Ericsson teams up with Indian university for AI and 6G research


Press Release

Ericsson and Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (IIT Kharagpur) today announced a long-term co-operation for joint research in the area of AI, Compute and Radio.

As part of this collaboration, two milestone agreements were inked between both the organizations which will allow researchers from both organizations to collaborate towards developing novel AI and distributed compute technology towards 6G research.

A symposium on Radio and Network research was organized at GS Sanyal School of Telecommunications (GSSST) where leaders from Ericsson Research and IIT Kharagpur participated to discuss the developments and advancements for the future of networks and communication.

AI and Compute Research is instrumental to Ericsson’s 6G networks as the compute offload needs to be managed dynamically at edge and the policies would primarily be driven by AI. These themes of research are well aligned with IIT Kharagpur and both organizations view this partnership as a way to push the boundaries of fundamental and applied research in the Radio domain.

Virendra Kumar Tewari, Director of IIT Kharagpur, says: “In the commitment towards Digital India and making India the hub of technological innovation, this collaboration with Ericsson will be effective for next-generation technology significantly. 6G networks integrated with artificial intelligence will enable AI-powered applications to run faster and more efficiently. In the 6G era, IIT Kharagpur aims to contribute to Radio Access Technology and Network, Core Network, RF & Device Technologies, VLSI Design, Neuromorphic Signal Processing, Services and Applications. The institute also looks forward to participate in Telecommunications Standardization Process, Developing Test Beds, Prototype Development and Commercialization along with training and manpower development. This collaborative research partnership in fundamental areas as well as translational research will be transformational for our Future Network Platforms.”

Magnus Frodigh, Head of Ericsson Research, says: “This collaboration strengthens our R&D commitments in India and is pivotal to Radio, Compute and AI research. We are excited to partner with IIT Kharagpur and look forward to collaborative research in fundamental areas as well as translational research for our Future Network Platforms”. Dr Frodigh also presented Ericsson’s vision on 6G which aims to blend the physical and digital worlds enabling us to improve the quality of life by incorporating widespread Sensor-based communications between humans and machines through digital twins.

Nitin Bansal, Managing Director of Ericsson India, says: “Ericsson is well poised to lead 6G innovation and we are making significant R&D investments in India in line with our commitment to the country. Given our 5G and technology leadership, our research initiatives are geared to provide affordable network platforms for ubiquitous connectivity all across the country”.

The Speakers and Panellists of the Conference included ProfSuvra Sekhar Das (Head, GSSST), Prof. Debarati Sen, Prof. Saswat Chakrabarti, Prof. Soumyajit Dey and many other faculty members from IIT Kharagpur; Dr Magnus Frodigh, Head of Ericsson Research, Dr Mikael Hook, Head of Radio Research and Dr Mikael Prytz , Head of Network Research.

Some of the key initiatives finalized by both the organizations include:

  • Compute offload and Resource Optimization at edge compute: The project aims to explore resource optimization, dynamic observability and sustainable distributed and Edge computing technologies.
  • RL based Beamforming for JCAS: Safe, Causal, and Verifiable: The project aims to explore causal AI methods for joint communication and sensing (JCAS)

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Japanese government pledges $307m to NTT, Intel, and SK Hynix for chip project
AWS confirms $10bn Mississippi data centre development  

Jio releases ‘Jio Brain’ AI platform 


News 

‘The platform is a result of two year’s research and development  focussing on generative AI 

Jio Platforms, the parent company of Reliance Jio, India’s largest mobile operator, has announced the launch of its new artificial intelligence platform named ‘Jio Brain’. 

The platform, which was announced in a LinkedIn post by Senior Vice President Aayush Bhatnagar, will “integrate Machine Learning capabilities in the telco network or any industry-specific IT environment – without undergoing network / IT transformation.” 

The platform will aid the creation of new 5G services, help transform enterprises, optimise network operation, and allow for innovation in 6G, where machine learning is a key capability, according to Bhatnagar. 

