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Two FTTH projects, a middle mile upgrade, and some managed security: … [visit site to read more]
Keep up-to-date with all the latest news, articles, event and product updates posted on Developing Telecoms.
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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
As a voice service provider, managing a multi-tenant PBXware system with a large number of extensions can be a daunting task. With the growth of your business, the administration of your PBX (Private Branch Exchange) system becomes increasingly complex, making it difficult to keep track of settings and configurations for multiple tenants.
At Bicom Systems, we understand the challenges of managing multiple PBX systems, which is why we developed PBXware SP Edition – the ultimate solution specifically developed for service providers.
Our goal is to make the administration of multi-tenant PBXware systems as simple and efficient as possible, and by the end of this blog article, you will find out how we can turn your pain points into easy-to-manage tasks.
VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) technology has revolutionized the way businesses communicate, making it possible to manage telephone systems from a central location. However, managing multiple PBX systems can become challenging for administrators, especially when it comes to editing settings on external systems.
Luckily, our competent engineers created a solution enhanced with powerful stats for all administrator wizards out there.
The biggest battles of a PBXware administrator with a large number of extensions include the following:
To help fellow admins in the battle, PBXware SP Edition is specifically designed for managing and accessing data from multiple PBXware systems in a centralized location. It simplifies administration tasks, making it easier to edit settings and keep track of configurations.
Here’s how SP Edition can aid voice service providers with the growth of their businesses:
One of the key features of PBXware SP Edition is its advanced search capabilities. With this feature, administrators can quickly find extensions, DIDs (Direct Inward Dialing), and tenants across all systems in a matter of seconds. This saves time and reduces the frustration of having to search for information in multiple systems.
Another feature that sets PBXware SP Edition apart from other PBX systems is its SSO functionality. This feature allows administrators to access all MT (multi-tenant) systems with one login, saving time and hassle.
PBXware SP Edition also automates the trunk setup process, eliminating the need to manually log in to each system multiple times a day to change trunks. Calls can be routed through the SP system, streamlining the process and making it faster to manage your systems.
In addition to the advanced search capabilities and SSO functionality, PBXware SP Edition streamlines the search process, making it easier and faster to find the information you need. This is particularly useful for administrators who manage multiple PBX systems and need to access information quickly.
Although it is not a stand-alone PBX system and does not offer features such as Call recordings, IVRs, Queues, Ring groups, or Extensions (extensions exist on the system only as multiuser extensions when calls go through the SP), the SP Edition offers several benefits to voice service providers, including:
PBXware SP Edition is a game-changer for voice service providers and their administrators who struggle to handle multiple extensions. With its advanced search capabilities, SSO functionality, automation of trunk setup, and streamlined processes, PBXware SP Edition is the ultimate solution for administrators who need to manage multiple multi-tenant PBXwares effectively.
If you need help setting up PBXware SP Edition or want more information, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We’ll be glad to assist you.
PBXware SP Edition is available now as of PBXware 6.7 version and is designed to work seamlessly with existing PBX systems. Take control of your PBX systems today and start managing your extensions with ease.
One of the most difficult challenges the infrastructure industry faces is that of acquiring talent. The reason simply is that the pool of people with relevant experience is too small, because the education system of today isn’t oriented toward serving this need. There is no clearer example of this than within the modern datacenter, which house an integrated nexus of technologies rarely taught in the same parts of a college campus. With us today is Dr. Klyne Smith, who co directs the M.S. in Datacenter Systems Engineering program at SMU. SMU’s program is one of the few out there that are taking the problem head on. … [visit site to read more]
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
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
Keep up-to-date with all the latest news, articles, event and product updates posted on Developing Telecoms.
Subscribe to our FREE weekly email newsletters for the latest telecom info in developing and emerging markets globally.
The initial phase of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)’s first open-access, carrier-neutral data centre – OADC Kinshasa; FIH1 – will go live in Q2 2023.
Located in Kinshasa within TEXAF’s Silkin Village – one of the largest digital hubs in Central Africa – the 2MW-capable OADC Kinshasa is a partnership between transformational pan-African data centre operator, Open Access Data Centres (OADC), part of the WIOCC Group and TEXAF, a major long-term investor in the economy of the DRC. It is expected to boost the county’s digital ecosystem and economy by delivering converged open digital infrastructure services for colocation and connectivity.
