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Category: Telecom

Retail News Asia is committed to providing both local and global retailers with the latest Telecom & Telco news throughout the Asian market. This on a daily base.

  • Ericsson, IIT Delhi team to launch ‘5G for India’

    Ericsson, IIT Delhi team to launch ‘5G for India’

    Ericsson and the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT Delhi) have signed a MoU to jointly roll out a ‘5G for India’ program, conceptualized to fast-track realization of Digital India initiatives and aid application development for Indian start-ups and industries.

    Under the partnership, Ericsson will set up a Center of Excellence with a 5G test bed and incubation center at IIT Delhi and use this facility to drive the development of the country’s 5G ecosystem.

    In addition to hosting the Center of Excellence, IIT Delhi will conduct research and development to explore how some of the country’s challenges can be addressed with mobile technologies.

    The first series of tests under this program are due to begin in the second half of 2017 and will place India on par with other developed countries in terms of 5G network and application deployment.

    “The 5G for India program is a major step towards understanding the power of 5G technology and how it can help aid Digital India initiatives, including the development of smart cities,” said Paolo Colella, head of region India at Ericsson.

    “The program will focus on delivering research, innovation and industrial pilots that use next-generation 5G networks as an enabler. It will help initiate cross-industry research collaborations focused on the integration of ICT in industry processes, as well as products and services,” said Colella.

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  • LTE revenues seen to have reached $600B in 2016

    LTE revenues seen to have reached $600B in 2016

    LTE service revenues will account for over $600 billion in 2016 and expected to grow further at a CAGR of more than 5% over the next four years, according to a new report by SNS Research.

    By 2020, LTE and 5G infrastructure investments are expected to account for a market worth $32 billion. This includes spending on distributed macrocells, small cells, C-RAN architecture equipment and mobile core solutions.

    SNS Research finds that more than 150 LTE operators have already deployed carrier aggregation technology. By 2020, over 50% of all LTE subscribers will be supported by LTE-Advanced networks.

    Also, mobile operators are pursuing a range of technologies including unlicensed LTE (LTE-U, LAA, LWA, MulteFire), VoLTE and eMBMS, as they seek to maximize the value of their LTE investments while addressing mobile data traffic growth.

    Further, though 5G is yet to be standardized, vendors are aggressively investing in 5G development efforts with a principal focus on new air interface transmission schemes, higher frequency bands and advanced antenna technologies such as Massive MIMO and beamforming.

    SNS Research said that, as a natural upgrade path for mobile operators from the previously detached GSM, CDMA and TD-SCDMA ecosystems, LTE has emerged as the first truly global mobile communications standard.

    While LTE and LTE-Advanced deployments are still underway, mobile operators and vendors have already embarked on R&D initiatives to develop so-called “5G” networks, with a vision of commercialization by 2020.

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  • Ericsson names head for SEA, Oceania and India

    Ericsson names head for SEA, Oceania and India

    Ericsson has announced the appointment of a new head for Southeast Asia, Oceania and India as part of its restructuring strategy.

    Nunzio Mirtillo will take responsibility for Ericsson’s business across markets such as India, Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, the Philippines and Bangladesh.

    Nunzio has had a 29 career with Ericsson, serving in roles in areas including solutions development, sales, marketing and delivery. He was most recently head of the Mediterranean region, managing Ericsson’s operations across 25 countries.

    “I’m looking forward to bringing my experience of working in different roles across a diverse range of markets to the newly-combined Market Area South East Asia, Oceania and India,” Nunzio said.

    “Ericsson’s strengthened portfolio focus and simplified organizational structure will enable us to better partner with our customers, to help them succeed in tough market situations and capitalize on new growth opportunities within ICT.”

    The appointment forms part of Ericsson’s reorganization strategy, which includes transitioning from 10 regions to five market areas and from four business units to three business areas.

    The restructuring, announced last month, comes as Ericsson seeks to slim down and focus more on mobile networks to restore profitability and competitiveness.

    As part of the appointment Nunzio has also been named a member of Ericsson’s executive team.

