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Fifa partner Avaya completes key phase of testing of converged network
MUMBAI: One of football’s global body Fifa’s partners Avaya is building the converged communication network for the event in Germany.
Avaya has been rigorously testing the network’s configuration, reliability and security. The tests are a key part of the process to ensure the network is available 99.99 per cent of the time.
The converged network — combining voice and data on the same infrastructure — will be used by teams, referees, journalists plus Fifa and organising committee officials for a variety of tasks.
These will include accreditation, reporting results, logistics and transportation. Avaya says that to test the network without finding any major issues is excellent, especially considering the complexity of the project.
In addition to conducting more than 400 tests at the company’s Fifa World Cup lab in Frankfurt, Avaya commissioned Netconsult Online Limited, an independent company specialising in quality control and assurance, to validate network testing results.
Exhaustive testing of failover scenarios, back-up power, firmware and software compatibility, and the resiliency of the various IP applications was conducted. Following the independent validation, Fifa also just completed its own integration testing in which it examined performance of applications across the network.
The Fifa integration testing was again successful. All the components of the network have been extensively tested, labeled and made ready for deployment to various stadia and other venues for the event so the excitement can commence with the kick-off of the opening match in less than 50 days.
The stage is now set for installation of the network in the 12 Cup stadia beginning with Munich and Berlin. The IT Command Center for the entire network is currently up and running in Munich and the accreditations centers will be open over the next weeks, beginning with Berlin.
Avaya’s Fifa World Cup technical programme MD Doug Gardner says, “Logistics and transportation are among the many critical functions that rely on our converged communications network. It is vital to extensively test the network and all the individual devices to be deployed to avoid delays for the thousands of people involved in producing this event, the 80,000 spectators at each game and to get teams to the stadia on time and match statistics to broadcasters promptly.”
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
