Cloud Bursts: Another Fine Mesh From Microsoft

Also: Palo Alto Networks acquired Twistlock and PureSec, for container and serverless security, respectively; Google connects Australia and Southeast Asia with subsea cable; VMware and Dell report earnings.

VMware Sees ‘Significant Opportunity’ in $10B JEDI Deal

VMware partners with both JEDI cloud contract finalists, Amazon and Microsoft. “So we see this as a significant opportunity,” said CEO Pat Gelsinger.

Pompeo reiterates intelligence threat over Huawei

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is on another European road trip just to make sure those rational and pragmatic Europeans understand the threats from the US.

Samsung buoyed by Dell’Oro report on 5G RAN

A recent study on the mobile RAN market by Dell’Oro Group gave Samsung more to crow about in its quest to boost its 5G market share.

Wearables are on the up – IDC

Global shipments of wearable devices are increasingly healthily increasing, according to IDC estimates, up 55% to 49.6 million over the first three months of 2019.

Trump set to raise the stakes over Huawei during UK visit

US President Trump will reportedly threaten to withdraw some intelligence cooperation with the UK unless it bans Huawei, when he visits.

Telefónica Spain boosts network automation with Nokia

Telefónica Spain will use Nokia's Deepfield Cloud analytics platform to improve visibility and automation in real time in its Fusion network.

Huawei Crackdown Hits Open Source Groups

The U.S. government’s crackdown on Huawei is starting to impact its involvement in standards-defining bodies and open source communities.

Amazon rumoured to be rummaging around Boost

Amazon is rumoured to be one of the parties interested in purchasing Sprint’s prepaid Boost, and while it might be a long-shot, all rumours eventually seem lead back to Amazon at some point.

How long can Uber keep bleeding cash?

It is becoming increasingly popular to invest in money-bleeding technology giants in preparation of an inflection point in profits, but you have to wonder how long Uber will be able to hold on for.

Nutanix’s Sunil Potti Leaves for Google Amid Revenue Miss

Nutanix’s chief product and development officer is the latest Silicon Valley exec to jump ship for Google Cloud as former Google Cloud CTO Brian Stevens joins Nutanix’s board of directors.

U.S.-China trade tensions impact Dell's Q1 server sales

Citing ongoing trade tensions between the U.S. and China, Dell Technologies said its server revenue was down in its first fiscal quarter.

China hits back at U.S. with its own blacklist

The Chinese government said it will pursue “necessary measures” against companies on the list, which will likely include U.S. firms.

Amazon is considering a bid for Boost Mobile: Reuters

Amazon is interested in getting into the wireless business via a potential bid to buy Boost Mobile, according to a Reuters report.

VMware jockeys for a piece of Pentagon's $10B JEDI contract

Due to its partnerships with Microsoft and AWS, VMware appears to be well-positioned to get a piece of the Pentagon's $10 billion JEDI contract.

Telefónica Taps Nokia Deepfield to Improve Network Performance

The Spanish operator says the software will increase network visibility and allow it to automate its operations to improve overall service performance.

What Would Amazon Want With Assets from the 'New' T-Mobile?

Amazon is reportedly interested in purchasing the assets that might be divested from the merger of Sprint and T-Mobile. But what exactly does the Internet giant want to do with those assets?

Could Cable MSOs Buy Some of T-Mobile's Spectrum?

T-Mobile and Sprint are open to divesting some spectrum to get their merger stamped at the DoJ, and a report in Bloomberg said Comcast and Charter are interested buyers. Comcast, however, disagrees.

Omniverse Drops Live OTT-TV Service for 'Single-Dwelling' Residential Subs

Following review of the controversial Hovsat contract, Omniverse said it will now focus on live TV services for operators of multi-dwelling units and apartment buildings.

Comcast, Charter Game to Buy Some of T-Mobile's Spectrum – Report

T-Mobile and Sprint are open to divesting some spectrum to get their merger stamped at the DoJ, and Comcast and Charter are interested in buying what might become available, Bloomberg says.

