+IT, Grow Together, Powering an innovative and evolutional future for CSPs


VIEWPOINT

For telecoms to create new revenue streams, enhance customer experiences, and lead their digital transformation, Huawei launches future-oriented IT infrastructure architecture. It is an evolution journey from CT to ICT

There has been a massive change in the way businesses and customers interact over the last few years. Due to the increased use of digital services, carriers’ networks have experienced extremely high traffic levels. According to IDC, investments in IT infrastructure would expand at a 14.5% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) between 2021 and 2026. Between 2021 and 2025, according to IDC, carriers’ digital transformation will accelerate and their spending on it will rise at a CAGR of 17%.

Predictions indicate that IT infrastructure will rank as the second-largest area of investment for international telecom operators. However, for telcos to fully benefit from their digital transformation projects, they must have a future-oriented IT infrastructure that is cloud-native, 5G and IoT ready, secure, and equipped with AI and automation capabilities.

The modern consumer demands a top-notch network with unique services. It’s also an opportunity for telcos to expand on the transformation of their primary line of business, connectivity. As a result, it has become crucial for them to have strong capabilities that can support the delivery of innovative services, expansion into new industries, reduction of costs, and augmentation of revenues.

Presenting the future-oriented IT infrastructure architecture

There is an old saying in Chinese that “to get rich, build roads first”. IT infrastructure paves the way for digital transformation. Developing a future-oriented IT infrastructure design is the only way to build new revenue streams beyond connectivity and provide a superior user experience, even though telecom operators have been pursuing digitization and cost transformation for years.

At MWC 2023, Huawei focuses on the theme of “+IT, Grow Together” and unveils its future-oriented IT infrastructure design for carriers for the first time, recognizing the necessity and filling up the critical gaps. The solution enables carriers to transition from CT to ICT by acting as the IT basis for that change. The strategy is based on the premise that IT infrastructure is at the foundation of telco digital transformation. Huawei has developed intelligent, reliable, efficient and collaborative IT infrastructure to accelerate the digital transformation of the carriers, so both Huawei and its customers can grow together.

So, what is the future-oriented IT infrastructure architecture need of carriers?

Data, Networks, and Applications (DNA) are the three main telecom assets that carriers have. A future-oriented, unified IT infrastructure design based on the carriers’ core asset DNA must be created to optimize its value in order to support carriers’ digital transformation. It should help them achieve orchestration, cloud-network synergy, and cloud-edge synergy.

Data (D): In the modern world, data is regarded as the new growth point for all businesses. Data is being produced at an exponential rate since there is so much happening online at a pace never previously witnessed. Effective data management is essential for telcos because it allows them to channel their resources by creating smart predictions and analyses, meet network latency, boost customer retention, and ensure great user experiences. Data management needs to be efficient, adaptable, and secure. Sensitive data must be stored locally, not in the cloud or network. Storage resource management and provisioning must be carried out efficiently and swiftly. This can be achieved through solutions such as Huawei OneStorage unified storage resource pool, which can improve resource utilization efficiency and accelerate resource provisioning.

Network (N): In order to facilitate accelerated investment monetization, differentiated network experiences, flexible resource scheduling, and rapid service supply, carriers need a new transformative IT infrastructure. The need is for a network that supports quick intelligence and multi-cloud, strengthens agility, and speeds up innovation while also making their services more dependable. Huawei has business in both cloud services and networks. Huawei Cloud and Huawei transport network are pre-integrated. NCE supports unified scheduling of cloud and network resources and allows for one-stop provisioning of cloud network premium package (with unified cloud-network end-to-end SLA assurance), helping carriers monetize their network assets.

Application (A): There are distinct considerations when moving common services to the cloud than when moving critical telecom applications. Most core telecom applications are steady-state, locally deployable, low-latency, and highly reliable, with carriers having complete control over such programmes. Agile apps tend to be new services and do not have high-reliability requirements. However, they require fast rollout, quick iteration, and elastic scaling. Therefore, deployment on the public cloud is the best choice. Huawei’s distributed cloud supports flexible deployment of telecom services on and off the cloud, meeting carriers’ deployment requirements for different applications.

