Wednesday, February 28, 2024

#MWC24: The Pivotal Year for Network APIs

 Check out complete MWC Barcelona 2024 Showcase at: https://ngi.fyi/mwc24yt

After so many years of development, will 2024 be the pivotal for Network APIs? Usman Javaid, Chief Products & Marketing Officer from Orange Business explains:

- The mobile industry has come together for the first time to establish a common set of standards for Network APIs, ensuring a consistent experience for developers across different mobile network operators globally.

- The convergence of the ecosystem of hyperscalers with mobile network operators, allowing for enriched developer ecosystems through the exposure of APIs via hyperscaler partners and other API providers.

- The potential for application developers to incorporate networking functionality within their applications using Network APIs, enabling them to create a myriad of use cases such as Geo fencing and fraud detection.

https://youtu.be/PwOSDXAvJns

Like our videos? Want to participate? Contact info@nextgeninfra.io

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#MWC24: Making Every Connection Count with AI

Check out complete MWC Barcelona 2024 Showcase at: https://ngi.fyi/mwc24yt

Perhaps AI's greatest near term potential for Service Providers is improving network operations. Sally Bament, GVP of Marketing from Juniper, explains: 

  • How Juniper's AI-native networking platform is designed to collect the right data from network users and devices, action real-time responses to network issues, and ensure a secure infrastructure.
  • The benefits of AI automation and sustainable service orchestration capabilities, which simplify the validation, provisioning, and management of complex SLA Bank Network Services.
  • The integration of AI Ops into data center operations and managed service offerings, simplifying the experience for operators and assuring an amazing experience for their business customers.


https://youtu.be/iHY6PZXra5c

Like our videos? Want to participate? Contact info@nextgeninfra.io

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#MWC24: Next Gen Networks for AI

Underlying every powerful AI implementation is a powerful network.  At the heart of every networking is a switching/routing architecture. Sanjay Kumar, VP of Products and Marketing from Arrcus, explains:

- The world of AI is going to be distributed with workloads and workflows across the entire network. To access these seamlessly, Arrcus has introduced a platform that acts as a network fabric, connecting all these different AI pieces and delivering applications wherever required.

- Arrcus has announced support for new platforms that provide higher connectivity using ethernet, and features that help with lossless connectivity, allowing operators to manage workloads efficiently and reduce job completion time.

- Arrcus also supports SmartNIC and DPU platforms like Nvidia Bluefield, which offloads IPC and provides secure connectivity within a data center at higher speeds. This, along with AR IQ, an observability platform, helps network operators secure their data centers and get a comprehensive view of the network, enabling them to take remedial actions wherever required.


https://youtu.be/h3-TpOYAFhc

Like our videos? Want to participate? Contact info@nextgeninfra.io

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Ericsson refreshes is radio portfolio at MWC

Ericsson is rolling out extensive updates to its radio, transport and antenna portfolio, including its flagship AIR 3255, a Massive MIMO time division duplex (TDD) radio boasting more than 25 percent energy savings and 20 percent lower embodied carbon footprint compared to the previous generation radio.

The new AIR 3255 is equipped with new small metal filter technology that is scalable to all TDD sub-6GHz frequency bands to incentivize 5G mid-band deployment. This radio is also the first to use the new generation of Massive MIMO Ericsson Silicon (System on a Chip) with enhanced receiver processing and improved energy efficiency. In addition, AIR 3255 uses only one printed circuit board that is unique to the industry in terms of building practice, as well as passive cooling.

Some other product updates/introductions from Ericsson:

