The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has given AST SpaceMobile, a five-year-old company located in Midland, Texas, permission to test a satellite that has the potential to deliver cellular broadband access for smartphone users in the US and throughout the world. According to the business, it is developing the first and only space-based cellular broadband network that will be immediately accessible by regular mobile phones. SpaceMobile, the company’s proposed network, intends to provide 4G/5G access to everyone on the world, on land, at sea, and in the air. No matter where they are, mobile customers will be able to seamlessly roam from terrestrial networks to the space-based network. AST SpaceMobile is launching BlueWalker 3, a test satellite meant to interact directly with mobile phones using 3GPP standard frequencies. The FCC has granted the business an experimental license for BlueWalker 3 space-to-ground testing in the United States. At least…
Ericsson has ceased operations in Russia in order to comply with international sanctions imposed in the weeks following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Nokia, too, has announced its intention to abandon the Russian market, having already ceased supplies and begun to relocate R&D out of the country. However, Nokia intends to continue supporting the maintenance of current equipment on humanitarian grounds. Over the years, Ericsson has collaborated with a number of Russian mobile providers. The company recently formed a strategic relationship with MTS to create private 5G networks, as well as the testing and implementing next-generation technology with the operator. Ericsson has said that it will indefinitely cease relevant operations with Russian clients. The vendor also stated that it is in discussions with customers and partners, and that staff in Russia have been placed on paid leave. In Russia, Ericsson employs around 600 people. In a stock market notification…
DT and Vodafone to tackle areas of Germany with no 4G coverage Deutsche Telekom (DT) and Vodafone Germany have announced further advancements in their efforts to close 4G coverage gaps in distant or rural parts of Germany where consumers are serviced by only one mobile network operator (MNO) or no operator at all. Over the last several years, the two operators have worked to increase coverage in 3,000 to 4,000 so-called 4G gray spots, which are commonly described as places where only one MNO can provide service. Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/yndfwnvb Spectralink launches DECT devices with Microsoft Teams SIP Gateway Spectralink, a global workplace mobility solutions supplier, has announced the availability of DECT devices that are compatible with the Microsoft Teams SIP Gateway. Company-critical deskless workers, who must travel to a remote site in order to carry out their duties, are very much relied upon by enterprise companies such as…
Nokia labeled one of the world’s most ethical companies Nokia has been named one of the “World’s Most Ethical Companies®” for the fifth year in a row by the Ethisphere Institute. In 2022, 136 recipients from 22 countries and 45 sectors were honored. Nokia is one of five telecoms industry winners, and the only Finnish business to receive recognition. Nokia’s superior governance, as well as its dedication to best-in-class sustainability, corporate ethics, compliance and governance standards, has earned the company this honor. Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/4ab8c253 NTT partners with Schneider Electric to test private 5G network NTT and Schneider Electric’s latest collaboration will build on their current relationship to create a secure and on-premises end-to-end digital platform that will allow various sectors to benefit from private 5G services. The private 5G network is projected to support equipment availability, machine performance and product quality solutions. The project will also provide a…
Telenor Norway, Telenor’s fully owned largest Norwegian supplier of telecommunications and digital services, has revealed its partnership with Infosys, a multinational information technology company that provides next-generation business consulting, information technology and outsourcing services. The main focus of this initiative is to rapidly transform Telenor’s finance and supply chain operational processes. To assist the transition from a traditional ERP system and improve company agility and operational efficiency, Infosys created a standardized Oracle Cloud enterprise resource planning solution. This product includes modules such as Record to Report (R2R), Acquire to Retire (A2R), Procure to Pay (P2P) and Order to Cash (O2C), and was deployed in ten Telenor businesses in a record time of nine months. Infosys was chosen for the ERP transition because of the company’s innovative and standardized services, reusable assets, qualified employees, and the capacity to deploy quickly. The newly implemented ERP platform will help Telenor Norway…
