Zayo announces major infrastructure upgrades

Zayo has announced a series of critical infrastructure upgrades, featuring significant expansions in network connectivity. These enhancements include the introduction of new 400G-enabled wavelength routes, expanded on-demand network capabilities, and IP core upgrades.

Diversifying 400G Connections

Since April 2024, Zayo has completed five unique and carrier-diverse 400G wavelength routes. These routes provide unmatched diversity and connect to Zayo’s extensive backbone, enabling resilient North to South and Coast to Coast connectivity with 400G capacity.

New 400G routes:

• Los Angeles to San Jose: High-capacity, low-latency connectivity, extending to Salt Lake City, Portland, Dallas, and Phoenix.
• Chicago to St. Louis: Adds a diverse entrance into Chicago, connecting to the Memphis to New Orleans route.
• Reno to Barstow: Low-latency path beneficial for carriers, government agencies, and enterprises.
• Columbus to Pittsburgh: Offers faster, direct access with additional routing diversity.
• Quebec City to Montreal: Connects key data centers, extending reach into the U.S. Zayo is the sole major provider offering 400G connectivity between these locations.

Zayo has also expanded 400G capacity on routes linking Richmond, Cleveland, and Chicago, with nearly 90% of its North American fiber network now 400G-enabled, aiming for full enablement by the end of 2024.

Enabling Easy-to-Turn-Up Wavelength Capacity

To meet the growing demand for high-bandwidth applications like AI, Zayo has expanded its on-demand capacity services. The company’s industry-first Waves on Demand service offers wavelength turn-up in 24 hours and is now available on 10 high-demand routes, including new routes from Atlanta to Miami and Seattle to San Jose.

Strengthening Strategic Connections with IP Core Upgrades

Zayo has added 11 new North American IP points-of-presence (PoPs) in key data centers across multiple states and provinces. Additionally, four existing 400G IP PoP locations have been upgraded, enhancing connectivity in strategic markets such as San Jose, Seattle, Phoenix, and New York.

With these enhancements, Zayo now operates 375 global IP PoPs, 250 of which are in North America. These upgrades ensure scalable and reliable capacity, reduced latency, and improved performance to support advanced applications.

https://www.zayo.com/

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NTT DATA lands major contract for FBI’s Mission Critical Services

NTT DATA, a leading provider of digital business and IT services, has been chosen as a prime contractor by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The company will deliver IT services through the FBI’s Information Technology Supplies and Support Services 2nd Generation (ITSSS-2) Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA). This significant contract underscores NTT DATA's role in supporting critical IT infrastructure for federal agencies.

The ITSSS-2 BPA comes with an $8 billion ceiling and an eight-year performance period from June 21, 2024, to June 21, 2032. It will serve as the primary contract vehicle for the FBI to secure essential IT services and will be available for use by all components of the Department of Justice (DOJ). NTT DATA’s Federal Division will leverage existing and emerging technologies to provide business, delivery, platform, infrastructure, and IT solutions, ensuring the FBI's and DOJ’s mission-critical needs are met efficiently and effectively.

“We understand the importance of maintaining high levels of IT support services for the DOJ’s agencies including the FBI,” said Kevin Durkin, President, Federal Government Services, NTT DATA. “We are honored to expand our strong relationship with the FBI and the DOJ to significantly improve their IT performance, reliability and security, and enable their mission-critical activities to operate efficiently and effectively.”

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Dell'Oro: Mobile core network market continues decline

The Mobile Core Network (MCN) market 5-year cumulative revenue forecast is expected to decline 10 percent (2024-2028), according to a new report from Dell'Oro Group. The reduction in the forecast is caused by severe economic headwinds, primarily the high inflation rates, and the slow adoption of 5G Standalone (5G SA) networks by Mobile Network Operators (MNOs).

"It bears repeating, this is the fifth consecutive time we have reduced the growth rate of the MCN market as the build-out of 5G SA networks continue to wane compared to 5G Non-standalone networks," said Dave Bolan, Research Director at Dell'Oro Group. "This is the first 5-year forecast out of the last five where the 5-year CAGR (2023-2028) has fallen into negative territory. The count of 5G SA networks commercially deployed by MNOs remains the same as it was at the end of 2023, about 50 5G SA networks.

"For the same reasons outlined for the MCN market, we reduced the 5-year cumulative revenue forecast for the Multi-Access Edge Computing (MEC) market, a sub-segment of the MCN market, by 18 percent. In the case of MEC, the adoption rate is slowed much more dramatically than the overall MCN market. The industry is addressing these concerns with several initiatives such as open gateway application programmable interfaces (APIs) to attract the application development community to develop applications for the mobile industry that can easily be leveraged across all MNOs. Release 18 is introducing capabilities for new use cases, and Reduced Capability (RedCap) RAN software to bring more 5G IoT devices to market. However, these will take time to bring solutions to market and more importantly at scale to have an impact on the overall market growth," Bolan added.