  • Triple-band Massive MIMO FDD radio AIR 3284 (32T/32R) providing 2x higher downlink and 4x higher uplink capacity compared to 4T/4R.
  • Radio 4823 (4T/8R), boosting uplink performance (2x) with separate remote electrical tilt on the 2.6GHz frequency band to extend coverage or capacity based on the deployment choice.
  • AIR 5343 for high-capacity and high-performing Fixed Wireless Access with macro deployment. Up to 1600 MHz total carrier bandwidth and 11 dB extended coverage.
  • Radio 4461HP (high power) with 50 percent more output power and 42 percent lower embodied carbon footprint and Radio 8873 in both standard power and high power (HP) variants
  • Uplink Multi-User Massive MIMO FDD with up to four layers in the uplink based on full interference rejection combining (IRC) advanced receiver to add capacity and speed.
  • Uplink-aware Advanced Multi-Layer Coordination –identifies the best cell set for each user, taking into account UE capability, network configuration, service requirements as well as downlink and uplink cell load.
  • Automated Energy Saver – the sweet spot between maximized performance and energy efficiency, autonomously executed via an intent defined by the CSP to adjust radio resources and improve energy efficiency while securing the best user experience.
  • MINI-LINK 6355 – improved E-band performance with next-gen, all-outdoor E-band node. The 2x output power and 25GE interfaces extend hop-length and capacity in multi-carrier configurations. Added Radio Deep Sleep energy-saving feature for E-band.
  • Antenna 4206 – two low-band, four mid-band; 2.1m based on new antenna structure. Latest Ericsson Antenna System high-performing solution with up to 85 percent beam efficiency and 49 percent savings in embodied carbon footprint and 24 percent less weight, using 100 percent thermoplastic radome and lighter build. Fully recyclable.

https://www.ericsson.com


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Open XR Optics Forum releases 400G MSA specs

The Open XR Optics Forum released its first Multi-Source Agreement (MSA) specifications for 400G transceivers.  

The specifications were developed by the Forum's transceiver working group, which includes representatives from 11 member companies. The goal of these specifications is to define standards that ensure interoperability among products from different vendors and support multi-sourcing of compliant coherent transceiver modules.

The release includes two key documents. The first sets out specifications related to the mechanical form factor and client interface, while the second document details the optical and electrical interface requirements. 

These specifications are part of the Forum's broader objective to foster the adoption of advanced coherent network architectures, both point-to-point and point-to-multipoint, by promoting interoperability across different vendors. This approach is intended to enhance network flexibility and achieve cost efficiencies.

The specifications released are titled "Open XR Transceiver Optical and Client Interface Specification" and "Open XR 400G Optical Module Form Factor Hardware Specifications." Additionally, two more documents, focusing on the management interface between pluggable modules and host devices, and signal format specifications, are in development. These will complete the suite of Open XR Optics-compliant transceiver specifications.

The specifications can be downloaded from the Open XR Optics Forum website:

https://openxropticsforum.org


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O2 Telefónica begins first Cloud RAN in Europe with Ericsson

O2 Telefónica will begin deploying Ericsson Cloud RAN, supporting 5G Standalone (SA), in Offenbach, Germany during the first half of this year. 

The joint initiative will leverage Ericsson's virtualization and cloud technologies, enabling a new range of services and enhanced customer experiences for the European market. The inclusion of cloud-centralized components will also enable the exploration of new business models and revenue generation initiatives.

Mallik Rao, Chief Technology & Information Officer, O2 Telefónica, says: ”We are constructing our network of the future to offer Germany’s consumers and businesses the best network experience and new digital services. Our cloud transformation in the core and RAN network is an important building block for a flexible, fully automated, high-performance network. We are delighted to partner with Ericsson to add modern Cloud RAN technology to our partner portfolio. We are working with the best players in the field to drive forward network innovation in the German market.”

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ServiceNow, Hugging Face, and NVIDIA offer open-access LLMs

 ServiceNow, Hugging Face, and NVIDIA recently announced the launch of StarCoder2, a new set of open-access large language models (LLMs) focused on code generation. This collaboration between the companies aims to offer models that are not only high-performing but also transparent and cost-effective. StarCoder2 is a product of the BigCode community's efforts, with ServiceNow, a company specializing in digital workflows, and Hugging Face, a platform known for its extensive open-source contributions to the machine learning community, playing pivotal roles in its development.

Designed to be versatile, StarCoder2 has been trained on 619 programming languages, enabling its application across a variety of coding tasks such as generating application source codes, automating workflows, and summarizing texts. The model is structured to support further training and integration into enterprise systems for specialized functions. It is available in three sizes to suit different needs and computational capacities: a 3 billion-parameter model developed by ServiceNow, a 7 billion-parameter model from Hugging Face, and a 15 billion-parameter model created by NVIDIA using NVIDIA NeMo technology on their accelerated computing infrastructure. These options aim to balance computational efficiency with performance, offering a choice between smaller, less resource-intensive models and larger, more powerful versions.

