Telecommunications company Tata Communications has launched a global private 5G centre of excellence in Pune, India, to help enterprises accelerate Industry 4.0 capabilities

The new global facility will be dedicated to testing and trialling industry use cases for private 5G technology, building on development experience for sectors such as automotive, healthcare and manufacturing.

With trials underway, Tata Communications will look to demonstrate prospective applications such as automated quality inspection of equipment using video and image analytics; inventory management and asset tracking; and AR/VR-based remote worker collaboration.

Today’s launch follows interoperability tests to assess compatibility of the company’s private network with different devices, and monitoring of connectivity.

Going forward, trials within the CoE will help to realise the vision of a holistic ecosystem underpinned by 5G, for unlocking new business models and revenue sources, as well as addressing emerging markets.

>See also: What does 5G mean for enterprise business?

“5G has the transformative power to be a game changer for all. We are encouraged and excited about leveraging this technology to enable the future of enterprises and economies,” said Mysore Madhusudhan, executive vice-president, collaboration and connected solutions at Tata Communications.

“Early test results in our global Centre of Excellence have proved to be very positive providing an evolutionary path towards Industry 4.0 scenarios to varied industries. We believe this Centre is well poised to empower enterprises for a hyperconnected tomorrow.”

The newly launched hub in Pune adds to two further CoEs already established in Delhi and Mumbai, both of which are engaged in designing, building and demonstrating multiple Internet of Things (IoT) use cases.

IDC predicts that the private LTE/5G wireless infrastructure market will reach $8.3bn in revenue by 2026, from $1.7bn in 2021.

Related:

Why 5G is the heart of Industry 4.0 — We are in the middle of the fourth industrial revolution. Many business leaders are paying attention to energy consumption and automation, but is 5G the true driver of Industry 4.0?

A guide to working in the Pune, India tech scene — As part of our series exploring innovative tech hubs around the world, we take a look at what the tech scene in Pune, India has to offer.

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Chris Lamberton, CEO of TrustPortal, discusses how hyperautomation technology is helping drive growth in the global telecoms market

Every telcoms company wants to deliver transformed digital services that lead to enhanced digital experiences for their customers. But most telcos, whatever stage they’re at on their digital transformation journey, are struggling to operate in this ‘digital experience economy’.

They’re struggling with a huge growth in mobile traffic and bandwidth requirements, fuelled by the home working surge, and increasing customer demands for always-on, personalised, high-quality, digital services — across any channel.

The ability of most telecoms providers to digitally transform end-to-end services is constrained by legacy IT environments, manual, paper-heavy processes, broken digital journeys, and the complexity and cost of fully digitising end-to-end services.

This is especially true within contact centre environments. Agents must navigate across multiple systems — often 10 or more, so they struggle to bring everything together and deliver positive brand experiences. This also leads to high error rates, stress, costly inefficiencies and decreasing levels of productivity. And don’t forget, every employee requires training and experience to properly serve customers.

Industry statistics reveal ever-longer call times, slower speed to answer, more abandoned revenue generating calls and missed opportunities to upsell. And this is being magnified for telcos that are experiencing a huge increase in contact volumes resulting from Covid-related events. The results are poor quality services that generate high staff and customer churn rates.

Telcos are therefore seeking innovative ways of designing and rapidly delivering the frictionless, personalised and simplified digital service interactions and experiences that both employees and customers deserve. It means making each interaction intelligent, intuitive, contextual and consistent across all employee and customer touchpoints — from the front-office to the back-office — and across every channel.

Traditional approaches to innovating in these complex environments often include replacing core systems or creating new, bespoke digital services, but are hampered by the complexity, cost, time and staff investment needed. So how can telcos start delivering this faster, easier, with less resources – and avoid missing out on huge opportunities?

The hyperautomation catalyst

This is where a new capability comes in — advanced hyperautomation that uniquely enables the intelligent real-time orchestration and augmentation of people, multiple vendor robots, digital technologies and AI, so they work together as unified, hyper-productive, super resources, at enterprise-scale.

It’s a hyperautomated way of working where each step within any end-to-end work process, of any complexity and business function, is precisely performed by the most appropriate combination of robotic and human workers: augmented by tools such as digital and AI — all within seconds.

These capabilties are uniquely delivered to employees and customers via robot-guided, real-time dialogues and interactions, across every channel including IVR; telephony; email; SMS; websites; mobile apps; chatbots and more. The result is much simpler, more valuable, digital interactions and next best interactions that provide transformed services and experiences.

For example, in a telco’s call centre, a customer call via IVR immediately activates and coordinates swarms of robots to instantly gather information from multiple legacy, modern systems and APIs — even before the call being routed to an agent. Robots dynamically generate agent-friendly interfaces from this information that’s dynamically adapted for the specific customer’s needs.

So, the right information is instantly provided to agents, in the right UI, at the right time, given the task at hand. This makes each step the “next simplest interaction” for agents, so it reduces workloads and increases productivity, leading to lower call times. Contextual “Agent Assist” AI also helps agents to swiftly solve any issue.

Customers can also experience transformed services by self-serving themselves through any digital channel — or even switch across multi-channels, guided by the same robots servicing agents. So, customers no longer call in and hold for ages. They can now do everything themselves online, starting and checking the progress of their requests, 24/7.

What a hyperautomated telco looks like

Telefónica Spain is using hyperautomation capabilities that enable employees to better serve customers. Telefónica’s contact centre agents must handle up to 200,000 calls per day, and previously, agents had to be trained on, and work with, 10-15 different systems. During lockdown, Telefónica also faced a 50 per cent growth in mobile traffic, while working from home.

Telefónica’s 12,000 agents are using a platform, powered by hyperautomation, as a single, easy to use interface, supporting over 90 per cent of all calls through transformed, end-to-end services, across multiple channels — with unmatched ease, speed, integrity, and scale. So instead of the agent spending minutes working across multiple systems, robots immediately provide them with deep “Customer 360” insights — while retrieving data and updating multiple legacy systems simultaneously.

This means even complex Telefónica processes can be completed in minutes, rather than hours — or even days. Simple robot-guided interactions for agents mean significantly less training, far easier multi-skilling and 100 per cent process compliance.

The results of increased productivity are compelling and wide-ranging. Telefónica has already achieved a staggering €50 million savings per year, and 50 per cent faster service completion times. The ‘softer’ figures are also important, such as 30 per cent reduction in agent attrition, and 30 per cent cost reductions — while achieving +5 Customer Services Index scores.

Final thoughts

It’s not only telcoms providers, but most organisations operating in other verticals that are desperately seeking innovative ways of doing more with less. The icing on the cake is that hyperautomated working can be achieved faster, with less capital and resource, than most corporations believe is possible.

