Now Telecom Pioneers New Era of Open RAN and Satellite Broadband

Now Telecom is pushing the boundaries of what's possible with their innovative approach to telecommunications. They're pioneering a new era of Open RAN and satellite broadband.

Their commitment to Open RAN technology allows for greater flexibility and customization, making it easier for users to access high-speed internet.

With satellite broadband, Now Telecom is bridging the digital divide by providing internet access to remote and underserved areas. This is a game-changer for communities that previously had limited or no access to reliable internet.

Now Telecom's vision is to create a more inclusive and connected world, and their pioneering work in Open RAN and satellite broadband is bringing us closer to that goal.

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NOW Telecom has secured funding and partnerships to support the development and deployment of its 5G network.

The company received a $2.15 million grant from the US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) to fund a feasibility study for the development of reliable and secure nationwide 5G mobile and broadband networks in the Philippines.

USTDA has also provided a $1.5 million grant to support the development and implementation of a 5G standalone network in the Philippines.

NOW Telecom has partnered with Bell Labs Consulting, part of Nokia, to create a nationwide network design for 5G Standalone (SA) and design and planning for a national broadband network.

The company has also partnered with Rivada Space Networks to improve its connectivity and security infrastructures through the use of Rivada's OuterNET, a global low-latency point-to-point connectivity network of 600 low earth orbit (LEO) satellites.

The partnership aims to provide NOW Telecom with the ability to utilize OuterNET to improve performance, security, and customer efficiency, as well as high-quality voice, video, and data solutions to enterprises such as banking and financial services, mining, and transportation.

NOW Telecom has also partnered with the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA) to boost the telecommunications infrastructure in the province of Cagayan.

The partnership involves the deployment of fixed wired, fixed wireless, terrestrial, satellite, and other delivery systems to CEZA, with the goal of ensuring reliable and quality broadband and other information and communications technology services to CEZA locators.

Here are some key facts about NOW Telecom's funding and partnerships:

The US government has been actively involved in supporting the development of Now Telecom's 5G network in the Philippines.

The US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) has signed a letter of intent with Now Telecom to expand the 5G network in the country. This was announced during the 5th Annual Indo-Pacific Business Forum in Japan.

USTDA has also awarded a grant to Now Telecom to fund a feasibility study for the development of reliable and secure nationwide 5G mobile and broadband networks in the Philippines. The grant amount is PHP 118 million ($2.15 million).

Now Telecom has selected New Jersey-based Bell Labs Consulting, part of Bell Labs, the research arm of Nokia, to conduct the study. This partnership aims to advance critical digital infrastructure projects in the country.

USTDA has provided funding to Now Telecom for technical assistance to support the development and implementation of a 5G stand-alone network in the Philippines. The technical assistance includes the design of a national 5G wireless and broadband network, including plans for a pilot project in Metro Manila.

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A list of key officials from the US government involved in this initiative includes:

The US government's involvement in Now Telecom's 5G project is a significant step towards improving connectivity services in the Philippines.

NOW Telecom has partnered with the US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) to develop and deploy a 5G mobile and fixed wireless network in the Philippines. This partnership will enable the company to expand its network and provide faster and more reliable internet services to its customers.

The USTDA has awarded a $1.5-million grant to NOW Telecom to support the development of its 5G network. This grant will be used to fund a feasibility study and pilot project to support the development of a nationwide 5G mobile and fixed wireless network in the Philippines.

NOW Telecom has selected New Jersey-based Bell Labs Consulting to conduct the feasibility study and pilot project. This partnership will provide the company with the expertise and resources needed to develop a secure and reliable 5G network.

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The USTDA has also provided a Php 118 million ($2.15 million) grant to NOW Telecom to fund the feasibility study. This grant will enable the company to develop a nationwide 5G mobile and broadband network in the Philippines.

NOW Telecom plans to conduct a pilot project in Metro Manila to validate network performance, test 5G use cases, and provide data to inform larger-scale deployment. This pilot project will help the company to refine its network and ensure that it meets the needs of its customers.

The company has also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Rakuten Symphony to establish a collaborative framework for the deployment of a 5G Open RAN Pilot Deployment in the Philippines. This partnership will enable NOW Telecom to develop disaggregated networks and open interfaces in the country.

NOW Telecom has received an extension of provisional authority from the Filipino government to begin operations as the country's fourth telecommunications provider. This provisional authority allows the company to install, operate, and maintain a nationwide mobile telecommunications system.

The company has also secured a 25-year franchise agreement from the Filipino government, which will enable it to operate its network for a long period of time.

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NOW Telecom is a company that's making waves in the technology industry, especially in the Philippines. They're working on a new service called TODAYbyNOW, which will provide on-demand IT solutions to customers nationwide.

TODAYbyNOW will offer a range of services, including on-call consulting, free enterprise cyber threat assessments, cloud data migration, malware protection and recovery, and WiFi-network surveys and audits. This is a game-changer for businesses and households alike.

