MWC Barcelona 2024 | Featured Stories

At the forefront of artificial intelligence innovation is the critical balance between strategic implementation and investment returns, as industries worldwide pivot to harness the transformative power of both large and small language models.“There is a massive interest in AI — we’ve come from 2023, where there was a lot of understanding about what’s going on with large language models,” said Stephen Rose (pictured), general manager of global industries at IBM. “I think people trying to get their heads around that

Inside Cisco’s solution for enhanced AI and data center connectivity: Routed Optical Networking

Modern IT environments must support a dramatic rise in the amount of data being generated. This data needs to be collected, analyzed and shared in real time to deliver valuable business insights.This is driving the need for greater network capacity and optical networking technology to accommodate this growth, using optics within data centers and optical systems between data centers. Cisco Systems Inc. is well aware of this need and is delivering innovative solutions for both areas.“The only way to get that is through automation,” said Bill Gartner (pictured), senior vice president and general manager at Cisco

The AI supercloud: Supercharging business intelligence and agility across industries

Artificial intelligence has moved beyond the buzzword phase and is now delivering cross-sector enterprise value. As the AI supercloud takes shape, what does the next frontier of innovation hold for the telecom sector and beyond?“I think people are seeing a future state … because, clearly, telcos have a heritage IT infrastructure and being sort of hidebound in these big boxes and things like that,” said Dave Duggal (pictured, left), founder and chief executive officer of EnterpriseWeb LLC. “Now AI is giving this idea of a horizontal, lightweight, loosely-coupled future [that is] much more intelligence and contextual. I think that’s generating a lot of excitement on the floor

AWS fosters cloud adoption for telcos with GSMA initiative

Bringing the cloud to telecommunications has been a lengthy process, but Amazon Web Services Inc. is collaborating with telephone companies to complete their transformation from connectivity providers to digital service providers.“We have 240 services built using thousands of [application programming interfaces], and all the developers see, all that our cloud users see, are APIs,” said Ishwar Parulkar (pictured), chief technology officer of telecom and edge cloud at AWS. “It’s a sea of APIs, and one piece that was missing was the connectivity piece. Now [developers] can … build applications that are network-aware

Michael Dell shares his vision of AI-powered connectivity and innovation at MWC

The evolving landscape of technology, particularly the transformative role of artificial intelligence and cloud computing, is leading discussions at this week’s MWC Barcelona event.During coverage of the event, theCUBE Research analysts talked with Michael Dell (pictured), chairman and chief executive officer of Dell Technologies Inc. Dell outlined the company’s strategic initiatives to shape the future through AI and cloud computing, marking a significant leap toward redefining global connectivity and computing landscapes.“It feels like we’re just getting started,” he said

Analysts dissect Cisco’s challenges and its path toward AI networking

At a time when numerous tech companies are jockeying for a lead position in artificial intelligence, Cisco Systems Inc. has found itself having to play catch-up.Two analysts from theCUBE Research participated in a briefing at MWC Barcelona on Tuesday in which Cisco’s chief executive Chuck Robbins discussed his firm’s challenges. Earlier this month, the company announced plans to trim 5% of its global workforce and issued weaker than expected guidance in its earnings report.“He did admit they’ve lowered expectations two quarters in a row, which he said they’ve never done before,” said Zeus Kerravala (pictured, second from right), guest analyst for theCUBE

Collaboration at MWC: Industry analyst sees cloud and telco companies forming closer ties

MWC, formerly Mobile World Congress, used to be a show about the telco industry. As demonstrated by the presentations and hallway conversations at this week’s gathering in Barcelona, MWC is now about how the major cloud providers and telco companies will work more closely together, a key theme that stood out strongly for one analyst attending the show.“They are dating each other right now,” said Sarbjeet Johal (pictured), founder and chief executive officer of Stackpane. “They are assessing each other. Can we get together? I think they have to because of the nature of the beast. [Telcos] can try to innovate on their own, but because they are all segregated

Harnessing AI for better billing: Exploring Salesforce’s Billing Inquiry Manager

March 1, 2024

Customer satisfaction and operational efficiency are more important than ever for an organization’s success. In response to enterprise needs, Salesforce Inc. released its Billing Inquiry Manager, an AI-powered tool designed to transform the way communication service providers handle customer inquiries.The solution ensures faster, more accurate and trusted interactions, according to David Fan (pictured), vice president and general manager of communications at Salesforce.“One thing that we constantly hear from our customer is, ‘AI is great, generative AI is great, but how do you make it manageable and deployable?’” Fan said

