Jeffrey C.Y. Li

The industry is buzzing about Apple's support for RCS services—it's been a hot topic lately. As someone deeply involved in the RCS world, I can barely contain my excitement. Apple has long favored its messaging platform, iMessage, over adopting RCS. Its reluctance likely stemmed from wanting to ensure user experience and security. The adoption of RCS could ramp up Apple's competition with Meta, although it won't necessarily challenge WhatsApp directly. But it's a positive move for Google and MNOs. With SMS usage dwindling, RCS was being relegated to advertising, reminders, and one-time passwords. A strong person-to-person service is also essential to complement business services, which are now a primary revenue source. Without personal messages, opening rates and campaign ROI would plummet. If Google and Apple push RCS for deeper device integration, it could shake up the OTT/messaging landscape. This could be a game changer for businesses, allowing them to connect more effectively with customers. RCS streamlines enterprise-customer communication, unlike OTT apps that require downloads. With Apple’s adoption, the gap in rich messaging functionality between platforms will narrow. As a leader in the industry, I am eager to see how this shift will reshape the dynamics of digital communication. We all need to be ready as we step into this exciting new chapter. Globe Teleservices Pte. Ltd. GTS TechLabs Rajiv Singla Sudip Chatterjee Pallavi Kudtarkar Awnish Chaudhary Alok Maurya Ranga R S (He/Him) Murthy Muniyappa Prabhat Kumar CERF Solutions Pvt. Ltd. Chris Almeida Akbar Ladak

93

2 Comments

Join experts from Ciena, TeleGeography, and Colt on May 21 at 10:00 Eastern Time for a live webinar discussing growth in bandwidth demand that is driving new technologies and new trans-Atlantic cables.

1

Cord Cutters not seeking live TV certainly should be a red flag to cable companies. But more importantly, it should be a harbinger of doom for the off-air stations that broke the CATV market to begin with by demanding higher than justified rates. With the limited coverage area of UHF digital signals, local TV stations need the CATV and streaming markets to retain their customer base. Without that added base, advertising dollars will go down, resulting in increasing costs to the remaining CATV and streaming platforms; a continuing death spiral. Rural areas will be hurt the most, as they will lose reliable local news and weather sources. https://lnkd.in/g8P7Ae6b

8

5 Comments

One of the final sessions I attended this week at #ConnectX24 was about the US adoption of open-access (wholesale) #FTTP. I have to admit that I'm not currently a deep expert on the US fixed-line #broadband sector, but given I'm increasingly focused on this fibre, it seemed like a good place to start. I'll also aim to go to the Fiber Broadband Association at the end of July in Nashville, for a full deep-dive.   My main takeaway is that US wholesale and open-access FTTH is still at an early stage, but has a number of important catalysts: - Good fit with the new government BEAD funding model - Desire for mobile operators to get into #FTTX (as well as #FWA) - Lots of infrastructure capital sloshing around still, especially if interest rates start to fall again - Municipalities and energy companies with increasing emphasis on gigabit connectivity That said, it's fairly early days for the US #openaccess model, despite some early signs such as Gigapower (AT&T + BlackRock), UTOPIA Fiber and one of the panellists A2D, Inc. The main difference I see compared to most European markets is that incumbent broadband providers (cable or telco) have much less emphasis on wholesale.    This firstly means that the ecosystem of diverse retail ISPs doesn’t really exist to the same degree in the US, and big players like mobile-only operators and content firms don’t really push into residential broadband the way that (say) Vodafone or brands like TalkTalk have in the UK. So while European open fibre networks have a relatively easy pitch of selling to existing VDSL-based ISPs who want to migrate their existing customer base, in the US there will need to be a bit of a rethink. It's a potential opportunity for new fibre-based retail ISPs, or adjacent sector brands, but it maybe looks a bit like MVNOs, especially if the wholesaler also has its own retail arm. That said, A2B said they already had Tier-1 operators interested in onboarding to their systems, and given that there are no truly national footprints among the telcos and cablecos, it might be the key tenants are those players operating out-of-area. The other difference are around the large physical size and low population density of the US. A rural area in Wyoming or Kansas is very different to a rural area in the UK, France or Ireland, and the fibre economics look very different. There aren't the relatively densely-concentrated villages that are common in Europe - rural settlements are spread along roads, or on isolated individual properties. That's where FWA and satellite broadband are likely in a stronger position. The panel's final question was about timing for the US open-access market to mature. Most thought maybe 6-8 years - but the moderator was more pessimistic and thought doubling that could be more realistic. Overall, an interesting starting point, but I need to dig deeper before I conclude that the US fibre market is going to delayer to wholesale & retail at scale, like some other countries.

