Digital Communication: Its Current State, Trends, Risks and Opportunities

Prof. Mischa Dohler (Kings College) participates in “Risk Roundup with Jayshree Pandya” to discuss “Digital Communication: Its Current State, Trends, Risks and Opportunities”. Mischa Dohler is a full Professor in Wireless Communications at King’s College London, Head of the Centre for Telecommunications Research, Co-Founder and member of the Board of Directors of the smart city pioneer Worldsensing, Fellow and Distinguished Lecturer of the IEEE, and Editor-in-Chief of the Transactions on Emerging Telecommunications Technologies.   Introduction Digital communication is at the core of the Digital Global Age. As the digital global age drives the need for more data, more information, more innovation and more bandwidth, the telecommunications industry remains of crucial importance to each nation: its government, industries, organizations, academia and individuals (NGIOA-I). The health, advances, security and sustainability of this industry affects not only each nation’s economy, but in many ways the very existence of the digital global age and the coming tomorrow of space age. When we evaluate communication, it seems nations have come a long way from smoke signals and drums to a telecommunication industry of today which uses electromagnetic waves and electronic transmitters to connect people, processes, talent, opportunity, resources and so much more. It is because of this industry that telephone, television, radio, computers, satellites, and internet of things now allow the communication to travel across NGIOA in cyberspace, geospace, and space (CGS). This industry has produced some of the most incredible fundamental technological changes in the history of nations, and all within perhaps little less than two centuries. It is because of this industry that we see the critical process of digitization happening across each NGIOA today. Even today in 2016, this industry is making great advances and innovations in all sectors: from wireless technology to internet, and satellite communications and more. Because of the advances in information, communication and digitization technology, there is widespread “digital disruption” happening across NGIOA. This is forcing even the telecommunication industry itself to invest heavily in innovation, and in the development of needed technology for today and the coming tomorrow. Digital Communications: Current State It is important for each NGIOA decision maker to understand and evaluate the current state of the digital communications and where is it going. In addition they need to evaluate, what is shaping the future of digital communications. The digital global age necessitates understanding the role of the telecommunications industry with reference to the digital communication. It is also necessary that we evaluate its impact on each individual, each entity across nations: its government, industries, organizations and academia (NGIOA) in the context of the emerging technological tsunami and digital disruption revolution seen across nations. It is important that the decision makers across NGIOA evaluates this collectively—especially when there is and will be a need for building resilient infrastructure in cyberspace, geospace and space (CGS). Now is the time to evaluate how much scope for innovation is left in telecommunications! It is also important to understand the role of telecommunication industry in a digital global age and evaluate its role in the coming tomorrow of space age. Digital Communication: Changing Nature Before the emergence of the internet, telecommunications had a very narrow focus: and that was to allow people to communicate at a distance by voice. The telephone has over the years expanded to be more inclusive as communication at a distance has expanded to include data transport,