New Caledonia to Shutdown 2G and Launch 5G while Relying on 3G & 4G

New Caledonia, situated in the Southern Pacific, is a unique collectivity of France. A French collectivity is a territory that is governed by the French Constitution and has its own local government and regulatory authority. It operates independently from the European Union, exempting it from EU roaming regulations. As a result, international providers typically impose high roaming charges for usage within New Caledonia. Even French providers treat New Caledonia as an overseas destination, akin to certain other French overseas territories. Despite this, the archipelago boasts a robust telecommunications infrastructure, ensuring both residents and visitors have access to a diverse range of mobile services.

OPT-NC dominates New Caledonia's telecommunications landscape, holding a monopoly over fixed and mobile voice services, mobile internet, fixed broadband access, and wholesale services for other internet service providers.

The nation benefits from extensive 3G and LTE networks, contributing to one of the highest highest smartphone adoption rates in the Pacific region. Projections indicate that smartphone penetration will rise to 71% by 2025.

Mobile services operate on various frequencies depending on the location within the country: 2G operates on 900 MHz, while 3G operates on 900 MHz in rural areas and 2100 MHz in urban centers. 4G/LTE operates on 800, 1800, and 2100 MHz (bands 1, 3, 20).

L’Office des Postes et Télécommunications de Nouvelle-Calédonie (OPT-NC) stands as the exclusive operator, a public enterprise established in 2003. Its services encompass banking, postal, and telecommunications provisions, including landline, ADSL, and mobile phone services.

The 2G network is being phased out since 2022 and will cease to exist on 1st Jan 2025. The press release explains (translated from French):

OPT-NC has stopped deploying new 2G sites since 2019 and has been gradually shutting down the technology since the beginning of 2022 on sites in urban areas. The final shutdown is planned for 2025.

To confirm the definitive end of 2G technology, OPT-NC supports its customers by:

• Extending homogeneous 3G/4G coverage to the current 2G coverage; 
• Densifying the dimensioning of the mobile network so as to be able to properly absorb traffic;
• Deploying cellular Internet of Things (IoT) technologies, namely:
• the NB-IoT which will serve uses such as smart metering, smart city, smart agriculture;
• the CAT-M1 which is a network capable of responding to complex issues, mobility or real time. It will provide the same level of service as 2G for uses such as vehicle tracking.

OPT, in conjunction with the government of New Caledonia, is progressing with the implementation of private 5G networks. Earlier this year marked the initial stride toward integrating "private 5G" networks into industrial sectors within New Caledonia.

Olivier Amat, the director of telecommunications at OPT, elucidated the organization's strategy strategy regarding 5G. He recounted the evolution from 2G to 4G before delving into the potentials of 5G: "With speeds of up to 10Gbps, support for up to 100 times more connected devices per coverage area, a service life of up to 10 years for low-power IoT device batteries, 99.999% availability, 5 milliseconds latency, and 100% coverage." This progression serves as a testament to the advancements, leaving the limitations of 4G behind. Following some technical and tactical intricacies along with "ergotical" definitions, Olivier disclosed plans for local deployment of the technology, culminating with a compelling statistic: on average, each individual now consumes twice as much data in a single week as they did throughout the entirety of 2010.

Meanwhile Google is trying to make inroads into New Caledonia, due to its strategic geography in the Indo-Pacific region, where China and the US are waging a battle of influence over subsea internet cables.

French authorities recently said they had lifted a ban ban in New Caledonia on TikTok, which they suspect of fuelling recent unrest in the French Pacific territory. The government believes the app was being used by those opposed to French rule to communicate and organise violent protests.

South Korea has Nationwide 5G Coverage

Back in April, the Korean Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) announced that South Korea had nationwide 5G coverage. Just as a comparison, South Korea is about 2.4 times smaller than United Kingdom with a population of 52 million vs 68 million. 

Sweden is 4x times larger, 450,000 square kilometers, and according to @PTSse Sweden had 9,119 5G base stations in October 2023 - across all three networks. https://t.co/ml9hOneZg7

— Tefficient 🚥 (@tefficient) April 19, 2024

Tefficient compares it with Sweden, which is four times bigger but has a far lower number of base stations compared to that of South Korea. 

While the OpenSignal report from late last year wasn't that impressive regarding the 5G availability, it would be good to compare it with the next one whenever released. 

