Huawei announces Wi-Fi 7 patent licensing rates

Chinese multinational technology company Huawei has announced that its patent licensing royalty rate for WiFi 7 technologies would be set at $0.5 (£0.38) per unit for Wi Fi 7 compliant devices. This announcement, Huawei says, underscores its dedication to fostering a healthy innovation ecosystem through fair, transparent, and predictable licensing practices. As the latest generation of Wi-Fi technologies, Wi-Fi 7 delivers dramatically higher throughput, lower latency, and greater reliability. Serving as much more than just a connectivity upgrade, it lays the groundwork for the next wave of digital transformation and opens up new possibilities for interactions between people and intelligent systems. As a leading contributor to the IEEE 802.11 standards family, Huawei has played a pivotal role in shaping WiFi 7 (802.11be) technologies and holds one of the largest portfolios of declared essential patents for WiFi 7. The company has invested a decade of research and substantial resources into developing the core technologies that make Wi-Fi 7 truly next generation. Huawei has thus emerged as a leader in the global Wi-Fi licensing landscape, and its patent license agreements had covered over 1.2 billion consumer electronic devices worldwide by the end of 2024. With today's announcement, Huawei provides clear advance notice of its Wi‑Fi 7 royalty rate, which is $0.5 (£0.38) per unit for consumer‑grade Wi‑Fi 7 devices. Implementers may obtain licenses either through bilateral agreements or via patent pools, on FRAND (Fair, Reasonable, and Non-Discriminatory) terms. Support for both Wi-Fi 6 and 7 In July 2022, Huawei joined the Sisvel WiFi 6 patent pool as a founding member, concurrently becoming both a licensor and a licensee of the pool. The patent pool is a valuable option for the industry which in large provides a "one-stop" licensing solution under a transparent and fair framework with lower transactions costs. Huawei also maintains a strong and proven Wi-Fi 6 patent portfolio, which has been widely recognised and licensed across the industry. This legacy of innovation across successive generations further demonstrates Huawei's long-term commitment to advancing wireless connectivity. Building on this success, Huawei has extended its participation to the Sisvel WiFi Multimode pool as a founding member, offering licensees a single, streamlined platform for accessing essential patents across both WiFi 6 and WiFi 7 generations. Alan Fan, Huawei's Chief Intellectual Property Officer, comments, "Through these initiatives, Huawei continues to facilitate collaborative licensing models that balance the interests of innovators and implementers, further reinforcing its leadership in shaping a transparent and efficient global Wi-Fi licensing environment." For more information on Huawei's WiFi 7 licensing program, click here to visit the webpage. For more from Huawei, click here.

Opna named World Economic Forum 'Technology Pioneer'

London-based Opna has been named a 2026 Technology Pioneer by the World Economic Forum (WEF), joining the organisation's annual list of 100 companies recognised for developing technologies with the potential to influence industries and markets. The company, which focuses on the procurement and financing of critical power equipment, will participate in the Technology Pioneers programme, with the first meeting of the 2026 cohort scheduled to take place in China later this month. Opna works with data centre operators, renewable energy developers, and industrial organisations across Europe, helping them source and finance equipment including transformers, switchgear, high-voltage cables, and generators. According to the company, its platform combines equipment verification, supplier matching, and financing through a single data platform designed to improve visibility of manufacturing capacity and procurement options. Focus on power equipment supply chains The announcement coincides with the publication of a new industry blueprint from Opna founder and CEO Shilpika Gautam, which examines challenges affecting the supply of critical power infrastructure across Europe. The report argues that growing demand from sectors including data centres, renewable energy, and grid infrastructure is placing increasing pressure on power equipment supply chains. Opna identifies four key challenges affecting project delivery: differences between manufacturing and project timelines, payment structures that require significant upfront deposits, mismatches between available manufacturing capacity and changing demand patterns, and repeated verification processes for equipment suppliers. The company argues that improved coordination between manufacturers, developers, financiers, and infrastructure operators could help address these issues. Shilpika says, “More factories are coming, and that is a good thing, but they will not start delivering in time to close the power equipment supply squeeze that everyone from data centres to renewable developers and critical facilities [...] are facing. “We face a very real and worsening risk of funded projects stalling, clean energy generation not making it onto the grid, and the window to ramp off fossil fuels, electrify our economies, and create growth, resilience, and security across Europe narrowing. “I see a clear solution: we need a coordination layer for the industry, not just new physical supply - a foundational backbone that holds verification, matching, and financing on the same data, built with the visibility, financing depth, and platform capability that can turn this industry into a healthy market.” The blueprint includes commentary from a number of energy and infrastructure specialists, including representatives from Ember, Ørsted, Power System Partners, and other organisations involved in energy systems and grid infrastructure. Growing demand for grid infrastructure Opna says increasing demand for electricity infrastructure is being driven by data centre growth, electrification projects, renewable energy deployment, and wider grid modernisation efforts. The company cites long lead times for high-voltage power equipment and increasing pressure on manufacturing capacity as key challenges facing developers and infrastructure operators. According to Opna, its platform is designed to help organisations access qualified suppliers, secure manufacturing capacity, and align financing arrangements with project delivery schedules. The company says regulatory developments in the UK, EU (including Ireland), and the United States are placing greater emphasis on demonstrating access to equipment supply as part of infrastructure development and grid connection processes.

