iPad 2 Reactions: What does Mervyn Kelly of Ciena think?

Mervyn Kelly, EMEA marketing director of Ciena comments on how the preponderance of tablet devices will mean that operators will need to rethink their network strategies to support greater bandwidth growth.

“With 2011 set to be the year of tablets, the launch of the iPad II marks the start of the high season for this new generation of consumer devices. As usual great attention is being given to the device’s superior design and the wide range of applications on offer. However, an important aspect is being overlooked: the impact of such devices on the network.

“Consumers hunger for bandwidth continues to grow, a trend that will only be strengthened when tablets become popular. Mobile video, social networking and other robust cloud based applications are becoming part of a new life style – and that is exactly the market Apple’s new device was designed to address.

“This hunger for high-bandwidth applications is making carriers rethink their network strategy and look for more efficient ways to support data growth. An important part of this is the backhaul network, connecting base stations with the network core. It can be seen as the foundation for any successful mobile network strategy – if you get it wrong, it doesn’t matter how pretty your house is, it’s going to fall down.

“Without sufficient capacity and resiliency in the backhaul portion of their networks, operators could soon face problems delivering on the promise of the iPad. Carrier Ethernet-based mobile backhaul offers a cost-effective and scalable architecture that allows carriers to control costs while supporting the mobile experience consumers expect.”

Thank You Mervyn!