Big Gains for Low-loss Materials in the 5G Market Reports IDTechEx
Global 5G Coverage to Grow 253% by 2025 and Reach 53% of Population
HUBER+SUHNER extends its SENCITY Rail MIMO Antenna portfolio with dual-band GNSS services
NGMN Alliance Publishes Second 5G White Paper
Unite Communications’ TextMeAnywhere Solution Helps Retailers Manage COVID-19 Curbside Pickup Logistics Through Text
HomeGrid Forum accelerates G.hn deployment with its member Comtrend launching three new products for broadband connectivity
Infinet Wireless Installs High-Bandwidth Network Upgrade for Netsol CONNECT to Service Businesses Across Pakistan
Worldwide 5G Connections to Grow 20x to 2.7bn by 2025
New MERICS Study on Export Controls and the US-China Tech War
5GLIVE to advance 5G potential across industries worldwide
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Ranplan announces partnership with China Unicom
The Network Technology Research Institute of China Unicom – one of the world’s largest mobile operators with more than a quarter of a billion active subscribers – has selected Ranplan Wireless as a preferred supplier for a complete platform for HetNet design, optimization and management. The announcement of an initial order for USD 400k was made after extensive commercial and technical evaluation. China Unicom’s Technology Research Institute will be using Ranplan Professional to plan, simulate and optimize small cell and DAS solutions for in-building and dense indoor/outdoor urban environments such as stadiums, campuses and business districts. They will also use Ranplan Collaboration Hub, a cloud-based project management and workflow tool, along with Ranplan Tablet for onsite in-building site surveys, building modelling and simulating in-building coverage performance predictions. By using intelligent building and network modelling along with automated design techniques, China Unicom engineers will be able to speed up network planning time and reduce the costs of deployment. Ranplan Professional is an all-in-one, heterogeneous planning, optimization and simulation solution for 3G, 4G and 5G NR small cells, DAS and Wi-Fi networks across indoor and outdoor environments, which also integrates with macro-cell networks. The Technology Research Institute is a subsidiary of the China Unicom Group and is engaged in cutting-edge technology and application tracking, development strategy research, market and management research. It is also building a new technology business development and product incubation base for the Chinese wireless communications market to enable new breakthroughs and drive technology innovation. “We are very proud to have won the trust of one of the world’s largest mobile operators at a critical junction in the transition from 4G to 5G, characterized by an increased emphasis on cellular indoor mobility in close coordination with the outdoor environment,” said Per Lindberg, interim CEO of Ranplan Group AB. “It is our hope that China Unicom, as well as its ecosystem partners, will benefit from our suite of software that not only helps perfect the initial deployment of radio nodes, but also their subsequent performance within day-to-day operations.”
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“Advanced fiber networks are critical to address exponential 5G demands,” urges INNO Instrument America Inc. at ISE Expo 2019
USA 24 September – 5G networks are long anticipated to bring about faster speeds, improved network performance and more reliable services for consumers, but it will also place huge pressure on the existing wired infrastructure, according to Gil Perez, Director of Sales North America at INNO Instrument America Inc. With rising data demands that are expected to escalate exponentially due to extended 5G services, operators need to seriously consider advancing fiber deployment to deliver a network service which does not collapse under piling data and bandwidth demands. Mobile data traffic is anticipated to grow at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 28.9% to surpass 1,307 exabytes on an annual basis in 2025, according to ABI Research. It is more important than ever for operators to continue extending fiber network deployments fast to keep up with this rate. In addition, 4G and 5G subscribers will represent 55% of total subscriptions in 2025 and will account for 91% of the total traffic generated. Extending fiber now will be integral for meeting future customer demands on networks. “5G must deliver a further step in the capacity of wireless networks, over and above that currently being delivered by 4G. No network has infinite capacity, but operators need to move closer to the ideal of there always being sufficient capacity to meet consumer’s needs,” said Perez. “Fiber is the preferred option for 5G because of its scalability, security and ability to handle the vast amount of backhaul traffic being generated. It can handle the increased speeds with lower attenuation and offers practically unlimited bandwidth potential - making it the perfect option for operators to future-proof their networks.” 5G offers an unprecedented leap in bandwidth speeds compared to the previous generation. But before 5G networks become prevalent, network infrastructure needs to be reliable and continuously support thousands of devices as well as manage the data collected and transmitted by these devices. Due to this 24/7 data collection and transfer, there are huge demands made on networks including higher network availability levels, full wireless network coverage, lower latency and higher bandwidth capabilities – all caused by an influx of connected devices. “Before operators make the jump to offering 5G services, they need to ensure that their existing network infrastructure has the capability to keep up with the ever-increasing demands, added Perez. “At INNO Instrument, our field-proven and clever yet intuitive methods and procedures ensure that network operators have the expert knowledge and tools needed to deploy reliable and cost-effective FTTx networks.” INNO Instrument America Inc’s extensive range of leading optical communications products and testing solutions, are designed with the industry’s biggest challenges in mind. With cost and reliability at the forefront, the company offers a whole host of innovative solutions to speed up the rollout of FTTx networks and ensure that 5G is a possibility worldwide. At the upcoming ISE Expo, INNO Instrument America Inc will be showcasing its most powerful and innovative premium core-alignment fusion splicer, View 8+ and the View 12R-200 mass fusion ribbon splicer, which has the capability to splice 200 micron fibers.
