This Industry Viewpoint was authored by Pravin S. Bhandarkar, Founder and CEO, RtBrick

The metaverse is here to stay. Whether you’re a big fan, or you think it’ll all come crumbling down on Zuckerberg, the virtual platform has opened the eyes of many consumers and businesses. However, as we embrace this new digital world, one critical issue remains unanswered: how will it all be connected? … [visit site to read more]

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The private network concept isn’t waiting for 5G, as Nokia and AT&T Mexico have just shown by deploying what they call the first industrial-grade LTE private network in a maritime terminal in the country.

The network, deployed at the APM Terminals terminal in Puerto Progreso, Yucatan, uses the Nokia Digital Automation Cloud (DAC) platform. It is powered by AT&T Mexico, which has added Nokia’s flagship enterprise capabilities, focusing on private networks capabilities, to its private cellular networks solutions.

The network will, says Nokia, provide broadband connectivity, lower latency and greater network predictability in piers and yards, adding that it will reliably and securely connect hundreds of workers, sensors, equipment and vehicles across an area of 11.5 hectares.

Described as a high-performance, end-to-end private wireless network and edge computing platform designed to meet the mission-critical needs of asset-intensive industries, Nokia DAC provides industrial-grade wireless connectivity for the new APM Terminals Yucatán virtualized terminal operation system. However, it will also enable future use cases such as remote and autonomous crane operations within the piers and yards, as well as new capabilities.

Nokia explains that APM Terminals can now expand its digitalization and automation vision enabled by robust, reliable and flexible private LTE networks built on licensed spectrum.

APM Terminals Yucatán is the only container terminal in Puerto Progreso, a deepwater port and a key logistics location for the Yucatán peninsula and south-eastern Mexico.

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In a flurry of announcements underlining its plans for an aggressive 5G rollout in India, the giant operator Reliance Jio has revealed partnerships with Ericsson, Nokia, Samsung, Cisco, Google, Microsoft, Qualcomm, Meta and Intel.

The deals with hardware and software giants Ericsson, Nokia, Samsung and Cisco are related to plans for its 5G network in the country. As India’s Economic Times points out, Reliance Jio is bringing in new telecom vendors to deploy the 5G network, whereas Samsung was the sole technology provider for the 4G version.

Jio and Google, meanwhile, plan to develop an ultra-affordable 5G smartphone (having worked together on a 4G phone in the past) and are working together on Google Cloud. Jio is working with Microsoft to expand Azure ecosystem cloud-enabled business applications and solutions for small and medium enterprises in India. It is also working with Intel for cloud-scale data centres and 5G edge locations. 

In another cloud-related deal, Qualcomm has said it will work with Jio on cloud-native 5G infrastructure in both the millimetre-wave and sub-6GHz spectrum to develop an ecosystem that can serve India and beyond. Jio is also working with Meta for immersive technology-based use cases.

Much of this is, not surprisingly, being pitched as supporting Indian innovation and manufacturing. Mukesh Ambani, chairman of parent company Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), has been widely quoted as saying: « Jio is privileged to have some of the world’s leading technology players as strong partners in the ‘Made in India’ 5G collaboration. »

The standalone 5G Jio network is to launch in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Chennai by late October this year, with a phased rollout that will cover the entire country in 18 months by December 2023.

In another attempt to speed up mobile services rollout across a vast country, an effort made even more urgent given the imminent arrival of 5G, India’s Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has again amended the rules concerning right of way (RoW).

Given the likelihood that 5G will require many more small cells and much more use of street furniture, RoW application procedures for small cells have been simplified. Telecom licensees will be able to use street infrastructure to deploy telecom equipment at a specified cost: Rs150 (US$1.88) per year in rural areas and Rs300 (US$3.76) per year in urban areas.

There will also be a nominal cost of Rs100 per year (US$1.25) to install overground optical fibre on street furniture. However, operators do not require government approval for an agreement with private property owners for installation of telecoms infrastructure. Administrative fees have also been rationalised.

In addition the IT systems of all states or union territories and major infrastructure ministries such as railways and highways have been integrated with the central RoW portal to make India ready for 5G launch.

Called Sugam Sanchar, the centralised RoW portal offers a single interface for ISPs, mobile operators and infrastructure providers to apply for right of way (RoW) approvals for installing infrastructure

These ongoing improvements have apparently already resulted in a reduction in average time for approval of RoW applications, from 435 days in 2019 to 16 days in July, 2022 according to the telecom minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.

Welcoming the changes, SP Kochhar, director general of the operator-led group COAI, was quoted by India’s Economic Times as saying: « Access to the existing infrastructure, deployment of new infrastructure, and the high cost involved in it were major challenges the telecom sector always came across which will now be eased down with new RoW rules, »  

This does seem like a major achievement on the part of the DoT, especially when one considers that in early 2020 many states were simply ignoring RoW rules.