Monica Paolini

Some big announcements this week related to the use of #AI in Telco Mobile Networks. Timing couldn't be better as Spectrum Effect was just this week awarded the patent for the use of AI and Machine Learning Models for classifying interference types in Mobile Operator RAN networks. I have strong conviction on AI's ability to drive more efficient and effective operations of mobility networks and ultimately better outcomes for consumers of the services that mobile networks enable. We are in fantastic company to be joined on this journey with the NVIDIA, Ericsson, Nokia, and T-Mobile announcing their intentions to invest in this space. https://lnkd.in/ebB4BM9X

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The future of wireless services of all types is likely to involve more spectrum-sharing and other more sophisticated approaches to #spectrum assignment and management. This applies to #5G, #6G, #WiFi, #satellite, audiovisual and various classes of aviation and martime networks, as well as government and defence usage. Sharing will occur based on multiple dimensions - location, duration, directionality, power and obviously frequency. That, in turn, will require a range of key enablers, including technological components such as spectrum databases, sensing systems, better transceivers, mapping tools, cross-technology signalling and much more. There will also need to be streamlined regulatory processes, spectrum marketplaces, and a whole variety of use-cases for AI + spectrum. There will also be a need for more international cooperation and (hopefully) eventual harmonisation. The evolution of spectrum-sharing is a central theme for me at the moment, and something that regularly crops up in my discussions with regulators, operators, vendors and investors. I've written a guest article for my client CRFS (a spectrum-sensing vendor) which discusses this in more detail. https://lnkd.in/esxTh_Yf

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JUST RELEASED: stc's white-paper highlights 5G network densification as a strategy to enhance connectivity, coverage and capacity through macro and small cells, supported by AI, Machine Learning, beamforming, and massive MIMO. It presents AI-driven planning strategy to address the challenges of providing 5G connectivity to urban, suburban and remote areas. Furthermore, it motivates discussion on ways to enable new use cases, such as IoT, AR/VR, and autonomous systems. Please, enjoy your reading. 💟 Reach out to us to discuss growth opportunities in the telecom industry 💟 To gain monthly insights on #technology and #innovations, subscribe to #global5gevolution newsletter (https://lnkd.in/ge9gsyjE) and tune in for the latest edition on “5G Monetisation” 💟 Or subscribe to #global5gevolution YouTube channel (https://lnkd.in/g8M7YvKq) and tune in for the latest episode on “Cyber Space Robotic 5G” ; click comment box #5G #6G #AI 💟 Follow us on Kaneshwaran Govindasamy & Global 5G Evolution

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Check out the latest advancements on 6G radio design and innovation on topics including AI-driven air interface design, advanced MIMO transmissions, joint communication and sensing, integrated terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks, and a lot more from Hexa-X-II! https://lnkd.in/ddaSZXuM #SNSJU #6G #AI

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#creativedestruction 𝘘𝘶𝘰𝘵𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘭𝘦 𝘣𝘺 Michael Robuck: “𝘙𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩 𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘺𝘴𝘵 𝘚𝘢𝘮 𝘉𝘰𝘸𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘋𝘈𝘚 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘰-𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘩𝘯𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘨𝘦-𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘷𝘪𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘭𝘶𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘪𝘳𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘴, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 “𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘦 5𝘎 𝘪𝘴 𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴 𝘷𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘴 𝘥𝘶𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘩𝘯𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘮𝘮𝘞𝘢𝘷𝘦, 𝘭𝘰𝘸-𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐𝘰𝘛 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴”.” Of course DAS (and possibly MORAN) will be the go-to solution for large scale environments, in which the solution actually fits the use case. But that is a max of 5% of the market, the remaining 95% would be better served by an alternative solution. The challenge has been and continues to be, DAS has been overused and acts as a HAMMER to solve for use cases it is not a good fit for. Innovation continues to be somewhere between slow and non-existent, embracing value creating solutions is marginalized, and we continue to look to the next technology evolution (5G, 5G Advanced, 6G, #6Greset) to solve the problem that has been facing the Enterprise for the last 10 years. Protecting revenue, margins, growth, network differentiation, etc., etc., etc. are the justifications for continuing the failed model, all while continuing to perpetuate the issues that work against everyone’s best interest. 𝘋𝘈𝘚 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘩𝘢𝘴: ✔️ 𝘚𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘐𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘌𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘦 4𝘎/5𝘎 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘵𝘺 ✔️ 𝘓𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘶𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘛𝘰𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘋𝘦𝘱𝘭𝘰𝘺𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘓𝘰𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 (𝘛𝘋𝘓) ✔️ 𝘋𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘶𝘱 𝘛𝘊𝘖 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘣𝘰𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘌𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘔𝘕𝘖 ✔️ 𝘔𝘪𝘴-𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦: 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘤𝘦𝘴, 𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘭, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦. 𝙄𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙖 𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙤𝙛 𝙄𝙁 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙗𝙚 #𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 , 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙒𝙃𝙀𝙉? More on the topic of #creativedestruction will be shared on my @linkedIn page in the coming days and weeks. https://lnkd.in/gkXnGTRd

