Photonic Inc and Microsoft: Quantum entanglement at telecom wavelengths

Photonic Inc., a start-up developing distributed quantum computing in silicon, cited a significant milestone: entanglement between modules. 

Microsoft, which has been collaborating with Photonic since last November, said the "accomplishment demonstrates that existing telecommunication networks have the potential to enable long-distance quantum communications—the foundation for a quantum internet and distributed quantum computing."  

Photonic’s approach is based on optically linked silicon spin qubits with a native telecom networking interface, meaning that it can integrate with the infrastructure, platforms, and scale of today’s global telecommunications networks, including the Microsoft Azure cloud. Three demonstrations, culminating in the teleported CNOT gate sequence, established and consumed distributed quantum entanglement—entanglement between qubits not adjacent to one another or even in the same cryostat.

“The crucial role that entanglement distribution will play in unlocking the commercial promise of quantum computing cannot be overstated. Large-scale quantum algorithms running across multiple quantum computers require enormous amounts of distributed entanglement to work well,” said Dr. Stephanie Simmons, Founder and Chief Quantum Officer at Photonic. “These demonstrations highlight the promise of our distinctive architectural approach to solve the challenge of scaling beyond single nodes. While there is still much work ahead, it’s important to acknowledge the pivotal role that entanglement distribution must play in shaping quantum system designs.”

Read Photonic’s scientific paper 

Read Photonic’s new whitepaper Distributed Quantum Computing in Silicon: Entanglement Between Modules

Read the Microsoft Azure Quantum Blog

Photonic Inc builds its Quantum team

Thursday, May 02, 2024    

Photonic Inc., a start-up based in Vancouver that is advancing distributed quantum computing in silicon, announced key additions to its research team:Dr. Chantal Arena joins as vice president of research, development, and production – devices. Arena has 35 years' experience in business strategy, materials science, and semiconductor devices fabrication, most recently as co-chief executive and technical officer at Lawrence Semiconductors. She holds...

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Photonic Inc. unveils its quantum in silicon, $140m in funding

Wednesday, November 08, 2023    

Photonic Inc., a start-up based in Vancouver, unveiled its architecture for scalable, fault-tolerant, and unified quantum computing and networking platforms based on photonically linked silicon spin qubits. The company specializes in spin-photon interfaces in silicon, silicon integrated photonics, and quantum optics. Photonic's technology provides computing (with spin qubits), networking (via photons), and memory. Photonic links in silicon deliver...

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Marvell intros PCIe retimers based on PAM4

Marvell introduced its Alaska P PCIe retimer product line for data center compute fabrics inside accelerated servers, general-purpose servers, CXL systems and disaggregated infrastructure. 

The first two products, 8- and 16-lane PCIe Gen 6 retimers, connect AI accelerators, GPUs, CPUs and other components inside server systems.  The 16-lane retimer is sampling now to customers and ecosystem partners; the 8-lane product will sample next quarter. 

PCIe retimers are key to supporting the faster inside-server-system connection speeds of PCIe Gen 6 over longer distances.

PCIe Gen 6, which operates at 64 gigatransfers-per-second (GT/s), is the first PCIe standard to use four-level pulse-amplitude modulation (PAM4) signaling, displacing the non-return to zero (NRZ) modulation used for the last 20 years. The higher bandwidth and faster data rate limit the physical reach signals can travel reliably, reducing the distance connections can span. 

Marvell Alaska P retimers address this by compensating for the signal degradations and regenerating the signal to deliver reliable communication over the physical distances required for connections between GPUs and CPUs within an AI server, between GPUs on different boards, or between CPUs and a pool of shared memory enabled by CXL, among other use cases. 

Marvell says its retimers can be used on AI accelerator baseboards, server motherboards, riser cards, or integrated into active electrical cables (PCIe AEC) and active optical cables (PCIe AOC) for emerging multi-rack server system architectures.

The retimers can be used for on-board or cable copper connections or combined with electrical-to-optical components to produce optical PCIe modules, addressing different cloud customer data center architectures. Marvell is working with cable and optical module partners to integrate the products into cloud-optimized interconnect solutions for different data center customer applications.

Key features include:

• Compatible with PCI Express Gen 6/5/4/3/2/1 and Compute Express Link 3/2/1.1
• Industry-leading PAM4 SerDes performance
• Low-latency mode for cache-coherent links
• Industry’s lowest power consumption (10W PCIe 6 x16)
• Industry-standard x16 and x8 footprints
• Advanced telemetry and diagnostics: in-band FEC monitoring, out-of-band SerDes eye monitoring, embedded logic analyzer and software suite for fleet management in large-scale deployments

“Marvell is the industry leader for data center-to-data center, switch-to-switch, rack-to-rack, server-to-switch, and server-to-server connectivity. We are now entering the market for compute fabrics as PCIe and CXL go through an inflection point, migrating from NRZ to PAM4 technology,” said Venu Balasubramonian, vice president of product marketing, Connectivity Business Unit at Marvell. “Marvell is building on more than 10 years of in-house expertise in PAM4 technology and our industry-leading 5nm PAM4 IP portfolio to enable this transition. Our Alaska P PCIe retimer family is an important addition to the comprehensive Marvell accelerated infrastructure portfolio.”

• Marvell has been a pioneer in PAM4 technology for over a decade, and the new Alaska P PCIe retimer product line expands its PAM4 connectivity portfolio beyond Ethernet and InfiniBand to include copper and optical PCIe, CXL, and proprietary compute fabric links, addressing connections within AI and general-purpose server systems and broadening Marvell’s market reach.
• In 2023, Marvell introduced Nova, the industry’s first 1.6T PAM4 DSP, along with integrated PAM4 DSPs (Perseus) and efficiency-optimized DSPs (Spica Gen2-T) to support various cloud data center link types and use cases. Additionally, Marvell’s PAM4 technology underpins the Alaska A DSP chips, which are optimized for active electrical cable (AEC) applications.