Datum supports Manchester STEM code club

UK data centre provider Datum Datacentres has partnered with a STEM code club in Wythenshawe, Manchester, donating eight iPad Air tablets to support technology education for local children. Based in the IT suite at Forum Library, the club helps children aged nine to 12 develop computer science and digital skills through a range of coding activities and projects. The programme introduces participants to programming concepts and wider STEM subjects, while also exploring areas such as artificial intelligence and machine learning. Sessions are designed to accommodate different learning styles, with both drop-in activities and longer-term projects available. Datum says the initiative forms part of its ongoing commitment to supporting the communities surrounding its data centre campuses. The company operates facilities in Farnborough and Manchester, including the MCR1 and MCR2 data centres located in Wythenshawe itself. Investment in future technology skills According to Datum, supporting grassroots technology education can help encourage future participation in the region's growing technology sector. The donated devices will be used to support coding activities and improve access to digital learning resources for young attendees. Code club tutor Liam Cookson comments, "We’re pleased to have the support of an important local player in the tech industry." Kerry Quinn, Manager of People & Office Operations at Datum Datacentres, adds, "We value our role within the local community in Wythenshawe and are pleased to be supporting such a worthwhile project. "Technical digital skills are becoming increasingly important, so it’s excellent to see that a cohort of potential new talent is being shaped so young." Datum says the partnership reflects its wider focus on creating educational opportunities and supporting local initiatives in the communities where it operates. For more from Datum Datacentres, click here.

Oriole, AMD to advance photonic AI networking

Oriole Networks, a London-based photonic networking startup, has announced further progress in its collaboration with AMD, an American multinational semiconductor company, as part of the UK's Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA) Scaling Inference Lab programme, including plans to deploy what the company describes as the "world's first" large-scale AI system based on a pure photonic network. The project combines Oriole's PRISM photonic networking technology with AMD Instinct GPUs and AMD EPYC CPUs to explore new approaches to AI infrastructure that aim to reduce latency, improve performance, and lower energy consumption. According to the companies, the collaboration has been underway for more than a year and is focused on addressing networking challenges associated with increasingly large AI deployments. Oriole's PRISM platform replaces traditional electronic switches within the network core with optical circuit-switching technology, enabling data to be transmitted using photons rather than electrical signals. The company says this approach is intended to reduce network power consumption and minimise latency between computing resources, helping to improve the efficiency of AI inference workloads. AMD is providing processor and accelerator hardware for the project, alongside technical support to develop and evaluate large-scale AI networking models. James Regan, CEO of Oriole, notes, "A year ago, we were proving the physics. Today, we’re proving the business. "Our collaboration with AMD has moved from concept to deployment to a system an order of magnitude larger, and the data proves this is already driving performance increases at pace. "This is what it looks like when photonic networking stops being a research curiosity and starts being the foundation of how serious AI infrastructure gets built." Exploring alternatives to traditional networking Oriole says PRISM has been designed to operate independently of specific processor or accelerator vendors, allowing it to be deployed across different AI hardware platforms. The company states that the technology can reduce the reliance on conventional electronic networking equipment while also lowering cooling requirements and associated water consumption. Madhu Rangarajan, Corporate Vice President, Compute and Enterprise AI Business at AMD, says, "AMD is excited to collaborate with Oriole on the ARIA Scaling Inference Lab cluster. "Oriole’s AI backend networking with nanosecond optical circuit switching represents a fundamentally different way to connect accelerators at scale. We are helping to validate how photonic fabrics can work alongside AMD compute to deliver the low-latency, high-bandwidth connectivity that AI inference workloads demand." The deployment also represents the first commercial implementation of Oriole's technology, which the company says has progressed from research and development to production readiness within three years. Suraj Bramhavar, Programme Director at ARIA, comments, "Meeting the demands for modern AI requires rapidly identifying ways to improve the performance and cost-efficiency of large-scale AI clusters. "ARIA is thrilled to collaborate with Oriole and AMD to demonstrate the benefits of this new technology, and it’s exactly the type of collaboration, between innovative startups and industry leaders, that the Scaling Inference Lab was designed to foster." Oriole says wider deployment of its photonic networking technology is planned from 2027 as demand grows for infrastructure capable of supporting large-scale AI workloads.

