Bring on the private networks with critical capabilities

Government agencies and companies often have stringent critical communications requirements. What a blessing then that they can now benefit from the new generation of private 5G networks that has emerged. Here’s a look at how new innovative applications tap into critical broadband networks’ capabilities to unleash the potential for operational transformation, automation, and efficiency. And how such a safe, secure business- and mission-critical communications environment unlocks seemingly limitless fresh business potential throughout the 3GPP ecosystem.

Spotlight

Micro Visions, Inc.

since 1989, Micro Visions has worked alongside small and mid-sized business owners in Grand Rapids, throughout West Michigan, and around the globe to provide reliable managed IT services. Our experienced and knowledgeable team provides network monitoring and management, on-demand technical support, plus planning and budgeting advice that keeps systems

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Unified Communications, Network Security

Singtel delivers a model for future 5G and edge connectivity

Article | July 10, 2023

Asia stands out as home to a handful of telcos busy building an international business out of selling their internally developed IT platforms. Leading the way are Jio in India, Japan’s Rakuten and Singapore operator Singtel. Having built their own businesses, they are now selling their platforms to support new 5G business models for enterprises and other operators. In the case of Singtel, this means its 5G multi-access edge computing (MEC) services, based on Paragon, its orchestration platform for enterprise services. Manoj Prasanna Kumar, Head of Enterprise Platforms at Singtel, who is responsible for the Paragon platform, discusses in this article the company’s enterprise service ambitions, how it’s partnering with global enterprise software vendors and the obstacles it still sees to 5G B2B service uptake. Paragon, which falls under the telco’s DigitalInfraCo arm, aims to give enterprises “a single pane of glass that provides an end-to-end view and control of the network, the edge and the application ecosystem,” says Manoj. “It opens up the edge to the enterprise world, allowing them to deploy either their own applications or applications from Singtel's ecosystem.” Launched last year, Paragon also lets telcos orchestrate end-to-end 5G enterprise networking services in combination with applications from software and cloud computing partners. Paragon’s application partners include Amazon Web Services, Intel, Microsoft and SAP, and the platform is available to every 5G enterprise user within the Singtel Group. Singtel’s bet is that a growing number of enterprises will need a tightly intertwined combination of 5G connectivity and cloud computing on the edge to run specific vertical applications. “Our strategy is to become a super aggregator of MEC,” says Manoj. “We focus on high throughput, low latency use cases, such as video analytics or streaming, mixed reality and virtual reality which pump data into the back-end applications and where the decision-making cannot afford even a few milliseconds of extra latency.” In addition to Paragon, Singtel Group’s investments in 5G infrastructure and service delivery include a national 5G standalone (SA) network, covering more than 95% of Singapore, and international investment in data centers to support cloud computing on the network edge. Today, there are signs that its investments in 5G enterprise services are starting to bear fruit. In the second half of the 2022/23 financial year, which ended on 31 March, Singtel reported that higher demand for technology solutions and 5G services contributed to ICT revenue growth of 11%, with ICT revenues contributing 23% of Singtel Group’s overall enterprise revenue. Singtel scored a notable win for the Enterprise 5G offering powered by Paragon platform last year when Silicon manufacturer Micron said it would deploy it and Singtel’s 5G campus network infrastructure to support its smart manufacturing operations. Micron is using Singtel’s solution to help manage and analyze its manufacturing processes for enhanced efficiency. Likewise, Singtel recently announced Hyundai as another customer for their Enterprise 5G offering powered by the Paragon platform to deliver digital twin for their electric vehicle manufacturing plant in Singapore for advanced manufacturing operations. Nonetheless, Manoj recognizes that challenges remain when it comes to growing the 5G enterprise business. “5G and edge in Singapore have had quite a good start. But I would say we've got a long way to go,” he says. Convincing customers One of the biggest obstacles is generating customer demand. After all, just because enterprises are able to set 5G connectivity parameters on demand or use MEC for 5G applications at the click of a button doesn’t mean they see a reason to do so. “Many customers don't have a lot of awareness of how edge computing can really transform their business and how a few milliseconds of latency can actually save money for them, make them more efficient, and reduce errors and so on,” says Manoj. This reality has shaped Singtel’s sales process. “We spend quite a lot of time in raising awareness amongst customers,” he explains. “We never start with what 5G can do. Instead, we focus on understanding their challenges, their current processes, what gaps there are, and…start with applications that can help solve their problems.” Another challenge is a lack of 5G-native devices. “This puts us in a very tough spot because when we go and connect devices to wi-fi hotspots, and then use 5G as backhaul, customers often ask ‘isn't this similar to wi fi? Why do I need 5G?’” He adds: “It will be a bit of a roadblock…for all telcos until the 5G-native device ecosystem matures.” There is also a need for software applications that can perform optimally on 5G and the edge, and switch between network slices with different payloads. “There is a little bit of hand holding required when we bring in an ISV to qualify their application so that it can benefit from all the capabilities of 5G and the edge,” says Manoj. And then there are the engineering challenges associated with orchestration. Paragon sets out to automate much of the orchestration and management capabilities that make it possible to request quality of service on demand for specific applications and use cases. But here again, success is dependent on close partnerships with third parties. “Strategic partnerships with Ericsson on the network side and with Intel, Microsoft and AWS help us boost the infrastructure and the application side to stitch together the network and the infrastructure capabilities,” explains Manoj. Choosing your vertical Singtel is currently targeting three strategic verticals: manufacturing, public safety and urban planning. Its choice reflects the opportunities in both Singapore and the domestic markets of members of the Singtel Group. “In Singapore, we are lucky because both enterprises and the government are very, very future-looking and invest quite a lot in adopting new technology,” says Manoj. In particular, “public sector customers are more motivated to explore something new because they carry the digital footprint of the country,” he says. And because governments operate public safety and urban planning systems at a national level, the promises are on enough scale to spur third parties to invest in developing devices and software applications. Typical public safety use cases include video analytics, surveillance systems and robotics applications; urban planning covers systems such as traffic management. Some of the enterprise applications Singtel sees gaining traction include immersive B2B2C content, such as delivering real-time analytics to gamers via a 360-degree video feed or mixed reality applications to train factory workers on how to troubleshoot to use complex equipment. “If they need an augmented overlay of information through the camera feeds then they need 5G and edge because a lag will make users nauseous,” explains Manoj. Other promising use cases include autonomous drones and robots. Singtel has drawn on standard APIs, including TM Forum’s Open APIs, CAMARA APIs to build Paragon. Manoj encourages both technology standardization and collaboration with hyperscalers and software vendors to grow the enterprise market. “Telcos should be embracing tech players as partners, seeing them as catalysts of more pull through on their services,” says Manoj. “When you partner with them, you expose your services on the hyperscale infrastructure, you naturally work with developers, which allows telcos to expand the services market.”

