Int’l Bytes: Colt, Nokia, Ericsson, Sparkle

Some news from around the world worth noting, with two vendor wins, some new features deployed, and a bit of expansion:

UK-based Colt is expanding its portfolio with two new SD WAN features. The operator now offers VoIP optimization, enabling enterprises to prioritize voice traffic across the company’s SD-WAN infrastructure. And they can now also support IPv6 addresses, relieving the strain caused by limited IPv4 addresses in the face of growing demand from IoT and other new technologies. Both are key steps along the path toward more comprehensive next generation enterprise networks.

A whole bunch of Nokia gear will be deployed in India over the next two years. Airtel and Nokia have signed a $1B+ multi-year deal to enhance Airtel’s network in India, initially in support of 4G but also in preparation for 5G. The deployment will leverage Nokia’s SRAN solution across 9 circles, putting 300K radios in the field on 900Mhz, 1800Mhz, 2100Mhz, and 2300 Mhz. Nokia will be the sole provider in those regions.

Meanwhile, VodafoneZiggo is working on its 5G infrastructure in the Netherlands. They are busy deploying Ericsson’s 5G Core and spectrum sharing products in order to turn up 5G while leveraging existing antennas and infrastructure. In the Dutch market the 3.5Ghz band is not available yet, so in the meantime alternatives are necessary. Nationwide coverage is planned for midsummer.

And Sparkle is adding another African PoP. The international arm of TIM Group has opened a new location in Casablanca, Morocco within Orange Maroc’s data center. The new PoP will enable Sparkle to serve Ethernet, IP-VPN and other lit services to multinational enterprises looking to expand in Morocco, which has a strong economic relationship with both Europe and West Africa.

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Categories: Internet Backbones · SDN · Telecom Equipment · Wireless