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Tag: 5G

  • Nokia secures first 5G contract in China

    Nokia secures first 5G contract in China

    Nokia secured a 5G RAN contract for China Mobile on Monday, making this the company’s first 5G contract in the country.

    Nokia was awarded a 10% share in one of three contracts tendered by China Mobile, while Ericsson obtained 9.6% of another contract. The total tender for all three contracts reached about $6 billion, with Nokia being awarded 4% of the overall tender. Comparatively, Ericsson was awarded 2%, dropping from about 11% last year.

    Together, Huawei and ZTE won the majority share in all three contracts to build 5G 700 MHz base stations for China Mobile and China Broadcasting Network. This is followed by a smaller local company Datang Corporation.

    China Telecom and China Unicom will also be disclosing awards of their respective 5G contracts.

    Currently, China is ahead of other countries in 5G deployments. According to data from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, China had deployed 820,000 5G base stations by the end of March.

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  • Nokia secures first 5G contract in China

    Nokia secures first 5G contract in China

    Nokia secured a 5G RAN contract for China Mobile on Monday, making this the company’s first 5G contract in the country.

    Nokia was awarded a 10% share in one of three contracts tendered by China Mobile, while Ericsson obtained 9.6% of another contract. The total tender for all three contracts reached about $6 billion, with Nokia being awarded 4% of the overall tender. Comparatively, Ericsson was awarded 2%, dropping from about 11% last year.

    Together, Huawei and ZTE won the majority share in all three contracts to build 5G 700 MHz base stations for China Mobile and China Broadcasting Network. This is followed by a smaller local company Datang Corporation.

    China Telecom and China Unicom will also be disclosing awards of their respective 5G contracts.

    Currently, China is ahead of other countries in 5G deployments. According to data from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, China had deployed 820,000 5G base stations by the end of March.

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  • AT&T to move its 5G mobile network to Microsoft’s Azure cloud

    AT&T to move its 5G mobile network to Microsoft’s Azure cloud

    Microsoft and AT&T announced they inked a deal to provide the carrier with increased productivity and cost-efficiency of its 5G network services. Under the new partnership, AT&T will move its 5G mobile network to the Microsoft Azure cloud, while the Redmond-based company will gain access to the carrier’s intellectual property and technical expertise to grow Azure for Operators, its top-tier telecom offering.

    Furthermore, Microsoft confirmed that it will purchase AT&T’s Network Cloud platform technology, which the carrier’s 5G core network runs on. Furthermore, Microsoft will buy AT&T’s engineering and lifecycle management software that is typically used to design and deploy network cloud platforms specifically made for carriers.

    Regardless of the acquisitions announced today, AT&T will continue to operate its network and manage customer relationships, it’s just that it will now use Microsoft’s infrastructure.

    Naturally, Microsoft will be responsible for deploying both the software development and the carrier’s Network Cloud, as well as for bringing AT&T’s existing network cloud to Azure over the next three years. The announcement mentions that neither company is disclosing details on financial terms.

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  • Samsung to launch another mid-range 5G smartphone in Europe

    Samsung to launch another mid-range 5G smartphone in Europe

    After Galaxy A52 and A72, Samsung plans to launch yet another mid-range smartphone in Europe, which is supposed to bring 5G to the masses. The unannounced phone is known as Galaxy M52 and it’s likely to be cheaper than the other two Galaxy A series phones.

    Based on a benchmark spotted by GalaxyClub, the upcoming Galaxy M52 will be equipped with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 778G processor. It’s the same chipset that will be used by Honor inside its 50 series, so it’s bound to be good enough for a mid-range phone.

    Apart from its chipset, we also know that the Galaxy M52 will pack a 64-megapixel main camera, complemented by a secondary 32-megapixel camera in the front. There’s no info yet about the size of the display, but the phone is expected to feature a massive battery, just like the predecessor.