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  • M1 to deploy vEPC solution from Huawei

    M1 to deploy vEPC solution from Huawei

    Singapore’s M1 Limited has announced plans to launch the nation’s first cloud-based virtual enhanced packet core (vEPC) network solution with Huawei.

    The deployment is aimed at further enhancing M1’s core network resiliency, while also enabling dynamic and more efficient use of network resources to support wide-ranging Smart Nation use cases, and shortening the time to market in the deployment of new IoT services.

    By harnessing the latest cloud-computing and Network Function Virtualization (NFV) technologies, M1’s fully distributed and agile packet core network will be able to dynamically deploy core resources wherever they are needed, and provide flexibility to swiftly scale up and down resources based on customer demands.

    Furthermore, with software functions separated from the underlying hardware platforms, the cloud-based virtualized core network allows faster “in-service” software upgrades, as well as significantly reducing downtime for maintenance and testing of new services. Through this, M1 expects to improve its operational efficiency and strengthen network resiliency.

    “The deployment of our agile cloud-based virtualised core network will strengthen our network resiliency and enable us to deploy our resources more efficiently, M1 CTO Denis Seek said.

    “The highly scalable nature of the network will also enable us to meet the dynamic resources demands of new products, shorten the time-to-market innovative products, and enable us to reduce implementation and maintenance costs.”

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  • Sonus, Palo Alto develop mobile security architecture

    Sonus, Palo Alto develop mobile security architecture

    Sonus Networks and Palo Alto Networks have jointly announced a new security architecture designed to mitigate the impacts of rogue LTE endpoint devices and erroneous IP traffic crossing 4G-LTE mobile networks.

    The Sonus security architecture includes existing Sonus Session Border Controller (SBC) elements, providing the Interconnection Border Control Function and Proxy-Call Session Control Function (IBCF and P-CSCF), as well as the Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Platform to move security to the network edge, lowering mobile networks costs and customer churn.

    The joint architecture allows operators to implement new policies that block unauthorized traffic on EPC networks, increase security, reduce network congestion and associated costs and enhance the user experience of operators’ mobile subscribers by providing protection from mobile malware.

    Operators can now leverage their Sonus P-CSCF and IBCF deployments to detect and mitigate anomalous IP communications traffic from rogue endpoints, as well as obtain complete visibility and threat prevention capabilities provided by the Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Platform.

    With this security architecture in place, operators can reduce capital costs by limiting the over-provisioning of networks while implementing a more effective overall security posture in conjunction with growing IP Communications services, such as VoLTE and VoWiFi.

    Additionally, operators can deter theft of service and ensure greater network availability and quality of experience for mobile subscribers by preventing targeted network attacks and blocking malware targeting mobile devices.

    “The Sonus and Palo Alto Networks architecture brings together the unique capabilities offered by each company to deliver a best-in-class security solution for mobile operators that unifies LTE data and VoLTE security policy and enforcement,” said Kevin Riley, Sonus CTO and senior vice president, Engineering.

    “Establishing a secure mobile network for the Internet of Things will be a key differentiator for mobile operators and their customers in the coming years  We are looking forward to working with Palo Alto Networks to continue this momentum as we get ahead of identity and security issues and redefine this evolving landscape together.”

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  • NBTC likely to postpone 5G auction

    NBTC likely to postpone 5G auction

    Thai regulator NBTC is likely to have to postpone the planned 2600-MHz 5G auction until 2018 due to regulatory and administrative hurdles.

    The regulator had planned to hold the 2600-MHz auction in September this year, but this process will probably need to be delayed, an NBTC commissioner told.

    Factors behind the delay include the fact that 190MHz of 2600-MHz spectrum has been allocated to state broadcaster MCOT and is currently unused.

    MCOT expects compensation for the return of 80MHz of spectrum for the auction, but the NBTC is currently not authorized to pay compensation to state agencies in return for spectrum.