Supermicro reveals Arm-based AI infrastructure

Supermicro, a provider of application-optimised IT systems, has announced a new portfolio of rack-scale infrastructure platforms based on Arm AGI CPUs, targeting enterprise AI and agentic AI workloads. The company says the systems have been designed to address increasing demand for compute capacity while improving energy efficiency and rack density within existing data centre environments. The new platforms combine Arm's Neoverse CSS V3-based CPU architecture with Supermicro's Data Center Building Block Solutions (DCBBS) approach, which integrates servers, storage, networking, cooling, and rack infrastructure. Charles Liang, President and CEO of Supermicro, says, "Supermicro continues to lead the industry when it comes to deploying new and innovative rack-scale solutions that maximise performance and efficiency. "Our DCBBS technology stack delivers end-to-end data centre solutions of any size, which, combined with the new density and efficient, performance-optimised Arm AGI CPU microarchitecture, helps enterprises realise significant TCO savings on their agentic AI infrastructure investments." The launch includes air-cooled and liquid-cooled server platforms designed for AI inference, AI training, cloud computing, and high-density enterprise workloads. Among the systems announced are a dual-socket 2U server for compute-intensive applications, a 5U GPU server supporting up to eight double-width GPUs, a liquid-cooled multi-node platform for rack-scale deployments, and a single-socket edge-focused server design. Focus on rack density and energy efficiency According to Supermicro and Arm, the infrastructure has been developed to maximise performance per watt and increase compute density for AI environments. Arm says its AGI CPU architecture features up to 136 cores per processor and is designed to support large-scale AI orchestration workloads through increased memory bandwidth, expanded memory capacity, and scalable I/O capabilities. The companies state that deployments can exceed 6,000 CPU cores within a single air-cooled rack, while larger Open Compute Project-based configurations can support significantly higher densities. Mohamed Awad, Executive Vice President, Cloud AI Business Unit at Arm, says, "Agentic AI is driving a fundamental shift in infrastructure requirements, where efficiency, scalability, and orchestration performance are becoming just as critical as raw compute. "By combining Arm AGI CPUs with Supermicro's rack-scale system expertise, we're enabling infrastructure designed to deliver higher AI throughput, maximum compute density, and improved data centre economics at scale." Supermicro says the platforms are intended to help organisations deploy AI infrastructure while making more efficient use of available data centre space, power, and cooling resources. The announcement expands Supermicro's portfolio of AI-focused infrastructure as demand continues to grow for high-density computing environments capable of supporting increasingly complex AI workloads. For more from Supermicro, click here.

Vertiv unveils high-capacity rack platform

Vertiv, a global provider of critical digital infrastructure, has introduced the Rack Extreme, a rack platform designed to support high-density computing, AI workloads, and next-generation IT deployments. The new rack has been developed to accommodate increasingly large and heavy computing equipment while supporting airflow management, cable organisation, and deployment flexibility within data centre environments. According to Vertiv, the platform is intended to address growing infrastructure requirements driven by higher compute densities and the adoption of AI applications. Giuseppe Leto, Senior Director, IT Systems at Vertiv, says, "The Vertiv Rack Extreme reflects our expanded capabilities in rack and enclosure designs for high-density and AI-driven deployments. "The platform also draws on Vertiv’s long-standing rack engineering expertise, including solutions historically developed under the Knürr brand, to support scalable next-generation IT infrastructure." The Rack Extreme is available in multiple sizes and configurations, allowing operators to tailor deployments to specific application requirements. The units are shipped fully assembled and are designed to integrate with a range of compatible cable management and airflow optimisation accessories. Designed for high-density deployments Vertiv says the Rack Extreme offers both static and dynamic load ratings of up to 2,045kg, enabling it to support high-density equipment installations while maintaining the same load capacity when being moved or when stationary. The company states that this provides greater flexibility during deployment and infrastructure changes, particularly in environments where heavy equipment must be repositioned after installation. The rack features a welded frame construction, integrated cable management options, high open-area mesh doors, flexible mounting rails, vertical cable bars, and corner mounting bars for rack power distribution units. Vertiv has also incorporated shipping features designed to simplify installation, including shock-absorbing pallets and reusable ramps intended to reduce the risk of equipment damage during transportation and deployment. The Rack Extreme has been designed to integrate with Vertiv's wider portfolio of data centre infrastructure products, including uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), rack PDUs, rear-door heat exchanger systems, coolant distribution units, and KVM management platforms. For more from Vertiv, click here.

