Monday, August 16, 2021

Apricot subsea cable to link Japan to Singapore

Monday, August 16, 2021    

Google and Facebook unveiled plans for the Apricot subsea cable system, a 12,000-kilometer-long cable will connect Japan, Taiwan, Guam, the Philippines, Indonesia and Singapore.

Apricot, which is expected to launch in 2024, will boast a 190 Tbps design capacity based on space division multiplexing. It will feature a submersible reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer employing wavelength selective switch for a gridless and flexible bandwidth configuration.


https://cloud.google.com/blog/products/infrastructure/new-apricot-subsea-cable-brings-more-connectivity-to-asia


Google's Dunant subsea cable ready for service with up to 250 Tbps

Wednesday, February 03, 2021  , , ,   

Google's new Dunant transatlantic submarine cable system has been declared ready for service. Dunant is the first long-haul subsea cable to feature a 12 fiber pair space-division multiplexing (SDM) design, which will enable it to deliver record-breaking capacity of 250 terabits per second (Tbps) across the Atlantic Ocean. Subcom was the prime contractor for the project.SubCom is the first to market using SDM technology to increase cable capacity...

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Google teams with Sparkle on 2 subsea cables

Tuesday, August 03, 2021  , ,   

Google is collaborating with Sparkle and others to build and operate two submarine cable systems linking the Middle East with southern Europe and Asia: the Blue Submarine Cable System connecting Italy, France, Greece, and Israel; the Raman Submarine Cable System connecting Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Djibouti, Oman and India. Both cables will be equipped with 16 fiber optic pairs and are expected to be ready for service in 2024. They will...

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Google's Firmina cable to link North and South America

Wednesday, June 09, 2021  , ,   

Google announced plans to build a 12-fiber pair subsea cable linking North and South America via the Atlantic.The Firmina cable system, which will be designed, manufactured and installed by SubCom, will run from the East coast of the United States to Las Toninas, Argentina, with additional landings in Praia Grande, Brazil and Punta del Este, Uruguay. The Firmina system will use SubCom's 18kV power technology, which will enable Firmina to be...

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2Africa cable takes shape as world's largest subsea project

Monday, August 16, 2021  , ,  

The 2Africa consortium, comprised of China Mobile International, Facebook, MTN GlobalConnect, Orange, stc, Telecom Egypt, Vodafone and WIOCC, announced four new branches: the Seychelles, the Comoros Islands, and Angola, and bring a new landing to south-east Nigeria. The new branches join the recently announced extension to the Canary Islands.

Alcatel Submarine Networks (ASN) has been selected to deploy the new branches, which will increase the number of 2Africa landings to 35 in 26 countries. ASN has started manufacturing the cable and building repeater units in its factories in Calais and Greenwich to deploy the first segments in 2022. The system is expected to be ready-fo-service in 2023.

Marine surveys have been completed for most of the 2Africa system, which is expected to become the world's largest subsea cable project.

https://www.orange.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2021/new-branches-2africa-subsea-cable-system

2Africa subsea cable boasts design capacity up to 180 Tbps

Thursday, May 14, 2020  , , , , , ,   

2Africa, a new subsea cable to serve the African continent and Middle East region, promises to deliver more than the total combined capacity of all subsea cables serving Africa today, with a design capacity of up to 180Tbps on key parts of the system.

Consortium partners include China Mobile International, Facebook, MTN GlobalConnect, Orange, stc, Telecom Egypt, Vodafone and WIOCC.

Alcatel Submarine Networks (ASN) has been selected to build the fully-funded cable. The project will leverage SDM1 (space division multiplexing) technology from ASN, allowing deployment of up to 16 fiber pairs instead of the eight fiber pairs supported by older technologies. The cable will incorporate optical switching technology to enable flexible management of bandwidth. Cable burial depth has also been increased by 50% compared to older systems, and cable routing will avoid locations of known subsea disturbance, all helping to ensure the highest levels of availability.

The 2Africa subsea cable will span 37,000km long, interconnect Europe (eastward via Egypt), the Middle East (via Saudi Arabia), and 21 landings in 16 countries in Africa. The system is expected to go live in 2023/4. Each of the cable landing sites will offer carrier-neutral data centers or open-access cable landing stations on a fair and equitable basis.

In addition, the 2Africa parties and Airtel have signed an agreement with Telecom Egypt to provide a completely new crossing linking the Red Sea and the Mediterranean, the first in over a decade. This includes new cable landing stations and deployment of next-generation fiber on two new, diverse terrestrial routes parallel to the Suez Canal from Ras Ghareb to Port Said, and a new subsea link that will provide a third path between Ras Ghareb and Suez. 



