A couple DWDM, some SASE data, and a bit of 5G testing: … [visit site to read more]

Startup Stories

Tell us about your start up
netElastic is an innovative software company that provides high-performance routing solutions for broadband service providers worldwide. netElastic developed one of the first software-based (or virtual) broadband network gateways (vBNGs) and has been a leader in vBNG technology ever since. netElastic CGNAT helps broadband providers conserve IPv4 addresses while ensuring a smooth transition to IPv6. And netElastic’s software-based CGNAT offers the lowest TCO in the industry.

What is your USP?
For broadband service providers that want to grow their subscribers, and not their costs, netElastic’s software-based BNG and CGNAT (Carrier-grade NAT) provide the scalability and flexibility they need with the lowest TCO in the industry.

What is your relationship with the telecom sector?
netElastic sells BNG and CGNAT software to broadband service providers / internet service providers.

Why did you establish the business?
netElastic was formed by experienced telecom executives that wanted to bring the benefits of network virtualization to the telecommunications industry.

What does the future hold for your business?
The future looks incredibly bright for netElastic. With governments worldwide spending millions (and billions) of dollars to provide internet access to all citizens, netElastic is uniquely positioned to help broadband providers grow with scalable, flexible, and cost-effective software-based BNG and CGNAT solutions.

COMPANY CV
Headquarters: Santa Clara, California, United States
Number of employees: 10
Last funding type: Self-funding
Website url: www.netelastic.com
Founder: Jason Lu
CEO: Weixiao Liu

You can meet netElastic in the Startup Village at Connected America this March. Find out more here

Two FTTH projects, a middle mile upgrade, and some managed security: … [visit site to read more]

News

Orange is the first operator in Spain to launch 5G standalone (SA) in Spain, a move it hopes will give it a competitive edge over rivals

Today, Orange has announced the launch of its commercial 5G SA network in Spain, dubbing the new service 5G+.

Orange’s 5G+ service (not to be confused with AT&T’s 5G service of the same name, which is not 5G SA) will initially be available only in Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, and Seville, with further locations expected to be added later this year.

In these initial four cities, coverage exceeds 90%.

Customers will not face any additional charges for using the 5G+ service but will require a compatible device.

According to Orange, 5G+ will come with numerous benefits for customers, including improved indoor coverage (due to the use of native 5G bands), lower latency, longer device battery life, and improved security.

In addition, the technology will also enable network slicing capabilities for the first time, allowing the operator to create virtual ‘slices’ of spectrum for customers, which can be modified to meet their needs.

Despite the enormous hype generated by the mobile industry around the advent of 5G, the technology has thus far proved difficult to monetise for telcos.

This has been largely related to the type of network being deployed, with initial 5G deployments being deployed over non-standalone (NSA) architecture, coupling 5G RAN equipment with an LTE core. While this offers a considerable increase in speed and capacity compared to existing 4G services, it lacks the ability to deliver the ultra-low latency and high-capacity connectivity needed for some of 5G’s most highly anticipated use cases, like extended reality (XR) and autonomous driving.

Without these exciting new capabilities, consumers have proven reluctant to pay a premium for a 5G service they largely view as little more than a speed boost.

5G SA, on the other hand, replaces the LTE core with a 5G core (in Orange’s case, using technology from Ericsson, Nokia, and Oracle Communications), delivering the major improvements to latency and capacity required to unlock some of these more exciting use cases.

As such, 5G SA has been marketed by some in the industry as ‘real 5G’, finally delivering on the promised hype. Indeed, in its press release, Orange itself suggests that its 5G+ network will allow for the ‘full exploitation of all 5G capabilities’.

The operator hopes that these more advanced capabilities will naturally allow for novel 5G monetisation opportunities in both the consumer and enterprise segments, helping to enable everything from industrial XR to cloud gaming.

But despite the hopes pinned upon 5G SA to deliver ‘real 5G’, the wider telecoms industry has been slow to make the switch to the new technology. While many operators hoped to have the transition completed in 2022, recent research from Dell’Oro Group showed that only 39 operators worldwide have so far deployed 5G SA.

So why the delay?

The answer is both technical and economic in nature. The move from NSA to SA 5G architecture is incredibly complex – seemingly more so than initially anticipated by operators around the world. In the UK, for example, BT’s CTO Howard Watson described the shift as a “sea change in the underlying architecture” late last year, telling journalists the company would take their time to ensure a smooth transition.

Meanwhile, the global economic situation is making network rollouts more expensive and reducing customer spending, leaving operators unsure if they will be able to get a quick return on investment.

As a result, we are left with a mobile industry in no major hurry to upgrade to 5G SA, but is instead happy to bide its time and wait to learn lessons from early adopters ­– including Orange.

Want to keep up to date with all of the latest news from the international telecoms sector? Click here to receive Total Telecom’s daily newsletter direct to your inbox

Also in the news:
China Mobile and China Telecom withdraw from Sea-Me-We 6 project
CityFibre’s network up and running in Inverness
KDDI selects Samsung for its 5G Standalone core

News

Reports suggest that the companies withdrew their investment last year, with geopolitical tensions with the US proving insurmountable

According to a report from the Financial Times, China’s two largest mobile operators – China Mobile and China Telecom – have withdrawn their participation in the South East Asia-Middle East-West Europe 6 (Sea-Me-We 6) submarine cable project.

The Sea-Me-We 6 system was first announced last year, with the cable set to span some 19,200km linking Singapore to Marseille, France.

