Construction begins on Carnival Submarine Network-1

Telconet, the Ecuador-based infrastructure and telecom operator, has contracted Alcatel Submarine Networks (ASN) to begin construction of the Carnival Submarine Network-1 (CSN-1), a 4,500 km submarine cable the will link Ecuador, Panama, Colombia and the west coast of Florida, plus potentially other countries within Central and South America.

The submarine cable, which will adopt the industry’s Open Cable architecture, will utilize ASN’s high fiber count SDM Open-Cable technology solutions.

Carlos Pazmino, Telconet’s CSN-1 Project Leader shares his perspective on the project: “Getting to this point has meant a great effort for the ASN and TELCONET teams, the last one supported by DRG. We are sure the CSN-1 will become an excellent connectivity alternative and will be key in improving digitization not only in Ecuador but in countries of South and Central America, which have not yet benefitted as fully from new subsea communications infrastructure as other regions across the globe”.

Paul Gabla, ASN VP Sales & Marketing, is further commenting on ASN presence in the region: “ASN is thrilled to have been selected to build CSN-1 as it further demonstrates its partnership with Telconet as well as its footprint in Latam. CSN-1 will be an important new component of the regional communications infrastructure. ASN is committed to supporting the region’s growing need for high-performance, high-quality subsea cable connectivity, both through our system construction capability and our marine maintenance services based out of Curaçao”.

https://web.asn.com/press-release/2022-03-28-CSN1.html

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Cignal AI: 400ZR pluggable coherent modules in 4Q21

Shipments of 400ZR/ZR+ modules surged in 4Q21 as Cisco (Acacia) and Marvell rapidly scaled production capacity, according to the 4Q21 Transport Applications Report from Cignal AI.

However, demand from Cloud Operators is still exceeding supply, which will be increased this year as vendors such as Ciena, Neophotonics, and II-VI grow production. 

Cignal AI expects that shipments of 400ZR/ZR+ modules will triple in 2022 as cloud operators such as Microsoft, Amazon, and Google are joined by traditional network operators such as AT&T, Windstream, and COLT rolling out high volume deployments.

“Both webscale and telco operators are making fundamental changes to their network architectures due to the availability of pluggable 400G coherent modules,” said Scott Wilkinson, Lead Optical Component Analyst at Cignal AI. “Module shipments are ramping up quickly, with more than half of all shipments to date coming in the 4th quarter.”

More Key Findings from the 4Q21 Transport Applications Report:

• Direct shipments of coherent ports to operators are growing rapidly as pluggable coherent modules reshape the supplier landscape.
• Shipments of Gen60C pluggable 400ZR modules remain supply-constrained, with only two vendors supplying almost all of the volume to date.
• Ciena remains the largest supplier of cutting-edge Gen90P 800G capable coherent ports, although Infinera’s ICE6 product shipments are increasing rapidly.
• Compact Modular revenue in North America grew by +25% in 2021 and now represents over a third of optical hardware shipped in the region. Ciena is the market leader in this category.
• Only Huawei saw Packet-OTN sales increase during 2021. Nokia’s continuing investment in its OTN portfolio has made it the leading western vendor of OTN, and the company is best positioned to win business from Huawei in Europe.

https://cignal.ai/2022/03/shipments-of-400zr-pluggable-coherent-modules-jump-in-4q21/

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Singtel and Australian fund to acquire 2,000 towers across Australia

AustralianSuper, which is the largest Australian superannuation and pension fund, and Singtel-owned Australia Tower Network (ATN) have agreed to acquire Axicom, one of Australia’s leading providers of telecommunications tower infrastructure, for A$3.58 billion.

Axicom owns and operates approximately 2,000 telecommunication sites located in metro and outer-metro locations across all eight states and territories and major cities in Australia.

In November 2021, AustralianSuper acquired a 70% stake in ATN from Singtel. 

Following the Axicom acquisition, Singtel’s shareholding in the combined ATN/Axicom business will be 18%, with AustralianSuper at 82%.

“Axicom is complementary to our existing digital infrastructure portfolio and this acquisition will result in the creation of a provider with a truly national footprint that will connect the vast majority of Australian families and businesses,” said Nik Kemp, AustralianSuper Head of Infrastructure.

