Thursday, October 20, 2022

Arelion's multi-vendor, multi-layer optical transport trial

Arelion completed a series of trials with Acacia and Cisco over multiple, third-party, open line systems. 

On a live fiber route with existing ROADM infrastructure between Hamburg and Copenhagen, Arelion successfully leveraged Acacia Bright 400ZR+ QSFP-DD coherent modules with greater than +1 dBm transmit power between Cisco 8000 and NCS 5700 router platforms. The trial demonstrated the seamless integration of Routed Optical Networking with DWDM transponders carrying wavelength services.

Acacia's Bright 400ZR+ pluggable coherent optical modules can plug into Cisco routers, enabling Arelion's further adoption of the simpler and more scalable architecture of Routed Optical Networking, combining innovations in silicon, optics and routing systems. 

Arelion also highlighted the interworking on brownfield long-haul applications built with third-party optical line systems

"Multi-layer architecture has always been challenging to scale and operate due to decades of accumulated complexity. With this latest trial, Arelion demonstrated the possibility to simplify conversion and interoperability, bringing us closer to Routed Optical Networking that evolves cost structures, scalability and efficiency," said Dariusz Solowiej, VP Network Technology & Customer Operations at Arelion. "400G coherent pluggables will help our customers secure high-performance connectivity at the lowest cost and help us grow our networks in scale as we continue to connect the world."

"As the latest entrant in our comprehensive family of 400G pluggables, the Bright 400ZR+ QSFP-DD is designed to expand optical transceiver applications by supporting higher transmit power and performance consistent with legacy coherent optics," Benny Mikkelsen, Vice President/Chief Technology Officer at Acacia, now part of Cisco. "The ability of these solutions to meet the varying needs of network operators, while driving economies of scale on a common technology platform, is a key advantage for providers such as Arelion to grow their networks."

https://www.arelion.com/about-us/press-releases/400G-field-trial.html

AT&T midband 5G deployment on or ahead of schedule

Citing strong, sustained momentum in customer additions across its growing 5G wireless and fiber networks, AT&T reported Q3 2022 revenue of $30.0 billion versus $31.3 billion in the year-ago quarter, down 4.1% reflecting the impact of the U.S. Video separation in July 2021. Excluding the impact of U.S. Video, operating revenues for standalone AT&T were up 3.1%, from $29.1 billion in the year-ago quarter. This increase primarily reflects higher Mobility revenues, and to a lesser extent Consumer Wireline and Mexico, partly offset by lower Business Wireline revenues.

“We’re investing at record levels to enhance our 5G and fiber connectivity and to deliver the best experience available in the market,” said John Stankey, AT&T CEO. “Our results show our strategy is resonating with customers as we continue to see robust levels of postpaid phone net adds and approach 1 million AT&T Fiber net adds for the year."

Some highlights:

  • Communications revenues were $29.1 billion, up 3.2% year over year primarily due to increases in Mobility and, to a lesser extent, Consumer Wireline, which more than offset a decline in Business Wireline.
  • Mobility revenues were up 6.0% year over year to $20.3 billion due to higher service and equipment revenues. Service revenues were $15.3 billion, up 5.6% year over year, primarily driven by subscriber and postpaid ARPU growth
  • Internet of Things (IoT) connections, including wholesale, have now reached more than 100 million.
  • FirstNet connections reached approximately 4 million across more than 23,000 agencies. 
  • Business Wireline revenues were $5.7 billion, down 4.5% year over year due to lower demand for legacy voice and data services and product simplification, partly offset by growth in connectivity services. 
  • 708,000 postpaid phone net adds; 2.2 million-plus through the third quarter, expected to be industry best
  • 338,000 AT&T Fiber net adds, second-best quarter ever; 11 straight quarters with more than 200,000 net adds.

https://about.att.com/story/2022/q3-earnings.html

Equinix invests $45million for 2nd data center in Bogota

Equinix announced a US$45 million investment for the construction of BG2, a new International Business Exchange (IBX) in Bogotá - its second data center in Colombia.

