Huawei releases X-Ethernet technology for 5G networks

The Chinese firm claims new technology will solve several 5G requirements.

Huawei released its X-Ethernet technology for “5G” bearer networks at the ITU-T 2020 FG Workshop and Demo Day Wireline Technology Enablers for 5G conference in Geneva, targeting the technology at integrated fronthaul/backhaul networks with deterministic low latency and end-to-end network slicing capabilities.

“In the 4G and ‘4.5G’ era, Ethernet is the dominant data bearer technology due to its simple, effective and low-cost characteristics,” Huawei noted in a statement. “In the coming 5G era, three key scenarios – [mobile broadband, massive machine-type communications and ultra-reliable low latency communications]– will set stringent requirements for bearer networks. Operators will need to satisfy 5G requirements such as fronthaul/backhaul convergence, service isolation and low latency in Ethernet while maintaining its existing advantages. That will pose a new challenge to the mobile bearer network domain.”

The Chinese vendor said the X-Ethernet solution solves the problem by offering features such as a layer 1.5 switch, hybrid multiplex and Ethernet end-to-end flexible hard pipe, adding the layer 1.5 switch is compatible with traditional Ethernet.

Huawei, as a member of the IMT-2020 Focus Group, participates in research on 5G bearer network technology, and that it’s open to collaborate with global partners, exploring Ethernet bearer network architecture and technologies to meet 5G requirements and develop new services.

Telenet, ZTE complete ‘Pre5G test in Belgium

Belgium operator Telenet and ZTE said they completed an outfield test of the vendor’s Pre5G technology, achieving 1.3 gigabit per second download speed in real network conditions.

Telenet is looking to complete the technology deployment in urban areas across Belgium by 2017, ZTE said.

“We’re very excited about the results of this test because the new speed record is a milestone on the way to 5G,” explained Telenet CTO Micha Berger. “The Pre5G networks are faster and provide higher capacity, improving mobile users’ broadband experience, especially in areas with high cellphone traffic.”

ZTE said the test was based on four commercial spectrum bands, and combined with Pre5G technologies including massive multiple-input/multiple-output antenna technology and 256 quadrature amplitude modulation.

HTC 11 leak teases powerhouse specs and new design

Details of HTC next’s flagship smartphone have seemingly been leaked on Chinese social media, potentially revealing the upcoming handset’s hardware.

A mysterious tipster has posted a roster of specs – and a render image – of what they claim is the HTC 11, an unannounced HTC smartphone expected to launch next year. The details were posted to China’s Weibo microblogging service, and eventually lifted by Western media. But before we dive into the tipped specs, it’s important to remember that although Weibo often churns out solid leaks, it’s also very unreliable – it’s basically China’s Twitter, after all. We have no way of verifying the below information, so it could be a complete hoax.

According to the leak, the HTC 11 will feature a 5.5-inch QHD display. That would be a slightly larger screen than the 5.2-inch panel used on the HTC 10, although the resolution remains the same.

It’s also suggested that HTC will adopt the Snapdragon 835 processor, a new chip that was announced by Qualcomm just last month. It hasn’t appeared on any smartphones yet, but is expected to debut in the first half of 2017. As the Snapdragon 835 is a flagship chip, it’s almost certainly going to be the processor of choice for many of next year’s top-end phones, including the HTC 10. The good news is that the Snapdragon 835 is built on a highly efficient 10nm manufacturing process, which means it has the potential to be significantly faster (or more power efficient) than the Snapdragon 820, which was the HTC 10’s chip of choice.

The leaker also reports that the HTC 11 will feature Qualcomm’s new Quick Charge 4.0 technology, which promises vastly reduced charging times. As this technology is an integral part of the Snapdragon 835 chip, we’d be very surprised if the HTC 11 didn’t have QC4.0.

HTC’s next phone is also rumoured to feature 8GB of RAM (up from 4GB), and 256GB of storage. We find the former a little hard to believe (although the OnePlus 3 did pack 6GB of RAM), although the latter is far more reasonable – especially since Apple introduced a 256GB iPhone earlier this year.

On the camera front, we’re expected to see a 12-megapixel rear-facing camera and an 8-megapixel front-facing camera. That would be a bump from 5-megapixels on the front, but would mean the resolution of the primary camera remains unchanged. However, in the accompanying image, the phone appears to sport a dual-camera arrangement. That’s an increasingly popular flagship feature that we’ve already seen from Apple, LG, and Huawei in 2016.

The final rumoured spec is a 3,700mAh battery, which would be a significant step up from the smaller 3,000mAh cell used in the HTC 10. With potential efficiency improvements courtesy of a Snapdragon 835 chip, the HTC 11 could boast a seriously impressive battery life.

Unfortunately, we can’t verify any of this information, so take it all with