Ericsson hits 5.7 Gbps with first downlink 6CC data call

Ericsson a record download speed of 5.7Gbps for the world’s first 6CC (component carrier) data call.

The data call was achieved using three FDD (frequency division duplex) bands combined with three TDD (time division duplex) bands in sub-6GHz, enabled by Ericsson RAN Compute hardware, state-of the-art carrier aggregation software, and innovative Advanced RAN Coordination functionality.

The 3FDD + 3TDD carrier aggregation testing was carried out in an Ericsson lab with a user equipment (UE) simulator. By combining FDD spectrum with TDD spectrum, more users can benefit from carrier aggregation gains.

In total, 400MHz of bandwidth was aggregated with FDD bandwidths ranging 20MHz to 50MHz to achieve the 5.7Gbps throughput. 

Sibel Tombaz, Head of Product Line 5G RAN at Ericsson Networks, says: "We are keeping the momentum on carrier aggregation by continuously stretching its potential to boost capacity and speed. Our successful 6CC data call shows how versatile our solution is and that we are poised to work with ecosystem partners to make this new band combination a reality. Our goal, as always, is to help customers meet end users’ growing appetite for high-capacity, ultrahigh-speed 5G."

https://www.ericsson.com/en/news/2023/8/ericsson-ups-the-tempo-on-5g-carrier-aggregation-with-worlds-first-downlink-6cc-data-call

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Digital Realty offers high-density colocation with 70 kilowatts per rack

Digital Realty has begun offering high-density colocation services tuned for high-performance computing (HPC) configurations.

Key Features:

• High-density support: supports workloads of up to 70 kilowatts per rack.
• Cooling: utilizes innovative Air-Assisted Liquid Cooling (AALC) technologies.
• Global availability: solution supported in 28 markets across three regions, including North America, EMEA and Asia-Pacific.
• Extensible and sustainable: scale up and out with flexible and sustainable consumption models.

"We recognize the data management challenges that companies are facing, where the exponential growth in data can hinder performance and innovation. As a trusted infrastructure partner, Digital Realty is committed to addressing these challenges by leveraging our longstanding experience in delivering high density infrastructure solutions. While we already support hundreds of high-performance computing deployments across our portfolio, we've listened to our customers and taken it a step further, providing standardized configurations and ultra-high-power densities. This offering will enable businesses to unlock new possibilities, quickly deploy high performance infrastructure on a global platform, and achieve optimal performance in the age of AI," said Scott Mills, Senior Vice President Engineering and Customer Solutions at Digital Realty.

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O-RAN Alliance adds 4 Open Testing and Integration Centres

The O-RAN ALLIANCE approved four new Open Testing and Integration Centres (OTIC) in North America. OTICs are vendor-independent, open, and qualified labs approved by the O-RAN ALLIANCE that issue awards in the O-RAN Certification and Badging Program, so that operators can deploy products at scale and with confidence. The new labs include:

• Northeastern University - the OTIC at the Institute for the Wireless Internet of Things (WIoT) at Northeastern University promotes research, development, and testing of next-generation intelligent Open Radio Access Networks (Open RAN). The OTIC within the Open6G hub is a resource for industry, academia, and government toward multi-vendor interoperability and validation of end-to-end control logic for programmable networks, including artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) algorithms. The OTIC provides testing equipment and services to validate disaggregated base stations and RAN Intelligent Controllers (RICs), including custom applications (i.e., xApps and rApps). Applications can be tested against different RAN implementations (including commercial and open-source stacks), in emulated or over-the-air environments. The OTIC platforms include Colosseum, the world’s largest wireless network emulator with hardware-in-the-loop, already showcased as a digital twin for multiple Open RAN tests and trials.
• Central Iowa (ARA) - the OTIC in Central Iowa (ARA) is hosted by the Center for Wireless, Communities, and Innovation (WiCI) at Iowa State University (ISU). It uses the newly deployed NSF funded ARA rural wireless platform and provides services for testing and integrating O-RAN technologies using state of the art wireless equipment and with the addition of agricultural and rural setting and equipment. To facilitate experimentation, ARA-OTIC has deployed multi-modal, long-distance, and high-capacity wireless x-haul platforms ranging from free space optical to mmWave and microwave bands, as well as advanced wireless access platforms such as low-UHF massive MIMO systems, software-defined-radio (SDR) and programmable commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) 5G systems, and open-source 5G-and-beyond software platforms to integrate modeling and simulation environments as well as management and decision systems. ARA-OITC is fully committed to promoting the openness of O-RAN in research and innovation by providing a unique platform.
• Salt Lake City (POWDER) - the OTIC in Salt Lake City (POWDER) supports end-to-end Open RAN testing in lab and field scenarios and has developed a Testing Orchestration and Testing Automation (TOTA) framework to provide streamlined, on-demand testing capabilities. OTIC services provided by POWDER include interoperability and end-to-end testing, badging and certification. The OTIC offers additional Open RAN related services including use case and proof-of-concept development and evaluation, functional testing in lab and field environments, and Open RAN intelligent ecosystem research, testing and development.
• Washington, DC/Arlington, VA - the Commonwealth Cyber Initiative (CCI) xG Testbed at Virginia Tech, in partnership with AT&T, DISH Network, and Verizon, emphasizes programmability and interoperability, relying when possible on open interfaces and open-source software. Key capabilities include securing 5G and next-generation mobile networks, AI assurance, multi-vendor interoperability, conformance and performance testing, and an end-to-end intelligent RAN control-loop supported by an AI/ML framework. CCI’s OTIC features indoor and outdoor testing environments, which can validate disaggregated RAN components — O-RAN Centralized Unit (O-CU), O-RAN Distributed Unit (O-DU), O-RAN Radio Unit (O-RU) — Over-The-Air (OTA) across locations and transport networks. Researchers can test RAN components’ interaction with Radio Intelligent Controllers (RICs) and microservices/applications that are AI/ML-based (i.e., xApps and rApps). Related services include use case and proof-of-concept development and evaluation.