The new facility, which is scheduled to open in the first half of 2023, will offer around 32,000 square feet (approximately 2,900 square meters) of colocation space, making it one of the largest data centers in Colombia. 

The initial phase of BG2 will have a capacity for 550 cabinets, with space for additional cabinets in future phases. At full build, the facility will provide capacity for 1,100 cabinets.

https://www.equinix.com/newsroom/press-releases/2022/10/digital-transformation-growth-in-latam-underpins-equinix-us-45m-investment-in-its-second-data-center-in-colombia

Wednesday, October 19, 2022

Open Compute Project and LF target Silicon Root of Trust

The Open Compute Project Foundation (OCP) and the Linux Foundation (LF), which are now collaborating on hardware-software co-design strategy, announced "Caliptra", a new effort to standardize silicon embedded hardware root of trust (ROT) security.

Caliptra is supported by AMD, NVIDIA, Microsoft and Google. The hardware root of trust provides a set of security properties that anchor the security of a system-on-a-chip (SOC), including CPUs, GPUs and SSDs, into the hardware.

"An important part of the OCP mission, on top of serving our hyperscale operator community, is to make it easy for everyone to consume hyperscale innovations, which end up embedded in OCP recognized products. Understanding that deployable solutions need hardware and software that is integrated into a complete and validated solution, we are pleased to be able to bring together the strengths of the Linux Foundation for collaborative open source software development and the OCP for hardware specifications, and ability to develop supply chains for emerging markets. As part of the expanded collaboration with LF, we are pleased to have new security contributions from Google and Microsoft," said George Tchaparian, CEO Open Compute Project Foundation.

"The Linux Foundation is happy to collaborate with the OCP to create communities that participate on both LF and OCP projects with a common goal and harmonized process to deliver market ready solutions combining open hardware and software," said Arpit Joshipura, general manager, Networking, Edge, and IoT, the Linux Foundation. "We also look forward to partnering with the OCP on go-to-market initiatives developing emerging market supply chains in support of our vendor and system integrator members."

"Independent hardware and software initiatives by different communities and consortiums often require significant integration efforts by the industry. Vendors need to convert and integrate the initiative into solutions with the market need in mind. The net effect is that many innovations never see the light of the day or serve the needs of the broader market. The expanded collaboration between the Open Compute Project and Linux Foundation has the strong potential to accelerate the absorption of open innovations into meaningful products and services", said Ashish Nadkarni, Group Vice President and General Manager, Worldwide Infrastructure at IDC.

https://www.opencompute.org/blog/cloud-security-integrating-trust-into-every-chip

OCP launches Composable Memory Systems Project

The Open Compute Project Foundation (OCP) is pursuing a Composable Memory Systems (CMS) Project. Work started in February 2021 when the Future Technologies  Initiative - Software Defined Memory (SDM)  began studying the use cases, interconnect preferences and system characteristics of such memory systems.

CXL can enable memory expansion within a system locally, but also can enable more innovative solutions that allow pooling/sharing of memory across multiple hosts.

The Composable Memory Systems Project aims to follow a  a hardware-software  co-design strategy , developing a community to standardize and drive adoption of tiered and hybrid memory technologies and solutions that can benefit data center applications across industries such as AI-ML/HPC, Virtualized Servers and Cache/Databases.

OCP members who have joined this effort include Meta, Microsoft, Intel, Micron, Samsung, AMD, VMware, Uber, ARM, SMART Modular, Cisco and MemVerge. As the group becomes a formal sub-project under the OCP Server Project, the industry can join and drive the memory focused innovations to adoption.

As the CSM group formally launches as an OCP Project, we would like to invite all of you to participate and help us drive this next frontier of innovation for computational infrastructure  systems from the perspective of a hardware and  software and systems architecture.

https://www.opencompute.org/blog/ocp-launches-composable-memory-systems-subgroup

Video: Advancing Composable Memory Systems

 

Software-defined memory systems have tremendous potential to accelerate innovation in large data centers.  Manoj Wadekar, Hardware Systems Technologist, Meta, shares a perspective on discussions underway at OCP Summit 2022 in San Jose, California.

