5G OI Lab partners with F5, GXC, and Spirent to develop enterprise Private Mobil...

5G OI Lab partners with F5, GXC, and Spirent to develop enterprise Private Mobile Network platform

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• Norway, Spain top indoor and outdoor 5G download speeds: Cellsmart
  in 5G
  By Kenn Anthony Mendoza

  European cellular networks have emerged a viable alternative to broadband and low orbit satellites, according to the results of cellular intelligence division of SmartCIC, Cellsmart. The results show Norway leads Europe with a maximum 5G download speeds indoors of 1.12Gbps while Spain tops the maximum 5G download speeds outdoors with 1.11Gbps.

  Cellsmart notes that cellular networks across Europe are delivering speeds that equal or exceed what is available on broadband or LEO satellites.

  Tests show that 5G upload and download speeds in both metro and remote areas are offering the flexibility of cellular combined with enterprise-grade network performance.

  This is ideal for supporting fixed wireless access (FWA) use cases across Europe, Cellsmart said.

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  Cellsmart listed the following results:

  Maximum download speeds – Outdoor (Mbps)
  Spain – 1114
  Germany – 1035
  Austria – 921.10
  France – 803.96
  Norway – 789

  Maximum download speeds – Indoor (Mbps)
  Norway – 1124
  Spain – 1075
  Germany – 929.10
  France – 898
  Great Britain – 602

  “Europe is ready for fixed wireless access. Our test results show that 5G is beginning to mature into a justifiable investment that is ready to serve as an alternative to wired broadband and LEO’s in multiple countries throughout Europe. With performance rates that rival those of broadband and LEO, cellular should be considered when connecting enterprise locations. It’s a viable option,” declared SmartCIC CEO Toby Forman.

  “It’s crucial to remember that these figures aren’t estimates or taken from a lab. They are real, on-the-ground 5G performance levels, straight from the field.”

  Telemoval in Portugal continues to top the rankings with 545.38Mbps average download speeds maintaining its download position since the Cellsmart Global Cellular Performance Survey in Q1 2023 was launched.

  It has a 131% greater average speed than 10th placed Orange FR NRNSA in Germany, showing how variable performance levels can be. Spain’s Webbing ranks second for download speeds with an average of 472.20Mbps.

  The test results show the leading average upload speeds are heavily saturated by Spain with Webbing, Finetworks and Orange France taking the top three spots with speeds of 113.25, 84.58 and 65.08 respectively.

  Top five carriers – average download all networks (Mbps)
  1. Telemovel - Portugal - 545.38
  2. Webbing - Spain - 472.2
  3. Orange FR NRNSA - France – 380.05
  4. Telia - Norway – 52.086
  5. Yettel – Serbia – 51.732

• Australians overpay as much as $1000 annually for broadband services
  in Business Telecoms
  By Kenn Anthony Mendoza

  Australians could be overpaying for their broadband service by as much as $1000 annually with significant price differences between the most and least expensive plans across the board. One should do research if one is looking to switch to an affordable telco service, according to findings by money saving website Mozo.

  The findings come as wholesale broadband provider NBN Co announced its indicative wholesale Pricing Roadmap for 2024-2026 will see prices rise by 8% over two years.

  “Australians are getting slugged with rising costs from every angle and our analysis just highlights how it really pays off if you take a bit of time to compare your household services and shop around,” said Mozo spokesperson Kylie Moss.

  “Don’t think that the best way to reduce your broadband cost is to reduce the speed of your broadband,” she warned.

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  “We found that customers on slower speed plans have the most to benefit from shopping around. Not only is there a massive 65% difference between the most expensive and cheapest NBN 25 plan, but some of the newer technology options like 5G Broadband and high-speed plans are more competitively priced overall.”

  Mozo’s analysis of 79 broadband providers found that by switching from the most expensive to the least expensive Standard (NBN25) broadband plan, customers could save as much as $1,074 over a 12-month period.

  In the same scenario, customers who wanted to take advantage of the new 5G technology could save up to $490 on a 5G home broadband plan, the survey said.

