Here are the highlights from my Future of Communications newsletter content during 2014. If you want to get more fresh thinking about telecoms in 2015, then do sign up. It’s free.
Voice and messaging
Voice is the next big internet wave, with services like Talko leading the way. The hypervoice frontier is where the much action is at. Companies like Google are creating and using new channels of contact. New work tools will require new skills in virtual leadership. Meanwhile, the legacy phone system needs a new regulatory approach.
Policy and regulation
The hot subject of the year has been so-called ‘network neutrality’. The problem is that this doesn’t technically exist, assumes a magical benevolent intentionality to networks, mistakes content and carriage, and offers the wrong sort of freedom. The debate is so lacking in scientific grounding it is like pigeons playing chess. However, a rational resolution to the conflict is possible.
For a (long) dose of counter-balancing regulatory insight and sense, see our response to a UK government policy consultation.
Network performance science
We’ve covered two key concepts: performance hazards and stationarity that are part of a (missing) curriculum in network performance. If you get this right you too can become a ‘software telco’ [PDF].
Network measurement
Get it wrong, and you’ll be mismanaging quality. But you won’t be doing that, will you? Because you’ll be smart enough to use high-fidelity quality metrics by X-raying your telecoms network.
Network technologies
We’ve covered a number of technologies in 2014, including RAN sharing, SDN, IPX,Active Queue Management, and small cells.
Limits of bandwidth
The telecoms industry is addicted to speed, which is a shame as ‘bandwidth’ doesn’t add up and over-provisioning is a capital killer and churn sinner.
Repent, ye bandwidth sinners!
The path to redemption is through demand attentive networks that are fit-for-business. If we focus on human needs, not just ‘bandwidth’, we can drive a new narrative for broadband.
Future network architectures
We’re moving to a new distributed computing paradigm of ‘ultracomputing’. The core problem is resource trading at short and long timescales [PDF]. (Did I mention it’s not just about ever more bandwidth?)
Future of telecoms
Futurology is hard but the top challenges are clear. We need to get our structural engineering sorted out, and industrialise our operations.
You are also welcome to read the Best of 2012 and Best of 2013 newsletters, or the curated Geddes Think Tank articles.
For the latest fresh thinking on telecommunications, please sign up for the free Geddes newsletter.
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