Introduction
At Mobile World Congress 2018 in Barcelona, Des Blanchfield caught up with Mike Wright from Telstra to discuss the network evolution and the partnership with Ericsson. In this blog post, we’ll dive into the key insights from their conversation and explore Telstra’s role in shaping the future of telecommunications.
Telstra’s Network Evolution
- Mike Wright, responsible for Telstra’s networks, highlighted the challenges of providing coverage to a large, sparsely populated country like Australia.
- Telstra has been ahead of the curve in adopting new technologies and is now transitioning from 4G to 5G, a non-trivial undertaking.
- The partnership with Ericsson has been instrumental in this transition, allowing Telstra to influence standards and evolve technology to match Australian conditions.
Transition to 5G
- Telstra’s transition from 2G to 3G and 3G to 4G involved overcoming technological barriers and extending network capabilities to cover vast areas.
- The shift to 5G is not just about upgrading the radio technology but also entails the biggest change in network architecture ever.
- The move towards virtualization and data center-type technology is at the core of Telstra’s Network 2020 vision.
Challenges and Solutions
- Telstra’s rapid growth in media products and the move from circuit-based voice calling to VoLTE has driven the need for virtualization and cloud-based architecture.
- The transition to virtual environments allows for quicker expansion and flexibility in accommodating new technologies and applications.
- The virtualization of the network is a massive transformation, involving SDN enabling, optical layer infrastructure, and the orchestration of network functions from the bottom to the top.
Future of Telecommunications
- The Internet of Things (IoT) capabilities have become a reality, paving the way for the next industrial revolution in digital form.
- With the potential of 5G to enable massive compute and bandwidth, industries like mining and automation are poised for significant growth and productivity improvements.
Conclusion
Telstra’s collaboration with Ericsson and the focus on network evolution and virtualization is driving the future of telecommunications. The insights shared by Mike Wright provide a glimpse into the transformative journey of Telstra’s network and the potential impact on industries and society as a whole.
In conclusion, Telstra’s presence at Mobile World Congress 2018 signifies the ongoing commitment to innovation and the advancement of telecommunications technology. Stay tuned for more updates on Telstra’s network evolution and the exciting developments in the telecommunications industry.
