Top Network Trends to Watch in 2023
What’s coming up for Vodafone?
Contents
Chapter 1
Connectivity in 2023 – Emerging Technology to Drive Industry Forward Trevor Smith - VP, Corporate Marketing
Chapter 2
The Demands of Tomorrow’s Broadband Networks Koen ter Linde – SVP, Network Cable & Connectivity
Chapter 3
Bridging the Digital Divide in 2023 Michael Wolfe – CTO, Outdoor Wireless Networks
Chapter 4
2023 Home Networks Trends for Service Providers, Consumers and Technology & Solutions Vendors Charles Cheevers – CTO, Home Networks
Chapter 5
5G Means Big Changes for Large Public Venue Upendra Pingle – SVP, Intelligent Cellular Networks
Chapter 6
Shared Spectrum, Converged Networks will Shape Enterprise Connectivity in 2023 and Beyond Bart Giordano – SVP, Ruckus Networks & Kevin Wirick – VP, Strategic Business Development
Chapter 7
Data Center Evolution in 2023: Efficiency is the Name of the Game John Schmidt – SVP, Building & Data Center Connectivity
Chapter 8
2023 Trends – Cable Network and Headend Scott Weinstein - VP, Product Management
Introduction
2023 Network Trends to Watch
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In 2022 Vodafone and your competitors faced increasing pressure to meet customer expectations, as the rate of digital transformation continued to gather pace. It is too simplistic to say that 2023 will bring more of the same – however, with both the acceleration and direction of travel constant, in a nutshell, that’s very much how we see the year ahead. At CommScope, we take pride in offering our annual report into the upcoming trends that network operators can expect, to help you face the future with the maximum information and foresight. For Vodafone, we’re pleased to look forward to another year of expansion. Once again, we’ve gathered the observations and predictions of our experts and leaders across the industry, and you’ll see that advances in technology, as well as a renewed determination to bridge the digital divide, loom large in their thinking. From home networks to public venues, the impact of fibre infrastructure on latency, and the ongoing rollout of 5G are strengthening connections and increasing life opportunities for ever more people. And the even better news is that, thanks to the efforts of operators such as Vodafone, sustainability is always a key consideration. I hope you find our detailed roundup of network trends for 2023 full of useful insight. CommScope offers the expertise and resource to partner Vodafone on your journey, as you continue to build tomorrow’s digital society with access for all. As ever, the future of connectivity is in your hands.
Strategic Account Lead: Vodafone Group Plc
Ann Ritchie-Cox
Emerging technology to drive industry forward
Connectivity in 2023
By Trevor Smith, VP, Corporate Marketing
After a challenging 12 months, there is growing optimism that demand for broadband services will surge again in 2023. Widespread geopolitical trends, along with the cost of energy and low-growth “slowflation,” had an outsized effect on the growth of broadband networks. Added challenges from supply chain issues, skilled labor shortages and logistical constraints limited the speed of network deployments. Economists across the world are predicting recessions, but with variances about how long and deep they will be, with some countries impacted more than others. Despite this outlook, the reality is that connectivity is now vital, it is no longer seen as discretionary but as essential – for economic recovery, government initiatives, business infrastructure and for household personal use. A post-pandemic understanding of the importance of broadband and closing the digital divide, along with unprecedented government funding, an accommodating financial environment, and a mature crop of network technologies, have yielded a steep demand curve for building next-generation networks, setting the stage for unparalleled capacity expansion. At the same time, enterprises are re-evaluating their own operational costs structures as a result of the business disruptions of the last couple of years, with a keen interest in realizing greater efficiency across their organizations, including their networks. After being thrown into remote work, remote learning, telemedicine and all the other new ways we’ve had to lean on our connectivity, people see ubiquitous connectivity not as a convenience or luxury, but a basic necessity of modern living. The connectivity haves and have-nots became more clearly defined during the pandemic, and we all know a person or business who was left behind in this sudden, sometimes awkward advance in the digital revolution. In addition, everything from shopfloor automation to social media has raised universal awareness of the need for fast, reliable connectivity, especially for Internet of Things (IoT) devices and artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML)-powered services underpinning Industry 4.0 potential. Whether you are planning your business’ next infrastructure overhaul or shopping for broadband capable of 4K streaming to every room in the house, chances are you’re keeping a keen eye on what we can expect from network technology manufacturers, ISPs and other sources. This combination of accommodating environment (in both commercial and residential segments) and the never-ending craving for capacity is the reason why those of us deeply involved in the connectivity industry are so excited about 2023—and all the possibilities that are emerging as the world eagerly embraces developing technologies.
Connectivity and the digital divide
The digital divide is not a new concept, but after the pandemic forced us to work in new ways, its impact was thrown into sharp relief. The United Nations revealed that there are still more than 2.9 billion unconnected people around the world who are in jeopardy of being left behind. Such staggering numbers prove that the industry still has a lot of work to do if we are to overcome the stubborn challenges posed by the digital divide. Closing this divide will mean facilitating the delivery of a wide range of services and applications to enhance these peoples’ lives—as well as improve business efficiency and productivity which have their own downstream benefits to underserved communities. That said, as more people get online and use more cloud-based applications, more pressures will be felt across the telecommunications industry. From network operators to data centers, challenges remain not only in getting connected, but also in ensuring reliable, ubiquitous connectivity. Throughout 2023, governments and network operators will be working together to close the digital divide faster than we have seen in the past, including that part of the divide which runs through rural communities where high-quality broadband access may be limited by economics. This year is likely to see a significant advance in bringing rural communities online and getting people, places, and devices connected no matter where they are. Investing in digital infrastructure has huge advantages for communities across the globe, both economically and socially. The task is monumental and we aren’t there yet, but current efforts make the future look promising. There now exists a critical mass of determination, resolve and funding in the industry to make universal broadband connectivity a plausible reality.
Reducing environmental impact to help with global sustainability
To remain aligned with the goals of the Paris Agreement, the industry must reduce emissions by 45 percent before 2030, or risk contributing to the irreversible effects of climate change. The good news here is that industry leaders have already set ambitious internal targets to reduce power consumption and incorporate green initiatives into their organizations day-to-day activity, tackling the problem from multiple angles at once: materials sourcing, lighter designs, greater recyclability, improved packaging and logistics, and many other aspects combine to create lasting green impact. Further, by demanding transparency into their partners’ footprint, business leaders will be able to work together more effectively to tackle the issue of climate change. It takes real results and quantifiable improvements to resonate with investors, employees and customers. This means a greater focus on the impacts of the whole supply chain is now on the table, with the industry looking at how it can move away from single-use materials or reduce the number of components needed for products. All aspects of the industry are keenly aware that it must increase the efficiency of the delivery of services, while at the same time reducing the amount of energy use. It is here we will start to see the innovations needed, whether it is advancements in fiber and edge-based infrastructure technologies, or through machine learning and artificial intelligence.
In 2023, sustainability will continue to be a key focus area for the industry as external pressures continue to rise from consumers, governments, and environmental groups. Governmental regulations are being introduced across the globe on environmental, social and governance (ESG) reporting, bringing these issues into sharper focus for the industry and the commercial customers we serve, many of which have their own sustainability goals to fulfill. Investment decisions are increasingly considering these regulations. Organizations will continue to use ESG measures as a way of attracting those investors.
