The future of networking: How to solve for enterprise needs

Businesses are facing new and ever mounting challenges in today’s hyper-connected world. In our discussions with customers, there are a few challenges that are consistent. They expect immediate responsiveness—reliability is table stakes. They need security on a whole new level—especially as employees continue to work anywhere and everywhere. Technology is evolving so quickly—but they feel they lack the expertise to keep up. Only half claim to have a strategy for how to digitally transform.¹

Without a doubt, times are tough for businesses everywhere. And one thing we continue to come back to in conversations with our team is the overall need for connectivity to be at the center of business. This becomes increasingly clear as we are advising and guiding our customers. Connectivity is not just there to help solve the needs of today, it’s also allowing us to plan a roadmap for the future with our customers’ business in mind. The question many customers ask is—how do we get there? How do we get to that next-level network?  Luckily, we have plenty of experience in networking and connectivity.

For starters, we’re of the belief that a new standard for networking is required as the foundation to any change. With massive growth in cloud adoption, continuous increases in connected device use, and new concerns around security, customers are needing connectivity that can tackle it all, and more. As businesses face the need to deliver more, work faster, and meet higher expectations, the connectivity powering modern business must also rise to the challenge. Industry forecasters predict that by 2025, organizations that invest in building digital immunity will increase customer satisfaction by decreasing downtime by 80%—an encouraging statistic for many of our customers who are actively adapting to new technology to run their business.²

When we think about the elements that take businesses to that next level of connectivity, three elements come to mind: reliability, security, and expertise. These essential pillars have always existed. But the traditional definition of each has significantly changed as the business world evolved. The bar must be raised on each element to meet the promise of what businesses can achieve—and we’re ready to deliver.

• Reliability – In order to accomplish digital transformation and drive business continuity, it's clear that the reliability of fiber and 5G is going to be essential. Businesses cannot survive without connectivity that is designed for flexibility and resiliency—and that is something we do quite well. This standard for networking comes through modernization by migrating from legacy networks. We’ve seen this before through the migration from 3G to 4G, to the continued proliferation of 5G today, and are seeing this with the transformation from copper lines to fiber. In fact, we’re actively working with many of our customers through migration efforts to these technologies to make sure they keep up with where digital technology is headed.
  
  IDC reports that by 2025, 50% of digital organizations will augment "cloud first" with a "wireless first" multi-access network fabric, using diverse technologies for mission-critical and business continuity use cases.³ At the rate in which technology is evolving, we’re proud to be a part of the connectivity mix that supports these next-gen tech enhancements that will see businesses prolonging the lifespan of their connectivity for decades to come. It’s why we’ve invested $140 billion dollars into the network in just the last five years—committing to future-ready fiber and 5G connectivity that’s reliable, flexible, and resilient.
• Security – Bots and cyberattacks continue to get more and more sophisticated, making it harder to trust even the simplest emails and phone calls that come across the desk. Gartner predicts that by 2026, 10% of large enterprises will have a comprehensive, mature, and measurable Zero Trust program in place when it comes to cybersecurity⁴—growth that we plan to be a part of.  Businesses must ensure they are well equipped when it comes to security—starting at the network. Security is a subject we have deep expertise in, with 1,000+ security patents and counting over the past several decades.
  
  We’re fortunate to always operate with security in mind, enabling us to deliver trusted, built-in security systems that can track threats in real-time. With an adaptable approach to detecting threats, the types of security offerings we provide keep our business customers functioning, and we look forward to continuing to evolve our approach in the years to come.
• Expertise – We're proud to have had millions of customers over the years continue to come to us because they are looking for experts who know business. With nearly 150 years of connecting people, we have a deep understanding of how important it is for businesses to have a dedicated team to help them solve challenges and provide thoughtful insights on how to digitally transform their operations. From consulting and professional services to continuity and planning, we pride ourselves in assembling the right folks to solve everyday challenges alongside our customers and help uncover new insights that will tailor the types of solutions we recommend. It’s like having a strong team on the bench—having the right batch of experts to tap into when the need arises can make or break the score, and in this case, the success of a business.

Our customers understand that flexible and reliable technology is important to their business. And they know they need the right network to serve as the foundation—and we can get them there. Getting to this next-level network can seem overwhelming to understand, which is why we’re here to simplify the process, listen to our customers’ concerns, and use our expertise to provide guidance. There’s of course no one-size-fits-all approach to addressing a customer’s connectivity needs, but we’re ready to rise to the challenge.

See how ultra-fast, reliable fiber and 5G connectivity protected by built-in security give you a new level of confidence in the possibilities of your network. Let our experts work with you to solve your challenges and accelerate outcomes. Your business deserves the AT&T Business difference—a new standard for networking.

Learn more about AT&T Business networking solutions or contact your AT&T Business representative to connect with an expert who knows business.

¹IDC FutureScape: Worldwide Digital Transformation 2022 Predictions

²Top Strategic Technology Trends for 2023”, Gartner, Oct. 2022 GARTNER is a registered trademark and service mark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally and is used herein with permission. All rights reserved.

³IDC FutureScape: Worldwide Future of Connectedness 2023 Predictions,” doc #US48726822, October 2022

⁴Gartner, Security & Risk Management Summit, 28 – 29 March 2023