Telecom Infra Project tackles metaverse-ready networks

Telecom Infra Project is launching a new project group to address metaverse-ready networks. 

The TIP Metaverse-Ready Networks Project Group’s primary objective is to accelerate the development of solutions and architectures that enhance network readiness to support metaverse experiences. Meta Platforms, Microsoft, Sparkle, T-Mobile and Telefónica  will be the initial co-chairs of the Project Group. 

Working in close collaboration, the Project Group will aim to align on industry-wide network capabilities, specific APIs and mechanisms required to access end-to-end (E2E) network capabilities supporting immersive applications at scale. The group will define requirements and methods for measuring E2E Quality of Experience (QoE), and provide a prioritization of future network architectures needed to achieve metaverse readiness.

Alex Harmand, Head of Network Platforms at Telefónica and Co-Chair of the MRN Project Group said: “This new group will enable operators to address the exciting opportunities that the metaverse is creating in both the consumer and enterprise segments. Telefonica is looking forward to collaborating to define  the network capabilities and associated APIs  needed  to enhance metaverse services. The TIP community is the perfect environment for this initiative, as it will allow us to leverage multiple current project groups, such as OpenRAN, Open Optical and Packet Transport, to deliver end-to-end architectures and solutions that we will then test in Telefonica’s and other TIP Community Labs.”

https://telecominfraproject.com/tip-launches-metaverse-ready-networks-project-group/

EllaLink plans petabit cable along Portugal's coast

EllaLink, which operates a subsea cable directly connecting Europe to Latin America, plans to build a direct connection between Sines and the Lisbon Metro Area via a new subsea cable.

The multi-petabit capacity "Olisipo" system will connect all the international submarine landings in Portugal with the major data centers in the region, including the data centers of Start Campus NEST in Sines and Altice LDV in Lisbon. The cable will land in Carcavelos and Sines and will be ready to branch into Seixal & Sesimbra cable landing stations and connect the Setubal area.

The unrepeatered, 110km fully buried cable will incorporate 288 fibers, providing a design capacity of 4.3 Petabits. The cable robustness will be enforced by particular care given to route engineering with special attention to cable crossing, full subsea and terrestrial burial strategy, full cable armouring and extra shore-end protection with bore pipe in Sines.

The Olisipo system will provide direct POP to POP connectivity at fibre pair level between the main Data Centres located in Sines and Lisbon Metro Area, connecting at day one 

https://ella.link/2022/10/18/olisipo-the-new-ellalink-cable-petabits/

EllaLink opens PoP with Brazil's GlobeNet

EllaLink announced a new PoP with GlobeNet in Fortaleza, Brazil. Brazilian customers of GlobeNet will be able to use the EllaLink cable - which stretches 6,000 km between Fortaleza (Ceará) and Sines (Portugal) - to access service content providers and Internet Exchange Points (IXs) in Europe. Similarly, European companies will be able to use the EllaLink cable to access GlobeNet's network.GlobeNet offers direct low-latency routes and advanced...

EllaLink cites 30% less latency for gamers on transatlantic link

EllaLink said its new fiber optic submarine cable linking Europe with Latin America enables gamers on both continents to play online matches with 30% less latency. EllaLink has entered into a partnership with IP Telecom - which provides differentiated IP transit access to the main content servers spread across the European continent - and with NoPing, a high-performance solution for latency improvement focused on the online gaming segment.Inaugurated...



Cobalt Digital transports native SMPTE-2110 with ADVA Oscilloquartz

Cobalt Digital demonstrated high-speed transport of uncompressed audio and video signals in an SMPTE-2110 environment using ADVA’s Oscilloquartz timing technology. The trial network offers a simple, reliable and low-cost way to share broadcast streams in multiple digital formats at the highest quality. 

The demonstration featured OSA 5401 small form-factor pluggable (SFP) PTP grandmasters and Digital’s high-density audio and video processing technology with native SMPTE-2110 support and multiple 25 Gbps Ethernet interfaces.

