Telecommunications professionals are split down the middle on
whether increasing bandwidth demands are likely to break the Internet,
according to a new survey released today. The survey showed half of
respondents saying bandwidth demands will eventually break the
Internet, with the other half saying they won't. Of the 51% who see
trouble ahead, one out of four think it could happen within two years.
The industry is also increasingly green about energy costs. 69%
think energy efficiency is more important than circuit costs when
constructing a network.
Straight from the builders themselves
Tellabs and research firm IDC conducted the survey of 372
telecom industry professionals, which tracked respondents' views on
Internet use, the challenges providers face, and how those challenges
will affect tomorrow's networks. Broadband is integral to the way users
work and play and is a vital part of everyday life.
2008 -- Keeping the traffic flowing smoothly
The survey reveals that telecommunications professionals:
Are concerned the Internet will "break"
51% are concerned that increasing bandwidth demands will "break" the Internet ;
Think power efficiency "laps" circuit costs
69% say that in a network environment, energy consumption is more important than circuit costs;
Think providers will do what's necessary to clear lanes
Of the 80% who identified a way to deal with Internet
congestion, 32% think providers address spikes in traffic by
prioritizing via packet inspection, while 24% believe that spikes are
better handled by charging more for excess bandwidth;
Believe Europe drives demand for mobile broadband
80% expect that over the next two years, operators will face
greater demand for mobile broadband services in Europe than North
America;
See video as a road hog
43% believe that up to 30% of overall Internet traffic is video
today, and 40% expect that to increase to up to 75% in five years;
Predict mobile TV use is in the fast lane
50% say that video puts the biggest bandwidth demand on mobile
networks today and 81% say that will still be true in five years.
"Internet access has become essential for millions of Americans and
the appetite for bandwidth is putting pressure on service provider
networks," said Dan Kelly, executive vice president of global products
for Tellabs. "Tellabs solutions enable providers to offer multiple
levels of broadband offerings, based on the quality of service and the
price that is right for their customers."
Tellabs polled industry professionals at NXTcomm08, the premier
industry venue co-owned by the Telecommunications Industry Association
(TIA) and the United States Telecom Association (US Telecom). Tellabs
conducted the survey on June 17.
About Tellabs
-- Tellabs advances telecommunications networks to meet the evolving
needs of users. Solutions from Tellabs enable service providers to
deliver high-quality voice, video and data services over wireline and
wireless networks around the world. Tellabs (NASDAQ: TLAB) is part of
the NASDAQ-100 Index, NASDAQ Global Select Market, Ocean Tomo 300™
Patent Index and the S&P 500. www.tellabs.com