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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.

  • Ooredoo to deploy Ericsson cloud-ready revenue system

    Ooredoo to deploy Ericsson cloud-ready revenue system

    Ooredoo Group has signed a five-year contract with Ericsson to implement the Swedish vendor’s revenue management system across the group’s operations in the Middle East, North Africa and Southeast Asia.

    Ericsson Revenue Manager, a cloud-ready convergent charging and billing system, provides Ooredoo with a number of advantages as the telco group updates its product portfolio and drives the development of digital innovation across its markets.

    Simple configuration reduces dependency on technical departments, makes it easier and faster to launch new services with tailored pricing and packages. This enables Ooredoo companies to offer customers new services and the products they need in minutes, rather than months, the companies said.

    The solution will also help Ooredoo more easily create digital services that spans beyond telecoms and integrates with partners from different industries.

    “Across our footprint, Ooredoo is aiming for data experience leadership, and placing renewed emphasis on empowering our customers and giving them the services they need when they need them,” said Waleed Al Sayed, deputy CEO at Ooredoo Group.

    “Through this agreement with Ericsson, we will enable every Ooredoo operation to deliver fast, customer-oriented offers and launch new data products and services that support our growing portfolio of digital services and enables the growth of the Internet of Things.”

    Ooredoo will begin rolling-out the solution for Indosat Ooredoo, its largest operation in Indonesia, over the next month, before deploying across its other operations later this year and 2017.

    Upon the completion of the project, Ooredoo is expected to realize significant cost savings from replacing its existing systems and local agreements with a pioneering new group-wide license model.

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  • TrueMove deploys Procera’s ScoreCard

    TrueMove deploys Procera’s ScoreCard

    Thai mobile service provider TrueMove has deployed Procera’s ScoreCard technology to monitor the quality of experience (QoE) its network is delivering to subscribers across 2G, 3G, and 4G LTE.

    ScoreCard is being used for raw QoE KPI intelligence and the visualization of network performance, thereby helping to guide capex investments and better service planning.

    TrueMove’s management can quickly use the data and visualization to further aid business investment decisions, maximize ROI, and reduce churn among the subscriber base.

    “Mobile operators are increasingly differentiating their offerings by delivering a differentiated experience to subscribers,” said Viriya Upatising, CIO at TrueMove.

    “Procera’s solutions enable TrueMove to see the actual experience delivered to their subscribers in real-time, and ScoreCard provides unique QoE KPIs and visualization that is ensuring the experience is a good one for all subscribers.”

    As higher bandwidth mobile devices, connected cars, and the Internet of Things (IoT) continue to proliferate, TrueMove needs better intelligence about the QoE delivered to subscribers to maximize the return on investment for its capex.

    ScoreCard has been deployed across TrueMove’s network to measure the quality of mobile broadband delivery. No Personally Identifiable Information (PII) is collected from the subscribers, but the overall quality of the broadband service is measured and fed back to a centrally deployed Procera Insights system.

    ScoreCard has already identified several areas of investment that will improve the QoE of the TrueMove network, and action has been taken to enhance the subscriber experience based on ScoreCard’s recommendations.

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  • China Mobile deploys wideband Massive MIMO

    China Mobile deploys wideband Massive MIMO

    China Mobile Shanghai and Huawei have jointly deployed the world’s first wideband Massive MIMO site to help improve 4G network spectral efficiency.

    China Mobile has been focusing on the design of wideband Massive MIMO as part of its research on 5G. The technology been oriented specifically towards large-scale commercial use by the operator.

    Wideband Massive MIMO allows a single module to support the activation of three 2.6-GHz carriers, potentially allowing for a three-fold increase in the spectral efficiency of cells.

    The live deployment in Shanghai has achieved peak cell throughput rates of 72Mpbs using an uplink 8-stream capability configuration, as well as 630Mbps downlink.

    Huawei said the technology supports a smooth transition to CloudRAN architecture, while its in-house developed chips and optimization techniques helps provide processing capabilities four times higher than that of the industry standard.

