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Open RANs are great as long as they’re exclusive – Dell’Oro report

Nick Booth
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Open RANs are great as long as they’re exclusive – Dell’Oro report

Surprise revelation by Dell’Oro

There is good news and bad news about the Open RAN market, according to Dell’Oro Group analyst Stefan Pongratz. The good news is that sales of Open RAN kit are booming. The bad news is most buyers don’t seem to trust multiple suppliers. The RAN door is open, but only one vendor can come in. The Open RAN train is unexpectedly gathering pace, says the latest Dell’Oro Group report. Regional drivers pushed the accelerator in the first half of 2022 and kept going in the third quarter, doubling Open RAN’s takings on last year’s revenue audit.

Commercial Open RAN revenues continue to surprise us, said Stefan Pongratz, Vice President with the Dell’Oro Group, but he warned of mixed messages coming from the signal box. While early adopters are embracing openness there is more uncertainty among the early adopter mobile operators. The implications for the broader RAN suppliers are not great because single vendor deployments are driving a significant portion of all the Open RAN market growth, said Pongratz.

Other Open RAN highlights from the 3Q 2022 RAN report include a ranking of the top four Open RAN suppliers, with Samsung, Fujitsu, NEC, and Mavenir making the most money in the period studied. Trials are on the rise across the globe but the North America and Asia Pacific regions account for 95% of the market revenue. “More than 80% of the year-to-date growth is driven by the North America region, supported by large scale non-Massive MIMO and Massive MIMO macro deployments,” says the report.

The rise of Open RAN has so far had a limited impact on the broader RAN (proprietary and Open RAN) market concentration. The data contained in the report suggest that the collective RAN share of the top 5 RAN suppliers (Huawei, Ericsson, Nokia, ZTE, and Samsung) declined by less than one percentage point between 2021 and 1Q22-3Q22.

Short-term projections have been revised upward to reflect the higher baseline. Open RAN is now projected to account for 6 to 10% of the RAN market in 2023. Open RAN growth rates, however, are expected to decelerate next year, reflecting the likelihood that the sum of new brownfield deployments will be able to offset more challenging comparisons with the early adopters.

Swisscom launches FWA for business customers

Annie Turner
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Swisscom launches FWA for business customers

FWA-enabled sites can be integrated into companies’ networks

Swisscom is offering business customers 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) for sites that lack internet connection. The operator says that one or more FWA-enabled sites can be integrated into the company’s network.

Called Enterprise Connect, the solution makes Swisscom the only provider in Switzerland to offer its customers cloud-based networking of business locations with a fixed wireless access solution via 5G.

The solution can also be used as a secure backup for fibre- or copper-based broadband provided via a fibre optic or copper connection.

Setting up 5G FWA requires a small receiver, the 5G Mobile Toolkit from Nokia mounted outside the building. The toolkit connects to the nearest mobile mast to provide wireless access to the Swisscom network. Business customers can use 5G FWA with Enterprise Connect as 5G Mobile Access or as a 5G Mobile Backup option.

Swisscom’s 5G network has been named the best in Switzerland on multiple occasions and available to 99% of the population. The faster 5G+ version is accessible to more than 70% of Switzerland.

According to ABI Research, worldwide 5G FWA will reach 58 million subscriptions in 2026. In the near term, the United States is driving the number of 5G FWA connections with major operators rapdily expanding their FWA business.

DISH demonstrates exposing network functions and capabilities

Annie Turner
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<strong>DISH demonstrates exposing network functions and capabilities</strong>

The ‘new entrant’ US operator is strutting its stuff with eight vendors in Las Vegas

DISH Wireless is at the AWS re:Invent in Las Vegas and will show how it can expose its 5G network, launched in June, to the developer community via APIs. The aim is to inspire others to develop apps that leverage those capabilities and functions.

DISH has launched an online hub to foster engagement with the developer community and is working with eight vendors at the event whose software, it is said, can be used with the APIs to create new applications which will be demonstrated.

They are Cisco, Confluent, IBM, Macrometa, Oracle, Palantir, Swim and Totogi, according to a statement from the latter.

