PTC’19: From Pipes to Platforms, is taking shape at the big and detailed picture level. Capturing the near simultaneous changes across very fast moving technology and policy sectors is a major exercise but one that PTC traditionally excels at.

Policy: All Around Us
Perhaps it’s the GDPR effect, but suddenly, policy looks like it’s center stage. On the horizon, we have AI, 5G, and IoT coming together, and hopefully policy guidelines will help. Elsewhere, India saw new pressure to enforce net neutrality. Lawmakers continued to be concerned about privacy, especially in terms of US/EU issues.

5G Develops
The 5G rollout is getting nearer. On the PTC blog, we asked what policy issues from spectrum to densification are involved in what is tipped to be a gamechanger infrastructure. Where will it stand though against say, nuclear power, or the Internet itself?

Some predict, regardless of 5G, mobile voice revenues will continue to fall for at least another 5 years. Still, it’s seemingly an arms race to launch 5G and dominate the global market.

China may be winning, and starting even earlier than thought, although not necessarily in the vertical industries space according to one report. US commentators continue to fret over 5G leadership.

More and More Subsea
The PTC blog reviewed the state of the submarine cable industry and saw no signs of growth slackening, particularly in the less served markets. Big systems announced activation too, with Hawaiki announcing it was ready for service. Major OTT systems are also being built, including Dunant, a transatlantic project from Google.

Even in an industry that has seen so much build as well as price and capacity upheaval, one commentator has taken the view that there is no bandwidth glut after all. The industry continues to produce good ideas, including earthquake detection.

New Ideas in the Satellite World
The satellite industry could be set for a new renaissance. In the PTC blog, we reported on the possibility of LEO-HTS constellations for the Pacific, effectively the world’s largest addressable market.

There are new ideas as well in terms of teaming them with IoT systems for new applications.

Is a Data Wave About to Hit?
The Global Interconnection Index, published by Equinix, reported that installed interconnection bandwidth capacity is expected to reach 5,000 terabits per second by 2020, a 4x increase from 2016. Will datacenter facilities be judged on their green credentials in the future?

And Finally, Don’t Forget…
Elizabeth Fife reviews her work on the PTC Broadband Reports covering Myanmar, Fiji, Indonesia, and the Philippines in a special podcast interview.

ISE Expo 2018 will be taking place 14-16 August, see here for details.

PTC Events and Initiatives
All the above well illustrates a pipes to platforms approach the PTC’19 program will cover. Mark your calendar for PTC’19.

Meanwhile, the PTC outreach program continues with the next event scheduled for 20-21 September 2018 in Bangkok, PTC Academy Thailand: Navigating Change. This course is specially designed to give rising young industry executives unrivalled exposure to critical thinking and strategy setting skills in the current environment. Presenters are senior industry executives currently established in the international ICT environment. Registration is limited to 30 participants to maximize face-to-face contact.

Closer to home, as a follow up to the PTC Project: Tradition and Technology, University of the South Pacific students applied lessons they learned to a Fiji flood risk modelling project.

Involved in ICT research around the world? It is not too early to be thinking about applying for research awards that will be presented at PTC’19. Not only is travel and subsidence funded, it is an ideal opportunity to interact with the most senior professionals in the community.