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One of the biggest byproducts of the global pandemic is its impact on accelerating the digital transformation process. In just a few years, data digitization, often referred to as digital transformation, has profoundly changed the shape of digital business in every industry and for consumers globally. Increased usage of digital applications in video calling, telehealth, e-commerce and e-learning and entertainment has significantly increased the need for data capacities. Unrelenting data growth, combined with the continuing migration of enterprises offsite into multitenant colocation data centers, is having a significant impact on the industry. With us today to talk about their experiences over the last few years is Tag Greason, Chief Hyperscale Officer, at QTS Data Centers. … [visit site to read more]
Australia’s National Broadband Network Co’s (NBN Co) fixed wireless access (FWA) footprint is set to grow by up to 50 percent nationally by the end of 2024 under an exclusive ten-year partnership extension with Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) to deploy 4G and next- generation 5G connectivity.
NBN Co (nbn) is a publicly owned corporation of the Australian Government, tasked to design, build and operate Australia’s digital backbone as a wholesale broadband access network provider.
The deployment is a significant move in addressing the geographical challenge of bringing improved service to communities and businesses across Australia – one of the largest countries in the world with huge variations in population density.
FWA currently covers more than 650,000 premises across Australia. Under the new partnership, Ericsson will supply the next-generation technology critical to 5G-enable many existing towers across the nbn Fixed Wireless network.
The additional capacity and reach of the upgraded network will provide up to 120,000 homes and businesses in nbn’s satellite footprint access to fixed wireless for the first time.
Jason Ashton, NBN Executive General Manager for Fixed Wireless and Satellite, says: “Our network is the digital backbone of Australia, and it is constantly evolving as we help keep communities, businesses and all areas of society connected, and our nation productive. Investing in 5G mmWave is a part of our commitment to evolve the nbn Fixed Wireless network for future needs and continually enhance customer experience. We’re committed to maximizing the performance of both our fixed wireless and satellite networks, and our work with Ericsson will help us push the boundaries of its capabilities to the benefit of the more than one million homes and businesses covered by these networks across Australia.”
Emilio Romeo, Head of Ericsson Australia and New Zealand, says: “NBN Co’s Fixed Wireless and Satellite Upgrade Program is an important part of Australia’s digital evolution. After working with nbn for more than a decade, I’m pleased that Ericsson’s technology continues to play a pivotal role in supporting the program to deliver better broadband services to people in regional Australia. With the extended range innovation showcased in Ericsson’s industry-leading radio access and microwave transport solutions, more Australians will have access to faster fixed wireless broadband in more places around the country.”
THE TECH
The partnership sees Ericsson become the sole supplier of 4G and 5G radio access and microwave transport solutions. Deployed solutions will include Ericsson’s 4G and 5G antenna-integrated radios across nbn’s current and future spectrum bands, and the latest Massive MIMO solutions providing best-in-class performance and energy efficiency in a lightweight small footprint form factor.
Also being deployed are Ericsson’s latest high-powered 5G millimeter wave (mmWave) solutions, the latest RAN Processor for 4G and 5G, and MINI-LINK microwave transport solutions such as dual carrier solutions in traditional frequency bands, all outdoor E-band, and long-haul.
Ericsson’s extended-range innovation will enable NBN Co to expand its Fixed Wireless network cell range from 14 km to 29 km.
By utilizing the latest 4G and 5G solutions, including 5G in nbn’s mmWave spectrum band, the upgrade program aims to support higher speeds in the fixed wireless network and deliver improved customer experiences. Importantly, the new infrastructure will also support a future upgrade from 4G to 5G for nbn’s existing spectrum bands.
This week, the US DoJ’s special purpose committee known as ‘Team Telecom’ has urged the FCC to reject an application that would see a submarine cable route link the USA directly with Cuba for the first time.
The ARCOS-1 spans roughly 8,400km in a ring across the Caribbean Sea, connecting 15 countries in the region, but notably not Cuba.
