Mobile infrastructure must catch up with user needs and demands. Ubiquitous mobile computing is all around us. Some time in the next six months, the number of smartphones on earth will pass the number of PCs. As the power and capability of many mobile devices increases, the increased demand on networks. We watch more videos, and listen to music on our phones. Mobile Data Traffic To Grow 300% Globally By 2017 Led By Video, Web Use. Mobile network operators would have had an easier life if it wasn’t for smartphones and the flood of data traffic they initiated, and soon there will be also very many Internet of Things devices. Businesses and consumers want more bandwidth for less money.
More and more network bandwidth is being used by video: Netflix And YouTube Account For Over 50% Of Peak Fixed Network Data In North America. Netflix remains the biggest pig in the broadband python, representing 31.6% of all downstream Internet traffic in North America during primetime. In other parts of the world, YouTube is the biggest consumer of bandwidth. In Europe, YouTube represented of 28.7% of downstream traffic.
Gartner: Top 10 Strategic Technology Trends For 2014 expects that Software Defined Anything is a new mega-trend in data centers. Software-defined anything (SDx) is defined by “improved standards for infrastructure programmability and data center interoperability driven by automation inherent to cloud computing, DevOps and fast infrastructure provisioning.” Dominant vendors in a given sector of an infrastructure-type may elect not to follow standards that increase competition and lower margins, but end-customer will benefit from simplicity, cost reduction opportunities, and the possibility for consolidation. More hype around Software-Defined-Everything will keep the marketeers and the marchitecture specialists well employed for the next twelve months but don’t expect anything radical.
Software defined technologies are coming quickly to telecom operator networks with Network Functions Virtualisation (NFV). Intel and rather a lot of telcos want networks to operate like data centres. Today’s networks are mostly based around proprietary boxes designed to do very specific jobs. It used to be that way in the server business too until cheap generic x86 boxes took most of the market. The idea in NFV is that low-cost x86 servers can successfully many of those those pricey proprietary boxes currently attached to base-stations and other parts of the network. This scents a shift in the mood of the telcos themselves. This change is one that they want, and rather a lot of them are working together to make it happen. So the future mobile network will have more and more x86 and ARM based generic computing boxes running on Linux.
With the introduction of Network Functions Virtualisation base stations will have new functions built into them. For example NSN has announced a mobile edge computing platform that enables mobile base stations to host data and run apps. Think of this as an internet cloud server that’s really close to the customer.
Hybrid Cloud and IT as Service Broker are talked about. Telecom companies and cloud service providers are selling together service packages that have both connectivity and cloud storage sold as single service. Gartner suggests that bringing together personal clouds and external private cloud services is essential.
The type of device one has will be less important, as the personal or public cloud takes over some of the role. The push for more personal cloud technologies will lead to a shift toward services and away from devices, but there are also cases where where there is a great incentive to exploit the intelligence and storage of the client device. Gartner suggests that now through 2018, a variety of devices, user contexts, and interaction paradigms will make “everything everywhere” strategies unachievable, although many would like to see this working.
“Internet of Things” gets more push. The Internet is expanding into enterprise assets and consumer items such as cars and televisions. The concept of “Internet of Things” will evolve a step toward The Internet of Everything. Gartner identifies four basic usage models that are emerging: Manage, Monetize, Operate, Extend. The Internet of Things (IoT) will evolve into the Web of Things, increasing the coordination between things in the real world and their counterparts on the Web. The Industrial Internet of Things will be talked about. IoT takes advantage of mobile devices’ and sensors’ ability to observe and monitor their environments
Car of the future is M2M-ready and has Ethernet. Many manufacturers taking an additional step to develop vehicle connectivity. One such example is the European Commission’s emergency eCall system, which is on target for installation in every new car by 2015.
Smart Home Systems Are on the Rise article tells that most automated technology is found in commercial buildings that feature automated lighting that changes in intensity depending on the amount of sunlight present. Some of these buildings have WiFi incorporated into their lighting systems. There will be new and affordable technology on the market, but people today are still reluctant to bring automation to their homes.
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Tomi Engdahl says:
Verizon wants Netflix to pay for traffic
Neither side gives as video quality falls
http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/2329750/verizon-wants-netflix-to-pay-for-traffic
INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDER (ISP) Verizon reportedly is throttling traffic to Netflix users.
Since that report, the Wall Street Journal has confirmed that Verizon is indeed operating a policy of charging content providers that generate high traffic volumes additional fees for carriage, and Netflix appears to be in its crosshairs.
The streaming media service claims that its network speeds dropped 14 percent last month.
Tomi Engdahl says:
FCC will set new net neutrality rules
The agency also has decided it will not ask for further judicial review of the matter
http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9246443/FCC_will_set_new_net_neutrality_rules
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission will not seek further judicial review of a January court ruling that struck down the agency’s net neutrality regulations, but it does plan to issue a new set of rules covering ISPs.
court affirmed that the FCC has authority under Section 706 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996
Tomi Engdahl says:
L.A. Skyscraper Cell Phone Interference Caused by Light Bulbs: FCC
http://ktla.com/2014/02/18/fcc-cites-owner-of-downtown-l-a-over-cell-phone-interference/#axzz2thlzWhae
The owner of a downtown Los Angeles skyscraper has been cited by the federal government after an investigation discovered that light bulbs inside the building caused an interference with cell phone service.
complained of dropped calls, unsent text messages and cell phone data issues.