Convergence Networks and security
The continued growth and expansion of cellular networks, particularly the ongoing deployment of 5G, may have been touted by some as the beginning of the end for Wi-Fi, but 2023 will likely prove to be a year of convergence rather than conquest between the two technologies. The convergence of networks holds great possibilities for bandwidth, efficiency, security, and flexibility. Both Wi-Fi and cellular technologies have expanded capacity with new bands, thanks to unlicensed shared spectrum. In Wi-Fi’s case, this is the 6 GHz band accessible to Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7, which basically quadruples throughput. Likewise, in private LTE and 5G cellular networks in the United States, the addition of the Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) 3.5 GHz band adds 150 MHz of spectrum. This band is lightly licensed and far more easily available to enterprises than traditional 3GPP-licensed bandwidth. Outside of the US, similar concepts are being adopted to offer “industrial spectrum” for enterprise private mobile networks. In both cases, greater bandwidth means greater capacity—and greater potential for what the network can do. As both Wi-Fi and cellular continue to develop ever-increasingly comparable capabilities, we can expect to see each of them aid the other through their complementary strengths, until eventually they become a converged, user-transparent unified platform that shifts seamlessly between technologies as needed. It is at this point that IoT can really start to take off, whether it is in one’s home or in a vast manufacturing facility. Of course, as the trajectory of smart devices joining the IoT goes up, so too does the risk of these devices being exploited and hacked. Ransomware will continue to evolve as a threat, not just for large organizations, but for residential buildings too. In 2023, we will continue to see vendors consolidating security features into a single platform, complete with pricing and licensing options to make their solutions more attractive to more people. Tools are currently available to lock down IoT devices, but for many, those tools remain inaccessible. Enterprise IT departments have the skills and knowledge to do this, but for households, it remains a major security deficit. A converged private network provides the foundation for software-based credentials management systems that can protect all IoT devices, for everyone. In a sense, such a credentials management system is the “IoT of IoTs,” in that it automates access and control to secure the entire IoT environment. This platform-level approach can also provide extra assurance as global microprocessor chip supply chains realign and manufacturing becomes increasingly domestically sourced.
Value over raw speed
The speed and volume of data being generated, processed and transported will continue to grow at breakneck speeds in 2023. From placing grocery orders online today to using 5G-connected driving assist systems in the future as the technology matures further, users expect full efficacy in data transmission and downtime cannot be afforded. Significant latency, or lag, in a network is not an option. Low latency is the key to unlocking the bandwidth that make all of the applications the modern world has come to rely on work. Data centers must be ready for the continual and growing pressure of increased network traffic, so an ongoing migration of these data centers to the edge of the network—in a quest to save a few milliseconds off network latency—is virtually certain. A few years ago, the world was content with 4G’s 50 milliseconds latency. One-twentieth of a second was fast enough for what it did. However, 5G’s latency can be as low as 1 millisecond, a mere one-thousandth of a second, making it necessary for applications that require such near-instantaneous response times. 5G also supports a wide range of bands that each provide customized strengths that can be suited to a particular place or application. Its substantial sub-6 GHz bands (including C-band) are ideal for broader coverage of larger areas, as well as mixed indoor-outdoor areas. At the other end are mmWave bands (26 GHz and up) that provide incredible throughput speeds but can’t cover much distance and can’t easily travel through walls or other solid obstacles. Together, these available bands can be employed as needed to provide the most efficient and effective network to suit a particular deployment environment or goal. For consumers, the growth of low-latency 5G means taking the next step into virtual reality and augmented reality – whether this is viewing 3D videos of the cheering crowd, as seen from the performer’s perspective, watching your favorite show or movie in 4K resolution while waiting for your flight, or calling up 4K resolution sports replays, curated statistics, and player profiles on-demand. The applications range far beyond simple entertainment, however, as 5G’s low latency also empowers many other services that are increasingly important to modern living, such as smart home systems that reduce utility costs and improve safety, telemedicine, medical telemetry and other advanced healthcare applications such as remote robotic surgeries. Yes, those can run on 5G networks. When it comes to home Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) infrastructure, key advances are set to be made. The latest fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) infrastructure can economically deliver 10 Gps broadband right away. The emergence of the new DOCSIS 4.0-compliant devices in the second half of 2023 will mean tripling the upstream speeds of residential connections. For service providers and streaming services, 2023 will be all about customer retention and growth. Low latency is also becoming more important than raw speeds, especially for gamers. In 2023, we expect gaming to become one of the prominent services to use 6 GHz Wi-Fi and as we move toward more immersive experience services in the home with AR, VR and MR, lower latency will be required to maintain proper immersion quality.
In conclusion
While the development of technology is always evolutionary, we often feel the power of the societal revolutions they enable, from television to the computer to the internet to the cloud. In 2023, much of the planet will be introduced to a world where many of the visionary capabilities we’ve talked about for the last several years—from smart buildings to immersive metaverse reality—will start dramatically changing how we live. As an industry, we will be working hard to try and close the digital divide in the most environmentally responsible way possible. This drive will see more innovations being developed and coming to market, whether it is on a macro level, such as network convergence, or on a micro level, with products redesigned with less components, for example. In all aspects of telecommunications, 2023 should shape up to be a big year, one that has those of us involved in it extremely optimistic and excited for the opportunities on the horizon.
Growing Optimism in 2023
The Demands of Tomorrow’s Broadband Networks
By Koen ter Linde, Senior Vice President, Network Cable & Connectivity
Elevated bandwidth demand and access to high-quality broadband have become a necessity. The question for service providers is no longer whether it's time to build next-generation networks, but which investments to make, how to deploy them quickly and efficiently, and perhaps most crucially: how to engineer, install, and maintain that new infrastructure.
In the past year, widespread geopolitical trends have had an outsized effect on the growth of broadband networks. Supply chain, skilled labor, and logistical constraints have limited the speed of network deployments—but now, unprecedented government funding, an accommodating financial environment, and a mature crop of network technologies have yielded a steep demand curve for building next generation networks—setting the stage for unprecedented capacity expansion. This shift has created a new opportunity to add network value—whether that’s achieved through traditional upgrades to HFC, overbuilding DSL, harnessing the innate efficiencies of multi-gigabit fiber technologies like PON, utilizing the reach of wireless technologies, or a combination. The networks of the future will share several key features in common: standardization, ease of installation, speed to market, and specialized capabilities catering to the new demands of businesses and consumers.
These demands will fundamentally redefine the way that service providers—and new entrants, like municipalities—build networks. For example, unprecedented momentum in smart cities, IoT, and connected experiences is driving demand at the network edge and creating specific network requirements—from extremely low latency, to symmetrical bandwidth, to the ability to sustain very high speeds for extended periods. These demands require a new type of network based on a new type of approach. As service providers funnel more investment into meeting this demand, they’re looking at how to differentiate and add more value to their networks. Some of the most effective pathways include: realizing energy efficiency through fiber architectures, operational efficiency through software optimization and management, and modularity and extensibility through standardization—driving efficiency in network deployments through the use of innovative plug and play technologies.
A new investment environment
The challenge for service providers has always been scaling seamlessly to new demand while continually adding value to their networks. But instead of trying to achieve this value goal by buying the most cost-effective products, providers will be approaching it through a combination of faster innovative solutions and architectures, smarter software, better integration, and streamlined implementation. In this demand-driven market, shortages in products, skilled labor, and expert network designers and engineers are the biggest limiting factors in network growth. An elegant solution has emerged in designing products and networks that simplify installation and require fewer inputs along the way. For example, next-gen PON is allowing providers to start with a proven network design that runs efficiently and scales easily. A revolution in product design is also addressing both labor, expertise, and supply chain shortages through standardization. With interoperable components that are easier to spin up and design for, cheaper to maintain, and quicker to replace or upgrade—providers can reduce the demand for training, education, and specialized expertise. Product standardization solves many common network challenges by adapting well to component shortages, streamlining installations, and allowing for cloud- and software-based management. We’ll see this address the biggest lifts of building next generation networks through greater collaboration among standards bodies and alliances, increased licensing agreements between vendors, and new government specifications. Every touchpoint in the network is an opportunity to add new value to the network. The coming years will see important changes in the way that service providers approach product and network design to simplify this process—fueled by increased collaboration and standardization that allow the entire industry to rise to the challenge of building tomorrow’s broadband networks.
