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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.

  • China’s Telecom Sector Logs Stable Growth In First Five Months Of 2022

    China’s Telecom Sector Logs Stable Growth In First Five Months Of 2022

    According to government information, the strength of its growth was seen in emerging businesses and 5G services.

    The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology reported that the telecommunications sector earned a total revenue of 665 billion yuan during that period, indicating an 8.5% jump compared to the same period last year.

    The ministry also noted in the statement that emerging businesses, such as those in the big data, cloud computing, internet data center and IoT sectors saw a continuous rise during that period.

    The collective earnings of these emerging businesses of the country’s three leading telecom players, namely China Telecom, China Mobile and China Unicom, also shot up to 128.3 billion yuan. This represents a 34.3% year-on-year increase, and accounts for 19.3% of the sectors’ overall revenue.

    As of May, there were already 1.7 million 5G base stations, which account for 16.7% of China’s mobile network base station total. Of these, about 275,000 5G base stations were installed from January to May of this year.

    The Ministry’s data also suggests that during this same period, there were 428 million 5G mobile phone users on these three major telecom networks, making up 25.8% of the country’s total mobile phone users.

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  • NEC Buys Aspire Technology

    NEC Buys Aspire Technology

    The acquisition now enables NEC to expand its capacity to bring end-to-end Open RAN ecosystems, as well as system design and integration for legacy networks, to international operators.
    In a statement, NEC’s 5G Strategy and Business General Manager, Naohisa Matsuda said, “NEC has made a strong, public commitment to providing leadership in the rollout of Open RAN. Part of that commitment is building out our ability to serve as the prime system integrator for global operators as they adopt Open Networks at their own pace. The SI business is all about people and expertise. The strong capabilities and the deep pool of talented engineers at Aspire Technology, combined with their portfolio of technology solutions and applications, is a big step forward for our NEC Open Networks strategy. NEC is now better prepared than any supplier to integrate disaggregated network components into a well-tuned ecosystem.”

    NEC has already established a footprint in the OpenRAN ecosystem, offering hardware, software and systems integration services to major telecom companies across the globe.

    Meanwhile, Aspire Technology’s Founder and CEO  Bill Walsh said that this acquisition will be an advantage to their customers: “We believe the combination of NEC and Aspire Technology will provide tremendous benefits to our customers, both legacy network-based and those evolving to the more Open environment, and also to the broader 5G and Open RAN marketplace, which is growing rapidly. We share a common vision of the 5G and Open RAN market, and a history of delivering complex integration projects with some of the largest carriers in the world. Together, we create a compelling and comprehensive 5G solutions portfolio.”

    This new development also improves NEC’s capabilities by extending its portfolio of technology solutions  as well as its experienced resources and expertise.

     

  • Philippines’ New ICT Chief Stresses Importance Digitalizing Public Transactions

    Philippines’ New ICT Chief Stresses Importance Digitalizing Public Transactions

    The newly appointed head of the Philippines’ Department of Information and Communications Technology, or DICT, said that the agency will ensure more efficient public service delivery through digitalization.

    The department’s executive attended a turnover ceremony where he stressed the importance of innovating  e-governance in the country by streamlining government transactions through digitalization.

    The ICT chief Ivan John Uy, was also welcomed by his department’s officials and employees during the event. He stated, “We in the DICT have a very peculiar mandate, and that mandate cuts across all government agencies– to ensure that through ICT, we will be able to deliver to the Filipino people a better government, a more efficient government, a government that is easier to transact with, a government that is more competent and a government that is not corrupt.”

    Uy also said that he fully supports the plans of the new government under President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. to speed up  digital infrastructure development in the Philippines.

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  • AIS To Purchase Triple T Broadband

    AIS To Purchase Triple T Broadband

    Thailand’s mobile service provider Advanced Info Service (AIS) announced that it is planning to invest 32.4 billion baht to buy out Triple T Broadband and to purchase units owned by JASIF infrastructure fund.

    In a stock exchange filing, AIS said that it intends to acquire Triple T Broadband for 19.5 billion baht and buy 19% of JASIF for 12.9 billion baht.

    The company’s chief financial officer said in the filing, “This acquisition will enhance consumer access to broader and better quality of service by improving broadband inclusion in new areas targeting the upcountry and non-city areas. This aligns with our business direction to grow the broadband business and effectively develop the nation’s fiber infrastructure. A combined fiber network will support effective sharing that reduces unnecessary fiber network duplication and its environmental impact.”

    The announcement comes as competitors True Corp. and DTAC have initiated partnership and are awaiting regulatory approval.