“This demo verifies the viability of an incredibly flexible technology for transporting video, audio and broadcast data without the need for compression or reformatting. With Indigo, our next-generation platform, and ADVA’s unique timing plug, the trial solution delivers the highest levels of availability and quality and with an extremely small footprint,” said Suzana Brady, SVP of worldwide sales and marketing at Cobalt Digital. “ADVA’s pluggable Oscilloquartz timing device enables quick and simple deployment in a power-on and run environment. It removes the complexity of local network configurations and can support both GNSS-based and arbitrary time modes.”

“Leveraging our most compact Oscilloquartz PTP timing technology, this demo shows how broadcast and media production network operators can achieve higher speeds while significantly improving efficiency. By processing natively over IP, Cobalt Digital’s platform removes complexity and significantly reduces cost,” commented Gil Biran, GM of Oscilloquartz, ADVA. “High-quality video and audio transmission rely on accurate and stable timing and our pluggable device was crucial to the success of this trial. The flexibility and simplicity of our accessSync™ OSA 5401 SyncPlug™ were key as well as its ability to distribute timing to many devices from a single SFP.”

https://www.adva.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/20221019-cobalt-digital-demos-25g-uncompressed-video-transport-using-adva-timing-plug

American Tower implements Nokia's Altiplano SDN for FTTH

American Tower has deployed Nokia's Altiplano Open Access solution for fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) infrastructure in Argentina. The network controller solution uses virtualization to share network resources as slices of a physical network, enabling the wholesaling of fiber access on a Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) basis. 

American Tower has already onboarded three virtual network operator tenants in the country. The new FTTH network in Argentina, with Nokia as the sole supplier, reaches close to a million homes passed.

Paul Choiseul, Vice President of Innovation - Transport and Networking - OCTO at American Tower, said: “Open Fiber to the home networks are growing rapidly and we’re delighted to be partnering with Nokia to help our network tenants deliver high speed broadband services and network connectivity to their residential and business customers in Argentina. With Nokia’s collaboration, we are leveraging the Altiplano SDAN Domain Controller to enhance our neutral host Network-as-a-service (NaaS) platform, allowing enhanced automation and delivering autonomy of operation to our virtual operators. Through the use of industry-standard APIs, Altiplano allows us to grant virtual network operators a “slice” of our network they can operate in a similar fashion as they would operate their own infrastructure, so they can offer differentiated wholesale products to address the unique needs of their customers and the services they require.”

https://www.nokia.com/about-us/news/releases/2022/10/19/nokia-and-american-tower-introduce-sdn-virtualization-to-redefine-fiber-broadband-deployment/

Nokia launches Altiplano marketplace for network automation apps

Nokia launched its Altiplano Application Marketplace for broadband network automation applications. Seven apps are available at launch, organized under the categories of Network Support, Network Insights and Network Automation. New apps and marketplace features will follow in 2023.The ‘Altiplano Application Marketplace’ is named after Nokia’s pioneering broadband network controller suite and will include Nokia and third party apps. Alongside the...

Nokia boosts its Altiplano cloud SDN platform

 Nokia is now offering Cloud Acceleration Services for its Altiplano platform, which can operate as traditional network management system, as full-featured SDN access domain controller or as open modular solution, offering selected tools and applications to control, visualize and optimize the fixed access network.Nokia says its open, modular and fully programmable Altiplano platform allows network builders to leverage broadband networks as a...


NL-ix powers its Internet Exchange with Nokia

NL-ix, the largest European distributed internet exchange provider, is deploying Nokia's 7750 SR-s platforms, powered by the FP5 routing silicon. The deployment will enable NL-ix to begin the rollout of 400GE and 800GE access and interconnection services for its cloud provider and national research and education network (NREN) customers.

This deployment of Nokia’s FP5 is one of the earliest in Europe. Its high capacity 400GE and 800GE capability will accelerate NL-ix’s ability to meet current and future customer demand for higher speed access and interconnection services at lower costs and with greater power efficiency. FP5 allows the delivery of more than three times the capacity as the Nokia FP4 hardware in the same space and power envelope.

