Mike Hoban

• Designed and deployed Huawei 5G technology nationwide, utilizing advanced 8x8 MIMO and Massive MIMO systems. • Expanded fiber network infrastructure for long-haul and FTTH, implementing Ciena 6500 DWDM for enhanced capacity. • Oversaw the deployment of new Huawei cloud-based cores in four cities, marking significant advancements in network capabilities. • Managed day-to-day technical operations for a company of over 9,000 employees, ensuring seamless service delivery.

Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Infrastructure | Tonomus (NEOM) – Saudi Arabia/Dubai, UAE August 2023 – Present • Spearheaded the design, development, and deployment of NEOM’s telecommunications infrastructure, a pioneering project within Saudi Arabia’s $1 trillion smart country initiative, covering a geographical area the size of Belgium. • Led the implementation of a 3,000 km fiber-optic network (long-haul and metro) to support critical telecom and IT services, ensuring high-speed, low-latency connectivity for residential, industrial, and commercial sectors. • Directed the integration of Fiber-to-the-X (FTTX) and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems for power and water utilities, ensuring seamless real-time data communication for operational monitoring and control. • Design national fiber network for SDN deployment of 6winds • Oversee the fixed network deployment of cellular networks (2G/4G/5G) to support macro and indoor cellular coverage, ensuring full redundancy and scalability across NEOM's complex terrain and environments. • Designed and deployed custom IoT solutions for monitoring environmental conditions, water management, and energy efficiency, leveraging a combination of 2G, 4G, 5G, and LoRaWAN technologies for optimal connectivity. • Directed the construction and operation of a distributed network of data centers, including four 10 MW regional main data centers and multiple 8 MW operational data hubs to support NEOM’s AI and telecom operations. Feeding multiple 2 Megawatt customer data hubs to support various cell, office, homes • Worked with NVidia H100 GPU’s and Arrcus SDN to design AI clusters • Worked closely with government entities, telecom vendors, and multinational technology partners to establish a resilient and future-proof telecom ecosystem capable of handling next-generation technologies like AI, robotics, and autonomous systems. • Worked extensively with PIF/Neom M&A groups on various investment and acquisitions projects.

This is a national Telecom operator in both Mobile & Fiber in Afghanistan with over 6 million subscribers and in excess of 6,000 employees across the country which is an active war zone. I was brought in to design and build a new CS, PS Core HSS and rebuild the entire 2G, 3G networks while deploying 4G and WiFi in key locations. IN addition rebuild network access and transmission networks across the country. I have designed and built a 4000km national fiber network based on Corning G.625D (SMF28e+LL Long haul Fiber) Ciena 6500 and Juniper MX960 routers & SRX580 firewalls. With both Blue Planet & Junos management and control systems as well as Solar winds and other NOC systems. I have built extensive Fiber & Microwave national and metro networks employing long haul fiber and microwave. Use a combination of fiber and E-band radios for high capacity metro networks to carry 10G, all done during an Active WAR! The new Mobile network is comprised entirely of Huawei DBS3900 BSS through the country with 6 separate strategically placed Huawei MSS & 6 separate MGW around the country. My 3G, 4G & Wi-Fi implementation responsibilities includes: * Extensive knowledge of 3G, 4G & Wi-Fi planning and optimization processes * Knowledge and practice of 3G, 4G & Wi-Fi RF Planning tools such as ATOLL, Celplan, ASSET * Expert in Link Budget parameters * Expert of drive test measurement/analysis tools such as ACTIX, TEMS & NEMO * Expert knowledge & Experience in fiber optic network design and deployment on any scale. From single building to city to country to content. * Knowledge and practice of OSS, NSS, IT tools * General experience of fault management, performance management and configuration management . The transmission network is a combination of international fiber network now coming up to replace Back Bone Microwave & Routers. Which until recently was domestically almost entirely on microwave.