    It’s too early to talk about price, but it looks like information about color variants has already leaked, so we’re happy to let Samsung fans know that the Galaxy M52 will be available in at least three different colors: black, blue, and white.

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  • ZTE reveals innovative 5G devices at MWC 2021

    ZTE reveals innovative 5G devices at MWC 2021

    ZTE Corporation, a major international provider of telecommunications, enterprise, and consumer technology solutions for the mobile internet, today has revealed its next-generation 5G Indoor CPE MC8020, and shared its plans for the next under-display camera smartphone at Mobile World Congress 2021. Also, ZTE’s much-awaited devices can be seen at Mobile World Congress from 28 June through 1 July 2021 at 3F30, Hall 3, FIRA GRAN VIA.

    ZTE is integrating its capabilities and expertise across handsets, mobile broadband, terminal chipset modules, and peripheral products to create a smarter 5G ecosystem. A variety of 5G products will be applied into four major application scenarios, specifically health, travel, education and entertainment.

    During Mobile World Congress, attendees can experience the connected 5G ecosystem through products on display, including the ZTE 5G Portable CPE MU5001, ZTE 5G Indoor CPE MC8020, ZTE Watch GT, ZTE LiveBuds and more.

    ZTE is globally recognized for industry-leading 5G terminal devices and technical innovations such as its flagship smartphone ZTE Axon Series.

    The newly launched ZTE Axon 30 Ultra ushers in the next era of mobile imaging technology with its Trinity Camera System, consisting of three 64MP cameras and an 8MP periscope zoom camera. Its high-powered system leverages the triple cameras to achieve new possibilities, such as capturing simultaneous shots for narrative-level storytelling, taking full-focus photos from long, medium, and close-up distance with one click.

    Soon, ZTE will unveil the second-generation under-display camera smartphone, marking another breakthrough in under-display technologies that aims to enhance the display experience.

    The third-generation ZTE 5G Indoor CPE MC8020 supports both 5G SA and NSA modes, as well as Sub-6GHz and mmWave spectrum bands. Featuring the exclusive zlink Boost technology, the device enables dual-path convergence of 5G and wired broadband, allowing dual gigabit access.

    Additionally, the ZTE 5G Indoor CPE MC8020 employs the latest Wi-Fi 6 AX5400 access technology, delivering 200 percent faster access speed than that of the previous generation. The four-way omnidirectional high-gain antenna provides a high-speed 5G network for up to 128 Wi-Fi users simultaneously.

    Since the official appointment of Ni Fei as the new CEO of ZTE Mobile Devices, ZTE has gathered customer and industry insights to address pain points and ride big industry trends, accelerating the rollouts of innovative and highly-recognized products.

    ZTE also integrated its three major smartphone brands, ZTE, Nubia and RedMagic. The integration brought the Nubia Z30 back to market with its heritage of innovation. Furthermore, in partnership with Tencent, ZTE has rolled out the new RedMagic 6, one of the most powerful gaming smartphones in the market.

    ZTE has been investing in its brand with an eye set on next generation and the use of 5G. Most recently, ZTE has collaborated with the Director Zhang Yimou to produce high-quality television spots and appointed the famed Liu Haocun as ZTE’s new brand ambassador.

    ZTE plans to strengthen its direct-to-consumer relationships through offline retail sites. The company is stepping up construction of offline channels with plans to build 5,000 retail sites by the end of 2021. ZTE has completed construction of 3,000 ones to date. Shoppers can visit ZTE’s first 5G experience store in Shenzhen this summer.

    In Q1 2021 , ZTE’s consumer business has achieved year-on-year revenue growth of more than 60% largely driven by the integration of brand, product, and channel – a reply to ZTE’s strategic return to the terminal market.

