The telecommunications sector is rapidly evolving, driven by digital transformation projects and the introduction of advanced technologies. As companies strive to remain competitive and enhance customer support, emerging technologies promise faster data speeds, lower latency, and operational improvements.
Let's discover the top 10 emerging technologies transforming the telecom landscape:
· Quantum-Safe Mobile Security
Quantum-Safe Mobile Security: Technologies like quantum cryptography are being developed as a future-proofing strategy to secure a broad range of industries from future threats. Within telecommunications, quantum can help secure networks by using quantum mechanics to create encryption keys and protect against cyberattacks.
· Terahertz Communication
Terahertz (THz) communication is a wireless technology for communication networks that allows high-speed wireless extensions of optical fibres. It uses carrier frequencies between 0.1-10 THz and is considered to be the next frontier in wireless communications.
· Satellite-to-Mobile Connectivity
Satellite-to-Mobile connectivity is a technology that allows mobile phones to communicate with satellites, providing coverage in areas that don't have existing mobile coverage. It has already been celebrated for its ability to save lives and improve overall mobile safety.
· eSIM Technology
eSIM technology has been touted as the future of mobile connectivity, as it stands to revolutionise the landscape by enabling seamless connectivity and eliminating the need for physical SIM cards. An eSIM allows users to switch easily between mobile operators and support multiple profiles on one device - although they still only work on compatible devices.
· Network Slicing
Network slicing allows multiple networks to exist on the same physical network. Each network uses a different ‘slice’ of the same spectrum band and aims to provide greater flexibility. The technology is also vital for 5G networks to support a diverse range of applications that have different performance requirements.
· Edge Computing
Edge computing is a distributed computing framework that brings enterprise applications closer to data sources. It is a booming sector, with the edge data centre market in particular expected to reach US$300bn by 2026, on account of technologies like generative AI (Gen AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT) powering its growth. The technology is beneficial for real-time applications like autonomous vehicles (AVs) and automation.
· Open RAN
Open RAN refers to a set of industry-wide standards that allow for interoperability between vendors' equipment and radio access networks (RANs). It is a new approach to building the mobile networks needed to connect smartphones and other devices to the internet.
· Satellite Internet constellation
A satellite internet constellation is a group of artificial satellites that provide satellite internet service. The constellations could help address lag issues in satellite communications and revolutionise telecommunications by providing internet access in areas where fibre and tower infrastructure cannot be deployed.
· AI-Powered Network Optimisation
AI is currently working to transform the telecommunications sector and is widely being used to optimise operations, improve customer experience and bolster insights for businesses.
· 6G Technology
While 5G networks are still being rolled out, the potential impact of 6G is significant, as industry experts have predicted it could support one million devices per square kilometre, compared to the 1,000 devices supported by 5G. However, the development of 6G is facing technical challenges such as the development of new materials for high-frequency transmissions.
Source: Mobile Magazine