“StarCoder2 stands as a testament to the combined power of open scientific collaboration and responsible AI practices with an ethical data supply chain,” emphasized Harm de Vries, lead of ServiceNow's StarCoder2 development team, and co-lead of BigCode. "The state-of-the-art open-access model improves on prior generative AI performance to increase developer productivity and provides developers equal access to the benefits of code generation AI, which in turn enables organizations of any size to more easily meet their full business potential.”

“The joint efforts led by Hugging Face, ServiceNow and NVIDIA enable the release of powerful base models that empower the community to build a wide range of applications more efficiently with full data and training transparency,” said Leandro von Werra, machine learning engineer at Hugging Face and co‑lead of BigCode. “StarCoder2 is a testament to the potential of open‑source and open science as we work toward democratizing responsible AI.”“StarCoder2 stands as a testament to the combined power of open scientific collaboration and responsible AI practices with an ethical data supply chain,” emphasized Harm de Vries, lead of ServiceNow's StarCoder2 development team, and co-lead of BigCode. 
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Keysight intros test platform for AI/L networks

Keysight Technologies introduced a test platform for AI / ML network validation and optimization.

Highlights of the Keysight AI Data Center Test Platform:

  • Emulates high-scale AI workloads with measurable fidelity – Offers deep insights into collective communication performance
  • Simplifies the benchmarking process – Provides validation of AI network fabric with
  • pre-packaged benchmark applications, built through partnerships with the largest AI operators and AI infrastructure vendors
  • Executes defined AI / ML behavioral models – Enables sharing between users and customers to help reproduce experiments
  • Offers a choice of test engines – Choose between AI workload emulation on Keysight hardware load appliances and software endpoints or real AI accelerators to compare benchmarking results
  • The Keysight platform enables large scale validation and experimentation with fabric design in a realistic and cost-effective way. This solution complements testing AI / ML workloads using GPUs, providing AI operators with a more scalable, robust, and integrated AI test platform.

Ram Periakaruppan, Vice President and General Manager, Network Test & Security Solutions, Keysight, said: “As a leader in testing ultra-high-speed 800G Ethernet networks, Keysight continues to lead the way in innovation, having formed close partnerships with hyperscalers to co-design this groundbreaking new AI test platform that realistically benchmarks and emulates high-scale AI workloads unlike other test tools available today.”


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Zayo appoints Nikos Katinakis as CTO

Zayo Group has appointed Nikos Katinakis as Chief Technology Officer. 

Katinakis brings network leadership experience from Telstra, Australia’s largest mobile network, Indian pioneer Reliance Jio, Canadian telecommunications giant Rogers, and infrastructure provider Ericsson.

“Next-generation technology is being deployed faster than ever before. To meet increasing capacity demands, it’s critical to take an enhanced approach to innovation in the network,” said Steve Smith, CEO of Zayo. “Our strategic appointment of Nikos underscores Zayo’s dedication to advancing network excellence. His network experience and expertise combined with Zayo’s capabilities and automated technology will ensure our customers can meet – and exceed – connectivity expectations, now and in the future.”

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Tuesday, February 27, 2024

#MWC24: AI is Fundamental to Operations

What role is AI playing in the transformation of the world’s leading carrier networks? Jean-Christophe Laneri, VP and Head of Cognitive Network Solutions from Ericsson, explains:

- How AI helps manage urgent network issues and supports strategic transformation, ensuring customers have the best networks in their respective markets.

- The role of AI in bringing customer-centricity to network operations, providing consistency, scale, and quality by understanding hundreds of KPIs for the entire network.