Digging into the attached information sheet, the platform combines the speed, latency and connectivity of 5G with the data processing, analysis, and automation capabilities of machine learning, to allow any operator or enterprise to institutionalise machine learning in their day-to-day operations. 

Users will be able to integrate their own datasets using a simple interface, with the platform supported by over 500 application programming interfaces to allow for customised offerings. 

Current applications already available include ‘enterprise and mobile-ready LLM (large language models)-as-a-Service’, text-to-text translation, and speech-to-text translation services. 

Bhatnagar described the platform as a “significant milestone” for the company’s 5G/6G product line. 

Generative AI is a huge hot topic for the telco industry. Last July, four major global telcos (SK Telecom, e&, Deutsche Telecom, and Singtel) partnered to form a Global Telco AI Alliance, signing a Memorandum of Understanding to co-develop a Telco AI Platform that will serve as a foundation for new AI services such as super apps and digital assistants.  

Earlier still, in 2022, SK Telecom announced its intention to become an AI company to set itself apart from competitors. The company said it would do this in three ways: redefining its core businesses with AI, innovating customer relations through AI, and sharing its AI transformation processes with other companies. 

Keep up with the latest international telecoms news by subscribing to the Total Telecom daily newsletter

Also in the news:
Virgin Media O2 and Tesco Mobile renew joint venture
Japanese government pledges $307m to NTT, Intel, and SK Hynix for chip project
AWS confirms $10bn Mississippi data centre development  

Tata, Pegatron reportedly in talks for iPhone plant JV

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Vietnam confirms cable enhancement plans

Vietnam has confirmed plans – approved by the government and announced by the Ministry of Information and Communications – to invest in two to four more international telecommunications cables with a data capacity of 60 Tbps by 2025.

This news was contained in a plan for information and communication infrastructure development for 2021-2030.

The plan’s aim is to ensure high network speeds and bandwidth, wide network availability and that telecommunications infrastructure can adequately serve digital transformation, a digital economy, digital government and national defence.

Inevitably, this means better cable infrastructure than the country has boasted to date. Vietnam’s five existing undersea cables, offering international connectivity with a capacity of some 18.7 Tbps, have had a number of recurring problems, including disruption lasting most of last year. Hence the plan for new cables, suggested in early December 2023.

The plan calls for connections with Vietnam’s major islands and island districts. Priority will be given to areas with existing stations, in order to simplify cable landings. Existing land cables will be maintained and upgraded.

Information and communication infrastructure development targets for 2025 are ambitious. Outlined by local news resource VN Express International, they suggest that all families in Vietnam must be able to gain access to fibre connections, that 90% of users must be able to gain access to fixed internet connections at 200 Mpbs, and that 90% of socio-economic organisations should be able to gain access to internet connections of 1 Gbps.

These, and similarly ambitious mobile connectivity targets, will no doubt be easier to reach if some or all of the cable plans making headlines this week are carried out by 2025.

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2024 WILL SEE CHANGES TO TELECOMS REGULATION

This Industry Viewpoint was authored by Dario Betti, CEO, Mobile Ecosystem Forum

The telecommunications landscape is evolving rapidly, driven by a myriad of factors ranging from privacy and security concerns to the rise of artificial intelligence and the imperative for environmental sustainability. The sector can expect far-reaching implications for how … [visit site to read more]

Mixed tax news for India’s operators 

The Indian government has extended the customs duty exemption given to vessels engaged in laying submarine cables to 30 September. The exemption was originally due to end on 31 March.

Industry body the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) welcomed the extension – not too surprisingly, given the growing reliance on submarine cables by operators to transfer data internationally.

However the telecoms industry did not receive such good news from India’s Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman when she unveiled this week’s interim budget, even though it contained plans to spend nearly US$134 billion on infrastructure and focus on long-term reforms to drive growth and contain the fiscal gap.

The fiscal deficit target for the next fiscal year has been reduced to 5.1% of GDP compared to the revised deficit estimate of 5.8% for the current fiscal year. The budget included no new taxes and increases in spending in areas like education, health and housing.

