WBBA sets out broadband roadmap for Metaverse

Discussed for the first time at the WBBA Broadband Development Congress in Paris, France, in co-operation with the Metaverse Standards Forum, the WBBA has detailed the broadband generational roadmap stakeholders required to sufficiently support Metaverse and Extended Reality (XR) applications. Recommendations include a migration towards advanced Passive Optical Network (PON) variants for optimal broadband access, Wi-Fi 7 (and Wi-Fi 8 in the future) technology in the local area network (LAN), and 400/800GE in the IP transport network.

“As concepts such as the Metaverse and XR grow in prominence, it’s vital developing countries also get the chance to enjoy the socioeconomic benefits these technologies bring,” said Director General of the WBBA, Martin Creaner. “Our roadmap considers the requirements needed for ubiquitous XR experiences and provides guidance to stakeholders to ensure total migration to the networks that can sustain them.”

Higher developed broadband countries are expected to be well equipped to handle this evolution. However, even by 2030, fiber broadband penetration in some regions will remain lower than 40% of total subscribers and the deployment of advanced technology such as 25/50G PON still be relatively modest. To this end, the report details the steps and technologies required to overcome these challenges.

Also launched at the Congress was a new guidebook from the WBBA aimed at formulating the best broadband investment strategies for North America. Designed to help stakeholders examine investment in broadband infrastructure, the document provides insight into the key metrics related to the region, and the ways in which broadband infrastructure investment can be made more viable.

“The WBBA’s dedication to providing actionable insights regarding broadband infrastructure is demonstrated through our new guidebook,” continued Mr. Creaner. “Through this document, the investment community, operators, regulatory authorities and other interested parties both within and outside North America will gain a greater understanding of the opportunities and challenges associated with the region.”

The guidebook compromises of an overview of the key trends within broadband investment in North America, alongside an analysis of the key supply, demand, and profit metrics stakeholders must consider. This includes a clear comparison of broadband in North America against other market leaders across the globe. Readers will also learn more about the challenges of investment, and how the viability of developments within the region can be improved.

Use cases regarding businesses models used for broadband infrastructure, and key takeaways for stakeholders in other regions, have also been included within the guidebook.