Worldwide, operators of all types are turning up an increasing number of passive optical networks. Whether they are telcos transitioning off their legacy DSL platforms, overbuilders trying to reach multiple dwelling units, cable operators targeting greenfield builds or, increasingly, service providers entering currently underserved rural markets, there is an explosion in new fiber build activities.
Given the timing to the market, these operators face a decision. Should they continue embracing the 1Gig (or 2.5Gig) GPON and EPON networks, or should they move to the newer 10Gig platforms – either 10G-EPON or XGS-PON? I was just recently talking to a small operator and was surprised to learn they were still building out with 1Gig PON platforms. Let s look at what might be involved in making such a decision, and why I believe 10Gig PON is the right choice.
Under Rajeev Suri, its last boss, Nokia was always a bit cagey about discussing job cuts. Analysts and reporters had to wait until the publication of the Finnish vendor s annual reports to see the workforce damage caused by restructuring. Pekka Lundmark, Suri s successor, is not for hiding the ugly truth. In the full spirit of transparency, Nokia today revealed that between 5,000 and 10,000 jobs will disappear from its books over the next 18 to 24 months.
That would leave Nokia with between 80,000 and 85,000 employees worldwide as it tries to boost margins and restore 5G competitiveness. The hope is that job cuts will slash about 600 million ($717 million) off annual expenses by the end of 2023. Nokia intends to pump much of that into research and development, potentially reversing a three-year decline in total investments as rivals have upped expenditure. It is also clinging to its target for an operating margin of between 7% and 10% this year, after reporting one of about 9.7%
Reflecting data demands seen during the pandemic, cable operator spending on upstream channel purchases climbed 96% in Q4 2020 versus 2019, according to fresh data from Jeff Heynen, VP, broadband access and home networking, at Dell Oro Group. By comparison, global spending on cable network downstream channel purchases climbed just 3% during the period.
For all of 2020, upstream channel purchases by cable operators rose 43%, while downstream channel purchases actually dipped 8%.
Heynen said those purchasing trends are a clear sign that operators are starting to push ahead with mid-split and high-split network upgrades that expand the amount of spectrum being dedicated to the upstream.
He also believes it s an indicator that cable operators are starting to add Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) capabilities to their hybrid fiber/coax (HFC) networks to help get a handle on the upstream pressure. OFDMA, an advanced and more efficient modulation scheme for
BT Group s boardroom bust-up is reaching the boil, with a chairman having resigned, and CEO Philip Jansen confronting restive non-execs as he tries to swiftly overhaul the operator.
Jansen told directors they would need to choose between either Jan du Plessis – BT s City grandee chairman – or him, according to a report by the Financial Times (paywall applies).
And Jansen would not stay unless BT found itself a new chairman who would accelerate the pace of change, the CEO added.
Glory days: It s a far cry from cosy red telephone boxes and the iconic tower – BT s boardroom is in turmoil. (Source: BT)
O2 has named Omar Calvo its director of radio engineering following the departure of Brendan O Reilly, its chief technology officer (CTO), in January.
The UK mobile operator owned by Spain s Telefónica is splitting the CTO role in two, Light Reading has learned. Calvo will have full responsibility for the radio part of the network while Jorge Ribeiro oversees core network and IT infrastructure, a job he was previously doing under O Reilly.
The update comes after O Reilly left O2 at the start of the year to become chief technology officer of Canada-based BAI Communications, a telecom infrastructure company.
Calvo moves across from Telefónica México, where he has worked as chief technology and information officer since November 2019, according to his LinkedIn profile. He has worked for the Telefónica group since 2006.