Rogers picks Ericsson as sole supplier for 5G Core and RAN

Rogers selected Ericsson as the sole supplier for its 5G radio access network and 5G core across Canada. The Rogers 5G network is initially using 2.5 GHz band and will expand to operate on 600 MHz 5G spectrum as the service rolls out to more markets this year. The Canadian service provider also plans to use 3.5 GHz spectrum and Ericsson Spectrum Sharing, which will allow its 4G spectrum asset to be used for 5G.

The Rogers 5G network is initially using 2.5 GHz band and will expand to operate on 600 MHz 5G spectrum as the service rolls out to more markets this year. Rogers also plans to use 3.5 GHz spectrum and Ericsson Spectrum Sharing, which will allow its 4G spectrum asset to be used for 5G.

Rogers announced earlier this year the rollout of Canada’s first 5G network in downtown Vancouver, Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal. It is also deploying 5G in major Canadian sporting, entertainment and events venues: Rogers Centre in Toronto; Scotiabank Arena in Toronto; and Rogers Arena in Vancouver.

Kevin Zvokel, Head of Networks, Ericsson North America, says: “Ericsson is enabling Rogers to continue to execute on their long-standing commitment to bring Canadians market-leading wireless services in the 5G era. 5G will provide the agility, programmability, flexibility, and scale to address growing consumer and enterprise demands. This functionality will improve customer experience and support the development of compelling new services.”

Ericsson notes that it currently has 95 commercial 5G agreements or contracts with unique communication service providers, of which 40 are live networks.

Bell Canada signs Ericsson for 5G RAN

Tuesday, June 02, 2020  5G, Canada, Ericsson  

Bell Canada has selected Ericsson 5G Radio Access Network (RAN) technology to support its nationwide 5G mobile and fixed wireless access deployment.

The Canadian government is planning to auction 3.5 GHz spectrum later this year.

Niklas Heuveldop, President and Head of Ericsson North America, says, "We are proud to have earned Bell’s trust to be selected as one of their key partners and significantly expand our existing relationship to accelerate the transformation of their network with 5G mobile and fixed wireless technology. With our industry-leading 5G product portfolio, Bell will be able to provide Canadian consumers, enterprises and the public sector with innovative experiences and services whether they are on the move or at home, regardless if they are in urban or rural areas.”

TELUS selects Ericsson and Nokia for 5G

Tuesday, June 02, 2020  5G, Canada, TELUS  

TELUS selected Ericsson and Nokia for its 5G network.

“TELUS has a successful track record of building globally leading networks with amazing speeds, robust quality and extensive coverage that are consistently recognized as the best in the world,” said Darren Entwistle, President and CEO, TELUS. “Our team is committed to rolling out superior network technology from urban to rural communities, fueling our economy and driving innovation as we power Canadians into the 5G era through an unparalleled network experience."

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Canada's PM rejects calls to end extradition proceedings of Huawei exec

In a press briefing on Thursday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he would not move to end extradition proceedings to the U.S. of Meng Wanzhou, Huawei's CFO, in exchange for the release of two Canadians being held by the government of China.

“If countries around the world, including China, realize that by arbitrarily arresting random Canadians they can get what they want out of Canada, politically, well that makes an awful lot more Canadians who travel around the world vulnerable,” stated Trudeau.

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Bell Canada signs Ericsson for 5G RAN

Bell Canada has selected Ericsson 5G Radio Access Network (RAN) technology to support its nationwide 5G mobile and fixed wireless access deployment.

The Canadian government is planning to auction 3.5 GHz spectrum later this year.

Niklas Heuveldop, President and Head of Ericsson North America, says, "We are proud to have earned Bell’s trust to be selected as one of their key partners and significantly expand our existing relationship to accelerate the transformation of their network with 5G mobile and fixed wireless technology. With our industry-leading 5G product portfolio, Bell will be able to provide Canadian consumers, enterprises and the public sector with innovative experiences and services whether they are on the move or at home, regardless if they are in urban or rural areas.”

