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            Whitepapers

            Can 5G Bridge the Urban-Rural Digital Divide?
            In this paper we address how 5G can serve rural areas and outline the requirements and trade-offs that result from this use case. In the process of the analysis we uncover many of the practical aspects for successful deployments of 5G in rural areas.
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            Defining the Synergies between LEO Satellite Constellations and Submarine Cables
            Joint analysis of Xona Partners and Angola Cables of the performance capabilities and cost structure of LEO satellite constellations and submarine cables demonstrate the complementary nature of the two technologies and identifies use cases where strategic relationships between the two ecosystems could develop.
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            Fixed Wireless Access in Fiber
            Operator Context: A Performance and Spend Analysis
            5G extends operating frequencies into the millimeter wave bands to enable high-bandwidth services. In this paper, we compare the performance and cost of deploying fixed wireless access in millimeter waves at 28 GHz to Fiber-To-The-Home deployments. Our objective is to uncover the subtleties of both technologies and identify how they compare.
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            Hindsight is 20/20: Internet Technologies Trends Retrospect - What We Thought And What Happened
            A retrospect of the most strategic projects we worked on compiled in our insight papers, synthesizing our thoughts, views and learning from engaging innovative technology actors and investors with a sharp focus on advancing the global Internet Infrastructure.
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            Competing for the Edge: Analysis of Competitive Dynamics Between Cloud Providers and Telcos
            Edge computing stands at the intersection between cloud providers and telcos, each seeking to carve a role in servicing the enterprise. This paper addresses market dynamics and identify the opportunities and leverage players in each ecosystems have.
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            Main Trends in the Edge Cloud Ecosystem
            In this paper, we review major trends that shape the edge cloud ecosystem with an eye on investment strategy to capitalize on this opportunity.
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            Satellites Intersects Enterprise
            Private Wireless Network
            In this paper we present a cost model for enterprise private wireless networks with satellite backhaul. We highlight the evolution of satellite and cellular industries to improve performance and reduce cost, and address the critical elements required to integrate both technologies.
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            Into The New Space Internet Era: An African Golden Opportunity
            Africa is synonymous with massive opportunities but also fundamental challenges. The answer to both resides, among other things, in the development of a robust, economically viable technology ecosystem, with Internet connectivity being the cornerstone of any viable execution model. In this paper, we zoom in one some nascent opportunities disruptive internet technologies offer in terms of leapfrog opportunities for Africa, and in particular the emergence of low earth orbit internet constellations.
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            Robots + ROI: The AI Dimension
            Robots need to hit very stringent KPIs to make them economically viable. This has led to various false starts in deploying robots. One of the fundamental answers to achieving these KPIs is the need for embedding more and more advanced AI-enabled designs into robots. The caveat is that it requires clear understanding of AI costs, limitations and trade-offs versus benefits. Over time, economics will likely play into strengthening the ROI for robots, but the AI tradeoffs dimension will remain the cornerstone of such ROI equation. This thesis is explained in our short paper.
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            Space Intersects Internet: Opportunities and Challenges
            Space and Internet are converging. The emergence of low earth orbit satellite constellations, and the investments pouring into it by global technology players, is one of the most significant disruptions of the last few decades. Opportunities abound. Challenges are numerous. This paper explores such aspects based on our involvement of architecting and deploying large scale Internet networks and services.
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            Emerging Technology Disruptions: Learning from Experiments
            The Internet infrastructure is evolving into a new phase, bringing in new disruptive technologies such as space networks, quantum computing and blockchain platforms. We provide a brief synthesis of some of our work in these areas with the most important take-aways.
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            The Internet is Fast Approaching 50. How Might it Look at 60?
            The internet is approaching 50 and the question of how it will look at 60 pops up. We provide our views on how things may look, and insights into trends and challenges ahead.
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            The Critical Dimensions for 5G Fixed Access
            In the run towards 5G, millimeter waves emerged as the leading technology largely driven by the plans of a few service providers on both sides of the Pacific. To assess the potential of the millimeter wave market for technology and financial investors we applied our techno-economic models in a typical US suburban areas. The results presented in this paper, show that the performance of millimeter waves affects the ability of the service provider to reach sufficient number of subscribers necessary to amortizes capital and operational expenses. This leads us to conclude that millimeter waves is a niche fiber extension application suitable for select markets.
