6 THE INCOMPAS SHOW I OCTOBER 8 - 10, 2023 www.bekabusinessmedia.com DAY 2 Consolidated Debuts New Carrier-Class Services GTT is a Tier 1 Global ISP with a portfolio of IP transit, dedicated internet access, broadband and 5G services, in addition to cutting-edge SASE security and FWaaS services. We recently caught up with GTT Vice President of Engineering and Architecture Oliver Schwartz to discuss the future of networking. What can carriers do to evolve with new market trends? What can they look for when extending or forging partnerships for global connectivity and security? What can GTT’s role be in all of this? Q: Where do you see the most connectivity innovation? Schwartz: Cloud computing is a significant growth and adoption driver across many industries. Gartner forecasts that in 2023 worldwide public cloud spending will grow 21% to $592 billion, up from $490 billion in 2022. Cloud providers are asking network and network services providers for more bandwidth and faster networking speeds to support operations. Demands are shortening the networking innovation cycle within networking, with providers developing and deploying new tech at a faster pace. There’ve been discussions about the launch of 800GB optical networks not long after the launch of 400GB. The innovation cycle is driven by the need to support cloud computing and increasing demand for network infrastructure/management. And acceleration is likely to continue, leading to further development and deployment of new networking options such as SDN and edge computing that may revolutionize the way networks are designed, deployed and managed. Q: How can one ensure network security? Schwartz: Every day we find more networkbased attacks. Businesses are becoming increasingly concerned about the security of their networks, with the cost of cybercrime predicted to hit $8 trillion in 2023. Customers are requesting transparency and information on the packets that are moving around in their network. You must adapt to do this. It’s vital to have the right technology, addressing concerns by providing insight beyond the IP layer. You gain trust from customers, as they commit to securing their networks and protecting data. Businesses are more likely to choose providers with greater transparency and visibility into traffic. Transparency also helps to optimize network performance and troubleshoot issues. By analyzing network traffic in real-time, providers can identify and resolve network bottlenecks and performance issues, ensuring customer networks run smoothly. Q: Given IoT innovation, how will network speeds meet demand over time? Schwartz: The next big innovation will be extended reach optical networks that can transmit data at speeds up to 400GB. This significant advancement over current DCI infrastructure (200GB). With it, businesses can expect faster speeds at lower cost, with less equipment needed to manage performance. This helps manage restricted IT budgets and, with more-efficient connectivity, improve productivity, reduce downtime and increase efficiency. Service providers need to be more nimble and deploy these new networks more quickly and efficiently than previous generations of optical networks. Q: What are the tough questions being asked of a global connectivity partner? Schwartz: Pricing is a major factor when determining a CSP. Consider the cost of your services, including additional charges for bandwidth or support. Are you a Tier 1 provider that can integrate within existing networking infrastructure? You should be able to offer APIs and other integration methods for smooth implementation and easy management. Do you offer robust security to protect sensitive in-transit data? Customers are looking for an ISP with advanced security protocols, encryption, and firewall services to safeguard their network. p To learn more about GTT Communications, visit www.gtt.net/us-en or stop by Meeting Room 10. U.S. fiber provider Consolidated Communications revealed that it is rolling out a slate of new carrierclass services to support ongoing demand for speed and connectivity, nationwide. These services include up to 400-Gig DWDM services between core locations; 100-Gig L2/L3 services into core locations and up to 10-Gig L2/L3 service capabilities for locations situated either on or near the network. Consolidated is also offering new capabilities for securely and more costeffectively extending customer networks into any of hundreds of new locations via its Edge Site solutions. To date, the company has added over 10,000 fiber route miles, resulting in more than a million multi-GB FTTP-capable locations, over the past two years. In total, Consolidated boasts over 135,000 commercial buildings either on or within 1,000 feet of its fiber network. “We continue to invest in our network to deliver scalable, network solutions to carriers of all sizes,” said Greg Flanagan, Consolidated’s vice president of Carrier Services. “We’re dedicated to bringing bestin-class capabilities to wireless and wireline carriers, ISPs, data centers and hyperscalers across the rural and metro communities we serve.” p For more information on Consolidated Communications, visit www.consolidated. com or stop by Meeting Lounge 17 in the Expo Hall. GTT Talks About Demand for Innovation, Security and Connectivity
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