Author: Alan Weissberger
Vodafone Germany plans to activate 2,700 new 5G cell sites in 1H 2023
Vodafone Germany plans to activate 2,700 new 5G cell sites with a total of 8,000 antennas in the first half of 2023, the telco said today in a press release. The company has so far connected 80% of the German population with 5G. It has activated 5G at 12,000 sites with more than 36,000 antennas altogether. For the 5G expansion, Vodafone Germany is relying on frequencies in the 3.6 GHz, 1.8 GHz and 700 MHz bands in large urban areas, residential areas and suburbs, and rural areas across Germany.
During 2022, Vodafone technicians commissioned 5,450 5G sites with more than 16,000 antennas. In total, Vodafone has already equipped 36,000 antennas with 5G, the company has said. The network operator said its 5G network is already providing coverage to 65 million people across the country, representing nearly 80% of Germany’s population.
Vodafone Germany had previously noted that its 5G Standalone (SA) network is currently available to nearly 20 million people across Germany. Vodafone previously said that 5G SA technology will reach nationwide coverage by 2025. The German telco had already deployed over 3,000 base stations for the provision of 5G SA services. Vodafone initially launched its 5G network in Germany in 2019, using 3.5 GHz frequencies that it acquired from Telefónica in 2018.
The telco also said it will continue to expand its LTE infrastructure across the country. Nationwide, Vodafone said it currently supplies around 98% of households with LTE.
“In 2023, Vodafone will bring the LTE mobile communications standard to even more people and to even more places: almost 1,900 expansion measures are pending in the first half of the year to set up new stations, carry out modernization work and install additional LTE antennas at existing stations,” Vodafone said.
“Together with Altice, Vodafone will start Germany’s largest fiber optic alliance in spring 2023, subject to the approval of the antitrust authorities. The goal is to supply up to 7 million households with new fiber optic connections in the next 6 years,” Vodafone added.
Vodafone Germany had recently successfully completed a field test with Open RAN (O-RAN) technology in Plauen, in the Saxony region.
The German carrier had recently announced that it will carry out comprehensive pilot projects for open 5G radio access networks at several locations in Germany. The first two stations for the operator’s O-RAN technology are located in rural Bavaria. The pilots are scheduled to start in early 2023 and mark the beginning of a broader deployment of O-RAN technology in Vodafone’s European mobile networks.
The pilot projects will use O-RAN hardware and software, which Vodafone successfully tested in the U.K. earlier this year. Samsung is currently supplying mobile technology and software for these O-RAN trials.
Separately, Vodafone has agreed to sell its Hungarian division for €1.7billion (£1.5billion) to local telecoms company 4iG and the Hungarian state. The sale is expected to be completed this month, with the proceeds to be used to pay off some of Vodafone’s debt.
References:
Juniper Research: 5G connectivity opportunity for the connected car market
The number of connected vehicles globally is set to grow from 192 million this year to more than 367 million in 2027, with 5G connectivity set to play a key role in the development of the market, according to a new report from Juniper Research. The company’s new Connected Vehicles research report provides an independent analysis of the future evolution of this fast-paced market and advanced connectivity solutions within the automotive industry. It provides a comprehensive study of the increase in constant connectivity technology features in cars being adopted by automotive original equipment manufacturers, how the rise of 5G is impacting the connected cars market expansion, and the key role mobile network operators have in driving the market forward in order to offer advanced connectivity and an enhanced driving experience.
The analyst firm believes the growth will be driven by improvements in both advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), the attraction of enhanced in-vehicle infotainment systems, and the transformative potential of 5G’s high-speed and low-latency capabilities. However, maximizing 5G’s potential impact will require “effective collaborations between automotive OEMs and [mobile network] operators,” according to the authors of the report, who believe the 5G connectivity opportunity presented to telcos by the connected vehicle sector will be worth US$3.6bn in 2027.
