Page 27 - SAMENA Trends - January 2020

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BBC News Arabic Launches Now in HD Exclusively

on Arabsat

inked another long-term agreement with independent news providers, and it is
Arabsat to launch exclusively their first very exciting that our audience can now
Arabic news channel in high resolution tune into BBC News Arabic’s award-
to the region, onboard of Arabsat BADR- winning journalism in HD quality.” Khalid
4 which covers the entire MENA region Balkheyour, Arabsat President and CEO
and most of Western Europe. Starting said: “This new agreement with BBC News
January 1st, 2020, the HDTV FTA channel Arabic will enrich the audiences experience
will join the same video neighborhood in MENA region, and matches Arabsat
with her sister channel BBC News Arabic strategy to continue being the leading
SD, and among other leading international HD neighborhood for Middle East & North
and regional news channels, which can Africa. BBC News Arabic is one of the
be received across the region with the pioneer channels to broadcast in Arabic
minimum receive dish size. Sam Farah, language and we are delighted to be the
A good start on the new year 2020 for Head of BBC News Arabic said: “I am very first choice every time the channel wants
MENA region viewers who can enjoy their pleased BBC audiences can now watch to increase its presence across the region.
favorite BBC News Arabic channel now in BBC News Arabic TV in high resolution Exclusively broadcasting in HD format, is
HD, available exclusively for viewers on across the Middle East, and elsewhere in something unique and significant to this
Arabsat Badr-4 satellites at the hotspot Europe. It’s never been more important strategic partnership”.
26ºE. BBC News Arabic television has for people to be able to turn to trusted,

AT&T on Target for Virtualizing 75% of Its Network
by 2020

Consider 2019 a lag putt for AT&T’s The following year it announced its goal for with features that weren’t available on its
stated goal of having 75% of its network having 75% of its core network functions legacy services. For example, Flexware
virtualized by 2020, but the telco plans to virtualized by 2020. The plan included using allows AT&T’s customers to use VNFs
drain the remaining short putt by year’s its internally developed ECOMP, which is to provide intelligent edge capabilities
end. After virtualizing more than 55% of now part of ONAP, and software-defined in a SDN/NFV environment on a flexible
its network functions in 2018, AT&T’s goal networking (SDN) to virtualize and put into universal CPE device. “It is now much more
was to hit 65% in 2019, which it did early production critical network functions. Amy mature—in areas wider, such as consumer,
last year. “We aim to control 75% of our Wheelus, AT&T’s vice president of cloud business, and mobility business areas, and
core network functions with software by and Domain 2.0 Platform integration, deeper, including SKUs of similar VNFs
the end of 2020, and by reaching 65% at said in an interview with FierceTelecom in different parts of the network across
the end of 2019, we’re nearly there,” said last year that the telco had learned a lot switches, routers and applications with
Scott Mair, president of AT&T technology over the previous three years in regard to more automation in place,” said Chris
and operations, in a blog post. “Today, designing VNFs (virtual network functions) Rice, senior vice president of AT&T Labs,
100% of the data traffic that runs through to work better in a cloud-like environment, Domain 2.0 Architecture and Design, in
the infrastructure connecting the elements but the virtualization tasks became harder an interview last year when asked about
of our core network together is backed by as AT&T got closer to its goal because AT&T’s virtualization effort. “For 5G, for
SDN.” An AT&T spokesman said that while the remaining elements were more instance, that service will be ‘born in the
the telco hit its 65% goal in early 2019, the difficult to virtualize. AT&T has started to cloud.’ We are fortunate to have three
number is actually higher now, but AT&T reap operational savings from its move years of SDN/NFV experience to apply to
isn’t ready to disclose the new figure. AT&T to software-defined networking. The our 5G network build.”
first outlined its virtualization project back embrace of SDN has also enabled AT&T
in 2013 as part of its Domain 2.0 initiative. to roll out new customer-facing offerings

27 JANUARY 2020