The latest in a series of Sea-Me-We cables, this new iteration is set to be built with 10 fibre pairs, with a total capacity of 126 Tbps, aiming to deliver robust connectivity across South Asia.

The system will reach 12 initial countries, with branches to further locations expected to be added later in the cable’s lifespan.

The project is backed by a consortium including major companies from all over the world, including Microsoft, Orange, Telecom Egypt, Telekom Malaysia, Telin, and all three of China’s major mobile operators: China Unicom, China Mobile, and China Telecom.

The entire project is estimated to cost around half a billion dollars, with China Mobile and China Telecom’s combined investment accounting for around 20% of that total.

The Sea-Me-We 6 system is expected to be ready for service in 2025.

The China Mobile and China Telecom appear to have withdrawn quietly last year, with sources suggesting that they cancelled their involvement after American firm SubCom was selected to build and deploy the cable over Hengtong Marine, China’s foremost fibre cable manufacturer.

China Unicom, the smallest of China’s three mobile operators, seemingly remains involved in the project.

While the loss of around 20% of the projects funding is surely painful for the rest of the consortium, an anonymous consortium member commented that the loss of the Chinese firms was “important but not critical”.

The withdrawal is seen by many as the latest evidence of the ongoing geopolitical conflict between the US and China, with the submarine cable industry having been increasingly pulled into the fray over the past three years.

Since 2020, the US has viewed subsea cable systems connecting the US to China and Hong Kong as potential threats to national security, having refused to permit their activation on numerous occasions.

Want to keep up with all of the latest submarine cable network news from around the world? Join the discussion at the live Submarine Networks EMEA conference

Also in the news:
Comcast signs deals worth $50m with State of Indiana for rural fibre expansion
Verizon records 5G upload speeds of over 1Gbps
Yorkshire Water partners with BT for smart water project

Press Release

CityFibre, the UK’s largest independent full fibre platform, has completed the primary-build of its full fibre network in Inverness. The new network is now ready for service to over 28,000 homes, representing over 90% of the city’s residential properties, as well as businesses, key public sector and community sites.  

Inverness is the fifth location (second in Scotland) in CityFibre’s nationwide rollout to reach the primary build complete stage, making it one of the best-connected locations in the UK. 

Construction began on the £24.5m project in 2019 and CityFibre has since laid over 400km of dense full fibre infrastructure across the city. While the primary build is complete, CityFibre’s work will continue to reach further areas including properties on private or unadopted roads, new build sites and business parks.  

Access to the network enables local communities to enjoy affordable, gigabit-capable, and reliable full fibre broadband from a range of internet service providers (ISPs) including Vodafone, TalkTalk, BrawBand, Zen, Brillband, Zybre and Giganet. All homes passed by the network can schedule a full fibre installation within five working days of placing an order or find out when their home has been made ready for service. 

CityFibre’s private investment in Inverness followed the award of a public sector contract via Capita, part of the Scotland-wide SWAN programme. The project has seen future-proof gigabit-capable full fibre rolled out to schools, libraries, offices, hospitals, health centres and university campuses. In total, over 150 public sector sites across Inverness, Fort William, Thurso and Wick have been connected. 

A recent report by the consultancy Hatch, commissioned by CityFibre, found Inverness stands to benefit from significant economic, social and environmental impacts from its new digital infrastructure platform, including over £100m in productivity and innovation gains alone. It also reported an expected £46m increase in the value of local homes as a result of the project, thanks to the availability of vastly improved internet speed and reliability. 

Allan McEwan, Area Manager at CityFibre, said: “Our rollout in Inverness marks an exciting step forward for digital connectivity across the city. With the UK’s finest full fibre network under its streets, residents, businesses and the city as a whole will reap the benefits for generations to come. We want to thank the local community and key partners, including the Highland Council, for their support as we have completed the rollout. 

“Inverness is a city filled with opportunity and ambition, which is why it has always been such an important build for us. Full fibre is vital for the UK’s long-term growth, and we look forward to building on our previous success powering the city’s future economic development.” 

Drew Hendry, MP for Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey, said: “The transformation of Inverness into a full fibre city is a hugely welcome step towards ensuring the Highlands thrive today and tomorrow, with a successful Inverness City at its heart. This commercial investment from CityFibre has been instrumental in sparking competition, encouraging wider investment and ensuring broadband users across the region get a better deal when it comes to their connectivity at home.  

“This is a major boost for residents, businesses and services alike, and we look forward to harnessing the power of full fibre to drive growth and inclusion across the region.” 

Cllr Ken Gowans, Chair of the Economy & Infrastructure Committee at The Highland Council, said: “CityFibre’s rollout of full fibre across Inverness marks the beginning of a new and prosperous digital era for the city. Digital infrastructure has become the cornerstone of modern day-life, and we are delighted with how the technology is already improving their professional and personal lives.  

“The completion of the private network across the city follows the successful rollout of the public network last year. With many key buildings being brought onto the network during the Covid-19 pandemic, it has proven to be an invaluable resource for the city, and we are excited to see the completed project continue to build on this success.” 

Are the UK’s fibre network operators rolling out infrastructure quickly enough to meet government targets? Join the ecosystem in discussion at this year’s Connected North conference live in Manchester

Also in the news:
Comcast signs deals worth $50m with State of Indiana for rural fibre expansion
Verizon records 5G upload speeds of over 1Gbps
Yorkshire Water partners with BT for smart water project