The government agency has given the owners 30 days to replace the General Electric bulbs in the building, or face a potentially significant fine, according to the complaint.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Google Fiber eyes Triangle for latest expansion
http://www.newsobserver.com/2014/02/19/3635956/google-fiber-eyes-triangle-for.html
The Triangle is one of nine metropolitan areas where Google is considering expanding its high-speed Internet and TV service known as Google Fiber.
“By the end of the year, we hope to provide an update on which cities we will be bringing Google Fiber to,” said Kevin Lo, general manager for Google Fiber.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Finland lost to Lithuania even in high-speed fiber connections
In December, according to data collected at the tip of the optical fiber interfaces of United Arab Emirates, with a fiber optic connections to reach 85 per cent of homes. Will be followed by South Korea, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and Taiwan, where the fiber-optic subscribers proportions were 63 and 37 per cent. The fiber optic connection is available According to the report, about 78 million households in 39 European countries, of which approximately 20 million are subscribers.
The first country in Europe to the list will be in Lithuania, which is the seventh of households fiber-optic connections in the prevalence of about 34 percent
Finland is ranked in 19th place, while here the optical fiber is drawn survey, just over 11 per cent of households.
FTTH Council Europe estimated that Finland, fiber-optic connections to most operators, TeliaSonera, 250, 000, and the second most Elisa, about 60 000 Reduce the estimate of the accuracy of that DNA and, at least not completely Finnet camp in the number of fiber connections are not included in the report.
Source: Tietokone
http://www.tietokone.fi/artikkeli/uutiset/suomi_haviaa_jopa_liettualle_nopeissa_kuituyhteyksissa
Tomi Engdahl says:
Nokia may consider merging with Juniper: report
Spurned by Alca-Lu, Finns go shopping stateside
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/02/21/nokia_may_consider_merging_with_juniper_report/
German outlet Manager Magazin Online has reported that Nokia Solutions and Networks (NSN), the bits of Nokia Microsoft didn’t buy, is considering a transaction of some sort with Juniper Networks.
NSN and Juniper already work together to provide broadband for wireless carriers, announcing a deepened relationship in November 2013.
Tomi Engdahl says:
M2M Developer Kit Aims to Spur Marketplace Innovation
http://mwrf.com/services/m2m-developer-kit-aims-spur-marketplace-innovation
With a new cloud-based developer kit, machine-to-machine (M2M) communications users are promised an easy way to manage connected devices and data from prototype to launch. The AT&T M2X Developer Kit helps in the creation of M2M devices–from choosing the right hardware to coding devices. It also provides the necessary services for aggregating data and making necessary business decisions from it.
The kit combines two main services: M2X and a control center. M2X is the cloud-based data-storage service that allows highly secure data transmission, data sharing, and near-real-time event management.
M2X supports a variety of libraries and device platforms including mbed, Arduino, Node.js, Ruby, JavaScript, Python, C, PHP, .NET, Java, iOS, Android, and BeagleBone. It also provides connectivity over Ethernet, WiFi, or 3G/4G links.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Sochi Olympics online broadcasts are the problem backbone networks in Finland
Backbone networks are highly resistant to the Olympic Games due to broadcast video watching, enterprise networks have been isolated cases of load peaks .
Finnish Communications Regulatory Authority explained the poll Sochi Olympics online video broadcasting watching the effects of the operation of communication networks .
A single on-line streaming video viewer consumed bandwidth for 1 to 2 Mbit / s, resulting in a typical medium-sized company of 100 Mbit / s interface fully loaded with 50-100 concurrent viewers.
Thanks to CDN distribution, all the major media events do not cause a significant load on the interconnection between telecom companies and international connections
Source: CERT-FI
https://www.cert.fi/tietoturvanyt/2014/02/ttn201402211230.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
At Mobile exhibition in Barcelona network company Ericsson published Small Cell as a Service is intended to make up the network capacity in situations where it makes no sense to increase the operator’s base stations to an existing network. Such situations may arise, for example, sports competitions, cities congested streets or in shopping malls.
Ericsson has developed a solution to combine 3G, 4G and WLAN technologies.
Source: Tietoviikko
http://www.tietoviikko.fi/kaikki_uutiset/festarien+tokkivaan+nettiin+keksittiin+ratkaisu/a969435
Tomi Engdahl says:
Bolshy investor pushes Juniper Networks into restructuring plan
Hedge fund also gets two directors on the board
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/02/21/juniper_restructuring_plan/
Tomi Engdahl says:
WhatsApp Shows How Phone Carriers Lost Out on $33 Billion
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-02-21/whatsapp-shows-how-phone-carriers-lost-out-on-33-billion.html
Facebook Inc. (FB)’s $19 billion purchase of mobile-messaging startup WhatsApp Inc. is a stark reminder of how much money phone carriers are losing out on as competitors let users text and chat at no charge.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Netflix to Pay Comcast for Smoother Streaming
Deal Ends Standoff, Might Serve as Precedent for Relations With Other Broadband Suppliers
http://online.wsj.com/news/article_email/SB10001424052702304834704579401071892041790-lMyQjAxMTA0MDIwMzEyNDMyWj
Netflix Inc. has agreed to pay Comcast Corp. to ensure Netflix movies and television shows stream smoothly to Comcast customers, a landmark pact that could set a precedent for Netflix’s dealings with other broadband providers, people familiar with the matter said.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Juniper, HP join the MWC NFV frenzy
Look who wants to add ‘intelligence to the dumb network’
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/02/24/juniper_hp_join_the_mwc_nfv_frenzy/
MWC 2014 As the countdown to Mobile World Congress in Barcelona nears zero, another two major vendors have added their names to the NFV – network function virtualisation – list: Juniper and HP.