The new deployment of the Nokia 7750 SR-14s will enable NL-ix to offer 800GE connectivity and increase the density of 400GE services in any of the more than 100 European data centers in which it operates. The IP deployment complements NL-ix’s European-wide low latency optical transport network provided by Nokia in 2021.

Mark Vanderhaegen, Director of Webscale Accounts at Nokia, said: “The rapid expansion of NL-ix makes it one of the largest and fastest growing internet exchange providers in the world. With this growth comes increasing customer demand for much higher speed access and interconnection. We are delighted that NL-ix has chosen Nokia’s market-leading IP routing platforms powered by FP5 silicon to upgrade its pan-European IP network infrastructure to 800Gb/s speeds.”

Tuesday, October 18, 2022

Meta unveils Grand Teton, its next-gen AI system

At Open Compute Project Summit in San Jose, Meta unveiled Grand Teton, its next-generation, GPU-based hardware platform. Compared to its Zion, its predecessor, Grand Teton boasts 4x the host-to-GPU bandwidth, 2x the compute and data network bandwidth, and 2x the power envelope. Grand Teton also has an integrated chassis in contrast to Zion-EX, which comprises multiple independent subsystems.

Grand Teton has been designed with greater compute capacity to better support memory-bandwidth-bound workloads at Meta, such as its open source DLRMs. Grand Teton’s expanded operational compute power envelope also optimizes it for compute-bound workloads, such as content understanding. 

The previous-generation Zion platform consists of three boxes: a CPU head node, a switch sync system, and a GPU system, and requires external cabling to connect everything. Grand Teton integrates this into a single chassis with fully integrated power, control, compute, and fabric interfaces for better overall performance, signal integrity, and thermal performance. 

This high level of integration dramatically simplifies the deployment of Grand Teton, allowing it to be introduced into data center fleets faster and with fewer potential points of failure, while providing rapid scale with increased reliability.

Meta also introduced Open Rack v3 (ORV3), a data center rack with a frame and power infrastructure capable of supporting a wide range of use cases — including support for Grand Teton.

ORV3’s power shelf isn’t bolted to the busbar. Instead, the power shelf installs anywhere in the rack, which enables flexible rack configurations. Multiple shelves can be installed on a single busbar to support 30kW racks, while 48VDC output will support the higher power transmission needs of future AI accelerators. It also features an improved battery backup unit, upping the capacity to four minutes, compared with the previous model’s 90 seconds, and with a power capacity of 15kW per shelf. Like the power shelf, this backup unit installs anywhere in the rack for customization and provides 30kW when installed as a pair.

https://engineering.fb.com/2022/10/18/open-source/ocp-summit-2022-grand-teton/

OCP adopts Data Center Sustainability as top-level project

The OCP Foundation has adopted Sustainability as a new top-level project and as the 5th Tenet to ensure that all work efforts across all OCP Projects have a focus on sustainability.

OCP’s Sustainability top-level project will set reporting targets, monitor and plan compliance with external regulations and best practices, develop high level sustainability KPIs that go beyond traditional data center measures such as power usage effectiveness (PUE), and assemble sustainability technology and process roadmaps for the larger OCP Community to follow under the OCP’s new Sustainability Tenet.

Sustainability efforts carried out across the OCP will focus on technology specific implementations of the directions set by its new OCP Sustainability Project. 

Currently within the OCP there are sustainability efforts in cooling environments involving increasing thermal management efficiency with liquid based cooling technologies such as immersion and cold plate cooling and heat re-use. Beyond thermal optimizations, data center facilities efforts are working to optimize carbon associated from operations and data center facilities construction, and the manufacturing of IT equipment. 

Designing for circularity is also an important focus to positively control the lifecycle of IT physical infrastructure. For example, firmware needs to be open to promote reuse and improve long term sustainability. OCP hardware specifications will continue to evolve to enable products to remain in use for as long as possible, and design for circularity to enable infrastructure within the data center to be repurposed, and ultimately enable component and material recovery when decommissioned.

