U.S. advances plan for national semiconductor research facilities

The Department of Commerce and Natcast, operator of the National Semiconductor Technology Center (NSTC), have initiated the selection process for the first three R&D facilities funded by the CHIPS and Science Act. These facilities are integral to President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, which aims to bolster the U.S. semiconductor ecosystem through advanced R&D and job creation.

The Three Facilities:

1. NSTC Prototyping and NAPMP Advanced Packaging Piloting Facility: This state-of-the-art center will combine next-generation manufacturing and packaging technologies, providing 300mm research, prototyping, and packaging capabilities. It will co-locate NSTC R&D and NAPMP packaging capabilities to facilitate collaborative semiconductor and advanced packaging research.

2. NSTC Administrative and Design Facility: A multi-functional center housing key NSTC operations, including administrative functions, consortium member meetings, and programmatic activities like the Workforce Center of Excellence and the NSTC Design Enablement Gateway. It will focus on advanced semiconductor research in chip design, electronic design automation, chip and system architecture, and hardware security.

3. NSTC EUV Center: This facility will provide access to EUV lithography technology, essential for cutting-edge semiconductor research and commercialization. It will also offer space for Natcast researchers, staff, and member assignees to collaborate on advanced projects.

The selection process for these facilities started today, with the Department and Natcast planning to release additional information on affiliated technical centers soon. Expected operational dates are 2025 for the NSTC Administrative and Design Facility, 2026 for the NSTC EUV Center, and 2028 for the NSTC Prototyping and NAPMP Advanced Packaging Piloting Facility.

These facilities will drive innovation, create differentiation, ensure financial sustainability, and foster thriving ecosystems. They will bridge the gap between research and industry, securing the U.S.’s leadership in semiconductor manufacturing and research for decades to come.

For more details, visit Natcast’s website and view their informational video.

https://www.nist.gov/video/chips-america-research-development-rd-facilities-model-process

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BT: Record traffic as 11.5 Million UK homes stream Euro 2024

BT reported that more than 11.5 million homes across the UK streamed at least one home nations match during Euro 2024 using its broadband network. The tournament concluded dramatically on Sunday night, with Luis de la Fuente’s Spain narrowly defeating England to win a record fourth European Championship.

Euro 2024 has emerged as one of the biggest standalone sporting events in recent history. Scottish and English fans consumed over 11,000 TB of broadband data over the past four weeks while streaming their teams’ matches. Download traffic from the BBC and ITV surged to more than 30 times the average weekly volume.

The surge in football fans’ demand propelled both the BBC and ITV into the top three content providers on BT Group’s broadband network, surpassing popular platforms like Netflix, Facebook, and YouTube during home nations matches.

The nation rallied to support the Three Lions, with the action-packed final witnessing a 142% increase in streaming compared to England’s semi-final against the Netherlands. The highest peak in broadband traffic occurred when Cole Palmer equalized for England just after 9:30 PM.

https://newsroom.bt.com/bt-group-brings-it-home-for-broadband-customers-as-euro-2024-breaks-records/

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CyrusOne secures $687.1 million in mortgage-back financing

CyrusOne secured a $687.1 million Single Asset Single Borrower (SASB) CMBS loan for its DFW1 data center. This marks the company’s first CMBS issuance and contributes to the nearly $12 billion CyrusOne has raised this year. The DFW1 data center, located in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, is a key component of CyrusOne’s extensive portfolio of state-of-the-art digital infrastructure solutions.

Eric Schwartz, Chief Executive Officer at CyrusOne, remarked, “Today’s announcement is another example of our ability to access large amounts of capital and tap different markets through institutional demand. This transaction comes on the heels of our $1.175 billion ABS issuance and CyrusOne securing $9.7 billion in new debt capital to fund data center growth.”

Morgan Stanley served as Lead Manager and Bookrunner, and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC and KKR Capital Markets served as Co-Lead Managers and Joint Bookrunners. Global Infrastructure Partners also worked closely with the company in connection with this transaction.

cyrusone.com

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Japan’s AIST Selects HPE to Build Next-Generation Supercomputer ABCI 3.0

Japan’s National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) has selected HPE to build its next-generation supercomputer, ABCI (AI Bridging Cloud Infrastructure) 3.0. This supercomputer will be offered as a cloud service to public and private organizations, supporting large foundational models for generative AI to accelerate research, development, innovation, and social implementation.