"This acquisition is a unique opportunity to scale up ATN’s operations and expand its customer base. It also reinforces Singtel’s commitment as a long-term investor in the Australian telecoms space where our goal has always been to provide more options and build better communications for Australian consumers and businesses. In combining ATN and Axicom, AustralianSuper and Singtel will be working closely to realise the significant operational synergies created," stated Lim Cheng Cheng, Chief Corporate Officer Singtel's Group.

https://www.singtel.com/about-us/media-centre/news-releases/australiansuper--singtel-and-australia-tower-network-to-acquire-

Telstra sells a 49% stake in its towers business

Wednesday, June 30, 2021  Australia, Telstra, Towers  

Telstra will sell a 49% share in its Telstra InfraCo Towers business, which consists of approximately 8,200 towers across Australia, to a consortium comprised of the Future Fund, Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation and Sunsuper.The transaction values Telstra InfraCo Towers at $5.9 billion, representing an FY21 pro forma EV/EBITDAaL multiple of 28x. Telstra expects net cash proceeds after transaction costs of $2.8 billion at completion and the...

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Macquarie Asset Management to back NTT's data center expansions

NTT announced a strategic real estate partnership Macquarie Asset Management, a leading global technology services company, covering NTT's wholesale facilities across Europe and North America.

 Under the arrangement, Macquarie Asset Management will have the opportunity to invest real estate capital alongside NTT as the company expands its data center footprint in Europe and North America. 

NTT is one of the world's largest data center operators, with over 1,300 MWs of data center capacity today, including a large development pipeline of a 25% increase in capacity across more than 20 countries and regions globally. 

Brett Robson, Global Head of Real Estate for Macquarie Asset Management, said: "We see this as a very attractive sector to invest in, given the exponential growth of global data and computing and the significant capital requirements for operators to keep up with user demand. We are delighted to partner with NTT, a leading data center operator, that has a global footprint and an exceptionally strong development and operational history."

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DigitalBridge backs Everstream for business fiber services

DigitalBridge, in partnership with a subsidiary of Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, has invested $220 million in the form of a holding company term loan to support the continued growth of Everstream Solutions.

Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Everstream delivers a business-only, enterprise-grade fiber network services.  The company serves large and mid-sized enterprises with over 27,000 route miles of fiber, speeds up to 100 Gbps, and robust business fiber services, including low-latency dedicated internet, WAN and dark fiber.

Brett Lindsey, Everstream’s Chief Executive Officer, said, “We selected DigitalBridge Credit as our partner because of its unsurpassed sector expertise, leading credit structuring capabilities and ability to execute on an accelerated timeline. We look forward to benefitting from the team’s deep industry knowledge as we move forward with additional financial flexibility to continue growing our business-only fiber network, expand into new markets, serve more customers and create value for all Everstream stakeholders.”

https://www.everstream.net

https://www.digitalbridge.com/news/2022-04-01-digitalbridge-credit-announces-220-million-debt-investment-to-support-everstream

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Italtel appoints Benedetto Di Salvo as CEO

Italtel appointed Benedetto Di Salvo as its new CEO and confirmed Claudio Calabi in the role of Chairman.

Di Salvo, former head of Sirti's Digital Solutions Business Unit, began his career in the aerospace and plant engineering sector and then moved on to the world of ICT, where in 30 years he held global roles with some of the main multinational companies in the sector such as Nokia, Alcatel-Lucent, Huawei and Ericsson. Di Salvo takes over from Stefano Pileri, who leaves the CEO position after 12 years in the role.

Italtel also noted the entry of new shareholders – PSC Group, Clessidra Capital Credit and TIM Group.

Italtel's share capital is now held 54% by the PSC Group, 28% by the Clessidra Capital Credit fund and 18% by the TIM Group. The transaction on Italtel carried out by the three shareholders involves a capital increase of 56.3 million euro, of which approximately 48 million euro will be in cash.

"I am honoured by the opportunity to lead Italtel, an Italian excellence that I have always admired for its history, strong technological skills and DNA focused on innovation - says Benedetto Di Salvo, CEO Italtel - We intend to accelerate a transformation process to return to sustainable growth. We will expand our presence in the public and private enterprise sectors, leveraging diversified expertise and proprietary solutions in cloud, cyber, networking, multimedia, IoT, 5G and automation. We will continue to be focused on TelCo providers by supporting their plans to evolve their services and core networks, transport and UBB access (FTTH and 5G). We will focus on foreign markets that have greater potential." 

http://www.italtel.com

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GRC raises $28 million for data center immersion cooling

GRC (Green Revolution Cooling) announced $28 million in Series C funding for its single-phase immersion cooling for data centers. GRC is based in Austin, Texas, and was founded in 2009.

