Tag Archives: Network

5G, News

Nokia selects Infovista to deliver cloud-based automated drive testing to accelerate roll-out of 5G deployments

Global partnership includes centralized management and automation of critical testing process for new 5G and legacy networks

Paris, France – July 12th, 2022 – Infovista, the global leader in network lifecycle automation (NLA), today announced a global partnership with Nokia to accelerate the rollout and acceptance of 5G network deployments. The partnership will see Infovista deliver its cloud-based, automated testing solutions to support the verification, optimization and benchmarking of new 5G and legacy networks deployed and managed by Nokia.

The complexity of 5G, magnified by the environments in which networks are being deployed, make multi-site testing a costly and time intensive overhead. Infovista’s cloud-based testing solutions enable Nokia to automate and centralize the management of testing routines, significantly streamlining backend reporting and freeing Nokia engineers and service companies from manual drive testing to focus on high value network optimization tasks.

As part of the global partnership, Nokia will now be able to leverage innovative network testing solutions from Infovista such as Automated SSV solution. The solution not only predicts where to drive and what tests to perform, but also which hot spots and critical areas should be tested and then autonomously conducting the network testing routine. This automation of network testing processes removes trial and error and significantly impacts the time to market and efficiency of Nokia’s network deployments.

Infovista is delivering its TEMS testing solutions to Nokia. The cloud-based automation of network testing routines enables Nokia to centralize and automate reporting and real-time validation of testing, reducing the number of failed drive tests that must be repeated. The cloud-based solutions remove the need to Nokia to maintain dedicated servers and redundancy, reuse of licenses globally and use commercial off-the-shelf devices, significantly increasing the efficiency of network testing.

“5G network complexity combined with the proliferation of device types now requires a set of next generation testing solutions leveraging AI/ML, cloud and automation. For operators that are racing to deploy new 5G sites, while continuing to optimize and expand existing network coverage, this new network testing approach is a gamechanger,” said Faiq Khan, President Global Networks, Infovista. “We’re very pleased to be building on our long-standing partnership with Nokia, extending it from centralized reporting to deliver real innovation with cloud-based automation of critical 5G testing processes.”

As part of the partnership, Nokia will have access to the latest AI/ML data-driven approaches and automation innovations in network testing, including Infovista’s patent-pending Precision Drive Testing™ solution, which powers use cases including network acceptance automation, fine tuning 5G planning propagation models, geolocated troubleshooting and proactive network health monitoring.

5G, News

Wireless Infrastructure Group deploys major neutral host infrastructure project across Birmingham anchored by Three’s 5G network

17 May 2022 – Wireless Infrastructure Group (WIG) today announces the launch of a significant new infrastructure project set to transform mobile connectivity across Birmingham. WIG has deployed its own fibre backbone across the city and partnered with Birmingham City Council to connect up tens of thousands of streetscape assets for mobile infrastructure.

WIG’s neutral host network infrastructure can support all mobile networks and has been anchored by Three UK running 5G services and creating the UK’s first large-scale 5G centralised radio access network (C-RAN) to enable super-fast speeds for all Three’s customers.

WIG’s network will also play a key role in supporting the vital testing of connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs) on Birmingham’s streets. WIG has developed this complex project in its role as lead communications infrastructure partner to Midlands Future Mobility – the organisation responsible for the UK’s largest real world test bed for CAVs.

WIG’s CEO Scott Coates commented:

‘We are delighted to have made this investment into Birmingham and to help the mobile operators as they seek to connect their customers with 5G in the busiest parts of the city.’

‘Our infrastructure has been developed to enable fast cycle times for any mobile operator looking to address capacity needs across the UK’s largest and most populated metropolitan borough. Our plug and play approach will remove much of the complexity normally experienced by mobile operators when deploying in urban centres’

Three UK’s Chief Network Officer Carlo Melis commented:

‘We are excited by this project which is supporting the development of the UK’s fastest 5G network in Birmingham, ahead of the Commonwealth Games.’

PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS

  • Birmingham-wide 5G C-RAN network utilising WIG-owned fibre back-bone enabling ultra-low latency capability with fibre fronthaul.
  • Contiguous high speed and high capacity 4G and 5G services from Birmingham International Airport through to the city centre.
  • Future-proof, multi-operator, multi-technology architecture that will support 5G in standalone and non-standalone modes.
  • Long-term agreement for WIG and its customers to utilise tens of thousands of assets owned by Birmingham City Council.
  • Deployment of long-term sustainable infrastructure solutions, supporting small cells and making use of existing street furniture.
  • Three UK customers already benefitting from 4G and 5G delivered by the infrastructure with service throughput in excess 1Gb/s. Three’s initial deployment area includes city centre capacity hot spots together with contiguous high speed and high-capacity services across 20kms of the busiest parts of the Midlands Future Mobility testbed route.

More information at https://www.wirelessinfrastructure.co.uk/case-studies/west-midlands-5G-CRa

Networks, News

Small Cells World Summit returns to London this May with commercially focused agenda and exclusive private networks workshop

Leading industry speakers will cover topics including enterprise connectivity, shared and flexible infrastructure and Open RAN technologies

28 April, 2022, London – SCF, the global organization committed to supporting agile, low-cost mobile infrastructure through small networks, has released details of Small Cells World Summit 2022, which will take place live in London 24-25 May, followed by virtual summits in June.

The conference brings together mobile network operators, neutral hosts, enterprise, public sector, vendors, analysts, policymakers and regulators, for a packed program of leading speakers sharing innovation, best practise and debating some of the industry’s hottest topics, including enterprise connectivity and how this will be delivered, flexible and shared infrastructure and Open RAN technologies and strategies.

A special workshop will also take place, supported by the UK’s Department for International Trade, Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDM), focused on 5G private networks – the opportunities, challenges and regulatory implications. This will include contributions from policymakers and enterprises from across Europe, and representatives from the wireless industry.

Events sponsors have also been announced and are available on the website, including: Platinum sponsor Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., Diamond sponsor Ericsson, and Sapphire sponsor Picocom.

Chair of SCF, Prabhakar Chitrapu, PhD, said: “The unique characteristic of SCWS is that its agenda considers the future of enterprise connectivity and digital transformation of industries through the lens of real-world requirements and learnings from commercial deployments.

“We’ve had incredible support from our industry and our sponsors, who have got behind this event because they understand the unique benefit of fostering the much-needed conversation between technologists, business professionals and regulators affecting the success of the whole eco-system. After two years enforced absence courtesy of Covid, I’m looking forward to finally having the opportunity to meet and network once again with colleagues at this two-day event in London.”

Simon Fletcher, SCF Chief Strategy Officer, added: “While at the conference we consider the implications of 5G and 6G evolution, SCWS 2022 is not a blue-sky event. It’s much more grounded – commercially focused on the technology and business models that can deliver outstanding connectivity for enterprise, industry and consumers and service models that can be monetized by our industry. We’re also pleased to be hosting a private networks workshop, supported by the DIT, DCMS and FCDO, because again this focuses on how private network technologies need to evolve to address enterprise demand and the role policy makers can play as enablers.”

SCWS London will also host the SCF Small Cell Awards Gala Dinner on the first evening, a glittering networking event to celebrate the achievements of the industry. The conference will include an exhibition area, main conference stage, break-out areas, networking and drinks functions.

To bring the conference to a global audience, and for those who are not able to travel to the UK, SCWS London will be followed by two exclusive regionally focused Virtual Summits, on June 8 for Asia and June 9 for the US. The virtual platform will host all the recorded sessions from London, and will be complimented by dedicated regional specific sessions and panel discussions, as well as online exhibitors and virtual networking.

Delegate tickets to London include free access to the virtual summits, or virtual passes can be purchased separately. Registration is open. Delegate passes to all summits, and gala dinner tickets can be purchased online now, visit www.smallcells.world

IT Services, News

Logicalis target digital-first leaders with launch of managed Intelligent Connectivity service

London, United Kingdom – 25th April 2022: Logicalis, a global IT solutions and managed service provider, today announces the launch of Intelligent Connectivity, a solution designed to empower digital-first customers to improve business performance and user experience by operating with connectivity as a managed service.

“Connectivity is critical to success in the digital-first economy. Organisations need to have confidence in their network as the key enabler for their digital transformation efforts,” comments Michael Chanter, COO of Logicalis Group.

