China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) issued commercial 5G licenses to China Mobile, China Unicom, and China Telecom, and China Broadcasting Network.http://www.miit.gov.cn/
Wednesday, June 5, 2019
China issues four commercial 5G licences
China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) issued commercial 5G licenses to China Mobile, China Unicom, and China Telecom, and China Broadcasting Network.http://www.miit.gov.cn/
Multi-core fiber testbed established in L’Aquila, Italy
The University of L’Aquila, Sumitomo Electric Industries, and Optoscribe have deployed a testbed for multi-core fiber communications in the city of L’Aquila, in Italy.
The multi-core fiber (MCF) testbed, which uses space-division multiplexed (SDM) technology, is part of INCIPICT project.
An MCF is an optical fiber with multiple cores in a glass cladding.
For INCIPICT, Sumitomo Electric fabricated two types of uncoupled MCFs and one type of coupled MCFs with a standard glass diameter of 125 µm (details in the table). The standard glass diameter enabled the use of conventional optical fiber cable and connector technologies. The MCFs were cabled into conventional loose-tube jelly-filled cables widely used in Europe.
Optoscribe manufactured fan-in/fan-out (FIFO) devices for the conversion between MCFs and multiple standard single-mode fibers (SMFs). The MCF cable was installed in a microduct placed on INCIPICT’s rack in the walkable multi-service underground tunnel
The total length of the installed MCF cable is 6.3 km, of which 5.6 km in the tunnel and 0.7 km in the laboratory that gives access to the fibers. The optical properties of the MCFs were evaluated before and after the installation, and no significant degradations due to the installation were observed.
The multi-core fiber (MCF) testbed, which uses space-division multiplexed (SDM) technology, is part of INCIPICT project.
An MCF is an optical fiber with multiple cores in a glass cladding.
For INCIPICT, Sumitomo Electric fabricated two types of uncoupled MCFs and one type of coupled MCFs with a standard glass diameter of 125 µm (details in the table). The standard glass diameter enabled the use of conventional optical fiber cable and connector technologies. The MCFs were cabled into conventional loose-tube jelly-filled cables widely used in Europe.
Optoscribe manufactured fan-in/fan-out (FIFO) devices for the conversion between MCFs and multiple standard single-mode fibers (SMFs). The MCF cable was installed in a microduct placed on INCIPICT’s rack in the walkable multi-service underground tunnelThe total length of the installed MCF cable is 6.3 km, of which 5.6 km in the tunnel and 0.7 km in the laboratory that gives access to the fibers. The optical properties of the MCFs were evaluated before and after the installation, and no significant degradations due to the installation were observed.
Microsoft Azure and Oracle Cloud to interconnect
Microsoft and Oracle announced a cloud interoperability partnership.
The arrangement enables customers to migrate and run enterprise workloads across Microsoft Azure and Oracle Cloud. The companies promise seamlessly connections between Azure services, like Analytics and AI, to Oracle Cloud services, like Autonomous Database.
The new set of capabilities:
“With Oracle’s enterprise expertise, this alliance is a natural choice for us as we help our joint customers accelerate the migration of enterprise applications and databases to the public cloud," said Scott Guthrie, executive vice president of Microsoft’s Cloud and AI division.
The arrangement enables customers to migrate and run enterprise workloads across Microsoft Azure and Oracle Cloud. The companies promise seamlessly connections between Azure services, like Analytics and AI, to Oracle Cloud services, like Autonomous Database.
The new set of capabilities:
- Connect Azure and Oracle Cloud seamlessly, allowing customers to extend their on-premises datacenters to both clouds. This direct interconnect is available starting today in Ashburn (North America) and Azure US East, with plans to expand additional regions in the future.
- Unified identity and access management, via a unified single sign-on experience and automated user provisioning, to manage resources across Azure and Oracle Cloud. Also available in early preview today, Oracle applications can use Azure Active Directory as the identity provider and for conditional access.
- Supported deployment of custom applications and packaged Oracle applications (JD Edwards EnterpriseOne, E-Business Suite, PeopleSoft, Oracle Retail, Hyperion) on Azure with Oracle databases (RAC, Exadata, Autonomous Database) deployed in Oracle Cloud. The same Oracle applications will also be certified to run on Azure with Oracle databases in Oracle Cloud.
- A collaborative support model to help IT organizations deploy these new capabilities while enabling them to leverage existing customer support relationships and processes.
- Oracle Database will continue to be certified to run in Azure on various operating systems, including Windows Server and Oracle Linux.
“With Oracle’s enterprise expertise, this alliance is a natural choice for us as we help our joint customers accelerate the migration of enterprise applications and databases to the public cloud," said Scott Guthrie, executive vice president of Microsoft’s Cloud and AI division.