OADC Kinshasa is a strategic element of digital infrastructure for the DRC, which the World Bank reports as being one of the most under-developed digital economies in Africa. It will boost the country’s IT, colocation, and support the cloud infrastructure needs of a wide range of businesses and enterprises, enabling them to improve efficiency, expedite digitisation initiatives and more effectively service business and customer needs. The open, carrier neutral facility will create the first vibrant and comprehensive interconnect and peering ecosystem in the country across multiple carriers, ISPs, content providers and Internet Exchanges – a first in the DRC.
As the country’s first open access, carrier neutral data centre, OADC FIH1 Kinshasa is also expected to boost the country’s internet penetration, which InternetWorldStats reported as just 17.4% at the start of 2022, compared to 43% for Africa as a whole and 68.6% for the rest of the world. The quality of the facility, which will be Tier III Certified by the Uptime Institute, together with its vibrant interconnect ecosystem is expected to draw key cloud and content services into DRC.
Dr Ayotunde Coker, CEO of OADC, said: “This data centre – and others we have in the pipeline for DRC – are changing the narrative and opportunities for large and small enterprises, government departments, and international content networks and cloud operators to localise in the country. As a result, we are already in advanced discussions with a number of potential anchor tenants about establishing their presence in our facility. Partnering with TEXAF, with their local knowledge, experience and understanding of the local business environment in the DRC, ensures that our approach to developing and expanding our capabilities in the DRC is consistent with – and tailored to – local requirements and demands, and that we help businesses and the country as a whole to contribute to and benefit from the digital transformation of Africa. The facility will join a growing network of interconnected, open and carrier neutral data centres across the continent“
Philippe Croonenberghs, Chairman of TEXAF, said: “We are proud to be partnering with OADC in the creation of another essential building block of the digital ecosystem here in the DRC. This fully validates our strategy of attracting international industry leaders such as OADC to the country and specifically into our new SILIKIN VILLAGE digital hub. It is also an affirmation of our standing and reputation in the country.”
According to a report by Endeavor Nigeria, the size of Africa’s digital economy in 2022 was $115 billion and expected to grow more than six-fold to $712 billion by 2050. However, while Africa has 17% of the world’s population, it generates only 4% of global GDP and has just 1% of the world’s data centre capacity – the continent’s ‘digital infrastructure gap’, where the digital landscape is characterised by islands of high-speed connectivity focused on the largest, predominantly coastal, urban areas, with limited network deployment to smaller locations.
OADC Kinshasa is bridging this digital infrastructure gap to boost the DRC’s economic fortunes and the efficiency of its businesses, as well as bringing significant improvements to the lives of individuals, and a catalyst to broadband penetration. The International Telecommunications Union analysis in its modelling of economic impact for Africa indicates a 10% increase in broadband penetration would result in 2.5% increase in GDP per capita.
The OADC facility will be a key enabler of sovereign data rules in the country, localising internet data and bringing more efficient access to data.
OADC Kinshasa has been designed and will be operated to international standards, such as Uptime Institute Tier III, ISO 27001 and other key ISO standards. It is being configured with an initial 400 square metres of IT white space and growing to 1000m of white space accommodating more than 550 racks.
The facility embodies carrier-neutral principles, maximising interconnection opportunities for all customers. Increased competition and improved operator cost-efficiencies will contribute to the expected decrease in cost of internet connectivity for the Congolese people and companies and will be a major enabler for the emergence and enhancement of the DRC’s digital ecosystem.
Coker continued: “OADC Kinshasa is a key facility within our unique, pan-Africa core-to-edge, open-access DC ecosystem, which now includes OADC Lagos (20MW site load, 7,200 square metres IT white space), OADC Durban (4MW, 2,200 square metres), OADC Isando in Johannesburg (up to 7MW and an initial 1,600 square metres), the 3MW OADC Rondebosch and 5MW OADC Brackenfell, both in Cape Town and 30 OADC EDGE DCs across South Africa.”
