The telecom software sector is rapidly changing, with the cloud, software-defined networking and other developments pushing companies to consider implementing new services for their customers. Although the future of the industry may be unknown, one thing is for sure: Telecoms need to keep themselves apprised of the latest happenings to stay one step ahead of the pack. Here are a few of the most noteworthy developments in telecom software to occur in recent days:
Comcast takes advantage of the Olympics
Consumers may view the Winter Olympics as nothing more than a chance to sit back and watch some of the world’s best athletes compete, but for telecoms, it’s a golden opportunity to showcase their latest offerings. According to FierceCable, Comcast intends to do just that with its cloud-based X1 platform, which allows users to access a variety of services and apps from a central hub. Company officials hope that by doing so, they can increase subscription rates for the service. The Olympic Games presents an ideal circumstance to showcase X1, as there are numerous events happening concurrently, and viewers are often unable to watch them all. By pulling content from numerous sources, X1 may provide a more comprehensive viewing experience.
Telecoms urged to reject standards
Advancements such as software-defined networking have forced telecoms to consider how they manage their assets in recent years. One area that has generated considerable discussion is the possibility of telecoms attempting to standardize their networks. Many experts at the recent OpenDaylight Summit cautioned against such a move, urging companies to support open standards and open source solutions, according to Enterprise Networking Planet.
“In the networking world we have had an obsession with standards,” Guru Paralukar, executive director at the Open Networking Research Center said, according to the source. “As networking has more of a software base, we need to operate more like the software industry and we should standardize as little as possible.”
Cloud-based telecom competitors emerge
Telecoms that have dragged their feet on integrating cloud-based services may be feeling the pressure to ramp up those efforts in the coming months. The New York Times reported that although telcos have largely avoided some of the drastic repercussions that cloud-based software delivery models have led to, this may soon change. The news outlet highlighted multiple companies that have leveraged the cloud to provide clients with low-cost alternatives to traditional telecom services. Twilio, for instance, uses its software product to foster the creation of call centers and unified communications tools. Many of the tech industry’s rising stars including Netflix, Uber and EHarmony have utilized these types of services to handle certain aspects of their communications.
