Telecoms: 10 trends not to be missed in 2023

1. The arrival of 5G in standalone

The need for connectivity in the world is becoming more and more important. Increasing consumption of video, data, social networks... how to meet this need and best serve customers? 

5G, the fifth generation of mobile networks, is based on historical services. The little extra? In standalone mode, it frees itself from current infrastructures to occupy a virtual space, the cloud. A more powerful technology, a larger volume of data to share, a more reliable and responsive network, more and more connected objects .

The demand is already very strong on the business side. Mainly because this innovation is flexible. A godsend for all telecom players! Indeed, whether they are giants of the sector or local operators, all will be able to propose offers of identical quality .

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2. The Open RAN reaches a milestone

The Open RAN (or Radio Access Network) is a constantly evolving sea serpent that is reaching a new level, particularly with the arrival of 5G. As a facilitator of access to suppliers' services, it aims to offer full autonomy to telecom operators. Often (too) dependent on the delivery of equipment and software by a single provider, they now want to benefit from open, multi-vendor networks that guarantee precise control of their business and improved flexibility .

Where licensed private wireless networks were a major expense yesterday, Open RAN proposes to streamline tomorrow's costs. Estimates of the size of the private 5G/LTE market predict strong growth over the next five years. According to consulting firm Juniper Research, annual spending on private networks is expected to double over the next two years to nearly $12 billion, with Open RAN acting as the primary driver of that growth.

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3. The sanctuary of the Cloud

Imagine a world where creating your own wireless link is possible in a few clicks, where exchanging with your suppliers doesn't require a phone, where increasing the bandwidth of your customers is done via a software... A futuristic world, you think? Well, not so much!

A new model is on the way: the cloudification of telecoms. The organization as we have always known it tends to disappear. Typically, software and hardware, which have been inseparable until now, will be permanently separated tomorrow. So, how does this work in practice? 

The different network elements will be stored on the same infrastructure, the same servers. This new generation will be independent of the historical infrastructures. This is a way of servingultra-customization needs as closely as possible and of managing specific requirements. 

Thanks to theautomation of flows and the digitalization of processes with Netwo for example, no more manual, repetitive and time-consuming tasks with little added value! A single tool to centralize your communications, negotiations, purchases, resales... it's "Netwo, metro, dodo"! Operators who have already jumped on the bandwagon are seeing considerable gains. And you, what are you waiting for?

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4. Fiber, the new copper

A number to remember: 2030. The countdown is on! 

The historical network providing telephone, internet, TV, elevators and emergency calls will progressively disappear and be replaced by fiber optics within 7 years. A promising technology: more modern, faster and more powerful.

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As part of the France Très Haut Débit plan, the national territory is being equipped with an infrastructure that is more resistant to the vagaries of the weather and less energy consuming. Since the pandemic and the normalization of telecommuting, this technology should answer the energy bulimia of the French.

If you still have xDSL customers, it is high time to test their eligibility for fiber offers in a few clicks. If the area is fiber-covered, it will be possible toobtain a connection and the corresponding subscription offer.

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5. Net neutrality: a battle horse for operators

The principle of net neutrality? To guarantee the equal treatment and routing of information flows on the Internet, regardless of their sender or recipient. Popularized in 2003, its revision has been requested for a few years, especially since the pandemic and the normalization of teleworking. The deployment of the fiber, increasing the consumption capacity of everyone, is an additional argument for the revision of the principle of net neutrality.

4 GAFAM players consume more than half of the global bandwidth of telecom networks. For a long time on the first step of the podium, the giant Google with Youtube was recently overtaken by the very famous Netflix, followed by the colossal Amazon with Twitch, itself closely followed by Facebook. The common point? Video.

Attractive, clear and simple, video-on-demand is a heavy burden on telecom network bandwidth. Since the health crisis in 2020, video media have also become a source of telecom subscribers. As a result, they are advocating for financial support for the network investments they are now fully making. The idea is not new: the Americans have already agreed on the subject. Soon in France? To be continued...

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6. The democratization of NaaS continues

"Instead of buying network equipment, installing and operating it, a Network-as-a-Service provider owns, installs and operates the equipment, and organizations pay a monthly subscription fee for network services," says Neil Anderson, senior director of network solutions at World Wide Technology*.

In the era of uberization, business models are being revised, in all sectors of activity. The objective? Simplify access to services, break up monopolistic situations, and open up new market perspectives. Platformization or the process of digitalization of businesses offers a new prism for reading the most historic sectors such as telecoms.