According to the co-author of the research, Nick Maynard, “5G can allow automotive OEMs [original equipment manufacturers] to upgrade the in-vehicle experience. In a vehicle market transitioning to electric vehicles, improving the user experience is key. Operators hold the critical role in enabling this in a reliable way, making them the partners of choice as their 5G networks rapidly expand.” Connected vehicles utilising 5G will be able to exchange information “between the various elements of the transport system and third-party services.”
| Key Market Statistics | |
| Market size in 2023: | 192 million vehicles in service |
| Market size in 2027: | 367 million vehicles in service |
| 2023 – 2027 Market Growth: | 91% |
The report is upbeat overall, but notes that commercial use cases are proving more difficult to find and justify than those for ordinary automobile drivers. According to the Juniper Research team, by 2027 commercial vehicles will account for no more than 20% of connected vehicles worldwide, only a slight increase from the 16% that commercial vehicles will account for this year.
The research shows that such slow uptake is because commercial vehicle design is not yet fully exploiting the potential of connectivity beyond simple emergency call features and basic connected infotainment systems. The report recommends that automotive OEMs prioritize integrations with common fleet tracking systems out of the factory to maximise the benefits of connectivity, and to enable commercial fleet owners to maximize efficiency in their processes.
All types of connected vehicle technologies are still ‘works in progress,’ according to Juniper Research.
Various types of connected vehicle technologies are being pursued and improved. Vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) connectivity is used mainly to ensure vehicle safety as the vehicle communicates with road infrastructure and shares and receives information, such as traffic flows, road and weather conditions, speed limits, accident reports, and so on. Meanwhile, vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) connectivity primarily permits the real-time exchange of information between vehicles.
Vehicle-to-cloud (V2C) connectivity is enabled via 4G/LTE networks and is mainly used for downloading over-the-air (OTA) vehicle updates, remote vehicle diagnostics or to connect with internet of things (IoT) devices. Vehicle-to-pedestrian (V2P) connectivity is a newer safety technology that uses sensors to detect pedestrians and other ‘obstacles’ and provides collision warning and avoidance guidance. Lastly, vehicle-to-everything (V2X) connectivity is exactly what it says it is – the combination of all the above connectivity systems and methods.
Of course, connected vehicle technology is not solely concerned with conventional automobiles. Self-driving vehicles will also exploit connection technologies to communicate with the road infrastructure and cloud platforms, but as incidents of crashes, injuries and deaths proliferate, self-driving vehicles are getting some bad press and would-be user enthusiasm is waning. Again, much stock is again being placed on the ability of 5G to help make self-driving vehicles not only safer but much more intelligent and responsive – it is very much a work in progress.
References:
Connected Car Market Research: Size, Trends, 2023-27 (juniperresearch.com)
Telcos to play critical 5G role in connected vehicles sector – report | TelecomTV
Verizon deploys Private 5G at Wichita Smart Factory; 5G Radio’s an Issue?
Executive Summary:
Verizon Business announced that its private 5G wireless network is live at The Smart Factory at Wichita, a new immersive, industry experience centre convened by Deloitte. Verizon collaborates with Deloitte and other companies in the Smart Factory ecosystem to advance smart manufacturing deployment and allow manufacturers to quickly adopt cutting-edge Industry 4.0 solutions and technologies that support new business models that improve quality, productivity, and sustainability.
Verizon, as a builder-level collaborator in The Smart Factory at Wichita ecosystem of 20 leading global companies, intends to use this network of companies to help customers from various industries to innovate their approach to better connectivity and use of data to improve real-time coordination between people and assets. Verizon’s private 5G wireless network provides features that will help drive select use cases at The Smart Factory in Wichita, which include:
Select Use Cases at The Smart Factory:
- Improved shop floor visibility: Using predictive maintenance analytics on assets can improve uptime and productivity by addressing up to approximately 50% of the root causes of downtime.
- Improved quality assurance and reduced defects: Detection of potential defects in manufactured products or services before they reach customers, thereby improving the customer experience and reducing waste.
- Material handling automation: Orchestration and management of AGV and AMR fleets can improve the reliability, consistency, safety, and accuracy of moving material across the plant.
- Workplace safety: Reduces human error and manual workloads to minimize injury and productivity loss.
