER Group at SK Telecom, said, “As the 5G environment was approaching, we wondered what the office would be like for a new trend and a new way of working. Then we thought that working smart means enabling collaboration, communication, and immersion. Through the combination of 5G and ICT technology with ‘Agile’ method, 5G Smart Office is not simply space innovation, but a solution that can maximize flexibility of the organization and increase work productivity and ‘Work & Life Balance’ at the same time.” 5G Smart Office is a core of SK Telecom’s state-of-the-art technologies such as 5G, AI, IoT, security, AR and VR. It is a place where people, space, devices, sensors, etc. can exchange data with each other through 5G and work without time-space constraints. Through 5G, employees can send large data, such as hologram stereoscopic images, directly to the remote partner. In addition, collaboration in real time is possible, making it easier and more efficient to handle tasks, and AI can handle simple tasks such as meeting room reservation recommendation and air conditioning operation. SK Telecom will consider the ways to give shape to business models through partnerships with various companies, including cloud operators, hardware and software partners, and security solution companies, built during one-month test bed period of 5G Smart Office. ▲ SK Telecom unveiled ‘5G Smart Office’ at the press conference. ▲ Sang-kyu Shin, Head of ER Group, Nak-hoon Choi, Leader of 5GX IoT and Data Group, Kyung-nam Kim, Leader of Security Labs, and Jin-soo Jeon, Leader of Media Labs SK Telecom installed about 2,000 IoT sensors, including office ceilings, parking lots, corridors as well as intelligent CCTVs, AI vending machines, and toilet doorsteps of 5G Smart Office. Through this sensor, various information including environmental factors inside the office, device states, and frequency of use is collected in real time and transmitted to the server. The AI-based Deep Learning technology receives the collected data and automatically performs effective space management such as controlling the air conditioner to provide the optimal work environment and relocating the less frequently used space through analysis of the space usage information. In addition, SK Telecom expects that a huge amount of data will be collected from a large number of sensors and devices with the expansion of offices and buildings using 5G and AI, and Massive IoT technology that enables simultaneous connection of 1 million devices within 1 square kilometer will enable more efficient resource management, system control and security. In 5G Smart Office, there are four smart office solutions that integrated new ICT technologies including 5G and AI; 5G Walking-through System, 5G VDI Docking System, T Real Telepresence, and 5G Cafeteria. 5G Walking-through System is a system that the camera recognizes faces through the use of image analysis technology and AI’s deep learning technology and allows employees access easily without a pass card or fingerprint recognition. AI finds about 3,000 features, such as facial skin tone, skeleton, and hair, to determine if they are accessible. Even if they do not have an ID or pass card, they can access faster and easier than iris recognition if their faces are registered. On top of that, if employees wear glasses or have twins, they will be recognized differently. Meanwhile, SK Telecom introduced that a care service for employee is in preparation. Through an emotional analysis using the AI camera, the care service will recommend a seat with sunlight or a relaxation with a cup of sweet coffee to the employee of angry facial expressions. 5G VDI Docking System is a system that can work with the Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) by plugging the smartphone into the docking pad without a laptop or a PC. The virtualization of the central server desktop is shown on the screen and can be connected to Android or iOS. If the introduction of 5G VDI Docking System increases in the future, through the network slicing technology, which is one of the 5G core technologies, the physical network can be divided and used according to data demand so that the stability and operation efficiency will be maximized. On top of that, since the separated networks are operated completely independent and free from interference by other networks, they are highly secure. A mixed reality technology that can transcend virtual and reality, T Real Telepresence is a service that combines VR (Virtual Reality) and AR (Augmented Reality). The service allows conference participants from far away to simultaneously log on and feel as if they were actually in the same room. Through AR glass, it is possible to view a mass image data in a virtual space or open a 3D design drawing during a meeting. When 5G becomes common, it is expected to realize a remote video conference based on a hologram. Lastly, 5G Cafeteria has a resting space for employees such as an AI vending machine and barista robot. The AI vending machine uses image analysis technology to automatically recognize an employee and calculate when the employee takes out the drink. The barista robot makes the coffee menu that the employee wants and informs through smartphone. In the future, VR social karaoke will be introduced to make it a space where employees can relax even if they do not go out of the office. Besides, 5G Smart Office reduces or eliminates individuals’ facilities such as executive offices, fixed seats, cables, partitions, etc., and consists of a virtual meeting room, a lounge, and an intensive business room where many people can communicate and collaborate. According to the survey conducted on about 300 employees working at 5G Smart Office by SK Telecom, the positive effects were obtained from various factors. Specifically, the satisfaction level of Work & Life Balance was improved by 80% and the number of communication and collaboration was increased by 59%. As for the business direction of 5G Smart Office, leader Nak-hoon Choi explained, “The 5G Smart Office is a shared combination of space, technology, and people, and as a result, it enhanced productivity of a company and convenience of employees. Through a 5G technology, a fast, secure and convenient working environment is created, and new space is designed by collecting data from employees with different working patterns. Through AI, non-essential tasks are reduced and employees can focus on core tasks.” ▲ Through 5G Walking-through System, employees can conveniently enter and exit without a pass card or fingerprint recognition. ▲ 5G VDI docking system immediately interconnect the desktop environment and the smartphone when the smartphone is plugged in the docking pad. ▲ 5G Cafeteria's AI vending machine recognizes employees through image analysis technology and automatically calculates when drinks are taken out. ▲ The survey conducted on the employee working in 5G Smart Office shows that many factors brought positive effects. ▲ “5G Smart Office is a shared combination of space, technology, and people, and as a result, it enhanced productivity of a company and convenience of employees.” said Nak-hoon Choi, Leader of 5GX IoT and Data Group at SK Telecom.