  “It is outrageous that some people could be paying three times as much for the same service. We urge Aussies to drop the set and forget mentality and hunt down a better deal that will suit your home internet needs as well as your budget,” Moss said.

  Best value services
  Mozo suggested the following smaller broadband providers to offer prospective choices for consumers.

  Mozo calculated and compared 79 providers, computing the minimum cost of each plan while taking into account the set-up costs, monthly charges and introductory discounts.

  1. Flip takes home the coveted broadband provider of the year award for the second year running.
  2. Tangerine Telecom was recognised with awards in the standard (NBN25), Standard Plus (NBN50) and Superfast (NBN250) categories.
  3. Spintel received awards in the standard (NBN25), Standard Plus (NBN50) and Superfast (NBN250) categories.
  4. MyOwnTel was a standout in the Ultrafast (NBN 1000) category.
  5. Leaptel shone in the Ultrafast Broadband (NBN 500) and also won in the Standard Plus (NBN 50) category.

  “While you might not have heard of some of these smaller broadband providers, it really does pay to look past the well-known names and seek out those offering potential savings,” said Moss.

• BT creates 5G-enabled simulation
  in 5G
  By Kenn Anthony Mendoza

  British telco giant BT announced it has launched what it calls the UK market’s first 5G-enabled interactive simulation experience for business and public sector customers.

  Launched in partnership with Immersive Interactive, BT Immersive Spaces simulate real-life environments within an internal or external room or mobile unit to create an interactive immersive experience.

  The fully immersive rooms are connected to the EE mobile network, using cameras and HD projectors to bring 360° content to life across the space’s walls and floor, BT said.

  Inside the space, users can experience real-life or imagined scenarios in detail, and add interactive elements – virtually transporting themselves into simulated environments, augmented with lights, sounds, and even smells.

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  Each space comes with a content library of more than 3,000 computer-generated scenarios, real-life environments, games and training experiences.

  BT Immersive Spaces can be used for anything from training paramedics in a simulated, gamified roadside accident scene or hospital unit, to recreating fan experiences at a football match, important historical moments, or even a trip to a beach in Thailand.

  The spaces are also compatible with VR, AR and XR technologies to enhance the user experience.

  Immersive Spaces offers use cases across a huge variety of sectors. They are suitable for any business or organisation with a learning or development requirement.

  Initial customers for BT Immersive Spaces include Borders College in Galashiels, Scotland and Cadoxton Primary School in South Wales. Both are using the technology to create fully immersive and interactive classrooms.

  “The children absolutely love it,” said Cadoxton Primary School senior leadership Hannah Cogbill. “Their favourite one so far is life under the sea. We can't wait to explore more of the experiences and collections and then begin to develop our own content. We are looking forward to using it to support our children's development and progression of imaginative writing. But it will also be a great scaffold to support learners with pre-experiences that they might be nervous about – for example catching a train or going on an aeroplane.”

  Construction students at Borders College, who have previously not had the opportunity to access large-scale inner-city developments for on-site learning, can now experience first-hand teachings of the construction environment using the technology.

  Students taking courses from engineering to medical and health and social care also benefit, as they can manage real-life scenarios and increase their understanding of working in each career path.

  This will include Electrical Safe Isolation, ambulance training and dementia training.

  “Our students will be able to learn from wide-ranging developments, which is incredibly important in helping them to navigate their career opportunities and understand where their preferences lie in this diverse sector. As lecturers, it will give us far more agility to update our courses as new practices and techniques enter the market, which will unlock a wider and ‘green’ range of skills among students,” said Borders College assistant principal of curriculum and sustainability David Lowe.

  BT’s Immersive Spaces claims to allow customers to edit and create interactive content of their choice.

  As well as a pre-populated content library, this includes the option to film, edit and even live stream their own videos using a 360° camera, supplied by BT.

