TechTalk

Our knowledge to you.

Technology trends for 2019

Staying on top of technology trends is important to DQE, to make sure we offer the best products and services to our customers, preparing for 2019 and beyond in this dynamic industry. Here are some of the things we’re watching right now.

Autonomous vehicles

While the widespread launch of fully autonomous cars is not expected for the foreseeable future, more and more autonomous technology is being offered in today’s cars – notably, traffic jam features that can take over acceleration, braking, and even steering when you’re driving in bumper-to-bumper traffic.

More advanced autonomous driving technologies continue to be developed and tested by dozens of companies. For example, European brands are cooperating on a truck “platooning” concept in which multiple trucks are connected through wireless signals, so that fewer people are required to drive them. In addition, autonomous vehicles are required to consistently update their software, which must be done via wi-fi, and need reliable internet service.

Process automation

There is an increased emphasis on business and industrial process automation, which will require an increase in bandwidth as companies upgrade their systems.

Business process automation helps businesses automate complex business processes by integrating applications and software, particularly in areas like marketing, sales, and workflow. The goal is to reduce manual tasks such as data processing, transferring, and notifications, saving time and money.

Industrial process automation goes beyond mechanization to use robots, computers, and other information technology to automate processes, thus reducing staffing requirements and increasing quality and productivity. It’s the next step beyond mechanization, and while initial costs are high, the returns are great.

AI and robotics

Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing the world of robotics, making robots easier to train with less human involvement. Increasingly sophisticated robots are being equipped with 3D vision and the AI necessary to interpret what they see.

As robotic technology evolves, cloud robotics will develop rapidly, because robots will increasingly require huge datasets in order to accurately process images and speech. Cloud robotics will allow robots to share information in a connected environment.

AI and robotics are data-heavy technologies, which will help drive the need for fiber and increased bandwidth.

5G

5G is the fifth generation of cellular mobile communications, and will eventually replace the current 4G (LTE) system. The system will greatly enhance device- and network-level capabilities, providing for a high rate of data, more capacity, better connections, and significantly more device connectivity.

The improved capacity of the system will enable a drastic increase in the use of IoT technology, with an estimated 75.4 billion devices online by 2025. This should drive innovations in the use of the collected data.

This is yet another technology trend driving an increased need for fiber optics. Further, the coming 5G network is being implemented more quickly than many experts had predicted – so fiber is now the preferred option for telcoms, and is being deployed at a faster rate than ever.

Security and the need for protection

Digital security continues to be a pressing issue, due to frequent , well-publicized data breaches of sensitive information such as credit card records, medical records, and other personal data. The need for cybersecurity will only continue to increase as the digital revolution continues, and more and more information is online.

At the same time, DDoS attacks are still a constant threat to a wide variety of entities, ranging from private industries to critical infrastructure.

For all these reasons – as well as regulatory changes, like the European Union’s Global Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) – worldwide spending on information security products and services continues to dramatically increase.

Conclusion

As these technology trends evolve, count on DQE to provide scalable, secure and reliable fiber-based services for your bandwidth needs.

Tags: 5G, AI, autonomous vehicles, cybersecurity, DDoS, GDPR, IoT, process automation, robotics