Additional highlights from the Mobile Core Network & Multi-Access Edge Computing 5-Year July 2024 Forecast Report:

• The CAGR is negative for all product segments—Packet Core, Policy, Signaling, Subscriber Data Management, and IMS Core.
• The CAGR for the market segments is positive for 5G MCN and MEC, and negative for 4G MCN and IMS Core.
• The CAGR by regions is positive for Asia Pacific excl. China, Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), and Worldwide excluding China. The regions with negative CAGRs are North America, CALA, China, and Worldwide excluding North America.

https://www.delloro.com/news/mobile-core-network-market-woes-continue-market-forecast-to-decline-10-percent/

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Armada secures $40 Million for its AI Edge

Armada, an edge computing start-up based in San Francisco, has announced a $40 million funding round led by M12, Microsoft's Venture Fund. This latest round brings the company's total funding to over $100 million, positioning Armada to further develop and expand its innovative edge computing solutions.

Armada’s flagship products include the Edge, a full-stack modular data center solution designed to provide industry-leading compute capabilities to remote sites in a rugged, mobile form factor. Additionally, the company's EdgeAI applications are purpose-built for use cases at the edge, capable of running on-premises or in the cloud. Armada is looking forward to enhancing its relationship with Microsoft Azure and the Azure Marketplace across its product suite.

Commander Connect, another key offering from Armada, is a comprehensive platform designed to centralize and optimize the management of IoT assets. This includes the integration of Starlink terminals, mobile data centers (Galleons), and other edge computing resources. Leveraging Azure's robust infrastructure, Commander Connect offers unparalleled scalability, security, and performance for enterprise-grade edge computing solutions.

This funding comes at a pivotal time as all Armada products are now available in the Microsoft Azure Marketplace, enabling Azure customers to use their pre-committed Azure spend on Armada products.

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Ekinops Reports Q2 and H1 2024 Financial Results

 In Q2 2024, Ekinops, a leading provider of telecommunications solutions, reported consolidated revenue of €29.2 million, reflecting a 25% decrease compared to Q2 2023. This decline was anticipated and consistent across constant exchange rates. However, on a sequential basis, Q2 2024 revenue showed a slight improvement, increasing by 3% relative to Q1 2024.

For the first half of 2024, Ekinops' revenue totaled €57.5 million, down 19% from H1 2023, with the trend remaining unchanged at constant exchange rates. Despite challenges in the Optical Transport segment, which saw a significant decline, the company experienced growth in its Access solutions and a stable performance in Software & Services, particularly in its SD-WAN solution.

Key Financial Highlights:

• Q2 2024 Revenue: €29.2 million (down 25% year-on-year)
• Sequential Growth: Q2 2024 revenue up 3% from Q1 2024
• H1 2024 Revenue: €57.5 million (down 19% year-on-year)
• Access Solutions: Up 1% over H1 2024, driven by a 16% rebound in French sales
• Optical Transport Solutions: Down 41% over H1 2024
• Software & Services: Accounted for 17% of half-year revenue, with increasing recurring revenue
• Revenue by Region:
  • France: Up 5%, representing 44% of total business volumes
  • International: Down 31%, representing 56% of total half-year revenue
  • North America: Sales down 31%, representing 22% of Group business
  • EMEA (excluding France): Sales down 32%, representing 32% of total business
  • Asia-Pacific: Sales down 15%, with a 32% rebound in Q2 2024, representing 2% of Group business

The downturn in Optical Transport solutions is attributed to cautious investment policies by operators with high inventory levels, a slowdown in internet traffic growth, and a wait-and-see attitude ahead of the new 800G optical solution launch. Meanwhile, Access solutions benefitted from inventory rebuilding by major customers, although not yet at normative levels.

https://www.ekinops.com/news/corporate/h1-2024-revenue-57-5-m

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Deutsche Telekom's Dr. Mudesir appointed chair of O-RAN Alliance

Dr. Abdurazak Mudesir, Group CTO of Deutsche Telekom, has been elected as Chair of the Board of O-RAN Alliance.

Under Abdu’s chairmanship, O-RAN ALLIANCE stays fully committed to its mission to transform Radio Access Networks to be open, intelligent, virtualized and fully interoperable.

