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Network X 2024 in Paris brought together industry leaders to discuss the future of broadband network performance and scalability. One of the key sessions was the panel titled “How to Ensure Robust Network Performance at Scale Across Your Fibre Network,” featuring Manuel Paul, Governing Board Co-Chair of LF Broadband and Squad Lead Network Convergence at Deutsche Telekom. Paul provided insights into the crucial role of network disaggregation, programmability, and open source technologies in shaping the future of fiber networks.
The Foundation for AI-Driven Networks
During the panel, Paul emphasized that the LF Broadband community’s ongoing efforts in network disaggregation and programmability have been instrumental in enabling network automation, robustness, and scalability. He explained how these foundational technologies are essential for building intelligent networks capable of supporting advanced use cases, such as AI-driven operations. According to Paul, open interfaces and data structures are critical enablers, ensuring that operators and the broader industry can fully benefit from AI and data analytics.
This point resonated with the other panelists, who shared examples of current AI applications, such as predictive maintenance, automation, and fiber rollout planning. All participants agreed that standards and open source technologies are crucial as the broadband industry enters a data-centric and AI-driven era.
LF Broadband’s Role and Recent Milestones
Paul also highlighted recent developments within LF Broadband, particularly the strengthened collaboration between LF Broadband and the Broadband Forum. This collaboration will combine the open source expertise of LF Broadband with the global industry standards leadership of the Broadband Forum, enabling the development of scalable, multivendor solutions that meet the needs of a rapidly changing industry. At a high level, the partnership will focus on coordinating industry positioning to accelerate development and adoption of modular, intelligent, efficient, disaggregated, highly automated, multi-vendor broadband networks and solutions with open interfaces. Specific areas of collaboration will include events, marketing, standards and specifications development, software code contributions, and testing of solutions.
Paul also delved into the evolution of its disaggregated, open source solutions. He pointed out that LF Broadband’s disaggregated PON (Passive Optical Network) solution – which includes both OLTs (Optical Line Terminals) and ONUs (Optical Network Units) – has matured into a proven, operator-driven, interoperable system. This solution provides flexibility and programmability, key attributes that will be necessary as networks scale and evolve.
A Call for Broader Participation
At the event, Paul encouraged attendees to actively engage with LF Broadband and the broader open source community. He emphasized that collaboration will be key to ensuring robust, scalable, and intelligent broadband networks in the future, particularly as AI and automation become more integral to network operations.
LF Broadband’s work in open source, in tandem with the global standards set by the Broadband Forum, provides a foundation for the next generation of broadband networks. As the industry continues to evolve, open source and standards-based collaboration will be essential to building robust, intelligent, and future-ready networks.