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‘One-size-fits-all’ doesn’t fit the mobile network of the future, experts insist
The coming 5G revolution is an opportunity to move beyond the United Kingdom’s one-size-fits-all spectrum approach that has left many residents, rural areas, transport corridors, factories and businesses behind, claim experts in a new discussion paper published today. The report, produced by the University of Surrey along with partners from the UK’s DCMS 5G Testbed and Trials programme, argues that competition and public financing will not be enough to fill the coverage gaps found in previous mobile internet generations. Without serious and imaginative thought as to how the four main spectrum bands could be used (700 MHz, 3.4 to 3.8 GHz, 26GHz and 57 to 71 GHz), the promise of 5G may not be fully realised. The report makes three key recommendations to prevent industry, government and academia repeating the mistakes of the past. The recommendations are: Invest in further trials and experiments to explore innovative options for spectrum usage in rural areas. Explore different models of spectrum management and licensing for bands that cover high population areas versus those that serve challenging locations such as rural and transport corridors. Engage with Ofcom’s consultation on enabling opportunities for innovation in shared access to spectrum supporting mobile technology. Through the adoption of these significant recommendations, 5G services could contribute £7bn to the UK economy, with an additional £3bn per year from a secondary supply chain by 2026. The report was produced as part of the UK’s 5G Testbed and Trials programme– a government initiative to ensure that the UK is at the forefront of the coming 5G revolution. Three of the six 5G Project consortia contributed to the report, including the University of Surrey’s 5G Innovation Centre (5GIC). The three testbeds were AutoAir, which is testing transport use cases; 5G RuralFirst, which is assessing the use of 5G to enhance rural communities; and the Worcestershire 5G Testbed, which is analysing industrial use cases of 5G. Regius Professor Rahim Tafazolli, Founder of the 5GIC at the University of Surrey, said: “We are obviously excited about 5G, but we are determined that the technologies benefit as many communities as possible in our country. There has been huge innovation in 5G technologies - we also need innovation in usage of scarce and precious spectrum. “The points raised in this discussion paper are important and should be used as a starting point for open dialogue between businesses and regulators for the benefit of all, considering the important role of mobile network operators and their massive contributions to economy and society.” Mark Stansfeld, Chair of the Worcestershire 5G Testbed, comments: "The Worcestershire 5G Consortium is a prime example of public and private sectors working together with mobile network operators to create the type of collaborative environment required to exploit 5G. “5G innovation will drive forward productivity and the British economy and I am proud that the Worcestershire 5G Consortium is helping to create a connected, creative and dynamic economy for businesses." David Crawford from 5G RuralFirst said: "5G provides an opportunity to look at new ways of doing things so that 5G becomes more than simply an extension of 4G. This paper highlights the need for innovative approaches to the management of spectrum, including hybrid approaches that encompass both licensed and licence-exempt spectrum sharing, to address the needs and aspirations of communities and businesses in ways that 4G, 3G, and 2G have not been able to do." Robert Driver, Head of UK5G, said: “A hugely valuable by-product of the 5G trials is the pooling of collective expertise across a large number of organisations, and from such cooperation deeper insights can result. This report is a great example of how thinking on 5G spectrum and neutral host approaches have been systematically captured. This report serves to deepen industry insight and is a great contribution to policy makers.”
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Prysmian secures a project for a turnkey submarine telecom cable system in Chile
Prysmian Group has been awarded a new contracts worth around €50 million by Gtd Teleductos S.A., a Chilean telecom operator, to develop a turnkey repeaterless submarine cable system connecting Arica to Puerto Montt in Chile. The contracts have been secured through the Group’s submarine telecom division NSW, which became part of Prysmian Group following the acquisition of General Cable. “This contract represents a significant milestone for Prysmian Group as it is the first submarine telecom interconnection project obtained after the acquisition of General Cable. It marks Prysmian’s return to this business,” stated Hakan Ozmen, EVP Project BU, Prysmian Group. “This project is a further proof of the excellent quality of our cables. It not only confirms that Prysmian Group is a preferred partner of choice for submarine projects, but also that it is committed to supporting the development of innovative network infrastructures worldwide” concluded Ozmen. The project involves the design, supply and installation of more than 3,550 km of repeaterless fibre optic submarine cables. Prysmian will supply 11 cable segments of a length ranging from 135 km to more than 400 km. The cables will be produced at Prysmian’s state-of–the-art production facility in Nordenham, Germany, which became part of the Group as a result of the recent acquisition of General Cable. Delivery of cables is planned by December 2019. The project envisages a repeaterless festoon system that will provide telecommunication connectivity to the whole country, in addition to linking Chile to Central and North America. This strategic cable system will greatly improve the national telecom and broadband infrastructure, while also connecting many underserved Chilean regions to a state-of-the-art, high-speed broadband fibre network. “We are honoured to work with the Chilean Grupo Gtd for the third time. This new project confirms once again the trust Grupo Gtd places in Prysmian to deliver high-quality submarine projects. Thanks to its cutting-edge submarine cable products and highly experienced team, Prysmian can provide the most efficient and cost-effective turnkey solutions to its global customers,” stated Ashutosh Bhargava, Submarine Telecom BU Director, Prysmian Group.