"The OCP community has a responsibility to contribute towards reducing the environmental impact of the industry, and drive conversations within their influence to impact technologies deployed in the data centers. The tenets of the OCP foster openness that enables mainstream delivery of the most efficient designs for scalable computing and uniquely positions OCP to be an effective agent for climate action. Adding a mandate for sustainability looking at transparency, circularity, and embodied carbon in IT equipment, silicon and data center facilities will add significant weight to our ability to help the industry minimize its impact on the environment," said George Tchaparian, CEO Open Compute Project Foundation.

https://www.opencompute.org/blog/open-compute-project-foundation-announces-sustainability-as-a-5th-tenet-and-a-top-level-project



Alexander Rakov, Sustainability Leader - C&SP, Schneider Electric, talks about how the OCP community is driving innovation that could achieve huge gains in sustainable performance. #OCPSUMMIT2022

Windstream achieves 400 Gig Open ZR+ integration

Windstream Wholesale, along with its partners Coherent and Nokia, completed full integration of the 400 Gig, 0 dBm QSFP-DD Pluggable into the generally available Nokia 7250 IXR X1 and 7250 IXR-X3 routers. 

The integrated solution is ready for full commercial deployment, accelerating Windstream’s ICON and ICON-Edge network strategy. 

Windstream announced in October 2021 co-development with Coherent (formerly II-VI) of the world’s first high performance 0 dBm, 400G QSFP-DD coherent pluggable module – making these transceivers compatible with existing and emerging modern ROADM-based photonic layers supporting multi-service, multi-layer, open and interoperable architectures.

Highlights:

  • A direct technical path for IP-over-DWDM with ROADM-based photonic layers, extending the application space beyond simple point-to-point DCI style networks.
  • High-performance 0 dBm, 400G QSFP-DD coherent pluggable modules that provide widespread compatibility with existing and emerging modern ROADM-based photonic layers supporting multi-service, multi-layer architectures.
  • A significant reduction in capex and opex by eliminating intermediate DCI-style boxes, allowing for direct insertion of high-performance coherent optics into current 400G-enabled routers. This is enabled by Nokia’s 7250 IXR-X1 and 7250 IXR-X3 platforms running SR OS.
  • An important increase in 400G transceiver density, drastically reducing the size and power demands of 400G pluggables relative to sled-based and even CFP2-based solutions.

“This announcement demonstrates Windstream’s technology leadership in the evolution of both optical and packet networking,” said Art Nichols, chief technology officer for Windstream Enterprise and Wholesale. “Windstream’s ability to manage everything from the base science technology through system integration is key to achieving new architectural breakthroughs. Coherent and Nokia have been outstanding partners throughout the development process.”

“It’s been exciting to work with Windstream and Nokia at the frontier of high-speed transmission technology, transforming proprietary line cards into standardized pluggable transceivers that are much easier to provision on Nokia’s routers and deploy in Windstream’s network,” said Matthias Berger, vice president, Coherent Technology, Coherent Corp. 

www.windstreamwholesale.com

Windstream Wholesale completes 1000 km 400G ZR+ field trials

Windstream Wholesale completed 1000 km 400G field trials leveraging pluggable modules from II-VI with QSFP-DD-DCO optics that achieve a high transmit power of 0dBm. The trials demonstrated unprecedented performance with strong working margins over a production network route and traversing up to 24 ROADMs in a lab environment.During the field trial, Windstream Wholesale closed established a 400G link on a 1,000+ kilometer link between Phoenix and...


Imagine 5G networks integrated with the Digital World


https://youtu.be/KYjL9fHvJ2Q

From Extended Reality (XR) and the Metaverse to the future of Enterprise connectivity, Jan Söderström walks us through the highlights of Ericsson's Imagine Possible event in Silicon Valley on October 18 and 19, 2022.


The next USB4 spec hits 80 Gbps

The USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) published the USB4 Version 2.0 specification, a major update to enable USB 80 Gbps performance over the USB Type-C cable and connector. 

This doubles the maximum aggregate bandwidth of USB to the benefit of higher-performance displays, storage, and USB-based hubs and docks. 

The USB Type-C and USB Power Delivery (USB PD) specifications have also been updated to support this higher level of data performance.