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WBA & NGMN Examine Options for Convergence, Management of Wi-Fi6 & 5g
London, UK, 3 September 2019: Mobile operators today received further verification that Wi-Fi will play a critical role to the success of 5G, as illustrated in a new white paper developed by the Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA) and the Next Generation Mobile Networks (NGMN) Alliance. Developed with input from mobile carriers, telecom equipment manufacturers and Wi-Fi advocates, the WBA & NGMN Joint Task Force: RAN Convergence White Paper explores the importance of existing and future Wi-Fi and cellular convergence, highlighting techniques that enable convergence and identifying solutions to bridge technology gaps. According to the paper’s findings, mobile operators will benefit from the convergence of Wi-Fi and 5G by gaining improved visibility into Wi-Fi networks, affording them the ability to control customer experience, deliver better services to customers and provide enterprise Wi-Fi network management solutions to enterprise customers. Wi-Fi operators, meanwhile, will benefit from convergence by gaining improved visibility and transition management as they operate overlapping cellular and Wi-Fi networks, ultimately resulting in an improved user experience. Additionally, enterprise Wi-Fi networks will gain the ability to access operator-provided 5G services. Importantly, the paper also identifies new business opportunities created through the convergence of Wi-Fi and 5G at the network and RAN layers, including enterprise use cases, manufacturing, public hotspots and residential applications. Some of the key use cases covered in the paper include: • Convergence of 5G and Wi-Fi for Enterprise Wi-Fi: Currently, most enterprises use Wi-Fi technology to provide wireless access to employees, contractors and visitors. The paper identifies three scenarios for convergence of Wi-Fi and 5G to ensure a diverse set of deployment scenarios and business opportunities for both Wi-Fi providers and mobile operators. • Factories of the Future: Industry 4.0, or the Fourth Industrial Revolution, is driving a significant increase in the amount of data that traverses the network, especially in low-power wide-area networks (LP-WANs). At the same time, manufacturers increasingly are incorporating machine learning (ML), artificial intelligence (AI), augmented reality (AR), advanced analytics and automation into their processes. The paper provides a deployment scenario for a manufacturing environment in which the convergence of 5G NR and Wi-Fi are used to provide improved connectivity, traffic routing and support for Wi-Fi devices with and without identity credentials. • Connected Cities: Enterprises and cities increasingly are deploying Passpoint-enabled Wi-Fi hotspots to provide the public with Internet connectivity. The paper includes two scenarios that illustrate how the convergence of Wi-Fi and 5G will enable enterprises and cities to create contiguous Wi-Fi access through the use of public hotspots. • Residential Connectivity: A variety of devices are used by consumers to deliver Wi-Fi connectivity for both mobile and fixed devices in the home, including Ethernet, powerline and Coax. Additionally, residential local area networks (LANs) increasingly are connected with community Wi-Fi service, while femtocells are used to bolster connectivity in certain deployments. The paper provides a scenario for providing a mix of traffic within the home Wi-Fi network and femtocell 5G deployments. The paper concludes that a new set of 5G use cases and verticals may require combined resources from both cellular and Wi-Fi networks. This will provide cost-effective solutions that meet diverse sets of requirements on throughput, latency, connection density, coverage, availability and reliability. This is especially important for smartphones that carry a significant amount of data traffic by accessing Wi-Fi. Convergence of Wi-Fi and 5G will lead to better user experience for smartphone customers and create new business opportunities for both Wi-Fi and mobile operators. Additionally, the paper addresses a number of challenges that exist when integrating Wi-Fi and cellular networks in enterprise, residential and public Wi-Fi deployments. In particular, the paper explores the benefits of creating a standardized interface between Wi-Fi and cellular networks to improve end-to-end network performance, elevate user experience and, ultimately, empower both mobile and Wi-Fi operators to create new business opportunities utilizing the converged technologies. “Mobile and Wi-Fi operators, equipment manufacturers and end users all stand to benefit a great deal from the continued convergence of Wi-Fi and cellular networks, especially with the release of Wi-Fi 6 later this year and the continued development of 5G networks,” said Tiago Rodrigues, General Manager, WBA. “As the paper highlights, convergence of 5G and Wi-Fi 6 in the RAN is vital for 5G coverage in dense locations and indoor deployments, giving stakeholders the ability to cost effectively improve performance, while ultimately improving return on investment (ROI) for mobile operators.” Sanctioned