The system has been in service since 2001 and it is only in the last few years that an extension linking to Cuba has been considered.
Following the Cuban Revolution in 1959, the US government banned its citizens from doing business with Cuba. Since then, these restrictions have been gradually reduced, with the FCC removing the last barrier to a US–Cuba cable in 2016.
As a result, the ARCOS-1 consortium proposed adding a Cuban branch to the system in 2018, officially filing for specific permission from the FCC last year.
While this link to ARCOS-1 would be the first commercial subsea link between the two countries, it is worth noting that there is already a non-commercial subsea cable system that connects the USA to Cuba: the GTMO-1 cable, linking Florida to the infamous US naval base at Guantanamo Bay. The GTMO-PR system also links the base directly to Puerto Rico.
However, these two cables are fully owned and operated by the US, which circumvents Team Telecom’s main misgivings about the new ARCOS-1 link.
The issue stems from the fact that Cuba’s state-run operator Empresa de Telecomunicaciones de Cuba S.A. (Etecsa) would manage the cable’s Cuban landing station, therefore potentially giving the Cuban government access to sensitive US data.
“As long as the Government of Cuba continues to be a counterintelligence threat to the United States and is allied with others who are the same, the risks to our infrastructure are simply too great,” said Deputy Homeland Security Attorney Matthew G. Olsen in a statement.
The FCC’s decision on the matter is expected next year.
Want to learn of the latest news from the submarine cable industry? Join the key players in discussion around the hottest topics at the upcoming Submarine Networks EMEA event
Also in the news:
SKT takes its Ifland metaverse platform global
CMA probes Apple and Google over browser “duopoly”
Vodacom launches National Relay Service to boost digital inclusion
We had the pleasure of interviewing Volker Leyendecker from SES ahead of Connected Germany, being held in Mainz next week on December 6-7 2022.
Als Sales Director DACH bei SES Networks verantworte ich die Vertriebsaktivitäten im deutschsprachigen Raum. Mein Schwerpunktthema ist Datenkommunikation via Satellit. Seit Mai 2022 bin ich zudem Mitglied im Präsidium des Verbands der Anbieter von Telekommunikations- und Mehrwertdiensten (VATM).
SES ist mit seinem Angebot der Datenübertragung via Satellit unter anderem für terrestrische Daten- und Mobilfunknetze durch Zuführung von Bandbreite sowie als Fall-Back-Lösung interessant. Grundsaetzlich kann ueber Satellit jeder Ort kurzfristig mit Bandbreite versorgt und damit mit schnellem Internet erschlossen werden. Eine wichtige Rolle können unsere Satelliten außerdem bei der Versorgung mit Internet und Mobilfunk als Backup oder im Fall von Naturkatastrophen fuer Desaster Recovery einnehmen.
Satelliten spielen bei der Versorgung des ländlichen Raums eine wichtige Rolle dort, wo der Ausbau des Glasfasernetzes langwierig oder nicht wirtschaftlich ist. Mit unserer neuen O3b mPower Flotte können wir Bandbreitenzufuehrung fuer die Erschliessung mit Internet mit bis zu 10 Gbit/s und einer maximalen Latenz von 150ms selbst in entlegenen Regionen anbieten.
Ich freue mich vor allem auf den Austausch mit unseren Kund:innen und Kolleg:innen zum Jahresabschluss und auf spannende Gespräche über den Start unserer neuen MEO-Satelliten-Flotte O3b mPower, die in Kürze ins All startet und bald unseren Partner:innen für schnelles Internet aus dem All zur Verfügung stehen wird.
You can hear from Volker and the rest of our amazing speaker line-up by securing your place at next week’s Connected Germany – follow the link to book your pass!
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.
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.
AMD and Viettel High Tech – a member of Viettel Group – have completed a 5G mobile network field trial deployment conducted by Viettel and powered by AMD Xilinx Zynq UltraScale+ MPSoC devices.
