How Telecom Industry Is Coping with The Data Demand Spike Amid Covid-19?

The outbreak of Corona Virus (COVID-19) is causing widespread concern and economic hardship for consumers, businesses and communities across the globe. The situation is quickly changing with prevalent impacts.

Companies to a great extent already have business continuity plans, but those may not fully address the fast-moving and unknown variables of an outbreak like COVID-19. Typical eventuality plans ensure operational effectiveness following events like natural disasters, cyber incidents and power outages. They don’t generally take into account the widespread quarantines, extended school closures and added travel restrictions that may occur in the case of a health emergency.

The Covid-19 crisis raises a number of unique challenges.

What makes the telecommunications industry expose itself differently?

As the number of Covid-19 cases mount, the nation rather urged people to stay at home and practice social distancing. That’s expected to aid the telecom sector as people working from home tend to consume more data!

Indian telecom service providers also noticed a 10% surge in overall traffic, driven largely by the near lock down.

During this health emergency the top-notch telecom providers including IP Momentum join together and pave the way with special discounts in VoIP (Voice over internet Protocol) and intra-circle roaming (ICR) to ensure uninterrupted mobile and wireless internet services amid the surge in data consumption.

Broadcasting and OTT (over-the-top) companies are enjoying a run of luck as the number of viewers and new subscribers surging on their network platforms.

A clear spike in viewers is noticed across quite a few over-the-top (OTT) platforms in the past few days. Most platforms have had nearly 20 per cent rise in viewership, especially in metros.

This is because people have more time to spend watching video content online. Therefore, the industry is witnessing a surge in content being watched. But the top OTT players were therefore instructed by the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) to ease the pressure that has arisen upon the network infrastructure from the increased demand of online video streaming.

CRISIS MANAGEMENT during the COVID-19

Possible issues during the ongoing shift to remote work will drive demand for networking infrastructure and connectivity. However, the demand could also strain the system and lead to public perception issues if reality doesn’t meet expectations.

Cancelled domestic and global business travel results in a sharp increase in mobile communications.

WORKFORCE during the COVID-19

Telecommunications is a people-intensive industry, with a seasoned workforce that includes teams in offices and in retail storefronts. If they are forced to work remotely, that could impact productivity.

Remote work could increase security and infrastructure risks for customers and tele workforce. Some elements of telecommunications work cannot be easily duplicated remotely — in some cases its highly impossible.

Front-line employees — such as retail customer representatives or field technicians who regularly visit customers — may have concerns about COVID-19 exposure and transmission.

The way forward

The lifeblood of modern communications, the telecommunications industry has been great at relaying messages between individuals and businesses— even during crises. This crisis is no different. Stress-tested for flexibility, the industry will surely evolve again after this crisis, emerging even more prepared for the decades ahead.