WCA January 2017

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Wire & Cable ASIA – January/February 2017
Telecomnews
Nokia’s chief of technology
supplies a rationale for
cable companies doubling
as wireless service
providers
Noting that cable companies
previously have tried offering wireless,
without success, Ben Munson of
FierceCable wondered why cable
telecoms such as Comcast and
Charter, both of the USA, would
express intentions of becoming
wireless service providers.
During Cable-Tec Expo 2016, held
in Philadelphia in September, he
put the question to event keynoter
Marcus Weldon, CTO of the Finnish
multinational communications and IT
company Nokia.
These few excerpts from the interview
suggest what might prompt a cable
company to consider taking even
tentative steps into the wireless
ecosystem: (“Marcus Weldon Says
Cable Could Win at Wireless This
Time”)
Samsung Electronics, which makes nearly a third of its smartphones in
Vietnam, has estimated that the stop-work order on its fire-prone Galaxy
Note 7 model will produce losses of more than $1.78 billion in the last quarter
of 2016, followed by half that in the first months of this year. The Southeast
Asian country would seem positioned to take a significant hit as Samsung
retrenches. But according to Ralph Jennings of Forbes, Vietnam – with GDP
growth of more than six per cent a year on the back of exports – is expected
to be hurt, but not very badly nor for very long.
Mr Jennings reported that Hanoi-based SSI Research foresees a decrease
through March of only $924 million, or 0.6 per cent, in overall exports from
Vietnam due to the stoppage of Note 7s. Samsung has pledged $12 billion
in factory investment in Vietnam and the Korean electronics giant accounts
for a fifth of Vietnam’s smartphone shipments. But not all of these were
Note 7s, and SSI Research said Samsung is expected to promote sales of
“other flagship models.” This means that any “negative impact will be likely
balanced,” SSI said. (“How Samsung-Reliant Vietnam Will Survive The Note
7 Stoppage,” 19th October)
Because Samsung smartphones are only assembled, not designed, in
Vietnam, analysts also see little risk to the country’s good name from the
overheating of Note 7s – apparently a design flaw. Adam McCarty, chief
economist with Mekong Economics in Hanoi, told Forbes that, in his view,
because Samsung is having trouble with one product “is not going to tarnish
the reputation of Vietnam as a most attractive country for export-oriented
FDI [foreign direct investment] manufacturing.”
Since 2010, Vietnam has rivalled China as an export manufacturing hub
anchored by cheap labour, friendly investment rules, and tariff-cutting trade
pacts with major export markets.
Samsung’s troubles with the Galaxy Note 7 will probably
deal Vietnam only a glancing blow
Q: What do you see that’s different
this time?
A: What we’re seeing is that wireless
small cells and wireline nodes are
moving to the same location in the
network. Whether that node is telco
or cable, and the cell is a Wi-Fi
access point or a licensed spectrum
cell, they’re all moving to the same
point, about 100 to 200 metres
away from the end user. When that
happens, those who own fibre going
to that location, who own power at
that location, naturally are the best
ones to provide that set of services
across different wireless and wired
technologies.
Q: So the move toward small
cell architecture gives cable an
advantage this time around?
A: Advantage in the sense of its
architectural commonality. It doesn’t
mean that [cable companies] will be
better than the telco segment but
it means they are now legitimately
deploying an architecture that can be
turned into a wireless architecture,
as opposed to trying to overbuild
themselves with a whole wireless
macro layer. Now fibre nodes, cable,
and small cells will become one in the
same location, which means one field
force, one backhaul, one powering.
Q: With the wireless playing field
now more level, what could hybrid
(cable-wireless) access mean for
network infrastructure investment
as a whole?
A: It provides more options, because
it means that telco and cable
architecture are both compatible with
future wireless. So now, whoever
you are, you will have the option of
working with a partner who can help
you deploy highly distributed nodes
and cells, whereas before you had no
such option but to build it yourself.
The Silicon Valley
electronic commerce giant
Amazon may be starting up
in broadband in Europe
For another example of sidling into a
separate but related area, according
to The Information (19th October),
is believed to be
considering offering Internet service
directly to European consumers. This
would allow Seattle-based Amazon
to bundle Internet access with its
Prime streaming video offering,
making it more competitive with cable
operators which already offer a similar
broadband-video package.
The tech news site noted that Amazon
is already a strong competitor in
streaming video, selling both its own
Prime service and subscriptions
to cable channels. Adding Internet
service could help it gain more video
customers and would make it the
latest tech company to try its hand at
providing broadband access, not just
the services that run on top of it.
“Google has tried both with cellular
and wired broadband networks,” said
Amir Efrati and Martin Peers of The
Information. “So far without showing
signs of much success.”
Cara McGoogan of the Telegraph
pointed out that a launch in Britain
and Germany, rather than the USA,
would hold attraction for Amazon
because both countries have rules
that make it easier for newcomers
to offer broadband. In Britain, BT is
compelled to offer rival companies
BigStockPhoto.com • Photographer: Krishnacreations