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  • Indosat partners Cisco for first commercial SRv6-based 5G-ready transport network in Southeast Asia

    Indosat partners Cisco for first commercial SRv6-based 5G-ready transport network in Southeast Asia

    Indosat Ooredoo, Indonesia’s leading digital telco, announced the first commercial deployment of Segment Routing over IPv6 (SRv6) in Southeast Asia to support the development of its 5G services across the country. Partnered with Cisco, Indosat Ooredoo is transforming its Transport infrastructure into a state-of-the-art, programmable, 5G-ready transport network supported by IPv6 segment routing technology (SRv6) with Network Slicing, which enables a simple, scalable, agile, and reliable network to meet the needs of retail and business segment customers.

    This new technology, along with Indosat Ooredoo wide fiber optic network expansions, will support the growing demand for mobile data consumption with the emergence of newer technologies like Cloud Computing and Network slicing. SRv6 intelligent routing functionality that enables deterministic routing paths will guarantee high quality and low latency on-demand services with faster data connectivity and full automation required to serve digital communities throughout Indonesia. In addition, network slicing allows Indosat Ooredoo to create new digital services for each customer by enabling the functions that cater to their needs.

    Indosat Ooredoo, in partnering with Cisco, will accommodate the new requirements of 5G use cases of many business segments and industries, including fixed and mobile broadband services, through fully automated SRv6 infrastructure, and seamlessly migrate the currently existing network to the next generation software-defined network to improve customer’s digital experience with optimized TCO as one of the key elements of its network automation and digital transformation strategy.

    “We are excited with the launch of Southeast Asia’s first SRv6-based 5G-ready transport network together with Cisco to support Indosat Ooredoo’s digital transformation journey, addressing our consumers and enterprise customers’ needs for on-demand and scalable network requirements. This is a major step in building our Next-Generation Programmable Transport Network that is future-ready, scalable, with automated operations enabled by Software Defined Network (SDN) and intelligent segment routing functions of SRv6. This will allow us to deliver fast, on-demand, high-quality low-latency connectivity services for 5G, cloud computing and IoT for both consumers and enterprises across Indonesia establishing a strong foundation for 5G architecture moving forward to support Indonesia’s vision as a fully digital nation” said Medhat Elhusseiny, Chief Technology and Information Officer of Indosat Ooredoo.

    “Indosat Ooredoo has an intense focus on improving service quality for its customers while driving the efficiency as well as the new revenue creation,” said Sanjay Kaul, President of APJ Service Provider, Cisco. “With the launch of SRv6 network programming, Indosat Ooredoo is pioneering the next phase of IP networking through simplification, automation, and championing the needs of its customers. With the capabilities provided by SRv6, Indosat Ooredoo, powered by Cisco, aims to support Indonesia as it continues its digital economic transformation to drive operational efficiencies, customer experience, as well as product and service innovation across their organizations. Together, Indosat Ooredoo and Cisco can ensure a better network, digital experience, and a more inclusive future for all Indonesians.”

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  • One day we might use wireless 5G signals to provide power to electronic devices

    One day we might use wireless 5G signals to provide power to electronic devices

    We know that mmWave 5G spectrum delivers the fastest download data speed despite some drawbacks; these signals do not travel far, nor are they able to easily penetrate buildings. But what they can do is create energy that one day could replace batteries and other sources of power.

    Researchers at Georgia Tech have created a concept wireless power grid that runs on 5G mmWave frequencies. This is done via the use of a sticker-type device that captures the electromagnetic energy created by 5G base stations. Currently, this energy is being used to transfer data.

    Manos Tentzeris, Ph.D. is a professor of flexible electronics at Georgia Tech and he led the schools’ research team which created a specialized lens to capture the power generated by mmWave 5G signals. The Rotman lens “rectenna” is a small device that collects the energy sent out by 5G wireless networks. But one thing that is characteristic to 5G signals makes it perfect for powering an electricity grid and that is the ability to focus power.

