SoftNET's Expert Event on Challenges and Trends in Telecommunications Technologies and Their Impact on the Business World
Business Breakfast, February 2, 2024
Expert Event on Challenges and Trends in Telecommunications Technologies and Their Impact on the Business World
On Friday, February 2, 2024, we once again hosted the Business Breakfast, where domestic and guest experts shared their insights on trends in telecommunications technologies and their impact on the modern business environment. The focus was on ensuring uninterrupted operation of telecommunication services, the importance of securing access to cloud services, and the advantages offered by eSIM, VoLTE, and VoWiFi.
Challenges in Ensuring Uninterrupted Telecommunications
In the discussion about key elements for providing reliable telecommunication infrastructure, Stanko Gjuran, Sales Manager at Softnet, emphasized that the backbone infrastructure and data centers serve as the foundation for high-quality connectivity. Redundancy in networks and systems ensures uninterrupted operation even in the event of failures.
The significance of bandwidth for internet reliability was not overlooked. Gjuran explained how sufficient bandwidth allows companies to manage high data loads and ensure smooth operation of real-time applications such as video conferences and cloud solutions. He also highlighted the difference between broadband internet access (BIA), often shared among multiple users, and dedicated internet access (DIA), providing companies with an exclusive, non-competitive connection, ensuring constant bandwidth and higher reliability.
In the context of discussing key elements for ensuring reliable telecommunication infrastructure, Gjuran specifically highlighted the Starlink satellite internet system as an example of innovation addressing key challenges. It boasts numerous advantages, including global coverage, high data transfer speeds, and low latency.
However, Gjuran pointed out the challenges associated with Starlink, such as high setup and usage costs, limited network capacity that can impact services during increased usage, and environmental concerns related to deploying a large number of satellites. Additionally, weather conditions can pose a challenge to connection reliability.
Trends in Mobile and IP Technology
In their discussion on trends in mobile and IP telephony, Uroš Demšar, voice engineer, and Simon Gajski, head of the telephony department at Softnet, outlined the historical development and current innovations in the field. They presented perspectives on how technological shifts shape communication strategies and business models, moving from 2G to the anticipated 6G, promising ultra-fast, low-latency, and highly reliable connections.
With eSIM and technologies like VoLTE and VoWiFi, new possibilities are opening up for users and operators, from simplified installation and greater flexibility in using mobile services to improved voice call quality and broader accessibility.
In the context of these advances in fixed telephony, they emphasized how IP connectivity enables not only greater flexibility and accessibility but also direct integration with key business systems, reflecting a transition to more integrated, efficient, and flexible communication solutions. These trends indicate a transformation of traditional communication frameworks towards greater connectivity, digitization, and automation.
"In an era where digitization and connectivity are becoming the foundation of modern business, mobile and IP telephony are not just evolving as technologies but as fundamental pillars enabling a new wave of innovations that will reshape our way of life, work, and interpersonal communication," said Uroš Demšar.
Strategies for Advanced Connectivity and IP Address Space Management
In his discussion, Andrej Boštjančič, Director of Softnet, shed light on key strategies for improving connectivity, reliability, and independence through "multi-home" solutions. He emphasized how obtaining appropriate, independent IP address space allows users to start advertising to their Internet Service Providers (ISPs) via the Border Gateway Protocol (BGP), leading to improved network availability and resilience.
He also discussed the challenges of acquiring IP address space and highlighted the advantages of private dedicated connections to cloud services compared to the public internet. These advantages include guaranteed bandwidth, a secure route, lower latency, and protection against Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks since no point on the path is exposed to the public internet. "It doesn't matter where the cloud service provider's server is located; Softnet installs an additional physical or logical Ethernet connection at the subscriber's premises and creates a connection to the relevant cloud service provider that the subscriber uses," explained Boštjančič.
