Retail News CRM

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.

  • Telenor and CP Group to explore Thailand telecom merger

    Telenor and CP Group to explore Thailand telecom merger

    C.P. Group and Telenor Group are exploring the creation of a new telecom-tech company comprising of True and dtac. The new company will be a merger of equals, and bring the best of the two local companies, with the support of its key sponsoring shareholders.

    The new company will be a leading telecommunications service provider with capabilities to accelerate Thailand’s progressive digital technology agenda in terms of network performance, innovation, investment strength and employer brand.

    Mr. Suphachai Chearavanont, chief executive officer of C.P. Group and chairman of the board of True Corporation said, “The telecom and technology sectors are key to enabling Thailand to move up the development curve and to create broad-based prosperity.  As a telecom-tech company, we can help unleash the enormous potential of Thai businesses and digital entrepreneurs as well as attract more of the best and the brightest from around the world to do business in our country.”

    “Today is a step forward in that direction. We hope to empower a whole new generation to fulfill their potential to become digital entrepreneurs leveraging an advanced telecom infrastructure. The emergence in Thailand of IoT, AI, Cloud, and new generations of mobile network technologies will have a huge effect on the way we do everything,” he said.

    Mr. Sigve Brekke, president and chief executive officer of Telenor Group, said, “We have experienced an accelerated digitalization of Asian societies, and as we move forward, both consumers and businesses expect more advanced services and high-quality connectivity. We believe that the new company can take advantage of this digital shift to support Thailand’s digital leadership role, by taking global technology advancements into attractive services and high-quality products.”

    Mr. Jørgen A. Rostrup, executive vice president of Telenor Group and head of Telenor Asia said, “The proposed transaction will advance our strategy to strengthen our presence in Asia, create value, and support long-term market development in the region.  We have a long-standing commitment to both Thailand and the Asian region, and this collaboration will strengthen it further. Our access to new technologies as well as the best human capital will be a vital contribution to the new company.”

    Mr. Rostrup added that the new company has the intention to raise venture capital funding together with partners of USD 100-200 million to invest in promising digital startups focusing on new products and services for the benefit of all Thai consumers.

    If the transaction proceeds, it will consist of a voluntary tender offer (VTO) subject to satisfaction of conditions for all outstanding shares of dtac and True, followed by the amalgamation of dtac and True creating a new company. The VTO price for dtac will be THB 47.76, which represents a 25 percent premium to the one-month VWAP for dtac shares, and the VTO price for True will be THB 5.09, which represents a 25 percent premium to the one-month VWAP for True shares. The agreed exchange ratio is 10.221 True shares per dtac share. The outcome of the VTO will determine the final equalized ownership percentage between C.P. Group and Telenor Group.

    All shareholders of dtac and True will have the choice of participating in the tender offer or continue as shareholders in the combined company, which will be listed on the stock exchange of Thailand. The combined company faces a challenging operational environment over the next years and C.P. Group and Telenor Group recognize that not all shareholders may want to participate in this journey, which is why a cash alternative at an attractive premium is offered. The involved parties aim to reach the necessary agreements by Q1 2022.

    The current operations of True and dtac will continue to run their businesses independently until the transaction is completed. The transaction will be subject to approvals by relevant boards and shareholders and customary regulatory approvals, and the parties acknowledge that there is no certainty as to the completion of the transaction.

    Lees ook:

  • TRAI releases consultation paper on satellite gateway

    TRAI releases consultation paper on satellite gateway

    Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has extended an invitation to industry stakeholders to gather inputs on a framework for satellite gateways in India. This will facilitate the launch of satellite communication services in India.

    Prior to this, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has requested TRAI to furnish recommendations on licensing framework for establishing a satellite gateway. DoT has requested TRAI to address existing limitations in satellite gateway operations as there is no provision regarding the use of gateway by service providers established by a satellite constellation operator.

    The regulator is called to look into factors and make recommendations on entry fee, license fee, bank guarantee, NOCC charges, and other issues which may concern LEO, MEO and HTS systems.

    TRAI has since released a consultation paper to garner inputs by 13 December.

    Lees ook:

  • Huawei, China Mobile to back Haier for 5G-powered smart manufacturing solutions

    Huawei, China Mobile to back Haier for 5G-powered smart manufacturing solutions

    Huawei and China Mobile are supporting Haier, China’s largest consumer electronics and home appliance producer, in successfully applying innovative manufacturing solutions combining 5G and mobile edge computing in its smart factories.

    Developed at the joint-innovation base established in February, the solutions integrate 5G edge computing with artificial intelligence and particularly machine vision in manufacturing environments. They are applicable to various manufacturing scenarios where they can perform a variety of functions. Haier has launched the technologies at seven smart factories in China, and plans to expand the implementation at 20 factories by the end of 2022.

    Huawei is expected to help Haier deploy the 5G solutions and transform about 100 of its manufacturing facilities globally within five years. The three also plan to offer the technologies to other leading manufacturers in China and abroad.

    5G provides manufacturers with a lot of bandwidth —up to 20GBps— and latencies as low as 1 millisecond. Mobile edge computing, one of 5G’s main features, delivers extremely low-latency cloud computing. However, it is still at a nascent stage for manufacturers aspiring to take advantage of 5G’s full capabilities.