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European Commission approves KKR's acquisition of TIM

 The European Commission has approved unconditionally the acquisition by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. (KKR), a U.S.-based investment group, of NetCo., which comprises the primary and backbone fixed-line network business of Telecom Italia S.p.A. (‘TIM') as well as FiberCop S.p.A (‘FiberCop'). FiberCop is a joint venture between TIM and KKR comprising TIM's secondary fixed-line network.

The deal, which was announced in November 2023, is valued at EUR 22 billion.

The Commission's investigation into the impact of the acquisition found that:

• KKR would not have the ability to restrict access to passive services (i.e., infrastructure). For each wholesale product the number of available networks and wholesale providers will stay the same and the market power of NetCo will not materially increase as compared to TIM or FiberCop today. The existing long-term agreements with several access seekers, including Fastweb and Iliad, which have been entered into after the creation of FiberCop in 2021, ensure that KKR will not be able to deteriorate the conditions for wholesale access or terminate such access.
• The transaction would not increase the likelihood of coordination between NetCo and OpenFiber, given that Fastweb will continue to exert competitive pressure on NetCo and its long-standing competitor, Open Fiber. In addition, NetCo and Open Fiber will likely continue to compete, both to attract new customers and to roll-out fibre network, either in new areas or in each other's areas.

https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/IP_24_2993

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Google to build US$2 billion for Cloud region in Malaysia

Google is investing US$2 billion for its first Google data center and Google Cloud region in Malaysia. 

The new facility will be located in the Elmina Business Park in the Greater Kuala Lumpur region.

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Marvell posts revenue of $1.161 billion

Marvell Technology reported net revenue for its first quarter of fiscal 2025 of $1.161 billion, $11.0 million above the mid-point of the company's guidance provided on March 7, 2024. GAAP net loss for the first quarter of fiscal 2025 was $(215.6) million, or $(0.25) per diluted share. Non-GAAP net income for the first quarter of fiscal 2025 was $206.7 million, or $0.24 per diluted share. Cash flow from operations for the first quarter was $324.5 million.

"Marvell delivered first quarter fiscal 2025 revenue of $1.161 billion, above the mid-point of guidance, driven by stronger than forecasted demand from AI. Our data center revenue grew 87% year over year, with the start of a ramp in our custom AI programs complementing our substantial base of electro-optics revenue," said Matt Murphy, Marvell's Chairman and CEO. "For the second quarter of fiscal 2025, we are guiding an 8% sequential increase in revenue at the mid-point, fueled by ramping custom AI silicon. We see a favorable setup for the second half of this fiscal year, driven by continued growth in data center and the beginning of a recovery in enterprise networking and carrier infrastructure."

https://www.marvell.com

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Cignal AI: Optical and routing hardware spending drops 15% in 1Q24

Despite spending from cloud operators, the Optical and Routing Transport equipment market continued to decline in 1Q24, according to a new report from Cignal AI. 

"Cloud Operators continue to provide the financial and technical leadership in the transport equipment market," said Kyle Hollasch, Lead Analyst at Cignal AI. “Based on our discussions within the supply chain, we don’t expect a recovery in spending from traditional service providers until 2025, at the earliest.”

Additional 1Q24 Transport Hardware Report Findings:

• Spending in North America on Optical Transport equipment declined for the 4th straight quarter, while Routing dropped to levels last seen in 2020.
• Cloud Operator expenditures hit double digits while traditional service providers continued to cut back. Sales to Cloud & Colo operators exceeded Service Provider spending for the second consecutive quarter. Ciena remains the primary beneficiary of Cloud spending.
• Network operators in EMEA spent cautiously, apart from buildouts for cloud operators, which grew almost 50%.
• Chinese operators are upgrading long-haul WDM infrastructure, and the latest contract awards benefitted Huawei, ZTE, and Fiberhome. Routing equipment in the region remains flat.
• Now that Indian operators have completed a series of 5G related builds, spending in RoAPAC (ex-China and Japan) is in a downturn.

https://cignal.ai/

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Arista to align compute and network domains as a single managed AI entity

Arista Networks, in collaboration with NVIDIA, hosted a technology demonstration showcasing AI Data Centers that integrate compute and network domains into a single managed AI entity. This initiative aims to help customers configure, manage, and monitor AI clusters uniformly across key components, including networks, NICs, and servers. By demonstrating this unified approach, Arista and NVIDIA highlight the potential for a multi-vendor, interoperable ecosystem that allows for better control and coordination between AI networking and compute infrastructure.

The technology demonstration introduced an Arista EOS-based remote AI agent, which enables the combined AI cluster to be managed as a single solution. With EOS running on the network, this remote AI agent extends its capabilities to servers and SuperNICs, allowing for real-time tracking and reporting of performance issues between hosts and networks. This integration ensures that any performance degradation or failures can be quickly isolated and mitigated, optimizing the end-to-end quality of service (QoS) within the AI Data Center.

As AI clusters and large language models (LLMs) grow in complexity and size, the need for uniform controls across AI servers and network switches becomes critical. The demonstration addressed the challenges of managing disparate components such as GPUs, NICs, switches, optics, and cables. By providing a single point of control and visibility, the Arista EOS-based solution helps prevent misconfigurations and misalignments that can adversely affect job completion times. Additionally, the coordinated management and monitoring of compute and network resources ensure efficient congestion management, minimizing packet drops and optimizing GPU utilization.