Hyperautomation requires no coding or integration effort to augment ways of working across legacy and digital systems: regardless of their complexity. It also augments existing automation and other tech investments, so ROI is delivered in months, not years; and at 10 per cent of the cost of traditional digitisation and automation approaches.

Let’s be clear: hyperautomation is about easily and swiftly creating new types of hyper-productive work that solves problems previously deemed impossible due to the limitations of time, cost, resources, and legacy tech. It means organisations from the most digitally mature, to the most legacy challenged, can transform, survive and thrive.

Written by Chris Lamberton, CEO of TrustPortal

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The biggest hyperautomation trends in finance — Exploring the biggest hyperautomation trends that are disrupting finance verticals in today’s post-pandemic landscape.

The post How hyperautomation is disrupting global telecoms to fuel growth appeared first on Information Age.

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust now hosts the first hospital in the UK to be connected to 5G infrastructure, activated by Virgin Media O2 Business

Virgin Media O2‘s private 5G network will provide connectivity for mission-critical digital health use cases for clinicians and patients in the trust, which offers an extensive portfolio of mental health services.

The efficiency, safety and security benefits of using smart, 5G-connected technologies in NHS hospitals — including the Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI) — is a key focus of the project.

This development is part of a series of digital health and innovation trials, undertaken by Maudsley Digital Lab and funded by NHS Digital.

“Exploring and using the latest technology supports our core strategic aim to deliver outstanding mental health care for people who use our services, their carers and families,” said Stuart MacLellan, acting chief information officer at South London and Maudsley Foundation Trust.

“We are proud to be partnering with Virgin Media O2 Business to create the UK’s first 5G-connected hospital, which enables us to use digital innovations to improve patient outcomes. This is a very exciting step forward.”

Mike Smith, large enterprise & public sector director at Virgin Media O2 Business, commented: “The NHS has been a cornerstone of British society for nearly 75 years, and today, we’re proud to announce the switch-on of the UK’s first 5G-connected hospital – showing how next-generation technology can help create a smarter, modern healthcare service for everyone.

“Our aim is to map out the rollout of wireless and smart hospital connectivity across the NHS estate over the next three to five years. Trials like this are the embodiment of our mission to upgrade the UK, and a clear sign of the role we can play in helping to shape the NHS of the future.”

Hospital use cases

Trials of the Maudsley Smart Hospital and Maudsley Smart Pharmacy are now live across two wards at Bethlem Royal Hospital in South London.

Here, ‘e-Observations’, where clinicians use handheld devices to update patient records, are being trialled in the aim to save valuable time and improve accuracy.

The hospital also looks to link up smart devices and monitoring to reduce expensive medicine waste and track air quality in wards.

Additionally, anonymised heat maps presented using AI tool Spatial Insights will allow for improved planning of space in public areas, while IT teams will have access to expert maintenance support in other hospitals thanks to an augmented reality (AR) tool called ‘Remote Expert’.

The 5G trial is a collaborative development between South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, NHS Digital, Virgin Media O2 Business, Bruhati and Nokia.

“This is a landmark moment for the UK telecoms and healthcare sectors,” said Kester Mann, technology analyst and director, consumer and connectivity at CCS Insight.

“Dedicated 5G in hospitals can open the door to a range of new applications such as real-time tracking of patients’ conditions, remote support and round-the-clock monitoring of medicines and equipment.

“Its high throughput and low-latency characteristics can also improve the efficiency and security of existing operations, making healthcare services smarter, more accurate and more effective.”

Related:

5G and AI use cases – how 5G lifts artificial intelligence — 5G will unleash the potential of AI, but how will AI and 5G most affect our everyday business lives? What are 5G and AI use cases?

Overcoming NHS waiting lists with digitised care pathways — Finland-born telemedicine startup Buddy Healthcare is helping the NHS to overcome growing waiting lists and resource challenges by digitising care pathways.

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FarrPoint research has highlighted that digital policy is being overlooked by G7 economies – including the UK – in their efforts to achieve net zero by 2050

The report from tech consultancy Farrpoint, commissioned by telco Telus, found that while the UK is leading the way in delivering net zero targets, there is no digital policy dedicated to supporting climate action.

Development and inclusion of digital policies within governmental sustainability commitments was found to present opportunities to accelerate the pathway towards net zero.

In addition, digital solutions — underpinned by the right levels of investment in infrastructure — is reported to be capable of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by an average of 20 per cent.

This is estimated to save around 150 million tonnes of emissions in the UK, and 2.4 billion tonnes across the G7.

Recommendations given to improve alignment between climate and digital policy include:

• transitioning away from broadband and mobile network infrastructure competition — limiting emissions from construction;
• allocating assets more efficiently;
• introducing tax incentives to encourage changes in working practices;
• considering projects with credible carbon reduction plans, when it comes to digital procurement and investment;
• ensuring that network and infrastructure stakeholders can make reasonable returns on investment.

“Like many countries, the UK’s efforts to combat climate change are developing well, but there is still much more work to be done if it is to achieve its net zero targets,” said Andrew Muir, CEO of FarrPoint.

“Across the world, digital services and solutions have been overlooked as a mechanism to achieve our collective environmental goals. It is vital that governments, organisations, and consumers alike recognise that digital policy is climate policy and must become embedded within each other.

“In creating this report, we provide a clear path forward to kick-start a conversation across the G7 nations on the critical role digital can play in reaching net zero.

“Not only does this make commercial sense and improve the lives of consumers but improved digital policy also can help drive emissions down, contributing to the UK reaching its 2030 goal of a 68% reduction of its 1990 emissions.”

The Digital Policy and Climate Change report from FarrPoint and Telus examined the digital policies that G7 members have, or are planning to introduce, as they work towards becoming net zero economies by 2050. The full study can be found here.

Related:

Responsible Tech Series 2021: how tech can lend itself towards sustainability worldwide — The Responsible Tech Series explored how tech can help businesses to adopt a model entrenched in global sustainability.

Why data is key to successful net zero transition — William Theisen, head of net zero decarbonisation for Atos North America, discusses role of data management in organisations achieving net zero.

The post Digital policy key to G7 countries hitting net zero targets appeared first on Information Age.

A mobile 5G network promises to be the bridge towards Industry 2.0. But the reality is patchy coverage and a high cost of entry. What should an enterprise business CTO consider when throwing the switch on 5G?

With the hype machine cranked up to 11, 5G is among the most hotly anticipated technological leaps in the enterprise pipeline. Can it live up to the buzz and what are the implications for large, complex data applications?