by the top 38 mobile operators around the world, the paper continues work between WBA and NGMN to identify business opportunities, challenges and key use cases made possible through the convergence of Wi-Fi and existing cellular networks, as well as future 5G network deployments. Input was provided by a number of mobile operators, including BT, Orange, Rogers and US Cellular. Leading telecom equipment manufacturers that provided input include Intel, Broadcom, Cisco, Accuris Networks and Huawei. “The work we’ve done with WBA to identify new use cases and challenges in the convergence of Wi-Fi and 5G is beneficial for operators, vendors and end users,” said Peter Meissner, CEO, NGMN Alliance. “It is through initiatives like this one that our industry solves important issues and ensures the success of technologies for the future.” The WBA and NGMN intend to continue exploring convergence of Wi-Fi and cellular technologies, with input from 3GPP, IEEE and the Wi-Fi Alliance. Operators and network equipment manufacturers that are interested in contributing to future reports can contact the WBA or NGMN for additional information.
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Broadband wireless access leader embodies seamless integration, flexibility, performance and stability in a fresh logo for the new digital era
“Having started operations in 1993, Infinet has built a strong reputation and significantly grown its business revenue across many parts of the world. Our history is one steeped in innovative research and development – whether it be to meet constantly increasing demands from our loyal customer base for higher capacities and lower latencies or mitigate interferences in difficult radio environments, Infinet has been one of the first wireless vendors to launch new and flexible solutions,” said Dmitry Okorokov, CEO, Infinet Wireless. “Our reputation is a valuable asset, but our previous identity no longer accurately reflected our company’s complex array of carrier-grade wireless solutions and our flexible approach to dealing with partners and end users. The new image we are launching today will capture both aspects effectively, positioning us for the future.” A case in point is Infinet’s latest family of Point-to-Point (PTP) and Point-to-Multipoint (PTMP) solutions. Based on its proprietary Software Defined Radio (SDR) technology, these solutions offer the highest spectral efficiency available in the wireless marketplace today, mitigate interference in all key unlicensed frequency bands and enable customers to benefit from available spectrum in bands such as 26-28GHz and 70GHz. This results in the company’s solutions being widely considered as the ideal fit for cost-conscious service providers and organizations of all types which are looking to capitalize on the potential of 5G. “While we are extremely proud of our heritage, it is important to evolve not only technologically, but visually. For us to continue innovating in everything we do and to deliver advanced technological platforms to an already fast-moving wireless market, our brand identity must reflect our capabilities and ambitions,” continued Dmitry. The company’s new logo captures the concept of seamless integration in the digital age, depicting an abstract representation of two nodes interacting as part of a single network. The orange and blue nodes take the shape of outward facing arrows, denoting Infinet’s strategic intent to adapt to market demands and achieving its growth objectives, whilst the overall shape of the symbol is reminiscent of the universal mathematical symbol for infinity, highlighting the company’s commitment to continuous innovation and pushing the wireless technology beyond its limits. The logo’s colour scheme uses azure blue to represent clear skies and water, symbolizing harmony and simplicity. The orange colour reflects energy and openness, while the dark-blue stenciling of the text is a nod to Infinet’s legacy and as such symbolizes the company’s solid foundation built over many years. Building on its fresh corporate identity, Infinet will continue with its current roadmap to develop and launch cost-effective and high-performance solutions in the 28 and 70GHz frequency bands, offering its consumers connectivity platforms capable of reaching 1 Gbps throughputs. Additionally, Infinet will focus its efforts more than ever before on mobility solutions, developing broadband solutions for industrial and transport applications such as ship-to-shore and train-to-ground communications, as well as for open-pit mining and oil and gas applications. “We have come a long way in the last 26 years. Infinet is today widely regarded as the industry leader in broadband wireless technology. The next 12-18 months are set to become the most exciting period in our history, as we launch brand-new, cutting-edge solutions, enter new geographical markets and expand our customer base into new market verticals. In many ways, our new brand identity is a reflection of our excitement and a signal to the industry that we are committed to a culture of innovation and bringing to market solutions that address our customers’ needs, both for today and well into the future,” concluded Dmitry.