    Georgia Tech alum Jimmy Hester is serving as a senior lab advisor to the group working on this development. Hester says that 5G base stations operate at high frequencies allowing them to “focalize power.” In other words, “What we’re talking about is more of an intentional energization of the devices, themselves, by focalizing the beam towards the device in order to turn it on and power it.”

    The key to this whole project is the Rotman lens, a flexible lens that helps collects energy from multiple directions. It is the same technology used in military surveillance systems that can identify targets in various directions without having to move the antennas. Aline Eid, a Ph.D. student and senior researcher says, “The same way the lens in your camera collects all of the light waves from any direction and combines it to one point…to create an image, that’s exactly how this lens works. The lens is like a tarantula … because a tarantula has six eyes, and our system can also look in six different directions.”

    With the Rotman lens, the field of view for the energy collecting “sticker” device increases from a 20-degree “pencil beam” to 120 degrees. This makes it easier to collect mmWave energy in the 28GHz band. Eid states that if you placed a sticker device on a drone, you would be able to collect energy from 5G base stations all over a city.

    Still, this system is in its early days and right now the rectenna stickers can collect only 6 microwatts of energy, enough to power up small IoT devices from a range of 180 meters (590.55 feet) away. In lab tests, the device has been able to collect 21 times that amount.

    Tentzeris says that his team is looking for funding and is especially interested in working with wireless carriers. This way the wireless providers can place the stickers throughout cities at the same time that they’re building out their 5G networks. Manos adds, “In the beginning of the 2000s, companies moved from voice to data. Now, using this technology, they can add power to data/communication as well.”

    Looking at the future, the rectenna sticker could end up embedded inside a wearable or stitched into clothing. As far as the financial aspects of producing the stickers is concerned, Tentzeris states that each unit costs only a few cents which means that money might not prevent this from becoming a legitimate method for delivering power.

    The Georgia Tech professor says, “Scalability was very important, you’re talking about billions of devices. You could have a great prototype working in the lab, but when somebody asks, ‘Can everybody use it?’ you need to be able to say yes.”

    Perhaps someday in the future, 5G signals will provide your phone with the power it needs to run all day-every day in addition to the connectivity these signals deliver.

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  • How can telecom operators overcome cyber threats in a 5G world

    How can telecom operators overcome cyber threats in a 5G world

    While 5G promises endless possibilities with low-latency and high-speed connectivity, an increased number of IoT and smart devices open doors to new vulnerabilities. Not only will there be more entry points for cyberattacks, 5G can also lead to faster spread of botnet activities.

    In fact, such threats have amplified in the past year, with pandemic-driven remote work and learning aggravating the cybersecurity threatscape worldwide. According to cybersecurity company Atlas, one of the most common attacks is a DDoS attack. In 2020, there were more than 10 million such attacks, representing a 1.6 million hike from the previous year.

    Cyber threats in the telecom industry

    In recent years, the telecommunications industry has fallen prey to increased cyber threats, with DNS and DDoS being the most common types of attacks. Often, attackers infiltrate telecom networks through vendors, service providers or e-mail providers. Not only are telecom operators more frequently attacked, but they are also experiencing costlier attacks, with repercussions such as revenue losses from downtime, disruption to business functions, compromised customer data and impact to brand image. Often, the effects are far-reaching, affecting customers from across sectors relying on their networks.

    To counter these imminent threats, telecom operators are challenged to adopt a holistic and risk-based 5G security strategy and ensure security across 5G applications and devices. Strategies have to be adapted to take into consideration traditional networks that have been replaced by virtualised, decentralised and software-driven networks that are operated by multiple vendors across different geographical locations. Adding complexity to this is a technology still in its infancy, where boundaries are broadening and discoveries are still being made.