Dr. Alex Jinsung Choi, with his departure from Deutsche Telekom, has stepped down from the O-RAN ALLIANCE Board Chair. Alex was one of the founding directors of the O-RAN ALLIANCE in 2018. He served as Chief Operations Officer until 2022, and then as Chair of the Board until June 2024. 

“O-RAN ALLIANCE plays an essential role in the industry by setting an open specification framework and by facilitating the development of an innovative and competitive O-RAN ecosystem,” said Abdurazak Mudesir, Chair of the Board of O-RAN ALLIANCE and Group CTO of Deutsche Telekom. “O-RAN ALLIANCE remains committed to its efforts in architecture design, interfaces and test specifications, open source developments as well as development of the O-RAN ecosystem towards large scale deployments and global impact.”

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CHIPS R&D Office offer $1.6 Billion for Advanced Packaging

The CHIPS Research and Development Office has unveiled plans for a major funding initiative aimed at revolutionizing semiconductor advanced packaging in the United States. With up to $1.6 billion in cooperative agreements and other transaction agreements, this program seeks to establish domestic capacity for cutting-edge packaging technologies crucial for next-generation computing, AI, and low-power electronics.

This funding is part of the broader CHIPS and Science Act, which allocated $39 billion for semiconductor manufacturing incentives and $11 billion for R&D. The National Advanced Packaging Manufacturing Program (NAPMP) is a key component of this R&D effort, focusing on developing advanced packaging technologies to maintain U.S. leadership in the semiconductor industry.

The announcement outlines five primary R&D areas, with a strong emphasis on photonics, chiplets, and advanced packaging technologies:

1. Equipment, Tools, Processes, and Process Integration

2. Power Delivery and Thermal Management

3. Connector Technology, Including Photonics and Radio Frequency (RF)

4. Chiplets Ecosystem

5. Co-design/Electronic Design Automation (EDA)

In the realm of photonics, the program aims to develop low-loss optical connections between packaged sub-assemblies, enabling high-speed, low-latency data transfer. This technology is crucial for meeting the increasing bandwidth demands of advanced computing systems.

Chiplets are a central focus of the initiative, with an entire R&D category dedicated to developing a comprehensive chiplet ecosystem. This approach aims to enable the creation of application-specific integrated packages that surpass the capabilities of traditional monolithic ASICs, potentially revolutionizing semiconductor design and manufacturing.

Advanced packaging serves as the foundation for all R&D areas, with a focus on developing end-to-end packaging flows suitable for industry adoption. The program emphasizes heterogeneous integration and the dual goals of scaling down package features while scaling out to accommodate more chips per package.

“The National Advanced Packaging Manufacturing Program will enable a packaging sector within the United States that outpaces the world through innovation driven by robust R&D,” said Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Director Laurie E. Locascio. “Within a decade, through R&D funded by CHIPS for America, we will create a domestic packaging industry where advanced node chips manufactured in the U.S. and abroad can be packaged within the United States and where innovative designs and architectures are enabled through leading-edge packaging capabilities.

The CHIPS R&D Office anticipates awarding multiple grants of up to $150 million each, with project durations of up to 5 years. The program strongly encourages collaboration between industry, academia, and non-profit organizations to foster a robust ecosystem for advanced packaging innovation.

Key Points:

• Total funding of up to $1.6 billion available for advanced packaging R&D

• Individual awards of up to $150 million for projects lasting up to 5 years

• Focus on five R&D areas, including photonics, chiplets, and advanced packaging

• Aim to establish domestic capacity for cutting-edge packaging technologies

• Part of the broader CHIPS and Science Act's $11 billion R&D initiative

• Emphasis on industry-academia collaboration to foster innovation ecosystem

• Prototype development opportunities included to demonstrate new packaging flows

This funding initiative represents a significant step in the U.S. government's efforts to reinvigorate domestic semiconductor research and manufacturing. By focusing on advanced packaging technologies, the program aims to position the United States at the forefront of the next wave of semiconductor innovation, crucial for maintaining technological leadership in an increasingly competitive global landscape.

https://www.nist.gov/news-events/news/2024/07/biden-harris-administration-invest-16-billion-establish-and-accelerate

https://www.nist.gov/system/files/documents/noindex/2024/07/09/CHIPS%20NAPMP%20NOI_07092024.pdf

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Applied Materials unveils Advanced Chip Wiring and Stacking

Applied Materials introduced groundbreaking materials engineering innovations designed to enhance the performance-per-watt of computer systems. These innovations enable copper wiring to scale to the 2nm logic node and below, addressing the increasing demand for energy-efficient computing in the AI era. 