Proactivity as the Key to Uninterrupted Business Operations
The concluding part of the event featured a panel discussion where, alongside Andrej Boštjančič, Jure Pirc, IT Manager at Four Points by Sheraton Ljubljana Mons, and Zoran Ćurić, Director of Frikus d.o.o., participated.
In the discussion, they unanimously emphasized that reliable and uninterrupted communication is the foundation of successful business, a value many may not realize until there is an outage directly impacting business operations. They stressed that waiting for problems before taking action is risky and irresponsible. Instead of a reactive approach, they advocated for proactivity, investing in robust, reliable, and secure telecommunication solutions that prevent outages and ensure business continuity.
"A timely investment in reliable telecommunication solutions and proactive network management is not only a safeguard for companies but also the foundation for sustainable development and growth," said Andrej Boštjančič, emphasizing the key message of the panel discussion.
In a rapidly changing business ecosystem, where companies face diverse challenges and swift market shifts, uninterrupted and reliable access to telecommunication networks becomes a fundamental pillar for maintaining efficiency and seamless operations. In such a framework, a deep understanding and advanced improvement of telecommunication infrastructure play a crucial role in building a robust and advanced business space.
SoftNET December Gathering
Connecting Colleagues from Seven Countries
In the midst of the festive atmosphere, SoftNET organized a delightful December gathering for its employees from Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, and Macedonia. The two-day gathering commenced on Friday, December 15th, as we indulged in a culinary experience at the renowned restaurant in Ljubljana. The flavors that captivated our taste buds thrilled everyone present.
Continuing on Saturday, December 16th, we had a marvelous experience visiting a wine cellar. There, we had the opportunity to taste exceptional white and red wines and immerse ourselves in the enchantment of local vineyards. After the tasting, we explored Štanjel, a picturesque medieval village in the heart of Kras. We strolled through narrow streets, admired the cultural heritage of the place, and visited the local castle.
At SoftNET, we value the opportunity for colleagues from different countries to gather and spend time outside office boundaries. Such gatherings, interwoven with culture and quality socializing, further deepen the bonds between us and contribute to our mutual connectivity. Together, we embody our slogan "Globally connecting," reflecting our commitment to networking and connection, extending beyond just internet connectivity but also embracing the connection among us as colleagues.
The December gathering was priceless, as it further strengthened our international ties and left lasting impressions in the hearts of all participants.
Conference of Slovenian Exporters
We are pleased to announce that we had the honor of participating in the Slovenian Exporters' Conference, which took place on September 20, 2023 in Brdo pri Kranju. The event was organized by the largest Slovenian online media for the business community Finance, in cooperation with Izvozniki.si.
The conference of Slovenian exporters has become a venue for meeting and exchanging experiences for leading entrepreneurs operating on international markets. This year's conference was marked by exceptional speakers and topics that touched on the latest trends and challenges in the export sector.
Our team from Softnet d.o.o. had the opportunity to listen to many interesting lectures, workshops and panels covering key areas related to exports. We learned about new strategies that will help us further improve our presence on international markets, and made important contacts with other conference participants.
We are especially proud to have had the opportunity to present our services to our colleagues in the industry. We exchanged valuable experiences, ideas and gained insight into best practices that will help us in the further development and growth of our company.
Thanks to the organizers of the Conference of Slovenian Exporters for the excellent execution of the event and to all the participants for the inspiring talks and exchange of knowledge.
We are building a better future together.
Photo: Jure Makovec
SoftNET Becomes a Silver Sponsor at the Prestigious Adriatic Security Summit
We are delighted to announce that SoftNET has stepped up as a Silver Sponsor at the Adriatic Security Summit 2023.
This sponsorship represents SoftNET's enduring commitment to fostering collaboration, education, and innovation in the cybersecurity field. The Adriatic Security Summit, known for assembling the best in the business, is an unparalleled platform for sharing valuable insights, demonstrating top-notch security solutions, and establishing strong professional relationships.
