Interview

At this year’s Submarine Networks EMEA conference, Total Telecom caught up with Infinera’s Director of Technology and Solutions, Geoff Bennett, to discuss some of the hottest trends in the submarine cable industry

Despite the widespread public misconception that satellites beam down the internet from the sky, over 99% of the world’s international network traffic in fact flows over submarine cables. As such, this sector continues to experience unprecedented growth in line with the soaring demand for connectivity taking place all around the world.

Of course, meeting this demand is no easy feat. New cables take many years and hundreds of millions of dollars to deploy, making it essential that the right technologies are used to maximise the capacity they can deliver to their users.

But deploying these new state-of-the-art cables is just one part of the solution to this global challenge. Thousands of kilometres of existing fibre networks already sprawl beneath the world’s oceans, with many of these systems nearing the end of their 25+ year engineering lifespans. Upgrading these systems with the latest transponder technology can see the economic life of these cables significantly extended, ensuring they continue to play their role in connectivity global customers for many years to come.

Finally, looking at the submarine cable industry, it is imperative that the sector refresh its pool of talent. The generation of submarine network experts that were trained around the turn of the century are nearing retirement age, so it is essential we look at the entire talent pool to introduce new faces as soon as possible and begin the process of knowledge transfer.

You can view our full interview with Infinera’s Geoff Bennet from the link below.

Also in the news:
More than two-thirds of U.S. commercial sites have no optical fibre access
Viasat completes Inmarsat merger deal
EXATEL talks expansion into subsea connectivity sector

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The parent company of UK retail energy and broadband provider Shell Energy has announced their intention to sell the company, which follows a major “strategic review” of the business that was launched in January 2023 due to “tough market conditions“. Reports claim that Ovo and Octopus Energy may have already placed bids. Firstly, it should […]

News

The operator has signed an agreement with low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite player Lynk Global aiming to trial direct-to-device satellite mobile services by the end of the year

This week, Spark has announced a new partnership with LEO satellite operator Lynk, becoming the last of New Zealand’s mobile operators to see their connectivity take to the stars.

The partnership will see Spark trial Lynk’s direct-to-consumer mobile connectivity by the end of the year, with some of their customers able to opt-in to participate for free.

Founded in 2017, Lynk Global is one of the world’s first satellite operators to target direct-to-mobile connectivity. Since then, the company has launched three initial satellites, testing the technology successfully in 21 countries.

Lynk expects to launch a number of additional satellites by the end of this year, a move that should allow it to begin offering limited commercial services.

However, this is just a small fraction of Lynk’s overall ambition, with the company suggesting they will need around 1,000 devices in orbit to provide continuous global broadband services – something they aim to achieve by 2025. In future, this total could swell to around 5,000 to help support global demand for connectivity.

Due to Lynk’s relatively limited initial deployment, the newly announced trial with Spark will only enable text messaging at certain times of day. However, as more satellites are deployed over the next two years, availability of service will improve, and voice and data services will be introduced.

Ultimately, Spark hopes to use Lynk’s constellation to provide near-universal coverage across New Zealand, ensuring customers are connected wherever they travel.

“While satellites can’t provide 100 percent coverage – as you need a clear line of sight to the sky to get connected – it certainly adds an additional layer of resilience, particularly now, as we face increasingly severe and frequent weather events due to climate change,” said Spark’s product director Tessa Tierney. “And once there are more satellites launched and the service is available more broadly, it will allow our mobile customers to start to use their phones in more areas that aren’t reached by traditional mobile coverage.”

The move comes as part of Spark’s recently announced three-year strategy, which also includes a focus on data centre investment and new connectivity technologies, including satellites.

Spark is the last of the country’s mobile operators to strike a satellite connectivity partnership. 2degrees announced a similar deal with Lynk back in April, with trials reportedly already underway. Meanwhile, Vodafone New Zealand – recently rebranded as One New Zealand – has signed up to use SpaceX’s Starlink constellation from late 2024.

How will satellite connectivity impact the international telecoms sector? Join the discussion with the operators at this year’s Total Telecom Congress

Also in the news:
More than two-thirds of U.S. commercial sites have no optical fibre access
Viasat completes Inmarsat merger deal
EXATEL talks expansion into subsea connectivity sector

RWG Mobile, which describes itself as being the nation’s only “dedicated, all-Wales mobile network provider”, has today announced that they’ve finally made 5G based mobile broadband connectivity available to all of their consumer and business customers, “at no extra cost“. Most other operators did this a while ago. The Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO), which […]

VIEWPOINT

The subscriber dynamic has shifted tremendously over the last few years, and savvy altnets in the U.K. are seizing the moment to compete on more than just speed and price.

It’s all about the subscriber experience you provide through the Wi-Fi services that you offer, as David Green of Calix shares at Connected North 2023. The cloud platform from Calix, Revenue EDGE, delivers an exceptional subscriber experience along with critical insights for altnets to make informed decisions. Even more, SmartBiz™, part of the Calix SmartLife portfolio, is a service designed for small businesses.

With enhanced Wi-Fi security and an innovative mobile app, adoption of SmartBiz™ can enhance any altnet’s core offering by going beyond just the consumer play. This continuous innovation is just one of many reasons why Calix is the preferred partner of altnets in the U.K. market.

 

For more information on SmartBiz™ and Revenue EDGE, please feel free to reach out to David directly at david.green@calix.com

You can also meet Calix at Connected Britain (20-21st September) on stand 76. 

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The UK Government will today launch a new £7 million fund as one part of their wider Unleashing Rural Opportunity strategy, which will be used to “test out new ways” of bringing together satellite, wireless (FWA and mobile) and fixed line broadband ISP solutions to help “support farmers and tourism businesses” in rural areas. The […]