    The solutions enable the implementation of high-performance machine vision in a manufacturing environment through low-latency connections between high-definition cameras, the AI modules at the factory site, and the training servers located off-site.

    Deployed on a 5G-enabled production line, machine vision saves manufacturers costs by rapidly performing QC checks with over 99% accuracy, at least 10% more accurate than without the function. Compared with the visual inspection performed by humans, machine vision delivers much fewer false-positive and false-negative results.

    The three partners also developed technologies to boost site and staff safety. Unlike traditional video surveillance systems that only have a recording function, AI surveillance can automatically create alarms in real-time when it detects anomalies on the factory floor. The technology can identify non-authorized individuals, process safety violations, and workers who aren’t where they should be.

    In addition, the new solutions help to efficiently coordinate the large number of people, machines, and materials involved on a complex production line as a whole. The solutions achieve this through high-definition cameras, 5G gateways, and smart industrial terminals that work in unison with the help of artificial intelligence.

    In future, the solutions will be further improved to provide “digital twins” visualization. Digital twin is the reproduction of a real and dynamic production floor into a virtual digital world, a meta-universe. Digital twin makes just-in-time preventive maintenance a reality and enables the simulation of changes to the production process before they are implemented. The three are also experimenting with how 5G environment can support automated guided vehicles to transfer items in warehouses or manufacturing lines more accurately and efficiently.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • 5G: Enabling more than just connectivity

    5G: Enabling more than just connectivity

    5G, in many ways, is still in its infancy. The good news is that it is growing and evolving quickly. Much has been said (and written) about the theoretical benefits of 5G: High speeds, low latency and massive connection density. But, not many organizations understand what 5G actually means for their industrial environments. Many organizations—while intrigued by the possibilities of incorporating 5G into their operational and customer-facing processes—often lack the resources to experiment and invest in a long-drawn cycle of “unproven” innovation.

    Hence, it is important for organizations to work with suitable partners. They have the foresight and resources to further flesh out various 5G proof of concepts and understand how these concepts mesh with the organization’s broader digital transformation agenda.

    IDC has identified a few 5G use cases that will have maximum impact across verticals:

    Process automation and robotics
    5G addresses the challenges of today’s static manufacturing lines, increasing machines’ mobility. This reduces the time required to service the machines and allows them to be reconfigured on the fly. In addition to supporting such automation and robotics use cases on public networks through network slicing, the 5G network’s ultra-low latency will allow robotic controls to be processed at the edge, creating further opportunities to improve machine coordination and reduce costs.

    Cloud gaming
    5G and multi-access edge computing is going to further accelerate the adoption of mobile cloud-streamed gaming (CSG) services. When users are mobile and on a cellular network, their experiences often vary to a much greater extent today. This relative network unreliability puts mobile CSG services at a significant disadvantage versus wired/Wi-Fi services. The gaming market is set to explode as network operators bring more 5G mid-band spectrum online in the next few years.

    Autonomous vehicles
    The pathway to increased guided and vehicle autonomy will be largely built on the promise of 5G delivering Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Level 4 full self-driving vehicles, as well as accelerating SAE Levels 1 and 2 vehicle growth over the next five years. 5G-based cellular vehicle to everything (C-V2X) will significantly enhance all types of vehicular communication. 5G’s ultra-low latency and network slicing characteristics, together with edge cloud, will enable innovative applications, resulting in safer and more cost-effective transportation.

    Video analytics and surveillance
    Wireless has been somewhat problematic for applications such as video surveillance due to network capacity, reliability and security issues. IDC believes that 5G will propel wireless video surveillance to become a dominant force over the next five years. An increasing number of applications such as wireless perimeter control, aerial drones and home security systems will increase demand for wireless technology that can support high-resolution video securely. 5G along with edge compute will ensure secure and timely ingestion and processing of video feeds to help organizations make data-driven decisions in real-time.

    Immersive experiences
    5G provides organizations with exactly what is needed of networks to transform B2B2C consumer experiences by satisfying the appetite for immersive entertainment, gaming and broadcast experiences. In addition to mobile augmented reality/virtual reality (AR/VR) being used by field and repair technicians who operate far from a central office, there is a considerable opportunity for entertainment venues and sports arenas to provide a 360-degree VR experience at large-scale events such as sports meets and music concerts. Current network generations lack the throughput and capacity required to deliver high-definition content, but 5G, along with edge deployments, allows for ultra-low latency and processing times that are required to deliver a real-time and enhanced immersive experience.

    Industry 4.0 is acknowledged as a transformative series of initiatives around how we make and distribute goods. 5G is poised to have a significant impact across verticals such as manufacturing, healthcare, logistics, media and smart cities. IDC believes that a large number of organisations will boost spending on 5G in 2021-22. Asia Pacific (excluding Japan) regional Internet of Things use case spend across manufacturing, resources and infrastructure is forecast to hit US$295 billion in 2025. With such investments in play, organisations should look out for a service provider—with a platform-based approach to 5G, a broad partner ecosystem and a proven track record of helping organisations on their digital transformation journeys—to evaluate potential 5G use cases and get started early to gain a significant edge over their competitors.

