Boingo CTO Derek Peterson discusses building a future of convergence
LOS ANGELES – When discussing network infrastructure, it’s not about picking one access technology over another; it’s about finding a complementary way to make different types of networks work together to create business value and improved user experience.
Boingo Wireless CTO Derek Peterson addressed the topic during a keynote session at the 2015 HetNet Expo, hosted by PCIA at the Millennium Biltmore in Los Angeles this week.
“We have all the different technologies out there available for us,” Peterson said. “We have small cells, we have DAS, we have digital radio systems, we have Wi-Fi. The stage is set. Now, the key thing is to get the people up there next to the mics and harmonize…connecting the dots making the technology actually work together.”
Peterson touched on accelerating consumption of mobile data, as well as disruptive innovations.
“Innovation is happening,” Peterson said. “Each technology is required because the accelerated consumption that’s happening means we need all of them. Let’s embrace these cooperative technologies and go to that next level. We need to adapt the way we think about going after these venues. It’s not IT operations; it’s not network operations. We need to combine them.”
As for disruptive technology, Peterson called out the burgeoning virtual reality market. Specifically, he discussed adding VR services in sports venues.
“Think about this: right now people are going to venues and they’re going to stadiums,” Peterson said. “When they go to these stadiums … the ones that are sitting up way high are trying to watch these games and they can’t see the sweat on the guy’s brow. If they had a VR camera … and the network to be able to do so, they can sit there and watch that game and see that sweat on that brow in the nosebleed seats way up at the top. You need the network to support that virtual reality device.”
That’s value for the customer; on the business value side, this would create a new platform for digital advertisement insertion, or even social networking-type functionality. He gave the example of in-seat concession, but more than just ordering a beer, perhaps ordering a beer for someone else a few rows away.
“All of these technologies require connections. All of these things are possible,” Peterson said. “This is what we’re talking about when we talk about accelerated consumption. We really need to focus on building a future of convergence. We’re still at that initial phase of being able to develop convergence.”
