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
Telecom
Paradigm Initiative Warns of AI-Driven Hate Speech, Urges Global Tech Reform

As the world commemorates the International Day for Countering Hate Speech, Paradigm Initiative (PIN) is calling on big tech companies to intensify their efforts in combating online hate speech and ensuring respect for fundamental human rights.
PIN’s 2024 Londa report highlights the widespread prevalence of hate speech online. In Angola, for instance, at least 25 content removal requests were made in connection with hate speech, harassment, and political misinformation. Globally, the consequences of unchecked hate speech have been severe—ranging from incitement to violence and heightened ethnic tensions to the targeting of vulnerable communities, including minorities, women, and foreigners.
Nigeria witnessed a tragic example in 2018 when a Facebook post showing a massacre in Plateau State was viewed more than 11,000 times, triggering ethnic conflict and resulting in fatalities. In South Africa, inadequate content moderation has worsened the problem, while in Ethiopia in 2021, a false Facebook post led to the killing of a man wrongly implicated in a scandal. India saw a surge in hate speech during its elections.
PIN notes that actors behind hate speech are becoming increasingly sophisticated, often leveraging technologies like artificial intelligence to boost visibility. Meanwhile, existing moderation systems—especially for non-English content—struggle to keep up.
Bridgette Ndlovu, PIN’s Partnerships and Engagements Officer, said, “Hate speech online is a direct attack on the dignity and safety of individuals.” She urged technology companies to adopt transparent and effective moderation strategies and to prioritize human rights in their operations.
The spread of hate speech raises complex challenges for lawmakers. Governments are trying to regulate harmful content such as misinformation and harassment while protecting freedom of speech. However, PIN warns that hate speech laws should not be misused to arbitrarily detain human rights defenders or stifle dissenting voices.
To address these concerns, PIN recommends that tech companies invest more in moderating non-English content to reflect local nuances, improve transparency around government takedown requests, promote digital literacy—particularly in underserved regions—and conduct regular human rights due diligence, aligned with the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
Telecom
Moniepoint Deepens Commitment to Africa’s Future Through Education and Innovation

Moniepoint Inc, one of Africa’s leading financial institutions partnered with the Mega Impact Foundation to support the 5th edition of the NextGen Connect Interschool Oratory Competition in Asaba, Delta state. This collaboration showcases Moniepoint’s unwavering commitment to youth empowerment and human capital development across the African continent.
The competition, which was held commemoratively to celebrate this year’s International Day of the Boy Child, brought together SS2 students from across Delta State to address the critical theme: “The Role of Financial Inclusion and Technology in Shaping a Brighter Future for Young People in Africa.” Moniepont has received critical acclaim over its core mission of advancing financial inclusion through innovative digital financial technology solutions and payment services..
The oratory competition showcased exceptional talent among Nigeria’s youth, with Otovo Praise of Crystalloid International School emerging as the champion. His outstanding performance earned him a full-year scholarship through the Tosin Eniolorunda STEM Foundation, reflecting Moniepoint’s philosophy of investing in educational excellence. Second-place winner Audi Innocent of St Patrick’s College received ₦300,000, while third-place winner, Asher David of Glorious Kids Academy was awarded ₦200,000.
“At Moniepoint, we believe that driving sustainable innovation begins with future-proofing and expanding the talent pool by empowering the next generation with the tools that they need to succeed especially basic literacy skills which remain fundamental pillars in socio-economic development,” said Tosin Eniolorunda, CEO Moniepoint Inc. “These young voices represent the future of African leadership, and their insights into financial inclusion and technology demonstrate the remarkable potential that exists within our communities. Through our various educational and developmental initiatives such as the CAD/CAM lab we donated to OAU last year or the Moniepoint DreamDevs programme, we are betting big on an investment in Africa’s future.”
The initiative extends beyond monetary rewards, creating meaningful platforms for young people to express their ideas on a global stage. Through its support of the NextGen Connect Conference and Tech-In-School conversations, Moniepoint is fostering an environment where youth can develop critical thinking skills, build confidence, and engage with pressing societal issues.
In her remarks, Founder, Mega Impact Foundation, Florence Ogonegbu said that “we reaffirm our commitment to building an Africa where every young person has simplified access to sustainable education, capacity building, and empowerment. By leveraging technology and local initiatives, we are creating platforms that enable our youth to thrive and transform their communities.
“Together with partners like Moniepoint, we are not just shaping futures—we are driving a movement for social development that will resonate globally. Every boy, every young person, deserves the opportunity to unlock their full potential and drive lasting impact across our continent.”
The competition received additional support from the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Delta State, highlighting the collaborative approach required to nurture young talent effectively.
Telecom
Zoho Unveils Zia Hubs to Harness AI Insights from Unstructured Business Data

