Top 5 Cybersecurity Predictions for 2020

When it comes to cybersecurity, the types of attacks and threat vectors are always a moving target pitting the white hats against the black hats in an epic battle for our networks that isn’t going to be won anytime soon. (Sorry to be a downer during the holidays.) But the good news is that technology is also ever evolving, and some of the smartest people are working on new ways to secure infrastructure and endpoints while also preventing future attacks from happening. While the brightest minds are working to solve those problems, we at SDxCentral are turning to the crystal ball to wildly speculate about what’s to come in the new year. Grab your tinfoil hat and a champagne cocktail, snuggle up in front of a warm fireplace, and check out our five security predictions for 2020. And if they don’t come true, AI wrote this.

2020 Preview: 5G marketing remains messy

This year already saw its share of confusion among consumers as U.S. operators launched initial 5G service, and 2020 could see additional growing pains when different flavors of the next-generation technology hit the masses.

Industry offers a bunch of telecoms predictions for 2020

It wouldn’t be the last working day of the year without the good old predictions piece so here are a bunch we got together from assorted telecoms industry luminaries.

Telefonica sells 2,029 towers in Ecuador and Colombia

Telefonica has confirmed the sale of 2,029 towers in Ecuador and Colombia for €290 million to Phoenix Tower International.

Huawei promises to launch P40 with Google service replacement, reports say

Huawei has told the media that P40, the company’s next flagship smartphone will be launched with its own mobile service suite but will be built on Android 10 instead of its own HarmonyOS.

'What’s Dead May Never Die' — SD-WAN's Undying Story

“You know nothing John Snow,” and according to three of the leading SD-WAN providers, neither does Aviatrix CEO Steve Mullaney. The executive raised eyebrows earlier this month when he effectively called SD-WAN a dead man walking and predicted the market’s demise.

Huawei Battles Reigned in 2019

Huawei struck back at a new report that claims the China-based vendor benefitted disproportionately from government subsidies that bolstered the vendor’s operational advantage compared to its competitors. The discourse also puts a fitting bow on what has been a dizzying mix of hits and misses for Huawei in 2019.

Top 10 Money Moves of 2019 in SDxCentral's World

Finances remained a hot topic in the cloud and SDN space for 2019, as tens of billions of dollars were thrown at various mergers and acquisitions, initial public offerings (IPOs), and through venture capital investments. Here are 10 of the biggest Money Moves of 2019 as compiled by the SDxCentral Editorial staff.

This Olde Website: 2019

Let's take another jaunt down the World Wide Web of yesteryear, shall we?

Don't Hold Your Breath for Laptops With 5G

Qualcomm and Intel are positioning themselves to help sell laptops that sport built-in 5G connections. However, there doesn't seem to be much demand for such devices, at least not yet.

Who Went Where: The Top Headcount Changes of 2019

Each year, technology and software companies make headlines as they drive change in the software-defined world. But every so often the people behind the scenes make headlines and changes of their own. This is why each month SDxCentral publishes its Headcount column tracking the latest executive hirings, promotions, and staff changes. Below we’ve compiled this year’s biggest Headcount moves as compiled by the SDxCentral Editorial staff.

Kubernetes Opportunities, Challenges Escalated in 2019

If 2018 was the year that Kubernetes broke into the mainstream, then 2019 was the year that reality set in. And that reality is that while Kubernetes is awesome, it’s also hard.

Nuage Networks CEO Sunil Khandekar: SD-WAN Crosses the DIY Chasm

Podcast: Service providers and their enterprise customers face new opportunities and challenges as SD-WAN moves from DIY to cloud service, says Sunil Khandekar, founder and CEO of Nokia's Nuage business unit.

Hyperclouds Muscle in on Telco Cloud

Hyperclouds such as Amazon and Microsoft are partnering with Verizon, AT&T and other telcos, seeking big opportunities on the edge and elsewhere. Look for that trend to accelerate in the new year.

Forget 5G, It's 4G That Hasn't Even Peaked Yet

Although standalone 5G is coming in 2020, 4G isn't expected to 'peak' until 2022. And experts say it will likely stick around for at least another decade.