In addition, the interim budget did not make any changes to taxes and levies on the telecoms sector. However, that industry may be looking forward to a better result in the full budget to be presented after the elections in July.

As India’s Economic Times news service points out, the industry would like quite a lot of changes: a reduction  in regulatory levies like the license fee, deferral of the Universal Service Obligation Fund USOF contribution till the existing funds are exhausted, exemption from basic customs duty (BCD) on telecom equipment, waiving of goods and services tax (GST) on regulatory payments and refund of Input Tax Credit (ITC), among others.

Currently, the Economic Times says, operators pay 8% of adjusted gross revenue (AGR) as a license fee to the government.

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Germany Telecoms Roundup: January 2024


News

A selection of the month’s biggest news stories from the German telecoms market, with guest commentary provided by Rowan Thomson, Senior Conference Producer of Connected Germany, Total Telecom

EU launches Nostradamus – prepares Europe for a quantum world: A Deutsche Telekom-led consortium has been given a mandate by the European Commission to create testing infrastructure for quantum key distribution.

Nokia doubles down in Germany with €360 million investment  The Finnish vendor says the investment will cover chips, software, and hardware as part of a four-year European IPCEI (Important Projects of Common European Interest) project.

Deutsche Telekom and BREKO clash over duct access rights: As regulators continue to debate the Gigabit Infrastructure Act, industry association BREKO is clashing over potential changes that they say will lead to overbuild by incumbent operator Deutsche Telekom.

Telefónica increases stake in German unit to 93%: The Spanish operator group upped its stake in its German business by roughly 21% for €1.5 billion following a public tender process.

Vodafone Germany and Autobahn collaborate on 5G rollout: Vodafone will add 150 new 5G sites by the end of 2026, aiming to cover the entire German motorway system by 2028.

“Germany’s telecoms market is likely to see further consolidation and evolution as funding and investment are prioritised for the new year. Shared access to infrastructure, via open access, is likely to remain a key topic this year as well as avoiding overbuild – you can read in more detail on the disagreement between BREKO and Deutsche Telekom over duct access rights in our round up of German news above.

Away from the fibre market, we’re also taking a look at developments in mobile, from Nokia’s increased investment in Germany to the collaboration between Vodafone and the Autobahn to extend the 5G network across Germany’s motorways. Make sure you subscribe to our newsletter to get the latest industry news from Germany and further afield.”

Rowan Thomson, Senior Conference Producer of Connected Germany, Total Telecom

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Want to keep up with all the latest developments in the German telecoms market? Join the ecosystem in discussion at this year’s Connected Germany conference live in Munich

The Upside-Down Secret to Explosive Success in Selling Unified Communications: Vertical Industries

Drawing on over 20 years of experience in the communications industry and a diverse portfolio of hundreds of clients, we have gained valuable insights into the trends and indicators of success in our long-term partners. Agility, superior customer service, and value-added solutions are all crucial markers of success; but we have found that tapping into a niche market is what can truly catapult sales to new heights.

A niche market allows you to concentrate on a focused target audience, enabling you to tailor your solution and refine your marketing strategy to maximize sales and profits. With a product perfectly polished for their needs, you position yourself as the go-to solutions provider for that particular niche. Repeat this process across several niches to establish yourself as an industry giant.

So, how do you uncover these niches? The key lies in moving beyond your conventional target audience and identifying the vertical industries that desperately, while not so obviously, need Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS). Once you open their eyes to the features and benefits your solution offers their business, you will find your solution flying off the shelves like hot cakes.

Get ready to turn your gameplan upside down and dive head first into these verticals as we guide you through a journey of exploring untapped markets and the opportunity to jumpstart your growth and accelerate your success.

UC for Healthcare

Extensive research done by Markets and Markets (Unified Communication and Collaboration Market, with Covid-19 Impact Analysis) reveals that the healthcare industry is a fast-growing vertical market for Unified Communications solutions. Projected to grow at a CAGR of 13.5% between 2021 and 2026, the Unified Communication and Collaboration Market within the healthcare sector is overflowing with opportunity.

