According to a new update to the Worldwide Semiannual Mobility Spending Guide from International Data Corporation (IDC), European spending on mobility solutions is expected to reach $293 billion by the end of the year. IDC expects the market to post a five-year compound annual growth rate of 2.4 percent, resulting in spending of over $325 billion by 2022. The central role mobility plays in businesses’ digital strategy and the proliferation of new mobility use cases and technology adoption is driving spending growth. 

To speed the deployment of intelligent Wi-Fi mesh networks, Broadband Forus and prpl Foundation will partner on leading a new open-source initiative. The goal of the initiative is to develop an open-source reference implementation of the Wi-Fi Alliance® Multi-AP Specification, which will make it easier and faster for service providers and retail Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) to develop and deploy carrier-grade mesh Wi-Fi systems and to deliver intelligent, carrier-grade, whole-home and small business coverage. 

WISPAPALOOZA, which took place in Las Vegas in mid-October, brings together North American wireless Internet service providers, industry experts and leading suppliers annually to learn, inspire and network. At the event, MCP Networks showcased Aerez Whole Home Wi-Fi solution for Wireless Internet Service Providers (WISPs). The solution allows anyone from the router to the app provider to be ready for OTT with tools for the “Smart Whole Home Management.” Also on display at WISPAPALOOZA was the latest antenna technology: Concealed Antenna Node (CAN) represents Alpha Wireless’ commitment to changing the way wireless networks are built. 

In other industry event news, INCOMPAS will take place in Las Vegas October 29-31, 2018. INCOMPAS member and supporter Equinox Information Systems will again sponsor and participate in the show. FirstLight CEO Kurt Van Wagenen will be speaking on INCOMPAS’s Keynote panel on bandwidth revolution on October 30. The panel will discuss how the demand for bandwidth and innovative services presents opportunities for service providers of all sizes, from large national carriers to smaller, specialized regional operators, and how fiber will drive greater bandwidth and serve as the critical backbone for 5G. Stay tuned to Pipeline for more INCOMPAS Show news leading up to and following the event.

In one more piece of conference news, anticipation of next year’s SCTE•ISBE’s 50th anniversary has spurred long-range planning designed to ensure the continued success and growth of the Cable-Tec Expo as a pivotal event for the entire cable telecommunications industry. Key to success for the next decade of the flagship conference are strategic locations, partnerships with cable system operators, and collaborative relationships with the vendor community and key industry associations. More news will be forthcoming as planning continues.  

Mergers and Acquisitions

Mergers and acquisitions news percolated all month. Telarix and Starhome Mach, a leading global provider of SaaS wholesale and retail roaming, clearing, settlement and fraud prevention solutions, announced a merger. The combination of these two leading telecommunication software companies will create an end-to-end technology solution provider enabling telecommunication companies to optimize global connectivity in the digital transformation era. DASAN Zhone Solutions (DZS), a global leader in network access solutions for service provider and enterprise networks, will acquire KEYMILE, a leading German manufacturer of broadband access solutions. The acquisition further expands the US-based DZS’s global footprint. And Infinera, the provider of Intelligent Transport Networks, announced the closing of its acquisition of Coriant. The privately held Coriant is a global supplier of open network solutions for some of the largest global network operators. Infinera’s acquisition of Coriant positions the former as one of the largest vertically integrated optical network equipment providers in the world. In the Southeast US, Atlantic Broadband—the nation’s ninth-largest cable operator—acquired the South Florida fiber network previously owned by FiberLight, LLC.