Their announcements, along with similar releases last week by Alcatel-Lucent and Cisco, lend further weight to the decomposition of mobile network elements from control elements that until now have been colocated in base station infrastructure.
From HP, we have an initiative called OpenNFV, the centrepiece of which is a reference architecture for the virtualisation of telco network functions. Juniper is pitching an “automate, scale and service creation” message
Tomi Engdahl says:
Why Super-Fast Internet Is Coming Super Slowly
The FCC could change this overnight by focusing on what’s best for the economy, not just for those it regulates.
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304315004579381463769362886
Users everywhere rave about gigabit service—Web pages pop onto your screen, videos stream all over the house, maps jump as you move—and this is before any Web company has implemented a specific service that takes advantage of gigabit speeds.
It’s economically feasible too. The average access speed in the U.S. is now under 10 megabits per second and costs around $40-$60. Verizon FiOS charges $300 a month for 500 megabit service. Yet Google and others charge just $70 a month for a full gigabit connection, download and upload. VTel in Springfield, Vt., charges $35. Gigabit in Hong Kong was $26 way back in 2011.
Almost half of Time Warner Cable revenues (and my guess is far more than half their profits) are from Internet access and digital voice. There’s not much cable competition.
Today, 30% of U.S. homes have either none or one provider of six megabits per second or better Internet access. Another 37% have only two providers
Beyond cable, the big telecom carriers aren’t going to add fiber either.
The FCC can change this overnight. Instead of allowing municipalities to dictate onerous terms and laws that lock in (slow) incumbents, the FCC can mandate right-of-way rules similar to those granted Google Fiber to all credible competitors.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Mobe operators, need to check your network? There’s an app for that
Strap a phone-filled backpack on and go for an urban stroll
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/02/24/gws_network_testing_app_at_mwc/
MWC 2014 US mobile network checking company Global Wireless Solutions says there is a gap between its traditional way of testing mobile coverage using vans driving around with $300k of testing kit in the back and crowd-sourced reports on quality of mobile network coverage.
The problem with using vans to check networks goes beyond cost. Vans can’t go everywhere that people on foot can, such as into shopping centres and on board trains.
The crowd-sourced approach means you have no control over the device which records a problem, when it does so or exactly where it is.
The GWS app runs under Android, in particular on the Galaxy S4.
The GWS app isn’t intended for individuals to use, but Carter can see a scenario where customers are sent a copy by customer service to try and spot individual problems on the network.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Ethernet switches use existing wiring to bring VoIP, Wi-Fi to challenging environments
http://www.cablinginstall.com/articles/2014/01/adtran-voip-switch.html?cmpid=EnlCIMFebruary242014
As an expansion to its ActivReach product line, Adtran has released its NetVanta 1235P Ethernet switch.
running new Ethernet cabling can represent a cost barrier and construction obstacle — especially in aged or historic buildings.
The company says its ActivReach technology eliminates these concerns by utilizing existing cabling (CAT5, CAT3 or legacy copper) for immediate, cost-effective VoIP deployments. In addition, the ActivReach technology extends Ethernet reach up to 488 meters (1600 ft.),
Tomi Engdahl says:
Honeywell’s IP communicator streamlines security system reporting, service
http://www.cablinginstall.com/articles/2014/02/honeywell-ip-communicator.html
Honeywell (NYSE: HON) has announced the availability of two new IP (Internet Protocol) communicators, designed to reduce monitoring and service costs for the transmission of alarm data from virtually any security/burglar alarm panel to a central station over an Internet connection. The new MIP-2 and MIP-2UD communicators from Honeywell Power can eliminate the expense of phone lines traditionally used for security alarm monitoring, says the company.
Honeywell maintains that, with a traditional phone line costing up to $50 per month, buildings with monitored security systems stand to save a substantial sum of money through the use of an existing IP line and elimination of one phone line per security panel.
The MIP’s connection to the central station can be tested every 30 to 90 seconds, versus the once-a-day test performed on POTS lines.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Sam Zell-Backed Anixter Said Working With Goldman Sachs on Sale
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-02-20/zell-backed-anixter-said-working-with-goldman-sachs-on-sale-1-.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
Marc Andreessen says more net neutrality laws are not the answer
http://gigaom.com/2014/02/24/marc-andreessen-says-more-net-neutrality-laws-are-not-the-answer/
Comcast’s recent deal with Netflix re-ignited a debate on net neutrality and how best to implement it, with venture investor Marc Andreessen arguing that competition is what will solve the problem, not more regulations
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Tomi Engdahl says:
Fujitsu Labs, Furukawa Electric develop new type of multifiber optical connector
http://www.cablinginstall.com/articles/2014/02/fujitsu-furukawa-new-multifiber.html
Fujitsu Laboratories and Furukawa Electric Co. have developed a new parallel optical connector that aligns and joins multiple optical fibers for optical interconnects between server boards.
