PODCAST: Kam Patel, CommScope, Pt. 1 – Industry 4.0, A.I., SPE, 5G edge discussion

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The fourth Industrial Revolution is a way of describing the blurring of boundaries between the physical, digital, and biological worlds. It’s a fusion of advances in artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, IoT, 3D printing, genetic engineering, quantum computing, and other technologies. In the podcast, CI&M asks Patel to address how this thesis expands the outlook for ICT technicians on the ground integrating Industry 4.0 and A.I. systems technologies in plant manufacturing, but also now within commercial enterprise and smart building sites.

Fiber Connect 2023 seeks Proof of Concept demos on disruptive fiber trends

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The Fiber Broadband Association (FBA) has announced a call for Proof of Concept (PoC) demonstrations that will be hosted at the association’s Fiber Connect 2023 conference in Orlando from August 20-23. Focused on “what fiber disrupts next,” as solicited by FBA, the PoCs will “focus on how fiber broadband enables markets and communities to create innovation and disruption, change market dynamics, and push the boundaries of what is possible.” Each PoC must demonstrate the benefits fiber brings to markets, industries, and/or communities as a fundamental enabler of disruption, growth, and potential. To submit a PoC, download the complete PoC Showcase instructions here and the PoC Submission Form & Agreement here. PoC submissions are due April 30, 2023.

Fiber everywhere requires PON components to handle everything

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Over the next five years, an unprecedented era of building fiber networks will take place around the world, with passive optical networks (PON) making up a large portion of that construction. As networks are deployed in more places, and in more diverse and sometimes difficult-to-reach environments, the need to make sure the highest-quality optical components are within that network only increases. As operators look to lower operational costs to deploy, manage, and maintain network builds, PON components will be pushed out further into the fiber network.

Inching toward a greener, future-proof cabling infrastructure

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This year saw noteworthy milestones in the development of cabling infrastructure standards for smart buildings. In March, the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) released the ANSI/TIA-568.5 Single Pair Ethernet (SPE) cabling standard. Four months later, TIA released the ANSI/TIA-862-C Intelligent Building standard with technical updates and topologies that facilitate connecting and powering IoT devices, including the addition of SPE standards (in alignment with 568.5). Recently, the National Fire Protection Association Standards Council voted to issue the 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC) with Class 4 fault-managed power that will expand the use of energy-saving direct current (DC) power over low-voltage cabling, which is incentivized by the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED version 4 pilot credit Direct Current Power Systems.
These milestones encourage cabling infrastructure design and implementation practices that improve connectivity and sustainability in smart buildings—but the market remains in its infancy. The lack of actual products available on the commercial market complicates new-project design. But technology providers can adopt strategies today to help future-proof infrastructure for tomorrow.

What’s the deal with Industry 4.0 (and how do we deal with it)?

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Whereas the third Industrial Revolution was defined by widespread digitalization (the rise of computers, process logic controllers, etc.), the fourth Industrial Revolution is all about fusing digital, physical and virtual resources to create intelligent processes that think, do and respond faster and more accurately than humans alone can. The fourth Industrial Revolution is a way of describing the blurring of boundaries between the physical, digital, and biological worlds. It’s a fusion of advances in artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, IoT, 3D printing, genetic engineering, quantum computing, and other technologies.

TIA hosts U.S. Dept. of Commerce senior exec for BEAD Success Summit keynote

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The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) today announced it has confirmed Kevin Gallagher, Senior Advisor to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Commerce, as a featured keynote speaker at the BEAD Success Summit, being held April 19 -20, in Arlington, Virginia.
The summit will bring together all of the key stakeholders in the $42 billion program to discuss the Broadband, Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Notice of Funding Opportunity (NoFo) and technology alternatives in plenary sessions, panel discussions and technical breakouts.

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