Highlights of the demo

• Collaboration between Arista Networks and NVIDIA for AI Data Centers.
• Unified management of AI clusters across networks, NICs, and servers.
• Demonstration of a multi-vendor, interoperable ecosystem.
• Introduction of an Arista EOS-based remote AI agent.
• Real-time tracking and reporting of performance issues.
• Optimization of end-to-end QoS within the AI Data Center.
• Single point of control and visibility for AI clusters.
• Efficient congestion management and optimization of GPU utilization.

“Arista aims to improve efficiency of communication between the discovered network and GPU topology to improve job completion times through coordinated orchestration, configuration, validation, and monitoring of NVIDIA accelerated compute, NVIDIA SuperNICs, and Arista network infrastructure,” said John McCool, Chief Platform Officer for Arista Networks.

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New Subsea Cable to link UK, Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, and Norway

 IOEMA Fibre announced plans for high-capacity, 1400 km repeatered submarine cable system connecting five key northern European markets – the UK, The Netherlands, Germany, Denmark and Norway, supporting critical infrastructure security with full armouring and burial.

The 48-fibre pair system will support a minimum overall capacity of 1.3 Pb/s.

The IOEMA cable system consists of a trunk route, connecting Dumpton Gap, UK with Kristiansand, Norway and three branches, connecting Eemshaven, The Netherlands; Wilhelmshaven, Germany; and Blaabjerg, Denmark. The cable connects with vital transatlantic crossings Havfrue (DK), Leif Erikson (NO) and other planned Trans-Atlantic cables.

The IOEMA system will be the first submarine fibre optic cable landing on the North Sea shores of Germany in over 25 years. After decommissioning of TAT-14, SEA-ME-WE 3 and others, the IOEMA submarine fibre optic cable system will be the only cable system connecting Germany to the submarine cable networks in the North Sea and beyond.

https://ioemafibre.eu/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/IOEMA-Press-Release-290524-web.pdf

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AST SpaceMobile signs Verizon for Direct-to-Cellular

AST SpaceMobile announced a strategic partnership with a commitment of $100 million to provide direct-to-cellular satellite service for Verizon.

The partnership will combine Verizon’s terrestrial mobile network, the multi-operator 850 Mhz band and AST SpaceMobile's communications arrays in low Earth orbit. 

The $100 million Verizon commitment includes $65 million ​of​ commercial prepayments, $45 million of which are subject to certain conditions, and $35 million of convertible notes.

“This new partnership with Verizon will enable AST SpaceMobile to target 100% coverage of the continental United States on premium 850 MHz spectrum with two major U.S. mobile operators in the most valuable wireless market in the world, a transformational commercial milestone,” said Abel Avellan, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of AST SpaceMobile. “This partnership will enhance cellular connectivity in the United States, essentially eliminating dead zones and empowering remote areas of the country with space-based connectivity.”

“Verizon has always been strategic and efficient with our spectrum strategy. We use the spectrum entrusted to us to deliver outstanding cellular service for our customers through our terrestrial network. By entering into this agreement with AST, we will now be able to use our spectrum in conjunction with AST’s satellite network to provide essential connectivity in remote corners of the U.S. where cellular signals are unreachable through traditional land-based infrastructure,” said Srini Kalapala, Senior Vice President of Technology and Product Development at Verizon.

AST SpaceMobile now has agreements with more than 45 mobile network operators globally who collectively serve over 2.8 billion existing subscribers. 

AT&T and AST SpaceMobile target space-to-mobiles

Wednesday, May 15, 2024    

AT&T and AST SpaceMobile entered a commercial agreement to provide space-based broadband network direct to everyday cell phones. The deal runs through 2030.This summer, AST SpaceMobile plans to deliver its first commercial satellites to Cape Canaveral for launch into low Earth orbit. These initial five satellites will enable commercial service that was previously demonstrated with several key milestones. Key Takeaways :AT&T and AST SpaceMobile...

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AST Mobile Tapes Out Space-to-Cellular ASIC

Wednesday, March 27, 2024    

AST SpaceMobile, which is building the first and only space-based cellular broadband network accessible directly by everyday smartphones, has begun the tape-out phase for its Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), in collaboration with TSMC.AST SpaceMobile's BlueBird Block 2 program, the AST5000 ASIC is a novel, custom and low-power architecture developed to enable up to a tenfold improvement in processing bandwidth on each satellite, unlocking...

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Arm readies next-gen, on-device AI silicon

Arm introduced its Compute Subsystems (CSS) for Client, a framework that brings together its Armv9 capabilties into production-ready implementations of new Arm CPUs and GPUs on 3nm process nodes.

CSS for Client provides the foundational computing elements for the company's flagship SoCs and features the latest Armv9.2 CPUs and Immortalis GPUs, as well as production ready physical implementations for CPU and GPU on 3nm and the latest Corelink System Interconnect and System Memory Management Units (SMMUs).

Silicon companies can use the Arm CSS framework to create the lates compute solutions for AI smartphones and PCs, delivering Android workloads with greater than 30 percent increase on compute and graphics performance and 59 percent faster AI inference for broader AI/ML and computer vision (CV) workloads, according to the company.

The new Arm Cortex-X925 CPU cluster is Arm’s most powerful and efficient yet. Using advanced 3nm process nodes and running at 3.8GHz with maximum cache size, the Cortex-X925 achieves a 36% increase in single-thread performance over 2023 flagship 4nm SoCs. For AI applications, it provides a remarkable 41% performance boost, significantly enhancing the responsiveness of on-device generative AI like large language models.

Key Points for the new Arm Cortex-X925 CPU:

• Performance: Highest year-on-year performance uplift in Cortex-X history.

