Several major telecommunications companies are advocating for collaboration around open broadband network gateways (BNGs). CircleID reported that Vodafone, BT, Telefonica, and Deutsche Telekom released the Open BNG Operator Position Paper, which calls for a change to how broadband networks are built, a stark difference to current network construction.
Legacy broadband systems have historically been built as monoliths, where software and hardware are tied together as a single entity, reported CircleID. This union forces telecoms to purchase an entire network from a single provider, increasing expenses, and limiting choice. Under the new BNG model, systems can be upgraded and scaled faster in a more cost-effective manner.
The telecoms that have banded together to push for an industry-wide move towards an open and disaggregated network structure list several benefits:
- A shorter timeframe for introducing enhancements to the network since hardware and software components will be separate.
- A lower barrier-to-entry for BNG hardware and software providers, enabling increased participation (from smaller vendors) and greater innovation.
- BNG systems will allow for greater customization and automation, currently impossible with legacy systems.
With so many adults working from home and children learning virtually due to the pandemic, traffic levels are increasing exponentially, reported CircleID. Consumers require fast and reliable broadband access and don’t anticipate increased costs, even though data consumption is skyrocketing. This makes the need for scalable networks that are more cost-effective essential for providers to remain competitive.
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