    Lees ook:

  • Viasat buys Inmarsat for $7.3 million to create a global communications innovator

    Viasat buys Inmarsat for $7.3 million to create a global communications innovator

    Viasat has entered into a definitive agreement under which Viasat will acquire Inmarsat in a transaction valued at $7.3 billion, comprised of $850.0 million in cash, approximately 46.36 million shares of Viasat common stock valued at $3.1 billion based on the closing price on Friday November 5, 2021, and the assumption of $3.4 billion of net debt.

    The combination will create a leading global communications innovator with enhanced scale and scope to affordably, securely and reliably connect the world. The complementary assets and resources of the new organization will enable the availability of advanced new services in mobile and fixed segments, driving greater customer choice in broadband communications and narrowband services, including IoT.

    The combined company intends to integrate the spectrum, satellite and terrestrial assets of both companies into a global high-capacity hybrid space and terrestrial network, capable of delivering superior services in fast-growing commercial and government sectors. This advanced architecture will create a framework incorporating the most favorable characteristics of multi-band, multi-orbit satellites and terrestrial air-to-ground systems that can deliver higher speeds, more bandwidth, greater density of bandwidth at high demand locations like airport and shipping hubs and lower latency at lower cost than either company could provide alone.

    Both companies have proven track records of product and service innovation. Viasat has advanced North American residential and aviation connectivity and defense communications with technology and business models embraced by customers. Viasat is also recognized for driving change through its pioneering ultra-high-capacity satellite technology, which has delivered superior value at attractive, affordable economics.

    Inmarsat has an exceptional presence in the growing global mobility segment and is at the forefront of network design with its recently announced multi-dimensional mesh network. It is preparing to expand its global network later this year with its most powerful and advanced software-defined commercial communications satellites ever, offering both Ka- and L-band capabilities. Inmarsat has a global presence, a robust distribution channel spanning the rapidly growing mobility, government, IoT and enterprise sectors and currently provides safety and connectivity services to more than one million mobility and defense platforms.

    “This is a transformative combination that advances our common ambitions to connect the world. The unique fusion of teams, technologies and resources provides the ingredients and scale needed for profitable growth through the creation and delivery of innovative broadband and IoT services in new and existing fast-growing segments and geographies,” said Viasat’s Executive Chairman Mark Dankberg. “Inmarsat’s dual-band global mobile network, unique L-band resources, skills and capabilities in the U.K. and excellent technical and operational talent worldwide, are powerful complements to Viasat’s business. Together, we can advance broadband communications and create new hybrid space and terrestrial networks that drive greater performance, coverage, speed, reliability and value for customers. We look forward to welcoming the Inmarsat team into the Viasat family.”

    “Joining with Viasat is the right combination for Inmarsat at the right time,” said Rajeev Suri, CEO of Inmarsat. “Viasat is a terrific innovator and Inmarsat brings some powerful additions: global reach, a broad distribution channel, robust business momentum and a presence in highly attractive global mobility segments. Together, the two companies will create a new global player with the scale and scope to help shape the future of a dynamic and growing industry. The combination will create a strong future for Inmarsat and be well-positioned to offer greater choice for customers around the world, enhanced scope for partners and new opportunities for employees. The industrial logic is compelling and ensures that the U.K. has a strong and sustainable presence in the critical space sector for the long term.”

    Viasat plans to build on Inmarsat’s presence in the U.K. and is committed to preserving and growing the investment of the combined company in U.K. space communications, as well as supporting the recently published National Space Strategy. The combined company will cooperatively engage with the U.K. government with a view to operating in the U.K. consistent with the commitments previously made by Inmarsat/Connect BidCo, and expects continued constructive engagement across the U.K.’s thriving innovation ecosystem. It further intends to work closely with the U.K. government to bring additional space capabilities and other advanced technologies to the country as well as long-term, highly skilled engineering and related jobs for U.K.-based employees. Viasat plans to preserve and grow Inmarsat’s London headquarters, as well as its footprint in Australia and Canada and across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific.

    Lees ook:

  • TPG Telecom triples 5G coverage

    TPG Telecom triples 5G coverage

    TPG Telecom has reached over 85 percent 5G population coverage in ten of Australia’s largest cities and regions as it delivers a smarter 5G network faster following last year’s merger.

    Capable of delivering speeds of more than 400Mbps, 5G coverage is available in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Canberra, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Wollongong, and NSW Central Coast.

    The milestone has been achieved with the launch of the company’s 5G standalone core, which connects devices directly to 5G without the need for a 4G connection, supercharging its 700MHz spectrum holdings.

    TPG Telecom Chief Executive Officer Iñaki Berroeta said the 5G standalone core is a game-changer for the company and its mobile and home internet customers.

    “This is truly a pivotal moment for TPG Telecom and sets us up to deliver 5G’s full potential,” Mr Berroeta said. “The upgraded core network has amplified our 700 MHz spectrum, tripling our 5G coverage and giving us greater reach across suburbs and in densely populated areas. This will give us a competitive boost going forward, with our 5G coverage on par or ahead of other mobile networks in many areas. It not only means more coverage in more places for mobile customers, it also significantly increases our 5G fixed wireless footprint.”

