Application Infrastructure
PR Newswire | January 12, 2024
Iridium Communications Inc., a leading provider of global voice and data satellite communications, today announced Project Stardust, the evolution of its direct-to-device (D2D) strategy with 3GPP 5G standards-based Narrowband-Internet of Things (NB-IoT) Non-Terrestrial Network (NB-NTN) service development. As a new standards-based solution, it will be deployed on Iridium's existing satellite network giving the company a unique ability to offer both high-quality proprietary and standardized D2D and IoT services to its customers.
The early stages of programming Iridium's low-Earth orbiting (LEO) satellites offers a special opportunity to smartphone companies, OEMs, chipmakers, mobile network operators (MNO) and related IoT developers to have their requirements woven into the fabric of the Iridium® network. Iridium is already collaborating directly with several of these companies.
"This is an exciting moment for Iridium and is a testament to the flexibility and capability built into our satellite constellation," said Iridium CEO Matt Desch. "The industry is moving quickly towards a more standards-based approach, and after surveying the field, we found that we're the best positioned to lead the way using our own network, particularly given our true global coverage."
Iridium is designing its initial NB-IoT offering to support 5G NTN messaging and SOS capabilities for smartphones, tablets, cars, and related consumer applications. Adopting the service will enable device manufacturers to add a satellite connection to standardized devices, take advantage of existing, globally allocated and coordinated Iridium spectrum, and provide a superior low-latency LEO user experience. The Iridium network supports approximately 1,300 SOS and emergency (911 or equivalent) incidents per year, around the world and has readily available systems, processes, and partners to implement this capability for new devices.
Iridium understands the market need for its customers to develop and certify products quickly. Applying our established onboarding processes, chipmakers and NB-IoT developers can join Iridium's ecosystem of about 500 partners, and choose a proprietary, standards-based, or dual-solution integration approach for added network redundancy. MNOs will have the opportunity to be a one-stop shop for ubiquitous coverage and off-grid use cases, with unmatched industry reliability. Iridium partners are supported by a 24/7 customer support, back office, billing, and provisioning system, all ready to support the new service upon launch.
The Iridium satellite constellation's fully crosslinked, LEO architecture and global L-band spectrum provides a competitive service advantage versus other LEO and geostationary satellite networks. Certified to provide safety of life services by international regulatory bodies, the Iridium network has become the gold standard of reliability and continues to be the only network that provides connectivity everywhere on Earth. Operating in LEO, the Iridium constellation does not suffer from the same line-of-sight limitations, significant power requirements or outages that can affect entire regions from a single satellite as faced by geostationary systems.
The recognized leader in satellite IoT and personal communications, Iridium has more than two decades of experience and an unmatched partner ecosystem supporting more than 2.2 million users around the world. As of the third quarter of 2023, Iridium subscribers have grown at a 15% CAGR over the last five years, and the company serves approximately 1.7 million IoT customers today, including about 900,000 personal trackers and satellite messengers for consumer, enterprise, and government applications. Known for its reliability, coverage, and low power requirements, the Iridium network is an ideal fit for NB-IoT NTN service.
The company is currently working with several D2D and IoT-focused companies to understand and incorporate their use cases, requirements, and end-user needs into its planned service. The company anticipates testing to begin in 2025, with service in 2026.
About Iridium Communications Inc.
Iridium® is the only mobile voice and data satellite communications network that spans the entire globe. Iridium enables connections between people, organizations and assets to and from anywhere, in real time. Together with its ecosystem of partner companies, Iridium delivers an innovative and rich portfolio of reliable solutions for markets that require truly global communications. In 2019, the company completed a generational upgrade of its satellite network and launched its specialty broadband service, Iridium Certus®. Iridium Communications Inc. is headquartered in McLean, Va., U.S.A., and its common stock trades on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the ticker symbol IRDM.
