2024 November News Roundup

6G

3GPP Begins Official 6G Standardization with Release 21
3GPP is initiating 6G standardization through Release 21, targeting 6G RAN specifications by 2029. The standards body aims to avoid 5G’s challenges, particularly the two-step NSA/SA deployment process and geographic fragmentation of standards. Meanwhile, Release 19 completion is expected next year, with focus on creating a unified global standard.

China’s MIIT Advocates for Global 6G Standard Development
China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) Vice Minister Zhang Yunming announced China’s commitment to developing a unified global 6G standard at a Shanghai conference. The initiative is prioritized by Communist Party leadership, with China seeking collaboration with EU, Korea, and Japan while maintaining an open development approach.

Industry Expert Proposes Dedicated 6G Private Network Standard
University of Notre Dame Professor Monisha Ghosh suggests developing a separate 3GPP 6G specification for private networks. The proposal stems from private networks’ unique characteristics as independent radio networks with dedicated cores and increased spectrum sharing requirements.

Nokia and NTT Docomo Advance AI-Native Air Interface Testing
NTT Docomo and Nokia have successfully demonstrated their 6G AI-AI (AI-native Air Interface) in an indoor setting using physical antennas and GPU-based machine learning. The system employs AI for signal processing tasks including channel estimation and equalization, achieving higher transmission efficiency by eliminating traditional reference signals.

5G

FCC Establishes Guidelines for 5G C-V2X Communications
The FCC has released rules governing 5G-based vehicle communications, allocating 30 MHz of spectrum between 5.89 GHz and 5.925 GHz for C-V2X technology. The guidelines aim to facilitate safer roadways through advanced automobile safety technology, though specific 3GPP standard release recommendations were not included.

Neutral Host Networks Could Reduce Urban 5G Deployment Costs by 47%
ABI Research’s study with Boldyn Networks reveals potential 47% cost reduction and 38% energy savings through neutral host network sharing for urban 5G deployments. Analysis covered five areas across New York and Rome, with savings attributed to equipment consolidation and shared infrastructure costs.

Hong Kong’s 5G Spectrum Auction Generates $288 Million
Hong Kong successfully auctioned 110 MHz of spectrum for 4G/5G services, raising $288 million. China Mobile secured 50 MHz of 2.3 GHz spectrum for $137 million, while Hutchison Telecom, HKT, and SmarTone acquired various spectrum blocks in 850 MHz and 2.3 GHz bands.

Millimeter Wave Spectrum Faces Significant Value Decline
UScellular has halved its mmWave spectrum valuation to $161 million, marking a significant decline in mmWave’s perceived value. T-Mobile recently surrendered 520 mmWave licenses due to FCC coverage requirement challenges, contrasting with the $10 billion spent by major carriers in previous auctions.

Virgin Media O2 Launches UK’s First 5G SA Small Cells
Virgin Media O2 has deployed 5G standalone small cells in Birmingham through partnerships with Ontix and AlphaWireless. Early data shows improved network performance in high-traffic areas, addressing a 26% increase in data consumption from the previous year.

Analysts Project FWA Market Growth Slowdown
New Street Research forecasts T-Mobile to add 1.45 million FWA customers, Verizon 1.3 million, and AT&T 550,000 in 2025. Analysts expect customer additions to decline from 2026 onward, suggesting the FWA market is reaching maturity.

Ericsson Shifts Focus to Software Revenue Stream
Ericsson CEO Börje Ekholm announced increased focus on software revenue streams despite traditional hardware focus. Q3 mobile networks sales dropped 4% year-over-year, while gross margin increased 9.4 percentage points to 48.3%, indicating successful transition.

Nvidia and SoftBank Demonstrate AI-RAN Monetization Potential
Nvidia and SoftBank’s outdoor pilot showed AI workloads can utilize excess network capacity in 5G RAN. Companies estimate operators can earn $5 in AI inference revenue per $1 of AI-RAN infrastructure investment, potentially yielding 219% returns per server.