• Process Node: Advanced 3nm technology.

• Clock Rate: 3.8GHz with maximum cache.

• Single-Thread Performance: 36% increase compared to 2023 4nm SoCs.

• AI Performance: 41% improvement for on-device generative AI tasks.

Arm's press release cites supports from TSMC, Samsung Foundry, and Intel Foundry Services.

https://newsroom.arm.com/news/arm-css-for-client?utm_source=linkedin&utm_medium=social-organic&utm_content=newsroom&utm_campaign=mk04_client_css24

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CoreSite expands AWS Direct Connect

CoreSite now offers native access to AWS Direct Connect in its Chicago data center campus, offering dedicated connections from 10 Gbps and 100 Gbps and Hosted connections from 50 Mbps to 25 Gbps. 

AWS Direct Connect is natively available in six CoreSite markets including Los Angeles, Silicon Valley, Denver, New York, Northern Virginia and now Chicago. This new AWS Direct Connect deployment enables CoreSite customers to more easily build secure, high-performing and resilient infrastructure aligned with the AWS Well-Architected Framework.

https://www.coresite.com

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T-Mobile to acquire UScellular operations for $4.4 billion

T-Mobile agreed to acquire substantially all of UScellular’s wireless operations, including its wireless customers and stores, as well as approximately 30% of its spectrum across certain bands. The combination will add millions of UScellular customers, many of whom are in rural areas, to T-Mobile’s 5G network. Conversely, T-Mobile customers will also get access to UScellular’s network in areas that previously had limited coverage.

Under the deal, T-Mobile will pay approximately $4.4 billion, consisting of cash and up to $2.0 billion of assumed debt. UScellular will retain its other spectrum and towers, while T-Mobile will lease space on 2,100 towers. T-Mobile anticipates $1.0 billion in annual cost synergies and plans to reinvest these savings to enhance consumer options and competition.

• T-Mobile’s acquisition cost: $4.4 billion (cash and up to $2.0 billion in assumed debt).
• UScellular retains ownership of its certain spectrum and towers.
• T-Mobile to lease space on 2,100 towers.
• No impact on T-Mobile’s 2024 guidance or shareholder return program.
• Expected annual cost synergies: $1.0 billion.
• Integration cost: Estimated between $2.2 billion to $2.6 billion.
• Reinvestment of synergies to improve consumer choice and competition.

“With this deal T-Mobile can extend the superior Un-carrier value and experiences that we’re famous for to millions of UScellular customers and deliver them lower-priced, value-packed plans and better connectivity on our best-in-class nationwide 5G network,” said Mike Sievert, CEO of T-Mobile. “As customers from both companies will get more coverage and more capacity from our combined footprint, our competitors will be forced to keep up – and even more consumers will benefit. The Un-carrier is all about shaking up wireless for the good of consumers and this deal is another way for us to continue doing even more of that.”

https://www.t-mobile.com/news/business/uscellular-acquisition-operations-assets

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Cologix completes 50MW data center in Columbus, Ohio

Cologix completed construction of its fourth data center in Columbus Ohio,

Spanning 256,000 square feet across a seven-acre campus, COL4 is equipped to handle the growing influx of AI applications and offers unparalleled connectivity options and fully available power for businesses seeking high-performance data center solutions.

Higlights of Cologix COL4

• Capacity: 50MW of power across three data halls 
• Connectivity: COL4 provides access to over 50 unique network providers in Meet-Me-Rooms (MMRs), ensuring diverse connectivity options for all customers.
• Scalability: The facility offers scalable power options to meet diverse colocation requirements, providing flexibility and efficiency for enterprises of all sizes.
• AI Readiness: COL4 is designed to support the surge of AI applications, providing the infrastructure needed for seamless integration with cloud services.
• Redundancy: COL4 features redundant power and cooling systems, as well as robust network infrastructure, to minimize downtime and ensure continuous operation.
• Security: The facility is equipped with state-of-the-art security measures to safeguard data and infrastructure, ensuring compliance with industry standards and regulations. COL4 has a bullet resistant security booth, closed-circuit television (CCTV) system and biometric scanners and badge access. Cologix has onsite 24/7/365 security personnel. COL4 also has a K-rated perimeter security fence. Customized security is available.
• Green Data Center Initiatives: COL4 was built using Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) principles. 

“Over 10 years ago, we recognized Columbus’ importance as a technology hub for growing companies and decided to enter this market,” said Dawn Smith, President of Cologix. “The completion of COL4 comes at a crucial time with hyperscalers intensifying their focus on cloud regions and laying the groundwork for seamless AI integration with cloud services. This is the first colocation AI-ready data center completed in Columbus and is poised to support this surge in demand. We look forward to continuing to deliver market-leading colocation and interconnection solutions for the Columbus market.”

Together, the four Cologix data centers in the Columbus region span a total of 500,000 square feet and 80MW of power. All four of Cologix’s data centers in Columbus are interconnected with a diverse fiber ring. Additionally, Cologix has Ohio’s most comprehensive carrier hotel in its Columbus data centers as well as an interconnection ecosystem of 50+ unique network and cloud service providers, two public cloud onramps with access to Amazon Web Services Direct Connect and Google Cloud Interconnect and the Ohio IX internet exchange.

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xAI raises $6 billion to propel its AI ambitions

xAI has secured $6 billion in Series B funding with contributions from key investors such as Valor Equity Partners, Vy Capital, Andreessen Horowitz, Sequoia Capital, Fidelity Management & Research Company, and Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal’s Kingdom Holding. 

The company says its mission is "to develop advanced AI systems that are truthful, competent, and beneficial for humanity, aiming to understand the true nature of the universe."