Finally, here are other couple of charts from Tefficient highlighting the 5G data traffic growth and the subscription growth from South Korea:

And it may be that the growth in total mobile data traffic of South Korea has stopped growing as a result. October 2023 is still the highest point. https://t.co/SOqlJqRiif pic.twitter.com/jhVm8ZZGGK

— Tefficient 🚥 (@tefficient) June 17, 2024

Related Posts: 

• Operator Watch Blog: Is South Korea Losing its 5G Crown?
• Operator Watch Blog: 5G Network Sharing using MOCN for Rural South Korea
• Operator Watch Blog: Wi-Fi and 5G Status in South Korea
• Operator Watch Blog: South Korea's Ministry promotes Wi-Fi 6, says WiFi is like 5G
• Private Networks Technology Blog: Private 5G and their Real-world Use Cases in South Korea
• Free 6G Training: South Korea's MSIT Launches the K-Network 2030 Strategy
• Free 6G Training: 6G Public-Private Collaboration in the Republic of Korea 

Panama to get Public and Private 5G in 2024

Panama, officially the Republic of Panama, is a country in Latin America at the southern end of Central America, bordering South America. Panama is known as a transit country because of the Panama Canal. The Panama Canal, a famous feat of human engineering, cuts through its center, linking the Atlantic and Pacific oceans to create an essential shipping route.

According to GSMA Intelligence, Panama had 5.34 million cellular mobile connections at the beginning of 2024. However, it's important to recognize that many individuals globally use more than one mobile connection—such as having one for personal use and another for work—so it's common for the number of mobile connections to surpass the total population.

GSMA Intelligence reports that in January 2024, mobile connections in Panama represented 118.6 percent of the population. Between the start of 2023 and the start of 2024, the number of mobile connections in Panama decreased by 6,999, a decline of 0.1 percent. Data from GSMA Intelligence shows that there were 5.34 million cellular mobile connections in Panama at the start of 2024.

GSMA Intelligence’s numbers indicate that mobile connections in Panama were equivalent to 118.6 percent of the total population in January 2024. The number of mobile connections in Panama decreased by 6,999 (-0.1 percent) between the start of 2023 and the start of 2024.

Operator Digicel is featured in the most recent report by OpenSignal on Panama however Panama’s ICT regulator Asep will terminate operator Digicel's concession due to a failure to find a buyer for its assets and keep the contract valid.

Digicel has spectrum in the 1900MHz and 700MHz bands, as well as a network involving over 700 sites, covering 80% of the population. However Digicel exited Panama in 2022, claiming it was unable to compete in a market dominated by Tigo and C&W, after a Claro and C&W Panamá merger received the green light.

But law mandates that the country must have at least three mobile phone operators to guarantee competition. To attract at least one other player, Asep is planning an update of its telecoms law to simplify procedures, promote competition and create new business models to facilitate infrastructure and spectrum sharing.

Meanwhile second largest operator Cable & Wireless Panama (+Móvil) will be implementing a pilot test in a controlled environment with the fifth generation of mobile network technology (5G) in the national market.  +Móvil will be carrying out pilot tests using the 5G network in the 3.5 GHz band , with the aim of evaluating results that allow it to provide solutions to selected companies. 

The tests also include projects with strategic allies in the retail sector, implementing an extended 5G LAN network for video surveillance systems in distribution and storage centers. Another pilot project is being carried out in one of the main ports in Panama, where remote control platforms will be managed through the 5G Wi-Fi network.

Hoy más que nunca, reiteramos nuestro compromiso de inversión constante para que la mejor y más moderna red, esté siempre contigo. 💪🏽💫
¡CRECEMOS CONTIGO PANAMÁ! pic.twitter.com/lxJRao16kQ

— Tigo Panamá (@TigoPanama) July 24, 2024

Tigo as of January 2023 reportedly had 2.4 million mobile subscriptions in Panama, plus an additional 469,000 fiber customers.

Tigo Panama has pledged $100 million towards the modernizing and expansion of its network this year. This latest spend comes on top of the $475m that Tigo has invested in the country since Millicom International Cellular closed the takeover of Cable Onda in December 2018.

Tigo's latest investments will be used to increase its LTE capacity in the country to new areas, which currently sits at 95 percent.

According to the company, this part of the network is already prepped for the implementation of 5G. The company will also increase its fiber footprint, with Tigo saying that it will deploy fiber-optic networks to 90,000 homes in Puerto Armuelles, Colon City, Panama City, ​​Penonome, Azuero, and San Miguelito.

According to Bnamericas, the Panama canal authority (ACP) expects to finish deployment of a private 5G network around the end of this fiscal year, in September-October. The mobile infrastructure is currently in the installation and pilot testing phase, Augusto Sánchez, ACP interconnectivity manager, said during an event hosted by the Organization of American States' (OAS) Inter-American Telecommunication Commission (Citel) in Panama. ACP is working on a private network directly with an equipment provider, regulator Asep previously told BNamericas. The aim is to implement the mobile network throughout ACP's areas of operations. 

