Optimus, Vodafone accept fibre network sharing (Portugal)
Portuguese cellcos Optimus and Vodafone Portugal have reportedly signed an agreement to launch a shared fibre network in the cities of Lisbon and Porto.
The partnership will enable each company to launch its own independent commercial services as early as next year. According to Optimus, this partnership will allow the two operators to achieve commercial offerings under the new framework, in the first quarter of 2011. Optimus and Vodafone believe that the current agreement – under which the networks remain the property of each company – will generate synergies and offer a simplified solution for the realization of their previously announced partnership.
Additional, both companies have admitted that they are open to the idea of sharing the network with other Portuguese operators.
According to previous reports, in December 2009 Vodafone reached an agreement with Optimus’ parent company Sonaecom, regarding mutual cooperation in the construction, management, maintenance and operation of a fibre-optic next generation network (NGN) in the main urban centres of Portugal. The agreement formed part of the government-backed US$576.2 million broadband development scheme, which was first announced in December 2009.
Australia NGN to cost USD34.77 billion
A business plan has revealed that Telstra’s involvement in Australia’s next generation broadband network project will shave US$6.79 million from construction costs.
The first hard figures on the project disclose the total cost of constructing the network will be $35.7 billion, out of which $27.1 billion will come out of the public, with the remainder paid for by NBN Co, the government-owned firm established to run the network.
As per the plan, NBN Co will give $14 billion in cash payments to Telstra from over the next 30 years to cover its involvement.
NBN plans to end the discussions with Telstra on decommissioning copper lines by December, with a view to starting trials of the network in the spring.
According to reports, the government was forced to reveal the business plan by independent senator Nick Xenophon, who insisted on seeing the details before voting on legislation clearing Telstra’s involvement in the project.
The reports further revealed that Xenophon estimated the network would cost $5.5 billion more to construct without Telstra’s input, and refused to vote on a bill covering the separation of the incumbent without more information.
Splitting Telstra’s retail arm from the rest of the company is a key condition of the government’s plan to offer Telstra $11 billion for its copper ducts and infrastructure, and have Telstra sign on as an NBN customer.
The opposition Coalition has claimed that it might drop objections to the legislation if the government agrees to submit to a cost-benefit inquiry by next May.
Elitecore to enter African telecom market with BSS/OSS solutions
Elitecom Technologies, a professional service provider to the global networking and operations support systems (BSS/OSS) has revealed its venture in the African market with its BSS/OSS product suites that are ready for next generation networking (NGN)
Elitecore will propose its billing and revenue management confirmation, approval and bookkeeping product sets in market.
In the 4th Annual Service and Network Operations meet in Swaziland, Elitecore demonstrated its NGN product suites to leading service providers of the African subcontinent.
According to Nikhil Jain, chief operating officer, Elitecore Technologies, the company is uniquely positioned in the OSS/BSS segment as a single vendor offering ‘End to End’ AAA, billing and revenue management, and rating and charging solutions.
Antel acquaints Quad-Play services
Uruguay’s state-owned Telecom Company Antel has launched a set of new Quad-Play services for next generation network (NGN) infrastructure which includes fixed, mobile, internet/data and multimedia applications.
Recently a presentation was held where the company showcased its new NGN platform, offering chances for the development of Uruguayan industry via value-added applications customized to local needs, even the arrangement of the new network also produced part of its strategy to deliver new services to households and small enterprises.
Video calls were also demonstrated between a fixed line phones to a mobile. Virtual fax was also showcased, which would allow users to receive faxes anywhere in the world without the need of a fax machine.
Jose Mujica, the President of the country made the first official public video call over the NGN, which was shown in high definition to Anatel’s audience.
BT Ireland to roll out ‘Etherflow’
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: The latest phase of the 21st Century Network (21CN) rollout has been launched by telco BT Ireland along with the deployment of NGN Etherflow fibre/radio access equipment at select points across Ireland.
A number of Etherflow points across the country is intended to be expanded by BT. The next generation access infrastructure will also be opened by Eircom to rivals in the coming days.
BT Etherflow is a scalable technology that can grow with a business at a lower price per megabit than existing network services. BT would be enabled to provide an end-to-end network service with the help of this Etherflow besides providing local access circuits at one end and seamless connectivity to BT’s global networks at the other.
Portuguese cellco Optimus selects Tekelec to monitor performance
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Tekelec, a performance management company has been selected by Portuguese cellco Optimus to monitor the performance of its converged next generation network (NGN).
Tekelec’s performance management service will be used by the telco to gain visibility into its network services and subscriber usage as it converges its mobile and fixed assets into a single platform.
In order to increase storage and processing capacity to handle the dramatic increase in subscriber usage data, Optimus is migrating to Tekelec’s next generation Linux-based performance management platform.
BT to launch fixed telephony in Brazil
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Launch of commercial fixed telephony service in Brazil has been planned by UK-based telecoms operator BT Group by next month. The new service is said to be set and complete and ready for the launch.
The initial focus will be on the corporate group although any comment on any goals for 2010 in terms of subscriber numbers is declined by the company. NGN infrastructure provided by domestic equipment manufacturer Tropico will be utilized by BT Brazil to provide the new service. Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Curitiba will receive the service initially.
According to BT Brasil general director Sergio Paulo Gallindo, with this launch the firm will complete its portfolio in Brazil, offering a unified communications solutions for the enterprise segment.
FTTH jv agreement signed by Soneacom & Vodafone
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Sonaecom and Vodafone Portugal, Portuguese telecommunications operators joined hand to share, construct, manage, maintain and operate the next generation fibre optic network (NGN) in the main urban centers.
A new company owned equally by Sonaecom and Vodafone Portugal will look after the implementation of the agreement. The company also foresees the possibility of the NGN being available to other interested operators.
The agreement improves the economic rationale for investment in NGNs, with clear benefits to customers, besides maintaining the competition between the two companies and their commercial independence of action.
