Emerging trends in network technologies by 2030

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OKIA has unveiled its Technology Strategy 2030 to realize the full potential of artificial intelligence (AI), cloud, and other emerging trends, with connectivity at the center of enabling the adoption of these technologies. The projected trends six years hence seek to respond to increasing demand on global telecom networks, which, according to Nokia’s “Global Network Traffic 2030,” will grow at a CAGR of 22 percent-25 percent from 2022 to 2030.

At the same time, Nokia sees its latest Technology Strategy as vital for the next phase of digital transformation for Nokia and its customers as well. The advent of the 6G network by 2030 is just as crucial in addressing tomorrow’s greatest challenges on networks to adapt, transform and deliver lasting, accessible, sustainable innovation.

Here’s a rundown of emerging technologies that will benefit most from the exponential development in connectivity in the years ahead:

AI, ML

Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) will advance possibilities for automation, productivity and sustainability across networks, devices and applications. AI-enabled devices will become “smarter,” with interworking integral between device-based and network-based AI models and important functionalities becoming independent of the network as well.

Metaverse

Recognized as a significant driver of transformation, metaverse technology will initially bring greater efficiencies and productivity to business and industries that will ripple beneficially to consumers. Metaverse innovations will take time to produce results, even as today, XR (Extended Reality) devices, digital twins and sensors are already delivering tangible value to enterprises and industry. Meanwhile, the envisioned evolution of networks will be of utmost importance in providing consumers with a seamless and immersive experience in the metaverse.

Cloud

Essential to digital transformation and service delivery, cloud computing is rapidly evolving, creating new business models and technological advancements that address different applications. Networks will develop to become fully cloud-native and better able to maximize user experience and resource utilization through distributed, multi-cloud architectures. In the near term, network and cloud will become an innovative platform for discovering new ways of operating the infrastructure and providing services.

Web3

On the heels of Web3, the internet’s third stage, web technologies will become more decentralized and user-centric. The decentralization, e.g., through the adoption of blockchain, is expanding, and Web3 is starting to enable exciting new use cases to meet emerging needs and opportunities.

Devices

New connected devices will emerge in 2030, but smartphones will remain the most popular. Earlier, by 2027, ergonomic and affordable XR devices will fuel massmarket metaverse expansion resulting in multimodality, new use cases, and consumability. Optimized, adaptable connectivity will further boost user adoption, while affordable, easy-to-deploy lowenergy and energy-harvesting devices will improve dense sensor mesh networks for IoT and automation solutions. A “Network of Networks” and non-terrestrial networks will have to be in place to connect these new-fangled solutions everywhere.

6G

6G is the next generation of mobile network standards for cellular technology after 5G, which will operate on higher radio frequencies. It will be designed to encompass a range of innovations beyond networking to allow expanded links among the physical, human and digital worlds. While the first 6G networks are projected to be commercially operational by 2030, the groundwork is already being laid, with recent developments in 5G-Advanced, as well as in crucial milestones on the way to 6G. This early, some of the stepping stones include distributed massive MIMO (DmMIMO), an AI-native network fabric, new spectrum and radio designs, and the advancement of intent-based automation.

Network-wide AI

The ubiquitous integration of AI and ML will enable the network of 2030 to be truly transformational, delivering:

– Network-wide, real-time performance optimization

– Intent-based orchestration and zero-touch automation

– Customer and service experience analytics and assurance

– Automated security, privacy and energy optimization

– Network-wide ML inference and training environments

– Federated, secure data sharing Sandboxing and simulation via network digital twins

– Co-pilots and virtual assistants for coders, customers and operations

Efficiency, sustainability, security and user experience will be top priorities. A holistic and systematic AI/ML data strategy that addresses data ownership, quality and lifecycle management will be essential to the realization of network-wide AI.

Collaborative ecosystem

In the interconnected future, an open ecosystem driven by collaborative partnerships and developer-focused innovation will unlock the huge new opportunities of 2030. New interaction and governance models and technologies like Web3 will enable new kinds of business interaction and trustless value exchange between players. A rich, open, innovation-focused ecosystem of developers, solution providers and service providers will collaborate to realize value, powered by emerging digital engagement tools and as-a-service business models. Service providers will create value by exposing their network capabilities through APIs to enable a strong developer ecosystem.

No man nor any entity, for that matter, is an island, and Nokia is working to connect to everything in everything it will do from now till 2030.