Eurobites: Trump to Use UK State Visit to Bang On About Huawei

Also in today's EMEA regional roundup: Deutsche Telekom warns against buying Huawei smartphones; Telefónica casts around for rural connectivity ideas; CityFibre offers fiber to Cheltenham.

Scenes From Sprint's Big 5G Launch

Hey, did Sprint just become the first US carrier to offer true mobile 5G?

WiCipedia: Fembots Create Gender Divide & Snap Tackles Culture Issues

This week in our WiC roundup: Nokia commits to pay equality; female AI assistants promote sexism; Snap's culture gets put in its place; and more.

In T-Mobile/Sprint talks, getting to 4 sparks more questions

Amid reports that the Department of Justice is exploring conditions that could create a fourth competitor if the proposed combination of T-Mobile and Sprint…

Tech giants hit back against GCHQ’s ‘Ghost Protocol’

GCHQ’s new proposal to supposedly increase the security and police force’s ability to keep us safe has been slammed by the technology industry, suggesting the argument contradicts itself.

Sprint turns on ‘true’ mobile 5G with Massive MIMO and ENDC

Sprint has deployed Massive MIMO radios from Ericsson, which use 64 transmitters/64 receivers. The radios run on Sprint’s 2.5 GHz mid-band spectrum.

Altice’s wireless offering will be cheap but profitable, expert says

Unlike Comcast and Charter, Altice is an infrastructure-based MVNO, which means it has more control over the user experience and can negotiate lower network…

T-Mobile/Sprint merger might be heading towards a ‘no’ – report

The merger approval process is heading towards the business-end of proceedings, and the omens are not looking particularly healthy for T-Mobile US and Sprint.

EE spares no expense in hyping official 5G launch but coverage is mixed

UK mobile operator EE has finally flicked on the 5G switch in six cities but not everyone is as excited about it as Stormzy.

Google Loon up-and-floating to aid Peru earthquakes

Commercial contract negotiations with Telefonica Peru have allowed Google’s Loon to respond to Amazonian earthquakes within 48-hours of receiving the call.

Palo Alto Networks goes on a buying spree

Palo Alto Networks is paying $410 million in cash to buy container security vendor Twistlock, and it's also buying serverless security startup PureSec.

Businesses object to FCC’s plan to block robocalls

Businesses fear the rule may result in carriers blocking important calls from businesses that are trying to reach their customers.

Nvidia EGX Launches With Partners Including Red Hat, Cisco, AWS

The edge platform has more than 40 early-access customers including BMW, Foxconn, GE Healthcare, Seagate Technology, and Harvard Medical School.

Sprint’s 5G Network Goes Live in 4 Cities

Sprint made good on its promise to deliver 5G services in Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, and Kansas City before the end of May.

MapR Slashes Jobs as it Looks to Stay Afloat

The company pushed back against published reports that it was shutting down and that the job cuts were hitting much of MapR’s executive suite.

5G standalone will become ‘tipping point’ for VoLTE: report

Operators looking to offer voice over 5G will need to pursue VoLTE more aggressively, says Dell'Oro Group's Dave Bolan.

5G Is AT&T’s No. 3 Priority

The operator’s top five priorities are the FirstNet buildout, LTE Advanced deployments, 5G, fiber, and network virtualization efforts.

Cisco drove Q1 campus switching market growth: report

According to a report by Dell'Oro Group, Cisco's Catalyst 9000 switches helped fuel campus switching market growth in the first quarter of this year.

AT&T responds to C-Band Alliance plan

The C-Band Alliance said it is reviewing AT&T's detailed technical analysis of its plan to make C-band spectrum available for terrestrial 5G…

NXP buys Marvell’s Wi-Fi connectivity assets for $1.76B

With about $300 million in revenue in Marvell’s fiscal 2019, NXP anticipates revenue associated with the acquired assets to double by 2022.

CrowdStrike Sets IPO Share Price, Targets $414 Million

The endpoint security unicorn plans to sell 18 million shares at between $19 and $23 each when it debuts on the Nasdaq exchange.