Key Investors: Valor Equity Partners, Vy Capital, Andreessen Horowitz, Sequoia Capital, Fidelity Management & Research Company, Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal, Kingdom Holding.

• xAI was first announced in July 2023.
• Release of Grok-1 on X in November.
• Improved Grok-1.5 model with long context capability.
• Grok-1.5V with image understanding.
• Open-source release of Grok-1.

https://x.ai/blog/series-b

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Astera Labs brings PCIe 6.x testing to Taiwan

Astera Labs announced expanded PCIe 6.x testing capabilities in its Cloud-Scale Interop Lab to enable seamless interoperability between Aries 6 PCIe/CXL Smart DSP Retimers and a broad range of PCIe 6.x hosts and endpoints. This paves the way for AI platform developers to design high-bandwidth, low-latency PCIe 6.x connectivity with confidence, reduce overall development time, and deploy at scale.

Astera Labs has chosen Taiwan to launch its first Cloud-Scale Interop Lab outside of Silicon Valley.

Thad Omura, Chief Business Officer, Astera Labs, said, “As AI systems continue to advance at a rapid pace, data center operators need to deploy increasingly complex systems on an accelerated timeline. Our intense focus on standards compliance and plug-and-play interoperability is foundational to why our widely deployed, field-tested Aries Retimer portfolio sets the gold standard for PCIe/CXL® connectivity. Expanding our Cloud-Scale Interop Lab test suite to support PCIe 6.x operation fast-tracks deployment for customers integrating Aries 6 – the industry’s lowest power PCIe 6.x/CXL 3.x Retimer – with solutions from our ecosystem partners.”

Key Features of PCIe 6.x:

• Increased Bandwidth: PCIe 6.x offers a significant increase in data transfer rates, reaching up to 64 GT/s (gigatransfers per second) per lane, effectively doubling the bandwidth of PCIe 5.0.
• Lower Latency: Enhanced encoding and decoding techniques help to reduce latency, improving overall system performance.
• Improved Power Efficiency: The new standard introduces lower power consumption features, making it more efficient for high-performance computing applications.
• Backward Compatibility: PCIe 6.x maintains backward compatibility with previous PCIe generations, allowing it to work with older devices and infrastructure.
• Enhanced Signal Integrity: Uses PAM4 (Pulse Amplitude Modulation with 4 levels) signaling to achieve higher data rates while maintaining signal integrity.

Use Cases for PCIe 6.x:

• Data Centers and Servers: Ideal for high-speed data processing, storage solutions, and network interface cards, enhancing the performance of cloud computing and big data analytics.
• Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning: Supports faster data transfer and processing speeds, essential for training complex AI models and real-time inference tasks.
• High-Performance Computing (HPC): Suitable for applications requiring extensive computational power and high data throughput, such as scientific simulations, financial modeling, and weather forecasting.
• Graphics and Gaming: Provides increased bandwidth for graphics cards and other peripherals, enabling higher frame rates and better performance in gaming and professional graphic applications.
• Networking: Enhances the performance of high-speed networking equipment, including 5G infrastructure and advanced telecommunications systems.

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Rivada signs KT SAT for upcoming OuterNET of LEO satellites

Rivada Space Networks signed an MoU with KT SAT, Korea's national satellite communications services provider, to provide next-generation connectivity for Enterprise and Government customers, enabling expansion in Asia Pacific and beyond.

Rivada is planning a low-latency point-to-point network of 600 low earth orbit (LEO) satellites featuring inter-satellite laser links. Advanced onboard processing and routing will enable a ubiquitous optical mesh network in space. 

Rivada says its "orbital network," in which data stays in space from origin to destination, creates an ultra-secure, private satellite network with pole-to-pole coverage, offering end-to-end latencies much lower than terrestrial fiber over long distances. By routing traffic on a physically separated network, it provides a layer of defense for any enterprise or government organization that needs to securely share data across Asia and beyond.

KT SAT will deploy Rivada's outernet, a unique space-based network in low earth orbit, to provide ultra-secure connectivity to enterprise, government and maritime companies looking for scalable and resilient solutions for their expanding networks. And with Asia's subsea cables, which carry much of the world's data, increasingly becoming a focal point of geopolitical tensions, the region now, more than ever, needs resilient infrastructure, which is fast, secure, and reliable.

Declan Ganley, CEO of Rivada Space Networks, said: "We are delighted to be partnering with KT SAT with their long history and expertise in serving the telecoms sector in Asia Pacific. The outernet will provide secure connectivity and expanded coverage, enabling KT SAT to tap into new markets. Our unique infrastructure is what data communications has been waiting for – a game-changing constellation which re-defines connectivity in terms of security, latency, capacity, efficiency, and coverage. As a completely new type of LEO constellation, the outernet can provide the Asia Pacific region with a next-generation infrastructure for secure, resilient communications and network expansion."

https://rivadaspace.com/news/rivada-space-networks-kt-sat-mou

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Sweden's SUNET deploys Adtran for fiber monitoring

The Swedish University Computer Network (SUNET) has deployed Adtran's ALM in-service fiber monitoring solution to enhance network resilience and operational efficiency. The technology equips SUNET’s maintenance teams with real-time insight into the quality of its nationwide backbone infrastructure and identifies the precise location of any fiber issues. 

SUNET is Sweden’s research and education (R&E) network connecting academics and scientists across the country.

The deployment of Adtran’s 16-port ALM fiber assurance solution across SUNET’s extensive fiber 8,000km backbone network enables rapid identification and resolution of failures, enhancing network resilience

NetNordic, a key technology partner of SUNET, was also involved in the deployment.