This is Zain group crown jewel of all of their Mobile operations, presently composed of 8000 sites of 2G & 3G with over 4000 sites of 4G LTE making a total of over 10,000 base stations, with over 12 million subscribers with total gross sales in excess of $2 Billion annually. Network is growing at a rate of nearly 1500 new sites per year. We use NSN, Huawei and ZTE systems in the network. In addition we have built over 5000 kilometer of fiber optic long haul and metro network to support the access network all light by Alcatel/Lucent optical systems. With Alcatel/Lucent OTN optical switching platform containing over 200 Cisco router configuring a complete MPLS IPBB network. We presently utilize NSN, Huawei and ZTE Radio system throughout the entire network with NEC microwave. We have a NSN CSCORE, NSN NT-HLR with HSS, Huawei PSCORE and presently deploying Ericson Unified Billing system and IN platform. Responsible to setting up MVNE network environment for hosting new Axiom MVNO including LTE. This is a new requirement from the Regulator and I was responsible to designing and building the entire MVNE network inside our own Zain KSA network. When I started working at Zain KSA every function imaginable was out sourced and the overall results were less than stellar. Originally the company had hired the vendors to design, build, maintain and operate the NOC and report on the network status. In one year we turned this completely around. WE brought all design, optimization in house by hiring our own people and took over quality control. This made an immediate impact on the network performance and saved us $142 in OPEX. Then we ended all managed services and hired our own staff professionals took over full level 1 and 2 maintained responsibility and renegotiated all care contracts. Immediately redesigned the NOC and its process. Then created a combination of in-house quality control and some outsource G-NOC capabilities with Huawei.

This start up I worked on remotely and developed the necessary HLR refinements to allow this operation to work. Additionally I was responsible to helping to design and build the POND Mobile MVNO. This MVNO is based on the frequent traveler who wishes to pay one flat rate per month. They can easily transition between home and guest country anytime they like. And they get voice and data service of the highest possible quality on a proven major network at local rates.I worked daily with HLR and Multi IMSI scenarios.

This is a national Mobile operator in Afghanistan with over 3 million subscribers across the entire country which is an active war zone. I was brought in to design and build a new network access and transmission networks across the country for both their older 2G and new 3G networks. The access network is comprised of older Siemens BSS located in some of the more volatile areas as well as NSN Flexi & New Multi-Radio BSS in Kabul and Huawei DBS3900 BSS through the rest of the country with 4 separate strategically placed NSN R4 core NGN switching & 1 Huawei MSS & MGW around the country. The transmission network is based almost entirely on microwave of multiple STM-4’s from NERA to make a combined network culminating in a national STM-16 microwave network with Huawei OSN optical switching integrated at various key locations for redundancy and grooming. Due to the ongoing war the entire network has been designed to be completely decentralized. Any segment or combination of segments can fail and yet the remaining segments of the network will remain operational. Last year we took an enormous amount if hits and major network damage yet we stay on line and had record repair time. I was responsible to building and migrating to a new IN Platform of NSN IN Platform IN Select 1.8. As well as a major upgrade from 4 separate older Siemens HLR to a new NSN NT-HLR for 5 million subs. I am also the CIO and have full responsibilities for the corporate network, security, fraud, mediation and billing systems. . We also provide the majority of national and international links for various banks, NGO’s and private companies. We are the largest long Haul carrier in the country.

This is the largest WiMax deployment in the Middle East with 1500 WiMax base stations deployed across the entire country in one year. I am the director in charge of all issue for the entire WiMax network deployment, everything from the WiMax core through to the access network deployment. This is a new Saudi owned Telecom company based solely on the ability to deliver true broadband across the entire country for both fixed and nomatic applications. This network is based on a combination of Motorola and ZTE WiMax networks integrated to work as one singe homogenous network. We are also incorporating ZTE IMS at the core for VOIP services. With major deployment of NEC microwave and ZTE fiber optic network operating an IP back bone based on MPLS. I am responsible for both Capex and Opex planning and budget fulfillment. I work closely with marketing to identify and define market strategy and new revenue streams, , supply & demand market reactions, customer selling new services and entry price. I am responsible for the Radio planning of both the WiMax and transmission networks. We are using Aircom tools to design, test, and optimize these new networks. The network is designed and implemented for 16 QAM modulation at the cell edge to allow for the use of handheld mobile devices as well as dongles and internal WiMax chip sets for laptops.

