American technology companies Ribbon Communications and Neustar have announced an expansion of their cooperation to provide a comprehensive solution designed to tackle the issues of robocalling and call spoofing. Ribbon, a global software leader providing IP-based real-time communications security and software solutions, is working in partnership with Neustar, the exclusive host of the ATIS Robocalling Testbed, to develop and support an integrated platform for their STIR-SHAKEN implementation. Secure Telephone Identity Revisited (STIR) standards and the Signature-based Handling of Asserted information using toKENs (SHAKEN) framework were developed by the IETF and ATIS/SIP Forum NNI Task Force, respectively. STIR-SHAKEN is a major industry initiative set up to help service providers protect consumers against illegal robocalls and caller ID spoofing. The Ribbon session border controller, as well as policy and routing products coupled with the Neustar Certified Caller platform will enable service providers to promptly detect suspicious calls and inform business and…
The Global mobile Suppliers Association (GSA) has launched the first database in the telecommunications industry to track worldwide 5G devices. This new 5G device tracking and reporting facility, which forms part of the GSA Analyser for Mobile Broadband Devices (GAMBoD) database, “represents an important milestone for the 5G ecosystem as it moves from service trials and prototype user equipment to commercially available services and devices”. In its first survey, 5G Device Ecosystem Report, dated March 2019, the GSA identified a total of 23 vendors that have confirmed the upcoming availability of 5G devices, with 33 different devices available, including regional variants. There were 7 publicized 5G device form factors, namely phones, hotspots, indoor CPE, outdoor CPE, modules, Snap-On dongles, adapters and USB terminals. On a per form factor basis, the report identified 12 phones (plus regional variants), 5 hotspots (plus regional variants), 8 CPE devices (indoor and outdoor),…
Europol, the European Union’s police agency, has published a report stating that telecoms fraud is costing over 29 billion Euros every year. The survey on cyber-telecom crime was conducted by Europol’s European cybercrime center (EC3) and cyber security specialist Trend Micro. This report underlines that telecom fraud is becoming a low-risk alternative to traditional financial crime, and due to the reduced cost and increased availability of hacking equipment, this type of fraud is on the rise. According to Europol, the most common methods of telecom fraud are vishing, where people are persuaded to disclose personal details, Wangiri, where people are tricked into calling back to expensive numbers, and international revenue sharing fraud (IRSF) that is claimed to be “the most damaging fraud scheme to date”. Describing IRSF, Europol stated: “It involves transferring monetary value from one carrier to another, based on the inter-carrier trust between telecom operators. Patient fraudsters…
The extensive lineup of desktop SIP phone systems has been supplemented by yet another cordless solution, as Panasonic Systems Solutions Company of North America has announced the release of their new SIP cordless KX-TPA68 communication terminal. The phone was designed “for intuitive use and added flexibility as a member of the KX-TGP600 SIP cordless phone system family”. The Panasonic KX-TPA68 facilitates collaboration among staff members and enables real-time shared call appearance. The communication terminal allows users to pick up calls, retrieve held calls and join calls from lines shared across multiple KX-TPA68 cordless desk phones that are registered to the same base unit. The included features allow users to monitor the status of up to six phone lines on the same screen in real-time, and complete actions with a single touch. The new solution features an enhanced user interface and is equipped with a 3.5-inch color LCD, 18…
The accomplished blockchain technologies company PeerStream, Inc. has joined the partnership of Telefonica’s cybersecurity unit ElevenPaths and decentralized hardware-based cybersecurity leader Rivetz, to work cooperatively on next-generation zero trust architectures, and offer privacy and security protection for business communications. Alex Harrington, CEO of PeerStream, said: “We are excited to collaborate with such esteemed partners to build groundbreaking software that has the potential to deliver real value for a large worldwide client base. We are honored to join ElevenPaths and Rivetz in this common vision.” PeerStream is focusing on privacy and security improvements and the development of enterprise-grade communications software that is being readied to enter the market under the Backchannel brand. Backchannel incorporates a growing suite of software tools created to control secure, real-time data and messaging channels, including support for video streaming. The company’s decentralized network routing technology may operate on either blockchain or traditional distributed architectures. …