Current designs for optical interconnects inside servers use parallel designs that require numerous multifiber connectors. The connectors are too expensive for this application, the companies assert.
Fujitsu Laboratories and Furukawa Electric say they have developed a connector that eliminates the need for costly polishing. The new design includes a spring mechanism inside the optical connector that introduces minute bends into the optical fibers as a way to accommodate small differences in their lengths so their tips still align. Laser processing the tips of the optical fibers results in surfaces equivalent to those achieved through polishing so the optical fibers can align flush.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Report: Small cells will drive mobile backhaul market
http://www.cablinginstall.com/articles/2014/01/small-cells-mobile-backhaul.html
In a new report, market research firm Dell’Oro Group asserts that the market for mobile backhaul equipment — consisting of transport equipment as well as routers and switches — will reach $8 billion by 2018. “Mobile backhaul will be a critical contributor to carrier microwave, routing, and switching growth over the next five years,”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Forecast: Optical transport system sales to hit $15B by 2018
http://www.cablinginstall.com/articles/2014/01/delloro-100g-dwdm-forecast.html
Market research firm Dell’Oro Group predicts in a new report that sales of optical transport equipment will reach $15 billion by 2018, driven by demand for high-speed DWDM systems. DWDM equipment sales should grow at an average annual rate of 8% through the forecast period, with 100-Gbps accounting for 80% of the demand by 2018, according to the report.
“The most significant of a number of trends unfolding in the optical market is the rapid expansion of 100-Gbps DWDM wavelength shipments, as its use moves beyond the core network and into the metro network,”
Tomi Engdahl says:
R&M technical chief: 10GBase-T becoming ‘standard’ for MEA data centers
http://www.cablinginstall.com/articles/2014/02/rm-10gbt-mea.html
“Across the Middle East, organizations are witnessing a staggering growth of video, network-based business, network-attached devices, cloud computing and virtualization in the data center,” writes Vahid. “All of this has brought about the need for higher performance networks, and today 10 GbE is rapidly becoming a standard across the region.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Infonetics: Get ready for ‘hybrid cloud’ in the data center
http://www.cablinginstall.com/articles/2014/02/infonetics-hybrid-cloud.html
According to the survey, cloud adoption is impacting enterprise IT investments, with not only the WAN — but also the LAN — high on the list for upgrades. “Hybrid cloud is the next evolution in cloud architecture, with adoption among enterprises expected to more than double by 2015,” reveals Cliff Grossner, Ph.D., directing analyst for data center and cloud at Infonetics Research.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Crowded U.S. airwaves desperately in search of breathing room
Some call for comprehensive re-imagining of how spectrum is used
http://www.networkworld.com/news/2014/022514-spectrum-278942.html
Ahead of a major new spectrum auction scheduled for next year, America’s four major wireless carriers are jockeying for position in the frequencies available to them, buying, selling and trading licenses to important parts of the nation’s airwaves.
Tomi Engdahl says:
IBM stuffs 64Gbps of traffic down ‘low quality’ fibres
New short-haul speed record hailed as showing multimode fibre will be around for years
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/02/26/even_multimode_fibre_good_for_years_to_come_ibm/
IBM used a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL if you’re thrifty with keystrokes) to pump 64 Gbps down a multimode fibre, for a distance of 57 metres. This, the company says, is more than 2.5 times as fast as current commercial-grade technology
Tomi Engdahl says:
The internet is fucked
(but we can fix it)
http://www.theverge.com/2014/2/25/5431382/the-internet-is-fucked
154
inShare
Here’s a simple truth: the internet has radically changed the world. Over the course of the past 20 years, the idea of networking all the world’s computers has gone from a research science pipe dream to a necessary condition of economic and social development
It is awesome.
And we’re fucking everything up.
Massive companies like AT&T and Comcast have spent the first two months of 2014 boldly announcing plans to close and control the internet through additional fees, pay-to-play schemes, and sheer brutal size — all while the legal rules designed to protect against these kinds of abuses were struck down in court for basically making too much sense. “Broadband providers represent a threat to internet openness,”
Go ahead, say it out loud. The internet is a utility.
Internet access isn’t a luxury or a choice if you live and participate in the modern economy, it’s a requirement. Have you ever been in an office when the internet goes down? It’s like recess.
The network is interwoven into every moment of our lives, and we should treat it that way.
A commodity that should get better and faster and cheaper over time. Anyone who says otherwise is lying for money.
THERE IS ZERO COMPETITION FOR INTERNET ACCESS
None. Zero. Nothing. It is a wasteland. You are standing in the desert and the only thing that grows is higher prices.
70 percent of American households have but one or two choices for high-speed internet access: cable broadband from a cable provider or DSL from a telephone provider. And since DSL isn’t nearly as fast as cable, and the cable companies are aggressive in bundling TV and internet packages together, it’s really only one choice.
So there’s the entire problem, expressed in four simple ideas: the internet is a utility, there is zero meaningful competition to provide that utility to Americans, all internet providers should be treated equally, and the FCC is doing a miserably ineffective job.
We should stop fucking it up.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Comcast gets paid by Netflix and might still want money from Cogent
ISP power to extract payments threatens network neutrality, critics warn.
http://arstechnica.com/business/2014/02/comcast-gets-paid-by-netflix-and-might-still-want-money-from-cogent/
Comcast’s success in extracting payments from Netflix won’t end its dispute with Cogent, a network operator that distributes Netflix video and other traffic, Cogent’s CEO said.
