Cartesian and the Broadband Forum release The Future of Networks
November 15, 2017
Network Economics
News
Cartesian's report, The Future of Networks, produced in collaboration with the Broadband Forum, distills the perspectives of senior business, technical, and operational executives from across the telecoms industry and reports on how companies are handling the biggest change the telecoms sector has seen in decades.
--
The future waits: Virtualization deployment lagging as telecoms industry faces new roadblocksOperational issues and technical complexities impede progress towards the next era of communicationsLondon, UK - November 15, 2017 Despite a clear desire to virtualize networks and shift to cloud-based technology, Communication Service Providers (CSPs) are facing serious roadblocks along the way, according to new research from specialist consulting firm Cartesian.
That said, NFV and SDN technologies have made significant progress in recent years and are undoubtedly the future, as highlighted by those within the industry. For example, 69% of respondents agreed that network operators which do not virtualize their networks will struggle to compete and nearly three-quarters (74%) said operators must implement NFV/SDN in order to meet future customer needs.
Many businesses have therefore already started their transformation efforts, seeking to capitalise on multiple long and short-term benefits such as greater flexibility, shorter time to market and a reduction in deployment lead times.
Looking further ahead, CSPs cited the likes of CapEx and OpEx cost savings, increases in operational efficiencies and the creation of new services and revenue streams as key business drivers.
However, according to Cartesian's in-depth Future of Networks' report, progress is being hampered by a lack of technical maturity and operational issues that have proven to be even harder than many expected.
Over half (52%) of respondents agree that the amount of operational change required to move to a virtualized network is overwhelming, with this sentiment being driven by a range of factors. For example, having to manage multi-vendor systems is creating a huge amount of complexity, as is the need to maintain a hybrid environment throughout a long transition period.
Furthermore, in many cases the introduction of NFV/SDN requires entirely new operating plans for end-to-end service management, meaning operational processes need to be either changed or re-made from scratch.
As a result, as noted by an interviewee, the industry has fallen into a trough of disillusionment and must redouble efforts if the true potential of virtualization is to be fulfilled.
Despite the excitement around NFV and SDN, CSPs face a mammoth task, commented Steve Upton, Senior VP of Networks and Operations Consulting at Cartesian. The operational complexity associated with any network transformation shouldn't be underestimated and businesses are realizing that there is still plenty of work to be done.
But, there are steps operators and CSPs can take to make their lives easier. They should start by creating a comprehensive plan for NFV/SDN deployment and be sure to employ partners with the expertise to guide them through the process. The industry also has a role to play, as greater standardization and multi-vendor integration would go a long way towards helping operators along their virtualization journeys.
The report, The Future of Networks: Dealing with transformation in a virtualized world', interviewed a cross-section of senior decision-makers from some of the world's leading communication service providers, telecoms vendors and system integrators to shed light on the biggest challenges facing the industry. The full report can be found here: https://content.cartesian.com/the-future-of-networks-report
About Cartesian, Inc.
Cartesian, Inc. is a specialist provider of consulting services and managed solutions to leaders in the telecoms, digital media, and technology industries. For over 25 years, the firm has helped clients worldwide build and execute the strategies that transform the products, services, and organizations that shape these industries. Cartesian employs a data-driven approach, underpinned by real-world experience and in-depth industry knowledge, to solve their clients' most complex challenges. The company has offices in Boston, Kansas City, London, New York, Paris, Philadelphia, and Washington.
Most recent headlines
11/12/2025
Dalet, a leading provider of cloud-native, end-to-end media workflow solutions, ...
28/11/2025
Nadia Fall attends the 2025 Sundance Film Festival premiere of Brides at the Egyptian Theatre on January 24, 2025, in Park City, Utah. (Photo by Donyale West/...
28/11/2025
It's easy to ignore those little red update available badges. But when it ...
28/11/2025
WASHINGTON Federal Communications Commission has released a tentative agenda for the December Open Commission Meeting scheduled for Thursday, December 18, 2025 ...
28/11/2025
The Professional Fighters League is looking to super-serve fans of mixed martial...
28/11/2025
Fubo has released in beta on select Roku devices a new feature that lets users display up to four simultaneous streams at once....
28/11/2025
The WNBA playoffs and Week 4 of the NFL regular season highlight the list of live sports events airing on television this weekend....
28/11/2025
The 32nd class of honorees to the B+C Hall of Fame took to the stage at New York's Ziegfeld Ballroom on September 26 for a gala induction event. Click below...
28/11/2025
We hold in our hands the very last Next Text for Next TV, the weekly back-and-fo...
28/11/2025
DirecTV said it made a deal with EchoStar to buy EchoStar's video businesses, including satellite-TV provider Dish TV and virtual MVPD Sling TV, for $1 plus...
28/11/2025
The Broadcasting+Cable Hall of Fame, the premier industry event paying tribute to the influencers, innovators and shining lights of broadcast, cable and streami...
28/11/2025
Friday 28 November 2025
Sky Sports x Slawn drop limited-edition football jersey...
28/11/2025
Rohde & Schwarz shows resilience in a challenging environment, revenue exceeds t...
