Wireless Networks

Indonesian digital telco Indosat Ooredoo has deployed Ericsson's Operations Engine (EOE) framework, incorporating artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) to monitor and tune network parameters to upgrade its 4G radio network.

Nokia has agreed a deal to supply 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) equipment to Ooredoo Kuwait for the operator’s customer premises.

Chinese mobile network operators (MNOs) China Mobile, China Telecom, and China Unicom have selected the R&S TSME6 drive test scanner from Rohde & Schwarz for their 5G network deployment and optimization efforts.

Croatian telecommunications company Hrvatski Telekom (HT) is expanding its 5G network to 15 new cities and towns.

The Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT)’s wireless unit Smart Communications said it has expanded its 5G network to over 2,600 sites nationwide, solidifying its position as the country’s most extensive 5G network.

According to its website, Tele2 has carried out research work on 5G in the 700MHz frequency, making it the first Latvian operator to do so.

80% of Indian enterprises have kept the next-generation connectivity technology, 5G, on their priorities list said a study.

Chinese partially state-owned international provider of telecommunications ZTE and China Mobile has completed the automatic service provisioning pilot in the existing SPN (Slicing Packet Network) in Zhejiang, China.

Indonesia's Ministry of Communication and Information Technology (Kemenkominfo) has announced the auction results for the 2.3GHz frequency.

India's 4G mobile data subscribers are expected to rise to 820 million by the end of March 2022 - higher than in the last financial year (April to March) despite a Covid spike.

Cambodia's telecommunications service provider Smart Axiata has announced it has deployed 68 new network base station sites in the Siem Reap province as part of its USD 90 million investment plan in 2021 to expand and upgrade its network across the Kingdom.

Russian mobile operator Beeline has partnered with the Istanbul-headquartered P.I. Works on a network planning project, aimed at streamlining the operator’s investment planning processes and revolutionising customer experience, said a joint press release.

Azerbaijan operator Azercell Telecom said it has expanded the network coverage significantly to 85.3% of the population by end of March 2021, soared from 35.9% of January 1, 2019. Meanwhile, its geographical coverage surged to 72.8% during this period.

Operator stc Bahrain has announced plans to launch what it calls a first-of-a-kind camouflaged small cell solution across Bahrain.

O2 Slovakia, the provider of mobile service in Slovakia, has tapped Ericsson as its technology partner for commercial 5G rollout and modernisation of existing 2G, 3G, and 4G radio access network (RAN) infrastructures.

Etisalat’s du has partnered with Nokia to deploy a 5G network providing enhanced mobile broadband services and expanding 5G coverage and revenue opportunities.

A1 Telekom Austria Group, the provider of digital services and communications solutions, said it is accelerating its 5G rollout plans across Central and Eastern Europe.

China has built the world's largest 5G high-speed mobile network with 260 million 5G mobile connections now, reported Chinese official media quoting Liu Liehong, vice-minister of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT).

Finland-based smartphone manufacturer Nokia has announced that it has been selected by Taiwanese carrier Chunghwa Telecom (CHT) to expand the operator’s 5G network in Taiwan.

Fast-growing pan-African operator Africell has signed a multi-million-dollar agreement with wireless transport solutions company Aviat, which will provide Africell with a 5G-ready end-to-end disaggregated transmission network across multiple African countries.

Indosat Ooredoo, the wireless telecommunications provider in Indonesia, has conducted OpenRAN (Radio Access Network) field trials on its video grade 4G network, including proof of concept and functional testing.

MTS, Russia’s largest mobile operator, and the Chinese tech giant Huawei have activated 5G networks at 14 iconic locations in Moscow.

As promised at the launch in February, South African ISP Supersonic is now extending the coverage of its Unlimited Air Fibre wireless broadband product.

French regulator Arcep has approved Digicel and Free Caraibe’s network-sharing arrangement for the Antilles-Guyane region (covering French Guiana, Guadeloupe and Martinique).

After signing a partnership agreement with Ericsson in late 2020, Telia Lietuva has begun deploying the Swedish vendor’s next generation mobile base stations across Lithuania.

Tele2 Russia has launched new base stations via the 2300MHz band to bolster its commercial 4G/LTE services in Moscow and St Petersburg.

Airtel’s Kenyan and Sri Lankan units are bolstering their coverage via 5G upgrades and new site deployments respectively.

Etisalat has collaborated with Parallel Wireless, Intel and Supermicro to deliver Central Asia’s first cloud-native O-RAN compliant 5G 4G 3G 2G Open RAN solutions in Afghanistan.

ZTE Corporation has implemented Africa’s first live 3G/4G/5G Tri-RAT dynamic spectrum sharing solution, ZTE’s SuperDSS, in South Africa.

According to a blog on the IBM website, the technology giant has launched a proof of concept (PoC) with Movistar, a Telefonica brand, to deploy one of the first fully functional Open RAN networks, covering 81,000 inhabitants in the city of Puerto Madryn in Argentina.

Not to be outdone by its longtime rival Globe Telecom, which this week announced a major upgrade to its 4G services while pledging new 5G coverage, Smart Communications confirmed that it has activated over 2000 5G sites in the Philippines.

Nokia and Safaricom have confirmed yesterday’s news that East Africa’s first commercial 5G services have been launched in parts of Kenya, and have added more detail about the technology involved.

Kenya’s leading operator Safaricom has announced plans to launch a 5G network this Friday in Nairobi and western Kenya.