Carriers activate LTE-M roaming across North America and Europe
AT&T, KPN, Orange and Swisscom activated LTE-M roaming across their respective IoT networks, providing coverage across North America and Europe.
The carriers expect to add additional supporting operators to this roaming arrangement to expand their cross-border capabilities in the coming months. According to the GSMA, LTE-M networks will fully cover Europe by the end of 2020.
John Wojewoda, AVP, Global Connections Management, AT&T: “More and more of our enterprise customers require global capabilities as they deploy IoT devices and applications. These LTE-M roaming agreements help meet that demand and make it easier for businesses around the world to benefit from the power of a globalized IoT.”
- AT&T's LTE-M network is deployed across the U.S. and Mexico.
- KPN operates an LTE-M across the Netherlands.
- Orange’s LTE-M network is available in France and Romania with Belgium, Slovakia, Spain and Poland coming this year.
- Swisscom has deployed LTE-M across Switzerland.
John Wojewoda, AVP, Global Connections Management, AT&T: “More and more of our enterprise customers require global capabilities as they deploy IoT devices and applications. These LTE-M roaming agreements help meet that demand and make it easier for businesses around the world to benefit from the power of a globalized IoT.”
Celllnex acquires BT high towers across UK
Celllnex has acquired the marketing and operation rights for 220 high towers from BT for the next 20 years. The deal was valued at £100 million.
Cellnex operates 45,000 wireless communications towers and sites in Spain, Italy, Netherlands, France, Switzerland and now the UK. The company closed the 2018 financial year with revenues of € 901 million (up 14%) and EBITDA of € 591 million (up 18%). Cellnex is based in Barcelona.
“For Cellnex, this deal is a landmark first step into the UK market and follows our recent successful acquisitions of 10,700 sites from Iliad and Salt as well as a strong set of Q1 results. This agreement demonstrates the Company’s commitment and confidence in the market as we look ahead to further opportunities in the UK,” stated Alex Mestre, Cellnex’s Global Business Managing Director.
Cellnex operates 45,000 wireless communications towers and sites in Spain, Italy, Netherlands, France, Switzerland and now the UK. The company closed the 2018 financial year with revenues of € 901 million (up 14%) and EBITDA of € 591 million (up 18%). Cellnex is based in Barcelona.“For Cellnex, this deal is a landmark first step into the UK market and follows our recent successful acquisitions of 10,700 sites from Iliad and Salt as well as a strong set of Q1 results. This agreement demonstrates the Company’s commitment and confidence in the market as we look ahead to further opportunities in the UK,” stated Alex Mestre, Cellnex’s Global Business Managing Director.
Rakuten selects NEC to build Open vRAN Architecture
Rakuten Mobile has selected NEC to build its 5G open vRAN infrastructure in Japan.
Through the partnership, Rakuten and NEC will jointly develop a 3.7 GHz massive MIMO 5G antenna radio unit (RU), which will be manufactured by NEC at its facilities in Japan. Rakuten and NEC/Netcracker are already working together on an end-to-end BSS/OSS solution to support the mobile network launch and subsequent operations.
Rakuten Mobile is building a fully virtualized, end-to-end cloud-native mobile network.
In April 2019, Rakuten Mobile received approval from the Japanese Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications for its 5G special radio station deployment plan and aims to launch 5G services in June 2020.
"We are very excited to partner with a network technology leader such as NEC in building the world's first 5G open RAN architecture here in Japan," said Tareq Amin, chief technology officer of Rakuten Mobile, Inc. "NEC's technology and expertise will allow us to not only cost-effectively create a highly secure, high quality 5G network, but by designing and producing the antennas in the local market, we look forward to contributing to the development of the Japanese telecommunications industry and economy."
"NEC is delighted to contribute to Rakuten Mobile's strategy for building the world's first fully virtualized, end-to-end cloud native mobile network," said Atsuo Kawamura, executive vice president and president of the Network Services Business Unit at NEC Corporation. "Going forward, NEC aims to drive the global expansion of virtualized network architecture with Rakuten Mobile."
Through the partnership, Rakuten and NEC will jointly develop a 3.7 GHz massive MIMO 5G antenna radio unit (RU), which will be manufactured by NEC at its facilities in Japan. Rakuten and NEC/Netcracker are already working together on an end-to-end BSS/OSS solution to support the mobile network launch and subsequent operations.
Rakuten Mobile is building a fully virtualized, end-to-end cloud-native mobile network.
In April 2019, Rakuten Mobile received approval from the Japanese Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications for its 5G special radio station deployment plan and aims to launch 5G services in June 2020.