    For instance, Adaptive Mobile recently disclosed that mobile network slicing reveals a vulnerability that can potentially lead to leaks of sensitive user data and DDoS attacks between different network slices on 5G networks. While this finding has since been submitted to GSMA for countermeasures to be recommended, it highlights an evolving tech environment and the need for adaptive, flexible solutions. It also highlights the need for telecom operators to constantly assess network resilience and develop secure networks across regulatory bodies, operators and other stakeholders. As the 5G ecosystem becomes more developed and complicated, the industry as a whole cannot afford to treat cybersecurity as an afterthought.

    Enhancing security with widespread 5G adoption

    On the one hand, telecom operators have to build a more robust and secure infrastructure to keep cyber threats at bay for its networks. On the other hand, this presents an opportunity for telecom operators to generate a new revenue stream.

    Across industries, accelerated digital transformation is accompanied by heightened cybersecurity risks and vulnerabilities. To counter these threats, spending on security products and services is estimated to reach US$23.1 billion in the Asia Pacific region this year. According to IDC, this represents a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.3% over the period from 2019 to 2024, with spending totaling US$35 billion by 2024. Of which, 40% of security services spending will be on managed security services.

    As connections between the physical and virtual proliferate with widespread 5G adoption, this spending is poised to grow when enterprises recognise they have limited cybersecurity skills to navigate a more complicated and diverse IT environment.

    To bridge this gap, telecom operators can leverage network advantages and authentication capabilities, adding to its architecture automation mechanisms to support zero-trust security, using threat intelligence analytics to monitor and detect dynamic behaviors across a hybrid cloud environment to capture threats and trigger real-time responses. As 5G use cases grow across industries, telecom operators also need to adopt cloud networking with flexible security levels to suit the varied needs of customers.

    To do this, telecom operators can deliver managed security services via strategic alliances with tech partners or other operators. For instance, TM ONE, the business-to-business arm of Telekom Malaysia recently partnered Telefónica Tech, a cybersecurity firm to provide cybersecurity solutions for its customers.

    As 5G infiltrates more industries, a sound security strategy becomes critical to mitigating business losses and building customer confidence. Essentially, cybersecurity should be a driving factor as the telecommunications industry transforms their network infrastructure in the early stages of 5G adoption. This would help telecom operators better anticipate evolving and more complex demands in a hyperconnected world.

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  • China is home to world’s largest 5G network

    China is home to world’s largest 5G network

    With 260 million 5G mobile connections, China boasts the world’s largest 5G mobile network, according to Liu Liehong, vice minister of China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) in a press conference this week.

    As of the end of February, China reported having 792,000 5G base stations, with 5G SA networks covering all prefecture-level cities, while 5G terminal connections reached 260 million.

    This year, China is planning to build more than 600,000 5G base stations to broaden the country’s 5G coverage and strengthen its digital competitiveness. 5G is viewed to be critical to the advancement of tech innovations and accelerating industry digitalization to boost the nation’s industrial capacity.

    In the country’s fourth session of the 13th National People’s Congress (NPC) held in early March, China emphasized on building up tech reliance through national policies and R&D spending.

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  • Huawei and China Mobile support one-of-a-kind 5G smart port in China

    Huawei and China Mobile support one-of-a-kind 5G smart port in China

    Ningbo is a time-honored international port city in east China’s Zhejiang province. Its port, the Ningbo-Zhoushan Port, is the largest port in the world. Recently, the port worked with China Mobile Ningbo and Huawei to showcase the hybrid platooning of 5G smart and traditional container trucks. The platooning is a stride towards realizing the goal of becoming a world-class port. With this solution, in berth 8 of its busy Meishan container terminal, 13 5G smart container trucks run automatically and smoothly, greatly improving automation and safety in the port.

    Due to the collaboration of Zhejiang Seaport Group, China Mobile Zhejiang, Huawei, and other leading players, the Ningbo-Zhoushan Port has been transformed into a smart 5G port. To date, the port has reached a number of milestones, becoming the first in the industry to integrate 5G automated rubber-tired gantry (RTG) cranes into routine operation and implement 5G network slicing and 5G Super Uplink in port businesses.

