PRESS RELEASE

The Global mobile Suppliers Association (GSA) today confirmed that it has identified at least 955 organisations deploying LTE or 5G private mobile networks in 72 countries around the globe. GSA also announced that its Private Mobile Networks Special Interest Group (SIG), formed in 2021 to define the space and track adoption globally, has continued to expand its membership of industry players with the latest addition of Airspan Networks.

Data from GSA’s new Private Mobile Networks, December 2022 report reveals growth in the market in the third quarter of 2022, recording a net addition of 66 customers deploying these networks, up from a total of 889 in the second quarter. The research shows there is typically a strong, positive correlation between the number of private mobile network references and countries with dedicated spectrum, with roll-outs now in 72 countries and territories globally. Private mobile networks are mainly found in more-developed markets, with USA, Germany, China, UK and Japan holding the most references.

This latest report shows that organisations still favour LTE; 5G represents 40.9% of private mobile network deployments. It also confirms a wide range of participants are actively involved in developing and delivering solutions for the market. The three fastest-growing industry sectors in the quarter were mining, with 15 new customer references, followed by defence and peacekeeping with 13, and manufacturing with nine. Manufacturing, education and mining remain the three largest sectors for customer references, although this does not represent the actual size and scale of deployments, which vary by user type.

Members of the GSA Private Mobile Networks SIG include Ericsson, Huawei, Keysight Technologies, Mavenir, Nokia and PrivateLTEand5G.com. This month, Airspan Networks confirmed it is joining the group, and more members are expected to be announced for the next update. The group tracks customer deployments from other vendors and invites companies to join its effort to promote the ecosystem and market adoption globally.

The new GSA report Private Mobile Networks, December 2022, available to all GSA Members and Associates subscribing to its GAMBoD service, offers insights on identified pilot and commercial deployments. It includes a full list of organisations rolling out private mobile networks based on LTE or 5G and is segmented by industry, country, network type, technology and spectrum band. A free executive summary of the report can be downloaded here https://gsacom.com/paper/private-mobile-networks-december-2022-summary-report/ (registration required).

“We’re witnessing a steady growth in private mobile network deployments on various levels; in terms of technology, with LTE and 5G both gaining traction, as well as in terms of market reach, with countries all over the world actively deploying the technologies,” said Joe Barrett, President of GSA.

“As we see more and more different applications for private mobile networks in various sectors, such as mining, defence and manufacturing, GSA will keep tracking the state of the market and leading the discussion with our Private Mobile Networks SIG. We’re delighted to welcome Airspan as the newest member and look forward to welcoming more names from across the ecosystem as the market develops”, commented Barrett.

Membership and participation in the GSA Private Mobile Networks SIG are open to companies in the telecommunications sector wishing to promote private mobile networks. For more information on becoming a SIG member, please email secretariat@gsacom.com.

About the Data

The data in GSA’s report represents customers of private mobile networks by country; it is not to be interpreted as measuring the number of network deployments. GSA counts customer references as unique organisations or government entities deploying one or more 3GPP-based 4G LTE or 5G networks in a given country that are worth more than €100,000.

About GSA

GSA is the voice of the global mobile ecosystem, representing companies engaged in the supply of infrastructure, semiconductors, test equipment, devices, applications and mobile support services. It plays a central role in promoting 3GPP technology, advocating spectrum policies and stimulating development of the international mobile telecommunications industry. The association is a single source of information for industry reports and market intelligence.

The GSA GAMBoD database is a unique search-and-analysis tool that has been developed to enable searches of LTE and 5G devices and new global data on mobile broadband networks, technologies and spectrum. Results are presented as a list or in charts. Charts may be inserted into documents or presentations, subject to accreditation of GSA as the source.

GAMBoD is a resource dedicated to promoting the success and growth of the mobile broadband industry and ecosystem and is fully available to all employees of GSA Executive and Ordinary Member companies and GSA Associates who subscribe to the service. More information on GAMBoD is available here: gsacom.com/gambod/

 

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PRESS RELEASE

Nick joins connectivity infrastructure-as-a-service provider Freshwave from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport where he was Engagement Lead. Nick was instrumental in the work of the Digital Connectivity Infrastructure Accelerator, an innovative programme that is dedicated to supporting the rollout of digital connectivity using public sector assets.