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Continual and HERE Technologies collaborate to improve connected mobility
Continual and HERE Technologies, a global leader in mapping and location services, have partnered to create a pioneering integrated solution for mobile network operators (MNO), designed to continuously monitor and map the connected experience of users on the move across the entire road network. The product also provides the added benefit of performance analysis of different mobile networks. Under the new collaboration, Continual is embedding HERE Cellular Signals and HERE Traffic Analytics into its Mobility Experience Analytics solution to deliver a range of benefits to MNOs. HERE Cellular Signals is a unique data asset that accurately correlates aggregated information about mobile network performance onto roadways, while HERE Traffic Analytics provides visibility into road traffic patterns. Integrated into Continual’s AI-based analytics, the enriched solution will enable MNOs to better prioritize network tasks to improve the experience of users who are traveling, as well as to enhance the prediction and automation of network changes to mitigate for cells with increased load. Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CAV) are placing new demands on mobile networks, and MNOs are seeking to provide seamless connectivity to enhance their operation and safety. This trend is driving the need for nationwide, instantaneous network quality heatmaps that can be drilled down in relation to any relevant parameter or service. Smart Cities will also require up-to-date reports detailing crowd locations, movement of pedestrians, car traffic flow, and so on, to optimize infrastructure development. Both commercial and public sector organizations will be able to use this information for better planning and marketing. At the same time, legacy networks will remain in service for several more years, and mobile operators will have an even greater need to understand the effects of multi-vendor, multi-technology networks – combining 3G, 4G and 5G – on the customer experience. A new integrated Continual dashboard will provide a single location for monitoring such environments. “As 5G networks and always-online automated vehicles edge closer to reality, we’re seeing growing convergence between the mobile telecom and automotive markets,” said Michiel Verberg, Senior Manager Strategic Partners, HERE Technologies. “We’re excited that Continual’s existing deep relationships with MNOs coupled with our established automotive partnerships will provide us with a unique opportunity to better address this important evolving market.” “Continual’s Mobility Experience Analytics solution re-defines the approach that mobile operators and automotive companies can adopt towards monitoring and improving the connected experience of car drivers, passengers and subscribers who are traveling,” said Assaf Aloni, CMO of Continual. “HERE’s impressive portfolio of automotive and network technologies is very synergistic with ours, and the partnership is enabling us to create even stronger solutions for Connected Mobility.” Continual and HERE will demonstrate their integrated solution at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, 25 – 28 February 2019, on Stands 5D81 in Hall 5 (Israeli Pavilion) and 2E14EX in Hall 2 respectively.
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Next Generation of Inflight Connectivity Ever Closer as Seamless Air Alliance Announces Major Progress
Next week at Mobile World Congress, the Seamless Air Alliance will reveal progress on its mission towards enabling the next generation of inflight connectivity. This follows a significant start for the Alliance, which has seen membership increase five-fold since the first meeting in June of last year. The Alliance has a new research laboratory setup and continues progress through its three working groups, writing specifications for the technology, requirements, and operations. These developments represent a huge leap towards the goal of making connectivity as easy and enjoyable in the skies as it is on the ground. Appearing as part of the Airbus stand (Hall 6, stand 6G34), the Seamless Air Alliance will reveal specification topics that have been completed and published to its membership. “The passenger experience with inflight connectivity remains one of the great technology challenges. From Day One we have been determined to deliver on our mission to bring industries and technologies together to make the inflight internet experience simple to access and a delight to use,” said the Alliance’s Chief Executive Officer, Jack Mandala. “I have been tremendously encouraged by the enthusiastic and committed response we have seen and the widening areas of expertise we can call upon as more and more companies and organisations continue to join us,” he added. Announced during MWC 2018, the Seamless Air Alliance has since grown to twenty-three member companies with more than one-hundred key personnel from across the membership participating in its three working groups, with numbers continuing to increase. The Seamless Air Alliance was created by founding members Airbus, Airtel, Delta Air Lines, OneWeb and Sprint, and quickly joined by Air France KLM, Aeromexico, and GOL Linhas Aereas Inteligentes and global technology leaders including Astronics, Collins Aerospace, Comtech, Cyient, iDirect, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Latecoere, Nokia, and Panasonic. Today, the Alliance is pleased to announce five additional new members: Adaptive Channel, Etihad Airways, GlobalReach Technology, Safran, and SITAONAIR. “We are extremely pleased to have these companies join and be a part of the companies driving the next generation of connectivity.” said Mr Mandala. The Seamless Air Alliance will enable travelers boarding any flight, on any airline, anywhere in the world, to use their own devices to automatically connect to the Internet with no complicated login process nor paywall to scramble over. The Alliance is also announcing the release of a new research study on the economic benefit of standardization on the inflight connectivity market at Mobile World Congress. This report is available for download at https://www.seamlessalliance.com/publications/ The Alliance is moving rapidly towards an expected demonstration of the technology later in 2019 and anticipates massive interest in Barcelona from the whole communications eco-system.