Stephen Howe, Chief Technology Officer, Bell Canada, says: “Ericsson plays an important role in enabling Bell’s award-winning LTE network and we’re pleased to grow our partnership into 5G mobile and fixed wireless technology. 5G’s high-capacity and near-instant connections will enable next-generation applications like mobile 4K video and immersive augmented reality, connected vehicles and industrial IoT automation on a massive scale, and our plan is to deliver the benefits of the 5G wireless revolution to cities and rural locations alike.”

With this deal, Ericsson now has 93 commercial 5G agreements or contracts with unique communications service providers globally, of which 50 are publicly announced 5G deals.

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TELUS selects Ericsson and Nokia for 5G

TELUS selected Ericsson and Nokia for its 5G network.

“TELUS has a successful track record of building globally leading networks with amazing speeds, robust quality and extensive coverage that are consistently recognized as the best in the world,” said Darren Entwistle, President and CEO, TELUS. “Our team is committed to rolling out superior network technology from urban to rural communities, fueling our economy and driving innovation as we power Canadians into the 5G era through an unparalleled network experience. Our 5G deployment will support economic growth and diversity that will be essential for the virtualization of health, education, teleworking, and stimulating the economic growth and recovery given the impact of COVID-19”.

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Canadian court rules extradition process can continue for Huawei exec

A Canadian court has ruled that the extradition process of Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou to the United States to face fraud charges may continue. The question at hand was whether the case should be dismissed for failing to meet the criteria of "double criminality" -- whether the alleged activity also violates Canadian law.

In a press statement, Huawei expressed its disappointment and said it hoped Canada's judicial system would ultimately "prove Ms. Meng's innocence."

 Huawei's CFO is arrested in Canada, U.S. seeks extradition

Wednesday, December 05, 2018  China, Huawei, People  

Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer and deputy chairwoman of Huawei, was arrested in Vancouver, Canada on December 1st at the request of the U.S. government, which is seeking her extradition, according to multiple news sources. U.S. authorities reportedly are investigating violations of economic sanctions on Iran.

Meng Wanzhou (Sabrina Weng) is the daughter of Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei.

• A biography on Huawei's website says Meng Wanzhou joined the company in 1993 and has previously held the positions of Director of the International Accounting Dept, CFO of Huawei Hong Kong, and President of the Accounting Mgmt Dept. She is credited with the founding of five shared service centers around the world, the completion of Huawei's Global Payment Center in Shenzhen, leading an eight-year partnership with IBM focused on Integrated Financial Services.

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Oracle Cloud region launches in Montreal

Oracle activated a new Gen 2 Cloud region in Montreal.

The announcement follows the launch of its Toronto Cloud region last year, making Canada Oracle’s latest country offering dual cloud regions

In addition to the Montreal cloud region, Oracle recently announced the opening of four Gen 2 Cloud Regions in Melbourne (Australia), Jeddah (Saudi Arabia), Osaka (Japan) and Amsterdam (the Netherlands). Oracle has now opened 17 Gen 2 Cloud regions in the past year and currently operates 21 regions globally—16 commercial and five government—the fastest expansion by any major cloud provider. By the end of this year, the company plans to open additional new cloud regions in the US (San Jose, CA), Brazil (Vinhedo), the UK (Newport, Wales), India (Hyderabad), South Korea (Chuncheon), Singapore, Israel, South Africa, Chile (Santiago), Saudi Arabia and two in the United Arab Emirates.

Oracle Gen 2 Cloud regions include:
Asia Pacific: Tokyo, Osaka, Seoul, Mumbai, Sydney, Melbourne
Americas: Phoenix, Ashburn, Toronto, Sao Paolo, Montreal
Europe: Frankfurt, London, Zurich, Amsterdam
Middle East: Jeddah
Government: two general U.S. Government regions, three U.S. Department of Defense specific Government regions

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Kaloom appoints McGinn as Chairman of Board

Kaloom, a start-up offering a programmable and automated data center fabric,  recently appointed Richard A. McGinn as Board Chairman.

McGinn previously served as CEO of VeriFone Systems, one of the world's largest point of sale terminal vendors and a leading provider of payment and commerce solutions, and CEO of Lucent, a multinational telecommunications equipment company. While at Lucent, McGinn oversaw and directed engineering, research and investments of more than $4 billion annually, and was involved in the acquisition of, or investment in, more than 30 technology companies. McGinn was also a founder and Investor of Sky Capital from 2014 to 2016. Additionally, he was a General Partner of M.R. Investment Partners from 2010 to 2014 and of RRE Ventures from 2001 to 2010.

