2020.11.06 – Open Broadband News

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it’s Managed Wi-Fi to the rescue!

In July 2020, Statistica reported that 58% of Americans are now working from home at least one day a week, with 44% working from home every day. Before the pandemic, only 17% were working from home five days a week.

Besides the normal challenges and distractions related to working from home – finding a quiet location, juggling schedules and avoiding binge-watching of new TV shows – one in seven Americans are also dealing with internet connectivity issues each day and more than one-half are running into problems at least once a month, according to an April 2020 report from Waveform.

According to Broadband World News, one possible solution for some is to buy more (or better) technology. After heading to their local electronics store or visiting their favorite online retailer, these consumers are greeted by a wide array of Wi-Fi routers, extenders, boosters, repeaters and mesh systems – all promising to deliver better coverage and throughput. But do these products always deliver on that guarantee? Not necessarily.

In fact, adding more technology makes things more complicated for people. Then, when they call in the Internet Service Provider (ISP) for help, customers find there’s nonavailable because their newly purchased technology often lacks the required remote troubleshooting capabilities. But help is at hand. Managed Wi-Fi provides a better customer experience, find out how and read more here.

Alexa, Alexa, on the wall, is AI the fairest of them all?

Consumers want Artificial Intelligence (AI) in their homes, but not in the office, according to a new report from O’Reilly.

The report, based on a poll of more than 2,000 consumers, reveals that people are excited about AI in the context of smart homes, security systems, travel recommendations and virtual assistants. However, when it comes to AI in the office, some are still afraid of job losses.

For this reason, O’Reilly argues, if AI creators want to see their solutions enter the workplace, they need to focus on consumers and the benefits AI can bring outside work first.

“Consumer conceptions of AI are still very much influenced by popular culture, science fiction and the virtual assistants they use every day. However, there are strong areas of overlap between AI developers and AI users,” said Rachel Roumeliotis, Vice President of Data and AI at O’Reilly. “Both groups appreciate the success of smart home technology and are watching the development of autonomous vehicles very closely. It’s up to these sectors to capitalize on the hype, but the results are also a call for the creators of work-focused AI to make solutions that capture the imagination and generate excitement.”

Fib-tastic! Netherlands gets a fiber boost

According to Telecompaper’s Fiber-To-The-Home (FTTH) monitor, The Netherlands has passed three-and-a-half million homes. The number stood at 3.486 million at the start of October, and each month another 30,000 to 50,000 homes passed are added.

The last milestone of three million homes passed was reached in mid-2019. The expansion rate has accelerated since then, led by the market leaders KPN and Delta Fiber, as well as smaller players. E-Fiber announced that it recently reached 100,000 premises passed, and T-Mobile and Primevest Capital have several large projects underway in The Hague and Eindhoven.

Notably the two provinces with the smallest populations have the highest FTTH coverage. Zeeland and Flevoland each count around 175,000 households. Zeeland in particular has seen coverage increase quickly over the past year, as Delta converts its coax network to fiber, and KPN rolls out FTTH in several cities. Roll-outs are currently underway in nine of the 13 municipalities in the province.

5G hub sets sail for an ocean of possibilities  

BT has announced that it is deploying one of the UK’s first private 5G networks in Belfast Harbour, aiming to turn the port into a state-of-the-art digital hub.

Trials of the 5G technology in the port were first undertaken last year and, having proved successful, the network is now to be fully constructed and is expected to go live early next year.

The port itself manages 24 million tonnes of goods annually and is a major economic contributor for the region. BT says that the deployment of the private 5G network will allow for the integration of a sophisticated 5G-related ecosystem, aiming to turn the port into a world-leading smart port.

“Our UK-first 5G trial with Belfast Harbour last year was a powerful illustration of how 5G-led technology can transform port operations, propel the success of local businesses and drive economic growth,” said Gerry McQuade, CEO of BT Enterprise. “Today’s deal with Belfast Harbour will make these benefits a reality, with the creation of a sophisticated digital ecosystem comprising of 5G, AI, IoT and Connected Vehicles. This will act as a springboard for Belfast Harbour to achieve its ambition to be the world’s best regional smart port and an innovation hub for the region.”

