Telecom
Software Defined Networking (SDN) and Network Function Visualization (NFV) for 5G
By Andrew Aroh
5G will lead to a paradigm shift towards a landscape dominated by wireless connectivity. Major architectural changes are already taking place to accompany this shift:
- Network Function Virtualization (NFV) will be pivotal
- Software Defined Networking (SDN) both at the core and edge of the network will be deployed.
- The architectural changes will provide:
- Increased computing power
- Scalability
- Reduced operational costs
- Creative business models to enable differentiation
- 3GPP has defined a service-based architecture where flexibility and dynamic adjustments are the key drivers to meet performance and cost requirements. This architecture defines network functions which can be triggered by other services leveraging Virtualization and Network Slicing.
- As a reference, Newtec, early in 2019, announced that it would be collaborating with Wind River to utilize its Titanium cloud Virtualization Platform to develop a Newtec Dialog.
- Wind River’s complete Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) Software Platform Infrastructure will help Newtec leapfrog these 5G requirements.
- The Titanium Cloud Platform delivers the features needed to successfully build and deploys a virtualized network running multiple Virtual Machines. It also promises lower-cost, highly flexible, and scalable infrastructure and will provide customers with the ability to get better service access anywhere in the world.
- With SND and NFV Customers and service providers will be able to scale their services to quickly address changing requirements.
- Introduction To SND:
- SDN is a Radio Access Network for 5G wireless standards
- Software Defined Networking is based on Software Radio (also called Software Defined Radio – SDR)
- SDR is a device in which the supported air interface can be changed through a software only upgrade.
- SRD techniques has been used in a variety of military and high-end commercial radio devices to date, especially in spectrum monitoring.
- A conventional SDR design exploits specialized processors such as digital signal processors (DSPs) or Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) on a specialized hardware board with embedded codes specific to the application. This technology might be termed “FIRMWARE RADIO” to reflect its lack of portability and dependence on specific hardware devices.
- In contrast, a general standard SDR design is implemented as portable software (high-lever codes) running on industry- standard equipment. This is termed “SOFTWARE RADIO”.
- Typically, all of the software is written in C and C++ running on the Linux operating system.
- The entire system, including the signal processing for the air-interface, is simply a collection of software applications that can run on any general purpose processor (e.g Pentium, Xeon, PowerPc, ARM).
- The software is designed to allow multiple processors to run on same CPU or board, enabling a single server or blade to support multiple different air-interfaces at the same time, with capacity dynamically shared among all operating air-interfaces.
- The applied station subsystem brings together a suite of technologies that together provide flexibility, scalability and cost-effectiveness to network operators.
- The core Software Radio technology enables true multi-standard operation and takes advantage of industry-standard COTs servers, reducing both CAPEX and OPEX and significantly reducing requirements for on-site maintenance
- The use of advanced multi-carrier RF heads supports multi-standard operation and dynamic capacity reallocation.
- A switched-fabric standard networking protocol in the front haul makes distributed antenna system (DAS) solutions economical
- IP everywhere in the backhaul and switch connection enables the use of commodity equipment and multiplex network links.
- These benefits are the direct consequences of software-centric approach to the radio access network (RAN).
- The multi-standard software can turn on any of a wide range of server platforms and exploit any of a range of backhaul, fronthaul and RF head equipment, all based around industry-standard, commercially available platforms and networking protocols.
- The applied subsystem enables carriers to allocate valuable spectrum and backhaul resources to broadband data capacity only in those cells where the customers using the broadband service are active at any given time.
- Consequently, with the subsystems, network operators can focus infrastructure investments on system configurations that not only meet their specific requirements for features and scalability at minimal cost, but also significantly enhance business model flexibility through enabling software-only upgrades and on-demand spectrum and capacity allocation.
- In fact the SDR applied subsystem networks in both microcell and innovative vehicle picocell, enterprise in-building, and home deployments can enjoy significant cost and flexibility advantages over conventional alternatives.
Reducing the cost and complexity of managing wireless-based networks for 5G
- This involves :
- Remotely access, monitor and control hybrid networks of terrestrial and satellite broadband network equipment including:
- Routers
- Switches
- Servers
- Hubs/ Gateways
- Fire walls
- Wireless Access Points
- VSAT MODEMS
- Antenna Controllers
- RF Amplifiers
- GPS devices
- Power Controllers
- Reduce the time and resources spent on wireless network maintenance, support and recovery using SDR
- Increase business availability by providing always-up network monitoring and management.