    AIS meanwhile said that the deal must still be approved by authorities and is likely to be finalized by the first quarter of 2023.

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  • Singapore Forging the Next Wave of Digitalization

    Singapore Forging the Next Wave of Digitalization

    After being conducted virtually for two years, ATxSG was held in-person as Singapore’s largest technology event since the reopening of borders. Jointly organized by Infocomm Media Development Authority, Singapore (IMDA) and Informa Tech, the event brought together more than 16,000 hybrid attendees from more than 80 countries, including senior government leaders from Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Estonia and Mongolia. Telecom Review Asia Pacific took the opportunity to speak with Kiren Kumar, Deputy Chief Executive (Development), IMDA, to learn about efforts to accelerate Singapore’s digital economy, focused on advancing 5G and ICT development.

    Singapore has embarked on 5G. Can you tell us about Singapore’s approach to 5G and steps to advance 5G development in Singapore? How will industries benefit from 5G adoption and how does IMDA facilitate this shift?

    The power of 5G is not just about consumers, but enterprise growth and innovations. With IoT and network slicing, the ability of 5G to support various industries by providing dedicated connectivity like a private network, and allowing users to configure massive sets of sensors, opens up huge potential for commercial use cases. In addition, the virtualization and software-driven nature of 5G means it creates opportunities for companies to build enterprise platforms.

    Therefore, to realize the potential of 5G, Singapore pushed for an aggressive rollout of 5G networks based on standalone (SA) network specifications, instead of 5G non-standalone specifications first, which was the approach in most other jurisdictions. This allows for the delivery of the full-fledged capabilities and performance of 5G such as network virtualization, intelligence at network edges, and dynamic provisioning of differentiated services for different use cases. The 5G SA networks today already cover at least half of Singapore, which is ahead of schedule, and Singapore is on track for nationwide 5G standalone deployment by 2025.

    At the same time, Singapore is also actively seeding lead industry demand. Since 2019, IMDA has been working closely with industry players to experiment with new and innovative 5G solutions in areas such as cloud gaming, advanced manufacturing, port operations and smart cities. For example, IMDA has been partnering with IBM, Samsung and M1 to develop Singapore’s first 5G Industry 4.0 trial. This involves having 5G enabled, AI “Smart Glasses” to help factory operators identify defects in realtime. IBM will deploy this 5G-enabled augmented reality solution, at their global manufacturing sites, starting in New York later in 2022.

    We recognize that to enable our 5G efforts, people and R&D are key. IMDA has been supporting Singaporeans to take on these emerging opportunities through training in 5G skills, to bring Singapore into the digital future. We have partnered with our Mobile Network Operators, the National University of Singapore and Singapore Polytechnic to set up a 5G and Telecoms Academy in 2020 to equip professionals with 5G skills. To date, more than 4,000 Singaporeans have already been trained through the academy.

    Separately, S$70 million will be invested in future communications technologies such as 6G, specifically in the areas of research, innovation, training of local talent, and international partnerships. As part of our national Future Communications and Research and Development Programme, we have signed an MoU last year with the world’s first and leading 6G research and development program funded by the Academy of Finland. A similar MoU with the Korean Institute of Communications and Information Sciences has been signed.

    Spectrum is an important resource to support 5G growth and meet increased connectivity demands in the foreseeable future. How does IMDA carry out spectrum management and policymaking to ensure that spectrum is optimized to drive Singapore’s continued growth in a digitalized era?

    In a connected world where there is a constant need for data, faster communications and higher definition media, the demand for spectrum resources continues to outstrip the available supply. To support Singapore’s digital economy and maximize the value of spectrum for economy and welfare of consumers, appropriate and efficient allocation of scarce spectrum resources and forward-looking spectrum planning processes is imperative.

    To support future technological developments, IMDA monitors the trends and developments of new wireless technologies and reviews the frequency allocations, to better plan spectrum needs and demands. Moving ahead, it is anticipated that new technology trends, such as the next generation of mobile technology, advancement in the use of unlicensed spectrum e.g., Wi-Fi 6E and increased use of satellite services will continue to transform the ICT industry.

    As Singapore is a small and open economy, IMDA formulates its spectrum allocation strategy and plans by aligning with international developments, ensuring harmonization of our national spectrum usage regionally and internationally, and adopting policy positions that maximize our domestic interests.

    Can you tell us about partnerships or collaborations to foster enterprise transformation in Singapore to positively impact the economy? What are other initiatives taken to propel SMEs and accelerate digitalization across businesses?

    COVID-19 has turbocharged digitization and many businesses now recognize that they can no longer do business in the traditional way. Businesses, including SMEs, see digitalization not just as a necessity for survival but also as an opportunity to reinvent and bring their businesses to the next level.