- Ericsson's unique approach to AI, including the development of their own AI algorithms and the use of their cognitive software solution, as well as their focus on applied research in graph neural network algorithms and large language models.

https://youtu.be/wcttMaGBBTo

Like our videos? Want to participate? Contact info@nextgeninfra.io

Check out complete MWC Barcelona 2024 Showcase at: https://ngi.fyi/mwc24yt

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#MWC24: AI's Impact on Optical Transport Networks

What impact will AI have on optical transport networks? Jon Baldry, Director Metro Marketing from Infinera, explains:

  • AI is a significant bandwidth driver, currently driving massive bandwidth inside data centers and anticipated to spill out into inter-data center networks in the near future.
  • AI's need for a large data pool to make informed decisions will drive a higher volume of traffic in data center networks.
  • AI, particularly machine learning, can be used to help network operators optimize their networks, predict network behavior, guide network maintenance, and improve overall network efficiency.


https://youtu.be/EjhG0HKsSWo

Like our videos? Want to participate? Contact info@nextgeninfra.io

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#MWC24: Industrial Use Cases Drive AI

Global Carriers are watching AI quite closely.  What are the strongest uses cases? Parm Sandhu, VP Enterprise 5G Products & Services from NTT DATA, shares: 

- The increasing importance of AI in various sectors such as manufacturing, pharma, transportation, and logistics, enhancing worker efficiency, productivity, and faster product turnaround.

- The role of AI in supply chain management, parts management, and worker training to resolve problems and reduce downtime.

- The upcoming collaboration between NTT and Schneider, combining Schneider's ecostructure capabilities and NTT's Edge as a service infrastructure for developing AI transformation at the edge. 


https://youtu.be/SI4al2zTY7A

Join us to learn more about these real-world applications of AI and how they're shaping the future of industrial operations.

Like our videos? Want to participate? Contact info@nextgeninfra.io

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Samsung’s 5G Standalone Core powers KDDI

Samsung's cloud-native Standalone (SA) Core went live supporting KDDI’s nationwide commercial 5G SA services in Japan. This enables improved reliability and faster response times, required for applications such as cloud gaming, autonomous vehicles, real-time robotics and immersive video.

Samsung’s 5G SA Core supports:

  •  Multi-level redundancy. Leveraging the cloud-native architecture, Samsung’s 5G SA Core is designed to have no single point of failure with multi-level redundancy. This ensures high resilience and reliable service continuity in every part of the system.
  • Multi-vendor interoperability. It can be easily integrated with third-party 5G core network functions and OSS for flexible deployment and automation.
  • Seamless upgrades to SA. With one software package that supports NSA and SA, Samsung’s solution can facilitate a smooth migration to 5G SA.
  • Session continuity with geo-redundancy. Deployed at various locations, Samsung’s 5G SA Cores provide session continuity support to ensure stability and reliability. Each SA core is dimensioned to pick up loads in case one of the active core becomes unavailable due to traffic bursts or natural disasters.

One of the key benefits of 5G SA Core is network slicing, which divides a single physical network infrastructure into multiple virtual slices, and each slice is dedicated to a specific user case or application. A single network can dynamically support multiple 5G use cases and applications at once, accelerating the delivery of new services and meeting the tailored demands of enterprises and consumers.

Recently, KDDI and Samsung signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to form a 5G Global Network Slicing Alliance, aiming to introduce an array of commercial 5G network slicing services and to assess new business models.

https://news.samsung.com/global/samsungs-5g-standalone-core-goes-live-in-kddis-nationwide-commercial-network

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DOCOMO and NEC to establish "OREX SAI” Joint Venture for O-RAN

NTT DOCOMO and NEC will establish a joint venture company called OREX SAI with a mission to support the full-scale global deployment of Open RAN services.

OREX SAI will locally source products and services from members of OREX PARTNERS in each market and perform system verifications to deliver mobile networks tailored to the needs of each overseas telecommunications operator. Leveraging NEC's established business infrastructure and global network in over 50 countries and territories, the joint venture will accelerate its global expansion of Open RAN business.

In addition, DOCOMO and NEC plan to strengthen cooperation with OREX PARTNERS through OREX SAI to promote the commercialization and realization of true Open RAN that enables the interoperability of equipment and systems from diverse vendors.

https://group.ntt/en/newsrelease/

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Joint Statement Endorsing Principles for 6G

The governments of the United States, Australia, Canada, the Czech Republic, Finland, France, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Sweden, and the United Kingdom published a joint statement on  shared principles for the research and development of 6G wireless communication systems.

The shared principles:

Trusted Technology and Protective of National Security     

  • 6G technologies that are supported by secure and resilient technology as part of a wider secure trusted communications ecosystem, facilitating the ability of participating governments and partners to protect national security.