“SUNET is a world-class high-capacity optical transport network connecting over 110 organizations and serving a community of 750,000 students, teachers and researchers across Sweden and beyond. The deployment of our ALM platform, with its passive fiber monitoring capabilities, has built even more resilience into this crucially important infrastructure, rendering services more reliable and streamlining operations,” said Stuart Broome, GM of EMEA sales at Adtran. “Finding the exact location of faults is a huge challenge for any operator. But now, with the ability to monitor the integrity of its fiber plant passively and proactively, SUNET’s maintenance teams no longer have to engage in costly and complicated post-failure analysis. ALM enables them to address issues before they impact the high-bandwidth, low-latency services Sweden’s R&E community relies on.”

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Japanese consortium tests 5G from altitude of 4km using 38GHz Band

Researchers in Japan verified 5G in the 38 GHz band from an altitude of approximately 4km, simulating the eventual use of High-Altitude Platform Stations (HAPS).

In this trial to demonstrate the practical application of 5G feeder link and backhaul line for HAPS, a Cessna aircraft was equipped with newly developed communication equipment that is expected to be deployed eventually in HAPS. Additionally, a lens-type antenna with an auto-tracking function was used as the HAPS ground station (“ground station”).

The trial established an aerial relay backhaul line between the Cessna aircraft, flying at altitude of approximately 4km, and three ground stations, using the 5G New Radio (NR) standard with 38GHz band radio waves, which is a novel approach for terrestrial 5G networks. The achievement of multiple backhaul line consisting of aerial relays using the 5G NR standard with 38GHz band radio waves was a world first in telecommunication technology.

Participating companies included SKY Perfect JSAT, NTT DOCOMO, the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT), and Panasonic. The Cessna aircraft was operated by Kyoritsu Air Survey Co.

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DuPont's reorg to create independent Electronics company

DuPont announced a plan to separate into three distinct, publicly traded companies: a diversified industrial company, a company focused on Water businesses, and a leading supplier of electronic solutions.

The independent electronics business will be a global leader in the supply chain of electronics, including key consumables used in semiconductor chip manufacturing, as well as advanced electronic materials enabling reliable signal integrity, power management and thermal management. 

DuPont says this new Electronics company "will be well positioned to capture growth in the semiconductor industry, driven by high-performance computing demands from AI, high speed connectivity, smart and autonomous vehicles and the Internet of Things, among other mega-trend growth drivers."

The Electronics company will be comprised of DuPont's existing Semiconductor Technologies and Interconnect Solutions lines of business, as well as the electronics-related product lines from Industrial Solutions. These businesses generated net sales of approximately $4.0 billion and operating EBITDA margin(1) of approximately 29% in 2023. With robust cash flow generation, the Electronics company is expected to focus on innovation-based growth.

“This is an extraordinary opportunity to deliver long-term, sustainable shareholder value through the creation of three strong, industry-leading companies," said Ed Breen, DuPont Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "The three-way separation will unlock incremental value for shareholders and customers and also create new opportunities for employees. Critically, each company will have greater flexibility to pursue their own focused growth strategies, including portfolio enhancing M&A."

https://s23.q4cdn.com/116192123/files/doc_events/2024/05/DuPont-5-22-24-Investor-Presentation_vF.pdf

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Orange and Nokia extend their network API collaboration

Orange and Nokia  announced an expansion of their partnership aimed at advancing network programmability and monetization. Utilizing Nokia’s Network as Code platform with a developer portal, developers will be able to test and leverage Orange's 5G network capabilities to create innovative applications for customers in France and across Europe. This move is part of Orange's broader strategy to accelerate the adoption of 5G technology and unlock its full potential for various applications.

Orange is already offering commercial-grade network API capabilities through the Orange Developer Portal. The expanded partnership with Nokia aims to provide developers with enhanced tools and resources, including Software Development Kits (SDKs), detailed Network API documentation, a sandbox environment for testing, and code snippets for application development. These resources are designed to facilitate the creation of new use cases and add value for both developers and Orange customers.

As a key initiative under this expanded collaboration, Orange and Nokia co-hosted a "Network as Code Hackathon" on May 23-24 at Viva Tech, France's premier tech start-up conference. This event served as a platform for developers to build new, innovative applications using Nokia’s Network as Code platform. Moving forward, the partnership will focus on engaging with the developer community and supporting pre-commercial use cases, with pilot programs set to launch in select European countries through Orange 5G Labs.

Key Points:

• Orange and Nokia expand partnership to enhance 5G network programmability and monetization.
• Nokia’s Network as Code platform with developer portal to provide SDKs, API documentation, sandbox environments, and code snippets.
• Orange to co-host a "Network as Code Hackathon" at Viva Tech to foster innovative application development.
• Pilot programs to launch in select European countries through Orange 5G Labs.
• Nokia’s platform aims to unify telco networks, systems integrators, and software developers to accelerate 5G application development.
• The platform adheres to industry standards from GSMA Open Gateway initiative and Linux Foundation CAMARA.
• Nokia has collaboration agreements with 12 network operators and ecosystem partners globally.

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Wyoming Hyperscale seeks 100MW of nuclear power

Wyoming Hyperscale is seeking to enter into a 20-year Power Purchase Agreement with Oklo, which is developing advanced fission power plants that use nuclear waste as fuel. Wyoming Hyperscale is seeking 100 MW of clean, reliable power for a new data center campus near Evanston, Wyoming.

"As the widespread adoption of artificial intelligence increases, Oklo remains dedicated to providing clean, reliable, and affordable energy solutions to meet the needs of our data center partners. Our partnership with Wyoming Hyperscale underscores our commitment to advancing sustainable energy practices and supporting high-efficiency operations within the data center industry,” said Jacob DeWitte, co-founder and CEO of Oklo.

