Next generation broadband infrastructure and broadband access

Dr. Zoran Miljanic

There is a definite need to understand and define a road map when it comes to telecommunications in this country, not merely taking a phone call or sending an SMS but to look at Sri Lanka’s development on a broader canvas when it comes to connectivity and accessibility.

The technology in this area is fast developing and sometimes overlapping which means over and above the decision as to whether Sri Lanka is the first to have new technology in this area, be it 3G or WiMAX; it is to see how far the country can plan forward and how much the various players are willing to invest in it.

There is a great need for a common platform for discussion between service providers and vendors, academics and regulators and the need for a common consensus in this regard. The second South Asia Broadband Communications Conference and Expo which is to be held at the Hilton Colombo from October 6 to 7 hopes to achieve this.

One aspect that has to be seriously considered in this fast growing competitive world of wireless and wired technology is the connectivity services for business as well consumer market.

While the vendor community has an abundance of offers, some are not equally applicable to all markets, and seems to be less understood by the end-user himself. As much as techies bandy words such as LTE, 3G and WiMAX, it seems less and less understood by the common man as to what advantages his or her currently used product or services has against what is offered in the market; vis-a-vis new technologies.

In this fast developing world of telecommunication technologies Next Generation Networking (NGN) a packet-based telecommunications infrastructure is coming into play. It will provide connectivity and electronic multi-media delivery services with broadband quality of service enabled technologies, giving users unrestricted access to various service and content providers.

NGN will enable transition from a circuit-switch based architecture to newer technologies like Voice Internet Protocol (VoIP). Wired technology which uses cable and optical fibre for transmission of data would also see a growth from DSL services towards even faster communication speeds.

The wireless service like WiMAX and LTE, which does not require a cable for transmission of data would grow to provide faster access speeds and accelerate this Next Generation journey in the areas of the world where the wires are not widely deployed.

For both wired and wireless access media, the packed based Internet Protocol stands as the building base of the Next Generation Network that will for the first time in the history of communication be a common medium for both data and voice.

Furthermore, the new forms of communication, like video, interactive gaming, as well as the traditional ones like TV, will all be carried by this new unifying network. This change presents endless opportunities for the end customers who stand as the ultimate winners in this exciting transition: getting more for less.

The challenge ahead of us is navigating this complex maze of new technologies and services. Like in any dramatic infrastructure changes, the success will be determined in making the right choices at the right time. These choices will be driven by technology options, but even more by the needs of the specific market and its development stage. This new world of broadband communication will also require the slew of regulatory checks and balances, the crucial means for placing the infrastructure in use.

The second broadband conference will address being NGN ready and related issues among South Asian attendees who will range from world leading vendors, regional operators, service providers, regulatory agencies, channel partners and the corporate customer sector; especially concerning the evolving need for new applications within one of the fastest growing telecommunication markets in the world.

Sri Lanka was chosen to host the conference as the country’s telecommunication industry was ahead of the other countries of the region. Yet being in the forefront of technologically and being compatible to the user often do not go hand-in-hand and the conference stands as an ideal platform for bridging this gap, according to organizers.

Moreover, the latest technologies and regulatory developments as well as development plans and business case studies of main operators and internet service providers in the region will be taken into consideration. For Sri Lankan players in this sector, the conference will be an opportunity for discussion of telecommunication alternatives and discovering solutions for various needs. There will also be a wide display of products for users to choose from during the exhibition part of the conference.