Adtran joins Software enabled Fiber optic multisensing Network project

Adtran has joined the EU-funded Software enabled Fiber optic multisensing Network (SoFiN) project, which is developing a flexible platform for fiber-based sensing applications in critical infrastructure. The platform will measure properties such as strain, temperature, vibration and acoustics through interrogator and sensor technology, cloud connectivity and AI-based signal interpretation. Adtran is leading the development of the interrogator platform and the new solution will be tested in a fiber network with Adtran customer and SoFiN partner, Tele2 Estonia, as well as a water supply network in Nicosia, Cyprus.

Involving a consortium of eight partners from Germany, Denmark, Cyprus and Estonia, the four-year project will harness cloud connectivity and AI to improve monitoring of fiber-optic and power distribution networks as well as to reduce leakage in water supply systems. Adtran’s expertise in fiber assurance technology will be instrumental in engineering low-cost, energy-efficient and versatile multi-sensing systems.

“We’re excited to contribute our know-how and experience to the SoFiN project. Together with our partners, we’ll develop and demonstrate an integrated and energy-efficient interrogator hardware setup that can easily be adapted to different sensing needs,” said Sander Jansen, GM of Infrastructure Monitoring, Adtran. “Our expertise in fiber assurance technology will play a crucial role in engineering low-cost, energy-efficient and versatile multi-sensing systems. This will deliver major benefits across a wide range of sectors from telecommunications to power grids.”

The SoFiN project has the potential to revolutionize the way critical infrastructure is supervised and protected. It will produce low-cost and energy-efficient multi-sensing systems expected to address the monitoring needs of various industries, including telecommunications, power grids and water supply networks. 

https://www.adtran.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/20230404-adtran-joins-sofin-project-to-drive-flexible-low-cost-multi-sensing-for-critical-industries

More about SoFiN: https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101093015

Read More

Dell'Oro: Worldwide telecom CAPEX to decline in 2023

Worldwide telecom capex—the sum of wireless and wireline telecom carrier investments—increased at a low-single digit rate year-over-year in nominal USD terms in 2022, down from the high-single digit growth in 2021, according to a new forecast report from Dell'Oro Group. This moderation in the capex growth rate was consistent with the aggregate telco equipment trends previously communicated regarding the six Dell'Oro telecom programs (Broadband Access, Microwave Transmission & Mobile Backhaul, Optical Transport, Mobile Core Network, Radio Access Network, Service Provider Routers & Switch).

"The relation between service provider capex and telecom equipment is not perfect, partly because the equipment makes up roughly one third of the capex," said Stefan Pongratz, Vice President and analyst with Dell'Oro Group. "Even with the inherent wiggle room, aggregate R-squared for capex and equipment is in the 0.8+ range over the past seven years, so it is obviously an important metric to consider for short-term projections. At the same time, it is not the only input and with the equipment market expected to grow 1 percent in 2023 and telco capex projected to decline, it can be inferred that the Dell'Oro analyst team is modeling some minor decoupling over the short-term," continued Pongratz.

Additional highlights from the March 2023 3-year Telecom Capex forecast report:

• Looking back at the full year, total capex growth was slightly lower than the 3 percent increase we initially projected a year ago going into 2022, partly due to the stronger USD.
• Global telecom capex projections have been revised upward to reflect the price of the USD and the improved capex outlook in China.
• Global telecom capex is projected to decline at a 2 percent to 3 percent CAGR over the next 3 years, as positive growth in India will not be enough to offset sharp capex cuts in North America.
• Capital intensity ratios are projected to improve and approach 16 percent by 2025, hinging crucially on the assumption that carrier revenues will remain flat and outperform capex.

https://www.delloro.com/news/worldwide-telecom-capex-to-decline-in-2023/

Read More

Vantage signs Investment Partnership to fund EMEA expansions

Vantage Data Centers will form an Investment Partnership with a consortium of investors led by funds affiliated with the investment management platform of DigitalBridge, MEAG and Infranity (together with other investors).

The transaction values the Investment Partnership, which is related to certain stabilized European assets, at approximately €2.5 billion (approximately $2.7 billion), including Vantage’s stake. The additional capital raised by the Investor Consortium will be used to support the continued growth of Vantage’s EMEA data center platform. The Investment Partnership is expected to be finalized in the second quarter of 2023, subject to satisfaction of certain closing conditions, including the receipt of certain regulatory approvals.

https://www.vantage-dc.com

Read More

HPE intros File, Block and Data Protection Services

Hewlett Packard Enterprise announced new file, block, disaster and backup recovery data services that deliver scale-out, enterprise-grade performance for data-intensive workloads.

