2024 September News Roundup

5G

T-Mobile Launches Dedicated 5G Network Slice for First Responders
T-Mobile has introduced T-Priority, a 5G network slice for first responders using its 5G standalone core network. Developed with New York City, T-Priority aims to maintain minimum service levels during extreme congestion. T-Mobile claims it’s the world’s first 5G network slice for first responders on a 5G SA network.

EE Activates 5G Standalone Service in 15 UK Cities
BT has launched 5G standalone (5G SA) in 15 UK cities through its EE brand, covering about 18 million people. The deployment involves allocating spectrum across multiple bands for standalone services while maintaining sufficient capacity for 4G and non-standalone services.

Nokia Secures 5G Deal with Vietnam’s Viettel
Nokia has signed a deal with Viettel Group to deploy 5G nationwide in Vietnam, covering 22 provinces with 2,500 sites. The project will use Nokia’s 5G AirScale portfolio and locally manufactured equipment, marking Vietnam’s first 5G network with domestic hardware.

Global 5G Connections Surpass 2 Billion
5G connections exceeded 2 billion globally at the end of Q2 2024, according to 5G Americas and Omdia. North America added 23 million new 5G connections, totaling 242 million. By 2029, global 5G connections are expected to reach 8.6 billion, accounting for 59% of all cellular technologies.

Free Becomes First Operator in France to Offer Nationwide 5G SA
French operator Free has launched 5G SA on its public network nationwide, using 3.5 GHz spectrum. The company also introduced Voice over New Radio (VoNR) support. Free claims to operate the largest 5G network in France with over 20,000 5G sites, covering nearly 95% of the population.

FCC Grants EchoStar Extension for 5G Buildout Requirements
The FCC has approved EchoStar’s request for extended 5G buildout deadlines. In exchange, EchoStar agreed to accelerated deployments in certain markets, a low-cost wireless service plan, and nationwide availability of 5G devices. Construction milestones for various spectrum blocks have been extended to December 2026 and June 2028.

DirecTV’s Acquisition of Dish’s TV Business to Boost 5G Network Development
DirecTV’s $1 purchase of Dish’s satellite TV business will significantly reduce EchoStar’s debt by $11.7 billion. This deal, along with $2.5 billion in new financing, is expected to accelerate Dish’s nationwide 5G network buildout, which has already reached 70% completion.

6G

6G Development Expected to Build on 5G Trends
At the 6G Symposium, experts discussed the evolution of 6G technology. FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks emphasized that 6G will likely continue trends from 5G, such as network disaggregation and open RAN. The integration of AI in 6G was highlighted, along with challenges in energy consumption and spectrum availability.

Open RAN

Vodafone’s Santiago Tenorio Reportedly Joining Verizon as CTO
Santiago ‘Yago’ Tenorio, former network architecture director at Vodafone Group, is reportedly leaving to join Verizon as CTO. Tenorio, who served as chairman of the Telecom Infra Project (TIP) for five years, has been a key figure in Vodafone’s Open RAN initiative. This move could signal increased interest in Open RAN from Verizon.

Open RAN Showing Potential for Improved Energy Efficiency
Executives in the wireless industry suggest that O-RAN-compliant radios may offer energy efficiency advantages over traditional radios. Orange Group’s head of radio innovation, Atoosa Hatefi, highlighted advancements in cloud RAN ecosystems and faster development cycles for cloud infrastructure as key factors contributing to open RAN’s potential environmental benefits.

T-Mobile Partners with Nvidia for AI-RAN Development
T-Mobile and Nvidia are collaborating on integrating artificial intelligence into Radio Access Networks (RAN). Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang emphasized the complexity of wireless networks and the potential for AI to revolutionize RAN. The companies are working with Ericsson and Nokia to implement AI in RAN for real-world applications.

APIs

Ericsson Remains Optimistic About API Potential
Niklas Heuveldop, Vonage’s new CEO, expressed confidence in Ericsson’s $6.2 billion Vonage acquisition. Ericsson is part of a venture with major telecom operators to combine and sell network APIs globally. The venture gives Ericsson a 50% stake, with participating operators splitting the other half.

GSMA Seeks Reliance Jio’s Participation in Open Gateway Initiative
The GSMA is in talks with Reliance Jio, India’s largest service provider, to join the Open Gateway initiative. Currently, Bharti Airtel is the only Indian telco participating in this framework of common network APIs. Over 50 global service providers have joined Open Gateway since its launch last year.

Oracle’s Enterprise Communications Platform Enters API Market
Oracle has announced its first use case for the Enterprise Communications Platform (ECP), enabling critical IoT connectivity via API connection to AT&T’s network. The company plans to expand ECP applications to various sectors, including public safety, food and beverage, healthcare, and energy.

AI

T-Mobile and OpenAI Collaborate on AI-Powered Customer Service
T-Mobile is partnering with OpenAI to develop IntentCX, an AI platform aimed at improving customer service and reducing churn. The system will analyze customer issues and automatically engage with current customers to prevent problems leading to churn.

Telecom Managers Expect AI to Boost Network Efficiency
A Ciena survey found that over half of telecom and IT engineers believe AI will improve network operational efficiency by 40% or more. However, 99% of respondents anticipate that fiber network upgrades will be necessary to support increased AI traffic.

AI-Powered Apps Predicted to Cause Surge in Uplink Traffic
Mobile Experts predicts that AI-powered applications will significantly increase uplink traffic on 5G networks, potentially causing capacity issues as early as 2027. Network optimization will become crucial for managing resources efficiently and enhancing performance in response to AI-driven traffic growth.

Direct-to-Device (D2D)

Verizon and Skylo Partner on Direct-to-Device Communications
Verizon and satellite startup Skylo are collaborating on direct-to-device (D2D) communications, focusing initially on emergency SOS texting. Unlike T-Mobile and SpaceX’s approach, Skylo’s system uses satellite spectrum from companies like Viasat and Ligado, not requiring mobile network operators’ terrestrial spectrum.

Cloud

IBM Acquires Kubecost to Enhance FinOps Capabilities
IBM has acquired Kubernetes cost management platform Kubecost to strengthen its FinOps offerings. While there’s some overlap with existing IBM assets, the company views Kubecost as complementary to its portfolio. IBM plans to hire more engineering talent to focus on FinOps opportunities.

AT&T and Intel Executives Appointed to Top Roles at Telecom Infra Project
AT&T VP Rob Soni will succeed Santiago Tenorio as chair of the Telecom Infra Project (TIP), while Intel VP Caroline Chan becomes TIP’s new president. These appointments come at a critical phase in open RAN deployment, with both executives bringing extensive experience to their new roles.

Private Cloud Gaining Traction Due to AI Applications
Enterprises are increasingly turning to private cloud solutions for handling sensitive AI-generated data. Options include virtual private clouds within public cloud environments, private clouds in multi-tenant data centers, and on-premises infrastructure. This trend is driven by data privacy concerns and the need for customized AI deployments.

SASE

SASE Market Growth Slows in Q2 2024
The global SASE market experienced a 10% year-over-year revenue growth in Q2 2024, its lowest since Q1 2019, according to Dell’Oro Group. Economic pressures and tighter budgets led enterprises to focus on maximizing existing investments. However, the market is expected to rebound as companies shift towards long-term investment in cloud-based security and networking.

Netskope Enhances SASE Platform with Focus on User Experience
Netskope has updated its SASE platform, Netskope One, to improve network visibility and user experience. New features include a digital experience management tool for proactive problem-solving and Netskope Cloud TAP for forensic analysis in cloud environments. The company emphasizes the importance of user experience in driving adoption of security solutions.