Features of next-generation networks
Creating new network value
This prediction piece was first published exclusively with BTR
Bridging the Digital Divide in 2023
By Michael Wolfe, Vice President, CTO, Outdoor Wireless Networks
Bridging the digital divide will continue to be a major theme as we head into 2023, and there is still a lot of work to be done. New research from the United Nations has revealed that there are still over 2.9 billion people around the world that are not connected to the internet. As we begin to view the internet as a utility – in the same way we would water, gas, and electricity – it’s time for us to connect the unconnected. This is no small feat, networks are under constant pressure to cope with increasing demand, while evolving alongside new technologies and remaining flexible for further expansion. It’s critical that everyone across the world has the same access to the opportunities brought about by broadband connectivity. Closing the digital divide will be taking a vital step in facilitating the delivery of a wide range of services and applications to improve business efficiency and productivity – as well as enhancing everyday lives. As we look towards 2023, network providers will continue to work closely with government agencies to bridge this divide. We’re already seeing huge funding pots allocated from various governments and agencies around the world. This investment in digital transformation and infrastructure will provide long term and far-reaching benefits for us all – both economically and socially. Although it’s clear that we still have a long way to go when it comes to broadband rollout, the future looks promising. By working together, we can make broadband for everyone a reality.
As we look towards 2023, sustainability will continue to be a key focus area for all industries, telecoms included. As external pressures continue to rise from consumers, governments, and environmental groups, business leaders are required to act. It’s currently estimated that telcos are responsible for between 1.6% - 3.9% of global greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions, without immediate action this figure will continue to grow. In order to keep in line with the Paris Agreement, telcos must reduce their emissions by 45% before 2030, or risk contributing to the irreversible effects of climate change.
Sustainability / ESG
Around the world we’re continuing to see Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) legislation come into effect, large businesses in the UK will be required to disclose their climate related risks by this time next year, the European Union is in the process of implementing this legislation, and President Biden has signed an executive order for the federal government to limit GHG emissions. Preparing for, and complying with, these various regulations will be no small task. As infrastructure providers, we are in a unique position in that our networks are made up of multiple technologies which require constant power supplies - from data centres to relay stations, masts, and cells, to name a few. Telco leaders have already set themselves ambitious internal targets to reduce power consumption and incorporate green initiatives into their organisations day-to-day activity. While not overlooking the energy consumption upstream and downstream in the supply chain, by demanding transparency into their partners’ footprint, leaders will be able to work together to tackle the issue of climate change head on. With the right initiatives and with sustainability top of mind, telcos can lead the way towards a greener future.
5G Expansion
In today’s digital era, where Internet access and fast speeds have become a necessity, there is still much work to be done in 5G development. With an impending recession and cost of living crisis, consumers are likely to be forced to start making decisions about the types of devices and network services they can afford. And, while some may downgrade or cancel their plans, others will upgrade to new devices in order to gain access to the benefits of improved digital connectivity that come with 5G. Furthermore, 5G is used to enhance the mobile broadband user experience and to enable competitive FWA (fixed wireless access) services. But, in the next year, 5G will need to expand into more user cases and applications. For this purpose, the industry will selectively implement 5G standalone (SA) capabilities to unlock the full benefits of 5G technology, including support for latency sensitive, high reliability, and extended Internet of Things (IoT) service capabilities.
Such benefits are huge for individuals, communities, and businesses. Whether that’s being able to access services online, stay in contact more easily with friends and family - or run an efficient business from home or a corporate headquarters. In the next year, we expect to see companies subsidized by government funds rise to the challenge of offering affordable broadband. This not only creates physical connectivity, but also enables access to that connectivity through widespread programs. Additionally, from a business perspective, in the last year we’ve seen applications such as the metaverse, web3, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning drive data centre providers to focus on edge capabilities in order to provide low latency access to data anywhere, at any time; a critical change in supporting the transition to 5G. So, as we head into 2023, we will see how more and more data is latency-sensitive and requires faster access. Which, therefore, will continue to push the migration from large core, small edge data centre architecture to smaller core, larger edge architecture.
The Future of Networks 6G Development
As of right now, the development of future networks is years away and the industry is focused on developing 5G across the United States, Europe, Middle East and Africa. Since the introduction of 5G, there have been numerous elements that have interrupted its deployment, including labour shortages and supply chain issues due to the pandemic. That said, as we enter 2023, the focus will be about making the existing networks stronger for both consumers and businesses. In the past, 5G’s focus has been on delivering faster wireless in a more flexible setting, but to showcase its capabilities, 5G will need to expand. Meaning, 5G is a long way away from its goal of being a standalone monetizable network.
With that, public and private organisations have already begun suggesting how they believe 6G will differ from existing networks. Some have predicted that 6G will be AI native, focusing on machine learning, compared to existing cloud native 5G networks. That said, we are only at the stage where public and private organisations are just starting to conceptualise the technology necessary for demonstrating this in 6G. Who’s to say in the future we won’t be able to reconfigure our networks to improve optimisation through AI? Will the introduction of networks being able to sense their environments become a reality? Only time will tell. And, while we wait, companies will continue to plan and look ahead so that when the future network is near, the roll out will happen seamlessly. But, as we are years away from introducing said network, we will focus on monetising and expanding 5G so that more people can have access to a high-quality, high-speed network.
2023 Home Networks Trends for Service Providers, Consumers and Technology & Solutions Vendors
By Charles Cheevers, CTO Home Networks
2023 could be one of the most foundational years for the consumer’s home future since the introduction of the iPhone® in 2007. We now have the technology ability to deliver any service on a connectivity platform at a performance and cost point the consumer is willing to pay. Are we, as an industry, ready for the next major investment in the home connectivity platform to allow a new generation of home services? Here’s how I predict 2023 will shake up the home network landscape for service providers, consumers, and technology & solutions providers.
Technology innovation and investment will continue, but at a more measured pace
Consumers will begin to see increased retail marketing on Wi-Fi 7 and there’s a high probability that every new device design retailed at $100 or more will move to Wi-Fi 7 capability sometime in 2023. A multitude of marketing campaigns around Wi-Fi 7 will determine how quickly consumers value the additional performance, but technology and solutions vendors like CommScope are already in the process of developing gateway, extender and connectivity Wi-Fi 7 solutions for service providers. Retail vendors will lead the Wi-Fi 7 wave by enabling higher capacity, lower latency, and software deterministic Wi-Fi services; technology and solution vendors will follow with Wi-Fi 7 solutions for PON, DOCSIS and FWA access networks, as well as Ethernet-based Wi-Fi 7 access points for two-box service provider architectures and retail.
As background to 2023, the economic outlook will impact consumer spend and overall investments in new services and technologies. As many countries face a probable recession, service providers are closely considering the timing of their network infrastructure and Home Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) investment from 1Gbps services to the first 10Gbps capable networks – weighing the return considerations for customer growth and retention. On the upside, we expect the supply constraints the connectivity and consumer electronics industry has faced since mid-2020 to continue improving through 2023 and beyond.
