AT&T to refocus investment on fiber and 5G post WarnerMedia deal

AT&T will combine WarnerMedia’s entertainment, sports and news assets with Discovery's entertainment and sports businesses to create a premier, standalone global entertainment company.

The deal provides AT&T with $43 billion (subject to adjustment) in a combination of cash, debt securities, and WarnerMedia’s retention of certain debt. AT&T’s shareholders will receive stock representing 71% of the new company. Discovery shareholders would own 29% of the new company.

AT&T said the transaction provides an opportunity to unlock value in its media assets, allowing the company to better capitalize on the longer-term demand for connectivity:.

AT&T's John Stankey states: “This agreement unites two entertainment leaders with complementary content strengths and positions the new company to be one of the leading global direct-to-consumer streaming platforms. It will support the fantastic growth and international launch of HBO Max with Discovery’s global footprint and create efficiencies which can be re-invested in producing more great content to give consumers what they want. For AT&T shareholders, this is an opportunity to unlock value and be one of the best capitalized broadband companies, focused on investing in 5G and fiber to meet substantial, long-term demand for connectivity. AT&T shareholders will retain their stake in our leading communications company that comes with an attractive dividend. Plus, they will get a stake in the new company, a global media leader that can build one of the top streaming platforms in the world.” 

https://investors.att.com/

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Viavi introduces 800G FLEX XPM test module

Viavi Solutions announced the expansion of the VIAVI ONT solution portfolio with the 800G FLEX XPM Module  the first fully integrated test product for pluggable 800G transceivers that utilize 100G electrical lane speed, with integrated test applications. 

The company said its 800G FLEX XPM Module provides a wide range of critical test and measurement capabilities that manufacturers need to design and validate 800G optical modules based on 100G electrical signaling. The module has been designed for IC development and validation test, 800G transponder testing and vendor selection, system verification test, and manufacturing test. Key features include: support for 2x400GE, 8x100GE, 4x200GE and 1x800G unframed; dynamic skew; forward error correction (FEC) validation; and automation integration with the VIAVI ONT family.

"Working with the major equipment manufacturers and service providers around the globe, we've seen clearly that 800G is moving faster toward implementation than it was a year ago," said Tom Fawcett, Vice President and General Manager, Lab & Production Business Unit, VIAVI. "VIAVI's leadership in optical network test ensures that these customers can rely on our solution for the critical validation of conformance, performance and interoperability, helping them with speed to market."

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Rakuten Mobile and NEC promote Open RAN in global markets

 NEC, which already supplies 5G radio unitsfor Rakuten Mobile’s fully virtualized cloud-native mobile network in Japan, reached a further agreement with Rakuten to jointly promote O-RAN solutions in global markets.  In Japan, the companies are also jointly developing Rakuten Mobile’s containerized 5G Stand Alone (SA) core network (5GC). 

Under the MoU, Rakuten Mobile and NEC will expand upon their domestic collaboration to date to provide 5G and 4G Radios and engineering services for Open RAN systems aligned with O-RAN specifications for global markets, and accelerate the global expansion of the Rakuten Communications Platform (RCP).

RCP, Rakuten Mobile’s fully virtualized and containerized cloud-native mobile network platform, allows telecom companies and enterprises around the world to deploy virtualized networks at high speed and low cost.

"Rakuten Mobile has successfully designed, launched and now operates a fully virtualized mobile network. This unique network architecture built on Open RAN standards continues to attract significant interest from operators, enterprises and governments around the world," commented Tareq Amin, Representative Director, Executive Vice President and CTO of Rakuten Mobile. "With NEC’s excellent level of technical expertise in radio and track record of providing our high quality 5G sub-6 RU, this collaboration will accelerate the global expansion of Rakuten Communications Platform and promote adoption of Open RAN in global markets."

"This MoU will empower both NEC and Rakuten Mobile to contribute in an even more comprehensive way to the opening and virtualization of cellular networks around the world," commented NEC Executive Vice President Atsuo Kawamura. "NEC is already providing Rakuten Mobile with BSS/OSS, 5G RU and 5G core solutions for its revolutionary fully virtualized cloud-native network. We hope to continue contributing to the expansion of the Rakuten Communications Platform as it rolls out around the globe."

https://www.nec.com/en/press/202105/global_20210518_02.html

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Neos Networks deploys Blue Planet's automation software

Neos Networks, which operates a 24,000+km private telecoms network and an estate of data centres across the UK, is deploying software from Blue Planet, a division of Ciena, to ensure better end-to-end visibility across its network and improved flexibility to support the ever changing needs of its customers. 

Neos Networks is using Blue Planet Multi-Domain Service Orchestration (MDSO) to automate on-net end-to-end provisioning across its multi-vendor Layer 1 and Layer 2 networks – as part of its goal to provide premier connectivity solutions to UK businesses. 

“To underpin the UK’s digital ambitions, it’s important the operational environment efficiently supports a better connected future,” said Dave Eddy, COO, Neos Networks. “Blue Planet supports our commitment to achieving speed and scale as the dynamic requirements from our customers continue to evolve.”

“With Blue Planet, Neos Networks is giving its customers the ability to control their own services and offer on-demand capabilities to their customers,” said Kailem Anderson, Vice President of Portfolio and Engineering, Blue Planet. “By transforming its network, Neos Networks gains a leading edge on transformation while providing cloud-like experiences to its customers.”

https://www.ciena.com/about/newsroom/press-releases/Neos-Networks-Deploys-Blue-Planet-to-Automate-Service-Delivery.html

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National Broadband Ireland rolls FTTH in Tipperary

National Broadband Ireland (NBI), the company rolling out the new high-speed fibre broadband network under the Irish Government’s National Broadband Plan (NBP), confirmed that construction activiy is now underway in Tipperary.

In Tipperary, over 3,316 https://nbi.ie/premises have been surveyed to date with network designs completed to deliver the new Fibre to the Home (FTTH) network in the area. In Tipperary, there are 29,759 premises in the Intervention Area (IA), which includes homes, farms, commercial businesses and schools. This equates to 35% of all premises in the county. Under the National Broadband Plan, Tipperary will see an investment of €118M in the new high-speed fibre network. 

NBI chief executive Peter Hendrick said the company was pleased with the progress being made: “We started physical work on the ground in January 2020 and despite the challenging environment caused by Covid-19, we’ve grown and mobilised the team working on the project across all 26 counties and are making good progress. We are acutely aware that people want access to high-speed broadband as soon as possible, and our goal is to deliver that.”

https://nbi.ie/

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Colt appoints Google Cloud exec as EVP of Strategy and Transformation

Colt Technology Services appointed Jaya Deshmukh as Executive Vice President (EVP) of Strategy and Transformation, reporting to Colt’s Chief Executive Officer, Keri Gilder.

Jaya joins Colt from Google Cloud, where most recently she held the position of Head of Strategy – EMEA, responsible for creating and curating Google Cloud’s EMEA strategy. She has also recently held roles at Microsoft, PwC and Cognizant, where she was responsible for implementing digital solutions and accelerating cloud consumption to drive customer success.

Jaya’s appointment follows Colt’s recent announcement of its new three-year strategy, aiming to further develop Colt’s IQ Network through innovation and digitisation.

https://www.colt.net/

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