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• The 3G network shutdown is coming – but are we ready?
  in Guest Opinion
  By Andrew Rossington, chief product officer, Teletrac Navman

  GUEST OPINION: On 30 June, around 70 days away, Telstra will switch off its 3G network. Optus has also announced it will follow suit in September. Time has shown that technology has moved beyond 3G capabilities, so now the question is whether we’ve all kept up.

  When it launched nearly two decades ago, 3G opened up the potential of mobile broadband. Suddenly, video streaming, video calls, and fast internet browsing were possible, and many non-handset devices like Eftpos machines, industrial sensors, medical equipment, security systems – and even baby monitors – could take advantage of always-on wireless connectivity.

  Innovation is on an exponential march, and what was once cutting-edge is no longer fit for purpose. 3G is now an old technology, and the spectrum that it uses will be repurposed for the significantly faster and higher bandwidth that 4G and 5G services provide.

  The real question, however, is whether we are prepared for the 3G shutdown. According to a recent ABC report, there are still almost a million devices out there still using 3G, and the figure is probably even higher when all the non-handset devices – commonly referred to as ‘the internet of things’ - are taken into account.

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  At Teletrac Navman, we provide technology to help fleet-based businesses, from transport to passenger fleets, and their operators manage their fleets using telematics in conjunction with fleet management software. Using our technology, fleet managers can work with their drivers to improve their on-road performance, optimise fuel use, proactively manage maintenance, ensure compliance, focus on improving efficiencies, and manage jobs, all in real time.

  We’ve been actively educating our customers about the impending shutdown for almost two years now, as many older telematics devices rely on 3G to run their business in many ways. Fleets that haven’t migrated to newer future-proofed devices face the very real possibility they’ll lose all their telematics capabilities come 30 June. For a trucking business, this would have serious business impacts, as the data and connectivity they’ve relied on to run their operations and provide essential services including compliance and delivery management will no longer be operational.

  Those who haven’t acted yet to upgrade their 3G-based devices face multiple problems. They risk supply issues of the necessary hardware and, perhaps more significantly, the professional installers needed to fit the devices. We’ve addressed this by developing self-install kits for our popular options, which plug into the truck’s OBD communications port and provide 4G connectivity.

  As a global provider, Teletrac Navman has experienced a number of these network shutdowns across the globe and significant experience in upgrading both large and smaller fleets.

  The broader picture
  There are three main concerns regarding the 3G shutdown. The first is that marginalised communities, such as the elderly, disabled, and those living in rural areas, may not be aware their devices will soon stop working.

  This is why it’s important to have conversations with people from those groups in your community, helping them to understand they will need new handsets and encouraging them to talk to medical professionals and others about any 3G-dependent medical devices they may depend on.

  The second area of concern is that even some 4G devices are not immune to the shutdown. Older 4G handsets that don’t use a standard called VoLTE for voice calls will be unable to reach Triple Zero emergency services once the network goes offline. The reason for this is that these older 4G handsets still rely on 3G for their voice component.

  For Telstra customers concerned their device might lose service, the telco has set up a simple way of checking – all that needs to be done is to send an SMS containing the number 3 to this phone number: 3498.

  The final area of concern regards the Internet of Things (IoT) devices mentioned earlier. Merchants, for example, who use an older 3G Eftpos card terminal will not be able to take payments after the shutdown, meaning it’s critically important for them to talk to their payment provider and obtain a new 4G terminal before the cut-off date.

  And that’s just one example. If a device connects to the internet using the mobile network, and this could be anything from a security system to access control and from industrial sensors right through to older baby monitors, then those devices need to be checked to see if they’re 3G and if they are, then upgraded to one that will work with the 4G or 5G standard.

  With the 3G shutdown only a few short weeks away, now is the time to act to upgrade handsets, terminals, and devices so they work with newer standards. Not doing so guarantees waking up on 1 July and discovering the machines and services you relied on no longer work. Operations will be seriously impacted; regulatory requirements may not be met, and customers not served. For many businesses and individuals, that could be disastrous.

  This first appeared in the subscription newsletter CommsWire on 22 April 2024.
• China Mobile hits 5.4Gbps with 3CC CA and 1024QAM test
  in Business Telecoms
  By Kenn Anthony Mendoza

  Information and communication technology solutions provider ZTE has collaborated with China Mobile’s Zhaijiang branch and Qualcomm to achieve a 5.4Gbps peak data rates.

  Through the end-to-end field test of 3CC CA (Carrier Component Carrier Aggregation) combined with 1024QAM (1024-state Quadrature Amplitude Modulation) in Jiaxing, the test showcased a single user downlink peak rate surpassing 5.4Gbps.

  ZTE said the validation harnessed new 5G-A features to unlock the potential of 5G commercial networks.

  “This demonstration provides an important reference point for accelerating the commercialization of 5G-A,” ZTE said.

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  Touted to be a "5G-Advanced Dual-Chain Integration Innovation Demonstration Bases," China Mobile Zhejiang branch leverages its commercial 5G network to gradually implement 5G-A air interface enhancement technologies.

  The aim is to expand the information highway and fully cater to the demanding requirements of emerging services such as VR smart experiences, ultra-high-definition live broadcasting, and glasses-free 3D.

