India announces home-grown mobile OS

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Colt connects to Barcelona Cable Landing Station


Press Release

This agreement between AFR-IX and Colt will enable the multinational to strengthen its connections to the main European routes

Barcelona (Spain), 26th January 2023. Colt Technology Services (Colt), the digital infrastructure company, today announced the connection of its award-winning intelligent Colt IQ Network to the Barcelona Cable Landing Station (Barcelona CLS). Colt becomes first carrier to link to Barcelona CLS of AFR-IX telecom. The new CLS has been built by African internet exchange AFR-IX Telecom which is already using Colt’s network in the African market to provide an internet service to African operators and customers to connect them to European data centers via Colt’s routes.

Colt operates in more than 220 cities in over 30 countries and connects more than 1,000 data centres and over 31,000 connected buildings in the largest business centres in Europe, Asia and North America. Colt’s network in Spain and Portugal is already serving Lisbon, Bilbao, Madrid and Barcelona, and has 13 connection points to data centers in Barcelona.

Connection with the major European digital hubs

Colt will be able to offer, from Barcelona CLS, services like  data centre interconnection (Data Centre Interconnect), inter-network traffic exchange (IP Transit) or dark fibre (non-active fibre optic circuits that enable the capacity of customers to be expanded in times of need).

Colt will enable Barcelona CLS to connect to Europe’s major digital hubs (Paris, London, Frankfurt) and provide an express terrestrial route to other key regional cable landing stations such as Lisbon, Bilbao and Marseilles, installing new submarine cables and capacity in the US, Africa, the Middle East and Asia.

In addition, the Colt deal is an example of how Barcelona CLS is shaping the digital ecosystem needed to build a competitive digital hub in Southern Europe.

Christian Schmidt, Colt’s Network Expansion Manager for Spain, said: “Colt is participating in the repositioning of the Iberian Peninsula as a European digital hub, becoming a key player in the connections between America, Asia, Africa and Europe. To avoid saturation in Europe, the peninsula has become an essential hub to diversify connectivity. The Barcelona landing station for submarine cables will position the Iberian peninsula geo-strategically as a key access point to Europe.”

Norman Albi, CEO of AFR-IX telecom, said: “We are very proud that Colt, with whom AFR-IX telecom has had a long-standing business relationship, will be part of the Barcelona CLS project, as it will represent a major deployment of the station’s activity, which opened in October. With Colt, we are sure that other operators will follow, as synergies are very important in this sector”.

How is the submarine cable landscape changing in 2023? Join the experts in discussion at this year’s live Submarine Networks EMEA conference

Also in the news:
UK Space Agency to invest £50m in satellite comms
Neos Networks announces fibre milestones in Liverpool, Birmingham, Manchester, and London
American Tower rumoured to be eying Cellnex takeover

What will separate the 5G leaders and laggers in 2023

What will separate the 5G leaders and laggers in 2023

This Industry Viewpoint was authored by Ragu Masilamany, VP and Global Head of Solutions Engineering and Labs at Amdocs

As communications service providers (CSPs) want faster monetization of 5G, recession fears loom, and the cost of energy increases, some have formed a shortsighted view of 5 G’s true long-term impact. However, leading into 2023, this perspective could be what separates the leads in 5G from those who delay investment due to “5G” fatigue. … [visit site to read more]

Total Telecom takes highly successful Connected event series to the US


Press Release

Connected America will bring the entire connectivity ecosystem together to discuss the challenges and opportunities of enabling next-generation broadband

Dallas, Texas, January 26, 2023 – How to deliver America’s connected future will be the focus of Connected America – a brand new conference featuring a prestigious line-up of speakers from national, state and local service providers, the public sector, enterprises and suppliers.

Taking place at the Irving Convention Center, in Dallas, Texas, from March 29-29, Connected America is organised by news provider Total Telecom, which is hosting the event for the first time following the huge success of its 2023 line-up. This included the UK’s largest connectivity event, the award-winning Connected BritainConnected North and Connected Germany.