    The technology is particularly suited to meeting specialized coverage requirements such as high-rise buildings.

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  • Dtac taps Nokia to revamp core network

    Dtac taps Nokia to revamp core network

    Thailand’s Dtac has become the market’s first mobile operator to implement an SDN-ready IP/optical network using equipment from Nokia.

    Dtac is implementing the technology to replace its existing IP core routing and DWDM infrastructure, in order to achieve the capacity to serve Thailand’s fast-growing mobile subscriber base.

    The deployment also includes Nokia’s security gateway for Dtac’s LTE network.

    “Over the last two years we’ve seen demand for mobile broadband grow exponentially,” Dtac CTO Prathet Tankuranun said.

    “As we prepare for future advanced technologies we’ve made a strategic choice for an SDN-ready IP/Optical network because it gives us the control and agility needed to run an efficient network that can rapidly adjust to evolving demand patterns. This deployment with Nokia is an important next step in our migration towards full SDN automation.”

    Nokia Thiland head Sebastien Laurent added that the deployment “provides the foundation for an SDN-centric network and will allow dtac to implement on-demand services while also easing operation and maintenance demands.”

  • Ericsson deploys Elastic RAN for SoftBank

    Ericsson deploys Elastic RAN for SoftBank

    Ericsson has completed the first commercial deployment of its new Elastic RAN for Japan’s SoftBank, and entered an agreement to build a 5G trial network in parts of Tokyo with NTT DoCoMo and Intel.

    SoftBank has implemented Ericsson’s Elastic RAN at Tokyo station, one of the biggest train stations in the world.

    The deployment allows for an unlimited number of cells to be co-ordinated across a network to improve flexibility in the aggregation of different network carriers.

    Ericsson said tests indicate that downlink throughput has increased by up to 40% during peak hours for commuters using three-carrier aggregation compatible smartphones.

    “The Japanese market is highly developed, and our customers enjoy using the latest mobile broadband technologies with their smartphones and applications,” SoftBank SVP and deputy head of technology Hideyuki Tsukuda said.

    “We are excited to partner with Ericsson in the first introduction of the Elastic RAN solution to enable peak performance of the most advanced smartphones in the world, in the densest and most challenging areas of our network.”

    He said SoftBank plans to continue deploying the RAN across these dense urban areas.

    Ericsson separately announced an agreement with DoCoMo and Intel to build a 5G trial network in parts of the city from 2017.

    Ericsson will provide 5G radio, baseband, virtualized RAN and core networks, while Intel will contribute its chipset in user devices. The trial will use the 28-GHz spectrum band that the Japanese government is considering designating for 5G use.

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  • StarHub launches device leasing service for SMEs

    StarHub launches device leasing service for SMEs

    StarHub has launched a new service that provides SMEs with the devices, software and technical support necessary to meet their IT needs at a monthly flat fee.

    The “device subscription service” was designed to help SMEs seeking to make a successful start quickly, raise productivity with an IT upgrade, or scale up operations by adding employees.

    StarHub has partnered HP to provide desktop and notebook PCs, as well as print devices for the new Device Subscription Service.

    SMEs can choose from a variety of price plans to access the right combination of devices that best address their needs over 24 or 36 months. All new and existing StarHub Business Fibre Broadband or Business Mobile customers can enjoy a limited-time offer of S$15 ($10.60) monthly savings for every Device Subscription Service plan subscribed.

    After this discount, the Office User plan charges S$43.00 per month for the use of an HP desktop while the Mobile User plan, priced at S$48.00 per month provides access to an HP notebook. A printing plan can also be selected for S$22 or S$35.00 per month depending on device.

    SME customers can subscribe to Device Subscription Service on top of StarHub’s Smart Office Suite, to enjoy a bundle consisting of fiber broadband, mobile connectivity, office phone service, and related hardware, software and IT support.

    All HP devices from Device Subscription Service will come pre-installed with Windows 10 Pro, McAfee internet security software and the option to subscribe to business productivity tool, Office 365, allowing customers to start sending emails and enjoying protection from cyber malware right from the point they turn on the devices, alleviating the hassle of purchasing and installing the software separately themselves.