GNM expands network presence into North America

GNM, a Dutch internet exchange (IX) and backbone operator, has expanded its network into North America with the launch of new points of presence (PoPs) in Miami and Ashburn, Virginia. The company has deployed its first US infrastructure at Equinix MI1 in Miami and Equinix DC1–DC15 and DC21 in Ashburn, creating a dedicated transatlantic platform linking North America with GNM's European backbone network. According to the company, the new sites are configured as a protected East Coast ring and are fully integrated with its existing infrastructure, allowing customers to exchange traffic across a single operational environment. The expansion marks GNM's first infrastructure deployment in the United States and is intended to support organisations seeking connectivity between North American and European markets. New PoPs strengthen transatlantic connectivity The Miami PoP is located within Equinix MI1, a major connectivity hub for subsea cable systems linking North America, Latin America, and Europe. Meanwhile, the Ashburn deployment places GNM within Northern Virginia, one of the world's largest data centre and interconnection markets. Both facilities connect directly to GNM-IX, the company's IX platform, which supports more than 700 connected networks and peak traffic exceeding 10.95Tbps. GNM says the new locations will allow network operators, carriers, cloud providers, and content platforms to access its interconnection and transport services through a single provider, while simplifying traffic exchange between continents. For North American organisations, the expansion provides direct access to European connectivity opportunities without requiring infrastructure deployments in Europe. European operators, meanwhile, gain direct access to two major US interconnection markets. Alex Surkov, Head of Business Development at GNM, says, "Launching in Miami and Ashburn is a defining milestone for GNM. "We have created our first North American platform and directly connected it to our European backbone. This gives customers on both sides of the Atlantic something genuinely valuable: simpler interconnection, direct access to new traffic flows, and the ability to grow internationally through one integrated network ecosystem." GNM now operates more than 90 PoPs globally, with infrastructure spanning Europe, Asia, and North America. For more from GNM, click here.

EUDCA welcomes European cloud and AI plans

The European Data Centre Association (EUDCA) has welcomed the publication of the proposed Cloud and AI Development Act (CADA), introduced by the European Commission as part of its Tech Sovereignty Package. The association says the proposal is an important step towards expanding Europe's compute capacity and creating conditions that support continued investment in digital infrastructure across the EU. According to EUDCA, access to scalable digital infrastructure will play a key role in Europe's ability to compete in artificial intelligence and other emerging technology sectors. The organisation argues that meeting growing demand for AI and cloud services will require further deployment of compute capacity alongside investment in skills and technology adoption. Permitting, investment, and infrastructure EUDCA highlighted several elements of the proposed legislation that it believes could help support future data centre development. These include requirements for EU Member States to develop national cloud and AI strategies, the creation of designated development zones with access to essential resources, and streamlined permitting processes intended to reduce barriers to infrastructure deployment. The association also welcomed proposals for a strategic project designation for data centres, which could help attract investment and support projects that demonstrate strong integration with energy systems and digital infrastructure. In addition, EUDCA noted the proposed alignment between the legislation and the Energy Efficiency Directive, arguing that existing reporting frameworks could help identify projects that meet high environmental and efficiency standards while avoiding additional administrative burdens. Michael Winterson, Secretary General of EUDCA, says, "The Cloud and AI Development Act marks an important step for Europe’s digital infrastructure ambitions. Our industry stands ready to support the growth of Europe’s compute capacity and is committed to contributing to the development of sustainable and resilient data centre capacity in Europe. "This initiative reflects several of the key enabling conditions we have long advocated for, including more efficient permitting, access to resources, and clearer strategic direction. We look forward to engaging with policymakers and Member States to support effective implementation." Calls for further action Whilst welcoming the proposal, EUDCA says several areas will remain important as the legislation progresses. The association is calling for a consistent application of definitions across EU Member States, continued investment in electricity grid infrastructure, measures to address skills shortages, and greater access to sustainable resources, including renewable energy and non-potable water for cooling. EUDCA says these factors will be essential in ensuring that Europe can develop the digital infrastructure required to support future AI growth while meeting sustainability objectives. For more from the EUDCA, click here.