Viettel High Tech has used AMD radio technology with prior 4G deployments and is now accelerating new networks via new 5G remote radio heads. Designed to meet the growing capacity and performance requirements of mobile users globally, the Viettel 5G mobile network is expected to be completed by the end of 2022.
AMD is the exclusive radio unit silicon supplier for Viettel’s indigenous 5G radio development. After the successful completion of the first field trial, Zynq MPSoCs are now set to be extended to an additional 300 Macro 8T8R base stations and 900 5G 8T8R Macro radios. The Zynq UltraScale+ MPSoC was also chosen by Viettel for its first-generation 64T64R Massive MIMO radio which is currently being optimized for field trials. Viettel is developing the next generation of radios to also include Zynq UltraScale+ RFSoC devices, to provide industry-leading integration and higher performance.
“Viettel is committed to advancing mobile technology leadership by working closely with AMD to incorporate its adaptable SoC technology into our new generation of 5G networks,” said Nguyen Vu Ha, General Director of Viettel High Tech. “Going from VHT’s history of making 4G BTS, this decision to scale for the growing demands of 5G was based on evaluating various factors including flexibility, simplification, design stability and the experience of engineers.”
“5G provides new opportunities to offer higher levels of performance, power efficiency and new services along with increased reliability required to meet the growing data demands of cellular networks,” said Yousef Khalilollahi, corporate vice president, APAC Sales, Adaptive and Embedded Computing Group, AMD. “We are proud of our close collaboration with Viettel and remain focused on enabling its mobile network to deliver the optimal end-user experience as well as the flexibility to evolve and grow as Viettel’s user base and required bandwidth continue to increase globally.”
Viettel is the largest telecom operator in Vietnam, serving more than 130 million mobile customers.
Origin-Based-Rating (OBR) is being rolled out in a growing number of markets globally, creating new challenges for voice service providers and MNOs. They are being challenged to maintain and grow margin as new surcharges are appearing on their bills often six months or more after a service has gone live. … [visit site to read more]
This Industry Viewpoint was authored by Andrew Whitelaw, CEO of Springboard
Origin-Based-Rating (OBR) is being rolled out in a growing number of markets globally, creating new challenges for voice service providers and MNOs. They are being challenged to maintain and grow margin as new surcharges are appearing on their bills often six months or more after a service has gone live. … [visit site to read more]
Optical fibre and satellite are driving two very different business models from Ekinops and World Mobile which could, potentially, boost African connectivity.
Ekinops, an optical transport and network access specialist, has been selected by telecom infrastructure provider Bandwidth & Cloud Services Group (BCS), a pan-African wholesale telecom infrastructure provider, for its network backbone upgrade, which, the partners say, will enhance connectivity throughout Africa.
The project involves long-distance regional optical transport networks capable of 1Tbps capacity across Africa, and urban connectivity upgrades through 44 metro ring deployments, offering 10G traffic from points of presence and towers to the network hub.
Supplying its Ekinops360 optical transport portfolio, Ekinops says it will increase BCS’s backbone capacity with both single and dual fibre capabilities, aggregating low-capacity circuits to high bit rate protocols to deliver speeds ranging from 1Gbps to 1 Tbps. The solution also accommodates future demand for backbone capacity increases through the company’s FlexRate coherent channels, to extend the network’s reach and capacity throughout the region.
Meanwhile, World Mobile, which aims to provide affordable connectivity to rural and remote areas worldwide via its blockchain-based mobile network, says it is expanding its network across the African continent following a series of successful pilot tests using low earth orbit (LEO) satellites in the US and UK.
Using innovative satellite and relay technology with stratospheric balloons, its first efforts are looking to provide connectivity in hard-to-reach areas within Tanzania, Kenya and Nigeria.
World Mobile pilot tested the use of Starlink’s satellite network as a backhaul option for providing internet to World Mobile’s AirNodes (or internet access points). The company says it expects further tests with other LEO satellite systems will enable services to roll out more efficiently across sub-Saharan Africa.
