Telecom Network Trends from R&M During the 2020s Including Ensuring 5G, Smart Cities

Reichle & De-Massari (R&M) the globally active Swiss developer and provider of cabling systems for high-quality network infrastructures presents again its market outlook for 2020.

In our recent 'Trends for 2020' article, we described several developments in Public, LAN and DC networks. Let's take a closer look at the challenges and trends, along with the solutions.

5G continues to drive the digital transformation

According to a prediction from Gartner, worldwide 5G network infrastructure revenues will touch $4.2 billion this year, recording 89% year-over-year growth. In 2019, Switzerland auctioned licenses for 5G services, as one of the first countries in Europe. The market is raring to go, but rollout is taking time. However, once fully rolled out, the 5G network will be capable of linking 100 billion devices simultaneously.

Carriers are increasingly deploying 5G, even as they keep densifying 4G LTE. According to Deloitte, telcos are starting to target enterprises for 5G applications in areas such as education, healthcare, manufacturing, retail, transportation, and as an enabler for private networks. 5G's vast bandwidth and latency performance potential can be realized by bringing Fttx networks closer to the wireless connection point. Radio links will be increasingly replaced by antennas integrated into fiber networks and connected to local or regional edge data centers.

This is the only way the expected data load can be transported and processed in real time. Depending on location, this will require one and a half to three times as many base stations and two to three times more optical fiber than available today. Applications will rely on 5G's ability to enable edge computing, which will allow for greater reliability, better use if bandwidth, and lower latency. International Data Corporation predicts that in three years, 45% of all IoT-generated data will be stored, processed, analyzed, and acted upon close to or at the edge of networks.

Wireless and wireline networks are converging

Wireless access for fixed and mobile loops is resulting in dense short haul fiber capacity to wireless nodes, connected to more local hubs. Operators are deploying fiber closer to end users to support both wired and wireless access. Major telecom service providers are combining FTTx and 5G rollouts to benefit from using a common architecture for wireless and wired access that supports both platforms. Performance associated with 5G, such as low latency, high capacity and extreme reliability depend on having sufficient fiber. Operator's investment budgets will keep merging as they increasingly discover that it's not about choosing between wireless and wire line investments, but instead investing in both.

A well-designed solution should accommodate all current and near-future requirements, offer a lower cost per connection than existing platforms, and provide a pay-as-you-grow approach and flexible upgrade path for many years to come, allowing additional connections to be installed with minimal disruption to existing services. Initial investment in cabling infrastructure can be minimized, with the possibility to upgrade to expand the Fiber/Access network when required. Where 4G and 5G network densification results in moving baseband technology to central hubs, this process needs to be partly reversed as 5G low latency services at a later stage as it requires embedded baseband technology to be deployed at the edge. R&M offers innovative cabling and connectivity required for both scenarios with customized Fiber to the Antenna (FTTA) assemblies as well as with micro data center solutions. Thus, helping mobile communication suppliers to create their individual 5G infrastructures.

Wavelength-Division-Multiplexing (WDM) is one approach to increasing capacity without introducing huge amounts of new fiber. In spite of the upfront investment, the overall cost is lower than rolling out new fiber. WDM is generally regarded as a point-to-point solution, but add-drop multiplexer solutions make it possible to extract a small number of connections, for example in small cell deployment, whilst allowing the rest to travel on.

Smart Cities continue to evolve

The infrastructure supporting Smart City services consists of IoT-linked sensors connected by fiber extending deep into the network. This plays a crucial role as the backhaul network for connected and wireless networking. Infrastructures for smart cities require a well-thought-out, highly flexible approach to architecture and capacity for data traffic that will continue to develop dynamically for decades to come.

If there are bottlenecks between workstations, smartphones, cellular phone antennas, data centers, Cloud, IoT, WLAN, smart homes, or networked vehicles applications and services will not work as intended. According to research by Deloitte, carriers will be unable to support projected increases in mobile data traffic without additional fiber deployments that reach deeper into metropolitan centers.

R&M offers several unique, integrated and flexible products and services for safe, sustainable and environmentally friendly Smart Cities, and has developed several Smart City projects around the world, including Egypt, India, and Brazil. We have built up considerable experience in developing and customizing products according to the needs of customers, ensuring they are ready to be installed without hassle or delays. Our experience in areas from ceiling and façade deployments to data center infrastructure and close cooperation with learning institutions and governments all come in handy.

AI-as-a-Service, Big Data, RPA to Transform GRC Within Enterprises

By Anil D’Souza, Founder and CEO, Simpliance Technologies

The nature of risks is continuously changing and evolving at unprecedented levels and hence implementing a successful risk management program is the call for organizations looking to safeguard their hard-earned reputation. Failure to do so could be detrimental, as many organizations in the past have realized the hard way. Paul McNulty, former U.S. Deputy Attorney General was noted to have said that - “If you think compliance is expensive, try non-compliance”. And this can be validated by the fact that globally compliance costs organizations roughly around $5.47 million, while non-compliance costs, including fines, business disruption and losses in productivity and revenue, cost around $14.82 million, which is almost three times the cost of maintaining compliance requirements.

