OneWeb’s constellation of low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites will enhance network coverage for Softbank, particularly in challenging regions. The move aligns with Softbank’s ‘Ubiquitous Network’ strategy, which unifies diverse non-terrestrial network (NTN) solutions to expand digital services. Besides its surprise partnership with SpaceX’s Starlink, Softbank continues to boost its stake in OneWeb, supporting its Japanese launch and integration into the Ubiquitous Network.
Telecom equipment expenditure in North America experienced an unexpected downturn in the first half of this year. Despite global telecom hardware revenues remaining steady, North America’s marked decline significantly impacted the total number. In contrast, other markets, particularly Asia-Pacific, showed robust growth. The reasons behind North America’s decline extend to slowing 5G expenditure and reduced spending on broadband access equipment. Looking ahead, no major global alterations are anticipated, though the volatility of the telecom industry hints at potential changes.
Brought forth by the Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA), the exciting implementation of Wi-Fi 7 offers to revolutionize our wireless possibilities. This tech breakthrough, outpacing previous Wi-Fi versions, promises double the bandwidth and triple the speed, enabling impractical or seemingly impossible applications to become reality. The technology, based upon the IEEE 802.11be standard, will enable channel widths up to 320 MHz and support 4k QAM. With the potential for widespread deployment, Wi-Fi 7’s multi-link operation could mark a future with enhanced Wi-Fi experiences and low-latency immersive applications. However, the prerequisites of a solid fiber connection highlight challenges in achieving full-scale benefits.
Netcracker’s GenAI Telco Solution, a revolutionary tool that leverages generative AI models to enhance telecom operations, promises to reshape customer experiences and streamline automation. The tool facilitates personalised interaction while anonymizing telecom data and is compatible with widely used GenAI models. Amidst privacy and security concerns, it offers a secure gateway to harness telecom data, promising to boost business value extraction and maximize productivity.
Elevated expectations surround the fixed wireless customer premises equipment (CPE) market, largely fueled by an upsurge in 5G device development. Recent data indicates over twofold growth in 5G FWA CPE shipments, predicting a robust growth of 86% in 2023. However, the fluctuating sample size in the annual survey calls for a prudent interpretation of these statistics. As the data suggests, 5G devices are set to dominate the market, with a projected rise from 29% to 40%. The swift expansion of battery-powered pocket routers promises a solid growth in the overall FWA CPE shipments, with telcos driving 77% of the market. The United States leads in leveraging the 5G technology, promising extraordinary industry advancement.
A notable investment from Saudi Telecom into Telefonica has the Spanish Government on the edge, forcing them to balance their national interest and fostering foreign investment. The complexity surrounding the acquisition decision transcends even Spain’s economic landscape, impacting political alliances and national security. With a swift resolution unlikely, this multifaceted negotiation promises to test Spain’s decision-making in an increasingly interconnected economic world.
Unveiling the hidden importance of fibre optic cables in delivering quality and reliable internet services, we spotlight Prysmian, European industry front-runner. Delving into the connection between prudent cable choice and tangible savings in network installation, while highlighting the formidable costs of cable failures. Prysmian’s commitment to innovation shines in miniaturising cables without compromise, resulting in practical and ecological benefits. Prysmian’s Telecom Business Director is set to reveal more insights at the Connected Britain Conference.
Deutsche Telekom has made a significant stride in mobile telecommunications, achieving 12 gigabits per second in field tests using 6GHz frequencies – quite a leap from the current 5G network speeds. The German telecom giant credits this achievement to merging two data streams from different frequency antennas, a method they suggest may become standard for these bands. However, before this breakthrough can materialize, it’ll go under scrutiny during the upcoming ITU World Radiocommunications Conference.
Qualcomm and Samsung recently announced a pioneering success in telecommunications; achieving dual uplink and quadruple downlink carrier aggregation for 5G FDD spectrum. This innovation, tested using Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X75 5G Modem-RF System with Samsung’s 5G radios, could provide operators increased flexibility. This trial demonstrates the potency of Advanced 5G modems in enhancing 5G connections, hinting exciting future developments in 5G. Commercial implementations of these findings are expected by late 2023.
Explore the ‘Connected Nations’ report showcasing a promising surge in “Full Fibre” reach across the UK, now covering 52%. However, a static picture emerges for “superfast broadband” stuck at 97%, while Gigabit broadband registers a rise, and changes in 3G usage towards obsolescence are also highlighted. Further, discussions on smart devices over-harvesting consumer data and potential changes in the nation’s broadband landscape spark curiosity.