- Enforce management security and enable compliance even during outages
- Centralize and standardize control of core and remote network infrastructure.
- SATCOM NFV:
- Satellite Network Function Visualization tool is a three-dimensional analysis and visualization environment that displays all scenario information from the software suite.
- The Visualization Provides an intuitive view of complex mission and orbit geometries by displaying realistic 3-D views of land, sea, air and space assets, sensor projections; Orbit trajectories and assorted visual cues and analysis aids.
- The tool takes advantage of today’s readily available Windows and Unix workstations to provide state-of-the-art interactive graphics performance. Its graphics are driven by precise, validated and verified numerical data drived from experts.
- How can NFV tool benefit your SATCOM NETWORK needs?
- One software tool for 3D-Visualization of integrated Land, Sea, Air and Space Assets.
- Ideal situational awareness tool for all phase of complex SATCOM NETWORK FUNCTIONS, and intelligent programs with real-time data interfacing
- 3-D Visualization with heads-up data display to support operations
- Professional-quality images, animations, and videos for executive briefings and presentations
- High-Fidelity (HiFi) Visualization of specialized design, analyses, and operations pertaining to collision avoidance, network coverage assessment and planning, Orbit determination, real-time Visualization, communication, Link analysis, and interference masking systems.
- Rapid anomaly resolution of satellite operations
- 3-D Visualization of Sophisticate Networks Integrations
- Visual design tools for specialized system engineering tasks
- Advanced Visualization Options provides advanced visualization and output Optimization such as terrain Visualization; a “Flying-camera” capability for sophisticated animation and video production, High-fidelity scence Modeling, Visual design tools for solar-array sizing and sensor Obscuration analysis, and highly realistic scence creation with day-light modeling and anti-aliasing.
Andrew Aroh is President of SSPI Nigeria
MTN Nigeria is set to reignite the dreams of creatives with the launch of its Best of the Streets talent competition for the 2025 edition. This initiative aims to discover and nurture Nigeria’s next generation of creative talent.
L-R: Mobolaji Ogunlende, Honourable Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Lagos State; Dapo “D’Banj” Oyebanjo, Singer and Founder of C.R.E.A.M platform; Dandizzy, Rapper and Singer; A’isha Umar Mumuni, Chief Digital Officer, MTN Nigeria and Obi Asika, Nigerian music executive and Director-General, National Council for Arts and Culture, NCAC., at the Best of the Streets press briefing on Wednesday, April 23 held at the MTN Rooftop Events Centre, Ikoyi, Lagos.
Slated to commence on May 1, 2025, the competition offers unsigned artists a transformative platform to compete for life-changing rewards, including a grand money prize, professional music video production, and an EP recording deal.
At the press briefing on Wednesday April 23, A’isha Umar Mumuni, Chief Digital Officer of MTN Nigeria, emphasized the initiative’s impact.
“The premise of Best of the Streets is that there’s talent in every street in Nigeria, whether it’s acting, singing, dancing, comedy or other performance arts.
“Best of the Streets seeks to bring out that talent, to show Nigerian youths that there are opportunities everywhere; and at MTN, we are very proud to take part in creating these opportunities.”
Best of the Streets is in collaboration with C.R.E.A.M (Creative Reality Entertainment Art and Music), founded by Nigerian rapper, Dapo “D’Banj” Oyebanjo is a platform which provides talent management, publishing, and funding support to grassroots artists.
“The C.R.E.A.M platform provides solutions and services for talents, creatives and entrepreneurs, by granting them convenient access to showcase their skills and monetize their content. With our newly launched distribution arm, we are not just discovering talent, we are giving them the tools to take them global,” D’banj explained.
Chris Anokute, Nigerian-born LA-based American Executive, known for discovering global superstar Katy Perry, commended the efforts of this initiative in pushing local Nigerian music to the international stage. “Best of the Streets is the greatest artiste discovery platform I’ve seen come out of Africa.
“The music industry is, as of last year, a 30-billion-dollar industry. Afrobeats is the fastest growing genre in the entire world, over 1.1 million hours of music streamed out of Nigeria on Spotify this year alone.”
On the importance of empowering the creative capacities of the youth, Mobolaji Ogunlende, Honourable Commissioner for Youth and Social Development in Lagos State. “As a government, we have vowed not to leave anybody behind in Lagos state, irrespective of their background.