    Device Subscription Service provides a dedicated technical helpdesk as well as next business day, on-site technical support for devices. This will also save customers the hassle of sending faulty devices to a service center for repair, allowing them to fully focus on their core business.

    “Rising business costs and hiring difficulty remain top concerns among local SMEs. With Device Subscription Service, StarHub can help SMEs manage these challenges effectively by lowering upfront IT investment as well as taking away the complexity of maintaining an IT team,” StarHub vice president of enterprise solutions, services and delivery Sebastian Tan said.

    “As the IT spending is incurred as a monthly expense rather than an upfront capital investment, SMEs will be able to better allocate resources towards growing their core business.”

  • AsiaInfo strengthens cloud computing portfolio

    AsiaInfo strengthens cloud computing portfolio

    Chinese telecoms IT software company AsiaInfo has signed a strategic co-operation agreement with Alibaba Cloud, the cloud computing arm of Alibaba Group.

    The two companies said they will work together on projects and jointly promote China as a center of excellence for cloud computing services and innovation.

    The partnership will also see the pair share a wide range of resources and jointly build a more open cloud ecosystem to form the basis of a comprehensive portfolio of cloud-based services.

    AsiaInfo said the company is stepping up its transition from a supplier of IT solutions to telco service providers, to a specialist in enabling digital business transformation for operators, their partners and other enterprises.

    Cloud-based delivery platforms and exchanges play a key role in the company’s vision of the industrial and business-led Internet, and the partnership with Alibaba Cloud will enable the company to continue to develop and deliver advanced operator and business solutions, the company added.

    “We are entering a new era of the internet. An era where people and things become customers, where service providers and businesses become operators, and where cloud-based business technology platforms will form both the backbone and the brains of the digital network,” said AsiaInfo CEO Michael Wu.

    “Our partnership with Alibaba Cloud will ensure we stay at the forefront of developments and provide innovative and ground-breaking solutions to our customers.”

  • Microsoft opens IoT innovation center in Taiwan

    Microsoft opens IoT innovation center in Taiwan

    Microsoft has opened its first IoT Innovation Center for the APAC region in Taiwan.

    The center aims to offer cross-discipline technology transfer, strategic alliances, business model transformation and innovation opportunities. Taiwan was chosen because of its renowned high-tech and hardware manufacturing sectors.

    The center will act as a link between regional IoT partners and the world, covering R&D project integration, technology development, and international collaboration.

    As IoT solutions will need to be tested, verified, and improved via actual clients’ projects, the Innovation Center will also include an IoT Community Lab that provides partners with IoT technology training, professional consultation, and three IoT Scenario Labs, delivering tailor-made services, such as technology development, architecture design, and business consultation.

    “The Microsoft IoT Innovation Center in Taiwan is our starting point for capturing the booming IoT opportunity in Asia,” Microsoft Cloud Enterprise GM Chris Phillips said during the Microsoft IoT Expo held in Taiwan.

    “We aim to do this by accelerating the collaboration between Taiwan-based companies and global partners. We are already collaborating with close to 50 companies at the Innovation Center and based on the initial interest, we expect to have many more join us before the end of the year.”

    Microsoft’s regional ecosystem consists of 370 partners from Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia, Australia, Philippines, India, Japan, Korea and China and encompasses industries including manufacturing, healthcare, transportation and retail.

    The company has been investing in growing the IoT ecosystem in Asia. About 50% of all companies that are Microsoft Azure Certified for IoT exist within the region.

    Since the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on IoT with the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) in Taiwan last October, Microsoft has actively promoted several IoT related industry and talent development programs. For example, the first DevDays Asia took place in Taiwan last April with presentations from over 10 scientists and architects.

  • CAT to cut network leasing rates by 10%

    CAT to cut network leasing rates by 10%

    Thai state-owned operator CAT Telecom will cut its wholesale 850-MHz network leasing prices by 10% to help the companies using the network under an MVNO model improve profit margins.