The latest investment round was led by South Korea-based SK Lubricants. This most recent equity investment brings the company’s total funding to date to $43 million.

GRC cited a number of milestones over the past year, including a collaboration with Intel, significant end-user deployments with GRC Global Alliance Partners Dell and Vertiv in the financial services, telecommunications, and HPC sectors, the establishment of a UK subsidiary, installation of its ICEraQ Series 10 at the Texas Advanced Computing Facility, its recently initiated pilot program allowing data center operators to take liquid immersion cooling for a test drive, and last year’s launch of the first annual Liquid Immersion Cooling Awareness Month.  

“As the AI, the VR and the self-driving industries are gaining traction, the high-density data center market is expected to grow dramatically,” said Cha Gyu-tak, CEO of SK Lubricants. “Not only will this equity investment in GRC maximize cooperation between the two companies, it will also help accelerate broader adoption of liquid immersion cooling by data centers and position us to be the first mover in the market, while helping us grow into a liquid-based thermal management solution provider.”

https://www.grcooling.com

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Huawei appoints Meng Wanzhou as 1 of 3 rotating chairs

 Huawei has appointed Ms. Meng Wanzhou as one of three Deputy Chairs/Rotating Chairs of the company's Board of Directors, alongside Mr. Xu Zhijun and  Mr. Hu Houkun (Ken).

Under the company's unique Rotating Chairman system, Ken Hu will serve as Rotating and Acting Chairman of Huawei from April 1, 2022 to September 30, 2022. 

Ken Hu joined Huawei in 1990 and has served as President of Huawei's China market, Regional President of Huawei Latin America, President of Global Sales, Chairman of the Board of Huawei USA, Chief Sales and Service Officer, and Chief Strategy and Marketing Officer.

Meng Wanzhou is the daughter of Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei.  She also serves as Chief Financial Officer of the company. In September 2021, she reached an agreement with the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, resolving claims of the long running legal issues that had kept her under house arrest in Vancouver since December 2018. As a result, the U.S. Department of Justice withdrew its request to the Ministry of Justice of Canada that Meng be extradited to the United States. She subsequently returned to China.

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Google Distributed Cloud Edge enters GA

Google Distributed Cloud (GDC) Edge entered general availability status. 

GDC EDGE is a portfolio of fully managed hardware and software for running workloads at the edge.

Google cited a number of use cases:

• 5G Core and radio access network (RAN) functions at the edge
• Anomaly detection using video and AI to reduce defects on the factory floor
• Real-time inventory with robots, enabling next-generation retail stores
• Improving operational efficiency across automotive with sensors 
• Scrubbing sensitive data locally before it’s transferred to the cloud

There are two hardware form factor options: 

(1) rack-based configurations - includes the rack, six servers, two top-of-rack switches, cabling, and optics, and can be configured for either AC or DC power. They are available in the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Finland, and the United Kingdom. 

(2) GDC Edge Appliances - for use cases where bandwidth and latency limitations prevent organizations from processing the data from devices like cameras and sensors back in cloud data centers. These appliances simplify data collection, analytics and processing at remote locations where copious amounts of data coming from these devices needs to be processed quickly and stored securely. They can store data generated by cameras and sensors at customer warehouses, stores and vehicles, or run containerized applications that process the data locally using ML inference, aggregation, and custom logic. An Edge Appliance includes a lightweight 1U ruggedized server, RAID-based local NFS storage, TPM for security and an optional NVIDIA GPU. 

https://cloud.google.com/blog/products/infrastructure-modernization/google-distributed-cloud-edge-is-ga

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CommScope unveils 16-fiber cabling platform for data centers

CommScope introduced a fiber aggregation platform for data centers.

CommScope's new Propel platform introduces 16-fiber cabling to support the fast growing 400 Gbps and 800 Gbps speeds, as well as emerging 1.6 Tbps speeds. Propel modules are available in four different interchangeable sizes with matching cable constructions to easily scale applications with system architectures. All components are ultra-low loss for optimal performance and have a specific QR code for performance tracking and online instructions.

