Airtel selects Huawei for 4G network contract in Karnataka (India)
Indian telecom operator Bharti Airtel has awarded Huawei a contract to plan, design, supply and deploy LTE network to offer fourth-generation (4G) mobile broadband services in Karnataka. According to reports, Huawei will deliver LTE network infrastructure and devices which offers high-speed internet access on the go.
Sanjay Kapoor, chief executive officer for India & South Asia, Bharti Airtel, said that with the pioneering launch of 4G LTE, Airtel has paved the way for data revolution in the country by being at the forefront of India’s telecom revolution once again. Further, mobile data traffic in the country will increase nearly 100-fold by 2015 and consumers will stream nearly 600 hours of video content.
This is the third region where Airtel has launched 4G services in India, following Kolkata and Maharashtra. Airtel is also the first operator to offer 4G services in India.
Huawei targets number one mobile vendor slot (China)
Huawei, which is currently the second largest mobile network vendor, has claimed that it plans to replace current leader Ericsson to be the world’s largest mobile infrastructure vendor. In an interview with Mobile World Live, David Wang, president of Huawei’s wireless networks business, said that they want to be the leading mobile infrastructure provider and there is no doubt about that.
As per the report, Wang pointed to the Chinese vendor’s product portfolio as proof that it has evolved beyond more than just a ‘cheaper’ version of its western rivals, outlining the company’s contribution to industry standard developments as well as its launch of SingleRAN and GigaSite equipment.
Wang said that step by step, following this kind of path, they could be the number one. He added that they want to really have the biggest contribution to the whole industry.
He added that with GSM, at the time they were still followers. But with UMTS they started to become one of the leading vendors. And now for LTE, he thinks that they are absolutely one of the world’s leading vendors. Further, LTE will be a big opportunity for Huawei to further enhance their leadership.
LTE plans in Russia may be delayed owing to governor’s resignation (Russia)
Igor Slyunyaev, governor of the Kostroma region, submitted his resignation from the post which could result in a delay for LTE (Long Term Evolution) frequencies for mobile operators in Russia. According to reports, Sergey Sitnikov, the head of Roskomnadzor, Russia’s telecoms oversight regulator, has been appointed acting governor in his place. The delay could occur as the regulator is the one responsible for organising the tenders.
As per reports, Telesystems, VimpelCom, MegaFon and Rostelecom, had previously submitted their tenders which have already been delayed.
Alcatel-Lucent to offer innovative measures for mobile operators to overcome data storm (USA)
Tony Wood, Country Senior Officer of Alcatel-Lucent in East Africa, explains how innovation can help operators rise above the data storm to overcome network, business-model and competitive challenges.
The globalisation of the economy and the growth of the Internet have enhanced worldwide communications. End-users wherever based in a remote village or in a big city should rely on stable telecommunications connections to enquire about the wider world and make their contribution to it. The convergence of services (broadband Internet + video on-demand + voice) has become a significant reality. Telecom operators, service providers, enterprises rely on their networks to run their voice, data and Internet communication.
Africa is a growing market and a focus market for Alcatel-Lucent; it remains among the company’s most promising markets. Indeed, broadband is one of the top priorities in Africa, good progress has been made to connect cities to national backbones, but connectivity of small towns still poor.
It is a vast continent with various needs for connectivity and is mainly characterised by basic infrastructure needs in some areas, and more developed areas where existing infrastructures must now deliver high-quality broadband connectivity to support services like high-speed Internet access.
Alcatel-Lucent is strongly involved in the telecom infrastructure development in Africa to support telecommunications actors to rise above the data storm to overcome network, business-model and competitive challenges. Meeting the need for mobile telecommunications and the adoption of next-generation technologies, including lightRadio – the revolutionary innovation of Alcatel-Lucent (a miniature device that offers a solution to network gridlock and universal broadband coverage) and 4G LTE networks, to foster digital inclusion and the development of applications to enhance education, youth employment, social engagement, health and transportation among local communities and across large geographies.
Wood said that breakthrough innovation and technologies, proven execution and experience – that is what mobile broadband operators count on from them, from their market leadership in wireless and IP, their research advances from Bell Labs, their company’s innovation engine, responsible for breakthroughs that have shaped the networking and communications industry and their global service experience in transforming networks to rise above the mobile data storm, to deliver cost-effective and high quality mobile broadband services to consumers and business users. He added that realising the potential of a connected world is an integral part of their vision and strategy.
He also said that Alcatel-Lucent unveiled lightRadio last year – the outcome of research by Bell Labs, the group’s world-leading R&D arm. It is a completely revolutionary approach for mobile networking. This brand new range will free the mobile sector around the world from its dependence on antenna masts and mobile base stations (cell towers), which are generally the most energy-consuming components of the network, and also the most expensive and difficult to maintain.
At a time of rapid traffic growth, the lightRadio system will radically simplify mobile networks, expand network capacity, lower operating costs, reduce energy consumption and bring connectivity to everyone around the world. With its flexible architecture, lightRadio is typically located at the base of each cell tower, is broken into its component elements and distributed through the network or ‘carrier cloud’.
