Alexandria. The Bodleian. The Richelieu. Trinity College. These are just a few of the world's most famous libraries and are a great place to start when conducting serious research. While they deal in physical books, Fierce Network has been busy in 2024 building up a library of its own full of digital tomes based on exclusive research. And our library specializes in exactly the kind of telecom and tech topics you're looking for.
This year we took deep dives into everything from open RAN and 5G to the cloud and artificial intelligence (AI). In case you missed them, we've pulled the biggest hits off the virtual shelves for a little shadowbox showcase.
Without further ado, here are the top six Fierce Network Research reports of 2024:
Telecom Automation and AI - Let's Get Real
Automation and AI will continue to be key buzzwords in the telecom industry in 2024, but this year service providers need to get past the hype and establish the actual business case for these technologies. 'Telecom Automation and AI - Let's Get Real' addresses fundamental topics, including: which implementations of automation deliver the highest value; which automation and AI features are must haves for service providers to resell to enterprises; what is the unicorn market for service provider automation/AI; the business cases that matter; and how long until service providers feel safe letting AI call the shots on their networks.
Download this exclusive report here.
21st Century Cloud Networking: Transformational Opportunities, Serious Challenges
Change is nothing new to the communications industry, with innovative technologies continually disrupting the status quo. As cloud technology now undergoes a transformative shift toward distance independence, data equality, and technological advancements, it is more important than ever to address critical questions about the industry's readiness for the next decade.
This detailed narrative of the cloud industry’s current state and future trajectory delivers valuable insights for navigating this pivotal year in cloud technology.
Transforming Telcos with Cloud-Native OSS
In the rapidly evolving telecommunications industry, the transition to cloud-native operations support systems (OSS) marks a significant shift towards more agile, scalable, and cost-effective network management solutions. This report, tailored for IT decision-makers in telco, emphasizes how modern cloud-native OSS platforms outpace traditional systems by being inherently more turnkey and productized and providing multi-cloud freedom of choice and freedom from platform lock-in. We explore the architectural and operational advantages that these next-generation systems provide, such as enhanced automation, improved integration capabilities, and superior flexibility.
Additionally, the report highlights how cloud-native OSS can dramatically reduce deployment times, minimize operational complexities, and lead to substantial cost savings, as well as enable open, flexible artificial intelligence (AI) implementation to automate back-office operations. This report equips potential customers with a clear understanding of how cloud-native solutions can revolutionize their operational frameworks and pave the way for innovative service delivery.
Breaking Down Network Silos: Integrating Networks for 5G Monetization at the Edge
Network silos are killing communication service providers. These businesses struggle to manage the network core, Radio Access Network (RAN), fiber, copper, satellite, undersea cables, and other legacy and new services. For CSPs to survive and prosper, these multiple, separate networks need to be combined into a “smart cloud," which is a holistic, unified and singular network that is automated and programmable with APIs. This smart cloud also leverages AI and open RAN with SD-WAN as an intelligent overlay and 5G tying it all together.
But how do CSPs monetize this smart cloud that relies on 5G? The future is at the edge in business-to-business applications such as smart factories, agriculture, and intelligent aircraft, trains and cars. By leveraging 5G, CSPs can transform disparate networks into a cohesive ecosystem, enabling advanced capabilities such as predictive maintenance, remote monitoring, and autonomous operations that facilitate innovation and growth and unlock value for network providers and their customers.
AI and the Network: Optimizing Network Design and Operations to Meet AI Demands
AI has a voracious data hunger and requires robust data center networking that delivers the performance needed to leverage its full capabilities. This report explores how optimal network design and operations can reduce costs while boosting performance and maximizing utilization of precious GPU resources. High throughput and sophisticated multi-tenant traffic management are crucial for AI applications, which demand rapid processing of large data volumes. Advanced traffic engineering, enabled by SDN frameworks, allows for dynamic resource allocation, ensuring high-priority AI tasks receive the necessary bandwidth.
Additionally, cloud-native network architectures provide required scalability and flexibility and steer clear of legacy system pitfalls. This alignment between AI needs and network capabilities maximizes current technological investments and future-proofs enterprises against evolving AI demands.
Creating New Telco Opportunities in the Cloud with Open RAN
After being overshadowed in the cloud by hyperscale platforms, telcos are finding a new competitive edge with open RAN technology. This report examines how open RAN offers telcos a path to reclaim competitive relevance by enabling more flexible, interoperable network architectures. By facilitating a mix of vendor solutions, open RAN reduces operational costs and enhances service capabilities, allowing telcos to provide bespoke connectivity.
These strategic advantages not only help telcos compete with established cloud providers but also support their evolution towards cloud-native functionalities with dynamic network slicing. Highlighting industry shifts towards open, efficient network infrastructures, this report underscores open RAN's potential to reshape telco strategies and level the playing field in the cloud services market.
Download this exclusive report here.
And be sure to stay tuned to Fierce Network as we tackle more exclusive research on key topics heading into 2025!