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During times of crisis, service providers face challenging conditions just when their customers are most heavily dependent on telecom services. When people are forced into new routines, traffic volumes spike at times and in locations that would usually be relatively quiet. To discuss this, Bill Hogg, former President, Technology Operations at AT&T, and Ken Gold, Solutions Marketing Leader at EXFO, will be leading a webinar on how to use automation to maintain peak network performance under challenging circumstances and its role in 5G rollouts. Managing the unprecedented traffic surge and flow of alarms In the early months of 2020, data traffic increased by 50% in many regions globally, and WiFi calls were up 76% in the United States, putting an additional burden on residential networks while impacting call quality. These resulting abnormal, dynamic traffic patterns continue to generate a tidal wave of alarms, overwhelming operations staff who may also be working remotely with limited access to vital data and collaboration tools. Maintaining network performance and customer experience Maintaining peak performance under these conditions requires a new way of quickly automating the detection, assessment and resolution of customer-impacting events, before they escalate into large-scale outages. When traffic and user behavior can’t be captured with simple thresholds and averaged KPIs, streaming AI-powered analytics can be employed to make sense of the individual customer experience, and what’s impacting it in real time. Join our webinar to learn: How machine learning methods can be applied to supercharge operations teams, guiding them to the most effective actions that will result in the best possible user experience—and business outcome—under abnormal conditions. How leading service providers have maintained peak performance though early detection and proactive issue mitigation using these techniques. Hear the perspective of AT&T’s former President- Technology Operations, Bill Hogg, and how current trends are only a taste of what’s to come when 5G rolls out and devices become the primary consumer of the mobile network.

Many 5G-related discussions have focused on the importance of 5G for enterprise use cases, including industry automation. Unsurprisingly, Industry 4.0 has been a popular 5G topic. In fact, starting with 4G, the enterprise interest in private (or non-public) mobile networks has been increasing. 5G—and 5G network slicing—will reinforce this trend. Of course, enterprise use cases differ from most consumer use cases. For example, to meet strict service level agreements, mobile network operators (MNOs) must be able to understand how networks and services perform end to end, in real time and across various domains. MNOs will also have to rely on automation to effectively and efficiently assure enterprise services. This is a paradigm shift for MNOs, and its complexity should not be underestimated. Key takeaways: The challenges of private (or non-public) 4G/5G networks, including 5G network slicing The need for a new service assurance approach that can address these challenges The solutions required for such an approach to succeed in practice Our webinar is based on project engagements with leading MNOs and system integrators. Join us to learn more about a hot industry topic and to ask questions during the live Q&A session.

Please plan on attending this interactive web-event as Roberto Kompany, Senior Analyst at Analysys Mason, Xanthos Angelides, Product Line Manager of RAN solutions at EXFO, and Ken Gold, Director of Test, Monitoring and Analytics at EXFO, discuss key lessons learned in 5G NSA rollouts, and what this means for 5G SA. According to a July 2020 GSA report, the number of commercially launched 5G networks is now approaching 100—but perhaps more interestingly, MNOs around the world are now shifting their rollout plans towards 5G standalone (SA). At the same time, MNOs have discovered that building and operating 5G networks is significantly more challenging than 4G. Beyond just tighter specifications, MNOs are finding the increased network complexity, RAN evolution, spectrum availability, and the shift towards cloud-native means operations teams and their legacy systems are reaching their limit. This interactive panel event will focus on: • Key challenges and lessons learned from early 5G deployments, • Interactive audience surveys to augment panelists insights, and • Lively discussions on lessons learned and audience feedback

Over the last few years, we saw a lot of telecom network operators make the switch. They have had their Central Offices Re-architected as a Data Center (CORD). Intrigued by the future of Central Offices? This webinar explores this shift and the challenges associated with it in the context of the digital transformation and 5G. We’ll also talk about the best practices that ensure the success of this transition. Key takeaways: The motivation behind CORD Most important concepts associated to CORD Best practices to transition to CORD Best testing practices in the new environment

Fiber is going deeper everywhere. It is a key enabler of the upcoming 5G technologies that are going to need a rock-solid foundation. The high density of fiber rollouts ahead means a lot of outsourced field jobs. The challenge which outsourcing brings is reduced visibility and control over the network infrastructure. How will you keep on top of things in an age where you need valuable insights to act quickly? And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. High working force turnover is taking its toll on field expertise. How do you keep frontline technicians updated on best testing practices when it comes to fiber optics? Discover a new approach to testing that will empower technicians to go further in guaranteeing a more reliable fiber foundation, all that without breaking the bank but by investing smartly in what amounts to lower total costs of ownership. Benefits In this webinar, you will learn how to: Speed up installations without compromising quality or incurring further costs Upskill frontline technicians and curb the learning curve Speed up ROI via leaner methods of procedures Get real visibility into the network’s fiber foundation