According to a recent industry report, the enterprise governance, risk and compliance (eGRC) market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 8.5% by 2025, backed by the fact that organizations need to increasingly meet the demands of the complex regulatory landscape. Integrated GRC platform is the only solution to help businesses manage risks across the organization while driving overall enterprise performance, while being flexible enough to keep pace with a rapidly changing environment– all with an industry-focus. As these platforms allow companies to meet their GRC targets by automating the workflow, the organizations are adopting GRC platforms to enhance their operational activities.

Compliance that is digitally enabled and data-driven provides a clear understanding on evolving regulations, so the industry leaders can anticipate risk. There are many regulations like - financial reporting regulations, export regulations, General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), health and safety regulations etc., which companies must follow. Certainly, the business of doing business is not simple, and if the organizations are to achieve any measure of success by implementing GRC across the system, they need technology. Regulation technology (RegTech) plays an important role in strengthening the monitoring and management of risks in the organization. Industry pegs the GRC market value to exceed US$ 47.1 billion by 2024, making it a pivotal component within every organizations corporate framework.  Here are a few key technologies in GRC that will define the next chapter for the industry:

Artificial intelligence as a service
Artificial intelligence (AI) in GRC is the need of the hour.  As companies expand their digital footprints, cybersecurity vulnerabilities increase due to huge amount of data being produced. Surely, the demand for the intelligent use of accumulated risk data will only increase. GRC solutions that incorporate AI and its application machine learning (ML), will play a major role. The key players in GRC industry shall offer AI-as-a-Service (AlaaS), particularly to industries where data is too valuable.

Big data to reinforce risk management
Big data can be extensively used in frauds and money laundering management. With businesses becoming more and more interwove, the threat of risk has increased, and hence big data analysis has become an essential tool for risk management. Also, it significantly reduces the cost of risk management, with automation and lower risk of failure.

RPA eases legal compliance concerns
Robotic process automation (RPA) can be an important tool to build more robust and effective compliance programs. It will support continuous control monitoring as well as full sample-auditing, making it easier to detect anomalies. All these advancements will enable GRC functions to deliver greater value, and act as true strategic advisors to the business.

Finally, the potential impact of Blockchain on GRC cannot be undermined. Blockchain technology can be used as an addendum to the best practices within the vast realm of compliance. The immutability of blockchain records equates to a verified chain-of-trust and proof-of-process for compliance.

With the introduction of new technologies, comes a plethora of unknown risks but also a wave of new insights and solutions for businesses. Certainly, the businesses of the future shall embrace new technologies to support enterprises and their activities, to be ahead of the curve on GRC. 

Gartner Says Worldwide Smartphone Sales Will Grow 3% in 2020

Worldwide sales of smartphones to end users are on track to reach 1.57 billion units in 2020, an increase of 3% year over year, according to Gartner, Inc. In 2019, worldwide smartphone sales declined 2%, the first time since 2008 that the global smartphone market experienced a decline.

“2019 was a challenging year for smartphone vendors, primarily due to oversupply in the high-end sector in mature markets and longer replacement cycles overall,” said Annette Zimmermann, research vice president at Gartner. “However, in 2020, the market is expected to rebound with the introduction of 5G network coverage in more countries and as users who may have delayed their smartphone purchases until 2020 in expectation of price reductions begin buying again.”

Gartner forecasts that sales of 5G mobile phones will total 221 million units in 2020 — which will account for 12% of overall mobile phone sales — and more than double in 2021, to 489 million units. “The commercialization of 5G phones will accelerate in 2020. 5G phones costing under $300 have been announced, so sales growth of 5G phones is expected to exceed that of 4G phones over twelve months,” said Ms. Zimmermann.

From a regional perspective, the Middle East and North Africa, mature Asia/Pacific and Greater China (China, Taiwan and Hong Kong) will exhibit the highest growth rates in 2020, at 5.9%, 5.7% and 5.1%, respectively.

Strong demand for 5G phones in general, together with expectations of Apple’s first 5G iPhone, will bolster demand for smartphones, particularly in Asia/Pacific and Greater China. In terms of smartphone sales, Greater China and emerging Asia/Pacific will maintain their No. 1 and No. 2 positions globally in 2020, with respective sales of 432.3 million and 376.8 million smartphones.

“Smartphone sales will register growth in 2020 as the demand for mid-price smartphones rises in India,” said Anshul Gupta, senior research director at Gartner. “Premium features including improved camera, display at affordable price will remain key for growth in the Indian smartphone market in 2020.”