Highlights:

  • Up to 80Gbps operation, utilizing a new physical layer architecture based on PAM3 signal encoding, over existing 40Gbps USB Type-C passive cables and newly defined 80Gbps USB Type-C active cables.
  • Optionally for certain applications, such as driving very-high performance USB4-based displays, the USB Type-C signal interface can be configured asymmetrically to deliver up to 120Gbps in one direction while retaining 40Gbps in the other direction.
  • Updates to data and display protocols to better use the increase in available bandwidth
  • USB data architecture updates now enable Enhanced SuperSpeed USB data tunneling to exceed 20Gbps.
  • Aligns with DisplayPort Revision 2.1 and PCI Express Revision 4.
  • Backward compatibility with all previous versions of USB.

“For engineers, USB4 is defined by its multi-protocol tunneling that architecturally differentiates it from its predecessors – USB 3.2 and USB 2.0,” said Brad Saunders, USB-IF Board Chair and CEO. “This updated technical specification extends USB4 speed and data protocol performance, enabling manufacturers to develop products that can deliver USB 80Gbps in addition to existing USB 40Gbps and USB 20Gbps to end users.”

www.usb.org

Australia’s NBNCo picks Nokia's 5G mmWave FWA

Australia’s NBNCo has selected Nokia's 5G mmWave Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) for a large-scale deployment reaching rural and suburban customers.

FWA currently covers almost 650,000 premises across Australia. This rollout will enable approximately 120,000 former satellite-only eligible premises access to fixed wireless services for the first time.

The 5G mmWave upgrade utilizes the 28 GHz band to be operated in Non-Stand Alone (NSA) mode along with cmWave spectrum and will help enable faster speeds on the network, including the launch of two new wholesale high-speed tiers – 100 Mbps and 250 Mbps.

Nokia’s mmWave solution introduces a high gain antenna design that can leverage mmWave to a range of up to 10km. The CPE comprises an outdoor unit installed on the roof of the premise and an indoor unit providing user interfaces for the customer, connecting to the outdoor receiver with a 2.5Gbps Power over Ethernet connection.

The devices will be used as part of nbn’s Fixed Wireless and Satellite Upgrade Program, a $750 million investment in the nbn Fixed Wireless network, made up of $480 million from the Australian Government supported by an additional $270 million from nbn.

"Using mmWave over long distances has been very challenging due to high signal attenuation. Nokia’s high gain Long Reach technology is an important innovation as it compensates for this attenuation, and minimises possible satellite interference, offering a balance of throughput and TCO,” said Shiv Putcha, Founder and Principal Analyst, Mandala Insights. “The collaboration with nbn is an important step to connecting the next billion users, who represent a significant opportunity for service providers in Australia and around the world.

Jason Ashton, Executive General Manager, Fixed Wireless and Satellite at nbn said: ‘We are facing a step-change in demand for broadband in rural and regional areas, with an estimated 300% increase in demand for data on our fixed wireless network over the next ten years. Nokia’s 5G mmWave solution allows nbn to better utilise both our sub6GHz and 5G mmWave spectrum allocations to vastly extend the range, speed and capacity of our existing fixed wireless network and improve the end user’s experience."

https://www.nokia.com/about-us/news/releases/2022/10/18/nokia-5g-mmwave-fwa-technology-selected-for-nbn-fixed-wireless-broadband/

Ericsson confirms 5G contract with Reliance Jio

Ericsson signed a long-term strategic 5G contract with Indian communications service provider (CSP) Reliance Jio to roll out 5G Standalone (SA) in the country.

Ericsson’s energy-efficient 5G Radio Access Network (RAN) products and solutions (from the Ericsson Radio System portfolio) and E-band microwave mobile transport solutions will be deployed in the 5G network for Jio.All products and solutions are deployed on new-build 5G SA networks, designed to maximize the benefits of 5G to CSPs and their customers – whether individual subscribers or enterprise and industry customers.

Ericsson notes that it has played a pivotal role in powering virtually every facet of telecommunications in India, from setting up the first switch in India in 1903 to providing connectivity across 2G, 3G, 4G and now 5G.