    CAT plans to implement the price cuts by the end of the year, citing comments from president Col Sanpachai Huvanandana.

    Several MVNOs had asked CAT to lower its rates to help reduce operating costs and help MVNOs struggling to compete stay above water.

    But Sanpachai insisted that the rates are not too high, and that it is instead competitive pressures and low ARPUs that are leaving MVNOs finding it difficult to compete.

    CAT currently has five companies providing 3G services on the operator’s 850-MHz network – TrueMove subsidiary Real Move, Samart i-Mobile, Penguin operating unit the White Space, 168 Communication and Data CDMA.

    According to the report, Samart i-Mobile recently returned 300,000 mobile numbers to save rates on numbering fees after determining that the company can not profitably provide services due to a high network leasing cost. Thai mobile operators pay a fee of 1 baht ($0.029) per month per mobile number.

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  • SmarTone signs pre-5G partnership with Ericsson

    SmarTone signs pre-5G partnership with Ericsson

    Hong Kong’s SmarTone has contracted Ericsson as its sole supplier for core and RAN equipment over the next five years, as part of a partnership aimed at paving the way for 5G deployment.

    The companies plan to conduct early trials and pilot deployments of key pre-5G technologies from this quarter.

    Ericsson will help SmarTone upgrade and expand its network infrastructure and refarm more spectrum for LTE, and will deploy NFV and SDN technologies to improve network performance and efficiency.

    The companies have been working to introduce technologies including LTE-Advanced and LTE-Advanced Pro to the SmarTone network.

    “SmarTone is pleased to extend our strategic partnership with Ericsson to pave the way for 5G in Hong Kong,” SmarTone CTO Stephen Chau said.

    “[We] will continue to invest in spectrum and pre-5G technologies within the next few years to provide a superior customer experience and to evolve our network into an advanced, dynamic and cloud-based network architecture.”

    He said the deployment will help the company capture future business opportunities from new types of applications including VR and M2M applications such as the IoT.

    SmarTone was established in 1992 and publicly listed in 1996. The company provides voice, mobile and fixed broadband services in Hong Kong and Macau.

  • CenturyLink to sell data centers for $2.15b

    CenturyLink to sell data centers for $2.15b

    US-based global operator CenturyLink has arranged to sell its data centers and colocation business to a consortium led by BC Partners and Medina for $2.15 billion.

    CenturyLink plans to use the net proceeds from this sale to partly fund its acquisition of Level 3 Communications announced last week

    Under terms of the agreement, the consortium will assume ownership of CenturyLink’s portfolio of 57 data centers at closing. The data center portfolio includes approximately 195 megawatts of power across 2.6 million square feet of raised floor capacity.

    Post-sale, the company will continue to focus on offering customers a wide range of IT services and solutions, including network, managed hosting and cloud.

    Though it will no longer own the data centers, CenturyLink will continue to offer colocation services as part of its product portfolio through its commercial relationships to be entered into at closing with the BC Partners/Medina-led consortium.

    “After conducting a thorough review process, we are pleased to have reached an agreement with BC Partners,”  CenturyLink CEO Glen F. Post III said.

    “We believe this transaction will benefit customers, employees and investors. Both CenturyLink and BC Partners have a strong customer focus and are committed to ensuring a seamless transition of the customers and their colocation environments.”

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  • HKBN expands OTT video tie-up with TVB

    HKBN expands OTT video tie-up with TVB

    HKBN has expanded its relationship with broadcaster TVB covering the delivery of TVB’s myTV SUPER set-top box service.

    The operator has ordered an additional 450,000 set top boxes from TVB to meet customer demand, and has raised its target for the number of set-top boxes to be installed by the end of 2019 to 850,000.

    HKBN first launched myTV SUPER set-top boxes for its residential broadband customers in April, and has so far signed up 250,000 customers to the service. Adoption has been faster than expected – HKBN had an initial sales target of 400,000 set-top boxes within the first 18 months.