    The new draft bill restructuring the NBTC is expected to give the regulator the power to do so, but the process of arranging compensation and drawing up the framework for these payments will take time. The new bill has yet to identify methodologies for calculating compensation.

    The NBTC restructuring is also likely to create its own issues that will impact the auction process due to the transition to new commissioners expected after the bill takes effect.

    Meanwhile Thailand still lacks a clear spectrum roadmap for the evolution to 5G will inevitably cause a delay in Thailand’s 5G ecosystem development.

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  • StarHub has no plans to buy M1

    StarHub has no plans to buy M1

    Despite speculation, Singapore operator StarHub has no intention of acquiring or merging with struggling rival M1, according to reports.

    StarHub’s management does not plan to acquire M1, Singapore’s smallest major operator whose major shareholders recently revealed are conducting strategic reviews of their ownership.

    But the research report noted that it will be up to StarHub’s majority owner ST Telemedia to decide whether to pursue a purchase or merger.

    ST Telemedia owns 56% of StarHub, and is itself wholly owned by Singapore state investment company Temasek Holdings.

    But even if ST Telemedia is interested in a deal, the report notes that Singapore’s regulator is not likely to permit a deal that would result in spectrum holding even if it would allow another operator to acquire M1.

    Maybank Kim Eng has maintained a sell rating for StarHub shares due to what it says are structurally poorer margins.

    StarHub has separately recently announced the appointment of a new chief for its enterprise business group – former Integrated Health Information Systems CEO Chong Yoke Sin.

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  • ZTE launches Big Video offering for telcos

    ZTE launches Big Video offering for telcos

    ZTE launched a new Big Video Premium OTT solution for operators at last week’s TV Connect 2017.

    The new solution is designed to help operators cut costs and shorten time to market with OTT video offerings, while ensuring end-users have a quality video experience.

    It incorporates technologies including multicast adaptive bit rate, cloud DVR and low latency technologies to provide video segmentation, aggregation and optimization capabilities.

    The solution also supports just-in-time packaging (JITP), which packages and transmits content only upon subscriber request, so only one copy needs to be stored to cut down on storage, as well as and multi-digital rights management technology to reduce investment on terminal DRM licenses.

    Operators will be able to adopt multiple potential business models to maximize profit-earning opportunities.

    ZTE said it has to date deployed a big video ecosystem comprising more than 90 commercial offices with a total system capacity of 80 million and more than 100 CDN commercial offices with a total concurrency throughput over 100Tbps.

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  • China Telecom Global teams with HKT on m-payment

    China Telecom Global teams with HKT on m-payment

    China Telecom Global (CTG) has entered an agreement with HKT Payment, the mobile payment subsidiary of Hong Kong operator HKT, to issue a co-branded mobile payment solution.

    The companies will collaborate to issue a co-branded virtual Tap & Go card for subscribers to CTG’s CTExcel multinational mobile brand.

    Tap and Go is the contactless mobile payment technology used by HKT Payment for its stored value facilities (SVF) mobile payment service.

    Through the collaboration CTExcel customers will be able to take advantage of the payment option at a wide range of merchants, China Telecom Global CEO Deng Xiaofeng said.

    “We think mobile payment is an area that will help CTG to differentiate its mobile solution with extra benefits. This partnership is the first step into this space in Hong Kong and aims at empowering CTExcel users to enjoy smart and convenient mobile payment at over 6 million merchant outlets worldwide as well as online,” he said.

    HKT Payment head Monita Leung added that in addition to the extensive global payment network, “the unique Tap & Go peer-to-peer payment services PayBuddy and PayMaster enable our partner to reach and engage wider markets including children and young adults.”

    CTG has separately agreed to provide the network in China and Hong Kong for for global roaming and IoT solutions provider UROS Uni-fi Roaming Solutions.

    Under the agreement, CTG will provide 4G mobile services in both markets, delivered via both traditional SIM cards and eSIM technology.

    ““CTG is excited to support UROS for its connectivity requirements across HK and mainland China. With its CTExcel brand, CTG is committed to providing high quality mobile service across the regions for both consumers and enterprises without compromising quality and reliability,” Deng said.