Propel is the industry’s first Multifiber Push-On (MPO) 16-fiber platform and includes the following:

• Panels: 1U, 2U, 4U 
• Adapter Packs: LC, SN, MPO 
• Modules: Singlemode and Multi-mode: 8,12, 16 and 24 fibers 
• Cable Assemblies: MPO8, 12, 16 and 24; SN and LC Uniboot

“Over the past few years, we have witnessed extraordinary technical advances and a rise in computing devices that connect to the real world. Data centers are key assets in the data-driven economy and it’s critical that the industry pay attention to energy usage and space requirements as we move toward terabit speeds,” said John Schmidt, senior vice president, CommScope’s building and data center business. “CommScope’s Propel solution was engineered to ensure data center operators can maximize existing infrastructure investments while preparing for future applications in a smarter and more efficient manner.”

https://www.commscope.com

https://video.commscope.com/watch/CVVuDFvWwToXDhZpYtey15

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Deutsche Giga Access picks Adtran SDX fibre access platform

Deutsche Giga Access GmbH (DGA), a regional wholesale access provider in Germany, has selected the Adtran SDX Series of fibre access platforms to offer its customers scalable FTTH service capabilities.

Adtran said its Combo PON technology and software-defined architecture were differentiators that provided DGA an expedited path to market and the flexibility to simultaneously operate 1G and 10G FTTH networks on the same point-to-multipoint fibre optic distribution network and from a single OLT port. 

“DGA wanted to quickly deploy a Gigabit-capable FTTH network to a new area in Lower Saxony (Niedersachsen), Germany, and Adtran provided the right combination of technology, products, local support and domain experience,” said Andreas Bamberg, Chief Technology Officer at Deutsche Giga Access GmbH. “We chose Adtran because its approach allowed us to build a new, open-access wholesale network for future-proof services that can be controlled by an end-to-end automatisation management system, providing tremendous operational savings and efficiencies as demand for our wholesale offering grows.”

“With its new disaggregated Combo PON access solution, Adtran provides DGA the flexibility to offer GPON and XGS-PON services via the same port and fibre strand. This gives DGA the most cost-effective solution to operate via a fibre network,” said Stuart Broome, Vice President of Sales, EMEA, at Adtran. “The German altnet market is growing rapidly as operators look to bring fibre broadband to every household in Germany, having a reliable wholesale network supported locally and ready to help scale services will be a powerful resource for local and regional operators.”

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Intel to acquire real-time continuous optimization software

Intel agreed to acquire Granulate Cloud Solutions Ltd., an Israel-based developer of real-time continuous optimization software. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Granulate’s autonomous optimization service helps reduce CPU utilization and application latencies. It does this by learning the customer’s application and deploying a customized set of continuous optimizations at runtime. This enables deployment on smaller compute clusters and instance types to improve application performance and drive down cloud and data center costs. Granulate’s service does not require developer intervention nor does it require the customer to make changes to its own code. Optimizations for the latest CPUs can be applied even on legacy Linux distributions and runtimes.

Intel said the acquisition of Granulate will help cloud and data center customers maximize compute workload performance and reduce infrastructure and cloud costs. Deal terms are not being disclosed.

“Today’s cloud and data center customers demand scalable, high-performance software to make the most of their hardware deployments,” said Sandra Rivera, executive vice president and general manager of the Datacenter and AI Group at Intel. “Granulate’s cutting-edge autonomous optimization software can be applied to production workloads without requiring the customer to make changes to its code, driving optimized hardware and software value for every cloud and data center customer.”

Greg Lavender, chief technology officer, senior vice president and general manager of the Software and Advanced Technology Group at Intel, said: “We are building our portfolio of software optimization tools that offer flexible and scalable capabilities that allow us to meet the growing demand of the ubiquitous compute era. Granulate’s innovative approach to real-time optimization software complements Intel’s existing capabilities by helping customers realize performance gains, cloud cost reductions and continual workload learning.”

http://www.intel.com

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IDC: Cloud infrastructure spending to grow 21.7% this year

Spending on compute and storage infrastructure products for cloud infrastructure, including dedicated and shared environments, increased 13.5% year over year in the fourth quarter of 2021 (4Q21) to $21.1 billion, according to the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Enterprise Infrastructure Tracker: Buyer and Cloud Deployment. 

For the 2022, IDC is forecasting cloud infrastructure spending to grow 21.7% compared to 2021 to $90.0 billion, while non-cloud infrastructure is expected to decline slightly, down 0.3% to $59.4 billion. Shared cloud infrastructure spending is expected to grow 25.5% year over year to $64.5 billion for the full year. Spending on dedicated cloud infrastructure is expected to grow 13.1% to $25.4 billion in 2022.