Connected America will bring together more than 150 speakers to explore the big picture for delivering enhanced connectivity in the USA; what does a truly Connected America look like and how can it be delivered? Other focus areas include investment and regulatory strategies, fibre and 5G, the opportunities and challenges of delivering smart places and connected transport, the factory of the future and rural connectivity.

“We have observed the US market for some time and believe now is the right time to launch Connected America,” said Total Telecom’s Managing Director Rob Chambers. “All the factors are aligned, there is the political will to ensure that every American has access to reliable high-speed internet; public and private finance is falling into place and communities are demanding better broadband to work, to learn, for healthcare, and to stay connected.”

The conference will see more than 1,000 attendees from organisations transforming U.S. connectivity. It is supported by the Fiber Broadband Association, Association of American Public Broadband, Broadband Bunch, Broadband Communication, and Competitive Carriers Association. Confirmed speakers include:

  • Amanda Hofer, Assistant General Manager at Central Texas Telephone Cooperative
  • Amol Naik, SVP of Public Policy, Government Affairs and Community Engagement, at Ting Internet
  • Anh Selissen, Chief Information Officer at Texas Department of Transport
  • Bill Zielinski, CIO at City of Dallas
  • Claude Aiken, Chief Strategy Officer and Chief Legal Officer at NextLink
  • Earnie Holtrey, Deputy Director at Indiana Broadband Office
  • Emily Buckman, Director of Government Affairs at American Farm Bureau Federation
  • Gary Bolton, President of Fiber Broadband Association
  • Glen Howie, Director at Arkansas State Broadband Office
  • Gregory Elsborg, CIO at Dallas Area Rapid Transport (DART)
  • Kim McKinley, Chief Marketing Officer at UTOPIA Fiber
  • Marlette Jackson, Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Frontier
  • Raimundo Rodulfo, CIO at City of Coral Gables
  • Rob Johnson, Chief Development Officer at LiveOak Fiber
  • Will Townsend, VP and Principal Analyst at Moor insights

For more information or to register to attend Connected America, visit: https://www.terrapinn.com/conference/connected-america/index.stm


About Total Telecom
Since 1997, Total Telecom has provided the connection between the buyers and sellers in the global telecom market. We do this through high quality editorial content and events to facilitate discussion on industry issues, and recognise innovation and excellence by companies and individuals.

Our community of 120,000+ telecom professionals relies on Total Telecom for daily news and regular in-depth insight, delivered through a number of channels including online, video, social media, and at our series of events.

Tanzania grants mobile users two more weeks to verify SIM cards

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Subscribe to our FREE weekly email newsletters for the latest telecom info in developing and emerging markets globally.

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Broadband in the driving seat


STARTUP STORIES

t3 Broadband are one of the companies you can meet at Connected America, making place in Dallas this March. Find out more here

Tell us about your start up
t3 Broadband is a company that specializes in providing engineering services and products for broadband access solutions. Our offerings include RF engineering, wireless engineering, fixed and mobile wireless products, optical products, and GIS. We work closely with our operator customers to effectively solve their business needs by providing the correct product, solution and service set that help achieve their goals. Customers are service providers, utilities, tribes, and other entities that provide broadband and mobile services to their subscribers, typically but exclusively to the rural markets.

What is your USP
t3 approaches each customer opportunity with an economic-first approach, working with our customer to solve their broadband network questions in the most cost-effective manner possible. We also take a solution- and vendor-neutral position, and given our background in both fixed and mobile networking, partner with our customers to find the best options to fit their budgets and their needs, many times creating a hybrid network solution that combines wireless and fiber components. We also bring unique intellectual property to our customer engagements that combines business and technical domains that are aligned to meet each customer’s budget and solution requirements.

What is your relationship with the telecom sector?
Telecom service providers are t3’s customers. These service providers may be fixed wireline operators such as traditional telephone or cable companies, mobile operators migrating their 3G and 4G networks to 5G, and tribes, municipalities, and utilities providing broadband to their communities.

How have you got to your current stage of development?
We are in a growth mode, self-supported with some key customers and partners, leveraging both the national broadband infrastructure investments and network modernization trends across both fixed and mobile operators.