Secure, Resilient, and Protective of Privacy     

  • 6G technologies developed by organizations that have systematic approaches to cybersecurity, including through the use of technical standards, interfaces, and specifications; approaches such as security-by-design, able to ensure the availability of essential services; and systems designed to fail safely and recover quickly.   
  • 6G technologies that are reliable, resilient, safe, and protect the privacy of individuals.  
  • 6G technologies and architectures that provide a high level of security on communication networks, including by mitigating potential risks posed by greater network complexity or larger attack surfaces.

Global Industry-led and Inclusive Standard Setting & International Collaborations

  • 6G technologies that are built on global standards, interfaces, and specifications that are developed through open, transparent, impartial and consensus-based decision-making processes.
  • 6G technologies that are built on global standards that respect intellectual property rights, that promote sustainability, accessibility, inclusive participation, interoperability, competitiveness, openness, and security.

Cooperation to Enable Open and Interoperable Innovation     

  • 6G technologies that use standards in line with principles laid down under the Global Industry-led and Inclusive Standard Setting & International Collaborations principle and interfaces to enable seamless interoperability between products from different suppliers, including software and hardware.
  • 6G technologies that recognize the importance of international cooperation in promoting open, secure, resilient, inclusive, interoperable networks, such as Open Radio Access Networks, and safe, resilient, inclusive, and sustainable 6G ecosystem.
  • 6G technologies that benefit from joint research, development and testing, and which leverage innovative technologies such as virtualization, software-defined networking, artificial intelligence.
  • Affordability, Sustainability, and Global Connectivity   
  • 6G technologies that allow for energy-efficient deployments and operation, improving both environmental sustainability, reparability and recyclability of equipment, and the affordability necessary to support social sustainability.
  • 6G technologies that are accessible through mechanisms such as economies of scale, enabled by standardization and competitive environment, and able to bridge digital divides, delivering reliable coverage and consistent quality of experience, minimizing disparity in service levels wherever possible while allowing for innovative use cases.
  • 6G technologies that contribute towards empowering other industries and sectors to reduce their environmental impacts by promoting digital transformation.
  • 6G technologies that are widely available and accessible to developing nations.
  • 6G technologies that leverage non-terrestrial networks (NTN) such as satellite and High-Altitude Platform Station (HAPS).

Spectrum and Manufacturing     

  • 6G technologies that have secure and resilient supply chains.
  • 6G technologies that promote a globally competitive market along the ICT value chain and in all elements of the compute and connectivity continuum, with multiple software and hardware suppliers.
  • 6G technologies that could make use of new spectrum allocations or spectrum that has already been allocated for wireless services.
  • 6G technologies that use spectrum efficiently and incorporate spectrum sharing mechanisms by design to coexist with incumbent service providers. 

https://ised-isde.canada.ca/site/ised/en/joint-statement-endorsing-principles-6g-secure-open-and-resilient-design

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Samsung runs vRAN 3.0 with Intel's Granite Rapids-D

 Samsung Electronics, in collaboration with Intel, completed the industry's first end-to-end call in a laboratory setting using a future Intel Xeon processor, codenamed Granite Rapids-D, within a virtualized Open RAN network powered by Samsung's vRAN 3.0. The companies are committed to advancing the capabilities of virtualized Open RAN networks to improve performance and increase capacity. The successful test, conducted in Samsung's R&D facilities in Korea, utilized Samsung's vRAN technology, which is compliant with O-RAN standards, integrated with Intel's upcoming processor, alongside Samsung's Core and testing devices, achieving notable performance enhancements and power efficiency.

This latest development builds upon a fruitful multi-year collaboration between the two tech giants that began in 2017, focusing on virtualized RAN (vRAN) technologies. Over the years, this partnership has led to significant advancements in vRAN deployment, including the use of Intel's processors to enhance vRAN performance across various generations, culminating in the commercial deployment of large-scale vRAN networks with leading Tier-1 operators. Notably, the collaboration achieved a milestone with the 4th Gen Intel Xeon Scalable processors by completing the industry's first data call on a commercial network shortly after these processors became commercially available. The results of the most recent tests, demonstrating the advancements in vRAN technology and efficiency, are set to be showcased at the upcoming Mobile World Congress 2024, indicating the ongoing innovation and leadership of Samsung and Intel in the telecommunications industry.