    It can be daunting for SMEs to digitally transform their businesses. This is why the government has put in place support schemes and initiatives to help SMEs digitally transform. To increase baseline adoption, IMDA has rolled out a suite of schemes facilitating SMEs’ adoption of digital utilities, such as e-payments and e-invoicing, at scale with additional support for basic and advanced solutions that address the needs of SMEs in the various sectors and at different maturity levels under the SMEs Go Digital Programme. To date, more than 80,000 enterprises have benefitted from the program, including a quarter of them coming on board in 2021 alone. Three in four firms now adopt at least one digital solution.

    To enable every SME to be a digital SME, IMDA has scaled up our efforts so that SMEs have the confidence to use digital technologies to transform their business models and take on new opportunities in the digital age. IMDA’s Chief Technology Officer-as-a-Service (CTO-as-a-Service) enables SMEs to conduct self-assessment of their digital needs via a one-stop platform. It also provides SMEs with quick access to digitalization resources and a shared pool of digital consultants for comprehensive digital advisory and project management services.

    For local companies that are more digitally progressive, we have launched the Digital Leaders Programme (DLP) that helps such companies, across all industries, accelerate their digital transformation plans. To do this, the DLP supports companies in building in-house digital capabilities, and integrating digital into their core business strategy so that they can develop innovative business models and capture new growth opportunities.

    For companies who want to start innovating, IMDA has a national platform for digital innovation, called the Open Innovation Platform (OIP). Enterprises with business problems can get support to define their problem statement, crowdsource for innovative solutions from tech companies, and be supported across the prototyping process. Since 2018, OIP has facilitated 300 challenges with more than $8.5M in prize monies, powered by a pool of more than 11,000 solution providers. Some companies which took part in challenges on our OIP have gone on to transform their operations and scale these solutions globally.

    There is a global ICT talent shortage amid a rapidly-digitalizing landscape. What does IMDA do to address talent shortages to cope with future needs?

    The demand for tech talent globally has risen exponentially, largely driven by the growth of the tech sector and broadbased digitalization across industries and companies. Likewise in Singapore, we already see strong demand for tech talent across the entire economy, ranging from software developers and network engineers to cybersecurity and product development specialists. This is not just within the ICT sector, but also in sectors like finance, manufacturing and professional services. To ensure that companies have ready access to globally competitive tech talent, IMDA works closely with enterprises, institutes of higher learning (IHLs) and other stakeholders to maximize our tech talent pipeline and to ensure that Singapore continues to be a vibrant digital economy.

    First, we equip graduates from IHLs with the right skills and experiences to be industry-relevant. We train them for areas of current need, as well as in emerging tech areas. For example, on top of established computing programs in our IHLs, we have worked with the Singapore Institute of Technology to create a new Bachelor of Science in Applied Computing with a specialization in FinTech. We are actively working with our IHLs and companies to ensure that Singapore continues to produce competitive deep tech talent and graduates who are well versed in using technology regardless of their specialization.

    Second, through the TechSkills Accelerator initiative (TeSA), we have supported over 7,000 companies, comprising local companies and foreign MNCs operating from Singapore, to hire, train and retain their tech team. TeSA collectively bridges companies’ talent needs with a supply of skilled and ready-to-be-skilled talent, and further develops existing employees through support on tech courses and industry-recognized certifications. Since 2016, we have trained over 160,000 Singaporeans and placed more than 12,000 Singaporeans in tech jobs.

    Third, together with Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower, we have put in place a transparent framework to give businesses better clarity and certainty to facilitate the entry of global talent with in-demand tech-skills. Singapore remains open to global talent to complement the strong Singaporean talent pool to drive new innovations and digitalization of our economy

  • ZTE and Pakistan’s Zong Launch Dual-Band FDD Massive MIMO

    ZTE and Pakistan’s Zong Launch Dual-Band FDD Massive MIMO

    ZTE, together with Zong, Pakistan’s digital services front-runner, has commercially launched the dual-band FDD Massive MIMO in Zong’s existing 4G network, well satisfying the expansion requirements necessary for increasing 4G users and traffic.

    With ZTE’s FDD Massive MIMO solution, the deployment area’s 4G data traffic capacity has jumped by 21% while the average user throughput has increased by 40%, resulting in a 60% reduction in high-loaded cell counts.

    Zong has been leading the data market in Pakistan with its rapid growth in 4G users and data traffic. Total 4G data traffic in the year 2021 increased nine times over that of 2018, while the proportion of high-load cells increased from 3% to 17%. Therefore, Zong’s network effective solutions to meet its expanding network requirements.