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  • AirAsia to start Vietnamese carrier

    AirAsia to start Vietnamese carrier

    AirAsia, the low-cost carrier headed by Malaysian tycoon Tony Fernandes, plans to start a Vietnamese carrier in a local partnership, as cheap fares and rising incomes fuel a travel surge in the South-east Asian nation.

    The region’s largest budget airline will partner Gumin, Hai Au Aviation Joint Stock and businessman Tran Trong Kien for the venture, which is expected to start flying early next year, AirAsia said.

    Gumin will own about 70 per cent of the new venture, with AirAsia holding the rest.

    Vietnam is the latest country to woo Mr Fernandes, who is seeking to build a pan-Asian budget airline, as the 28 per cent growth in passenger traffic was triple the pace in other South-east Asian nations. The fifth-biggest market in the region has seen domestic traffic double since 2013, and the middle-class will comprise close to a quarter of its population by 2010, AirAsia said.

    AirAsia has over the years established affiliates in Indonesia, Thailand, India and Japan, and is betting on a low-cost, long-haul model for global travel via its AirAsia X unit. It has ordered hundreds of planes from Airbus, and is selling a plane- leasing unit to raise more cash.

    Vietnam will continue to see a double-digit gain in passenger numbers in the next decade, said ACB Securities in December.

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  • Singtel launches global optimized internet service

    Singtel launches global optimized internet service

    Singtel has launched an optimized internet service promising to provide enterprises with up to ten times faster access to cloud applications.

    The operator’s new ConnectPlus Optimized Internet Service provides assured internet connectivity between enterprise’s offices worldwide by taking advantage of the ConnectPlus IP VPN network comprising around 430 PoPs worldwide.

    Enterprises can take advantage of the network by connecting their offices worldwide using a hybrid WAN configuration capable of delivering assured, high-performance connectivity, which will also allow enterprises to expose less critical data to attack over the public internet.

    The second component of the service is the ConnectPlus Optimised Internet Cloud Access service, which Singtel said can overcome latency problems to boost cloud connection speeds tenfold.

    “Many enterprises use the internet to access their applications on public clouds as it is convenient and widely available. However, internet access can be affected by unstable connectivity or latency issues,” Singtel CEO Bill Chang said.

    “With the Singtel ConnectPlus Optimized Internet service, enterprises are not only assured of reliable and secure internet connectivity, they can also raise their productivity by accessing their data and business solutions in the cloud much faster.”

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  • Viettel aims to complete 4G rollout by April 10

    Viettel aims to complete 4G rollout by April 10

    Vietnam’s Viettel aims to be complete with its nationwide 4G rollout by April 10 after a frenzy of base station installations over the past six months.

    The military-run operator has deployed 36,000 4G base stations since commencing the rollout in November last year. The company has completed the installation of 1,000 4G base stations per day.

    At this pace, Viettel has been installing in one week as many base stations as it took a year to deploy during the operator’s 2G rollout.

    Viettel now has a number of 4G base stations comparable to that of its 2G network and exceeding the number of 3G base stations. Its network spans all provinces and cities in the nation, covering around 99% of all districts.

    According to the report, the pace of Viettel’s 4G rollout is considered unprecedented globally. As well as its base station footprint, Viettel has 320,000km of fiber domestically and around another 180,000km in overseas markets.

    The report also states that Viettel has set a target of ensuring that by 2020 every Vietnamese citizen has a smartphone and access to the internet. To achieve this goal the company plans to offer 4G-capab le handsets for as little as 1 million dong ($43.90).

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  • PLDT, Globe launch cut-price call packages

    PLDT, Globe launch cut-price call packages

    Philippines operators PLDT and Globe Telecom have both cut mobile voice rates to as low as 1 peso ($0.02) per minute, in response to slumping voice usage and a regulator-encouraged cut in mobile termination rates last year.

    Globe and PLDT’s wireless division Smart have both introduced add-on packages for mobile subscribers offering a set allocation of calls for low rates.

