Wireless Networks

UAE telecoms group etisalat by e& has announced a strategic alliance with Huawei to unveil what is described as the first net zero 5G Massive MIMO site deployment in the MENA region.

PLDT’s wireless arm Smart Communications says it has successfully tested a fully functional Open RAN Intelligent Controller (RIC) in a proof of concept (POC) with Japan’s NTT DoCoMo.

The need for connectivity is universal and is continually growing as more and more aspects of our lives are enhanced by it. Service providers must, therefore, adapt to survive, transforming their architecture with open networks to deliver a superior user experience while growing sustainably and avoiding vendor lock-ins.

Operator Ooredoo Qatar has partnered with Ericsson, which will supply and implement a 4G network for Ooredoo’s oil and gas enterprise customers. The network will be deployed offshore to connect oil and gas enterprise facilities with arriving ships.

Viettel High Tech says it has successfully deployed and validated its 5G Open RAN gNodeB, co-developed with Qualcomm, on Viettel’s live network in Hanoi.

The Malaysian state of Selangor is working with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to achieve 100% 5G network coverage by 2025, according to a state government official.

Operator Ooredoo Qatar and Nokia are claiming a significant milestone with the establishment of the Middle East and Africa’s first private wireless network in the region for the energy sector.

What is described as a “landmark agreement” will lay the foundation for South Africa’s Gugulethu Colliery, a newly developed mine in Mpumalanga, to integrate 5G technology in its operations.

Operator MTN Nigeria and the African operation of American Tower Corporation, a leading independent owner, operator and developer of multitenant communications real estate, have entered into a new agreement that, they say, is expected to enhance wireless connectivity across Nigeria.

According to a number of recent reports, Saudi Arabia’s new Red Sea International Airport has become an early example in the region of the benefits of neutral host technology.

Hughes Communications India (HCI) has announced a new managed services deal for cement companies ACC and Ambuja Cement, through which it plans to deploy dual LTE/4G at over 100 manufacturing and field units across India.

As part of a drive to upgrade 3G base transceiver stations (BTS), North Korea has begun importing second-hand equipment from China’s Huawei.

Mobile and broadband subscriptions in Vietnam are predicted to see steady growth from 2023 to 2030 delivering revenue increases for operators, on the back of wider economic growth in the country. 

Liberty Networks says it successfully deployed free space optics technology from Taara to connect the Caribbean islands of St. Martin and Anguilla during a cable outage.

Chapel Hill Denham’s Nigeria Infrastructure Debt Fund has agreed to provide long-term financing to West African solar-based internet service provider Tizeti. The senior debt facility will be used to finance the rollout of Tizeti’s state-of-the art broadband network across 15 states in Nigeria.

India’s Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DoT) says state-owned telco BSNL will deploy its home-grown standalone 5G equipment in its network by the middle of next year.

Gambia’s state-backed operator Gamtel has is set to upgrade and expand its core network with Chinese vendor Huawei.

Uzbekistani CDMA provider Rubicon Wireless Communications, which operates as Perfectum, has announced plans to deploy a 5G network in partnership with Nokia.

Huawei, a global leader in technology and telecommunications, is propelling the industry into a new era with the announcement of the world's first comprehensive suite of solutions for 5.5G technology.

In a world defined by rapid technological advancements, the convergence of 5G, cloud infrastructure and artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the way we live and work.

The All Bands to 5G Summit held during the Global Mobile Broadband Forum (MBBF) 2023 in Dubai this month resounded with a clear message: 5G has the power to shape the future of connectivity and revolutionise societies. Industry experts and leaders from diverse stakeholders came together, sharing their profound insights.

Canadian RAN provider NuRAN Wireless secured an operating licence in Cameroon as part of wider ambitions to deploy 10,000 sites across the African continent. 

Bharti Airtel and Ericsson say that they have successfully tested RedCap software on Airtel’s 5G network, which Airtel hopes will open up new IoT use cases for 5G in India.

Jamaica’s Kingston Freeport Terminal Limited (KFTL) has selected Nokia to deploy the first private wireless network at its container terminal. The network was installed and will be deployed by Nokia Channel Partner EGC International.

As Malaysia continues to position itself as a major hotbed of 5G activity and innovation, the country’s operators are dominating the latest global 5G report from Opensignal, particularly in terms of download speeds and gaming experience.

The Malaysian government aims to extend 5G coverage to at least 85% of the country’s rural population by the end of 2024, with the remaining areas served by broadband satellites.

In yet another reminder of the opportunities for private 5G in multiple industries, John Deere, a global leader in the delivery of agricultural, construction, and forestry equipment, has outlined plans to launch its first private 5G network in a new factory in Brazil later this year.

Vodafone and Orange say they have completed the first 4G calls over a shared Open RAN network in rural areas of Romania.