Commenting on the Private 5G Network Deployment, Jennifer Artley, SVP, 5G Acceleration, Verizon Business, said: “The Smart Factory at Wichita is a microcosm of industry 4.0 itself, with a wide range of enterprise partners, suppliers, researchers, and complementary technologies coming together in one ecosystem to make a supercharged impact. 5G brings massive bandwidth and incredibly fast data speeds to the equation to help make these impacts replicable in a plethora of business applications at virtually any scale — customers have the flexibility to dream big and start small.”
“5G is the backbone of Industry 4.0, and we’re so excited to bring it to Deloitte’s The Smart Factory at Wichita to help catalyze scalable, collaborative innovation,” added Jennifer Artley.
The Smart Factory in Wichita:
The Smart Factory at Wichita assists firms through their most difficult manufacturing challenges by showcasing modern manufacturing techniques in a variety of applications on a shop floor. The Factory, located on the Innovation Campus at Wichita State University, includes a fully operational production line and experiential labs for creating and researching smart manufacturing technology and strategy.
Visitors to the facility can explore smart manufacturing concepts that combine the Internet of Things (IoT), cloud, artificial intelligence (AI), computer vision, and more to create interconnected systems that use data to drive real-time, intelligent decision-making.
Verizon Private 5G:
By utilizing Verizon 5G and edge computing to create applications and solutions that drive both the manufacturing and retail industries, this work with Deloitte at The Smart Factory at Wichita strengthens the commitment between the two businesses to co-innovate.
Verizon Business announced that its private 5G wireless network is live at The Smart Factory at Wichita, a new immersive, industry experience centre convened by Deloitte. Verizon collaborates with Deloitte and other companies in the Smart Factory ecosystem to advance smart manufacturing deployment and allow manufacturers to quickly adopt cutting-edge Industry 4.0 solutions and technologies that support new business models that improve quality, productivity, and sustainability.
Commenting on the Private 5G Network Deployment, Jennifer Artley, SVP, 5G Acceleration, Verizon Business, said: “The Smart Factory at Wichita is a microcosm of industry 4.0 itself, with a wide range of enterprise partners, suppliers, researchers, and complementary technologies coming together in one ecosystem to make a supercharged impact. 5G brings massive bandwidth and incredibly fast data speeds to the equation to help make these impacts replicable in a plethora of business applications at virtually any scale — customers have the flexibility to dream big and start small.”
“5G is the backbone of Industry 4.0, and we’re so excited to bring it to Deloitte’s The Smart Factory at Wichita to help catalyze scalable, collaborative innovation,” added Jennifer Artley.
Could 5G Radios be a Problem for Private 5G?
CEO Hans Vestberg told a Citi investor conference this week:
“We need certain radio base stations for private networks, different price ranges. We need modems for certain things. You need more than the handset and the macro sites that is now in there,” Vestberg said at Citi’s 2023 Communications, Media, and Entertainment Conference. “We would now have offerings for cheaper private 5G networks with certain suppliers and more high level, high quality. We didn’t have this optionality, and that’s why we’re now sort of seeing that we’re actually meeting the customer demands of building private 5G networks.”
Vestberg added that the carrier now has “the ecosystem for radios so we are fully committed. We strongly believe in private 5G networks, and that’s a revenue stream we don’t have today because we’re not into Wi-Fi networks and optimization of a manufacturing site. We’re not into that today.”
Verizon Business CEO Sowmyanarayan Sampath during an investor conference in November said it had dozens of private networks already deployed, with accelerating momentum.
“On the private networks, we are very bullish on that opportunity and I think things have gotten a little faster in the last 90 days than they’ve gotten in the last year or so,” Sampath said, adding most of Verizon’s initial private network deals have resulted in incremental spending by customers.
“For example, if we are providing wireline network services – I’ll call it more broadly network services – to 10,000 stores, and if the realtor wants 100 sites or 200 sites of private network, they’re going to come to us because we are already integrated into their service stack, we are integrated into their day-two operating model, we are integrated into their operating system, so when a ticket happens they know what to do and vice versa,” Sampath said. “It’s a very logical extension to our business when you’re managing large portions of the infrastructure to manage their private network piece to it.”