As the global leader in NaaS, Megaport is positioned today as THE visionary in simplifying access to the cloud for enterprises. Combined with Netwo, telecom operators can more easily meet their customers' new digital transformation challenges with just a few clicks and no additional cost. Let yourself be tempted!

*technology service provider and supply chain

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7. Telecoms conquering space?

Also known as satellite or aerial connection, the space connection corresponds to an Internet access by satellite. Initially aimed at facilitating international connections, it is of growing interest, particularly because of its financial aspect. 

The satellite investment would indeed be 2 to 10 times lower than a terrestrial investment. American visionaries such as Elon Musk have already undertaken this conquest of space. 

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In France, as part of the Starlink project, for example, Arcep is studying and authorizing the use of frequencies already registered with the International Telecommunications Union (ITU). Starlink is the space internet project undertaken by Elon Musk in 2015. The objective? To provide a very high speed internet connection across the world through a constellation of satellites by 2027. Already 10,000 French people have subscribed to the offer. How do I subscribe? Just log on to the Starlink website and order the kit available for a 30-day trial. Ready to test it?

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8. Datacenters in the spotlight

Composed of a large storage and computing space, a datacenter allows companies to store a large amount of data. As the backbone of telecoms, dedicated infrastructures must meet robustness and performance objectives. In the era of big & smart data, the challenges surrounding data centers are crucial. That's why data center construction projects are multiplying... with conditions. 

Four European cities have emerged to host the burgeoning deployment of data centers. This axis is called the FLAP zone, an acronym for Frankfurt, London, Amsterdam and Paris. The goal? Limit the construction of hyperscale data centers while expanding access to 5G and the cloud. Alternatives are being developed such as the extension of existing data centers (such as Data4 (Axa Investment), Equinix, Interxion, Colt) or platforms facilitating interconnections. The Netwo marketplace provides access to this core network of 7 data centers (2 in Lyon, 3 in Paris, 1 in Frankfurt and 1 in Toulouse). A good practice to rationalize costs while respecting the environment !

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9. On the way to energy sobriety!

As we have already seen, climate issues concern us all, citizens and companies alike. At stake: our energy consumption. Moreover, the energy bill represents a major expense for all organizations, whatever their size. It is up to them to be imaginative in order to make savings. 

In the telecom sector, the 4 French MNOs (Orange, SFR, Bouygues Télécoms and Free) operate mobile radio frequency cuts at night. Orange goes further byturning off windows at night or by regulating the temperature in its premises. In addition, Orange is thinking of revising its expenditure model more widely by opting toextend the lifespan of its network equipment. A more sustainable alternative to replacement.

"The passage on electric batteries of several thousand installations of the fixed network will make it possible to save up to 20 MW, that is to say the instantaneous consumption of an average city of 40.000 inhabitants. These shaving operations will be invisible to users," explains the operator in its energy sobriety plan presented in October 2022. A good effort to follow collectively. And you, where are you in the development of your plan?

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10. Unified communications: the lifeblood of the 2023 trends?

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Faced with the new challenges of communication and collaboration, companies must adapt. At the same time, telecom players are facing an unavoidable trend: the convergence of IT and telecom. 

Between hybrid work and new consumer behaviors, the challenge is great... but not insurmountable! The answer? Equip yourself withtools capable of interconnecting with all information systems, a sine qua non condition for a 100% productive and efficient activity. 

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Things to remember:

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To remain competitive, telecom players must keep an eye on trends and regulations. Since the health crisis, needs have evolved, highlighting new behaviors that affect energy consumption in particular. At the heart of the energy transition, tomorrow's telecoms will be environmentally friendly or not. 5G, NaaS, datacenters, cloud... The 2023 trends are converging towards one and the same triptych: digitize processes to simplify telecoms business thanks to efficient and green tools and infrastructures. Telecom operators, what if you opted for a single platform to centralize your purchases/sales, order tracking and invoicing as well as your exchanges with suppliers and customers, all in an environmentally friendly way? 

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Sources: 

ARCEP: let's talk about 5G

Orange: 5G standalone, a flexible toolbox

The New Economist: how 'cloudification' could disrupt telecoms

Les Echos: Netflix weighs on telecom operators' networks 

The computer world: what is Open RAN

The IT world: what is NaaS

ARCEP : Starlink frequencies 

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