2022-09-27-科尔尼-Building_an_Internet_for_the_future_19页_1mb

Report Summary: Building an Internet for the Future

Introduction
The Internet has become a cornerstone of modern society, providing essential economic and social benefits to billions. However, it faces challenges of inequity, insecurity, and environmental impact, with only a quarter of the global population connected. This report discusses the role of communication service providers (CSPs) in shaping the future Internet.

Key Findings

The Internet has seen exponential growth, with 4.9 billion connections in 2021, up 150% from 2011. This has enabled basic functions like shopping, banking, education, and national security. Despite this, access remains a major issue: about 37% of the population lacks connectivity, mostly in lower-income countries. Key challenges include affordability, security threats (e.g., 20 billion daily security issues), privacy concerns, and environmental costs (IT sector accounts for 2-3% of global power use and 53.6 million metric tons of e-waste).

The Role of CSPs
CSPs are vital for deploying and maintaining Internet infrastructure, such as networks and services. However, they face significant financial and structural hurdles. Revenue growth is stagnant, capex intensity is high, and profitability has declined due to competition, regulatory burdens, and the loss of technological leadership. CSPs have not monetized Internet growth effectively, with market share dropping from nearly 30% in 2010 to less than 6% in 2021.

Strategies for Transformation
To build a sustainable and equitable future Internet, CSPs must transform their business models:

• Adopt a platform-focused approach using technologies like virtualized radio access networks (VRAN), open standards, and software-defined networks (SDN/NFV) to reduce capex and opex by up to 34% and 30%, respectively.
• Form strategic partnerships, such as sharing infrastructure with competitors or collaborating with hyperscalers and governments, to cut costs and improve efficiency.
• Focus on monetization through new business models like network-as-a-service (NaaS) and B2B2X services, targeting growth areas like 5G, IoT, AR/VR, and the metaverse.
• Prioritize sustainability by reducing carbon emissions through renewable energy, optimized hardware, and circular economy practices in their operations and supply chains.

Future Recommendations
CSPs need bold action to achieve higher growth and ROIC. This includes modernizing networks, enhancing automation, fostering innovation, and ensuring affordability and accessibility. Broader industry transformation involving hyperscalers, regulators, and technology suppliers is essential for the Internet's evolution, with the goal of creating a more inclusive, secure, and sustainable digital ecosystem.

Conclusion

The future Internet requires accessibility, affordability, equity, and environmental responsibility. CSPs are pivotal, and their transformation is critical—balancing growth with sustainability and innovation to meet global needs.