    Zong is also a pioneer of exploring new technological solutions. It is known that FDD Massive MIMO is one of the key 5G technologies. It has now been successfully applied in the 4G network, bringing about great advantage. In September 2021, Zong together with ZTE successfully commercialized the first FDD Massive MIMO site in Peshawar. The FDD Massive MIMO has been operating well on 4G for both 1.8GHz and 2.1GHz dual bands, with the highest output power of 320W in the industry. In addition,, it has enabled the industry’s unique Smart Spatial Cell Groups (SSCG) technology, which realizes intelligent cell coverage adjustment based on user distribution, and improves cell capacity and spectrum efficiency.

    “Digital everything” is becoming a new priority of the telecommunications industry. FDD Massive MIMO is a much-needed technology to support global telecommunications operators in a highly-competitive market.

    By the end of May 2022, more than 170 sites were on air. Such large-scale commercialization of FDD Massive MIMO is becoming a new way of improving capacity and spectrum efficiency in 4G networks. Moving forward, Zong and ZTE will be committed to expanding the large-scale commercialization of the FDD Massive MIMO to further improve the capacity and spectrum efficiency of 4G networks.

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  • Telenor Group aims to build new tech firm for stronger growth

    Telenor Group aims to build new tech firm for stronger growth

    Telenor Group’s CEO, Sigve Brekke, stressed that they are aiming to deliver a new technology firm in Thailand’s telecom sector by collaborating with other international companies.

    This comes after Telenor and Axiata were granted regulatory approval in Malaysia to proceed to the Celcom-Digi merger.

    In his statement, Brekke said, “What Telenor is trying to build in Thailand is not a telco company. We are trying to build a new technology company that will enable Thailand to take advantage of the perfect storm of technologies and deliver new products and services for Thailand. We can only do so if we have scale to partner these global companies. A small local telco will not be of interest to these global companies who are going after scale.”

    Jørgen Rostrup, EVP and Head of Telenor Asia meanwhile said, “We believe the amalgamation of dtac and True will create a strong company who can invest and contribute to future digital and technology development in Thailand. This is an opportunity for Thailand to be propelled into growth 2.0 and put the country in the forefront. Thailand needs two strong market players, not one strong and two weak.”

    The company also stressed that Thailand now enjoys 86% mobile access, or about 98.5 million mobile connections from 20 years ago.

    Brekke added that for the next two decades, Telenor’s development in the local market is seen to be different, wherein the industry will be facing what he calls a “perfect storm of new technologies”. These include the integration of artificial intelligence, Internet of Things and 5G.

    He also predicts a data explosion and AI will be necessary to justify of the huge amounts of data generated, as well as the need for 5G speed for a much wider connection.

  • Celcom-Digi Merger Granted Clearance By Malaysian Authorities

    Celcom-Digi Merger Granted Clearance By Malaysian Authorities

    Malaysia’s communications regulator has given Celcom and Digi the greenlight to advance on their proposed joint venture.

    According to a statement released by Digi, Telenor Group’s Malaysian subsidiary, the two major telecom operators have “received a Notice of No Objection from the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC)” to go ahead with the proposal.

    The notice came a year after Celcom and Digi submitted the merger application to the government. With it, both companies are now moving forward to deliver improved network quality and coverage. The merged companies are expecting to invest in network expansion to back the increasing demand for data and digitalization.

    Furthermore, Digi and Celcom are now planning to boost 5G capabilities.

    Chairman of Axiata, Tan Sri Shahril Ridza Ridzuan, was quoted in the statement as saying, “We thank the MCMC for their approval and guidance to reach this significant milestone. We reiterate our commitment to ensure that the proposed merger delivers benefits to the nation as a whole. It is aimed at combining the best of Celcom and Digi so that our customers and community have good options in accessing solutions to participate more equitably in this digital era.”

    Meanwhile, Digi’s Chair of the Board of Directors, Haakon Bruaset Kjoel, added,  “Today brings us a step closer to creating a strong Malaysian company with the combined scale, experience, network, and innovation leadership to drive Malaysia’s digital growth in the coming years. Together, Celcom and Digi will bring better innovations to meet our customers’ growing digital needs and for all participating in the digital economy to capture new growth opportunities in a fast-changing world. We will now focus on completing the remaining necessary steps to conclude this transaction and work on delivering a seamless integration programme to bring the vision and value of the merged entity to reality for the benefit of many.”

