Discover 2024's 5G growth and IoT security evolution, highlighting global expansion and rising cybersecurity challenges in a tech era.
A year ago, I threw my hat into the ring of fortune-tellers, predicting the whirlwind evolution of 5G and the cryptic dance of cybersecurity. Let's take a wild ride down memory lane and see where the chips fell.
It turns out my hunch about the meteoric rise of 5G fixed wireless access wasn't just hot air. Fierce Wireless tells us that nearly a million souls jumped on this bandwagon over five quarters. T-Mobile, that behemoth of the airwaves, is flirting with 5 million subscribers, while Verizon, with its C-Band spectrum magic, is not far behind at 3 million. And don't forget AT&T, with its own party trick, Internet Air.
But the real kicker is the global expansion. From the far reaches of India, Reliance Jio is poised to unleash JioAirFiber, targeting a staggering 200 million potential subscribers.
And let's not sidestep the IoT security dance. Giants like Palo Alto Networks and others are armoring up enterprises against the dark arts of cyber threats. Everything from manufacturing robots to the unseen veins of logistics is getting this security shield.
Now, the prediction of mobile network slicing was a miss. I bet on operators diving headfirst into 5G Standalone, but they were more enamored with upgrading their hardware and juggling mid-band spectrums. Yet, 2024 might just be the year they find their groove.
In the shadowy corners of cybersecurity, my forecast of attacks on the hybrid workforce hit the bullseye. Forcepoint's deep dive reveals a triad of challenges – securing cloud and private apps, taming the wild beast of BYOD strategies, and fortifying data security across all digital exits. The ray of hope? The SASE market is bustling, offering a buffet of solutions from Cisco to Zscaler.
The Open RAN scene didn't exactly consolidate, but it had its moments of glory. AT&T's tango with Ericsson to shift most of its traffic to open standards by 2026 was a headline grabber. It's not just about pinching pennies; it's about flexibility, innovation, and perhaps a nod to Uncle Sam's wish to keep the telecom supply chain closer to home.
And the zero-trust industry? It's been a masquerade, with every Tom, Dick, and Harry claiming a slice of the pie. But amidst the charade, there's progress – the National Institute of Standards and Technology's cybersecurity framework is gaining ground, and solutions blending connectivity and security are emerging as knights in digital armor.
We've rocketed through 2023, and as the dust settles, 2024 stands poised to be a landmark year in the saga of 5G and cybersecurity. 5G FWA is set to soar even higher, network slicing might finally find its footing, and Open RAN could transition from a curious experiment to a mainstream reality.
In the shadowy alleys of cybersecurity, the hunger for IoT security will intensify, SASE will continue to be the shield against hybrid workforce threats, and ZTNA offerings will evolve to protect businesses, big and small.
So, buckle up. The next 12 months in telecom and cybersecurity are gearing up to be a wild ride, and I, for one, can't wait to see where this rollercoaster takes us.