We still expect service providers to continue in the investment of fiber infrastructure with a rise in the number of fiber and XGS-PON connects. This investment is viewed by service providers as critical for the growth of new subscribers and retention of subscribers through the next generation of consumers services in the next 5 years. While 2022 saw the rise of the 2.5GBE interface in gateways and for first time in many people’s homes, 2023 will see the rise in the first 10GBE interfaces on XGS-PON gateways. This is a marked step up in Ethernet capabilities that is probably ahead of the consumer’s ability to fully leverage but another step on the path to the “10Gig home.” The fiber technology area is not standing still at 10Gbps either with International Telecommunications Union (ITU) standards now complete and the next generation of CPE silicon in development for 2024/2025 early samples and trials. DOCSIS® 4.0 will emerge first in labs, and then in field trials towards the second half of 2023. DOCSIS 4.0 is the next generation of the DOCSIS protocol allowing for speeds of 10Gbps providing an economical path to increasing the life of Hybrid Fiber-Coax (HFC) networks. To get the 10Gbps speeds on cable plant, the spectrum currently occupied by QAM Video will need to be retired, especially if the plant is not upgraded to 1.8GHz ahead of the need for more IP capacity. Cable operators have been moving towards “All IP” video with the introduction of 4K UHD capable Wi-Fi® IP streamers/set-tops, and 2023 will see an acceleration of this trend ahead of DOCSIS 4.0 introduction. Wi-Fi 7 is the third iteration in Wi-Fi and 2023 will see the industry start to normalize its next four years for Wi-Fi performance on this standard. It will be aligned perfectly with the 10Gbps capabilities of XGS-PON and DOCSIS 4.0 to get (for the first-time) matching speeds across the access and Wi-Fi home network – with new levels of determinism and quality of service. This level of determinism of latency and speed across the access to the home Wi-Fi network is expected to be the platform that will allow a new generation of home services to emerge. The flagship of these presently has been immersive video solutions like Meta’s Metaverse offering where the applications will need the lower latency, speed and reliability now being offered by service providers to build ever more realistic virtual applications. These applications can extend to new breakthroughs in hospital-at-home technologies, as well as in-home office solutions as well.
The key for service providers: reliability and a cohesive application experience, at the right price
Service providers will continue to focus on customer retention and growth in 2023 as they face the highest level of competitive pressure that they’ve seen in 15 years. There will be renewed focus on value and performance ratio for the customer with cost becoming more dominant than speed. Competing on speed alone is a costly proposition for a service provider and consumers are increasingly more aware of their decreasing needs for faster speed, so new ways to attract customers will emerge, including a focus on reliability and a compelling home application experience. Driving “sticky” applications and good customer experience will be an important factor in customer retention in 2023.
Reliable and optimum connectivity in the home is now essential. Hybrid working has normalized traffic patterns to 9am-5pm work-from-home connectivity and the usual 5pm-9pm entertainment peak. As consumers spend more time in the home for work, education and entertainment, the tolerance for unreliable broadband continues to lower. Wired broadband providers will look to provide failover solutions and will need to find a model that works for them and the consumer. Service providers should lean-in to Wi-Fi reliability and performance commitments, with better mesh solutions and increased software control of services delivered over Wi-Fi. Latency is becoming more important than raw topline speed claims and directly impacts consumers’ perception of service providers – especially in households that include gamers, who will always look for the best solutions to be competitive and win. With Wi-Fi 6 scheduling and new quality of service protocols, gaming services can indeed be realized to very defined wireless speed, latency, and jitter performance levels. We expect to see gaming become one of the prominent services to use 6GHz Wi-Fi spectrum in 2023 and beyond. The latest Metaverse experience exemplifies the need for tight controls on speed, latency, and jitter, and will be paramount for a user-accepted immersive experience. As we move toward more immersive experience services in the home with AR/VR/MR, it will become critical to implement a new level of latency control to maintain proper immersion quality. Additionally, service-aware connectivity and intelligent service management will become more important in Wi-Fi solutions to not only understand the device type, but also understand the application that’s running to ensure the right quality of service priorities are applied for maximum consumer satisfaction. Enhanced consumer performance metrics and the ability to silently resolve issues (sometimes before the consumer even notices the issue) will be key to the performance and reliability of services offered to the consumer.
The power of Wi-Fi 7
In many ways, Wi-Fi 6E was a fast-tracked version of Wi-Fi to ensure Wi-Fi solutions made first use of newly granted 6GHz spectrum, but it will be tri-band Wi-Fi 7 devices that will make full use of 6GHz, with Wi-Fi 7 allowing applications to leverage total control of the Wi-Fi frequency bands, using MLO (Multi-link Operation). As the main application for Wi-Fi 7 and the new 6GHz spectrum is currently Wi-Fi mesh backhaul, it’s anticipated that most service providers will move to offer a Wi-Fi 7 gateway and extender experience. Specific use of 6GHz bands will also emerge for lower latency and capacity driven services like immersive video applications – so don’t be surprised to see specific Wi-Fi SSID emerge for differentiated lower latency connections. The U.S. and Canada are at the forefront of regulating the use of Standard Power (4W EIRP) in the 6GHz bands – changing the game for 6GHz Wi-Fi by catapulting it to the front of performance bands and effectively providing 2-5Gbps of Wi-Fi to corners of the largest homes. Several technology and solutions vendors are providing an Automatic Frequency Coordinator (AFC) solution to give access to these higher power channels, and North America is expected to be the first area to capitalize on these new “higher power” Wi-Fi bands for improved capacity and latency at range. We hope in 2023 for more countries to allow Standard Power in the 6GHz bands and not divide the world on access to higher power 6GHz Wi-Fi applications. While much of the focus will be on the new Wi-Fi 7 solutions emerging, there is still a need to drive value-add solutions for existing Wi-Fi 6 solution portfolios. A cost-effective dual band access point will remain a key essential for most deployments in 2023. One highly discussed question that will be answered in 2023 is whether a dual band access point device will emerge on Wi-Fi 7 to support better use of 2.4/5GHz spectrum with MLO capabilities or will most of the Wi-Fi 7 gateway and AP devices be tri-band or even quad band.
Back to the future with video bundles
Streaming video services will continue to be the primary source of entertainment, with streaming video making up 80% of all content consumed by a typical home in 2023 (with 10% devoted to gaming). Increasing bundling of streaming services will simplify the consumer purchasing and viewing experience as the number of services grows. Service providers will continue to focus on owning the live and streaming aggregation point on a single streamer/set-top device to make the user experience for content navigation as seamless as possible.
New software-based solutions are changing the home management paradigm: using the Gateway Edge with the Cloud
Beyond quad play (fixed voice, broadband, pay-television services and mobile service), service providers are exploring the next generation of immersive video solutions, and other areas like telemedicine, elderly care, and more. One of the most important elements of the connected home over the next three years will be the focus on using software solutions to manage and drive services to the home. With the emergent new capabilities of containerized solutions in the broadband CPE open-source software (prplOS/OpenWRT and RDK-B), the ability to easily add and remove services to the gateway will increase the cadence in software service solutions to the home. Coupled with the ability to get detailed telemetry from the home devices with new standards, service providers can enhance their abilities to manage quality, manage energy, and simplify home digital experiences. With the increase in performance of the Broadband Gateway, much of the processing can be done locally – reducing latency and costs for cloud-based processing solutions. As one of the key containerized additive services to the home, we see growing momentum in 2023 for Matter, the new smart home standard, to become the aggregating standard for all home IoT devices – enabling the preferred smart home applications consumers want to use.