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If you have not read this paper from 2021 by Caroline Gabriel with Analysys Mason please do. It outlines (predicts) what is NEXT for in-building wireless and is exciting and coming in the next 5 years. To be fair much of the tech will need to be developed to accomplish it but it's all attainable (challenges in the areas of sync, antennas, server capacity, etc.). Most importantly read the part about cell splitting with neighbor cells. This is the biggest limitation faced in in-building capacity. https://lnkd.in/gWDddMzT

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I’ve written another piece on US #spectrum policy & #mobile bands - and what should be done in preparation for #WRC27 over the next 3 years. This is part of my ongoing focus on global spectrum-sharing policy, as well as my advisory work with SFTF. This time it has been published via Fierce Network. My view is that the US should directly engage with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) process at multiple levels, to push for greater understanding and technological innovation in sharing approaches. In particular the focus of IMT (ie #5G & #6G) spectrum should be on regulators assuming a “sharing-native” future in the 2030s, instead of the historic focus of assigning exclusive licences. This should be reflected in any figure IMT identifications & footnotes. In addition, it should be a core part of the various study groups and working parties’ efforts. There also needs to be far more realism about mobile traffic on the international stage - its flattening growth, the many non-credible forecasts, its localisation to specific areas & the impact of aspects such as FWA and indoor use. A critical aspect is dealing with the proposed IMT study bands for WRC-27, which seem “coincidentally” to be exactly the same as those used within NATO for military communications. At the moment, the US #CBRS band is one of the leading examples of dynamic spectrum sharing in practice. The work by NTIA & NSF is also advancing the technological base, including the role of AI. It should be advocating this work more globally, especially at ITU. But first, the mainstream US mobile industry needs to get onboard. #spectrumpolicy #telecompolicy #technology #regulation

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Great news for operators! A more rational CBRS DPA activation methodology has been approved. This will ensure more uptime for broadband fixed wireless providers because channel grants will not be suspended as often. Though there are 15 possible CBRS channels losing one or more does not guarantee that an operator can easily get a replacement or a replacement channel adjacent to other channels. Adjacency is required by many smaller radio vendors to concatenate channels that enable effective broadband speeds and it helps even the efficiency of larger vendors. For those using GAA because they have no PALs or are supplementing their PAL bandwidth with GAA, losing channels forces more users on the remaining GAA channels and thus, interference. This act proves that spectrum sharing is viable and not detrimental to incumbents when deployed with reasonable controls.

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LATEST: 3GPP Newsletter - Issue 09 - Dec 2024 Issue Contents: TECHNICAL HIGHLIGHTS 🧊Rel-20 Planning and Progress in TSG SA 🧊5G Roaming Security 🧊3GPP Capability Exposure Frameworks and APIs 🧊Network Sharing Evolution 🧊Rel-18 management, orchestration and charging features in SA5 🧊TSG RAN Rel-19 Status and a Look Beyond 🧊Edge computing in CT protocols 🧊Network Automation Enablers in 5GS 🧊SA1 road to 6G PARTNER FOCUS 🧊6G – Society's lifeline? (TCCA-Critical Communications) 🧊Uni5G technology blueprints (MFA) 🧊Maintaining an effective supply chain for the Mobile Industry (GSA) GSA (Global mobile Suppliers Association) 🧊The Journey Towards Industrial 6G (5G Alliance for Connected Industries and Automation (5G-ACIA)) 🎯Follow us on Kaneshwaran Govindasamy & Global 5G Evolution 🎯Check out this month's conference #5g #monetization debate 👇🏽 🎯Click comment box subscribe our #youtube channel #5G

