How Will Fiber Support or Limit 5G?
The cable and telecom industries face significant changes with the impending arrival of widespread 5G technology. Fiber infrastructure improvements are crucial for 5G's success, as current networks may not support the necessary advancements yet. Telecom professionals emphasize the need for customized solutions to meet consumer needs.
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Key takeaways
Fiber infrastructure needs to advance significantly for effective 5G deployment.
Telecom providers must offer customized solutions to meet consumer demands.
Nationwide 5G rollout should not be rushed without proper infrastructure in place.
In the past several years, the cable and telecom industries have been changed by a demand from customers for choice. A revolution in content streaming and distribution has occurred, and another change looms in the form of widespread 5G.
At Cable-Tec Expo in New Orleans, telecom professionals like Ray Hagen, Americas Product Manager for ProLabs, gathered to collaborate and best prepare themselves for a new era in their industry.
While the developments on the horizon are important to prepare for, Hagen suggests there is much work to be done until 5G makes an impact across the U.S.
“Fiber has got to be a lot further than it is today for 5G. That’s why other folks are looking at all their access network technology,” Hagen said. “Nationwide rollout, I think I’ve seen a lot of press releases rightly say, ‘yeah, hold the horses on nationwide rollout’.”
Currently, telecom providers need to work with customers to provide choice and solutions that meet their specific needs.
“Customers don’t want to buy that big box for just a simple point-to-point type scenario. They just want a solution that will get me from point A to point B,” Hagen said.
As new consumer expectations emerge, legacy companies and new players in the field will continue to battle for the most innovative offerings.
About the author
Daniel Litwin is a journalist of multiple disciplines focused on finding and telling engaging stories for B2B communities. He has interviewed executives from Fortune 500 companies including Honeywell, Microsoft, John Deere, and Chipotle, and leads editorial direction at MarketScale. Litwin hosts weekly shows and podcasts while helping develop new content approaches across the MarketScale platform. He holds a B.J. in Radio/Television Reporting/Anchoring and a B.A. in Spanish from the University of Missouri-Columbia.