“The O-RAN ALLIANCE welcomes four additional OTICs to North America, bringing the worldwide total to 15,” said Alex Jinsung Choi, Chairman of the Board, O-RAN ALLIANCE. “The essential function of OTICs to certify and badge products complements the work of our operator members and contributing vendors to continuously develop products and operationalize O-RAN specifications.”

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Lumentum: AI will drive demand for EML and CW lasers for 800G

Lumentum reported revenue of $370.8 million for its fiscal fourth quarter ended July 1, 2023, with GAAP net loss of $60.2 million, or $0.88 per diluted share. This compares with revenue of $422.1 million for the same period last year.

“With generational upgrades in the backbone of the network and increased customer activity for AI in the data center, we expect year-over-year Telecom and Datacom growth in calendar 2024,” said Alan Lowe, President and CEO. “Fourth quarter revenue and EPS results were above the midpoints of our guidance. We believe that the current customer inventory correction cycle will continue through the balance of the calendar year, and therefore, our shipments will be below end-market demand. During this transition period, we are delivering as planned on our product roadmaps and are tracking ahead of our previously announced synergy plans.”

Some highlight's for Lumentum's Telecom & Datacom segment

• Revenue up 2% Y/Y
• Demonstrated the industry’s first 800G ZR module technology
• AI applications driving increased demand for EML and CW lasers for 800G transceivers
• 200G-per-lane EML internal qualification completed
• ROADM revenue grew 30% Q/Q and 21% Y/Y, driven by new ROADM architectures

https://investor.lumentum.com/events-and-presentations/presentations/default.aspx

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Keysight posts sales of $1.38 billion, flat yoy

Keysight Technologies reported revenue of $1.38 billion for its third fiscal quarter ended July 31, 2023. flat compared with last year, and up 1 percent on a core basis. Non-GAAP net income was $393 million, or $2.19 per share, compared with $363 million, or $2.01 per share in the third quarter of 2022.

“Keysight delivered solid third quarter results, demonstrating the strength of our portfolio and the resilience of our financial model,” said Satish Dhanasekaran, Keysight’s President and CEO. “Despite near-term macro challenges, Keysight’s diversified business, strong customer engagement through our differentiated solutions portfolio, and durable operating model give us confidence in our ability to capitalize on the long-term secular growth trends of our markets, as well as outperform in a variety of market conditions.”

Highlights

• Communications Solutions Group (CSG) revenue was $918 million in the third quarter, down 5 percent over last year, reflecting a 12 percent decline in commercial communications, while aerospace, defense, and government increased 11 percent driven by technology modernization, space and satellite, radar, and research in 5G and 6G technologies.
• Electronic Industrial Solutions Group (EISG) revenue was $464 million in the third quarter, up 14 percent over last year, driven by growth across semiconductor solutions, general electronics, and next-generation automotive and energy technologies.

Regarding its outlook for the fourth fiscal quarter of 2023, revenue is expected to be in the range of $1.29 billion to $1.31 billion. Non-GAAP earnings per share for the fourth fiscal quarter of 2023 are expected to be in the range of $1.83 to $1.89. 

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