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KT ‘5G Era KT VR/AR Business Direction’ Press Conference
On the morning of February 20, 2018, KT held a press conference on the business direction of 5G era KT VR/AR at KT Square located in Jongno-gu, Seoul. As entering 5G era, KT held the press conference to introduce how to develop VR and AR business, one of KT's flagship business fields, with the attendance of the officials including Kyeong-lim Yoon, head of KT’s Future Convergence Business Office, and Yoon-jeon Koh, head of KT’s Future Business Development Unit. Yoon Kyeong-lim, VP of KT’s Future Convergence Business Office, said, “KT is creating an edge cloud environment for leading the VR/AR ecosystem, and I think that it will soon be able to provide services that link content, devices, and solution providers.” She also said, “We have set up a small but meaningful start of the new business in the VR experience space in Sinchon, Seoul, and will continue to invest in core technologies to lead the ecosystem. I would like a lot of attention.” ▲ KT held ‘5G Era KT VR/AR Business Direction’ press conference. KT has developed technologies of immersive media business by operating a hologram exclusive 'K-live' and a immersive media convergence experience center 'K-live X', and presenting ‘360 degrees VR’ and ‘Interactive TimeSlice’ through VR live broadcast with 5G testbed network at Jeonju/Suwon World Cup Stadium. Based on these efforts, KT set a vision of expanding the domestic immersive media market to around KRW 200 billion to KRW 1 trillion by 2020, which is three years later. Therefore, KT announced its ‘VR/AR ecosystem activation plan’ at the press conference in order to realize the vision. According to the announcement, KT will jointly invest with GS Retail based on its 5G network technology and ICT capabilities and will open ‘VRIGHT’, an urban VR theme park in Sinchon, Seoul in early March. 'VRIGHT' will show about 50 kinds of VR contents including ‘Flying Jet’ and 'Special Force VR: UNIVERSAL WAR', which revived DragonFly's FPS game 'Special Force', as a VR game. By 2020, it plans to expand its immersive media experience space business to 200 locations, in the form of headquarters and franchises. In addition, KT plans to promote a win-win strategy with existing VR game rooms through the development of immersive media platform and content provision. To this end, it will also prepare a plan to offer content and platform that solve the problems of excessive deliberation needed to set up a VR game room at an appropriate price. Besides, ‘Personal VR Theater’ service including Head Mounted Display(HMD) will be released within the year so that consumers can conveniently watch a VR video at home and enjoy a differentiated customer experience. KT stated that it plans to achieve annual sales of KRW 100 billion by 2020 through its own platforms such as aforementioned 'VRIGHT' as well as other businesses such as content and personal VR theaters. ▲ KT presents an urban VR theme park, ‘VRIGHT’ business. Meanwhile, KT will also invest in contents such as the creation of VR/AR dedicated funds to expand the base of immersive media content that is lacking in Korea. By securing copyright of well-known global content as well as cooperation with domestic operators for creating immersive media contents of various genres such as video, game, and webtoon, KT will contribute to the activation of the ecosystem. KT plans to launch VR Alliance, in which terminal makers, game and content companies, and IT enterprises participate, for constructing ecosystem across the immersive media value-chain. Moreover, it will collaborate with KT’s media companies SkyLife and KTH to actively invest for upgrading content platform infrastructure. In the second half of the year, it will also establish a cooperative relationship with related organizations such as government and associations in order to revitalize the market through deregulation of VR-related regulations and restrictions. Yoon-jeon Koh, head of KT’s Future Business Development Unit, emphasized, “We will continue to promote the VR/AR service and content business, which is considered to be one of the core technologies of the 5G era, to expand the domestic immersive media market to over KRW 1 trillion by 2020 and foster it as a 5G killer content that customers can enjoy.”
