Trends In Telecom

Communications providers are facing some great challenges and opportunities in cloud computing. They can potentially use the cloud to deliver higher quality, more flexible and more scalable enterprise IT services at lower cost than on-premise solutions. On the consumer side, trends in telecom there’s a big opportunity for communications providers to offer more cloud-based services that can be accessed, updated, and purchased from anywhere. For example, the clunky, ugly, and outdated set top boxes (STBs) that have plagued our living rooms since the 70s might finally be on the way out. Both Charter and Comcast are either offering or exploring cable and DVR services that live in the cloud, eliminating the need for the STB. This reduces costs for the cable providers by eliminating the need for on-site installations and manufacturing and engineering new STBs every three years. Not to mention that cloud accessibility may help lure back some cord-cutters that long ago retreated to Roku.

Carrier-Grade WiFi

Remember how we said the communications industry will be going big in IoT? Well, that’s not going to happen if constant broadband connectivity is not available.

When it comes to wireless connectivity over short distances, WiFi is hard to beat. Theoretically, it’s faster than the leading alternative, 4G LTE, and can handle bandwidth-hogging services like mobile video for a fraction of the cost. But in practice, today’s WiFi hotspots are notoriously slow and fickle. That’s about to change.