TELUS International and Five9 launch an advanced AI-powered Contact Center as a Service platform. Phonism integrates with Cisco’s Webex, providing cost-effective device management and streamlining collaboration. Viking Electronics endorses Ooma AirDial as a reliable POTS replacement, emphasizing wireless turnkey solutions. Cresta unveils AI enhancements for contact centers, driven by Large Language Models, promising unprecedented performance and productivity.
Telecom News | Week #44: T Challenge, End of Vodafone Spain, Nokia’s Technology Strategy 2030, Samsung and O2 testing vRAN.
Ofcom’s revised net neutrality rules in the UK now allow broadband providers to offer tiered services based on latency, not just throughput. Furthermore, these new regulations also permit the creation of specialized services, paving the way for network slicing and multi-access edge computing in the future. On the somewhat contentious front, zero-rating, or providing unrestricted access to specific online services, gets a green light, albeit with a few conditions.
The recent partnership between Plume, the cloud wifi platform provider, and one of India’s telecom titans, Reliance Jio, aims to deliver smart home services to almost 200 million properties. Subscribers will gain access to AI powered services offering a range of benefits, from adaptive wifi and performance optimization to enhanced cyber protections. Yet, with great expansion comes potential challenges, such as customer service and quality control.
At the European Conference on Optical Communication, Huawei’s cutting-edge FTTR solution solidified its standing as the industry leader by winning the Most Innovative PON/5G/FTTx Product Award. Catering to a wide range of users—from homes to small businesses—Huawei’s solution offers superior bandwidth, minimal latency, uninterrupted Wi-Fi connectivity, and self-management capabilities, making it a favorite among global broadband users and operators. Moreover, it’s built on a point-to-multipoint all-optical networking architecture, providing ultra-gigabit Wi-Fi networks. Remarkably, the FTTR rollout is efficient and aesthetically pleasing, using a unique self-adhesive transparent optical fiber with fast deployment times.
IBM and AWS are joining forces to enhance generative AI solutions. IBM Consulting will train 10,000 consultants in AWS generative AI by 2024, offering services like Contact Center Modernization with Amazon Connect. Sinch is partnering with Webex by Cisco to launch Sinch Calling with Webex, an integrated product combining messaging, meetings, and voice capabilities. Ooma is expanding its services to the Asia Pacific region to support IWG’s work solutions, providing phone and unified communications services. Connectbase is expanding data capabilities in The Connected World platform, offering detailed tenancy data for network operators expanding in the UK and Ireland.
Navigating an increasingly challenging market, Nokia is bracing for reductions in staff numbers bolstered by a severe 15% year-on-year sales decline. Despite facing these obstacles, including a slowed pace of 5G deployment in India and underperforming Network Infrastructure division, Nokia’s Cloud and Network Services remain resilient. Amidst downsizing, CEO Pekka Lundmark forecasts a more optimistic fourth quarter, exemplifying the struggle between current hardships and future potential.
DISH Wireless, in partnership with Samsung and Qualcomm, has achieved groundbreaking 5G carrier aggregation milestones. Notably, peak uplink speeds of 200 Mbps and 1.3 Gbps downlink speeds were realized with minimal spectrum usage, marking a significant advance in 5G capabilities. Boost Mobile subscribers can anticipate faster download and upload speeds.
VoIP readiness assessment is vital for cost-effective business communication. Define objectives, assess costs, scalability, integration, infrastructure, equipment, security, and training. Pilot testing and vendor selection are key. Develop a migration plan for a smooth transition, resulting in enhanced communication, productivity, and cost savings.
Huawei champions the development of 5.5G technology, anticipating significant steps in network infrastructure. Advocating for evolution and readiness, Huawei focuses on 5G-Advanced as a cornerstone of future telecom progression. However, global implementation poses challenges, with promising 5G speeds needing considerable network densification and negative trends in capital expenditure. As such, Huawei and other vendors are pivoting to cater to the enterprise market, favouring an immersive approach in changing market needs, instead of simply relying on network infrastructure investment.