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ProLabs presents roadmap to 400G at LINX 103
The road to 200G and 400G is set to become clearer after LINX103 in London today, as Ambroise Thirion, Technology Solutions Specialist at ProLabs presents the company’s roadmap towards achieving 400G. The past few years has seen ProLabs, industry leader in compatible optical transceivers, support its customers in data centres with bitrates of 25G, 50G and 100G. This trend of expansion to meet consumer demands is set to extend throughout 2019 and early 2020, with the recent development of form factor specific technologies to enable up to 400G. This need for higher bitrate is being driven by the growing demand for bandwidth, the increased need for density and high-volume capabilities, all while minimising power consumption and power dissipation. With VOD and 5G, the number of connected devices worldwide set to increase markedly by 2020 and this demand is being felt industry wide. “Upgrading and future-proofing networks can be daunting and costly, which is why it is so important organisations take the time to understand; why they are moving to 200G or 400G, how these bitrates can be achieved using the right technology and when the preferred solution can be expected to hit the market,” said Thirion. “Some of the larger data centres are putting plans in place to upgrade to 200G as soon as its available, while another scenario we are seeing is that organisations are opting to wait for a more mature technology and looking for a direct and complete deployment with 400G. It is ultimately up to the organisation on which route to take and when to take it. This is where our roadmap to 400G, presented at LINX 103 today, can help,” 200G and 400G are achievable thanks to a number of technologies including; PAM4 modulation, GEARBOX for 400G and a set of new form factors such as QSFP-DD, OSFP and CFP8. As compared to the previous binary mechanism NRZ, PAM4 enabled transceivers offer customers double the transmission bitrate by increasing the levels of transmission of pulse-amplitude modulation. For 400G specifically, the initial form factors will include eight lanes of 50G PAM4, while other versions will utilise the latest GEARBOX technology to facilitate four lanes of 100G PAM4. The GEARBOX component combines the power of numerous PAM4 modules to achieve the speed desired, in this case, 200G or 400G. Currently under development, ProLabs customers can expect solutions for up to 200G to be available from 2019 and 400G to be available from end of 2019. Thirion added: “While there is no single best way to combine solutions for the ideal network, ProLabs have products available across a variety of form factors to suit specific applications. We have a proven track record in keeping our customers ahead of the curve, and the impending 200G/400G upgrade is no different. We are already supporting our customers in up to 100G networking and look forward to enabling 400G in the near future,” For more information on ProLabs and the roadmap to 400G, please visit: https://www.prolabs.com/solutions/new-products/fast-forward-400g
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HUBER+SUHNER joins NGMN Alliance as partner to meet the challenges of the impending 5G future
HUBER+SUHNER, a leading manufacturer of components and systems for electrical and optical connectivity, has announced it has joined the industry body the Next Generation Mobile Networks (NGMN) Alliance. The NGMN Alliance advocates and seeks to encourage expansion of the communications experience by providing an integrated and cohesively-managed delivery platform that brings affordable mobile broadband services to the end user. The Alliance has a particular focus on 5G, while accelerating the development of LTE-Advanced and its ecosystem. CEO of NGMN, Dr Peter Meissner, said: “We are delighted to welcome HUBER+SUHNER as our new industry partner. The work they carry out is incredibly valuable and covers important parts of the 5G ecosystem. HUBER+SUHNER produces innovations that are advancing the capabilities of their customers worldwide. We are excited to jointly embark on projects which will contribute to or even extend our existing work programme and by doing so demonstrate our on-going commitment of contributing to the industry”. Gianna Terenghi, Head of Market Unit Communication at HUBER+SUHNER, said: “We are widely involved in 5G developments, from connectivity solutions, to wavelength-division multiplexing and optical switching. It makes perfect sense to join NGMN at this time, to not only learn from and work with other organisations in the 5G eco-system collaboratively, but to also share our participation in the development and delivery of 5G and associated technology in the future. The contributions delivered by our experts to the NGMN work programme support standards development with a future-thinking outlook, while guiding the industry towards the successful deployment of 5G, benefiting end users in a range of locations, including high density urban and underserved rural areas.” The announcement came as the NGMN Industry Conference & Exhibition opened in Vancouver, Canada. As well as the announcement of a new Board and Chairman for the Alliance, the exhibition and conference hosted the world’s top Operator CTOs, who came together to discuss the future of mobile broadband. Sponsored by Canadian operator TELUS, the conference featured more than 60 speakers across two days.
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Fasttrack brings NetFoundry technology to the Philippines
NetFoundry and Fasttrack Solutions have teamed up to help Filipino businesses achieve agility by creating their own application-specific networks in the cloud, on any device. The NetFoundry Multi-Cloud Connect solution provides application-specific networks (ASNs) on-demand, over the public internet that enables ultra-secure, high-performance edge-to-cloud and cloud-to-cloud connections with Azure, Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud, IBM, Bluemix and many others. “This partnership with Fasttrack is a step in the right direction,” said Dipesh Ranjan, NetFoundry’s Head of Asia Pacific operations. “Filipino companies are poised to take advantage of this new software-only connectivity solution. It builds a momentum that they can ride in order to achieve better, even exponential, business results.” “We are thrilled to join forces with NetFoundry,” said Kerwin Malabanan, Managing Director of Fasttrack, a 100% Filipino company. “It embodies our core philosophy of enabling businesses to acquire cutting edge technologies in the most economic and cost-effective way possible. Netfoundry does not just provide companies with an alternative to costly VPNs but it also provides them with faster and more secure connectivity.” Fasttrack, known as the first and only Platinum Partner of SAP in the Philippines through United VARs, prides themselves as being 100% dedicated to SAP products and technologies. With Netfoundry technology, Fasttrack can now offer a solution to migrate SAP on-premise to cloud in minutes. The more common WAN and IP VPNs, Ranjan said, are no longer able to meet current challenges because they are specific to the location, the hardware and the service provider. “Thriving in a world of constant digital transformation requires application-centric networking,” he said. “The network should be an integral component of application development and operation life cycles, alongside databases and other related components.” “Today’s businesses have a far greater need to be mobile and agile,” added Malabanan. “Fasttrack’s intimate knowledge of the workings of Filipino companies and NetFoundry’s expertise in connectivity solutions make this partnership timely and ideal.”