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Tata Communications Transformation Services and Smart Africa Alliance set to bridge the skills gap for next-generation technologies in Africa
Tata Communications Transformation Services (TCTS), a global leader in transformative business operations and managed network services and a wholly owned subsidiary of Tata Communications Limited, today announced the launch of its pioneering Skill Africa Program, in association with the Smart Africa Alliance. The revolutionary program will address the skills shortage in the technological industry and chart the way for the future of telecoms and IT infrastructure in Africa. The intensive training program will cover a range of next-generation technologies and help future-proof the telecoms and IT infrastructure in Africa. The Skill Africa program will see approximately 150 engineers from across Africa being trained on a variety of next-generation technologies including Cyber-security, Internet of Things, Cloud, Big data, Robotics and Smart Cities. “We are committed to accelerate Africa’s journey to the 4th Industrial Revolution through enabling ICT infrastructure across the continent,” said Madhusudhan Mysore, Executive Chairman and CEO, Tata Communications Transformation Services. “To ensure long term sustainability and growth in ICT services we need to address the skills gap. TCTS has launched this program to provide hands on experience in technology and operations of ICT networks.” “In order for Africa to be ready for the jobs of the future, our engineers and professionals need to be equipped with the requisite skill sets. The Skill Africa Program is about more than just training 150 African people but also about starting a skills transfer chain where the initial 150 can exponentially impart these skills to thousands across Africa,” said Mr Lacina Koné, Director General of Smart Africa. “We launched the initiative as a way to give back to the community,” said Harkirit Singh, Business Head – Africa, Tata Communications Transformation Services. “At TCTS we are committed to developing the skills crucial for the future of telecoms and IT industry, through our high-quality training programs. The Skill Africa Program will give the people of Africa an opportunity to develop the essential skills needed to help build Africa’s next-generation communications infrastructure.” Through this skills development program, each of the 25 Smart Africa Alliance member states will designate six engineering professionals to take part in the Skill Africa Program, therefore providing the opportunity to up to 150 African engineers to benefit from this program. Once selected, the engineers will attend the program at TCTS Renaissance Training Centre in India. Each 30-member cohort will be trained for an intensive one-week period with the first group expected to start in October 2019. Each training period will begin at the beginning of every month for a week-long training session, with the final group expected to complete the training before the Transform Africa Summit 2020. Singh added: “TCTS is proud to partner with the Smart Africa Alliance on this exciting project. I am positive that our collective vision and training will transform Africa into the dynamic knowledge economy it is meant to be.”