References:
https://www.fiercewireless.com/private-wireless/verizons-arvin-singh-discusses-private-5g
https://www.verizon.com/about/news/verizon-private-5g-network-aircraft-hangar
ITU report: Russia caused severe damage to Ukraine’s telecom infrastructure
Ukraine will need at least $1.79 billion to rebuild its telecommunications infrastructure to function at the pre-war level. International Telecommunication Union (ITU) a U.N. agency published a report showing that Russia had “destroyed completely or seized” telecom infrastructure in several parts of Ukraine. The ITU (formerly CCITT) was ordered to investigate the destruction of Ukraine’s communication networks caused by the Russian aggressors.
The report, which covers the first six months of war, notes significant damage and destruction of telecommunications infrastructure in more than 10 of Ukraine’s 24 regions. At the same time, it is emphasized that the aggressor either completely destroyed or captured telecommunications and critical infrastructure in occupied territories, as well as in the combat zone. In addition, the Russian Federation unilaterally changed Ukrainian telephone codes established by the UN agency to Russian ones.
“Since the beginning of military attacks, with the purpose of using the facilities in its interests and for its own needs, the aggressor either destroyed completely or seized the regular operation of public and private terrestrial telecommunication and critical infrastructure in the temporarily occupied and war-affected territories of Ukraine,” the document said.
According to the report, there had been as many as 1,123 cyber attacks against Ukraine. It also alleged that Moscow unilaterally switched Ukrainian dialling codes, fixed by the U.N. agency, to Russian ones.
Russia has regularly targeted Ukraine with cyberattacks since its annexation of Crimea in 2014. These attacks, perpetrated against government and banking websites, intensified before Moscow sent troops into Ukraine last year. Russia denies being behind those and the other attacks.
The U.N. report, which includes information and data through to August, was quietly posted in a corner of the ITU website in late December. It was brought to Reuters’ attention by a spokesperson on Friday afternoon after requests for information. Western diplomats have privately expressed frustration concerning delays to the report’s publication.
The EU wrote to then ITU Secretary-General, China’s Houlin Zhao, in September calling for its release, a letter seen by Reuters showed. Zhao responded a few days later to say the damage assessment was still underway, the response showed.
The ITU has not publicly commented on the report. Asked about the gap between the reporting period and the report’s publication, ITU told Reuters the report was published on Dec. 23 “after it was judged complete by the management.”
ITU added that the outcomes of its assessment would help mobilise technical assistance for Ukraine.
The Geneva-based agency, founded in 1865, allocates global radio spectrum and satellite orbits and sets standards for artificial intelligence and other new technologies.
Separately, Russia conducted 1,123 cyber attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure.
References:
Bullitt Satellite Connect: Another 2-way Satellite Messaging Service announced at CES 2023
Bullitt Group, the British manufacturer specializing in rugged mobile phones, has revealed a few more details about its two-way satellite messaging service at CES 2023. The service will be commercially available in North America and Europe the first quarter of 2023, the company said. Australia, New Zealand, Africa and Latin America will launch sometime in the first half of 2023, with other regions following the second half of the year.
Bullitt said Motorola, a Lenovo company, will be the first to include Bullitt’s two-way satellite messaging technology. The next device in Motorola Mobility’s Defy phone line-up will be the first smartphone to support Bullitt’s satellite messaging service.
The company previously said it was using telecom chipset supplier MediaTek. It now says it will use Skylo for satellite connectivity. Skylo manages connections to devices over existing licensed GEO satellite constellations, like Inmarsat and others.
Bullitt Satellite Connect solves a real connectivity problem. American’s send 6 billion SMS text messages each day* but, due to the sheer scale and topography of the country, no single carrier covers more than 70% of the US land mass and around 60 million Americans lose coverage for up to 25% of each day**.