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Emtelle Introduces 24 FIBRE Bundel to Double Operators’ Capacity
Emtelle, today launched its 24 fibre bundle solution at Broadband World Forum, presenting significant cost savings and operational benefits for telecom operators. The new 24 fibre bundle solution forms part of Emtelle’s FibreFlow microduct system and has been launched in response to the growing pressure on operators to provide greater capacity over fibre. The solution adds extra capacity for up to 288 fibres in a 24-way tube bundle and doubles the capacity of 3.5 and 4.0mm microducts, reducing the need for so many feeder cables. “FTTx is growing rapidly around the world and more and more fibre is needed in networks which is exactly why we have launched the 24 fibre solution,” said Colin Kirkpatrick, European Business Development at Emtelle. “The new 24 fibre bundle solution is going to be a game-changer for the blown fibre industry. It is going to enable operators to install a 24 fibre bundle into their existing infrastructure to feed the wider areas of their FTTH deployments. In other words, existing operators using Emtelle microducts can double their capacity overnight and halve the blowing cost per fibre.” Emtelle’s 24 fibre bundle can be blown up to 600 metres into existing networks of underground tube bundles when using Emtelle’s GS150 blowing machine. It can be blown in either 3.5mm, 5mm or larger tubes while its low friction outer jacket allows fibre to be blown around bends effectively. This will open up further opportunities for the solution to be deployed in locations where fibre installations were previously limited due to physically challenging terrain. For more information on Emtelle’s new 24 fibre bundle or its full portfolio of blown fibre and ducted solutions, visit Emtelle representatives this week at Stand F111 at Broadband World Forum 2018, which is taking place at Messe, Berlin, Germany, until Thursday, 25 October.
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China Mobile selects InfiNet Wireless solution to connect remote 4G base-stations to its core network
InfiNet Wireless, the global leader in fixed broadband wireless connectivity, has been selected by China Mobile to overhaul its network used to connect its remote 4G base stations across the Xinjiang province. To help the world’s largest mobile phone operator deliver optimum capacity over long distances, InfiNet Wireless has deployed its industry-leading XG 1000 Point-to-Point (PTP) solution to ensure seamless connectivity between base stations spread across the country. With zero downtime reported to date and no disruptions due to adverse climate changes, the XG 1000 infrastructure has already provided China Mobile with the flexibility to operate multiple services simultaneously, including voice and data transfers across its legacy 2G and 3G networks, as well as its newer 4G platform. Featuring two Gigabit Ethernet ports and an SFP fibre interface as standard, coupled with the support of multiple standard and bespoke data transfer protocols, the selected solution is able to provide major cost savings to China Mobile by eliminating the need for additional converters and third party interfaces. After successfully conducting a number of Proof of Concept trials (PoC's) in various challenging environments, China Mobile worked closely with Xinjiang Yingsheng Information, InfiNet's partner and a key Chinese integrator, to ultimately select the InfiNet Wireless XG 1000 solution due to the solution's greater performance, immunity to radio interferences and very low latency. It has since deployed the XG 1000 across 16 major cities in the Xinjiang province, including its capital, Urumqi, and a number of more rural areas. Future plans are already currently being defined between all parties to integrate the new PTP solution across the entire infrastructure. “The InfiLINK XG 1000 is the most powerful PTP solution available on the wireless market today, and was found to be far superior to competitor's offerings during benchmarking activities undertaken by China Mobile,” said Kamal Mokrani, Global Vice President at InfiNet Wireless. “Specifically designed by our R&D teams to deliver high-capacity performance over long distances in both LOS and NLOS conditions, whilst maintaining the extremely low latency figures, the XG 1000 family was perfect for this project and this is further demonstrated by the service provider ordering even more links from us to plug a major gap in its backhauling network layer. The vast mountainous areas of the Xinjiang province were also an ideal setting for an entirely wireless platform based on our solutions - a satellite-based alternative would simply not have been able to meet China Mobile's requirements, whilst a fibre-based solution would have been extremely expensive to deploy, if at all possible." With its proven best in class spectral efficiency of up to 14bps/Hz, its consistent performance, high processing power and ability to seamlessly deliver connectivity across distances of over 100 km, the InfiLINK XG 1000 offers a high capacity of up to 1Gb/s, is highly reliable and meets and exceeds all mission-critical expectations of even the most demanding service providers. “We are always ready to implement the most complex of solutions and we have continued to prove this through our latest project with InfiNet Wireless. Working very closely with China Mobile, we selected the industry-leading XG 1000 solution after intensive cooperation with InfiNet to find the best solution. Easy to install, configure and manage, the wireless PTP solution was a major technology upgrade from the previously installed microwave technology and was a cut above the competitors who also took part in the PoC phase of the project. We are delighted to be working with InfiNet and to provide a solution to enable China Mobile, offering them the best connectivity they can possibly have access to today. We look forward to working on the future plans to continue expanding and maintain connectivity across China,” added Mr Wang Songtao, General Manager at Xinjiang Yingsheng Information.