Cogent operates one of several networks that Netflix uses to distribute video across the Internet. With Netflix now paying Comcast for a direct connection to that ISP’s network, Cogent’s role in passing traffic from Netflix to Comcast will be reduced or potentially eliminated.
But just because Netflix traffic will now flow directly from Netflix to Comcast doesn’t mean that Comcast will drop its demand for payment from Cogent.
“They want everybody who they can possibly extract a payment from to pay them, even though the traffic that is reaching their customers has been paid for by their customers,” Cogent Communications CEO Dave Schaeffer told Ars today.
Tomi Engdahl says:
New radio tech could HALVE mobe operators’ bandwidth needs
Might contravene today’s LTE specs, but Kuma Networks’ idea could go far
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/02/27/mwc2014_kuma_networks_mobile_tech_halves_bandwidth/
MWC 2014 A team from Stanford University has patented a technology which could make a huge difference to mobile phone operators by halving their bandwidth requirements overnight.
Kuma Networks is showcasing tech which allows radio equipment – such as that used by mobile telephones – to send and receive on the same frequency. It does this in a similar way to a noise-cancelling headset. By knowing what a base station is transmitting it can cancel out the information from the very faint signal it receives.
Joel Brand from Kuma claims that this will exactly double throughput. He says it’s taken seven years for the last doubling in spectral efficiency and that we are reaching the Shannon limit
One of the problems faced by Kuma is that of standards. Indeed, the LTE specification prohibits the use of the same frequencies for send and receive, but Brand points out the technology is frequency agnostic. It can be used where there are no such rules, such as microwave for backhaul.
Tomi Engdahl says:
ICANN seeks to tackle DNS namespace collision risks
Prepare to watch sysadmins freak out over 127.0.53.53 appearing in logs
http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/539336/icann_seeks_tackle_dns_namespace_collision_risks/
As the number of top-level domains undergoes explosive growth, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) is studying ways to reduce the risk of traffic intended for internal network destinations ending up on the Internet via the Domain Name System.
The draft of a report (PDF) commissioned by ICANN and carried out by JAS Global Advisors includes a series of recommendations — ranging from alerting network operators by returning 127.0.53.53 as an IP address to, in extreme conditions, killing a delegated second-level domain — to deal with the issue.
Tomi Engdahl says:
T-Mobile Turns an Industry on Its Ear
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/27/technology/personaltech/t-mobile-turns-an-industry-on-its-ear-in-a-fight-for-its-life.html?pagewanted=all
A rash of consumer-friendliness has broken out across the mobile data industry. Over the last year, the four major carriers — AT&T, Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile — have cut prices and offered greater flexibility in how they sell their voice, text and broadband services. The industry could be on the verge of an all-out price war.
Who is responsible for this blessed state of affairs?
Credit must go to the United States government.
In 2011, officials at the Federal Communications Commission and the Justice Department moved to block AT&T’s proposed $39 billion acquisition of T-Mobile. That kept the struggling, fourth-place carrier alive as an independent firm.
While T-Mobile executives are reluctant to credit the failed merger with AT&T as the source of the firm’s aggressive new pricing strategy, they admit that they see themselves as disrupters in the market. “We want to identify every pain point for consumers in this industry and eliminate them all,” said Michael Katz, T-Mobile’s vice president for marketing.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Here’s How The Comcast & Netflix Deal Is Structured, With Data & Numbers
http://blog.streamingmedia.com/2014/02/heres-comcast-netflix-deal-structured-numbers.html
There’s been a lot of speculation involving the business and technical details surrounding the recent deal between Comcast and Netflix and plenty of wrong numbers and information being used.
From a technical level, Netflix has their own servers that are sitting inside third-party colocation facilities in multiple locations. To connect Netflix’s servers to ISPs, Netflix buys transit from multiple providers, which then connect their networks to the ISPs. Netflix pays the transit providers for those connections and with that, gets a certain level of capacity from the transit provider. While Cogent is one of the companies Netflix is buying transit from, they are not the only one. Netflix buys transit from multiple companies, including Cogent, Level 3, Tata, XO, Telia, and NTT, with Cogent and Level 3 being the primary providers. Transit providers like Cogent then connect their networks to ISPs like Comcast in what’s called peering.
ISPs have something called a peering policy (comcast.com/peering), which are rules that govern how networks connect with one another and exchange traffic. ISPs like Comcast will allow transit providers like Cogent to connect to their network, for free, in what’s called settlement-free peering. However, once the transit provider sends more traffic to the ISP then they are allowed to, per the ISPs peering policy, the transit provider pays the ISP for more capacity to get additional traffic into their network.
The reason for the poor quality streaming is that Cogent refuses to pay Comcast to add more capacity, even though Cogent is taking Netflix’s money for the service. Cogent is charging Netflix for a service it can’t deliver.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Yes, You Too Can Be An Evil Network Overlord – On The Cheap With OpenBSD, pflow And nfsen
http://bsdly.blogspot.ca/2014/02/yes-you-too-can-be-evil-network.html
Have you ever wanted to know what’s really going on in your network? Some free tools with surprising origins can help you to an almost frightening degree.