That means hundreds of millions of instances where people who want to communicate via their phone cannot. Coverage blackspots persist to a greater and lesser extent the world over. We have a truly international solution. Bullitt Satellite Messenger provides total reassurance that you will have a connection wherever you have a clear view of the sky.
Citing data from Opensignal, Bullit said it’s solving “a real connectivity problem,” where around 60 million Americans lose coverage for up to 25% of each day. Bullitt Satellite Messenger promises to provide a signal wherever there’s a clear view of the sky, similar to the service Qualcomm announced this week with Iridium for Android devices.
The Bullitt service works by combining Bullitt smartphone hardware and an OTT app, Bullitt Satellite Messenger, to send messages to any smartphone. The service will first try to connect via Wi-Fi or cellular, and if neither are available, it will connect via satellite.
Quotes:
“We are thrilled to be partnering with Bullitt to bring to the market the first rugged smartphone equipped with two-way satellite messaging technology. Motorola has been a pioneer in the mobile industry with a rich heritage of industry firsts and we are proud to be, once again, at the forefront of industry innovations alongside Bullitt.”
“The service works by combining Bullitt smartphone hardware and the bespoke OTT app, Bullitt Satellite Messenger, to send messages to any smartphone, anywhere you have a clear view of the sky. The service will first try to connect via Wi-Fi or cellular as normal, and if neither are available it will connect via satellite. Anyone can receive a message as a simple SMS to their existing phone and can respond by downloading the associated Android or iOS app.”
Resources:
https://www.fiercewireless.com/wireless/bullitt-taps-motorola-satellite-messaging-phone-launch
Qualcomm and Iridium launch Snapdragon Satellite for 2-Way Messaging on Android Premium Smartphones
Deutsche Telekom to deploy more small cells to solidify its 5G network
Deutsche Telekom plans to deploy more small cells to solidify its 5G network, the company said in a podcast. The carrier explained that small cells improve the quality of the network in areas of high density, such as train or bus stations, markets or shopping arcades.
In late December, Deutsche Telekom said it would repurpose approximately 3,000 old public payphones as 5G small cells by 2025. They will have a range of a few hundred meters and will serve city centres and pedestrian zones using the 3.6 GHz frequency band. Telekom said its 5G small cells serve a 200-metre radius.
Telekom already uses phone box small cells for LTE networks on the 2.6GHz frequency, but will start a 5G rollout using the 3.6GHz band in 2023, having completed a pilot phase.
Telekom stressed its enthusiasm for designs that “fit in with the urban landscape, either by standing out with a decorative design or by harmoniously blending into their surroundings”. The latest roll out of phone box small cells will see 5G connectivity with little to no visual impact on German streets.
Telekom has partnered with Swiss network equipment vendor Huber+Suhner on small cells since 2019, using them to densify its 4G network across a number of German cities. The Huber+Suhner kit is installed in existing street furniture — including phone boxes — operating over a range of frequencies from 1.7GHz to 4.2GHz. When the deal was signed, then-Chief Technology Officer Walter Goldenits said that small cells would form an “important component of our expansion strategy”. He added that the Swiss vendor’s equipment can be converted to support 5G networks “in a few easy steps” (Deutsche Telekomwatch, #87). With this latest phone box small-cell rollout, it appears that this option has not been taken.
5G small cell antennas. © Deutsche Telekom AG
Deutsche Telekom Technik, the operator’s German network deployment and management unit, has been trialling street-level 5G small-cell designs since at least 2019. Then, it highlighted “creative designs” to densify the network, including the use of antenna housings shaped like clocks and birds perching on lampposts.
References:
https://www.telekom.com/en/search-this-website?query=small+cells++
https://www.telekom.com/en/media/media-information/archive/5g-small-cell-antennas-579790
Qualcomm and Iridium launch Snapdragon Satellite for 2-Way Messaging on Android Premium Smartphones
Qualcomm and Iridium have introduced Snapdragon Satellite, a solution that brings satellite-to-cellular services to next-generation Android smartphones. Snapdragon Satellite will support two-way messaging from pole to pole in remote, rural, and offshore locations on premium Android smartphones.