Open RAN

Saudi Aramco Considers $1B Investment in Mavenir
Saudi Aramco is reportedly planning a $1 billion investment in Mavenir for a minority stake, valuing the company at $3 billion. The investment could provide crucial support for Mavenir, which faces potential loan default according to S&P Global.

Verizon Implements Multi-Vendor Open RAN in Austin
Verizon has successfully deployed its first multi-vendor open RAN system in Austin, connecting Samsung and CommScope equipment. Dell’Oro Group projects multi-vendor open RAN will represent only 5–10% of total RAN revenues by 2028.

AI

Dev/Agents Secures $56M for Universal AI Operating System
Former Google executives launched dev/agents with $56 million in seed funding led by Index Ventures and CapitalG. The company aims to develop a universal operating system for AI agents, led by former Google VP David Singleton as CEO.

Major Tech Companies Advance Agentic AI Development
Google Cloud is testing Looker, a conversational data analytics agent integrated with workplace tools. OpenAI plans to launch its own AI agent, while Tableau has rebranded its AI assistant as an agent, marking a shift toward proactive AI capabilities.

Open Source GenAI Shows Promise Despite Challenges
GitHub reports open source GenAI can improve model accuracy by 5–10% in specific applications. While offering cost benefits and customization opportunities, these models require self-managed security updates and standard compliance, presenting potential security risks.

Cloud Providers See Strong Q3 Growth Driven by AI
AWS achieved 19.1% growth and $110 billion annualized run rate, while Google Cloud saw 35% growth and $2 billion operating income in Q3. Smaller providers including Oracle, Huawei, Snowflake, and Cloudflare also reported increased growth rates.

Cloud

Cisco Reports Growth in Telecom Business
Cisco announced low-single-digit growth in its telecom business for fiscal Q1 2025, marking a turnaround from previous declines. Morgan Stanley analysts interpret the results as indicating improved networking spending, though cable revenue continues to decline.

API

Nokia Acquires RapidAPI to Expand Developer Reach
Nokia’s acquisition of RapidAPI, valued at $1 billion in 2022, aims to enhance its developer ecosystem access. RapidAPI’s marketplace platform complements Nokia’s Network as Code platform, despite recent company restructuring and staff reductions.

Private Wireless

Singtel Implements 5G Network Slice for Tuas Port Operations
Singtel deploys triple-band 5G network slice for Tuas Port automation, supporting AGVs and remote-controlled cranes. By 2040, the port plans to operate over 1,000 battery-powered driverless vehicles and automated yard cranes on the network.

Del Conca USA Implements Celona CBRS Private Network
Del Conca’s American facility utilizes Celona’s 4G CBRS private network for AGV operations and forklift management. SNS Telecom & IT projects 15% CBRS spectrum usage growth through 2027, driven by private network expansion.

Analysts Predict Private 5G Network Mainstream Adoption
AvidThink analyst (You Know Who) predicts private 5G networks will finally go mainstream in 2025 across major markets. Cisco’s partnership with NEC for 5G private networks indicates growing momentum, focusing initially on Middle East and European markets.

Private 5G Networks Projected to Grow at 63% CAGR
ABI Research predicts private 5G network market value reaching $19.4 billion by 2029, growing at 63% CAGR compared to DAS’s 21%. The shift indicates changing enterprise approaches to indoor connectivity, particularly in specialized applications.

SD-WAN

BT Enhances SD-WAN with Fortinet SSE Integration
BT adds Fortinet’s AI-powered SSE capabilities to its managed SD-WAN service, enabling SASE transition. New features include firewall-as-a-service, secure web gateway, cloud access security, and zero-trust network access.

Starlink Partners with MetTel for Enterprise SD-WAN Services
SpaceX designates MetTel as first authorized partner for Starlink-based SD-WAN services. The offering combines terrestrial services with satellite links supporting 2–12 Starlink antennas, utilizing VMware’s SD-WAN service and managed services software.