AIST’s new ABCI 3.0 will be constructed using HPE Cray XD systems featuring NVIDIA H200 Tensor Core GPUs, interconnected by NVIDIA Quantum-2 InfiniBand networking. The supercomputer is expected to achieve a theoretical maximum of approximately 6.2 exaflops of half-precision (16-bit) performance.

Slated to be the fastest AI supercomputer in Japan, ABCI 3.0 will help meet the high demand for the country’s growing number of AI workloads. Since 2018, AIST has made its cloud supercomputing services accessible to research institutions, universities, and commercial companies of all sizes, from startups to major electronics manufacturers. AIST’s ABCI systems have supported a range of scientific research, including the development of AI techniques for genome sequencing prediction, materials informatics, and Japanese large language models (LLMs).

https://www.aist.go.jp/index_en.html

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AFL / Fujikura opens manufacturing facility in central Poland

AFL, a subsidiary of Fujikura Ltd. and a leader in optical fiber network infrastructure, has opened a new sustainable manufacturing facility in MDC² Park, Gliwice, Poland. This expansion aims to enhance AFL’s service to European customers with high-speed connectivity and comprehensive fiber network solutions.

The facility, set on a 13.4-hectare site with 13,000m² of space, features eco-friendly design elements such as solar panels, electric vehicle charging points, a green wall, beehives, and a rainwater retention system. Its strategic location near the A4 and A1 motorways ensures efficient transit times for staff and customers. 

Naoki Okada, Director, President and CEO of Fujikura: “Together, Fujikura and AFL proudly take up challenges to deliver innovative, superior network solutions at the forefront of sustainability. The Poland Manufacturing Facility’s integrated eco-practices represent a significant step forward in our joint mission to reduce AFL and Fujikura’s ecological impact while setting new standards in corporate responsibility. This new venture follows AFL’s formal ESG Committee launch and partnership with the EPA ENERGY STAR program, further empowering the company to reach its greenhouse gas goals in line with the Science Based Targets initiative. I am confident the facility will serve to connect our valued EMEA customers and partners with exceptional, eco-conscious products and services, providing agile, consistent experiences that earn trust and contribute to society.”

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Telecom Egypt deploys Nokia to launch 5G

Nokia has announced a new partnership with Telecom Egypt to introduce 5G technology to Egypt, marking the first deployment of its kind in the country. The 5G rollout will cover key cities, including Alexandria, Aswan, Cairo, Giza, and Luxor. The deployment is scheduled to begin later this year.

Under the agreement, Nokia will deploy its 5G radio access network (RAN) equipment from its AirScale portfolio, which includes baseband units and the latest generation of Massive MIMO radios. These solutions feature Nokia’s energy-efficient ReefShark System-on-Chip technology. Nokia will also provide professional services for deployment, integration, and network optimization.

The introduction of 5G technology will significantly increase capacity for seamless connectivity in some of Egypt’s most densely populated areas, supporting a wide range of applications and services. 

Earlier this year, Telecom Egypt secured the country’s first 5G license, valid for 15 years.

Key Points:

• Partnership: Nokia partners with Telecom Egypt to launch 5G technology in Egypt.

• Deployment: 5G rollout planned for cities including Alexandria, Aswan, Cairo, Giza, and Luxor, using Nokia’s AirScale portfolio.

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Vantage Data Centers names Friedberg as Chief Tech & Innovation Officer

Vantage Data Centers, a global provider of hyperscale data center campuses, has named Emily Friedberg as its inaugural Chief Technology & Innovation Officer (CTIO). Friedberg, with nearly 25 years of experience, will oversee development and engineering, technology and systems, cybersecurity, and sustainability.

Before joining Vantage, Friedberg was the Chief Operating Officer (COO) at SkySafe, a drone software as a service company, and held an executive role at Fastly, a global edge cloud platform provider. She also played a key role in raising $8 million in Series A funding for Lagrange Systems (now WebScale) and launching its channel program.

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