News

The US Department of Justice (DoJ) has recommended to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) that they deny a permit for the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) to connect to Cuba

This week, the US DoJ’s special purpose committee known as ‘Team Telecom’ has urged the FCC to reject an application that would see a submarine cable route link the USA directly with Cuba for the first time.

The ARCOS-1 spans roughly 8,400km in a ring across the Caribbean Sea, connecting 15 countries in the region, but notably not Cuba.

The system has been in service since 2001 and it is only in the last few years that an extension linking to Cuba has been considered.

Following the Cuban Revolution in 1959, the US government banned its citizens from doing business with Cuba. Since then, these restrictions have been gradually reduced, with the FCC removing the last barrier to a US–Cuba cable in 2016.

As a result, the ARCOS-1 consortium proposed adding a Cuban branch to the system in 2018, officially filing for specific permission from the FCC last year.

While this link to ARCOS-1 would be the first commercial subsea link between the two countries, it is worth noting that there is already a non-commercial subsea cable system that connects the USA to Cuba: the GTMO-1 cable, linking Florida to the infamous US naval base at Guantanamo Bay. The GTMO-PR system also links the base directly to Puerto Rico.

However, these two cables are fully owned and operated by the US, which circumvents Team Telecom’s main misgivings about the new ARCOS-1 link.

The issue stems from the fact that Cuba’s state-run operator Empresa de Telecomunicaciones de Cuba S.A. (Etecsa) would manage the cable’s Cuban landing station, therefore potentially giving the Cuban government access to sensitive US data.

“As long as the Government of Cuba continues to be a counterintelligence threat to the United States and is allied with others who are the same, the risks to our infrastructure are simply too great,” said Deputy Homeland Security Attorney Matthew G. Olsen in a statement.

The FCC’s decision on the matter is expected next year.

Want to learn of the latest news from the submarine cable industry? Join the key players in discussion around the hottest topics at the upcoming Submarine Networks EMEA event

Also in the news:
SKT takes its Ifland metaverse platform global
CMA probes Apple and Google over browser “duopoly”
Vodacom launches National Relay Service to boost digital inclusion

The post US–Cuba subsea cable link in jeopardy over national security fears first appeared on Total Telecom.

Press Release

Australia’s National Broadband Network Co’s (NBN Co) fixed wireless access (FWA) footprint is set to grow by up to 50 percent nationally by the end of 2024 under an exclusive ten-year partnership extension with Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) to deploy 4G and next- generation 5G connectivity.

NBN Co (nbn) is a publicly owned corporation of the Australian Government, tasked to design, build and operate Australia’s digital backbone as a wholesale broadband access network provider.

The deployment is a significant move in addressing the geographical challenge of bringing improved service to communities and businesses across Australia – one of the largest countries in the world with huge variations in population density.

FWA currently covers more than 650,000 premises across Australia. Under the new partnership, Ericsson will supply the next-generation technology critical to 5G-enable many existing towers across the nbn Fixed Wireless network.

The additional capacity and reach of the upgraded network will provide up to 120,000 homes and businesses in nbn’s satellite footprint access to fixed wireless for the first time.

Jason Ashton, NBN Executive General Manager for Fixed Wireless and Satellite, says: “Our network is the digital backbone of Australia, and it is constantly evolving as we help keep communities, businesses and all areas of society connected, and our nation productive. Investing in 5G mmWave is a part of our commitment to evolve the nbn Fixed Wireless network for future needs and continually enhance customer experience. We’re committed to maximizing the performance of both our fixed wireless and satellite networks, and our work with Ericsson will help us push the boundaries of its capabilities to the benefit of the more than one million homes and businesses covered by these networks across Australia.”

