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Written by ABI Research Senior Director Dimitris Mavrakis  

Telco operators across the world are currently pursuing their digital transformation strategies in order to evolve from the legacy connectivity business and become Information and Communication Technology (ICT) providers. The opportunity is there: telco operators already operate what can be called distributed intelligence networks and have experience in managing them. In a way, these platforms are what will likely power tomorrow’s processing payloads, including Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms running in distributed deployments. This was a key theme at the MWC trade show this year, with the slogan of the show being “Connectivity Unleashed” and focusing on enterprise applications—contrary to previous shows, which focused mostly on consumer applications.

The often-discussed chipset shortage brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic has sustainably affected several industries, and a full recovery is not projected until 2024. Although the smart credentials and government ID markets have not been immune, they have been dealt a far lesser blow. This year, ABI Research forecasts shipments to reach 596 million units—a number that would compare favorably to pre-pandemic levels—followed by a year-over-year growth to 766 million in 2026. As travel restrictions continue to weaken, obtaining and renewing passports will gain stronger interest, as ePassport shipments will reach 176 million in 2024.

Although the long-term future of the Metaverse is still unclear, the current surrounding hype is still receiving considerable attention. In fact, this excitement has driven immediate growth for the global Content Delivery Network (CDN) market, which is also expected to more than double by 2030, reaching nearly US$24 billion.

by ABI Research Senior Analyst Leo Gergs

The telco industry needs to prepare now for the advanced services and features 5G will offer consumers and enterprises as 5G deployments ramp up rapidly in order to take advantage of monetization opportunities.

Mobile World Congress was back in full session for the first time in three years. Barcelona’s premier technology show hosted over 61,000 physical attendees, but with an experience that was markedly different than in years past. The exhibition floors, keynote auditoriums, and meeting rooms had all been reorganized. The revised format inevitably featured fewer exhibitors and wider stands, allowing participants to focus more on substance than style. Many attendees noticed the absence of “bells and whistles,” so demo kits and prototypes were left behind.

In a recent whitepaper we highlighted important statistics you should know in 2022, particularly as we prepare for the increasing likelihood of the return to a true post-COVID “normalcy.”

Green Information and Communications Technology (ICT) was a very hot topic at Mobile World Congress (MWC) this year, as virtually all major players have discussed their objectives in achieving net-zero emission around a 2040 to 2050 timeframe. However, only a handful of players have shared the approach they will be using to achieve this objective, Huawei being one of them.

Jake Saunders, ABI Research Vice President, Asia-Pacific & Advisory Services, and Don Alusha, Senior Analyst, joined Cloud Core Plaza to share their expert insight into Telco Cloud's evolution and how 5G Core will enable innovative services.

As part of our continuous commitment to providing our clients with the actionable data they need to map growth and success, our whitepaper, 38 Technology Stats You Need to Know for 2022, highlights the most impactful forecasts for the year ahead.

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic slowing down many aspects and behaviors of our daily lives, the pandemic quickened the pace of digital transformation, placing technologies at the very center of how people live and work.