In addition, Kaloom appointed Hitendra Sonny Soni as Senior Vice President of Worldwide Sales and Marketing.  Soni has previously held executive positions at Snaproute/Infoblox, HPE, CliQr/Cisco, ServiceMesh/DXC, VCE, Accelerated Networks/Calix and Xylan/Alcatel-Lucent.


https://www.kaloom.com/

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Videotron picks Samsung for 4G/5G in Quebec

Videotron has selected Samsung Electronics to provide 4G LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) and 5G radio access networks solutions.

Starting in early 2020, Samsung will deliver 4G LTE-A solutions across Quebec and Ottawa in which the solutions from Samsung include Massive MIMO and Dual-band base stations, supporting the operator’s 4G LTE frequencies, and 5G solutions for both 3.5GHz and 28GHz spectrum.

Videotron anticipates commercial launch in late 2020.

“We have been all over the world to find the best supplier suited to meet the evolving needs of our customers. This partnership will allow us to deliver the most advanced telecommunications solutions to Quebecers. While 4G technology has profoundly transformed telecommunications in the world, LTE Advanced and 5G will undoubtedly revolutionize the way we interact with our loved ones and the environment around us,” said Jean François Pruneau, President and Chief Executive Officer of Videotron.

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Comcast Business extends into Canada with iTel Networks

Comcast Business signed an access agreement with iTel Networks Inc., a leading Canadian network service provider, to deliver managed broadband services to U.S.-based enterprise customers with a presence in Canada.

Specifically, Comcast Business will leverage iTel Networks’ vendor relationships to expand Comcast Business’ footprint and support its U.S.-based Enterprise Solutions customers’ locations throughout Canada with its Managed Broadband offering.

“Our Enterprise Solutions team has uncovered a wealth of opportunities for Comcast Business to deliver services outside the U.S. Many of our existing enterprise customers and prospects have locations outside the United States; in particular, in Canada,” said Glenn Katz, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Comcast Business Enterprise Solutions. “We’re excited to announce that we are leveraging this exciting new relationship with iTel Networks to serve our Managed Broadband enterprise customers’ Canadian locations.”

https://business.comcast.com/

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Bell Canada to deactivate CDMA at end of the month

Bell confirmed that it will proceed with previously announced plans to deactivate its legacy CDMA network on April 30th.

Customers in remaining CDMA coverage areas in Manitoba, Ontario, Québec and the Atlantic provinces have been notified that they will transition to Bell LTE by April 30.

"Bell is proud to welcome our CDMA customers to Canada's best national mobile network. The Bell LTE network always sets the standard in wireless speed, capacity and quality and will continue to evolve as we prepare for the introduction of 5G wireless," said Stephen Howe, Bell's Chief Technology Officer. "Our Network team looks forward to leveraging efficiencies from our CDMA shutdown, including repurposing existing site structures, fibre connections and power systems, to further enhance our industry-leading LTE network."

http://www.Bell.ca/CDMAnetwork

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Corning opens software R&D center in Montreal

Corning opened an R&D center in Montreal, Canada, focused on discovering and developing software solutions for the telecommunications industry.

The Corning Technology Center Montreal will serve as Corning's global center of software innovation to support emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, augmented reality, cloud computing, and data analytics, as well as software solutions for optical-wireless networks. Software engineers from Corning's Research, Development and Engineering organization will collaborate with developers from iBwave Solutions, the Montreal-based provider of networking software solutions that Corning acquired in 2015.

The Montreal site joins Corning's network of research and development laboratories throughout North America, Europe and Asia, anchored by the company's Sullivan Park innovation center in Corning, N.Y. Over the next three to five years, Corning intends to hire software engineers, development team managers, and data analysts at the Montreal center.

"The combination of transformative technologies and applications such as 5G, artificial intelligence, and the Internet of Things depends on the optical connectivity solutions made possible by Corning's innovations," said Claudio Mazzali, senior vice president of technology for Corning's Optical Communications business segment. "The work that will take place here in our Montreal technology center will extend Corning's innovation capabilities beyond optical transport and connectivity, all the way to the intelligence required to deploy and enable those applications. Montreal is emerging as a major center of software innovation, and Corning is glad to be part of it."