The Logicalis Intelligent Connectivity solution is a modern managed service, architected for user experience and provides a consumption-based, insights-driven approach to networking. The solution is built on Cisco SDWAN and SASE technology and delivers:

  • Agility and scalability – scale the network up or down based on business demand and react quickly to changing requirements.
  • Security by design – take advantage of opportunities in real time, as security is woven into the fabric of the network by design.
  • Predictable user insights – access to real-time insights into connectivity and app performance which allows for proactive management and reliable user experience.
  • Sustainability by design – digitalise and dematerialise core IT solutions, measurably reducing carbon footprint.

Chanter continues: “In a digital-first world geared towards responsible business, customers require connectivity that combines a measurable user experience with the scale and flexibility to allow them to pivot to new opportunities as they arise. Our solution allows customers to proactively optimise user experience and also obtain actionable insights to reduce their carbon impact.”

To learn more about how the Logicalis Intelligent Connectivity can support your business click here: www.logicalis.com/solutions-services/intelligent-connectivity/

IoT, News

New global programmable mobile network will power innovation in IoT

Stacuity and JT IoT announce partnership to combine Stacuity’s programmable platform with JT IoT’s class-leading connectivity footprint. This will empower IoT customers and developers with unprecedented control over mobile connectivity, on a global basis.

Mike Bromwich, Stacuity CEO commented: “We are delighted to be partnering with JT IoT to launch Stacuity’s global programmable mobile network. The combination of our leading-edge technology and their strong connectivity footprint will power new waves of innovation and value creation in IoT.”

As the IoT market matures and applications become ever more business critical, customers’ needs are becoming more complex. Increasingly, customers seek tight integrations which monitor, react-to and influence connectivity and device behaviour in real time. However, this is hard to achieve via traditional standardised mobile network technology, where even simple changes for customers can involve weeks of delay and substantial project costs.

To address this problem, Stacuity has developed a revolutionary programmable platform. This fulfils the functions of a standard mobile network core but has been designed ‘developer first’. Developers are empowered to exercise powerful real-time and fine-grained control over connectivity. Via Stacuity, customers can operate their own discrete, secure, software-defined mobile networks for IoT. So, connected IoT devices can be managed as flexibly and securely as any other IT asset.

By leveraging their complementary skills and assets, Stacuity and JT IoT will bring the benefits of a global programmable mobile network to new and existing IoT customers, around the world. Mobile connectivity will be better tuned to suit more sophisticated use cases and latent value growth potential will be realised.

Graeme Millar, JT IoT CEO added: “At JT IoT we are building one of the world’s leading IoT connectivity and platform providers. We are delighted to be working with Stacuity to launch their global programmable mobile network and to empower more IoT customers to innovate and grow.”

News, Security

New WatchGuard Threat Lab Report Shows Network Attacks at Highest Point Over Last Three Years

Network detections in EMEA quadrupled, with malware detections occurring at nearly twice the rate as the rest of the world.

5 April 2022 – WatchGuard® Technologies’ latest quarterly Internet Security Report shows a record number of evasive malware detections with advanced threats increasing by 33%, indicating a higher level of zero day threats than ever before.

Researchers at the WatchGuard Threat Lab detected malware threats in EMEA at a much higher rate than other regions of the world in Q4 2021, with malware detections per Firebox at 49%, compared to Americas at 23% and APAC at 29%. The trajectory of network intrusion detections also continued its upward climb with the largest total detections of any quarter in the last three years and a 39% increase quarter over quarter. Researchers suggest that this may be due to the continued targeting of old vulnerabilities as well as the growth in organisations’ networks. As new devices come online and old vulnerabilities remain unpatched, network security is becoming more complex

“The continued shift to a hybrid workforce is making attack surfaces larger and creating more potential security holes for organisations to plug,” says Corey Nachreiner, chief security officer at WatchGuard. “With the highest level of zero-day threats we’ve ever recorded and an attack surface that extends well beyond the network perimeter to IoT, home networks and mobile devices, companies need to adopt a true unified security approach that can adapt quickly and efficiently to the growing threat landscape. Organisations should make a commitment to implementing simple but critically important measures like updating and patching systems on a regular basis so they’re not enabling hackers.”