What to Expect at MWC 2020

“Attention at this year’s MWC will be drawn to 5G devices at either end of the price scale, some of which may be revealed before the event,” said Ms. Zimmermann. “The key focus for vendors will be access to 5G and enhancement of the camera technology within devices.”

JD Institute of Fashion Technology Conducted Seminar on ‘Social Responsibility of The Youth’

JD Institute of Fashion Technology, a pioneer in the field of design education for the past 31 years, hosted a seminar on ‘Social Responsibility of The Youth’ in collaboration with FOR ALL, NGO at their corporate office, Hauz Khas, New Delhi. The International fashion designer and chairperson of FOR ALL (NGO) Ms. Sonia Gurnani, and Retd. Major General P.K Sehgal was among those who attended the seminar.

The seminar witnessed discussions on ongoing social projects for the upliftment of underprivileged artisans and children. Students of JD Institute also trained children of FOR ALL, NGO learn design skills to improve their living standard.

Ms Rupal Dalal, Executive Director, JD Institute of Fashion Technology, said, “In India, 39% population is below 18 years of age. Being responsible citizens, it is our job to work towards bettering the lives of the deprived section of the society. Educational institutions are bridge for the mankind and with the growing time we have welcomed all the opportunities and interpretations of our students”.

About JD Institute of Fashion Technology:

JD Institute Of Fashion Technology, India, With 36+ Learning Centres, Is One Of The Top Institute Of Art And Design, Where The Dreams And Passion Of Students With Imagination Are Stimulated. Under The Eminent Experts From The Industry The Subjects In Fashion, Interior, Jewellery, Fashion Marketing & Communications, Visual Merchandising, Photography, Hair And Make-Up Will Be Elucidated With High Passion Giving The Young Aspirants The Much-Required Practical Experience And Classroom Training. JD As An Institution Helps The Students To Take Their Imagination To The Next Level, Giving Them A Platform Not Just To Upskill Their Creativity But Also To Prepare And Give Them The Confidence To Follow Their Dreams.

65% Children Do Not Have Healthy BMI in Bangalore, Reveals the 10th Annual Health Survey by Sportz Village

Sportz Village’s 10th Annual Health Survey (AHS) reveals that children are displaying poor fitness levels across India. The nationwide survey has covered 1,49,833 children in the age groups of 7 years to 17 years from 364 schools across 250 cities and towns.  The Bangalore city health survey recorded alarming results with 65% children having unhealthy BMI.

The AHS was launched 10 years ago to understand the overall health and fitness levels of children in private schools. The survey assessed the children on different fitness parameters of Body Mass Index (BMI), Aerobic capacity, Anaerobic capacity, Abdominal or Core strength, Flexibility, Upper body strength and Lower body strength.

At a national level the survey reveals that 1 in 2 children do not have healthy BMI. The number of children with healthy levels of Aerobic capacity, Upper body strength and Lower body strength is also low. Although this is a matter of concern, the number of children with healthy levels of Abdominal strength and Sprint capacity have increased in comparison to last year.

Saumil Majmudar, CEO, Sportz Village Schools, says, “The AHS indicate that the health of children in India is not what it should be. Although this is a cause for concern, we know what we have to do, to address this problem. The amount of time a child spends in physical activity is directly correlated to the fitness parameters of Upper body strength, BMI and Aerobic capacity. School leaders need to ensure that there is an adequate number of physical education periods factored into a school's timetable. There is also a need to implement structured in-school physical education programs that are age-appropriate, inclusive and engage all children meaningfully. Moreover, an adequate number of qualified physical education trainers are also required to ensure that all children get ample attention and equal opportunities to play and learn.”

Girls versus boys

The survey reveals that boys have slightly better BMI than girls. The boys also have better lower body strength and Aerobic Capacity. The girls, one the other hand, have fared better than boys in Upper body strength, Abdominal strength and Flexibility.

Fitness levels comparative (National) analysis:

Girls versus boys

The survey reveals that boys have slightly better BMI than girls. The boys also have better Upper body strength and Flexibility. The girls, one the other hand, have fared better than boys in Lower body strength and Aerobic capacity. The health levels of boys and girls in the remaining parameters i.e. Abdominal strength (84% healthy) and Anaerobic capacity (66% healthy) were the same.

Public schools versus Private schools

AHS further compared the fitness levels of children in public/government schools to the children in private schools. According to the survey, children in private schools have much better BMI (47%) compared to children in government schools (35%). Children in private schools have also fared better in the parameters of Upper body strength, Lower body strength and Abdominal strength. Children in government schools, on the other hand, have fared better in Aerobic and Anaerobic capacity as well as Flexibility.