DISH Wireless won the mandate to create a national 5G network as a condition of T-Mobile acquiring a controlling stake in Sprint. The deal was sealed in 2020 after two years’ wrangling and regulators and others addressing concerns about less competition harming consumers’ interests.

Customer conversations – Vodafone executes perfect Dubber take

Nick Booth
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Customer conversations – Vodafone executes perfect Dubber take

Recording and analysis much simpler

Vodafone is offering its corporate customers in the UK and Germany a unified recording service and a system that offers ‘conversational intelligence’, after it recently signed an agreement with AI specialist Dubber. The Dubber system allows mobile operators to record conversations, analyse them and store them efficiently for easy retrieval. This dovetailing of efforts works for mobile and unified communication services across multiple European markets.

Businesses can transform their interactions with end-users and get better insights while staying within the increasingly complex compliance obligations, according to Barry McSorley, head of unified communications and platforms at Vodafone. Any company that works across multiple markets needs a system that is both universal and advanced and in that respect Dubber has moved forward without leaving anyone behind, according to Vodafone.

The other problem facing global corporations is that nobody trusts them, thanks to the spreading awareness of surveillance marketing and intelligence agency snooping. “The hosted recording service lets our business customers expand and improve trust and loyalty with their own customers,” said McSorley.

Work has already started at Vodafone as it ports its existing mobile recording customer base to an improved service on the Dubber system. Once completed, the two companies will consider their options for devising new service models. Dubber is about cost benefits, technology advantage and speed of provisioning according to CEO Steve McGovern.

The sheer volume of calls across the Vodafone network contains an enormous amount of content, according to McGovern, but Dubber’s AI automatons can ingest all of it, digest the content and fertilise the ecosystem with an expansive range of differentiated products and services.

“Vodafone is a very important relationship and this [new service] will expand its existing recording subscriber base to a broader range of businesses” said McGovern, “we are pleased [it can] support business customers with unified recording and conversational AI directly from the Vodafone mobile network.

UK telcos accused of supply chicanery – Ofcom to investigate

Nick Booth
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UK telcos accused of supply chicanery – Ofcom to investigate

Ts&Cs should be more lucid, less evasive

The UK’s broadband as a services (BaaS) providers have been accused of being devi-Aas, with the wording of their contracts nebul-Aas and their tactics unscrupul-Aas. Now UK regulator Ofcom has launched an industry-wide enforcement programme which could investigate mobile operators and broadband providers. The probe follows a consumer campaign that highlighted  evasions about mid-contract price rises which were not ‘clearly advertised’ to customers. 

Many consumers have complained that contracts drawn up between March 2021 and 2022 were not clear about the price hikes. Having analysed the evidence, Ofcom will now call for greater transparency on mid-contract price rises. However this is nothing new and no action was taken last time broadband providers did this. Campaigners have pointed out that Ofcom had already stated that if a provider wants to include a potential future price rise in a contract, the terms have to be detailed prominently and transparently at the point of sale.

If a customer did not agree to the terms when signing up, and this is deemed to be because the terms were not made with enough clarity and visibility, then providers should have both notified them about price increases and offered the option of exiting penalty-free, said consumer champion Which?. UK telecoms regulator Ofcom will collect further information from broadband providers to assess its next steps. It may then launch separate investigations into individual firms. With inflation at its highest rate in 40 years, 9.1 million UK households are struggling to afford their online, double the number April 2021.

Which? said broadband providers use a variety of calculations to work out price increases. Tesco Mobile has calculated that price continuity to the end of the contract is best – especially for its brand reputation. Broadband providers Hyperoptic, Utility Warehouse and Zen Internet have all maintained the integrity of their bond with the public, keeping prices the same for the full duration of the contract.

Many UK broadband providers inflate prices every year, even within the minimum contract period. Typically they will add an extra 3.9% on top of the inflation rate indicated by Retail Price Index (RPI) or the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Virgin Mobile and O2 customers are most at risk of the highest price rises at a 16.9% increase. BT Mobile, EE, Plusnet and Vodafone customers would also face steep increases of the CPI rate (11%) plus 3.9%, resulting in a 14.9% increase. Broadband customers with BT, EE, Plusnet, TalkTalk and Vodafone would also face a 14.9% increase, assuming the CPI is 11%.