A Series of Fortunate Events – by Broadband Forum

The only way is 5G – listen to Broadband Forum at 5G & TD 2020

On November 11, 2020, at 17:40 GMT, David Allan, Work Area Director for Wireless-Wireline Convergence at Broadband Forum will be speaking at the largest online event on 5G and digital transformation – 5G & TD 2020.

5G is becoming a turning point in the operators’ journey to the digital age, so register for the event now to find out:

• Why Fixed-Mobile Convergence is sought through the 5G core
• What challenges were identified in 2018 that have been resolved to incorporate this convergence into Release 15 of 3GPP
• What are the requirements of the operators to make this convergence effective

You can find the online agenda and register for free here: https://www.telesemana.com/5gtd2020-latam-summit/#1603999932612-a6147fd5-48f30d01-e4ae.

The show must go on…register now to attend the virtual Q4 meeting  

In light of the current global situation and restricted international travel, Broadband Forum’s Q4 quarterly meeting is going virtual, taking place December 7 – 11, 2020.

The value of Broadband Forum’s quarterly meetings is known by all but as a continued courtesy during these unprecedented times the meeting will be FREE OF CHARGE.  Please note the Forum will continually evaluate the way to host its future quarterly meetings and assess appropriate meeting fees.

As we have seen in previous virtual meetings, this makes it an ideal opportunity for a wider level of participation, within current member and observer companies, as well as prospects. If you would like to invite a colleague from within your company or a prospective company please feel free to introduce them to Rhonda Heier, Director of Membership Development at rheier@broadband-forum.org, for meeting registration.

Take a look at the detailed meeting agenda and to register, please click here.

Time to get on the case for UFBB BASe

It’s time to register for this year’s UFBB BASe Conference, the leading industry event for technologists and strategists.

The virtual event will take place at 9:00am to 11:00am CET, from November 17-19, 2020, and focuses on how operators plan to leverage the latest advancements within the access network and the Connected Home. Unlike many events, UFBB is designed to meet the requirements for more technical discussion, real-life implementations, testing, and strategic technical planning, as well as provide valuable peer-to-peer networking.

UFBB BASe will be built around themes for each of its three days. Highlights from the agenda include speakers from:

Morning 1: Operator and Regulator Market Update

• European Regulator
• KPN
• National Broadband Ireland
• POST Luxembourg
• TNO
• Wind Hellas

Morning 2: Broadband Access Technology Update

• ITU
• Calix
• DZS
• EXFO
• Huawei
• Nokia

Morning 3: Connected Home and User Experience Update

• Vodafone
• ASSIA
• AVM
• Domos
• F-Secure
• Nokia Bell Labs

To see the full list of speakers and presentation titles please click here.

Due to the worldwide pandemic, this event will also be FREE OF CHARGE for all attendees. Free attendance includes full access to all seminar speaker sessions, virtual networking opportunities and access to sponsor online booth space.

If you would like to register for the event, please visit: https://hopin.to/events/ufbb-vbase-2020.

It’s all about that BASe – FTTH Europe 2020

On Wednesday, December 2, 2020 from 14:00, Broadband Forum will host its BASe FTTH Europe Virtual Workshop. This 90-minute session focuses on what technology lessons we have learnt and what are the most likely outcomes and realities deployed in 2021 and beyond.

Senior technologists will be discussing how the PON access networks have performed and what Fiber-To-The-Home innovations will improve the user experience for fixed, 5G and Fixed-Mobile Convergence and the delivery of a better fiber broadband experience. The virtual workshop will also cover the technology trends in the optical components, management and managed testing that will make the next generation PON technologies a reality.

Register your attendance now! https://ftthconference.eu/visiting/registration-and-pricing

Read – or watch – all about it

From 5G and the smart home to next-generation access and network automation, Broadband Forum is working on a series of initiatives to enable the next era of connectivity.

If you would like to track or get involved in these projects, you can learn more about Broadband Forum’s work in progress here or visit its YouTube channel for further insight.

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