The new file and block offerings leverage a flexible hybrid cloud architecture through HPE Alletra Storage MP and are available through HPE GreenLake. HPE GreenLake for File Storage provides a scale-out service to accelerate processing of data-intensive workloads through enterprise performance at scale, with throughput of hundreds of gigabytes per second. The new file storage service brings together the HPE GreenLake cloud experience and VAST Data software to establish a highly resilient file service designed for exabyte scale.

HPE GreenLake for Block Storage is expanding to offer the availability, performance and scalability of mission-critical storage with mid-range economics. The new HPE GreenLake for Block Storage is the industry’s first disaggregated, scale-out block storage with a 100% data availability guarantee. HPE GreenLake for Block Storage now offers better price for performance but with the same always-on, always-fast architecture designed to help customers meet SLAs for mission-critical applications and mixed workloads. Customers can get HPE Alletra Storage MP today in an upfront capital expenditure motion, with HPE GreenLake for Block Storage subscription services.

“Customers today face unprecedented challenges in managing their data. The rapid increase in the volume and complexity of data has forced organizations to manage it all with a costly combination of siloed storage solutions,” said Tom Black, executive vice president and general manager, HPE Storage. “The new HPE GreenLake data services and expanded HPE Alletra innovations make it easier and more economical to manage multiple types of data, storage protocols, and workloads, allowing customers to focus on accelerating innovation and driving business results.”

https://www.hpe.com/us/en/newsroom/press-release/2023/04/hpe-transforms-data-lifecycle-management-with-expanded-hpe-alletra-portfolio-with-new-file-block-and-data-protection-services.html

Read More

KT appoints interim CEO following succession turmoil

KT has appointed Park Jong- Ook, Head of Corporate Planning Group, to serve as interim CEO.

This follows the resignation of Ku Hyeon-Mo as the CEO of KT due to personal reasons, as well as the resignation of two outside directors, Kim Dae-You and Yu Hee-Yol, who expressed heavy responsibility for recent events. 

Earlier in March, the company's board of directors considered 5 other candidates for the top role, but these plans fell apart.

KT has established an Emergency Management Committee composed of the interim CEO and key executives to make collective decisions on management and business concerns, and plans to operate a "Sustainable Growth TF" and "New Governance Establishment TF" under the committee.

https://corp.kt.com/eng/attach/irnews/10631/IR%20Newsletter_230329_ENG.pdf

Read More

Virgin Media UK hit by service outages

Virgin Media was impacted by multiple service outages on April 4th beginning in the morning and extending throughout the day. The disruption impacted the company's contact centres as well as its broadband subscribers across the UK.

Virgin Media apologized on Twitter for the disruption but has not posted an explanation.

On its blog, Cloudflare analyses the traffic drop to UK ISP Virgin Media backbone (AS5089).

https://blog.cloudflare.com/virgin-media-outage-april-4-2023/

Read More

Oracle to open 2nd cloud region in Singapore

Oracle plans to open a second cloud region in Singapore.

The new region, which is one of 10 planned public regions to join the 41 regions that Oracle currently operates, will offer over 100 OCI services and applications, including Oracle Autonomous Database, MySQL HeatWave Database Service, Oracle Container Engine for Kubernetes, and Oracle Cloud VMware Solution.

“Our upcoming second cloud region in Singapore will help meet the tremendous upsurge in demand for cloud services in South East Asia,” said Garrett Ilg, president, Japan & Asia Pacific, Oracle. “With the new region, Oracle offers customers true business continuity and disaster protection while meeting in-country data residency requirements. As a result, we’re extending our commitment to helping organizations in South East Asia embrace technologies like AI, machine learning, and IoT to address their most complex challenges and achieve more with less.”

The first Oracle Cloud Singapore Region has supported the innovation needs of more than 1,000 customers in South East Asia, including Pacific International Lines and Siam Makro.

https://www.oracle.com/news/announcement/oracle-strengthens-commitment-to-south-east-asia-with-second-cloud-region-in-singapore-2023-04-04/

Read More