Standards to the rescue

Interoperability standards may become the default global regulations, at least in the realm of radio communications. There are currently two flavors of LTE that aren’t yet harmonized, TD-LTE and FD-LTE, but vendors aren’t waiting for the ITU-T or ITU-R to rule either way: Qualcomm and Intel are already making multimode LTE chips, and network equipment manufacturers are building base stations that handle both types. Last year the research firm Maravedis-Rethink predicted, “By 2016, more than 80% of LTE devices activated worldwide will be dual-mode, meaning they will support both [TD-LTE and FD-LTE] duplexing modes.”

Craft global security policies now.

Despite the earnest efforts of the ITU and the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), the fact of the matter is that it’s very unlikely that global security regulations will keep pace with the market. Innovation moves faster than regulation, so CSPs must play an active role in shaping global policy today in order to prepare for tomorrow.

As the cloud and pervasive wireless connectivity erase whatever national boundaries still remain, CSPs should imagine every service as a global one and think beyond local regulations. The market opportunities related to premium security services are significant, so building products from the ground up with considerations for security and privacy is essential. This approach will likely create increased business opportunities for data centers located in the EU as well as network operators like Tata Communications, which owns a private fiber network that encircles the globe.

Furthermore, becoming a member of the GNI and/or the Telecommunications Industry Dialogue is a wise move for CSPs and vendors alike, as there is strength in numbers, and the groups' platforms are commendable. CSPs should also continue to advocate for transparency in all regulatory environments, which will help them in maintaining strong relationships with their customers and extending the freedoms championed by human-rights organizations.