Fixed wireless access (FWA) is revolutionizing connectivity by delivering fast, reliable and cost-effective connectivity to empower individuals and businesses in the digital age. At ATxSG 2023, Telecom Review connects with Andreas Serras, chief executive officer of Intracom Middle East, to learn about the company’s innovative offerings in this area, focused on delivering mmWave, ultra-broadband FWA to benefit operators and communities.
Can you tell us about Intracom Middle East as well as the company’s latest solution developments in 2023?
Intracom Middle East is a leading telecom solutions provider in the Middle East, Africa and Southeast Asia regions, operating for over two decades in the market with regional teams and a network of partners. We have a proven track record in deploying large-scale complex projects integrating in-house designed and developed products, as well as third-party systems for delivering state-of-the-art telecommunication solutions. We are promoting Intracom Telecom’s solutions portfolio in the region, and this year we are introducing enhancements to Intracom Telecom’s fixed wireless access (FWA) and E-Band offerings, with more capacities at longer ranges and with more configurations.
In terms of strategic focus, where is the company directing its efforts?
We focus on providing network infrastructures to our customers for the 5G era. We have solutions for connectivity between the last mile and the core of the 5G mobile network that require high-capacity, long-range mmWave and microwave radios acting as xHaul modules (backhaul and fronthaul). An example is our UltraLink-GX80®, an E-Band radio that delivers 10 Gbps capacity. Moreover, our offering also addresses the gigabit connectivity needed for fixed subscribers in mmWave ultra-fast broadband fixed wireless access networks at 26/28 GHz. The Asia Pacific and Southeast Asia regions are now at the global forefront of network developments, and our company continues its activity that started a decade ago.
Can you elaborate on the significance of mmWave FWA in today’s landscape?
The mmWave frequency band is the catalyst for the deployment of gigabit access networks. Our fifth generation FWA technology, WiBAS G5, operates at the 26/28 GHz frequency band, coexisting with 5G in adjacent channels. The WiBAS G5 technology can be used for networks with gigabit/s speeds of download and to long-range rural and semi-rural subscribers. While focusing on evolving the product line with new base stations and terminal devices, increasing density to 1,000 subscribers per site, range of connection, quality of service and spectrum reuse, we also work on maintaining leadership at the FWA networks operating at licensed microwave bands. The 10.5 GHz is a typical case in Southeast Asia and is being selected by many of our customers in the region. From Intracom Telecom’s global footprint of more than 50 FWA networks, a significant portion is within the area of responsibility of Intracom Middle East.
Can you please highlight your top Asian deployments and the challenges you have successfully addressed?
Since 2014, we have been supplying Dialog, Axiata’s subsidiary in Sri Lanka, with our 10.5 GHz solutions for the modernization and expansion of their network. Also, since 2014, we have been supplying Lintasarta in Indonesia with our WiBAS™ technology again for high-quality connectivity services. In all cases, the challenge remains the same: to secure for the operator the highest capacity in the industry and a competitive cost per Mbit. When it comes to ultra-broadband FWA, our WiBAS™ brand stands out, and that is something that our customers worldwide refer to. With 16,000 hubs and more than 400,000 terminal devices delivered, we can claim a success story for our FWA solutions. Likewise, with 35,000 radios of E-band technology delivered to this day, we are part of large network deployments.