Why did you establish the business?
Based on the management team’s background with large multinational companies, we started t3 to provide similar services to rural and smaller operators to assist them in bridging the digital broadband divide with value-based economic solutions.

What is your motivation?
Our motivation is the need for advanced digital services in rural parts of the country and our ability to help our customers provide these services to their communities.

What does the future hold for your business?
With broadband becoming a critical service, we see continued growth with the expansion into the unserved and underserved markets and communities.

COMPANY CV
HEADQUARTERS: Council Grove, KS USA
LAST FUNDING TYPE: Self-funded, private investment
WEBSITE URL: www.t3broadband.com
FOUNDER: Chris Crowe, Owner/CEO

SP Edition, Meeting Licensing and More in the PBXware v6.7

What's New PBXware 6.7.0

Welcome to our latest product update for PBXware! This blog post will highlight the main features and updates introduced in PBXware version 6.7, with the SP Edition at the forefront.

1. Introducing: PBXware SP Edition – A PBXware developed for Service Providers

PBXware SP Edition

PBXware SP Edition

If you are an administrator of a multi-tenant PBX system, you know how difficult it can be to manage a large number of tenants and clients. Luckily, there is now an efficient and powerful solution to help you manage your MT systems: SP Edition.

This new edition enables users to manage and access data from multiple PBXware systems in a centralized location, simplifying administration tasks and making it easier to edit settings on external systems. 

PBXware SP (Service Provider) Edition offers a range of features that make it the ideal solution for multi-tenant PBX system administrators:

  • Advanced Search Capabilities: Quickly find extensions, DIDs, and tenants across all systems in a matter of seconds. 
  • Single Sign-On (SSO) Functionality: Access all MT systems with one login. 
  • Automation of Trunk Setup: Calls can be routed through the SP system, eliminating the need to manually log in to each system multiple times a day to change trunks. 
  • Streamlined Processes: Streamline the search process, making it easier and faster to find the information you need.

However, it is important to note that PBXware SP Edition is not a standalone PBX system and does not offer features such as Call recordings, IVRs, Queues, Ring groups, or Extensions (extensions exist on the system only as multiuser extensions when calls go through the SP), etc. It is intended to be used in conjunction with a separate PBXware system.

In conclusion, PBXware SP Edition is the ultimate multi-tenant PBX management solution. It streamlines the search process, offers SSO capabilities, and automates trunk setup, making it easier than ever for administrators to stay on top of their systems. 

With its advanced features and streamlined processes, the SP Edition gives administrators the tools to quickly and easily manage their multi-tenant PBX systems.

2. Assign Licenses To Specific Extensions Using Meeting Licensing

Next, we have the addition of Meeting licensing in PBXware v6.7. Administrators will now be able to use the ‘Licenses’ section to assign Meeting licenses to specific extensions and filter the data by extension or license package (No License, STARTER, BUSINESS, or ENTERPRISE). However, only the STARTER and BUSINESS packages will be available for use in this version, with the ENTERPRISE package to be implemented in future versions. 

The ‘Licenses’ section also displays information on the number of available and assigned licenses, allowing administrators to track and manage Meeting licenses for their extensions easily.

3. Starter Packages For All Current Meeting Users

With this update, all current Meeting users will be automatically assigned Starter packages for all the extensions on their tenant/system with a Meeting license, regardless of their current PBXware software version. This includes Business, CC, and Supervisor gloCOM editions but does not apply to the Office edition. 

Users who wish to upgrade to a Business package will need to upgrade to PBXware v6.7. Additionally, a new version of BRM for Meeting pricing will be introduced for all Meeting users.

4. More Streamlined Editing of gloCOM Features Permissions

Finally, PBXware v6.7 also introduces the ability to edit gloCOM features permissions per extension from the Editions & Modules section. Previously, these permissions could only be modified from the Apps -> Permissions page, so this update should provide a more streamlined user experience.

Summary

In conclusion, PBXware v6.7 brings a range of new features and updates that are designed to improve the user experience. The PBXware SP edition makes it easier to manage and access data from multiple PBXware systems, while the new Meeting licensing features provide administrators with more control over license assignment and management. The ability to edit gloCOM features permissions per extension is also a welcome addition, streamlining the process for users. 

