The World Broadband Association (WBBA) seeks to unify the broadband industry and maximize the technological, social and economic benefits for operators and consumers, promoting a more global perspective on current and future uses of broadband technology. On February 26, 2023, the WBBA held its first meeting in Barcelona, Spain and elected Li Zhengmo, the former president of China Telecommunications Corporation as Board Chairman.

The board comprises network operators, OEMs and network testing manufacturers who spearhead thought leadership and guide research. With the establishment of the board, the WBBA enters a new stage of development meeting the needs of its members and accelerating broadband development and expansion through strong leadership.

Mission: Advance broadband across the digital divide, ensure sustainability

While the top priorities for the WBBA include organizational viability through strong governance and a firm financial footing, it also comprises work-groups and expands membership by addressing key issues facing the broadband industry. For example, operators need to not only ensure a high degree of excellence for providing end-to-end user experiences, they also require a strong ROI as they undertake new deployments. Li Zhengmao pointed out that the rapid advancement of the broadband industry is promoting the world’s digital transformation at a fast pace.

The outcomes of these initiatives will have a global impact on critical aspects of broadband adoptions in terms of the digital divide, broadband construction and environmental sustainability. Since the WBBA is a multilateral, industry-led association, it plays an important role in uniting the cloud and broadband industry chain. Its goals focus on open cooperation to ensure equal broadband access, sustainability along every aspect of the provider and operator chain, and future-proof networks that can deliver results.

Early on, the association established five initial work-groups to address critical challenges facing the industry. The first focused on creating a generational roadmap of capabilities for consumers and to help vertical industries meet standards. Due to the variety of interested shareholders, the second work-group defines excellence for broadband in terms of individual countries and regions. A final key goal promotes the importance of environmental sustainability to further define broadband’s role and potential as it impacts the energy footprint and reduces waste generated by providers and operators

In the future, under the direction of Li Zhengmao, the association will work to leverage upcoming activities and events to focus on broadband Quality of Service (QoS), reliability and consistency, particularly as it relates to global cloud adoption. The aim here is to play a more pivotal role in uniting the cloud with the broadband industry chain and increasing support for the construction of a more integrated information infrastructure.

Through innovative development of the cloud network, operators can more effectively solve challenges facing the broadband industry while achieving more sustainable energy efficient outcomes. Li Zhengmao hopes that the WBBA and its new board of directors can address these industry-wide challenges and pursue open cooperation to stimulate the potential of cloud and broadband to benefit consumers, industries and the greater society-at-large.

This content is sponsored by The World Broadband Association (WBBA).