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Application Infrastructure
PR Newswire | January 09, 2024
Flip Electronics and Ampleon have joined forces to extend the supply of Ampleon's LDMOS portfolio of high-performance RF transistors to customers worldwide. Flip Electronics, the fastest growing authorized distributor of electronic components, provides supply chain solutions for extended manufacturing of legacy OEM-authorized electronic components. Ampleon is a global leader in RF power devices. The Ampleon LDMOS portfolio offers solutions for industrial, scientific, medical, broadcast, navigation and safety radio applications, along with applications for 4G LTE and 5G NR infrastructures.
"We chose to transfer Ampleon's LDMOS portfolio to Flip Electronics because they have been very successful in extending the lifecycle of semiconductors through inventory acquisition, wafer procurement and licensing IP from original manufacturers. Flip Electronics' ability to continue manufacturing our legacy parts was a paramount asset. We are very confident in Flip's commitment to ensuring our clients have long-term access to Ampleon legacy products," said Vincent Gerritsma, CEO of Ampleon.
"Flip is always looking for new ways to make a difference for our suppliers and customers. This strategic agreement is a perfect example. Ampleon is an outstanding brand within the RF power industry. Adding a premier RF supplier to our expanding portfolio of who's who in the semiconductor industry broadens our ability to support the long-term needs of our mutual customers. Uninterrupted manufacturing of Ampleon's portfolio will enable us to support customers for the next 20+ years. Our customers can also be assured that the products will be certified and guaranteed by Flip Electronics and 100% authorized by the original manufacturer, Ampleon," said Jason Murphy, CEO of Flip Electronics.
About Flip Electronics
Based in Alpharetta, Georgia, since 2015, Flip Electronics is an authorized electronic components distributor and extended life manufacturer that works closely with the world's leading original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and contract manufacturers to create supply chain solutions for customers impacted by industry shortages and product obsolescence. Flip leverages its supplier relationships and supply chain expertise to help customers reliably, efficiently and cost-effectively source authorized components that extend their products' lifecycles.
About Ampleon
Created in 2015 and headquartered in the Netherlands, Ampleon is shaped by nearly 60 years of RF Power leadership. The company envisions to advance society through innovative RF solutions based on GaN and LDMOS technologies. Ampleon is dedicated to being the partner of choice by delivering high-quality, high-performance RF products with its world-class talent. The portfolio offers flexibility in scaling design and production for any volume and addresses applications for 4G LTE, 5G NR infrastructure, industrial, scientific, medical, broadcast, navigation and safety radio applications. Proven reliability, secure supply and excellent product consistency enable highest manufacturing yields for customers who benefit from Ampleon being a one-stop-partner for RF Power solutions.
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Application Infrastructure
PR Newswire | January 08, 2024
NEXCOM, a leading global supplier of network appliances, announced today the company's diverse lineup of fixed wireless access (FWA) solutions is helping expand application of 5G FWA to new uses, from bridging the digital divide to enabling real-time data processing to power smart cities and revolutionize the future of telemedicine. NEXCOM provides a 5G FWA uCPE range tailored for various sectors and use cases.
Today, 5G FWA uCPE applications are boundless, from delivering reliable connectivity in remote areas to ensuring mission-critical communications in industrial settings and powering smart city technology. 5G FWA uCPE is helping provide reliable, low-latency, and high-bandwidth connections, driving innovation on behalf of diverse industry sectors. 5G FWA has already become a major component in achieving nationwide broadband connectivity in the U.S.
The most common 5G FWA application is delivering connectivity where wireless transmission is used to reach the last mile. However, the future applications of this innovative technology are growing to include eMBB (Enhanced Mobile Broadband) in both FR1 and FR2 frequency ranges, URLLC (Ultra-Reliable Low Latency Communication), and mMTC (massive Machine Type Communication). In addition, advanced features now include 5G network slicing, 5G TSN (Time-Sensitive Networking), 5G security, and NTN (non-terrestrial networks), which enables 5G FWA technology to be used as a 5G private network in various settings, including smart factories, smart manufacturing, smart cities, and intelligent transportation.
In response, NEXCOM is delivering a comprehensive 5G FWA uCPE product lineup tailored to different sectors and use cases. Each appliance comes with predefined features and expandable space, allowing users to customize available options to meet specific requirements. NEXCOM 5G FWA uCPE is also integrated with a lightweight network OS for easy set-up and control, designed to simplify network configuration.
