Important news from the 5G world

Important news from the 5G world

Berlin, 22.12.2022

India: 20 companies fighting for allocation of private 5G networks

India’s Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has launched a process to identify 5G frequency bands to be allocated to companies to build private networks.

Once the DoT has identified the most suitable frequencies for private networks, it will ask the Indian telecoms regulator (Trai) to provide prices for the allocation of these bands.

Although the Trai has already identified some frequency bands that can be reserved for private networks, the report says the DoT wants to explore other bands that have less commercial potential.

In its recommendations for the 5G auction, Trai had suggested that at least 40 megahertz in the 3700-3800 MHz and 4800-4990 MHz bands could be reserved for private networks. The regulator also considered the possibility that at least 400 MHz in the 28.5-29.5 GHz band could be earmarked for private networks and satellite earth stations.

Under the first private network guidelines released by DoT, companies wishing to set up their own private networks can lease spectrum from telecom operators or purchase spectrum directly from DoT. Businesses can also ask telecom operators to expand their private networks.

The Indian government has not set a deadline for direct spectrum allocation for private 5G networks. According to industry information, the entire process could take one to two years.

Experts estimate that over 20 Indian companies have applied to secure 5G spectrum to set up private networks in the country. Some of the companies interested are Infosys, Capgemini, GMR, Larsen & Toubro, Tata Communications, Tata Power and Tejas Networks.

The companies‘ applications were submitted in response to a request from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to help determine the level of market demand for spectrum to build private networks. After assessing the demand, the Indian government will decide whether and at what price frequencies should be allocated for such private networks.

However, the DoT had said the current exercise was to study demand – so an application at this stage would not mean spectrum would be allocated to the interested company.

The potential direct allocation of spectrum to companies to build private networks has created tensions between technology companies and telecom operators.

Indian company Tata Communications recently announced that it is currently in talks with at least 40 major companies from various industries to deploy private 5G networks.

Vishy Ramaswamy, Tata Communications vice president for 5G, reportedly said the company is currently conducting some trials with these companies and in certain cases Tata Communications is already in commercial discussions about future private 5G network implementations.

Hyundai Motor Group: Establishment of the new AI center requires a total investment of 424 million US dollars

 

The Boston Dynamics AI Institute will be based in Cambridge, Massachusetts and will be focused on making advancements in AI and robotics technology.

The new facility will be operated through a partnership between Hyundai Motor Group and Boston Dynamics, which Hyundai Motor Group acquired last year. The center is led by Boston Dynamics founder Marc Raibert.

According to a Hyundai Group statement, the new center „will work to solve the most important and difficult challenges in the development of advanced robots“. To achieve this goal, the facility aims to recruit talent in the fields of AI, robotics, computers, machine learning and engineering.

„Our mission is to create future generations of advanced robots and intelligent machines that are smarter, more agile, more perceptive, and safer than anything available today,“ said Marc Raibert, executive director of the Boston Dynamics AI Institute. „The institute’s unique structure will help us develop robots that are easier to use, more productive, capable of performing a greater variety of tasks and working more safely with humans.“

The institute will invest resources in the technical areas of cognitive AI, „athletic AI“ and organic hardware design. In addition to developing technology with its own employees, the new center is also planning partnerships with universities and corporate research laboratories.

Alongside the institute, Hyundai Motor Group separately announced plans to set up a global software center to lead the development of its software capabilities and technologies, and enhance its capabilities to further develop software-defined vehicles (SDVs). The center will be set up based on 42dot, an autonomous driving software and mobility platform startup that Hyundai recently acquired.

In May, Hyundai announced a $5 billion investment to support its work in robotics, AI technologies, advanced air mobility and autonomous driving capabilities.

The Korean group sees robotics as a key part of intelligent mobility solutions. Following its $1.1 billion acquisition of robotics developer Boston Dynamics in June 2021, the company is committed to growing Boston Dynamics by accelerating mass production of future products, improving product lineup and strengthening competitiveness.