    The completion of the merger will now be determined by the decision of the Securities Commission, Bursa Malaysia, by both Axiata and Digi shareholders, and other customary terms and conditions. The new merged company will then be named Celcom Digi Berhad and will continue to be listed on Bursa Malaysia.

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  • PLDT, Smart Lauds Government’s New Cybercrime Lab

    PLDT, Smart Lauds Government’s New Cybercrime Lab

    Philippines’ major telecoms group, Smart and PLDT said it welcomes the country’s new Digital Forensics Platform and Laboratory launched by the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center, or ICC.

    The new facility aims to improve the government’s initiatives to fight cybercrime, especially, online sexual abuse and exploitation of children.

    Following the unveiling of this new laboratory, the group said that it has strengthened its cyber security systems as it continues its cooperation with the local government in fighting across the digital landscape.

    The new facility will help CICC to work closely with other law enforcement agencies in the country to conduct comprehensive digital and forensic investigations.

    The group’s Chief Information Security Officer, Angel Redoble, meanwhile stressed that they will continue to address these challenges in the cyberspace.

    “Children became more vulnerable to cyberattacks after the pandemic forced them to stay at home and get online to study and connect with friends, and cyber criminals have also been targeting them. We have fortified our cyber defenses and strengthened our coordination with the government to make the internet safer for kids.”

    According to PLDT and Smart, they have beefed up their efforts to support the government in its crackdown on online child abuse. By the end of May this year, it has blocked nearly 300,000 URLs linked to these criminal activities.

    The group has also collaborated with other private and public sectors in urging the country’s president to sign into to law the bill against online child sexual abuse before he steps down from office on June 30.

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  • Tesco Mobile introduces roaming charges for EU travel

    Tesco Mobile introduces roaming charges for EU travel

    After Brexit became a reality, UK mobile operators were quick to promise that roaming charges for calls and data from within EU countries will not make a return. But, after the EU Trade Deal was finalized in 2021, it seems things changed.

    EE was first to cave and reintroduced EU roaming charges for its customers. Three, Vodafone, and Sky followed suit. Now, Tesco joins in.

    No announcement, no fanfare, Tesco changed its Terms & Conditions to include this change. Come January of 2023, any customers that have signed a new contract with the provider after June 6th 2022 (including) will need to pay for their mobile usage from within EU countries as follows — 10p per MB of data, 20p per SMS (no MMS while roaming), 55p per minute of regular voice calling.

    If you have entered a contract with Tesco before the aforementioned date, you will not be affected by the roaming charges until you renew or upgrade your service.

    Frequent travellers will be able to make use of various roaming bundles that Tesco will have on offer, making it cheaper for those that find themselves abroad more often.
    Out of all major carriers in the UK, Virgin Media and O2 have yet to introduce roaming fees for EU countries. In fact, so much so that you may be feeling tempted to check out some phone deals on Virgin or phone deals on O2. Vodafone’s Xtra plans can also include no-fee roaming for the EU and other countries abroad, so it’s great if you can find your favorite phone bundled with the right plan (Vodafone refreshes its phone deals once per month or so).
    By this point, EU roaming fees for all UK residents seem like an inevitability, with the only question being “when” the last operators will cave.

     

  • China Broadnet Launches 5G Services

    China Broadnet Launches 5G Services

    China Broadnet has officially launched its services, joining China Mobile, China Telecom and China Unicom to become the country’s fourth mobile operator.

    The state-owned telecom operator launched its official website to debut 5G mobile phone services on 27 June 2022. Integrating local radio and TV carriers across China, this service brings new developments to the integration of national cable TV networks and 5G.

    In 2019, China Broadnet obtained its 5G commercial license from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. It has been assigned the 700 MHz band to cater for wireless network developments nationwide. China Broadnet has also entered into an agreement with China Mobile to share its network.

    According to China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), the total number of mobile phone users reached 1.66 billion as of end of May. Of which, 428 million were 5G users, up 73.34 million from the previous year.

  • Indonesia’s Smartphone Market Declined by 17.3% in Q1

    Indonesia’s Smartphone Market Declined by 17.3% in Q1

    Indonesia’s smartphone market had a muted start in 2022, declining 17.3% year over year (YoY) and 13.1% quarter over quarter (QoQ) and reaching 8.9 million units in 1Q22, according to a report by International Data Corporation’s (IDC).