"We are very excited to partner with a network technology leader such as NEC in building the world's first 5G open RAN architecture here in Japan," said Tareq Amin, chief technology officer of Rakuten Mobile, Inc. "NEC's technology and expertise will allow us to not only cost-effectively create a highly secure, high quality 5G network, but by designing and producing the antennas in the local market, we look forward to contributing to the development of the Japanese telecommunications industry and economy."
"NEC is delighted to contribute to Rakuten Mobile's strategy for building the world's first fully virtualized, end-to-end cloud native mobile network," said Atsuo Kawamura, executive vice president and president of the Network Services Business Unit at NEC Corporation. "Going forward, NEC aims to drive the global expansion of virtualized network architecture with Rakuten Mobile."
Rakuten will use Small Cells powered by Qualcomm
Rakuten upcoming next-generation end-to-end cloud-native mobile network across Japan will use small cells based on Qualcomm FSM Small Cell Platforms. Rakuten plans to utilize small cells to reduce site acquisition and deployment cost and to provide indoor capacity. Rakuten will leverage network virtualization and small cells from the start and thereby create a network that can be scaled easily and deliver on the promise of 5G experiences to subscribers. Qualcomm's...
Rakuten picks Mavenir's NFV-Based RCS
Rakuten, which is preparing to launch Japan’s newest mobile network, selected Mavenir for. The deployment will include Mavenir’s 5G ready platform that monetizes voice and messaging in a single application for least-cost roaming, integration to Rakuten ID single sign-on, that is completely cloud-based with full NFV deployed on the Rakuten Cloud Platform. Mavenir’s fully virtualized RCS AS and Client will enable Rakuten to launch new innovative services...
Rakuten invests in Altiostar for virtual RAN
Rakuten, the Japanese e-commerce and fintech company and soon to be the operator of Japan’s newest mobile network, will make a strategic investment in Altiostar Networks, a start-up based in Tewksbury, Mass. The investment is subject to approval by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States. Altiostar provides a 5G-ready virtualized RAN software solution that supports open interfaces and disaggregates the hardware from the software...
Rakuten picks VIAVI to validate cloud-native mobile network
Rakuten, one of the world's leading internet services companies and soon to be the newest mobile network operator in Japan, selected the VIAVI TM500 system to support the rapid deployment of a nationwide, end-to-end cloud-native mobile network. Rakuten offers e-commerce, fintech, digital content and communications services to over one billion members worldwide. The company received approval for its 4th generation mobile communications system (4G)...
Sweden's EcoDataCenter and Fortalax to merge
Two Swedish data center companies have agreed to merge.
EcoDataCenter, which is based in Falun, will acquire shares in Fortlax, which operates data centers in Piteå. Financial terms were not disclosed.
The companies said their ambition is to create a Nordic giant in carbon-positive data centers.
https://blog.ecodatacenter.se/uk/ecodatacenter-and-fortlax
EcoDataCenter, which is based in Falun, will acquire shares in Fortlax, which operates data centers in Piteå. Financial terms were not disclosed.The companies said their ambition is to create a Nordic giant in carbon-positive data centers.
https://blog.ecodatacenter.se/uk/ecodatacenter-and-fortlax
BT to consolidate 300 offices to 30
BT Group will consolidate its footprint of more than 300 locations across the UK to around 30. The first eight of these locations are
Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Ipswich (Adastral Park), London and Manchester.
BT previously announced plans to exit its St Paul’s headquarters in London and is currently identifying a new home for the business in the capital.
“The Better Workplace Programme is about bringing our people together in brilliant spaces, and transforming the way we work,” BT Group chief executive Philip Jansen said. “Revealing these eight locations is just the first step; we have dedicated teams working on identifying the best buildings to move into and which ones to redesign for the future. As a result of this programme, BT people will be housed in inspiring offices that are better for our business and better for our customers.”
https://www.btplc.com/news/#/pressreleases/bt-group-reveals-first-eight-locations-as-part-of-biggest-uk-workplace-improvement-programme-2882815
Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Ipswich (Adastral Park), London and Manchester.
BT previously announced plans to exit its St Paul’s headquarters in London and is currently identifying a new home for the business in the capital.
“The Better Workplace Programme is about bringing our people together in brilliant spaces, and transforming the way we work,” BT Group chief executive Philip Jansen said. “Revealing these eight locations is just the first step; we have dedicated teams working on identifying the best buildings to move into and which ones to redesign for the future. As a result of this programme, BT people will be housed in inspiring offices that are better for our business and better for our customers.”https://www.btplc.com/news/#/pressreleases/bt-group-reveals-first-eight-locations-as-part-of-biggest-uk-workplace-improvement-programme-2882815