The Edge platform combines Google’s distributed cloud software with TIM’s cloud and 5G infrastructure

Telecom Italia (TIM) and Google Cloud have launched a 5G edge cloud platform in Italy to support the development of new intelligent mobility applications, including self-driving and assisted cars. The solution targets a range of industries, from public administration to startups, to accelerate Italy’s digital transformation.

The Edge platform is the first of its kind in the country, combining Google’s Distributed Cloud Virtual software with TIM’s cloud and 5G infrastructure. The partners emphasized that the platform offers advanced application configuration and higher security standards.

Italy’s Modena Automotive Smart Area (MASA) automated driving laboratory and the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia will use these 5G and Edge capabilities to test new and advanced solutions for self-driving and assisted cars, particularly those that support highly secure and reliable communications between vehicles and urban infrastructure.

In collaboration with TIM, Google Cloud expanded into Italy this summer with a new region in Milan. With Milan now active, Google counts 34 global regions and 103 zones, covering users in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide. Google Cloud regions are independent geographic areas that encompass specific zones or deployment areas of Google Cloud resources within a specific physical territory. Google encourages cloud customers to deploy apps across multiple zones in a region to mitigate potential outages.

In a blog post, Fabio Fregi, Google Cloud’s Country Manager Italy, said the Milan region will help Italian companies of all sizes in their digital transformation efforts. „This new region is a strong step in building regional capacities that meet the needs of the Italian digital economy, from availability and data storage to digital sovereignty and sustainability,“ he added.

For TIM, the region represents a deepening of the company’s green initiative, according to Elio Schiavo, the operator’s Chief Enterprise and Innovative Solutions Officer , will combine with important environmental benefits: Our network of data centers, designed and built according to environmental sustainability criteria, will enable significant CO2 savings,” he said Schiavo.

China Mobile added a total of 208.6 million subscribers in the 5G segment year-to-date

According to the latest available statistics, Chinese operators recorded a net gain of 34.33 million 5G subscribers in November.

China Mobile, the world’s largest operator by subscribers, added a total of 23.88 million 5G subscribers in November. China Mobile added a total of 208.6 million subscribers in the 5G segment year-to-date.

China Mobile’s total mobile subscriber base was 974.8 million at the end of November, following a net addition of 1.4 million subscribers during the month. In the first eleven months of the year, China Mobile added a total of 17.8 million.

Meanwhile, China Telecom added 6.02 million 5G subscribers last month to bring the total number of 5G subscribers to 262.9 million. Since the beginning of the year, Telekom has added a total of 75.14 million 5G subscribers.

China Telecom’s total mobile base stood at 391.08 million subscribers at the end of November, after adding 600,000 subscribers during the month.

Rival operator China Unicom said it added a total of 4.45 million 5G subscribers in the last month. The carrier ended November with 209.4 million 5G subscribers.

According to recent press reports, China Unicom has received MIIT’s approval to re-establish its 904-915 MHz and 949-960 MHz spectrum currently used for 2G, 3G and 4G. The carrier said it will use the 900MHz spectrum to expand 5G coverage in rural China and 5G in industrial settings.

Meanwhile, China Broadnet, the country’s newest telecom provider, recently achieved nationwide coverage with its 5G network. China Broadnet officially launched 5G services in June.

The operator already offers cable services and became the fourth operator in the country when it officially opened in 2020, having previously acquired a license for commercial 5G services in 2019. The operator was originally known as the China Broadcasting Network before changing its name earlier this year.

According to previous reports, China Broadnet will use China Mobile’s 5G infrastructure. Last year, China Broadnet and China Mobile announced they would initially install 400,000 5G base stations as part of the companies‘ efforts to launch a joint 5G network.

According to the latest press reports, China ended September with a total of 2.22 million 5G base stations across the country. The number corresponds to a net increase of 795,000 5G base stations from the end of 2021.