The industry faces significant challenges as it scales to 2nm and below. Current logic chips, which contain billions of transistors connected by miles of microscopic copper wiring, rely on a combination of low-k dielectrics and copper to deliver performance and power-efficiency improvements. However, thinner dielectric materials at these scales make chips mechanically weaker, and narrower copper wires increase electrical resistance, potentially reducing performance and increasing power consumption. Applied’s new enhancements to its Black Diamond™ material address these issues by reducing the minimum k-value and increasing mechanical strength, essential for 3D logic and memory stacking.

Additionally, Applied Materials introduced its latest IMS (Integrated Materials Solution), combining six technologies in one high-vacuum system. This system includes a binary metal combination of ruthenium and cobalt (RuCo), which reduces the thickness of the liner and improves surface properties for void-free copper reflow, ultimately reducing electrical line resistance by up to 25%. This innovation, the Applied Endura Copper Barrier Seed IMS with Volta Ruthenium CVD, is being adopted by leading logic chipmakers and is set to enhance chip performance and power consumption significantly.

• Key Points:

• Materials Innovations: Applied Materials introduces enhancements to Black Diamond™ and a new IMS™ for advanced chip wiring and stacking.

• Enhanced Performance: Innovations enable copper wiring to scale to 2nm, reducing electrical resistance and improving power efficiency.

• Industry Adoption: Leading logic and DRAM chipmakers adopt Applied’s latest technologies, underscoring the company’s leadership in chip wiring processes.

Dr. Prabu Raja, President of the Semiconductor Products Group at Applied Materials, highlighted the importance of chip wiring and stacking in improving performance and power consumption. The new integrated materials solution from Applied allows for low-resistance copper wiring at emerging angstrom nodes, while a new low-k dielectric material reduces capacitance and strengthens chips for advanced 3D stacking.

“The AI era needs more energy-efficient computing, and chip wiring and stacking are critical to performance and power consumption,” said Dr. Prabu Raja, President of the Semiconductor Products Group at Applied Materials. “Applied’s newest integrated materials solution enables the industry to scale low-resistance copper wiring to the emerging angstrom nodes, while our latest low-k dielectric material simultaneously reduces capacitance and strengthens chips to take 3D stacking to new heights.”

https://ir.appliedmaterials.com/news-releases/news-release-details/applied-materials-unveils-chip-wiring-innovations-more-energy

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SEMI: Global semiconductor equipment sales to hit record $109B in 2024

Global sales of semiconductor manufacturing equipment by original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are forecasted to reach an unprecedented $109 billion in 2024, marking a 3.4% year-on-year growth, according to SEMI’s Mid-Year Total Semiconductor Equipment Forecast unveiled at SEMICON West 2024. This growth trajectory is expected to continue into 2025, with sales predicted to soar to $128 billion, driven by robust demand in both front-end and back-end segments.

The wafer fab equipment segment, encompassing wafer processing, fab facilities, and mask/reticle equipment, is set to grow by 2.8% to $98 billion in 2024, up from $96 billion last year. This revision from the previous $93 billion forecast is fueled by significant investments in China and rising demand for DRAM and high-bandwidth memory (HBM) due to AI computing. By 2025, wafer fab equipment sales are projected to increase by 14.7%, reaching $113 billion, propelled by advanced logic and memory applications.

After two years of contraction, the back-end equipment segment is expected to recover in the latter half of 2024. Sales of semiconductor test equipment are anticipated to rise by 7.4% to $6.7 billion, while assembly and packaging equipment sales are predicted to grow by 10.0% to $4.4 billion. This growth is expected to accelerate in 2025, with test equipment sales surging by 30.3% and assembly and packaging sales increasing by 34.9%. This rebound is supported by the growing complexity of semiconductor devices for high-performance computing and a recovery in demand across automotive, industrial, and consumer electronics markets.

• Key Findings:

• Wafer Fab Equipment: Expected to grow by 2.8% to $98 billion in 2024, reaching $113 billion by 2025.

• Back-End Equipment: Projected recovery with a 7.4% increase in test equipment sales and a 10.0% rise in assembly and packaging equipment sales in 2024.

• Regional Spending: China to lead equipment spending, projected to exceed $35 billion in 2024, despite expected contractions in other regions in 2024 with rebounds in 2025.

https://www.semi.org/en/semi-press-releases/global-total-semiconductor-equipment-sales-forecast-to-reach-record

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Sparkle activates PoP at Rome’s Largest Data Centre Campus

Sparkle, Italy’s premier international service provider, and Aruba S.p.A, the country’s leading provider of cloud and data services, have announced the activation of a new Sparkle Point of Presence (PoP) at Aruba’s Hyper Cloud Data Centre in Rome. This new PoP, set to be inaugurated soon, strengthens Rome’s position as a global connectivity hub between Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, facilitated by Sparkle’s new BlueMed cable. The BlueMed cable is part of the Blue & Raman Submarine Cable Systems project, which, in collaboration with Google and other operators, aims to establish robust digital infrastructure linking various regions, including an extension to India under the IMEC initiative.