Other key findings from this Internet Security Report include:

  • 78% of malware delivered via encrypted connections is evasive – Overall, 67% of malware detections arrived over an encrypted connection, and within those malware detections, 78% were evasive zero-day malware threats that evade basic detections. This continues a trend seen in previous quarters. These threats can often be stopped at the perimeter by setting firewalls to decrypt and scan incoming traffic – a step that, unfortunately, many organisations fail to take.
  • A new leader in Office exploit malware emerges – Q4 2021 saw a significant incidence of malware targeting Office documents, similar to findings from Q3. CVE-2018-0802 remains on the top 10 malware list, landing at number 5 this quarter, up one spot from last quarter, and remains on the most widespread malware list. Researchers suspect this may have replaced CVE-2017-11882 as the top Office exploit.
  • Emotet comes back with a vengeance – Two new malware domains were added this quarter to the list of top malware domains detected by WatchGuard. One of these domains, Skyprobar[.]info, has been linked to Emotet, the banking trojan that has evolved into a C2 and distribution infrastructure malware for other payloads. After diminishing due in part to direct disruption by US law enforcement, the Emotet malware saw a resurgence in Q4 2021.

WatchGuard’s quarterly research reports are based on anonymized Firebox Feed data from active WatchGuard Fireboxes whose owners have opted to share data in direct support of the Threat Lab’s research efforts. In Q4, WatchGuard blocked a total of more than 23.9 million malware variants (313 per device) and nearly 5.9 million network threats (75 per device). The full report includes details on additional malware and network trends from Q4 2021, a detailed analysis of the Log4Shell vulnerability, recommended security strategies and critical defence tips for businesses of all sizes and in any sector, and more.

For a detailed view of WatchGuard’s research, read the complete Q4 2021 Internet Security

Networks, News

Telent provides fire and rescue station communications refresh in preparation for ESN transition

Providing an end-to-end replacement of legacy networks, the system upgrades provide critical control room communications to fire stations across the UK

Warwick, U.K, 31st March 2022 – Telent has completed a network refresh to support station end systems for a major fire and rescue service in England. The upgrade has replaced soon to be retired back-up networks and prepared the organisation’s mobilisation solution for ESN compatibility.

The end-to-end proven solution from Telent is currently live across over 20 stations and can be rapidly deployed and easily procured through several Crown Commercial Service (CCS) frameworks. The project will provide improved resiliency and security and deliver an alternative back-up bearer to Paknet, PSTN and 2G/3G to ensure stations stay connected if the main network goes down.

The new station end solution will serve as an upgrade and replacement of existing legacy systems. The Paknet service will be withdrawn this year, and PSTN is due to be retired in 2025 and mobile operators have announced the phased withdrawal of 3G and also 2G networks from 2023. Telent’s network upgrade provides a vital link directly from control rooms through to firefighters and appliances in the station and can be connected by multiple bearer networks, including 4G, to provide further resiliency. The solution is also compatible with the ESN Connect service in preparation for the nationwide ESN transition.

Telent’s Operations and Services Director Barry Zielinski said: “Telent’s new solution offers an end-to-end integrated upgrade route for fire and rescue services across the UK. Our 4G-enabled ESN-approved technology is the perfect solution to replace existing systems that are imminent for retirement, and our fully managed service ensures a seamless transition for organisations in preparation for ESN. Telent is the partner of choice for emergency services organisations looking to work alongside a company with the knowledge, expertise and vision to innovate services in the years ahead.”

As part of the full-service offering, Telent provided comprehensive design, testing and deployment services. This started with initial development and testing in its specialised lab, pilot testing and pre-staging to minimise time on site and maximise quality of service for the main project deployment. The pre-staging of equipment in Telent’s secure facilities included testing and fully configuring all equipment to reduce any early-life failures or any on-site engineering visits. The project solution is available as part of Telent’s fully managed service portfolio.

Telent currently supports station end and mobilisation systems for more than 20 fire and rescue services across the UK and every county fire service in Republic of Ireland. This includes recent communications and mobilisation upgrades for the North Wales Fire and Rescue service and providing support of the radio paging network used to mobilise lifeboat crews for the RNLI.

To find out more about the new station end solution, or to arrange a free assessment to discuss your specific requirements and needs, please contact talktotelent@telent.com.