I am the CTO/CIO of these two new territories to start. We have a 3 year plan for the DRC of deploying GSM 2.5 G with EDGE, Metro fiber optic network VSAT network for connecting remote territories and WiMax. This is a green field deployment with contracts already awarded totaling more than $250 million to start with our partners Huawei and ZTE. Simultaneously I am also deploying across Equatorial Guinea. We have license in every form of communication in this country to become the second operator and compete directly against the local PTT. Again this is a Greenfield operation, we are deploying everything from GSM, 3G, Wimax, Fiber Optic network, Fixed line, international gateway, connectivity to the off shore oil platforms, literally every form of communications possible in the next 3 years. I am 100% responsible for the national roll out of the entire telecommunication network, I.T. infrastructure, IN platform, VAS, revenue assurance systems, Billing and collection system, Fraud monitoring, Ect.. of both operations at the same time. I am responsible for both Capex and Opex planning and budget fulfillment. I work closely with marketing to identify and define market strategy and new revenue streams, , supply & demand market reactions, customer selling new services and entry price . I am working under an extremely tight deadline to bring the first cities on line within 7 months of contract signing. To date we are on budget and on schedule! I am assembling a team of the finest engineers and IT personnel in the business. We are responsible to the Radio planning of both the GSM and transmission networks. We are using Aircom tools to design, test, and optimize these new networks. This combined with rapid BTS deployment and Optimization, documented and easy flow of information across to both vendors (both Chinese) and locals (both Spanish & French speaking) is one of the corner stone’s to assuring control and making rapid progress in this situation.

I am the CTO/CIO of company which is the second largest mobile operator in Azerbaijan. I am stationed in Baku which is the capital of this major oil boom town. The government has set out a policy to encourage rapid growth in the telecommunications sector in order to facilitate not only the oil sector growth but to allow it to diversify the economy entirely. All sectors Banking, Insurance, Hi-tech, Construction ect. are booming here and placing extremely high demands for a true world class telecommunication infrastructure. I work constantly with the local regulator in regards to spectrum utilization and payments to the ministry, licensing, number portability, competition issues and consumer protection issues. I was part of a commission in Azerbaijan that was exploring unbundling with the national PTT and ministry of communications. I deal with negotiating interconnection agreement with other operators and well a National Roaming and MVNO deals. I am responsible for both Capex and Opex planning and budget fulfillment. I work closely with marketing to identify and define market strategy and new revenue streams, , supply & demand market reactions, customer selling new services and entry price. Under my leadership my team over 400 staff at Bakcell has grown from a small GSM 2G operators with a couple of hundred older Motorola cell sites. To a true world class 2.5G coupled with Wimax 802.16E mobile (BR9 from Nokia Siemens one of only 4 companies in the world yet to deploy this most advanced system) with state of the industry EDGE technology allowing 384 Kb and dual transfer mode from both NSN & Huawei to make Bakcell Telecommunication Company with more then 1 million subscribers, over 1,000 cell sites, new DWDM metropolitan fiber optic access network as well as a helping to create a new national DWDM fiber optic network with numerous points of presence and 16 Bakcell collocation facilities across the entire country.

VP of Engineering at Intelecom Solutions, which is a New York State CLEC. Intelecom Solutions is at the forefront of delivering Next Generation Network and WiMax wireless broadband in the New York Metropolitan area. I have attended 8-week course at Huawei R&D and Training in Schenzen China and received full certification from Huawei Technologies for both Huawei’s CCIE equivalent in Router/IP expert level as well as Huawei Next Generation VOIP and Video network system and design. Through Intelecom I went on to deploy Huawei first major USA Next Generation Network. Using this new NGN system I went on to deploy this major network for various large-scale clients including but not limited to various towns & cities governments communication systems. Large scale corporate campuses as well as delivering VOIP via Internet all over the world for USA phone number and long distance. Because of my international communications skill’s I easily I work daily with Huawei America and Huawei R&D in strategy, defining, and developing the American product line in the NGN and WiMax area in both hardware and Software issues. I liaise with Chinese, Indian, European and American engineers daily. And operate real world testing and deployment of new product and services in the is cutting edge technology. I was responsible for both Capex and Opex planning and budget fulfillment. I worked closely with marketing to identify and define market strategy and new revenue streams, , supply & demand market reactions, customer selling new services and entry price and Carrier Pre-selection,