Building a sustainable future
While attitudes towards sustainability vary across the globe, there will be growing consumer awareness and demand in 2023 for sustainable CPE products with lower power consumption, use of recycled plastics, elimination of single-use plastics, and more. Leading service providers have set environmental, social and governance goals and there will be increasing collaboration between technology vendors, solution providers and operators to deliver solutions that deliver on sustainable science-based targets. It is yet to be determined how the events and economical influences of 2023 will impact the direction of the connected consumer home, but one thing is fairly certain: 2023 is primed to be a foundational year with the ability to truly transform the consumer home experience. Over the next year, we will see how service providers partner with technology and solutions vendors to attract and retain customers, how Wi-Fi 7 will be marketed and influence buying patterns, how (and how much) service provider innovation and investment plans will be altered, and what the next generation of home networking holds. As we wave goodbye to 2022, it will be best remembered as the year of hybrid work and the realism that building the next level of human digital experience is a marathon – not a sprint.
5G means big changes for large public venues
By Upendra Pingle, Senior Vice President, Intelligent Cellular Networks
Go to any busy large public venue, and you’ll be surrounded by people on their mobile devices. No matter if it’s an 80,000-seat open-air stadium, a large theatre presenting a concert, a casino or major hotel, you’ll find thousands of visitors talking, texting, live streaming and uploading to social media on their devices.
Generations of cellular technology
Perhaps you’ve wondered how these large venues have the capacity to support so many simultaneous high-bandwidth wireless connections. Many people assume that indoor connectivity just means Wi-Fi®, and this is true in some cases. However, large buildings also have cellular networks available indoors, which have distinct performance advantages.
Indoor cellular networks, 80% of which today are 4G/LTE-enabled, provide seamless authentication, SIM card-based security and more adaptive coverage for mixed indoor and outdoor spaces. Indoor 4G/LTE in large venues is typically carried by a distributed antenna system (DAS) that connects network remotes to a headend that backhauls to the core network. Like previous generations of connectivity technology, 4G/LTE has followed the traditional evolutionary path for cellular.
Across the span of about a decade, the rollout of cellular technology goes through three phases. First, the new standard is deployed in the networks that cover the most people—the outdoor macro networks—where antennas, radio equipment and other infrastructure are upgraded with new equipment. Then the focus moves indoors to large venues. Places such as stadiums, airports, casinos, transportation hubs and the like update their indoor wireless equipment to support the new generation of technology. After that, network densification happens for capacity expansion and optimization. The final years of the cycle will also see increasing interest and planning for the next generation of cellular technology, and the cycle begins anew.
Of course, there are deviations, but this overall pattern has held true for the last three generations of cellular technology. We are now in the phase of 5G growth in-building and we expect the next few years will see many more 5G upgrade projects for DAS systems that deliver cellular networks.
5G changes everything
5G deployments can provide as much as a multifold capacity increase to feed bandwidth-hungry applications. This high-density architecture is baked into 5G DAS right out of the box; it not only provides a massive pipeline for tweets, media streaming, selfies and texts today, but also offers the bandwidth to support the next generation of more interactive and immersive applications.
5G’s advantage extends far beyond its massive bandwidth increase, however. 5G’s other main benefit is its low latency—that is, the time it takes for a signal to reach its destination. 4G/LTE latency typically hovers at around 50 milliseconds (about 1/20th of a second). 5G, on the other hand, has latency that can approach as little as 1 millisecond (1/1000th of a second). That’s about as close to real-time connectivity as we’re likely to see for quite some time. 5G also supports a wide range of bands that each provide customized strengths that can be suited to a particular place or application. Its substantial sub-6GHz bands (including C-band) are ideal for broader coverage of larger areas, as well as mixed indoor-outdoor areas. At the other end are mmWave bands (26GHz and up) that provide incredible throughput speeds but can’t cover much distance and can’t easily travel through walls or other solid obstacles.
The business case for 5G: For the fans
In a large public venue, 5G’s flexibility, bandwidth and latency can power next-generation experiences for fans and visitors. In a business where dazzling the fans or on-time arrivals and departures are metrics of success, 5G-enabled virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) applications can be critical differentiators. Imagine tens or even hundreds of thousands of simultaneously-connected users being able to:
- Call up 4K-resolution football replays, curated statistics and player profiles on-demand - Read the lyrics and record video of their favorite live band’s performance - View 3D video of the cheering crowd, as seen from the performer’s perspective - Watch your favorite show or movie in 4K while waiting for your flight - Placing micro-bets on the outcome of a particular play, just seconds before it happens
These VR/AR and other high-bandwidth, low-latency applications, as well as those yet to be created, can all be delivered on a stadium-size scale by 5G DAS. With more and more 5G-enabled devices finding their way into people’s pockets, the ultimate interactive and immersive entertainment experience will soon be within easy reach of every fan—if the venue is geared to deliver it.
5G is not only for the fans, but also venue operations. The seamless authentication and enhanced security afforded by a 5G network, along with its backhaul to the core network, mean venue operators can:
- Securely connect wireless ticket-taker scanners to improve security - Manage stadium operations over a secure network, including door locks and other IoT devices - Provide emergency response agencies with dedicated public safety communications channels inside the venue - Offload Wi-Fi traffic to ensure consistent user experiences for fans and employees alike - Monetize venue-specific visitor applications like the experiences listed above
The business case for 5G: For venue operations
It’s also worth noting that there are now 5G-ready DAS solutions that operate over standard IT cabling, making them simple and relatively inexpensive to install—which no doubt comes as a relief to venue operators who must upgrade or replace existing 4G/LTE platforms. And the headend equipment needed to operate a private 5G network has been dramatically simplified, so it can fit into a small room or even be managed off-premises via fiber optic cabling. This not only saves space, but also reduces the amount of cooling required—and modern 5G DAS platforms can dynamically shift power levels as traffic needs change, improving overall electrical efficiency. This is important to many venue operators who weigh environmental sustainability in every infrastructure decision they make.
2023 and beyond
Looking ahead, Wi-Fi and indoor 5G will continue to work side-by-side, complementing each other in large public venues. The next big thing will likely be a more formal fusion of the two platform technologies into a multi-access public and private network that supports public and private 5G, Wi-Fi, and even Internet of Things (IoT) devices. This kind of converged platform efficiently leverages the strengths of both wireless technologies, eliminating the need to operate and maintain two parallel systems and greatly simplifying vendor relationships, reducing the risk in making the whole thing work. I believe that wireless convergence for 5G and Wi-Fi lays just ahead in the near future. As 2023 progresses, I’m confident that large public venues will be among the first case studies for the next big thing.
Shared spectrum, converged networks will shape enterprise connectivity in 2023 and beyond
By Bart Giordano, Senior Vice President, Ruckus Networks, and Kevin Wirick, Vice President, Strategic Business Development
Private wireless networks that drive enterprise environments—from manufacturing to logistics to office campuses and more—are on the threshold of a massive evolutionary leap forward. After a decade of incremental progress, 2023 will be the year that we will likely see widespread and large-scale convergence of Wi-Fi® and cellular in the enterprise space. This convergence will unleash incredible new potential for bandwidth, efficiency, security and flexibility in these networks as theoretical goals finally achieve practical reality this year.
The here and now
It’s been a long and complicated path to reach this point. The typical process of leaping from the drawing board to the enterprise involves publication of new standards, earning regulatory approvals (first in the United States, and then by degrees elsewhere in the world), the introduction of compatible connected devices and then, finally, earning broader marketplace adoption. It’s been made even more complicated by the very element of both Wi-Fi® and cellular that makes convergence possible in the first place: the availability of shared, unlicensed and licensed spectrum and the challenges in managing that spectrum responsibly and efficiently. In 2023, we’re going to see how amazingly that code has been cracked. Assisted by an increasingly cooperative regulatory environment, the future of enterprise networks is about to be born on a global scale.
