5G Archives - Optical Connections News

Technologies and Products

Infinera launches TSN solution for 5G and fibre deep applications

By Peter Dykes

Infinera has announced the availability of the Infinera EMXP-XH800, an X-haul-optimised packet optical switch purpose-built for Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN). Part of Infinera’s XTM Series, the EMXP-XH800 is Metro Ethernet Forum (MEF)-compliant and is designed to help network operators cost-effectively deploy 5G and fibre deep applications. The EMXP-XH800 enables mobile operators and wholesale providers to cost-effectively […]

Applications and Research

Metro-Haul project plans final SDN deliverables, demos for metro networks, 5G

By Peter Dykes

28 months into its 3-year run, representatives of the 21 partner organisations met in Pisa in October 2019, to plan the final stages of the Metro-Haul project, hosted by consortium members Ericsson Telecomunicazioni and Consorzio Nazionale Interuniversitario Per Le Telecomunicazioni (CNIT). The project has just had its second-year project review where the work so far […]

Technologies and Products

Nokia launches new packet-optical switches for 5G Cloud RAN

By Peter Dykes

Nokia has introduced the 1830 Time-sensitive Packet Switch (TPS) family of time-sensitive networking (TSN) switches, which reduce the cost and complexity of Cloud RAN deployments by enabling packet-based transport for mobile fronthaul. The new family of switches transparently supports a mix of existing and new radio interface protocols, unifying mobile transport for 4G and 5G […]

Magazine

Magazine feature: Optical component testing in a rapidly evolving 5G world

By François Couny

The Photonic Integrated Circuit is becoming an increasingly important area of development in the field of optical communications as demand for speed and throughput ramp up. The impending onset of 5G has added even greater impetus to innovation in photonics, however new developments raise new challenges when it comes to test and measurement. Exfo’s François […]

Technologies and Products

ECI extends 5G capabilities with the launch of its ‘1022’ cell site router

By Matthew Peach

Specifically tailored for 5G, the 1022 will expand capacity in metro access sector. ECI, a global provider of Elastic Network solutions for service providers, critical infrastructures and data center operators, has launch its 1022 cell site router, the first of the company’s end-to-end portfolio tailored for 5G. Designed as a cell site router, the 1022 […]

Technologies and Products

Nokia optical fronthaul for China Unicom 5G in 2019

By John Williamson

China Unicom has chosen Nokia’s optical fronthaul solution to power 4G and 5G networks being deployed in Beijing. The deal supports the Chinese operator’s ambitious commitment to deliver 5G in the 2019 timeframe. Part of the Nokia end-to-end 5G portfolio, the solution will be used to accelerate the deployment of 4G and 5G base stations and […]

News and Business

Indian 5G needs US$14 billion fiberisation – report

By John Williamson

A new report from analytics company CRISIL warns that India’s would-be 5G service providers are facing a serious shortfall in their access to fibre capacity for backhaul infrastructure. The report suggests that Indian telcos may need investments of up to around Rs 1 lakh crore (equivalent to over US$14.4 billion) simply to lay fibre networks […]

Technologies and Products

Wave2Wave’s ROME Mini expands autonomous network with robots

By Peter Dykes

Physical layer automation specialist Wave2Wave Solution has introduced a small form factor robotic fibre switch, ROME Mini. The company has expanded its ROME product portfolio to include the Mini in response to the fast-growing demands of edge computing, 5G, IoT, and AI as those technologies flex to support a new generation of applications such as […]

News and Business

5G Americas Welcomes Ciena to Board of Governors

By Matthew Peach

5G Americas, the industry trade association and voice of 5G and LTE for the Americas, has announced the election of Ciena to its Board of Governors. Ciena will join the telecommunication industry’s leading operators and manufacturers on the Board to facilitate the advancement of 5G technology and the transformation of 4G LTE networks across the […]

Applications and Research

Metro-Haul Project plots optical metro SDN for 5G

By John Williamson

At the end of the sixth quarter of its three-year project, the Metro-Haul consortium met this month to take stock and plan how to convert its architecture, requirements, and research into practical demonstrations of technology and use cases. The Metro-Haul research and innovation programme is working to design and build a smart optical metro infrastructure […]

News and Business

Ericsson, Telia and Volvo CE team up on 5G for industrial use

By Matthew Peach

A partnership of Ericsson, Volvo Construction Equipment, and Telia are now operating Sweden’s first 5G network for industrial use, making Volvo CE one of the pioneers to test remote-controlled machines and autonomous solutions with this new network technology. Operated with a test license, the 5G network comprises Ericsson commercial hardware and software, including 5G New Radio and […]

News and Business

5G will be 15% of global mobile sector by 2025 as 5G launches boom – GSMA

By Matthew Peach

5G is on track to account for 15 per cent of global mobile connections by 2025, as the number of 5G network launches and compatible devices ramps up this year, according to a new report by mobile industry member group GSMA. The 2019 edition of GSMA’s flagship Mobile Economy report – The Mobile Economy 2019, […]

Technologies and Products

BT deploys Ciena DCI for major 5G and FTTP growth

By John Williamson

To support the rapidly growing traffic demands of 5G and FTTP, BT will deploy Ciena’s Waveserver™ stackable data centre interconnect (DCI) platform to massively increase the capacity connecting its data centres to the UK’s main Internet peering nodes. According to Ciena, Waveserver will provide BT with rapid network scalability to support mobile data growth from 5G, and growing residential […]

"In the CHARISMA project, we were able to test the concept and DSP algorithms for a 100G OFDM-PON in an operator's laboratory for the first time," comments Kai Habel, project coordinator at Fraunhofer HHI, on the completion of the project.

Applications and Research

5G-CHARISMA project completed: architectures for 5G mobile comms

By Matthew Peach

With a final presentation at Telekom Slovenije in Ljubljana, the EU-funded 5G CHARISMA project was successfully completed in spring 2018. Fraunhofer HHI was involved in the two and a half year research project with its department Photonic Networks and Systems. The aim of the project was to develop a hierarchical and para-virtualized 5G access network […]

Deutsche Telekom intends to raise the number of mobile base stations in Germany from 27,000 in 2017 to 36,000 in 2021

News and Business

Deutsche Telekom commissions 300 new mobile base stations

By Matthew Peach

• LTE population coverage increases to 94.4 percent • 163,000 additional customers can access LTE network Deutsche Telekom says it is driving forward network expansion in Germany faster than any other telecoms company – with its combination of fixed-network and mobile communications across urban centres and rural areas. Just under 300 new mobile base stations […]

Technologies and Products

Sterlite Tech unveils a suite of 5G-enabling fronthaul and FTTH cables at ANGA COM 2018.

By Peter Dykes

Sterlite Tech’s two new airblown and micro cables launched at ANGA COM 2018 utilise existing and new duct systems to accommodate more fibres in a sub-duct network, allowing operators to implement high-density fibre counts within their existing cabling systems. Sterlite says the technology reduces deployment times for operators looking to meet global demands for 5G […]

Product Focus

5G vs. FTTx: Friends Or Foes?

By Peter Dykes

Source Photonics’ Du Yuzhang looks at the relationship between the two technologies as the industry moves into a new era of broadband infrastructure. Back in February 2017, when Samsung showcased its fixed 5G products at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, the vision of delivering home internet service with 5G technology was ignited. Prior to […]

Applications and Research

Flexible, dynamic transport solution for 5G communications developed

By Matthew Peach

The 5G-Crosshaul consortium was established to develop a 5G transport network to integrate backhaul and fronthaul, two typical segments of the 4G telecommunications networks. On the fifth generation of communication networks that is expected to replace 4G around 2020, these two segments merge into what is known as crosshaul to enable a flexible and software-defined […]

New eight-year supply commitment to address growing demand for bandwidth.

News and Business

CommScope and OFS extend long-term fibre partnership

By Matthew Peach

New eight-year supply commitment to address growing demand for bandwidth. CommScope and OFS have announced the extension of their long-term fibre partnership. As both companies invest in capacity to address the strong demand for more bandwidth, they have entered into a new eight-year partnership to help ensure the availability of OFS optical fibre supply to […]

News and Business

Delta Partners predicts ‘biggest digital trends’ of 2018

By Matthew Peach

As the new year gets underway, Delta Partners’ Darren Tan, Senior director of the Intelligence Unit at consulting and investment company Delta Partners, has announced the company’s predictions for the digital IT and communications sectors. Digital challenges will continue to drive operators to transform. Traditional revenue pools will continue to recede as operators’ digital initiatives […]