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Wireless, 5G

Ericsson’s 5G platform adds unique core and business communication capabilities

Article | May 18, 2023

To leverage the full benefits of 5G and cloud native investments, orchestration and automation are now a critical matter of business. Ericsson’s 5G platform is now being strengthened with new solutions that enable smarter business. David Bjore, Head of R&D and Portfolio, Business Area Digital Services, Ericsson, says: “Through our core networks, service providers can get to market faster and can capitalize on new services, through leading consumer and enterprise communication and monetization solutions, enabling them to stay ahead in the race for 5G business, today and tomorrow.”

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Enterprise Mobility

Ericsson researchers top 4.3Gbps downlink on 5G millimeter wave

Article | June 15, 2023

With a technical specification comprising 8 component carriers (8CC) aggregating 800MHz of millimeter wave spectrum, Ericsson engineers achieved delivery rates of 4.3Gbps – the fastest 5G speed to date. Ericsson Radio System Street Macro 6701 delivered data with downlink speeds of 4.3Gbps over-the-air to an industry partner test device during interoperability testing. The commercial solution, including network and terminal support, will be available to 5G consumers during 2020.

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Intelligence Brief: How is 5G changing network ownership?

Article | February 12, 2020

5G necessitates a different network strategy. Unlike previous generations, 5G deployment is not only about adding more sites and increasing backhaul capacity. In fact, it is more about rethinking the whole network architecture to make it agile. The high capacity requirements of 5G will necessitate the use of small cells in cities and areas of high footfall (such as airports) to complement national macro networks. Private networks (for example to sell into enterprise customers) and the concept of a neutral host (such as for sports stadiums) are further examples of diversification.