Today, many large enterprise environments rely on a mix of Wi-Fi and indoor/outdoor small cell or distributed antenna systems (DAS) for cellular connectivity. The two networks run side by side, each with its own strengths for particular applications. Wi-Fi is well-suited to most connectivity needs, as it’s an economical and efficient way to connect users and (increasingly often) IoT devices and other infrastructure. Cellular networks, on the other hand, offer superior mobility over large distances and high speeds, automatic sim card authentication and security, and of course lower latency (particularly with 5G). In our experience, we find that most enterprises that employ both networks see about 80 to 90 percent of traffic moving over Wi-Fi and the remainder over cellular, reinforcing Wi-Fi as the workhorse of connectivity, and cellular as the specialized option for critical applications.
Both Wi-Fi and cellular technologies have recently gained immense new bandwidth through the addition of unlicensed shared spectrum. In Wi-Fi’s case, this is the 6GHz band accessible to Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 which basically quadruples throughput. In private LTE and 5G cellular networks in the United States, it’s the addition of the Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) 3.5GHz band which adds 150MHz of spectrum. This band is lightly licensed and far more easily available to enterprises than traditional 3GPP licensed bandwidth. Outside of the US, similar concepts are being adopted to offer “industrial spectrum” for enterprise private mobile networks. Of course, there are still some rules governing both these newly available bands. The 6GHz band is used by fixed satellite service (FSS) applications, and the 3.5GHz band is used by U.S. Navy radar systems—and these incumbents get right of first refusal. This priority is affected by recently developed and highly innovative automatic access managements schemes. Wi-Fi 6E has an access management device called automated frequency coordination, or AFC, and CBRS has adopted a spectrum access system, or SAS, for LTE/5G.
Convergence, not conquest, on the horizon
It’s commonly held that private wireless networks are exclusively cellular networks. Indeed, some wonder if and when cellular advances will finally overwhelm Wi-Fi’s advantages and replace the technology altogether. But the future we see is one where there isn’t conquest of one network over the other, but a convergence of the two that is greater than the sum of its parts. New IEEE standards aim to make Wi-Fi 7 approach similar latency and reliability as that found in cellular networks. There is also a solution to troublesome per-network authentication procedures in the development of Hot Spot 2.0, or Wi-Fi Certified Passpoint®, which eliminates manual device authentication on participating Wi-Fi networks.
Likewise, new private LTE/5G architectures are employing all-digital fronthaul over shared IT infrastructure to power virtualized single-cell coverage of larger areas and mixed indoor/outdoor environments, reducing or eliminating cross-sector interference and greatly improving both performance and energy efficiency. As their capabilities approach parity in 2023 and beyond, we’re expecting to see these two fast-evolving network technologies cross-pollinate to become a converged, user-transparent unified platform that shifts seamlessly between technologies as needed—no more manual logging into a Wi-Fi network, and no concerns over cellular roaming. This federation of networks means more powerful IoT capabilities and consistently superior user connectivity across the enterprise, from the lowest parking level to the highest office suite, from the warehouse to the manufacturing floor, and across the entire logistics chain. Shared spectrum will enable applications that will redefine industry and commerce as we know it today.
The potential of a converged private wireless network
With the growing adoption of compatible devices, we see this trend accelerating as issues of efficiency and security grow more and more important for enterprises worldwide—and the applications are virtually unlimited:
Manufacturing and industry: Large physical plants or campus environments are best covered by cellular networks, but indoors, Wi-Fi is the more flexible option. When workers and their devices are traveling around a 20-acre yard before coming inside, seamless transitions on a unified platform can help ensure both productivity and worker safety.
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Warehouse and logistics: Industrial robots are being used alongside human workers more and more often, moving at speeds that require precise control to avoid accidents and injuries. These robots rely on super-fast, low-latency 5G connectivity to operate safely, indoors or out. Meanwhile, automated inventory systems can work perfectly well on Wi-Fi.
Healthcare delivery: Hospital and clinical settings rely on total network availability, top-shelf security and maximum network speed. They are also loaded with connected devices, telemetry and equipment inventory sensors. While many of these applications are suited to Wi-Fi connectivity, others—including remote robotic surgeries—demand the low latency of 5G networks. To deliver medical services, modern healthcare needs both networks—but they don’t need the extra overhead of managing them independently.
Large public venues, arenas and stadiums: These environments are difficult to cover because they often require both indoor and outdoor coverage and have intermittent periods of extremely high demand. With a converged private network, these venues can run business networks operations (ticketing, concessions and so forth) over more secure 5G networks while letting fans post their selfies over Wi-Fi in the stands.
Residential/MDU opportunities: In addition to more traditional enterprise settings, dense residential structures such as condominiums, college dormitories, military barracks and others can benefit from a converged private network that can connect calls and power building security devices, electronic locks and more. In these settings, the cost of deploying the private network can be offset by marketing its capabilities as a premium, turning it into a new revenue stream.
Another important consideration is the proliferation of new connected devices in smart building applications. While a boon to efficiency and cost control, IoT devices are also an increasingly popular entry point for bad actors looking for network access. As far back as 2016, it was demonstrated that ransomware could be introduced via connected thermostats, with building occupants either roasted or frozen until ransom was paid. You can even learn how to do it in a 30-minute You Tube video.
A growing threat: IoT device security
IoT devices require special attention to keep them secure. While the tools exist to lock these devices down, they can be difficult to use for those without specialized security training. The silicon within IoT devices works with security credentials from certificate providers to ensure that every connection is legitimate but getting these two sides to mesh—the silicon’s toolbox and the certificate provider’s credentials—is an accountability gap that falls to the enterprise IT staff. A converged private network provides the foundation for a software-based credentials management system that can protect all IoT devices—whether connected by Wi-Fi or cellular networks—and continuously evolve to address new threats as they emerge. In a sense, such a credentials management system is the IoT of IoTs, in that automates access and control to secure the entire IoT environment.
We see all this and more leading the market in 2023 and expanding in the years that follow. The alignment of friendlier regulation, increased adoption of compatible devices and the compelling business case for private networks in the enterprise all point to amazing things in the coming year. Vast new bandwidth allocations, smarter management of shared spectrum and the approaching near-parity of Wi-Fi and cellular network capabilities mean that we won’t see a “winner” emerge from the competition between the two. Rather, we’re going to see something incredible emerge from their convergence.
The future is brighter—and closer—than you think
*Exclusively published in VentureBeat first
Data center evolution in 2023: Efficiency is the name of the game
By John Schmidt, Senior Vice President, Building & Data Center Connectivity
The last few years have introduced unprecedented business conditions for every industry, but among the most heavily affected are cloud-based services that are run by the global network of data centers. The business model has changed to accept new realities and fulfill new obligations—and extrapolating this recent history into the near future is an uncertain exercise at best.
An unprecedented one-two-three punch
Nevertheless, it is of vital interest that we do gain as clear a perspective as possible—because more of the world depends on cloud services, and by extension, data center operations than ever before. If there’s one thing we know the future holds, it’s that our dependence on them is going to increase.
The challenge is that over recent years the baseline has continued to move. First, the world was rocked by global COVID-19 lockdowns and the overnight reality of hundreds of millions of people working and learning from home. This shift threw immense pressure onto data centers to handle high-bandwidth video and other cloud-based applications over a much more widely distributed area. Then came the worldwide supply chain disruptions and labor shortages, making it hard for data centers to build out additional capacity because they couldn’t find critical components or the skilled people to install and run them. And most recently, global inflation and spiking energy prices, exacerbated by the conflict in Ukraine, have forced companies and nations alike to further rearrange their supply chains and make adjustments to continue operating persistently elevated energy costs. Note that these are just world events that aren’t even exclusive to the business of data centers. In addition, the growing social and commercial role of back-end data center processing and storage has presented just as many challenges.