World's Largest Mobile Networks by Data Traffic - Q1 2024

Last year, India became the most populous country in the world. India's population stood at slightly over 1.428 billion, edging past China's population of 1.425 billion people. India and China's combined population is one third that of the whole world. As a result it won't come as a surprise that the operators with most data consumption in their networks are the ones from India and China.

At the end of Q1 2024, Reliance Jio was the operator with largest mobile data traffic flow through its network. China Mobile was just behind. 

Here's an interesting stat too: The monthly usage per AirFibre (FWA) subscription is 390 GB, 30% *higher* than for a JioFiber subscription. https://t.co/MGamLJE6xm

— Tefficient 🚥 (@tefficient) April 22, 2024

As Tefficient reported, Jio says that 5G's share of traffic is 28%, the rest being 4G as it doesn't have 2G/3G network. Another interesting stat was that the monthly usage per AirFibre (FWA) subscription was 390 GB, 30% higher than for a JioFiber subscription.

You can do a comparison with Q4 2022 numbers available here.

Djibouti to Start Experimenting with 5G Soon

Djibouti, located on the Horn of Africa, is a small but strategically significant country known for its diverse culture, historical sites, and unique landscapes. Presently, Djibouti remains one of the few countries where the national telecommunications company, Djibouti Telecom, holds a monopoly over all telecom services, including fixed lines, mobile, internet, and broadband. This lack of competition has stifled the market's potential. Despite Djibouti's strategic location as a hub for international submarine cables, with Djibouti Telecom being a partner in at least eight of them, telecom service prices remain high and unaffordable for many, hindering market growth.

The government has long planned to privatize Djibouti Telecom, but these plans have faced repeated delays. However, the successful experience of neighbouring Ethiopia, which recently ended Ethio Telecom's monopoly by licensing the Global Partnership for Ethiopia consortium (led by Safaricom), has provided encouragement. The Djibouti government aims to sell a minority stake in Djibouti Telecom, maintaining some decision-making control while attracting the financial support and management expertise of a foreign operator. This initiative is part of a broader strategy to modernize the country's economy. 

The population of Djibouti stood at 1.14 million in January 2024. Data from GSMA Intelligence shows that there were 553.8 thousand cellular mobile connections in Djibouti at the start of 2024.

However, note that many people around the world make use of more than one mobile connection – for example, they might have one connection for personal use, and another one for work – so it’s not unusual for mobile connection figures to significantly exceed figures for total population. GSMA Intelligence’s numbers indicate that mobile connections in Djibouti were equivalent to 48.4 percent of the total population in January 2024. The number of mobile connections in Djibouti increased by 28 thousand (+5.3 percent) between the start of 2023 and the start of 2024.

Djibouti Telecom, operational since 1999, has established itself as the leading international carrier in eastern Africa. Currently, it is developing a regional hub to offer a comprehensive portfolio of voice, data/IP, and capacity services over state-of-the-art network infrastructure. Its customer base includes telecommunications service providers, multinational organizations, international carriers, mobile and fixed telephony operators, internet service providers, and major government and private sector clients.

According to Mohamed Ahmed Mohamed, Director of International Business at the FSD-owned Djibouti Telecom, this prominent national operator, a cornerstone of the economy, reported an EBITDA of around $100 million this year. He explains that Djibouti may lack natural resources such as oil, gas, or precious metals, but it aims to cultivate a different kind of wealth. Leveraging its strategic location at the intersection of the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean along the Europe-Asia maritime route, Djibouti has capitalized on its geographical advantage. He explains: 

"Over the past fifteen years, we have invested $200 million in twelve submarine cables, transforming our territory into a key exchange point connecting Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Africa, All submarine cables heading to Europe pass through the Red Sea, potentially through our country. By establishing operations here, carriers can seamlessly switch cables and reach various global destinations. Currently, Djibouti Telecom serves over 50 telecom operators with connections to more than 90 countries."

The latest investment, the Sea-Me-We-6 cable, spans 19,200 km from Singapore to Marseille. This cable aims to enhance network performance and support emerging technologies like cloud computing and artificial intelligence. Djibouti Telecom is already in discussions about additional projects, such as the 12,000 km Peace submarine cable linking Europe and Asia.

Djibouti’s twelve submarine cables are safeguarded by a monitored protective corridor. Once onshore, they connect to four autonomous energy stations, which are monitored around the clock.

