RFS news roundup: January February
FCC spectrum conundrum
The year started with concerns about the impact new 5G roll outs could have, if deployed too close to aviation equipment. It’s a tricky area to navigate, but RFS is uniquely placed to comment on the issue.
“As spectrum becomes more crowded than ever before, it seems inevitable that we will face more and more challenges relating to interference. This particular story hit the headlines as the safety aspect was a big concern for many, however as spectrum interference becomes a more common issue, it is vital that as an industry we have a way to troubleshoot it. At RFS we have a long history of expertise in the field of RF, not only telecoms, but also broadcast, aviation and defense. It’s vital to ensure that innovation can progress without compromising safety and so working with those who have specific expertise in RF planning and interference will be key to a smooth evolution across all aspects of wireless connectivity.”
Christian Barb, VP Sales North America at RFS
Vantage Towers green vision
Vantage Towers, one of Europe’s biggest tower companies agreed to buy more than 750 wind turbines from renewable energy start-up Mowea to power its sites in Germany. With a huge focus on achieving sustainability at the same time as driving 5G technology forward what does this announcement mean for the industry?
“Although it is only a small aspect of what needs to be tackled to improve sustainability in the telecoms industry, it certainly sets a tone that says greener is possible and businesses need to be bold as they look to reduce their carbon footprint. The real positive we can take from this is that Vantage Towers is fully embracing green ideas, but that isn’t compromising their technological advancements, and the evolution they need to undergo to keep pace with the rest of the industry. It is a fantastic start to the year from a green perspective and hopefully the first of many announcements that will support positive progress for the planet.”
Neil Gibson, Project Manager - Climate Ambition Project at RFS
Dell’Oro research
We’ve seen a flurry of research from the analyst house in recent weeks talking about two of the biggest 2022 topics: OpenRAN and CBRS. While Dell’Oro sees OpenRAN as a technology surpassing expectations, it revises its earlier optimism when it comes to CBRS.
“These are two of the biggest trends in the US market and so it is great to get insight into how the reality of the technology stacks up against the theoretical conversations. OpenRAN is a technology that, as an industry, we have a huge incentive to get off the ground with opportunities and benefits across the ecosystem. Initial CBRS forecasts have been adjusted with Dell’Oro stating earlier analysis was over optimistic, but it is still an area where we are seeing traction. Particularly in the North America market these technologies are set to have a huge impact on the telecoms landscape and we’re excited to be on hand to help our customers make the most of the opportunities they present.”
Peter Raabe, Strategic Marketing and Transformation Director at RFS
Diversity in Tech
inally, this February has seen MWC return to its traditional February slot in the calendar, and we are seeing the telecoms world come together to discuss not only some of the big trends we mentioned, but some of the pressing issues for the industry. Along with climate change, high on the agenda is the need for diversity in tech with the GSMA’s dedicated Diversity4Tech program. Last year CEO Monika Maurer shared her thoughts on diversity and inclusion in tech.
“One of the very few silver linings from the pandemic is that for many more ‘traditional’ industries it has accelerated perspectives on flexible working. As the world has been forced to adopt a new working style and adapt to changes in childcare demands, increased working from home and changes in working patterns, industries have had to learn the hard way that flexible working is a viable option. To enable equal opportunities, we have to learn to deal with family life and so flexibility has to become the norm. From the big step the pandemic has forced us to take, I expect that it will open the doors to many women to embrace leadership roles as it has proven that this can be done within a flexible framework…”
“…. We as an industry are moving in the right direction to ensure women are able to take full advantage of all opportunities that such an interesting and exciting sector is offering, and I would encourage them to have the self-belief to make the most of them.” Read the full Q and A here.
Monika Maurer, CEO at RFS
RFS in the headlines: Two innovations to kick off 2022
Additionally, the start of the year saw the launch of two RFS innovations. Firstly, our latest HYBRIFLEX solutions which will deliver DRS, active DAS, and small cells for high-bandwidth in-building and campus deployments. Secondly, we launched a suite of connected city solutions with our new Urban Based Infrastructure portfolio which brings together the best of RFS for city deployments.
You can read more about the announcements in the latest RFS press coverage below.
RFS Launches DRS, Active DAS, Small Cells Solutions for High-bandwidth, In-building, Campus Deployments
RFS Delivers Complete Connected City Architecture with the Launch of Urban Based Infrastructure