26

7 Comments

The FCC's upcoming net neutrality rules won't single out 5G network slicing, sticking to the broader guidelines set in 2015. Despite T-Mobile's push for specific provisions, the agency views current policies as robust enough to cover new technologies like network slicing. #5G #NetNeutrality #NetworkSlicing https://lnkd.in/eywFVqgT

1

Ugh - not good news for the #ucaas ecosystem. Another writedown for Vonage, as the synergies for Ericsson to help carriers sell API-led applications and solutions to enterprises aren't happening, at least fast enough. Actually, this has minimal impact on #ucaas, but the game plan here is based on Vonage having a strong installed base for comms solutions to pave the way #network and #wireless services. UC Today #ucoms

7

Explore a breakdown of key findings based on an anonymized pool of security customers, all from the 2023 Comcast Business cyberthreat report. Direct message me today on LinkedIn to learn about our new Comcast Business MDR solution. #CBMDR #cyberthreats #cybersecurity #comcastbusiness #iworkforcomcast

3

RapidScale is excited to be a sponsor at Intelisys's AMP'd Solo Cloud Boston! 🚀🌟 Connect with Therese McGovern and Jim Marchese to delve into innovative cloud solutions that could transform your business. This is an invaluable opportunity to enhance your knowledge and sales skills in the ever-evolving domain of cloud computing. Attend this distinctive gathering that zeroes in on sophisticated strategies for selling cybersecurity solutions, where you'll uncover: • Comprehensive Insights into Cloud Solutions: Dive deep into the most recent advancements and technologies within the industry. • Panels and Discussions Led by Experts: Absorb wisdom from leading figures in the sector and engage in conversations about the critical role of managed services. • Crafting Your Value Proposition: Master articulating your unique value to clients, opening up further possibilities in the security arena. • Skills for Qualifying Deals: Learn how to initiate discussions with potential customers about security prospects and effectively assess opportunities before bringing in experts. 🔗 Register Today: https://gag.gl/22oQxl

3

1 Comment

As long as antennas remain the bottleneck in wireless broadband networks, the need for spectrum will grow along with the growth in network traffic

2

Interested in learning more about options for deploying FTTH and Wireless Networks efficiently? Check out this webinar today.

39

Did you know T-Mobile for Business has the only nationwide #5G standalone #network in the U.S.? 5G Standalone is a "100% 5G network," built entirely on the latest 5G technology—without depending on older 4G systems like non-standalone 5G does. Standalone 5G is faster and more efficient than our 4G systems. And you need 5G standalone for innovations like: ✅ Network slicing ✅ Ultra-low latency ✅ Private 5G networks Discover how 5G standalone can take your business further: https://t-mo.co/4bKYfiT

9

1 Comment

Sanil Nambiar and Denis Murphy are part of my brain trust for AI in Telecom Networks. If you are at this event and curious about how AI can bring cost leadership for CSPs this should be on your agenda. #watsonx

16

As a channel partner to Vecima Networks Inc., we could not be more excited about their performance and new solutions. At ANGA COM last week, one of the greatest new products I discovered was Vecima's new Entra®️ vCMTS. It’s a reliable and scalable solution for the entire broadband industry. Vecima actually achieved their All-time Best Quarterly Performance with Revenue of $80.1M. “This is a tremendously exciting time for Vecima, with multiple growth engines now starting to converge just as demand for our next-generation DAA and IPTV solutions is accelerating worldwide. As we move into the fourth quarter, we expect to continue building on the strong run rate established in Q3, while setting the stage for continued momentum in fiscal 2025. We are executing successfully and profitably on our growth strategy, and moving into a new era of growth,” Sumit Kumar, Vecima’s President and Chief Executive Officer. Vecima’s Entra revenue was fueled by the company’s Remote PHY deal (announced last year) with Charter Communications . The operator is using Vecima’s Entra Remote PHY devices to upgrade its network to DOCSIS 4.0. Additionally, Vecima continues to add more customers in North America and Europe, as well as partnerships to address the larger European market, which will also see steady growth in RPD deployments to take advantage of the signal quality improvements they provide. For the third consecutive year Dell'Oro Group has recognized Vecima as the 2023 market share leader in Remote OLTs and Remote MACPHY. On the fiber side, Vecima has completed lab trials and initiated field trials for its Entra All-PON shelf, which allows operators to “cost-effectively deploy fiber-to-the-premises in any market or hub deployment configuration. Vecima is making it easier than ever to deploy DAA and fiber solutions that are tailored to meet specific subscriber demands. Their Entra®️ EXS1610 All-PON Shelf supports all predominantly deployed Passive Optical Network variants. Wondering how to future proof your network? Let’s meet & explore the unique advantages offered by Vecima’s solutions, from scalability, ease of deployment, and cost effectiveness to enhanced performance and future-proofing capabilities. #Broadband #FTTH #ANGACOM #SCTE #PON #RPHY #RMACPHY #10G #VCMTS #Telecommunication #OLTs https://lnkd.in/e9m8NVcp