    “Two in three Australians are now covered by our 5G where they work and live, and with the first major device due to be upgraded to work with standalone 5G in just a few weeks, the new coverage is ready.”

    Mr Berroeta said the 5G standalone core was a multi-year project as part of the company’s 5G network roadmap.

    “This puts us firmly on the 5G map, and the project completion is a testament to our network team who skillfully navigated challenges including lockdowns and the 5G vendor restrictions,” he said.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Tiki raises $258 mln from global investors

    Tiki raises $258 mln from global investors

    E-commerce company Tiki raised $258 million in its latest funding round as it eyes a U.S. IPO.

    The Series E funding round was led by AIA Insurance, and included UBS AG London Branch, Mirae Asset-Naver Asia Growth Fund, and Taiwan Mobile Co.

    Tiki had planned to list in the U.S. by 2025, but it now plans to do so in a year’s time, Tiki founder and Chief Executive Officer Tran Ngoc Thai Son said in an interview.

    The company expects revenue growth of 40-50 percent in the next few years, he added.

    Vietnam is expected to have 53 million online consumers, or 71 percent of its population aged 15 and older, by the end of this year, an 8 percent rise from 2020, according to a report in August by Facebook and Bain & Co.

    Tiki in June raised VND1 trillion dong ($44 million) from bonds issuance.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • China Telecom’s license revoked in the US

    China Telecom’s license revoked in the US

    The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has voted to revoke the authorization for China Telecom’s subsidiary in the US.

    Citing national security concerns, officials ordered China Telecom Americas to discontinue its services in the US within 60 days. The subsidiary has been operating in the US for nearly two decades.

    In a statement released, the FCC said, “China Telecom Americas, a U.S. subsidiary of a Chinese state-owned enterprise, is subject to exploitation, influence, and control by the Chinese government and is highly likely to be forced to comply with Chinese government requests without sufficient legal procedures subject to independent judicial oversight.”

    China Telecom has expressed disappointment over the decision and intends to “pursue available options” in hopes of continuing serving its customers.

    During the first nine months of this year, China Telecom added 69 million 5G subscribers in China, bringing it total mobile base in China is 369 million subscribers.

  • Huawei committed to being preferred partner for digital transformation in APAC

    Huawei committed to being preferred partner for digital transformation in APAC

    Huawei’s first flagship event for Asia-Pacific (APAC) region ICT industry – Huawei Connect 2021 – Asia Pacific launched on Friday, themed “Dive into Digital in Asia-Pacific”, explores how digital technology can better integrate with business scenarios and industry know-how to address critical business challenges, and how stakeholders can work together more effectively to foster an open industry ecosystem and drive shared success.

    This event has featured three keynotes and opening remarks with around 15 CXOs from government and commercial sectors across APAC like Sunseap Group, KBank, University Malaya, Union Bank, Toyota Astra, Bank Central Asia (BCA), UCARS, and government guests to share their vision and experience on digital transformation in APAC.

    In Jeffery Liu, the President of Huawei Asia-Pacific keynote, he spoke that digital transformation is more real and urgent than ever. Huawei will leverage innovative ICT technologies to help customers accelerate digital transformation. In Asia Pacific, Huawei will focus on the 4 areas: Cloud services, Low-carbon development, Innovative digital infrastructure, building partner ecosystem, and training digital talents. Huawei is committed to be the preferred partner for digital transformation in the region”

    Jeffery said, “In Asia Pacific, HUAWEI CLOUD operates in 7 Availability Zones and has local service teams in over 10 countries. Huawei combines digital and electronic technologies to develop innovative digital power services by using energy as efficiently as possible, and minimizing the carbon footprint of ICT infrastructure by leveraging clean power generation, electric transportation, and smart energy storage, supporting our customers to save energy and protect the environment. Every year Huawei invests over 10% of revenue into R&D, delivers value to the industry and society through innovation, and helps our customers go digital with innovative and reliable products and solutions. In the next five years, we will continue to train over 100 thousand ICT professionals in Asia-Pacific to strengthen the talent root for digital transformation.”

    In the sharing session of Digital Leadership, Professor Alex Siow from NUS shared on how emerging digital technologies have changed various industries, and how these technologies will evolve along with the effects of the pandemic. “Digital leadership is the strategic use of a company’s digital assets to achieve business goals and digital leaders shall explore how technology can be used to help their business become much more responsive to the needs of their customers and the ever-changing business requirements. Digital leaders must lead the way in digital transformation and help the customers more digital and more agile for the adoption of rapid acceleration of technological changes,” said Professor Alex Siow.

    The event is honored to invite key companies like PSA Corporation Ltd, Sunway Berhad Malaysia, Integrated Health Information System (IHIS) Singapore, Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) and Prof. Dr. De Crème from NUS to participate in the open panel discussion, shared their thoughts on thriving as a digital enterprise and to help the industry leaders approach business transformation from a different perspective.