We hope these updates will enhance your experience with PBXware! Once you have tried these new features, we would love to hear from you about how this improved your business. Please feel free to comment below.

If you have any questions about the new features in PBXware v6.7 or any other Unified Communications products, do not hesitate to reach out to us.

Product Update: What’s New in gloCOM & gloCOM GO 6.7 [2023]

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A new update for our Unified Communications apps gloCOM & gloCOM GO is here with fresh new features for our business users. With version 6.7, gloCOM users will experience efficiency and a better user experience overall, thanks to the many benefits that the new features bring to the table.

Here are the highlights of the latest gloCOM and gloCOM GO 6.7 product updates:

1. Get Someone’s Attention With the Mention Feature

Group chats can be easily misused when many people are involved in the conversation, and sometimes it becomes hard for the group to stay focused on the topic. The Mention feature in gloCOM and gloCOM GO 6.7 helps bring back the focus on a specific person or topic. 

The Mention feature works wonders for getting someone’s attention. It allows you to mention one or more participants in a group chat and to give additional context. When you tag a colleague’s name in the message, they will get a notification that they have been mentioned, even in a conversation they have currently muted.

glocom and glocom go 6.7 new Mention feature

glocom and glocom go 6.7 new Mention feature

To mention a participant, you simply enter the @ sign followed by the name of the desired participant. There are two ways to select someone from the list of participants:

  • By scrolling through the list using the up and down arrow keys and selecting the participant by pressing the Enter keys on your keyboard or using the mouse wheel and clicking on the participant.
  • By entering the participant’s name after the @ sign. In that case, the list above the input field will only display participants whose names match the entry.

The participant you tag within the conversation are colored in blue, and clicking on their name will bring a pop-up menu with options to call them, chat with them in a private chat, or open their contact information.

Overall, Mention is a great feature and will improve your productivity while collaborating in group conversations. It’s one of those features that will eventually become a standard communication method within group chats.

The Mention feature is available in both the gloCOM desktop application and the gloCOM GO mobile app on the gloCOM GO 6.7 (Android/iOS).

2. Troubleshoot Potential Network Issues During a Call With the Call Quality Feature

The Call Quality feature will allow users to monitor their calls and their network quality. Using this feature in gloCOM 6.7 will help your staff diagnose better and troubleshoot problems that may arise during a call.

During a call, a Call Quality indicator will appear in the upper right corner of the call window, providing you with information about the call and network quality. The Call Quality window will appear by clicking on it, providing more detailed information about various metrics, such as MOS Score, Round Trip Time, Packet Loss, and Jitter.

You also have the option to export Call Quality information and check out the Diagnostic Logs for the last 50 calls.

3. gloCOM Presence Gets an Outlook Calendar Integration

By default, Outlook Calendar Presence incorporates your gloCOM Desktop Presence status based on the appointments you’ve set up in Outlook. You can still change your presence status to suit your requirements, though. Additionally, you can configure a specific Presence description that will be displayed to your contacts anytime an active Outlook appointment is present.

4. Keep Newly Added Participants in the Loop With the Shared Groups Feature

Communication affects teamwork, and good communication can transform that team into a super-team. But what about new additions to your super-team? How to effectively integrate them into your group, and fast?

If you need to share every piece of discussion with every participant in a group, Shared Groups may be exactly what you have been looking for.

If this is the case, check the option Allow full history visibility when creating the group to enable everyone to access the historical content if they join after the group is created. 

This way, even the new team members will be in the loop with the rest of the group.

5. Troubleshoot Potential Issues During a Meeting With the Network Quality Statistics View

Suppose problems with a network connection affect audio quality during a meeting. In that case, a notification will pop up in the lower-left corner of the Meeting, informing you about the issue of bad audio quality

The Network Quality Statistics view holds all the details if you have issues during a meeting. The statistics include metrics (latency, jitter, bitrate, packet loss, etc.) about Audio, Video, and screen sharing quality. 

