Latency is a key differentiating parameter for new communication networks such as LEO satellite constellations and 5G. The interest in latency has increased as the value proposition for these networks hinges on enabling latency-dependent applications. This got some competing technology options nervous. For instance, LEO satellites provide as much as 20x round trip delay advantage over GEO satellites.… Read More »
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At the conclusion of the C-Band auction, I wrote that deployments of millimeter wave technology would largely stop. Even as Verizon reaffirmed its commitment to deploying mmWave, I believe that these plans would be downscaled in due time. This is because the cost for mmWave would strongly suggest this direction. Over the past week, many had questions on… Read More »
A couple of years into 5G roll outs, the main question for operators remains on how to monetize the 5G network investments. Operators understand that enterprise wireless networks are a potential source of revenue. Many of them, from around the world, have engaged in trials testing 5G networks in enterprise settings. The trials have uncovered the complexity and… Read More »
I’ve been exploring the impact of LEO satellite constellations on the wider telecom industry. Depending on the sector, the rise of LEO satellites is either complementary or competitive. Sometimes, the synergies are not evident. At other times, the competitive nature is masked by nascent requirements and emerging applications that could be game changers in the future. Underlying this,… Read More »
The advent of non-geostationary satellites (NGSOs) has raised the issue of convergence with land-based networks. The question centres on how to provide users with services across different networks efficiently and reliably. Until now, satellites offer distinct service model defined in its own silo. With a converged land-space Internet, services could extend across multiple networks to leverage the one… Read More »
A trend is taking shape where open RAN is made of canned solutions – I call this Canned RAN. The concept of interoperable RAN elements is yielding the path for a subset of integrated solutions from a few vendors that plan to dominate the open RAN market (additional perspective here). After a couple of years of initial buildup,… Read More »
China made headlines by launching an experimental satellite in low earth orbit to test 6G terahertz technology. This has the merit of elevating the 5G race debate to a higher level: 6G and space Internet. It comes at a time when several trends are taking shape, such as the evolution of 6G and the emergence of LEO satellites… Read More »
5G fanatics would lead you to believe that 5G will make fibre obsolete. So how real are their claims and how does 5G fixed wireless access (FWA) compare to FTTH on performance and RoI? To answer, we teamed-up with our partners at DTS to objectively assess the performance of fibre and millimeter wave (mmWave) FWA. We combined our… Read More »
Enterprise private wireless networks been around ever since commodity base station silicon came to market in the mid-2000’s. 15 years later, deployments remain few and small. So the questions for investors are: are private wireless networks for real? How big a market is it? If I were to put money, where and how should I play this market?… Read More »
Proponents of open RAN argue that opening the RAN interfaces will stimulate innovation. They claim that non-interoperable interfaces allow incumbent vendors to lock out new innovative players and stifle the market. With a small number of incumbent vendors owning much of the market share, the pressure to innovate is low. Incumbents counter by stressing the optimized performance across… Read More »
There are over 800 service providers, but market power favors a handful of radio access network (RAN) vendors who dictate the tempo of technology. With the RAN accounting for around 60% of the network total cost of ownership, open RAN promises to change the balance of power in favor of services providers by reducing vendor power through more… Read More »
Radio access networks have many descriptors that confuse the non-specialists. This includes open, virtual, cloud, centralized, distributed and cooperative RAN. Confusion is understandable because there are many inter-related aspects. Here, I outline the fundamentals elements that define RAN types and clarify the nomenclature. The Three Pillars of RAN Architecture, implementation and deployment are the three elements that define… Read More »
Network sharing is one of those topics that makes economic sense, but often falters when it comes to adoption and implementation. Recently, I was asked about the prospects for network sharing given 5G capital investment requirements at a time of economic crisis. This is, of course, related to active sharing models where operators share the radio access network… Read More »
Integrated AI-based technology enables networks to adapt autonomously which helps operators optimize their service delivery to consumers and enterprises. As communication networks increase in complexity, operators seek to simplify operation and maintenance activities and reduce operating costs. Network automation could help operators achieve this objective. Automation is not a new concept: it has been around under different names… Read More »