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NEC selected by NTT DOCOMO for vRAN

 NTT DOCOMO named NEC as a virtualized radio access network (vRAN) vendor for its nationwide 5G commercial network services. NEC already provides virtualization technologies for vEPC for DOCOMO’s 4G commercial services and 5G mobile core network (5GC). Going forward, by promoting the virtualization of the RAN domain, NEC will flexibly support DOCOMO’s wide range of services and contribute to the creation of a high-quality 5G network.

In addition, through OREX —the Open RAN service brand provided by DOCOMO in collaboration with telecom carriers and vendors worldwide—NEC’s software will be globally deployed in the same manner as the products and services of other OREX partners to create and promote an Open RAN ecosystem.

This vRAN, which achieves carrier-grade quality that is compliant with the O-RAN specifications defined by the O-RAN ALLIANCE, is cloud-native and was developed based on NEC’s 5G hardware base station technology and knowhow, for which it has a proven large-scale commercial track record. Equipped with software compatible with commercially available servers using the latest generation microprocessors, it also delivers high-speed, large-capacity communications unique to 5G by proactively utilizing hardware acceleration to speed up processing.

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Edgecore Wi-Fi intros OpenLAN Switching Lineup

Edgecore Networks introduced its OpenLAN Switching (OLS) product line with six switch series and over twenty unique models, enhancing Edgecore Wi-Fi's position in the industry. It also establishes Edgecore Wi-Fi as the supplier with the most diverse OLS product offerings on the market. 

The Telecom Infra Project's OpenLAN Switching (OLS) initiative, which upon the OpenWiFi framework, offers a harmonized solution for LAN switches, embodying the same principles as OpenWiFi: it is open-source, supports a multi-vendor environment, ensures robust interoperability with white-box devices, and provides an improved, thoroughly verified end-to-end system. OLS is particularly focused on fulfilling these essential criteria to meet the modern demands of LAN infrastructure.

The series includes the ECS1100, ECS2100, ECS4100, ECS4125, ECS4150, and ECS4650 models, each offering diverse port configurations, multi-Gigabit capabilities, and various PoE (Power over Ethernet) budget options.

Specifically, OLS is dedicated to meeting the following key requirements:

  • Support for advanced PoE++ functionality required by Wi-Fi 6E/7 and 6 GHz access points.
  • Provide a unified Wi-Fi and switch solution.
  • Extremely low latency and high bandwidth experiences.
  • Deliver applicable solutions for millions of commercial buildings across industries such as education, retail, and hospitality.

ECS1100 Series: Tailored for small to medium network needs, the ECS1100 series is an entry-level Layer 2 smart switch suite from 5 to 28 ports, offering up to 480W of PoE++ power. The ECS1100-5P model is perfect for chain-stores and small offices, whereas the ECS1100-10HP & ECS1100-28HP are designed to handle more connections and devices with higher power requirements.

ECS2100 Series: The Layer 2/Layer 2+ switch. This mid-range suite ranges from 8 to 48 ports with variable PoE power levels, apt for medium-sized businesses seeking scalability. For instance, the ECS2100-28PP delivers up to 370W of PoE power, ideal for supporting several high-power devices such as Wi-Fi 6 access points.

ECS4100 Series: Targeting enterprise environments that require superior performance, the ECS4100 series is a Layer 2+/Layer 3 Lite switch that offers 8 to 48 port configurations, with select models featuring up to 370W of PoE power. Models like the ECS4100-52P are suitable for extensive office complexes or educational facilities, where the demand for high throughput and low latency.

ECS4125 and ECS4150 Series: Catering to high-end market needs, the ECS4125 series and ECS4150 series are Layer 2+/Layer 3 Lite switches that come equipped with functionalities including static routing and RIP (Routing Information Protocol), enhancing their versatility and capability. The ECS4125-10P has eight 2.5G ports and two 10G SFP+ uplink ports, providing up to 240W PoE++ power that is geared towards SMBs with higher data rate requirements. The ECS4150 series, exemplified by the ECS4150-54P model, targets high-performance sectors with its robust 740W PoE support and six 25G SFP28 ports, accommodating extensive high-speed network deployments and readiness for emerging technologies.