"The launch of 2Africa enables us to offer our customers seamless connection between Africa and Europe, together with our SEA-ME-WE 5 and AAE-1 subsea cable resources to further extend to Asia, which is an important milestone of our global development strategy," said Jessica Gu, Director & Chief Technology Officer of China Mobile International. "The utmost capacity and faster transmission allows us to satisfy the needs of African nations today and in the future, reflecting our firm commitment to building a global digital life."

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O-RAN Alliance enters 4th release of Open Software

Monday, August 16, 2021    

The O-RAN Alliance announced the fourth release of its open software featuring support for closed-loop processing use cases, continued evolution of Non-Real-Time RAN Intelligent Control (Non-RT RIC) platform, new and enhanced xApps for the Near-Real-Time Radio Intelligent Controller (Near-RT RIC), as well as new performance monitoring and alarm support.

"With the joint efforts from the mobile carriers, traditional vendors, and more technology partners onboard, the 4th release is the first try to get the full O-RAN software stack working, and in addition we can now declare it is a smart RAN," said Chih-Lin I, the Co-chair of O-RAN Technical Steering Committee. "We are glad to see major accomplishments in the D release, and that our lab now delivers a reliable environment for the software community to continue new feature implementation and integration test verification."

Some further developments at the O-RAN Alliance:

  • On May 27, 2021, the O-RAN ALLIANCE signed a cooperation agreement with the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI). O-RAN ALLIANCE shares with ETSI a common objective to perform and promote regional and international standardization for 3GPP based technologies.
  • The O-RAN ALLIANCE also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Telecommunications Standards Development Society, India (TSDSI). It expresses mutual interest in cooperation to grow open interfaces and the open RAN ecosystem in the India subcontinent region.
  • On June 28, 2021, the O-RAN ALLIANCE approved three new Open Test and Integration Centers (OTICs):
    • European OTIC in Madrid hosted by Telefonica
    • European OTIC in Paris hosted by Orange
    • Auray OTIC and Security Lab (Taiwan) hosted by Auray Technology

”Making the RAN intelligent and context-aware is critically important for network optimization and automation. The focus of Samsung's O-RAN SC contribution has been towards enhancing the A1-Enrichment Information (A1-EI) & xAPP Framework. Overall, we believe that strengthening the O-RAN AI/ML Framework will play a big role in making operators achieve proactive closed-loop optimization and automation of RAN operations," said Dr. Sunghyun Choi, Corporate SVP and Head of Advanced Communications Research Center of Samsung Research, Samsung Electronics.


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T-Mobile US confirms major cyber breach

Monday, August 16, 2021  ,  

T-Mobile confirmed that unauthorized access to its IT systems had occurred, however, the company said it has not yet determined how much, if any, customer data had been stolen.

"We are confident that the entry point used to gain access has been closed, and we are continuing our deep technical review of the situation across our systems to identify the nature of any data that was illegally accessed. This investigation will take some time but we are working with the highest degree of urgency. Until we have completed this assessment we cannot confirm the reported number of records affected or the validity of statements made by others."


https://investor.t-mobile.com/news-and-events/t-mobile-us-press-releases/press-release-details/2021/TMobile-Cybersecurity-Incident-Update/default.aspx

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Boingo integrates AWS edge and cloud services

Monday, August 16, 2021    

Boingo Wireless has expanded its collaboration with Amazon Web Services by integrating AWS edge and cloud services within Boingo’s converged network offering in DAS, Wi-Fi and private network deployments.

One example is Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD), where Boingo launched a new private network over CBRS. The private cellular solution securely connects IoT devices at ORD and powers essential airport services. ORD activated a virtual customer service center at its Traveler’s Aid Station that required a dedicated wireless network to facilitate communications between on-site passengers and remote support staff via a live video kiosk. Because Boingo manages the converged DAS and Wi-Fi network at ORD, the company had the flexibility to quickly design and deploy a cloud-based private network for the kiosk in just days, supplying necessary bandwidth and speed for reliable, high quality video calls. The end-to-end network was engineered with AWS to securely host video distribution data.


“The Boingo Private Network gives Chicago O’Hare a connectivity platform that delivers crisp, clear video calls while avoiding congestion with our public wireless networks,” said Diego Ferrer, managing deputy commissioner and chief information officer at Chicago Department of Aviation. “Boingo seamlessly integrated the private network into our existing infrastructure and keeps our airport operations cutting-edge with AWS cloud services.”

www.boingo.com

AT&T teams with Boingo to expand 5G mmWave in U.S. airports

Wednesday, July 14, 2021  ,   

AT&T 5G+ is set to light up seven major U.S. airports in 2021, and reach 25 by the end of 2022. 5G+ is AT&T's term for mmWave coverage.AT&T confirmed that it is working with Boingo Wireless to expand this connectivity in major U.S. airports.“AT&T is always working to offer services and solutions that enhance our customers’ experiences, no matter where they are or what they’re doing,” said Mo Katibeh, who leads AT&T’s Network Infrastructure...