Consider all the new applications that rely on capable, reliable data center support to operate. For instance, there is the mobile app ordering at your local restaurant, the high-speed robots in a warehouse picking your online order just minutes after you hit “Check Out” and even the driving assist-equipped vehicle in the next lane. The speed and volume of data being generated, processed and transported by these applications and countless others is growing exponentially. The world cannot afford downtime, no matter if the consequence is a delayed lunch order or compromising the full efficacy of a 5G-connected driving-assist system. Low-latency 5G is unlocking the bandwidth—and just as important, the low latency—that many of these new and amazing applications require to work. All that gets piped to data centers, which are increasingly being moved to the edge of the network to shave those last few precious milliseconds off the response time reporter (RTR).
Doing more, in more places, with less margin for error
Energy efficiency will drive data center evolution in 2023
For all data center environments, efficiency is not so much a metric for profitability as it is a metric for survival. Whether a small to mid-sized multi-tenant data center or a vast cloud or hyperscale deployment, the intense, simultaneous pressures of demand and expenses—particularly energy expenses—will determine its future. The bottom line is that data centers must increase the efficiency of their delivery of services, using fiber and edge-based infrastructure, as well as machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI). And at the same time, they must increase the efficiency of operations—and that means reducing energy use per unit of compute power.
Certainly, cost is the most obvious factor when weighing energy efficiency, but it’s by no means the only one. Consider how customers and investors are growing more attuned to how their corporate partners source and use their electricity. Some progressive metropolitan areas are telling data centers that, in addition to concerns about data centers’ appearance, noise and water use, their energy-hungry business is not wanted. And in some cases, the area lacks available electrical grid capacity to host them. Going into 2023, where we are dreading headlines from Europe and elsewhere about rolling blackouts and insufficient heating, both regulatory and social opinions will only tilt further away from data center developers. That is why it is so urgent that energy efficiency takes top priority and data centers make those critical upgrades, such as:
- Converting storage to the most efficient media, based on access time - Use detailed analytics to identify storage, compute, and power consolidation opportunities - Deploy ultra-efficient UPS systems - Re-evaluate the thermal limits of the center itself - Consider colocation to share electrical and communications overhead - Accounting for stress on existing electrical grid and moving to more sustainable power, localized to the data center
On a more strategic level, moving data centers to the edge of the network, connected by high-speed fiber, can improve energy efficiency as well as latency. Also, consider locations where there is access to renewable energy sources like wind, solar, hydro and nuclear. For the largest cloud and hyperscale data centers, there is an opportunity to take advantage of localized power generation in various forms, to both power the data center, and if excess power is generated, provide back to the grid.
Efficiency flows downstream
While many may never appreciate the broader social and commercial impact a data center has on the world, it’s worth remembering how fast, robust data storage and processing can improve all of the most vital parts of our days—and indeed, our lives. For instance, every day, the cloud-based services that data centers enable, help:
Employees to connect with each other and work efficiently from their homes, office, or while traveling
Farmers to plan, plant and harvest healthier crops while reducing wasted water and chemical applications
Factories to build, stock, manage and ship products with robotic labor that prevents countless workplace accidents and injuries
Ordinary people to create expressive user-created content that connects individuals across a school or around the planet in gaming, social media and the metaverse
Service providers to stream all kinds of entertainment and information content to homes, laptops and mobile devices in a seamless mesh of connectivity
All of these examples, and countless others, demonstrate how much efficiency in our daily life depends on data centers—and that demonstrates how important energy efficiency will matter to those data centers in 2023 and beyond.
2023 Trends Cable Network and Headend
By Scott Weinstein - Vice President, Product Management
Multi-Service Operators (MSOs) are facing a “Back to the Future” scenario for 2023 and beyond: they’ve heard the familiar call for increased network speeds and capacity for advanced consumer services, with compounded annual growth rates (CAGRs) for average busy-hour upstream bandwidth usage of greater than 20%. Same as it ever was, right? Optimizing cable networks to keep pace with the consumer demand for more bandwidth and faster speeds is nothing new. What has changed—and what will make expanding the network more challenging than it’s ever been—is the myriad of current and emerging options to grow the network and optimize headend support. Choosing the “right” path is a crucial business decision facing MSOs both today and in the future.
The market drivers behind this demand for more capacity and speed are familiar, and so is the common solution to them: the expansion of the network spectrum, especially in the upstream path. We see this theme in such trends as the normalization of virtual and hybrid workplaces in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and the concomitant rise in video conferencing. And we see it in the home: through virtual doctor visits, 4K video streaming and gaming and the increasingly ubiquitous deployment of IP-based smart home devices placing additional demands on network reliability, capacity and delivery speeds.
As broadband networks continue to evolve, MSOs are also facing an evolution in the modular technology that drives content delivery through their networks and into the consumer’s home. Distributed Access Architectures (DAAs), for example, revolutionize traditional headend operation by taking varying amounts of CMTS functionality out of the headend and into an optical node at the edge of the network. Similarly, next-generation passive optical networks (PON) deployment can utilize a node-based optical line terminal (OLT) module to migrate or supplement an existing DOCSIS HFC network, while maintaining DOCSIS provisioning compatibility with 10G EPON or utilizing XGS-PON with its SDN-based Domain Management for network provisioning and telemetry gathering. Both technologies provide a seamless, efficient path for driving fiber deeper into the network—in both urban and rural Brownfield and Greenfield applications—while reducing the energy, maintenance and operational requirements of traditional headend operation. The question is: where to begin?
The stresses these devices and services place on network capacity, network traffic and minimum network speeds are significant. Work from home trends, for example, have resulted in roughly 25% growth in residential upstream and 20% growth in residential downstream bandwidth usage during peak hours over the past couple of years. 4K video streaming requires around 50 Mbps per stream for maximum image quality—and that number increases as more screens and/or smart devices are introduced into the mix. Similarly, the typical 4K gaming stream runs at 60 frames per second, which translates into a minimum required internet speed of 100 Mbps. And smart home devices are becoming more commonplace as well, with just the smart thermostat market alone expected to have a CAGR of 17.1% through 2028. With all these market drivers in play for 2023 and beyond, a mix-and-match approach to network development is prudent and will allow traditional and cutting-edge network and headend innovations to blend seamlessly, simplifying the process of expanding bandwidth and increasing speeds.
The approach to DOCSIS 4.0 operation is one of scale —which is to say that MSOs have not one, but two options for DOCSIS 4.0: Full Duplex DOCSIS (FDX) and Extended Spectrum DOCSIS (ESD), which is also known as Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) technology. ESD/FDD extends the downstream spectrum to 1.8 GHz, while FDX operates in the 1.2 GHz downstream spectrum with simultaneous downstream and upstream transmission in a portion of the same spectral band. Both approaches support an upstream frequency of up to 684 MHz. These approaches are not mutually exclusive: an MSO could plan for ESD upgrades in one part of their system while planning for an FDX upgrade in another, depending on their service requirements. A clear advantage to this mix-and-match approach is its flexibility, especially with aging plants. MSOs have a unique opportunity to pick and choose the technologies that best suit their current and future operational and architectural network requirements, while also leveraging a significant portion of their existing network architecture to support these improvements.
