Robust growth expectations are fuelling network investment

A10 Networks’ Global Communication Service Providers: Market Growth Fuels Security Investments research, published this week, reveals the priorities, expectations, and perspectives of CSPs across the globe as they evolve and expand their services and infrastructure in an increasingly complex digital environment.  

Undertaken by independent research organisation Opinion Matters, 2,750 senior IT professionals across 11 regions worldwide – 250 in the UK.

All UK service providers expect to see traffic volumes rise in the next two to three years, with two thirds of respondents expect to see traffic increase by half or more – with a quarter believing it will soar by three quarters or more. 

Anthony Webb, vice president of A10 International, said positive growth level predictions align with the sustained traffic growth of recent years.

“Although the pandemic created a one-off burst in growth which we witnessed in our 2021 survey, we are now seeing more sustained patterns emerging which show continuing growth at a considerable rate.

“Likewise, these positive growth levels are creating both the urgency and the confidence for CSPs to undertake substantial investment projects.” 

Four key themes ran through A10 Networks’ recent survey – focusing on investment, preparing for growth, expanding services to meet underserved communities and seizing opportunities to expand into new markets with new services. 

Network security strategy is becoming more sophisticated and diverse 

The survey found that UK respondents’ top three priorities for network security investments were simplification and integration of disparate, disconnected point security solutions and ransomware and malware protection services, both at 32%, and 30% for upgrading firewalls. 

“This points to the fact that today’s network security strategy must be wide-ranging, with a well-rounded approach that can handle the full spectrum of emerging threats to maintain a high quality, reliable, and secure service for customers,” Mr Webb added.

Providers are working to close the digital divide 

Alongside investing in network security, 63% of UK CSPs are planning to expand their networks to reach unserved or underserved communities, with  37% planning to build additional data centres and expand to provide additional capacity for other service providers. 

He continued: “Connecting communities is central to reducing inequality and supporting digital opportunities, so it is heartening to see this positive direction of travel. Combining this with robust security strategies will result in more people and communities worldwide benefitting from safe, reliable digital services.” 

The global report provides detail on the positive impact of enterprise cloud migration and how IPv6 transition remains an ongoing challenge.

Download the full report here.