SK Telecom, the top mobile operator in South Korea, has teamed up with its security subsidiary ADT Caps Co. and local video management solutions company Innodep Inc. to develop an artificial intelligence (AI) solution to meet the growing demand for efficient and advanced video analysis services. Under the agreement, the trio will develop services to effectively manage video surveillance systems in the private and public sectors of the growing local market. The ultimate goal of the partnership is to create real-time security services for the public and industry, while addressing existing defects in the video analysis systems, such as false alarms. As the deployment of CCTV in the public and private sectors is expanding rather swiftly to enhance safety and security, SKT said the solution will increase cost-effectiveness and accuracy by optimizing its AI chip and algorithms. This solution will be linked to Innodep’s intelligent management platform and…
European Commission staying out of O2 UK and Virgin Media UK merger Typically, the European Commission, or one of the myriad other state-owned organizations that are a part of the EU, would be involved in the proposed merger between O2 UK and Virgin Media UK. However, in this case, these organizations are steering clear of this deal. The theory is this: because the UK will no longer be part of the EU from the beginning of next year, the EU will no longer be interested in what UK companies do. Even if the EU had not made this decision now, it is likely that they would have just waited until 2021, when its jurisdiction over UK matters comes to an end. Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/y2n84cgn Telia Carrier expands its connectivity in US Telia Carrier is expanding its coverage in the US, while increasing the diversity and range of its routes.…
The French telecommunications provider Iliad, that provides fixed and mobile telephony services, prepaid phone cards, Internet access and hosting services, has signed a new $356 million loan deal with the European Investment Bank (EIB) to help the Iliad Group finance its mobile network deployment in France, in particular to consolidate its 4G network and deploy its 5G network. Since 2009, the EIB has financed Iliad, and with this new loan the total financing exceeds $1.3 billion. Having helped finance the development of the Iliad fixed network for more than a decade, the EIB is once again working with the group to provide financial support for the company’s latest generation of mobile networks. There was little information on what exactly the latest loan would be used for, but Iliad said it is devoted to providing digital coverage to the whole of France, including most rural areas. Ambroise Fayolle, Vice-President…
Amdocs enters an agreement with Amazon Web Services Amdocs has announced a multi-year agreement with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to offer integrated cloud-based business support systems (BSS) to communications service providers. Under the terms of the deal, AWS is now an Amdocs cloud provider for Amdocs’ internal IT transformation. Working together, Amdocs and AWS will offer telecom providers access to a portfolio of digital services that shortens the time it takes for service providers to enter the market and gives them more flexibility to meet the needs of their end customers. The companies are also collaborating to develop and promote a variety of services that will help Amdocs customers migrate and upgrade their systems using a range of cloud solutions. Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/y5q64mbe Apple’s new Macs powered by iPhone chips Apple is introducing new Macs that use the same type of chips that run iPhones and iPads. This step…
Apple reveals 5G iPhones Apple waited a little longer than other manufacturers to introduce 5G phones, probably because they wanted to be certain their first 5G iPhones are top class. The company unveiled its new iPhone 12 phones on Tuesday. All new iPhones are built around the fast Apple A14 Bionic chip, they support 5G wireless connectivity, and are protected by a ceramic shield to make the phones more damage resistant. Bringing 5G to the iPhone is a huge step forward for the company, as it will provide a new level of performance for downloads and uploads, video streaming, games, real-time interactivity and more. Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/y6mum7wh Masergy launches Work From Anywhere solutions Masergy, a software-defined network and cloud platform for the digital enterprise, announced two new SD-WAN Work From Anywhere solutions. Masergy’s SD-WAN Secure Home is a lightweight Fortinet Secure SD-WAN device for fast connection via the residential…
Germany to retire its 3G network Deutsche Telekom, Telefonica Deutschland and Vodafone Germany have announced the dates of their 3G network service withdrawal. Deutsche Telekom announced that it will aim to shut down 3G networks by the summer of 2021, while the Vodafone Germany target date was announced to be a few months earlier. Similarly, Telefonica Deutschland has stated that it would like to switch off its 3G technology by the end of 2021. This means that Germany will be essentially dependent on LTE and 5G in just over a year. Deutsche Telekom says the coverage gaps left after the 3G shutdown will be filled by 4G. Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/y48ot9p5 Rogers Communications expanding 5G services On September 22, the Canadian communications and media company Rogers Communications announced the launch of 5G technology in five new cities. The Ericsson-powered operator has the largest 5G network in Canada. According to the…
Ribbon announces hybrid slicing for 5G Ribbon Communications, a provider of real time IP-based communications and software solutions, announced that it has partnered with Xilinx Inc. to develop a 5G hybrid slicing solution for next-generation networks. Slicing is important in 5G, as it enables the separate 5G integral service classes. Hard slicing is necessary to meet the strict requirements for availability, bandwidth and security of highly sensitive services, while soft slicing provides benign insulation for services with a lower critical limit value. Ribbon will highlight its 5G solutions, including hybrid slicing, during its 5G Perspectives virtual event on September 14, 2020. Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/y6tm8bqa Oi sells its mobile assets to Claro, Telefónica and TIM Three operators, Claro, Telefónica and TIM, formerly known as Telecom Italia, have won the bid for the Brazilian operator Oi’s mobile assets valued at more than $3 billion. In the past, these operators had a…
The South Korean tech giant Samsung has announced that it has signed a contract to supply network equipment to Verizon in the US. Samsung and Verizon’s wireless telecommunications solutions contract is worth about $ 6.6 billion according to information released on Monday, ensuring a great triumph for the South Korean seller against established competitors. Samsung Networks will supply network equipment and solutions, including 5G, to their American partner for the next five years, until December 2025. This new contract with Verizon is the largest that Samsung has ever received in its history. Samsung’s network business was one of the first to offer 5G network equipment to South Korean telecommunications companies when they launched their 5G networks in 2019. “We are pleased to expand our long-standing partnership with Verizon to advance their next-generation network evolution. With this latest long-term strategic contract, we will continue to push the boundaries of…
Telefonica acquires Govertis Advisory Services The Spanish international telecommunications company, Telefonica, has announced the acquisition of the Valencia-based consulting company Govertis Advisory Services. The procurement was made through its subsidiary the cybersecurity company ElevenPaths. According to Telefonica, Govertis offers solutions that combine both legal and technological aspects of cybersecurity. The purchase of Govertis is related to Telefonica‘s ongoing investments in security through the development of proprietary solutions, the implementation of technologies in the global SOC network, and the acquisition of and investment in new companies. Eduard Chaveli, CEO and founder of Govertis, commented that this deal was a “natural next step in a long-standing relationship”. Read more at https://tinyurl.com/y2lr9pl7 Argentinian government freezes Telco prices Argentina‘s government has extended a ruling applicable to Internet, mobile and pay-TV providers, preventing them from raising their prices until the end of 2020. These measurements were first implemented in May of this year to combat…
The GSMA, an industry organization representing the interests of global mobile network operators, has announced that major vendors ZTE, Ericsson, Huawei and Nokia have passed an independent security audit of product development and lifecycle management processes and intend to submit a network kit for evaluation in the second test round. This testing system is called the Network Equipment Security Scheme (NESAS) and claims to have been designed to increase industry confidence in telecommunications network equipment while promoting a more coordinated mobile market. NESAS was jointly established by GSMA and 3GPP. NESAS provides an industry-wide security assurance framework to improve the level of security throughout the mobile industry. The scheme defines security requirements and an assessment system for secure product development and product life cycle processes, and uses 3GPP-defined security test cases to assess the security of network equipment. The audits are conducted by world-class security auditing companies on…