I'm delighted to announce a new collaboration:
Rethink Research & Disruptive Analysis announce joint
workshops on Enterprise Cellular Networks, and AI/Blockchain in Telecoms, London May 30th-31st
At the end of May, two of the leading independent thinkers
in telecoms research will jointly be running small-group interactive workshops
in London, addressing two of the hottest topics in telecoms technology and
business models:
- 30th May: Private Cellular Networks for Enterprise, IoT and Vertical Markets
- 31st May: Use-cases and Evolution Paths for AI, Machine Learning and Blockchain Technologies in the Telecoms Sector
Each day will have a maximum of 30 attendees to ensure a
high level of discussion and interaction. We expect a diverse mix of service
providers, vendors, regulators and other interested parties such as
enterprises, investors and developers.
The sessions will combine presentations,
networking opportunities, and small-group interactive discussion. Rethink
Research’s Caroline Gabriel, and Disruptive Analysis’ Dean Bubley, will be the
leaders and facilitators. Both are well-known industry figures, with many years
of broad communications industry analysis – and outspoken views – between them.
The two events will run as separate standalone sessions, but
there will be common themes and approach across both, to benefit organisations
with an interest in both topics.
Enterprise & Private Cellular Networks, May 30th
The first day will cover the rising need for businesses of many kinds to control their own, well-managed, wireless connectivity solutions. The growing use of mobile devices and the emergence of the Industrial IoT means that high-quality – often mission-critical – networks are required for new systems and applications.
The first day will cover the rising need for businesses of many kinds to control their own, well-managed, wireless connectivity solutions. The growing use of mobile devices and the emergence of the Industrial IoT means that high-quality – often mission-critical – networks are required for new systems and applications.
These can span both on-premise coverage (eg in
a factory, office or hospital) and the wide-area (eg for smart cities or future
rail networks). It is unclear that traditional mobile operators can or will be
able to satisfy all the requirements for enterprise coverage – or assume legal
liability for failures. Some enterprises will want to have full control for
reasons of security, or industry-specific needs.
Among the topics to be discussed are:
- Key market drivers: IoT, automation, mobile workers, industry-specific operational and regulatory issues, diffusion of wireless expertise outside of traditional telecoms providers
- Evolution of key enabling technologies such as 5G, network-slicing, SDN, small cells and enterprise-grade IMS cores
- Regulatory/policy issues: spectrum allocation, competition, roaming, repeaters, national infrastructure strategies and broader “Industry 4.0” economic goals
- The shifting roles of MVNOs, MVNEs, neutral hosts and future “slice operators”
- Spectrum-sharing approaches, including unlicensed, light-licensing and CBRS-type models. Also: can WiFi run in licensed bands?
- Numbering and identity: eSIM, multi-IMSI, liberalised MNC codes
- Commercial impacts, new business model opportunities & threats to incumbents
- Vendor dynamics: Existing network equipment vendors, enterprise solution providers, vertical wireless players, managed services companies, new industrial & Internet players (eg GE, Google), implications for BSS/OSS, impact of open-source
(I've covered various of these themes in previous posts and presentations. If you want more detail about some of my thinking, see links here and here. I'll include links to Caroline's thoughts on this in subsequent posts. We will be going into a lot more depth in the workshop itself).
AI & Blockchain in Telecoms, May 31st
The second day will consider the specific impact on the telecoms sector of two of the hottest new “buzzword” technologies in software: Artificial Intelligence (and its siblings like machine-learning) and Blockchain / Distributed Ledgers. Both have already received more than their fair share of hype: but what are the realistic use-cases and timelines for adoption? What problems do they solve, and what new opportunities do they create? Are they just re-branding exercises for “big data” and “distributed databases” respectively, when applied to telcos?
The second day will consider the specific impact on the telecoms sector of two of the hottest new “buzzword” technologies in software: Artificial Intelligence (and its siblings like machine-learning) and Blockchain / Distributed Ledgers. Both have already received more than their fair share of hype: but what are the realistic use-cases and timelines for adoption? What problems do they solve, and what new opportunities do they create? Are they just re-branding exercises for “big data” and “distributed databases” respectively, when applied to telcos?
(I've been covering these areas as part of my "TelcoFuturism" research, including presenting on Blockchain at a recent TMForum event (link) and at Nexterday North last November, plus thinking about various AI intersections with telecom trends such as 5G (link). Caroline has done a large amount of work on AI / Machine Learning).
This day will benefit attendees from the telecoms industry
looking at new developments; as well as those from the AI/blockchain mainstream
interested in specific applications in the telco sector. It will include some
basic “101” introductions so that delegates from both sides can be sure they’re
speaking each others’ language & decode the jargon.
Among the topics to be discussed are:
- Understanding and categorising the types of AI (machine/deep learning, image recognition, natural language etc)
- Introduction to blockchain concepts and the complexities of “trust”
- Review of telecoms industry structure, key trends and important components of network/IT systems
- Where will AI have the largest impacts for telcos? Improving customer insight & experience? Improved network operations & planning? New end-user facing services such as chatbots or contextually-aware communications? B2B, B2C, or B2B2C platforms?
- Mapping the possible use-cases for blockchains in telecoms, and current trials / status of projects – from micro-transactions, to roaming settlement & fraud prevention, data-integrity protection, or smart contracts for NFV systems
- Impact of 5G & IoT for both AI and BC
- Risks and challenges: regulatory, privacy, new competitors?
- Vendor and supplier ecosystems and dynamics: new entrants vs. adoption by established providers
Reserve your place today
Both workshops will take place at the Westbury Hotel in Mayfair, central London [link]. They will run from 9am-5pm, with plenty of time for networking and interactive discussion. Come prepared to think and talk, as well as listen – these are “lean-forward” days. Coffee and lunch are included.
Both workshops will take place at the Westbury Hotel in Mayfair, central London [link]. They will run from 9am-5pm, with plenty of time for networking and interactive discussion. Come prepared to think and talk, as well as listen – these are “lean-forward” days. Coffee and lunch are included.
Fees for attending one day: £795 / US$995 / €930 + UK VAT of
20%
Fees for attending both days: £1395 / US$1750 / €1650 + UK
VAT of 20%
Payment can be made either credit card or Paypal, or by invoice / bank transfer: please email me at information AT disruptive-analysis DOT com, for payment-request by email or with purchase-order details. Please also contact me for any more information.