Capacity Voice

Are engineers resisting the migration to SDN for fear of being automated out of a job?

We’ve seen a lot of speculation in the media on Facebook’s acquisition of WhatsApp for a historic $19 billion. Many have wondered what the drivers for the deal are, pointing at Facebook’s attempts to stay relevant as younger generations abandon the social network and flock to services such as WhatsApp and SnapChat.

With the explosion in the use of smartphones and tablets and the number of internet-connected video devices set to exceed the human population by 2017, the Asia-Pacific region is acting as the engine room for this growth.

The rapid growth of technology enterprises in Asia, such as Samsung and Lenovo, coupled with consumers’ insatiable hunger for data, is putting huge pressure on domestic operators’ networks in the region. Because Asian operators do not have the proximity to content to satisfy this demand on home turf, they are looking further afield to alleviate this pressure and have Europe firmly in their sights.

The business models adopted by many of today’s operators are under threat. Consumers demand more data and services at faster speeds, but they are unwilling to pay increased premiums for better services. Competition increases every day throughout the communications services sector and in all geographies around the world.

As carriers continue to explore fresh growth opportunities outside of their traditional core competenices, there is increased potential for direct and indirect sales channels to clash.

As operators gear up to delivering LTE roaming in Europe – and with it, the promise of ubiquitous IP access for everyone, everywhere – it presents new opportunities and challenges for our individual businesses and for the industry at large.

The global economy may be improving, the focus of criminals on making easy money from the world's telecoms companies is showing no signs of abating.

With innovations in SDN, NFV and enterprise satellite broadband all gaining traction, together with a renewed CSP focus on enhancing customer experience, 2014 is already shaping up to be an exciting year of change. Here are my top five predictions for the year ahead.

Like all years in our tech-centric industry, 2014 presents both opportunities and challenges for carriers. Here’s a quick run-down on the Good, the Bad and the Ugly…