I’ve focused mainly on OpenBSD here, but netflow sensors exist or should exist for essentially anything that has a TCP/IP stack. And nfsen works well on Linux and other Unix-like systems, too, I’ve heard tell.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Exploring the Benefits of Low Smoke Zero Halogen: Eco-friendly Cabling with No Performance Loss
http://www.cablinginstall.com/whitepapers/2013/07/exploring-the-benefits-of-low-smoke-zero-halogen-eco-friendly-cabling-with-no-performance-loss.html?cmpid=EnlContractorFebruary272014
Halogens have been a popular material in cable manufacturing because they are considered to be good fire suppressors. However, when released through burning or other chemical reactions, halogenated compounds emit toxic fumes and an opaque smoke.
Now, non-halogenated cables are available, referred to as low smoke zero halogen or LSZH cables that are just as reliable as halogenated cables, but without the risk.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Analyzing fiber-optic cabling in wastewater treatment plants
http://www.cablinginstall.com/articles/2014/02/fiber-applic-in-wastewater-plants.html?cmpid=EnlContractorFebruary272014
In a wastewater treatment plant, cable choice is particularly important because of the uniquely harsh environment.
“As wastewater treatment plants are built, expanded and upgraded, optical fiber is becoming an essential part of the communications infrastructure,” writes Easton. “The main use of optical fiber in a wastewater treatment plant is for the interconnection of the distributed control units back to a central control room.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Optical LANs: What contractors need to know
http://www.cablinginstall.com/articles/print/volume-22/issue-2/features/optical-lans-what-contractors-need-to-know.html?cmpid=EnlContractorFebruary272014
OLANs provide contractors the latest opportunity to move up the network ladder.
A new type of local area network (LAN) has been getting a lot of attention recently, what the industry is calling an “optical LAN” or “OLAN” and sometimes a “passive optical LAN” or “POL.” Those terms may mean something different to some vendors and users because, typical with new technology, jargon gets developed over time.
However, by now most contractors know something about these new optical LANs and perhaps just enough to get them worried. Most of the worry comes from the major marketing point made about optical LANs-they replace many copper cables with just a few fibers and cost users a lot less to install and operate.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Atmel Announces SmartConnect WiFi Modules
http://hackaday.com/2014/03/01/atmel-announces-smartconnect-wifi-modules/
Back in 2012, Atmel acquired Ozmo, a company focused on point-to-point WiFi solutions using WiFi Direct. These devices are known as SmartDirect, and have been available for some time.
Atmel has just announced a new product line: SmartConnect. This moves beyond the point-to-point nature of WiFi Direct, and enables connections to standard access points. The SmartConnect series is designed for embedding in low cost devices that need to connect to a network.
The first devices in the SmartConnect line will be modules based on two chips: an Atmel SAMD21 Cortex-M0+ microcontroller and an Ozmo 3000 WiFi System on Chip.
Atmel is claiming improvements in power management as well. The module can run straight from a battery at 1.8 V to 3.3 V without external regulation, and has a deep sleep current of 5 nA.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Open Source Tech Providing Mobile Communications In Developing Nations
http://news.slashdot.org/story/14/03/01/1740242/open-source-tech-providing-mobile-communications-in-developing-nations
“A village in the West Papua central highlands runs a telecom network out of a box latched to a tree. The network runs on open source. ‘OpenBTS, an all-software cellular transceiver, is at the heart of the network running on that box attached to a treetop.”
Cellular’s open source future is latched to tallest tree in the village
Open source tech that could reshape mobile connects a West Papua village to the world.
http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2014/02/cellulars-open-source-future-is-latched-to-tallest-tree-in-the-village/
The single “tower” cell network is the work of graduate students from the University of California at Berkeley’s Technology and Infrastructure for Emerging Regions (TIER) research group,
And that network runs on open source. OpenBTS, an all-software cellular transceiver
OpenBTS is a Unix-based software package that connects to a software-defined radio. On the radio side, it uses the GSM air interface used globally by 2G and 2.5G cellular networks, which makes it compatible with most 2G and 3G handsets. On the backend, it uses a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) “soft-switch” or a software-based private branch exchange (PBX) server to route calls, so it can be integrated with VoIP phone systems.
For rural environments, where the government allows it and Telco providers don’t operate, small mobile providers could be set up using existing phones without much effort.
The Desa network-in-a-box is a modified Range Networks base station configured to be as hands-off and low-impact as possible.
Getting the radio spectrum needed to run a GSM network in that environment was pretty straightforward—the team just took it. “We’re in the middle of nowhere,” said Heimerl. “Nobody’s going to come for us.”
As a result of the prepaid credit system, the Desa cell network is doing better than just breaking even—it’s bringing in a profit.
most of the demand for the technology right now is in the developing world for a number of reasons. “Many African countries are leading in white space adoption,”
“When you think of GSM, one of the key characteristics is communications,” Kozel said. “But it also authenticates itself. And the connection moves with you.” Using software-defined radios, those parts of GSM could be applied in ways “that won’t have anything to do with GSM networks as we know of them,”
OpenBTS Public Release
http://wush.net/trac/rangepublic
Tomi Engdahl says:
Mobile apps overtake PC Internet usage in U.S.
http://money.cnn.com/2014/02/28/technology/mobile/mobile-apps-internet/index.html
Americans used smartphone and tablet apps more than PCs to access the Internet last month — the first time that has ever happened.
