Letter from the Editor - October 2014
By: Tim Young
“Any technological advance can be dangerous. Fire was dangerous from the start, and so (even more so) was speech - and both are still dangerous to this day - but human beings would not be human without them.” –Isaac Asimov
When Asimov wrote this, he was referring to his stories about robots, and I think it’s pretty common for many to regard those with a mix of interest and fear. I, myself, got a dose of the creeps the first time I saw a promotional video for Jibo, though that’s probably less because I fear progress and more because I can’t see paying five bills for an anthropomorphic iPhone app with a Teddy Ruxpin voice.
The evolution of the network, meanwhile, is regarded with a bit more optimism, but still brings its share of pain and confusion along the way. Old infrastructure must give way to new and service providers must balance countless factors as they keep their customers happy and remain profitable in a changing communications climate.
But boy oh boy is there an upside.
About CES 2014
Pipeline continues its legacy of bringing together the world’s leading service providers and technology innovators this fall at The 2014 COMET Executive Summit. This exclusive event
gathering Pipeline journalists, Industry Advisory Board (IAB) Members, and key solution providers will be an intimate symposium to shape the editorial direction of Pipeline, gather
priceless input from executive-level service provider experts, and create lasting industry relationships.
Pipeline’s IAB is an exclusive group of service provider and analyst executives who have long-term relationships with Pipeline and have played a role in Pipeline programs, editorial
direction, and provided content over the last decade. This year, Pipeline opens the doors to provide an opportunity to engage directly with a broad cross section of experts who
evaluate, recommend, and purchase communications and entertainment technology (COMET) products and services. Multiple levels of participation provide your company with an exclusive
networking opportunity, tailored to your goals and budget.
The COMET Executive Summit will bring together executives from the world’s leading service provider and technology companies, in a flexible format that is filled with unprecedented
networking opportunities designed to build relationships that can be carried forward to solve issues facing service providers today. Some of the topics planned for discussion
include:
- Networking
- Customer experience management (CEM)
- Big data & analytics
- Exploring cloud offerings
- Enabling new business models
- Delivering and assuring digital services
- Network evolution & virtualization
- Leveraging content
- Network security
For more information, visit
www.pipelinepub.com/info/comet/2014_comet_summit.php
Modern networks are not only faster and able to carry more, they consume less energy, are more resilient, and are easier to monetize. Conversely, they require (as we all know) a change in the way we view monitoring, planning, virtualization, and a host of other processes and technologies.
So what can we say about the constantly evolving network today? What are some of the considerations we all must make to take full advantage of the growth and change of our staggeringly complex network? In this issue of Pipeline, we explore that very topic. We check out the state of 5G, examine the complexities of two transmission mediums (fiber and superfast copper) and hear from Vodafone on the topic of telecom expense management (TEM). We also do a deep dive on virtualization from several angles and discuss the role that wireless mesh plays in an evolving network. In addition, we take a look at the myriad benefits of an all-IP network and explore the next generation commerce opportunities a smarter network can provide. And, as always, we’ll bring you the latest in news and opinion in the communications and entertainment technology (COMET) space.
Keep on evolving. Keep on innovating. It’s what makes us human.
Best,
Tim Young
Editor-in-Chief