Before you start calling the local clinics and hospitals, let’s delve into two compelling reasons why Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) aligns with the needs of healthcare businesses and explore the offerings you can bring to the table.

Easier Scheduling

In an industry where patients are essentially customers with a heightened vested interest in the service they receive, effective communication is paramount. One way to improve patient communication is with an easier appointment scheduling process.

Offer a Contact Center solution with omnichannel capabilities to your healthcare customers to open up their channels of communication and streamline the scheduling process. This will allow patients to schedule appointments not only over the phone, but via online portals or mobile apps as well.

Mobility

Your Unified Communications mobile app can serve the healthcare industry in a few ways. Most healthcare facilities depend on a diverse team of professionals, including physicians, nurses, specialists, and administrators.

Keeping all of these parties in contact is a challenge, but mobile communication will help. Not to mention how revolutionary gloCOM GO could be to on-call physicians and nurses that want to lessen their technological load while still keeping their personal and professional lives separate.

This is just a glimpse into the myriad ways Unified Communications can be positioned for success within the healthcare industry. Of course HIPAA and other regulations come into play, so you are responsible to do your due diligence on how to comply with local legislation.

Find out more about selling UC solutions to the healthcare industry.

UC for the home and retail industry

The same Markets and Markets study found that the Logistics and Transportation vertical, which includes real estate and rental, is projected to grow at a CAGR of 13.1% during 2021-2026, reaching a projected value of 10,943 million USD by 2026. Opportunity abounds in this underserved yet highly lucrative vertical.

Let’s delve into two key advantages you can offer to real estate and property management businesses, setting the stage for a successful partnership:

Agent mobility

Recognizing that real estate agents do not spend much time at a desk, our gloCOM UC app provides advanced communication and collaboration tools accessible on both desktop and mobile devices.

This empowers users to transform any location into their office. Whether meeting with clients, showing properties, or on the move, gloCOM users can effortlessly handle calls, participate in virtual meetings, send faxes, and manage voicemail from any device and available network. 

Maximum availability

A report from the National Association of Realtors found that 92% of home buyers and sellers prioritize agent responsiveness as “very important”, ranking just below honesty and knowledgeability. You can empower real estate agents to become more responsive with a tailored UC solution.

A contact center solution with omnichannel features ensures maximum availability by offering diverse lines of communication, such as voice, email, instant messaging, and social media. Advanced Interactive Voice Response (IVR) and Automatic Call Distribution (ACD) systems guarantee prompt and personalized handling of callers, even if that means routing them to a specific voicemail box occasionally.

These insights merely scratch the surface of our ideas and strategies for selling VoIP solutions to real estate agents. Not to mention property management companies that need better ways to deal with tenant communication, inspections and maintenance, and emergency responses.

Learn more about selling Unified Communications solutions to the real estate & rental Industry.

uc in hospitality

In the fast-paced realm of the hospitality industry, which encompasses lodging, food services, and transportation, the demand for impeccable service often collides with the challenges of managing unrealistic customer expectations.

The good news is that you can empower hospitality businesses to offer the very best service possible while mitigating the inevitable challenges that customers will encounter.

Customer feedback

One way to make customers feel better about their experience in the hospitality industry is by asking for their feedback. Present a UCaaS solution equipped with omnichannel features that open up seamless lines of communication.

Automated messaging can be utilized to request surveys and feedback at various points during the customer journey. A solution that consolidates all customer interactions, questions, and feedback into a unified platform not only enhances the effectiveness of future communications, but also minimizes frustration for both agents and customers.

Integration

The hospitality industry already juggles so many moving pieces, you can make their lives easier by simplifying their operational landscape with a unified interface. CRM integration streamlines customer interactions by maintaining a comprehensive record of all communications and bringing it up in a pop-up window when a customer is on the phone.

Additionally, if you choose to develop Payment Management Systems (PMS) integration, you can reduce complexity by consolidating interfaces and making everything available in one solution.