28/11/2025
Unwrapped: The Toy Show Appeal - airing this Sunday on RT One and RT Player- s...
27/11/2025
LONDON Vizrt has added several AI-driven advanced features offering improved speed, intelligence and accuracy in the newest version of its media asset managemen...
27/11/2025
Prime Video has launched AI-powered video season recaps in a beta version for select English-language Prime Original series in the U.S., a move Amazon is callin...
27/11/2025
Back to All News
Netflix's Raat Akeli Hai: The Bansal Murders Marks a Grand...
27/11/2025
27 Nov 2025
GSMA brings M360 Eurasia 2026 to Samarkand in partnership with VEON...
27/11/2025
Tahar Rahim and Izuka Hoyle star in the gripping six-part Sky Original from Acad...
27/11/2025
Thursday 27 November 2025
Sky Arts Reveals the Nation's Greatest Basslines - and Queen Reign Supreme
The UK's most iconic basslines have been revealed...
27/11/2025
Back to All News
Stranger Things 5': Prepare for One Last Adventure With O...
27/11/2025
The media industry has a paradox at its core. It's an industry built on light, color and imagination, yet behind the scenes, it's powered by one of the ...
27/11/2025
Rating reflects rating progress across areas including policies, diversity & inclusion, health & safety and Net Zero leadership
Winchester, UK, 27 November 202...
27/11/2025
What are the industry standards for Retail Media? Kathryn explains that certification is based on the IAB Europe Retail Media Measurement Standards and the IAB ...
27/11/2025
World champion boxer and Irish sporting icon Katie Taylor will be in studio this...
27/11/2025
Roblox, one of the world's most popular online gaming platforms for primary ...
27/11/2025
Black Friday is leveling up. Get ready to score one of the biggest deals of the season - 50% off the first three months of a new GeForce NOW Ultimate membership...
26/11/2025
SVG Sit-Down: Prime Video EP Mike Muriano Previews Massive Black Friday Slate Fe...
26/11/2025
A cinematic snow sculpture at the 1995 Sundance Film Festival. Photo by Randall Michelson...
26/11/2025
Book podcasts are booming. On Spotify, you'll find everything from celebrity book clubs to deep dives with bestselling authors. And in markets where audiobo...
26/11/2025
Mumbai, November 24, 2025: In a first-of-its-kind initiative, JioStar, in collab...
26/11/2025
LONDON Factual content producer ITN Productions has launched a new low-latency IP gallery for news bulletins....
26/11/2025
MIAMI TelevisaUnivision said it struck a new multiyear distribution agreement with YouTube TV that includes distribution of TelevisaUnivision's U.S. network...
26/11/2025
OpenDrives, Inc., a leader in software-defined data storage and data services, today announced the launch of the Atlas Corporate Creative Solution. This new Atl...
26/11/2025
Disguise, the industry-leading company powering the world's biggest live performances, is partnering with pioneering LED wall manufacturer DVS to give atten...
26/11/2025
HighField AI, the pioneer in agentic and multimodal automation for broadcast and media production, today announced the expansion of its global channel partner n...
26/11/2025
As high-stakes Premier League fixtures approach and additional premium content launches, with MONO positioning themselves to dominate Thailand's sports stre...
26/11/2025
Hosting a wide variety of events from high-intensity NHL games to complex live music concerts and major entertainment productions, Montreal's 21,000 capacit...
26/11/2025
Vizrt, the leader in live production technology revolutionizing viewer engagement and experience, releases AI-driven advances focusing on speed, intelligence, a...
26/11/2025
ITN Productions, an award-winning factual content producer, today launched a new low-latency IP gallery for news bulletins. Responsible for delivering a leading...
26/11/2025
Ikegami reports ongoing advances throughout 2025 in developing and delivering coordinated television production solutions that maximize quality, versatility and...
26/11/2025
Following the Nov. 21 blackout of NBCUniversal channels on Fubo, the two sides have traded barbs about their inability to reach a new carriage deal....
26/11/2025
LONDON As TV sports rights become increasingly important for both broadcasters and streamers, Ampere Analysis predicts global investment in the genre will surpa...
26/11/2025
LOS ANGELES Vubiquity said it has achieved the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Media & Entertainment Competency as part of the AWS Partner Network (APN). This designa...
26/11/2025
WASHINGTON The Federal Communications Commission's Enforcement Bureau said it has entered into a consent decree with Comcast calling for the cable company t...
26/11/2025
Berklee Named to the Hollywood Reporters Top Music Schools List The publication highlights the college's screen scoring program, industry partnerships, and ...
26/11/2025
Back to All News
Animated Series Love Through a Prism' Casts New Light on ...
26/11/2025
Back to All News
NALIP Unveils Fifth Cohort of Director Incubator
Social Impact
26 November 2025
United States
Link copied to clipboard
The National Assoc...
26/11/2025
YouView Achieves Greenly Gold Certification for SustainabilityNov 26, 2025
YouView is proud to announce a Gold Certification award from Greenly for our perform...
Cartesian and the Broadband Forum release The Future of Networks 
