Last week, MYCOM OSI participated in Mobile World Congress 2015, Barcelona (www.mobileworldcongress.com). From March 2 to March 5, MYCOM OSI met with customers, prospects, partners, analysts and journalists, launched new products for Network Analytics (ProInsight™) and for Automation & Orchestration (ProActor™), introduced a new TM Forum report on Network Analytics, and announced joining the UK’s leading 5G research initiative (5G Innovation Center, 5GIC).
It should come as no surprise that the Internet of Things (IoT) and new IoT-enabling technologies, in particular 5G and network virtualization, captured the attention of Mobile World Congress attendees this year. Most attendees agreed that the Smart World of connected people and devices, including but not limited to wearables and cars, appeared tangible and much more than a promising vision for the future. This feeling was reinforced as the challenges of the brave new world were debated extensively in addition to its multi-faceted beneficial impact on everyday life.
A similar point can be made about virtual networks, as NFV and cloud network related references dominated a lot of on- and off-stand discussions, and (to a lesser degree, perhaps because LTE-A deployment is still in its infancy) about the advent of 5G. In the same way to 5G and network virtualization, ‘familiar’ topics such as Big Data and Analytics, which remain appealing for the telecom industry, were mostly discussed as Smart World enablers. In fact, all these exciting concepts featured in the MYCOM OSI ‘Smart Networks for a Smart World’ theme and announcements at Mobile World Congress.
It is also important to highlight some key remarks from a number of Communications Service Provider (CSP) prospects that visited the MYCOM OSI stand in Hall 1. Along with their interest in learning more about the MYCOM OSI solutions, these CSPs shared their enthusiasm about the highly anticipated Smart World but also expressed concern over:
- Equipment vendor dependence – CSPs who rely on infrastructure vendors to manage their network are interested in solutions that provide a unified, independent view of network performance
- Hyped analytics – CSPs are still cautious about big data, and view most analytics solutions with skepticism unless these are founded on proven telecom expertise
- Disjointed operations – CSPs emphasize the need to link customer experience with service quality and network performance, for end-to-end operations and enhanced customer experience management
- Network virtualization – CSPs are unsure about the best time/way to add virtual resources to legacy infrastructure, and appreciate the vital role of intelligent automation (orchestration) in managing future hybrid networks
- Overlooked ‘basics’ – CSPs are worried that essential network management areas, such as fault management, may now be receiving little attention even where existing systems have to be upgraded
For more details on Mobile World Congress 2015 or on the MYCOM OSI participation this year, please click here to request a meeting.
