CommScope Wants to Take the Complexity Out of Managing Networks

ehabChannel Post speaks to Ehab Kanary, the Vice President of Enterprise for MEA at CommScope, about the state of network infrastructure in the Middle East region.

What is the state of network infrastructure in the Middle East region? Are they on par with more developed markets?
IDC forecasts that organizations in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) will invest more than $6.6bn in Internet of Things (IoT) hardware, software, services, and connectivity in 2016.

We are in the early stages of what may be the greatest transformation of networking yet, driven by mobility, video consumption and cloud.  These consumer behaviours and technology trends are straining networks in the region as well as globally and require new thinking regarding infrastructure requirements of the future.

CommScope is well positioned to address bandwidth needs through a convergence of network technology, including outdoor cellular towers infrastructure, small cells, distributed antenna systems, fiber optic connectivity and data centre infrastructure.

How does CommScope work with governments and service providers in the Middle East to ensure they have top notch infrastructure backbone to offer world-class solutions?
It has been a little over a year since CommScope completed the acquisition of TE Connectivity’s Telecom, Enterprise and Wireless businesses, and the acquisition in the Middle East region closed in Q415. CommScope has transformed into a stronger company with a more global scale, more innovation, and more solutions to address customer challenges.

CommScope is taking the complexity out of managing networks that are changing faster than ever before. Video-on-demand, online gaming, teleworking and e-Health services will undergo increased reliability as telecommunications companies invest in improving their networks’ capability of carrying large amounts of data.

Many cloud services providers have recently entered the Middle East market. Does CommScope work with any of these providers in terms of arming them with network infrastructure?
The region is seeing increasing adoption of new technologies like converged systems, while procurement of infrastructure for cloud environments is also on the rise, according to IDC. As content is being pushed closer and closer to consumers, or to the edge of the network, many hyperscale and cloud providers are turning to multi-tenant data centres [Co-location] which frees up the enterprise to focus on the core business.  It’s the fastest growing segment in the data center industry.  CommScope helps cloud service providers deliver these expectations as they review all aspects of their IT infrastructure, including on premise, colocation and cloud solutions.

The governments in the GCC are at the forefront, when it comes to implementation of smart cities. How does CommScope look at this promising future? Are you already working with any of the governments to bring this to a fruition?
Dubai, a leading Middle Eastern business and tourist hub which will host Expo 2020, is among those embracing ambitious smart-city goals, aiming to become the world’s smartest city by 2017. Smart buildings are the stepping stones for smart cities.  Buildings and large venues will continue to be designed like the smartest of cities.

Reliable voice and data services in every corner of every building are essential to enable new operator revenue streams, such as smart cities, and to help enterprises enhance their businesses, according to a recent blog post by Sue Monahan.

CommScope is working with partners, operators, CEOs and IT leaders across the region who understand that dedicated wireless capacity is no longer a nice to have if building and large venue owners want to stay relevant in today’s connected world.

You recently participated in the FTTH Conference in Kuwait. Can you share the experience and feedback you received from the event?
We see a huge opportunity for the region when it comes to access to reliable connectivity – whether it’s superfast broadband or 4G.  The region’s future plan is to enter the Gigabit race with currently the highest speed rate available reaches 500 Mbps in UAE.

These projects will require experienced and qualified infrastructure specialists to see that the networks are quickly and reliably rolled out.  CommScope is positioned to help service providers build a business case to implement fiber optic connectivity for broadband networks by speeding deployment and reducing overall costs.

How do events such as the FTTH Conference fit into the overall region strategy at CommScope?
Fibre will enable the Middle East’s growing connectivity needs and boost its competitiveness. Ultrafast fibre networks are currently being rolled out to our customers across the Middle East and, while changes won’t happen overnight, small businesses will soon be able to compete on a level playing field with larger businesses.

CommScope is positioned to help service providers build a business case to implement fiber optic connectivity for broadband networks by speeding deployment and reducing overall costs.

When it comes to data centre strategies, wideband multimode fiber (WBMMF) could contribute to the next generation data centers, considering it fits the requirements of 100G and 400G and extends the adaptability of multimode data centres.

The New CommScope is well positioned to address bandwidth needs through a convergence of network technology, including outdoor cellular infrastructure, small cells, distributed antenna systems, fiber optic connectivity and data centre infrastructure.

Do you have any Channel Partner Program or certification programs in place? Can you share the details?
CommScope recently expanded its PartnerPRO Network by integrating former TE Connectivity’s BNS ND&I Program. The PartnerPRO Network consists of thousands of CommScope certified local installers, distributors and integrators that put its high-performance solutions to work. Customers who used the BNS ND&I program, looking to build a dependable, high-performance network or data center, can now work with PartnerPRO Network to provide complete, end-to-end network cabling and connectivity solutions—all from a single manufacturer.

Many services providers are now moving towards implementing 5G networks. How does CommScope fit into the overall picture in terms of solutions and services?
With the first 5G standard targeted for release the second half of 2018, or even sooner depending on who you talk to, there is still much work to be done. Organisations, governments, academics and special interest groups are all working on the technologies that will eventually form the standard. Until then, 5G is still largely a concept.

Regulators are already identifying the spectrum needed to support the initial 5G deployments. Every new standard demands more spectrum. If operators want to deliver more capacity, they will need more wireless spectrum to do it. According to industry analysts, there simply isn’t enough spectrum left.

Much of the success of 5G will rely on optimising the use of spectrum. One solution could be to look at higher spectrum banks such as 6GHz, 28GHz and 3GHz. These higher bands allow data to be transmitted at a greater bandwidth, but the signal doesn’t reach as far lower spectrum banks.

To address the lack of spectrum, the mobile industry can add more capacity by improving existing spectrum efficiency or rolling out more infrastructure. On the infrastructure front, small cell technology could be added to lamp posts or buildings to boost performance.

While they may have a reduced range compared to their larger counterparts, small cell technology is a valid alternative to adding more base stations in already densely populated areas. Small cells also have the benefit of needing less energy.

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