Trenton Thornock, Founder and Managing Member of Wyoming Hyperscale, emphasized the project's commitment to reimagining traditional data center development practices. "Our goal is to create data centers with minimal environmental impact. This collaboration with Oklo perfectly aligns with our vision for sustainable, efficient operations. By merging sustainability with advanced technology, we are setting a new standard for the future of accelerated computing.”

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Dell'Oro: Optical transport equipment market to decline in 2024

The Optical Transport equipment market declined 13 percent year-over-year in 1Q 2024 and is now predicted to decline for the full year 2024, according to a new report from Dell'Oro Group.

“Customer’s excess inventory of DWDM systems continued to be at the center stage of the Optical Transport market decline in the first quarter of 2024,” said Jimmy Yu, Vice President at Dell’Oro Group. “However, we think the steeper-than-expected drop in optical transport revenue in 1Q 2024 may have been driven by communication service providers becoming increasingly cautious about the macroeconomic conditions, causing them to delay projects into future quarters,” added Yu.

Additional highlights from the 1Q 2024 Optical Transport Quarterly Report:

• The Optical Transport market is forecast to decline by 2 percent in 2024 due to customers working through inventory and exercising controlled capital spending in an uncertain economic environment.
• The DWDM market declined in most parts of the world. The largest declines were in North America and parts of Asia Pacific. The only two markets that grew year-over-year were China and the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region. China grew 8 percent and MEA grew 16 percent.
• Three vendors—Cisco, Huawei, and ZTE—gained more than 1 percentage point of market share in 1Q 2024 compared to the year ago period.

https://www.delloro.com/news/optical-transport-equipment-market-forecast-to-decline-in-2024/

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Ekinops opens R&D hub in Lannion

Ekinops inaugurated its new head office in Lannion (Brittany).

The new facility, which will host more than a hundred employees, occupies a 20,000 m² site, ideally located at the heart of France's historic center of telecommunications technologies. The building meets the need for shared workspaces, but also meets strong environmental standards with improved energy-efficiency.

"The long-standing partnership between Lannion-Trégor Communauté and Ekinops illustrates our commitment to accompanying and supporting the growth of innovative companies in the region. We are proud to provide Ekinops with a modern, innovation-friendly infrastructure," says Gervais Egault, President of Lannion-Trégor Communauté.

The Ekinops Group has a number of subsidiaries around the world: Ekinops France, based around Paris in Massy (France), Ekinops Corp. in Rockville, Maryland (United States), Ekinops Brasil in Campinas (Brazil), and other entities in Germany, Spain, Australia, India, Canada and Belgium. Ekinops' research and development is spread across 7 R&D sites: 5 in EMEA (Lannion, Sophia Antipolis, Massy, Leuven and Geneva), 1 in Brazil (Campinas) and 1 in India (Bangalore). In addition to its R&D hubs, the Group has commercial representation in more than 10 countries, including Australia, Sweden, Poland, the United Arab Emirates, Kenya, Kazakhstan and the United Kingdom. Through its global footprint, Ekinops provides support services to its customers internationally and now has customers in over 70 countries.

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Ericsson shows 5G mmWave drone for warehouses

Ericsson in collaboration with Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and industrial drone solutions provider Dronus, showcased a 5G mmWave connected drone performing fuctions inside a warehouse.

Initially focusing on autonomous inventory checks in the warehouse, the drone uses indoor-optimized flight control, a 5G-connected Nest docking station, and live video streaming cameras. These features enable advanced sensing solutions within the factory's fully on-premises 5G private network.

This proof of concept demonstrates the integration of 5G technology into industrial processes, showcasing the potential for autonomous barcode scanning for inventory management. The drone, powered by the Qualcomm QRB5165 processor and equipped with 5G mmWave from Telit Cinterion, operates on Ericsson’s end-to-end private 5G network. This setup eliminates the need for external gateways or hotspots, marking a shift to native mmWave 5G connectivity for industrial use.

Key Points:

• The drone is designed for autonomous inventory checks in warehouse high racks.
• It uses a 5G-connected Nest docking station and live video streaming cameras.
• The drone is powered by the Qualcomm QRB5165 processor with 5G mmWave from Telit Cinterion.
• The proof of concept highlights the potential for 5G technology in industrial processes.
• It marks a shift from wired or Wi-Fi connections to native mmWave 5G connectivity.

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Google's Umoja cable to link Africa with Australia

Google unveiled plans for a high-capacity terrestrial and subsea cable system passing through Uganda, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa, including the Google Cloud region, before crossing the Indian Ocean to Australia.

The Umoja cable, which is named for the Swahili word for unity, form a highly scalable route through Africa. Umoja’s terrestrial path was built in collaboration with Liquid Technologies.

“Africa’s major cities including Nairobi, Kampala, Kigali, Lubumbashi, Lusaka, and Harare will no longer be hard-to-reach endpoints remote from the coastal landing sites that connect Africa to the world. They are now stations on a data superhighway that can carry thousands of times more traffic than currently reaches here. I am proud that this project helps us deliver a digitally connected future that leaves no African behind, regardless of how far they are from the technology centers of the world.” - Strive Masiyiwa, Chairman and founder of Liquid Intelligent Technologies  

In addition, Google will sign a Statement of Collaboration with Kenya’s Ministry of Information Communications and The Digital Economy to accelerate joint efforts in cybersecurity,

https://blog.google/intl/en-africa/company-news/improving-connectivity-and-accelerating-economic-growth-across-africa/

Google’s Submarine Cable Projects Update

New Central Pacific Cables

Google recently announced the construction of two new central Pacific submarine cables, named Honomoana and Tabua. These cables are part of an initiative to enhance connectivity between Pacific islands and the mainland, including connections to key locations such as Guam and Chile. This project aims to bolster internet infrastructure across the region and provide more reliable and faster internet services.