News, Security

Endace and Cubro Announce Partnership to Eliminate Network Blind Spots, Accelerate Investigation, and Streamline Workflows

Reading, UK; MARCH 23, 2022 – Endace and Cubro today announced a partnership to deliver fast, accurate and robust network security to their customers, combining Endace’s industry-leading packet capture and always-on network recording with Cubro’s portfolio of world class network visibility solutions.

Cubro’s Omnia product line includes network TAPs, Advanced Network Packet Brokers, Bypass Switches and Network Probes. EndaceProbe Analytic Platforms capture, index, and record network traffic with 100% accuracy and provide simultaneous hosting for a wide variety of network security and performance monitoring applications. The result of the integration is complete visibility of the network and the traffic traversing the network, both in real-time and historically.

As threat landscapes become more and more challenging, benefits of this partnership that enable customers to better defend their networks include:

  • Eliminating blind spots through more comprehensive visibility with Cubro’s TAP & Omnia products;
  • Accelerating event investigation and reconstruction with EndaceVision™ and Investigation Manager™;
  • Granular filtering of relevant network traffic and de-encapsulating tunneled traffic with Cubro’s Omnia Network Packet Brokers;
  • Streamlining investigation workflows with EndaceProbes providing the ability to record every packet on the network for a complete view of network activity.

Customers using a Software Defined Network (SDN) also benefit from this partnership. Cubro’s Omnia Network Packet Brokers can filter encapsulated traffic to provide visibility into virtualized and overlay network traffic, allowing EndaceProbes to have unrestricted access to traffic in SDN environments.

“The combination of Cubro and Endace is extremely complementary and gives customers great power and flexibility,” says Cary Wright, Endace’s VP Product Management. “It gives them access to all of the traffic flowing across the network so they can see, and record an accurate copy of, all network activity across both physical and SDN environments. For security teams that is incredibly important.”

“New leaf-and-spine data center architectures offer tremendous advantages in scalability, performance, and latency, but can present challenges for traditional network management, security, and analytics teams”, says David Burns, Cubro’s VP of Strategic Alliances. “Cubro’s platforms, based on industry leading silicon, help enterprises address these challenges. Cubro is pleased to join the Endace Fusion partner program, together leveraging new capabilities, such as enhanced security and multi-tenancy — available in these environments”, added Dave Burns.

  • Read more about the technical details of this partnership here: https://www2.endace.com/cubro.
  • Read more about the use case for SDNs here: https://www2.endace.com/cubro-sb-sdn.

Cubro is the latest company to join Endace’s Fusion Partner Program. The program provides pre-built integrations of industry-leading solutions with EndaceProbe’s powerful API to deliver higher performance, easier integration and on-demand deployment to our customers.

News, Telecoms

Wireless Logic announces Conexa, a new ‘network for things’

New cellular network will offer a single SIM for global deployments, reducing complexity and helping to address the changing needs of the IoT

LONDON – 22nd MARCH, 2022 – Wireless Logic Group, Europe’s leading IoT connectivity platform provider, today announces the launch of Conexa, a carrier-grade mobile network built specifically for the IoT. Conexa is designed to provide secure, resilient and flexible connectivity for companies deploying IoT devices and applications anywhere in the world.

Conexa provides a suite of connectivity solutions, network control and security services for global, national and regional deployments and is built over an ecosystem of leading mobile network operators (MNOs). It provides single or multi-network options and commercial models suited to both low and high data use according to application type.

“Mobile networks, and the infrastructure around them, were largely developed before the IoT existed, at a time when only the voice and data needs of people needed to be met,” said Oliver Tucker, Co-Founder and CEO, Wireless Logic. “The IoT has particular requirements and for it to continue to grow, innovate and thrive, companies need a simple way to deploy and manage their solutions. That requires specific on-SIM, on-device and core network IoT services which is why Conexa is built for the IoT and aggregates the world’s best 4G, 5G and LPWAN radio networks.”

Conexa is GSMA-certified and designed to meet the procurement, manufacturing, and logistics challenges that IoT companies face, providing flexible and scalable implementation, integration and day-to-day operation.

Advanced on-SIM applications, distributed networking, real time controls and cloud integration simplify deployments. Unique on-SIM control functions detect and initiate fail-over, as required, to alternative radio and core network infrastructure to protect mission critical applications.