Zoho, a global technology company, today launched Zia Hubs, a solution within Zoho WorkDrive that brings new forms of unstructured business data into the company’s broad portfolio of applications and AI services. Using Zia Hubs, organisations can now present any type of business content to Zoho’s powerful capabilities and services—including agentic AI, comprehensive analysis, and accurate, unified search—regardless of file format or structure.
“According to IDC, 80 percent of business data is unstructured,” said Kehinde Ogundare, Country Head, Zoho Nigeria. “Most unstructured data is text-based, meaning pertinent information lives within email conversations, social media posts, word processor documents, or audio and video transcripts. With Zia Hubs built into the full product suite, Zoho can provide customers with a deeper integration than any comparable software platform and nearly limitless potential uses for their data.”
Deeper Intelligence Accessing More Customer Data
Launching as part of Zoho WorkDrive, Zia Hubs brings content intelligence to the company’s unified content management and collaboration platform. Designed with a high level of user control over what content AI is allowed to access, Zia Hubs enables users to organise project or task-specific content into dedicated hubs within WorkDrive. Each hub serves as a focused space where Zia, Zoho’s flagship AI, can understand and act on the content stored within. This includes a wide range of formats such as PDFs, documents, videos, and audio files.
Zia Hubs automatically organises uploaded content by grouping related information—such as section headings, supporting text, and visuals—to preserve context. For video and audio files, Zia generates transcripts and links key moments to relevant topics, making it easier to pinpoint exactly where something was said.
With Zia Hubs, users can surface the most relevant answers when asked a question, even across different content formats. Each response includes clear citations that link back to the original content, whether it is a document, spreadsheet, image, or a specific moment in an audio or video file.
Organisations can also create custom workflows with Zoho Flow, automating document storage processes for particular projects or specific teams. This ensures that Zia always has access to the latest necessary documents automatically.
Furthermore, content from third-party software—such as Docusign PDFs, RingCentral call logs, Zoom video files—are all readable by Zia, and can be automatically placed into a hub by building a workflow with Zoho Flow.
From Intelligent Content to Intelligent Action with Zia
Zia Hubs is a foundational element of Zoho’s long-term AI strategy. It lays the groundwork for a future where intelligent agents can act contextually on content across the company’s entire product suite. With full ownership of its technology stack spanning more than 55 products, Zoho is uniquely positioned to help organisations unlock deeper value from their business content compared to competitors.
Potential use cases for Zia Hubs include: a legal team’s content hub hosting a case’s relevant files: court files, correspondence, and research, allowing a lawyer to have Zia provide summaries with citations without having to manually scan lengthy files to gain insights; a company’s support center placing call logs into a hub, then querying Zia to identify trends, like, “Have we received an increase in calls regarding specific issues?”
Future updates to Zia Hubs will enable it to identify structured information within unstructured files and trigger specialised agents tailored to specific business needs. This will further establish Zia Hubs as the central content intelligence layer that activates AI-native workflows across the full Zoho ecosystem.
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