Guy Matthews, Freshwave’s Public Sector Sales Director, said: “I’m delighted to welcome Nick to our team. Nick has been leading the charge in driving digital connectivity across the UK. He’ll be a big asset to us in leading the strategic relations with forward-thinking regional and local authorities, and the mobile network operators, to enhance digital connectivity.

“Freshwave was the first provider to sign an open access agreement with a local authority and I know Nick will build upon our successes in this area and beyond.”

Nick Wiggin, Partnerships Lead at Freshwave, said: “I’m a big believer in the power of partnerships in advancing connectivity so I’m excited to join Freshwave, as they’re all about collaborating in new ways to achieve great results. I’m looking forward to helping Freshwave scale up engagement with the public sector by cooperating closely with the mobile network operators and regional authorities to help speed up the process by which local authorities can improve their digital infrastructure.”

Nick has previously spoken at Connected Britain, it returns to London on the 20 – 21 September 2023 – find out more

Press release

Medusa Submarine Cable System chooses the new Orange infrastructure in Marseille to land a new strategic route connecting Southern Europe and North Africa.

Medusa will be the longest submarine cable system in the Mediterranean Sea and will connect nine countries in North Africa and Southern Europe by 2024 and 2025.
Orange will give users of the Medusa subsea cable the ability to access all the Data Centers in Marseille simply and securely, which it will interconnect by setting up brand new fully redundant infrastructure.

Orange, one of the world’s leading telecommunications operators, and Medusa Submarine Cable System, the Mediterranean subsea neutral and independent infrastructure operator, are joining forces to offer an open and high-performance interconnection solution to all partner operators of the Medusa cable.

Medusa will arrive in Marseille in 2024

8,760 km long, Medusa will be the first and longest submarine cable to connect the main Mediterranean countries. The system will connect the two shores of the Mediterranean and provide access to telecommunication infrastructure that is crucial for developing the digital ecosystem of populations in North African countries, as well as six EU member states (Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Greece, and Cyprus). The investment is expected to have positive impacts on the economy of these countries, which will lead to inclusive and sustainable economic growth.

Medusa is an open system that includes 16 landing points around the Mediterranean Sea. The cable will have segments withup to 24 fiber pairs with a capacity of 20 Tbps per fiber pair. Its festoon architecture gives it a unique design. It is expected Medusa cable reaches Marseille during the last quarter of 2024. The system will be ready for service end of 2024 for the West Med region and first half of 2025 for the East Med region.

Orange invests in new submarine cable landing infrastructure in Marseille to make France more attractive as a digital gateway for global exchanges.

Orange, the leading submarine cable landing party in Marseille, is the only operator to have scalable infrastructure in the area of Marseille and to have all the technical expertise required to land and maintain intercontinental submarine cable systems.

Orange is now strengthening its submarine cable access strategy in Marseille with brand new urban infrastructure which route and meshing will increase the resilience and diversity of access and landing points in Marseille, by connecting all the city’s data centers.

Through its sustained work in close collaboration with state and regional services, as well as all local players, Orange offers a unique turnkey solution. Orange will handle all the technical, regulatory, security, and environmental aspects, enabling its partners to enjoy a prime position in Marseille and strengthening France’s attractiveness

By doing this, Orange is enhancing its value proposition to offer every operator around the world access to the capillary connectivity of its international network.

“We are particularly pleased to welcome the Medusa cable to Orange’s infrastructure in the heart of the Mediterranean hub of Marseille, as part of a strategic and ambitious project. By combining our submarine cable landing stations with our new urban infrastructure, we are strengthening Marseille’s attractiveness as a digital gateway to Europe, and beyond that, France’s sovereignty,” explains Michaël Trabbia, interim CEO of Orange Wholesale & International Networks.

Norman Albi, CEO of Medusa, stresses the importance of this agreement: “Marseille has always been a strategic Mediterranean interconnection point and joining forces with Orange means we can offer a cutting-edge service, against a background of growing needs in the digital economy. With this agreement, all Medusa landings in the western Mediterranean are totally secure and ready to be implemented.”

Orange is a major player in global connectivity and submarine cable markets and continues to invest heavily in international connectivity projects. To guarantee and continue to improve the quality of its international networks, Orange invests in over 40 submarine cables worldwide, representing almost 450,000 km.

To view the full press release, click here.

To keep up to date with the latest developments from across the EMEA submarine cable market, join us in London at Submarine Networks EMEA 2023 on 31st May and 1st June. Head to the event website for more details on how to get involved.