Kyndryl partners with HPE in private 5G strategic alliance for expanded connectivity

Kyndryl Inc. and Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co. have joined forces to provide managed edge-to-cloud services for multinational customers.The two major companies announced an alliance on Monday to develop and deliver LTE and private 5G wireless services. The alliance between the firms is designed to provide customers with an ability to enhance the integration of private 5G and Wi-Fi networks with expanded connectivity across campuses, industrial locations and public transportation sectors

Analysts discuss Open RAN: Challenges, promises and AI in telecom

Exploring the transformative impact of AI and Open RAN in telecom, analysts at this week’s Mobile World Congress event assessed the technology’s promises, challenges and ethical considerations.During coverage of the event, theCUBE Research analysts spoke with Bob O’Donnell (pictured, left), founder and chief analyst at TECHnalysis Research LLC, and Carolina Milanesi (right), president and principal analyst at Creative Strategies Inc. about the innovation and roadblocks that come paired with AI.“It’s not something that’s going to disappear in six months; it is actually a tangible, useful thing, with a lot of complications,” Milanesi said

Kyndryl’s Gretchen Tinnerman on industry trends, solving for customer challenges, and sustainability

March 24, 2024

In this CUBE Conversation, I’m joined by Gretchen Tinnerman, vice president and general manager of US Telco, Media & Entertainment and Technology at Kyndryl Holdings Inc., for a post-Mobile World Congress catch-up, a look at the key industry trends and customer challenges the Kyndryl team is seeing in the market, some real-world sustainability talk and a glimpse into what’s ahead for Kyndryl in 2024

5G networking and the future of telecom: Enhancing cloud integration and ensuring observability

Connectivity is the backbone of today’s digital world. Thus, advancements such as 5G networking serve to bolster that backbone and advance the telecom sector with existing enterprise requirements in areas such as speed, bandwidth and latency.The future of telecom, cloud computing and security is a complex landscape filled with challenges and opportunities, and the transition to 5G represents an unprecedented ground-up overhaul. The implications of doing so are only now becoming apparent.“When you look at 5G and you move it into the cloud, all of a sudden you go blind,” said Bruce Kelley (pictured, left), senior vice president and chief technology officer of NetScout Systems Inc

Telecommunications transformation: Kyndryl’s vision for a sustainable 5G ecosystem

As the provider of information technology infrastructure services for more than a thousand companies across the globe, Kyndryl Inc. has a unique perspective on the current evolution happening in the telecommunications market.One of the company’s biggest announcements last year was a private 5G solution for Nokia, and this year’s news looks to expand that 5G ecosystem with HPE.“[We] continue to support our clients, as we’ve been advising them, and what we’re seeing in the market,” said Gretchen Tinnerman (pictured), general manager of telecommunications, media and technology at Kyndryl. “They’re asking for us to engage with other partners

IBM executive calls for reality check on AI and continued focus on telco APIs

Two of the major topics of discussion at MWC Barcelona this week have been around artificial intelligence and application programming interfaces or APIs. For an executive from IBM Corp., the conversation around AI can be frustrating in the midst of significant industry-wide interest.“I’m a little bit frustrated, if I’m honest, about some of the messaging and the things that have been said at the show,” said Andrew Coward (pictured), general manager for software networking at IBM. “We are in this massive hype cycle at the moment around AI: ‘AI is going to fix all of this stuff that’s broke

Navigating the evolving landscape of telecommunications: theCUBE’s day 2 keynote analysis from MWC

The telecommunications industry is undergoing a profound transformation, propelled by technological advancements and shifting consumer expectations.During day two of Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Chris Lewis (pictured), founder and managing director of Lewis Insight Ltd., talked with theCUBE analysts as a part of the keynote analysis. Two key themes emerged during the discussion: the evolving dynamics of the telecommunications industry and the pivotal role of artificial intelligence and accessibility in shaping its trajectory.“If you think of anything that you produce, which is going to touch the market, touch a customer, then it should be accessible,” Lewis said

VMware streamlines software-defined services with latest enhancements for Edge Compute Stack

Broadcom Inc.’s VMware subsidiary took several steps today to address the edge computing environment with a focus on making it easier for customers to modernize networks and create new services.The company announced edge computing products designed to simplify delivery of software-defined services for a multi-network and multicloud orchestration platform incorporating 5G and edge devices.“When one of our customers wants to go and deploy compute at the edge or digitize the edge, it’s not a very simple and easy path,” said Saadat Malik (pictured), vice president and general manager of edge computing at VMware