A Which? campaign is calling on telecoms providers to help consumers grappling with the impact of the cost of living crisis. This includes carefully considering what level of mid-contract price rise is justified in the coming year, and enabling consumers to leave without penalty when prices are increased mid-contract. Which? is calling on telecoms firms to allow customers to leave their contract without penalty if prices are hiked mid-contract.

“Some customers who signed up for a broadband contract in early 2022 could see prices soar by up to £113 in 2023 due to mid-contract price rises,” said Rocio Concha, Which? Director of Policy and Advocacy. “It’s extremely concerning that these mid-contract price rises may not have been properly advertised to customers when they signed up and we’re pleased to see Ofcom investigate the issue,” said Concha.

Combining the power of the open source community with the commercial cutting edge

Annie Turner
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<strong>Combining the power of the open source community with the commercial cutting</strong> edge

Sponsored: Amit Ronen of Wind River talks to Annie Turner about the growing role of Linux in an increasingly connected world as the communications landscape becomes more complex.

Make better-informed decisions by downloading this free ebook, From Prototype to Post Deployment: Linux Decision Points

Amit Ronen is Senior Vice President Customer Success at Wind River, which is a tough job because as ever-smarter edge devices proliferate they are changing the landscape but they themselves also need to develop further and be supported – and all without degradation to customer experience. Indeed, customers’ expectations are that their experiences will improve. Ronen talks about the challenges and opportunities of squaring this circle – and how he addresses the common question from customers and partners about why they should pay for a commercial version open source software when Linux is ‘free’.

As Ronen explains, there are many hidden costs and effort required in maintaining a sufficiently robust Linux distribution, which include the resources and substantial, highly skilled team needed to develop future functions as well as support those out in the field for the next five to 10 years. We explore the many potential pitfalls around enterprises deciding to run their own distribution, including the dangers of forking instead of keeping up with the open source community’s progress.

UK tests satellite broadband option with Starlink

Nick Booth
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UK tests satellite broadband option with Starlink

Rural UK is too hard for Openreach

The UK government is examining how satellite can deliver the promised high-speed broadband that many cable operators have failed to provide in ‘hard to reach’ areas of towns, cities and rural settings. In the UK, many urban dwellers are being told they live in a ‘hard-to-reach location’ if they are judged to be too far from the local exchange or cabling cabinet.

The investigation led by the Departure of Digital Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) has two parts, a hard factual technical exercise and a more ethereal economic analysis, in which the benefits of satellite will be subject to individual interpretation of the report writers. The ‘hard hat’ trials will benchmark the technical capacity of the satellites with a determination based on numbers. The ‘soft economic’ second phase will be to assess the intangibles, the possible social and business benefits that faster connections will bring to these remote premises. Following the trials, the government will consider the viability of using satellite technology to connect very hard to reach homes and businesses across the UK.

The trials have been supported by Starlink, which is satellite equipment. DCMS said it is continuing to discuss the capability of other solutions and services with suppliers, including the use of other providers such as Oneweb at more complex sites.

The project has two initial trial sites, both rural settings, on the Yorkshire Moors in England and in Snowdonia National Park in Wales. Rievaulx Abbey, founded in 1132, in North Yorkshire Moors National Park, is one of the most complete abbey ruins in England. The project will improve connectivity at the site and is expected to help visitors and researchers engage with educational material relating to the ancient monument. Wasdale Head in the Lake District will be connected to explore how better broadband can improve operations in communication blackspot zones for mountain rescue team radio and global positioning services.

Snowdonia National Park will have two sites connected: the base of the Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Organisation (Sefydliad Achub Mynydd Dyffryn Ogwen) to support their life-saving operations and Ty Cornel, an outdoor activity centre in Crafnant Valley managed by Scouts Cymru to help improve safety for wardens and the public crossing the isolated 25-acre site as well as enabling new educational resources for visiting school, university or scout groups.

“Ensuring everyone can get a quality internet connection is crucial to our levelling up plans and these trials aim to find a solution to the prohibitively high cost of rolling out cables to far-flung locations,” said Digital Secretary Michelle Donelan. In the UK however, a significant number of town dwellers are told they are a location too far.

