10G: The Essential Platform for the Future of Work
By Phil McKinney
Published: June 14, 2022
Before the pandemic transformed countless aspects of our lives, remote work was less common and sometimes made it challenging for coworkers to seamlessly connect and work productively. Today, connecting with colleagues and clients via video conferencing and online collaboration tools is not just commonplace, it is necessary for the way many of us work.
In fact, a recent poll revealed that 72 percent of respondents work for a firm that still allows some remote work, showing that these tools are here to stay. The rate of progress is increasing at an accelerated pace, and broadband networks are an important part of keeping people connected both personally and professionally.
With the next era of broadband, the 10G Network, just around the corner, it’s time for innovators to build the technology tools of tomorrow, today.
What is 10G?
Unlike wireless networks where the “G” stands for “generation,” 10G refers to 10-gigabit internet speeds. To put this in perspective, the fastest internet speed most people have access to today is one gigabit. The 10G network will offer a tenfold increase in speed and increased reliability, lower latency, and better security.
An innovation in itself and a platform for the innovations to come, 10G will change the way we collaborate.
New Technologies Create a New “Business As Usual”
The technologies of the near future will have a major impact on the world of work, in ways that make everyone more efficient, regardless of sector. Instead of displaying design ideas on a common screen, for example, organizations might use augmented reality (AR) to show off particular components.
Apps like DesignAR are already in use in retail spaces, which help customers envision the size and design of a product in AR before they buy it. With the 10G platform, we could apply this same technology in collaborative work settings, allowing designers to make real-time changes, among other possibilities.
Instead of searching through digitized records for information, technologies leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) will scan thousands of documents in an instant, eliminating the hours previously spent searching for the information manually. The utilization of AI to improve efficiencies in the workplace is a noticeable growing trend that will continue to evolve as the network provides a better, faster, and more reliable platform.
Online coworking spaces that use virtual reality (VR) could soon be as common as video calls. In the very near future, we will build interactive experiences that bring us closer to our remote colleagues, using technology to recreate what it’s like to work, brainstorm and collaborate in the same room even when we’re continents apart. This short video, The Near Future: Diverse Thinkers Wanted, about the future of work is a great example of how real-world collaboration in a virtual setting might occur. Although this platform has its roots in entertainment, the metaverse unlocks enormous potential that will meet people’s growing expectations for how they want to engage with businesses.
From AI and AR to VR and the metaverse, we must build the technologies that will improve the future of work on the powerful broadband networks of the future to run seamlessly and improve our working lives. While these technologies are not “business as usual” yet, they will be in the very near future with 10G.
Shaping the Future With 10G
To raise awareness of the impending 10G network, CableLabs, in collaboration with Corning and other industry leaders, has established The 10G Challenge. The objective of the Challenge is to encourage inventors to develop products, services, and applications that will be based on 10G's increased speeds, lower latency, dependability, and security.
The Challenge invites individuals with a plan to improve our lives, work, learn, and play to submit a two-minute video and description of their innovation.
Besides having their ideas reviewed by the top minds in the industry, winners could take home up to $100,000 USD and connect with industry leaders at SCTE Cable-Tec Expo 2022 who can help them move their ideas forward. For more information, visit 10gchallenge.com.
The digital workplace has changed the way we work. In the past, innovative technologies were innovated after networks were in place to support them; however, that is no longer the situation. Innovators must be ready to take the next step and shape the future of work before it becomes a reality.
Corning and CableLabs are two organizations that are committed to assisting other innovators in using technology to create a better future.