Börje Ekholm, President and CEO, Ericsson, says: “India is building world-class digital infrastructure that will drive innovation, job creation and entrepreneurship across the country. We are happy to partner with Jio in those ambitions, through Ericsson 5G Standalone connectivity, which will be a major catalyst in meeting those digital transformation goals across society, enterprise and industry.”

https://www.ericsson.com/en/press-releases/2022/10/ericsson-partners-with-jio-to-build-indias-first-5g-standalone-network-to-achieve-indias-digital-leadership

Algar Telecom upgrades subsea infrastructure with Infinera

Algar Telecom, a leading provider of telecom and IT solutions in Brazil, has selected Infinera's GX Series Compact Modular Platform and FlexILS Open Optical Line System to modernize and scale its subsea network infrastructure. 

Algar Telecom will deploy Infinera’s state-of-the-art coherent technology to increase capacity on its jointly owned Monet Cable System connecting Boca Raton in Florida with landing sites in Fortaleza and Praia Grande in Brazil, expanding its spectrum service offerings and paving the way for new operator partnerships.

“As the high-speed connectivity needs of our customers evolve, we continue to deploy best-in-class technology to ensure superior network resiliency and scalability,” said Ivan Mendes, Wholesale and IOT Director. “Our technology partnership with Infinera enables us to provide modern and flexible optical transport and ensure economies of scale and efficiency in the services we deliver.”

Infinera’s ICE6-powered GX solution delivers the capacity and reach required for high-performance submarine cable spectrum and leverages the unique features of Infinera’s optical engine, which include Nyquist subcarriers, forward error correction gain sharing, and photonic integrated circuit-based technology. The solution also includes Intelligent Power Management tools that will enable Algar Telecom to effectively manage optical power across the entire fiber spectrum and maintain spectrum service stability under diverse and challenging conditions.

“We are pleased to extend our longstanding relationship with Algar Telecom to help them deliver a superior customer experience as they expand their services across the subsea spectrum and throughout Brazil,” said Nick Walden, Senior Vice President of Worldwide Sales at Infinera.

https://www.infinera.com/press-release/algar-telecom-selects-infinera-to-modernize-and-scale-subsea-network

Angola Cables picks Infinera’s ICE6 for subsea upgrade

Angola Cables selected Infinera’s ICE6 technology to upgrade its subsea network connecting Miami and São Paulo.Angola Cables operates a robust subsea cable infrastructure and highly interconnected IP network through its SACS, Monet, and WACS submarine cable systems, directly connecting the Americas, Africa, and Europe; it also has established partnerships to expand connectivity to Asia. The success of the U.S.-to-Brazil subsea network upgrade,...

Sparkle activates capacity on the Monet subsea cable

Sparkle has activated spectrum capacity on the Monet submarine cable system connecting Brazil to the United States. The addition enhances Sparkle's regional backbone for the Americas, which now encompasses five diversified routes between North and South America. Sparkle is also present on the Seabras-1 cable system in the Atlantic and the Curie cable system in the Pacific.Sparkle now counts 56 Points of Presence across the U.S., Argentina, Brazil,...


Nokia picks Ottawa for ICT and cyber security R&D hub

Nokia selected Ottawa, Ontario, for a new sustainable research and development (R&D) hub focused on information and communications technology (ICT) and cyber security innovation. 

Nokia Canada plans to begin site construction in 2023 and expects to open the new facility in 2026. This project will transform Nokia Canada’s 26-acre campus at the Kanata North Business Park into a sustainable, accessible mixed-use corporate, residential and commercial hub where nearly 2,160 local employees, Ottawa residents and businesses, and Canada’s entire tech ecosystem can collaborate, innovate and drive Canadian and global wellbeing and prosperity. The facility is expected to create more than 340 new, high-value jobs.

Pekka Lundmark, President and CEO of Nokia, said: “Nokia is helping to drive Canada’s tech leadership. This world-class, sustainable R&D hub will be one of Nokia’s most dynamic developments – and I’m proud that it will benefit the people of Ottawa also. This is an exciting day. I want to express my appreciation to the local, provincial and national governments for working with us on this project.”

https://www.nokia.com