Some highlights from IDC:

• For the full year 2021, cloud infrastructure spending totaled $73.9 billion, up 8.8% over 2020.
• Investments in non-cloud infrastructure increased 1.5% year over year in 4Q21 to $17.2 billion, marking the fourth consecutive quarter of growth. 
• For the full year, non-cloud infrastructure spending increased 4.2% over 2020, reaching a total of $59.6 billion.
• Spending on shared cloud infrastructure reached $14.4 billion in the fourth quarter, increasing 13.9% compared to a year ago, and grew to $51.4 billion for 2021, an increase of 7.5%. 
• Spending on dedicated cloud infrastructure increased 12.5% year over year in 4Q21 to $6.7 billion and grew 11.8% to $22.5 billion for the full year 2021. Of the total dedicated cloud infrastructure, 47.5% in 4Q21 and 46.1% in 2021 were deployed on customer premises.
• In 4Q21, service providers as a group spent $21.2 billion on compute and storage infrastructure, up 11.6% from 4Q20. This spending accounted for 55.4% of total compute and storage infrastructure spending. 
• For 2021, spending by service providers reached $75.1 billion on 8.5% year over year growth, accounting for 56.2% of total compute and storage infrastructure spending. IDC expects compute and storage spending by service providers to reach $89.1 billion in 2022, growing at 18.7% year over year.

https://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prUS48998722

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Comcast signs 250 MW solar agreement

Comcast agreed to purchase 250 megawatts (MW) of solar electricity from Constellation that will power approximately 12 percent of its U.S. operations and the vast majority of its Mid-Atlantic operations with clean, renewable energy.

The agreement will support construction of the Blue Sky Solar Project, currently being developed by Scout Clean Energy in Illinois, creating local jobs and bringing additional clean electricity to the U.S. power grid.

“Sourcing clean, renewable energy is the top priority for meeting our goal to be carbon neutral by 2035,” said Peter Kiriacoulacos, Executive Vice President and Chief Procurement Officer at Comcast. “This marks the first of many major green investments that are already underway or on the immediate horizon which demonstrate our commitment to sustainable, responsible business.”

Comcast will source 250 MW of carbon-free solar electricity from the 300 MW Blue Sky project – a majority share of the project’s total output. Blue Sky is one of the largest solar projects approved to date in the PJM power grid, which spans the U.S. Mid-Atlantic region and portions of the Midwest, and Comcast is currently the sole customer. The agreement will allow Comcast to reduce the carbon dioxide emissions associated with its energy use by nearly 360,000 metric tons annually – equivalent to avoiding the emissions from more than 65,000 homes’ electricity use for a year.

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Etisalat UAE teams with Nokia on private 5G

Nokia signed an agreement with Etisalat UAE to deploy 5G private wireless networks to support enterprises across Abu Dhabi. The two companies will work together to support businesses in various industries, including ports, oil and gas, government and critical infrastructure, by digitally transforming their operations and embracing Industry 4.0 through 5G use cases.

Nokia and Etisalat UAE will offer a variety of solutions, including Mobile Edge Computing (MEC), Modular Private Wireless (MPW) and Nokia Digital Automation Cloud (DAC), to meet the diverse needs of various enterprises. In addition, the frame agreement includes Nokia Group Communications with push-to-talk and push-to-video capabilities, as well as Enterprise Voice Core (EVC). Nokia and Etisalat UAE will be able to develop 5G-enabled use cases to support digital transformation and improve operational efficiency across multiple industries with this broad set of solutions.

Khalid Murshed, Chief Technology and Information Officer at Etisalat UAE, said: “We are committed to supporting the government's vision to accelerate digital transformation of businesses so they can capture emerging opportunities. This collaboration with our long-term partner Nokia is in line with this vision and will provide our customers with best-in-class solutions. 5G private wireless networks will allow them to boost productivity, enhance operational efficiency, and grow revenue while improving customer experience."

Rima Manna, Vice President of Middle East Business at Nokia, said: “With over 75 5G and more than 420 private wireless customers around the world, Nokia offers field-proven technology and expertise in the 5G private wireless networks domain. Etisalat is a leader in innovation, and we look forward to collaborating on this initiative to provide industry-leading solutions to help enterprises across the country on their digital transformation journeys. This partnership will assist Etisalat in increasing revenue while leveraging 5G spectrum and deployment.”

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TE Connectivity demos high-speed data center interconnects

TE Connectivity (TE) will host the following demonstrations at next week's DesignCon 2022 in Santa Clara, California.

