Mobile & Wireless Roundup No. 112

Welcome to the 112th edition of this newsletter. As the world moves increasingly online, I have access to a wealth of digital conferences, training sessions, webinars, and resources. While each offers valuable information, my list of must-watch sessions has grown significantly—and so has the challenge of finding time to engage with them all.

In contrast, attending a conference in person is a focused experience. With a planned agenda, curated sessions, and the chance to connect face-to-face with friends, colleagues, clients, and potential business partners, it’s an immersive opportunity that serves both my goals and those of conference organizers. There's something irreplaceable about in-person interactions—the sense of community, the commitment, and the shared experience that simply doesn’t translate online.

This concept of connection and loyalty is especially relevant in the telecommunications industry, where operators are transforming from Communication Service Providers (CSPs) to Digital Service Providers (DSPs). On one hand, DSPs streamline operations, reducing costs and inefficiencies by automating processes. But on the other, the personal touch is fading. Without people at the centre, customers may find it all too easy to switch providers with just a click.

Similarly, the rise of Generative AI is revolutionizing customer service and business processes, creating streamlined, cost-effective solutions. However, while this might look like a win-win today, we may find that it distances brands from their customers in the long run. Loyalty thrives on personal connection and presence—factors that technology alone can't replicate.

For those of you who don’t know me, I am a technologist with over 25 years’ experience in mobile wireless technology, currently working as an independent advisor, analyst, consultant and a trainer. This newsletter is a summary of my posts and other news that caught my attention since the last newsletter.

⦿ 6G

• Free 6G Training - Brooklyn 6G Summit 2024: 6G—From Vision to Action (link)
• RCR Wireless: Four lessons learned from 5G that will inform 6G (link)
• Dean Bubley on LinkedIn: A survey on #6G priorities… (link)
• Nokia Blog: World Standards Day — Preserve the fire with 6G! (link)
• TelecomTV: EU-backed body awards €127m to 6G projects (link)

⦿ 5G

• 'Advanced Technologies for Network Energy Saving, Load Balancing, and High Densification in 3GPP Release 18' from NTT Docomo Technical Journal, Oct. 2024 (link)
• SKT-Samsung Electronics optimizes the quality of 5G base stations with AI (PR)

⦿ 4G/LTE

• Total Telecom – India: BSNL finally passes halfway mark with 4G deployment (link)

⦿ 2G/3G

• Harri Holma on LinkedIn: "Goodbye 3G! The last 3G network was closed down in Helsinki last night. Kenny (Nokia 6650) and my WCDMA book can be retired to the museum now…" (link)
• Rudolf van der Berg on LinkedIn: "Australia shuts down 3G and blocks 'foreign' 4G phones. On Reddit, Whirlpool and the Australian Parliament commentators claim it is not a big deal, everyone is doing it and Australian VoLTE is special. So for posterity, some context and how to do better #3gshutdown…" (link)

⦿ Open & Disaggregated Networks (including Open RAN, vRAN, etc.)

• Alok Tripathi on LinkedIn: Despite the unfortunate absence of #OpenRAN in China, #ORAN ecosystem benefits from China Mobile's technical contributions in O-RAN ALLIANCE. (link)
• ODIN: New Open RAN Laboratory set for the Philippines (link)
• Alok Tripathi on LinkedIn: A Proposed New Interface, D2, in O-RAN Architecture Raises Hopes (link)

⦿ Telecoms Infrastructure, Small Cells, Antennas & others

• Paul Rhodes on LinkedIn - Thursday School: Multi-purpose Street Furniture – International Edition (link)

• Peter Clarke on LinkedIn: "Standout in Small Cell 5G: Standalone 5G (SA) delivered majestically by Virgin Media O2 and Ericsson to Birmingham, UK, effectively complementing the unwound Beacon macro sites and providing consistent and impressive throughputs…" (link)
• Paul Rhodes on LinkedIn - Monday Musings: Someone Red the Room? (link)

⦿ IoT / M2M / Smart Homes

• RCR Wireless: Royal Mail tags 850,000 roll cages with ambient IoT trackers (link)
• RCR Wireless: Netmore buys Everynet – to create biggest LoRaWAN operator on the planet (link)

⦿ Security & Privacy

• AI/ML security in mobile telecommunication networks (link)
• ETSI Releases New Guidelines to Enhance Cyber-security for Consumer IoT Devices (PR)
• WEF - Navigating Cyber Resilience in the Age of Emerging Technologies: Collaborative Solutions for Complex Challenges (link)

⦿ Wi-Fi

• OpenSignal: Wi-Fi drives smartphone data consumption in the US, but trends vary across operators (link) – some good discussions on LinkedIn here.

⦿ AI, ML & Automation

• Jinsung Choi on LinkedIn: AI for UPF (link)
• Eugina Jordan on LinkedIn: Have you seen the latest State of AI report? (link)
• Jinsung Choi on LinkedIn: AI for OSS (link)
• Alok Tripathi on LinkedIn: The 'new' AI/ML experts are convinced that it's inevitable that the #model-based L1 PHY signal processing will be replaced by the #data-driven DNNs (link)
• Jinsung Choi on LinkedIn - Driving the AI RAN: From Blueprints to Global Interoperability (link)
• Jinsung Choi on LinkedIn - Breaking Down Silos: How LLMs Transform Cross-Domain Knowledge Sharing in NWDAF (link)

⦿ Satellites, HAPS, Drones, UAVs & Space

• PCMag - No Direct Satellite View Needed: Cellular Starlink Phone Gets Signal in Your Pocket (link)
• Frank Rayal - Unpacking the PFD Debate: What It Means for SpaceX and the Direct-to-Device Satellite Industry (link)
• MWL: Globalstar, Apple supersize sat-to-phone deal (link)

⦿ Metaverse & Extended Reality (XR)

• TIP Releases QoE Measurement Framework and Graduates Metaverse Ready Project Group (PR)

⦿ Other News and Technology Stuff

• Semiconductor Industry Observation from China: Chip companies take action to eliminate copper interconnection (link in Mandarin)
• Kim Kyllesbech Larsen on LinkedIn: "In my recent blog, "The Nature of Telecom Capex – a 2024 Update" (read it here: https://lnkd.in/dskt4s82), I discuss the 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡 𝐅𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐲 that is driving forward-looking capacity capex (i.e., we can argue for more Capex as expected data growth is inflated), and why anyone would believe in it…" (link)
• TelecomTV: Mobile internet ‘usage gap’ comprises more than 3 billion people (link)

⦿ Picture of the week: Sometimes bringing coverage/capacity using a temporary mast or CoW is challenging, especially if there is no line of sight. Here is a picture of NTT Docomo’s CoW using some extra help to bring coverage at Kyoto Racecourse, courtesy of @denpa893 on X.

Happy to hear your thoughts. Feel free let me know what worked, what didn’t, how I can make this better, etc. Get in touch over LinkedIn!

PDF version of this and previous newsletters are available here.