The Carrier Guide to 2020: Traffic, Technology and Unsung Heroes
By Mattias Fridström
January 19, 2020
According to the Chinese calendar, 2020 will be the Year of the Rat. And while this may seem as if this year is doomed to be full of dark, damp, rat-like times, the rat actually ranks first on the Chinese zodiac signs. Based on its characteristics, we can expect a year full of vitality, alertness, wit, spirit and flexibility. Characteristics that when applied to the telecom industry, will undoubtedly be one for the books.
And so, as a continuation of the ‘Top 3’ predictions for the year ahead that we shared in January 2018 and 2019, here are some thoughts for 2020.
Top 3 Overall Global Carrier Industry Trends
1) Infrastructure is a very valuable asset and owning ducts, cables, fibers and colocation space is a key ingredient to be successful. As the pressure from the market on price continues, a carrier’s cost/Mb will continue to be one of the key factors for success. But, since investing in infrastructure is costly, we will see more Venture Capitalists stepping in when current service providers cannot afford the investment.
2) Customer Experience is finally paying off. There have been so many years where the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), or just the street price, have been the dominating factor within the carrier business as companies looked to choose their provider. During 2020, more and more companies will select their service provider based on the experiences and predictably they are able to offer. From the connected home and streaming services, to broadband-on-demand and customer-facing interfaces –2020 is all about the experience.
3) The reinvigoration of the edge debate. Once 5G services permeate the market, we will see a number of new players entering the edge game. The current mobile network operators will be challenged by a number of companies who want to offer their services at the very edge of the network. Additionally, the reality of where the edge truly lies will continue to be a debate in 2020.
To continue reading the rest of this article, please read it in Issue 110 of the SubTel Forum magazine here on page 22.