Why Gaming Is a Promising 5G Market

For network operators with the right combination of assets, strategy and courage, gaming provides an interesting 5G avenue to explore.

Iliad joins the tower divestment trend

Iliad has confirmed the sale of its tower businesses in France and Italy to European infrastructure giant Cellnex.

US starts huffing and puffing over Huawei again

The US Government is on the Huawei offensive once again, throwing another warning to the UK and suggesting the industry should open-source 5G technology to counter the threat.

2020 preview: Microsoft and Google chase Amazon in cloud sector

Amazon Web Services' commanding lead in the cloud sector seems insurmountable, but expect Microsoft, Google and other providers to keep chipping away in 2020.

An Insider's View of the T-Mobile/Sprint Trial

For ten days in New York City, lawyers waged a final, all-out battle around the proposed merger of Sprint and T-Mobile. A veteran court journalist was there for the whole thing. Here's what he saw.

Meet Trump's New 5G Czar

President Trump named Robert Blair to lead his administration's 5G efforts. Blair has a background in national security issues, and just weeks ago defied a Congressional subpoena to testify about Trump's dealings with Ukraine.

Ciena Gets Ready to Leap Into 2020

The optical networking leader is pounding the table for webscale providers and telcos to move straight to 800G in the coming year, minimizing the competitive momentum of several vendors in the 600G space.

Chipmakers' Biggest Buys and Sells of 2019

The past year has been inundated by a wave of consolidation among chipmakers. Throughout 2019, billions of dollars changed hands as industry giants attempted to fill gaps in their product lines and bolster their positions in some of the world’s most competitive markets including data center connectivity, artificial intelligence (AI), and 5G networking.

True or False With Dan Jones

Light Reading Mobile Editor Dan Jones stakes his job and reputation on answering tricky questions about the cable and mobile industries.

Cable's Greatest Hits of 2019

Here's a curated recap of some of the top tech news and trends for cable, including the '10G' initiative, MSO mobile moves and the industry's troubled and complicated relationship with pay-TV.

Italy throws Huawei a bone and the US a cheap-shot

The Italian Government looks set to greenlight Huawei’s involvement in the market, while simultaneously criticising the increasing protectionist trends around the world.

Raynovich: What's next for SD-WAN? A bigger, bolder play

The run in SD-WAN has been fun to watch. Just a few years ago, discussions about how SD-WAN technology could transform the enterprise edge into a more flexible cloud model brought quizzical stares. Now, everybody and their cousin in the networking market are putting together an SD-WAN strategy.

Brookfield finds more cash for $2.6bn Cincinnati Bell purchase

Brookfield Infrastructure has continued its Christmas spending spree with the acquisition of Cincinnati Bell for $2.6 Billion.

2020 Preview: 5G devices go mainstream

Although 2019 saw initial 5G deployments from the four major U.S. carriers and early 5G devices hit the market, many expect 2020 to be the year when 5G handset adoption starts to really gain traction.

2020 Preview: A new chapter in wireless competition

Throughout 2019 T-Mobile and Sprint’s pending merger dominated headlines as the “will they, won’t they” dragged on longer than expected after state AGs sued to block the deal. While we still don’t know the final outcome of that decision, it tees up major changes for the wireless industry in 2020. 

2020 Preview: Mid-band spectrum finally inches to U.S. market

While some thought 2019 would be the break-out year for mid-band spectrum in the U.S., it’s really 2020 when the middle of the spectrum “layer cake” comes to fruition.

Looking back at 2019—the good, the band and the ugly

2019 was a tumultuous year for many wireless firms. Nearly 20 months after announcing its intent to purchase Sprint, T-Mobile still hasn’t closed the deal and is now in court battling to keep the acquisition on track. AT&T struggled with an activist investor resulting in the company agreeing to sell $10 billion in non-core assets. And Verizon is pushing to deploy 5G in 30 markets nationwide despite the fact that it reduced its employee headcount by 17,000 in the past year.