ECS4650 Series: Engineered for high-density access and swift uplink demands, the ECS4650 series stands out as a full Layer 3 switch. The ECS4650-54T model boasts 48 1GbE ports, six 25G SFP28 uplinks, and a substantial 369Gbps switching capacity. Meanwhile, the ECS4650-54P variant enhances its capabilities with extensive PoE+ and PoE++ options, delivering a total power output of 740W across its ports to cater to diverse device requirements. With support for static and dynamic routing, this series is well-suited for data centers and large enterprises seeking advanced networking solutions.


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Monday, February 26, 2024

Global Telco AI Alliance targets Large Language Models

A newly-launched Global Telco AI Alliance (GTAA), backed by Deutsche Telekom, e& Group, Singtel, SoftBank Corp. and SK Telecom, plans to develop Large Language Models (LLMs) specifically tailored to the needs of telecommunications companies. The initiative will lead to the establishment of a Joint Venture Company within this year.  

The goal is to develop multilingual LLMs optimized for languages including Korean, English, German, Arabic and Japanese, with plans for additional languages to be agreed among the founding members. These will be used by digital assistants and chatbots to improve customer service.

The joint venture plans to focus on deploying innovative AI applications tailored to the needs of the Global AI Telco Alliance members in their respective markets, enabling them to reach a global customer base of approximately 1.3 billion across 50 countries. Deutsche Telekom boasts about 250 million subscribers across 12 countries, including Germany and the U.S. The e& Group has 169 million subscribers in 16 countries across the Middle East, Asia, and Africa, while the Singtel Group has 770 million subscribers in 21 countries, including Australia, India, and Indonesia. 

"We want our customers to experience the best possible service. AI helps us do that. Already today, more than 100,000 customer service dialogs a month in Germany are handled by Generative AI. By integrating telco-specific large language models, our 'Frag Magenta' chatbot becomes even more human-centric: AI personalizes conversations between customers and chatbots. And our joint venture brings Europe and Asia closer together,” says Claudia Nemat, Member of the Board of Management for Technology and Innovation at Deutsche Telekom.

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Microsoft advances its Azure Operator Nexus

 Microsoft reports steady progress with Azure Operator Nexus, its carrier grade, hybrid platform. Some highlights: 

  • Additional Operator Nexus deployments supporting 5G standalone roll outs as primary platform.
  • Expanding capabilities to address national security requirements in multiple regions.
  • Increasing support for common operational requirements and refining approach to the DevSecOps models supporting multi-vendor network function deployments.
  • Additional form factors to support RAN and additional workloads.
  • As a service model to support customer and partner lab deployments in Microsoft datacenters.
  • Expanded Nexus Ready program with over 20 certified partners and over 80 network functions.

Operator Nexus enables operators to run workloads on-premises or on Azure, seamlessly deploying and managing everything from the bare metal to the network to the tenant. Purpose-built for and validated by tier 1 operators to run mission-critical workloads, Operator Nexus:

  • Accelerates time to market for new services.
  • Lowers total cost of ownership (TCO).
  • Drives operational efficiency and resiliency.
  • Critically, improves the security of highly distributed, software-based networks.


“As part of e& UAE’s transformation to becoming a digital telco we are excited to collaborate closely with Microsoft as we drive innovation in our services and excellence in our customer experience. The use of Azure Operator Nexus and Azure Operator 5G Core to support our core network will better enable us to leverage the power of AI and automation and provide new avenues for monetization,” stated Khalid Murshed, Chief Technology and Information Officer, e& UAE.

“AT&T is moving to the next phase of our cloud migration that includes deploying Microsoft’s Azure Operator Nexus platform in our network as part of the next phase of our 5G SA deployment. Continuing its leadership in cloud networking, AT&T is using cloud native DevOps tools to drive improvements such as one-touch deployment, vendor-agnostic framework, CI/CD integration, automated network testing, in-service upgrades, and advanced security and compliance management. Azure Operator Nexus’ API-driven solution helped us to significantly simplify, automate, and improve the deployment cycle time for cloud infrastructure software and configuration in our data centers,” stated Yigal Elbaz, Senior Vice President, Network CTO.

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