Snapdragon Satellite will provide global connectivity using mobile messaging from around the world1, starting with devices based on the flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform.
Powered by Snapdragon 5G Modem-RF Systems and supported by the fully operational Iridium® satellite constellation, Snapdragon Satellite will enable OEMs and other service providers to offer truly global coverage. The solution for smartphones utilizes Iridium’s weather-resilient L-band spectrum for uplink and downlink.
“Robust and reliable connectivity is at the heart of premium experiences. Snapdragon Satellite showcases our history of leadership in enabling global satellite communications and our ability to bring superior innovations to mobile devices at scale,” said Durga Malladi, SVP and GM of Cellular Modems and Infrastructure at Qualcomm.
Image credit: Jose Luis Stephens/Adobe Stock
While the partners say the service can be used for recreational purposes, satellite connectivity is most beneficial for emergencies.
Apple partnered with Globalstar last year to launch its own satellite-powered emergency SOS feature. Numerous people reported that the feature saved their lives just weeks after launch.
In one case, after a car plunged off a mountain cliff, a passenger’s iPhone automatically detected the crash and made a satellite SOS call to alert emergency services of the accident and its location. Within 30 minutes, the occupants were rescued by helicopter.
“If they hadn’t been able to get out the SOS, they could have spent overnight there, gotten wet, developed hypothermia,” Sergeant John Gilbert, a deputy for the local sheriff’s department, told PEOPLE. “To walk out and get help, in a remote area with no cell reception, they were lucky.”
Snapdragon Satellite will provide similar benefits for Android users, starting with devices based on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform.
“Iridium is proud to be the satellite network that supports Snapdragon Satellite for premium smartphones,” said Matt Desch, CEO, Iridium. “Our network is tailored for this service – our advanced, LEO satellites cover every part of the globe and support the lower-power, low-latency connections ideal for the satellite-powered services enabled by the industry-leading Snapdragon Satellite. Millions depend on our connections every day, and we look forward to the many millions more connecting through smartphones powered by Snapdragon Satellite.”
Snapdragon Satellite will use Garmin’s satellite emergency response services.
“Garmin welcomes the opportunity to expand our proven satellite emergency response services to millions of new smartphone users globally,” said Brad Trenkle, VP of Garmin’s outdoor segment. “Garmin Response supports thousands of SOS incidents each year and has likely saved many lives in the process, and we are looking forward to collaborating with Qualcomm Technologies and Iridium to help people connect to emergency services no matter where life takes them.”
In the near future, Qualcomm and Iridium say that Snapdragon Satellite will expand to other devices including laptops, tablets, vehicles, and IoT devices.
“Working with a mobile technology leader such as Qualcomm Technologies and their powerful Snapdragon platforms allows Iridium to serve the smartphone industry horizontally – and offers us an opportunity to enable other consumer and vehicular applications in the future,” concludes Desch.
References:
Qualcomm and Iridium bring satellite-to-cellular services to Android (telecomstechnews.com)
Qualcomm unveils Snapdragon Satellite for two-way messaging (techrepublic.com)
Frontier Communications adds record fiber broadband customers in Q4 2022
Frontier Communications previewed its Q4 2022 results today, revealing it gained 75,000 new fiber customers and had 8,000 total broadband net additions.
- Strong customer growth in Q4 led Frontier to finish 2022 with 17% more fiber broadband customers than it had at the end of 2021.
- For the fifth consecutive quarter, fiber broadband customer additions outpaced copper broadband customer losses, resulting in 8,000 total broadband customer net additions in the fourth quarter of 2022.
During a Citi investor conference presentation following the announcement, CFO Scott Beasley said growth spanned both new and existing markets and resulted in part from gains made against cable competitors. “We continue to outpace our cable competitors, gaining share in nearly every geography we operate in. Our new position as the ‘un-cable’ provider is taking hold. We are bringing customers a superior product and it is paying off in record broadband customer growth.”
