"Video will be everywhere and will replace other communication methods," said Jinyun Zhu, SVP of cloud computing and IT operation for ZTE. "It's key for industries like healthcare and education, and even for law enforcement as police officers increasingly wear video cameras."
In a group interview at Mobile World Congress, Zhu said video is a component of big data, and a critical one. "It's the lens, it's the camera," he said. " For the future it will combine with other subsets of big data for businesses and even AI functions."
Zhu said that two important features of video within the big data arena are facial recognition and voice recognition. He said the need for high-resolution video – and the bandwidth to process it – would help drive network change.
Zhu also pointed to SDN and NFV as change-agents. "A virtualized network is the first step," he said, "and SDN will create a revolution in network architecture. More and more enterprises are understanding the benefits of SDN."
He acknowledged that security is a prime issue both in logistical terms and for client confidence. "For security, we offer a hybrid mode," said Zhu. "We keep data private through encryption, while the network is public."
He added that several layers of security are needed: information security, storage security, and physical security.
"Customers are willing to invest and we see commercial deployments as more people are willing to trust hybrid mode," he said.
As for which regions cleave more to newer technology, "younger companies are more willing to take the plunge, while older, more conservative companies are hesitant. It doesn't depend on geography."