2019.02.01 – Open Broadband News

Number of Gfast certifications increase alongside successful deployment rate

According to Broadband Forum, there are now 42 certified-interoperable Gfast solutions for the 106MHz profile as the number of successful deployments also increases.

In a new Broadband Forum Gfast market update, entitled ‘Service Providers Leveraging Gfast to Complement Fiber Optic Infrastructure’, Broadband Forum confirms an increase in the scope and scale of Gfast deployments as operators use the technology to complement fiber build-outs, including Fiber-to-the-Curb (FTTC) and Fiber-to-the-Building (FTTB).

“The adoption of Gfast has come a long way in a short space of time, and the next few months will see further significant advancements, particularly in standardization and certification as operators start to deploy 212 MHz Gfast technology,” said Geoff Burke, Chief Marketing Officer at the Broadband Forum.

The critical puzzle-piece for fixed 5G: self-install technology

Australia-based Netcomm has launched 5G Fixed Wireless self-installation technology that will enable network operators to reduce the time and cost of connecting customers to ultra-fast broadband. Without a self-install solution, NetComm claims, the 5G Fixed Wireless market could be stalled by making services unprofitable when deploying at large scale.

The new solution uses a smartphone app that connects the user modem to the 5G network and guides the end-user to locate the best position for the modem inside the premises.

Els Baert, Director of Marketing & Communications at NetComm, said the solutions are “great for end-users as they don’t have to stay home waiting for a technician to turn up – they can get online in minutes once they have plugged in their hardware.”

Self-installation was crucial for xDSL broadband service delivery as it kept the costs of broadband customer acquisition low.  Without it, the take up of first-generation broadband would have been far slower and more expensive.

Openreach announces next full-fiber areas, commits to hiring more engineers 

Broadband infrastructure provider Openreach has stepped up its push to improve the coverage of full Fiber-to-the-Premises (FTTP) services throughout the UK with the announcement of the next 11 locations that will receive the technology.

At the same time, the company has also confirmed plans to recruit more than 3,000 extra engineers up and down the UK in order to help it meet its goal of connecting three million homes and businesses to the technology by the end of next year.

Openreach Chief Executive, Clive Selley said: “Openreach is ambitious for the UK and is determined to build full fiber as quickly as possible to ensure the country has a reliable broadband network capable of supporting future data-hungry services and applications essential for boosting productivity and sustaining our position as a leading digital economy.”

The next towns and cities set to receive the FTTP services in the UK will be Bury, Barking & Dagenham, Bexley, Croydon, Greater Glasgow, Harrow, Merton, Redbridge, Richmond upon Thames, Salford and Sutton Coldfield.

Open Fiber and Nokia close digital divide 

Wholesaler Open Fiber has partnered with Nokia to deliver Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) gigabit broadband to rural regions of Italy as part of the nation’s Gigabit Society initiative.

Italy has urged the creation of a nationwide high-speed all-fiber optic network to bolster Italian businesses, education and consumers. The government drew up a plan in 2015 that divided up the country into clusters: A, B, C and D. Each municipality was assigned to a cluster; factors determining a municipality’s cluster included lower or higher housing density, market size and whether or existing broadband coverage.

“We have selected Nokia as our supplier in clusters C and D to deliver giga-services and pave the way for future ultra-broadband technology evolutions,” said Stefano Paggi, Network and Operations Director at Open Fiber. “With Nokia’s solutions we will be able to offer services at 10 gigabit per second and in the future at 40 Gbps on the access network.”

Ericsson introduces AI-based managed services offering

Ericsson has launched a new end-to-end Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based managed services offering to address operators’ complex challenges as they move towards the era of 5G and the IoT.

The Ericsson Operations Engine harnesses AI automation and data analytics to deliver a new approach to network design, optimization and operations. The engine is designed around a service centric business model based on targeted outcomes such as an enhanced customer experience, revenue growth or efficiency.

“Networks are quickly becoming significantly more complex to operate as we introduce IoT and 5G at scale, and virtualize core networks, while aiming to enhance user experience at the same time,” said Ericsson SVP and Head of Managed Services Peter Laurin. “The Ericsson Operations Engine enables us to create sustainable differentiation for our managed services customers as it evolves operations from being network-centric to user experience-centric.

Shedding New Light on NG-PON2 – Verizon is latest to join agenda for next BASe @ OFC

Verizon’s Director of Optical Transport, Design and Planning Glenn Wellbrock is the latest to join the confirmed line-up at Broadband Forum’s next Broadband Acceleration Seminar (BASe).

Focused on ‘NG-PON2 Roadmap and Evolution – A Universal Platform for Residential, Business and Wireless/5G?’, the workshop will see Wellbrock deliver the opening keynote on ‘NG-PON2 enabling the services of tomorrow!’ Other confirmed speakers include experts from Ovum, Fiber Broadband Association, AIT Greece, SK Broadband, Lightron, Google, Hybrid Access Technologies, Bifrost Communications, Pic Advanced, Calix, Go!Foton, and Corning.

The seminar will be split into the following segments:

• Worldwide Access Market Overview
• Component Market Update
• Ecosystem Overviews & Best Practices
• Integration and Applications

The seminar will take place during OFC Conference 2019, in San Diego, on Thursday, March 7, and is sponsored by Go!Foton, Lightron, and Calix. All attendees must register for a FREE OFC Exhibits Pass.