Mobile devices accounted for 55% of Internet usage in the United States in January. Apps made up 47% of Internet traffic and 8% of traffic came from mobile browsers, according to data from comScore, cited Thursday by research firm Enders Analysis. PCs clocked in at 45%.
Although total Internet usage on mobile devices has previously exceeded that on PCs, this is the first time it’s happened for app usage alone.
The shift follows a freefall in PC sales, which suffered their worst decline in history last year.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Brocade, Broadcom, Freescale trio aglow in the OpenFlow chateau
Support for version 1.3 now slipped into tech gear
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/03/03/openflow_broad_support/
Brocade, Broadcom, and Freescale have broadened their backing of a key software-defined networking standard by supporting version 1.3 of the OpenFlow specification throughout their products.
The trio announced the move on Monday at the Open Compute Summit in Santa Clara, California.
OpenFlow 1.3 supports IPv6, Group Tables, Active-Standby Controllers, Q-in-Q, and other features, and was released in late 2012. Other companies, such as HP, have also made moves to integrate the technology
By supporting the software-defined networking standard, Brocade, Broadcom, and Freescale hope to turn the enthusiasm for the technology into profits – and snub incumbents like Cisco in the process by making it easier for people to break the control plane away from the underlying hardware.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Inside the New Arms Race to Control Bandwidth on the Battlefield
http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2014/02/spectrum-warfare/
It is well known that America’s military dominates both the air and the sea. What’s less celebrated is that the US has also dominated the spectrum, a feat that is just as critical to the success of operations. Communications, navigation, battlefield logistics, precision munitions—all of these depend on complete and unfettered access to the spectrum, territory that must be vigilantly defended from enemy combatants
The Pentagon failed to foresee how much the wireless revolution would alter warfare.
The American military is scrambling to develop new tools and techniques that will help it preserve its electromagnetic edge. But that edge continues to shrink by the day, and very soon our inability to completely control the spectrum might result in a different kind of war.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Cisco ‘s annual Cisco Visual Networking Index Global Mobile Data Traffic Forecast for 2013 Thurs 2018, study predicts mobile data traffic will grow worldwide by almost 11-fold, 190 exabytes by 2018. 190 exabytes of traffic is quantitatively the same as if each of the world’s people from loading the network at 15 frames every day of the year, the company says.
Mobile traffic is expected to grow over the period to 2013? 2018 three times faster than fixed-line traffic.
The increased use of mobile video. In 2018, mobile video is expected to be 69 per cent of mobile data traffic in 2013 it was 53 per cent.
Increase in the number of mobile subscriptions. In 2018, the world is projected to be more than 10 billion mobile device or interface
Increase in the speed of mobile networks. By 2018, mobile networks speeds almost doubled. The global average increases of 1.4 megabits per second to 2.5 megabits per second speed.
Machinery to machine communication is a significant issue.
Source: Tietoviikko
http://www.tietoviikko.fi/uutisia/video+ja+koneiden+keskustelu+tayttavat+kohta+verkot/a971300
Tomi Engdahl says:
New 4G router pitched at biz bods sick to death of titsup networks
Um, when you say ‘unlimited data plan…’
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/03/04/cradlepoint_4g_router/
With increasing 4G coverage, mobile data is becoming a sensible option for corporates who want resilience for their company networks. This is especially true in major American cities which have more mature 4G coverage
Cradlepoint from Idaho has launched a router which combines 3G and 4G mobile coverage with fixed lines for both bandwidth and resilience.
The router can talk through Ethernet (T1, DSL, cable or Metro Ethernet) and Wi-Fi as WAN.
Indeed you might be better off using SIM cards from different networks if you have two 4G modems fitted to provide some resiliency – and that would be a huge complication for bonding.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Facebook In Talks To Acquire Drone Maker Titan Aerospace
http://techcrunch.com/2014/03/03/facebook-in-talks-to-acquire-drone-maker-titan-aerospace/
Facebook, one of the primary backers of the Internet.org initiative, which aims to bring affordable Internet access to the 5 billion people in the world who still lack connectivity, is in talks with a company that could help further that agenda. TechCrunch is hearing that Facebook is buying Titan Aerospace, makers of near-orbital, solar-powered drones which can fly for five years without needing to land.
From our understanding, Facebook is interested in using these high-flying drones to blanket parts of the world without Internet access, beginning with Africa.
The Solara 50 and 60 models can be launched at night using power from internal battery packs, then when the sun rises, they can store enough energy to ascend to 20KM above sea level where they can remain for five years without needing to land or refuel. Such capabilities make them ideal for regional Internet systems, like those that Internet.org would be focused on.
The Internet.org project competes with Google’s own R&D effort called “Project Loon,” which would involve balloons, not aircraft. TechCrunch had previously heard that Facebook has its own counterpart to “Project Loon” in the works, and this could be a part of that agenda.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Why Would Titan Aerospace Sell To Facebook? Because Investors Weren’t Biting
http://techcrunch.com/2014/03/04/why-would-titan-aerospace-sell-to-facebook-because-investors-werent-biting/
One question we had concerning Facebook’s interest in buying drone aircraft maker Titan Aerospace is why would Titan, a young company founded in just 2012, want to sell? Facebook’s interest in the business, after all, makes sense: It wants to use the drones to help spread Internet access to developing nations, via the Internet.org initiative, which is focused on connecting the “next 5 billion” people to the web.