NYC public transport finally gets the mobile payments memo

Despite the US being the leading voice in the technology industry, adoption of some pretty well-established technologies has been lagging across the country.

Colt battens down encryption across its Ethernet portfolio

Colt Technology Services announced on Thursday that it's using encryption technology from Adva to deliver a low-latency, end-to-end security service…

DOJ mulls 4th carrier condition to Sprint/T-Mobile merger

The Justice Department is concerned that the $26.5 million proposed merger would reduce competition in the wireless market.

Gogo Plans to Launch 5G in the Sky in 2021

The In-flight broadband services provider aims to use unlicensed spectrum in the 2.4 GHz band and utilize its existing ground network of 250 cell towers.

Dave Shull Named TiVo CEO Amid Plan to Split Biz

As an exec at The Weather Company, Shull helped that company separate out and sell off its digital assets and technologies and its TV business.

Nokia CTO: Private Wireless Could Be 2x Bigger Than Commercial Wireless

Nokia's CTO said that there are currently around 7 million total base stations in operation by the world's commercial wireless network operators – and that the market for private wireless networks could be twice that big.

Motorola Launches Second 5G-Compatible Smartphone

The new Motorola z4 smartphone works on Verizon's millimeter-wave 5G networks in Chicago and Minneapolis.

5G4REAL: Storytellers Unveil 5G-Powered Projects

In late 2018, Verizon and the Independent Filmmaker Project (IFP) invited a cohort of creators to explore how 5G technology could breathe life into their work. After a months-long residency at RYOT Studios in Los Angeles, three creative teams showcased how 5G can make live motion capture, a typically cumbersome production process, both faster and cheaper.

The Beginning of the End of Omniverse?

SkyStreamTV, one of its partners, says it was informed that Omniverse will shut down residential TV services on May 31. Meanwhile, the Omniverse website is 'under construction.'

Blockgraph Braces for Data Wave About to Hit TV Advertising

Unit incubated at Comcast's FreeWheel ad-tech unit and mix of partners are pushing ahead with blockchain-powered techniques as the adoption of data-driven TV advertising nears a tipping point.

Startup Cuts Network Clutter With 'Lean NFV'

Nefeli is implementing a commercial version of the new, open 'Lean NFV' architecture to simplify network functions virtualization on carrier networks.

Sprint Launches 5G All Around Dallas

Everyone else will tout network firsts and download speeds, but Sprint plays to its strengths (and spectrum holdings) as it launches its 5G service in Dallas.

Another 5G Provider? Gogo Takes a Seat at the Cool Kids' Table

Gogo, which sells Internet services to airplanes, plans to upgrade its ageing 3G network with a 5G network that the company said will raise speeds by a factor of 10.

Eurobites: 'Sick' Day for EE as 5G Switch Is Flipped in UK

Also in today's EMEA regional roundup: Nokia and Telecom Italia claim European data speed record; Brits' online angst; Colt calls on ADVA for Ethernet encryption.

Big 5G Event Fireside Chat: Starry COO Alex Moulle-Berteaux

Light Reading's Mike Dano discussed how to build an affordable fixed 5G Internet service with Alex Moulle-Berteaux, chief operating officer for Starry, at the Big 5G Event in Denver on May 8.

Understanding the IETF's Control Plane Roadmap

Automated control of optical is set to move from labs and single-vendor deployments into the mainstream in the coming years – with 5G as a driver.

Top 10 Takeaways After 19 Years as a Telecom Industry Analyst

Reflections and predictions from a career in the telecom industry.

South Korea has the best mobile experience except for latency – Opensignal

Network measurement outfit Opensignal has published its latest ‘State of the mobile network experience’ report and Korea is mostly on top.

Loon offers service in Peru after earthquake

Loon said it was able to provide internet service in Peru by Tuesday afternoon after a magnitude 8.0 earthquake hit the region on Sunday morning.

Palo Alto Networks Buys Twistlock, PureSec in $410M+ Deal

CEO Nikesh Arora pledged to integrated Twistlock container security and PureSec severless security into the Prisma cloud security portfolio “as soon as possible.”