    Lower consumer buying power due to the higher prices of goods, such as gas and commodities (including mobile phones) and a lower supply of entry-level smartphones in the market were contributing to this decline. There was a tight supply of smartphones in the US$200 and lower price band as low-end 4G chipset supply remained constrained, leading to a 22% YoY decline in this segment. The high YoY decline also resulted from the normalizing demand after the pandemic-induced growth drivers subsided. All factors combined to put additional pressure on a seasonally low quarter.Smartphone shipment in 2Q22 is expected to be lower than the shipment in 2Q21. For 2Q22, the Ramadan period gave the necessary boost for April. In addition, the government mandated that the religious holiday allowance should be paid in full in April 2022, giving consumers extra liquidity. However, this additional liquidity may be eroded as the government increased the value-added tax (VAT) from 10% to 11% on April 1, 2022, which effectively increases the price of goods. Furthermore, the price of nonsubsidized fuel Pertamax also increased.

    “The higher prices are expected to add extra pressure on consumers’ buying power. Vendors may not be able to absorb the price increase above a certain level, thus resulting in higher overall selling price,” says Vanessa Aurelia, Associate Market Analyst at IDC Indonesia. Smartphone shipment is expected to stay flat throughout 2022, compared to the 2021 shipment.

     

  • Private Cellular Networks for Next-Gen Enterprise Connectivity

    Private Cellular Networks for Next-Gen Enterprise Connectivity

    Revenue for the global private cellular network (PCNs) market is poised to reach $8.3 billion by 2026, according to forecasts by the IDC. Tapping on the growth of this emerging market, Cradlepoint, together with Ericsson, converges technologies for private cellular that modernizes daily operations and communications for enterprises. Telecom Review Asia Pacific connects with Lindsay Notwell, Senior Vice President, 5G Strategy & Global Carrier Operations, Cradlepoint, to learn about breakthroughs in PCNs and their value to industries.

    Private cellular networks, though still emerging, are quickly gaining traction. Can you tell us about the current market for private cellular networks globally and in the Asia Pacific?

    The propagation characteristics of Wi-Fi are simply inadequate to support emerging enterprise use cases. While 2.4GHz Wi-Fi offers large coverage at lower data rates, 5GHz Wi-Fi delivers high data rates but a smaller coverage area. On top of coverage and capacity limitations, enterprises face security vulnerabilities – reasons that lend acceleration to PCNs. The advent of Industry 4.0, together with 5G innovations that bring capabilities such as low latency, edge compute and high bandwidth, drives further interest in 5G private networks to support connectivity at scale.

    In the words of George Mulhern, CEO of Cradlepoint, “Anything that can be wireless, will be wireless.” PCNs are transforming LAN, similar to the early days of SDN and SD-WAN. We believe that PCNs hold the future of connectivity.

    Increasingly, enterprises and governments demand a greater degree of control in an end-to-end environment to achieve enhanced security and performance capabilities. Since Wi-Fi and public networks cannot provide the desired reliability and security in enterprise settings, private cellular becomes a requirement. Widespread adoption of MEC and edge computing fuel the need to be closer to the edge, making PCNs a value proposition. Currently, we are witnessing a rise in use cases across mines, large distribution centers, manufacturing facilities and transportation hubs, where security and interference-free connectivity are critical.

    As we know, one of the lifeblood of PCNs is spectrum. Some world governments have started to make dedicated spectrum available for private networks to enable IoT and other applications. For instance, Germany has opened doors to private networks by offering corporate licenses to spectrum. In the US, the Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) allows unlicensed, lightly-licensed and licensed spectrum to be shared. However, outside of the US, we find ourselves working with operators that possess licensed spectrum to deploy PCNs. Even though operators have been developing the ecosystem to provide private cellular, it is not the same when enterprises can deploy their networks.

    What are the challenges for deploying PCNs and how is Cradlepoint making breakthroughs in this area?

    Our first private cellular network was deployed about six years ago in the north of the Arctic circle in Canada, to conduct mining in a remote area. To provide wide-area connectivity, one of our partners built a dedicated, on-site infrastructure that provided Wi-Fi and ethernet using our endpoints. This was how we became a hub for wide-area connectivity and got started on PCNs.

    In the market, PCNs have been slower to take off in countries when spectrum is unavailable or the process to obtain spectrum is unclear to enterprises. Yet, enterprises are still on the hunt for a solution that is affordable, reliable, secure and easy to implement and use to support new applications. But enterprises must understand that Private Cellular requires proper planning, many components, and expertise. An average enterprise simply does not have the resources that operators do, which is why it is so important to find vendors and system integrators that have the experience and know-how to select the right products for the enterprise needs.