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Shaw optimizes fiber backbone with Fujitsu

Shaw Communications has optimized its fiber-optic network with the Fujitsu Network Communications' 1FINITY platform and Virtuora software.

The Fujitsu 1FINITY T310 Transport and 1FINITY L100 Lambda series blades combined with the Virtuora Network Control Solution provided Shaw with a modular, programmable, optical networking solution to enhance network utilization, capacity and performance, and were well suited to help Shaw achieve its connectivity goals. The Virtuora solution offers software-defined network control capability, network planning and design, network management, as well as service fulfillment and assurance functions.

“Everything we do is driven by our customers, and we are committed to enhancing our network with new technologies to meet their growing need for connectivity,” said Damian Poltz, Vice President, Technology, Strategy & Network, Shaw Communications. “Fujitsu has helped make our network more agile and scalable, especially in urban areas — which will allow us to continue delivering a seamless connectivity experience.”

"Combining our technology with Shaw’s infrastructure has allowed us to enable a virtualized, programmable network with automated applications and faster service provisioning,” said Paul Fagan, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Fujitsu Network Communications, Inc. “Fujitsu’s integrated 1FINITY and Virtuora platforms allows operators to meet their customers’ needs today and well into the future, in a cost-efficient way."

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Oracle opens Toronto data center

Oracle inaugurated a Toronto data center to support in-region customer demand for its public Oracle Cloud Infrastructure service.

Oracle plans to open additional regions in Australia, Europe, Japan, South Korea, India, Brazil, the Middle East, and the United States, including Virginia, Arizona, and Illinois to support public sector and Department of Defense customers. This expansion complements an existing Edge network consisting of more than 30 global locations and 300 plus sensors, providing Oracle customers with a comprehensive Internet performance data set, and deep edge services capabilities.

“Enterprises in the region still have limited ability to run mission-critical applications in the cloud and are struggling to attain the level of performance they have on-premises without a major overhaul,“ said Don Johnson, executive vice president, product development, Oracle Cloud Infrastructure. “With this new location Oracle is delivering on its promise to deliver even more customers with consistent high performance, low predictable pricing and the flexibility our cloud brings to the table.“

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NTT Com activates Global IP PoP in Toronto

NTT Communications (NTT Com) has expanded its tier-1 Global IP Network with a new Point-of-Presence (PoP) in Toronto, Canada.

NTT Com customers will be able to connect at numerous capacity levels including 100G ports with confirmed diversity and direct connections to multiple points in the Global IP Network to ensure the highest reliability and the lowest latency in the IP services.

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NTT DATA acquires Canada's Sierra Systems for IT consulting

NTT DATA Services, the global technology services arm of the NTT Group, agreed to acquire Sierra Systems Group, Inc., the Canadian subsidiary of The Sierra-Cedar Group, Inc. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, Sierra Systems is a leading IT services and consulting firm offering a full range of IT consulting, systems integration, and application managed services across Canada.

In addition to industry and geographical expansion, Sierra Systems will expand NTT DATA’s digital services capabilities and bolster its talent in core areas, such as Microsoft Dynamics, Oracle and ServiceNow. Through its global capabilities and strength in infrastructure, application and digital services, NTT DATA will bring a broader portfolio of services to Sierra Systems’ existing clients as well as other Canadian companies.

“Sierra Systems’ reputation as a trusted advisor in Canada is evidenced by the strength of their client relationships, many of which have spanned decades,” said Bob Pryor, CEO, NTT DATA Services. “With the addition of Sierra Systems’ talented team, we’ll expand our ability to deliver innovation and business outcomes to clients in Canada and extend our North American delivery capabilities. Growth prospects are very strong in Canada, so this is an attractive market as we continue to grow globally.”

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Bell Canada launches Virtual Network Services platform

Bell launched its new Virtual Network Services (VNS) platform, offering enterprise customers across Canada a catalogue of on-demand network functions that reside securely in Bell's private cloud.