    Globe has introduced an add-on pack for its higher-tier postpaid customers that costs 299 pesos for 300 minutes of calls to any network.

    Prepaid customers will be able to take advantage of a GoCall50 add-on pack providing 50 minutes of calls to any network valid for three days, while subscribers to Globe’s TM service can pay 5 pesos for 5 minutes of calls to any network for a day.

    Smart has meanwhile introduced a Call 50 promo providing 50 minutes of calls to any network valid for three days.

    Late last year, Globe and PLDT both agreed to cut voice interconnection rates by 16.7% to 4 pesos per minute for mobile calls and by 38% to 4 pesos per minute for mobile calls, in response to encouragement from regulator NTC. As part of the agreement to cut the mobile termination rate, the operators also committed to reduce rates for customers over time.

    Both operators have also been facing the common industry issue of subscribers continuing to substitute traditional voice calls with OTT messaging and VoIP usage, which has been contributing to a decline in voice revenue.

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  • Singtel, Telkomsel to Launch Mobile Remittance Service in Indonesia

    Singtel, Telkomsel to Launch Mobile Remittance Service in Indonesia

    Singapore Telecommunications, known as Singtel, is partnering with Indonesian operator Telkomsel to launch a real-time mobile remittance service in Indonesia, to boost its mobile money initiatives and tap into the relatively unbanked market in that country.

    The service is the first collaboration for Singtel and Telkomsel “on mobile money initiatives to drive innovation in both markets,” according to a press release on Sunday.

    The new service allows customers in Singapore to send money to about 4,500 cash withdrawal points across Indonesia via the Singtel Dash app, a mobile payments solution. The locations are post office branches managed by PT Pos Indonesia, a state-owned company responsible for providing the country’s postal services.

    Both telcos have also announced future plans to offer a mobile remittance service to Telkomsel’s TCash, an app which offers a digital mobile money service in Indonesia.The remittance service will involve SingCash, a subsidiary formed by Singtel in 2011 to provide mobile remittance and payment services.

    “Indonesia is one of our main remittance corridors,” said Yuen Kuan Moon, chief executive of Consumer Singapore at Singtel. There are 200,000 Indonesians living and working in Singapore, with outward remittances from Singapore to Indonesia worth over $409 million annually.

    Currently, remittance money services in Singapore remain limited and many workers resort to taking days off to go to remittance outlets in order to send money home.

    Singtel is making a push into digital technologies as competition in Singapore’s telcos industry continues to intensify. It announced earlier in March that it is working with e-commerce player Lazada Singapore to create an online marketing portal for small and midsize enterprises.

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  • Alibaba exploring blockchain to counter food fraud

    Alibaba exploring blockchain to counter food fraud

    Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba will work with Australia Post and natural health firm Blackmores to combat the rise of counterfeit food being sold across China.

    The partners said they will work together to increase the traceability of food products and reduce the risk of fraud, and will explore new technologies for the initiative.

    The technologies to be explored include blockchain technology – a decentralised and highly available database – which could obtain crucial details from suppliers about where and how their food was grown and map its journey across the supply chain.

    The technology has the potential to enable up-to-date audits, increasing transparency between producers and consumers.

    Australia Post executive general manager for parcels and StarTrack CEO Bob Black said the project would help guarantee that only genuine Australian products arrive safely into the hands of Chinese consumers. Australia prides itself as a trusted exporter of high quality food.

    “Our food producers have a global reputation as being a clean, green and safe provider of food and we are pleased to help deliver a solution to enhance the integrity of their produce,” Black said.

    Food fraud is known to be one of the biggest issues facing the global food industry, considering the potential health risks associated with adulteration and loss of trust from consumers and governments. In recent years counterfeiters have targeted popular Australian products such as health supplements, beer and wine, honey and cherries.

    Last month, the two companies also signed an agreement to extend Australia Post’s online storefronts beyond China to Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia using the e-commerce network Lazada, which Alibaba has a majority stake.