I'm just back from a brief visit to Tel Aviv where I met a broad range of innovative teams from companies as diverse as AT&T, Sedona, Allot and Ethernity.

May 11, 2017

4 Min Read
Viva Tel Aviv: From Here to Ethernity

When I boarded the plane from London to Tel Aviv, Israel, recently for a whistlestop tour of several comms industry movers and shakers, I knew it would be an enlightening two days made all the more enjoyable by the weather and the cuisine.

Figure 1: Good Morning! As breakfast-time views go, this is a pretty good one... the Tel Aviv beachfront. As breakfast-time views go, this is a pretty good one... the Tel Aviv beachfront.

But my high expectations were exceeded on all fronts (don't get me started on how amazing the food is…)

Along with a Light Reading TV video crew I visited:

  • Sedona Systems -- CTO Ori Gerstel told us how the company's multilayer network control solution has been developing, how the technology is being deployed by major network operators and why his artwork is hanging on the walls of the Sedona Systems Tel Aviv offices. Figure 2: Portrait of the Artist Sedona Systems CTO Ori Gerstel with one of his paintings that adorn the walls at the Tel Aviv offices. Sedona Systems CTO Ori Gerstel with one of his paintings that adorn the walls at the Tel Aviv offices.

    • Amdocs -- Gary Miles, CMO at Amdocs Ltd. (NYSE: DOX), talked about how the communications software giant has been harnessing artificial intelligence (AI) technology to offer new capabilities to communications service providers. (See Act on Your Intelligence With Amdocs aia!.)

    • Logtel -- Jacques Bensimon, founder and CEO of training and consultancy specialist Logtel, shared his views on what needs to be done to make IoT relevant to today's service providers and enterprise users. (See Logtel CEO: Making Sense of IoT.)

    • AT&T -- We met various members of the AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) team at the service provider giant's R&D center in Tel Aviv to find out what's being developed there -- NFV MANO and pay-TV interface capabilities are just two examples -- and, importantly, how. We also got a demo of AT&T Flow, a platform designed to aid the development of IoT applications. (See Site Visit: AT&T's Tel Aviv R&D Center and Site Demo: AT&T's IoT Flow Platform .)

    • Allot Communications -- Daniel Keidar, AVP of International Presales at Allot Ltd. (Nasdaq: ALLT), talked about one of the hottest topics in the industry, IoT security, as well as new developments in revenue assurance and the launch of the intriguingly named Allot-as-a-Service.

    • Ethernity Networks – CEO David Levi discussed the role of intelligent NICs (network interface cards) in Carrier Ethernet and hybrid (physical and virtual) networks, and explained why Ethernity Networks Ltd. has opted to develop FPGA-based system-on-chip technology.

      To get a fuller flavor of our trip to Tel Aviv, check out this video blog:

      {videoembed|732674}


      We also managed to pop in to catch up with the ECI Telecom Ltd. team, who not only gave us a quick update on the company's technology developments but also provided invaluable advice on where to go and what to see during a brief visit to nearby Jerusalem. (See ECI Bolsters Its LightSEC Cybersecurity Solution.)

      Figure 3: Jerusalem Old City Jerusalem Old City offers up some amazing views -- this is the Dome of the Rock shrine beyond the Western Wall. Jerusalem Old City offers up some amazing views -- this is the Dome of the Rock shrine beyond the Western Wall.

      Tel Aviv has a reputation of being a hotbed of communications technology R&D and, based on our recent visit, it more than lives up to it. So we're already planning our next visit, when we'll be more than happy to make another pit-stop at the extraordinary Segev Kitchen Garden restaurant.

      Figure 4: Eat Me! You're never too far away from your lunch at the Segev Kitchen Garden restaurant. You're never too far away from your lunch at the Segev Kitchen Garden restaurant.

      Figure 5: Herbilicious This is one of the dishes on offer at the Segev Kitchen Garden and it did manage to taste even better than it looked. This is one of the dishes on offer at the Segev Kitchen Garden and it did manage to taste even better than it looked.

      — Ray Le Maistre, Circle me on Google+ Follow me on TwitterVisit my LinkedIn profile, International Group Editor, Light Reading

Subscribe and receive the latest news from the industry.
Join 62,000+ members. Yes it's completely free.

You May Also Like