The future-oriented IT architecture design must be implemented using the synergies between CT and IT, on-premises and online, and software and hardware. IT infrastructure investments employ networking to hasten value recovery.

The Huawei distributed cloud is considered the best option for carriers regarding internal business transformation and ToB business expansion. The key services are put in place on-premises for increased security and dependability, while non-critical services are implemented on public clouds. The most senior cloud services are available on-premises with Huawei Cloud Stack, which is also the only cloud that reuses installed base storage. The most significant data infrastructure foundation for carriers is OneStorage which offers multi-clouds integration, enhanced security, reliability, and sustainability.

Huawei, the only ICT company in the world with business in cloud, storage, and diversified computing power, has taken a giant stride by building system-level competitiveness on the customer interface with seemingly standalone products.

 Click here to learn more about the future-oriented IT Infrastructure architecture for carriers

Intracom Telecom launches new mmWave terminal

Intracom Telecom, a global telecommunication systems and solutions vendor, has announced the launch of its new millimetre wave (mmWave) MU-MIMO Terminal Station, the WiBAS G5 GigaConnect. The company is displaying the product at its stand during MWC  2023.

Operators can now offer high-end wireless Gigabit connectivity services to more homes in suburban and rural areas thanks to the improved modem technology of the system, while gaining higher channel bandwidth utilization and denser networks (point-to-multipoint / PMP). The WiBAS G5 GigaConnect is ideal for service locations requiring cost-effective and rapidly-implemented FWA networks as it enables state-of-the-art IP connectivity in zero-footprint installations.

This terminal delivers download speeds of 1 Gigabit/s, increased operational convenience, reliable performance and power-saving features, while its MU-MIMO technology facilitates high spectrum utilization in parallel with fast and reliable connections. It also offers advanced networking features, extended coverage and leading PMP radio technology in the 24.25-29.50GHz area-licensed bands, while its zero-touch provisioning capabilities enable effortless network deployment.  

John Tenidis, Marketing Director of Intracom Telecom’s Wireless Networks Solutions portfolio, noted: “With the commercial launch of the WiBAS G5 GigaConnect terminal station we deliver our promise to our customers for a device that, apart from the gigabit download speeds it offers, is backwards compatible and forward interoperable with the WiBAS G5 dual-BS and G5 smart-BS base station devices, providing 100% reuse of the existing network investment”.

Dimitrios Pantelopoulos, R&D Director of Intracom Telecom’s Wireless Networks Solutions Division added: “The MU-MIMO WIBAS technology of the GigaConnect terminal enables maximum exploitation of the available spectrum and the provision of wide coverage of rural areas with 1 Gbps service.”

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Vertiv and TechAccess partner to boost African IT infrastructure solutions

Vertiv, a provider of critical digital infrastructure and continuity solutions, has announced a distribution agreement with TechAccess, a leading information technology company based in South Africa. This agreement, targeting customers in sub-Saharan Africa, allows TechAccess to distribute Vertiv’s integrated rack solutions portfolio designed for the enterprise sector and to support critical infrastructure systems.

Vertiv says the distribution agreement supports its growth strategy for the African market: to combine the company’s comprehensive product portfolio and TechAccess’ long-standing experience in providing solutions and products for various sectors.

The TechAccess portfolio will be complemented with Vertiv’s edge data centre solutions including uninterruptible power supply systems (UPS), racks, rack power distribution units (rPDUs), keyboard/video/mouse (KVM) switches, integrated cabinets and rows, infrastructure monitoring and services.

Vertiv cites the Data Centres in Africa Focus Report, which suggests that revenue from the African data centre market is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate of 12% from 2019 to 2025, to reach $3 billion. Increasing demand for cloud-based services and modular data centre solutions from organisations, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises and government agencies, will underpin the market, with more than 70% of African organisations estimated to shift to the cloud by 2025.

Integrated solutions covered by the agreement include Vertiv SmartCabinet, a self-contained micro data centre born largely out of demand from warehousing, education, government, and retail customers; and Vertiv SmartRow, a full self-contained modular data centre designed to simplify IT deployments in indoor spaces.

