With many countries still under lockdown, one fact stands out: telecom network infrastructure is essential for society to function. People have shifted priorities away from cars, luxury goods, and travel toward reliable internet connectivity at home. Without Wi‑Fi and robust broadband, remote work, streaming, video calls, online education, and countless everyday tasks become impractical. This spotlight has highlighted two critical technologies: fiber access and Wi‑Fi.
The telecom industry carries a responsibility to deliver technologies that make communities smarter, safer, and resilient in any situation. Fixed ultra‑broadband is no longer a luxury; it is a basic necessity that governments and policymakers must address. In the post‑COVID “new normal,” broadband will simplify daily life and, during crises, enable continuity of essential services and routines.
The impact of COVID-19 on networks
As more people work and stay at home, network usage patterns have changed dramatically. Many operators report substantial increases in fixed network traffic; for example, Telecom Italia saw traffic rise by roughly 70%. This shift places demand not only on downstream capacity but also on upstream channels and aggregation points deeper within networks where thousands of users’ traffic converges. Analysis from Nokia indicates the altered usage patterns brought on by the pandemic may advance scheduled network upgrades by about four years.
Operators face challenges beyond mere capacity upgrades. Countless homes worldwide still lack adequate broadband or are severely underserved, accelerating ultra‑broadband initiatives. Business transformations will also drive demand: homeworking, already gaining traction before COVID‑19, became a necessity for many organizations and proved feasible at scale. Companies that relied strictly on an office‑centric model were the most affected and will likely reassess their remote work policies going forward.
Emergency and public services adopted more Internet of Things (IoT) devices during the pandemic, further increasing connectivity needs. IoT devices—smartphones, robots, drones—were used for surveillance, announcements, transport of medical supplies, and automated delivery tasks, among others. These applications often require full‑coverage, high‑quality network access to operate effectively.
What does all that mean for the networks?
Future networks will revolve around three core technologies: Wi‑Fi 6, 5G, and fiber.
Wi‑Fi remains the dominant technology indoors and depends on fiber to deliver backhaul capacity. Whether at home or in the office, users frequently transition from cellular networks to Wi‑Fi; studies estimate that over half of current cellular traffic is offloaded to Wi‑Fi, and that proportion is likely to grow with 5G deployment.
Wi‑Fi 6 brings performance closer to 5G by offering lower latency and higher throughput. Advances such as Bell Labs’ queue management algorithm (PI2) and the low‑latency, low‑loss scalable (L4S) implementation help deliver more consistent latency and reduce extreme delays even in congested environments, improving user experience throughout the home.
5G enables applications that were impractical on 4G and requires densification through many small cells. Transporting mobile traffic from those cells deeper into the network depends on fiber. Leveraging existing fiber access infrastructure is the fastest and most cost‑effective strategy since it avoids building an entirely new network. Bell Labs Consulting’s study found PON‑based mobile transport can be about 50% more cost‑efficient than some traditional transport methods.
Making smart choices for fiber
Choosing the right technology is crucial when deploying fiber networks. GPON remains the most widely deployed access technology today, but the transition to next‑generation XGS‑PON is expected to accelerate within the next three to four years—and may be needed even sooner given rising access and aggregation capacity demands driven by remote work. New deployments should consider XGS‑PON from the start to avoid additional upgrade cycles and to remain more competitive. The cost difference between installing GPON and XGS‑PON is small because the largest expense—roughly 70%—is the outside plant buildout, required in both cases. A notable example is National Broadband Ireland, which plans to connect more than 500,000 rural premises using XGS‑PON.
For operators that already have GPON, migration to XGS‑PON can be eased with Multi‑PON solutions that support both GPON and XGS‑PON on a single access node port. This approach lets providers launch with GPON and remotely activate XGS‑PON capabilities where and when needed.
XGS‑PON offers 10 Gb/s symmetrical speeds, enabling convergence of residential, business, and mobile transport services over a single network, unlocking new revenue streams and faster monetization. Studies indicate that deploying XGS‑PON as an overlay on GPON can accelerate return on fiber investment by around 15%.
While deployment of 10 Gb/s XGS‑PON is accelerating, the industry is already considering next steps to further increase fiber capacity and support smarter cities. In the short term, 25G PON is a sensible evolution, with 50G PON anticipated within eight to ten years. 25G PON is attractive for its cost efficiency and clear use cases: it draws on mature data center optical technology and an established ecosystem to lower costs. Additionally, many mobile radio units use standard 25G Ethernet interfaces, making 25G PON particularly well suited for 5G transport. It also supports business and residential services that require 10 Gb/s or greater.
Making fiber smart
Fiber networks are becoming faster and smarter. As broadband services and connected devices proliferate, simplifying operations, reducing human error, and lowering power consumption become essential goals.
Virtualization and Software Defined Access Networks (SDAN) are redefining how networks operate, making them more efficient and flexible. The industry aims for fully automated, data‑driven networks that can be reconfigured on the fly—augmenting human planning, adapting to change, and responding to threats. While full automation is not yet universal, virtualization and cloud technologies already provide real benefits. Network slicing, for example, lets operators create low‑latency tunnels for mobile transport or Wi‑Fi traffic and supports more efficient wholesale models. Intent‑based networking separates what is required (the intent) from how it is accomplished; once an intent is specified, the network can fulfill it with minimal human intervention.
Making the world a better place, one fiber at a time
The future holds many uncertainties, but expanding fiber infrastructure places communities in a stronger position to face challenges. The pandemic has demonstrated that technology can protect people, keep them connected, and help build a better future. As digital reliance grows, developing robust, widespread networks will be essential to meet rising demand and to ensure resilience in both everyday life and times of crisis.
Interested in hearing industry leaders discuss subjects like this? Attend co‑located events such as the 5G Expo, IoT Tech Expo, Blockchain Expo, AI & Big Data Expo, and Cyber Security & Cloud Expo World Series, which take place in technology hubs like Silicon Valley, London, and Amsterdam.