Emilio Romeo, Head of Ericsson Australia and New Zealand, says: “NBN Co’s Fixed Wireless and Satellite Upgrade Program is an important part of Australia’s digital evolution. After working with nbn for more than a decade, I’m pleased that Ericsson’s technology continues to play a pivotal role in supporting the program to deliver better broadband services to people in regional Australia. With the extended range innovation showcased in Ericsson’s industry-leading radio access and microwave transport solutions, more Australians will have access to faster fixed wireless broadband in more places around the country.”

THE TECH

The partnership sees Ericsson become the sole supplier of 4G and 5G radio access and microwave transport solutions. Deployed solutions will include Ericsson’s 4G and 5G antenna-integrated radios across nbn’s current and future spectrum bands, and the latest Massive MIMO solutions providing best-in-class performance and energy efficiency in a lightweight small footprint form factor.

Also being deployed are Ericsson’s latest high-powered 5G millimeter wave (mmWave) solutions, the latest RAN Processor for 4G and 5G, and MINI-LINK microwave transport solutions such as dual carrier solutions in traditional frequency bands, all outdoor E-band, and long-haul.

Ericsson’s extended-range innovation will enable NBN Co to expand its Fixed Wireless network cell range from 14 km to 29 km.

By utilizing the latest 4G and 5G solutions, including 5G in nbn’s mmWave spectrum band, the upgrade program aims to support higher speeds in the fixed wireless network and deliver improved customer experiences. Importantly, the new infrastructure will also support a future upgrade from 4G to 5G for nbn’s existing spectrum bands.

The post Australia’s NBN teams up with Ericsson for FWA first appeared on Total Telecom.

INTERVIEW

We had the pleasure of interviewing Volker Leyendecker from SES ahead of Connected Germany, being held in Mainz next week on December 6-7 2022.

Can you introduce yourself and your current role?

Als Sales Director DACH bei SES Networks verantworte ich die Vertriebsaktivitäten im deutschsprachigen Raum. Mein Schwerpunktthema ist Datenkommunikation via Satellit. Seit Mai 2022 bin ich zudem Mitglied im Präsidium des Verbands der Anbieter von Telekommunikations- und Mehrwertdiensten (VATM).

Where does SES sit within Germany’s broadband ecosystem?

SES ist mit seinem Angebot der Datenübertragung via Satellit unter anderem für terrestrische Daten- und Mobilfunknetze durch Zuführung von Bandbreite sowie als Fall-Back-Lösung interessant. Grundsaetzlich kann ueber Satellit jeder Ort kurzfristig mit Bandbreite versorgt und damit mit schnellem Internet erschlossen werden. Eine wichtige Rolle können unsere Satelliten außerdem bei der Versorgung mit Internet und Mobilfunk als Backup oder im Fall von Naturkatastrophen fuer Desaster Recovery einnehmen.

Will satellite and other non-fixed solutions become a bigger part of the conversation around providing connectivity for Germany’s rural areas?

Satelliten spielen bei der Versorgung des ländlichen Raums eine wichtige Rolle dort, wo der Ausbau des Glasfasernetzes langwierig oder nicht wirtschaftlich ist. Mit unserer neuen O3b mPower Flotte können wir Bandbreitenzufuehrung fuer die Erschliessung mit Internet mit bis zu 10 Gbit/s und einer maximalen Latenz von 150ms selbst in entlegenen Regionen anbieten.

What are you most looking forward to at Connected Germany

Ich freue mich vor allem auf den Austausch mit unseren Kund:innen und Kolleg:innen zum Jahresabschluss und auf spannende Gespräche über den Start unserer neuen MEO-Satelliten-Flotte O3b mPower, die in Kürze ins All startet und bald unseren Partner:innen für schnelles Internet aus dem All zur Verfügung stehen wird.

You can hear from Volker and the rest of our amazing speaker line-up by securing your place at next week’s Connected Germany – follow the link to book your pass!

The post ‘Satelliten spielen bei der Versorgung des ländlichen Raums eine wichtige Rolle dort, wo der Ausbau des Glasfasernetzes langwierig oder nicht wirtschaftlich ist’ first appeared on Total Telecom.

