Telecom
New ITU Broadband Standard Fast-tTracks Route to 1Gbit/s
ITU membership has reached first-stage approval of G.fast, the new ITU broadband standard capable of achieving access speeds of up to 1 Gbit/s over existing telephone wires.
Within 250-metre range of a distribution point, G.fast’s fibre-like speeds give service providers a tool to supplement and further monetize fibre to the home (FTTH) strategies with the customer self-installation benefits of ADSL2.
G.fast, within the fibre to the distribution point (FTTdp) architecture, combines the best aspects of fibre and ADSL2.
Consumers will have an over-the-counter solution, self-installed without a technician’s assistance, but equipped to support bandwidth-intensive services such as Ultra-HD ‘4K’ or ‘8K’ streaming and IPTV, advanced cloud-based storage, and communication via HD video.
The physical-layer protocol aspects of G.fast defined by Recommendation ITU-T G.9701 “Fast Access to Subscriber Terminals – Physical layer specification” have reached the point of stability required to initiate the standard’s approval procedure.
Chip manufacturers will now scale-up G.fast chip design and testing efforts, feeding results of this work into ITU-T Study Group 15 in the interests of finalizing G.fast as early as April 2014.
Dr Hamadoun I. Touré, secretary-general, ITU: “From ADSL in 1999 to G.fast in 2014, ITU-standardized DSL solutions have multiplied access speeds by a factor of 125 over the past 15 years. It is to the credit of ITU’s membership and the dedication of engineers working in our study groups that ITU standards continue to maximize returns on investment in legacy ICT infrastructure.”
ITU-T G.9701 is on track to achieving final approval in conjunction with ITU-T G.9700, which specifies methods to ensure that G.fast equipment will not interfere with broadcast services such as FM radio (first-stage approval reported in an ITU press release here).
The G.fast project has attracted active participation from a large number of leading service providers, chip manufacturers, and system vendors.
Companies involved in its development have already confirmed the standard’s gigabit-per-second capability through lab and field trials using prototype equipment based on mature drafts of the standard.
Service providers will benefit from ‘zero touch’ operations, administration and management; easing migrations to G.fast and increasing the speed of new-service rollouts.
G.fast is designed to coexist with VDSL2, enabling service providers to play to the strengths of each standard in different environments; switching customers between G.fast and VDSL2 in line with dynamic business models.
The standard will complement FTTH strategies, serving the many scenarios where G.fast is more cost-efficient than FTTH.
Tom Starr, Chairman of Working Party 1, ITU-T Study Group 15, the expert group overseeing ITU-T standardization of access solutions: “G.fast’s development has followed an intensive work plan, meeting ambitious time-to-market objectives. The standard will enable service providers to deliver fibre-like performance more quickly and more affordably than with any other approach.”
Les Brown, associate rapporteur of the G.fast Experts Group: “G.fast provides the speed of fibre with the ease of installation of ADSL2. The solution is as compelling to consumers as it is to service providers, coexisting with VDSL2 and complementing FTTH.”
The development of the G.fast standard has been coordinated with Broadband Forum’s system architecture project, Fibre to the Distribution Point (FTTdp).
Broadband Forum has begun developing a testing suite for G.fast systems, which will include test plans for interoperability events, system performance and functional testing; alongside a framework whitepaper, and possibly also a certification programme.
ITU-T and Broadband Forum have been working in close collaboration to ensure that G.fast solutions can be quickly placed into FTTdp deployments.
With the introduction of Travel Saga, a premium, fast-paced gaming experience that is currently live and accessible to customers on its network, Globacom has lifted the bar for mobile entertainment in the country.
Travel Saga is a story-driven, intricately connected role-playing game designed to provide the thrill, complexity, and competitive intensity of some of the most well-known action games in the world.
The game, which has been painstakingly optimized for mobile devices, redefines mobile gaming as a full-fledged digital battlefield by translating a console-grade experience onto data-enabled handsets.
Fundamentally, Travel Saga takes users on quick virtual journeys against recognizable international landscapes. In a dynamic, ever-evolving gaming environment, players are thrown into furious missions, fierce fights, and ever-expanding tales where talent, strategy, and endurance determine who rises through the ranks to become a true war hero.
In addition to the excitement of fighting, users are encouraged to go to various locations, take part in thrilling challenges, and participate in intense competition for in-app rewards like points and victory badges. With each encounter and accomplishment, the immersion increases with each level, maintaining momentum and excitement.
Flexible subscription plans with one-time or auto-renewal choices are available to subscribers for the service, which costs ₦100 per day and ₦250 per week. By dialing *70021#, customers can quickly subscribe and gain instant access to the action.
With Travel Saga, Glo reaffirms its dedication to innovation and high-end digital experiences, making top-notch gaming easily accessible to its customers. The game offers uninterrupted action, adventure, and competition, all smoothly supported by the Glo network.
SHELT, a leading cybersecurity-as-a-service provider, has earned inclusion in the 2025 MSSP 250, the annual ranking of the world’s top 250 Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs) by MSSP Alert, a CyberRisk Alliance publication.
SHELT
The list evaluates firms on business performance, service breadth, and industry impact, spotlighting those excelling in growth, operational excellence, and advanced managed security amid rising cyber threats. Selection criteria include annual recurring revenue, profitability, workforce expansion, business growth, and the depth of managed security offerings.
SHELT’s recognition underscores its investments in scalable security operations, threat intelligence, and tailored managed services across multiple regions, enabling clients to navigate complex risk landscapes effectively.
“Being recognised in the MSSP 250 is a meaningful milestone for our team,” stated Youssef Abillama, CEO of SHELT. “It validates our focus on building practical, resilient security services that help organisations manage risk and respond effectively to today’s evolving cyber threats.”
The company hailed the honour as testament to its teams’ dedication and expertise worldwide, reaffirming commitment to enhancing capabilities and delivering trusted cybersecurity solutions.
Meta Platforms, owner of Facebook, has appointed Dina Powell McCormick, a former adviser to President Donald Trump, as its new president and vice chairman, bolstering its leadership amid aggressive AI and infrastructure expansion.
Dina Powell McCormick
The announcement, made on Monday, positions Powell McCormick – who recently stepped down from Meta’s board after eight months – to guide overall strategy, including multi-billion-dollar investments in data centres and global partnerships.
A Goldman Sachs veteran with 16 years in senior roles and prior stints as deputy national security adviser under Trump and in the Bush administration, she brings deep finance and international ties to the role.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg hailed her as “uniquely qualified” for the company’s next growth phase, while President Trump praised the move on Truth Social as a “fantastic choice”.
The hire signals Meta’s efforts to strengthen White House relations, following recent dinners with Trump and U.S. investment pledges worth hundreds of billions
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