According to Beasley, the vast majority of its net additions are customers who are new to Frontier rather than those converting from a legacy DSL service. That means most either moved into or within the operator’s territory during the quarter or switched from cable. “We had success against every competitor in every geography,” the CFO stated. Asked whether cable’s recent efforts to woo consumers with fixed-mobile bundles presented a challenge, Beasley said Frontier hasn’t yet “seen much of an impact from their converged offerings.”
Frontier doesn’t appear to be concerned about advances from fixed wireless access (FWA) rivals either. New Street Research noted Frontier’s net add announcement implied it lost 67,000 copper subscribers, which was significantly higher than the 56,000 the analyst firm had expected. However, Beasley said fixed wireless has had “very little impact” on its fiber gross additions.
Regarding its DSL based services, Beasley said “we haven’t seen any significant impact from fixed wireless (FWA)” in terms of churn but acknowledged FWA is “nibbling around the edges” where new movers only have the choice between Frontier’s DSL or a fixed wireless product.
Beasley added despite macroeconomic challenges and a recessionary environment, Frontier hasn’t seen any slowdown in bill payments or tier step-downs from customers. In fact, as it works to achieve a goal of 3% to 4% year-on-year average revenue per user (ARPU) growth by the end of 2023, he said it will actually look to encourage customer plan step-ups. Beasley noted uptake of its gigabit plans currently stands around 15% among Frontier’s base and around 45% for new customers, leaving plenty of room for movement. The company will also implement “normal base price increases to reflect higher input costs” and use gift card promotions to retain and gain other subscribers, he said.
Media Contact:
Chrissy Murray
VP, Corporate Communications
+1 504-952-4225
[email protected]
References:
https://investor.frontier.com/news/news-details/2023/Frontier-Adds-Record-Fiber-Broadband-Customers-in-Q4-2022/default.aspx
https://investor.frontier.com/events-and-presentations/events/event-details/2023/Citi-Communications-Media–Entertainment-Conference/default.aspx
https://www.fiercetelecom.com/broadband/frontier-bags-75k-fiber-subs-q4-2022-eyes-arpu-gains-23
Frontier’s Big Fiber Build-Out Continued in Q3-2022 with 351,000 fiber optic premises added
Frontier Communications sets another fiber buildout record; raises FTTP buildout target for 2022
“Fiber is the future” at Frontier, which added a record 54K fiber broadband customers in 1Q-2022
Frontier Communications reports added 45,000 fiber broadband subscribers in 4Q-2021 – best in 5 years!
Frontier’s FTTP to reach 10M locations by 2025; +192,000 FTTP passings in 4Q-2021
Frontier Communications Accelerates Fiber Build Out -10 Million locations passed by 2025
Frontier Communications and Ziply Fiber to raise funds for fiber optic network buildouts
Blues Wireless Raises $32M To Accelerate Adoption of Cellular IoT for Enterprises
Embedded connectivity startup Blues Wireless (Blues), today announced a $32 million Series A1 funding round led by Positive Sum, and including new investors Four Rivers, Northgate, and Qualcomm. Previous backers Sequoia, Cascade, Lachy Groom and XYZ also participated.
By using the Blues Notecard and Notehub, businesses can quickly, securely, and cost-effectively connect their physical products to the cloud via a cellular network (LTE Cat 1, LTE Cat M1, or NB-IoT).
- The Notecard is a low-code data pump embedded within a customer’s products. The Notecard combines prepaid cellular connectivity, low-power design, and secure “off-the-internet” communications in one 30mm x 35mmSystem-on-Module.
- The Notehub routes that data to the customer’s cloud. A hosted service for securely routing Notecard data to your cloud application of choice. Manage fleets of devices, update host and Notecard firmware over-the-air.
- Serving enterprise customers and developers alike, Blues is a hyper-scaler focused on 5G cellular Internet of Things (IoT).
“Even in these difficult economic times, enterprises will not hesitate to invest in transforming their physical products to be capable of remote monitoring and control,” said Ray Ozzie, Founder and CEO of Blues (inventor of Lotus Notes). “To date, connecting products to the cloud using cellular has been a time-consuming and expensive endeavor, fraught with risk. Complexity kills. Blues has taken a unique, developer-centric approach that simply eliminates complexity, from device to cloud, enabling products realistically to go from prototype to scale deployment in months instead of years.”