8

🎙️ And we're live! Connected Communications, the new podcast from Proactive International PR has landed! Featuring industry experts, leading communications professionals, and other guest speakers, Connected Communications will provide engaging conversations and practical takeaways on the latest industry trends, PR strategies, and marketing tactics. Huge shout-out to Conor Woodhall who has driven this forward from initial idea to today's official launch. Listen to the podcast below and stay tuned for more podcast news coming soon. #ConnectedCommunications #b2btech #PodcastLaunch

3

This week's Brief is out. In a hat tip to yesterday (May 4), we discuss T-Mobile's Lumos transaction - why it makes a lot of sense. Also, many other items in the market commentary... More inside #sundaybrief

11

Preview-- We want the money back now. This is not history. We request- $1.5 billion back from Verizon for just New York to be used for fiber to the home projects paid for via these construction cross-subsidies and rate increases for 2022 and 2023. The Verizon NY 2023 financial Annual Report, published May 23, 2024 - last month, shows that $787 million dollars was charged to the Local Service expenses --for 'construction in progress' for just 2023, and an additional $168 million was used as 'working capital' There is no construction for the copper-based local service; the company stopped selling the service. And yet, this excerpt from the published (and filed with the NY PSC), Verizon 2023 financial report shows that Local Service paid 73% of the total expenses -- more than 'backhaul' and data services or FiOS video and VOIP (nonregulated) services. Every state's telecommunications public utility has a similar budget that is still being charged -- but is not being used for fiber to the home. As we document via filings by the NY AG, 75% of the utility budget was diverted to wireless -- starting around 2011.-- and that was 13 years ago, and it has never stopped. We do not want audits. We do not want investigations, all of which we asked for over the last decade. We want the 2023 and 2022 "work in progress" expenses and the 'working capital" -- to be be used immediately for fiber to the home build outs, already paid for via a continuous stream of rate increases. "Plant" is the term used for telecommunications "infrastructure" -- and there are 3 primary lines of business of which local service, the copper-based, voice, intra-state service, (which is no longer offered), is charged almost a billion dollars, in just 2023-- which are then used to calculate rate increases. $1.5 billion for 2022 and 2023 is the start of what we believe Verizon should be paying in just New York. Now examine the other 49 states accounting for "work in progress" being charged-- they are using identical manipulated accounting formulas, created with the help of the FCC. -- an upcoming story. #verizon #fiberoptic #copperwire #broadband #digitalDivide #internet #netneutrality #ACP #Digitalequity #FCC

8

4 Comments

Smart television set owners are moving away from using cable hookups and antennas to access content and are instead opting to stream content from broadcast and cable channels via platforms like YouTube TV, according to Vizio's Inscape data unit. "With a variety of apps and devices, smart TVs can access live, linear TV airing on broadcast or cable networks. In Q1 2024, nearly a quarter of that 'must-see-live' content was streamed," Inscape says. https://lnkd.in/gc2m3934

4

How can you assure broadband performance and deliver an exceptional subscriber experience? Here are 3 ways Calix Success can help: 1️⃣ Education to scale your expertise. 2️⃣ Guidance to drive operational efficiency. 3️⃣ Performance testing to ensure regulatory compliance. Learn more about partnering for success in this recent blog by Quinn Clelland, Product Marketing Specialist at Calix. 🔗https://ow.ly/QbCW50SrCfX

3

You might have heard that Mitel MiCloud will phase out after 2029. What does that mean to Mitel users? What are your options? Packet Fusion's latest FAQ provides all the information about what the transition means, your options, and how to get the support you need to plan your next steps! https://buff.ly/4dj1teF #Mitel #MiCloudConnect #MitelFAQ #DigitalTransformation #CloudSolutions

6