Technology trends in 2014

The year 2014 looks promising for the Indian telecom industry as one sees the emergence of new technologies that could have a positive impact on the overall telecom ecosystem

These technology trends are chosen for their ability to spawn new services that have the power to re-ignite Indian telecom in the coming years:

LTE/VoLTE
In 2014, operators are expected to launch LTE services in India. It holds great promise for high-speed data communication due to its asymmetric use of spectrum. Operators will launch these services on a pan India basis providing increased bandwidth to users both on fixed as well as mobile front.

Machine to Machine communications
Machine to Machine (M2M) communications enables 'things' that are used in many industries - consumer electronics, utilities, and agriculture - to connect and exchange information with information technology infrastructure. Initially, one can foresee M2M offer vertical solutions in India, such as remote monitoring for connected health devices. But over the years this is sure to touch the lives of all of us through smart homes and offices.

Customer experience management
In the broadband world, operators need to focus on providing better customer service as the thrust is on driving loyalty, efficiency and revenue streams. Customer experience management helps in better utilisation of spectrum and providing better experience to subscribers.

Public cloud computing
Public cloud computing will be a preferred option for enterprises due to ubiquitous connectivity across devices and platforms and its lower cost in terms of both capex and opex. Large enterprises are combining both private and public cloud operations. This approach helps in cost savings and provides flexibility.

Mobility, mobile apps, HTML5
The amalgamation of IP-centric technologies, abundance of bandwidth and proliferation of smart mobile device has resulted in the creation of the mobile enterprise. Many enterprises have opted for mobility across functions like HR and customer service to provide faster decision making.

Encryption and data privacy
As information goes increasingly digital and mobile, its storage and transmission will require enhanced protection against unwarranted invasion. This invasion can come from unsolicited marketers or even the state. Thus encryption and other technologies for safeguarding data will be a foremost priority.

Big data analytics
Big data analytics enables granular segmentation and helps the enterprise reach the bottom of the pyramid to find the right group of consumers to be targeted for selling a particular product or customising a specific service.

m-health/m-education/m-commerce
With mobile and smartphones penetrating rural and urban India, operators are looking at these devices for mass outreach programmes through mobile-health, mobile-education and mobile-commerce applications.

Smart pipes: Telco/OTT collaboration
The advent of IP networks have made it easy for over-the-top players to offer services to end users without needing to run a network. Telcos can partner with OTT players to enrich the experience of the end consumer by leveraging their network as a smart pipe enabling value-added services like authentication and security, customer analytics, differential billing etc.

The year 2014 and beyond will see IT move from being a back-end enabler to a front-end driver of business growth, while investments in networks will continue to grow to meet capacity, coverage and speed requirements.

Ashish Pachory, CIO, Tata Teleservices