“We are thrilled to be partnering with Blues. They are well positioned to create an inflection point in IoT,” said Alison Davis Riddell, Partner at Positive Sum. “Blues is clearly the culmination of Ray’s life’s work, bringing to bear all of his experience and passion. The company has strong market signal, with rapid growth and demand from some of the world’s leading companies to connect their products to the cloud securely, economically, and with unprecedented speed. Having worked directly in the IoT space for six years, I can confidently say that Blues’ approach is unlike anything we’ve seen, and the opportunity is tremendous.”
Blues will be exhibiting at CES in Las Vegas (Booth #10752, North Hall) from January 5-8, 2023 with the message that any company can cloud-connect their product using cellular. Customers and partners will be alongside Blues in a shared exhibit space to demonstrate their industry-changing products, and to discuss the Notecard’s and Notehub’s role in helping them to win in the market.
Blues Wireless (Blues) is a hyperscale cellular IoT solution provider founded in 2019 by serial entrepreneur Ray Ozzie. Their flagship products, Notecard and Notehub, work together to provide a complete high-scale device-to-cloud data pump. Blues reduces the cost and complexity of building connected products by including provisioning, security, and cloud device management as standard features, with the simplicity and flexibility enabling it to be incorporated within new and existing designs. More than 800 forward-thinking companies, from startup to enterprise, use Blues to securely cloud-connect their products.
Email [email protected] or visit blues.io for more information.
Notecard Cellular Modem SoMs:
| Image | Manufacturer Part Number | Description | Supplied Contents | Available Quantity | View Details | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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NOTE-WBNA-500 | NOTECARD, LTE CAT 1 (N AMERICA) | Board(s) | 95 – Immediate | View Details |
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NOTE-WBEX-500 | NOTECARD, LTE CAT 1 (EMEA) | Board(s) | 122 – Immediate | View Details |
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NOTE-NBGL-500 | NOTECARD, NB-IOT/LTE-M (GLOBAL) | Board(s) | 99 – Immediate | View Details |
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NOTE-NBNA-500 | NOTECARD, LTE CAT M1 (N AMERICA) | Board(s) | 123 – Immediate | View Details |
References:
https://www.digikey.com/en/product-highlight/b/blues-wireless/notecard-cellular-modem-som
Adani Group to launch private 5G network services in India this year
Adani Group, the newest entrant in India’s telecom space, is looking to launch private 5G services for enterprises in 2023. The conglomerate also announced that it would be launching consumer apps this year as part of its digital strategy.
Addressing his employees in the New Year, Chairman Gautam Adani said they will invest in expanding the network of data centers, building AI-ML and industrial cloud capabilities, along with rolling out 5G services and launching B2C apps.
“While we are fully invested in building India, it is an opportune time to contribute to nation-building outside India. All of these are big ticket, independent yet mutually connected digital opportunities that are backed by our adjacency in the energy business,” he said.
The Gujarat-based conglomerate surprised industry incumbents when it took part in 5G auctions in 2022. While Adani has not purchased spectrum across all 5G bands and thus cannot provide consumer telephony, the conglomerate parted with Rs. 212 crore to buy 400MHz spectrum in the mm-wave band. Adani is gunning to provide private network services to enterprises, including its own.
However, telecom operator Bharti Airtel beat Adani to the punch, bagging the first private 5G network deal with Mahindra Group late last year.
Reliance Jio has also indicated that private 5G will be a key avenue for monetization for the operator in the future. Chairman Mukesh Ambani has committed Rs 2 trillion investment for rolling out a 5G network across the country by December 2023, according to a recent report by the Press Trust of India.
Other entities, such as IT major Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), could also participate in the private 5G network market. They are awaiting spectrum assignment rules from the DoT and TRAI, who are still deliberating the spectrum bands, which will be given to enterprises for private network use through administrative allocation.
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