The 5G factor

In a nutshell, 5G offers enterprises significant data performance improvements on previous iterations of cellular technology. It is faster, with less lag on data transmission and more capacity for throughput.

‘The key is for CTOs to understand why they are making the upgrade’

The implications of this are twofold: instant online experiences for mobile consumers and, more profoundly, an opening up of the digital economy to cutting-edge enterprise level technologies. 5G will upgrade access for gamers and home workers, who will experience speeds equivalent to those of wired connections, but large and complex data applications have the biggest potential for impactful change.

“The performance characteristics of 5G connectivity enable emerging technologies to be brought into play: edge computing, AI, data analytics and the like,” says Richard Webb, director of network infrastructure at CCS Insight.

“In terms of opportunities, it depends on where an enterprise is in its digital transformation, but as enterprises become more data-centric in their operations, 5G gives new options regarding where operational data and processes reside. This might create a path to better operational efficiencies, cost savings, a means to improve customer experience, or generate new revenue streams.”

A great leap forward

Compared with its predecessor 4G, 5G data transmissions speeds could be 10 to 20 times faster, particularly in cities and urban environments where it works best. With speed comes capacity – more information travelling via the same bandwidth – and this is where the true potential lies.

5G enables businesses to deploy more devices and sensors in more locations without investment in the sort of fixed-line connectivity needed for high data consumption and always-on connected use cases, the like of which will power future smart cities, utilities, transportation, hospitals and smart factories.

Before now, remote connectivity meant smaller data volumes and constrained, scheduled feeds, but 5G raises the bar on volumes and continuous up and down stream data feeds, according to Jaco Vermeulen, chief technology officer at BML Digital.

He adds: “This enables IoT projects to explore wider capabilities and use cases, and significantly richer inputs for big data collection. It opens up artificial intelligence and machine learning to use significantly denser data points for processing, resulting in more accurate outputs.”

New, more powerful cellular technology brings with it more capacity for automation, lower costs, greater support for numerous devices with less power consumption and longer battery life, as well as enhanced security.

At the enterprise level, it will facilitate emerging technologies like robotic process automation, predictive analytics and flexible, remote, working models for employees in the field as well as at home.

According to Doug Castor, senior director for 6G projects at Philadelphia-based InterDigital, the greater number of people working outside of centralised hubs means more high-level enterprise applications are accessed through consumer grade mobile phones, so connectivity must improve.

“With more complex applications now serving a whole raft of new use cases, such advancements are pushing 4G connectivity to the limit and pushing data consumption to extremes. As a result, 4G will have to hand the baton over to 5G as such quality of service requirements exceed the limits of what it can deliver.”

The opportunity is more than a general speeding up, rather it is a gateway to entirely new advancements in health, manufacture, travel and retail, to name just a few parts of the economy ripe for modernisation.

“Urban IoT, hospitals, real estate, transportation and municipalities will utilise the intelligent technologies designed to improve quality of life, community interaction, and public safety with the ongoing adoption of 5G providing the bandwidth,” says Laura Roman, CMO of US-based EDJX.

The path to adoption

5G will facilitate granular, real time, data capture in the factories of the future. It will help doctors triage patients before they reach hospital. Shoppers could have seamless access to virtual dressing rooms. The possibilities are wide-ranging and it’s easy for buyers to get ahead of themselves, but, for CCS Insight’s Richard Webb, organisations which define a clear business case before they acquire 5G tech will see the best results.

“I don’t condone anyone ever ‘rushing’ to upgrade, generally speaking, but I do feel 5G is worth consideration from enterprise CIOs, CTOs and network directors. It can be a powerful option to support digital transformation and enable more flexible data and cloud or edge operations.

“It will most benefit enterprises that have identified use cases that are constrained by existing network infrastructure. It could be deploying a 5G private mobile network within the enterprise campus to support localised applications and enable new use cases, improve data security, and create a more unified technology platform across the business.

He gives the example of an enterprise wanting to upgrade its CCTV network. Its Wi-Fi network might handle feeds from 25 cameras across its campus, but a 5G private network might enable it to double that figure. Other use cases include adding new operations, data capture for analytics, inventory sensors and so on. The key is for CTOs to understand why they are making the upgrade.

5G for enterprise business

Another consideration weighing against making the switch is the existing 5G device ecosystem, which beyond smartphones is playing catch-up, partly due to the side-effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and the shortage of semi-conductors.  

Enterprises should also consider whether aggregators and storage, processing capabilities and systems for automation, are all capable of handling the enhanced data exchange, according to BML Digital’s Jaco Vermeulen.

Asaf Gigi, VP Marketing of floLIVE, points to the potential high cost of entry and problems with patchy coverage, at least in the early days, though both these factors will iron out as time goes on.

In a sense, 5G promises to provide the missing link between industries 1.0 and 2.0 and, without it, much future gazing will remain just that. If the experts have it right, the new cellular technology will deliver on expectations for business at the enterprise level, just not overnight.

More on 5G and 6G

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5G technology disruption – 4 sectors ripe for disruption – 5G technology disruption – four business sectors 5G will disrupt: financial services/insurance, cloud & edge computing, medical and healthcare, and supply chain management

5G and AI use cases – how 5G lifts artificial intelligence – 5G will unleash the potential of AI, says Michael Baxter. But how will AI and 5G most affect our everyday business lives? What are 5G and AI use cases?

Could low latency 5G boost your business? – Low latency 5G means faster input response times between machines on a mobile network, improving their performance – why is that a good thing and how could it help your business?

The post What does 5G mean for enterprise business? appeared first on Information Age.

Poor mobile connectivity is costing small businesses on average one hour of working time each week per each employee, having a knock-on effect of costing UK economy £8bn a year in lost output

Small businesses are losing £18.8bn a year because of poor mobile phone reception, including connecting to the internet, according to research.

Poor mobile phone connectivity is having the knock-on effect of costing the UK economy £7.7bn a year in lost output.

Microbusinesses and SMEs that provide employees with work phones are losing out on an average of one hour of working time per employee per week, as staff struggle with poor connectivity.

A microbusiness was defined as having up to nine employees, a small business was defined as 10-49 employees, and medium businesses 50-250 employees.

Professional services are the hardest hit, losing £5.3bn in revenue on average per year, amounting to an annual loss to the economy of £2.8bn.

Retail meanwhile lost £3.7bn in revenue per year because of poor connectivity, resulting in an annual loss of £560m in output to the British economy.

The business cost of poor connectivity comes at a time when nearly three-quarters (71 per cent) of SMEs are thinking about where they need to cut costs to reduce spending.

