We discuss the following topics in this blog:
- Reviewing 2019 from a Broadband Penetration perspective.
- Factors Defining the Future of Telcos.
- Top 10 New Year Goals for Telcos
In addition to these topics, we shall also be answering the following FAQs:
- What is WiFi?
- What is an Optical Fibre Cable?
Contents
How was 2019 for Broadband Penetration?
2019 ended with 83 out of 100 individuals having active mobile broadband subscriptions and 57 out of 100 households with internet access. The world witnessed a steep rise in the time spent on video streaming applications (approximately 140%), with a whopping ~53% of active internet users.
Indians weren’t far behind either. We witnessed copious volumes of data usage throughout the year. Google maps became the way of life and baby boomers shared huge amount of video content. We binged and binged like crazy on YouTube, Amazon Prime video, Hotstar and Netflix. Though, we also felt the need for faster and more engaging data networks and digital services.
What Factors Will Define the Future of Telcos?
The telecommunications sector will continue to be defined by the following factors:
- Consumer-need variability
- Cyclical nature of technology disruptions
- Competitive intensity
Digital transformation is no longer ‘the new kid on the block’. Gone are the days when telcos used to define the boundaries of services availed by users. It is no longer a question of connectivity, it is about Digital Living. 5G holds the key to enabling a digital ecosystem, one that is augmented with services that cut across industries.
Top 10 New Year Goals for Telcos
As for 2020, data demand landscape will continue to change and with it, the underlying network infrastructure, both from a physical and virtual perspective, will also change.
Here are some #NewYearGoals that can put telco networks in fast lane in 2020:
- Be ahead of the curve, always. While technology disruptions happen at breakneck speed, telco networks need to be super agile
- Get deeply fiberized, start NOW. 5G, Industry 4.0, FTTx will catapult on the back of fibre
- Chuck silos, take an integrated view of network & IT modernisation
- Get the secret SLAUCE (Scale, Latency, Agility, Uptime & Cost). Make telco networks SLAUCE competent
- Think and build for 2020 – NO! 2030 – NO! 2050 – An emphatic YES!
- Partner well to co-create digital experiences for customers
- Think NEW for everything – billing, analytics, CRM and platforms
- Go BIG on big data and analytics. With data generated every millisecond, telcos could champion the big data moves in the country
- Go enterprise – full throttle! The burgeoning start-up and MSME ecosystem is an opportunity waiting to be tapped
- Give automation a chance, not as a means to reduce costs but as one to deploy resources more efficiently
Customer is king, but QoS (Quality of Service) is GOD. Next decade will be driven by the currency of time. Time for QoS over everything approach!
The developed/developing country classifications are based on the UN M49, see: http://www.itu.int/en/ITU-D/Statistics/Pages/definitions/regions.aspx.html Source: ITU World Telecommunication/ICT indicators database
FAQs
What is WiFi?
Put simply, WiFi is a technology that uses radio waves to create a wireless network through which devices like mobile phones, computers, printers, etc., connect to the internet. A wireless router is needed to establish a WiFi hotspot that people in its vicinity may use to access internet services. You’re sure to have encountered such a WiFi hotspot in houses, offices, restaurants, etc.
To get a little more technical, WiFi works by enabling a Wireless Local Area Network or WLAN that allows devices connected to it to exchange signals with the internet via a router. The frequencies of these signals are either 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz bandwidths. These frequencies are much higher than those transmitted to or by radios, mobile phones, and televisions since WiFi signals need to carry significantly higher amounts of data. The networking standards are variants of 802.11, of which there are several (802.11a, 802.11b, 801.11g, etc.).
What is an Optical Fibre Cable?
An optical fibre cable is a cable type that has a few to hundreds of optical fibres bundled together within a protective plastic coating. They help carry digital data in the form of light pulses across large distances at faster speeds. For this, they need to be installed or deployed either underground or aerially. Standalone fibres cannot be buried or hanged so fibres are bunched together as cables for the transmission of data.
This is done to protect the fibre from stress, moisture, temperature changes and other externalities. There are three main components of an optical fibre cable, core (It carries the light and is made of pure silicon dioxide (SiO2) with dopants such as germania, phosphorous pentoxide, or alumina to raise the refractive index; Typical glass cores range from as small as 3.7um up to 200um), Cladding (Cladding surrounds the core and has a lower refractive index than the core, it is also made from the same material as the core; 1% refractive index difference is maintained between the core and cladding; Two commonly used diameters are 125µm and 140µm) and Coating (Protective layer that absorbs shocks, physical damage and moisture; The outside diameter of the coating is typically either 250µm or 500µm; Commonly used material for coatings are acrylate,Silicone, carbon, and polyimide).
An optical fibre cable is made up of the following components: Optical fibres – ranging from one to many. Buffer tubes (with different settings), for protection and cushioning of the fibre. Water protection in the tubes – wet or dry. A central strength member (CSM) is the backbone of all cables. Armoured tapes for stranding to bunch the buffer tubes and strength members together. Sheathing or final covering to provide further protection.
The five main reasons that make this technology innovation disruptive are fast communication speed, infinite bandwidth & capacity, low interference, high tensile strength and secure communication. The major usescases of optical fibre cables include intenet connectivity, computer networking, surgery & dentistry, automotive industry, telephony, lighting & decorations, mechanical inspections, cable television, military applications and space.