Effect of number of P.E (Physical Education) classes per week

According to AHS, the number of weekly P.E periods also impacts the health of the children. The survey further shows that children with more than 2 physical education periods per week, have significantly higher Aerobic capacity. These children also fared slightly better in the fitness parameters of BMI and Lower body strength.

Impact of student-teacher ratio

The survey analyzes the effect of student-teacher ratio on the health of children. Low student-teacher ratio allows a teacher to better manage the physical education class. A class with fewer students enables the teacher to give his or her attention to each and every child. Therefore, the lower the student-teacher ratio, the healthier the children in all the parameters.

Schools that incorporated a structured in-school sports program have observed a consistent improvement in the BMI of their students.

Parameters description:

Body Mass Index (BMI): A value derived from the weight and height of an individual and is used to gauge whether a person is within a healthy weight range.

Aerobic capacity: The ability of the heart and lungs to get oxygen to the muscles.

Anaerobic capacity: The total amount of energy from the anaerobic (without oxygen) energy systems. It is useful during high intensity short duration exercises or tasks such as sprinting.

Abdominal or Core strength: The strength of the muscles of the torso which helps to determine posture.

Flexibility: The ability of one's joints to move freely.

Upper body strength: The strength of muscles such as Pectorals (chest), Rhomboids (upper back), Deltoids (outer shoulder), Triceps (back of upper arm) and Biceps (front of upper arm).

Lower body strength: The strength of muscles in the legs such as quadriceps (the muscles on the front of the upper leg), Hamstrings (the muscles on the back of the upper leg), Gluteals, Hip Flexors, and Calf muscles.

Anvayaa Kin Care wins Best Pitch Award at the E-Summit 2020 Organised by IIT Madras

Anvayaa Kin Care, India’s leading, Artificial-Intelligence (AI) enabled, holistic & personalised, one-stop, senior care provider, today announced their emergence as the winners of the best pitch awards in the top start-ups category at a recent event that concluded on 19th January 2020. The summit was conducted by the entrepreneurship cell of IIT Madras where the event also witnessed a gamut of other renowned start-ups and a larger investor community from across India.

The E-Cell of IIT Madras conducts the summit every year to bring together India’s budding start-ups with the aim of discovering and featuring the latest innovation as well as entrepreneurship. Aiming to prop the start-up development, the summit concentrates on providing networking and experimental learning opportunities. Additionally, the summit provides a great networking platform for founders, investors and various start-up enthusiasts.

Speaking on this occasion, Mr. Prashanth Reddy, Founder & Director of Anvayaa Kin Care, said, “We are extremely delighted that Anvayaa has bagged the prestigious award of top start-ups Pan India with the best pitch at E-Summit 2020 with its unique potential and viable business idea along with creating a substantial social impact by serving the elder population. It’s a proud moment for all of us at Anvayaa especially for our team of professionals and a result of the blessings we get from our existing elder families we support”

Anvayaa Kin Care aced the competition after successfully completing three difficult selection rounds that involved around 150 start-ups and won the top start-up with the best pitch award at the event.

About Anvayaa Kin Care

Anvayaa is a Hyderabad based tech start-up conceived in the year 2016 by Prashanth Reddy and his wife Deepika Reddy with a vision to provide personalised tech-enabled senior care.  India's first 360 degree technology enabled personalized senior care platform provides one-stop elder care services like health care assistance, daily care services, leisure care, payment care, emergency care and additional services like visa, passport, ticketing and legal assistance for seniors citizens. Anvayaa Kincare, an App-based service exclusively designed for the Senior Citizens allows one to not only keep a tab on the well-being of their loved ones past their prime, but also help them with essential services. Anvayaa assists with dedicated support staff who can offer round-the-clock service. Customised care plans for Senior Citizens are available on subscription based model. Since the launch in October 2016, Anvayaa has provided elder care support to over 800+ families.

Orion Mall Shines on Republic Day with Spectacular Sand Art

When Bangalore celebrates Republic Day as usual, Orion Mall at Brigade Gateway opted to do things a bit differently. The mall organised a one-of-kind sand Sculpture exhibition to celebrate the spirit of the occasion. Featuring works of renowned international artist Sudam Pradhan, the exhibition was held from Jan 24th till 31st. The event received immensely positive reaction from patrons and garnered significant footfalls, especially on Republic Day.

“It gives me great pleasure to say that the event was a glorious success on so many levels. Our patrons as well as casual customers were highly appreciative of the sand art exhibits. On a personal level, I feel that artist Sudam Pradhan did a phenomenal job of capturing the feel and character of Republic Day. Judging from the reaction of our patrons, it was evident that the exhibits evoked a palpable sense of patriotism. Also, as indicated by audience feedback, the mall served as the apt setting for a celebration that aroused such strong feelings of national pride.” opines Vijay Kumar Bhatia, Sr. GM, Orion Malls.