    During the panel discussion, Ho Vee Leung, Head of Infocomm Technology & Data from PSA shared the benefits of technology, like how 5G, which is capable of large bandwidth and low latency wireless transmission, enables real-time control of mobile equipment in the open port environment, and how Intelligent IoT technology has enabled energy consumption within the terminals to be better managed and optimized, balancing peak and trough demand and reducing the risk of power-related disruptions.

    Alan Goh, Assistant Chief Executive of IHIS also shared how IHIS utilized technology to create value in the healthcare industry. Alan shared the example of the vaccination program in Singapore and how they integrated technology to enable real-time updates of the vaccination process.

    Kevin Khoo, CIO from Sunway Berhad Malaysia shared his rich experience in managing a large conglomerate in the digital transformation journey and the importance of close partnership with vendor.

    Glen Francis, CTO of SPH mentioned that leadership and stakeholder alignment is important especially when building new technology tool or platforms in the organization and communication is an important part in overcoming the challenges of the digital transformation journey.

    At the discussion, Nicholas Ma, the President Huawei Asia Pacific Enterprise BG pointed out that Digital transformations is not a plug-and play strategy revealing immediate results. Two areas are essentially important for digital transformation, one is the organization and the other is technology. To tackle the skills issue and improve organizational agility, Huawei will continue to invest in digital talents cultivation and work closely with partners to provide more scenario-based solutions in their digital transformation journey.

    “As new technologies like Cloud, and AI continue to be mature, the application of digital technologies is expanding beyond the office and into production systems of the industries, which will change or improve productivity. Together with our partners, we take the time to truly make the best use of our leading technologies and solution, to understand our customers’ businesses, particularly the challenges they are facing, and then develop tailored solutions to support them. To do this, we have built 13 Open Labs around the world to support joint innovation, in Asia Pacific, we have OpenLabs in Singapore and Thailand.” further shared by Nicholas Ma.

    Brandon Wu, CTO of Huawei Asia Pacific Enterprise BG mentioned that Huawei plans to provide enterprises with a consistent experience while using cloud-native applications that are not constrained by geographical, cross-cloud, or traffic limitations. Huawei is also leveraging ICT innovations for energy saving and sustainability, by introducing green sites, improving data center network efficiency, and binging green connectivity by extending more optical connections to home and campus networks, to further reduce power consumption.

    Brandon Wu also elaborated latest innovations that Huawei will bring to the market：

    Huawei OptiXsense Solution and a product model EF3000 which is able to measure the vibration of the laser, to sense the environment changes of the object under monitoring, to significantly reduce the false alarms.

    Digital Offices, powered by intelligent “Office Twins” – Wi-Fi 6e AP and HUAWEI IdeaHub. They will supercharge your meeting room experiences and office productivity with ubiquitous gigabit and seamless collaboration.

    The industry’s first deterministic IP network solution, which supports multi-hop networking of tens of thousands of nodes, so it can deliver deterministic IP network performance, making lights-out digital factories a reality.

    Hybrid Optical transmission network (OTN), by combining both the technology advantages between PON and OTN together, Huawei introduced H-OTN for the first time to the market, the packet loss can now be minimized and the reliability can reach five 9s for mission-critical services.

    OceanStor Pacific, the industry’s first distributed storage for High-Performance Data Analytics (HPDA). This solution breaks the silos of data processing between big data, AI, high-performance computing, and streamlines multiple storage capabilities into one single device, with adaptive data flow for large and small size IOs.

    Lees ook:

  • Telstra partners Australian government to buy Digicel Pacific

    Telstra partners Australian government to buy Digicel Pacific

    Telecommunications giant Telstra announced on Monday that it has partnered with the Australian government to buy Digicel Pacific for $1.6 billion.

    This is widely viewed as a political move to curtail China’s influence in the region, following interest shown by China’s biggest telecommunications operator to buy over Digicel Pacific.

    The biggest mobile operator in the South Pacific region, Digicel Pacific has 1,700 employees and around 2.5 million subscribers from retail customers through to large enterprises. Digicel Pacific has operations in Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Samoa, Tahiti, and Vanuata – important markets in Papua New Guinea.

    In a press release, Telstra stated that the Australian government will contribute $1.33 billion, while Telstra will contribute $270 million in equity. Telstra will own 100% of the ordinary equity and receive strategic risk management support from the government.

    This move is also aligned to Telstra operations in Papua New Guinea, where Telstra has been a licensed operator since 2012 and one of the biggest providers of voice and data services connecting the South Pacific to the rest of the world.

    Lees ook:

  • Nokia deploys 5G standalone core network for Taiwan Mobile

    Nokia deploys 5G standalone core network for Taiwan Mobile

    Nokia announced that it has deployed its 5G standalone core network for Taiwan Mobile Co. to enable the operator to provide the most advanced 5G applications for enterprises and businesses, and to strengthen its network services and performance.

    The timely deployment includes Nokia’s voice core, cloud packet core, subscriber data management, signaling, network exposure, policy controller, cloud infrastructure, and security management for radio transport. With a 5G standalone core network, Taiwan Mobile can readily provide the most advanced 5G services such as network slicing and smart city solutions that require ultra-low latency and reliability.

