Tellabs Blog

The networks of tomorrow will need higher speeds than networks of the past. 

That’s because new applications are increasing bandwidth needs in fiber optic networks.  In addition, cloud computing leads to greater variability in traffic destinations. Customers need new technologies to support communications and dynamic network reconfiguration at higher speeds.

In a blog published last week, I discussed a major trend I am seeing in Carrier Ethernet - that all of the industry's predictions of Ethernet growth and its displacement of legacy technologies are coming true.

However, a second significant trend is that Carrier Ethernet is becoming a commoditized business too soon. Existing innovations in the technology have not been embraced.

Through the work of the Metro Ethernet Forum (MEF) and other Ethernet standards supporting bodies, Carrier Ethernet is becoming the dominant transport technology in global telecommunications. This week, the MEF introduced a new suite of certifications for Ethernet equipment manufacturers.

As every mobile operator knows, one of the best ways to stand out from the competition is to deliver the highest-possible subscriber quality of experience (QoE). Consistent, top-notch QoE translates into reduced customer churn, higher average revenue per user (ARPU) and stronger long-term profitability. Yet delivering that kind of QoE is a tough challenge.

According to Infonetics, the primary reasons to deploy SON (self-organizing networks) are OpEx reduction, improvement in capacity, quality, network performance, and small cell usage. I have been hearing exactly the same message in my discussions with service providers all over the world. The fundamental goal of SON is to minimize the network lifecycle-related cost.