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Viavi Solutions is introducing a new base station analyzer that is designed to help service providers quickly test 5G IoT infrastructure overlays on mobile networks. The company’s new CellAdvisor Base Station Analyzer will support the unique signal analysis required for 5G narrow-band Internet of Things (NB-IoT) connectivity. Viavi believes it is the first of its kind in the industry to meet the needs of service providers for immediate testing of the overlay IoT infrastructure that must co-exist seamlessly with the traditional mobile communications network. Viavi is introducing this upgrade following successful trials with Tier-1 global service providers and collaborations with major network equipment manufacturers.

To help service providers embrace digital transformation and more quickly implement 5G capabilities, Netcracker Technology has introduced a new digital transformation development platform to help service providers accelerate the adoption of 5G, IoT, biometrics, and artificial intelligence in virtual and cloud infrastructures.

Corporate Moves

Carriers, cable companies, and solution providers were all busy this month buying, selling, and partnering with each other. 

One big piece of news was the talk that T-Mobile and Sprint may be getting together again. Recent statements indicate that the two carriers and their respective parent companies Deutsche Telekom and SoftBank are in early talks about joining forces. Sprint tried to buy T-Mobile in 2014, but the deal fell apart in the early stages because regulators weren't interested in further consolidation in the wireless business. But President Donald Trump’s more business-friendly stance opens the door to a potential deal. A combination would create a larger third player to compete against Verizon Wireless and AT&T, by far the No. 1 and No. 2 carriers in the U.S.

In the meantime, Straight Path Communications dumped AT&T for Verizon. Straight Path announced that it was signing a definitive merger agreement under which Verizon Communications Inc. would acquire the company for $184.00 per share in an all-stock transaction that is intended to qualify as a tax-free reorganization. Verizon will pay on behalf of Straight Path a termination fee of $38 million to AT&T.

Cisco announced plans to acquire privately-held cloud-based SD-WAN solutions provider Viptela, Inc. to expand Cisco's software-defined wide area network portfolio for telecom carriers and global enterprises. Customers are turning to SD-WAN solutions to help manage and orchestrate their WAN deployments, to cost effectively improve access to both the cloud and their corporate network. Cisco will acquire Viptela for $610 million in cash and assumed equity awards. The acquisition is expected to close later this year, after having completed all of the customary closing conditions and regulatory review.

Seventh-largest U.S. cable service provider Cable ONE has completed its 735 million dollar acquisition of cable operator NewWave Communications which provides high-speed data, video and voice services to residential and business customers throughout non-urban areas of Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Texas. The all-cash $735 million acquisition was originally announced on January 18. The combination of Cable ONE and NewWave creates a leading high-speed data and cable company serving more than 1.2 million primary service units in 21 states and expands Cable ONE’s footprint into additional non-metropolitan markets for which the Company has optimized its strategy and operations.