  Since earlier this year, China Mobile, in collaboration with ZTE and Qualcomm, has conducted what it calls the “world’s first end-to-end commercial verification of downlink 3CC CA with 1024QAM in Jiaxing, garnering a total bandwidth of 260MHz on 2.6GHz and 4.9GHz.”

  1024QAM, a higher-order modulation technology defined in Release 17, can transmit 10 bits of data in a single symbol and can be used in conjunction with 3CC CA, improving peak data rate and spectral efficiency by 25% over 256QAM in the same bandwidth.

  The verification used ZTE's commercial 5G network equipment and test device powered by the 5G modem and RF system, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X75.

  The field test results showed that the combination of these two 5G-A features achieve a single-user downlink data rate of over 5.4Gbps.

  Yesterday, CommsWire reported Samsung and Qualcomm also completed 1024 QAM tests for both Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) and Time Division Duplex (TDD) spectrum bands.
• China orders Apple to remove WhatsApp, Threads from app store
  in Technology Regulation
  By Sam Varghese

  China has ordered Apple to remove WhatsApp and Threads, both owned by Meta, from its app store in the country, the New York Times reports.

  The newspaper claimed this was a potential escalation of the tech war between the US and China.

  Apple told the NYT it had complied with the orders from Beijing as it had no choice but to do so, even if it disagreed.

  Also removed from the app store on Friday were Dubai-based Telegram and US-based Signal, with these claims attributed by the NYT to Appfigures, a market research company.

  {loadposition sam08}The newspaper cited an unidentified source as saying the government has discovered content on Threads and WhatsApp that were critical of Chinese President Xi Jinping and in violation of the country's cyber-security laws.

  The US and China have been involved in a tit-for-tat trade war ever since Donald Trump initiated it back in 2018. The most recent action taken by the US was a decision to raise tariffs on imports of Chinese steel and aluminium.

  The US has also been blocking sales of advanced semiconductors to China and blocked Huawei Technology, China's biggest telecommunications outfit, from participating in 5G rollouts after lobbying many of its allies to do likewise.

  The US House of Representatives is preparing to vote on a bill to force Chinese firm ByteDance to choose between selling its TikTok app or else have it banned in the US.

  The NYT said WhatsApp had been downloaded 15 million times in China while Threads, which was started by Facebook when Twitter, now known as X, hit some hurdles after it was bought by Elon Musk, had been downloaded 470,000 times.
• MTN and Huawei launch innovation lab
  in Strategy
  By Kenn Anthony Mendoza

  MTN Group and tech giant Huawei have opened an innovation lab at MTN Group’s headquarters.

  Announced at MWC 2024, the lab aims to further deepen collaboration, accelerating digital transformation and sustainable development across Africa.

  The lab will focus on R&D including 5G and 5G-A technologies, artificial intelligence, big data analytics, cloud computing, FTTH, automation, and digital financial services. It will serve as a hub for experimentation, demonstration, and skill-building.

  It is open to MTNers, partners, and other stakeholders.

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  “The lab will catalyse the growth of the digital economy, fostering innovation and generating long-lasting opportunities to empower communities and advance the continent’s development," said MTN Group president and CEO Ralph Mupita.

  “By working closely, we can leverage each other’s strengths and the collective brilliance of Africa’s innovators to create solutions that will transform lives. This collaborative spirit is what will unlock the true potential of this lab,” said MTN Group chief technology and information officer Mazen Mroué.

  “We believe that the establishment of the innovation lab will accelerate the development of Africa’s digital economy and build a more prosperous and sustainable African continent,” said Huawei president wireless solutions Cao Ming.
• Peggy Renders to lead Telstra Enterprise’s defence and public sector portfolio
  in People Moves
  By Kenn Anthony Mendoza

  Telstra Enterprise has promoted Peggy Renders to head of industry and government, leading its industry verticals and public sector sales teams.

  According to Telstra Enterprise, the role combines Renders’ current industry and corporate sales portfolios with defence and public sector which covers federal, state, and local government, including non-for-profit, following John Ieraci’s appointment to head of Telstra Purple last month.

  Renders joined Telstra’s enterprise team two years ago, bringing 25 years of experience in technology and software, most recently at SAP as senior vice president of customer experience solutions for Asia Pacific & Japan.

  Renders was previously chief customer officer – enterprise and business.

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  “Peggy is an absolute force – loved by our team, loved by our customers. She has made a remarkable impact since joining Telstra, helping establish our industry vertical approach which has seen our team build a new level of intimacy with the sectors we support,” said Telstra enterprise group executive Oliver Camplin-Warner.

  “Peggy brings not only exceptional depth of expertise in sales, but a passion for tech and partnering with customers to bring significant value to their organisation. I am confident that her leadership will further develop our team and the impact we have supporting Australian industry and government,” Warner added.

  Stepping into the new role, Renders said she is energised by the opportunity to bring truly innovative technology solutions to Telstra’s enterprise customers, build Australia’s best sales team, and showcase what’s possible for women in the tech sector.

  "I’m proud to work with a team so passionate about partnering with industry and government on their digital transformation ambitions,” Renders said.

  “We’re currently sitting at the crest of the next wave of technology. And with that comes incredible potential to drive new levels of customer experience, productivity, worker safety and satisfaction, and innovation for this country.

  “I believe Telstra is uniquely placed to help make this potential a reality - bringing together our exceptional people and expertise, our global partners, and incredible networks and technology to help deliver more value to our customers.”