• 112G quad small formfactor pluggable double density (QSFP-DD) Over-the-Board (OTB) ​- TE has developed a new connector that extends the reach of the traditional surface mount technology faceplate connectors. The near-chip socket (NCS) connector is based on existing TE socket technology to provide a dense pin field, superior crosstalk isolation, and a total mated height of 5.8mm to allow for placement as close as possible to the application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). The channel includes 2 X 300mm NCS to QSFP-DD OTB cable assembly and 1.5 m QDD direct cable copper (DAC) cable assembly with a channel loss of 37dB BGA to BGA and driven by 112G PAM4 SerDes. TE’s QSFP-DD OTB to NCS solution demonstrates how TE can utilize traditional PCB materials and extend the reach of the QSFP-DD channel. ​

• 800G QSFP-DD Active Copper Cable ​- The 800G QSFP-DD active copper cable (ACC) demonstrates the latest in TE’s bulk cable and termination technology. A retimer embedded in the module extends the reach of copper cables while consuming less power than equivalent optical cables. ACC technology also enables fine wire gauges for short links to ease routing challenges in dense next-gen racks. This live demo shows eight lanes of 112G PAM-4 data running through TE’s ACC with a host trace and connector on each side.​
• Cabled Card Electromechanical (CEM) Technology ​- TE’s Sliver connector portfolio is the backbone of this architectural shift in the market.  TE uses a standardized CEM connector interface, defined within the PCI-SIG standard, in tandem with a Sliver 4C+ host connector.  This configuration enables PCIe system channels to extend their reach and performance for Gen 5.0, and soon-to-be Gen 6.0 applications.  TE is simplifying design choices for our industry by increasing the configurability, modularity, and optionality of our solutions to market.  The mechanical robustness of both the Sliver connector interface, as well as the CEM assembly, make this solution an option for almost any PCIe based application.​
• Co-Packaged Socket Technology​ - Increases in bandwidth density and adoption of higher speed protocols is putting constraints on traditional switch and server architectures. Integrating copper or optics with the silicon can help relieve some of those constraints. TE has developed socket technologies to allow a separable interface between copper or optical modules and silicon packages for co-packaged architectures. Multiple socket contact technologies allow contact pitches down to 0.40mm while delivering excellent signal integrity performance.​  The display at DesignCon will showcase functionality of a co-packaged copper link leveraging TE’s co-packaged socket technology. Also displayed is a static mockup showing TE’s uLGA socket in a 51.2T Near Package Optics (NPO) switch implementation.​
• Next Generation PCIe Link with CDFP Technology ​- With an increased use of disaggregated resources comes the necessity for a low latency, high performance, high density external cabling solution that is mature with proven reliability and robustness.  TE will be showcasing the use of CDFP technology as the next-generation external PCI Express cabling link by demonstrating a PCIe Gen 5.0 channel at 32 GT/s as a live demo.  Today’s CDFP technology enables a x16 link width within a single port, enabling 512 GT/s of bandwidth and scalable to support x8 and x4 link widths in the near future.  The industry has accepted CDFP technology as a next-generation external cable solution TE’s CDFP technology connects computing appliance resources within applications such as Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning and NVMe-based storage applications and can be used in future applications enabled by PCI Express infrastructure (such as CXL™).    

​ TE’s featured static demo will include:

• DDR5 Dual Inline Memory Module (DIMM) Socket ​- TE’s fifth generation of double data rate, dual inline memory module (DDR5) sockets include surface mount technology and can address the higher data rates needed for today’s memory module applications. Designed in accordance with JEDEC industry standards, this socket includes 288 positions, 0.85mm pitch. DDR5 DIMM sockets support 288-Pin SMT type. ​This socket is designed with short, medium, long and narrow latch options to address different space requirements. It is also available in multiple color and plating options. The DDR5 sockets are engineered for higher data rates and can provide up to two times higher performance than DDR4 DIMM sockets. DDR5 sockets are used in communication memory applications, such as data centers, desktop PCs, mass storage and servers. ​

“As the industry continues its unstoppable march toward higher speeds and denser equipment, designs require new approaches to connectivity and thermal management,” said Nathan Tracy, TE technologist, industry standards manager and OIF vice president of marketing and board member. “Each year at DesignCon, TE demonstrates its industry leadership in developing new technologies and products to support next-generation data center and networking equipment, and we are proud to be showcasing our latest technical advances via functioning demonstrations and displays.”

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LayerZero Labs raises $135M for decentralized omnichain interop protocol

LayerZero Labs raised $135 million for its decentralized omnichain interoperability protocol which could be used to accelerate the development of cross-chain decentralized applications (dApps).

The idea is to build high-throughput applications, like gaming, NFT marketplaces and media apps, on cost-effective blockchains. 