But Titan, led by CEO Vern Raburn, who previously founded Eclipse Aviation, seemed to have developed some very innovative aircraft, or “atmosats” as the company liked to call them. The company’s Solara 50 and 60 models, for example, could be launched into the skies using battery power, then ascend to 20KM (65,000 ft.) above sea level where they could remain for five years without needing to land or refuel, using just solar power.
Some investors were also worried about the forthcoming FAA regulations.
Combined with the possible risk that the aircraft couldn’t sustain flight at 65,000 feet — which would be above the Class A airspace that ends at 60,000 feet — the risk may have been more than many VCs would want to take on.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Are We Being Adaptive to Buffering?
http://www.eetimes.com/author.asp?section_id=36&doc_id=1321290&piddl_msgid=292513#msg_292513
My friend started by saying that we share the Internet medium, and that the number of people using it at any particular time is dynamic. This means that the streaming experience can vary considerably throughout a day, during a month, or across a year. This led to my next questions: How does this affect things like Internet protocol television and connected TVs? What kind of a user experience can they guarantee? And does all this require a different Internet infrastructure?
Apparently, traditional techniques like download-and-play and progressive download are congestion ignorant. By comparison, newer techniques can sense congestion on the network, and they are adaptive with respect to available bandwidth.
HTTP adaptive streaming is one emerging solution.
The system creates multiple files of different resolutions from the original content. Each file is targeted for different devices and connection speeds. The overall viewing experience is enriched by picking the stream that is best for playback at a given bandwidth. All this works on top of the HTTP infrastructure
The adaptive streaming concept is based on providing chunks of video 2-10 seconds long called segments. These segments are available up front from the server in different resolutions. All segments are captured with their HTTP URL in a manifest file and presented in advance to the player. Looking at the network load, the player picks the correct stream/segment with the appropriate resolution and downloads it for playback. This means that, at any point in time, the device has 2-10 seconds of content.
Major players have their own versions of adaptive streaming, such as Apple’s HTTP Live Streaming (HLS), Microsoft’s Smooth Streaming, and Adobe’s HTTP Dynamic Streaming.
The Motion Picture Expert Group (MPEG) is trying to standardize the best-practices of these three streaming technologies under the MPEG-DASH (dynamic adaptive streaming over HTTP) brand. A unified standard requiring only one set of files capable of playing on all compatible devices would be a boon to all content publishers.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Got 4G? Wake up, grandad. We’re doing 4.5G LTE-A in London – EE chief
And get a load of our gleaming voice system! It’s, erm, 2G actually
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/03/05/ee_lte_a_for_m25/
Olaf Swantee, the CEO of EE, says that his network is planning a scorching 300Mb/s upgrade to its London coverage using the LTE-A (LTE-Advanced) specification. This will roll out in South London first and then to cover the whole of the area within the M25.
While Swantee claims that this will make London the place with the fastest mobile connection, EE will be following in the footsteps of SK Telecom and LG U Plus – both of whom have three-carrier LTE-A in South Korea.
Tomi Engdahl says:
A Deceptively Simple Speaker That Always Knows What to Play
http://www.wired.com/design/2014/03/ingenious-speaker-acts-dj/
Don’t call Cone a speaker. It’s a “thinking music player.”
That, anyway, is how Duncan Lamb, co-founder of Aether, explains his company’s new offering, a conical music-machine that learns your tastes and seamlessly streams the songs you want to hear. It’s a fairly radical reinvention of a familiar gadget–a speaker that relieves you of the responsibility of DJing every song at every step of the way. But it’s also an example of how the internet of things is quickly maturing, proving that clever algorithms and beefy processing power can be combined to make products simpler to use, rather than more complex.
The secret sauce that lets Aether achieve that simplicity is machine learning. Each time you spin its dial, Cone learns something about you. By taking note of what you skip past and what you listen to, it slowly puts together a profile of your music listening habits.
Today’s streaming services, he continues, are “designed by people who love music for people who love music.” It’s tempting to think that’s everyone, but in the real world, it’s evident that it’s not.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Stanford team tries for zippier Wi-Fi in crowded buildings
Residents of a dorm can name their own networks and set policies while sharing access points
http://www.networkworld.com/news/2014/030614-stanford-team-tries-for-zippier-279449.html
Having lots of Wi-Fi networks packed into a condominium or apartment building can hurt everyone’s wireless performance, but Stanford University researchers say they’ve found a way to turn crowding into an advantage.
In a dorm on the Stanford campus, they’re building a single, dense Wi-Fi infrastructure that each resident can use and manage like their own private network. That means the shared system, called BeHop, can be centrally managed for maximum performance and efficiency while users still assign their own SSIDs (service set identifiers), passwords and other settings, according to Yiannis Yiakoumis, a Stanford doctoral student who presented a paper at the Open Networking Summit this week.
SDN places control of networks in overarching software rather than in the specialized network components that forward packets. BeHop uses software components including the OpenWRT Linux distribution for Wi-Fi routers and the Open VSwitch virtual switch, which is included in the Linux kernel. While most of the software used in the project is open source, the team has developed some code it hasn’t had time to release as open source, Yiakoumis said. It plans to do so later.
BeHop also differs from enterprise wireless LANs, and from residential systems based on enterprise-class APs such as Ruckus’, with its consumer-grade access points.