2021.07.02 – Open Broadband News

Network Automation holds the key to 5G future

The automation of 5G networks, including the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to keep up with updates, will be an essential component to next-generation mobile wireless networks, according to experts.

Representatives from Verizon, Cisco Systems, and other telecom companies discussed the importance of automating 5G networks, and the role AI could play in the process, at a virtual 5G symposium held earlier last month.

The automation process involves creating equipment standards in the components that link devices to the network, the experts said. It would also standardize the way in which devices would link up, making the process of connecting new technologies to the network significantly faster, easier, and more streamlined. It would also eliminate much of the complexity currently inhibiting the networks, they added.

Rick Fulwiler, Chief Solution Architect at Netscout, said AI and machine learning could be a crucial component in synchronizing the 5G network. Fulwiler said he believes technology progresses too fast for humans to keep up with, and AI could be the component that helps us keep up, as it’s really hard for people “to understand this technology because it’s changing so quickly. And along with that, we’re seeing a  demise of domain knowledge.”

Well, would you look at that? Only a third of US households know their broadband speed

A survey from recommendation site Allconnect reveals a gap in Internet knowledge among several key groups in the US, and some dissatisfaction among those same groups as well. Older Americans made up one of the largest percentages of people who didn’t know their Internet speed, but were unsatisfied with what they had.

The survey, conducted on Allconnect’s behalf by YouGov, revealed that females (with 47 per cent unaware of their speed vs 25 per cent of males), older Americans (45 per cent of those 55+ vs 34 per cent of 35-54-year-olds and 26 per cent of 18-34-year-olds) and those in lower-income households (36 per cent of those with a household income under $40,000 vs 30 per cent of those in households earning $80,000 or more) were less likely to know their Internet speed compared with males and households earning at least $80,000.

These groups were more likely to signal dissatisfaction with the speeds they received than their counterparts and less likely to know the speeds they need for their online activities.

Kaching! Malaysian fixed broadband revenue set to increase by more than 10%

Riding on a wave of the growth in Fiber-To-The-Home (FTTH) subscriptions, the total fixed broadband service revenue in Malaysia is expected to increase at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.1% from US $1.6bn in 2020 to US $2.5bn in 2025, said a study.

GlobalData’s Malaysia Fixed Communication Forecast reveals that fixed voice service revenue will decline at a CAGR of 8.4% over 2020-2025 due to the steady drop in circuit-switched subscriptions and decline in fixed voice average revenue per user (ARPU) levels. The data and analytics company said that Malaysia’s Internet household penetration will increase from an estimated 31.7% in 2020 to 39.2% by the end of 2025 owing to rising investments in fixed broadband network infrastructure developments and the growing availability of affordable broadband access across the country.

Kantipudi Pradeepthi, Senior Analyst of Telecoms Market Data & Intelligence at GlobalData, said: “Fiber will remain the leading broadband technology in terms of subscriptions through the forecast period driven by rising demand for high-speed broadband connectivity.”

US digital divide: survey identifies three fundamental factors

When it comes to solving the digital divide in the US, there are essentially three key issues to tackle: reliability of existing high-speed service, rural access and affordability. These areas are what Amdocs calls “fundamental connectivity divides” according to a recent report from the company, based on survey data conducted by market research firm Dynata.

For those with access to high-speed broadband, 62% reported having some connectivity problems over the past year, and 36% of that group lost connectivity or experienced an unstable connection while conducting a “critical task.” Meanwhile, 34% of premium broadband subscribers reported “never” having connectivity issues. Finally, looking at affordability, Amdocs found that 48% of respondents had to reprioritize their budget to afford reliable broadband; and of that group, 18% were unable to successfully reprioritize their spending.

“In the same way that utilities such as electricity, running water and sewage are not optional aspects of modern society, broadband needs to be incorporated into the ‘needs pyramid.’ Failure to do this means a widening of the digital divide, putting those on the lower end of the socioeconomic spectrum at increasing disadvantage – in their personal, professional and academic lives,” writes Anthony Goonetilleke, Head of Strategy, and Group President of product and technology, at Amdocs. “As technology and connectivity propel the global economy, it’s our shared responsibility to continuously focus on narrowing the gap.”

Broadband user growth has accelerated during the pandemic, according to Indian regulator

The pandemic has given the fixed-line broadband industry a boost as ‘everything from home’ and mobile data limitations makes people opt for reliability and speed offered by such Internet connections.

Data from Telecom regulator Trai shows that the number of new wired broadband connections grew 2% on average every month since July 2020, compared to just 0.5% before the pandemic. As of March 2021, there were 22.8 million wired broadband connections in India and the growth rate in March was around 2.2% according to the data.

Analysts said in a hybrid work future, wired internet connections are going to be on par with basic utilities. Furthermore, an average urban household has approximately five to six smart devices running concurrently, making fixed broadband essential.