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Ofcom's just published its Connected Nations report, which says that average traffic per fixed line is 531 GB. Ofcom notes that this figure is not comparable to prior years (eg 535 GB last year) because "For 2024, we collected data usage measurements aggregated at the Optical Line Terminal (OLT) or headend, rather than on a ‘per line’ data usage basis as in previous years". I admit I'm not clear on the significance of this change. Can anyone illuminate why this approach would give different numbers, and if those numbers would likely be higher or lower than those from the previous methodology?

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This is where delayaring makes a lot of sense for operators - both fixed and mobile - to move from capex/asset heavy to capex/asset light business. It's high time for most of them, if not already on the path. #FutureNetAsia #TWA24 #XyntacEnterprise #DTW #DTW24 #PTC25

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Excellent post by Javier Domínguez Lacasa about spectrum policy for midband Midband is the lifeline for Telcos to provide high-speed and reliable data services. There is no other spectrum band that offers the reach, bandwidth, and properties like midband. Unfortunately, this is a scarce resource and extremely expensive. As a scarce resource, regulators need to prioritize the benefits of the majority of users who connect daily to these services. Consider this: effective spectrum allocation can enhance network capacity by up to 50%, which directly improves service quality and user satisfaction. With 5G technology expected to cover one-third of the world’s population by 2025, the efficient use of midband spectrum becomes even more crucial. This band is essential for enabling advancements in IoT, smart cities, and autonomous vehicles, and its optimal use could significantly boost these developments. Moreover, the economic implications are substantial. A 10% increase in mobile broadband penetration can lead to a 1.5% rise in GDP in developing economies. This highlights the critical role of midband spectrum in driving not only technological innovation but also economic growth and digital inclusion. https://lnkd.in/gYtybk_s #Telecommunications #Midband #SpectrumPolicy #Connectivity #Innovation

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Highly Dynamic Spectrum Sharing is a key next step in spectrum sharing’s evolution. Join the conversation at the WInnForum’s new task group on the subject. More below: #spectrumsharing #winnforum #globalinnovation

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If current trends continue, RAN Automation will be even more important for Communication Service Providers (CSPs) to manage the growing complexity of their networks. 🌐 This is where rApps can come to their rescue. rApps are software applications designed to run on the Non-Real Time RAN Intelligent Controller to realize different RAN management and optimization use cases in an automated way. What’s more, now Ericsson has just published the telecom industry's first rApps directory that currently offers 20 rApps for commercial use to members of its Ericsson Intelligent Automation Platform ecosystem, including ISVs and leading CSPs. I suggest having a look at the directory below! How do you see the role of rApps develop in the future? #TeamEricsson #rApps #NetworkAutomation #RAN