    Smart container trucks represent a new breakthrough in the smart port transformation. Their scaled application offers an effective solution to driver shortage and fatigue while improving efficiency and reducing safety risks. They will play an important role in replacing intensive labor in the port with unmanned, automated, and intelligent operations.

    Smart container trucks require real-time 5G smart sensing, truck-road and truck-truck synergy, and video transmission. One container truck requires an uplink bandwidth of 20 to 30 Mbps and a low latency of below 20 ms. During peak hours, more than 40 container trucks will be working at the same time. This requires the network to ensure an uplink bandwidth of 1,200 Mbps.

    5G can provide better network support for these applications. Based on 3GPP Release 16, China Mobile and Huawei have developed a 5GtoB solution for port applications. Ample verification tests have been conducted, with results showing that the solution meets the requirements of smart container trucks on both network performance and stability. With CPEs deployed to support dual feeding and selective receiving solution, the network further improves the quality and latency stability of smart container trucks’ signal transmission. As such, 5G has become a preferred network solution for full-function applications of smart container trucks.

    In the Ningbo-Zhoushan Port, container trucks no longer have drivers — an important indicator of the automated logistics of 5G smart trucks in modern ports. Powered by 5G and AI, upon detecting that containers unloaded from bridge cranes are properly loaded, container trucks automatically power on to move the containers to their destinations. During this process, they automatically identify nearby objects, machinery, and lighthouses and respond intelligently, such as decelerating, braking, steering, bypassing, and parking. They can also accurately move to the RTG-specified positions along optimal routes provided by the smart dispatching system, meeting the demand for horizontal transfer in closed areas.

    Looking to the future, the Ningbo-Zhoushan Port will continue to work with China Mobile Ningbo and Huawei as well as other industrial partners to further integrate upstream and downstream resources and promote the pilot and promotion of remote device control, smart tallying, unmanned driving, online AI port monitoring, and trunking communication based on 5G networks so as to build a comprehensive benchmark of 5G smart port.

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  • South Korea to release low-cost 5G through MVNO mobile data plans

    South Korea to release low-cost 5G through MVNO mobile data plans

    South Korea’s Ministry of Science and ICT has announced plans to release low-cost 5G mobile data plans to raise the competitiveness of the country’s 5G market.

    The ministry reported that tariffs will be announced, with mobile data rates offered by mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) priced below those offered by the country’s major carriers SK Telecom, KT and LG Uplus.

    According to data from the Ministry of Science and ICT, 5G subscribers in South Korea totaled at 13.66 million in February, nearly doubling from just 792,118 subscribers from the previous month. The top carrier, SK Telecom, had 6.35 million 5G subscribers.

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  • ZTE assists in first 5G local traffic offloading pilot in China’s mining industry

    ZTE assists in first 5G local traffic offloading pilot in China’s mining industry

    ZTE Corporation, a major international provider of telecommunications, enterprise and consumer technology solutions for the Mobile Internet, together with China Unicom and Shandong Energy Beidou Tiandi, today has completed the first 5G local traffic offloading pilot in the mining industry in Shandong Province, China.

    With private network coverage as the test target, the pilot employs “5G+NodeEngine” base station-level local offloading, customized for China Unicom Shandong Branch, to bring the mining services a private network. The pilot, in bid to ensure data transmission security and nearest local access, has tested and verified two major functions of ZTE’s NodeEngine solution: local traffic offloading of base station and local inter-connection with eBridge.

    The video monitoring data is sent to the underground integrated control center directly through the intelligent offloading module, so as to reduce the latency by more than 50%. At the same time, ZTE’s NodeEngine solution, combined with the air-interface keep-alive strategy, ensures that the core production services will not be affected when the underground and ground optical fibers are disconnected. Moreover, local inter-connection with eBridge can realize control and equipment management among production devices and between the control end and remote terminals.