Additionally the various cell tower antennas are combined and shrunk into a single, powerful, Bell Labs-pioneered multi-frequency, multi-standard (2G, 3G, LTE) device that can be mounted on poles, sides of buildings, WiFi networks or anywhere else there is power and a broadband connection.
In only a year, Alcatel-Lucent has not only moved from prototype to product, but has built an entire next-generation mobile platform, and it has a rich ecosystem of partners and co-creation customers it has been working with around the world: Telefónica, France Telecom/Orange, China Mobile, and Etisalat in the UAE.
The lightRadio architecture is fundamentally changing the structure of wireless networks to handle the video and Web surfing demands of consumers, increasing daily with the number of smartphones and tablets. Connecting becomes easy with lightRadio.
TOT selects NSN to upgrade to HSPA+ for faster speed, better service (Thailand)
TOT, Thailand’s state-owned telecom operator, has selected Nokia Siemens Networks to upgrade its 3G network to HSPA+. This upgrade will improve mobile broadband services for the 7.2 million TOT customers and increase download speeds to even 42 megabits per second (Mbps) compared to the current 7.2 Mbps. The upgrade will be ready by April 2012.
Monchai Noosong, acting president at TOT, said that the Thai mobile market is extremely competitive, so they always need to ensure they are well ahead of the curve. With demand for data skyrocketing and operators looking to venture into the 3G space, they knew this was the right time to upgrade their 3G network. Nokia Siemens Networks has helped them scale up quickly enabling them to ride the mobile broadband wave sweeping the country. In addition, the company’s solution ensures an easy migration to LTE once that becomes topical for them.
Krittika Mahattanakul, head of Asia North, Asia Pacific region at Nokia Siemens Networks, said that as smartphones become more common also in Thailand and people start using data heavy applications on them, it is important that the mobile broadband networks can manage the capacity needs and provide enjoyable customer experience. Also, TOT is ensuring this by upgrading its network to HSPA+ early on.
Nokia Siemens Networks’ all-IP ready HSPA+ solution is based on the Dual Carrier HSDPA technology, Flexi Multiradio Base Station and the 3G Radio Network Multicontroller (RNC).The company will also deploy its Liquid Core’s COTS ATCA-based Open Mobile Switching Server (MSS), which together with the Flexi Multiradio Base Station enables a smooth transition to LTE.
The TOT network, including GSM and 3G, will be monitored and optimized by the Nokia Siemens Networks NetAct network management system. Nokia Siemens Networks will also provide its Location Based Services solution enabling TOT to offer Value Added Services (VAS), such as localized advertising.
Nokia Siemens Networks will provide TOT network planning, implementation and optimization services, as well as services for operations support and training.
Globe Telecom upgrades network in Davao City (Philippines)
Leading telecommunications company Globe Telecom, which is currently embarking on a $700-million landmark mobile network modernization program, brings a radically enhanced network experience to residents of Davao City through fast call connections, on-time delivery of text messages, and reduced incidence of dropped calls even at peak hours and traffic-heavy occasions.
Being a key market and focus area for Globe, Davao City was tapped for the implementation of the network change-out beginning December last year, resulting in doubled mobile telephony capacity in the area to support growing customer demand and improvements in voice and SMS service quality.
The network modernization program, touted as the most significant investment of Globe in the last two decades, includes an all-IP infrastructure, pervasive 3G coverage, double fiber optics capacity, 4G and LTE readiness, and overall quality and resiliency.
Once completed, Globe envisions a robust and resilient network that can provide an unparalleled customer experience to truly set the company apart from competition. The new Globe network and IT systems are not only designed to address all current customer needs but would also have the capacity and capability for more sophisticated use of mobile and broadband technologies.
With the telecom industry worldwide evolving at a breakneck speed, it has become imperative for local players to stay competitive and up-to-date with the latest developments. Thus, Globe constantly pushes its underlying infrastructure capabilities to much higher levels so as to touch both consumers and industries in new and progressive ways.
The unprecedented undertaking will modernize all layers of the Globe network within the next five years and is anticipated to set the industry benchmark for the most technologically advanced network in the Philippines. It is expected to bring aggressive growth prospects, savings in capital spending and expenses, as well as operational efficiencies from the synergy among Globe and its partners, Huawei and Alcatel-Lucent. Together bound by vision and resolve, the three companies are committed to instrumentally deliver a superior customer experience for the benefit of the consuming public.
At a higher level, Globe network modernization program also serves to broaden the telecommunications horizon of the Philippines as its corollary infrastructure expansion and service innovation stands to attract investment and business. Globe is effectively raising the bar of technology and service in the industry to make it at par with the world’s most advanced telecom communities and practices.
The Globe network and IT transformation program is an ambitious and yet necessary undertaking which will provide the platform that will make Globe even more competitive in the fast-moving market.