2020 preview: Liftoff for uCPE, white box switches and routers

The deployment of white boxes and universal customer premises equipment has been a slow train coming, but that will change in 2020.

France fines Google another €150 million

The French antitrust authority has fined Google €150 million for applying opaque and difficult to understand rules in an inconsistent manner.

2020 Preview: Operators will deploy DSS

Major carriers in the U.S., including Verizon and AT&T, are eyeing dynamic spectrum sharing (DSS) as an important technology for extending 5G services.

2020 Preview: Mobile edge computing fuels disruption

The coming year is likely to bring more progress with 5G and mobile edge computing (MEC), but the progress is expected to be gradual and not without its challenges, according to GlobalData.

California drives forward with autonomous delivery

California has opened the traps for wide-scale testing and commercial application of autonomous vehicles for delivery companies across the state.

US Government says UAE is spying now as well – report

The US Government is now allegedly suggesting the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is using a popular messaging app to spy on individuals around the world.

mmWave Auction Nears $6B, but Action Slows

The FCC's third and biggest mmWave spectrum auction has blown past some analysts' estimates, but bidders' interest in licenses appears to be waning.

T-Mobile/Sprint Merger Trial Testimony Ends, Waiting Game Begins

The main, testimony phase of the merger trial for Sprint and T-Mobile is now over. The judge overseeing the trial isn't expected to issue a ruling until February.

5G Gains US Foothold in 2019

As the year comes to a close it’s important to note that 5G became a bonafide reality in 2019. All four of the nationwide operators in the United States have now deployed 5G services, and the country’s largest regional carrier plans to join the party in the first quarter of 2020.

Court Slams Cox With $1B Copyright Fine

Federal jury in Virginia finds that large US operator willfully allowed its cable customers to download music illegally; Cox plans appeal.

Verizon Reaches 5G Buildout Goal, Promises More to Come

Verizon says it offers 5G service in 31 markets, meeting its self-imposed 2019 goal. What will Verizon do for a 5G follow-up in 2020?

Brookfield to Buy Cincinnati Bell for $2.6B

Baby, if you've ever wondered what became of Cincinnati Bell... it is being bought by a Toronto conglomerate that has a penchant for telco assets.

Is AI the Antidote to Network Complexity?

Dreams of a future built on 5G networks and powered by IoT dominated the conversation at conferences in 2019. But for all these grand visions there’s a problem: How do you manage networks with millions of cell sites connecting billions of IoT devices? According to some the answer is better visibility enabled by artificial intelligence (AI).

Nokia Lands Another 4G/5G Private Network Deal

Brussels airport is working with Nokia and Citymesh to build a cellular private network that will be based initially on 4G technology but will also be ready for 5G.

Telstra Joins the Cloud-Native Club

Australian telco has worked with Ericsson to deploy a cloud-native packet core for 4G and 5G.

Cisco Warns About Ongoing Security Exploit

Cisco’s Talos researchers have warned about an increase in exploitation attempts against its Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) and Firepower Appliance tied to a vulnerability initially discovered last year.

F5's $1B Shape Security Acquisition: What It Means for SPs

Shape has multiple service provider customers who rely on the service for fraud and abuse detection, and the deal also provides potential for managed services opportunities.

Broadcom Sidelines Wireless, Plans Unit Sale

Chip giant is hardly ever out of the M&A mix and is now reportedly seeking to sell its RF chip unit for up to $10 billion.

India Set to Auction 5G Spectrum by April 2020

The Indian authorities are on course for a massive spectrum auction during the early months of 2020 but there's little appetite for it among the country's mobile operators.

Why the Rise of SVOD Could Boost Pay-TV

Service providers have a great chance to take advantage of the OTT video phenomenon by melding streaming video services into their pay-TV packages and offering greater choice, convenience and navigation to consumers.

Exploring Cable's 5G & CBRS Prospects

Light Reading Mobile Editor Dan Jones shares nuggets about 5G and CBRS from our Cable Next-Gen Business Strategies event in New York.