Category: 5G and Beyond


Virtual MIMO boosts LTE networks

Telecoms mega vendor, Nokia Siemens Networks, said Wednesday that it has demonstrated how a virtual Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) method can be used for the uplink in LTE (Long Term Evolution) networks. Using the SDMA (Space Division Multiple Access) technique, also known as virtual MIMO, Nokia has got two standard mobile devices, each with […]

Are mobile ops ready for Ethernet?

It seems clear that Ethernet base stations will be a dominant feature of the infrastructure landscape at some time. However, as Gaby Junowicz, director of business development for RAD Data Communications, points out, the industry should not jump the gun. “Legacy networks are ubiquitous and work perfectly well,” said Junowicz. “Mobile operators aren’t convinced that […]

Alcatel, Macropolitan offer outsourced WiMAX

Macropolitan and Alcatel-Lucent said Monday that they have partnered to provide UK operators with a fully outsourced WiMAX network deployment in urban areas. Under the agreement, Alcatel-Lucent will provide the WiMAX infrastructure, network planning, site acquisition, installation and maintenance services while Macropolitan will offer up its portfolio of urban sites. Macropolitan, formed by Ryan Jarvis, […]

Vodafone UK suffers network outage

An unspecified number of subscribers on the Vodafone UK network were left without service on Friday after the mobile operator suffered an outage. A customer service representative said that one of the operator’s Home Location Registers (HLR) had fallen over and could take up to 24 hours to fix, meaning customers could be without service […]

Siemens CEO to step down

The president and chief executive officer of German vendor Siemens, Klaus Kleinfeld, said this week that he will step down from his position when his contract expires in October. The move comes as the vendor is under investigation over allegations of corruption. “In times like these, the company needs clarity about its leadership,” said Kleinfeld. […]

Nigeria’s first HSPA network on the way

Nigerian operator Globacom this week awarded a contract to Alcatel-Lucent to build what it claims is the first 3G UMTS/HSPA network in West Africa. The agreement following on from a $600m network expansion deal awarded to Alcatel-Lucent in February. Installation will be carried out in a number of major cities, including the capital Abuja and […]

Mobily pulls fibre to 2,000 sites

At 3GSM World Congress in February, telecoms.com sister publication MCI reported that an unidentified but major Middle Eastern carrier was in the process of pulling fibre to 2,000 cell sites. At the IMS World Forum in Monte Carlo yesterday, the mystery glass blower was unmasked as Mobily, Saudi Arabia’s second carrier, which recently launched an […]

Wifi hotspots set for growth surge

This year, the number of wifi hotspots worldwide will grow by nearly 25 per cent to 179,500, according to forecasts from ABI Research. While almost three quarters of these sites are in North America and Europe, the Asia Pacific region is growing very rapidly, despite the fact that growth in China has been much slower […]

Wifi worries teachers as Cloud envelopes City

British teaching unions have expressed concerns over the safety of wifi networks in schools on the day that UK wireless broadband operator The Cloud switches on what it claims is “Europe’s most advanced wifi network”, providing coverage in the City of London financial district. Philip Parkin, the general secretary of UK body the Professional Association […]

AT&T zaps Cingular for business

US telco AT&T’s separate mobile and fixed brands are at an end, at least as far as businesses are concerned. Since the mega-merger late last year, it has been the company’s policy to mash its assorted logos into the AT&T name, with the Cingular Wireless mobile brand being first on the list. Now, the first […]

Airwave snapped up for Eur3bn

Australian investment bank Macquarie has bought Telefonica O2’s emergency services unit, Airwave, for Eur2.982bn in cash. The UK-based operation will come under the ownership of Guardian Digital Communications, a new company wholly owned by two Macquarie investment funds managed by Macquarie. The Australian firm said it is taking a long term view of the investments […]

Italian province gets unwired with meshnet

Over half the Italian province of Brescia has no broadband internet service, something the provincial government suspects is a serious drag on economic growth. So, the government is building out a wireless mesh network using Cisco’s Outdoor Wireless products. For an initial investment of Eur2m, the province estimates it will contribute some Eur139m to the […]

Eastern Europeans roam with MACH

Mobilkom Austria has renewed its contract with clearing and settlement firm MACH. The deal includes Mobilkom Austria and its subsidiaries: Mobiltel in Bulgaria, Vipnet in Croatia, Si.mobil in Slovenia, Mobilkom Liechtenstein and mobile communication providers currently being established in Serbia and Macedonia. With travel and tourism on the rise across the region, Mobilkom said the […]

Kit vendors win big in India

Fourth placed Indian mobile operator, Hutchison Essar, is reportedly moving ahead with a $2bn tender for 35-40 million GSM lines. The decision to go ahead with the contract comes as the operator’s shareholding structure is being investigated following Vodafone’s acquisition $11.1 billion deal to acquire 67 per cent of Hutchison Essar. The controversial deal appears […]

France Telecom hires Morgan Stanley on TI offer

According to weekend reports, France Telecom has hired Morgan Stanley to advise it on a counteroffer for Telecom Italia (TI). The UK’s Times newspaper and Italian daily, La Repubblica, said the French giant has hired the financial services firm on the potential acquisition of Olimpia, which is owned by Pirelli.Pirelli has an 18 per cent […]

More than one 3G licence for China, Reding told

European Commissioner for Information Society and Media, Viviane Reding, was told Thursday during a trip to China that the country would “probably” award more than one 3G licence. After her meeting with the Chinese information industry minister, Wang Xudong, Reding said he told her that China was sticking to its policy of remaining “technology neutral” […]

Tamil Tigers hack satellite

Sri Lankan terrorist group the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, otherwise known as the Tamil Tigers, have hacked an Intelsat satellite and are using it to broadcast TV and radio messages. In a statement, satellite comms firm Intelsat, said its technical experts met with Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to the United States, Bernard Goonetilleke, earlier this […]

Alcatel delivers TD-SCDMA to China

Alcatel-Lucent’s Chinese subsidiary, Alcatel Shanghai Bell, has teamed up with Chinese vendor Datang Mobile in a successful bid to provide homegrown TD-SCDMA 3G kit to leading operator China Mobile. Datang and Alcatel will deploy TD-SCDMA network equipment for China Mobile in Shanghai and in the southern city of Guangzhou. Alcatel will provide the Node B […]

IPWireless bought for $100m

US wireless broadband vendor, NextWave Wireless, said Monday that it has agreed to purchase UMTS-TDD kit supplier IPWireless for $100m. An additional consideration of up to $135m will be paid based on the achievement of certain revenue milestones in the 2007 to 2009 timeframe, the companies said. IPWireless is one of the biggest proponents of […]

Nokia to do WiMAX for Pipex

Infrastructure vendor Nokia Siemens Networks scored another WiMAX contract Thursday, after being tapped by UK service provider Pipex Wireless to deliver kit for its nationwide network. Pipex and Nokia Siemens are now working on 802.16e-2005 equipment specification, network design and service definition in readiness for a pilot deployment during this year, the company said. Nokia […]