The funding round was co-led by Sequoia Capital, FTX Ventures and Andreessen Horowitz and with participation from Coinbase Ventures, PayPal Ventures, Tiger Global, and Uniswap Labs, This funding round values LayerZero Labs at $1 billion.

The company reports very significant traction:

Following the beta launch of LayerZero, the LayerZero Labs team recently launched Stargate, a cross-chain liquidity transfer protocol built on LayerZero’s generic messaging. Stargate solves a holy grail problem called the Bridging Trilemma and enables cross-chain liquidity transfer in native assets, with unified liquidity and instant guarantee of finality. 

The team believes Stargate will be integral to any application that wants to move cryptocurrency across blockchains. In just 10 days post-launch, Stargate has surpassed $3.4B in assets secured, and Stargate has sent over $264M in transfers over LayerZero. Building off this momentum, LayerZero Labs will focus on integrating the LayerZero protocol with Non-EVM blockchains (Solana, Terra, etc.) while building a community of cross-chain DeFi protocols and dApps powered by LayerZero & Stargate.

“This round is a massive step forward for LayerZero Labs and the unfolding interoperability landscape. We’ve brought some of the best and most well respected entities in the world together to accomplish the same goal: create the generic messaging layer that underpins all interoperability between blockchains,” said Bryan Pellegrino, CEO and co-founder, LayerZero Labs.

“LayerZero unlocks a future of blockchains without borders. Users will interact with omnichain dApps that exist on multiple blockchains. These dApps will seamlessly communicate over LayerZero without the user even realizing it,” said Ryan Zarick, CTO and co-founder, LayerZero Labs.

https://layerzero.network

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PEACE subsea cable lands in Mombasa

The Pakistan and East Africa Connecting Europe (PEACE) submarine cable has landed this week in Mombasa, Kenya.

The PEACE Cable is the sixth submarine cable to land in Kenya, preceded by the Djibouti Africa Regional Express 1 (DARE 1), SEACOM, The East African Marine System (TEAMS), the Eastern Africa Submarine Cable System (EASSy) and the Lower Indian Ocean NetWork II (LION II).

PEACE's second phase will see the cable extend to Singapore and Southern Africa, boosting bandwidth and connectivity from its current African landing point in Mombasa, all the way to South Africa, consequently opening new markets to cable partners in East Africa and the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

Telkom Kenya's CEO, Mr. Mugo KIBATI states:  

“The investment in submarine cables is of strategic importance to Telkom, where we view access to the Internet as a fundamental human right. Interest in this kind of delivery infrastructure is growing due to the sharp increase in the demand of Internet services including: cloud computing, streaming, gaming, connected devices, and also taking into account the customer’s demand for seamless service provision with no interruption. We are therefore proud to contribute to Kenya's strategic evolution to become a digital economy, in line with the country’s Big 4 Agenda that relies on ICTs to enhance processes, improve efficiencies, and boost consistency in service delivery to Kenyans."  

“This ultra-high capacity Cable will assist Kenya and the region in meeting its current and future broadband capacity requirements, bolster redundancy, minimise transit time of our country's connectivity to Asia and Europe, as well as assist carriers in providing affordable services to Kenyans. This is in line with our long-term goal of effectively addressing the digital transformation being witnessed in Kenya and the region, as we seek to become the technology partner of choice in these markets.”

https://www.telkom.co.ke/telkom-peace-cable-company-land-submarine-cable-kenya

PEACE subsea cable lands in Marseille

Tuesday, October 19, 2021  France, Orange, Subsea  

The new PEACE (Pakistan and East Africa Connecting Europe) submarine cable has landed on the shores of Marseille. 

Orange, acting as the landing party for the PEACE cable in France has successfully completed the landing of the PEACE system in Marseille, will supply and operate the cable landing station. Orange is also responsible for extending the PEACE System to one of Marseille’s major data centers where the submarine line terminal equipment is located.

“We are glad to have successfully completed this operation with our affiliate Orange Marine today who managed the shore-end landing. For Orange, having capacity on PEACE will provide greater route diversity, improved connection security and guaranteed support for increased capacity across all regions in the Indian Ocean zone, particularly La Réunion and Mayotte, especially reducing its dependency on the EASSy cable which links Djibouti to South Africa” says Jean-Luc Vuillemin,  Executive Vice President of International Networks at Orange.

