Telecom operators throughout the world have been working on a way to leverage the shift from physical storage to cloud storage, and Ericsson is no exception. The construction and optimization of data centers actually compliments Ericsson’s other telecommunications services because it helps to operate and maintain networks.

Industry experts seem to be standing behind Ericsson’s decision to expand the business due to the fact that this is an entirely different type of build out than anything the telecommunications giant has done before. As the world’s largest mobile telecom equipment vendor, it is helping them bridge the gap between themselves and other wireless providers like Verizon, who have been buying data centers rather than building them. It gives customers a sense that Ericsson is efficient and independent.

The network-enabled cloud platform Ericsson is introducing is really aimed at the needs of large telecoms that claim that pairing network assets with cloud storage is crucial. How “crucial” is yet to be determined, but it is being called a great business opportunity for Ericsson.

Cloud storage is becoming more of a priority for large telecommunications operators who are looking to offer cloud-based services for their enterprise clientele. Ericsson’s cloud platform will offer a new concept of planning, designing and implementing data centers that will showcase a complete cloud computing platform. This platform will be equipped with management and security.

Some units of Ericsson use GeoTel Communications, LLC Geographic Information Systems based telecom maps to research and obtain locations of various telecom infrastructure, including the locations of existing data centers, Metro Fiber and Fiber Lit Buildings.

Both plans were announced at a recent wireless conference in Barcelona. Ericsson’s Head of Consulting and Systems Integration, Paolo Colella, said that the company is planning on bringing a whole new thought process to the world of cloud computing and data centers.

“We bring telecom-grade thinking to the cloud space. Within Ericsson’s services organization, we will contribute with our key competence, looking at all of the aspects of the network architecture and how to build, optimize and operate the cloud.”

The simplest form of telecommunications takes place between two stations. However, it is common for multiple transmitting and receiving stations to exchange data among themselves. This is called a telecommunications network. The Internet is the largest example. Other examples are corporate and academic wide-area networks (WANs) and telephone networks. Companies private and public, along with government entities own and operate all different types of telecommunications companies and are regulated by the Federal Communications Commission in the United States.

GeoTel Communications, LLC uses sophisticated methods to produce a Telecommunications Map. The networks are mapped in Geographic Information Systems (GIS). GeoTel produces Telecom Maps to allow its clients to perform various types of analysis of different telecommunications networks.

While last year’s mobile traffic was 8 times the size of the entire Internet in the year 2000, it is not carriers like Verizon or ATT who are profiting from these investments. Companies like Apple, Google and Facebook are actually the ones who are seeing money signs; The content providers. These are the companies that are releasing the apps and the devices that are app compatible.

Since the advent of the iPhone in 2007, investors quickly caught on to this growing industry, which resulted in a major value decrease for the larger telecom giants. Even with staggering and stunning statistical data, IT professionals are saying that the end of big telecommunications companies is NOT an inevitable future.

The nationwide release of 4G LTE networks is slated to create a whole new line of services and products like high definition voice and mobile HD TV within the next five years. Officials have also stated that software defined networking, recently showcased by Verizon and Google, will also change the name of the game showing content providers some major fiscal competition.

At the beginning of 2012, Verizon started offering 4G LTE to 200 million people in over 190 different markets leading the telecommunications giants in this conga line of releases.

IT officials commend Verizon on this initiative, but say that while the end doesn’t appear to be near for other large telecoms they should get the ball rolling on their LTE releases since the market is still extremely unpredictable.

Cheyenne, Wyoming is home to many significant data centers including an Echostar data center and a center for the NICAR supercomputer project.

Wyoming Governor, Matt Mead, said that he believes Wyoming is positioned to be a leader in technology, and data centers will act as a catalyst for expansion.

“Wyoming is a perfect fit for data centers. We have abundant, affordable energy. Our naturally cool climate decreases costs for data centers and we have redundant fiber optics,” Mead said.

Currently, the exact location of the data center is still undisclosed, but it is known that Microsoft already purchased the land, construction will begin in summer and the project will have a “very aggressive” schedule.

Construction for the data center will occur in a series of phases. Once completed, the data center will employ about 40 people. Officials have reported that Microsoft is expecting a spring of 2013 opening.

In the meantime, Governor Mead is not slowing down even though he is extremely pleased to have Microsoft in the community.

“This is a competitive process and Wyoming must continue to ensure it is positioned to attract more data centers and technology companies,” Mead said.

Cheyenne city officials believe that this new expansion solidifies the importance of having “property available for economic development.”

The latest provider to turn out a 100G optical network is Mid-Atlantic Crossroads (MAX), an R&E network provider consortium led by the University of Maryland, Georgetown University and The George Washington University.

100G is short for 100 Gigabit Ethernet which is categorized for its high speed. The network standards were originally developed by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). Before the creation of the 100G network, the fastest Ethernet standard was 10 Gigabit Ethernet.

MAX kept costs minimal by using optical equipment and other services from their current vendor, Fujitsu. The network provider will be serving a number of different constituents, which will include over 40 universities, nonprofit institutions, federal agencies and government labs.

Plans for this 100G network began in 2010. MAX started working with Fujitsu in 2007 and immediately deployed the FLASHWAVE 7500 ROADM. It was in 2008 that three more nodes were added featuring a five-degree ROADM configuration (total of six nodes).

