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Technology

Drivers of innovation and investment in a dynamic market environment

Cost models

Our analytical cost models have been deployed in numerous countries in the context of regulatory analyses and to support strategic investment decisions. Our models cover the full spectrum of wireline and wireless networks, and the results can be used for cost determination and margin squeeze assessment as well as in evaluating investment plans and business models. The network planning expertise incorporated in our models takes into account factors such as resilience and quality of service and allows us to assess the implications of pursuing particular technical specifications on cost. Our expertise allows us to assess the implications of different network topologies on technical constraints and to understand the degree to which different solutions are likely to be future-proof. We bring this knowledge to our studies for public policy makers, network operators and service providers, as well as to our research work.

 

Technology Assessment

We analyse the opportunities and risks as well as the acceptance of new technical innovations and future technological developments and their intended and unintended consequences for various stakeholders, the economy, the environment and society. We use suitable methodological approaches to determine the needs and expectations of stakeholders in relation to the technical solutions under consideration. In this way, we support political and business decision-making processes in order to strategically accompany technological development paths and to shape transformation processes in a target-oriented manner.

 

Technical potential analyses

Technical potential analyses

Technical progress in the field of communications technology has accelerated with the liberalisation of the telecommunications market. Transmission bandwidths have increased from Kbps to Gbps by a factor of 1 million.  Developments such as software defined networks, network function virtualisation, 5G network slicing, edge cloud or "cloudification of networks" are currently being discussed. They can lead to an expansion and restructuring of the networks with changed value chains and business models and have an impact on the competitive framework conditions of the market. Our technical expertise enables us to understand these changes and make them accessible for economic analysis. WIK has been able to apply this competence in numerous analyses for market participants, regulators and legislators.