Orange and PCCW join PEACE subsea cable project

Wednesday, September 18, 2019  Orange, PCCW, Peace, Subsea  

PCCW Global, Orange, and PEACE Cable International, a leading international submarine cable operator, reached agreement to deploy the Pakistan and East Africa Connecting Europe (PEACE) submarine cable system. PEACE will be a 12,000km ultra-low latency cable system connecting three of the largest and most populous continents in the world - Asia, Africa and Europe. The backbone of the project will interconnect Pakistan, Djibouti, Egypt, Kenya and...

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Infinera’s ICE6 selected for PEACE submarine cable system

Tuesday, June 08, 2021    

Infinera's ICE6 optical engine solution will be deployed on the Mediterranean Segment of the Pakistan & East Africa Connecting Europe (PEACE) submarine cable system. Infinera said it was selected following extensive technology evaluation and application analysis of its ICE6 solution, including its combination of ultra-high baud rates and an advanced modulation technique known as long-codeword probabilistic constellation shaping. Both capabilities...

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Telecom Egypt signs PEACE subsea cable

Sunday, May 12, 2019  Subsea, Telecom Egypt  

Telecom Egypt entered agreements enabling the Pakistan & East Africa Connecting Europe (PEACE) subsea cable system to cross Egypt through new diversified terrestrial routes between the Zafarana and Abou Talat cable landing stations, where Telecom Egypt will provide PEACE with brand new state of the art landing facilities. The total value of the agreement amounts to US$45 million over the lifetime of the cable.  In addition,  PEACE...

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Rakuten Mobile tests Nokia's 1 Gbps optical transport

Rakuten Mobile has tested a live 1 Tb/s per channel transmission over its commercial DWDM. The trial took place over two days in January 2022 and connected data centers located 135 km apart in the Kanto region in Japan.

The 1 Tb/s speed was achieved using coherent transmission powered by Nokia’s Photonic Service Engine (PSE) supporting 1 Tb/s capacity over a 150 GHz optical spectrum. The trial demonstrated the ability to deliver 32 Tb/s per fiber in C-band which can be expanded to 64 Tbps by adding L-band over a Nokia DWDM line system used in Rakuten Mobile’s optical network, vital to providing maximum capacity for the ever-increasing data demands and to support the latest generations of routers delivering 800 Gb/s Ethernet.

The Open Line System field trial, over Rakuten Mobile’s existing commercial network, used Nokia’s Photonic Service Engine inhouse Digital Signal Processor (DSP), a compact, high capacity, modular optical networking platform, optimized for Data Center Interconnect (DCI) applications over metro, regional and long haul.

John Lancaster-Lennox, Head of Market Unit Japan, Nokia, said: “The 1 Terabit per channel trial demonstrated the capability to dramatically increase fiber capacity and future-proof the Rakuten Mobile network infrastructure to support new high speed data center interconnection.”

Tareq Amin, Representative Director and CEO of Rakuten Mobile, Inc., said: “We are delighted with the performance of 1 Tb/s per channel on our optical network in collaboration with Nokia. This technical milestone will allow us to maximize bits per fiber and achieve improved power efficiency. The enhanced capacity will also support our traffic growth, deliver higher bandwidth and enable Rakuten Mobile to provide new service offerings.”

https://www.nokia.com/about-us/news/releases/2022/03/30/nokia-and-rakuten-mobile-prove-case-for-1-terabit-per-channel-transmission-in-live-network/

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FirstLight acquires 1,800 route-mile fiber network in PA

 FirstLight completed its acquisition of the majority of the assets of the Pennsylvania-based Keystone Initiative for Network Based Education and Research (KINBER) whose assets include a 1,800-route mile fiber network in Pennsylvania and related customer contracts. KINBER will continue in its mission to provide research and education access, investing in underserved and unserved communities, and positioning Pennsylvania to be a leader in broadband and broadband technology. FirstLight will continue to support KINBER’s networking needs.

FirstLight own and operates a fiber network extending 25,000 miles across the north eastern United States.

FirstLight has invested significantly in the Pennsylvania market over the past 12 months, adding a dedicated Pennsylvania sales team and approximately 1,000 miles of new fiber to its network, including builds in Allentown, Harrisburg, Lancaster, Scranton, Reading and Wilkes-Barre.

“In addition to acquiring an important fiber route in Pennsylvania, we are excited to serve the prestigious, world renowned higher education institutions, K-12, government, and health care customers in Pennsylvania that KINBER so aptly cultivated over the years,” said Kurt Van Wagenen, FirstLight President and CEO.

https://www.firstlight.net/explore-our-network/

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