Why does SpaceX want to launch over 7,000 satellites into space?
Why do you keep seeing Huawei's name in the news?
What is quantum communications and how are submarine cables involved?
These are the big questions we're tackling in our last roundup of telecom stories for 2018. All of these recommended reads are linked below. We'll be back in 2019 with more telecom-centric posts to keep you in the know—or just entertained—every month.
Elon Musk Receives FCC Approval to Launch Over 7,500 Satellites into Space
Why it’s worth your time: SpaceX plans to launch 7,518 satellites into low-Earth orbit—and the FCC unanimously approved their plan last month.
These satellites are meant to serve as the backbone for the company’s proposed Starlink broadband network. Digital Trends has the full story.
The U.S. Government’s Ongoing Battle with Chinese Telecom Giant Huawei, Explained
Why it’s worth your time: You've surely encountered Huawei's name before, perhaps as part of our weekly Cable Compendium.
There's also a good chance you've seen their names in global headlines as of late.
This Vox explainer does a great job breaking down the news. Give it a click to better understand why Canadian authorities arrested one of Huawei's executives as part of a United States extradition order and where 5G technology comes into play.
LatAm Mobile Market Poised to Return to Growth
Why it’s worth your time: The wireless services sector in Latin America and the Caribbean has stagnated in recent years. The region was home to 690.4 million wireless subscribers at the end of June 2018, up slightly from 687.4 million six months before, but well down from the recent peak of 714.1 million at end-2014.
As countries reach market saturation, operators are now concentrating their efforts on wringing more revenue from existing users.
Pete Bell explains in this regional rundown.
BT is Harnessing The Power of Quantum Mechanics to Root Out Fiber-Optic Hacks
Why it’s worth your time: "One of the most cutting-edge methods for keeping data on fiber-optic cables ultra-secure is a field known as quantum communications," writes Parmy Olson. If that has your attention, this submarine cable-centric piece from Forbes might be worth your time.
Turns out that BT has been researching quantum comms since before 2015. Click above to find out what that means.
What is the Internet? 13 Key Questions Answered.
Why it’s worth your time: That's a pretty cool map we spy in this Guardian feature on demystifying the internet. It's worth the price of admission, if you ask us.
But beyond seeing our rendering of the world's submarine cables in print, this briefing covers 13 basic questions about the internet, who uses it, and what it all means. Might be worth sharing with any telecom newbies in your orbit.
