One of the biggest ongoing stories in the optical networking industry is the advent of 5G. Its potential to transform how we travel, work, and live has been widely discussed, and the network infrastructure to make it possible have slowly but steadily been deployed. As we begin to look back at the year that was in optical networking, we’ll start with our coverage of and contributions to this revolutionary new development over the past year.
January: A Primer on the Internet of Things
By 2020, there will be 35 billion connected devices installed worldwide. By 2025, it will be over 75 billion. Despite lingering security concerns, these devices are set to disrupt everything from factory assembly to use of home appliances. The bandwidth and low latency of 5G networks will become necessary to support each and every one.
February: Cord Cutting
In every minute of 2018, six more people terminated their traditional wired service contracts! 5G’s bandwidth capabilities have the potential to accelerate this trend even further, which poses particular challenges for network operators.
March: Deployment Challenges
5G deployments are about more than futuristic sci-fi fantasies of automated cars and augmented reality. There are very concrete, real-world challenges associated with bringing these new technologies to life that have generated significant controversy in some communities.
Read more about 5G deployment challenges
April: All About FlexEthernet
Through bonding, sub-rating, and channelization, FlexEthernet is a useful new standard developed to maximize bandwidth, and can be an indispensable part of 5G networks.
May: The Big 5G Event
This year, we travelled to Denver to attend Big 5G Event, one of the marquee events around this technology. Over the course of the week, we learned a lot about the collaborative industry ecosystem, the role of edge computing, and the uncertainty surrounding business cases and architecture.
June: 5G and Health Care
Another industry set to be transformed by 5G is health care. From surgery to preventive medicine, connected devices will play a huge role in delivery of care and the patient experience of the future. However, some questions remain.
Read more about 5G and health care.
July: C1 Launches 25G for 5G
5G infrastructure will require major data rate upgrades throughout networks. In addition to our 400G transceivers that can serve in 5G core network applications, we’ve expanded our portfolio of 25G transceivers that are ideal for 5G fronthaul/midhaul applications.
Read more about our expanded 25G portfolio.
August: Smart Cities
“Smart cities” is much more than just a buzzword. All around the world, cities are taking advantage of technology to improve the quality of services they can deliver and improve the quality of life for their constituents.
September: More About Telehealth
We recently took a deeper look at one of the most exciting, powerful developments in health care, made possible by 5G: telehealth. Both domestically and abroad, these programs have the potential to radically expand access to health care.
October: What We’ve Seen So Far
Early reports are in on the first 5G deployments. Is it living up to the hype? And what is the role of 4G going forward?
Read more about the state of 5G in late 2019.
What’s Next?
5G projects to be an even bigger part of the optical networking story in 2020. Stay tuned to our blog over the coming weeks as we start to look ahead.