NOW Telecom is also partnering with Cisco to bring 5G services to the Philippines. Their goal is to create a nationwide 5G network that will connect all cities and towns through a national broadband network using fiber optic, terrestrial, satellite, and other means.

NOW Corporation has partnered with Fortinet to enhance cybersecurity and 5G security in the Philippines, expediting the nation's digital transformation journey.

NOW Corp and NOW Telecom have also partnered with Cisco to bring 5G services across the Philippines, aligning with the nation's 2030 vision and national transformation plan.

The partnership with Cisco aims to bring 'monetisable' 5G solutions to customers and enable the deployment of 'secure and reliable' 5G services and applications for the public sector, key enterprise organisations as well as consumers.

NOW will leverage Cisco's solutions-as-a-service offerings to provide customers with 'faster, more agile' and scalable on-demand solutions that can be adapted to their business needs.

The company will also access Cisco's solutions that can offer improved connectivity, cybersecurity, and cloud computing technologies to help its customers communicate and collaborate.

NOW Telecom has also launched a new service called TODAYbyNOW, which promises to offer on-demand advanced information technology (IT) solutions services to customers nationwide, beginning its rollout on October 25.

TODAYbyNOW will provide a "comprehensive suite of services", including on-call consulting services, free enterprise cyber threat assessments, cloud data migration, malware protection and recovery, and WiFi-network surveys and audits.

The new service aims to make information technology (IT) solutions more available to all consumers, particularly catering to the needs of medium enterprises and residential customers.

NOW's goal is to channel this enterprise-grade expertise to benefit both medium-sized enterprises and discerning residential customers, and to merge the technological boundaries between enterprise and the individual.

TODAYbyNOW envisions empowering businesses and upscale residences in order to keep up with advancing global technologies, and to provide seamless digital environments in households.

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Rakuten and NOW Telecom have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a collaborative framework for the deployment of a 5G Open RAN Pilot Deployment in the Philippines.

The MoU was signed on February 26, 2024, at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, between Hironori Shimada, Director of Rakuten Symphony, and Romeo C. Escobar, Jr., Head of Networks for NOW Telecom.

Rakuten Symphony will bring its expertise in Open RAN solutions and digital services to support NOW Telecom's 5G Open RAN ambitions.

The partnership signifies a pivotal moment for NOW Telecom, aiming to unveil a secured 5G network in the Philippines.

Both parties will contribute expertise, resources, and technology to jointly develop 5G and related ICT solutions for NOW Telecom's network.

This collaboration is instrumental in NOW Telecom's mission to transform the telecom industry and establish a standard for open, interoperable, and secure networks across the Indo-Pacific region.

NOW Telecom is a privately held Philippine telecom operator with a national franchise to operate a mobile cellular business and is an associate of publicly listed firm NOW Corporation.

Here are the key partners involved in this MoU:

Now Telecom has partnered with several companies to improve its satellite and broadband services. NOW Corp teams with German-based satellite tech firm Rivada Space Networks to improve its connectivity and security infrastructures.

Through this partnership, NOW Corp will be able to utilize Rivada's OuterNET, a global low-latency point-to-point connectivity network of 600 low earth orbit (LEO) satellites. This network operates through "orbital networking" which creates a more secure satellite network with pole-to-pole coverage and offers latencies that are lower than terrestrial fiber over long distances.

The OuterNET allows satellites to go beyond their traditional role of "gap-filler." It's a fully interconnected space network, which is rapidly becoming the infrastructure of choice for secure data communications.

The first satellite launch for OuterNET is set for 2025. Global services are expected to be up by 2026.

NOW Corp has also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Mangata Networks to provide broadband satellite and edge computing solutions to enterprises in the Philippines. Mangata plans to build a constellation of satellites capable of providing connection speeds of more than 10 Gbps to a single site.

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Mangata's satellites will be combined with a terrestrial network of edge data centers, enabling seamless connectivity and intelligent cloud computing services worldwide. The relatively low orbits enable it to support real-time connectivity in remote locations with round-trip latencies of less than 100ms.

The partnership aims to respond to increasing demand from Philippines enterprises for robust, high-capacity, low-latency connectivity with reliable SLAs. Mangata's SLA guarantees excellent service quality and 99.5% network availability.

NOW Corp is also teaming up with OneWeb to bring high-speed, low-latency broadband connectivity to the Philippines. OneWeb's LEO satellites will provide seamless connectivity, enabling NOW to offer a wide range of enhanced broadband services to sectors including government, aviation, maritime, military, energy, healthcare and banking.

OneWeb's constellation of LEO satellites is now fully built out and is set to complete its rollout of global coverage this year. By tapping into the power of this global network, NOW believes it will be able to extend services into hard-to-reach areas and enhance the speed, latency, and resiliency of its existing offerings.

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