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Breaking Barriers: Achieving Multi-Vendor Interoperability in 5G Networks with IRP In open RAN management systems, a technology-independent and multi-vendor Operations Support System (OSS) is essential. This approach ensures interoperability, flexibility, and cost-efficiency, enabling operators to integrate network elements from various vendors seamlessly. ◼ Benefits of Technology-Independent and NE Vendor-Independent OSS - Interoperability: Allows seamless integration and communication between network elements from different vendors. - Flexibility: Enables operators to choose best-in-class solutions without vendor lock-in. - Cost Efficiency: Promotes competitive pricing and better terms by avoiding dependency on a single vendor. ◼ 3GPP Integration Reference Point (IRP) The IRP concept is critical in achieving a technology-independent and multi-vendor OSS. It standardizes management interfaces, providing a common framework for exchanging management information across different network elements and OSS. ◼ Key Elements of IRP: - Standardized Interfaces: Facilitate consistent communication and data exchange. - Information Service (IS): Defines a technology-independent model for information object classes and attributes. - Solution Sets: Map the IRP Information Service to specific technologies and protocols (e.g., NETCONF/YANG, SOAP, REST). ◼ Fault Management Use Case Fault Management ensures network performance and Quality of Service (QoS) by detecting, isolating, diagnosing, and repairing faults. Implementation with IRP: - Detection and Reporting: IRP interfaces collect fault data from various vendors' equipment, enabling real-time monitoring and accurate fault detection. - Isolation and Diagnosis: OSS uses IRP to correlate alarms and events, leveraging a unified information model for efficient fault isolation and automated diagnosis. - Correction and Repair: Coordinated fault correction actions across multi-vendor environments, supported by IRP, allow for traffic rerouting and proactive maintenance. ◼ Example Scenario: In a multi-vendor 5G network, a fault in a base station triggers an alarm. Using IRP, the OSS isolates the fault and identifies a software issue. It reconfigures adjacent base stations from other vendors to handle the traffic, minimizing service disruption. A remote patch is applied, restoring normal operations. The SMO of the O-RAN ALLIANCE was defined on this basis of vendor neutrality. A technology-independent and multi-vendor OSS, supported by the 3GPP IRP concept and effective vendor-neutral network management such as O-RAN SMO, enhances network flexibility, reduces operational complexity, and ensures robust performance. This approach allows operators to maintain high QoS and efficient network operations, irrespective of underlying vendor technologies. #OpenRAN #3GPP #OperstionsSupportSystem #MultiVendor #VendorNeutrality #IRP #FaultManagment #ORANSMO

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3GPP SA1 stage 1 Workshop on IMT2030 (6G) use cases is in progress in #Rotterdam. TCCA-Critical Communications participates to promote the society need to #trust on mobile communication and have connectivity at all times.

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In Ericsson's latest results on TelecomTV. Vonage suffered a 7% year-on-year decline in revenues to SEK3.8bn ($361m). https://lnkd.in/eViatYkS Back in Q1 2022 Vonage’s total revenue was $359M, almost the same, which split into: * Consumer – $62M. Shrinking as they transition to a pure business focus. * VoIP/UC/CC – $123M * API (SMS, voice, video) – $162M of which the bulk (90%) is likely SMS * Product revenues as businesses still need phones – $12M Reviewed here: https://lnkd.in/eHpZzQp8 In 2020/2021/2022 programmable communications was growing at 30+%. Growth has slowed to 5% for the likes of Twilio. And Vonage is back to Q1 2022 revenue numbers! The hope is network APIs will change the situation for Ericsson/Vonage. I've explained why that is a false hope. There will be NaaS (Network as a Service) revenues, https://lnkd.in/eHpZzQp8, where Network APIs augment existing NaaS solutions. I had a fun conversation with an 'app' developer yesterday that had been interviewed by a vendor pushing P5G and Network APIs to telcos. They summarized the interview as, 'they didn't like what I had to say.' Ericsson, all you had to do was follow my blog.

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For a green field operator (mobile or converged), going for 5G is a relatively straightforward decision. But for a brownfield operator, the decision is based on multiple factors, including but not limited to, existing investments (2G, 3G, 4G), O&M complications and cost of running parallel networks, spectrum and regulatory issues, compelling use cases (consumer (ex:- smart home, CIoT), enterprise (IT), industrial (OT) (ex:- IIoT)). I agree with you David on the actionable insights you shared in our panel. Given that 5G is E2E IP and virtualized by design, moving from VNFs to CNFs (Cloud Native) and Open{Source, RAN, API, ..} will make things easier to deploy, manage, and scale while keeping the TCO down. However, going in that direction requires, especially for incumbent/brownfield operators, a talented team (or a trusted partner) who has skills, knowledge, education, and more importantly the confidence to run this type of system. Given the vibrant ecosystem we now have around "open", this is not a big challenge, provided the operator has visionary and brave leadership.

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