We have the pieces needed to support the hospitality industry in delivering a superior, realistic customer experience.

Find out more about selling Unified Communications solutions to the hospitality industry.

uc for restaurants

The restaurant industry has undergone significant transformations over the past three years, from enduring major financial challenges in 2020, to the widespread discovery of online ordering and food delivery or pickup, to the subsequent resurgence in dining-in, but with higher expectations of streamlined service.

This changing landscape has presented considerable challenges, but UCaaS providers like you and I are well-positioned to offer tangible solutions to the evolving needs of the restaurant industry.

Ordering & reservations

Revolutionize the way restaurants handle orders and reservations by offering an omnichannel contact center solution. Opening more communication channels gives customers flexibility in how they place orders and make reservations while still allowing restaurants to manage and organize these processes in a centralized interface. A survey by Toast, a leading restaurant management software, found that 73% of diners agree that restaurant technology improves their experience. 

Cost savings

As the restaurant industry continues recovering from the shutdowns of 2020 and grapples with increasing food and labor prices, cost savings will be paramount on their list of priorities.

Highlight the cost savings of VoIP compared to traditional phone systems, emphasizing that it also offers more features for the investment. With add-on apps, restaurants can pick and choose their communication solutions to fit their budget and have the flexibility to upgrade as their financial situation improves.

There are many more ways to support the restaurant industry in its post-pandemic recovery and resurgence.

Learn more about selling Unified Communications solutions to the restaurant industry.

uc for professional service industry

The professional services industry encompasses businesses that provide services or expertise rather than tangible products, such as legal services or design. With communication at the core of these service-oriented businesses, your UCaaS solution holds significant potential to meet their diverse needs.

CRM integration

Integrating CRM software into your communications solution grants users instant and automatic access to pertinent information anytime communication with a client is initiated.

This feature is particularly useful for professionals managing multiple clients simultaneously, such as lawyers handling several cases or designers working on various projects. CRM integration empowers these professionals to engage with each client on a personal level, enhancing the overall customer experience.

Flexibility

Unified communications provides a level of flexibility that allows professional service providers to increase their availability and allocate more time to their core work. Transitioning from traditional in-person meetings to high-definition video calls reduces travel time while still preserving the personal touch that is crucial in professional services.

The ability to follow up with clients via text or a professional messaging system saves even more time, enabling the professional to focus on project completion and client acquisition.

If you are eager for more ways to support the professional services industry with your UCaaS solution, stay tuned for our upcoming blog post dedicated to exploring additional strategies to sell to the professional services sector.

Learn how and why to sell Unified Communications to the professional services industry.

uc for finances and insurance

The realm of finance and insurance is marked by a fierce need for security and compliance with stringent government regulations, so it is crucial to research your responsibility, takes steps to ensure compliance, and ultimately instill confidence in your customers. Once you have done these things, you can open up the world of Unified Communications to your finance and insurance customers.

FinTech

The intersection of financial services and technology, often referred to as FinTech, opens up a realm of opportunities. One of the pillars of companies embracing Financial Technology is Cloud Computing – here is your opportunity.

Offer a solution that integrates cloud services into existing financial solutions, unlocking features such as chatbots, call recording and transcription, enhanced collaboration, and more. 

Analytics & insights

Detailed recording and analysis of communication data is crucial to running an efficient financial institution or insurance company. Not only is this information important for compliance and regulation, it also enables managers to prepare and improve for the future.

Offer a contact center solution with call reporting and analytics to give your financial and insurance customers more control over their results and plans.

Your UC solution has the extensive features and integrative capabilities necessary to cater to the unique demands of the finance and insurance sector.

Find out more about selling UC solutions to the finance & insurance industry.

uc for repair and maintenance industry

In the demanding field of repair and maintenance, where skilled laborers dedicate themselves to keeping essential machinery, equipment, and products operational for all of the other industries, efficiency is paramount.