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Spotlight

Micro Visions, Inc.

since 1989, Micro Visions has worked alongside small and mid-sized business owners in Grand Rapids, throughout West Michigan, and around the globe to provide reliable managed IT services. Our experienced and knowledgeable team provides network monitoring and management, on-demand technical support, plus planning and budgeting advice that keeps systems

Related News

COAI holds high level meeting with partners, will get 5g very soon

News Track | January 26, 2020

The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) has held a high-level meeting with 3GPP (Third Generation Partnership Project) partners and the Global Certification Forum on the development of 5G networks. There was talk about certification. If you talk about this, in addition to the government of India, academia and stake holders, 5GIF (5G in India for Rum) also took part. For your information, let us know that the Third Generation Partnership Project consists of seven Telecom Organizations and Associated Organizations around the world which work for Tequology, Radio Network. The ecosystem for the 5G network is being developed under this project. Several issues including the 5G standard were discussed in this two-day meeting in Hyderabad. Representatives of more than 40 companies from around the world took part in this meeting.

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Microsoft is working with AT&T to speed up its 5G network

MSPoweruser | January 26, 2020

One of the key selling points of 5G networks is reduced latency, but what is less known that in many cases this is achieved by moving computing resources closer to the user via so-called Edge computing. Now Microsoft has revealed that new Network Edge Compute (NEC) technology is being developed in partnership between Microsoft and AT&T. Using AT&T’s 5G network of edge locations, Microsoft’s Azure Cloud and Edge computing technology services can be delivered closer to customers. The NEC technology will be rolled out for a select group of customers in Dallas first. The target is to make the technology more broadly available to select customers in Los Angeles and Atlanta sometime in 2020. AT&T became the first to activate a 400-gigabit connection between Dallas and Atlanta. The company currently services 21 cities across the US with their 5G network and plans to expand this nationwide this year.

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5G Strategies of T-Mobile US, Sprint Hinge on Merger

SDxCentral | January 26, 2020

T-Mobile US and Sprint have spent the better part of the last two years hoping and planning to merge into a combined entity, but now that the outcome of that effort rests with a federal judge, the future of both companies is unclear. If the merger is blocked and the operators remain separate companies, their respective 5G plans are going to evolve considerably and quickly. “T-Mobile is in a more favorable position than Sprint” because it enjoys a stronger balance sheet and the wherewithal to push forward with 5G, said Lynnette Luna, principal analyst at GlobalData Technology. “However, T-Mobile will then be relegated to deploying 5G in low-band and [millimeter-wave] spectrum, and would need to acquire mid-band spectrum that is now seen as the Holy Grail of 5G deployments given its propagation capabilities and faster data speeds.”

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COAI holds high level meeting with partners, will get 5g very soon

News Track | January 26, 2020

The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) has held a high-level meeting with 3GPP (Third Generation Partnership Project) partners and the Global Certification Forum on the development of 5G networks. There was talk about certification. If you talk about this, in addition to the government of India, academia and stake holders, 5GIF (5G in India for Rum) also took part. For your information, let us know that the Third Generation Partnership Project consists of seven Telecom Organizations and Associated Organizations around the world which work for Tequology, Radio Network. The ecosystem for the 5G network is being developed under this project. Several issues including the 5G standard were discussed in this two-day meeting in Hyderabad. Representatives of more than 40 companies from around the world took part in this meeting.

Read More

Microsoft is working with AT&T to speed up its 5G network

MSPoweruser | January 26, 2020

One of the key selling points of 5G networks is reduced latency, but what is less known that in many cases this is achieved by moving computing resources closer to the user via so-called Edge computing. Now Microsoft has revealed that new Network Edge Compute (NEC) technology is being developed in partnership between Microsoft and AT&T. Using AT&T’s 5G network of edge locations, Microsoft’s Azure Cloud and Edge computing technology services can be delivered closer to customers. The NEC technology will be rolled out for a select group of customers in Dallas first. The target is to make the technology more broadly available to select customers in Los Angeles and Atlanta sometime in 2020. AT&T became the first to activate a 400-gigabit connection between Dallas and Atlanta. The company currently services 21 cities across the US with their 5G network and plans to expand this nationwide this year.

Read More

5G Strategies of T-Mobile US, Sprint Hinge on Merger

SDxCentral | January 26, 2020

T-Mobile US and Sprint have spent the better part of the last two years hoping and planning to merge into a combined entity, but now that the outcome of that effort rests with a federal judge, the future of both companies is unclear. If the merger is blocked and the operators remain separate companies, their respective 5G plans are going to evolve considerably and quickly. “T-Mobile is in a more favorable position than Sprint” because it enjoys a stronger balance sheet and the wherewithal to push forward with 5G, said Lynnette Luna, principal analyst at GlobalData Technology. “However, T-Mobile will then be relegated to deploying 5G in low-band and [millimeter-wave] spectrum, and would need to acquire mid-band spectrum that is now seen as the Holy Grail of 5G deployments given its propagation capabilities and faster data speeds.”

Read More

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