This webinar will delve into the new network requirements of 5G fronthaul networks. As 5G is taking shape, we will take a closer look into the network evolution and why CPRI and eCPRI technologies exist—and how they differ. We will explain why CPRI and eCPRI alone cannot break the proprietary nature of fronthaul networks and what is needed to make this transition. In doing so, we will address the current state of both CPRI and eCPRI implementations, testing best practices for validating fronthaul networks and the future evolution of the fronthaul network. Key takeaways: Why do we need CPRI and eCPRI? Understanding the differences between the two technologies Why can I not implement multi-vendor solutions? How will CPRI and eCPRI technologies evolve in the future?

The mobile industry is setting its sights on new 5G revenue streams from enterprise customers. But, GSMA Intelligence conducted a global study to assess whether mobile operators are ready to successfully monetize this new vertical, and found significant gaps between the 2,000 enterprises surveyed and operators’ expectations. In this webinar, Peter Jarich, Head of GSMA Intelligence, and Scott Sumner, Director of Commercial Insight at EXFO will explore the key findings of the study to: Highlight the importance of network and service performance visualization to the 5G business model Showcase the current lack of ability, among mobile operators, to deliver on this visibility imperative Detail how the industry can move forward and what’s needed to solve this challenge

Technological progress is accelerating. WiFi 6 is here and the outlines of WiFi 7 (802.11be) are already being sketched! But let’s take a step back. What are WiFi 6 and WiFi 7? How will these next-generation multi-gigabit wireless broadband standards impact the optical access networks that feed them? How will WiFi 6 and WiFi 7 WLANs co-exist with 5G WANs? What test tools will be needed to assure a smooth transition into this wireless broadband future? Join this expert webinar for insights into the imminent future of wireless connectivity. Key takeaways: Latest WiFi technologies and the methods to achieve the new bit rates Impact on optical access networks The potential synergy between WiFi, 5G and optical access networks

In today’s networks, everything is connected using fiber optics: home, buildings, data centers, antennas, companies, smart cities and so on. It is therefore crucial to test if optical connections are working, if the splices are done properly and that the fiber was not damaged during installation. The telecom landscape is one of constant, rapid evolution. Testing approaches have evolved tremendously over the years. Methods that were acceptable 20 years ago are obsolete today. In this educational webinar, we examine various testing solutions, their strengths and weaknesses, what they cover or lack and where they best fit. The overview will be backed by metrology data as the uncertainty/accuracy of various methodologies are explained. The following questions will be tackled: Tier 1 and Tier 2 testing: is the distinction still applicable? What is “certification”? Is it still relevant? Can I do that with an OTDR? What is the best testing solution: optical source/power meter, OLTS, OTDR or something else? At the end of this session, you will be more confident in selecting the right solution for your specific needs. Key takeaways: Understanding the difference between OTDR and OLTS (S/PM) measurements Understanding testing requirements per network type Selecting optimal test solutions per network type and needs Join Gwenn Amice as he separates facts from feelings when it comes to fiber testing.

The need to understand how networks and services perform is far from new. For years, we have been monitoring mobile and fixed-line networks to ensure service quality and optimal user experience. In fact, we have gradually seen a shift from mainly network-centric metrics to QoS (quality of service) and QoE (quality of experience). There has also been a trend towards predictive and preemptive—i.e., not just diagnostic and reactive—insights. But in many cases, the available network and/or service data and insights are not the right ones. Partial and inaccurate insights effectively leave operational teams and executives in the dark. Even worse, they may create the illusion of network and service visibility that can lead to suboptimal decisions with devastating repercussions. 5G and mission-critical use cases in particular require true visibility. They require more network and service “light” through the right data and insights. Attend this webinar and learn: How network and service data can lead to partial and potentially misleading insights What the impact of inaccurate network and service insights can be in practice How we can get data and insights right, for true network and service visibility Our webinar is based on years of industry experience and engagements with network operators and service providers. Join the live webinar for an insightful discussion, and take the opportunity to ask questions during the Q&A session.