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Ranplan recognised for world-leading 5G NR planning capability
13 June 2019: At this week’s INTEROP 2019 in Tokyo, the largest ICT exhibition in Japan, Ranplan Wireless was presented with the Judge's Special Prize in the ‘Best of Show Award’ for its world leading 5G NR (5G New Radio) planning capability. The judges cited Ranplan Professional's world leading 5G NR planning support in mmWave, electromagnetic property database, massive MIMO, comprehensive 5G NR system database, and the planned support in stochastic channel modelling for 5G mmWave. Ranplan Professional is an all-in-one, heterogeneous planning, optimisation and simulation solution for Small Cells, DAS and Wi-Fi networks across complex indoor/outdoor and high-density urban environments, which also integrates with macro-cell networks. By simultaneously modelling indoor and outdoor environments and the propagation interactions between them, Ranplan’s intelligent algorithms and 3D ray-tracing capabilities are able to automate the network design process to optimise indoor and outdoor coverage and capacity, prior to deployment. 'We are extremely honoured to receive recognition before such a qualified audience and team of highly experienced judges. Awards of this nature make us even more committed to help our customers on a global scale bring the true vision of 5G for all its use cases to its ultimate reality', said Alastair Williamson, CEO of Ranplan Group. Ranplan was exhibiting at Interop with is channel partner Marubun of Japan. Marabun recently added Ranplan Professional to its portfolio of bespoke solutions, helping network operators and systems integrators to deliver the benefits of 5G to Japan’s economy and meet the expected demand for data consumption and capacity.
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Smarsh and CellTrust Team to offer API-Driven Voice Capture and Archiving
Smarsh® and CellTrust Corporation today announced Connected Archive support for CellTrust SL2TM voice content at the Smarsh user conference, SmarshCONNECT 2019. Global regulatory requirements for the capture, retention and oversight of voice communications and electronic communications, such as those from EU’s Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID II) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), continue to affect more and more organizations in the financial services industry. With the Smarsh/CellTrust solution, the API-driven delivery of voice content from CellTrust SL2 to the Connected Archive occurs in near-real-time. CellTrust SL2 enables organizations to capture all business-related communications (including mobile/text messaging and voice communications) on employees’ personal mobile devices, regardless of carrier or operating system, and content is seamlessly ingested into the search-ready Connected Archive from Smarsh. Content is available for search, review and production within the Connected Archive, alongside relevant email, instant messaging/collaboration content and social media in one consolidated, secure repository. The integrated mobile compliance solution enables customers to leverage the productivity benefits of their personal mobile devices and strengthens their risk identification and mitigation efforts. “The retention and oversight of voice content is a growing concern in the global financial services market, and through our partnership with CellTrust, we’re excited to extend our leadership in this area,” said Adam Miller-Howard, Smarsh VP/Product Strategy. “Our unique commitment to capturing content via APIs directly from the source provides a richer search and review experience and a more seamless, secure and reliable transfer of voice content than those archiving providers that use traditional SMTP email.” With its CellTrust SL2 integration, as well as the audio search and analytics capabilities from Cognia, Smarsh continues to expand capture and archiving support for an industry-leading breadth of voice and electronic communications channels.
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Energy scavenging technology wins funding to help power imminent 5G and IoT generation
As the drive towards a 5G future gathers momentum, the University of Surrey’s research into technology that could power countless internet enabled devices – including those needed for autonomous cars – has won over £1M from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and industry partners. Surrey’s Advanced Technology Institute (ATI) has been working on triboelectric nanogenerators (TENG), an energy harvesting technology capable of ‘scavenging’ energy from movements such as human motion, machine vibration, wind and vehicle movements to power small electronic components. TENG energy harvesting is based on a combination of electrostatic charging and electrostatic induction, providing high output, peak efficiency and low-cost solutions for small scale electronic devices. It’s thought such devices will be vital for the smart sensors needed to enable driverless cars to work safely, wearable electronics, health sensors in ‘smart hospitals’ and robotics in ‘smart factories.’ The ATI will be partnered on this development project with the Georgia Institute of Technology, QinetiQ, MAS Holdings, National Physical Laboratory, Soochow University and Jaguar Land Rover. Professor Ravi Silva, Director of the ATI and the principal investigator of the TENG project, said: “TENG technology is ideal to power the next generation of electronic devices due to its small footprint and capacity to integrate into systems we use every day. Here at the ATI, we are constantly looking to develop such advanced technologies leading towards our quest to realise worldwide “free energy”. "TENGs are an ideal candidate to power the autonomous electronic systems for Internet of Things applications and wearable electronic devices. We believe this research grant will allow us to further the design of optimized energy harvesters.”
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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
