Page 61 - SAMENA Trends - December 2020

TECHNOLOGY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

TECHNOLOGY NEWS

Gigabit Connectivity Now Available to Over a Quarter of UK Premises, OF-

COM Reports

Gigabit connectivity is now available to of the country’s total) were reported to (USO) launched in March 2020 will help
one in four UK premises, according to be able to sign up to a broadband service in this regard, while saying it expects
data published by local telecoms regulator capable of offering downlink speeds of around 16,000 properties could receive
OFCOM in its ‘Connected Nations 2020’ up to 1Gbps as of 1 September 2020, a universal service connection, without
report, which analyses the availability of though the regulator noted that in most additional costs needing to be met by the
broadband and mobile services across UK nations, gigabit-capable coverage customer. Away from fixed broadband,
the UK and each of its nations. A total of remained higher in urban areas than rural the Connected Nations 2020 report also
7.9 million homes and businesses (27% ones. Meanwhile, full fiber broadband offered up information regarding the
is now said to be available to 5.1 million nation’s mobile connectivity. According to
homes (18%), up eight percentage points OFCOM’s findings, the number of mobile
(or 2.1 million premises) when compared base stations providing 5G services had
to September 2019, with OFCOM noting risen ten-fold, to around 3,000 across
that this was ‘the highest year-on-year the UK at 1 September 2020. Of these,
increase seen so far’ in terms of access 87% were in England, 7% in Scotland and
to full fiber technology. With regards to 3% in both Wales and Northern Ireland.
access to superfast broadband – defined Mobile coverage was, meanwhile, reported
as a connection offering downlink speeds to be ‘generally stable’, with the nation’s
of at least 30Mbps and up to 300Mbps – four mobile network operators – EE, O2
OFCOM noted that 96% of premises are UK, Three UK and Vodafone UK – each
now able to take up such a service, and it estimating they provided outdoor coverage
estimates that around 60% of the homes to between 98% and 99% of premises, while
and businesses able to have done so. At geographic coverage was said to range
the other end of the scale, OFCOM reported between 79% and 85%. OFCOM noted,
that 0.6% of the UK’s premises (around however, that the Shared Rural Network
190,000) still lack access to a ‘decent’ (SRN) program which all four cellcos
broadband connection (i.e. one offering agreed to in March 2020 is expected to
10Mbps download and 1Mbps upload extend geographic coverage, particularly
speeds). However, it has suggested that in rural areas, by 2025.
the broadband universal service obligation

Teltronic Supplies TETRA Communication System in Oman

Teltronic says it has supplied tech safety and reliability needs for the airport access to ensure coverage to the whole
consultancy Indra with a TETRA environment, where there is a high density complex; and a Network Management
(terrestrial trunked radio) digital radio of users in a limited area, and there are System (NMS) to configure and operate
communications system at Duqm airport different operational groups, requiring the system. The system includes almost
in the Al Wusta region of Oman. The new maximum coordination levels. Teltronic 100 hand portable and mobile radios that,
system will allow communication among deployed its Nebula infrastructure, in order to reinforce security levels to the
runway, terminal and emergency and whose components are designed and maximum, provide end-to-end encryption,
security staff, contributing to significantly manufactured at the company's facilities guaranteeing the complete privacy of both
improve the operations at the airport. in Zaragoza, Spain. The system includes a voice and data communications between
Teltronic has designed an integrated Switching Control Node (SCN), responsible the sender and receiver of messages.
and customized system that meets for providing network intelligence; radio

61 DECEMBER 2020