Wireless Networks

Major Indian operator Bharti Airtel has announced two big achievements for its 5G network this week: one million 5G users and the first airport in India to get access to its 5G network.

Qatar Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA) has selected a solution to monitor mobile operators’ network quality supplied by network lifecycle automation expert Infovista.

Nokia has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Nedaa, the security network provider of the Dubai government.

Telkom SA has launched a high-speed 5G network using technology from Huawei.

Bharti Airtel, one of the big three operators in the Indian market, has contracted Aviat Networks for wireless multiband radio solutions.

E-Networks has tapped Mavenir to deploy Guyana’s first 5G VoLTE network.

In the latest 5G partnership with a focus on the potential of private networks, technological solutions provider Entel says it is set to accelerate the digital transformation of industry in Chile thanks to a new 5G standalone (SA) deal with Ericsson.

Airtel, a global communications solutions provider and a major player among India’s mobile network operators, has announced the launch in India of what it calls an Always On IoT Connectivity solution, apparently with an eye to the vehicle tracking market.

MTN Cote d’Ivoire is set to boost its rural coverage via a new agreement with NuRAN Wireless.

The continuing potential of IoT as a business model has been underlined by two recent deals involving major players in both mobile and satcom markets, in this case China Mobile International Middle East company (CMI) and Yahsat.

Uzbekistan’s state-backed provider of fixed and mobile services Uzbektelecom has signed a raft of new deals with Chinese vendors Huawei and ZTE.

Tele2 Lithuania has launched a 5G service in Vilnius using its recently obtained 700MHz and 3.5GHz spectrum.

Global digital operator Veon has announced that Banglalink, its operating company in Bangladesh, is rolling out next generation 4G networks nationwide across Bangladesh, with a launch reportedly now taking place in a major city.

Another private network has been launched in Brazil with the announcement from communications and IT services provider Speedcast that it has deployed advanced connectivity via a private LTE network powered by Nokia for a Brazilian energy integrator.

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) revealed 96% of the country’s mobile sites have been repaired after the country was devastated by heavy flooding.

Yet another private network initiative has been announced – this time in South Africa, where operator MTN plans to build private 5G networks for mines and ports.

Following the recent announcement that Nokia and AT&T Mexico have deployed what they call the first industrial-grade LTE private network in a maritime terminal in the country, there’s been another private network announcement in Latin America – this time in Brazil and using 5G.

Bangladesh operators Robi Axiata and Teletalk Bangladesh, along with infrastructure group Summit Towers, have entered into a tri-party agreement for sharing existing network infrastructure.

MTN Nigeria and Ericsson have announced what they call a ‘historic milestone’ with the launch of 5G services in a number of areas of the country.

Brazilian newcomer Winity Telecom has signed a six-year deal with Amdocs to support its deployment of 4G and 5G networks across remote rural areas of Brazil.

Telefonica Moviles (Movistar) has commenced its rollout of a 5G-ready network in El Salvador.

Uzbekistan’s state-owned mobile provider Mobiuz has begun offering 5G services in areas of Tashkent.

The private network concept isn’t waiting for 5G, as Nokia and AT&T Mexico have just shown by deploying what they call the first industrial-grade LTE private network in a maritime terminal in the country.

In what is said to be a first for Africa, Nokia says it has successfully piloted 4G and 5G fixed wireless access (FWA) network slicing with Kenyan mobile operator Safaricom on its live commercial network.

Zain Bahrain, a leading telecommunications operator in Bahrain and part of the mobile voice and data services group that has a commercial footprint in seven Middle Eastern and African countries, has said that it has deployed the “most innovative Internet of Things (IoT) technology” in collaboration with Ericsson.

All six of Malaysia’s main mobile network operators have now reportedly agreed to take up equity in a state-controlled 5G wholesale provider, Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB).

Nokia has announced that it has successfully completed testing of voice and data calls over what it says is the world’s first 4.9G/LTE private wireless network to support European Train Control System (ETCS) Level 2 Signalling.

Veon subsidiary Banglalink has signed a tower sharing agreement with BTCL (Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Limited).

Further tower sales are afoot across Southeast Asia, with Indonesia’s Telkomsel and the Philippines’ PLDT each agreeing to shift more sites.