    Nokia and Taiwan Mobile are long-standing partners and Nokia, as the sole supplier of Taiwan Mobile’s 5G network, is supporting the operator’s ‘Super 5G strategy’ focused on sustainability and digital transformation.

    Nokia leads the market in core network deployments, with 25 of the top 40 communication service providers relying on its core network products.

    Tom Koh, Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, Technology Group, Taiwan Mobile, said: “Introducing SA to unleash the full potential of 5G beyond high-speed to further realize innovative use cases enabled by ultra-low latency and massive IoT is our strategic mission in the 5G era. We are delighted to reach this milestone with Nokia to bring the first true 5G network into Taiwan. Owning the agility of network slicing to swiftly customize the network for accommodating different use cases, Taiwan Mobile will be able to accelerate time-to-market to provide a wide variety of services for everyone and everything and to free enterprises to embrace Industry 4.0. The SA technology is built from cloud architecture, infrastructure-agnostic by design, which paves a critical step to a full software agile virtualization network. It unlocks the use cases with distributed cloud for low latency service with local breakout needed. Taiwan Mobile’s true 5G network will become the innovative engine for consumers to experience as well as verticals to deploy applications without limits.”

    Susanna Patja, Head of Cloud & Network Services, Greater China, Nokia, said: “We are very pleased that the Nokia 5G Standalone Core network is now up and running, on schedule, for Taiwan Mobile. This provides Taiwan Mobile with exceptional capabilities in terms of machine-to-machine communication, extreme automation, and reliability that enables critical 5G uses for enterprises; and does so with the knowledge that this standalone network will continue to function seamlessly with non-standalone networks.”

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • 5G innovations and policy-making key to digital evolution in the Asia Pacific

    5G innovations and policy-making key to digital evolution in the Asia Pacific

    In conjunction with Huawei’s 12th Global Mobile Broadband Forum (MBBF), Telecom Review Asia Pacific interviews Daisy Zhu, vice president of Huawei Wireless Marketing to learn about the direction of 5G evolution and key trends that shape the development of the wireless industry in the Asia Pacific region.

    We are in the dawn of a new digital age where 5G represents a milestone in the advancement of mobile communications. In just over 5 years since the ITU released its vision for 5G, there are now 176 commercial 5G networks around the world, deployed over 1.5 million base stations to more than 500 million 5G users. Recognized as a key driver for the digital economy, 5G has a transformative impact on lives and societies where it is deployed.

    In the consumer market, where average 5G download speeds are now 10 times faster than 4G and HD video buffer times reduced from 3 seconds to just half a second, Daisy Zhu, vice president of Huawei Wireless Marketing cited notable network growth as 5G offers enhanced user experiences on more immersive OTT content and applications. The use of artificial intelligence (AI) and virtual reality (VR) to create better-simulated experiences is, in turn,also fuelling new economic activities such as live streaming.

    Across industries, the road to commercial 5G adoption has been fraught with difficulties, but countries have made significant strides. Since it has been commercialized 2 years ago, 5G now supports industrial digitalization through more than 10,000 scenarios in over 20 industries worldwide.

    Sharing China’s success in 5G deployment, Zhu said, “In China, 5G is on a fast development track to accelerate the digital transformation of verticals such as coal-mining, steel manufacturing, port operation, and new media. Across these industries, 5G-based digital applications have helped yield improved quality and increased production efficiency while reducing costs to positively impact various sectors.”

    Innovation that balances performance, coverage, and energy consumption

    Of the 176 countries where 5G has been rolled out, about 80%-90% have adopted high bandwidth, large capacity TDD, which when combined with Massive MIMO, can boost peak to deliver the promise of 10 Gbps real-time, immersive experiences. Massive MIMO can also deliver better energy efficiency per bit, compared to conventional antenna units, to help mobile network operators reduce their carbon footprint and meet their carbon neutrality objectives.

    Even though network traffic is projected to multiply hundredfold in a fully connected digital world, the World Economic Forum estimates that digital technology can reduce 15% of global carbon emissions by 2030. As a global ICT leader, Huawei dives into innovative ways to help mobile network operators build green, low carbon networks to address higher energy consumptions led by a global ramp up in data traffic.

    Zhu highlighted Huawei’s MetaAAU, a technological breakthrough in Massive MIMO coverage and energy efficiency launched during the MBBF 2021. Designed to strike an optimal balance between performance, coverage, and energy consumption, Huawei’s MetaAAU uses ultra-massive antenna arrays to significantly increase antenna gains and yield improved output or transmit power of an antenna unit. Without compromising on coverage, the MetaAAU reduces power consumption by about 30% compared with traditional AAU modules.

    Huawei’s C-RAN solution is another green network architecture that helps network operators reduce electricity consumption. Featuring a centralized BBU, C-RAN simplifies site construction as equipment rooms are no longer needed at base stations. As a result, air-conditioning can be decommissioned to significantly reduce on-site energy consumption by up to half.

    Evolving into digital service providers

    As innovations such as 5G, IoT, and cloud take centre stage in a digital era, network operators are challenged to first undergo digital transformation.

    To capture new growth, Zhu opined that “network operators must move away from the traditional model of selling connectivity to adopting a multi-dimensional role as content providers, cloud service providers, and system integrators”.