The BlueMed cable, designed with an open cable system and landing station architecture, offers unparalleled openness and interconnectivity, boasting a capacity of over 25 Terabits per second (Tbps) per pair across its four fibre pairs. This ensures high-speed, high-performance international connections from Rome to Sparkle’s global destinations. Sparkle’s new PoP at Aruba’s Hyper Cloud Data Centre, located in the Tecnopolo Tiburtino district, adds to Rome’s existing PoPs, enhancing the metropolitan ring’s redundancy and integration with Sparkle’s Tier-1 global IP network “Seabone.” This facility will provide various IP and data services, including DDoS Protection and Virtual NAP, benefitting network operators, ISPs, OTTs, and content providers.

Key Points:

• New PoP Activation: Sparkle activates a new PoP at Aruba’s Hyper Cloud Data Centre in Rome.

• BlueMed Cable: Enhances connectivity between Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, part of the Blue & Raman Submarine Cable Systems project.

• High Performance: BlueMed cable offers over 25 Tbps per pair, supporting high-speed international connections.

• Data Centre: Aruba’s Hyper Cloud Data Centre spans 74,000 m² with advanced infrastructure and renewable energy use.

• Enhanced Services: PoP provides IP and data services, including DDoS Protection and Virtual NAP, via Sparkle’s Tier-1 global IP network.

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AMD to acquire Silo AI for $665 Million, expanding AI capabilities

AMD agreed to acquire Silo AI, Europe’s largest private AI lab, for approximately $665 million in cash. This acquisition is a strategic move by AMD to enhance its end-to-end AI solutions based on open standards and to strengthen its partnership within the global AI ecosystem. Silo AI’s team, comprising world-class AI scientists and engineers, is known for developing customized AI models and platforms for leading enterprises across various markets, including cloud, embedded, and endpoint computing.

Peter Sarlin, CEO and co-founder of Silo AI, will continue to lead the Silo AI team under the AMD Artificial Intelligence Group, reporting to AMD senior vice president Vamsi Boppana. The acquisition, which is expected to close in the second half of 2024, will integrate Silo AI’s expertise into AMD’s existing AI initiatives. 

Based in Helsinki, Finland, Silo AI operates across Europe and North America, providing AI-driven solutions to customers like Allianz, Philips, Rolls-Royce, and Unilever. The company also develops open-source multilingual LLMs, such as Poro and Viking, on AMD platforms and offers its SiloGen model platform.

Key Points:

• Acquisition Details: AMD to acquire Silo AI for $665 million in cash, expected to close in H2 2024.
• Leadership: Silo AI CEO Peter Sarlin to lead the team within AMD Artificial Intelligence Group.
• Silo AI Capabilities: Specializes in end-to-end AI solutions, serving customers like Allianz and Rolls-Royce, and develops open-source LLMs on AMD platforms.
• Strategic Expansion: This acquisition aligns with AMD’s strategy to deliver open-standard AI solutions and follows recent investments in AI companies, including Mipsology and Nod.ai.

https://www.silo.ai/blog/amd-to-acquire-silo-ai-to-expand-enterprise-ai-solutions-globally

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Norway's Sodvin replaces GPON with Ciena’s XGS-PON

Sodvin AS, a provider of telecommunications and energy solutions, is leveraging Ciena’s fiber broadband platform to improve the capacity and reach of its residential broadband services throughout Trøndelag county, Norway.

Utilizing its existing power infrastructure, Sodvin is deploying fiber-optic networks to extend broadband access to residents and businesses in the region. Ciena’s XGS-PON solution replaces previously deployed GPON technology, enabling the delivery of services such as internet and multicast television.

Sodvin’s new residential broadband network incorporates key components of Ciena’s PON solution, including 5164 Routers, XGS-PON uOLTs (micro optical line terminals), and 3801 ONUs (optical network units). Ciena’s uOLT pluggables allow Sodvin to expand deployment rapidly, easily, and sustainably, adding capacity in granular increments to match customer demand. XGS-PON can deliver symmetrical speeds of up to 10 Gb/s both downstream and upstream.

