Southern African Volume 21 Number 5

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 southern african Volume 21 Number 5

Forwireless communications professionals in southern Africa COMMUNICATIONS

● How to get the best out of the latest satellites ● Connecting the education sector ● Network sharing: boosting performance for MNOs Designed by Experts: You When we were developing the new FG Wilson 6.8 – 25 kVA range, we worked with the experts: the people who own and use generator sets every day.

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Wirelsss Asia ad Sept ToPrint.indd 1 26/09/2016 15:48 wirelesssouthern african CONTENTS COMMUNICATIONS

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 southern african Volume 21 5 News review Number 5 JANUARY/

Forwireless communications professionals in southern Africa COMMUNICATIONS FEBRUARY 2017 > Eutelsat’s African broadband back on track

● How to get the best out of the latest satellites > LTE not secure enough for critical comms ● Connecting the education sector ● Network sharing: boosting performance for MNOs Volume 21 > Microsoft to use Nominet’s TVWS tech Number 5 > Vodafone helps fight HIV in Lesotho > MTN trials unique PtMP platform in SA 9 News > First demo of Gigabit class LTE in Africa > Tablet brings internet to remote communities 16 Wireless solutions > Indian Ocean Xchange will offer open access > Angola aims to become regional hub About Otto Wireless: 13 Wireless business Otto Wireless Solutions is a supplier > Liquid wins approval for Neotel takeover of wireless connectivity hardware, specializing in Industrial GSM, 3G, 16 Wireless solutions HSPA and LTE equipment. In addition to > F-Cell revolutionises small cell deployment supplying industrial modems and routers with back-end management platforms, we also provide GSM and GPS modules, Features: and a variety of other complementary 20 Satcoms components to OEM design entities. > SARA FREWEN finds out how to get the best from next-generation high-throughput satellites. These product families are well supported 20 Satcoms by the antennas, RF connectors and locally 24 Wireless users 24 Wireless users manufactured custom RF cable assemblies > How wireless solutions are helping the which we supply to the South African Industry. transport sector deal with traffic.

Our head office is strategically positioned 29 Industry view in Randburg, Gauteng, with a sales office > MOHAMED N. HAMDY explains how to deliver in Cape Town. All logistics and stock is high-quality network service via site sharing. managed from our head office. 32 World news 32 World news Our commitment to customer service and > Aviation network integrates satellite and LTE technical support has differentiated us in the > Singapore to trial ‘Li-Fi’ for wireless data industry, and set us apart from our peers. > Europe’s first mission-critical LTE deployed > Iconic building adds Xirrus Wi-Fi network To find out more about Otto, > Australian mobile network virtualised turn to page 12 > Antennas – ‘intelligent radiating skins’?

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EDITORIAL: ADVERTISEMENT SALES: Editorial director: Rahiel Nasir Senior sales executive: Andy London Designer: Alan McClenaghan [email protected] Contributors: Sara Frewen, Tel: +44 (0) 1932 481731 Dr. Mohamed N. Hamdy Mak Rahnama Publishing apprentice: Jennifer Coates Editorial enquiries: [email protected] Tel: +44 (0) 1932 481729 [email protected] Production & circulation: Production: Suzanne Thomas Publishing director: Kathy Moynihan [email protected] +44 (0) 1932 481730 Tel: +44 (0) 1932 481728

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SAWC 1702 p3 (Contents) RN.indd 3 08/03/2017 16:27

Eutelsat’s African broadband “back on track” with Yahsat’s help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not secure enough for public safety, warns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he TCCA says that while there is %&1%8/&0*4(/01=(](%0(%*(/**/&0%,#(0"(-*/( 0"(/&,7#%&'(12"%1/(%&(02/(A."9%*%"&( 02/3(,./(#"":%&'(0"(%;A#/;/&0(PJ5? no simple answer to how mobile &/0$".:*(02,0(,./(*-%0/8(0"(;%**%"&? "+(7.",87,&8(8,0,(*/.9%1/*=(N-0(/9/&( 7,*/8(A-7#%1(*,+/03(&/0$".:*= broadband should be provided to 1.%0%1,#(1";;-&%1,0%"&= %+(*A/10.-;(%*(*/1-./8(+".(A-7#%1( 6;"&'(02/;4(%0(*,3*(,(./9%/$("+( public safety users, it is essential that J2/(JWW6(,#*"(A"%&0*("-0(02,0(,*( *,+/03(,'/&1%/*4(7-%#8%&'(&,0%"&$%8/( 02/(*/1-.%03(,..,&'/;/&0*(,9,%#,7#/( any network employed is suited to $%02(,&3(1";;/.1%,#(".',&%*,0%"&4( %&+.,*0.-10-./($%##(7/(./#,0%9/#3(1"*0#3( %&(PJ5(*3*0/;*(,&8(,&3(1";;/.1%,#( mission-critical communication. ;"7%#/(&/0$".:*(,./(*-7S/10(0"(7/%&'( %&(;,&3(1"-&0.%/*=(J2/(JWW6( &/0$".:(02,0(%*(-*/8(*2"-#8(7/( 7"-'20(,&8(*"#8=(6*(,(./*-#04(1.%0%1,#( 02/./+"./(7/#%/9/*(02,0(,&("A0%;,#( -&8/.0,:/&(73(*-%0,7#3(O-,#%+%/8(*0,++= 8/#%9/.(;"7%#/(7.",87,&8(0"(A-7#%1( &,0%"&,#(%&+.,*0.-10-./(1"-#8(/&8( 7,#,&1/(7/0$//&(8/8%1,0/8(,&8( UM@*(,#./,83(2,9/(02/(,7%#%03(0"( *,+/03(*/.9%1/*=([2%#/(;,&3(A-7#%1( -A(7/%&'("$&/8(73(+"./%'&(+%.;*=(Z0( 1";;/.1%,#(&/0$".:*($%##(7/(&//8/8= Boeing to build new AMOS and GiSAT satellites PHOTO: BOEING N"/%&'($%##(2/#A(/HA,&8(7.",87,&8( "++/.(D,?4(D-?,&8(W?7,&8(*/.9%1/*4( *,0/##%0/*(*/.9%&'(02/(./'%"&= */.9%1/*(%&(6+.%1,($%02(0$"(&/$( ,&8(+/,0-./(,(1";7%&,0%"&("+(7.",8( c@-.(9%*%"&(+".(MA$!N(%*(0"(A."9%8/( *,0/##%0/*(A#,&&/8(+".(02/(1"&0%&/&0= ./'%"&,#(7/,;*(,&8(2%'2(02."-'2A-0( /&8(-*/.*($%02(1"&&/10%9%03(,&8( Z&(,(8/,#($".02(>K^BCB;4( *A"0(7/,;*(0"(;,H%;%*/(02."-'2A-0( */.9%1/*(02,0(,./(,++".8,7#/4(.%12(%&( KA,1/1";(,&&"-&1/8(%&(#,0/( ,&8(*A/10.,#(/++%1%/&13= #"1,#(1"&0/&0(,&8(0.-#3(7.",87,&8( ^/1/;7/.(EFBC(02,0(%0(2,8(1"&0.,10/8( Z&(,(*/A,.,0/(8/,#(,&&"-&1/8(%&( %&(&,0-./4d(*,%8(N,2.,;(a"-.;,&84( 02/(1";A,&3(0"(7-%#8(!"#$%'C=( K/A0/;7/.(EFBC4(N"/%&'($%##(,#*"( W5@4(`#"7,#(Za=(c[%02(02/(,7%#%03( J2/(&/$(*,0/##%0/(%*(/HA/10/8(0"(7/( 7-%#8(MA$!N(+".(W,3;,&(Z*#,&8*? 0"(./1"&+%'-./(02/(MA$!N("&?7",.8( #,-&12/8(%&(EFBT(,&8($%##(1"9/.( 7,*/8(`#"7,#(Za=(J2/(*A,1/1.,+0($%##( A."1/**".4(02/(N"/%&'(8%'%0,#(A,3#",8( 6+.%1,4(02/(U%88#/(5,*0(,&8(5-."A/= 7/(7,*/8("&(N"/%&')*(C98(A#,0+".;( $%##(,##"$(-*(0"(7.",81,*0(8%++/./&0( Z0($%##("A/.,0/(+.";(BG_5(](02/( 7-0($%02(,(&/$(8%'%0,#(A,3#",8( 12,&&/#*(0"(8%++/./&0(7/,;*(+.";( *,;/(".7%0,#(#"1,0%"&(02,0($,*( "++/.%&'(0$%1/(02/(1,A,1%03("+( 8%++/./&0(#"1,0%"&*4(A."9%8%&'(7/00/.( A./9%"-*#3(-*/8(73(!"#$%D(7/+"./(,##( A./9%"-*(8/*%'&*=( */.9%1/(0"(7.",81,*0/.*4(;"7%#/( 1"&0,10($%02(%0($,*(*-88/(#"*0(,0( `#"7,#(Za)*(;%**%"&($%##(7/(0"( "A/.,0".*(,&8(ZKa*=d 02/(/&8("+(EFBL(./*-#0%&'(%&(%0*($.%0/? 8/#%9/.(*0./,;%&'(;/8%,4(8%'%0,#( K12/8-#/8(0"(/&0/.(*/.9%1/(%&(EFBT4( "++(/011*EF<6G17*H<31;I*@1,7J;14*K,?%L1>* 7.",81,*0(,&8("02/.(1";;-&%1,0%"&*( `%K6J(%*(8/*%'&/8(0"("A/.,0/($%02( 89'&:= */.9%1/*(0"(*-7?K,2,.,&(6+.%1,=([%02( ;"./(02,&(BF(',0/$,3*(%&(5-."A/(,&8( KA,1/1";(*,%8(!"#$%'C($%##(7/( ,(1"9/.,'/(,./,(/&1";A,**%&'(bL( ;-#0%A#/(',0/$,3*($%02%&(6+.%1,= 8/*%'&/8(+".(,&(%&?".7%0(#%+/("+(;"./( 1"-&0.%/*(,&8(GLF(;%##%"&(A/"A#/4(%0( !0A,$,7*;1)<6,710*A70*0,71))A71*7<*6A7,)*5<0A7A

January/February 2017 SOUTHERN AFRICAN WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS 5 Register here for your free digital edition NEWS http://kadiumpublishing.com/forms/africa/sawc_reg.htm

Microsoft to use Nominet’s TVWS tech Microsoft and Nominet have teamed- deliver low-cost broadband access using get online. The company is currently difficult to deploy fixed infrastructure. up to help ISPs across Africa leverage TV white space (TVWS) spectrum. supporting broadband connectivity “Spectrum is a scarce and valuable unused broadcast frequencies and As the available set of TVWS programmes in Kenya, Botswana, resource, and demand can outstrip frequencies varies, Nominet has Malawi, Ghana, amongst others. supply,” said Adam Leach, R&D developed a geo-location database that To support its goals, Microsoft will director at Nominet. “Dynamic tells devices which spectrum they use Nominet’s TVWS database across spectrum sharing allows the available can use in a particular area, at what its Azure cloud platform to enable the spectrum to be used more efficiently power, and for how long. The database deployment of low-cost terrestrial than any existing static techniques. allows wireless devices to access TVWS wireless broadband internet to Maximising the efficiency of the frequencies, and was the first to receive communities across the continent. spectrum usage lowers the barriers regulatory approval for use in the UK. It will also leverage Nominet’s to access, enabling more users and As part of its Affordable Access dynamic spectrum management devices to get connected.” Initiative, Microsoft is working with technology. This has been designed UK-based Nominet is a global inter- public and private sector partners around to support two-way communications net company. Since 1996, it has man- In Africa, Microsoft is currently the world to develop technologies and at relatively high data rates over long aged and run domain names that end supporting TVWS projects in Botswana, business models that will make it easier distances, and delivers connectivity in .uk, and is now said to be one of the Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, amongst others. for billions more people to affordably to large open areas where it would be world’s largest country code registries. SA radio Mobile programme helping to fi ght HIV The Vodafone Foundation has and receive the funds needed to pay update plan announced a pioneering mobile- for transportation to a treatment based HIV programme in Lesotho, centre. At the same time, their South Africa’s regulator is updating where an estimated 23 per cent of details are recorded, via mobile, on a its National Radio Frequency Plan the population is HIV positive. central database so that their future (NRFP) to ensure efficient use of The programme was developed treatment and care can be planned spectrum. in conjunction with the Lesotho and recorded. These details can In early February, the Independent Ministry of Health and has initially then be recalled in real-time by Communications Authority of South been rolled out in the Maseru and healthcare professionals in the field Africa (ICASA) said the purpose Leribe districts. using a smartphone app developed of the update is to ensure that the It combines Vodafone’s M-Pesa by the Vodafone Foundation and NRFP is in line with the latest mobile money service with travelling Vodacom Lesotho. version of the International Telecom- clinics and a smartphone app The travelling clinics use a special Following the first rollouts, munications Radio Regulations, and designed for healthcare professionals mobile app and fl eet of 4x4 vehicles to the Lesotho government has reflects the final acts of the World which enables the tracking of provide on-site HIV testing in remote now committed to launching Radio Conference of 2015 (WRC 15). patients in remote areas. The clinics areas of Lesotho. © ALL RIGHTS RESERVED the programme across all other WRC-15 addressed more than 40 use a fleet of 4x4 vehicles and districts and integrating it within topics related to frequency allocation provide on-site HIV testing in remote When people are identified as HIV the country’s primary healthcare and sharing for the efficient use of areas as part of a wider effort to positive, they are immediately strategy. It will be fully funded by spectrum and orbital resources (also provide basic primary healthcare. registered with the M-Pesa service the government from mid-2017. see News Focus, Jan-Feb 2016). Among some of the key decisions taken, delegates agreed on the provision of enhanced capacity Asian telcos to expand in Africa via Djibouti for mobile broadband in the 694- Two Asian operators will use the founding member of the SEA-ME- 790MHz band in ITU Region-1 Djibouti Data Center (DDC) as a strate- WE 5 consortium. which comprises Africa, Europe, the gic hub for their pan-African expansion. In addition to SEA-ME-WE 5, Middle East and Central Asia. The DDC serves as a major the DDC provides access to cable ICASA also said an update was meeting point for submarine cable systems such as EIG, EASSy, Aden- necessary to ensure that the NRFP systems including the new SEA- Djibouti, and Ethiopia-Djibouti. In is consistent with SADC’s latest ME-WE 5 (Southeast Asia-Middle November 2015, it also announced frequency allocation plan. This East – Western Europe) cable which an agreement with PCCW Global aims to integrate and harmonise was launched at the end of 2016. to support the AAE-1 (Asia-Africa- spectrum across the community, Stretching around 20,000km, SEA- Europe 1) submarine cable network. and was endorsed by its 15 member ME-WE 5 connects Djibouti with Hong Kong-based PCCW Global states in October 2016. China via 18 landing points including is a founder consortium member The Djibouti Data Center is East Africa’s In early February, ICASA one in Egypt. of AAE-1 which spans around fi rst and only Tier 3 carrier-neutral invited stakeholders to public Last December, China Telecom 25,000km, uses 100G technology, facility with direct access to all major hearings which it said will be Global (CTG) announced that the and has a capacity of more than 40 international and regional fi bre followed by the development of the centre will help facilitate its network terabits. The system is due to be ready systems connecting Africa with Europe, Frequency Migration Plan process. expansion in East Africa. CTG is a for service in early 2017. the Middle East, and Asia.

6 SOUTHERN AFRICAN WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS January/February 2017

Mak Rahnama, senior technology MTN trials unique PtMP analyst, GlobalData

ON THE NETWORK platform in South Africa Intracom Telecom says it has Software-defined operation automatically reconnects successfully completed a live field allowed activation and to alternative base stations Telcos and data trial of its point-to-multipoint (PtMP) reconfiguration in the field in in the event of the primary StreetNode platform in South Africa. PtMP mode, demonstrating base station failing, thus centre services The trial took place in Johannesburg what Intracom describes as re-establishing connectivity late last year. According to Greece- “unparalleled flexibility”. for subscribers rapidly. Telcos in sub-Saharan Africa, which based Intracom, the aim was to evaluate StreetNode is based on It adds that the trial have traditionally focused on voice StreetNode’s “unique capabilities to a self-organising network. also confirmed that non- and data connectivity, are increasingly provide the most advanced high- According to Intracom, while technical telecom engineers looking to expand their enterprise quality and high-availability services traditional PtMP technology could install and commission the services portfolio and transition to MTN’s enterprise customers”. only allows homing to a single StreetNode unit quickly and easily, towards offering IT services. Data The platform was tested in both a base station, the trial with MTN even at night, thanks to its unique centres are a key pillar for them to lab environment and external network. successfully proved that its platform auto-alignment feature. provide colocation, managed platforms, cloud services, amongst others. The key drivers in the adoption of data centre services in the region RADWIN PtMP in Namibia and Botswana include increasing fi xed broadband Windhoek’s Police Department in (PtMP) systems were installed in multipoint radios. System integrator coverage and a growing number Namibia has replaced its Wi-Fi net- dozens of crime hotspots throughout GDS Botswana is responsible for of submarine cables providing work with a wireless video surveillance Windhoek. The systems are said to project implementation. It did not improved wholesale and international system based on broadband access transmit high-quality video from name the client but said that the connectivity. This has led to the equipment from RADWIN. the cameras directly to police service provider was a long-standing data centre competitive landscape Police spokesperson Cillie headquarters, enabling on-the-spot RADWIN customer that has been developing signifi cantly over the past Auala said: “Initially, we used a detection and response to events. using the PtMP radios to serve the few years, as in addition to telcos and Wi-Fi-based solution for CCTV “Now that we are using government sector. dedicated providers, governments transmission, but decided to upgrade RADWIN’s systems, we’re getting According to GDS, when the client are also launching data centres and our legacy network because it did the highest video transmission quality sought to expand its footprint to deliver selling these services to enterprises. not meet our requirements for high- with zero video pixilation and low best-effort broadband services to However, enterprises have capacity transmission and our safety jitter, which is vital for our mission unserved homes, analysis showed that limited familiarity with data centre and performance standards.” critical operations,” said Auala. JET allowed deploying and scaling a services, making it a key barrier to Namibia aims to be the safest Meanwhile east across the border in new network at a fraction of the cost adoption. Telcos need to address African country by 2020. As part of Botswana, RADWIN said a “massive” of implementing DSL. It also claimed this in their go-to-market strategies that ambition, RADWIN’s point- broadband network has been deployed that the system delivers “significantly by launching targeted awareness to-point and point-to-multipoint using its JET beamforming point-to- higher” capacity than DSL. campaigns to inform and educate the market about such services. One commercial strategy deployed by providers of data Firms demo fi rst Gigabit Class LTE in Africa centre services in sub-Sahara Africa Ericsson and Qualcomm say they have involves using the technical features successfully demonstrated Africa’s first of their facilities as the main way to over-the-air Gigabit Class LTE with differentiate service offerings. These the use of licensed spectrum. include access to a reliable power Gigabit Class LTE (LTE Category supply, a feature that is particularly 16) means up to one billion bits of important in a region plagued by information delivered to a mobile Left: The demo used an LTE modem with Qualcomm’s fi rst chipset to support unreliable national electricity grids. device in one second. It utilises LTE-A Pro. Right: Ericsson has also teamed up with chipmaker MediaTek to bring Investment in data centres allows three-carrier aggregation (CA) with affordable LTE-A handsets to Africa. a telco to strategically position itself 256 QAM, and by applying 4 x 4 to cater to the demand for IT services MIMO across 40MHz of spectrum. can receive 10 streams of LTE data features available in mainstream from the enterprise segment. It It’s claimed that during the simultaneously using four antennas. mobile devices across Africa. expands the operator’s revenue demo, peak data speeds of more It claims the device uses better Mobile devices that can currently stream to beyond just connectivity than 900Mbps were recorded using signal processing to extract more support this 4G standard can cost as services. Failing to capitalise on Ericsson’s RAN equipment and a bits out of every LTE transmission, much as USD800. MediaTek says its the opportunity for data centres Qualcomm Snapdragon X16 LTE boosting the throughput of each of chipset technology, which enables would mean telcos risk missing out modem mobile test device. the 10 streams to around 100Mbps. consumers to take advantage of the on a key revenue opportunity and The X16 is Qualcomm’s first In a separate development, rival benefits of carrier aggregation, will an important component in their processor to support LTE-A Pro. mobile chipmaker MediaTek is also be available on affordable handsets enterprise services portfolio. According to the firm, the modem working with Ericsson to make LTE-A for the mass market in Africa.

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Tablet Comunitário brings the internet to remote communities Mozambican technology startup campaigns on various education company Kamaleon has developed and health initiatives in partnership what it believes is an “innovative and with governmental and private engaging” way of promoting digital organisations. The Community Tablet literacy through a shared platform. will be used to spread up-to-date The Tablet Comunitário (Community messages and interactive lessons that Tablet) is a solar powered mobile showcase symptoms, prevention and computer. Built on a trailer to provide treatment options, thereby replacing internet access to remote areas, it the need for leaflet distributions to features touchscreen displays and convey life saving information. virtual keyboards. Kamaleon is Kamaleon founder and CEO Dayn also offering training on how to Amade said: “A few years ago, anyone use the internet to members of the who could not read and write was con- community and the local workforce. sidered illiterate. But today, this concept The company’s ultimate aim is goes further, encompassing people for the Community Tablet to promote who do not know how to use ICT. digital inclusion and a knowledge- “Health organisations and schools based society in Africa. in Africa often face a unique set of It began last November by obstacles, including a lack of access launching in Mozambique where to much-needed health education 24 million people reportedly lack an and counselling platforms. The The solar powered Community Tablet is quite literally a mobile device. It is built on internet connection. Kamaleon said Community Tablet was created to help a trailer so that it can be towed (top), and features touchscreen displays and virtual the system will be used to support solve these problems.” keyboards to provide internet access to people in underserved areas (bottom). USD1m to boost history for Africans by Africans The MTN Group is supporting and accessible to the public at large. volume. Scientists are also utilising have occurred in Africa since 1990, a drive by the UN’s Educational, The first phase of the project was this phase to expand the history as well as the new challenges faced Scientific and Cultural Organisation completed in 1999. Over a 35-year curricula and educational materials by the continent and its diaspora. (UNESCO) to rewrite Africa’s period, more than 350 of the world’s for primary and secondary schools, Chris Maroleng, the MTN history from an African perspective. foremost experts on African history, based on the first eight volumes Group’s executive for corporate The groundbreaking General linguistics, fine arts, performing arts, already compiled. affairs, describes the GHA project as History of Africa (GHA) project musicology and natural sciences MTN is supporting the project a “crucial education initiative which began in 1964 and was the first of worked to produce eight volumes of with a USD1m donation over two is aimed at re-appropriating the its type to present the entire history content in 12 languages, highlighting years which will partly be used to interpretation and writing of of the African continent, free from the shared heritage of Africa’s people. fund the compilation of the ninth Africa’s history”. discriminatory prejudices. The The second phase, which began volume. This will take into account GHA Volumes 1-8 are available initiative also aims to ensure that the in 2009 and is currently running, the latest developments in scientific on the UNESCO website at revised history is commonly known focuses on the compilation of a ninth research and the major events that http://tinyurl.com/gu3aq5t

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ABS-2A Indian Ocean Xchange goes live ABS-2A began commercial will offer open access service on 21 January 2017 following its launch last IOX Cable is building its third undersea an extension to South Africa. June and subsequent successful fibre system to connect Mauritius to IOX claims it will offer the region’s testing. Equipped with 48 Ku-band Africa and the rest of the world. first open access cable system, giving transponders, the all-electric Boeing- Part of Indoi Ltd, the company any licensed operators the opportunity built satellite orbits at 74.725ºE and will work with Mauritius Telecom to benefit from the latest technology will serve customers in Africa, the on building the USD150m extension and seamless access. Middle East, Russia, South Asia to the IOX (Indian Ocean Xchange) The company adds that by 2019 and South East Asia. ABS says it cable. It will link directly to the IOX will be the ﬁ rst submarine cable it will convert Mauritius to an has now completed its investment existing submarine cable that system connecting Rodrigues to international data hosting centre and to build and launch three satellites facilitates connectivity to Madagascar, Mauritius and the rest of the world. key exchange point in the region by in three consecutive years. Réunion, Mauritius and Rodrigues. connecting links across Indian ocean Two fibre pairs will connect to an fibre pairs will provide the option islands. The IOX cable is expected to existing cable system near Toliary to connect to any new future cable be ready for commercial service by the SENTECH to in Madagascar, while another two systems off Africa’s east coast or as first quarter of 2019. use Dialog Angola aims to become regional hub State-owned broadcasting Angola Cables is hoping to establish Nunes said: “We’re growing a strong Europe to Africa and vice versa. By signal distributor its home country as one of Africa’s IP ecosystem among countries in using Angola Cables’ IP POPs, its SENTECH will use Newtec’s leading hubs for internet connectivity Southern and Western Africa, as Angonix IPX based in Luanda, or DE- Dialog multiservice platform, with two new partnership deals. well as in South America.” CIX’s exchanges in Europe, North including the MDM2500 IP Last November, it announced the As well as offering the first South America and beyond, it claims satellite modem, for 800 of its selection of Teraco as the colocation Atlantic route to connect Africa and customers in the SADC region can sites across South Africa. The new partner to deploy its first point of Americas, SACS will also provide now easily connect to more than 1,000 system will provide SENTECH presence in South Africa. The new a new route to customers in Asia in international and national networks. with capabilities for DTT signal POP became operational in December. the southern hemisphere, as well as Commenting on the partnership monitoring, IP multicasting, radio In Africa, Angola Cables has a range of connectivity and content with DE-CIX, Angola Cables CCO backhaul, point of sale support, focused on SADC’s 15 member services to global organisations. Artur Mendes believes the enterprise and government disaster recovery states. It will also offer direct In a separate deal, Angola Cables mobility technology stack will require connectivity. The migration from connectivity to the Americas via will work with Frankfurt-based cloud services that are able to scale. the current platform to Dialog Fortaleza in Brazil once the South internet exchange operator DE- “By aligning our forces and expertise, began in November and will use Atlantic Cable System (SACS) CIX to help grow Africa’s digital we are able to work on closing the standard Ku-band capacity. goes live in 2018 (see News, Mar-Apr economy. DE-CIX says it is known productivity gaps that exist in almost 2016). Angola Cables CEO Antonio for building peering bridges from all African countries,” he said. Celebrity Growth in demand for African peering connections Workonline Communications says it Workonline’s Edward region’s largest IP transit networks. has seen the demand for remote peering Lawrence has seen By connecting to LINX, the company Mobile users in Zambia services grow dramatically in Africa a large uptake of said it can lower the number of hops will be able to receive since partnering with the London peering services to other networks, and troubleshooting regular updates on their favourite Internet exchange (LINX) in 2015. from SSA to LINX. issues will become “less painful”. celebrities and sports clubs following Speaking in November, Workonline’s Workonline also said that the Zamtel’s launch of Kirusa’s business development director Edward partnership enables it to lower the InstaVoice services. Using the voice Lawrence said: “Since joining the mobile networks and carriers. It’s barrier to entry for networks looking blogging feature, celebrities can LINX reseller programme a year claimed that through LINX, they to reach the LINX peering fabric record voice messages which are ago, we have seen a large uptake in are able to reach 80 per cent of the from sub-Saharan Africa. delivered instantly to fans, creating requests for remote peering services total global internet, and connect It further claimed that reaching what Kirusa describes as a “voice from sub-Saharan Africa to the LINX. with more than 700 members from LINX peers over the Workonline Twitter-like experience”. Subscribers The fact that LINX is a member run 70 countries. Workonline said that network helps ISPs to make the most can also opt for a sports content internet exchange makes it even more makes the IXP one of the biggest of the benefits of peering in London. service to receive daily football alerts dependable, and ensures that it keeps the connection points in the world with “Among the benefits for Workonline’s and updates from their favourite interests of the community at heart.” traffic peaks of more than 3.3Tbps on clients are reductions in IP transit clubs. Content include team news, LINX currently has more than its public peering platform alone. costs and not having to build and pre- and post-match analysis, and 25 members in Africa, ranging from Founded in South Africa in 2006, manage their own infrastructure in quotes from players and managers. national telecoms providers to ISPs, Workonline is said to run one of the Europe,” stated the firm.

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Liquid and GlobalReach launch managed Wi-Fi Liquid Telecom said consumers now Businesses in Africa that want customisable and branded captive tailor their services accordingly. expect free and reliable Wi-Fi when enterprise-grade Wi-Fi without the portals, and tap into new commercial Liquid’s existing managed Wi-Fi visiting many public venues. worries of procuring and managing a opportunities. The platform is also said customers, along with its public WLAN can now benefit from a new to offer “comprehensive” analytics of Wi-Fi networks, will be migrated to and is now available in Zimbabwe, managed service from Liquid Telecom user demographics and engagement. the new GlobalReach platform over Zambia, Rwanda, Uganda, DRC and and GlobalReach Technology. This will allow businesses to better the coming months. The new service Kenya, with Tanzania and South It’s claimed users ranging from the understand customer behaviour, and can be bought for a fixed monthly fee Africa following soon. smallest cafés to the largest shopping malls and hotels will be able to offer Wi-Fi securely to customers without having to incur high installation costs. According to Liquid, the partnership with UK-based GlobalReach brings the “power and scale” of a global Wi-Fi enabler into its core network and data centres, allowing its customers to benefit from the latest Wi-Fi technology deployed in-country. The service combines connectivity from Liquid with hardware from Ruckus Wireless and GlobalReach’s cloud-based platform which provides authentication, authorisation and accounting. It enables businesses offering Wi-Fi to their guests to connect and engage with them through Ku-band happiness from iWay iWayAfrica has launched what it describes as a “much needed” pan-continental Ku-band managed retail satellite service. Jola – which is said to mean ‘one who brings happiness’ – aims to provide affordable satellite internet to households and businesses in sub-Saharan Africa, including those in areas with limited connectivity options. According to Ali Bofulo, iWayAfrica’s general manager, Jola’s pricing is lower than any existing Ku- band satellite services. He adds: “We are offering users true flexibility to select a monthly data allowance and speed that suits their needs.” Some of the features offered include the Jola SOS business continuity service, a 1GB emergency data advance for those occasions when a user’s data allowance has expired, free night usage, and others.

January/February 2017 SOUTHERN AFRICAN WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS 11

Liquid Telecom wins all approvals for ZAR6.55bn Neotel takeover Liquid Telecom has received Liquid Telecom, which is majority- It has fully redundant backhaul (Wireless Business, Nov-Dec 2016), and unconditional approval from ICASA owned by Econet Global, claims that fibre to landing stations with access in December it received regulatory (Independent Communications combining its network assets and to all five of the international subsea approval for the acquisition of Authority of South Africa) for its service platforms with Neotel’s will give cables serving South Africa (SAT-3, Tanzanian ISP Raha. ZAR6.55bn acquisition of Neotel. it “unrivalled” reach across Eastern, SAFE, SEACOM, EASSy and Raha is said to serve more than This follows approval from South Central and Southern Africa. It says this WACS). Neotel also operates one of 1,500 businesses as well as a growing Africa’s Competition Commission will enable it to offer access, via a single Africa’s largest Ethernet networks. number of retail customers with last October. The deal is expected to connection, to more than 40,000km The transaction includes two of a range of connectivity solutions, close during 1Q17. of cross-border, national and metro the company’s Tier 3 data centres including fibre, satellite, WiMAX Liquid’s partner, South African fibre networks across 12 countries. in Johannesburg and Cape Town. and Wi-Fi. It operates a metro investment group Royal Bafokeng Since its launch in 2006, Neotel Liquid says the facilities will network throughout Dar es Salaam’s Holdings (RBH), will own a 30 per is said to have invested more than complement the East Africa Data central business district as well as cent stake in Neotel. RBH CEO ZAR7bn in infrastructure, deploying Centre which it operates in Nairobi. other areas of the capital. Albertinah Kekana says: “Together, a nationwide backbone fibre Getting the green light for its Liquid says the acquisition – which we are well positioned to expand connecting the top 40 cities and Neotel acquisition follows a period marks its debut in Tanzania – provides through telecommunications towns in South Africa. It’s claimed of significant expansion for Liquid. its enterprise and wholesale customers infrastructure and services sector the company connects more than Towards the end of last year it signed with direct and faster access to the in other key markets beyond South 5,000 businesses and passes close to a joint venture agreement with country, as well as to the Eastern, Africa.” another 100,000 addresses. the Botswana Power Corporation Central and Southern African regions.

Internet Solutions enters consumer owned by black South Africans and is received waivers from its lenders Dandemutande acquires YoAfrica market with MWEB acquisition a subsidiary of Naspers. for missing principal payments Zimbabwean broadband internet Pan-African communications service through January 2017 on its debt access provider Dandemutande provider Internet Solutions has S&P lowers Cell C rating again instruments, but it is now beyond the Investments has purchased local ISP entered into an agreement to acquire Ratings agency Standards & Poor waiver period and has missed interest YoAfrica for an undisclosed sum. the business of MWEB Connect. (S&P) has lowered its long-term payments on its senior secured bonds. Established in 1997, Dandemutande Financial details were not given in corporate credit score for South It added that Cell C has not sought is licensed to use 30MHz paired the announcement that was made in African MNO Cell C for the second bankruptcy protection, and is therefore 2.5GHz spectrum to provide internet December through Internet Solutions’ time in recent months. In December expected to continue to operate services to Zimbabwe’s wholesale, parent company Dimension Data. 2016, the operator was downgraded and meet its non-debt obligations, corporate and retail markets. In May The transaction is subject to approval from ‘B’ to ‘SD’ (selective default). In including payroll and suppliers. 2015, it became part of Gondwana by South Africa’s competition early February 2017, this fell again to Cell C and its shareholders are International Networks and operates authorities and shareholders, and ‘D’ (default). currently revising the company’s the AfricaOnline, iWayAfrica, uMAX if successful, it is expected to close At the same time, S&P has also refinancing structure, but this and Utande brands in the country. during the first quarter of this year. lowered its issue rating from CC to D has been delayed. S&P said the It’s claimed the acquisition allows MWEB is said to be one of South on Cell C’s EUR400m senior secured December downgrade reflected this. the merged companies to harness Africa’s largest ISPs and has around bonds due in 2018. The agency said it In a previous update, it had assumed YoAfrica’s “best-in-class” technical 325,000 customers. Its successful had revised the recovery rating on the that a ZAR8.5bn (about USD600m) expertise with Dandemutande’s acquisition will immediately give debt from 3 to 4 because it expects an equivalent bond was to be raised in US infrastructure and pan-African reach Internet Solutions a presence in the approximate 45 per cent recovery in dollars. This would have been followed to provide enterprise customers rapidly growing consumer market. the event of a payment default, and by an equity investment of ZAR16bn with a ‘one-stop shop’ for all their “For nearly 20 years MWEB has if current restructuring negotiations from 3C Telecommunications (mainly connectivity requirements. been connecting people and, like In- with lenders are unsuccessful and the owned by Oger telecom), Blue Label Dandemutande CEO Nhena ternet Solutions, technology is at the company goes into administration. Telecoms, and Cell C’s management Nyagura said: “The combined core of our business,” said MWEB “The downgrade reflects our view and staff. CEO Derek Hershaw. “MWEB and that the delay in concluding the S&P said the revised recovery Internet Solutions have been laying restructuring agreement continues rating and lower recovery prospects Dandemutande the foundations for a connected to constrain Cell C’s liquidity, and are mainly due to uncertainty over CEO Nhena world for many years and we have a that the company’s decision to miss a potential buyer’s ability to have Nyagura common vision of providing seamless interest payments in January 2017 on unrestricted use of Cell C’s spectrum, reckons the connectivity for the consumer at its EUR400m senior secured bonds and the resulting impact to its value merged home, on the move, in the office, and due in 2018 is a default,” said S&P. in a bankruptcy scenario. If the companies in public spaces.” Currently, Cell C and its restructuring negotiations conclude will offer a Founded in 1997, MWEB is shareholders are revising the successfully, the agency said it could “formidable mix owned by MultiChoice South Africa company’s refinancing structure. revise its recovery ratings based on the of solutions and Holdings, which is 50.7 per cent According to S&P, Cell C had new capital structure and ownership. services”.

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business now possesses a market At its annual meeting of investors Ericsson estimated an addressable ❖ Media: five per cent of net sales leading talent pool coupled with a held in New York last November, market for its Networks division of with negative low-teens operating formidable mix of solutions and the Swedish company said the total USD100bn in 2016, with -2 to 0 per margin, excluding restructuring services that will translate into addressable market is expected to cent CAGR growth during 2016- charges dynamic growth for Dandemutande.” grow by one to three per cent in 2016- 2018. For IT and Cloud, it estimated The transaction remains subject 2018, despite an expected decline in an addressable market of USD100bn MTN exchanges shares in INT Towers to regulatory approval. If successful, the mobile infrastructure market by in 2016, with five to seven per cent The MTN Group will exchange Dandemutande said it will strengthen two to six per cent this calendar year. CAGR growth during 2016-2018. its 51 per cent interest in Nigeria its national presence with additional Ericsson’s strategy for faster And for Media, it estimated an Tower InterCo, the parent company regional POPs and an office in Victoria business execution is based on a addressable market of USD12bn last of INT Towers, for an additional Falls, and widen YoAfrica’s reach for its new company structure that was year, with nine to 11 per cent CAGR shareholding in IHS Holding. strong enterprise base. It also claimed implemented in July 2016 and features growth over 2016-2018. As a result of the transaction that Dandemutande will have the largest three segments: Networks; IT and Starting 1Q17, the firm will MTN’s interest in the IHS Group VSAT customer base nationally. Cloud; and Media. introduce a new financial reporting will increase from around 15 to YoAfrica shareholder and MD Jan Frykhammar – who officially structure based on the three segments. approximately 29 per cent. The Mark Kalweit will become a member took up his position as Ericsson’s new The restated numbers for 2015 and operator said this will enable it to of Dandemutande’s executive president and CEO on 16 January 2016 will be disclosed ahead of simplify its tower ownership structure management team. 2017 – said: “We are forcefully the 1Q17 report. Meantime, it has and diversify its tower infrastructure executing our strategy to drive provided the following high level, exposure across the IHS Group Ericsson expects mobile incremental profit improvements unaudited numbers for the new which operates in a number of infrastructure market decline in 2017 through greater efficiency, monetising segments based on FY15: markets across Africa. In addition, After last year’s dismal financial our installed base in Networks and ❖ Networks: 75 per cent of net sales it said that the transaction will better results which ultimately led to the building new revenue base in IT and with mid-teens operating margin, enable it to “crystallise value” for departure of Hans Vestberg as its Cloud and Media. Current focus is excluding restructuring charges shareholders in the future. CEO last July, Ericsson is trying to on speed, efficiency and fine tuning ❖ IT and Cloud: 20 per cent of net Until now, MTN’s interest in reassure backers that it will continue of strategy execution.” sales with break-even operating IHS was non-voting. Following to focus on accelerating its strategy Based on its new segment structure margin, excluding restructuring the transaction, and to ensure IHS execution and improve performance. with products and services combined, charges Group’s continued independent and

INVESTMENTS, MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS

Date Buyer Seller Item Price Notes

Wipro claims its take-over of the US-based global cloud services company will create one of the world’s 20/10/16 Wipro Appirio Company USD500m largest cloud transformation practices in today’s ‘as-a-service’ & digital economy. SpeedCast says acquisition strengthens its “already strong” position in maritime industry, in which Harris 1/11/16 SpeedCast Harris CapRock Company USD425m CapRock has a leading position in the fast-growing cruise sector. The combined entity will service more than 6,200 vessels, hundreds of rigs & platforms, as well as enterprise & government customers around the world. The Japanese technology giant has become the biggest stakeholder in OneWeb which is now estimated SoftBank 19/12/16 OneWeb 40% stake USD1bn to be worth USD2.5bn. Softbank founder Masayoshi Son has reportedly told new US president Donald Group Trump that he will put USD50bn into US businesses & create 50,000 jobs over the next four years. Tigo Wari Group said combining its platform for digital ﬁ nancial services with the beneﬁ ts of mobile telephony will 7/2/17 Wari Group Millicom USD129m Senegal offer “more convenient & affordable services to users”.

LATEST COMPANY RESULTS Sales EBITDA EPS Date Company Country Period Currency Notes (m) (m) (units) Revenues up 24 per cent compared to 2015’s RUB9.2bn. 40% came 11.4 from international earnings. Entered Latin American in 2016, & 1/2/17 RSCC Russia FY16 RUB NA NA (bn) “signifi cantly expanded” customer base in South Africa through provision of backbone links, corporate applications & services to MNOs. International service revenue declined 8.2% (+3.4% normalised) to Vodacom 1/2/17 South Africa 4Q16 ZAR 21,222 NA NA ZAR4,206m; impacted by customer registration processes & currency Group volatility. South Africa service revenue grew 5.5% to ZAR13,410m. Motorola YoY sales increased 6%. Growth of 33% in Europe, Middle East & Africa 2/2/17 US FY16 USD 6,038 NA 3.17 Solutions region driven by Airwave sales in the UK. Revenues down 0.9% YoY but in line with expectations. Upcoming joint- venture with ViaSat paving the way for future growth in connectivity 9/2/17 Eutelsat France 1H16 EUR 755.1 588 NA from 2020s. Secured Ka-band capacity from Yahsat to enable launch of African broadband initiative (Konnect Africa) in H2 2016-17. Fall in GAAP revenue compared to USD886.7m in 2015. CEO Tom Fallon said 9/2/17 Infi nera US FY16 USD 870.1 NA (0.17) “product transition is currently holding back revenue growth” but believes results will improve in 2017 following launch of next gen ICE4 products. Revenues up 42% from $197.5m in 2015; growth driven by broadband & Gilat Satellite 14/2/17 Israel FY16 USD 279.6 19.2 NA in-fl ight connectivity. Aiming for 2017 revenues of between USD280m to Networks USD300m & adjusted EBITDA of around USD20-24m. Total revenue was down 2%, with product revenue down 4% & service 11.6 15/2/17 Cisco US 2Q17 USD NA 0.47 revenue up 5%. Revenue by geographic segment was: Americas down (bn) 3%, EMEA fl at, & APJC down 3%.

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competitive proposition, MTN’s regions of Africa. Intelsat 33e was US. The firm is a global provider of for approvals from the competition influence remains significantly successfully launched last August and IT solutions, services and support, authorities in Spain and Germany. constrained by limitations on voting is the second satellite to use Intelsat’s and is said to have accreditations rights, no board representation, and EpicNG high throughput system. across multiple vendors. Bharti Airtel is reportedly restrictions on access to information. Intelsat 33e was due to enter service The group has worked with looking into consolidating during 4Q16 but this was delayed due Opengear for six years and this latest some of its African operations Intelsat and Sonema to support to a malfunction in the primary thruster agreement expands a distribution in an effort to reduce company debts enterprise networks which meant orbit raising took longer deal to cover more of Europe and of around USD12bn. Speaking Sonema has extended an agreement than planned. The satellite eventually Southern Africa. It includes the full to Indian financial news outlet with Intelsat to provide satellite entered service on 29 January 2017. portfolio of Opengear products which BloombergQuint at the World services to enterprises in Africa. Sonema hopes the combination are offered alongside a wider range of Economic Forum held in Davos in Monaco-based Sonema is a of Intelsat’s 33e and 14 satellites accessories and third party add-ons to January, chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal telecoms service provider which owns will enable it to provide customised provide partners with what’s claimed said Airtel was considering either the and operates two teleports in France. solutions, with a focus on robustness to be a “simple and efficient” product sale or merger of its businesses on The company said it supports more and high quality of experience. acquisition and delivery process. the continent within a year. While than 650 VSAT sites for banking The firm’s MD Catherine Delom US-based Opengear specialises in he did not give further details about and financial institutions across the said: “The banking sector is a major critical infrastructure management which of the company’s 15 African continent, and the majority of the growth engine for Africa. As such, our solutions through what it describes operations could be affected, it has networks are supported by C-band customers depend on the highly reliable as advanced console servers, remote separately been reported that a 50-50 services from Intelsat 14 which orbits and secured corporate networks we management, monitoring, and merger with Millicom in Ghana is at 315°E and Intelsat 904 at 60°E. deploy and maintain for them. cellular out-of-band products. being discussed. Using Intelsat’s global “EpicNG will also enable the infrastructure, Sonema said it will option to offer our customers new, Hong Kong’s Asia Satellite provide “enhanced” communications innovative solutions and services that IN BRIEF... Telecommunications has services to customers on the can be easily delivered via C- and Ku- agreed to relocate AsiaSat 8 continent. Jean-Philippe Gillet, band spot beams to the most remote In early February, from 105.5ºE to Spacecom’s 4°W Intelsat’s VP of EMEA sales, said: locations.” critical communications orbital position. It will be co-located “This agreement ensures that specialist Sepura announced that with Spacecom’s AMOS-3 for a four- Sonema’s customers will be able to Opengear extends African reach its shareholders had approved a year period and is expected to begin expand their operations knowing that Opengear has signed a new takeover bid by China’s Hytera service in 1Q17. Spacecom has an each of their sites will have access to distribution agreement with Hardware Communications Corporation. option to extend the agreement for an the same level of reliable broadband Group to serve channel partners Sepura said that the majority of its additional year of service. AsiaSat 8’s connectivity, regardless of location.” across Southern Africa and Europe. scheme shareholders who voted, beams will cover Africa, the Middle Under the multi-year extension, Based in Johannesburg, the representing 97.07 per cent, voted East and central Eastern Europe, Sonema will integrate C-band Hardware Group has been operating in favour of the resolution. At the enabling Spacecom to continue connectivity from Intelsat 33e to in South Africa since 2002, and also time of writing in mid-February, serving its customers at 4°W following expand services to more remote has offices in the Nordics, UK and the companies were still waiting the expected end of life of AMOS-2.

NEW APPOINTMENTS

Date Name New employer New position Previous employer Previous position

31/10/16 Gunter Engling MTN Group Deputy CFO MTN Group Acting group CFO 1/11/16 Alistair Carwardine Cerillion SVP APAC M2 Group Technology director African Development 2/11/16 Joel Kibazo FTI Consulting MD Director of communications & external relations Bank GM for West, East, Central Africa 8/11/16 Amr Kamel Microsoft Africa Microsoft Egypt Public sector director, WECA region & Indian Ocean Islands region Dynamic Spectrum 28/11/16 Kalpak Gude President OneWeb VP, legal & regulatory Alliance 7/12/16 Bernice Samuels MTN Group Group executive of marketing SAB Miller Executive director of strategy & business development 7/12/16 Jens Schulte-Bockum MTN Group Group COO Vodafone Germany CEO. Replaces Jyoti Desai who is retiring. Executive head of business BT Global Services 8/12/16 Oliver Fortuin MTN Group CEO enterprise sub-Saharan Africa 8/12/16 Sjoerd De Clerck Newtec VP APAC Barco Capital Global director 19/12/16 Michel Miglia Advantech Wireless Operations director VP operations MEP Technologies Thomas Van den 21/12/16 Newtec CEO Newtec CCO. Replaces Serge Van Herck who has resigned. Driessche 28/12/16 Carlos Caceres Kirusa Advisory board member Digicel Group Chief customer ofﬁ cer Caribbean & Central America Radio Frequency 5/1/17 Herbert Merz President & CEO Coriant President Systems 18/1/17 Arun Sarin Mobileum Board director Vodafone Group CEO Neural GM, revenue 24/1/17 Augusto Argento Director of partners & channels HP Communications & Media Solutions Technologies intelligence 24/1/17 David Kagan SpeedCast COO Globalstar President & COO 15/2/17 Andrew Gill Tait Communications MD EMEA Motorola Solutions VP of growth & alliances for Europe & North Africa

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Pioneering solution claims to cut PIM in cell networks Hughes Electronics has developed reduce passive intermodulation of multipath transmissions leading and return path mechanism. As a result, what it describes as a “pioneering” (PIM) in cellular networks. to ‘ghost signals’ and harmonics. it’s claimed separations are removed and new connection system to help WaveWay is the result of work Moreover, Hughes Electronics signals constrained, severely restricting the company has been carrying out says each conductive segment creates multiple-signal path opportunities and MANUFACTURER: in collaboration with the London micro-separations in the transmission consequent PIM effects. Hughes Electronics South Bank University. path forming intra-media signal It is constructed from a non-metal Their investigations revealed that transition points. This results in composite material. This is claimed PRODUCT: WaveWay metal connectors are particularly reflections, energy loss, distortion, to create an isolation layer from vulnerable to PIM. Researchers arcing and capacitive junctions, all energy fields while at the same time MORE INFORMATION: found that the universally accepted of which negatively interfere with absorbing microphonic vibrations, www.hugheselectronics.co.uk multiple metal-segment design results legitimate signal transmissions. resulting in significantly reduced in return signal paths and the creation WaveWay uses a single-piece forward PIM readings. Emergency comms in 10 minutes with compact TETRA The Claricor Cell from Airbus Defence has been designed to be quickly set boxes to enable easy transportation and Space (ADS) is a compact up for vehicle convoys, firefighters or and works in rolling vehicles. ADS communications network based on rescue operations in remote regions. says it can be setup by end-users TETRA technology. The small system ADS says the fully equipped system within ten minutes. works as a standalone solution, or Claricor Cell has an IP65 protection MANUFACTURER: can be easily integrated into existing rating against dust and water with the Airbus Defence and Space national or smaller TETRA networks. covers closed, and IP54 when it’s in There are several options for voice use. ADS says the tap-proof TETRA PRODUCT: Claricor Cell and data transmission when using the system is pre-configured and has a base station and the TETRA switch plug-and-play functionality. also includes the following which are MORE INFORMATION: www. in Claricor Cell, including fixed line, Features and apps include individ- integrated in a rugged PC: RCS lite dis- securelandcommunications.com IP radio link, LTE and satellite. ual and group calls, SDS, and status patching; MMI; set for parametering The system comes in rugged messages. A single switch system the radios; and element monitor. IP modem transceives DVB- VSAT services ‘mimic’ S2X with “utmost efﬁ ciency” high-speed ﬁ bre at sea

WORK Microwave reckons its Mission-critical communications In addition, EMC has launched AX-60 platform provides the high specialist EMC (now part of Global a new back-end billing and account performance necessary for IP Eagle Entertainment) has launched management platform that allows trunking and IP network a new package of connectivity and admin and crew networks to be infrastructure applications. content for ships at sea. The VSAT managed separately from a single The system includes services leverage global Ku-band, and portal. Individual crew members modem, modulator, and and scalable, and capable of adapting are said to be optimised for the latest can even transfer funds to mobile demodulator options. By using the to any throughput, data analysis next-generation high-throughput accounts of friends and family at AX-60, the Germany-based satcoms method and other waveforms satellite (HTS) networks. home on more than 400 carriers in equipment specialist claims operators beyond DVB-S2X. The package includes EMC’s more than 100 countries. can transmit and receive DVB-S2X By providing operators with a SpeedNet high-speed web browsing The new service also includes live signals with “utmost efficiency” future-proof and flexible system for technology which works in the TV using a single satellite antenna on and simplify operations. It says the both standardised DVB-S2X and background on mobile and desktop board and the same Ku-band network platform is completely customisable customised satcoms, WORK reckons browsers and is said to dramatically that delivers voice and data services. the AX-60 simplifies the transition accelerate page load times. MANUFACTURER: toward an all-IP environment. Using a proprietary intelligent MANUFACTURER: EMC WORK Microwave According to the firm, optimal use protocol and global backbone, EMC cases for the modem include high- says SpeedNet predictively fetches, PRODUCT: PRODUCT: AX-60 speed network links over satellite, compresses and pushes multiple layers Marine VSAT services IP-based SNG, connection to and of websites at once to local servers. MORE INFORMATION: from LEO satellites for Earth It claims the net result for the end- MORE INFORMATION: www.work-microwave.com observation, reception and analysis user is a browsing experience that www.EMCConnected.com of satcoms, and more. mimics being on high-speed fibre.

16 SOUTHERN AFRICAN WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS January/February 2017 Register here for your free digital edition http://www.kadiumpublishing.com/forms/africa/sawc_reg.htm WIRELESS SOLUTIONS

F-Cell tech revolutionises ALSO LOOK OUT FOR small cell deployment Interoperable Bell Labs – which is now part of Nokia world’s first drone-based delivery of 400GbE test following its acquisition of Alcatel- an F-Cell to a Nokia office rooftop in Lucent – reckons it’s come up with a California (pictured). It says the unit system unveiled “breakthrough” in small cell technology. wirelessly self-powered, self-configured, It says F-Cell eliminates the costly auto-connected to the network, and by Ixia and Viavi power and backhaul wires and fibres instantly began to stream HD video. Ixia and Viavi Solutions have currently required for small cell The system’s architecture comprises a publicly demonstrated the world’s installation, and enables “drop and closed loop, 64-antenna Massive MIMO fi rst interoperable system running forget” deployments anywhere. Bell system placed in a centralised location. bi-directional 400GbE line rate traffi c Labs recently demonstrated the This is used to form eight beams to eight deployment and expense challenges with RS-544 FEC as currently defi ned energy-autonomous (or solar powered) for service providers and enterprises. in the IEEE 802.3bs draft standard. MANUFACTURER: Nokia F-Cells. Bell Labs says each of these has It adds that the architecture supports According to the partners, been redesigned to require minimum non-line-of-sight wireless networking in leading network equipment PRODUCT: F-Cell processing power so that the solar FDD or TDD mode, and the parallel makers are heavily investing in the panel is no larger than the cell itself. operation of up to eight individual development of ASICs and new MORE INFORMATION: In this way, the firm claims F-Cell 20MHz channels allows for a system intellectual property for the next http://nokia.com technology sustainably solves today’s throughput rate of around 1Gbps generation of higher speed small cell and backhaul cabling, over existing LTE networks. switches and routers to address growing bandwidth requirements. They say robust test tools are needed throughout this develop- Zebra APs boost network performance ment to identify potential bugs Zebra Technologies has introduced says its new enterprise-class AP8432 and eliminate ASIC and hardware two access points that promise to and AP8533 re-spins, which waste human offer greater network performance, access resources, increase development stronger customer engagement, and points costs and delay time to market. support for IoT applications. deliver Ixia and Viavi demonstrated By embedding dedicated sensors actionable insights and full interoperability of their that collect data across the entire secure connections in a cost-effective strategic-shaping analytics. The independently developed MAC, expanse of the network, the vendor way. Zebra reckons the 802.11ac technology integrates three sensors to PCS, and RS-544 FEC IP (including devices can deliver a “dramatically monitor the network, Bluetooth, and the critical FEC element that MANUFACTURER: higher” density network with the RF spectrum. Unlike other sensors enables 400GbE error-free Zebra Technologies sensors needed to measure, monitor that can only scan part-time, Zebra data packets to be carried over and secure each connection. says its dedicated dual-band sensor fi bre links) on readily available PRODUCT: Both APs include the company’s continuously scans for rogue devices. hardware components. AP8432 and AP8533 Triple Sensor Technology. It says this In addition, the AP8432 features Ixia says its full portfolio can automatically protect against built-in PoE-out, enabling it to of network infrastructure test MORE INFORMATION: RF interference and security risks, connect to IP video cameras, wireless systems, including the 400GbE www.zebra.com push relevant contextual offers and temperature sensors or any other test system, offer the same send/ services to consumers, and provide third-party IoT network. receive capabilities on all speed ports, with packet lengths as small as 49B, which is smaller than the minimum Ethernet frame size. Wi-Fi workfl ow solution for fi eld technicians It is also capable of sending and The WaveGuide app from software Available on Google Marketplace, current configuration against ever receiving a single 400GbE line rate defined monitoring specialist the app allows any field technician to changing environmental factors and fl ow at any packet size. Mariner xVu aims to enable any field perform four workflow functions: interferences to recommend optimal Meanwhile, Viavi says its technician to quickly install and location testing and troubleshooting; configuration. Optical Network Tester has been certify that a new Wi-Fi network optimal access point placement; The company says a guided “drill- proven in lab evaluations of 100G will provide the best service. home certification; and reporting down” approach leaves little to no components, and now has the and customer sign-off. interpretation of the results by the industry’s fi rst 400G support to MANUFACTURER: Mariner xVu claims the solution service technicians. It adds that an include FEC and PAM4 modulation. Mariner xVu offers a number of unique features intuitive user interface makes the As a result, the two fi rms says and benefits. For instance, it checks process easy. high-speed network providers PRODUCT: WaveGuide for interference, congestion and WaveGuide is also said to be now have a comprehensive, signal strength coverage around the self-healing, and service providers integrated platform for design, MORE INFORMATION: premises, finding the best location for can continuously monitor the development, and validation of www.marinerxvu.com the AP placement. Using intelligent configuration and performance 400G technologies including CFP8 algorithms, the app analyses the metrics of the Wi-Fi network. pluggable 400G optics.

January/February 2017 SOUTHERN AFRICAN WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS 17

Guaranteeing a great reception

As users on the continent begin to leverage the latest satellite platforms, they will need the ground infrastructure and services – such as BICS’ and Eutelsat’s new backup system – to match. Next-generation high-throughput satellites continue to connect Africa, but what on Earth can be used to get the very best out of them? SARA FREWEN ﬁ nds out.

s has been well documented, Africa The biggest innovation in the region’s market requirements of users across continent,” says continues to be the world’s fastest- in 2017 will be the availability of high-throughput Gillet. “We believe that not only do we need to growing mobile phone market. Yet more beams in both C- and Ku-bands, such as those provide cost-effective options to extend networks, Athan 300 million of its 1.13 billion inhabitants still offered by Intelsat’s IS-33e and IS-36, the first but the operators should also focus on making lack access to mobile phones and the internet. satellites for Africa to use its EpicNG HTS their networks future-proof so they can react The rapid expansion of the mobile market is platform. The company has always claimed this quickly to changing end-user demand.” changing how media companies deliver content will enable mobile operators to give customers He goes on to state that this was the driving to consumers, and the number of people with a fibre-like experience, driving both market force behind the design of Intelsat’s EpicNG smartphones on the continent is reported to expansion and increased data use per customer. platform. “The open architecture and backward have nearly doubled in the past two years to 226 Jean Philippe Gillet, Intelsat’s EMEA VP compatible design allows operators to seamlessly million. Satellite technology, and especially the of sales, says increased demand has put extra migrate their existing network onto the platform new generation of high-throughput satellites pressure on operators to extend their networks as and realise service improvements with their (HTS), will play a major role in both delivering well as make them more robust to accommodate existing terminals. By delivering more data at content to mobile subscribers and connecting added demand from existing customers. He lower cost per megabit, EpicNG improves the consumers who don’t yet have service. The identifies four factors that operators will need to economics of providing bandwidth and cellular latest breed of spacecraft which leverage HTS face these challenges: flexibility to quickly adapt backhaul to African telecom providers.” technology promise higher performance, better to new requirements; a network with performance With high-throughput satellites offering three economics, and new hardware and services that that will improve over time and stay ahead of user to five times the efficiency of earlier platforms, enable simple access to connectivity. needs without requiring technology replacement; Intelsat reckons that not only do users gain the According to analysis by Euroconsult, the overall economics that provide a winning business case assurance of meeting booming demand, but they use of satellite capacity in sub-Saharan Africa has for the user and the VSAT operator; and simplified also see the cost of ownership go down. Thus, it been increasing along with mobile connectivity. access which reduces the technical skill and says service providers are able to stay ahead of It is growing at an average of 11 per cent annually mechanics of deploying satellite solutions. user demand and even expand their networks into for the past five years, and is expected to continue “Intelsat works closely with Africa’s telecoms new areas where demand for bandwidth has not at that same rate for the next five. operators and has a good understanding of their been met.

20 SOUTHERN AFRICAN WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS January/February 2017 Register here for your free digital edition http://www.kadiumpublishing.com/forms/africa/sawc_reg.htm FEATURE: SATCOMS

Linking space and Earth PAAs are a growing area of development with companies such as Phasor, Gilat, Boeing There is no point in developing better satellite and others developing new systems. But so far, hardware if you don’t have the equipment on they have been more widely used in the military the ground that can take advantage of all the market or within scientific research such as radio technology that they offer. And perhaps one of the astronomy, rather than the commercial sector. unsung heroes here is the antenna – the key link Safavi-Naeini says this is largely because of their between space and Earth. complexity which has made them cost prohibitive For example, the ASC Signal division of and difficult for private companies to use. Communications and Power Industries (CPI) has C-COM is working with the University of AnaCom’s developed a high-wind version of its 2.5 metre Waterloo on what it describes as a design that ELSAT BUC features Nomadic antenna. The trailer mountable, carbon- uses a “very advanced” software algorithm to an upconverter, power fibre antenna is said to be ideal for use in remote control low-cost modules and calibrate them to amp, monitor, control and power field deployment applications, and is capable of work together. Each module will be small and supply in a single enclosure. operation at L-, X-, C-, Ku-, Ka-, Q- and V-bands. simple, and while thousands will be needed for a ASC Signal says the 2.5m system combines single antenna, C-COM reckons scaled production an “innovative” antenna design with its “state- should streamline the cost of development. The US-based vendor’s ELSAT is available of-the-art” Next Generation Controller (NGC) to The antenna will use a beam-forming in transmitter output levels up to 100W and provide the industry’s highest level of acquisition, calibration algorithm invented by the university, in single or redundant configurations. The tracking accuracy and performance from antenna and a beam-forming computer that identifies the upconverter, power amp, monitor, control and systems of this size. whole system, characteristics of each module power supply are included in a single enclosure. Company president Keith Buckley claims and records data. “We are not using any exotic AnaCom says the only cabling required to indoor that as mobility continues to be a prominent and technologies,” said Safavi-Naeini. “We use equipment are IF connectors. dominant requirement for remote applications, his very low-cost microwave technology, low-cost It adds that the units have a rugged construction firm continues to deliver Earth station antennas packaging technology and low-cost materials. for continuous outdoor duty in all types of that “seamlessly” integrate fixed and mobile Because of this, the modules may deviate from environments, and claims they are particularly systems into the same network architecture. their normal ideal parameters, but then we have suitable for SCPC, MCPC and DAMA “What is unique about our approach is that we the beam-forming computer that tracks these applications. An ‘ovenised’ high stability crystal are able to utilise the same antenna controller modules and also identifies any errors. If a oscillator is used to lock the TX synthesiser, and systems, regardless of the antenna platform, module fails, the central beam-forming computer additional temperature and ageing compensation thereby reducing costs to customers and providing detects that immediately and redistributes the are provided by an onboard microprocessor. uniform operation across the entire network.” radiation task to other modules.” The BUC features a monitor and control Meanwhile late last year, Canada-based In land mobility, C-COM plans to target HTS (M&C) system that can be used in combination C-COM Satellite Systems revealed it had services in Ka-band, including those of ViaSat, with the unit’s internal metering function to come up with new Ka-band in-motion antenna Hughes, O3b Networks, Inmarsat and others. It monitor operational parameters. The system technology. Developed in partnership with the says the PAAs could also see use in 5G systems also enables users to monitor and control the University of Waterloo, the company said that the as well as with multibeam radar. converter on the same M&C bus as most indoor patent-pending calibration method is expected equipment, such as modems and multiplexers. to be used in low-profile two-way phased-array More bang for your BUCs Furthermore, AnaCom says the ELSAT includes antenna (PAA) systems for land-mobile satcoms. built-in test facilities for improved maintenance Speaking at the time, Dr. Safieddin Safavi- The block upconverter (BUC) is used in the and reduced dependence of external test Naeini, a professor at the university’s department transmission of signals and represents another vital equipment. To improve and simplify maintenance of electrical and computer engineering, said: part of the satcoms ground infrastructure chain. routines, it says the units can be connected to an “The main advantage of this method is that it Here, VSAT equipment specialists such as AnaCom external computer to monitor critical parameters significantly reduces the calibration time and come into their own, and one of the latest products such as transmitter power output and IF levels, enhances its accuracy. The entire calibration can be it has added to its range is an XKu-band BUC power supply and TX synthesiser voltages, alarm performed during system initialisation in the field.” which operates at 12.75-13.25GHz frequencies. details and internal temperature.

2 1

C-COM is working with the University of Waterloo on a phased array antenna design that uses a “very advanced” software algorithm to control low-cost modules and calibrate them to work together. Picture 1 above shows an RX array panel prototype (eight modules of 4 x 4); picture 2 (top, right) a single RX 4 x 4 module; picture 3 (below, right) a single TX 4 x 4 array module.

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Other features include remote configuration Breaking new ground and access via Ethernet and serial protocols, together with a flash memory so that the BUC Newtec is a well-established vendor of ground always starts up with the same operating infrastructure in the satellite market, and in 2016 conditions it had before it was powered off. it launched what was claimed to be the first DVB- Advantech Wireless is another satellite S2X VSAT modem. equipment specialist that includes BUCs in its Describing the MDM5000 as its most advanced portfolio. It recently released 125W to 200W VSAT modem to date, the company says it is Ka-band UltraLinear solid state power amplifier capable of receiving forward carriers of up to (SSPA)/BUC products based on second 140MHz and processing more than 200Mbps of Gilat Satellite Networks claims its Scorpio “VSAT- generation Gallium Nitride (GaN) technology. throughput. With forward symbol rates from 1 in-a-box” lowers the cost barrier for ubiquitous GaN is a semiconductor compound that makes to 133 Mbaud and coding up to 256APSK, it’s broadband deployment. miniaturised, high-power, wireless transmitters claimed the MDM5000 will boost efficiency and possible. Cristi Damian, Advantech’s VP business performance on legacy satellites while “fully TotalNMS network management system and is development, says: “GaN technology allows us to unleashing” the potential of next-generation HTS. designed to facilitate service management via an reach power levels that were not possible before, On the return channel, Newtec says the device electronic B2B interface. GSN says its enables and to serve customers that are looking for supports SCPC, TDMA, and offers its proprietary ISPs to manage their services totally independent solutions in this fast growing market segment.” Mx-DMA technology for up to 75Mbps. of the satellite network operator, providing a With weatherproof IP67 rated enclosures, the The modem is designed to handle a wide range complete management suite. It includes real-time new SSPB-4010Ka series of products have been of services, including internet access, VoIP and viewing of the service status, events, alarms and designed for Ka-band LEO and GEO satellite backhauling, along with video contribution and statistics, as well as historic/trend analysis of the uplink applications. Advantech claims these multicasting. As with Newtec’s previous Dialog service over longer periods. TotalNMS is also said latest systems are the “most advanced” GaN modems, the MDM5000 incorporates Layer 3 to provide ISPs with an automated and easy-to- based Ka-band units in the market, providing routing, advanced QoS, TCP acceleration, use interface for simple creation, activation and higher power and higher reliability. They convert pre-fetching, compression and encryption. It management of end-to-end services with a high L- and Ka-Band signals from 27.5GHz to also supports a new Layer 2 mode, facilitating level of flexibility. 31GHz (in bands), while the integrated amplifier integration with various networking topologies Shifting away from hardware, BICS and Eutelsat delivers an output power of 100W to 200W. The and routing protocols such as MPLS and BGP. have partnered to deliver satellite-based business integrated units come complete with detachable Dual demodulators for “seamless” beam switching continuity solutions for operators in Africa. power supply, phase-locked oscillator, mixer, on future HTS networks are also included. Headquartered in Belgium, BICS is a global filter and proprietary cooling mechanism. Meanwhile, Gilat Satellite Networks (GSN) wholesale carrier for voice, mobile data and Other attributes are said to include high has added the Scorpio “VSAT-in-a-box” to its capacity services, and has offices on the continent linearity, support for remote monitoring and range. The company reckons the outdoor terminal in Accra, Cape Town and Nairobi. It says robust control, and protection against overdrive, thermal incorporates “breakthrough technology”, lowering backup capacity is vital in countries where runaway and out-of-lock conditions. the cost barrier for ubiquitous broadband geographic and environmental conditions can Advantech has also used second generation GaN deployment. jeopardise quality data and voice services. technology in its SapphireBlu SSPA/power block According to GSN, Scorpio’s innovative design Furthermore, it believes that an operator’s ability which is designed to service new satellites operating increases system reliability due to the complete to ensure the provision of high-quality services in the 12.75 to 13.25GHz band. The small form factor integration of the indoor and outdoor units into distinguishes it from the competition. SSPA is designed to be hub mounted very close to the a single weatherproof box. It says the solution The new solution is based on BICS’ RouteFlex antenna’s flange input, eliminating losses through addresses the cost efficiencies required for residential system which automatically detects anomalies a waveguide. As a result, the company claims it customers and small businesses worldwide. and re-routes critical traffic through the best is now possible to use just a relatively small SSPA The compact and lightweight system has available path. It achieves this by combining on its own to transmit the signal. It adds that been designed to allow rapid self-installation C-band capacity on the EUTELSAT 8 West B because of this efficiency, air conditioned shelters and easy roof mounting. Scorpio connects to satellite which orbits at 8ºW with BICS’ teleport for a Klystron or indoor mounted HPA can be the home network with a single Ethernet cable, in France, IP transit global network, and an eliminated. Furthermore, instead of needing thus providing, according to GSN, a “simple automated on-demand solution for IP traffic. multiple antennas at a teleport, operators can demarcation point for improved network The resulting service comes in three product reduce their number, simplifying operations. diagnostics and increased customer satisfaction”. variations: open community, closed community The SapphireBlu units have a built-in L-band Hagay Katz, head of the VSAT line of business and occasional use. interface backup converter without separate at the company, says: “With our VSAT-in-a- BICS and Eutelsat claim their new solution upconverters. Advantech says they operate as box, ISPs will be able to save in installation and will enable operators to offer their end users 1:1 redundant or 1+1 phase combined to provide maintenance expenses while internet users will access to “consistent, cost-effective and high- additional power when traffic demands. It claims enjoy rapid self-installation and activation, in quality” services at all times, even in the event of they are very power efficient, reducing opex for addition to low power consumption.” a terrestrial network outage. power consumption, and capex from reducing the Scorpio is part of GSN’s complete SkyEdge II-c “BICS is dedicated to supporting customers need for uninterruptible power sizing. VSAT ground system. This includes the company’s across the African continent, particularly the 30 per cent of countries that are landlocked and often depend on poor terrestrial connectivity”, says Johan Wouters, VP capacity business unit, operations and customer services, BICS. “In countries with limited access to submarine cables, which are often prone to damage or incidents, RouteFlex can also change the way operators use Newtec describes the MDM5000 as the world’s ﬁ rst DVB-S2X VSAT modem. satellite to backup their services.” ■

22 SOUTHERN AFRICAN WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS January/February 2017

Register here for your free digital edition WIRELESS USERS: TRANSPORTATION http://kadiumpublishing.com/forms/africa/sawc_reg.htm The road to success

The 120km long Ain Sokhna Free Road in Egypt has a total of 28 exits that require monitoring 24 hours a day. How wireless solutions are helping the transport sector deal with trafﬁ c.

n recent years, the Egyptian Armed Forces easily scalable network that it could add new sites traffic with no detriment to network speed. have established what is today known as the and services to in the future without the need to The vendor’s InfiLINK 2x2 Mmx and Smn National Service’s Projects Organisation. In ‘rip and replace’ the existing infrastructure. point-to-point FBWA wireless infrastructure Ipeacetime, the organisation – which has more It approached NextGen Communications to was selected to provide a series of secure than ten sub-companies and factories – specialises design, implement and commission the entire communications links, ranging from 50Mbps in public service and civil production to ease fixed broadband wireless access (FBWA) network. to 300Mbps, offering high-speed connectivity the burden on the state and assist in economic The Cairo-based system integrator recommended to carry the traffic from the IP cameras to the development projects across the country. It aims solutions from InfiNet Wireless for their flexibility main operating centre in Cairo. All the data to increase national revenue with a focus on and easy scalability, with the promise that they transmission channels are combined into a single strategic industries, and to develop relationships could seamlessly carry both video and voice and manageable platform. and cooperation between private and public Almost immediately after the initial sector organisations. It also aims to establish key deployment of the network, the ease of scalability development projects in the provinces of North was demonstrated to the road operating company and South Sinai, South Valley, and the border when it needed to implement a new IP telephony regions in order to assist their development and system on all exits. InfiNet says its network to attract new investments into these areas. “simply and smoothly” accommodated the new One of the organisations run by the Armed requirement without the need to add any further Forces is the National Company for Building, hardware or software. Developing and Operating Roads. It required The system now provides the National a high-capacity broadband infrastructure to Company for Building, Developing and provide real-time surveillance across the strategic Operating Roads with the high capacity needed Ain Sokhna Free Road, including monitoring of for real-time video and voice traffic. NextGen all of its exit junctions and toll gates. The 120km general manager Ahmed Abd E-Fattah adds: long road has a total of 28 exits that require “Infinet Wireless offers the network stability monitoring 24 hours a day to meet the strict Infi Net Wireless’ Infi LINK 2x2 wireless infrastructure and performance required to provide safety and control, safety and security requirements. In carries traffi c from the IP cameras to the main security to both staff and users of the Ain Sokhna addition to this, the road operator also wanted an operating centre in Cairo. Free Road.”

24 SOUTHERN AFRICAN WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS January/February 2017 Register here for your free digital edition http://kadiumpublishing.com/forms/africa/sawc_reg.htm WIRELESS USERS: TRANSPORTATION

The “OUTsurance Guys”

Traffic Freeflow is an independent company that owns and manages the Pointsmen Project currently operating in the South African cities of Johannesburg, Cape Town and Tshwane. Its aim is to alleviate road congestion by providing highly trained, dedicated and passionate men and women to help guide traffic. Traffic Freeflow is said to be committed to being the most professional service provider for relief of traffic congestion in South Africa. As well as contributing towards road safety, the company also creates job opportunities in underprivileged communities. The project was introduced in 2005, and right from the outset it was co-sponsored by municipal An “Outsurance guy” helps Egyptian geese and their goslings cross a busy Cape Town road. authorities as well as insurance firm OUTsurance. As a result, the pointsmen and pointswomen who specialist in hosted enterprise mobility applications, surveillance, or multimedia dispatch. What made bring relief to rush hour drivers have become and deployed its innovative Econz Timecard system. matters worse was that ground handling services locally known as the “OUTsurance guys”. The solution provides data about the pointsmen, were being carried out in a complicated and noisy Thousands of motorists around South Africa such as the time the arrived for work and departed, environment, making voice dispatch error-prone have come to rely on the pointsmen of which there their GPS location, and a breadcrumb trail, all and thereby increasing security risks. are two types: static and mobile. Static pointsmen captured in a web-based system. ECONZ says Huawei provided a system capable of are assigned to specific high-traffic intersections, Timecard enables real-time tracking so that project interworking with the existing TETRA platform while mobile pointsmen are dispatched on managers can be sure that the correct intersections to improve the accuracy and efficiency of ground motorcycles to traffic hotspots at a moment’s are manned. The data collected also integrates into dispatch. It supplied an eLTE core network, notice. The latter are thus able to respond quickly Traffic Freeflow’s payroll system to ensure wages base stations, trunking terminals, multimedia to major intersections that are experiencing faulty for time spent are accurate. dispatching, and other devices and systems. or malfunctioning traffic signals. “Timecard sits right on [the pointsmen’s] The vendor said its real-time, large-bandwidth Gauteng province (Johannesburg and cellphones and allows them to quickly clock in, eLTE platform will enable the airport to carry Thswane) has one of the country’s highest and thus they can be tracked at all times,” said out multimedia trunking dispatch, video traffic densities and consequently one of the Kelley. “We have reduced the need for physical surveillance, and other applications on a single highest road fatality rates. Construction, power checks by our project managers, thus saving time, network that covers both indoor and outdoor outages and accidents have led to massive traffic costs of the running of the scooters, and keeping working areas for the ground staff. To cope with congestion across the major cities. Working hand- our project managers safely out of the rush hour noise in the airport, Huawei’s system supports in-glove with their Metro Police stakeholders, traffic. Now we have visibility at the enterprise throat vibration mic earpieces, noise-cancelling more than 200 pointsmen are dispatched to level to know who is where and when they arrive headphones, and additional accessories to troublesome intersections and hotspots. and leave.” guarantee voice trunking performance. “When traffic lights go out, traffic slows down The company added that eLTE can offer and backs up,” said Traffic Freeflow COO John eLTE ﬁ rsts for Africa complete video dispatch and real-time monitoring Kelley. “The pointsmen not only play a crucial services through backhaul of onsite images to the role in getting traffic flowing, but as they are Huawei has claimed a couple of firsts for Africa command centre. It also provides an open eSDK for often at the same intersections during rush hours, using its eLTE system. It says this is the first LTE interconnection with third-party airport applications. motorists tend to become very fond of them and broadband trunking solution to provide voice and Huawei claimed another first for eLTE in 2015. appreciate the good job they are doing.” video dispatching, and claims it “greatly increases” After providing the communications systems However, he went on to explain that the the efficiency of an emergency or control centre. for the Addis Ababa City Light Rail Transit company’s six project managers would each have to The company says its eLTE systems are based on (AACLRT) project, it claimed that it had become drive to each assigned intersection in order to ensure advanced wireless broadband technology, and the first company to use LTE in an African metro attendance and that every pointsman was presenting provide 100Mbps downlink and 50Mbps uplink railway system. themselves as brand ambassadors for the sponsors. throughput. As a result, it says a single network Addis Ababa is Ethiopia’s economic centre and “We were unsure as to the time the pointsman can support multimedia trunking, voice and video transportation hub. It also is the headquarters of the started at the intersection, and if he/she stayed scheduling, high-definition video surveillance, ultra- United Nations Economic Commission for Africa the full shift or, indeed, if they were at the correct remote data acquisition, and mobile office services. and the African Union. However, its outdated place. Other issues included the costs of using six Other features include a compact core network, transportation infrastructure had become a scooters per day, fuel costs and e-tags, and not the distributed base stations, and terminal devices bottleneck, preventing economic growth in the fast- least, having our project managers in peak traffic that can be used in harsh outdoor environments. growing city. Until recently, the main methods of hours twice a day, every day.” Earlier in 2016, Huawei announced that it had public transportation were overcrowded buses and Furthermore, Kelley wanted to be sure the staff won the bid for a broadband trunking project in minibuses. A new metro rail system was therefore were being paid correctly according to the hours Algeria that is said to be the first commercial deploy- envisaged to reduce traffic congestion in Addis worked. As a result, the company needed to know ment of an eLTE system at an airport in Africa. Ababa, boost economic growth in Ethiopia, and that the pointsmen were in the right place at the Houari Boumediene Airport in Algiers was using usher in a new era of urban light rail construction right time, how long they were there, and also check TETRA for routine scheduling and dispatch. But the not only in the country but in Eastern Africa. times and attendance back at its offices. It called technology’s narrowband system proved insufficient In 2015, a trial of the Addis Ababa Light Rail, upon ECONZ Wireless, the South Africa-based for broadband data transmission, mobile video Africa’s first modern urban light rail system,

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began operations. Built by China Railway Eryuan Engineering Group Company, the first phase of the project involved the construction of two railway lines that span 31km and included one control centre and 39 stations, two of which are underground. Huawei was contracted to provide several key technologies including end-to-end eLTE and related communication systems for AACLRT’s railway line which connects urban centres and industrial areas throughout the capital. The Ethiopian government wanted the system to be based on advanced technologies that would not become obsolete within the next decade. In addition, the system would need to meet diverse service requirements, facilitate O&M, and reduce costs. A train-to-ground wireless Above: a bus in Algoa Bay equipped with free on-board Wi-Fi, is ready for communications system also was required the road. Right: W-Link’s WL-R220 router is at the heart of its wireless system. to provide train dispatching and ticket data transmission services. thereby reducing the need for trackside devices satisfied. And this is where proprietary technology In order to avoid duplicating network capacity and lowering maintenance costs. from Moben comes in. The Polish technology and to minimise the investment required for As urban rail transit systems are increasingly specialist has developed View2Surf (V2S), a each device, Huawei says it based the AACLRT’s using video applications, Huawei said it created platform for mobile operators which facilitates system on a single backbone network that supports a bespoke version of its integrated Digital Urban advertising while users surf the internet. multiple services, including communication, Rail Transportation solution for the AACLRT. Operating out of Bloemfontein in South Africa, signalling, SCADA and fare collection. This train-to-ground communication platform Ntosamo is an accredited distributor of V2S. It Huawei said its eLTE network operates on uses LTE HD video and optical transmission specialises in selling advertising space on the the dedicated LTE TDD 400MHz frequency technologies, and includes all necessary service internet, using Wi-Fi as the medium. It integrates band to avoid interference from external wireless systems such as: wireless, transport and IP-based Moben’s platform to any Wi-Fi hotspot. Anyone signals. The company also claimed it provides fixed networks; communication power supply; using the hotspot to browse the internet with a more stable trunking services than analogue train telephony; and CCTV. mobile device is shown full screen adverts after dispatch communications systems. It provided consuming a certain amount of data. Every time eLTE broadband-trunking, handheld terminals Free Wi-Fi on South African buses the user clicks on the advert or even skips it, a and also customised the EV750 vehicle-mounted sale is completed and the data are duly paid for. devices and dispatching systems for train drivers. Whether sourced via LAN, Wi-Fi or mobile, no Spurred on by its experiences, Ntosamo has provided by another project partner, Shenzhen one can reach the internet without data. But, as now ventured into free public transport Wi- Communication Technology. South Africa-based RF specialist Otto Wireless Fi working closely with a number of partners Huawei said that just one of its eLTE cells Solutions points out, the paradox is that companies including Udy Net, Otto Wireless Solutions, provides a wireless network that covers 1.2km, who supply data need to make profits from their Algoa Bus Company, Afrihost and W-Link. and requires just four baseband units and nine sales, while consumers using that data to reach When asked about their profitability, business radio remote units. The vendor added that the internet want them for free. That results in two sustainability and how they could attract back eLTE’s ultra-wideband technology enables forces moving in opposite directions. younger passengers, bus operating companies wireless dispatching and various other services, According to Otto, the solution is advertising- revealed that Wi-Fi was seen as a value-added including voice trunking and real-time wireless sponsored free Wi-Fi. This is where suppliers service. Ntosamo, in collaboration with WISP transmission of ticket data over a single-network, and users of data meet and everyone’s needs are Udy Net, approached W-Link for the supply of a robust bus router that would cater for the encryption of V2S into its software. After a six- month integration and testing phase, W-Link’s WL-R220 router was approved for use in a proof of concept. This POC was run with a local bus operator in Bloemfontein for a three-week period, covering major intercity routes in South Africa. The results were beyond initial expectations, culminating in a commercially viable solution that could be tailored and offered to any public transport company in the country. The POC findings were taken to Algoa Bus Company in Port Elizabeth and the project to install Wi-Fi into its 410 buses was approved in October 2016. As the local W-Link distributor, Otto Wireless Solutions supplied the routers, while Afrihost supplied the data. Ntosamo is now in advanced discussions with many other public transport operators in South Africa, where corporate sponsorship for the routers from would- Huawei created an end-to-end eLTE system for the Addis Ababa city light rail transit project. be advertisers is currently being discussed. ■

26 SOUTHERN AFRICAN WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS January/February 2017

Register here for your free digital edition http://kadiumpublishing.com/forms/africa/sawc_reg.htm INDUSTRY VIEW: NETWORK SHARING

Passive infrastructure sharing is a common practice around the world and is a regulatory mandate in some markets. The shared assets can include tower space, equipment cabinets, buildings at the base of the tower, etc. Getting on top of towering costs DR. MOHAMED NADDER HAMDY explains how operators can deliver high-quality network service through site sharing.

he practice of network sharing has been a passive network sharing, the options available to resources and core networks may be shared topic of interest since it was introduced in operators grow, thus increasing the complexity of among MNOs. The potential cost savings and the early 2000s. The first network sharing the decision. This is especially true regarding the benefits increase as the depth of the sharing Tagreements, introduced in Germany, Australia, base station antenna which is somewhat unique increases – but so do the risks. An overview of the Netherlands and the UK, were conceived as a in that it can play a role in either passive or active the most common network sharing models is way to help wireless operators offset the high cost network sharing arrangements. illustrated in the table overleaf. of launching 3G service in hard-to-cover areas. The major driver of network sharing continues But despite the potential for capex and opex to be the potential for cost savings. The amount Passive sharing savings, the initial surge in network sharing an operator can save depends upon the depth of quickly declined as most operators opted to the sharing arrangement. Options range from This model refers to the sharing of passive non- build their own 3G networks instead. As more passive forms, such as site sharing, to active electronic infrastructure and facilities. Shared equipment is developed to support active and forms in which a common RAN, spectrum assets can include the real estate on which a cell

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site is located, tower space, equipment cabinets by geographically dividing the cost of the Dr. Mohamed Nadder or buildings at the base of the tower, as well as necessary infrastructure between cellcos. Hamdy, power, lighting and air conditioning systems that It can also allow new MVNOs without physical Director mobility support the equipment. radio access infrastructure to completely roam network Passive infrastructure sharing is a common on other operators’ existing networks. Guest engineering, practice around the world and, in some markets, operators can then provide services in new markets CommScope has become a regulatory mandate, depending on without having to deploy additional equipment. the specific site location. More on that later. While national roaming is the easiest and least But whether voluntary or mandatory, passive costly model of network sharing, it provides the sharing can save MNOs up to five per cent on least amount of control and flexibility for the sharing strategies with other carriers, requiring capex and as much as 10 per cent on opex over a guest operator. It also consolidates the overall adding new antennas on rooftops or towers. five-year span. number of mobile networks and homogenises Most of the time, they are facing situations where In Africa, specialist firms such as Eaton Towers, retail offerings and quality of service, making rooftops are already full of antennas or towers Helios Towers Africa, IHS Towers, and others it harder for an operator within a market to are already overloaded, with serious stability and have invested billions of dollars to acquire passive differentiate itself from the competition. wind-load issues. infrastructure from operators in the hopes of In addition, price competition may be restricted, In 2015, the company needed to implement brokering passive sharing agreements with cellcos. since the retail tariffs charged by the roaming site-sharing strategies with other carriers, operator will be based, to a large extent, on the requiring adding new antennas on overloaded Active sharing wholesale charges paid to the visited operator. rooftops and towers. One solution is a same-band combiner – a unit that combines two base stations Active RAN sharing is likely to be the next Potential challenges and a solution on the same band (GSM900 and UMTS900 or significant evolutionary step in infrastructure GSM Op1 and GSM Op2) into a common port to sharing, unlocking even greater capex and opex Sometimes, on sites with space limitations reduce the number of antennas required. efficiencies than passive RAN sharing. or because of health and safety regulations, But introducing a passive unit in the RF path It refers to the sharing of active electronic operators are forced to share the same antenna. usually leads to an insertion loss that reduces the infrastructure and radio spectrum. Within active Alternatively, to reduce power usage, emissions power available for coverage and capacity. To sharing, there are a number of models involving and aesthetic impact, many countries like Brazil, minimise this loss, CommScope has developed a elements in the RF path: antennas, base station Canada and Jordan are stipulating that operators new type of in-band combiner designed to deliver equipment, transmission lines, base station seeking to deploy new services must be willing to only 0.5dB of insertion loss – that’s compared to operations and maintenance, and radio design share passive and/or active elements within the traditional ‘one size fits all’ hybrid combiners that and planning. networks, including antennas. lose 3dB and essentially waste most of the power There are also sharing strategies that take the The Middle East Africa region is among the available. partnership between MNOs deeper. In these models, fastest-growing wireless markets in the world. CommScope’s low-loss combiners (LLC) can operators can share radio spectrum, core network, But with explosive growth comes significant be tailored to the client’s spectrum, and offer infrastructure management systems, content challenges, including overloaded towers and high spectrum efficiency, with a minimal guard platforms, and administrative resources like billing rooftops, and few available options for new sites. band of 0.6MHz for LLC 900 and 0.7MHz for systems and even customer service platforms. There are two basic solutions to antenna LLC 1800. Because of their flexibility, they are In the past, active infrastructure sharing has sharing: use of multiport antennas or deployment well suited for site sharing applications where the been less commonly supported, but is becoming of low-loss combiners. antenna, jumpers and feeder cables are shared more widely considered – especially because of its CommScope recently worked in Tunisia to between two or three operators to open up new potential benefits for rural broadband. The high meet the increased connectivity demanded by capacity on existing sites. cost to deploy LTE is also expected to increase one operator’s rapid network deployment. Ooredoo Tunisia executed a successful the number of active RAN sharing joint ventures Tunisiana was founded in 2002 as Tunisia’s trial replacing a hybrid 3dB combiner with a between operators. first privately-owned telecoms company. Over CommScope 900MHz low-loss combiner for Ultimately, network sharing is driven by the the years, Qatari telco Ooredoo has increased its site sharing with another carrier. Drive tests and need to maximise enterprise value. The major stake in the operator culminating in 100 per cent analysis indicated that traffic was increased by benefit from network sharing is a net reduction ownership in 2010. Four years later, it re-branded 50 per cent and received total wideband power in network capex and opex, usually in the range the operation as Ooredoo Tunisia. was reduced by 20 per cent after the installation. from 10 to 40 per cent of the in-scope costs, Today, the cellco continues to be the country’s Site revenue was also increased by 50 per cent depending on the sharing option. largest mobile operator. Each day, it claims to and improved network performance and quality deliver a range of pre-paid and post-paid voice of experience, while delivering cost reductions National roaming and data services to more than five million due to cost sharing between two operators. The individuals and businesses across what Ooredoo trial was so successful that Ooredoo is planning to National roaming agreements between operators describes as a “truly national” network. In recent use the LLC solution with a 12-port antenna for a inside the same country can reduce investments years, Ooredoo has been forced to implement site- three-operator shared site. The benefits of CommScope’s LLC solution Passive sharing Site sharing Civil infrastructure include: cost savings from sharing the full Transport Backhaul RF path as well as the tower structure with Active sharing RAN sharing, Base station associated rent decreases; reduction in tower loading; faster deployment due to easier Multi-operator core network, Antennas installation (no need for an additional antenna Multi-operator RAN Controllers and feeders for the added sharing operator); Spectrum faster network rollout by avoiding the lengthy, complicated and often uncertain site acquisition Gateway core network Core network and build phase of deployment. ■

30 SOUTHERN AFRICAN WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS January/February 2017

Aircraft broadband system integrates satellite and terrestrial LTE networks

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51251)+3%1E$A+312$&+3:21[,$)&*(;')&O$ :)1+(+,,$&+3:21[,$)&$=1+(%&'B$a<+&$ 32$A21+$3<%&$LQ]MGGA$,)&*+$)3$:%,$ 3<12;O<2;3$=1+(%&'B$ %&$MGG[A$?)01+$1)&O$)&$-;0()&B *2A0)&+'D$L&+3$,%E,$)3,$?)01+$%&'$ %*T;)1+'$0E$,5+*)%(),3$3+*<&2(2OED$ .<+$*2A5%&E$%'',$3<%3$)3$ CLV$C2&%($/+&1E$,%E,`$S.<+$ :)1+(+,,$)&?1%,31;*3;1+$*1+%3+,$%$?;((E$ A+')%$%&'$3+(+*2A,$)&4+,3A+&3$ :)(($%(,2$+&%0(+$)3$32$2??+1$6!\$ )&4+,3A+&3$)&$%$&%3)2&%($0%*[<%;($ )&3+O1%3+'D$&%3)2&:)'+$&+3:21[D$ ?)1AD$^1%&%<%&$6*C2;13$C%5)3%(D$ *;,32A+1,$%**+,,$32$<)O<+1$,5++',$%,$ &+3:21[$O)4+,$;,$%**+,,$32$'%1[$?)01+$ A%[)&O$)3$3<+$*2;&31E>,$(%1O+,3$ )&$(%3+$ZGMRB :+(($%,$O1+%3+1$&+3:21[$1+()%0)()3EB ?21$3<+$4%,3$A%X21)3E$2?$2;1$31%??)*$ 25+&@%**+,,$&+3:21[$25+1%321B ABS supports Indonesia’s ﬁ rst free-to-view TV service !"#$%&'$()*+&,+'$-./$ (%1O+1$2&+,$:)3<$0+33+1$1%)&$5123+*3)2&B$ ;10%&$%1+%,D$:)(($0+$%0(+$32$1+*+)4+$<)O<@ 012%'*%,3$,+14)*+,$5124)'+1$ .<+$5%13&+1,$,%E$3<+$%&''#(')!*+$ T;%()3E$512O1%AA)&O$?21$?1++D$:)3<$X;,3$%$ #%1%&%$6+')%$7),)2&$8#679$:)(($(%;&*<$ A2'+($:)(($512A23+$A%P)A;A$ 2&+@3)A+$5;1*<%,+$2?$%&$#."$%&'$'),,$?)1,3$?1++@32@4)+:$5(%3?21AB '),31)0;3)2&D$%&'$3<%3$3<+$,+3@325$02P$ /+$%'',$3<%3$%&''#(')!*+$:)(($%(,2$ C%((+'$!"#$%&''#(')!*+D$3<+$,+14)*+$ %&'$'),<$:)(($*2,3$(+,,$3<%&$Q#-RIB$ O)4+$%'4+13),+1,$3<+$?)1,3$1+%($255213;&)3E$ :)(($)&)3)%((E$012%'*%,3$A21+$3<%&$FG$ #)&*+$=&'2&+,)%$%(1+%'E$<%,$A21+$3<%3$ 32$523+&3)%((E$1+%*<$=&'2&+,)%>,$+&3)1+$ 3+(+4),)2&$*<%&&+(,$&%3)2&:)'+$4)%$ MG$A)(()2&$C@0%&'$%&3+&&%,$)&,3%((+'D$ 525;(%3)2&D$+4+&$)&$1;1%($%1+%,B !"#>$,%3+(()3+,B$=3$:)(($0+$,)A;(3%&+2;,(E$ %$1%5)'$%'253)2&$1%3+$),$+P5+*3+'B !3$(%;&*<$)&$Y%&;%1E$ZGMHD$3<+$ %4%)(%0(+$4)%$HI*A$J;@0%&'$'),<+,$ S.<+$O2%($),$32$'+()4+1$<)O<@T;%()3E$ 5(%3?21A$:)(($*%11E$%3$(+%,3$RG$(2*%($ ?12A$HIKL$2&$,-!./$%&'$,-!./,D$ +&3+13%)&A+&3$%&'$+';*%3)2&%($*2&3+&3$ ?1++@32@%)1$*<%&&+(,$%&'$A21+$3<%&$RG$ ABS says SMV’s aim is to deliver high- %&'$4)%$MBFA$C@0%&'$%&3+&&%,$?12A$ %??21'%0(E$32$%((DU$,%E,$!"#$CLV$.2A$ )&3+1&%3)2&%($*<%&&+(,B$.<+$%)A$),$32$ quality entertainment and educational MINKL$2&$,-!.0B$!"#$,%E,$3<),$O)4+,$ C<2)B$SW21$3<+$?)1,3$3)A+D$+4+1E02'ED$ O12:$3<+$&;A0+1$2?$*<%&&+(,$32$A21+$ content that is affordable to all. *;,32A+1,$3<+$*<2)*+$2?$,A%(($'),<+,$21$ &23$2&(E$3<+$%??(;+&3$21$3<2,+$)&$3<+$ 3<%&$MGG$)&$3<+$?)1,3$,)P$32$MZ$A2&3<,B

32 SOUTHERN AFRICAN WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS January/February 2017 Register here for your free digital edition http://www.kadiumpublishing.com/forms/africa/sawc_reg.htm WORLD NEWS

Singapore to trial ‘Li-Fi’ for wireless data transmission !"#$%&'()*+,-#.'/'00, "#,4"+"C5),5"$96,.()K8)#/")+,C)6=))#, /'0&%#:*+,/9").,+/")#6"."/,'.."/)(>, Since launching in 2012, PureLiFi has 1)2"%,3)4)5'&0)#6, LIIFMN,%#2,OIIFMN>,7+,69"+,"+, !"#/),69)#G,69),."(0,9%+,()5)%+)2, developed the LiFi-X system which 7869'("6:,;-137<,="55,6("%5, %6,69),9"$9)(,(%#$),'.,69),)5)/6('A 69()),"6)(%6"'#+,'.,"6+,@"AB",+:+6)0>, consists of the world’s fi rst Li-Fi dongle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urope’s fi rst mission critical Satellite helps monitor LTE network deployed water levels in Malaysia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Z7,9:C("2,FQFJ7A@FQ,#)6='(E, +986,2'=#,69)"(,6'=)(+,=9"/9,=)(), ;);(23*+9":0D2&0:0E*+,2%6%,%#2,%++)6, I...G,%,4)9"/85%(,+:+6)0,/%&%C5), )f&%#2+,69),(%#$),'.,+)(4"/)+, 6(%#+0"66"#$,0'#"6'("#$,2%6%,C%/E, 0%#%$)0)#6,%&&5"/%6"'#> '.,"#6)$(%6"#$,2"..)()#6,="()5)++, %4%"5%C5),6',D1J,8+)(+G,&('6)/6"#$, 6',69),1%5%:+"%#,3)&%(60)#6,'., F9),+'586"'#,=%+,"#"6"%55:, 6)/9#'5'$")+,+8/9,%+,FQFJ7,%#2, 69)"(,"#4)+60)#6,=9"5),0%"#6%"#"#$, -(("$%6"'#,%#2,3(%"#%$),.'(,%#%5:+"+, 2)&5':)2,"#,%,.)=,6("%5,%()%+>,7.6)(,%, &('.)++"'#%5,@FQ>,F)56('#"/,9%+,%5+', 69),+%0),5)4)5+,'.,+)/8("6:G, %#2,2)/"+"'#A0%E"#$,&8(&'+)+> +8//)++.85,)4%58%6"'#G,"6,="55,#'=,C), +8&&5")2,(8$$)2,/'00)(/"%5,@FQ, ()5"%C"5"6:,%#2,()+"5")#/)G],+%:+,g8%#, ["69,5"665),'(,#',2%6%,%4%"5%C5)G, "0&5)0)#6)2,"#,cII,#)=,+"6)+,'4)(, 9%#29)52+,6',&('4"2),+)(4"/)+,+8/9,%+, B)(('G,!)&8(%*+,^D,'.,+:+6)0+> $'4)(#0)#6,%$)#/")+,=)(),8#%C5),6', 69),#)f6,+"f,0'#69+> Coast guard patrol boats rely on R&S radios F9),D9"5"&&"#),T'%+6, &('4"2),/'#6"#8'8+,71,%#2,B1, RMB,(%2"',#)6='(E+,="69,4%("%C5), P8%(2,9%+,)#9%#/)2, 6(%#+0"++"'#,/'4)(%$),%6,^MB,%#2, 2%6%,(%6)+>,a)/%8+),69),+'.6=%(),"+, 69),()/'##%"++%#/)G,&8(+8"6,%#2, RMB,.()K8)#/")+,.('0,HII1MN,6', -DAC%+)2G,J_!,+%:+,"6,/%#,"#6)(.%/), /'008#"/%6"'#+,/%&%C"5"6")+,'.,"6+, `HU1MNG,=9"5),69),-/..,(%2"'+,%(), ="69,+6%#2%(2,-D,"#.(%+6(8/68()+,+8/9, 6)#,#)=,1856"AJ'5),J)+&'#+),^)++)5+, +%"2,6',2)5"4)(,Z()5"%C5),%#2,)%+:,6', %+,@7VS[7V,%#2,+%6/'0+> The M3SR Series4400 software ;1JJ^<,="69,+)/8(),(%2"',)K8"&0)#6, +)6,8&],+9'(6=%4),/'008#"/%6"'#+> F9),4)++)5+,%(),%5+',)K8"&&)2,="69, defi ned radios are designed to provide .('0,J'92),_,!/9=%(N,;J_!<> 7#,%86'0%6"/,0)++%$),9%#25"#$, 69),4)#2'(*+,<<#=.>,=9"/9,0'#"6'(+, continuous AM and FM transmission F9),."(+6,1JJ^+,%(("4)2,"#,69), +:+6)0,"+,%5+',&%(6,'.,69),&%/E%$)>,F9), (%2"',)0"++"'#+,.('0,OEMN,6',bPMN, coverage at VHF and UHF frequencies. D9"5"&&"#)+,5%+6,78$8+6,%#2,%(), 1JJ^+,="55,9%4),+"68%6"'#%5,%=%()#)++, %#2,/'4)(+,2"()/6"'#,."#2"#$,'.,+"$#%5+, #'=,)K8"&&)2,="69,J_!*+,&'(), 69('8$9,69),&0123+045G,)0%"5G,/9%6,%#2, (%#$"#$,.('0,UI1MN,6',cPMN> 3B,0)69'2>,-6,/5%"0+,69"+,8#"K8), (*+"*,--..,%#2,(*+"*,-/..,+'.6=%(), ."5),6(%#+.)(,.)%68()+,'.,J_!*,67,890:2;;;, J_!,+%:+,69),2)4"/),/'0C"#)+,"6+, /'0C"#%6"'#,'..)(+,&()/"+),(%2"', 2)."#)2,(%2"'+,.'(,+)/8(),4'"/),%#2, +'.6=%()>,F9"+,9%+,C))#,'&6"0"+)2,.'(, #)=,?@>..,0'#"6'("#$,()/)"4)(,="69, 2"()/6"'#,."#2"#$,="69,+)#+"6"4),(%2"', 2%6%,/'008#"/%6"'#+>,F9),--..+, /'008#"/%6"'#+,'4)(,MB,%#2,^MBS 69),%//8(%6),/'(()5%6"4),"#6)(.)('0)6)(, 0'#"6'("#$,/%&%C"5"6")+>

January/February 2017 SOUTHERN AFRICAN WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS 33 Register here for your free digital edition WORLD NEWS http://www.kadiumpublishing.com/forms/africa/sawc_reg.htm

Europe sees Iconic building adds ﬁ rst 4.5G TIM is the first European Xirrus Wi-Fi network operator to offer its The Van Nelle Fabriek com- more than 68,000m2 and is set in around customers download speeds of up plex in Rotterdam has installed 11 hectares of outdoor space – will be to 500Mbps on its mobile 4.5G a Xirrus Wi-Fi network throughout operated and managed via the Wi-Fi. network. The service is currently its office spaces and public areas. Businesses will also gain access to available in Rome, Palermo and Considered the main industrial a high density 5GHz network that Sanremo via the new Sony Xperia monument in the Netherlands, the Van meets current demands for video XZ smartphone. It is currently being Nelle Fabriek was built between 1927 streaming, cloud-based computing rolled out to Naples and Milan, with and 1930 for the production of tobacco, and document sharing – even when other major cities to follow later coffee and tea. After the factory the complex plays host to major Recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage this year. TIM’s 4.5G technology stopped manufacturing in 1998, the conferences or other big events. Site in 2014, the Van Nelle Fabriek uses new LTE ‘L band’ frequencies building was transformed into offices “Because many creative industries in Rotterdam is said to be an iconic at 1500MHz, along with new and is now home to more than 80 have businesses here, they need to be example of Europe’s Modern Movement. coding and modulation techniques entrepreneurs and businesses including able to stream high-resolution video, and antenna systems evolution to a variety of new media and design HD photography, and backup their Meertens adds that thanks to increase spectral efficiency. companies. In 2014, it was recognised large media files to the cloud for safe software programmable radios that as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. keeping or file sharing,” says Roger can easily cope with new Wi-Fi Xirrus Wi-Fi will be used across the Meertens, GM,Van Nelle Fabriek. standards, the system also has the New testing site as part of a broad infrastructure “The high-density Wi-Fi offered by capability to adapt to future needs, upgrade. All critical building and Xirrus ensures that companies can and means that there will be no need facilities management systems across always rely on their connection, even for Van Nelle Fabriek to resort to initiative the Van Nelle Fabriek – which spans at times of extreme usage.” costly replacement programmes. Cisco, Ericsson, Huawei and Nokia have signed an MoU to create the NFV Interoperability Testing Initiative. Vodafone Hutchison virtualises networks NFV-ITI will focus on NFV solutions Vodafone Hutchison The deal represents the first major technologies, along with services actually used in service provider Australia (VHA) is collaboration between Ericsson and and support. Ericsson will be networks. It will recommend generic virtualising its networks with the Cisco on telecom cloud infrastructure responsible for the integration of its principles, including interoperability help of Cisco and Ericsson. since they announced the formation products with Cisco’s. test cases, criteria, processes, methods, Through simplification of its of a global business and technology VHA CTO Kevin Millroy says: guidelines, templates and tools. It network and infrastructure, it’s partnership in November 2015. “The new infrastructure opens the will also apply best practices from claimed VHA will benefit from The joint architecture solution door to new business models and all existing interoperability testing having the tools to become more agile, comprises Ericsson’s Hyperscale markets, such as Internet of Things, activities in the industry, such as the innovative and more proactive in the Datacenter System and cloud and for Vodafone.” NVIOT forum efforts. The general way services are brought to market. SDN software components, together Ericsson has already worked with guiding principles for NFV-ITI are It’s hoped that this will ultimately with Cisco’s WAN Automation Engine, Vodafone Hutchison Australia. In openness, fairness, reasonableness result in an improved customer Network Services Orchestrator and 2014, it replaced and upgraded the and non-discriminatory treatment. engagement experience alongside routers. Cisco is also providing both cellco’s core network, including reductions in opex and capex. virtualised and physical security virtual EPC and virtual IMS/VoLTE. Market UK police equipped with body cameras expanding What’s believed to be the Microsoft’s Azure cloud service. The India’s wireless subscribers largest rollout of body-worn MPS says that BMV recordings reached 1,049.74 million at cameras by police anywhere in the are subject to legal safeguards and the end of September. According to world has begun in the UK. In a guidance, and any video not retained regulator data released in December GBP10m project, more than 22,000 as evidence or for policing purposes is 2016, 603.80 million of those users frontline officers from the Metropolitan automatically deleted within 31 days. are in urban areas while 445.94 Police Service (MPS) in London will be The evidence will be stored in the million are rural. Of the country’s equipped with body worn video (BWV). cloud within the UK after Microsoft 12 MNOs, Bharti, Vodafone and The devices will be attached to opened two new data centres there last Idea dominate with 24.76, 19.12 officers’ uniforms but will not be September. The firm says these have and 17.03 per cent market shares, permanently recording. According to become part of one of the world’s respectively. The bottom three the MPS, this ensures that officers’ largest online storage infrastructures, include state-owned MTNL (0.34 interactions with the public are not supported by more than 100 data centres per cent), Sistema (0.64 per cent), “unnecessarily impeded”. globally. It adds that these centres and Reliance Jio (1.52 per cent), The police claim the cameras have Once the cameras are docked back at hold more than 30 trillion pieces of although the latter only started already shown they can help bring the station, all footage is automatically data, and are backed by billion-dollar operations last September. about speedier justice for victims. uploaded to secure servers hosting investments it has made since 1989.

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