Mohamed Ahmed Mohamed further states: 

"Investment in submarine cables has provided a foundation we can now capitalize on. This allows the country to foster a digital economy, encouraging the establishment of start-ups and data centres. However, to remain competitive, we must address the high cost of electricity, currently 23 cents per kWh."

The investments align with the Djibouti government's strategy to transform the country into a digital hub.

According to Mariam Hamadou Ali, the head of the Ministry of Digital Economy and Innovation, along with their  port activities, the information and communication technology sector presents an unprecedented opportunity to diversify our economy and stimulate innovation in new areas. 

This ministry is a first for Djibouti, a strategically significant nation in the Horn of Africa. And their  submarine cable infrastructure places them at the forefront of African countries in terms of international connectivity, solidifying our position as a strategic centre for global data and information exchange.

Currently, the digital sector accounts for 8% of Djibouti’s GDP, encompassing submarine cable infrastructure, telecommunications, fintech, and e-commerce. This share is expected to grow notes Minister Ali, who recently visited Marseille, France, to draw inspiration from the city, which has quickly become a hub for cable networks in Europe.

She elaborates: 

"We have launched initiatives to attract investment in data centres similarly. These data centres will meet local data storage and processing needs and serve regional and international companies, further establishing our position as a regional digital hub." The government's 'Djibouti Smart Nation' program includes 150 projects with a total investment of $850 million."

To encourage competition, stimulate innovation, and improve service quality, the Djibouti government has been considering opening up the capital of Djibouti Telecom. This move aims to modernize and expand its infrastructure, enhance service quality, and boost market competitiveness.

Opening Djibouti Telecom’s capital will attract national and international private investment, enabling modernization and service improvement explains Minister Mariam Hamadou Ali. This strategy is crucial for one of the country's economic pillars capable of operating internationally, akin to the port sector.

Simultaneously, the government supports introducing a new operator in Djibouti's telecommunications market. Minister Ali  emphasises bringing in new players will increase competition, spur innovation, and better meet consumer needs with a wider variety of services and more competitive rates. She highlights the significant progress in internet connectivity, which rose from 6% in 2012 to 61% by 2022.

The government intended selling up to 40% of the company to an international investor by the end of 2022. However this has not yet transpired. 

However Minister Ali remains optimistic about the future. 

"In the next ten to fifteen years, I envision Djibouti evolving into a dynamic and prosperous digital hub, characterized by a thriving digital economy, world-class connectivity, and an innovative, inclusive society."

In late 2013 Djibouti Telecom finally unveiled its 3G service throughout the country and as of 2017 has unveiled 4G+ service. As of August 2021, 2G network covered 95% of the population, 3G network covered 80% and the 4G network covered 75% of population.

The Djiboutian government aims to bring mobile phone and broadband internet coverage to 100% of the population by 2027. During Mobile World Congress 2024, The Minister of Communication in charge of Posts and Telecommunications met with the Director of Huawei's East Africa region and discussed the possibility of a partnership for the deployment of 4G or 5G relay antennas in rural areas in order to combat the digital divide across the territory.

GenAI at Telus

TELUS have been working in Al for over a decade, first in AI/ML and now in GenAI, and partners directly with the tech giants in the AI space. They use GenAI to provide generative AI-powered experiences for its employees as well as its customers. TELUS claims to be already running GenAI safely at scale which has been tested and is constantly being improved. Their core platform enabled TELUS to develop and deploy GenAI apps around dozens of use cases. TELUS copilots and assistants are being used, at scale, by more than 30,000 TELUS employees.

TELUS is committed to ethical and responsible use of AI, and won an international Outstanding Organization 2023 prize from the Responsible AI Institute in recognition of its commitment to fostering trust and benefitting society. It’s also the first telecom company in Canada to sign the Government of Canada’s voluntary code of conduct for generative AI, which aims to ensure the transparent, equitable and responsible development and deployment of GenAI technology.

The TELUS.com GenAI support tool, powered by Fuel iX, an enterprise-grade AI engine provided by TELUS International, is one of the first customer-accessible GenAI solutions developed by a Canadian organization. It recently made history by becoming the first in the world to be internationally certified in Privacy by Design (ISO 31700-1). The support tool gives TELUS customers the ability to access fast and intuitive responses to their queries, providing them with a more convenient and seamless digital experience. Privacy by Design is a framework that proactively embeds privacy into the design and operation of systems, ensuring that privacy is the default setting.