Do you want to change your telecommunication service provider, but need to keep your current phone number? This process is called number portability, and defines the mechanism and procedures that allow you to switch from one phone network service provider to another in any Licensed Service Area (LSA), while maintaining your existing number. Number portability offers customers the right to exercise their choice in selecting a service provider and, at the same time, avoid the inconvenience of being allocated a new phone number. This important facility provides the customer with freedom-of-choice and, as a result, generates competition among service providers encouraging lower tariffs, improved services and enhanced Quality of Service (QoS) of the networks. It is important to note that the portability feature only concerns the phone number, and is not applicable to services. In this article we focus on the complete porting process from start to finish and, at…
ZTE Corporation and Intel have jointly launched the Light Cloud platform for access networks at the 5G Summit being held at Mobile World Congress 2019 in Barcelona. The Light Cloud solution is based on Intel’s innovative Edge products, impeccably integrated into ZTE’s flagship optical fiber access platform, Titan, thus merging Multi-access Edge Computing (MEC) and Network function virtualization (NFVI). The solution employs lightweight blade servers equipped with Intel Xeon D processors. When embedded in an OLT or BRAS device, the blade servers transform it into lightweight cloud infrastructure, thus reducing high capital costs and making a positive environmental impact. The infrastructure opens up computing and storage possibilities based on telecom access equipment, and allows the deployment and distribution of application-sensitive services. The access layer with cloud features is supported by built-in blade servers, and facilitates the ability to offer a wide range of cloud applications and services, including…
The global organization representing the interests of mobile network operators, GSMA, has called for European governments to “safeguard network security and competition” in the telecommunications infrastructure industry. The association has issued a warning to Europe to refrain from activities that would obstruct the use of certain equipment necessary for 5G mobile network development. According to the GSMA, “Actions that disrupt the equipment supply for the various segments of the network (access, transport and core) will increase costs to European operators, businesses and citizens; delay 5G deployment by years across Europe and potentially also jeopardise the functioning of existing 4G networks upon which 5G is intended to be built.” Although no specific company names are mentioned in the statement, the GSMA initiative highlights the industry’s significant endeavor to prevent the application of additional sanctions, similar to those announced by the United States and Australian governments on Chinese vendors Huawei…
Telstra, the largest Australian telecommunication company, has announced the launch of a new rapid restoration service for one of its busiest subsea cable routes in Asia. The company has joined forces with Ericsson and Ciena to ensure that their customers stay continuously connected. The solution offers carriers and cloud service providers increased network visibility, flexibility and reliable data access. Nadya Melic, Telstra’s head of Connectivity and Platforms, said the new service is now available on three of its intra-Asia routes, following the successful tests carried out in December 2018. “The Asian region presents one of the most challenging environments for subsea cable systems. Busy and shallow shipping ports in Hong Kong and Singapore, high-levels of fishing activity and an ecosystem prone to natural disasters, all threaten to disrupt or damage underwater infrastructure,” said Melic. The new rapid restoration service on the subsea network will be provided using…
The networking and telecommunications company Ericsson and Germany’s largest network provider Deutsche Telekom, have announced that together they are the first to successfully demonstrate a wireless transmission on the mmWave spectrum, that can transfer data four times faster than currently existing services. The achievement of the data transmission rate of 40 Gbps with a latency of under 100 microseconds is a considerable advancement towards the fulfilment of stringent latency requirements of 5G, and the anticipated 100 Gbps backhaul networking. Per Narvinger, Head of Product Area Networks, Ericsson, said: “Microwave continues to be a key technology for mobile transport by supporting the capacity and latency requirements of 4G and future 5G networks. Our joint innovation project shows that higher capacity microwave backhaul will be an important enabler of high-quality mobile broadband services when 5G becomes a commercial reality.” A backhaul is an intermediate link between the core network and…