With technology evolving at an incredible pace, the way we communicate is also changing. It is often difficult to even imagine how much progress the telecommunication industry will make in the future. But, one thing is certain, communication plays a crucial role in our everyday lives so what can we expect in 2022 and beyond?
Here are the telecom trends we believe are worth following in the near future:
Trend #1: 5G technology as the foundation of the metaverse
Even though a full-grown metaverse is still a few years away yet and the telecom industry is not currently directly aligned with the metaverse, the framework is being built today. As the Ericsson company puts it, “5G offers rate, range, reliability, latency and so much more.”
What is 5G?
5G is a fifth-generation mobile network that makes it possible to connect almost everyone and everything including machines, objects and gadgets.
Based on data provided by the CCS Insight report, global 5G network connections are estimated to surpass 1 billion in 2022.
The earliest adopters of the 5G technology were South Korea and China thus managing to get ahead of the Western European market.
Private 5G network for businesses
Private 5G represents a new wireless technology telecom trend that is likely to gain traction in the future. It was created with large enterprises and organizations in mind since it offers:
- High-speed
- Support for a variety of applications
- Delivery of dependable service in challenging situations
Experts believe that by 2030, revenue from private 5G networks will exceed US$31 billion.
How does 5G support the development of the metaverse?
Trend #2: Refocusing on roaming
Travel in 2022 is already different from how it was back in 2019 after the COVID-19 pandemic reshaped it and it became more digital. As travel increases, telecommunication operators are more aware that people need to be connected now more than ever while on the road, particularly for reasons that go beyond Netflix and Spotify, such as travel news and alerts, restrictions and epidemics.
Telecommunication companies can make travel safer by offering their users consistent, high-quality connections when roaming.
What about roaming billing?
For the past 30 years, the mechanism termed Transferred Account Procedures (TAP) has been utilized by the telecoms industry for roaming billing. However, this procedure is too inflexible and complex to adapt to future developments such as the Internet of Things and 5G. To overcome these challenges, GSMA’s Interoperability Data Specifications and Settlement Group (IDS) Working Group has created an alternative method, the Billing and Charging Evolution (BCE).
While TAP generates bills for each data transfer, minute, or SMS, BCE does this according to the consumption statistics collected on a daily basis. With the developers currently working on this standard, it is intended to initially coexist with the current TAP system before progressively replacing this as acceptance grows.
What is BCE?
Trend #3: The spread of cloud deployments
Numerous telecommunication companies currently provide cloud-based solutions to supplement their normal infrastructure services. As telcos enhance the customer experience and facilitate speedier innovation, this trend is expected to continue.
What is cloud deployment?
This is the procedure of deploying an application using one or more cloud-based hosting models, such as software as a service (SaaS), platform as a service (PaaS) and/or infrastructure as a service (IaaS). This covers architecting, planning, executing and running workloads in the cloud.
Furthermore, cloud services are in most cases more flexible than conventional telecom solutions, enabling businesses to quickly react to market developments.
Numerous services are being developed in such a way that they will be simple to use, thus being suitable for both large and small companies.
Trend #4: Moving towards the Internet of Everything
According to Bloomberg the Internet of Everything (IoE) market, which in 2020 hit $928.11 billion, is expected to reach $4,205.50 billion (!) in just 10 years, by 2030, owing much to the COVID-19 pandemic.
IBM, Cisco Systems, Apple Inc., Huawei Technologies and Ericsson are among the world’s leading IoE companies.
Defining the Internet of Everything
Cisco, the company that coined the phrase, describes IoE as “the intelligent connection of people, process, data and things”. The technology represents a more complex system compared to the Internet of Things (IoT), expanding beyond machine-to-machine communication (M2M).
M2M and IoT are terms that are occasionally used interchangeably.
IoT vs IoE
- IoT represents a network of interconnected physical objects that amass and distribute data via wireless networks.
- IoE represents the intelligent connectivity of four important elements: people, processes, data and things. It is a broader idea of connection in which network intelligence serves as the basis for the Internet of Things’ base.
In a nutshell, while IoT links machines, IoE connects (via public or private networks) all forms of data, processes, people, appliances and objects intelligently.
Why IoE?
IoE offers the ability to assist in minimizing wasted power and enhancing network performance by employing more advanced algorithms. The technology allows providers to make more precise estimates regarding future demand and be prepared for any shortages or interruptions so that services are always available.
IoE systems are able to spot possible threats by carrying out real-time equipment monitoring and performing the necessary actions, such as triggering fire alarms or delivering emergency messages to users.
Final word:
Changes in the telecommunications business will continue to happen at a fast pace along with the evolution of technology and changes in the way we do business. This is why it’s critical to keep up with these developments. Following the trends that might have a huge impact on the industry will allow organizations to be ready for whatever happens next.
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