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Boingo launches Private Networks Service

Sunday, June 27, 2021  , ,   

Boingo Wireless has launched an enterprise private networks offering that provides dedicated, secure wireless connectivity with enhanced capacity, control and coverage. It is currently being trialed at leading airports, sports and entertainment venues nationwide.Boingo is offering a network as a service (NaaS) model. It can be implemented with 5G, LTE, CBRS, Wi-Fi 6, multi-access edge computing (MEC) and work seamlessly alongside neutral host DAS...

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Boingo: Wi-Fi 6 vs. CBRS? Competing or Complementary?

Sunday, June 27, 2021    

https://youtu.be/XUPIUe_3R5sDigital Transformation is driving the deployment of a new class of Private Mobile Networks. But which technology should enterprises choose? Wi-Fi 6 or private 5G based on CBRS? In this video, Derek Peterson, CTO of Boingo, offers his perspective.Download the 2021 Private Mobile Networks Report here: http://ngi.how/private-networks-2021&nb...

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Padtec's Q2 revenues rise 39% on strong DWDM growth

Monday, August 16, 2021  ,  

Padtec reported Q2 2021 operating revenue totaled R$ 119.6 million – an increase of 38.8% compared to the first quarter of 2021, and an increase of 86.3% compared to the same period last year. It was the company’s best quarterly result in the last five years.

For the first half of 2021, the company reported gross operating revenue of R$ 205.7 million, an amount that represents a growth of 63.7% compared to the same period last year. 

Padtec said its DWDM sales recorded a growth of 75.6% in the first six months, compared to the same period in 2020. 


In the first half of the year, Padtec also recorded an improvement in EBITDA, with earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization of R$ 36 million – triple the amount recorded in the same period in 2020. Adjusted EBTIDA (that disregards non-recurring events) reached R$ 21.1 million, with a margin of 13.6% – an increase of 9 percentage points. Gross margin was 35.5% (an increase of 3 percentage points), maintaining the same level as in recent quarters and reinforcing the profitability of the company’s businesses despite the exchange rate fluctuation between the periods.

Carlos Raimar, Padtec’s CEO, states: “The change in the dynamics of the Brazilian telecommunications market, with the accelerated adoption of fiber optic networks for residential and corporate applications, is now being replicated in other countries in Latin America. It is, without a doubt, an opportunity to expand our business in these regions. In addition, the prospect of activating 5G mobile networks in Brazil should generate a strong push to build communication networks across the country, both by operators – already active in the mobile segment – and by regional providers. To support 5G, investment in high-capacity optical networks should significantly increase the demand for DWDM equipment, benefiting our direct customers and their users and paving the way for a society with more connectivity and quality in data services.” 

https://www.padtec.com.br/en/

Brazil's Mercantil bank connects data centers with Padtec DWDM

Monday, June 28, 2021  ,   

Banco Mercantil do Brasil is increasing the transmission capacity of its DWDM networks in Belo Horizonte using a solution provided by Padtec.Padtec supplied transponders and route protection systems to connect the bank's data centers in Belo Horizonte. The project’s technical highlight is the use of the family of 200 Gbps transponders developed by the company for the transport of multiple 16 Gb/s data channels, in a network protocol called Fiber...

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HE-NET deploys Padtec's 200G in Bahia, Brazil

Monday, April 05, 2021    

HE-NET, the largest telecom operator in the state of Bahia, Brazil, has deployed Padtec's 200 Gbps transponders, optical amplifiers, and route protection systems to upgrade its optical network.The upgrade will light up the provider’s new routes in Bahia – two optical rings that connect the main municipalities in the south and southwest of the state. Padtec has also supplied the OTDR (Optical Time-Domain Reflectometer) solution, which allows operators...

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Brazil's Altarede deploys Padtec's 200G and 800G optical systems

Tuesday, February 23, 2021    

Altarede, a fiber-based network operator in Brazil, has made a record investment in Padtec’s 200 Gbps and 800 Gbps family of transponders to ensure high capacity connections to its customers - such as operators, internet service providers (ISPs), governments and enterprises.To light up the operator's new routes, installed between the capitals of Rio de Janeiro and Espírito Santo, Padtec provided state-of-the-art DWDM systems with ROADM (Reconfigurable...

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Nokia hires Oracle exec to head its SaaS business

Monday, August 16, 2021  ,  

Nokia has appointed Mark Bunn as Vice President, SaaS Business Operations, Cloud and Network Services. He is responsible for the business model, and operational and commercial strategy to drive Nokia’s shift to an ‘as a Service’ provider.

Bunn joins Nokia from Oracle, where he was Vice President of Monetization and Orchestration Applications in its Communications Business Unit; he is based in Dallas. 


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