Additionally, TechAccess has leveraged the tools and training available through the Vertiv Partner Programme. The company has trained and certified technicians who execute installations on specific Vertiv products. Their technicians also attend training sessions for regular product updates that Vertiv shares as part of its Partner Programme.

5G Enables Intelligent and Digital Transformation of Mine Production


VIEWPOINT

The much-awaited MWC 2023 has kicked off, and Huawei’s 5G ToB booth attracted an influx of visitors. The 5G Remote Control Solution, in particular, garnered attendees’ interest. Although terms such as “mining trucks, shovels, drilling rigs, slopes” displayed at the booth may be unfamiliar to some carriers, the exhibition of remote unmanned automation of large devices demonstrated the vast possibilities and potential changes that 5G technology could bring to the mining industry.

The audience is visiting the booth of ToB at MWC2023

Meanwhile, in the 100-meter Zhulan Iron Mine of Pangang Group Mining Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Pangang”) in Panzhihua City, Sichuan Province, in southwest China, the scene depicted at the MWC booth is currently unfolding under the miner’s lamp.

Large mining equipment, such as mine cards, electric shovels, and drilling rigs, operate in a highly organized way, without human intervention, which starkly contrasts traditional mining methods. The remote-control center, located 3 kilometers away from the mine, is where the intelligent and digital capabilities enabled by 5G technology make this transformation in mining operations possible.

On entering the remote-control center of the mine, Yao Shijian, the operator of Pangang’s shovel, takes his place in a remote seat reminiscent of a game controller. With skill and precision, Yao operates the shovel, expertly excavating ore from the pile and transferring it to the mine truck. “Initially, I felt like it was a bit surreal, but after a few times, it felt just like being on-site,” Yao said. As the 5G mining system became a norm production, Yao Shijian and his colleagues transitioned from working under the sun and wind to sitting in a climate-controlled room, moving from “grey collar” to “white collar.”

Li Yibing, the project’s lead, said, “This project represents a new production mode that revolutionizes the mining industry and sets it apart from previous technological improvements. Unmanned mines have increased mining efficiency by over 10 percent. Particularly through unmanned mines, we’ve been able to capitalize on the difference in electricity price between day and night to increase our production capacity during the night. This has saved almost one million RMB in monthly electricity bills, and all made possible through the low latency, high bandwidth, and high reliability of 5G networks.”

Yao Shijian’s operating the machine remotely for mining

For Zhulan Iron Mine of Pangang, a pioneer in metallurgical mining in China, implementing remote control technology was a formidable challenge. The biggest challenge for 5G remote control was signal freezing and delay, which could impact the work experience and lead to accidents. However, with the reliable and low-latency capabilities of 5G networks, workers like Yao Shijian can control the forklift’s robot arm movement with precision and without delay. The project team worked for three months to design the optimal network configuration, including the 5G base station location and network optimization parameters, to meet the communication requirements of vehicles, shovels, and drills. This enabled the optimal air interface delay and prevented data from traveling over public networks by deploying 5G core network devices in the edge data center of the mining area.

To accelerate the rollout of the remote-control system, Huawei collaborated with partners to pre-install network, computing, and security devices and remote-control applications in a “container” data center. Onsite installation took only two weeks. Additionally, Huawei used “video stitching” technology to combine multiple cameras into seamless large-angle images, improving the forklifts’ maneuverability and control efficiency.

Huawei’s innovative solution integrates workers’ professional experiences and scientific and technological support into the production process, fundamentally changing the operation mode of traditional open-pit mines. In the future, 5G technologies will be introduced into underground mines and factory workshops, further improving production safety and working environments for employees and contributing significant value to the digital transformation of the industry.