Virginie Hollebecque, Vice President of Europe, Middle East, and Africa at Ciena, stated, “Sodvin’s choice of Ciena’s broadband solution shows their commitment to staying at the forefront of technology, enabling them to deliver higher-speed services with unmatched flexibility and scalability to unlock new possibilities for their customers while reducing environmental impacts. We are delighted to count Sodvin as a customer, who supports the transition to a greener future through the use of sustainable technology.”

• Infrastructure Upgrade: Sodvin upgrades to Ciena’s XGS-PON solution, replacing GPON technology.

• Enhanced Services: New network supports symmetrical speeds of up to 10 Gb/s for internet and multicast television.

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Ariane 6 blasts off on inaugural launch

Ariane 6, Europe’s new heavy lift rocket, was successfully launched for the first time from the Guiana Space Center in French Guiana. 

During its 3rd phase of its orbital flight, the upper stage of the Ariane 6 experienced an anomaly, leading to a cancellation of the planned release of  experimental capsules.

Ariane 6 features a reignitable upper stage allowing it to launch multiple missions on different orbits on a single flight.

The Ariane 6  is designed to be more efficient and cost-effective than its predecessor, Ariane 5, with a lower production cost of approximately $200 million per launch. Ariane 6 has a payload capacity of 21.5 metric tons to geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) and 10.7 metric tons to low Earth orbit (LEO). The Ariane 6 has a external diameter of 5.4 meters and a height of 63 meters. The fairing is 20 meters. The vehicle uses a combination of liquid (first and second stages) and solid propellants (side boosters).

For the development of Ariane 6, ESA is the Launch System Architect working with prime contractor ArianeGroup for the development of the launch vehicle and with CNES for the development of the ground segment. ESA is the operator responsible for the inaugural flight while for subsequent flights Arianespace is the launch service provider that markets and operates the Ariane 6 launcher for institutional and commercial customers to launch a variety of missions into orbit.

ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher said: “Ariane 6 marks a new era of autonomous, versatile European space travel. This powerful rocket is the culmination of many years of dedication and ingenuity from thousands across Europe and, as it launches, it will re-establish Europe’s independent access to space. Ariane 6 is Europe’s rocket for the needs of today, adaptable to our future ambitions.”

https://www.arianespace.com/

The customer manifest for Ariane 6 includes

• European Space Agency (ESA)

• Eutelsat

• Qualsat

• Hellas-Sat

• KTsat

• OneWeb

• Project Kuiper

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Tech Update: IOWN Mid-2024 Progress Report

 The Innovative Optical and Wireless Network Forum (IOWN), which was founded in 2020 by NTT to accelerate the transition to next-generation networks, has grown into an international collaboration with big ambitions. Gonzalo Camarillo, Head of Implementation Components at Ericsson and Chair of the Marketing Steering Committee for IOWN, provides a mid-2024 progress report:

• The forum is developing proof-of-concept prototypes in areas like financial institutions, video production, remote GPUs/AI, and 6G networks
• Early deployments of photonics technology are expected as soon as 2025, with showcases planned for Mobile World Congress and Osaka Expo
• Photonics offers advantages over electronics in power consumption, latency, and capacity, enabling new use cases and applications

https://youtu.be/VzRAJ6M4iSA

Have a tech update that you want to brief us on? Contact info@nextgeninfra.io!

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Samsung's 2nm node and advanced packaging to power AI accelerators

Samsung Electronics has announced a significant partnership with Preferred Networks, a leading Japanese AI company, to provide cutting-edge semiconductor solutions. The collaboration will utilize Samsung's 2-nanometer (nm) foundry process and advanced 2.5D packaging technology, Interposer-Cube S (I-Cube S), to develop powerful AI accelerators.

This partnership marks a pivotal moment for Samsung, validating its 2nm Gate-All-Around (GAA) process technology and Advanced Package technology as ideal solutions for next-generation AI accelerators. Since initiating mass production of the industry's first 3nm process node with GAA transistor architecture, Samsung has continued to strengthen its technological leadership in this field. The collaboration with Preferred Networks also represents a significant achievement in large-sized heterogeneous integrated package technologies for Japanese companies.

Preferred Networks, headquartered in Tokyo, is known for its vertical integration of the AI value chain, from chips to supercomputers and generative AI foundation models. The company has achieved notable success in the global AI market, securing the top position three times in the past five years on the Green500 list of supercomputers. By leveraging Samsung's advanced foundry and packaging technologies, Preferred Networks aims to meet the increasing demand for computing power driven by generative AI applications.