Nearly one third of SMEs (32 per cent) of SMEs believe they are paying too much for phone contracts and are looking to cut costs, according to mobile network Three.

Simultaneously, nearly one third (29 per cent) of SMEs are worried they could lose employees due to not having good technology. This figure rises to almost half (48 per cent) for medium-sized businesses, which is especially worrying at a time where talent shortage is impacting most industries.

Over a third of SMEs (36 per cent) say they could perform better if they had better mobile phone reception, while one in five (20 per cent) are worried that not knowing how to use the latest mobile phone technology could allow their businesses to be left behind.

Unreliable voice connectivity

Part of this appears to be the mobile phone industry’s own fault. Almost half of SMEs (48 per cent) say the technology industry uses complex technical language they don’t understand.

Craig Beaumont, chief of external affairs at the Federation of Small Businesses, said that the FSB’s own research showed that 45 per cent of small businesses experience unreliable voice connectivity, rising to 57 per cent in rural areas.

Beaumont said: “We need economic growth and productivity right across the UK, and that rests on world-class digital, mobile and vocal connectivity – 4G and 5G must be inclusive for everyone. After incredibly tough times, small businesses can use this to innovate, find new customers, and drive the recovery – but they can’t do this if they are battling with poor connectivity.”

YouGov and Development Economics surveyed over 1,000 micro and SME businesses based in the UK for the research.

Related:

Information Age guide to how 5G will affect your business – What does 5G mean for your business? This Information Age guide to 5G looks at which sectors will be disrupted, what low latency means for those businesses, how 5G will be used by enterprise-level organisations and how it will propel AI

5G technology disruption – 4 sectors ripe for disruption – 5G technology disruption – four business sectors 5G will disrupt: financial services/insurance, cloud & edge computing, medical and healthcare, and supply chain management

Tech leader profile: business use cases for 6G – What are the business use cases for 6G? Given how spotty network coverage is for 5G, do we even need a next-generation cellular network? Alan Jones of Blu Wireless explains how cellular networks have evolved, and why 6G will be crucial for the metaverse

The post Business losing £19bn a year due to poor connectivity appeared first on Information Age.

5G technology disruption – four business sectors 5G will disrupt: financial services/insurance, cloud & edge computing, medical and healthcare, and supply chain management

Technology disruption — before we explain how 5G can disrupt certain business sectors, we should start with how you even define disruption.

One definition is that disruption is a “disturbance or problems which interrupt an event, activity, or process”. It might be the unruly kid at the back of the class who interrupts the flow of a lesson, or it might be a new infrastructure project, such as a road extension, which creates traffic jams during construction.

But there is a second definition: “radical change to an existing industry or market due to technological innovation.”

This is the definition that most technologists think of when disruption is mentioned, but it is surprising how rarely it is defined, and lack of definition can lead to misunderstanding.

Innovator’s dilemma

The late Harvard professor Clayton Christensen penned the definitive disruptive technology book, The Innovator’s Dilemma. Professor Christensen looked at how a new technology can transform a market, creating opportunities for new players and leaving established organisations struggling for relevance.

The Innovator’s Dilemma took as a case study the disc drive industry and how the dominant disc drive at any one time was determined by shifts in computer hardware from mainframes to mini-computers to desktops to laptops.

By the standards of Innovator’s Dilemma, 5G has disruption written all over it.

It will create incredible new opportunities but leave companies that fail to grasp these opportunities facing an almost impossible to realise catch-up challenge.

Which industries will 5G disrupt?

Adam Bujak, CEO and co-founder at KYP.ai, the process intelligence company, says: “5G will exponentially increase data storage and processing directly on the edge and in the cloud. That means that computation will happen directly in the source or for aggregated views in the cloud. The easier availability and faster access [with 5G] to the data will further boost AI development and training, leading to successful adoption.”

Yu-Han Chang, the technology analyst for IDTechEX, says that “5G, with its ultra-connectivity enabled by high data bandwidth, low latency, and high device density, will bring new applications in various sectors. This includes cloud investments for financial services, 5G+AI data intelligence for the insurance industry, autonomous driving enabled edge computing, telehealth solutions for medical; and full digital transformation in the industry, which will reshape current supply chain management.”

Let’s consider some specifics.

5G disruption of financial services/insurance

Online banking and online payments have advanced significantly without 5G. Many of us now make payments from our smartphones and check out our bank accounts while out.

Slow internet speeds partly caused by too many people accessing online data simultaneously has become a curious form of stress. Whereas previous generations might have stressed over a myriad of different things, like where their next meal was coming from, today, poor internet connectivity seems to be one of our biggest concerns — that’s the 2020s for you.

Although many banking apps can work perfectly well using 4G, they lose effectiveness when internet connectivity is pushed by too many people trying to use the network simultaneously. 5G, by offering speeds which can theoretically offer speeds which are 100 times faster, may offer an advantage which seems quite prosaic — they provide the service that people expect from 4G but often don’t get.

But the above benefit of 5G is hardly disruptive.

To imagine how 5G might be disruptive, consider how the internet and smartphones have disrupted financial services. We have seen new banking services from the likes of Monzo and Revolut disrupt the existing banking industry. 5G will create new opportunities for sophisticated real-time financial services, such as credit checks when buying big-ticket items.

5G may also create superior security and anti-fraud technologies.

For insurance, the opportunity created by data may be especially important, especially data related to mobile activities.

The opportunity for augmented and virtual reality may be where the true disruption lies — we may even see a new type of banking model emerge in which we see the best of two worlds — traditional branch banking and online. Immersive reality might offer the feel of branch banking, but virtually. 

5G disruption and supply chain management

Oliver Chapman, CEO of supply chain specialist OCI, says: “5G will be an essential tool for real-time monitoring of the supply chain.”

OCI partners with organisations, enabling them to outsource many supply chain considerations, which it calls commercial process outsourcing or CPO.

Chapman said: “The supply chain has been catapulted onto the front pages, and if we have learned anything from the current crisis that is rocking the global economy, it is that a thorough understanding of the supply chain is critical. 5G can be applied to monitor the supply chain in-depth, not just companies that directly supply an organisation but their suppliers too — and indeed suppliers to suppliers.”

The disruption will come because companies that embrace 5G in auditing and enhancing their supply chain will be at a massive advantage. As a result, 5G will create radical change to an aspect of business that, in 2022, which we have all discovered is critical to the global economy.

5G disruption and cloud and edge computing

A superficial analysis might suggest that 5G will hand a victory to the cloud, reduce the need for local storage, and may even detract from the edge computing impetus.

