What’s up with… e&, Kontron & Qualcomm, 6G

• e& and partners launch quantum-safe comms in UAE
• Kontron and Qualcomm team up for next-gen railway comms
• ABI research highlights ISAC’s potential in the 6G era

In today’s industry news roundup: There’s more quantum-safe networking action in the United Arab Emirates courtesy of e& and its partners; Kontron and Qualcomm are combining their strengths to target the Future Railway Mobile Communication System (FRMCS) sector; ABI Research senses a 6G opportunity for mobile operators; and more!

Quantum-safe communications is a hot topic right now in the UAE (United Arab Emirates). Only days after the launch of the country’s quantum secure communications testbed, Abu Dhabi’s Technology Innovation Institute (TII), VentureOne – the branch of Abu Dhabi’s Advanced Technology Research Council that helps transform the TII’s applied research into commercial products – and regional digital infrastructure and services  giant e& have launched QuantumConnect in the UAE. QuantumConnect is a “next-generation hardware-based encryption solution that harnesses the power of quantum physics to revolutionise secure communications, embedding hardware directly on fibre infrastructure,” noted the partners in this announcement. The solution, which is underpinned by TII’s proprietary quantum key distribution (QKD) technology, “is designed to ensure future-proof protection of data as it moves across networks, addressing the growing complexities of security threats, including quantum computing’s potential to break conventional encryption,” added the partners. Esam Mahmoud, senior VP of SMB sales and marketing at e& UAE, stated: “As technological innovation accelerates, the resilience of our networks has become the foundation on which trust is built in digital domains. Our partnership with TII and VentureOne to enhance connectivity security reflects a shared commitment to address global and regional challenges in secure communications with future-proof solutions. QuantumConnect marks a paradigm shift in the UAE’s secure communications infrastructure and cyber innovation efforts, integrating quantum-backed encryption directly into the core of network connectivity. With this breakthrough solution, we will empower businesses and industries in the UAE to operate with complete confidence, safeguarding their mission-critical data against current and future threats as they navigate a complex digital landscape, and putting the UAE at the forefront of employing quantum technologies to protect its digital infrastructure.”

The FRMCS (Future Railway Mobile Communication System) train is gathering pace… Only days after Nokia launched its 5G FRMCS solution, embedded computing and internet of things (IoT) module vendor Kontron has announced a collaboration with Qualcomm Technologies to develop a next-generation 5G FRMCS PC3 modem tailored for the Morane 2 European railway communications initiative. “FRMCS will be the 5G standard for railway operational communications, adaptable to the needs and requirements of rail organisations within Europe and beyond,” noted Kontron in this announcement. “The Kontron 5G FRMCS modem is based on the Snapdragon X72 5G modem-RF system, which delivers unparalleled performance, reliability and energy efficiency, making it the ideal foundation for FRMCS deployments in rail environments,” added Kontron.

With 6G R&D efforts gathering pace and the 3GPP advancing its relevant standards processes, ABI Research has highlighted the “substantial” commercial opportunities for mobile operators associated with Integrated Sensing and Communications (ISAC), as it offers the operators “a chance to get into new markets, parts of which are not served by other technologies or companies”. The research firm noted that ISAC “transforms cellular networks into radars and allows them to both sense their environment and communicate information about it.” It added that while there are “significant technical challenges to bring this to market, [ISAC] is a concept that can revolutionise mobile networks and allow mobile network operators to finally become much more than a data pipe.” Dimitris Mavrakis, senior research director at ABI Research, stated: “ISAC is a unique opportunity for mobile operators to break free of their connectivity legacy. Coupled with network APIs, they can become brokers for location and positioning across their network footprint, helping enterprises locate their assets and protect their locations. Mobile operators cannot afford to ignore ISAC, as it is key for them to continue growing their business. It is the first truly innovative concept discussed for cellular networks since 4G introduced mobile broadband.” For more ISAC insights, see this ABI Research announcement. 

Tele2 and Telenor say that 5G services are now available to almost all of Sweden’s population via their joint venture operator Net4Mobility. “5G coverage expands from 25% to 90% of Sweden’s landmass and now reaches 99.9% of the population,” noted the partners in this announcement. “Going from 25% to 90% land coverage in one step is a huge change. It means that 5G is now available across our entire network in Sweden, from the mountains to archipelago, providing our customers with more reliable and accessible connectivity no matter where they are. At the same time, we are laying the foundation for new services and solutions that can be developed on a robust and future-proof network,” stated Elin Ovéus, head of networks at Tele2. 

– The staff, TelecomTV