WCA September 2017

Telecom news

The China Post reported that all GSM-based cellular services have been discontinued, affecting around 60,000 subscribers belonging to Chunghwa Telecom, 20,000 with Taiwan Mobile, and around 8,000 contracted to FarEasTone. After the 2G network shutdowns, subscribers are left unable to send or receive text messages, use any data service, or to make any outbound calls other than to emergency numbers. Customers have until the end of December to purchase 4G- or 5G-capable handsets and retain their existing number, as all remaining 2G numbers will be deleted after the end of the year. China could be world’s largest 5G market by 2025 GSMA Intelligence and the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT) have issued a joint report on the prospective 5G market. The report reveals that Chinese operators expect to launch commercial 5G networks by 2020, after a phased testing period between 2017 and 2019. Following commercial deployment China is likely to be the world’s largest 5G market, with connections expected to reach 428 million by 2025. Global connections are expected to reach 1.1 billion at that point, with China accounting for 39 per cent of all connections. Chinese operators are expected to deploy standalone 5G networks, requiring the construction of new base stations, backhaul links, and a core network, while other Asian markets are considering non-stand alone 5G that will run mainly on the existing infrastructure. In these regions, 4G and 5G services will run in parallel. The report also shows that 4G penetration in China has increased fivefold to 61 per cent over the two-year period to March 2017, with still significant headroom for 4G growth. As a result, 4G and 5G networks are expected to co-exist in China for a considerable period of time. Despite the “largest market” forecast, the rate of 5G network rollout and adoption in China is expected to be slower than it was for 4G, which Chinese operators were

Live 5G demo

Huawei, with Japan’s NTT Docomo, have carried out a live 5G demo using 39GHz mmWave technology based on 3GPP standard 5G New Radio (NR) current agreements. During the trial, which took place at the 3 rd Global 5G Tokyo Bay summit, the companies reported that the cell coverage reached up to 2km with Gbps peak throughput for a single user in the mmWave, demonstrating a real-time three-way 4K video conference. Takehiro Nakamura, general manager of Docomo’s 5G Laboratory, said: “The successful field tests and showcase of the real-time three-way 4K video conference conducted at 39GHz high frequency band technology is an important achievement of the 5G joint innovation and field trial between the pair, and this breakthrough will have a significant impact moving 5G a step closer to commercialisation.” The test system used a base station working in the 39GHz band with 1.4GHz bandwidth, and two UEs (user equipment) and achieved 1.3Gbps (MAC layer) peak throughput for a single user in the high band at a distance of 1.5km. The test employed key 5G technologies, such as the MMFA (meta-material focal array) and polar code.

Nokia expanding in China Nokia plans to establish a dedicated unit to help major Chinese Internet companies expand overseas. The new unit will focus on data centres, cloud computing, IP routing, transport and services, as well as emerging technologies such as AI, machine learning and edge cloud. Nokia’s move is among efforts to expand the business beyond its core telecoms operator market, and to increase its Chinese presence following the launch of the Nokia Shanghai Bell joint venture in China (formerly Alcatel-Lucent Shanghai Bell). In the meantime, Nokia has completed its acquisition of the telecoms software company Comptel, first announced in February, at a cost of around $396.8 million. Filipino fibre rollout Globe Telecom of the Philippines has struck a deal with the city governments of Cebu and Mandaue to deploy fibre facilities in the two cities. Work is already underway in Mandaue, with plans to eventually roll out 18 ‘Globe-at-Home’ fibre sites in Cebu.

Earlier this year, the telco unveiled its plans to commission around 400,000 broadband lines, countrywide, by the end of 2017 while it continues to strengthen its mobile network in the province. In the meantime, Globe’s competition in the Philippines, PLDT Inc (formerly Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company), has extended the reach of its FTTH network to parts of east Metro Manila, deploying more than 70,000 new lines in Antipolo, Caloocan, Cainta, Marikina, Pasig, Pateros, Taguig and Taytay. The provider’s ‘Home Fibr’ services in east Metro Manila will include access to TV and film streaming platform Roku. In June TeleGeography revealed that PLDT had extended its FTTH footprint in southern Metro Manila, enabling homes and the area’s commercial district to access super-high speed Internet access. PLDT’s fibre optic rollout programme aims to pass a total of 4.4 million homes by the end of 2017, up from three million homes passed at the end of March. 2G comes to an end Following a previously announced timetable, Taiwan’s mobile operators will no longer offer 2G services.

BigStockPhoto.com • Photographer: Krishnacreations

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Wire & Cable ASIA – September/October 2017

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