Shanthi Ravindran previews the upcoming FutureNet World event in Singapore, 17-18 September 2024.
FutureNet Asia is here again in 2024 in its 4th edition, following on the heels of very interesting conferences in London and Dubai. FutureNet has always been unique with its laser sharp focus on how CSPs’ needs can be met by software in its various generations, the latest being GenAI. It also excels at covering the industry ecosystem with a breadth that gives a us a good view of the CSPs’ and vendors’ current scenarios and future outlooks, encouraging an open discussion on opportunities for innovation.
Appledore analysts at London and Dubai noted the concerns around 5G monetisation and consequent slower pace of change in the industry. As an industry, we know that fundamental change in mindset and operations is needed, and we know that we cannot afford not to make the change. We know why we need to make the change. The question remains: How do we make this change incrementally while continuing to serve our customers exemplarily? How can we obtain the investments? What are the possible ways and means available to us? How do we cross the (autonomy) chasm?
As we know, Asia Pacific presents a very diverse space with very different and challenging needs across our mature and developing markets. In many ways, it is a microcosm for the world and has been innovating to meet its specific market demands, with its need to scale to serve dense populations, small and large, sophisticated and developing, as well as geographically dispersed populations at the same time. This presents a very challenging landscape, but also presents many opportunities and this has pushed the industry to scale to these demands in unique ways.
So what do we expect to see at FutureNet Asia, September 17-18, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore
In the APAC region, the last two years have seen many markets consolidating by mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and partnerships for network sharing and neutral host models for networks. Some CSPs have shed and rationalised on assets, while others have entered the infrastructure business. Active transformations are in progress, some including partnerships with hyperscalers for public cloud and edge solutions focused on enterprises. CSPs have created and piloted network-as-a-service solutions, with standard APIs and gateways. CSPs operations have the capability to scale and extend in reach within larger countries and regionally across national boundaries. Against this backdrop, FutureNet Asia is set to capture a snapshot representing CSP and vendor strategies at a significantly important point in time.
At FutureNet Asia 2024, we look forward to understanding and learning from this APAC experience of CSPs and vendors on how to face the 5G monetisation challenges, transform (or plan to transform), to create new business opportunities around enterprises and to scale their operations in tandem using new generations of cloud-native software that enable autonomy, the latest entrants being AI and GenAI.
The FutureNet team have structured a well thought out agenda closely following APAC needs, with an impressive set of speakers capturing both the business opportunities and the supporting technologies and operating models, with each session including CSP & Vendor panels and a vendor presentation supporting the focus area.
The general theme of the conference remains centred around monetisation through enterprise solutions, network-as-a-service, GenAI and transforming to support these using intent-driven, cloud native autonomous networks. The conference agenda includes many new entrants:
- Keynote by Dr Ong Geok Chwee, Bridge Alliance CEO
- CxO level views from the major CSPs in the region including Bridge Alliance, Singtel group (and Singtel, Airtel, Telkomsel, Globe, AIS), Axiata group, Telenor group (and CelcomDigi), NTT Docomo, Starhub, M1, circles.life, DNB, PLDT
- Real-world experiences and strategies from SK Telecom, Maxis, BT Group, Vodafone Business, Vodafone Idea, Reliance JIO, Rakuten Mobile, Spark, Sri Lanka Telecom, Cellcard and Afghan Wireless
- Case studies from NTT DoCoMo, AIS, Thailand and SK Telecom, South Korea
- Industry support from Bridge Alliance, GSMA, NGMN, MEF and TIP
- Awards in eight categories including 7 solution categories around AI and Automation, the APAC Operator, Technology Leader and Sustainability awards
- Showfloor including exhibits from Amdocs, Comarch, Dell, Elisa Polystar, Ericsson, Intel, Matrixx, Mavenir, Nokia, Rakuten Symphony, Thales, Vmware
Day One – Focusing on the Future Telco and what is needed to be done:
- The Future Telco and Networks for the Future – the business opportunity, using the power of genAI / APIs and the journey to become AI native
- Modernising 5G and the cost to serve – the enterprise opportunity, Open 5G advanced to scale operations and driving value through 5G
- NaaS and APIs – Telco as a platform, Network as a service – accelerating the path to commercialisation
- GenAI: Extracting Value at Speed – genAI for smarter networks and transformed experience, security and data sovereignty implications
Day Two – Focus on the journey to become cloud native and how it can be achieved:
- Network AI & GenAI: Cutting Through the Hype – Accelerating networks with AI, AI native 5G evolution and 6G, Leveraging genAI for business performance
- Journey to Cloud-native – Accelerating the journey, Towards Open RAN
- Network Modernisation, Autonomous Networks & New Operating Models – the journey to autonomous networks, data to intent driven, network to service centric, realising the 5G promise and Intelligent assurance
- Closing keynotes – SKT Case study AI for Customer Experience, Sustainability initiatives
FutureNet Asia was a great conference in 2023, not just for the conference agenda and speakers, but also for the great networking around the show floor and it promises to be the same this year. The exhibits on the show floor include solutions from many leading vendors, that are very relevant for the CSPs at this critical juncture of their evolution. In addition, there are the FutureNet Asia Awards that celebrate innovation in the network automation software and AI space and is always something to look forward to, for the breadth of solutions and initiatives that it brings forward.
Going much beyond the sharing of information, FutureNet Asia can also provide a powerful platform for a constructive discussion of challenges and successes, to foster collaboration among the CSP and vendor community and even provide a directional strategy for the future.
We recommend this event to anyone who has an interest in this network automation and AI and how it can support CSPs in accessing an incremental market opportunity for telcos that Appledore has valued at $100bn!
See you in sunny Singapore!
Full disclosure: Appledore is participating in the event once again, as an invited Research Partner. Shanthi Ravindran will chair two panels. On day one she will chair a panel on Integrating Gen AI to develop smarter networks and transform customer experience. On day two she will chair a panel on The Future Telco – Moving from data-driven to intent driven to drive autonomous networks. To arrange an on-site meeting, contact us.