  “This technology has the potential to be a game changer for training and development in any industry. Putting the power of immersive content into the hands of customers allows people to experience learning in a completely new way that is targeted specifically to their needs – which can significantly improve information retention and problem-solving skills. It can also enrich remote sales experiences, add a new layer to gaming and sports, and transport people virtually to any location, anywhere, during any point in history,” explained BT director at Division X business innovation team Alex Foster.

  BT’s Immersive Spaces are fully supported by EE’s 4G and 5G network. With 5G, users can live-stream content from a real-life location directly into the BT Immersive Space. Where this isn’t possible, they can download content and store content over 4G or even fixed fibre.

• Ericsson, MediaTek claim 5G upload speed record
  in 5G
  By Kenn Anthony Mendoza

  Swedish telecommunications vendor Ericsson and Taiwanese semiconductor company MediaTek have claimed to set a new 5G upload speed record of 440Mbps in low-band and mid-band spectrum using uplink carrier aggregation which brings better speed for video conference users, streamers, and the audience.

  Achieved at a test in an Ericsson lab, the speed was performed with RAN Compute Baseband 6648 and a mobile device using MediaTek Dimensity 9200 flagship 5G smartphone chipset.

  The uplink carrier aggregation combination involved a frequency division duplex (FDD) and time division duplex (TDD) channel, in a frequency range widely deployed in today’s 5G networks, Ericsson said.

  More precisely, the combination used was 50MHz FDD n1 and 100MHz TDD n77.

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  “Super-fast uplink speeds make a big difference in the user experience. From lag-free live streaming, video conferencing and AR/VR apps, to more immersive gaming and extended reality (XR) technologies,” said Ericsson head of product line 5G RAN Sibel Tombaz.

  “The 440Mbps upload speed achieved by Ericsson and MediaTek will help make that difference,” she added. “We are also continuously designing innovative solutions for optimizing 5G networks so our customers can make the best use of their spectrum assets.”

  The uplink speed can be leveraged by service providers who are seeking ways to boost capacity while using spectrum to grow demands for wireless data and applications.

  Ericsson said uplink speeds optimise the service provider’s spectrum assets “to bring better coverage, increased capacity, and higher data speeds.”

  Uplink speed is becoming more crucial with the expected uptake of gaming, XR, and video-based apps.

  For example, as AR devices gain popularity with larger augmentation objects, rendering becomes more demanding. This increases the demand on networks to deliver higher throughput and lower latency.

  “The successful result of combining Ericsson’s state-of-the-art 5G Baseband and MediaTek’s flagship smartphone chip has achieved another 5G industry milestone, and paves the way for superior mobile experiences to benefit users every day,” said MediaTek general manager wireless communication system and partnership HC Hwang.

• More and Tangerine double data on mobile plans
  in Business Telecoms
  By Kenn Anthony Mendoza

  Local telcos More and Tangerine have announced their new double data on eligible mobile plans.

  The double data for six months is available to new customers who sign up for a 32GB, 42GB or 120GB mobile plan, or existing customers who upgrade their mobile service to a 32GB, 42GB or 120GB plan.

  The offer is available until 31 July 2023.

  “Whether it be Succession, Bridgerton or The Diplomat – the extra data allowance will help customers indulge in their favourite shows without the usual data worries. And it's not just TV shows, customers can use their bonus data to listen to their favourite podcasts, learn new skills on TikTok or listen to their Discover Weekly with added peace of mind,” said Tangerine and More Telecom CEO Branson.

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  “Additionally, we understand that data use can fluctuate month to month so that’s why all of our mobile plans include a 500GB data bank. This means that any unused monthly data, including bonus double data, rolls over to the next billing period up to the databank cap.”

  “This offer is another way to show our customers that we’re committed to providing them with the best service and value possible across our mobile products,” Branson concluded.

  More and Tangerine’s mobile plans use parts of the Telstra 5G, 4G and 3G network (depending on the plan). The service provides 5G coverage reaching at least 75% of the Australian population, More and Tangerine claimed.

  This first appeared in the subscription newsletter CommsWire on 22 May 2023.

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