BROWSING: Opinion

How IT and OT convergence can unlock networking’s full potential (Reader Forum)

Network modernization is changing what’s technologically possible for companies around the world. Through the increased speed, agility and reliability of private LTE/5G wireless networks, industries from manufacturing to mining are transforming their operations and driving innovation at a rapid pace. This growing reliance on digital...

The AI bubble will burst fast, then the real work begins (Reader Forum)

Perspectives from MWC24 and where we go from here You wouldn’t know it from the 12-foot high letters adorning booths throughout the halls of Mobile World Congress, but the AI bubble is about to pop. Soon, it won’t be enough to simply be “doing” AI or...

Private 5G – basket cases, blood baths and bitching (a barroom sting in Barcelona)

How do you write a story you can’t tell? When the real plot, outside of the corporate narrative, can’t be revealed? Normally, you sit on the bank and watch the river flow – until the water rises and the bodies float by. But what...

Was 5G overhyped? Reaching 5G’s promised potential will require greater network visibility (Reader Forum)

When 5G was first introduced, communications service providers (CSPs) promised to deliver better network speeds, with reduced latency and increased reliability to enable new services to enterprises. Although 5G has been increasingly adopted, CSPs are noticing a lack of killer use cases, and there’s...

Why eSIMs unlock the next generation of business connectivity (Reader Forum)

One innovation is transforming how the entire world stays connected — and it can be accessed with just a few quick taps on a screen. An eSIM is a software-based evolution of the traditional SIM card that demonstrates the next generation of convenience and flexibility...

The human edge—where context and data create knowledge

39,997 feet above the Gulf of St. Lawrence—Still on the way home from Mobile World Congress, still trying to figure out Mobile World Congress. One thing I learned is that context and data are everything really if you’re looking to create knowledge, right? Whether it’s...

Is telecoms focusing on how without asking why?

BARCELONA—I know the show is over but I’m leaving the dateline on because, of course, I’m still here. Mobile World Congress was good; so good, in fact, it’ll take me a few months and a couple of off-schedule visits to my therapist to make...

Ensuring your assets are assured (Reader Forum)

The asset landscape has expanded exponentially for communication service providers (CSPs). The explosion of the internet, the advent of 5G, the proliferation of the IoT and the advance of the cloud have given CSPs a massive range of responsibilities in terms of protecting, securing...

How can generative AI be safely introduced into the telecom domain? (Reader Forum)

In April, Bain & Co published a report about the potential effect of Generative AI (GenAI) on the world’s telecom companies. Given the title: Telcos, Stop Debating Generative AI and Just Get Going – the urgency of the message was clear. In the fast paced...

The golden bands and the future of 6G (Reader Forum)

World Radiocommunications Conference (WRC) 2023 concluded just two months ago, but its decisions on next-generation spectrum are already having a big impact on 6G. This month an International Telecommunication Union (ITU) meeting in Geneva hosted spectrum experts seeking to chart 6G’s next steps. Meanwhile...

Matter and WebRTC – edge protocols for tomorrow’s smart home (Reader Forum)

The smarter the home, the greater the need for faster, safer, and more direct connections. With the average home now counting more than 20 devices, consumers are looking for ways to improve latency and privacy. They are realizing that relying on distant cloud servers...

Five ways disaggregation will shape the future of telecoms (Reader Forum)

Disaggregation has taken the telecoms world by storm, initially reshaping the Radio Access Network (RAN) and now creating a domino effect that could permanently shift the telecoms landscape as we know it.  But what does this mean, specifically? What are some of the challenges? And...

Understanding the evolution of DDoS attacks in the telecoms sector (Reader Forum)

DDoS attacks have been plaguing telcos for over 25 years. For communications service providers (CSPs), the potential for an attack is nothing new. Typically, telco DDoS attacks are large and only getting bigger. For example, one of the most common types, HTTP flood attacks,...

2024 will be a catalyst for accelerating 5G Standalone/5G Core deployments (Reader Forum)

The telecom industry always expected that taking the next step in 5G network evolution, moving to full 5G Standalone (5G SA) networks, would be a heavy lift. And indeed, 5G SA network deployments saw sluggish growth last year, largely due to the technical challenges...

Three ways digital twins can optimize Open RAN 5G networks (Reader Forum)

As 5G mobile networks grow in complexity, it’s becoming impossible for human network engineers to manage the network without automation. The evolution from rules-based automation to the use of AI/ML is creating a category of management solutions that can anticipate problems in the network...

AI means showtime for enterprise network modernisation
 (Reader Forum) 

Networking has had something of a shock to the system over the last few years. For a long time, its essential role in the functioning of enterprise operations went under the radar, underappreciated by most apart from those involved in technical roles. Then 2020...

New technologies, new challenges, new solutions await enterprises in 2024 (Reader Forum)

Successful enterprises are those that never stop adapting to the changing terrain of business. Like the veteran team captain who reads the field, identifying opportunities and weighing risks, enterprises that flourish are those who take the initiative. In sport as well as business, staying...

Telecom trends—2024 and beyond [Reader Forum]

I have been in the Telecom industry since 2004 when I started in network engineering at Verizon, this year marks 20 years in the industry! I ‘grew up’ Telecom and have worked in wireline, wireless and places where they converge, I have seen lots...

6G standards to get boost from 5G Advanced in 2024 (Reader Forum)

As future 6G standards are discussed this year, current work on Releases 18 and 19 in areas such as AI / ML, MIMO, and power savings will provide the starting point.  The rollout of 5G is well underway. At the same time as 5G is...

5G and IoT will benefit society more than AI – Vodafone on 2024 (Reader Forum)

David Joosten, director of the Americas and partner markets at Vodafone Business, identifies key trends that will shape the digital enterprise market in 2024, as follows... 1 | 5G and IoT will benefit society more than AI The convergence of 5G and IoT will create more...

Is automation the answer for the 5G labor shortage? (Reader Forum)

In the transition to 5G, communication service providers (CSPs) have invested billions of dollars in building their infrastructure and virtualizing key components. Funding from the recent Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in the United States will further infuse capital nationwide to expand mobile broadband services, particularly...

Four telco trends to navigate in 2024 (Reader Forum)

It’s been an interesting 12 months for the telecommunications industry. From the rise of generative artificial intelligence (AI) to ongoing macroeconomic instability, telcos have had to take a hard look at their business models and shift their strategies.  Traditionally, revenue growth has been the top...

Green energy is driving hybrid and open edge-cloud architectures (Reader Forum)

Power distribution systems are rapidly evolving across the world in an effort to reduce carbon emissions and meet bold climate goals. Today, governments at the national, state and local levels are collectively investing trillions of dollars to build renewable energy sources and modernize their...

IoT safety labels and the ransomware epidemic (Reader Forum)

As we step into the new year, the shadow of ransomware continues to loom large over the digital landscape. Cyber attackers show no signs of relenting and 2024 is poised to become their second-most prolific year on record. The need to confront this expanding threat...