Gogo to build ATG network for 5G

Gogo announced plans to build a 5G network for aviation, with expectations for 2021 commercial availability.

Apple poised to enter the foldy-phone fray

A patent for a new foldable phone has emerged in the United States Patent and Trademark Office, signalling Apple’s entry into the desperate battle for innovation.

Frontier sells off some of its wireline assets for $1.35B

Frontier Communications announced Wednesday that it's selling off assets and operations in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana for $1.35 billion.

Sprint/T-Mobile US merger set for a $3 billion boost

It looks like Sprint could trouser up to three billion bucks when it flogs its prepaid subsidiary Boost in a bid to placate antitrust authorities.

Huawei claims its US ban is unconstitutional

Huawei has continued its counter-assault against the US, suggesting the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) contradicted the country’s constitution.

DT tees-up more cloud services from Microsoft

Deutsche Telekom is expanding the availability of Microsoft's cloud services across Europe to provide new services to businesses.

Nokia and Ericsson compete to be SoftBank’s 5G best friend

The public battle for 5G ascendancy between Nokia and Ericsson has moved to Japan, with simultaneous Softbank deal win announcements.

Telstra confirms 6000 jobs to be cut by the end of this year

Australian telco Telstra has announced steady progress for its T22 restructuring plan, allowing it to retire AUS$500 million of legacy IT equipment and bring forward 6,000 job cuts to 2019.

Docker Security Bug Latest to Hit the Container Space

The latest flaw allows a witty attacker to target API endpoints behind the docker cp command that would allow them to read and write data on a host machine.

Adtran uses Wind River to build end-to-end NFV platform

In order to better serve telecom operators, Adtran announced on Wednesday that it's using Wind River's Titanium Cloud to build an end-to-end NFV…

Huawei ramps up legal fight against U.S. with new filing

Huawei’s chief legal officer described U.S bans against Huawei as politically motivated distractions.

Huawei Revs Up Battle With US Government

It’s unclear what impact, if any, the outcome of the legal challenge will have on Huawei's prospects.

Marvell Doubles Down on 5G, Data Center Silicon, Sells WiFi Chip Business to NXP

The acquisition includes Marvell’s WiFi and Bluetooth technology portfolios and related assets, which generated about $300 million in revenue in fiscal 2019.

Opengear tunes up out-of-band connectivity for enterprise SD-WAN

Opengear is thinking out of the box with its out-of-band management solution for SD-WAN deployments.

Palo Alto Networks Launches Prisma Cloud Security as Twistlock Acquisition Rumors Swirl

The vendor has reportedly reached deals to buy container security startup Twistlock for between $450 million and $500 million and another Isreali startup for an estimated $50 million to $100 million.

Boost Mobile likely to be valued between $3B and $4B: Reuters

Potential buyers of Sprint’s Boost Mobile prepaid business are readying their bids.

Ericsson, Nokia Score SoftBank 5G Deals at Huawei, ZTE's Expense

The telecom giant awarded 5G RAN contracts to the two European vendors at the expense of the two major Chinese telecoms equipment providers.

NXP Taps FatPipe for SD-WAN on ARM-based Processors

FatPipe Network’s CEO Ragula Bhaskar described it as the first SD-WAN available on an ARM-based processor.

FCC's Second 5G Spectrum Auction Ends With Bid Topping $2B

The second US 5G millimeter wave band spectrum is done, with a third one to follow in December 2019.

Charter Tests Massive Private LTE Network in 3.5GHz CBRS Spectrum

Although Charter has long discussed its interest in wireless technologies and the CBRS band specifically, its new 3.5GHz test potentially indicates the company's interest in building private LTE networks for enterprises.

C Spire Suddenly Endorses Sprint/T-Mobile Deal, but Altice Still Opposes It

The proposed merger between Sprint and T-Mobile took another unexpected series of turns when cable company Altice USA said it would not support the merger, while regional telecom company C Spire said it would.