Telefonica partners with Meta A new agreement between Meta and Telefonica has been inked to create a Metaverse Innovation Hub in Madrid. Local startups and developers will have access to a 5G laboratory inside the Hub, where they will be able to use a metaverse end-to-end testbed using Meta and Telefonica’s networks and equipment. The hub’s goal is to test innovative network topologies, use cases and devices in order to speed metaverse network and device readiness. Participants will have access to Telefonica’s open innovation ecosystem, as well as the Innovation and Talent Hub Resources and Meta’s engineering capabilities. Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/mf2jbjxu Turkcell partners with Ribbon and Odine Ribbon Communications has teamed up with Odine, a virtualized and containerized infrastructure and solution integrator, to provide Turkcell, a Turkish integrated telecommunications and technology services provider, with next-generation voice interconnect services. Ribbon’s SBC SWe, which delivers the features and capabilities of appliance-based…
WOW! partners with Reach Mobile Wide Open West (WOW!) has teamed up with the MVNO aggregator Reach Mobile to launch a wireless service. WOW! mobile, powered by Reach, will be accessible in a few markets this spring, and the business is currently working on determining the initial launch sites. It is intended that the mobile product should be expanded to all of WOW! markets shortly after the launch. WOW! will be able to bring a mobile product to market rapidly by relying on their operational efficiency, a full-featured platform, and a fantastic customer experience in a lower-cost operating model by employing Reach Next. Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/2smnm38n Audi taps Verizon for 5G vehicles Audi of America and Verizon have launched a new cooperative venture, with the goal of utilizing Verizon’s 5G Ultra Wideband connection within Audi automobiles. Their offering will encompass augmented mobile services and new driving-assistance technologies, paving the…
Telefonica has announced their significant commitment to the metaverse, indicating that the company will use MWC22 Barcelona to demonstrate its digital transformation and technological leadership initiatives through an innovative virtual environment. Telefonica said it will utilize the metaverse to demonstrate all of its in-person demos, allowing conference attendees to digitally visit the four physical sites on the exhibition floors. The organization will provide a unique experience based on the quality of the information exhibited and the ongoing and diverse activities by combining real-time and virtual participation. Telefónica will demonstrate its expertise, capabilities and dedication to assisting businesses, governmental agencies and society as a whole in taking advantage of the tremendous opportunities that digitization and connectivity provide. The company will also show what it can do for the community, and the advantages its solutions will deliver in terms of making participants more efficient, sustainable and safe. Telefónica will exhibit…
Given all of the major cellular carriers’ full-scale adoption of 5G network resources, it’s likely no surprise that data consumption totals during Sunday’s Super Bowl LVI at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles set records for both Verizon and AT&T. Verizon invested $119 million on its network in the SoFi Stadium area, while AT&T expanded its fiber network. Customers on Verizon’s cellular networks “in and around” the stadium utilized a total of 30.4 terabytes of data on Sunday, surpassing Verizon’s highest recorded record of 21.5 TB of data used at Super Bowl LIV in Miami in 2020. According to the operator, 60% of guests at the SoFi Stadium in California used its service during the game on February 13th, compared to 56% for the 2020 Super Bowl in Miami. Verizon added 169 small cells, four macro cell sites, and 24 in-building systems as part of this investment. According to Verizon,…
Samsung introduces S22 flagship smartphones At its most recent Galaxy Unpacked presentation, Samsung Electronics announced a new lineup of premium smartphones. The S22 series has three 5G models, including the top-of-the-range Ultra edition, which includes features from Samsung’s previous Note handsets. With an Armor Aluminum frame used in all three versions, Samsung promises a highly durable phone. In addition, to lessen the environmental impact of the smartphones, the business has used recovered fishing nets and post-consumer trash in numerous components such as the speaker and keys. Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/yc7efuay FCC to tackle broadband discrimination The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has announced the creation of a new task force charged with establishing regulations that encourage equitable access to broadband as the organization prepares to crack down on digital discrimination. The task group will focus on developing regulations that prevent discrimination in broadband deployment based on a community’s income, racial or…