MTN launches Zambia’s first 5G service

Nick Booth
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MTN launches Zambia’s first 5G service

Mining industry is transformation target

MTN Zambia has launched the first 5G network service in the Republic of Zambia after successful trials that ran for the past 11 months. Zamia’s President Hakainde Hichilema presided over the launch at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre with government ministers, telecoms regulators and central bank CEOs also in attendance. Leading the MTN Group delegation were Chairman Mcebisi Jonas, Group President and CEO Ralph Mupita and Southern and East Africa Vice President Yolanda Cuba, according toa report by Africa Tech analyst Marlene Mutimawase.

“The launch of this ultra-fast communication capacity serves as a clear indication of MTN’s commitment to being a major player in Zambia’s digital economy,” said Jonas. “We look forward to continuing to work together to meaningfully impact the growth and development of Zambia.”

MTN Zambia is the Group’s third operation in Africa, after Nigeria and South Africa where 5G services were now commercially available. “5G can unlock many new use cases and in Zambia, we see great opportunities across many sectors, and in the mining industry in particular,” said Mupita.

According to MTN Zambia CEO Bart Hofker the new 5G services will cover 65% of the population in the cities of Lusaka, Kitwe and Ndola as well as parts of Chingola, Solwezi and Kalumbila, an area which homes roughly 15% of the population. “We plan to reach 100% 5G coverage in Lusaka, Kitwe and Ndola by the middle of 2023, while gradually expanding the 5G network to other locations,” said Hofker, adding that MTN Zambia customers need a 5G-enabled device to connect to the 5G network where it is available.

The introduction of 5G is part of a wider network strategy for MTN Zambia. Other programmes involve the optimisation and modernisation of existing 3G and 4G networks, the building of a fibre ring in Zambia with MTN GlobalConnect, as well as the extension of coverage in more rural areas. “Through our rural connectivity programme, MTN Zambia and its partners plan to use cost-effective coverage alternatives to launch 45 rural sites in 2022 and another 100 in 2023,” said Hofker.

Three UK pilot makes high street a home work destination

Nick Booth
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Three UK pilot makes high street a home work destination

Independent cafe is popular option for WFH

Britain’s office workers have been left out in the cold by COVID-inspired working from home (WFH) regimes, according to a report by Three UK. The prices of commuting and central heating have created a new hierarchy of needs, warmth and w-fi, and now the UK mobile operator is developing a policy to turn the high street into a popular home office.

Fero Moshfeq, owner of the Lavatte café in central Birmingham, said the number of customers who work from the café is on the rise. “People want a change of scenery and ways to cut down spending over winter.”

After Three Business quizzed 2,000 office workers it discovered that seven in ten (70%) fear the impact of working from home on their energy bills and two thirds about the cost of commuting. Nearly all (92%) want to find a way to rationalise their costs. Three quarters of them said they were troubled by the prospect of their next power bill.

In response Three Business gave three independent cafes in Birmingham a package to turn them into local flexible working hubs. As part of a pilot scheme starting today, the company is giving three locations a connectivity grant of two years of free Superfast 5G Business Broadband, plus a hot drink tab for local office workers and marketing support to attract more customers.

Everyone hurts from inflation and the death of the local economy, so working from the high street could ‘win-win’ both footfall for local businesses and respite for workers, according to Director of Three Business Snehal Bhudia. “We’re doing our bit to support them by raising awareness and providing strong connectivity to make it happen,” said Bhudia.

Three’s research found that 71% of workers would work from their local café if it helped it survive the cost-of-living crisis. An independent café was the most popular destination for WFH, opted for by 46% of the survey. The other less popular options were; co-working space (cited by 36%), a coffee chain (33%), a hotel lobby (12%) or a pub (10%). Did Three forget to ask about local libraries?

Poor or unreliable internet connections are stopping 49% of people from working in their local café with three quarters (74%) saying they would try it, if they knew they could trust the Wi-Fi.

“Support from Three Business creates an incentive for people who haven’t considered working from a café before and we look forward to welcoming them,” said Lavatte café owner Moshfeq.

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