News

The private 5G network will enable new technologies including drones, autonomous vehicles, and push-to-talk mobile capabilities

In the summer of last year, Verizon Business stuck up a deal with the Port of Virginia, pledging to deploy a private 5G network at the Virginia International Terminal (VIT), one of the port’s main container terminals.

The partners said the deal would allow the port operator to explore the use of cutting-edge technologies throughout the location, most notably autonomous over-the-road trucks to drop-off and pick-up shipping containers.

Now, roughly 18 months later, it seems that the deployment has been a major success, with Verizon announcing its intention to repeat the deployment at another of the port’s neighbouring locations, the Norfolk International Terminal (NIT).

The new deployment will cover 270 acres of the NIT, replacing the existing Wi-Fi solution. The network’s hardware will be provided by Ericsson.

As before, Verizon says the private 5G network will facilitate the use of a wide range of modern industrial solutions, including safety and surveillance drones, autonomous trucks, and remotely controlled cranes. Combined, these new technologies should greatly improve the port’s operational efficiency and reduce downtime, as well as increasing worker safety.

It will also incorporate Verizon’s Push-to-Talk (PTT) solution – an app-based solution that essentially turns the user’s smartphone into a walkie-talkie. PTT can reportedly allow up to 250 people to communicate via the push of a button, not only transmitting voice data but also files, photographs, and video.

“The expansion of Verizon’s private 5G presence at the Port of Virginia shows that companies can modernize and improve their operations by starting small with new technology, proving out the use cases and applications that are right for their business, and then scaling up to do even more,” said Kyle Malady, CEO of Verizon Business. “The Port of Virginia, through the private 5G journeys at VIT and NIT, epitomize how to adopt cutting edge technology to transform a business efficiently and productively.”

Verizon has been deploying private 5G networks in ports for almost two years now, the first of which having taken place in the UK at the Port of Southampton.

The fact that the Port of Virginia is seemingly satisfied enough with Verizon’s private 5G solution to essentially buy it twice is surely a major feather in Verizon Business’s cap. It also vouches for the solution’s scalability – a factor which is often bragged about in company press releases but rarely demonstrated when it comes to private networks.

Are private networks delivering on the industrial promise of 5G? Join the operators in discussion at this year’s Connected America conference live in Dallas

Also in the news:
Globe Telecom plagued by network battery theft
Digital Infrastructure: Riding the resurgent wave of telecom investment
Boldyn Networks snaps up Cellnex’s private networks business unit 

This Industry Spotlight  was authored by Soma Naidoo, Global Head of Telco at Endava

Did you know that roughly half the global population would rather have their smartphone instead of their wallet when away from home? An unsurprising trend given that the rate at which we rely on our digital devices grows every day. This has a direct impact on the telecommunications industry and is intensifying the already fierce competition among carriers and networks. … [visit site to read more]

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What is described as a “landmark agreement” will lay the foundation for South Africa’s Gugulethu Colliery, a newly developed mine in Mpumalanga, to integrate 5G technology in its operations.

Mpumalanga is a province in eastern South Africa, bordering Swaziland and Mozambique.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed in Cape Town between Menar, a private investment company with an actively managed and growing portfolio of diversified minerals, mobile network operator MTN, and technology firm Huawei, will enable implementation of 5G technology at the Gugulethu mine, which is to start producing in early 2024.

Plans under discussion include the possibility of rolling out a three-phased project to install 5G connectivity on the mine campus and shafts among other elements. 

Supported by MTN’s telecommunications expertise and Huawei’s technological infrastructure, the aim is to enhance communication onsite, ensuring people’s safety and well-being, as well as operational efficiency.

As we reported at the time, in December 2022 Canyon Coal’s Phalanndwa Colliery also based in Mpumalanga, signed an agreement that ultimately saw the mine adopting 5G technology. The team at Phalanndwa reportedly registered improvements when it comes to enhanced communication, safety, and real-time monitoring.

The role of 5G in this sector is likely to go on expanding, if comments from Menar’s chief innovation officer Cleavon Moothoosamy are any indication. He says: « We want to be at the forefront of mining innovation, and this partnership is a bold step towards a future where technology and connectivity redefine the mining landscape.”

Press Release

Telxius, the leading global connectivity provider, is joining the Firmina subsea cable system. Firmina will connect the East Coast of the USA to Las Toninas (Argentina), with additional landings in Praia Grande (Brazil) and Punta del Este (Uruguay). Telxius will subsequently host Firmina in its Santos digital hub in Brazil.

Telxius customers will benefit from three redundant routes between the US and Brazil (Firmina, Brusa, SAm-1) as well as three redundant routes extending to Argentina (Firmina, Tannat, SAm-1). These routes bolster the Telxius network’s resilience, ensuring robust and low-latency connectivity spanning the Americas. Together, these network routes will increase international connectivity and are expected to boost the digital economy, opening new opportunities for businesses.

“We are excited about joining Firmina which demonstrates our commitment to delivering low latency, enhanced diversity and high-capacity networking across the Americas for our customers and partners. In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, we believe in the continuous growth of our international submarine cable network to create major business opportunities for all of us involved. We are also thrilled to announce the expansion of our collaboration with Google and confirm our shared mission to jointly invest in internet infrastructure”, said Mario Martín, CEO at Telxius.

The Telxius network has been designed to connect the main digital data hubs on both sides of the Atlantic with a multiterabit, robust set of next-generation subsea cables fully serving the Americas and Europe while enhancing Telxius traditional routes. The Telxius network spans over 100,000 km of submarine and terrestrial fiber, including eight next-generation subsea systems: Marea, Brusa, Dunant, Tannat, Junior, Mistral, Tikal, and now Firmina. Telxius also has a Tier-1 international IP network (AS 12956) offering direct Internet connectivity to major carriers and ISPs, with a capacity of more than 20 Tbps plus a wide-ranging portfolio of capacity, colocation and security services across the globe.

The submarine cable landscape is evolving rapidly. Keep up to date with all the action at Submarine Networks EMEA 2024

Also in the news:
Globe Telecom plagued by network battery theft
Digital Infrastructure: Riding the resurgent wave of telecom investment
Boldyn Networks snaps up Cellnex’s private networks business unit 

Converged open-access digital infrastructure company WIOCC Group has launched what it calls “the first truly holistic managed network and infrastructure services company to serve Africa”.

Launched at the ongoing AfricaCom event in Cape Town, the new company, Open Access Technical Services (OATS) enables carriers, operators, hyperscalers, major enterprises and governments to outsource the building, management, operation and support of their digital network and infrastructure in Africa to a company with the experience, expertise and local licenced entities to meet their requirements.

In the field of logistics OATS can provide expert support for CDNs (content delivery network operators) and multinationals wanting to establish or expand their footprint in Africa.

For CDNs, carriers and hyperscalers that require connectivity or fibre pairs, OATS can terminate capacity and manage the infrastructure at the cable landing station (CLS), power feeding equipment (PFE) hub or in a carrier-neutral data centre.

OATS can also support services such as backhaul and licence termination, as well as providing comprehensive, expert field service support, while CDNs, carriers and hyperscalers with terrestrial dark fibre management requirements can take advantage of the dark fibre economics with managed capacity expertise from OATS.

In addition, for providers who own a percentage share of spectrum on fibre, OATS can oversee spectrum management and provide a comprehensive solution that encompasses the design, operation and support of core infrastructure.

OATS can also provide an outsourced managed network and operations centres (NOC) service.

As well as OATS, WIOCC Group is the parent company of WIOCC, described as Africa’s digital backbone, and Open Access Data Centres (OADC), Africa’s fastest-growing data centre company.