Bell also announced it will be the first Canadian service provider to offer a managed SD-WAN (software-defined wide area network) solution powered by Cisco Viptela, the first Virtual Network Function offered on the Bell VNS platform.

"Bell VNS is a revolutionary way for business customers to adapt their networks quickly and efficiently while reducing their hardware expenses," said Tom Little, President of Bell Business Markets. "The Bell VNS service experience offers a new level of control, flexibility and automation through software-driven networks."

http://Bell.ca/VNS

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Rogers ready to light up LTE-M in Ontario

Rogers is preparing to launch its LTE Cat M1 network (LTE-M) in Ontario before the end of the year.  Nationwide coverage will follow in 2019/2020.

to help businesses connect and track their assets in real time – using solutions such as logistics tracking, alarm monitoring, and smart metering.

LTE-M will connect fixed and mobile low-power IoT devices over long distances, with longer battery life and better network coverage in hard to reach areas than regular 2G3G/4G.

“As leaders in IoT, we are committed to supporting our customers as they explore the capabilities and benefits available through Rogers rapidly growing IoT ecosystem,” said Dean Prevost, President, Enterprise, Rogers Communications. “With the launch of LTE-M, we are empowering the adoption of reliable, low cost, and secure IoT solutions that support a variety of use cases such as asset tracking, smart cities, utilities, transportation, and supply chain management.”

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Digital Realty opens 46 Megawatt Data Center in Toronto

Digital Realty had opened its third data center in Toronto at the site of the former Toronto Star printing plant.

The facility will provide up to 46 megawatts of critical power capacity. It spans over 66,000 square meters (711,000 square feet).

Some highlights

• The new facility is engineered to deliver a Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) of 1.25 annualized at full capacity and will be one of Canada's most efficient and reliable data centers.
• With 23 computer rooms ranging from 800 to 1,200 square meters (approximately 8,600 to 13,000 square feet), it can accommodate power capacities from one to three megawatts per room.
• Resiliencies range from n to 2n with a power density range of 1,000 to more than 4,000 watts per square meter (approximately 100 to 300 watts per square foot).
• The facility is adjacent to a utility sub-station, providing direct access to low-cost power.
• Proximity to downtown Toronto, major highways, and an international airport makes for easy accessibility.

"Toronto is home to a booming financial services industry and a burgeoning roster of large technology companies and emerging tech startups for whom digital transformation is driving enterprise initiatives," said Digital Realty Chief Executive Officer A. William Stein. "We are very excited to be converting the iconic Toronto Star building into a revolutionary new data center, ideal for cloud providers, financial services companies and enterprises of all sizes. The grand opening is another important milestone in achieving our strategic goal of building an unparalleled global network of top-tier data centers in major cities and interconnection hubs around the world."

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Private investors to acquire Mitel

An investor group led by affiliates of Searchlight Capital Partners has agreed to acquire Mitel for approximately $2.0 billion in cash, including Mitel’s net debt.

Mitel shareholders will receive $11.15 per common share in cash, representing a premium of approximately 24% to the 90-calendar-day volume-weighted average price of Mitel common shares through April 23, 2018. 

Upon completion of the transaction, Mitel will become a privately held company.

Terry Matthews, Mitel Co-founder and Chairman, said, “Mitel has succeeded for 45 years because of persistent innovation and relentless focus on delivering shareholder value. Our Board determined that this transaction, upon closing, will deliver immediate, significant and certain cash value to our shareholders. It also affirms the tremendous value and market leadership of Mitel. We believe this transaction will provide Mitel with additional flexibility as a private company to pursue the company’s move-to-the-cloud strategy.”

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Zayo to provide dark fiber ring in the Montreal for cloud company

Zayo will build a high-capacity dark fiber ring in the Montreal metro area to a global cloud provider. The project involves the extension of Zayo's existing dense network in Montreal and building a 60-kilometer ring for the anchor tenant along the South Shore, the city’s growing technology and data center hub. The name of the anchor tenant was not disclosed.

“This project enables us to further expand our Canadian footprint and deliver the high-performance communications infrastructure that this long-standing customer merits,” said Jack Waters, CTO and president of Fiber Solutions at Zayo. “We expect to capture the benefits of scale leveraging our dense Montreal footprint and these new success-based routes.”

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