#MWC15, NFV & The Future of Telecommunications

This week, I’m traveling to Barcelona for Mobile World Congress, where I’ll join customers and colleagues to discuss the monumental changes being driven by new and creative applications of mobile technology.

Since the advent of the telephone nearly 140 years ago, we’ve seen technology—and the telecommunication industry’s application of it—progress by leaps and bounds. Today, we’re moving at warp speed to connect our devices, our homes, our businesses, and even ourselves.

The future of telecommunications will not be limited to devices or broadband or satellite. This newfound connectivity will require all the technological resources in our arsenal to meet demand.

INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE FUTURE

This exceptional level of connectivity is a both a blessing and a curse. Existing telecommunications infrastructure is struggling to keep up, not only with the pace of technological advancement, but also with the flood of data all this connectivity is generating.

Legacy telecom infrastructure rolled out decades ago—or even just a few years ago—is already being outpaced by the exponential growth trajectory of the industry.

Take, for example, the coming gigabit broadband revolution. At streaming speeds roughly 50 times faster than the U.S. average, gigabit broadband is an unquestionable convenience for consumers and a differentiator for cities jockeying to attract businesses. But it’s also a tangled web for long-standing service providers who face infrastructure challenges, competition from less traditional players like Google, and questions over cost and public policy.

Even with the infrastructure in place, service providers of all sizes are straining under the weight of all the data this connectivity produces. The Internet of Things (or “thingification,” as it’s called by HP’s Christopher Surdak) will add billions if not trillions of new connected data sources globally by 2020.

To meet the demand brought on by our increasing connection speeds and growing number of connected devices, we must take a new approach to data management.

OUT OF THE BOX AND INTO THE CLOUD

If managed more efficiently, all this data provides a wealth of opportunity for telecom companies and their customers. But it will require smarter, faster and more flexible application of technology. HP’s solution to this fundamental challenge is in the cloud with Network Functions Virtualization (NFV).

As HP telecom-sector expert Saar Gillai says, “cloudification” of the telecommunications industry is today’s equivalent of moving from static landlines to IP addresses. It’s a “sea change” in the way telecom services are provided and managed—one that will move us all to a much more agile and value-based space.

WIRELESS-FIRST APPROACH TO CONNECTIVITY

As mobility trends continue to transform the way we communicate, businesses of all sizes will need to take a wireless-first approach to connectivity. And, the rise of “bring your own device” means CIOs must make this switch while providing both security and a seamless user experience.

HP recently announced its plans to acquire Aruba Networks, a leading provider of wireless mobility solutions. With Aruba’s innovative solutions, HP will help organizations accommodate smartphones, tablets and other personal devices on internal networks, while keeping them safe with the most robust security features available.

EXTRAORDINARY OPPORTUNITIES AHEAD

From where I sit, telecommunications is among the most rapidly evolving sectors I’ve ever seen. The speed of innovation, growth and demand at both the enterprise and consumer levels are astronomical—simultaneously raising enormous challenges and extraordinary opportunities for those companies agile enough to take advantage.

And there’s so much more to come: just look at what’s happening inside the walls of HP Labs with The Machine – HP’s revolutionary new computing architecture that has the speed and resiliency to navigate the oceans of data created by the Internet of Things.

At HP, we’re working with customers and partners to help move the telecom industry forward and connect the world in new ways. Read more about our work and the telecom industry’s breakthroughs, opportunities, and hurdles ahead in the latest issue of HP Matter.