In fact, edge computing may well emerge as a facilitator of 5G, especially 5G II operating at 100 MHz. Whilst this version of 5G offers extremely high bandwidth and low latency, it is limited by poor range, often as little as 300 metres. Edge computing devices can act as beacons extending the range. Indeed, edge computing is considered a vital technology for 6G — even faster than 5G but with an extremely low range.

The disruptive implications for the cloud and edge are simple. Cloud providers will need to ensure their servers have sufficient processing power to handle the opportunities created by 5G.

The disruption will come from the hardware — specialist computing devices, for example. The disruption may represent a particular opportunity for companies like Nvidia with its specialist chipsets.

5G disruption and medical equipment and healthcare 

5G disruption in healthcare is likely to arise from data collected and medical monitoring of individuals when they are mobile.

Opportunities created by 5G relate to:

• Telemedicine
• Remote medicine
• Emergency care
• Data-intensive transmission such as high-resolution images
• Remote monitoring
• Data

The disruption will come from operators and equipment manufacturers opening up opportunities using 5G.

According to ResearchAndMarkets.com, the global telemedicine market is projected to be worth $144.2bn by 2030.

Companies like telemedicine company Teladoc, Amwell, with its proprietary software system for patients, and AI/healthcare signposting company Accolade are all examples of potential disruptors benefiting from 5G in healthcare and medical equipment.

5G disruption

Disruption does not occur instantly. At first, a new technology might seem remote and not especially relevant. But once that technology passes a tipping point, great gales of disruption can create incredible opportunity but wreak havoc among those who fail to prepare.

5G is a classic example of such a technology.

More on 5G and 6G

Information Age guide to how 5G will affect your business – What does 5G mean for your business? This Information Age guide to 5G looks at which sectors will be disrupted, what low latency means for those businesses, how 5G will be used by enterprise-level organisations and how it will propel AI

What does 5G mean for enterprise business? – A mobile 5G network promises to be the bridge towards Industry 2.0. But the reality is patchy coverage and a high cost of entry. What should an enterprise business CTO consider when throwing the switch on 5G?

5G and AI use cases – how 5G lifts artificial intelligence – 5G will unleash the potential of AI, says Michael Baxter. But how will AI and 5G most affect our everyday business lives? What are 5G and AI use cases?

Could low latency 5G boost your business? – Low latency 5G means faster input response times between machines on a mobile network, improving their performance – why is that a good thing and how could it help your business?

The post 5G technology disruption – 4 sectors ripe for disruption appeared first on Information Age.

Low latency 5G means faster input response times between machines on a mobile network, improving their performance – why is that a good thing and how could it help your business?

A 5G benefit regularly touted by technologists is its extra bandwidth, which brings a bigger pipe through which computers can convey more data in any given timeframe. Another is latency, or the speed at which two points in a network can send signals back and forth.

The lower the latency, the more potential use cases there are for cellular technology. Hypothetically, instant responses – those approaching the hallowed single millisecond mark, for example – would increase the effectiveness and dependability of driverless cars, remote surgery, augmented reality and, more prosaically, online gaming.

‘The impact of low latency 5G will be profound and wide reaching for many businesses’

Sergio Budkin, director of 5G IoT market development at Virgin Media O2, explains the benefits, using the example of autonomous road vehicles.

Says Budkin: “Using 5G, information about the road and rail conditions ahead or behind, would be provided to all road users in near real-time.

“The data would come from vehicles and trains themselves, monitoring systems such as roadside cameras and other road sensors. This information, once processed, would then be used to augment traffic management systems, electronic road signs and automated driving systems helping to avoid collisions and delays.”

This brings the prospect of hitherto sci-fi applications one step closer, just not quite near enough to make them a reality. Robot surgeons, even those fuelled with 5G, are impractically expensive compared to a human one getting on a plane, while the limited spread of 5G masts eliminates the practicability of automated driving on anything more than localised test areas.

Real near-term benefits

“5G’s faster speeds, lower latency, greater capacity, massive IoT communication and better reliability can deliver benefits for every sector – from travel and transportation, to healthcare, retail, public services and beyond,” says Budkin.

His business works in the manufacturing sector to build smart factories. He says low latency means immediate insights into opportunities and threats, lower risk of damaging accidents, predictable asset servicing and, when something does break, an immediate response.

“It’s an enabling technology that makes every element of a factory’s operations smarter,” says Simon Ranyard, MD of Orange Business Services UK, Ireland and the Nordic Region. “Augmented operator solutions; technicians anticipating potential breakdowns leveraging stand-alone mobile private networks; boosted quality control with process precision via smart tracking or connected glasses for mixed reality.

“In smart factories, 5G enables real-time activity and maintenance tracking and constant monitoring of equipment from a production and safety perspective, as well as environmental data.”

Shahid Ahmed, group EVP, new ventures and innovation at NTT, says other opportunities for digital transformation include machine vision cameras that could replace sensors on the factory floor, better mission critical applications where milliseconds count, and prioritised network traffic via network slicing.

What is network slicing?

For the uninitiated, network slicing is a technology which allows numerous virtual networks to sit within a physical network, each with their own independent performance and security standards.

A business can control traffic across its spectrum at a granular level, further improving latency times by allocating one set of rules to processes with intensive data requirements, and another to those with less need. In simple terms, this is easier to do on a 5G network.

Business case for private networks

While much of the excitement around fast connectivity centres on consumers, businesses have an opportunity to innovate and create points of difference using the emerging technology, according to Paul Marshall, CCO and co-founder at Eseye.

“For many consumer applications, 4G speeds are sufficient for most purposes today. For enterprises, 5G networks open up a world of new opportunities and innovation, particularly for Industry 4.0 use cases and other IoT initiatives.”

He cites the example of blending 5G features into private enterprise networks, where an organisation can bypass public telecommunications companies to control the spectrum, network, and data, with coverage restricted to a defined area. So, no exterior interference or sudden unanticipated pressure.

“Private 5G networks suit enterprises that demand a nearly instant response time and require low latency, high-speed data transmission. For example, some IoT solutions need extremely low latency or high bandwidth.”

In these cases, predictability is key. Public networks are subject to random periods of saturation and, therefore, performance troughs. For smart factories, automated production lines, or open cast mines utilising autonomous vehicles, the cost of implementing a more dependable private network is justified against potential losses caused by network instability.

On a private network, Marshall says: “5G cuts round trip latency and reduces packet loss on the radio network, eliminating the need for retries and improving connectivity consistency. These capabilities enable high speed mobility and highly responsive, real-time control applications when combined with edge computing.”