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            The Cascading Technology Trap
            A survey of smart city activities around the world shows that much of the focus of smart city projects remains on establishing the most basic of services such as connectivity. In fact, there is a clear lag in the deployment of technologies and services in smart city applications, versus what technologies enable. In this paper, we present a bottom up approach to understand the fundamental reasons for such lag. We call this the cascading technology trap.
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            A Foothold in Silicon Valley
            We highlight Xona’s collective Silicon Valley experience in the various components of the innovation value chain, from technology ideas incubation, to venture capital funding, to growth into global markets, as well as successful business exits, to develop a Silicon Valley inspired technology and innovation ecosystem, and in allowing our clients to develop a low risk, insightful presence in the Valley and kick start an evolutionary innovation centric environment of their own.
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            Artificial Intelligence Intersecting with Industrie 4.0 and IoT Paradigms
            Industry 4.0, IoT and AI will replace decision and control of humans by “intelligent” machines controlled by networks and entrust possibly existential decisions to artificial intelligence. The enormous potential of freeing mankind from monotonous conductor tasks must be balanced by protection against the increasing danger of loss of essential control and freedom, which could ultimately annihilate the dignity of human beings and mankind as a whole. The huge legal and social challenges of this control revolution require that ultimate control is preserved for humans by human values. The eight principles proposed at the G7 meeting in Takamatsu/Japan in April 2016 have confirmed such need. This panel discussion intends to contribute to a German-Japanese Value Partnership to develop reliable answers.
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            A Perspective on Multi-Access Edge Computing
            Edge Computing is necessary architecture to meet the requirements of 5G applications and allows service providers to address the needs of vertical markets. The implementation of Multi-access Edge Computing (MEC) has until now lacked a compelling business case but this could change soon as service providers develop their strategy on how to best address vertical markets. This paper provides a perspective on MEC outlining some of the key benefits and challenges facing the ecosystem that must be overcome for wider MEC adoption.
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            Will Open Source Disrupt the Telecom Value Chain?
            The rapid emergence of open source models in the design of telecom and network infrastructure systems is a trend that could drastically change the industry value chain and underlying competitive dynamics. Several strategic initiatives initiated by Cloud and Internet players, telecom operators, and disruptive startups portend a new paradigm reshaping this sector over the next few years. In this paper, we summarize our view on the potential of open source technologies and impact on business models in the telecom ecosystem. These views are based on our involvement in the development of telecom networks and Cloud infrastructure, which we intersect with the observations of leaders in these ecosystems.
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            RAN Virtualization: Unleashing Opportunities for Market Disruption
            vRAN is a disruptive technology that is rapidly becoming more feasible. Current architectures being pursued by the TEMs, will allow MNOs to improve the performance of HetNets specifically related to interference and mobility management, but will fall short of having a disruptive impact on the industry. Disruption will come from vRAN technologies when the fronthaul challenge is solved. This will alter the MNO-TEM relationship and market structure, and will allow new entrants into the market such as the fixed access service providers.
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            The State and Future of The Home Automation Market
            This paper outlines the main characteristics of the home automation market and expose trends are shaping the market, raising challenges, and creating new opportunities.
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            Internet of Things: Roadmaps and Regulatory Considerations
            In this paper, we set out an ecosystem reference model for IoT and provide a brief overview of some key challenges, with special emphasis on the legal and regulatory aspects, how they are being addressed and how upcoming changes may impact in the future.
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            International Carriers’ Path to the IoT Gold Mine
            This white paper focuses on the different roles that International Carriers can play in IoT and what steps they need to take now to guarantee a future that is more than providing the bit pipe necessary to make things work under the covers.
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            Shaping Cellular IoT Connectivity
            Wide-area IoT connectivity is on the cusp of a major shakeup that will unfold over the next few years. While the wireless industry worked on retrofitting cellular technologies and service models designed for consumer broadband to running M2M/IoT networks, narrowband or LPWA have emerged to provide an optimized connectivity solution for IoT/M2M by addressing requirements for low-power, long range, scalability and longevity in the field. This paper provides an overview of emerging IoT connectivity protocols and identifies the threats and opportunities in these approaches where emerging dynamics are setting the boundaries for collaboration and competition to decide the winners in a market valued in the trillions of dollars.