Huawei Asks Judge to Slap Down US Ban: 'No Gun, No Smoke. Only Speculation'

Huawei files a motion for summary judgment in a US court, claiming the American ban on doing business with the Chinese vendor violates the Constitution.

The FCC's Second 5G Spectrum Auction Ends With Bid Topping $2B

The second US 5G millimeter wave band spectrum is done, with a third one to follow in December 2019.

NXP, Qualcomm, MediaTek Jostle for Position in Wireless Chips

Silicon companies, including NXP, Qualcomm and MediaTek, are all working to shore up their position in wireless technologies.

Frontier Unloads Some Wireline Assets & Operations for $1.35B

Sale of ops in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana serve about 350,000 residential and business customers, and could spark more M&A moves in the region.

AT&T's SVoD Service to Cost More Than Disney+, Says Analyst

And rather than entering the OTT sector with a three-pronged offering, AT&T is expected to start with a single-tiered product, MoffettNathanson said, following recent rendezvous with WarnerMedia CEO John Stankey.

Eurobites: Ericsson, Nokia Get the 5G Call From SoftBank

Also in today's EMEA regional roundup: Deutsche Telekom extends cloud offer with Microsoft; Telia resists website-blocking order in Moldovia; what Google's cold-shouldering of Huawei means for Europe.

Podcast: Huawei's Guilty of Something, Right?

Does Huawei's past misdeeds around trade secrets and allegations of the company sidestepping sanctions mean that the Chinese vendor is also a vessel for Chinese spying and cyber attacks on US networks?

FCC concludes 24 GHz auction

The FCC announced the successful conclusion of bidding in Auction 102, the 24 GHz band, with over $2 billion in proceeds.

Vivendi media mission continues rolling through Europe

Vivendi-subsidiary Canal Plus has announced the €1 billion acquisition of pay-TV operator M7, expanding the business into seven new European markets.

Can Huawei survive without American chips?

Huawei executives had a bad week. Their supply of American technology has been cut off. Here’s our diagnosis of their condition.

Huawei holds onto number two smartphone spot… for the moment

Huawei has held onto the number two spot for smartphone shipments during the first quarter of 2019, but storm clouds are gathering on the horizon.

Japan joins the anti-globalisation movement

It might not be as aggressive a position as the White House has entrenched itself in but limiting foreign ownership of strategic segments is a similar objection to globalisation.

Irish data watchdog defends its GDPR actions

The Irish data protection regulator has unveiled a progress report on GDPR on the first anniversary of the rules, perhaps defending itself from a perception of inaction.

Huawei media war switches to the US

In recent days the propaganda war surrounding Huawei has moved to the two biggest US business publications.

CableLabs joins NYU Wireless industry affiliates

CableLabs is now an industrial affiliate member of NYU Wireless, joining the ranks of AT&T, Sprint, Ericsson, Nokia, Qualcomm and others.

India's Netplus to deploy Nokia's GPON as part of fiber upgrade

As part of a fiber upgrade in Northern India, Netplus will deploy Nokia's GPON technology to increase both capacity and speeds in its network.

WSJ: Altice mobile service could be half the price of wireless rivals'

Altice may charge as little as $20 to $30 per month for the wireless service.

German regulator promises light-touch on fibre

In an effort to force German telcos onto a fibre diet, regulator Bundesnetzagentur has promised a light-touch regulatory environment for the last-mile.

Google to splash $670M on new Finland data center

Google is spending about $670 million to build a new data center in Finland in order to meet the continuing demand for its cloud services, while also providing…

Wiwynn Launches Telco Edge Platform Based On OCP OpenEdge

The server manufacturer also said it will contribute an open firmware development kit to the Nokia-led OCP project.

Who Wins and Loses if Sprint and T-Mobile Merge?

If Sprint and T-Mobile gain approval from regulators to merge, it will impact infrastructure vendors and virtualization efforts for years.

FCC commissioner calls for U.S. government to fund removal of existing Huawei from carrier

FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks says plenty of Huawei equipment is already being used in existing wireless networks.

