Huawei believes that the future networked world will be profoundly influenced by:
Mobile saturation - At the end of 2008, the number of mobile subscribers topped 3.5 billion and projections show that it will reach 5 billion in just a few years, equaling the total number of potential users. Over 1 billion of those new users will come from emerging markets and this will result in a world which is fully interconnected and able to bridge the digital divide.
Ubiquitous broadband - The next few years will see the rapid deployment of high-speed mobile broadband and a major shift to higher speeds for fixed broadband. By 2013, 300 million new fixed broadband users will be added, doubling today's total and, through the deployment of FTTX, with access to massive amounts of data. On the mobile side, 1.2 billion new users will be added to the 200 million current users as the result of the HSPA technologies. The availability of this broadband will allow "3 Screen" (TV, PC and mobile handset) convergence with exciting opportunities for always-on networking.
Cloud computing - As high-speed data connections become common for both fixed and mobile users, the opportunity exists to provide previously unavailable services from the "Cloud". The opportunities from what is becoming known as Cloud computing will be enormous. The ability to offer end-users access to sophisticated information services without the need to buy expensive software and hardware, similar to the way we use electricity today from the grid, will abolish the boundaries between have and have-not information societies. In the next few years, cloud computing will go beyond the discussion of concepts and technologies and become widely available.
A digital flood - In the 5,000 years of recorded history, mankind generated the equivalent of 5 exabytes of written information, but during 2006, over 280 exabytes of digital content were generated. Driven by high-definition, three-dimensional and user-generated content, the annual volume of digital information will soon reach 1,000 exabytes, a veritable Digital Flood. The ramifications to the information infrastructure and backbone networks will be immense, with annual traffic growing by 10 or even 100 times.
As we move to this Networked World, the factors discussed above will have real, practical impacts on the telecommunications industry. Emerging markets will become a major factor in industry expansion, but decreasing ARPU will act as stimulation for creative solutions. Uncovering these opportunities, providing products, services and support to operators as they deal with the emerging trends and successfully managing the impacts will be the key to future success.