    South Korea’s network operators, for instance, create unique content so that they do not have to rely solely on OTT providers for content. As system integrators, network operators are tasked to help verticals integrate applications on the cloud to fully digitalize. Since SMEs form the backbone of the economy in the Asia Pacific, Zhu stressed that network operators should tailor solutions to address the needs of SMEs.

    To support greater, more diversified, and more stringent demands from both the consumer and enterprise markets, Huawei proposes the “1+N” 5G target network as the one fundamental network to provide continuous and large bandwidth coverage for “N” types of capabilities.

    In the case of the consumer market, a “1+N” network provides continuous large bandwidth coverage to deliver seamless roaming experiences to subscribers. In the Asia Pacific, where manufacturing is a dominant industry, smart factories require 20ms latency and 99.99% reliability to support real-time decision-making powered by AI. Precision-positioning is another use case in smart factories that is best founded on a “1+N” network infrastructure so that high-performing capabilities can be localized to perform more sophisticated functions as needed to keep operational costs as low as possible.

    Policy-making recommendations in the Asia Pacific

    With global DOU expected to reach about 700G by 2030, Zhu highlighted the importance of licensing the 6GHz band as the next golden band – also the last available midband spectrum after the C-Band.

    Home to over half of the world’s population, Asia Pacific will witness an exponential surge in data consumption. Echoing GSMA’s recommendation, Zhu proposed that governments allocate 2GHz of 6 GHz mid-band spectrum so that network operators have adequate access to spectrum to meet the ever-increasing demand for data. In China, for instance, the entire 1.2 GHz in the 6 GHz band has been allocated – comprising 500 MHz for Wi-Fi and 700 MHz for IMT connection.

    “Compared to the mmWave spectrum band, the 6 GHz band has been tested and found more suited to power 5G as it can coexist with fixed satellite systems without causing any interference,” said Zhu.

    An enabler for the digital transformation of industries and sectors, 5G has the potential to boost the world’s GDP by $2.2 trillion. In the new digital society, IoT and NB-IoT will also power up to 100 billion connections by 2030. Zhu called on all ecosystem stakeholders to embrace digitalization to ride on the 5G wave.

    To advance 5G deployment, favorable industry policies are also critical. In Thailand, regulators ensure that spectrum auctions are reasonably priced so that network operators can invest in constructing 5G infrastructure for eventual rollout. Introducing spectrum instalments is another initiative that will not overly burden network operators.

    Finally, network operators can be discouraged from leaving purchased spectrum bands unutilized to jack up prices. To counter such practices, regulators can mandate network operators to improve network coverage quantitively in a given timeframe.

    Essentially, spectrum is a scarce resource. Proper spectrum management and sound policy-making will ensure equitable spectrum access for 5G to develop and mature, in turn spurring economic recovery, growth and resiliency in the region.

    Lees ook:

  • ZTE deepens partnership with China Telecom Global in Hong Kong

    ZTE deepens partnership with China Telecom Global in Hong Kong

    ZTE Corporation has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with China Telecom Global Limited in Hong Kong.

    According to the agreement, both parties will further deepen their strategic cooperation in cloud network services, ICT, data centers and global operation in the DICT field.

    “China Telecom and ZTE have a long-standing partnership. In the overseas markets, ZTE has become one of our major equipment suppliers since we started the project from scratch in Philippines in the second half of 2019,” said Mr. Donald Tan, CEO of CTG. “ZTE delivered the project with speed and quality, reaching a new milestone for our cooperation.”

    “As to the key strategic planning in the next few years, I believe that both CTG and ZTE will continue to strengthen the strategic cooperation and build a comprehensive, in-depth and long-term partnership to create synergies for future growth,” Mr. Tan added.

    “China Telecom has always been one of ZTE’s most important partners. Through CTG’s project in Philippines, our cooperation has started to expand in the overseas markets, which is greatly valued by ZTE,” affirmed Mr. Xiao Ming, SVP of ZTE Corporation.

    “Currently, ZTE has achieved the high-level delivery of the project in Philippines, and we believe in the future, both parties will deepen our cooperation and share more excellent experience with each other to take our cooperation to the next level.”

    Moving forward, ZTE and China Telecom Global will stay committed to the cooperation on cloud network services, ICT, data centres, digital transformation, compliance and risk control. The two parties are set to make full use of their comprehensive resource advantages and jointly expand overseas markets for a win-win future.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Huawei CFO Freed After U.S. Deal

    Huawei CFO Freed After U.S. Deal

    Huawei’s chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou has been released by Canadian courts and flew home to China last week after reaching an agreement with U.S. prosecutors to end their bank fraud case against her.

    Last Friday, Meng, who is also the elder daughter of Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei, and the U.S. Justice Department reached a deferred prosecution agreement.

    Meng has taken responsibility for her principal role in perpetrating a scheme to defraud a global financial institution,» according to a report citing Brooklyn-based acting U.S. attorney Nicole Boeckmann.

    The current agreement only pertains to Meng and the U.S. Justice Department said it is preparing for trial against Huawei.