Key Points:

• Samsung to provide 2nm foundry process and I-Cube S packaging technology to Preferred Networks
• Collaboration validates Samsung's advanced technologies for next-generation AI accelerators
• Partnership marks first achievement for Japanese companies in large-sized heterogeneous integrated package technologies
• Preferred Networks aims to develop powerful AI accelerators to meet growing demand in generative AI
• Both companies plan to showcase groundbreaking AI chiplet solutions for data centers and generative AI computing in the future

https://news.samsung.com/global/samsung-electronics-to-provide-turnkey-semiconductor-solutions-with-2nm-gaa-process-and-2-5d-package-to-preferred-networks

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GIX activates NYC-NJ dark fiber route via PATH tunnel

Global InterXchange (GIX), in partnership with the Port Authority of NY and NJ, activated a new dark fiber route linking key integration hubs 60 Hudson Street in New York and 165 Halsey Street in New Jersey through the PATH tunnel.

This is the first privately owned, carrier-neutral installation across the Hudson River in two decades.

Key highlights of the newly activated dark fiber network:

•  Two unique routes throughout Lower Manhattan for reduced latency and enhanced reliability between 60 Hudson and 165 Halsey.
• A Southernmost Hudson River Dark Fiber crossing, offering dependable high-speed connectivity for regional growth and innovation.
• 1.4 miles of fiber cables through PATH tunnels linking Lower Manhattan and Jersey City.
• 8,000 feet of buried greenfield fiber that spans across Jersey City, Kearny and Newark.
• State-of-the-art manhole systems with dual-locking lids for superior physical security.
• 16-ton flood gates on both sides of the Hudson River secure PATH Tunnel infrastructure. 
• Advanced glass technology at the rack level minimizes potential lag issues.
• A reduced number of high-capacity fiber splice points enhances operational efficiency.
• Capabilities for network augmentation to existing structures, balancing CapEx and OpEx expenditures.
• The end-to-end buried fiber cable was designed to withstand extreme weather and meet federal security standards post-9/11. 

"The activation of our historic dark fiber route not only sets a new standard for connectivity across the Hudson River," said Joe Falco, President of GIX, "but also delivers reliable, high-speed connectivity that empowers local businesses, communities and global companies through enhanced infrastructure, fostering growth and innovation."

https://gixfiber.com

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Qumulo names Doug Gourlay as CEO

Qumulo, a start-up focused on the management of exabyte-scale data. appointed Douglas Gourlay as President and Chief Executive Officer, replacing retiring CEO Bill Richter. Gourlay will also join Qumulo’s Board of Directors.

Gourlay previously served as Vice President and General Manager of Software at Arista Networks. Joining Arista in 2009, Gourlay held various executive leadership roles across product, systems engineering, marketing, and sales, contributing to Arista’s transformation into the leader in Cloud Networking. Prior to Arista, he held executive leadership positions at Cisco Systems, where he developed several multi-billion-dollar product lines. Earlier in his career, Gourlay served as an infantry officer in the United States Army. Gourlay has filed or holds over seventy patents in systems and networking technologies.

“I am delighted to join Qumulo. The combination of an outstanding culture and team, innovative on-premises and cloud software, opportunity in Applied AI, and the Scale Anywhere® vision drew me here. I look forward to executing our unique vision and strategy for our customers, partners, and channels,” stated Gourlay. “To quote America’s first astronaut just before launch: ‘Let’s light this candle!’” 

https://qumulo.com

• Qumulo's core technology is a scalable, distributed file system designed for high-performance computing, data analytics, and cloud-based applications. The company's solution is built on top of a distributed architecture that allows it to scale horizontally, making it suitable for large-scale data sets and complex workflows.
• Qumulo has received significant funding from prominent investors, including Highland Capital Partners, Madrona Venture Group, Kleiner Perkins, and Amity Ventures.    The company has raised over $351 million in funding from various rounds, including a $125 million Series E funding round in 2020.

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Lightbit Labs supplies NVMe over TCP data platform

Lightbits Labs, a start-up specializing in NVMe over TCP and software-defined cloud data platforms, announced that Nebul has selected its storage solutions to build advanced AI cloud services. Nebul, known for helping companies across the EU unify their data and deploy NVIDIA-based Private AI, will leverage Lightbits to offer 16x better performance at lower costs, aligning with its sustainability mission. Lightbits’ high performance and low latency, along with compatibility with environments like Kubernetes and VMware, make it an ideal choice for diverse, performance-sensitive workloads.

Nebul’s decision to integrate Lightbits stems from the latter’s performance, resilience, and comprehensive data services, including three-way replication and QoS. Lightbits said its solution enables Nebul to deliver AI services at half the cost of hyperscalers, significantly enhancing large language model performance and handling latency-sensitive workloads without compromising on cost or reliability.