India to become world’s second largest mobile broadband market (India)
The GSMA has announced that India will become the second largest Mobile Broadband market globally within the next four years with 367 million Mobile Broadband connections by 2016. In doing so, India will overtake the US, which will account for 337 million Mobile Broadband connections by 2016, but will still be second to China, which will have reached 639 million Mobile Broadband connections in the same period.
Since 3G licenses were first awarded to mobile operators in India in September 2010, Mobile Broadband connectivity has grown steadily. There are now more than 10 million HSPA connections across the country, and this is expected to grow exponentially, by 900 per cent, to more than 100 million connections in 2014. This will make India the largest HSPA market worldwide within the next two years, surpassing China, Japan and the US in the process.
According to a company report Anne Bouverot, director general of the GSMA, said that the mobile industry in India is set for immense growth as Mobile Broadband technologies such as HSPA and LTE start to proliferate, but there is scope for far greater development. Further, to take full advantage of this, the Indian government should facilitate the timely release of additional spectrum in a fair and transparent way for all stakeholders. The benefits are clear to see – a 10 per cent increase in Mobile Broadband penetration could contribute as much as US$80 billion of revenue across the country’s transport, healthcare and education sectors by 2015.
As per a GSMA study, despite a large rural population, mobile growth in India is being largely driven by more affluent communities in cities. Net additions in urban areas reached 85 million last year compared to 57 million in rural areas, with mobile penetration increasing by 20 percentage points in urban areas to 161 per cent, against a 6.5 percentage point rise in rural areas to 36.6 per cent.
The provision of Mobile Broadband in rural and remote areas will help India bridge the so-called ‘digital divide’. It will improve productivity, help overcome the constraints of transport infrastructure and provide much needed services such as banking, health and education. Given the significant social and economic benefits, expanding affordable access to Mobile Broadband should be a high priority of the Indian government.
The study reveals that with an average retail price of US$500, the cost of an LTE smartphone is four times the average monthly GDP per capita in India, and at an average of US$200, the retail price of an LTE USB dongle is twice an Indian’s monthly income on average. As LTE networks proliferate worldwide and more devices become available, costs will come down. Initiatives like the introduction of the low cost Aakash tablet in India are helping spur widespread access to the Internet in emerging markets, but more can be done.
Bouverot also said that it is important that all citizens in India have access to high-speed Internet connectivity and the transformative opportunities it provides. The current average cost of an LTE device is prohibitive for the uptake of Mobile Broadband for those on low incomes. The GSMA is committed to working with its mobile operator members to investigate innovative ways in which to make access to the mobile Internet more affordable for all.
MTN launches 3G services in Ivory Coast (Africa)
MTN plans to offer its customers 3G services as soon as possible following the receipt of 3G licences in Benin and Ivory Coast. According to reports, Christian de Faria, MTN Group Chief Commercial Officer, said that this is exciting news for their customers, as they will now enjoy the benefits of world-class connectivity. They are grateful to the governments of Cote d’Ivoire and Benin for enabling MTN to further enhance the experience of mobile telephony for their customers.
Wim Vanhelleputte, the Chief Executive Officer of MTN Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), announced that West African Cable System (WACS), a submarine cable stretching 14,000 kilometers between Portugal and South Africa, will upgrade connectivity for Ivoirians to international standards.
Vanhelleputte said that this is a dream come true for many Ivoirians whose internet access has been held back for a very long time. The cable will allow more Ivoirians to enjoy fast access to the internet. They have already identified about 30 per cent of subscribers who will be the first to experience and enjoy the 3G service.
Regarding the licence offered in Benin, Eric Tronel, Chief Executive Officer for MTN Benin, said that MTN is the first and only operator in Benin with a license which allows the use of new generation technologies, such as 3G, 4G, LTE and Wimax. This presents a great opportunity to improve business communication solutions and other services to customers, both in the consumer and corporate sectors. Customers are already eagerly waiting for the launch of new services using the new technology, and MTN Benin is working hard to ensure that customers are not disappointed.
MTN obtains 3G licences in Ivory Coast and Benin (Africa)
South Africa’s leading mobile operator MTN has obtained 3G licences in both Ivory Coast ad Benin, and is looking to launch 3G services in these regions soon. As per a report by CommsMEA, Bruno Koné, Icory Coast’s minister of post and ICT, told MTN that it was awarding the 3G licence to the telco at MTN’s offices in Abidjan.
Further, Wim Vanhelleputte, CEO, MTN Cote d’Ivoire, said that the operator had already identified about 30 per cent of subscribers who would be the first to experience 3G services.
As per the report, in Benin, the government granted MTN a universal licence which allows the company to provide mobile telecommunication services using any technology within the defined agreed frequency range without additional fees. This includes 3G, 4G, LTE, Wimax, Wi-Fi outdoor as well as the use of VoIP.
Eric Tronel, CEO, MTN Benin, said that MTN is the only operator in Benin with a licence to use wireless technologies such as 3G, LTE and WiMAX. He added that this presents a great opportunity to improve business communication solutions and other services to customers, both in the consumer and corporate sectors.