“There are about 30 million citizens in Lagos, and 60% of the youth. Not every youth will be able to go to school, but we still have the creatives, digital, fashion icons, among others. This platform is an avenue to encourage them.”
To participate, aspiring contestants can dial *463# on their MTN line, upload original content via the official @creamplatform, and mobilise votes from the public. Over 2584 creatives are set to be showcased and rewarded this year. Entries into this competition continue up until December, with daily, weekly and monthly winners, with a final winner who will secure the grand prize.
The Best of the Streets initiative reinforces MTN’s commitment to youth empowerment and creative innovation, aligning with Nigeria’s growing entertainment industry demands.
Meta has announced its intention to appeal the decision of the Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal (CCPT), which upheld a $220 million fine imposed by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) over its data practices.
The penalty follows a 38-month investigation conducted by the FCCPC, in collaboration with the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), which ran from 2021 to December 2023.
The investigation found evidence of unauthorised data sharing, insufficient user consent mechanisms, and discriminatory practices that treated Nigerian consumers differently from those in other regions.
In July 2024, the FCCPC imposed the $220 million fine on Meta and WhatsApp, citing violations of Nigeria’s data protection and consumer rights laws. Additionally, the ruling mandated corrective actions to ensure that Meta’s business practices comply with Nigerian regulations.
In a decision delivered on Friday, April 25, the tribunal upheld the fine, reaffirming the FCCPC’s authority and investigative processes. The tribunal also ordered Meta to pay an additional $35,000 to cover the costs incurred during the investigation.
However, Meta expressed disagreement with the tribunal’s ruling, stating in a statement on Saturday, April 26, that it would urgently seek to appeal the decision and apply for a stay of execution.
“We are urgently applying to stay the order and appeal today’s decision to avoid any impact to users,” WhatsApp said.
The company also contested the tribunal’s findings, claiming that the ruling misrepresented how WhatsApp operates and contained inaccuracies regarding its data practices.
Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal has upheld a $220 million fine imposed by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) on Meta Platforms Inc. and WhatsApp LLC for data privacy violations in Nigeria.
The Tribunal also awarded $35,000 in investigative costs to the country’s Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission .
In a statement issued by the FCCPC, the Tribunal delivered its judgment in the appeal filed by Meta Platforms Incorporated (Facebook) and WhatsApp LLC against the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), affirming the Commission’s authority and ruling in favour of its actions on nearly all contested issues.
According to the statement by the FCCPC, “The Tribunal specifically determined that the Commission adhered to prevailing laws, fulfilled its mandate, and exercised its powers by the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
“It ruled that the multiple actions by WhatsApp and Meta, for which the Commission made findings of violations, were correctly identified, and that the Commission did not err in making those findings.”
The statement revealed that WhatsApp and Meta’s legal team was led by Professor Gbolahan Elias (SAN), while the FCCPC was represented by Babatunde Irukera.
It added that both legal teams presented their final arguments on behalf of their respective clients on January 28, 2025.
“The FCCPC had on July on July 19, 2024, issued a Final Order imposing a $220 million administrative penalty after concluding that the companies engaged in discriminatory and exploitative practices against Nigerian consumers, the investigation started in 2020.
“The case arose from a 38-month joint investigation initiated by the FCCPC and the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) into the conduct, privacy practices, and consumer data policies of Meta Platforms and WhatsApp.
“Dissatisfied with the Order last year, Meta and WhatsApp appealed to the Tribunal, challenging both the legal basis and the findings of the Commission,” FCCPC said.
The Tribunal upheld the FCCPC’s authority and investigative procedures in Meta and WhatsApp’s appeal, resolving most of the contested issues in the Commission’s favour.
It confirmed that the FCCPC acted within its constitutional and statutory mandate, particularly regarding fair hearing, data protection, and consumer rights.
While it dismissed the majority of the appellants’ objections, it set aside one specific order (Order 7) for lacking sufficient legal basis.
While expressing satisfaction with the judgment, Tunji Bello, executive vice chairman/CEO, commended the Commission’s legal team for their exceptional diligence and forensic expertise in assembling evidence and presenting their case.
He reaffirmed the FCCPC’s unwavering commitment not only to protecting the rights of Nigerian consumers but also to promoting fair business practices in line with the FCCPA (2018) and the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Nigerian government.
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