As well as updating the look, we’ve made a few changes to the content and have introduced some new features: a “big interview” with one of the leading figures in the industry; an analysis of company strategy, asking why telcos do the things they do; a country focus, addressing the issues in a particular region; and people pages, bringing you the views and comments of people from the telecoms front line. If there’s one theme linking the changes, it’s that we want to make sure Capacity reflects your experience and your needs: it is the voice of the industry. So as always, I’d love to hear your feedback and suggestions.
The magazine isn’t the only thing that’s changing. I attended a fascinating roundtable earlier this month, asking “What’s next for submarine networks?” Currently, approximately only 23% of available capacity is lit, but global demand is growing at 50% a year. The main drivers for growth are fixed broadband in developed markets and mobile broadband in emerging markets, but data centres are also likely to play a role. Low latency cables for the financial markets are on the horizon; differentiation of submarine cables may also become a bigger driver, with specialised cables transmitting video and Ethernet. And as complexity grows, network resiliance becomes a bigger factor – currently ship anchors damage one cable a week on average, and offshore wind farms close to cables pose a significant threat. Mesh networks may provide the answer to this problem, but with cable ship availability one of the biggest constraints to network upgrades and maintenance, it’s a situation we must monitor closely.
Angela Partington, Editor