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Fixed Wireless is going from Rural to Urban with Netcomm's new indoor 4G LTE Regidential Gateway
NetComm has today launched a new self-install CAT 18 - 4G LTE Residential Gateway that will allow network operators to activate more Fixed Wireless customers faster and more cost-effectively. Fixed Wireless uses the mobile network to offer Fixed Broadband services and can be offered everywhere an operator has coverage, but the cost of supplying and installing an outdoor antenna can make delivering the service uneconomical in some cases. To solve this problem, NetComm has created a new indoor Fixed Wireless CAT 18 - 4G LTE Residential Gateway that is easy for the customer to install and yet still ensures optimal performance in locations with good signal reception. Having both the option to install an indoor or outdoor device will significantly increase the potential market opportunity for operators. In remote locations, where the distance between the base station and end-user equipment is large, outdoor antennas are needed to ensure optimal link budgets. In locations closer to the base station, the indoor device can offer a very effective alternative. “The biggest challenge when rolling out a Fixed Wireless network is making sure the solution can be deployed cost-effectively at scale,” said Els Baert, Director of Marketing and Communications at NetComm. “We have spent a lot of time and effort working towards solutions that don’t only give operators the best performance but can easily be installed. This results in lower activation costs for operators and the ability to get customers connected faster.” The CAT 18 - 4G LTE Residential Gateway uses the same technology as its outdoor counterpart. This results in a reduced number of qualification and testing cycles for the introduction of this new device given that the outdoor version has already been approved in the network. The CAT 18 - 4G LTE Residential Gateway looks like a standard residential gateway, providing Wi-Fi, voice and Ethernet connectivity in the home, but instead of having a wired input, it uses a SIM card to connect to the 4G LTE network. It has a powerful dual-band 11ac Wi-Fi network allowing end-users to connect to multiple Wi-Fi devices, such as tablets and notebooks, simultaneously. The device also features voice capability, making it the ideal all-in-one device for homes and small businesses. With Fixed Wireless looming as a major use case for 5G, NetComm’s new self-install technology could help operators connect a very significant number of new customers to Fixed Wireless services faster and more cost-effectively. “There are millions of customers around the world who still don’t have access to fast, reliable broadband,” says Baert. “By making a Fixed Wireless connection much easier and more cost-effective, we are really opening up the Fixed Wireless market for operators and the arrival of 5G will add further exciting opportunities for these operators in the Fixed Wireless space.” The CAT 18 - 4G LTE Residential Gateway will be ready for testing Q1 2019 and will be presented at the Broadband World Forum in Berlin, October 23 – 25, 2018.
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Vancouver Conference to Deliver Global Perspective on the Future of the 5G Ecosystem
The Next Generation Mobile Networks (NGMN) Alliance - which drives and guides the development of all future mobile broadband technology with a focus on 5G – is bringing together the mobile industry to discuss the future of this emerging ecosystem to a global audience at its 7th Industry Conference & Exhibition 2018. Taking place at the JW Marriott Parq in Vancouver, Canada from November 6 – 8, the conference, supported by TELUS, will gather some of the world’s top operator and industry CTO’s to gain a perspective on the future of mobile broadband. The conference also offers a unique networking platform and world premier demonstrations of 5G systems and solutions. Peter Meissner, CEO of NGMN, said: “We are excited to be coming to Canada to further uncover the future of 5G connectivity and what it means for the world’s networks. We have a fantastic line-up of speakers and many opportunities to network with industry professionals. The conference will offer viewpoints, insights and an outlook from Telco, IT and Vertical Industry executives and thought-leaders. This is a must-attend event for anyone interested in the future of 5G. The 2 days are set to be some of the most informative for the industry this year.” The event will begin on the evening of the 6th with a welcome reception hosted by TELUS. The next morning will offer an introductory pre-conference session on highly relevant and challenging topics led by NGMN’s cooperation partners. This will be followed by keynotes, including speeches on the future of 5G standards, value propositions, 5G architecture, field deployments and user experience. Our opening speakers for the following sessions are: 5G Value Proposition: Darren Entwistle, CEO, TELUS 5G Platform Delivery: Stephen Howe, CTO, Bell Canada 5G Applications for Vertical Industries: Andrea Calvi, SVP Technology Evolution & Innovation, TIM Building Blocks for 5G Architecture: Mike Irizzary, EVP&CTO Engineering & Information Services, US Cellular Key 5G Component Security: Ibrahim Gedeon, CTO, TELUS A highlight at the end of the second day will be 5G Tests, Trials and Experiences from First Deployments presented by NGMN Board members.