Shahid Ahmed says the technology increases access too. “Private 5G can enable municipal cities to set up networks that provide internet services to the local community. Schools, libraries and even businesses can opt to offer internet services to their neighbourhoods, creating a new ecosystem of mobile networks that can address the digital divide.”

It’s also conceivable how 5G low latency could be used in financial services – for example in high frequency trading where milliseconds potentially count – and even the global defence sector.

Back in 2019, Ericsson demonstrated this with a visual representation of 5G and edge computing. The test involved a Nerf gun, two cameras, a target and a small disc connected to a computer. When the Nerf gun fired at the target, cameras reported the bullet’s trajectory to data centres which then commanded the disc to move into its path, preventing it from hitting home.

Low latency 5G    

Though this and other 5G applications require new infrastructure, antenna systems and repeaters, among other wireless tech, it doesn’t take a huge leap of imagination to visualise future use cases in the military, particularly at a time of souring international relations.

The low latency offered by 5G might not be quite the step change imagined by futurists, but its impact will nevertheless be profound and wide reaching for many businesses in a diverse range of markets.  

More on 5G and 6G

Information Age guide to how 5G will affect your business – What does 5G mean for your business? This Information Age guide to 5G looks at which sectors will be disrupted, what low latency means for those businesses, how 5G will be used by enterprise-level organisations and how it will propel AI

5G technology disruption – 4 sectors ripe for disruption – 5G technology disruption – four business sectors 5G will disrupt: financial services/insurance, cloud & edge computing, medical and healthcare, and supply chain management

5G and AI use cases – how 5G lifts artificial intelligence – 5G will unleash the potential of AI, says Michael Baxter. But how will AI and 5G most affect our everyday business lives? What are 5G and AI use cases?

What does 5G mean for enterprise business? – A mobile 5G network promises to be the bridge towards Industry 2.0. But the reality is patchy coverage and a high cost of entry. What should an enterprise business CTO consider when throwing the switch on 5G?

The post Could low latency 5G boost your business? appeared first on Information Age.

What does 5G mean for your business? This Information Age guide to 5G looks at which sectors will be disrupted, what low latency means for those businesses, how 5G will be used by enterprise-level organisations and how it will propel AI

5G, the next-generation cellular network, promises so much: increased mobile bandwidth and speed that will accelerate driverless cars, create smart future weapons to protect us while helping build the metaverse, the virtual reality playground which will revolutionise everybody’s life.

Beyond the hype, the reality is patchy existing 5G coverage in Britain and a cellular technology which mobile operators have been keen to push but with use cases which leave you scratching your head. Sometimes it can feel like a technology in search of a purpose.

This Information Age guide to 5G explains what 5G is, how it works, and how in particular it could help your business.

In particular, this 5G guide will look at:

Business sectors technology will disrupt
What does 5G mean for enterprise business?
How 5G will unleash artificial intelligence
Could 5G’s lower latency boost your business?

Business sectors 5G technology will disrupt

5G with its ultra-connectivity enabled by high data bandwidth, low latency, and high density of devices, will exponentially increase data storage and processing directly using edge computing – distribute data closer to the point where it’s used — and in the cloud.

Business sectors that 5G could disrupt include:

• Cloud investments for financial services
• AI data intelligence for the insurance industry
• Cloud and edge computing
• Medical equipment and telehealth solutions
• Supply chain management

Disruption doesn’t happen immediately of course. As with 4G, at first glance, the use cases for 5G will seem remote and not particularly relevant. But once that 5G passes a tipping point, use cases we cannot even imagine will present themselves, disrupting most business sectors.

What does 5G mean for enterprise business?

5G is among the most hotly anticipated technological leaps in the enterprise pipeline. Can it live up to the buzz and what are the implications for large, enterprise-level data applications?

5G offers big organisations significant data performance improvements on previous iterations of cellular technology such as 3G and 4G. It is faster, with less lag on data transmission and more capacity for throughput.

Compared to 4G, 5G data transmissions speeds could be ten or twenty times faster, particularly in cities and urban environments where it works best. With speed comes capacity – more information travelling via the same bandwidth – and this is where the true potential of 5G lies.

5G enables businesses to deploy more devices and sensors in more locations without investing in the fixed-line connectivity needed for high data consumption and always-on connected use cases.

It will power future smart cities, utilities, transportation, hospitals and smart factories. Home workers, for example, will experience speeds equivalent to those of wired connections. And for big enterprise-level organisations, it will facilitate emerging technologies such as robotic process automation, predictive analytics and flexible, remote working for employees out in the field as well as at home.

5G could prove to be a powerful option for CTOs, CIOs and network directors to support digital transformation for enterprise-level businesses hampered by existing network infrastructure.

If the experts are correct, this new 5G cellular technology will deliver on expectations at enterprise-level –just not in the immediate future.

How 5G will unleash artificial intelligence

Although AI is probably more common than we generally think, its impact has been limited to date. When we use Waze on our smartphone to navigate where we’re going, that’s using AI. But AI’s real impact lies ahead.

The growing importance of AI will go hand in hand with the emergence of 5G. 5G could kickstart the artificial intelligence revolution because this cellular network will in itself create new AI use cases. It enables greater data flows and quicker data collecting, allowing AI to generate more accurate models and predictions. AI and 5G will speed the evolution of a fully connected and intelligent world. The convergence of the two technologies will have an enormous impact on us all, having huge economic significance and will transform business.

How 5G will be used with AI?

So, how specifically will 5G be used to enhance AI? As we have seen, use cases will present themselves. It really is a case of, if you build it they will come. However, experts agree the following areas will see a convergence of AI and ultrahigh capacity 5G:

• Metaverse
• 3D robotic control
• Remote medical monitoring
• Autonomous vehicles
• Equipment maintenance, flagging repairs in advance

Could 5G’s lower latency boost your business?

Latency is the speed at which two points in a network can send signals back and forth. The lower the latency, the more potential use cases there are for cellular technology. 5G’s lower latency can deliver benefits for every sector – increasing the effectiveness and dependability of driverless cars, remote surgery, augmented reality and, more prosaically, online gaming.

Manufacturing use case

When it comes to manufacturing, low latency means immediate warnings about machinery or parts set to fail, lowering the risk of accidents and, when something does break, an immediate response.

For smart factories, 5G will enable real-time activity and maintenance tracking and constant monitoring of equipment from a production and safety perspective, as well as environmental impacts.

Or it could mean equipping factories with machine-vision cameras instead of sensors, diverting capacity to mission-critical applications when seconds count, prioritising network traffic through network slicing – more granular real-time divvying up how to best use bandwidth.

