Nokia and Keysight launch Open Test Automation Project

Keysight Technologies and Nokia launched the Open Test Automation Project (OpenTAP), an open-source, scalable architecture that enhances and accelerates the development of automation solutions within the test and measurement (T&M) ecosystem, with demonstrated success in 5G network equipment manufacturing.

The core technology of the OpenTAP is a test sequencer.

The OpenTap community is adding plugins and solutions that lead to faster development, new functionality and optimization in test.

“Our goal with OpenTAP is to enable unprecedented levels of collaboration in the test and measurement industry and to benefit all participants in this open-source project,” said Jay Alexander, Chief Technology Officer of Keysight Technologies. “Co-launching OpenTAP with Nokia reflects our commitment to creating software-centric solutions that accelerate innovation through simplicity, scalability and speed.”

Erja Sankari, Vice President of Nokia’s Supply Chain Engineering organization, added, “For many years Nokia has relied on either closed, commercial test-automation products, or completely homegrown platforms that consume precious resources — budget, support and maintenance. Building on OpenTAP fosters innovation in test optimization and efficiency, ultimately reducing our cost-of-test and project risk.”

http://www.OpenTAP.io

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OIF releases CFP2-DCO and HB-CDM specs

OIF completed two new Implementation Agreements (IAs) — the CFP2-Digital Coherent Optics Module (CFP2-DCO) and High Bandwidth- Coherent Driver Modulator (HB-CDM).

• CFP2-DCO - defines the additional information needed in order to implement the DCO function in the CFP2 module. The CFP2-DCO module contains all the required functions to perform dual polarization coherent optical signaling. The module can also provide different bitrates such as 100G/200G/300G/400G and support more modulation formats.
• HB-CDM - targets modulation and data-rate agnostic coherent applications having nominal symbol rates up to 64 Gbaud. It defines a small form factor electro-optic component that integrates the HB-Polarization Multiplexed-Quadrature (HB-PMQ) modulator plus the RF drive functions for the high baud-rate and low modem implementation penalty segment of the coherent market. Additionally, the IA identifies and specifies the common features and properties of coherent transmitters to enable them to broadly meet the needs of current and future coherent systems.

“As a member-driven organization, OIF’s work is based on our members’ needs. The CFP2-DCO IA is in direct response to feedback from a network operator that needed an IA to fill an interoperability gap in their network,” said Karl Gass, OIF, PLL Working Group – Optical Vice Chair. “The HB-CDM IA addresses a performance need by creating a component that can be used for much higher performance links.”

https://www.oiforum.com

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CableLabs develops Dual Channel Wi-Fi

CableLabs is developing Dual Channel Wi-Fi technology to address congestion by providing one or more channels for downstream-only data in addition to a primary bi-directional channel.

In a blog posting, Luther Smith, Director, Wireless Technology at CableLabs, describes how a primary channel could be used for upstream and small downstream packets and the others channel(s) are used for large downstream and time-critical data, like video.

https://www.cablelabs.com/a-better-wi-fi-experience-with-dual-channel-wi-fi

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Nokia now has 37 contracts for 5G

Nokia now has 37 5G commercial contracts, including 20 with named customers,

Speaking at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Nokia Corporation in Espoo, Finland, company CEO Rajeev Suri emphasized efforts to eliminate, by July 2019, any statistically significant gender pay gap in the company that cannot be explained by factors such as performance, experience, job grade, or location.

"5G is not the future anymore. It is here, and Nokia is leading it. We are winning deals and rolling out some of the world's first 5G networks.  We now have 37 5G commercial contracts - 20 with named customers including T-Mobile, AT&T, STC, and Telia - and more than half of them include wider portfolio elements that our competitors cannot match. We have some amazing technology.   In fact, in pretty much every network where Nokia products are deployed, we are the performance leader."

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Affirmed Networks unveils cloud-native UnityCloud

Affirmed Networks introduced a cloud-native 5G solution that allows mobile operators to seamlessly converge multiple networks, including 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G, and wireline core, on to one unified core.

