Artificial intelligence (AI) has established its role in the world of networking and can improve broadband infrastructure investment and contribute to enhanced profits and time-to-market, so long as it’s used correctly in the pre-deployment phases of broadband roll-out, according to research from the World Broadband Association (WBBA).
In its whitepapers, the multilateral, industry-led association – which aims to provide leadership for digital broadband innovation across the next decade by driving towards the provision of broadband networks and services for all – outlined the current and potential uses of AI during the pre-deployment phases of broadband networks, and how this can assist in network planning and expansion decisions. As a result, it suggests that operators can ensure infrastructure is rolled out at the right locations, using the right technologies, and within optimised return on investment (ROI) scenarios.
“The pre-deployment phases in broadband are periods of decision-making and network planning before infrastructure is rolled out or upgraded,” said WBBA director general Martin Creaner. “It’s an ideal environment for AI to make an impact, and if its models are supported by the right data and algorithms, then it can be used to help operators predict the return on their investments much more accurately.”
With gigabit broadband services pivotal to delivering next-generation internet services, and establishing a premium business environment, the WBBA also released its Gigacity index 2025, which ranked cities from 30 countries across the globe in terms of their broadband sophistication.
The first issue of the index assessed cities such as Singapore, Shanghai, New York, Madrid and Zurich, ranking their broadband capabilities and highlighting and the policies, investments and advancements that had led them to become gigacities. Metrics considered in the Gigacities index include a city’s network infrastructure, looking at fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) coverage and 10G passive optical network (PON) availability, network connectivity and broadband experience.
The other publications show that Net5.5G – defined by the WBBA as the network evolution for the 5.5G and 6G era in June 2024 – now had use cases from across five continents which are said to demonstrate successful scenarios and functionalities from operators, carriers and other key industry players.
The use cases are said to demonstrate how the Net5.5G architecture is already being deployed by many operators and stakeholders worldwide, and reflects the sustainable evolution of data communication networks (DCNs) in an era when 5.5G and ubiquitous AI computing will become commonplace.
“Our network technology working group (WG4) is sharing vision, roles and requirements for Net5.5G, but are also developing an end-to-end blueprint for network evolution for the 5G Advanced and 6G era,” added Creaner. “We are excited by the potential of Net5.5G to help realise the promise of digital transformation in a fully connected intelligent world.”
The WBBA reports also considered the reasons why Wi-Fi calling is needed for a variety of scenarios and services, providing use cases across a number of sectors and potential business models. A WBBA task force considered the requirements emerging for Wi-Fi Cclling in the 5G era, and the gaps which need to be addressed to facilitate further deployment and usage of the concept.