    By virtue of ZTE’s NodeEngine solution, ZTE’s 5G base station has been empowered with powerful computing capability to offload the local traffic. Meanwhile, the NodeEngine solution helps further strengthen the data transmission security, safeguard the production when the optical fibers are disconnected, and realize the fast and low-cost service provisioning.

    Moving forward, the three parties will be committed to the customer and demand-oriented innovation investment, expecting to accelerate the in-depth development and expansion of 5G technology in the mining industry and assist enterprises achieve fast deployment of digital application.

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  • Qualcomm supports SoftBank’s fastest-ever 5G mmWave in Japan

    Qualcomm supports SoftBank’s fastest-ever 5G mmWave in Japan

    Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. announced that SoftBank Corp. has launched its 5G millimeter (mmWave) service in Japan – using devices based on Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 5G Mobile Platforms and Modem-RF Systems. 5G mmWave allows Japanese users to enjoy the fastest possible multi-Gigabit download speeds in the country. Along with the launch, SoftBank is making the “Pocket WiFi 5G A004ZT” 5G mmWave mobile hotspot available for sale. All initial 5G mmWave-compatible mobile devices in SoftBank’s portfolio, including soon-to-be announced 5G smartphones, are expected to be powered by Qualcomm Technologies’ 5G mmWave products.

    The deployment of 5G mmWave is critical to unleashing the full potential of 5G and addressing the massive increase in mobile data demand. 5G mmWave allows leading operators such as SoftBank to take advantage of the large amount of spectrum resources available in higher bands, enabling them to deliver the world’s fastest multi-gigabit cellular speeds and low latency connectivity.

    5G mmWave is also a cost-effective way for mobile operators to increase the network capacity needed to meet the increasing demand for data in dense urban, fixed wireless access and enterprise environments – with savings up to 35% in total cost of ownership compared to sole use of sub-6 GHz bands.

    “5G mmWave is critical for mobile operators to stay competitive and to realize the full potential of 5G to transform many industries,” said Francesco Grilli, vice president, product management, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. “Japan is at the forefront in deploying the most advanced 5G technologies such as mmWave, and we are honored by working with SoftBank to bring the fastest mobile experiences to Japanese consumers and businesses.”

    “SoftBank is pleased to collaborate with Qualcomm Technologies and use its leading 5G mmWave technology to offer world-class 5G service to our subscribers,” said Keigo Sugano, senior vice president, head of product division, SoftBank Corp. “We look forward to continuing our long-standing collaboration with Qualcomm Technologies to support Japan’s growth and leadership using the most advanced wireless innovations.”

    This announcement follows SoftBank’s commercial launch of 5G Sub-6 GHz service with smartphones powered by Snapdragon 5G Mobile Platforms in March 2020. The commercial launch of 5G mmWave significantly strengthens SoftBank’s 5G network capabilities, with more mmWave capable mobile devices to be launched going forward.

  • Nokia deploys first 5G standalone RAN in Southeast Asia to M1-Starhub JV in Singapore

    Nokia deploys first 5G standalone RAN in Southeast Asia to M1-Starhub JV in Singapore

    Nokia announced the first 5G standalone (“SA”) Radio Access Network (“RAN”) Sharing network in South East Asia. The company has been selected by Antina Pte. Ltd. (“Antina”), a joint venture formed by mobile network operators M1 and StarHub, following a competitive tender process, to deploy 5G SA networks across Singapore. The commercial deployment of a 5G SA network will introduce compelling new use cases and cater for the growing data demand in the country, putting Singapore at the forefront of 5G standalone technology in the region.

    The partnership will enable Antina’s customers – M1, StarHub and other mobile service providers on wholesale arrangements – to benefit from a game-changing ultra-high speed, low-latency and highly secure 5G SA network that will reduce complexity and increase cost efficiencies. It will also enable new use cases across entertainment, cloud gaming, transportation, education and healthcare.