Ultimately, the 100G network is going to allow users to conduct higher bandwidth research applications. MAX’s executive director, Dr. Abdella Battou, said that by using the existing platforms for the 100G network they were able to accomplish goals in terms of other technologies.

“MAX is able to support increasingly bandwidth-intensive, packet-based applications without forfeiting the organization’s investments in more traditional optical technologies,” Dr. Battou said.

CMAS is the interface to the Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) service that wireless phone carriers will roll out in the U.S. this year. The system was developed through a partnership between the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the FCC and wireless phone carriers to increase public safety nationwide, according to FEMA.

Through the CMAS system, authorized public safety authorities will be able to use FEMA’s Open Platform for Emergency Networks (IPAWS-OPEN) to send geographically specific emergency alert notifications similar to text messages to the public.

Alerts can be a maximum of 90 characters, and in most cases, will only contain basic information such as the type of emergency, when the alert will expire and a recommended course of action. Cellphone carriers will sell mobile phones with the capability to receive CMAS notifications, said Rick Wimberly, president of Galain Solutions Inc., and blogger for Emergency Management magazine, Government Technology’s sister publication. Carriers like AT&T have already provided a list of models that can receive CMAS notifications.

The next advancement in Google’s Kansas City broadband plan has come in the form of a request. The company has applied for a patent for “general edging systems and methods.”

The submitted application describes a flat, possibly malleable strip of “edging” that would carry fiber-optic lines and cables that would be tucked inside of them. This “edging” would be housed in shallow areas like along a fence or even dug into a lawn.

Although Google has many fans, this application request has some fans asking if this is just too ambitious. These people feel as though Google needs to focus on the “now” instead of the future.

Fiber-optic lines have a huge data capacity, but are extremely expensive at the same time. These types of lines are generally only used in situations where the installation expense pays off, typically for long-haul lines.

Additionally, there are many alternatives to fiber-optic lines that are more cost efficient and faster to install. An alternative to fiber-optic lines might also allow Google to provide the entire world with fast, cheap Internet access.

Google’s Executive Chairman, Eric Schmidt, said that by 2020 fiber networks will be deployed in nearly every city. He even compares the speed and convenience to electricity saying, “it will be everywhere.”

The bottom line is that whatever Google chooses, they expect to maximize their profit. At this point in time, it is unclear how much Google hopes to profit from this plan, however it is clear that Google Fiber will serve as a business enabler. Faster Internet service means more searching with more advertising and more customers for Google Apps.

Building and operative Internet infrastructure could also provide Google with more bargaining power and monopolize the telecommunications industry. This Google Fiber plan would also create Google into a network operator adding yet another step ahead of their competition.

Social networking and geographic information systems are undoubtedly two of the most important emergencies in technology. Every major, natural disaster over the past two years has used these two types of technology, in tandem, to aide in planning and recovery efforts.

A natural disaster brings about feelings of helplessness and fear among communities. GIS technology and social networking help communities connect with each other, connect with those outside of the community and help those in need by combining shared information.

Two years ago (2010) Haiti experienced an earthquake that registered 7.0 on the Richter scale. There were at least 52 aftershocks, each measuring 4.5 and higher. Experts believe that without the use of GIS technology, the outcome could have been much worse.

Recovery maps were made available to both the media and public to aide in rescue efforts. Those maps were then shared over social media outlets, reaching an even larger population.

Hurricane Irene was a recent natural disaster that crossed over the Atlantic Ocean and landed on the East Coast of the United States last August.

Before Hurricane Irene even made landfall, geographers and GIS professionals were developing data sets, applications and analyses of impact. The New York Times, CNN and MSNBC were just a few of the sources that took advantage of real time maps that allowed for the hurricane to be accurately tracked as it was moving.

GIS technology aides society in decision making during times where decisions are crucial. It is due to this reason that GIS has become essential for natural disaster research to help predict the vulnerability of an area and post-disaster damage.

The most important part of a natural disaster is the planning phase, because that is where the most lives can be saved. The best type of prevention is always early prevention.

Since 2009, the National Broadband Stimulus Program (NBSP) has allegedly dispersed millions of dollars in stimulus grants. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has reported that 258 applicants have been served grants in two separate rounds of Broadband Technologies Opportunity Program (BTOP) funding.

Since the end of last year, the Commerce Department is reporting that more than 18,000 miles of new broadband networks have been built.

Unfortunately, the NTIA’s broadband availability maps indicate that the nation has a far way to go before every citizen has access to this high-speed broadband. This is clearly visible from the broadband maps and data sets that GeoTel commercially offer.

A study conducted last February that analyzed NTIA data concluded that less than four percent of counties across the US met the national broadband standard goal for speed. The norm, according to this standard, should be 3 Mbps download and 786 Kbps. The study did, however, indicate that about 15 percent of those counties were slated to soon meet those goals.

Now, a full year after this analysis of NTIA’s data, the results have changed. The stats show that momentum for network build outs has increased. The Broadband Forum has actually even reported that 2011 saw the strongest growth globally in Fiber to the Home (FTTH) subscribers in the last three years.

This comes as no surprise to many who see the consumer and business demand for better and faster broadband. Large carriers are one by one bridging speed gaps with new technologies in efforts to keep their existing customers.

Rural communities are still very behind the average speed. Seventeen states claim a double-digit percentage difference in speed availability between themselves and their closest urban counterparts.

These numbers are slowly but surely changing as ground is breaking on new broadband projects around the nation. Wireless broadband is becoming less of luxury these days and more of a necessity.