Conexa enables robust, secure and scalable IoT solutions through:

  • Global coverage with a range of local connectivity solutions in key G20 markets and beyond, compliant with permanent roaming and data sovereignty regulations
  • Always-on connectivity through a dual redundant core network with automatic failover to ensure high-availability needs can be met
  • Tailored connectivity solutions according to lifecycle stages, from factory to field, with advanced remote provisioning of eSIM, iSIM and multi-IMSI SIMs, which also help take cost and complexity out of procurement, manufacturing and distribution processes through single product stock keeping units
  • Enhanced flexibility and resilience from on-SIM technologies and rules-based remote SIM provisioning
  • Security which can be enhanced through on-SIM security applications and network protection features including IMEI locking, white or blacklisting, and private APN and VPN
  • SIMPro, an industry leading management platform for SIM and device management, diagnostics and intelligence that provide insight and control of deployments.

“We designed Conexa with flexibility, scalability and usability in mind – as these are fundamental requirements for IoT managers and device manufacturers,” continued Tucker. “For the IoT to continue to grow, innovate and thrive, companies need a simpler way to deploy and manage their solutions. Conexa has been designed to do just that.”

For further information on Conexa, please visit: https://www.wirelesslogic.com/article/introducing-conexa-wireless-logics-network-for-things/

News

Telent and Sure working together to provide ultra-fast connectivity to 170,000 users across the Channel Islands

The network upgrades in Guernsey, Jersey, London and Paris ensure Sure’s future growth

Channel Islands, 16 February 2022 – 170,000 homes and businesses across the Channel Islands and Isle of Man will have access to reliable, ultra-fast internet access thanks to the latest collaboration between technology provider Telent and leading telecommunications provider Sure.

Sure’s existing 10G core network has also been successfully upgraded to a 100G Juniper core network, helping deliver increased capacity and high-speed connections to the islands to connect businesses and public sector organisations. The project from Telent entailed major capacity upgrades and crucial security enhancements to replace the existing equipment in the Sure network.

“Telent is delighted to have worked collaboratively with Sure to help deliver ultra-fast internet connectivity to 170,000 users across the Channel Islands and Isle of Man,” said Shani Latif, Sales Director at Telent. “Our expertise to design and deploy the upgraded core network has ensured Sure’s network is high capacity, secure and reliable for its enterprise business customers across a host of sectors.”

The final customer migrations were completed in January 2022, with all ongoing upgrade, maintenance and quality assurance work for the foreseeable future scheduled by Telent to ensure a continuous connection to the Channel Islands and Isle of Man. The network implementation has future-proofed Sure’s network in preparation for new technologies, including Fibre-To-The-Home (FTTH), ensuring smooth and effective mass roll outs can take place. As a core network, it also delivered increased capacity to London and Paris, connecting the islands globally without the risk of interruption or latency.

“The network upgrades from Telent have delivered increased capacity and high-speed connections to the Channel Islands to connect businesses and public sector organisations,” Sure Chief Operating Officer Cyrille Joffre said. “Coupled with our tier3 datacentres and private cloud infrastructure located in both Guernsey and Jersey, the Telent and Sure successful 100 Gigabits infrastructure collaboration opens a new horizon for international and local business looking to setup or expand business leveraging Sure’s services. And this future-proofed network means that we are well-placed for roll outs of the latest technologies in the years ahead.”

International connectivity for the islands is provided through dedicated points of presence (PoPs) in London and Paris, with links back to Sure’s other UK operations in the Isle of Man. These installations further enhance the international connectivity for Sure’s enterprise business customers overseas in sectors including financial technology, gaming, betting and offshore finance that require a consistent connection directly to the Channel Islands and Isle of Man.

Ensuring that the overall security of the network was not compromised by any international cyber threats, Telent implemented a joint Corero Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) solution to provide real time, automated protection. This service detects any signs of incoming threats and blocks any malicious traffic that could potentially degrade the network performance. The project has helped Sure increase capacity, reliability, speed and security to enhance its consumer, enterprise and wholesale propositions within and between its core network locations.

For more information about Telent, please visit: https://telent.com/. To learn more about Sure, see: https://www.sure.com/.