Industry Spotlight – PowerHouse Data Centers’ Luke Kipfer Talks Development & Sustainability

One of the newer entrants into the data center development space is PowerHouse Data Centers, a division of AREP.  Via a joint venture with Harrison Street, they already have three properties in northern Virginia under development, with plans for more in the works.  With an approach to sustainability that touches on many levels, PowerHouse is looking to meet the long term demands of hyperscalers for the right kind of facility in the right locations.  With us today to talk about their fresh approach and future plans is Luke Kipfer, Vice President, Data Center Development & Construction. … [visit site to read more]

1&1 complains Vodafone presenting ‘ongoing obstacles’ to its 5G rollout


News

The newest German mobile operator says its 5G network deployment has been negatively affected by Vodafone and Vantage Towers expansion limiting their access to 5G sites

Back in 2021, 1&1 Mobilfunk, the new mobile arm of 1&1 AG, announced it had struck a deal with Vodafone’s recently spun-off tower unit, Vantage Towers. The agreement covered the shared use of 3,800 existing mobile, as well as additional sites that were due to be built in 2022.

However, by the end of 2022, 1&1 claimed that Vantage Towers’ expansion was moving far slower than expected, with 1&1 reporting just five 5G antenna sites in operation.

As such, at the end of 2022, Vantage Towers announced a new rollout plan, taking into account the most recent delays.

However, in a meeting yesterday between Vodafone, Vantage, and 1&1, the infrastructure company reportedly revealed that it no longer expected to hit these revised targets an warned of further delays.

“In particular, the expansion targets planned in the first quarters of 2023 are to be significantly missed. An end to the preference for Vodafone’s expansion activities at the expense of 1&1 network construction at Vantage Towers still does not seem foreseeable,” explained 1&1 in a statement.

1&1 says that this delay could impact their planned launch of commercial mobile services in Q3 this year, noting that while a delayed launch would not result in “significant financial repercussions” the company was “eager to avoid any unnecessary delays.”

As a result, 1&1 says it will file a complaint to the Federal Cartel Office (Bundeskartellamt) regarding the ‘ongoing obstacles’ it faces in the rollout of 5G, due to the actions of Vodafone and Vantage towers.

The plot thickens yet further when we consider that Vodafone is currently lobbying the Federal Network Agency to simply allocate highly valuable low-band spectrum to Vodafone, Deutsche Telekom, and Telefónica, forgoing the traditional spectrum auction.

Vodafone claims that this will allow for a more efficient 5G rollout across the country, ensuring German customers receive improved coverage more quickly.

Furthermore, as part of the argument, Vodafone has questioned whether 1&1 has any need for low-band spectrum, given the undeveloped nature of its mobile network.

1&1, on the other hand, says that this delay is caused in no small part by the ‘probable obstructions’ caused by Vodafone and Vantage Towers.

Want to keep up with all of the latest German telecoms news? Join us at this year’s Connected Germany conference live in Munich

Also in the news:
AT&T signs up to use Frontier’s fibre to connect mobile towers
UScellular urges customers to put down their phones in latest initiative
VMO2 and Vodafone give rural Scotland a 4G boost

Digicel looks for more time to make debt repayments

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HPE doubles down on private 5G with Athonet acquisition


Press Release

Hewlett Packard Enterprise today announced the expansion of its connected edge-to-cloud offering with the acquisition of Athonet, a private cellular network technology provider that delivers mobile core networks to enterprises and communication service providers. Combined with the HPE telco and Aruba networking portfolios, Athonet will put HPE at the forefront of a growing market that is predicted by IDC to increase to more than $1.6 billion1 by 2026.

Based in Vicenza, Italy, Athonet has more than 15 years of experience delivering 4G and 5G mobile core solutions to customers and partners globally. Athonet is an award-winning technology pioneer with more than 450 successful customer deployments in various industries, including leading mobile operators, hospitals, airports, transportation ports, utilities, government and public safety organizations.

With enterprises facing complex connectivity challenges across large and remote sites, private 5G offers high levels of coverage, reliability and mobility across campus and industrial environments. It also augments the cost-effective, high-capacity connectivity provided by Wi-Fi. The incorporation of Athonet’s technology will allow HPE to deliver private networking capabilities directly to enterprises as part of HPE’s Aruba networking portfolio, while also enabling communications service providers (CSPs) to quickly deploy private 5G networks for their customers.