By sponsoring the Adriatic Security Summit, SoftNET is joining hands with an extensive network of leading companies, policy-makers, technology innovators, and industry experts, all working towards a more secure digital world. Our shared goal is to enhance the digital landscape's resilience in an increasingly connected world.
The traditional gathering of the SoftNET 2022 team
SoftNET once again brought its European employees together for a traditional in-person meeting this December. Despite the constant digital connection we all share, it was so valuable for us to see each other in person. The weekend was filled with laughter, delicious food, and the opportunity to make new connections, as several new team members joined us this year.
We started our journey at the Trzin office, before heading to Dober Krožnik in Mengeš and then spending the evening in the center of Ljubljana. The following day, we organized a hike from Planica to Tamar, exploring the beauty of Kranjska Gora along the way. We ended the day with a fun round of bowling at the Woop Arena. It was an unforgettable experience for all of us.
SoftNET's business breakfast 2022
The business breakfast organized by SoftNET is an annual professional event of modern information technologies and examples of good practice.
Lately in the business world we have been navigating through various emergencies. Constantly accessible telecommunication network is becoming a key component for the smooth operation of each company.
A reliable telecommunications system has thus become a fundamental condition for a stable business environment, which is why we talked about current topics at this year's business breakfast. They were introduced by SoftNET director Andrej Boštjančič and specialists in various technical fields Uroš Demšar, Stanko Gjuran and a representative of the Asian market Kevin Richard.
We talked
- of the challenges in providing connections to remote locations both in Slovenia and abroad during emergencies
- integration of telephony in the company / work from home
- what savings and additional reliability VoWifi and VoLTE bring to us in mobile telephony
The concluding part of the event was rounded off by Andrej Boštjančič, Jernej Tomec, Chief Information Officer and Marko Božnik, Regional Chief Information Officer at Scania Ear at a round table with the topic - How telecommunications solve business in emergencies.
Here is a short recap of the event, which took place in April 2022 in the conference hall of the Hotel Mons, Slovenia.
(Photo: Timjan Ješelnik)
Our new Vietnam office
We are very proud to be able to share our NEW office in Vietnam with you. Our team in Vietnam is constantly expanding, so we decided to relocate to a new location in Ho Chi Minh City. The new premises are approaching reputable business districts, where we also meet other global companies. The new business space will help us support our growth and ambitions in Vietnam.
We are also planning to renovate our Slovenian offices in Trzin in the near future. We can’t wait to share it with you.
Vietnam ITO Conference 2019
We attended Vietnam ITO Conference 2019. The event was organized in Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam) on October 23-25 2019 with the main theme “Vietnam – The Emerged Destination for Innovation”.
Being a fast-growing economy with population in "golden age", especially having a rich pool of talents in IT/software industry, Vietnam has been becoming Asia’s new technology hub. In the recent 5 years, Vietnam has been recognized as the Asia-Tier 1 delivery destination in the world’s tech map.
We already attended the Vietnam ITO Conference in 2017. And this year we think the potential of the conference was even bigger. Representatives from the world’s leading IT corporations were sharing advanced technology trends.
As we are a telecommunication company with operations on 3 continents: Europe, Asia and Africa, we think it's important to be a part of this conference.
SoftNET is also an IP telephony operator in Macedonia
We are pleased to announce that we have also become a fixed telephony operator in Macedonia. This helps all the companies operating in several countries, as the support can be managed in one place.
By having all the support in one place, the company doesn't need to deal with individual operators in countries where they have offices. All they need is a single operator. Each party or company has a trustee assigned to them, no matter in which country or office it appears.
SoftNET joined the fastest-growing Internet Exchange in New York
At Softnet, we joined the US Internet Connection Center DE-CIX New York, which is the fastest-growing Internet Exchange in the New York metro area and has managed to grow to the leading Internet Exchange in this area within three years. DE-CIX New York is Open-IX certified and carrier and data center-neutral. It operates more access points than any other Internet Exchange in North America. SoftNET is now present on the most important Internet Exchange Points on three continents.
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