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            Xona Partners at MWC 2015 – Trends and Business Impact
            This paper presents the views and takeaways of Xona Partners on the latest developments and future trends in the mobile industry that can be ascertained from the 2015 edition of MWC. We cover multiple functional areas and highlight potential disruptive technologies that will impact the telecom industry in the near future. 
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            Internet of Things – The Turning Wheels of IoT Investments
            Investments are steadily flowing into the Internet of Things (IoT) ecosystem as investors attempt to match market analysts’ optimism about the sector. In this paper, we examine where different classes of investors are placing their money and the strategic reasons behind such investments.
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            Internet of Things – Coming of Age
            The Internet of Things promises to unlock huge economic potential estimated in the trillions of dollars. Companies in different industries are jockeying for position in this field with many wondering what they’re strategy should be – where and how to play in IoT to best capitalize on this emerging opportunity. In this paper, we put forward a 5-layer model for the IoT ecosystem as part of a framework to gauge the evolution of IoT. We then put forward a few observations on key trends, including policy and regulatory constraints that play a pivotal role in shaping the development of the IoT.
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            Riding The Advance Cloud Deployment Roadmap
            This paper presents a comprehensive methodology for the design and implementation of cloud based IaaS/PaaS/SaaS and migrating applications to these environments. Along with this, an innovative cloud monitoring and optimization solution is introduced, with the aim of dynamically adapting cloud resources, based on the processing performance requirements. Specific case studies are described and learing from these deployments synthesized.
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            Strategic Advisory – The Case for a Disruptive Model
            In this paper, we introduce a novel technology & strategy advisory model, based on a hands-on operational execution and a shared risk shared return model.  It is based on a technology incubation approach, followed by a progressive spin-in into the client’s business, creating as such new revenue streams in adjacent businesses. Illustrative case studies implementing this model with leading technology clients are presented.
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            Big Data Led Innovation in the Credit Marketplace
            In this paper, we highlight our collective experience from working in the Banking and non-Bank lending ecosystem in the United States leveraging our experience in Data Science and Big Data Analysis technologies. We discuss the multiplying impact of such lending practices on the economy in emerging and fast developing economies due to increased access of credit to the innovation ecosystem and venture capital funded startups.
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            Innovations In RF Distribution Networks
            In this paper, we identify the trends that shape the market for RF distribution systems. We outline innovations in DAS design and project its future evolution within the context of technological and commercial market drivers. We argue that the business model and applications enabled by DAS and competing technologies, such as small cells and distributed radio systems, is key to shaping the outcome of the competitive landscape. Seen from this perspective, DAS has the advantage of allowing operators share a common infrastructure. The evolution of DAS provides for new applications and market opportunities.
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            Data Sciences in Wealth Management
            In this paper we synthesize our experiences with experimentation around customizing and  applying select advanced data science algorithms to a software assisted wealth management  advisor (the hybrid “Robo-Human” advisor, or Robo-Advisors) capability. Specifically we address how data science can be used to segment customers’ wealth management requirements  by needs and preferences and develop a semi-automated and customized advice offering.
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            Xona Partners at MWC 2014
            The Mobile World Congress is the premier wireless industry event where new products are announced, ideas are shared and deals are made. This paper presents the views of Xona Partners on the latest developments and future trends in the mobile industry that can be ascertained from the 2014 edition of MWC.
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            Data Science – A Practical Perspective
            Unlike many other data science articles that cover the basics and technological underpinnings, this paper takes a practitioner’s viewpoint. It identifies the use cases for Big Data science, its engineering components, and how Big Data science is integrated with business processes and systems. In doing so, it respects the large investments in data warehouse and business intelligence and shows both evolutionary and revolutionary — as well as hybrid — ways of moving forward to the brave new world of Big Data science.