    Nokia will provide equipment from its comprehensive AirScale portfolio and CloudRAN solution to build the Radio Access Network (RAN) for the 5G SA infrastructure, utilizing the 3.5GHz spectrum band. Nokia will supply 5G base stations and its small cells solution for indoor coverage, as well as other radio access products. Nokia’s 5G SA technology will provide Singaporean enterprises with the opportunity to explore multiple new use cases due to the network’s higher bandwidth, higher uplink speeds and lower-latency.

    Nokia CloudRAN solution is designed to enable Antina to build a more agile business, meet new traffic demands, make better use of spectrum as well as optimize performance and mitigate costs. Nokia’s CloudRAN technology is expected to provide Antina with the flexibility to meet customer demands in the evolving 5G era. Nokia’s NetAct network management, CloudBand Application Manager and CloudBand Infrastructure Software will streamline operations and securely manage Antina’s networks.

    The commercial launch of this 5G SA network in Singapore will underpin the infrastructure for a vibrant 5G ecosystem.

    Tommi Uitto, President of Mobile Networks, Nokia, said: “This is an important win for Nokia that demonstrates our leadership in commercial-grade Cloud RAN as well as mobile operators’ trust in our capabilities for rapidly transitioning to 5G standalone networks. We look forward to supporting Antina in the deployment of a successful rollout of the 5G SA network in Singapore which aligns with the country’s vision of creating a world-class 5G infrastructure. We hope other global markets considering making the move to 5G SA will take note of Antina’s success.”

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  • Nokia and LG Uplus to test 5G B2B digital platform in South Korea

    Nokia and LG Uplus to test 5G B2B digital platform in South Korea

    Nokia has today announced that it will conduct a 5G Business-to-Business (B2B) digital platform trial for LG Uplus. Once deployed, the platform will allow LG Uplus to reduce time-to-market for launching 5G-powered services to its enterprise and business vertical customers. The platform will also enable LG Uplus to address new business segments, including Industry 4.0, and smart factory. After deployment, the solution will promote the use of 5G by enterprises and verticals to grow their business, aligning with the Korean Government’s Digital New Deal initiative.

    The proof-of-concept test of the 5G B2B digital platform will be completed in two phases starting in February. While the first phase involves a demonstration in the Nokia Lab, the second phase with a field trial is planned in the LG Uplus Regional Operation Center in KyungNam.

    Nokia’s solution is based on multi-domain technology and ensures full automation and near real-time delivery of services. The solution includes a service platform powered by Nokia’s Digital Operations software, Cloud Operations Manager, Network Exposure Function, Registers, Cloud Packet Core, Software Defined Networking, and gNB (5G version of eNodeB), across Nokia’s cloud platform.

    LG Uplus will use the platform to cost-efficiently automate the design and deployment of 5G network slices for the delivery of new services. In addition, LG Uplus’ enterprise customers will be able to leverage 5G capabilities to enhance their business and operational efficiency leading to overall economic gain.

    The service will give LG Uplus customers the flexibility to directly control and manage the platform to meet their needs. Further, it will help LG Uplus offer newer use cases such as Smart Factory and Smart Harbor with 5G wireless connectivity and associated services like network slicing.

    Jaeyong Seo, Vice President of Smart Infrastructure Business Unit, LG Uplus, said: “We are committed to providing best-in-class and innovative services to our customers and this trial is a crucial step in this direction. Once deployed, Nokia’s 5G B2B digital platform will help us expand our enterprise business by allowing us to provide new use cases rapidly. Nokia is our trusted partner and we look forward to working with them on this important trial.”

    Kevin Ahn, Head of Korea, Nokia, said: “We are excited to conduct this pathbreaking trial for LG Uplus to enable its enterprise customers to improve business processes with 5G. Nokia’s 5G B2B digital platform will allow LG Uplus to transform its B2B service creation with agility and automation and delight its enterprise customers with new use cases and operational excellence.”

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