    For the financial sector, one issue that remains unresolved is the legitimacy of Meng’s claim that HSBC had knowledge of Huawei’s relationship with Skycom – a Hong Kong-registered entity and alleged business partner that violated U.S. trade sanctions – and, in fact, knowingly placed the firm within Washington’s radar before misleading Canadian authorities on the matter.

    China has been accused of engaging in hostage diplomacy as a response to Meng’s 2018 arrest with the over 1,000-day jailing of two Canadians – businessman Michael Spavor and ex-diplomat Michael Kovrig.

    Beijing has repeatedly denied that the detainment of Spavor and Kovrig was retaliation for Meng’s arrest.

    Within hours of the news of Meng’s deal with the U.S., the two were released from Chinese jails and on their way back home to Canada.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Masan to leverage retail, telecom synergy by acquiring Mobicast

    Masan to leverage retail, telecom synergy by acquiring Mobicast

    The Sherpa, a subsidiary of Masan, has announced a 70 percent acquisition of Mobicast shares with a total cash consideration of VND295.5 billion ($13 million).

    Investment in Mobicast is the next step taken by Masan to integrate its third piece, digital services, into its ecosystem, after the successful inclusion of grocery and financial services.

    This was carefully mapped out by Masan in 2019 when the group revealed its plan to build a one-stop-shop that satisfies consumers’ essential, financial, educational, social, entertainment, and healthcare needs. For Masan, this is a unified off to online platform, “Point of Life”.

    The entry into the telecommunication and essential service sectors on a digital platform will enable Masan to gain access to approximately 80 percent of the consumer wallet share.

    Operating under the brand Reddi, Mobicast is a Vietnamese start-up, full-serviced Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO). MVNOs are wireless communication service providers that do not have their own frequency spectrum allocation or wireless network infrastructure.

    MVNOs partner with traditional Mobile Network Operators (MNO) to use their wireless network infrastructure to provide telecom and data services to consumers. MVNOs use an asset-light business model by leveraging existing transmission and network infrastructure. MVNOs are a common business model in the telecom space globally. For example, MVNOs command a nearly 20 percent market share of the total United Kingdom mobile market.

    When incorporated into “Point of Life”, Reddi stands to benefit from exclusive access to Masan’s consumer base and physical and online touch points nationwide. This will significantly lower Reddi’s consumer acquisition cost, enabling it to reinvest savings to develop unique digital consumer solutions, given that 44 percent of subscribers predominately use voice and SMS in Vietnam, and customer service experience platforms.

    Masan Group CEO, Danny Le, said: “Reddi is the first step to digitalize our “Point of Life” platform and synchronize our products and services into a unified offering. While we are in the early innings, we have all the strategic components to develop the most cost effective consumer acquisition model, thereby lowering the costs of our services and products for the benefit of our consumers – this is the definition of Point of Life.”

    Previously, in June 2021, Masan launched its first CVLife store that integrates financial services offered by Techcombank and Phuc Long Kiosk into WinMart+ supermarkets (formerly known as VinMart+). As shared by Masan, the current number of over 2,300 WinMart+ stores would be expanded to more than 3,001, with around 700 new stores to be launched, by the end of 2021. The Phuc Long Kiosk model will be integrated into 1,000 WinMart+ stores, thus boosting revenue and profit margins and bringing in more modern customers.According to Masan, Reddi’s target market is modern consumers who are digital savvy. This group of customers is willing to change and try out new products and services to refresh their consumer experience.

    Masan has a wide distribution network as its first advantage, with nearly 2,400 WinMart/WinMart+ supermarkets and stores nationwide to serve more than 300 million customers annually. Added to this is Masan’s strong consumer relationship with 300,000 general trade (GT) retailers. Masan’s distribution network “weaves” across the country, offering convenient and fast access to its services.

    Masan also has a loyalty customer base of nine million WinMart/WinMart+ members, including a large number of young, urban and digital-savvy customers from Phuc Long, five million affluent consumers from Techcombank and millions of customers from other Masan partners.

    These two strategic factors allow Reddi to maximize its cost and time savings in building a distribution network, while optimizing its consumer acquisition and retention cost.

    According to MIC’s Department of Telecommunications, Vietnam had nearly 133 million mobile subscribers as of the end of 2020, while its population is more than 97 million. Of these 133 million subscribers, 56 percent have 3G, 4G and 5G coverage.

    According to the We Are Social 2021 report, the most used mobile apps include: chat apps (94.7 percent), entertainment and video apps (83.4 percent), music apps (58 percent), game apps (57.2 percent), shopping apps (68.5 percent), banking and financial services apps (40.1 percent).

    Entry of a retail company into the telecommunication sector has become a huge success in India, as in the case of Reliance Jio, the largest mobile network operator in the world’s second-largest mobile market. Reliance Industries is India’s largest retailer with nearly 11,000 points of sale, 23 distribution centers and a database with more than 110 million loyal customers.

    In 2016, Reliance stepped into the digital services and electronics telecommunication sectors by launching the Jio network operator. To date, Jio has raced past competitors to become India’s largest mobile operator thanks to its reasonable pricing, good signal quality and appealing, differentiating service plans. Jio currently has about 400 million paying subscribers for services in their ecosystem

    Lees ook: