Network News

Telstra has made several announcements around its global network services that it says will give customers more choice and further reinforce its network leadership position in the Asia Pacific region.

Pakistani internet and international connectivity provider Transworld Associates (TWA), a joint venture of Orascom Telecom, Saif Group and Omzest Group of Oman, has contracted Huawei Marine to upgrade its 1,300 submarine cable system, TW1 that connects Pakistan, United Arab Emirates and Oman.

China is to get a fourth national telco, China Broadcasting Network Ltd (CBN). China Daily reported on 5 May that the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology had issued CBN with a telecoms license permitting the company to operate internet domestic data transmission business and domestic telecommunication infrastructure service businesses. The license also extends to CBN subsidiary, China Cable Television Network Co Ltd.

Korean Telco SK Telecom has become the latest telco to announce plans for a nationwide low-powered wide area network based on the LoRaWAN technology.

Ericsson has signed a five-year partnership agreement with Malaysian data network provider Celcom Axiata to deliver LTE services. Ericsson will deploy its latest-generation radio network products, including full turnkey delivery of products and services for Celcom's radio access network (RAN).

The Indian Government is to issue eight experimental licenses in the 470-582MHz band for trials of white space technology. The move has been welcomed by the Dynamic Spectrum Alliance, a global organization advocating for laws and regulations that will lead to more efficient and effective spectrum utilization.

Vietnamese mobile network operator Hanoi Telecom Corporation (HTC) has selected Infinera Intelligent Transport Networks to upgrade its optical network. It has extended its existing Infinera TM-Series metro network with the DTN-X family for its backbone connecting Ho Chi Minh City and Vung Tau. According to Infinera, the upgrade will enable HTC to differentiate its services and manage costs as it increases network capacity.

Singtel has selected capacity on global satellite operator Eutelsat's 70B satellite to support network connectivity in South-East Asia. Eutelsat said: ""Singtel is establishing a new relationship with Eutelsat through a flexible contract that enables it to progressively ramp up capacity over the coming 12 months as demand grows.""

Huawei has proposed its Ultra-Broadband 2020 (UBB 2020) strategy to Indonesia to help telecom operators seize business opportunities and address challenges in the next five years, during a speech at the 12th Annual Broadband TV Connect Asia Conference in Jakarta.

Cambodia is to get a connection into the 25,000km AAE-1 cable being built by a consortium of 19 global telcos to link Asian, African, Middle Eastern and European nations.