DAA decentralizes and virtualizes headend and network delivery, enabling MSOs to replace analog laser technology with digital optics. DAA provides better spectral efficiencies with deeper fiber deployments and expands the number of wavelengths supported on each fiber. It also enhances support for IP video. At the edge of the network, DAA uses one of two approaches: Remote PHY (R-PHY), which moves DOCSIS signal generation out of the headend and into a module in the access node; or Remote MACPHY (R-MACPHY), which does the same for DOCSIS signal generation and processing. CommScope has a rich portfolio of both Remote PHY Devices (RPDs) and Remote MACPHY Devices (RMDs), as well as software upgradable RxDs that can support either R-PHY or R-MACPHY operation. There are pros and cons to either approach—primarily centered around cost of deployment and the extent to which they support virtualization—but these are mitigated by the operational flexibility they provide MSOs. As with network optimization, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to DAA; rather, MSOs can choose the approach that best supports their specific network architectures, requirements and goals. CommScope has been supporting operators in making these decisions and is actively supporting significant deployments of both architectures. Some R-PHY deployments, for example, utilize a virtual CCAP Core, while others utilize a physical CCAP Core. The latter involves an Integrated Converged Cable Access Platform (I-CCAP)—such as the CommScope E6000® Converged Edge Router (CER)—configured as a CCAP Core. The physical CCAP Core approach enables operators to extend their existing CCAP deployments utilizing equipment that has already been integrated into their back-office systems, for an easy migration or extension of services to R-PHY. Next-generation PON technology can also be a game changer for select business customers, high-bandwidth residential subscribers, MDUs, rural deployments and other market opportunities. PON OLTs can either be deployed in a headend/hub chassis or remotely in a CommScope optical node. Next-generation PON deployments use a cloud-to-edge approach that gives a system operator the opportunity to choose between an EPON network—the fastest route to PON, which requires minimal changes to headend and CPE architecture—or a GPON network, which maximizes network performance and restructures back-office technology. Network monitoring solutions—such as CommScope’s ServeAssure NXT suite—are also evolving in parallel with DAA and PON technologies. Advanced network monitoring in either of these environments will allow MSOs to better manage the increased complexities of their evolving networks—including advanced analytics on potential bandwidth and capacity risks to ensure maximum network performance and identify key areas in the network that may require upgrades. This feature is especially useful for allocating resources intelligently and efficiently.
Many of the bandwidth-increasing activities that operators are exploring—increasing upstream spectrum to mid-split (85 MHz) or high split (204 MHz) and the downstream spectrum to 1.2 GHz—can be achieved even with existing I-CCAPs. In addition, operators are also using these platforms as the CCAP Core for Remote PHY operation to provide a seamless evolution and transition to the R-PHY DAA. An additional emerging trend in cable networking is the virtualization of the CCAP operation. Virtual CCAP operation splits and moves access network functions from specialized CMTS or CCAP hardware to software running on commercial, off-the-shelf (COTS) servers. Virtual CCAP is scalable, elastic, agile, and versatile. Virtual CCAP infrastructure combines Network Function Virtualization (NFV) and Software-Defined Networking (SDN) to bypass the “service silo” model and lower capital expenditures. A virtual CCAP infrastructure fully optimizes DAA operation by supporting the independent scaling and modification of new and current RPD service groups via cloud-based core management, control plane, and data plane functions.
The CommScope Virtual CCAP solution is comprised of a Virtual DOCSIS Core, Domain Manager, and Video Unified Edge (VUE). Domain Manager, which supports open-standards SDN-based interfaces, quickly and efficiently configures, manages and monitors devices and provides MSOs with a means of automating the provisioning of new cores and nodes across their networks. VUE, a suite of modular software functions, can be used to virtualize (and thus simplify) an MSO’s legacy QAM video network. VUE is a video auxiliary core in CommScope’s dual-core DAA architecture that supports video data and control planes. VUE is also a key component in CommScope’s next-generation ad insertion system (NGI), which unifies ad insertion for set-top box and IP clients, eliminating the need to maintain two separate ad insertion systems.
Evolving & Virtualizing the Cable Headend
The plethora of new and evolving technologies can seem daunting. There are many paths available to optimize networks for DOCSIS 3.1 and beyond, transition from HFC to all-fiber network architectures, and virtualize the headend. CommScope is uniquely positioned to guide MSOs toward the solutions that best fit their business goals. That’s because we’re the one company in the cable industry that has a full, end-to-end suite of products and solutions for emerging and future industry trends. With our fully stocked toolbox of reliable, proven solutions, coupled with our decades of experience in helping MSOs evolve and optimize their networks, CommScope is the partner MSOs can rely on to guide them through the next era of network evolution and beyond.
Zoran Maricevic, “All Aboard the Path to 10G.” On Topic: On the Path to 10G. Broadband Technology Report, 14 December 2022. www.broadbandtechreport.com. John Ulm, Zoran Maricevic, and Ram Ranganathan, “Broadband Capacity Growth Models: Will the end of Exponential Growth Eliminate the Need for DOCSIS 4.0,” SCTE Cable-Tec 2022, SCTE. The paper points out that future demand for bandwidth is subject to a “cone of uncertainty” and may grow at a greater or lesser pace than we’ve seen recently. Fortune Business Insights, U.S. Smart Thermostat Market Size, Share & COVID-19 Impact Analysis, By Product (Connected, Standalone, and Learning), By Technology (Wired and Wireless), By Application (Residential, Commercial, and Industrial) U.S. Forecast, 2021-2028.
The Way Forward
Market Drivers: Familiar Faces
Networks are evolving in two ways. The first, and most immediate, is network optimization for DOCSIS 3.1 operation. This is accomplished by updating active network components, such as amplifiers and nodes, for mid- or high-split operation. In high-split operation, an additional portion of the spectrum is allocated to the upstream for speeds of approximately 1 Gbps— a fivefold increase from the sub-split speeds achieved from 5-42 MHz spectrum. Looking toward the future, however, MSOs are beginning to lay the groundwork for DOCSIS 4.0 operation. DOCSIS 4.0 greatly expands the available spectrum and can achieve maximum speeds in excess of 5 Gbps. This increased spectrum will allow MSOs to eventually offer multi-gigabit symmetrical services over their standard HFC network.
Evolving the Network: Optimizing Current Technology
DAA and PON technologies can be considered revolutionary in the way they leverage existing HFC architecture to remake and redeploy the network edge. The technologies use a modular, node-based approach, are easily scalable, and enable MSOs to prepare for the transition from traditional HFC networks to a virtualized, potentially all-fiber network architecture. And both solutions can leverage CommScope’s extensive base of currently deployed nodes to allow MSOs to upgrade their networks at their own pace while minimizing capital expenditures.
Remaking the Network: The Revolutionary Approach
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As your Account Manager, I’m focused on helping Vodafone to realise the opportunities presented throughout 2023, so you remain at the industry’s forefront. It’s my responsibility to ensure our partnership is driving growth and continuing to empower Vodafone to maximise your network’s potential. Staying ahead of the competition means satisfying consumer demands as they evolve, and keeping up with advances in technology to continue the work of expanding connectivity for all. CommScope is always here to support you. To explore how we can aid Vodafone in achieving your goals in the year ahead, please get in touch. Ann Ritchie-Cox – Strategic Account Lead: Vodafone Group Plc
© 2023 CommScope, Inc. All rights reserved. Unless otherwise noted, all trademarks identified by ® or TM are registered trademarks, respectively, of CommScope, Inc. CommScope is committed to the highest standards of business integrity and environmental sustainability, with a number of CommScope’s facilities across the globe certified in accordance with international standards, including ISO 9001, TL 9000, and ISO 14001. Further information regarding CommScope’s commitment can be found at www.commscope.com/About-Us/Corporate-Responsibility-and-Sustainability.
Ann.RitchieCox@commscope.com