AFL: Why AI infrastructure planning is changing

In recent years, AI infrastructure discussions centred predominantly on training clusters. Industry attention focused on larger models, sizeable GPU estates, dense scale-out fabrics, and the synchronisation demands created by collective communication across thousands of accelerators. In 2026, however, deployment patterns point to inference as the dominant operational AI workload. This transition introduces infrastructure behaviours that extend beyond the assumptions of traditional training environments. While much of the industry conversation still focuses on accelerators and compute scale, less attention is given to the implications for network architecture, optical connectivity, and physical infrastructure design. In response, AFL, a manufacturer of fibre optic cables and connectivity equipment, has developed a whitepaper series to help address that gap. The first paper, Architecting AI at Scale: From Training Clusters to Inference-Driven Infrastructure, introduces six workload categories representing the evolving AI deployment landscape. These include synchronous training fabrics, throughput inference systems, disaggregated reasoning architectures, heterogeneous decode environments, context-centric infrastructure, and workflow orchestration platforms. The paper provides practical insight into evolving network behaviours, optical requirements, and multi-domain infrastructure planning. Future instalments will examine the engineering implications in greater depth. Click here to register to receive email notifications as soon as each paper in the series becomes available. For more from AFL, click here.

Experts urge sustainable requirements for new developments

Industry experts are calling on the UK Government to introduce stronger sustainability requirements for new data centre developments, following reports that the sector's future energy demand could exceed previous forecasts. The comments follow a report by The Times suggesting that growing demand from data centres could significantly increase national electricity consumption, driven in part by the rapid expansion of AI infrastructure. Concerns have also been raised over proposals for some large-scale developments to build dedicated gas-fired power generation to overcome grid capacity constraints. David Woon, Head of Net Zero Engineering and Operations at Ennovus Solutions, says, “The figures for the expected energy demand of data centres are staggering, but immediately pivoting to new gas power stations is incredibly disappointing. "The space and resources required to build a new gas power plant could almost certainly be used instead for significant renewable generation development - ideally utilising wind turbines to better match the consistent, 24/7 energy demand of these facilities. “While on-site renewables may not provide 100% of the baseline power required by these data centres, a forward-thinking country aiming for energy independence and climate mitigation should jump at the chance to integrate green generation directly into planning permissions. "We already mandate solar panels on new-build homes; why are we not implementing similar, strict sustainable development mandates for industrial-scale data centres? “Furthermore, as the Government considers mandating grid ‘flexibility’ from operators, we must look beyond standard battery technologies like lithium-ion. Long-standing, energy-hungry data centres need a technology that matches their requirements, like Vanadium Flow batteries. They are suited to large energy demand projects, provide up to double the lifespan of lithium-ion, experience no degradation, and avoid environmentally hazardous, scarce materials like cobalt and lithium. "If battery storage is on the table to support the National Grid, it is nonsensical not to bring on-site renewable generation into the exact same conversation.” Grid constraints remain a major challenge Lee Ackerman, Utilities General Manager at Connectus Utilities, adds that while infrastructure upgrades are possible, they are likely to require significant investment and lengthy delivery timescales. He says, “The reality is that, while resolving these infrastructure bottlenecks is physically possible, it carries massive cost and time implications. "The National Energy System Operator (NESO) and Ofgem have transitioned the grid from a ‘first come, first served’ model to a ‘first ready and needed, first connected’ approach. "While major structural upgrades, new on-shore power lines, and smart grid sensors are scheduled for rollout between 2026 and 2028, there is an immense amount of work to do before we see true grid relief by 2030. “Every utility connection faces identical hurdles: cable lengths, land access, and complex legal processes. It’s not just an electricity problem either; data centres require major water capacity for cooling. “Developers could and should be targeting the Environmental Discounts offered in Water Charging Statements, aiming for Tier 2 or Tier 3 water neutrality incentives through advanced rainwater harvesting and greywater recycling. "Some might argue that technology will naturally become more efficient over time, but history shows that as components shrink, developers simply pack more technology into the same footprint. The energy demand isn’t going to drop on its own; we must build [in] sustainability from day one.” The comments highlight growing debate around how future AI and data centre infrastructure should be powered, with industry figures calling for greater emphasis on renewable energy generation, long-duration energy storage, water efficiency, and sustainable design principles during the planning process.