    The expanded agreement also covers collaboration on market opportunities outside of Hong Kong, using TVB’s new OTT service TVB Anywhere. The service will allow users to buy VOD titles as a gift and send them to recipients around the world.

    HKBN is also using its expertise to introduce TVB to overseas operator partners. The first phase of the international expansion is commencing in Canada.

    “Throughout the past seven months, the launch of our broadband and myTV SUPER service bundles has been extremely successful. Mindful of this, we’re determined to step up our strategic cooperation,” HKBN CEO William Yeung said.

    “Not only will we continue to bring amazing entertainment content to the homes and mobile devices of HKBN customers in Hong Kong, but we will also extend our partnership to the overseas markets, creating a stronger alliance so that more customers can benefit.”

  • India’s BSNL seeks 700-MHz spectrum

    India’s BSNL seeks 700-MHz spectrum

    Indian state-owned operator BSNL has approached the nation’s telecoms ministry seeking a portion of the 700-MHz spectrum that was left unsold during the recent major spectrum auction.

    The operator has proposed that a 5 MHz block in the 700-MHz band be assigned to the operator through an equity route.

    Under the proposal, in lieu of payment, the government’s paid-up equity in BSNL would increase by the value of the spectrum.

    BSNL officials told the news agency that the 700-MHz band, when combined with the company’s existing 2500-MHz holdings, would put the operator in a position to roll out 4G services across India.

    With India’s telecom market transitioning towards 4G, this would allow BSNL to compete against private sector incumbents as well as newcomer Reliance Jio Infocomm.

    The 700-MHz spectrum put up for sale during India’s recent $9.8 billion spectrum auction went completely unsold – despite the attractiveness of the band for mobile operators – due to a high reserve price. Operators had already accrued substantial debts during previous auctions, and shied away from both the 700-MHz and 900-MHz bands.

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  • Bangladesh’s CityCell has spectrum reinstated

    Bangladesh’s CityCell has spectrum reinstated

    Cash-strapped Bangladeshi operator CityCell has resumed operations after having its spectrum temporarily reinstated by a Supreme Court ruling.

    The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) revoked CityCell’s spectrum last month for failing to pay its spectrum renewal, license and associated fees.

    But the court has asked the government to restore CityCell’s spectrum and allow it to continue operations for the time being.

    If CityCell fails to pay 1 billion taka ($12.7 million) to BTRC by November 19, the regulator will have the authority to revoke the spectrum again, the court order states.

    CityCell has been operating since 1993 but has a low market share and revenue base. The company earned just 1.39 billion taka in revenue during the 2014-15 financial year. The BTRC has calculated that CityCell owes 4.77 billion taka in unpaid fees.

    The operator is 44.5% owned by Singtel, 37.9% owned by Pacific Motors and 17.5% owned by Far East Telecom.

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  • DoCoMo to phase out i-mode handset shipments

    DoCoMo to phase out i-mode handset shipments

    Japan’s NTT DoCoMo will end shipments of most feature phones compatible with its home-grown i-mode mobile internet standard by the end of the year.

    With the exception of some models such as devices for elderly users, production of phones with access to the i-mode service will cease this year.

    Of the six i-mode models currently available for general consumers DoCoMo plans to end shipments of five and stop selling the models as soon as existing stock runs dry.

    But DoCoMo plans to continue operating its i-mode email service for existing users.

    Production of i-mode handsets has been becoming more and more difficult due to supply chain issues – the parts and raw materials are becoming harder to find as the industry has almost entirely turned its focus to smartphones, the report notes.

    DoCoMo introduced the i-mode service in 1999, and the standard was partly responsible for the strong growth of Japan’s mobile market.

    At its peak nearly 50 million subscribers were using phones compatible with the service. This has fallen to 17.4 million this year – but this still accounts for around 30% of the operator’s subscriber base.

    Unlike true mobile broadband, i-mode can only deliver services that have been converted to use the technology over gateways, placing it at a significant disadvantage compared to smartphones using web browsers.

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