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            Home based Healthcare & Opportunities for Mobile Operators
            We address the opportunities emerging for mobile network operators to take advantage of the evolution of health care, and describes a home based health care application use case designed and deployed to illustrate such opportunities. Specifically, it addresses the potential synergetic models developing between health care providers and mobile operators.
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            Asian Telecom Market – Key Events and Trends in the Asia Telecom Space
            Building on our broad involvement in various strategy development initiatives around Asia, and working with the lead telecom operators, technology players and regulators, we provide a snapshot of the overall eco-system, across regions and industries, as well as a synthesis of the most disruptive trends we foresee in the near future, along with their potential impact on the various eco-systems in the mobile and telecom industry value chain.
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            Active Infrastructure Sharing Technology & Business Models
            Forward-looking access service providers have amassed considerable fiber optical assets complemented by Wi-Fi services. This paper discussed the synergy with Mobile Network Operators in light of ongoing business model and technology developments, with a focus on evolving network and spectrum sharing trends.  It also addresses the direct impact on service providers’ business models, and concludes on the likely emergence of large-scale Internet and cloud-centric virtual operators.
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            Data Sciences – Financial Ecosystem Focus
            In this paper, we synthesize our experience on the experimental front applying and customizing select advanced data science algorithms to a new set of financial services and technologies applications. Specifically, we address the problematic of risk management, fraud detection, financial customer characterization and framing of new financial services offers to various customer segments.
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            The Path to 5G Mobile Networks – Gradually Getting There
            With data services here to stay, the question is then how can the mobile industry meet the long-term demand of subscribers? What are we to expect over the next 5 to 10 years, as far as mobile network evolution? We present in this whitepaper our vision of 5G and outline some of the key technologies that will shape future wireless networks including laying out fundamental architectural developments and mobile technology deployment models that one shall anticipate in the era of beyond 4G networks.
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            Partnership for the Design of Private Clouds for RTB of Online Ads
            In the whitepaper, we review the opportunities that online advertising evolution, specifically the emergence of real time bidding (RTB), and growth of mobile advertising opens up to the various players in the online advertising value chain, including Ad Exchanges, DSPs, SSPs, and telecom and data center operators, in terms of business models and underlying solution development and deployment.
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            Data Science as a Service: The Present and the Future
            Unlike many other articles that cover the basics and technological underpinnings of Big Data Analytics, this paper takes a practitioner’s viewpoint. It identifies the use cases for Big Data Science, its engineering components, and how Big Data Science is integrated with business processes and systems. In doing so, it respects the large investments in Data Warehouse and Business Intelligence and shows both evolutionary and revolutionary— as well as hybrid— ways of moving forward to the brave new world of Big Data Science.
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            Data Sciences Focus – Mobile Eco-systems Contributions
            In this paper we describe and highlight some applications of Data Science to mobile networks as a way to demonstrate applicability and value of such techniques in the real world. We also address some of the upcoming challenges foreseen in the mobile eco-system from the perspective of data analytics; map them to revenue generating services, and present data science centric solutions to address them.
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            The Internet Eco-system Value Chain: It’s Always Greener on the Other Side. Or is it, Really?
            Do the network operators have it better than the OTT players? Do the OTT players have it better than the investors in network infrastructure? Are the equipment vendors hurting because network operators are squeezing their revenues? No certainties, but what is clear is that we are at some major industry inflection points, as far as business model change and underlying technology innovation is concerned.
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            Online Advertising Real Time Bidding and Opportunities for Mobile Service Providers
            This paper introduces highlights of specifications for a dynamic hosted networking ecosystem for bidding optimization, which provides direct benefits to DSPs, SSPs, DMPs, Ad Exchanges and the various players in the online advertising value chain, as well as new revenue generating services for data center hosting providers and telecom transit providers. 
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            Xona Technology Cycles Deja Vu
            The recent string of technology IPOs highlights the evolution cycle of technologies. This paper presents a framework for the evolution of technologies with the aim to be able to predict the next disruptive technologies.
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            When Will Small Cells Be Deployed
            Small cells are one solution to ever increasing demand for mobile data. This paper presents a case study of an operator in Canada where we forecast traffic growth and map it against network capabilities to predict outdoor small cell deployment timelines and corresponding quantity.
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