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Continual and Vodafone collaborate to research and improve mobility experience
Continual, today announced that it has been collaborating for the past two years with Vodafone Ireland (Ireland’s total communications provider), and Vodafone Group (Vodafone’s international division), in a far-reaching project to analyze and improve the experience of subscribers travelling on roads. Vodafone Ireland identified road experience as one of the first areas where optimization solutions using big data and machine learning techniques would yield very noticeable improvements for its customers, and hence became an area of focus for Vodafone Ireland. Vodafone is also actively preparing for the launch of 5G services internationally, and this connected mobility intelligence is helping Vodafone to prove the feasibility of accurately controlling the quality of service for Connected Cars, a pre-requisite towards the journey of Autonomous Cars. The research program has yielded a unique set of predictions relating to the numbers of customers using particular routes in Ireland, along with a measure of the data volumes and call minutes they consume, and accurate quality of experience metrics. The technology has been validated using extensive lab and field testing in Ireland with the backing of Vodafone Group internationally, and has proven the improvement in voice and data performance delivered in the roads where applied. “Vodafone’s success has been built on its forward thinking and willingness to explore technology innovations,” said Max Gasparroni, Head of Networks, Vodafone Ireland. “Collaborating with Continual to exploit cutting-edge technologies such as AI, Big Data, and Machine Learning has enabled us to take a further step forward on the journey towards 5G and associated compelling use cases. In addition, it reinforces our market leadership in delivering high quality communication experience for driving- and passenger-subscribers”. “Vodafone Ireland continuously invests and researches technologies to perfect the experiences of its subscribers under mobility conditions,” said Omer Geva, President of Continual. “We have been able to provide them with a powerful and innovative tool that not only measures network experiences and demonstrates real and dramatic improvements, but also predicts subscriber communication patterns in mobility”. Continual will be presenting highlights of the collaborative research with Vodafone at Telco Data Analytics & AI Europe on 30 October –1 November 2018, and at Telco Data Analytics & AI USA on 28 –29 November in San Francisco.
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Amdocs partners with Fortinet and Versa Networks to deploy pre-integrated, extensible orchestration solution
Amdocs (NASDAQ: DOX), today announced its collaboration with Fortinet, a global leader in broad, integrated and automated cybersecurity solutions, and Versa Networks, innovator of a next-generation software platform that integrates cloud, networking and security services, to launch a new multi-domain, service provider SD-WAN, SDN and NFV orchestration packaged solution. Amdocs NFV orchestration is integrated with Fortinet’s advanced security services, the Fortinet Security Fabric and Versa Networks’ SD-WAN platform to empower service providers to securely offer their business customers the ability to rapidly and efficiently spin up and spin down virtual network functions (VNFs) across customer premises, data centers and the cloud. The solution can be easily integrated with any operations and business support systems (OSS/BSS), enabling service providers to quickly deploy and monetize their managed SD-WAN and security services, while reducing deployment and operational costs. The packaged solution enables service providers to offer their customers Fortinet’s full range of advanced security services and deliver comprehensive threat protection by leveraging the capabilities of the Fortinet Security Fabric, which provides broad visibility, integrated threat detection and automated response to address today’s sophisticated cyberthreats. Fortinet VNF, which can be deployed at customer premises, data centers or public cloud, allows service providers the scalability to offer new revenue-generating services to enterprises of any size, small or large. Service providers can provide a flexible range of advanced security services, including application control, intrusion prevention, anti-virus, web filtering, mobile security, industrial control and sandbox services. The Versa Networks’ Cloud IP platform enables partners and customers to deliver managed SD-WAN and SD-Branch service offerings for the WAN Edge. Versa’s SD-WAN integrates networking with full contextual policy management, analytics and infrastructure automation in a single software platform that can be deployed as a uCPE, bare metal or virtual, on-premises or in the cloud. “Amdocs and its Open Network ecosystem partners, Fortinet and Versa Networks, are transforming service providers from the proprietary hardware networks of today to open software-centric networks that leverage cloud and IT technologies,” said Angela Logothetis, CTO of Amdocs Open Network. “Our SD-WAN solution reduces the time and risk of launching SD-WAN services, and delivers agility, automation and scale in SD-WAN operations, ensuring faster time-to-market, quick monetization, and differentiated customer experience. Together, Amdocs, Fortinet, and Versa Networks enable service providers to enhance their competitive positioning by transforming the business WAN-edge with software-defined networking, advanced security services and end-to-end orchestration, offering scalability and flexibility through managed SD-WAN and value-added services. The solution embraces Amdocs’ microservices architecture and is delivered under best practices such as DevOps and CI/CD for faster and continual enhancements of the services.” “As service providers look to transform their networks to satisfy evolving customer requirements and demand, they’ve also come to expect their vendors to deliver flexibility and to seamlessly work with best-of-breed solutions,” said John Maddison, SVP of products and solutions at Fortinet. “The Fortinet Security Fabric’s open ecosystem and ease of integration with complementary technologies and services helps meet the most demanding customer requirements while providing better security and lower total cost of ownership. We’re pleased to work closely with Amdocs as a Fabric-Ready Partner to offer our joint customers the option to leverage Fortinet’s broad portfolio of advanced security and networking solutions, including Fortinet SD-WAN.” “Refreshing the legacy WAN router estate at scale requires a seamless, automated platform for accelerating multiple deployments of a managed SD-WAN service, while lowering the total cost of ownership, simplifying implementation and enabling enterprise WAN-edge transformation,” said Atchison Frazer, Chief Marketing Officer for Versa Networks. “Our partnership with Amdocs delivers these benefits and more by enabling our service provider partners to provision on the fly, from one console, the full stack of Versa VNF services spanning cloud connectivity to network security to SD-WAN.” Please visit Amdocs stand #A10+A13, at SDN-NFV World Congress 2018, The Hague, Netherlands, from October 8-12.