But perhaps the best use case example of the low-latency benefit of 5G is where an enterprise bypasses external telecommunications companies to directly control its own spectrum, network and data, providing that coverage is restricted to a defined area. 5G means no unexpected dropouts or sudden latency slowdown. For example, some IoT applications need extremely low latency or high bandwidth. 5G will enable high-speed mobility and highly responsive real-time applications when combined with edge computing.

The low latency offered by 5G might not be quite the revolution rara-ed by tech cheerleaders, but its impact will nevertheless be profound and wide ranging for many businesses.

Please read on below this 5G guide overview to drill down deeper into each of the topics.

Further reading on 5G and 6G

5G technology disruption – 4 sectors ripe for disruption – 5G technology disruption – four business sectors 5G will disrupt: financial services/insurance, cloud & edge computing, medical and healthcare, and supply chain management

What does 5G mean for enterprise business? – A mobile 5G network promises to be the bridge towards Industry 2.0. But the reality is patchy coverage and a high cost of entry. What should an enterprise business CTO consider when throwing the switch on 5G?

5G and AI use cases – how 5G lifts artificial intelligence – 5G will unleash the potential of AI, says Michael Baxter. But how will AI and 5G most affect our everyday business lives? What are 5G and AI use cases?

Could low latency 5G boost your business? – Low latency 5G means faster input response times between machines on a mobile network, improving their performance – why is that a good thing and how could it help your business?

Tech leader profile: business use cases for 6G – What are the business use cases for 6G? Given how spotty network coverage is for 5G, do we even need a next-generation cellular network? Alan Jones of Blu Wireless explains how cellular networks have evolved, and why 6G will be crucial for the metaverse

The post Information Age guide to how 5G will affect your business appeared first on Information Age.

CEO of BT’s Openreach blames ‘tortuous’ Home Office process preventing skilled engineers coming over from Portugal and Spain to help government meet its target of all businesses having superfast broadband by 2025

Britain’s ability to roll out superfast broadband across the country is being slowed by the “tortuous” process of recruiting workers from the EU following Brexit, the head of BT’s networking business has told the Financial Times.

Clive Selley, chief executive of BT’s Openreach, the division leading the rollout of fibre optic networks, said countries such as Portugal and Spain have plenty of people with the necessary skills to accelerate the delivery of superfast broadband.

Spain and Portugal have almost completed rollout of fibre optic networks, which means there are plenty of EU workers with the necessary skills, he said.

“They want the work, we want the skills and the Home Office have a process that is tortuous,” Selley told the newspaper. “We are constraining the rate of fibre build in the UK through the process.”

“If it was easier getting people in, I would take a thousand tomorrow,” he said, referring to contractors rather than full-time staff.

The government has pledged to deliver full fibre and gigabit-capable broadband to every business across the UK by 2025.

However, addressing London Tech Week yesterday to announce the government’s new digital strategy, technology and digital economy minister Chris Philp denied that Brexit had any detrimental effect on the UK’s tech ambitions.

No Brexit impact

“Brexit has not impacted tech one iota,” Mr Philp said. “In fact, it creates opportunities because we can adopt a more flexible regulatory regime. So we’re reducing the burdens imposed by GDPR [for example]. And making sure that data can be better used for innovation.”

The new Department for Digital Culture Media and Sport digital strategy to attract and grow businesses includes setting up a “digital skills council” to help plug the gap in the technology workforce and a strategy to develop artificial intelligence.

Mr Philp promised a “very light-touch approach” to forthcoming regulations in areas such as digital competition due later this year. “Lighter regulation is going to be a source of competitive advantage,” he told the conference. “We have an opportunity to turn the UK into a free trade hub for digital.”

Last year, chancellor Rishi Sunak told GrowthBusiness that he wants UK pension funds to invest more in fast-growing tech start-ups — a point reiterated by Mr Philp.

“The UK pension system is missing out on higher returns. Their pensioners are missing out on those returns,” said Mr Philp. “Make allocations to UK tech — your pension will be better off.”

He also said that “tech drives innovation, increases productivity, creates new things, whereas buying bonds or buying a bunch of listed equities in very long-established companies [is] not so much really creating anything new”.

Related:

Government to unveil strategy to boost UK tech industry – The department for culture, digital and sport is aiming to increase investment into AI, quantum computing and digital health

Broadband delivered via water pipes being trialled in South Yorkshire – The UK Government is trialling deployment of full fibre broadband via water pipes located in South Yorkshire

The post Brexit hampering rollout of superfast broadband, says BT appeared first on Information Age.

Verizon Business has appointed Sowmyanarayan Sampath as executive vice-president and CEO, effective 1st July

Reporting directly to Verizon chairman and CEO Hans Vestberg, Sampath will succeed Tami Erwin, who will assume the role of strategic advisor to the CEO until the end of 2022.

Sampath has been serving in leadership roles at Verizon for the past eight years, most recently holding the role of Verizon Business‘s chief revenue officer, charged with accelerating growth and disrupting the future of the enterprise.

Before this, Sampath held the positions of chief product officer, chief financial officer and then president, global enterprise at Verizon, in that order between 2017 and 2021.

Prior to Verizon, he served for nine years as partner and managing director at The Boston Consulting Group (BCG), overseeing relationship management, revenue generation and intellectual leadership.

“I come to this role from a very diverse background, a mindset to constantly learn and a mission to lead with kindness and integrity during this critical moment of radical digitization for our customers, ” said new Verizon Business CEO, Sampath.

“The Verizon Business team is absolutely the best in the business and I am committed to ensuring we continue to build on the momentum and success we have shared together thus far.

“The time is now to disrupt the industry and stay laser focused on transformational outcomes for our customers and how Verizon serves their needs.”

Verizon chairman and CEO, Vestberg, commented: “Sampath brings more than two decades of experience in digital transformation and critical network infrastructure on behalf of business customers to his new role at Verizon, plus extensive knowledge of products and their role in powering enterprise growth and global security.

“I am proud of the Verizon Business team’s drive and continued growth as part of our customer-facing transformation model. Given Sampath’s distinguished Verizon tenure, this will be a seamless transition and I expect him to continue the business momentum.”

Related:

The top chief executive and CEO appointments in tech — Here is a list of the top chief executive and chief executive officer (CEO) appointments announced throughout tech.

Verizon media business sale to Apollo “a win for Verizon and Hans Vestberg”, says Gartner analyst — Gartner vice-president, analyst Ted Chamberlin spoke to Information Age about how the sale of Verizon’s media businesses to Apollo Global will prove to be a benefit for the corporation going forward.

The post Sowmyanarayan Sampath named CEO of Verizon Business appeared first on Information Age.

