Page 33 - SAMENA Trends - October 2021

REGIONAL & MEMBERS UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Batelco’s Customized Solution Designed to Enhance Cloud Network

Connections

Following Batelco’s introduction of AWS branch offices and Data Centers to AWS virtual servers, has led to applications and
Direct Connect services in 2019 and SD- environments through managed, secure, data being hosted in both Data Center and
WAN (Software-Defined Wide Area Net- and optimized network services. Custom- Cloud environments. These circumstances
work) in 2020, the Company has created ers can additionally choose their preferred complicated network traffic management
a customized solution that bundles both network route, whether through the Inter- and application delivery, adding strain to
services. AWS Direct Connect provides net or through Private Connection, to uti- the traditional network.” “Therefore, we
an easy way for customers to establish a lize the services. Hani Askar, A/General are pleased to address this need and pro-
dedicated private network connection be- Manager of Global Business at Batelco, vide the essential support that enterprises
tween AWS and Data Centers, offices, or said: “With the continuous drive of Cloud- require to enhance their migration into a
colocation environments, while SD-WAN first strategies, organizations with a num- more digital-centric world. The aim is to
is an end-to-end networking solution that ber of locations ranging from their head- introduce new solutions that could poten-
seamlessly blends MPLS, Internet, LTE and quarters to branch offices need to ensure tially make sophisticated global networks
5G technologies into a single communica- that all their employees have secure, fast, easier to monitor, manage, and become
tion channel that delivers improved visi- consistent network access, regardless of more agile,” he added. “We are proud to be
bility, agility, control and cloud integration. their location and device. Additionally, the the first in the region to provide our cus-
The new integrated solution, combining increase of employees’ mobility, combined tomers with such a solution that supports
the two services to form one practical bun- with the rise of hybrid architectures con- them in their Cloud-computing adoption,”
dle, enables companies to connect their sisting of private servers, public cloud and Mr. Askar concluded.

China Mobile Big Winner in HK Spectrum Sale

China Mobile Hong Kong emerged as the the Communications Authority (OFCA) and 40MHz of 4.9GHz for HKD222.5
biggest spender in an auction of 255MHz announced. China Mobile Hong Kong is million. Hutchison Telephone spent
of spectrum in the 700MHz, 850MHz, now the largest holder of spectrum in the HKD252 million on 10MHz of 700MHz and
2.5GHz to 2.6GHz and 4.9GHz bands territory, with 20MHz of 1.8GHz, 30MHz 5MHz of 2.5GHz to 2.6GHz. The spectrum
which netted a total of HKD1.9 billion of 2.3GHz, 35MHz of 2.6GHz, 60MHz of was spilt into 19 frequency blocks, with
($244.3 million). The operator won 15- 3.5GHz and 80MHz of 4.9GHz. HKT spent 70MHz unsold and no takers for 600MHz.
year licenses for spectrum in three bands, HKD599 million acquiring 10MHz in the SmarTone was the only operator to release
bidding a total of HKD648.5 million for 700MHz band and 25MHz of 2.5GHz to a statement on the auction results, with
10MHz, 15MHz and 40MHz in the 700MHz 2.6GHz spectrum. SmarTone purchased CTO Stephen Chau noting the blocks came
(paired), 2.5GHz to 2.6GHz (paired) and 5MHz of 700MHz for HKD72 million, at a reasonable price.
4.9GHz bands respectively, the Office of 7.5MHz of 850MHz for HKD82.5 million

China Mobile Exec Insists 6G Needs Massive Bandwidth

The head of 6G at China Mobile highlighted needs to be supported by mmWave and service-based architecture into the RAN
in a presentation at the Brooklyn 6G terahertz spectrum which can be switched to reduce time-to-market of new services
Summit spectrum will be the most on and off depending on demand. “In and network functions. Earlier in the year
important component for future networks, this way we can not only minimize power the Chinese government outlined plans
arguing the lower the frequency the better. consumption, but also minimize variance to accelerate the development of 6G
Liu Guangyi said nationwide coverage will among different sites and improve the user through the IMT-2030 (6G) Promotion
be important for operators to promote the experience.” Satellite coverage will be in Group, which is similar the IMT-2020 (5G)
new technology. For early deployments important to supplement the terrestrial Promotion Group that coordinated the 5G
he suggested operators need more than network for drones and autonomous development. Industry players don’t expect
500MHz of contiguous spectrum in sub- aircraft. He outlined an integrated space- the technology to start to be deployed until
10GHz bands. “If we can achieve that it will air-ground network which will support at least 2030.
be very beneficial for building competitive converged access technologies. Liu said
6G networks.” He noted this, of course, China Mobile is working to introduce a
33 OCTOBER 2021