Connectivity: The Unsung Hero of the Paris Olympics
Blog: August 2024 (Image credit: Paris 2024)
The Paris Olympics is more than just a sporting spectacle; it’s a logistical behemoth requiring the seamless coordination of millions of moving parts. From athletes and spectators to media and officials, the success of the Games hinges on efficient operations. At the heart of this intricate machinery lies a robust network infrastructure.
Such infrastructure will be a key topic of discussion at Network X 2024 when it returns to Paris on 8-10 October, with industry leaders exploring how enterprises are delivering new services off the back of fixed and mobile networks. Leveraging AI and cloud, today’s networks are more agile, robust and delivering higher-performing.
Leading the 5G Revolution
Paris has risen to the occasion, undergoing a digital transformation to accommodate the influx of visitors and the demands of a global audience with French operator, Orange deploying 5G Standalone capabilities to boost performance of their private 5G network used to broadcast some of the more intricate parts of the Opening Ceremony. Network slicing to boost revenue opportunities for CSPs, along with resilience, security and autonomy in private networks, will be a key focus of the session by Takehiro Nakamura, Chief Standardisation Officer at NTT DoCoMo as part of the mobile networks track on day three of Network X, as he discusses Enabling New Use Cases with 5G Standalone Capabilities.
Enterprise Connectivity – the Heart of the Games
Alongside broadcasting, investments in network infrastructure have been made across the board, with a particular focus on enhancing connectivity in Olympic venues and surrounding areas. The day one agenda at Network X will delve into B2B transformation with a focus on enterprise connectivity, with sessions from senior figures at Orange and SFR, and topics including Achieving a seamless service offering whether on FWA, fiber or mobile aimed at sparking discussion around finding the right mix of access technologies to sit alongside new services that can help enterprises achieve their goal.
Overcoming Network Challenges
However, even with these advancements, challenges remain. The sheer volume of data generated during the Olympics puts immense strain on network capacity. Cybersecurity, a critical concern, will also be a focal point at Network X 2024, with dedicated sessions such as Security Threats and Network Infrastructure Performance on day two featuring speakers from Vodafone, ETSI and Verizon.
Despite these hurdles, the Paris Olympics offered a unique opportunity to showcase the power of connectivity. The Games serve as a testing ground for new technologies and applications, paving the way for future innovations. This sentiment echoes the vision of Network X 2024, where the discussion will extend beyond the Olympics to explore how such advancements in connectivity can impact future global events and drive technological progress that can be felt by the consumer and enterprise.
Join us in Paris
As the world looks back on the Paris Olympics, it's essential to remember that the success of the Games extends far beyond the athletic achievements. The underlying network infrastructure is one of many unsung heroes, enabling the smooth operation of this global spectacle and driving technological progress. The insights from the Paris Olympics will resonate at Network X 2024, where the intersection of connectivity, technology, and global events will be at the forefront of discussions.