    In the industry, we recognize that many manufacturers and operators possess the infrastructure for PCNs, but do not have end-to-end solutions that enable easy private cellular deployment for enterprises. Take for instance CCTVs, robotics and drones that do not have 5G radio built into them: Cradlepoint comes in with endpoints that convert 4G or 5G into Wi-Fi and ethernet connectivity to enable private cellular connectivity. With Cradlepoint software platform, NetCloud Manager, enterprises have more visibility at the edge of the network, while also making it easy for them to manage thousands of endpoints so that these devices can operate seamlessly. Cradlepoint is dedicated to working with our integrator and ecosystem partners to help deliver the best solutions for every niche requirement.

    Can you tell us about partnerships forged by Cradlepoint and elaborate on some real-world use cases?

    One use case is the mining industry in Canada, where our endpoints powered by NetCloud connect 10-meter high autonomous earth movers that would otherwise incur a downtime cost of $100,000 per hour if connectivity is disrupted. Another use case is ports, where private networks cover a wide area to support connected devices such as cameras to track logistics, safety and security. These networks also play a big role in autonomous logging trucks, shipping cranes and autonomous vehicles for governments. These business-critical use cases require great precision and monitoring, as well as uninterrupted connectivity as it can impact safety. In these industrial-setting use cases, private networks triumph over Wi-Fi.

    In the wake of the pandemic, we are also seeing a lot of traction from the public sector, particularly in distance education, where PCNs help to control the content that students have access to. This is the same for corporations with large campuses, where private networks are deployed to ensure coverage, easy management and data that is stored internally.

    With our NetCloud Services, we have a platform – not just a device – that eases management and the ability to communicate sensor data to the right places. Our framework has been expanded to platforms like Amazon IoT Greengrass and Azure IoT Central to bring relief to operational work. Essentially, we offer enterprises a private cellular solution at the edge that is easy to use, wide-area, secure and affordable when harnessing emerging technologies.

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  • Singtel and Hyundai to develop advanced manufacturing facility for 5G future

    Singtel and Hyundai to develop advanced manufacturing facility for 5G future

    Singtel has signed an agreement with Hyundai Motor Group (HMG) to deploy Singtel’s 5G infrastructure network solutions at its Hyundai Motor Group Innovation Centre in Singapore (HMGICS) which includes an electric vehicle production facility. The HMGICS, the first of its kind in the world, will leverage Singtel’s leading-edge 5G campus network with mobile edge core solutions that will provide uninterrupted high-speed connectivity and massive bandwidth to enhance HMGICS’s high-precision quality control in manufacturing operations.

    HMGICS is the HMG’s open innovation hub for research and development in advanced mobility ecosystems with the aim of revolutionising the future mobility value chain. Apart from introducing smart mobility solutions in areas such as electric vehicles (EV), autonomous vehicles, and new forms of mobility products and services in Singapore, the HMGICS will also serve as a testbed for human-centred intelligent manufacturing and verification of Industry 4.0 technologies. Augmented by Singtel’s capabilities in 5G, artificial intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT), and Hyundai’s deep expertise in smart automotive manufacturing solutions as well as robotics, HMGICS will be the leading facility for the development of a metaverse for the manufacturing industry.

    Lim Seng Kong, Managing Director, Singtel Enterprise Business, said, “Singtel’s 5G network and MEC solutions will overcome the performance limitations of WiFi to deliver the promise of digital twins and eventually metaverse for advanced manufacturing operations. With innovation from Hyundai and enablement from our 5G solutions, we are looking at a new concept of manufacturing where the station comes to the cell, unlocking opportunities for hyper-customisation and other novel applications. Together, we are paving the way for Singapore to be the centre for Smart Manufacturing in the region.”

    Singtel’s Paragon, an all-in-one platform for 5G networks, edge computing management and services orchestration, will enable the factory to manage and analyse the manufacturing process and performance of the networks, thus allowing real-time monitoring and feedback. Paragon will also support Hyundai’s new capability that allows customers to personalise their chosen vehicles and watch their cars being manufactured live via their smart devices. Once ready, the vehicles will be transported by specially designed autonomous guided vehicles to the Centre’s 620-metre-long Sky Track where customers can test drive them.

    Hong Bum Jung, Chief Executive Officer of HMGICS, said, “Through this partnership, HMGICS will feature the Hyundai Motor Group’s first deployment of a 5G network in vehicle manufacturing, leveraging 5G for a cloud-based centralised mobile robot management solution. We believe that Singtel’s 5G solution will not only redefine the manufacturing process, but the partnership will realise Hyundai’s vision of becoming the first mobility innovator to build a Meta-Factory concept, a digital-twin of an actual factory, supported by a metaverse platform. The game-changing Meta-Factory will enable us to test-run a factory virtually, in order to calculate the optimised plant operation and enable plant managers to solve problems without having to physically visit the plant.”