At the FutureNet MENA conference, Tim MacGregor, VP at TELUS gave a presentation titled, "GenAI in TELUS: A gamechanger?". In the talk he looked at:

• GenAI & network optimisation:  hype vs reality
• Gen AI driving operational efficiency: success to date and defining the opportunity
• GenAI and customer experience: use cases

His talk is embedded below:

Related Posts: 

• Operator Watch Blog: 6 Mobile Operators in the Global 100 Ranking of the World’s Most Sustainable Companies
• Operator Watch Blog: Canadians to get 5G Upgrade after conclusion of 3.5 GHz Spectrum Auction
• Operator Watch Blog: Telus says 5G is just another 'G' (#5GJAG) 

Orange Africa & Middle East (OMEA) to Reach Net Zero by 2040

Orange Africa and Middle East (OMEA) covers 17 countries containing 18,000 employees and 149 million customers. Every 3 out of 10 Africans are Orange customers. In 2023, OMEA generated €7 billion in revenue. Today, more than 90 million customers in 17 countries have opened an Orange Money account. While 2G & 3G is still extremely popular in Orange markets, 4G has been launched in 17 countries and is available to more than 60 millions customers.

Recently OMEA published "Seeds of change": Orange Africa and Middle East 2023 Corporate Social Responsibility Report. It's available here.

On their website detailing the reduction of carbon footprint, it says:

At Orange, the transition to renewable energies is a major priority. That’s why we’re launching numerous initiatives in Africa and the Middle East to help reduce our CO2eq emissions to reach our target of net zero by 2040. These include moving to solar to power our infrastructure, mini-grid solutions, and solar kits for companies and communities.

Orange Africa and Middle East publishes "Seeds of change", its 2023 Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Report, which illustrates our actions in the region. Reducing our energy consumption, developing our use of renewable energies and strengthening our transition to a circular economy are the pillars of our initiatives. We are constantly innovating with all stakeholders for a positive impact and for the benefit of individuals, society and the planet.

In Africa and the Middle East, where electricity is an essential issue, we resell surplus energy generated by our own solar farms to surrounding communities at an affordable price. This essentially converts our telecom equipment into mini grids (small solar farms), where consumption and payments can be controlled remotely.

We’re also developing various renewable energy projects that enable us along with Energy Service Company (ESCO) partners to equip our telecom towers with solar systems. Today, 10 Orange countries in the Africa and Middle East region are benefiting: Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea Bissau, Guinea Conakry, Liberia, Madagascar, Senegal and Sierra Leone.

In Morocco and Tunisia, we’ve launched major solarization programs along with partners. We now produce 3.4 MWp of solar energy to supply data centers in seven of our countries in the region. More than 8,000 sites, or nearly 20% of our sites in Africa and the Middle East, are solarized.

We have also designed a range of services so that everyone can adapt their electricity to their needs and budget, such as our popular solar kit offer.

These programs, which are extending to other countries this year, reduce fuel consumption by up to 80%, depending on the site, powering our mobile phone infrastructure while avoiding more than 330,000 metric tons of CO2eq each year.

In Jordan, we’ve completely changed our electricity supply model and now use our own solar resources to the tune of 60 GWh. Commissioning three solar farms in 2019 generated enough power to cover 52% of Orange Jordan’s electricity needs in 2023 on a full-year basis. In terms of Jordan’s CO2eq emissions, this corresponds to 22,863 metric tons of CO2eq avoided in 2023 (scopes 1 & 2).

Our circular economy approach prioritizes mobile device collection and recycling, both of which require special treatment in countries where there’s a lack of national waste treatment, such as in Africa and the Middle East. Not only are we trying to extend the lifespan of electrical and electronic equipment, but we’re also aiming to collect 100% of the volume of electrical and electronic equipment waste from mobile phones sold in Africa and the Middle East by 2030.

We’ve partnered with the UN to introduce a circular economy for mobile and network equipment waste in Egypt, helping to develop local infrastructure and skills. E-waste in Egypt accounts for 20% of the total e-waste in Africa so the Egyptian government is looking at boosting its recycling rate by 25% by 2030 while ensuring the safe disposal of hazardous waste. The first mobile refurbishment center will launch in 2024 to help strengthen the skills of locally recruited technicians.

In the absence of efficient local recycling channels, the waste is collected and sent back to France to be recycled according to European environmental standards. Since 2010, Orange has partnered with the social cooperative organization Les Ateliers du bocage to open mobile waste collection workshops in three African countries (Burkina Faso, Cameroon and Côte d'Ivoire). These workshops have now dealt with more than 2 million mobile phones while creating job opportunities in the area.

You can learn more about OMEA in the video embedded below:

Related Posts: 

• Operator Watch Blog: Energy and Carbon Footprint Reduction are a Priority for Orange
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