So far in our three-part series, we’ve looked at the changes in bandwidth speed and the challenges providers are facing. In this post, we’re going to look ahead to the possible scenarios that might play out, based on how current trends progress. While we’ve already touched on some things to be wary of, there are certain signals businesses can look to as they plan for the future.
As a refresher, “bandwidth on demand” refers to the “smart” network that can open up bandwidth support as needed for users. One of the previous changes we’ve noticed is the way infrastructure is affecting pricing.
With major companies owning their own cables, the need is there for a smart system that will dynamically manage operations for the future. Here are some more possible paths that bandwidth on demand will lead us down:
Maintaining higher quality
It simply won’t be enough for many users to have streaming support in the future: They will need high-quality content as well. RCR Wireless recently noted this, highlighting the difficulty in providing high quality and streaming speed at the same time.
As the article noted, this balance has led to some costly compromises in recent years, with HBO and Netflix facing angry users because of streaming issues. Whether providers skimp on buffering time or video quality, the results could be upset customers.
Software Defined Networking may increasingly offer the answer as businesses turn to automated solutions. Disseminating usage over the same networks could help manage the data needs quickly as the amount of streaming content grows.
The “productization” of Bandwidth on Demand (BoD)
With customizable bandwidth more accessible, the idea of this managed system itself could become more established. As a product in and of itself, BoD will offer flexibility and more control to companies—but they’ll need to figure out how to use it properly, and that will almost certainly bring a transition period.
We may still be in the early stages of this process, but that’s only going to last for so long.
By becoming an “early adopter” for BoD and SDN, companies may fear that they will lose market share. In reality, the short-term setbacks will be dwarfed by the long-term advantages of being first at the table.
As bandwidth speeds and needs increase, the customer base will likely become more supportive of any carrier committed to better allocation. This will, in turn, ultimately mean greater shares of customer loyalty and happiness, driving more long-term business to the service provider.
A global shift
In a press release earlier this month, Cisco announced its IP traffic forecast for the next four years. By 2020, the source said, the world will see 4.1 billion internet users as new applications and technologies develop. Cisco also said that internet video will be responsible for 79 percent of global internet traffic.
CloudSmartz will grant companies a way to meet new expectations while ensuring later-stage ROI. Be a part of the movement now and avoid being left out tomorrow.