Recognizing the tremendous costs that come with 5G, Veluxsys has announced that it is poised to help make cost-effective 5G network deployments a reality. Using highly sophisticated photonics technology, Veluxsys is designing a whole new type of radio-to-multiple-antenna system that will save network operators money and help 5G networks become reality.

IoT News

In IoT news, Sprint unveiled the Curiosity IoT platform, introducing a new standard in how IoT is managed and secured. Enterprises will now be able to manage IoT devices and connectivity over the air across multiple SIM profiles. Intelligence from device data will be generated instantly through the dedicated, distributed and virtualized core, built together with the new operating system. And the ultimate level of security will be provided from the chip to the cloud. This month also brought news of a new global relationship between Sprint and Ericsson to build a distributed and virtualized core network dedicated specifically to IoT as well as a world-class IoT operating system. Purpose-built for the future of IoT, this new environment is designed to handle the skyrocketing data flow from devices, enabling immediate, actionable intelligence at the network edge for end users and enterprises.

In other IoT developments, Samsung introduced its new SmartThings Tracker. This lightweight GPS tracking device, connected through an LTE-M1 network, can be attached to backpacks, keys, pet collars, and more to allow users to accurately and quickly track valuable items. SmartThings Tracker became available through AT&T on September 14 and will roll out with Verizon later in 2018.

Adesto Technologies presented new research this month on Resistive RAM (RRAM) technology’s potential for use with high-reliability applications in automotive and IoT. Led by Adesto Fellow Dr. John Jameson, the presentation took place at the ESSCIRC-ESSDERC 48th European Solid-State Device Research Conference, held in Germany in early September.

In response to demand from enterprise customers, Vodafone is set to double the number of European cell sites in its 5G Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) network footprint by the end of next year. The world’s biggest, international NB-IoT network will be available in 10 European countries, including planned launches in the UK, Romania and Hungary.

Dr. Bernardo Huberman, a technology pioneer and futurist whose inventions have affected business and residential behaviors, will be a special guest speaker during the Opening General Session for SCTE.ISBE Cable-Tec Expo 2018. His keynote, set to take place on October 23, will address how Silicon Valley and the cable and telecommunications industry can jointly ride the tidal wave of Artificial Intelligence and Internet of Things technologies to unlock new areas of growth. 

Customer Experience News

Customer experience news included a range of interesting global developments. To bring new experiences to the blind and visually impaired, AT&T and Aira have continued to expand their relationship. Now, all AT&T company-owned retail and authorized retail stores will be Aira Access Locations, which means that any member of the visually impaired community with a smartphone or Aira’s wearables can become an Aira Guest and receive free use of Aira’s service. Over 5,300 retail locations across the country will be Aira Access Locations.  

Nuance has launched Nuance Prediction Service, which leverages AI and deep analytics to anticipate customer requests, predict intent, and speed resolution. This hyper-personalized approach to customer experience is in line with use cases for AI supporting CX—which Gartner predicts as holding the most promise for business value and revenue growth through 2020. 

In Denmark and Norway, Altibox has selected Federos’s Assure1 solution to enhance customer experience. Assure1 will help Altibox provide customer-focused, integrated service assurance across a large number of deployed systems. In South America, Vodafone and Telecom Argentina embarked on a new Partner Market agreement to enhance customer experience for Argentinian customers. Vodafone will provide strategic advice to Telecom Argentina and share global best practices on customer service and retail, technology, IT and procurement, among other areas.

Cloud, Edge and Virtualization News

To enable service providers to roll out secure virtualized services at scale, Ensemble—a division of ADVA—launched a major new release of its network functions virtualization (NFV) platform. The upgraded Ensemble suite now features powerful management and orchestration (MANO) capabilities. And, Windstream Enterprise, a leading supplier of advanced network communications, announced that its SD-WAN service met the standards this month for Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) Version 3.2 Compliance. Amid growing global concern over protection of sensitive data, this independent, third-party designation can inspire customer confidence.