Tag: 4g

Ericsson launches Global Utilities Innovation Center

New platform to accelerate 4G and 5G solutions for utilities

Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) today announced the opening of its Global Utilities Innovation Center at its facility in Plano, Texas. The new fully functional facility consists of a purpose-built operating lab and demo environment locations that will allow utilities to engage with Ericsson and its partners to solve real-world connectivity challenges.

“Private cellular networks are principal catalysts for utilities in their digital transformation journey to address multiple use cases, and utilities can now leverage our Global Utilities Innovation Center to experiment with different 4G and 5G use cases and co-create with our ecosystem partners,” says Koustuv Ghoshal, Vice President and Head of Utilities, Energy & Industrials at Ericsson North America. “We look forward to partnering with utilities around the world on their grid modernization journey.”

The Global Utilities Innovation Center is integrated with Ericsson’s state-of-the art device testing lab a short distance from the Plano site, where utilities and Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) partners can test interoperability of their field and IoT devices over mission-critical networks in a safe and secure environment. As a fully functional end-to-end operational lab, the center contains a physical representation of a utility smart grid, enabling real-world demonstrations of end-to-end private networks operations across the power grid from generation and transmission to distribution to end users.

“Utilities require mission-critical networks that have to be secure, reliable, and increasingly sustainable,” says Per Wahlen, Head of Business Development at Ericsson North America. “This center is a state-of-the art facility where we can work closely with utility companies, exploring new 4G and 5G use cases and delivering end-to-end solutions. At each point, you can see the benefits of the latest generations of cellular wireless networks in enhancing security, resilience, and efficiency of the power infrastructure.”

Ericsson’s Global Utilities Innovation Center creates an interactive, engaging experience to showcase Ericsson and partner solutions for utilities. The Innovation Center environment is a learning platform for exchanging information and ideas between the utilities, Ericsson, and the entire industry.
The environment also allows for co-creation with Ericsson partners while utilities replicate their end-to-end use cases. The Global Utilities Innovation Center includes the Ericsson Experience Center in Plano, Texas, and Ericsson Labs in Richardson, Texas.

Punjab has Imposed Taxes up to 19.5% Taxes on 3G/4G Internet Users

Government of Punjab has recently declared tax prices for the internet services over 2Mbps and for bills exceeding Rs. 1,500 per month, starting tomorrow.

With this policy more that 56% population of Pakistan will be liable to pay service taxes on internet usage for 3G, 4G, broadband, EVO or anything internet communication with speeds exceeding 2Mbps or/and if the monthly bill for their service exceeds Rs. 1,500 per month. The government will start implementation on this policy from 29th May 2015.

Here is the details of SRO according to which tax is implemented that was earlier settled to internet services has been withdrawn.

This Tax will Kill The Industry

I feel pity for Anusha Rehman, Ishaq Dar and Nawaz Sharif with their tall claims for efforts that they had made for auctioning 3G and 4G.

Just this morning Anusha Rehman — at an event — wasted more than 30 minutes in explaining how government is supporting 3G/4G and entrepreneurship in the country; the fact is that this government has decided to kill it all.

Observing the revolving high growth rate of internet users in Pakistan, all the appropriate investment, worth billions of dollars, will be retreated to other market and Pakistan will be ordained for the Stone Age again.

Interestingly thus callous decision appeared a week ago before the budget announcement so that Balochistan gets sufficient time to get its sheets right and force similar taxes on internet usage.

Just to have a reminder, KPK and Sindh provinces have already imposed the charges service taxes on internet consumption while tax in both the provinces in conventional internet and use on mobile data. Also tax implementation on all types of internet by Punjab that houses than 56% of Pakistani population is just lethal.

Industry’s Response

Telecom service operators have no words for this development. When it was supposed to manage their record and responses, they were clueless, worries and scattered. An absolute depression has caught up the market as it is aware of the damage tax is going to do to people, country and businesses as well.

One thing is clear to reject this tax. However they are unsure about the source of rejecting it but they have finalized to not to play in the hands of the government.

“They said that Pakistan waited for more than 5 years to launch 3G and 4G, and now when conditions are just about to settle down, this tax is going to take us back to where we had started.”

One official of a telecom company commented:

“It is such a shame that politicians, who prefer their personal pockets over national economy, are such short sighted that they preferred killing the internet industry, eCommerce, m-banking, entrepreneurship and almost entire economy for meeting budgetary deficits.”

Another top level official, said:

This tax has shocked the industry. Telecom companies didn’t invest more than $1.5 billion dollars in Pakistan for 3G and 4G just to face 20% tax on internet.

What to Do Now?

ACT. Respond to this imposed tax by raising your voice, on all the existing platforms so millions of people can get awareness of it. Call the media, TV channels, radio stations and describe your concerns and opinions.

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