The Affirmed UnityCloud, which is an evolution of Affirmed’s Mobile Content Cloud (MCC), is built on four key pillars:

• Innovation platform that enables operators to easily create and deploy new services with fine-grained network slicing for customized enterprise services
• Automatic networks that instantiate, orchestrate and scale the network up or down with no human involvement, including closed-loop automation
• Self-assured networks with observability to ensure minimal latency and maximum performance so Service Level Agreements are met
• Non-stop networks that provide 6-nines of availability with no service interruptions, even when adding new features or performing software upgrades

Affirmed said its UnityCloud embraces open source technologies including Kubernetes, Istio, Envoy, Jaeger and others. The company has several trials underway with tier one operators globally that are building 5G Standalone (SA) networks.

Affirmed UnityCloud significantly improves network economics by converging ‘Any G’,   This eliminates the need for operators to maintain parallel legacy networks dedicated to just one service.

“A telecom transformation is underway. A new generation of networks is being built to connect 50+ billion devices, creating a multi-trillion dollar market opportunity,” said Hassan Ahmed, Chairman, and CEO, Affirmed Networks.

https://www.affirmednetworks.com/products-solutions/5g-core-unitycloud/

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Ericsson's CEO: Europe has played "catch-up" for long enough

Europe must come to view 5G and digitalization as a critical part of national infrastructures, writes Börje Ekholm, president and CEO of Ericsson, or risk remaining in "catch-up mode" compared to the U.S. and China. In a blog posting, Ekholm argues that 5G spectrum availability must be addressed immediately. It is also important to extend the lifetime of spectrum licenses to enhance investment certainty among operators. In addition, Europe has more than 200 operators - a fact that limits the reach of network deployments.

"Applications built on mobile technology can go global very quickly. With the digital innovation capabilities of 4G, it’s no surprise that some companies capitalized on this opportunity and became really big, companies like Alibaba, Tencent, Facebook, Netflix etc."

"Having lacked that same digital infrastructure, it is equally no surprise that Europe has a much more limited role on the world tech stage. It would be similar to expecting companies in a country without roads to build the best cars."

https://www.ericsson.com/en/blog/2019/5/europe-and-5g-address-the-reality-not-the-myths

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KPN to sell its six data centers in the Netherlands

Royal KPN will sell its data center subsidiary NLDC to a fund managed by DWS, a global infrastructure investment fund. NLDC operates a portfolio of six data centers of which three in the Amsterdam area and three regional hotspots in Eindhoven, Rotterdam and Groningen. Financial terms were not disclosed.

KPN said the sale is in line with its strategy to focus on its core ICT business services, such as security, workspace, cloud telephony, and hybrid-cloud solutions. The carrier plans to continue to deliver services from the divested data centers in the Netherlands. KPN will also use public clouds such AWS and Azure.

The proceeds of the transaction will be retained to increase operational and financial flexibility. The transaction is subject to regular closing conditions, including regulatory approvals.

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Ericsson opens 5G Innovation Hub in Moscow,

Ericsson inaugurated a 5G Innovation Hub in Moscow featuring a testing laboratory, training center and a demo studio with 5G and IoT capabilities.

The facility is located at Ericsson’s head office in Moscow’s Metropolis Business Center.

At the testing laboratory, service providers will be able to trial a host of solutions and technologies adapted to Russian standards. These include testing 5G use cases on a live network; securing certification of 5G technologies and software for the Russian market; testing 5G consumer devices on the network in conjunction with service providers and vendors; and piloting advanced technologies and solutions including Fixed Wireless Access, spectrum sharing, Private LTE networks and remote control of autonomous vehicles.

“Ericsson has been investing in specialist training and development of the Russian telecommunications market for nearly 140 years,” Tolstoy says. “The new Ericsson Innovation Hub integrates technologies proven by leading operators and local expertise and will support successful 5G deployment in Russia,” stated Sebastian Tolstoy, Head of Ericsson in Russia.

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