Intel and Exfo release tool for 5G issue detection Operators will be able to monitor a 5G network in real time thanks to a new solution developed by Exfo, a Canadian telecommunications testing company, and Intel, a US chip manufacturer. The new service, dubbed “Exfo’s full-stack assurance solution,” is marketed as a way for 5G network operators to detect and correlate service degradation concerns.The software is said to combine system, monitoring, and telemetry data flows, monitor them in real time, and respond quickly if a fault is detected. Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/9x66wd2z Qualcomm’s €1 billion antitrust punishment lifted Qualcomm was fined €997 million by the EU in 2018, in what was considered as a major victory for regulators over ‘big tech.’ The General Court, Europe’s second-highest court, has now overruled this order. The complaint concerns Qualcomm’s payments to Apple running into the billions of dollars between 2011 and 2016 to…
The UK’s first live wind and solar-powered mobile phone mast has been activated in Pembrokeshire (Wales) by Vodafone UK. The self-powered mast will provide 4G service to the community of Eglwyswrw and will be powered by a wind turbine, solar panels and on-site battery storage. The new mast contributes to Vodafone’s goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2027 for its UK operations. The mast is meant to eliminate the requirement for a connection to the national energy grid, a strategy that will assist in delivering connectivity in rural and distant places that are now without those critical services. The mast is equipped with a one-of-a-kind wind turbine that can generate electricity even in low wind conditions and can be deployed without the need for electrical connections. This infrastructure is also extremely quiet, making it ideal for installation in sensitive locations. The study is being carried out…
One of the most important lessons society has learned from being stranded at home and unable to travel during a pandemic, is that once carbon emissions fall, the benefits materialize remarkably quickly. What have telecommunications providers learned during this time? That due to the staggering demand for digital communications at this time, the global telecom infrastructure has been forced to consume more energy than ever before, increasing the carbon footprint.
As sanctions bite, Russia’s MTS begins to discount cell phones MTS, Russia’s largest operator, reported a 76.2 % year-on-year drop in Q1 net profit, blaming the results largely on rising interest rates caused by Western sanctions. Russia boosted local interest rates to 20% in the early days of the conflict before lowering them twice, leaving rates around 14% today. MTS has resorted to selling used and discounted smartphones, and is planning to sell its tower assets, in keeping with the current trend of monetizing passive assets located throughout Europe and beyond. Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/c65t43kb Verizon warns of record rise in ransomware According to Verizon Business, the number of ransomware attacks on enterprises has increased by 13% year-on-year, resulting in a rise exceeding that of the previous five years combined. Ransomware was involved in some manner in one-quarter of the cases investigated, with desktop-sharing software and email being the two…
Verizon drives towards its goal of net zero carbon emissions Verizon has used the proceeds from its most recent $1 billion green bond to sign a number of renewable energy purchase agreements (REPAs) in an effort to make its operations more ecologically friendly. These REPAs encompass around 910 megawatts of new renewable energy producing capacity throughout seven states in the USA, with wind turbines accounting for around 51% and solar panels for the remaining 49%. By 2025, the operator claims it will have sourced or generated renewable energy equal to 50% of its annual electricity use. Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/4fzb629n Broadvoice to officially launch GoContact BPO offering At the Call & Contact Center Expo US, Broadvoice, a supplier of hosted voice, unified communications (UC) and SIP Trunking services for businesses, will demonstrate its new contact center solution for the business process outsourcing (BPO) sector. This new offering is the result…
Vantage Towers partners with Mowea Vantage Towers, a subsidiary of Vodafone, has formed a strategic alliance with the Berlin-based start-up Mowea to power towers with renewable energy. Vantage Towers plans to build 752 micro wind turbines on 52 towers in Germany, with a capacity of up to 650 MWh per year. Under typical wind conditions, the turbines can cut grid power usage and electricity operating expenses at each site by up to two-thirds or more. Installation of the Mowea’s micro wind turbines is planned for the second part of the year, assuming that all relevant licenses are obtained by then. Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/35zsph6v Nokia to defend IP Telecom against quantum cyber attacks Nokia has established a partnership with IP Telecom to expand the latter’s data center cloud connection infrastructure to Portuguese urban regions. Under the terms of the agreement, Nokia will create an encrypted optical data center interconnect (DCI)…
Xiaomi unveils new flagship smartphones The Chinese tech giant Xiaomi has introduced its new flagship smartphones, the Xiaomi 12 and Xiaomi 12 Pro, which will go on sale in China from December 31st. The global launch of the Xiaomi 12 is expected to follow in early 2022. According to the company’s press release, the Xiaomi 12 and Xiaomi 12 Pro are powered by the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, and feature industry-leading DisplayMate A+ OLED displays and powerful imaging capabilities. During the presentation, Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun indicated that the new smartphone would be a direct competitor to the iPhone 13. Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/58byr3fu Telefónica acquires Ericsson 5G equipment to replace Huawei Telefónica, Spain’s leading telecommunications group, has bought 5G network equipment from the Swedish manufacturer Ericsson to replace some Huawei gear that it has deployed in Spain. According to the local newspaper Expansion, Telefónica had initially rolled out…
Ericsson releases 10 Hot Consumer Trends report Ericsson’s ConsumerLab 10 Hot Consumer Trends study, which addresses early adopter perspectives and aspirations up to 2030, has been released. The report discusses hybrid retail experiences at the fictitious ‘Everyspace Plaza’ mall, where consumers examined 15 hybrid shopping mall facilities meant to expand the conventional experience via the use of digital technologies. According to Ericsson, the ConsumerLab 10 Hot Consumer Trends study represents the expectations and forecasts of over 57 million early technology users worldwide. Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/54w7xe68 Vodafone to auction a unique NFT Vodafone will sell an NFT of the world’s first ever SMS text message, “Merry Christmas,” which was transmitted on the Vodafone network in December, 1992. The exclusive NFT ensures ownership of a one-of-a-kind, exact reproduction of the original communication protocol used to send the first-ever text message. All profits from the auction will be donated to the UNHCR,…
Samsung to undertake a structural reorganization Samsung has announced yet another dramatic reorganization, this time separating the corporation into just two units: Device Solutions, which handles semiconductors, and the SET Division, which includes the mobile, consumer and television businesses. The reorganization looks to be strategic, indicating a change in focusing on the highly successful semiconductor market. Consolidating the consumer electronics and mobile companies should assist to streamline the company’s overall operations and improve synergies across the many sectors. Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/4e78wsfd AT&T to upgrade US Coast Guard network The Defense Information Systems Agency has selected AT&T to combine and enhance the US Coast Guard’s diverse data networks, awarding the company a $161 million, 11-year contract. AT&T will provide an IP-based Wide Area Network as well as ethernet, virtual private networking, private lines, fixed wireless, optical wavelength and commercial satellite connectivity to the Coast Guard. The contract was granted as…
Telefonica to offer industrial 5G services in 2022 For the first time, Telefonica will provide a range of industrial 5G services to selected partners starting in January 2022. In recent years, Telefonica has tested approximately 80 use cases across several industries, with a handful of solutions now ready for implementation. Telefonica will market three particular 5G use cases for industry through its Telefonica Tech unit: autonomously guided vehicles (ATGs), remote support solutions and drone solutions. Customers will be able to access all of these services via Telefonica’s public mobile network, as well as a virtual or dedicated private network. Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/46x6mcdj Verizon scores a $34.6M contract The US Department of Energy has awarded Verizon Public Sector two Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions (EIS) contracts for $34.6 million. Verizon will offer voice and data services to a variety of DOE sites, including the agency’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. Under the terms…