"The widespread adoption of 5G FWA underscores the importance of understanding the unique requirements of each application and identifying the most suitable equipment to meet those goals," said Peter Yang, President of NEXCOM. "We're helping provide clarity in the market by tailoring NEXCOM products to cater to the diverse application grades and settings for 5G FWA applications in both private and public networks. Based on NEXCOM's guidelines and feature matrix, Telco operators who are currently weighing their options on hand can easily find out the best equipment after checking the reliability of the device for managing traffic and meeting critical low-latency demands, the necessity for mobility and outdoor long-range connectivity, and building a comprehensive, future-proof solution that caters to both present and future requirements."
5G FWA solutions can be categorized into four attribute grades serving different field applications: Consumer Grade, Enterprise Grade, Industrial Grade, and Telecom Grade. Each one focuses on different features and functions, serving different usage scenarios to better utilize the advantages of 5G FWA. NEXCOM's 5G FWA appliances have been classified based on CPU performance as well as wired and wireless connectivity, with detailed explanations provided in the White Paper.
About NEXCOM
Founded in 1992 and headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan, NEXCOM integrates its diverse capabilities and operates six global businesses, including the Network and Communication Solutions (NCS) unit. NCS focuses on the latest network technology and helps to build reliable network infrastructure, by delivering professional design and manufacturing services for customers all over the world. NCS's network application platform is widely adopted in Cyber Security Appliance, Load Balancer, uCPE, SD-WAN, SASE, Edge Computing, Storage, NVR, and other network applications for businesses of all sizes.
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Application Infrastructure
Legrand | January 15, 2024
Legrand, a global specialist in electrical and digital building infrastructures, including data center solutions, has announced its acquisition is complete of ZPE Systems, Inc., a Fremont, California-based company that offers critical solutions and services to deliver resilience and security for customers' business critical infrastructure. This includes serial console servers, sensors, and services routers that enable remote access and management of network IT equipment from data centers to the edge. The acquisition brings together ZPE's secure and open management infrastructure and services delivery platform for data center, branch, and edge environments to Legrand's comprehensive data center solutions of overhead busway, custom cabinets, intelligent PDUs, KVM switches, and advanced fiber solutions.
ZPE Systems will become a business unit of Legrand's Data, Power, and Control (DPC) Division. Arnaldo Zimmermann will continue to serve as Vice President and General Manager of ZPE Systems, reporting to Brian DiBella, President of Legrand's DPC Division.
"ZPE Systems leads the fast growing and profitable data center and edge management infrastructure market. This acquisition allows Legrand to enter a promising new segment whose strong growth is expected to accelerate further with the development of artificial intelligence and associated needs," said John Selldorff, President and CEO, Legrand, North and Central America. "Edge computing, AI and operational technology will require more complex data centers and edge infrastructure with intelligent IT needs to be built in disparate remote geographies. This makes remote management and operation a critical requirement. ZPE Systems is well positioned to address this need through high performance automation infrastructure solutions, which are complementary to our current data center offerings."
"By joining forces with Legrand, ZPE Systems is advancing our leadership position in management infrastructure and propelling our technology and solutions to further support existing and new market opportunities," said Zimmermann.
About Legrand and Legrand, North and Central America
Legrand is the global specialist in electrical and digital building infrastructures. Its comprehensive offering of solutions for commercial, industrial, and residential markets makes it a benchmark for customers worldwide. The Group harnesses technological and societal trends with lasting impacts on buildings with the purpose of improving lives by transforming the spaces where people live, work, and meet with electrical, digital infrastructures and connected solutions that are simple, innovative, and sustainable. Drawing on an approach that involves all teams and stakeholders, Legrand is pursuing its strategy of profitable and responsible growth driven by acquisitions and innovation, with a steady flow of new offerings—including products with enhanced value in use (faster expanding segments: data centers, connected offerings and energy efficiency programs). Legrand reported sales of €8.0 billion in 2022. The company is listed on Euronext Paris and is notably a component stock of the CAC 40 and CAC 40 ESG indexes.
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