Completion of Curie Subsea Cable

In 2023, the Curie subsea cable, which spans 10,500 kilometers from California to Valparaiso, Chile, was completed. This cable enhances the connectivity along the west coast of the Americas, significantly improving data transfer capabilities. 

Upcoming Humboldt Cable

In 2023, Google announced the Humboldt subsea cable project, which will connect Chile, Fiji, and Australia.

Key Dates:

• Honomoana and Tabua Cables Announcement: April 2024

• Curie Subsea Cable Completion: 2023

• Humboldt Cable Announcement: 2023

For more detailed information, you can visit Converge Digest       .

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NTT uses Telemetry + AI to Elevate the INDYCAR Fan Experience

 NTT and NTT DATA are revolutionizing the fan experience at the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, including the iconic Indianapolis 500, through the innovative use of racing data. Each race car is equipped with over 140 sensors, capturing more than 8 billion data points during the race. This data is transmitted with low latency through a robust network to the NTT Smart Solutions Platform, where it is analyzed in near-real-time. Advanced AI and predictive analytics turn these data points into valuable insights and visualizations, enhancing the storytelling of key race moments like head-to-head overtakes, strategic moves, and race winner predictions.

Fans both at the event and remotely benefit from these technological advancements. The 300,000-plus attendees at the Indianapolis 500 gain insights on wait times and crowd flow, updated every 30 seconds, ensuring a smooth and efficient experience across the vast 600-acre venue. NTT DATA’s Smart Venue technology combines AI-enabled optical detection and digital ticketing to manage security and traffic flow, allowing fans to move through the event safely and efficiently. This integration of real-time data enhances the overall spectator experience at the world’s largest single-day sporting event.

The INDYCAR App, powered by NTT DATA, provides fans with real-time updates and advanced analytics, including live scoring and in-car camera views. Engaging more than 70,000 users on race days, the app delivers a comprehensive viewing experience, making fans feel closer to the action. Furthermore, NTT DATA’s efforts extend to social media, web, television, and streaming broadcasts, using reliable technology to deliver deeper data insights and increase fan engagement across all platforms.

Highlights

• Over 140 sensors on each race car capture more than 8 billion data points.
• Data is analyzed in real-time using AI and predictive analytics.
• Fans receive insights on race strategies, winner predictions, and key moments.
• The 300,000-plus attendees at the Indianapolis 500 benefit from real-time data on wait times and crowd flow.
• AI-enabled optical detection and digital ticketing improve security and traffic flow.
• The INDYCAR App provides live scoring, in-car camera views, and real-time updates.
• NTT DATA enhances fan engagement through social media, web, television, and streaming.
• NTT’s Embodied Knowledge technology offers a realistic racing simulator experience and has potential future applications in various industries.

“The Indianapolis 500 is the pinnacle of racing that leverages refined Embodied Knowledge where firsthand the movements of racers can be felt to understand what Embodied Knowledge truly means. Through various sensing technologies, we aim to technically recreate these movements and sensations,” said Kota Hidaka, Vice President, Head of NTT Human Informatics Laboratories.

https://us.nttdata.com/en/about-us/content/ntt-indycar-series

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VIGO Photonics secures funding for HyperPIC Project

Poland's National Center for Research and Development signed an agreement with VIGO Photonics to co-finance the HyperPIC project under the European Funds for a Modern Economy (FENG) program. This project, part of the integrated European IPCEI ME/CT initiative, aims to develop photonic integrated circuits for mid-infrared (mid-IR) applications. The European Commission approved public aid up to EUR 102.9 million for the project on June 12, 2023, with the company being listed for co-financing on February 23, 2024.

The HyperPIC project is set to revolutionize the field of mid-infrared photonic integrated circuits (MIRPIC). VIGO Photonics will develop the world’s first production line offering a complete value chain for MIRPIC systems, which have applications in various industries including biomedical equipment, industrial pollution monitoring, critical infrastructure, IoT, telecommunications, automotive, and more. The project spans from 2023 to 2029, with the R&D phase running from 2023 to 2027 and the First Industrial Deployment (FID) phase from 2024 to 2029.

MIRPIC technology enables the development of highly integrated photonic devices that operate in the mid-IR range, crucial for sensing applications. These circuits can be used in environmental monitoring, medical diagnostics, and industrial process control. The project involves significant investment in research, development, and commercialization, with a total eligible cost of EUR 182 million and public aid covering EUR 94 million. VIGO Photonics plans to cover additional costs through its funds, debt financing, and strategic partnerships.

Key Details:

• Technology: Development of mid-infrared photonic integrated circuits (MIRPIC).
• Project Funding: Approved public aid of up to EUR 102.9 million by the European Commission.
• Project Timeline: 2023-2029 with R&D phase (2023-2027) and FID phase (2024-2029).
• Applications: Biomedical equipment, industrial pollution monitoring, critical infrastructure, IoT, telecommunications, automotive, and more.

The successful implementation of the HyperPIC project positions VIGO Photonics as a global leader in MIRPIC technology, enhancing the EU’s technological edge and boosting Poland’s economic potential in advanced photonics.

https://vigophotonics.com/vigo-photonics-signed-an-agreement-with-ncbir-to-co-finance-the-project-hyperpic-photonic-integrated-circuits-for-mid-infrared-applications-from-european-funds/

• VIGO Photonics is  based in Ożarów Mazowiecki, Poland. The company specializes in the development and production of high-performance infrared detectors and modules. 

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