It’s time to refocus on telecoms and networks

With all the buzz around quantum computing and artificial intelligence over the past five years, it’s easy to overlook the roll-out of the fifth-generation network technology 5G. More than an upgrade to 3G/4G that oversaw the convergence of internet and mobile comms, 5G brought together connectivity, computing and control. Its successor 6G will add the sensing capabilities essential for autonomous systems supporting cyber-physical convergence.

Mallik Tatipamula sees such continual development in the telecoms and networking space as the “essential backbone” that will underpin the digital transformation heralded by AI, quantum and countless other innovations. But without robust, advanced networks, “those technologies simply won’t have the infrastructure to thrive.” Sensing the need to “join the dots” between these technologies and to create focus for decision-makers from funding agencies, Mallik set up the Inter-Academy Workshops to bring together stakeholders from industry, academia and governments to discuss use cases of 5G and the promise of 6G.

A well-known figure in the world of 5G, Mallik, who is CTO at Ericsson Silicon Valley, won the IET Achievement Medal for Telecommunications in 2020.

E+T magazine’s Chief Engineer of the Year

Two years later he became E+T magazine Chief Engineer of the Year for his “substantial contributions towards the advancement of 5G technology” as well as providing international leadership on 6G. During a career spanning a quarter of a century, Mallik has co-authored more than a hundred patents and publications while forging a reputation as a thought leader and keynote speaker. He has worked with many of the main players in the telecoms field – including Cisco, Juniper and F5 – successfully delivering programmes with multi-billion-dollar impacts.

At Ericsson he is currently spearheading initiatives for developing 5G and future 6G technologies. These include industry-academia-government collaborations for advancing the adoption of 5G networks and the cultivation of a harmonised approach to 6G technologies.

Uniting key stakeholders from industry, academia, and government

Mallik views one of his greatest recent career achievements as successfully uniting key stakeholders from industry, academia, and government through Inter-Academy Workshops. A major theme addressed by delegates is the symbiotic relationship between AI, quantum computing and telecoms/networking, exploring “how each of these fields would rely on the other to reach its full potential. I wanted to make it clear that without a strong foundation in telecommunications and networking, the promise of these emerging technologies could be severely limited.”

The Inter-Academy gatherings represented a sector lightbulb moment in which contributors started to create “new bridges” connecting academic researchers, industry leaders, standards representatives, funding agencies and policymakers. “There was a newfound commitment to ensuring that telecommunications received the attention – and funding – it deserved. I’m proud of how we came together as a community.”

But it wasn’t just about funding. For Mallik there was the wider ambition of “fostering a collaborative ecosystem where we could all work towards a common goal. It’s an exciting time to be in this field, and I’m thrilled to be part of shaping the future of connectivity.”