Five Hot Technologies To Watch!

By | May 1, 2019

by Dr. Riad Hartani, Xona Partners Internet Intersects Space Technologies The space race is on again! This time the focus is on building a new generation of low earth orbit satellite constellations to deliver broadband internet. A simple equation lies at its heart: Internet to more people around the world; to keep the business model… Read More »

A View on Private Networks in Mining and Oil & Gas

By | April 30, 2019

Safety. Productivity. Reliability. These are the three axioms that govern the mining and oil & gas industries. I have been researching the potential for private networks in these verticals to determine what role, if any, could LTE and 5G networks play. Looking back over the past 10+ years, private networks held much promise, but showed… Read More »

Wireless Technology Migration: Drivers and Lessons Learned

By | April 26, 2019

While 5G attracts most attention, operators had been making decisions on how to retire legacy 2G and 3G networks to free up spectrum for LTE networks and support higher capacity. Unlike earlier technology migrations where the path was clear, operators have to make tough decisions on which network to turn off first: 2G or 3G.… Read More »

State of the Telco Industry: MWC2019 Perspectives

By | March 3, 2019

This year I’ll opt to write a few quick thoughts on the state of the telco industry instead of the annual report that follows MWC. Time is tight, so let’s get straight to the main points. Foldable Phones Foldable phones were the main highlight of MWC2019. Both Samsung and Huawei launched models featuring foldable screens.… Read More »

Edge Computing Economics: Is Latency Worth the Price?

By | December 26, 2018

The benefits of edge computing, low latency and backhaul efficiency are well understood. However, there is a cost to realize these benefits through small data centers. Hyperscale data centers are the backbone of the cloud. The cost structure and operation of these data centers is well understood. On the other hand, different requirements govern the… Read More »

Are Wireless Private Networks the Next Frontier?

By | November 26, 2018

Two paths to 5G deployments are emerging: consumer and enterprise deployments. The former is how operators make the vast majority of their revenue. The latter is receiving much interest as it promises a new bump in revenue. Enterprise private networks is not a new idea: it has been slow to realize it because of economics… Read More »

Can Edge Computing Help Telcos Win in a Cloud Play?

By | October 22, 2018

Edge computing presents a new opportunity for telecom service providers to have a cloud play. Their proximity to users gives them an inherent advantage at the ‘edge.’ The question is: are the telcos ready to capitalize on this opportunity? What could be their approach in securing their share of this market? And, will they succeed… Read More »

Is China Really Leading the 5G Race?

By | August 20, 2018

It is fashionable to talk about the race to 5G. This theme started last year, and has picked up this year with many opinion articles published on the topic. Perhaps the one that got most attention is the white paper by Deloitte: The chance to lead for a decade. The paper compared US networks and investments to… Read More »

The Last G!

By | July 23, 2018

Anyone knows what generation processor running in their laptop? How about which DSL or cable modem technology is serving their house? With 802.11ax starting to come to market, I don’t see anyone rushing to upgrade their access node. When no one is keeping track of ‘generations’ in these technologies, why is it that in mobile… Read More »

The Algiers Smart City Project: A Talent Mobilization Platform

By | July 3, 2018

The Algiers Smart City Project is more than just another smart city project: It is a platform for talent mobilization. Over the past week, I had the pleasure to participate in the Smart Cities Summit in Algiers and as mentor and judge in the Leapfrog Hackathon and Startup Challenge. These events were designed to focus… Read More »

5G Spectrum Costs: The Value of 3.5 GHz Spectrum

By | June 4, 2018

Interest in the 3.5 GHz band is increasing as its set to become the global 5G spectrum band. We recently undertook a study for a new research report* of global 3.5 GHz band to uncover the impact on the 5G deployment timelines and ecosystem. One of the fundamental questions is putting figures on the value… Read More »

5G Workshop: Demystifying 5G for Decision Makers

By | June 1, 2018

5G as a platform for private networks and enterprise applications is more than just another service provider technology. Enterprises, neutral host service providers, building owners, asset management companies and many others are asking about the potential impact of 5G. We have prepared the 5G workshop to provide the facts – not sell the hype of… Read More »

Telecom is a Utility!

By | May 28, 2018

It’s official! Telecom is a utility! The admission comes from service providers themselves. Service providers struggled to monetize value added services to keep from being dumb pipes. Now, it seems that they have resigned themselves to being a utility and are happy to be the pipe. This admission came at the TMT M&A Merger Forum… Read More »

3.5 GHz Spectrum Valuation Setting New Records

By | May 9, 2018

Results from the recent UK spectrum auction and the minimum price set by the Korean regulator show record 3.5 GHz spectrum valuation. UK operators paid £1.16 Billion ($1.64 Billion) for 150 MHz. In Korea, the regulator asked for close to $2.5 Billion for 280 MHz. For comparison, the 3.5 GHz UK spectrum is more than 5x… Read More »

The True 5G Value Proposition: It’s not about Speed and Latency!

By | May 4, 2018

It is common to pin the 5G value proposition on its performance, mainly capacity* and latency. These features will enable applications that operators can monetize. However, I will argue here that capacity and latency are secondary to realizing the full 5G value proposition. Capacity and latency make for big headlines and are easy to grasp… Read More »