British-registered space company OneWeb has today confirmed that its first use of SpaceX’s Falcon9 rocket will take place “no earlier than” Tuesday 6th December 2022, which will send 40 of their ultrafast low-latency broadband satellites into Low Earth Orbit (LEO). The operator has so far lofted 462 of their small c.150kg LEO based ultrafast (100Mbps+) […]

Network builder and UK ISP Upp, which is deploying a new Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) network to cover 1 million premises in the East of England by 2025 (here), has sweetened their existing discount by giving new customers the first 6 months of service for free. You can also choose to leave penalty free during the first […]

London-based UK business communications provider Inclarity Communications, which sold a mix of broadband, voice, cloud and other I.T. solutions to firms, has recently fallen into administration. Exact details of the situation remain unclear, although such issues are usually caused by financial and growth problems (debts etc.). The company’s last publicly available accounts, which were made […]

Interview

In this interview, CTO of Giganet, Matthew Skipsey discusses the UK’s rapidly accelerating fibre rollout, as well as the company’s strategic shift to become a consumer ISP

In recent years, the UK fibre industry has been hard at work, transforming the country from one of Europe’s worst fibre performers to one in a far more competitive position. This has been facilitated, in no small part, by the enormous amount of funding pouring into the industry.

“I believe [the UK fibre industry] now has funding committed to cover 84 million premises, which is obviously far in excess of the number of properties we have in the UK. But this will give consumers real choice when it comes to their provider,” explained Skipsey.

In fact, Giganet themselves have pivoted to take advantage of this vibrant funding landscape, transitioning to deploy their own network and sell services directly to consumers. Since then, the business has gone from strength to strength, last year receiving £250 million in funding from Fern Trading to further their rollout.

Giganet is now in the process of expanding its full fibre network to quarter of a million homes in the south of the UK.

But despite the positive investment landscape, the global economic climate is beginning to ask questions of the UK telecoms industry.

“We’re experiencing a complete storm of factors here, with interest rates being hiked, the war in Ukraine, the energy crisis, political challenges – there are a lot of headwinds here,” said Skipsey. “But the reassuring thing for consumers is that, as Ofcom have been tracking, if you look at broadband and fixed connectivity, it has mostly stayed flat or even decreased in terms of the pricing.”

This kind of pricing stability has not been seen with other utilities, with commodities like water, electricity, and housing seeing huge jumps in price, particularly over the last year.

But this is not to suggest that the telecoms industry is immune to these macroeconomic pressures, with the telecoms supply chain being hugely impacted by the economic climate.

“We’re doing as much as we can to insulate our customers from those factors,” said Skipsey.

To watch the full interview, please use the link above

How is the rapid rollout of full fibre infrastructure impacting the North of the UK? Join the telecoms industry in discussion in Manchester next year for the second edition of our Connected North conference

Also in the news:
SKT takes its Ifland metaverse platform global
CMA probes Apple and Google over browser “duopoly”
Vodacom launches National Relay Service to boost digital inclusion

The post Booming broadband and the journey to become an ISP first appeared on Total Telecom.

INTERVIEW

We had the pleasure of catching up with DB Broadband’s CEO Christian Humpert ahead of next week’s Connected Germany which is taking place next week at the Mainz Congress Hall on December 6-7.

Can you introduce yourself and your role?

My name is Christian Humpert and I have been Managing Director of DB broadband since March 2021. Initially responsible for Operations (COO), before taking over as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in August 2021.

Before joining Deutsche Bahn, I spent over 20 years in the Telco industry, more than 12 years in various management positions at Vodafone in Germany and abroad.

How does DB Broadband fit into Germany’s mobile network ecosystem?

DB broadband is a 100% subsidiary of DB Netz AG and markets free dark fiber capacities from Deutsche Bahn’s fiber network to telecommunications companies.

With our nationwide fiber footprint of over 22,000km, which will expand to a total of 33,400 km until 2027, we enable telco companies building out fiber access networks in Germany.

