Telecom Industry News - February 2018

AT&T announced that it is continuing to invest in expanding their fiber footprint to provide businesses of all sizes with advanced technology and communications services. AT&T also announced the launch of a project to provide the industry with a more open, flexible and cost-effective alternative to traditional integrated networking equipment. AT&T intends to open source a project called the Disaggregated Network Operating System, or dNOS, hosted by The Linux Foundation. Also this month, AT&T and Accenture stated that they are collaborating on a multi-year project to improve business by transforming older business applications into faster, more flexible microservices. 

Windstream annoucned that it has been awarded $2.7 million in Phase 3 of the New NY Broadband Program. The fund will support Windstream’s deployment of high-speed broadband to 751 rural locations in Western New York. Windstream also revealed its plans for Avaya ENGAGE 2018, which will be held Jan. 28-31 at the New Orleans Convention Center. In addition to serving as an ENGAGE sponsor, Windstream is orchestrating multiple activities to assist attendees planning to migrate their premises-based systems to the cloud

Shenandoah Telecommunications Company (Shentel) announced that they have teamed up with Hitron Technologies to launch Wall to Wall Wi-Fi to enhance and extend their Wi-Fi service within customers' homes throughout the southeastern United States.

In Europe, Juniper Networks and TIM have initiated a joint agreement to collaborate on the research and development of an innovative cloud-oriented network infrastructure. Also this month, ADVA announced that Telehouse America/NYIIX has deployed its FSP 3000 CloudConnect to tackle soaring data demand in its metro network.

Nokia announced that it is strengthening its cloud and data center services by opening three, new Nokia Cloud Collaboration Hubs in Singapore; Irving, Texas; and in Reading, UK. The hubs are execution centers where multi-vendor cloud services from strategy and design to execution and delivery are provided. Nokia also announced the launch the world's first MulteFire small cell that will enable industries, enterprises, smart cities and mobile service providers to leverage global unlicensed spectrum for secure, high-capacity and high-coverage private LTE networks.

Telstra, Ericsson, NETGEAR and Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. announced they have achieved record-breaking 4G speeds of up to 2 Gigabits per second (Gbps) in lab testing using a new commercially announced chipset. In other 4G news, EE unveiled a new 4G home broadband solution which could connect 580,000 homes across the UK, especially those in rural areas that are currently only able to access broadband slower than 10Mbps. 

Columbia Sportswear Co. and Microsoft Corp. have announced plans to collaborate on enhancing Columbia Sportswear's global consumer experience and drive its digital transformation using intelligent cloud technology.

Digpro was chosen by Vansbro Municipality in Sweden to provide the geographic information system dpCom for their fiber networks and better cooperate with other municipal network owners in the immediate area. 

Harmonic announced that Com Hem is using Harmonic's CableOS virtualized CCAP solution to deliver the Nordic region's fastest broadband speeds. 

Calix, Inc. announced SKY Cable Corporation (SKY Cable), the largest cable operator in the Philippines, will leverage end-to-end solutions from Calix to drive an expansive network transformation to fiber with plans to serve the greater metropolitan areas of Manila and Rizal.

Telefonica International Wholesale Services extends virtualization adoption with the deployment of 7 new Network Functions Hubs. This will mean the ability to offer the best connectivity and the virtualization of several services and network functions, such as vRAS, vRouter and vFirewall. 

Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd. announces that Hispasat selected Gilat’s innovative platform for a multi-million dollar project to provide broadband commercial services in Mexico using Hispasat’s Ka HTS capacity of the Amazonas-5 Satellite.