Network Quality Statistics View will make it easier to resolve any potential network problems that can come up during your meetings.

6. A Meeting Invite Link Is now Automatically Sent in the Chat

As of gloCOM 6.7, when you start a meeting from the chat, an invite link will be automatically sent to the chat participants. With the provided link, you can quickly join meetings via web or mobile application, no matter where you are.

This feature provides an additional layer of effectiveness for you and your colleagues.

7. Schedule a Meeting From Outlook

We have another great Outlook-related update for you. Starting a meeting in gloCOM always was a breeze. But now, with the Outlook Desktop Plugin introduced in gloCOM 6.7, scheduling a meeting is even more effortless as you can do it from Outlook.

glocom outlook integration

glocom outlook integration

The gloCOM Outlook plugin enables work in Outlook and, at the same time, allows for a seamless transition to collaboration.

This gloCOM Outlook plugin enables you to:

  • Schedule a meeting from Outlook main tab 
  • Starting an instant meeting with one contact 
  • Starting a meeting with multiple contacts 
  • Cancel a meeting
  • Convert an existing event to a gloCOM Meeting 
  • Schedule a meeting directly from the calendar

8. Take Pictures And Videos With A Camera Inside The Chat Conversation

With the ability to add a visual element to the chat, you can now communicate better and express yourself more naturally. With this new feature, the gloCOM GO app takes another step towards helping people communicate more naturally and effectively.

From within the chat conversation screen, you can send media files from your gallery, take photos or record a video. 

After taking a photo or recording a video, you can choose whether to save the file to the gallery, discard it, or send it in the chat.

gloCOM GO version 6.7 also brings the option to send multiple files at once.

You can now preview images and videos inside the gloCOM GO app by pressing the media thumbnail on the chat screen. 

When you click on the image thumbnail inside the chat screen gloCOM GO app, a new screen opens up, from which you can preview the image, zoom in and out, share it via an external app, forward it to another chat inside the gloCOM GO app, delete the message, and more.

And that’s not all. You can also preview video files you want to share with your colleagues. The gloCOM GO app is packed with great options, so video sharing also offers several valuable features too. You can preview the video file you want to share with full playback controls (play/pause/seek), mute and unmute audio by pressing the speaker icon, and much more. 

9. gloCOM GO and gloCOM Meeting GO Integration For the Office In Your Pocket

Our Unified communications app for those who don’t want to miss anything even when they are on the move, gloCOM GO, is fully integrated with the freshly launched Meeting GO app. This integration lets you schedule or join meetings even when you are not in your office or don’t have your laptop. 

Available for both Android and Apple users, the gloCOM Meeting GO app lets you collaborate on the go and connect with multiple people simultaneously while offering the following:

  • Video Conferencing (in a grid and speaker view)
  • Audio Conferencing
  • Screen Sharing (specific application or whole screen sharing)
  • Remote Control when screen sharing
  • Group chat

NOTE: Meeting is now commercially available, and in addition to the desktop version, web and mobile applications are also available. We currently offer two different editions, ‘Starter’ and ‘Business,’ with specific conditions and limits, with the ‘Enterprise’ edition coming out in 2023. 

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More To Come From the Bicom Systems Lab

Alongside new features and options, you notice that with every new iteration, we squash several bugs and fix various issues, and it’s the same with version 6.7. Rest assured that we have many great things in the works for you. You ask, we listen!

Stay tuned, and make sure to update your gloCOM apps to the latest version and enjoy a brand-new set of features. Please visit our website for more information about gloCOM and gloCOM GO and our other UCaaS line of products. 

Do not hesitate to contact us for any additional information.

South African fintech and Zimbabwean bank target remittance market

Keep up-to-date with all the latest news, articles, event and product updates posted on Developing Telecoms.
Subscribe to our FREE weekly email newsletters for the latest telecom info in developing and emerging markets globally.

Sending occasional e-mail from 3rd parties about industry white papers, online and live events relevant to subscribers helps us fund this website and free weekly newsletter. We never sell your personal data. Click here to view our privacy policy.