“Telco customers are looking for simpler ways to deploy private 5G networks to meet growing customer expectations at the connected edge,” said Tom Craig, global vice president and general manager, Communications Technology Group at HPE. “At the same time, enterprise customers are demanding a customized 5G experience with low-latency, segregated resources, extended range and security across campus and industrial environments that complement their existing wireless networks. With the acquisition of Athonet, HPE now has one of the most complete private 5G and Wi-Fi portfolios for CSP and enterprise customers – and we will offer it as a service through HPE GreenLake.”

HPE expands private 5G solutions for both telcos and the enterprise

HPE will integrate Athonet’s technology into its existing CSP and Aruba networking enterprise offerings to create a private networking portfolio that accelerates digital transformation from edge-to-cloud. The networking portfolio will provide the following benefits:

  • Enhanced private networks that combine the high capacity of Wi-Fi with the coverage and mobility of 5G
  • Accelerated private 5G deployments that improve agility and innovation to help telco B2B teams and enterprise customers
  • New enterprise revenue streams for telcos with differentiated services leveraging 5G and Wi-Fi
  • Alignment of costs to revenues with consumption-based models for enterprises and telcos through HPE GreenLake, reducing the risk of entering new markets
  • Management of operational complexity and cost efficiency with 5G orchestration and zero-touch automation to deliver new workloads from edge-to-cloud

With 5G investments running into the billions of dollars, CSPs are looking for simple ways to meet customer needs and drive new B2B revenue by deploying both edge compute and private 5G networks. The addition of Athonet’s software to HPE’s telco portfolio enhances one of the broadest communications portfolios in the market, which serves a base of more than 300 customers across 160 countries and connects more than one billion mobile devices worldwide. Building on its existing private 5G solutions, HPE’s enhanced offering for CSPs will support private 4G and 5G networks and include telco-grade orchestration and automation capabilities. These capabilities will help launch new B2B services that meet growing customer expectations for the connected edge. 

“Athonet was founded to provide customers with private 4G and 5G solutions that deliver carrier-grade reliability and performance to suit their increasing and more challenging connectivity needs,” said Gianluca Verin, CEO and co-founder of Athonet. “We are excited to join HPE and combine our highly skilled teams as we expand our joint service provider offerings for the rapidly growing private 5G market and build on HPE’s strategy to be the leading edge-to-cloud solutions provider.”

Private 5G offers enterprises new capabilities that are ultra-secure, easy to deploy and manage, ready for highly specialized applications such as robotics and industrial IoT, data networks and pipelines, and security systems facilitation. The acquisition of Athonet strengthens Aruba’s connected edge portfolio, providing the unique and highly sought-after ability to deliver fully integrated Wi-Fi and private 5G networks. Integration with Aruba Central will enable network managers to administer Wi-Fi and private 5G through a single pane of glass and bring to bear the power of AI-powered insights, workflow automation, and robust security.

HPE GreenLake, HPE’s edge-to-cloud platform, will offer Athonet private 5G offerings, combining all costs for Wi-Fi and private 5G into one single monthly subscription with no capital expenditure. Flexible consumption options, including HPE’s networking as a service, mean private 5G networks can be deployed with reduced risk, little upfront investment and scaled according to demand.

HPE portfolio integration and availability

HPE will integrate Athonet’s solutions with its existing telco software assets and plans to make them available to customers some time following the close of the transaction. HPE will also integrate the solutions with the Aruba networking portfolio in the near future. The transaction is expected to close at the beginning of the third quarter of HPE’s 2023 fiscal year, subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions.

How will the rise of private 5G networks impact the US telecoms market? Join the experts in discussion at this year’s live Connected America conference 

Also in the news:
AT&T signs up to use Frontier’s fibre to connect mobile towers
UScellular urges customers to put down their phones in latest initiative
VMO2 and Vodafone give rural Scotland a 4G boost

Ooredoo Qatar partners TEOCO for 5G network optimisation

Keep up-to-date with all the latest news, articles, event and product updates posted on Developing Telecoms.
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