    Singtel’s 5G mobility network enables Hyundai to deliver on its “metamobility” concept, which refers to going beyond physical movements through robotics and into the metaverse to affect change in the real world – expanding the use of robots as a medium between the real and virtual worlds. Deployment of these solutions is currently underway and expected to be completed by Q4 2022. The partnership also includes continued support for another five years thereafter.

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  • Thai PM Announced Thailand 5G Alliance

    Thai PM Announced Thailand 5G Alliance

    At the Thailand 5G Summit 2022, Thailand’s Digital Economy Promotion Agency (DEPA) announced the establishment of the Thailand 5G Alliance with the support of Thai Prime Minister H.E. General Prayut Chan-o-cha. The summit was co-hosted by Thailand’s Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (MDES), DEPA, GSMA APAC 5G Industry Community, and Huawei.

    Over 1,000 government officials attended the event’s opening ceremony, including researchers, partners, and journalists who came to experience and explore the possibilities of 5G-powered digital transformation created by the alliance’s partners like Huawei. Participants focused on the business potential and application cases of 5G and the efforts that have already been made to promote commercial 5G use and benefit the 5G business ecosystem in Thailand.

    During his “5G Leader in the Region” keynote at the event, the Prime Minister explained the alliance would be to help Thailand become a digital center for the entire ASEAN region. He said, “The government has assigned MDES to lay down the policy framework and action plans to promote applications of 5G technology and manage the telecommunication infrastructure that supports 5G technology. This framework will also encourage new product and services development based on 5G infrastructure and will promote continuing usage and a digital industry ecosystem from infrastructure deployment. Additionally, it will also promote collaboration between the public and private sector, through companies such as Huawei, to commercially drive Thailand’s 5G technology development in every industry and elevate Thailand’s competitive advantages towards the Thailand 4.0 era.”

    The alliance will include DEPA, and representatives from multiple Thai government agencies, the private sector, as well as industry associations such as the Office of the Digital Economy and Society Commission (ONDE), the Office of The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC), the Federation of Thai Industries, Advanced Info Service plc (AIS), True Corporation plc (True), the Thai IoT Association and the Telecommunications Association of Thailand Under the Royal Patronage. As a founding member, Huawei will also play an important role. The Thailand 5G Alliance’s main goal will be to increase the country’s economic value by promoting the use of industrial 5G applications to achieve service system upgrades in public health, security, education, transportation, factory management and modern agriculture. Ultimately, these advancements will elevate quality of life, equally, and economic efficiency in Thailand.

    The Prime Minister continued on saying, “The Thailand 5G Summit 2022 will be the starting point for domestic and international collaboration. It also showcases the telecommunication infrastructure that supports 5G technology in Thailand, which contributes to the development of digital startups and a digital workforce. This collaboration will expand technology and digital innovation, drive economic competitiveness and the digital economy, which will promote Thailand as an investment hub, and the 5G technology leader in the region – with telecommunication infrastructure that supports 5G applications.”

    Chaiwut Thanakmanusorn, Minister of Digital Economy and Society, also spoke at the event on the broader benefit industry collaboration in this field, “Technology development and digital innovation play a pivotal role in increasing digital applications in various sectors. 5G technology is a key infrastructure component for the country’s future economic and social transformation. The Ministry of Digital Economy and Society, through DEPA, is happy to be joining forces with partners like Huawei to organize events like this Thailand 5G Summit 2022.”

    Nuttapon Nimmanphatcharin, DEPA President and CEO, continued, “5G technology is an important digital infrastructure component. DEPA predicts that the Thailand 5G Summit 2022 will create up to 5 billion baht in economic value. It is an important collaboration between the public and private sector, including private supply chains and more than 60 domestic and international investors to help support the country’s development. This summit will coordinate between the government, the private sector, and educational institutions to set regulations for 5G applications and support the country’s development.”

    Simon Lin, President of Huawei Asia Pacific, praised this newest announcement, saying, “We are truly inspired by how Thailand has rapidly emerged as a 5G leader in the ASEAN region… 5G technology is a critical element in digital transformation, but it’s not a full solution in and of itself. So, beyond connectivity, Huawei will work with the industry to build a range of capabilities in areas like industry application, end-to-end system integration and innovation ecosystem.”

    Julian Gorman, Head of GSMA, Asia-Pacific Region, also noted that, “The establishment of the 5G Alliance is a significant milestone for Thailand as it is the first alliance to develop a 5G ecosystem in Southeast Asia. The GSMA APAC 5G Industry Community is pleased to collaborate with Huawei, the leading global ICT company, to drive applications of 5G technology in the Thai industrial sector to the maximum potential.”

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