A new survey fielded by the Business Performance Innovation (BPI) Network, in partnership with A10 networks, has found that mobile service providers anticipate significant new revenue opportunities from the coming deployment of high-speed 5G networks and a host of new IoT-driven use cases, but they also believe much-improved security will be essential to realizing that potential.
A key concern identified by A10 Networks is that mobile operators have a significant amount of work ahead to fortify their networks for the coming of 5G. For example, while more than 80 percent of mobile operator respondents say they will need to upgrade Gi firewalls at the core of their networks, only 11 percent have completed the implementation of new Gi firewalls.
“Mobile carriers anticipate significant revenue opportunities and exciting new use cases as they move forward with their 5G deployments. However, the industry also recognizes that 5G will dramatically raise the stakes for ensuring the security and reliability of these networks,” said Gunter Reiss, vice president of A10 Networks. “New mission-critical applications like autonomous vehicles, smart cities, and remote patient monitoring will make network reliability vital to the safety and security of people and businesses. Meanwhile, dramatic increases in traffic rates and connected devices will significantly expand the attack surface and scale for cybercriminals.”
Some highlights of the “Securing the Future of a Smart World” report:
- 67% of operators will deploy their first commercial 5G networks within 18 months and another 20 percent within two years.
- 94% of operators expect growth in network traffic, connected devices and mission-critical IoT use cases to significantly increase security and reliability concerns for 5G networks.
- 79% of operators say 5G is a consideration in current security investments
The top-three benefits derived from 5G:
- 67% – Overall growth in the mobile market
- 59% – Better customer service and satisfaction
- 43% – The creation of new 5G-enabled business models
Assessing 5G Security Needs
- 63% – Advanced DDoS protection the most important security capability needed for 5G networks.
- 98% of respondents said core network security was either very important (72%) or important (26%) in 5G build-outs.
- 79% have or will upgrade their Gi-firewalls
- 73% have or will upgrade their GTP firewall
Survey Methodology
In partnership with A10 Networks, the Business Performance Innovation (BPI) Network conducted a global survey of communications service providers to understand industry intentions, priorities and concerns about 5G. The study includes a survey of 145 IT and business leaders at communications service providers globally.