AI networking and silicon synergy shape the future of telecom: theCUBE day one analysis at MWC

Data and AI innovations drive Ericsson’s technological transformation

In the rapidly evolving world of technology, data and artificial intelligence, leaders at the forefront of this transformation are not just shaping their organizations, but also setting benchmarks for entire industries.Among these trailblazers is Caitlin Halferty (pictured), global chief data officer of Ericsson, a provider of 5G network equipment in the U.S. Her journey in the realm of data and AI, spanning nearly a decade, reflects a deep commitment to leveraging these tools for enterprise transformation and achieving remarkable business outcomes.“Within Ericsson, it’s an incredibly intelligent, highly functioning engineering culture,” Halferty said

Sustainability and AI: Qualcomm aims to reshape the mobile landscape

The future of artificial intelligence is not confined to boardrooms and laboratories — it’s unfolding in real-time, shaping the way we live, work and interact with the world around us. The journey is one marked by ingenuity, collaboration and a steadfast commitment to harnessing the transformative power of AI for improved sustainability and the betterment of humanity.Diving deep into the implications of AI’s migration to the edge, Ziad Asghar (pictured), senior vice president of product management and head of AI Technology at Qualcomm Technologies Inc., gave a glimpse into the transformative power of on-device processing, the burgeoning realm of sustainability and the democratization of AI

Exploring Open RAN and its potential to reshape the telecom sector

The fast-paced world of mobile communications has always brought forth several cutting-edge innovations, each offering improvements in one area or another.The newest of those is open radio access network infrastructure. From cost savings to end-user value creation, what possibilities does the Open RAN standard hold for telecom operators?“If you look at the technology landscape, especially in the telco space, we’re [at] an important tipping point,” said Anand Swamy (pictured, left), executive vice president and global head of ecosystems at HCL Technologies Ltd. “The technology has not changed as much over the last two, three decades as it has done

Dell brings AI to telcos with advanced networking technologies

With artificial intelligence requiring more complexity at every level, Dell Technologies Inc. looks to support telephone companies in taking advantage of the newest AI innovations.“AI is not a server and a network; it’s a full system,” said Ihab Tarazi (pictured), senior vice president and chief technology officer of the Infrastructure Solutions Group Core at Dell. “The GPU is very highly dependent on the network … so [that] has become a very big focus of attention to get the maximum performance and throughput inside the system

Clicks aims to redefine mobile interaction through creator keyboard

Clicks Technology Ltd. is looking to reshape the landscape of smartphone typing with a fresh take on haptic technology.With touchscreen keyboards such an integral part of the world, Clicks has emerged with a tactile experience that bridges the gap between traditional button input and modern touchscreen interfaces. Clicks’ new smartphone keyboard accessory is redefining the boundaries of haptic hardware and paving the way for a more tactile and inclusive digital experience.“It’s been an absolute tsunami,” said Jeff Gadway (pictured, left), senior vice president of marketing at Clicks. “We launched Clicks, the brand, the company, all at the same time

IBM and Samsung SDS transform enterprise mobility with zero-touch technology

A change is underway in the realm of enterprise mobility.The partnership between IBM Corp. and Samsung SDS America Inc. has led to Zero Touch Mobility, a transformative approach that promises to redefine the way enterprises manage mobile infrastructure. With cutting-edge AI technologies, seamless integration and a relentless focus on efficiency and security, IBM and Samsung SDS are aiming to usher in a new era of mobility management.“You see all of these cloud transformations; you see everybody going from old systems into brand new systems,” said David Kinlough (pictured, right), head of division – solution sales at Samsung SDS. “Mobiles are still being treated like BlackBerrys

HPE’s stock drops on big revenue decline, while NetApp heads upward

It was a day of contrasting fortunes for information technology infrastructure leaders Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Co. and NetApp Inc. as they reported their latest financial results today.While the former missed expectations on revenue amid a steep decline, the latter company reported increased sales that came in ahead of estimates. HPE’s stock was consequently trading lower, while shares of NetApp made big gains in extended trading.HPE reported fiscal first-quarter earnings before certain costs such as stock compensation of 48 cents per share, just ahead of the Street’s target of 45 cents. However, its sales plunged 14% from a year earlier, to just $6

Juniper Networks’ CEO Rami Rahim weighs in on AI, edge opportunity for telcos and HPE acquisition