Laborers often find themselves off-site, with little time for technological learning curves or communication delays. Your opportunity lies in providing a user-friendly communication solution that resolves the specific pain points of this industry.

Time savings

Empower repair and maintenance workers with a solution that makes communication fast and easy so they have more time for their core work.

For a skilled laborer knee-deep in a critical job, the last thing they need is a time-consuming phone call in the office across the warehouse. With gloCOM GO, calls would be redirected to their mobile device, enabling them to choose whether to answer or divert to voicemail, ensuring minimal disruption to workflow.

Call quality

The advancements in VoIP and cloud communications have significantly improved call quality. Offer repair and maintenance workers the benefit of high-definition voice and even video calling, complemented by advanced noise reduction features.

This allows individuals working in noisy environments, such as workshops or warehouses, to engage in calls without worrying about background noise.

The repair and maintenance services industry presents a ripe opportunity for selling communications solutions. Find out how to seize this opportunity.

unified communications for retail
unified communications for retail

The retail landscape in 2023 is marked by a shortage of employees and exceedingly high expectations for customer service, resulting in dissatisfied customers and employee burnout.

This perpetual cycle of discontent poses a significant challenge for the industry and its future. Enter your solution, designed to go beyond traditional communication hurdles, tacking real retail problems like employee burnout and inventory tracking.

Employee burnout

In a retail environment where overworked and overly criticized employees are reaching their breaking point, providing a comprehensive communications system becomes a crucial means of support.

gloCOM GO empowers retail workers to call or message colleagues and supervisors directly from their personal devices, enabling them to seek assistance at the moment it is needed. With Contact Center features like whisper and barge, supervisors can intervene and offer support when team members are hitting a wall, preventing burnout and ensuring customer satisfaction.

Inventory and order tracking

A major driver of customer dissatisfaction in retail stems from a lack of information. Customers want to know where their order is, where the product they want to buy is, and they want to know now.

Integrating the inventory and ordering database into the communications system will ensure employees have access to critical information precisely when they need it. By offering proactive approaches to your retail customers, they will enhance customer satisfaction and decrease employee turnover.

The retail industry is grappling with challenges and needs all of the assistance it can get. Your communications solution has the potential to provide the support this industry requires. Stay tuned for our upcoming blog post where we will explore strategies for effectively selling VoIP to the retail sector.

Find out more about selling Unified Communications to the retail industry.

In conclusion, each of these vertical industries poses a lucrative opportunity for you to customize and sell your VoIP or UC solution. All it takes is a little creativity and marketing finesse, and you can help serve and support niche businesses in need of better communications. If you want help to get started, please contact us today so we can chat about your solution and opportunities.

Telekom Malaysia considers massive new data centre project

Service provider Telekom Malaysia is said to be exploring plans to build a new hyperscale data centre, expanding its capacity from the existing Klang Valley Data Centre (KVDC) and Iskandar Puteri Data Centre (IPDC).

The hyperscale data centre is likely to be a large facility offering at least 40 Megawatts (MW) of IT power capacity, catering to large cloud service providers and internet companies.

CIMB Investment Bank, which, according to the Edge Malaysia news service, announced the news, suggests that, by leveraging its extensive submarine and terrestrial networks as well as its strong local relationships, Telekom Malaysia may be able to attract strong strategic international partners to co-invest in the new data centre.

« Besides helping to partly fund the investment required, a strong strategic international partner could also share expertise in the design and operation of data centres that cater to hyperscalers and AI workloads, » CIMB said in a note earlier this week.

If Telekom Malaysia proceeds, CIMB, a leading ASEAN-focused bank and one of the region’s foremost corporate advisors, expects the group to develop the facility in phases. It notes, « If kicked off in 2H2024, the first phase could be ready for service by 1H2026. »

For the moment, this news awaits confirmation. However, data centre activity in Malaysia does seem to be ramping up. Among many similar announcements in recent months to appear in these pages, we reported last week that Malaysia’s Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI) has formed a strategic partnership with the Ministry of Investment of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to develop data centres in Malaysia.

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