Mobile network operators (MNOs) use our dark fiber for mobile backhaul, connecting towers quickly and cost-efficiently. We delivered several projects to MNOs in 2022 and thus consider ourselves an enabler for the 5G roll-out in Germany.

What have been the most interesting & innovative use cases in mobile connectivity you’ve seen within Germany in the last year?

To achieve ambitious climate and digitization targets, Germany needs 5G alongside the tracks. Seamless connectivity while traveling in our trains is our goal. We share that goal with the MNOs and are constantly working on synergies and efficiencies across sector boundaries– to the benefit of our common customers. DB successfully closed agreements with major MNOs to enable gigabit connectivity on large parts of the railway tracks. Further discussions on how to make best use of further infrastructure investments across the sectors are ongoing.

What are you most looking forward to at Connected Germany?

Meeting my industry colleagues and partners to exchange ideas about future projects in 2023. Of course, I am looking forward to the panel discussion. I am excited to hear how the other panelists are approaching this topic.

You can hear from Christian and the rest of our amazing speaker line-up by securing your place for Connected Germany – just follow the link to get your pass.

The post “Seamless connectivity is our goal” first appeared on Total Telecom.

News

The Federal Supreme Court has rejected Swisscom’s appeal, leaving the operators fibre expansion

At the end of 2020, the Swiss Competition Commission (COMCO) announced the launch of an investigation into Swisscom’s fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) expansion using point-to-multipoint (P2MP), suggesting that this topology was a risk to market competition.

P2MP topology involves building on the existing network, with a single fibre line running from the exchange to the local cable duct before branching off to serve multiple customers.

This is opposed to point-to-point (P2P) topology, where each customer is connected to the exchange directly with their own fibre line.

Swisscom argues that this P2MP topology is very efficient and less complex, allowing them to rollout networks more economically, even in remote regions. They note that P2MP topology has “gained international acceptance in recent years” and is “only criticised in Switzerland, which we cannot understand”.

COMCO, on the other hand, holds that Swisscom’s rollout strategy centring on P2MP will make it difficult for smaller providers without their own network to compete effectively.

As a result, COMCO prohibited Swisscom from marketing its P2MP connections until the investigation is complete. This has effectively frozen the roughly 500,000 P2MP access lines the operator currently has installed – a figure that has been increasing by roughly 70,000 each quarter.

Swisscom challenged this decision in court, having their first appeal rejected by the Federal Administrative Court last year.

Since then, the company has escalated its complaints to Switzerland’s highest court, but this week they too have rejected the appeal.

“The Federal Supreme Court rejects Swisscom’s appeal in connection with the precautionary measure imposed by the Competition Commission (WEKO) for the expansion of the fibre-optic network. The decision of the Federal Administrative Court, in which it confirmed the provisional WEKO ban, is not arbitrary,” said the court in a statement.

In a statement, Swisscom says they accept the ruling, noting that they had already begun reassessing their fibre network expansion strategy to reduce their reliance on P2MP topology.

Following this strategi shift, Swisscom has subsequently lowered its targets for FTTH coverage to 50–55% of homes by 2025 and 70–80% by 2030.

Rollout capex will remain unchanged.

The final ruling by COMCO on the legality of Swisscom’s use of P2MP topology is expected to be announced early next year.

Also in the news:
SKT takes its Ifland metaverse platform global
CMA probes Apple and Google over browser “duopoly”
Vodacom launches National Relay Service to boost digital inclusion

The post Court rules against Swisscom in FTTH expansion case first appeared on Total Telecom.

The fourth and so far, largest, contract under the Government’s new £5bn Project Gigabit broadband rollout scheme – worth £108 million – has today been awarded to UK ISP Fibrus, which will upgrade broadband for more than 60,000 hard-to-reach homes and businesses across Cumbria (England). At present, Fibrus has already deployed their gigabit-capable Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) […]