12/15/14 ~ Converge! Network Digest

Monday, December 15, 2014

Sonera Delivers 230 Mbps on Live LTE-A Network in Helsinki

Monday, December 15, 2014 Finland, LTE-Advanced, Sonera

Sonera is delivering peak downlink rates of up to 230 Mbps in certain areas of Helsinki over its commercial LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) network, with a theoretical top speeds of 300 Mbps. The network aggregates a total bandwidth of up to 40 MHz using the 1800 MHz and 2600 MHz frequency bands. Sonera offers Samsung Galaxy Alpha and Samsung Galaxy Note 4 smartphones to use LTE-A and new devices are being added to the portfolio at the beginning of 2015. Nokia...

BT Confirms Negotiations to Acquire EE

Monday, December 15, 2014 BT, Deutsche Telekom, EE, Orange, UK

BT confirmed exclusive negotiations to acquire EE from Deutsche Telekom and Orange. EE would provide BT with an advanced 4G network across the UK, accelerating its mobile strategy. The key headline terms, which are non-binding: A purchase price of £12.5bn (US$19.5 billion) for EE on a debt/cash free basis through a combination of cash and new BT ordinary shares issued to both Deutsche Telekom and Orange. Following the transaction, Deutsche Telekom...

Orange Tests FDD LTE-A in 3.4 - 3.6 GHz with Ericsson

Monday, December 15, 2014 Ericsson, FDD, France, LTE-Advanced, Orange

Orange and Ericsson have successfully used the 3.4-3.6 GHz (3.5 GHz) frequencies for testing data speeds, coverage and FDD carrier aggregation. Orange has conducted a live LTE-Advanced FDD trial using the 3.4-3.6 GHz (3.5 GHz) frequencies. The tests, which were conducted with Ericsson, were carried out in October-November 2014 on Orange's network in Bordeaux using Ericsson's pre-commercial equipment. The companies said the testing established...

T-Mobile's Wideband LTE Hits NYC

Monday, December 15, 2014 NY/NJ, T-Mobile

T-Mobile's Wideband LTE service is now live throughout the greater New York City metro area, boasting speeds up to 50 percent faster than before. The company saind customers in the metro area are seeing download speeds in excess of 100 Mbps. In addition to Manhattan, Wideband LTE now covers T-Mobile customers in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, Long Island and Northern NJ. All of Westchester County, including White Plains and Scarsdale...

Nokia Networks and STC Demo TDD-FDD Aggregation

Monday, December 15, 2014 Carrier Aggregation, LTE-Advanced, Nokia, Saudi Arabia, TD-LTE

Nokia Networks and Saudi Telecom Company (STC) demonstrated TDD-FDD Carrier Aggregation using a commercial chipset. The demonstration was carried out using a new band combination of FDD 1800 MHz and TDD 2300 MHz. Nokia Networks said high frequency bands have limited uplink coverage, but operators can significantly extend TDD coverage with TDD-FDD carrier aggregation with no additional changes to the network. Load balancing between TDD- and FDD-LTE...

Riverbed Enters $3.6 Billion Privatization Deal with Thoma Bravo

Monday, December 15, 2014 Privatization, Riverbed, Thoma Bravo

Riverbed Technology (RVBD) announced a privatization deal with Thoma Bravo, LLC and Teachers’ Private Capital, the private investor department of Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan. Riverbed stockholders will receive $21.00 per share in cash, or a total of approximately $3.6 billion. Riverbed CEO Jerry Kennelly will remain with the company as CEO. “We are extremely pleased with this transaction, which we believe will be a winning proposition for all...

Orange Builds Cloud for European Space Agency

Monday, December 15, 2014 #cloud, France, Orange

Orange Business Services has been selected to deploy and manage a private cloud for the European Space Agency. ESA operates from eight sites across Europe with 2,200 staff working in a wide range of roles including scientific, engineering, operations, industrial and administrative. “Esacloud will allow our scientists to do rocket science rather than IT, and our business to jump ahead in time more than five years,” said Filippo Angelucci, ESA...