• Nebul focuses on unifying data and deploying NVIDIA-based Private AI for companies across the EU.
• Lightbits supports diverse workloads with up to 75 million IOPS and sub-millisecond tail latency for real-time AI applications and NoSQL databases.
• Lightbits Labs is based in San Jose, California

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Sivers Semi partners with Blu Wireless for 5G train connectivity

 Sivers Semiconductors announced a new contract with Blu Wireless to develop advanced 5G long-range antenna modules operating within the 57-71 GHz license-exempt band. These modules aim to provide high-speed broadband communication links for track-to-train applications, with the contract revenue fully recognized in 2024.

Railway operators have long struggled to provide reliable Wi-Fi to passengers due to significant technical and cost challenges. This new partnership allows Sivers Semiconductors to deliver extended communication links supporting multi-gigabit speeds. These advanced solutions are designed to ensure seamless and high-speed internet access for modern high-speed rail systems, even at speeds exceeding 300 km/h. This development marks a significant step towards enhancing passenger experience and operational efficiency in the rail industry.

“The contract between Blu Wireless and our UK business unit underscores our longstanding partnership,” said Anders Storm, CEO of Sivers Semiconductors. “Combining our cutting-edge RF technology with Blu Wireless’s advanced baseband processing, we are transforming high-speed connectivity for transportation. The new solution offers gigabit data throughput, increased security, and cost-effective deployment, and is already in use on the South Western Railway and the CALTRAIN commuter rail line in the USA.” Blu Wireless, backed by Innovate UK funding and recent investment from Maven Capital Partners, is leading advancements in rail telecommunication technologies to drive sustainable economic growth and support innovation.

www.sivers-semiconductors.com

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Google Fiber tests 50G PON with Nokia

Google Fiber has successfully tested 50 Gbps PON technology over its existing fiber network using Nokia's Lightspan MF fiber access platform. 

This is the first live network demonstration of 50G PON technology in the US and  builds on the 25G PON deployment GFiber Labs announced with Nokia last year. The test demonstrates how different PON technologies can be combined on the same fiber to evolve their broadband offerings. Leveraging Nokia’s fiber solution, Google Fiber was able to simultaneously run 10/25G PON along with 25/50G PON broadband service over its fiber network. 

• Nokia says its platform provides a path to 50G PON upgrades and beyond, with support for  all next-generation PON options, including 100G PON as a technology demonstrator.
• First Live Demonstration: GFiber Labs achieved the first live network demonstration of 50G PON technology in the US.
• Nokia’s Lightspan MF Platform: The trial used Nokia’s platform to upgrade fiber networks, showcasing ease of deployment and enhanced connectivity.
• Building on 25G PON: This 50G PON trial builds on last year’s 25G PON deployment, demonstrating the combination of different PON technologies on the same fiber.
• Next-Generation PON Options: Nokia supports 10G, 25G, and 50G PON products, with 100G PON in development.

https://www.nokia.com/about-us/news/releases/2024/07/08/nokia-and-google-fiber-first-in-the-us-to-trial-50g-pon-speeds-over-live-fiber-broadband-network/

The PON Wars: Debunking the 25G vs. 50G Debate

Sunday, January 07, 2024    

by Maurizio Severi, Head of Fiber Business Line at Nokia Fixed NetworksWhen listening to the arguments in the telecom industry about 25G and 50G PON, you could get the impression that there’s some kind of PON war going on. Even though 25G PON is being deployed, fierce debate still surrounds it. However, the debate concerning 25G versus 50G PON is fruitless, and it detracts from what is important. It’s not about the technology; it is never about...

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Google Fiber advances to 20G symmetrical residential service

Tuesday, October 31, 2023    

Google Fiber is deploying Nokia’s 25G PON solution to enhance its existing fiber network and deliver a new 20 Gig broadband service to customers through GFiber Labs.Gfiber expects to be offering residential 20 Gig + Wi-Fi 7 an early access offering to a small group of GFiber customers in select areas by the end of the year.Nokia’s 25G PON solution enables GFiber to reuse its existing optical fiber cables and active equipment deployed in their network...

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Nokia launches Generation 6 fiber access platform

Monday, October 17, 2022  25G PON, FTTH, Nokia, Optical, PON  

Nokia launched its Generation 6 broadband platform for fiber access services, including 25G PON and future 50G and 100G PON.The new Lightspan MF-14 platform promises unmatched capacity, sub-millisecond latency, intelligence, six nines reliability and the highest power efficienc for an optical line terminal (OLT). The platform offers 4x higher capacity than Nokia's previous generation. The is no single point of failures, ensuring the highest availability...

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