Q Link tosses hat in the ring for potential Boost buy

The founder and CEO of Q Link Wireless, Issa Asad, said Boost would be a good fit with Q Link, which is Sprint’s largest MVNO customer.

MEF pushes out final draft of SD-WAN services standard

MEF has put the finishing touches on its SD-WAN service standard and expects to have it published in mid-July.

AT&T’s new leader of 5G marketing talks humbly about ‘hillbilly’ roots

In March 2019, Kelly King was named executive vice president of postpaid wireless products at AT&T. It’s a new position that reports to David Christopher,…

Orange and Nokia Play 5G Doubles at French Open

The French carrier has deployed two Nokia 5G base stations to support 8K broadcasts and a mixed reality showcase.

MEF Inches One Step Closer Toward SD-WAN Standard

The group released the draft of its SD-WAN service definition standard, with the official publication of the standard expected in July following board approval.

Sigma Systems at Digital Transformation World 2019

Tim Spencer, CEO of Sigma Systems, discusses what "B2Be Different" entails and the exciting road ahead for the company.

In Nationwide 5G, It Will Be AT&T's 700MHz vs. T-Mobile's 600MHz

AT&T has promised to offer 5G nationwide by 2020, but how exactly the operator might do that has remained a mystery. One industry analyst has a solid theory: AT&T will use 700MHz to take 5G nationwide.

In South Korea, 5G Set to Eclipse 4G's Growth Rate

5G appears to be gaining steam in South Korea, with data usage around three times that of LTE and providers nearing the 1 million customer mark. It's unclear though if other countries will be able to replicate that pace.

Comcast 'Hitz' Movie VoD Service to Hit Cinemax

Comcast's new commercial-free VoD service to feature 200-plus movie titles, replace Cinemax in several of the MSO's pay-TV packages.

What Is an SD-WAN, Anyway? Ask MEF

MEF creates a definition for SD-WAN and its attributes, so enterprises know what they're buying and service provides know what they should be selling.

Altice USA's Mobile Service to Fetch $20-$30 Per Month – Report

Pricing on cable op's Sprint-assisted mobile service reportedly will undercut offerings from major mobile service providers, according to The Wall Street Journal.

India May Regulate OTT Platforms

Moves are afoot in India to treat web companies providing communications services more like the telcos.

Comcast Sunsetting VoD Support on TiVo Retail Boxes

TiVo says it's working with Comcast to bring a 'more modern Xfinity application' to TiVo's retail device customers.

Eurobites: Airtel Africa Hopes for London Listing

Also in today's EMEA regional roundup: Nokia lands GPON gig in India; Ericsson supplies 5G to self-driving test track; Swisscom Beems up ad innovation.

Technicians to Actually Install 5G in Short Supply

Yes, there's plenty of action around 5G, but there might be a shortage of technicians who can physically install the technology. Players across the industry are now working on solutions to that problem.

China Mobile's Bold AI Plans

As it approaches 1 billion subscribers, China Mobile plans to implement artificial intelligence throughout the network and its whole business.

Airtel Awards Pan-India Blockchain Deal to IBM – Reports

One of India's biggest telecom operators is using blockchain technology to cut down on nuisance calls.

Edge Magnifies Open Source Challenges, Opportunities

There are almost as many open source groups and projects working on edge computing as there are definitions of edge — one such project, in fact, focuses exclusively on defining edge terms.

Big 5G Event Panel: Critical Next Steps for 5G Deployments

Ovum's Michael Roberts discusses what pieces of the 5G puzzle are still needed with NSIGHT's Patrick Riordan, Mavenir's John Baker, Western Digital's Oded Sagee, Sprint's Mishka Dehghan and Cisco's Ian Campbell at the Big 5G Event in Denver, Colo. on May 7, 2019.

Big 5G Event Keynote: C Spire's Craig Sparks

Verizon's Palmer: 5G Pricing & Coverage Will Continue to Evolve

Verizon initially launched mobile 5G with relatively spotty coverage and a $10-per-month charge. But that's not necessarily where 5G is heading, according to Verizon's Nicki Palmer.