BT is trialling a hyper-sensitive quantum Atomic Radio Frequency (RF) receiver, to boost next generation 5G & IoT networks

The quantum antenna technology uses ‘excited atoms’, predicted to deliver over 100x greater sensitivity than traditional receivers, with the potential to close the rural connectivity gap across the UK.

A quantum effect called “electromagnetically induced transparency” is utilised to form a highly sensitive electric field detector, which could boost the capability of next-gen 5G and IoT.

If successful, mobile network energy consumption may be reduced, enabling IoT devices to become more cost efficient and longer lasting, as well as supporting lower-cost smart cities and smart agriculture.

Theoretically over 100x more sensitive than traditional receivers, the atomic RF Receiver can be positioned in traditionally hard-to-reach locations, potentially bringing mobile networks closer to achieving 100% coverage nationally.

BT’s trial represents the first time a digitally-encoded message has been received on a 3.6GHz (5G) carrier frequency.

Previously, simple audio has been received using much higher frequencies, but this initiative provides an industrial demonstration using digital modulation within one of partner EE’s main commercial 5G frequency ranges.

In future, BT researchers want the emerging infrastructure to form the basis of ultra-sensitive 5G receivers for use in very low power passive mobile networks.

“BT’s investment in cutting edge R&D plays a central role in ensuring the UK remains a network technology leader,” said Howard Watson, CTO of BT.

“Our programme has huge potential to boost the performance of our next generation EE network and deliver an even better service to our customers.

“Although it’s early days for the technology, we’re proud to be playing an instrumental role in developing cutting edge science.”

Earlier this year, BT also had its first external publication on its atomic RF Receivers accepted for publication in the Journal of Lightwave Technology.

BT announced the confirmation of a commercial partnership with EE last month.

Related:

Organisations expect commercial quantum application in coming years — Capgemini — Capgemini research has revealed that organisations are increasing investment and exploration in quantum technologies, with 23% expecting their first commercial applications in three to five years.

How IoT can help build more sustainable futures — Erik Brenneis, director of IoT at Vodafone Business, discusses how the Internet of Things (IoT) can help to improve sustainability.

The post Quantum radio receiver being trialled by BT to boost 5G and IoT appeared first on Information Age.

Virgin Media O2 Business has launched a brand new ‘Get More’ tech fund for new and existing customers with 10 to 249 employees

Medium-sized customers combining any Virgin Media Business internet connection with any O2 Business mobile product can now put 10% of the cost of their new plan towards new hardware to support digital transformation initiatives.

Customers can redeem their Get More Fund against a range of products, including iPhones, iPads, laptops, desktops, MacBooks and printers.

Additionally, the initiative provides a package of other benefits for customers, including:

• A free digital review, involving a connectivity audit from Virgin Media O2 Business experts, assessing needs and providing tailored recommendations to set companies up for future remote working.
• Dedicated account management, with one single point of contact across all connectivity solutions — saving time and unnecessary admin, and providing help and advice.
• A choice of new technology to suit their organisation’s specific requirements.

With this launch, the merged Virgin Media O2 organisation aims to to help equip medium businesses with the capabilities needed to work smarter in a hybrid working world.

“Today, the workplace is truly anywhere. We know that medium businesses are investing significantly in kitting their teams out with the tech they need to work flexibly, wherever they are, and get the best out of their people,” said Catherine Amran, director of SMB at Virgin Media O2 Business.

“But we also know that when it comes to hybrid working, there’s no ‘one size fits all’ – and many businesses simply don’t have the time to spend researching the latest tech.

“We think it’s time for medium businesses to expect more from their connectivity providers: so we’ve launched the Get More Fund to give them access to the devices and connectivity they need, with an expert review to help them make the right tech choices – all backed by hassle-free, always-on customer service.

“As Virgin Media O2’s first joint service offering for medium business, the launch of ‘Get More’ is also an important step forward for us as a brand – as we bring together the best of our mobile and broadband networks to add value for our customers.”

Virgin Media O2 Business’s full portfolio of medium business products spans Business Mobile (including handset and sim-only plans, as well as data sharing options), Business Broadband, and leased lines for business (otherwise known as Dedicated Internet Access).

This portfolio is compatible a range of business tools, including Microsoft 365, Sophos and MaaS360.

More information on the newly launched ‘Get More Fund’ from Virgin Media O2 Business can be found here.

Related:

The biggest remote communication challenges within organisations — Crevan O’Malley, country manager, UK/I at HubSpot, talks us through recent research into the remote communication challenges faced by UK businesses.

Tackling tech anxiety within the workforce — Attar Naderi, associate director, Europe & MENA at Laserfiche, discusses how leaders can go about tackling tech anxiety among their workforces.

The post ‘Get More’ tech fund for medium businesses launched by Virgin Media O2 appeared first on Information Age.

Google Cloud and BT have today announced a strategic, five-year partnership to accelerate BT’s digital transformation, bolstering data and AI capabilities

The collaboration will involve BT utilising Google Cloud products and services — including cloud infrastructure, machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI), data analytics, security, and API management.

By embarking on the digital transformation project through its BT Digital unit, the telecoms company looks to improve customer experience, while reducing costs and risk, as well as building new revenue streams.

The initiative includes creating a group-wide data and AI fabric as part of its cloud-first and AI-first strategy.

Centred around driving business outcomes, the use of AI and deep ML across the organisation will allow businesses and customers to make more data-led decisions, as well as creating deeper personalisation for customer offerings and new go-to-market propositions.

Additionally, BT will be able to have real-time network analytics on hand for a more enhanced customer service, through predictive fault management and assurance.

Google’s Site Reliability Engineering (SRE) team, meanwhile, will partner with BT to foster a continuous delivery and “zero ops” autonomous operations culture, to accelerate product development and innovation as part of a new culture of working that BT calls “The Digital Way”.

Google and BT have already started working together on adopting Google technology, with plans in place to complete the core migration of data by 2023.

The future impact of artificial intelligence

This article will explore how artificial intelligence is set to impact organisations in the future, gauging the insights of experts in the space. Read here

“Our partnership with Google is one of a series of strategic moves that BT Digital is taking to help accelerate BT’s growth and digital transformation,” said Harmeen Mehta, chief digital and innovation officer at BT.

“This is a partnership that is deeper than just at the technology level. It will help Digital as a whole supercharge BT and drive its return to growth.”

Thomas Kurian, CEO of Google Cloud, commented: “We’re proud to collaborate with one of the world’s leading providers of communications services and play an integral part in its digital transformation journey.

“By deploying our full cloud capabilities, and support from our SRE organisation, our goal in this partnership is to set up BT with the tools it needs for future growth and innovation.”

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