Aaron Forbes

How Fiber-Wireless ISPs Have Unleashed AI-Driven Cloud Tech [recap]

On November 17, Minim co-hosted a webinar with the Fiber Broadband Association (FBA) that explored how service providers can future-proof their business models by adopting hybrid networks and AI-driven cloud technologies. Now that the webinar has concluded, here’s a recap of what we presented in case you missed it!


How Fiber-Wireless ISPs Have Unleashed AI-Driven Cloud Tech

The webinar was co-hosted by Minim’s John D’Amato, SVP of Revenue and Nicholas Teachworth, Vice President and Co-Founder of Louisiana-based ISP LIT Internet.

Here’s an overview of the main topics that the webinar covered:

  • Fiber-wireless network breakdown
  • When to adopt a hybrid model
  • AI-driven cloud technology overview
  • AI-driven hybrid deployment story: LIT Internet
  • The next frontier

What are hybrid networks?

In the past, service providers were able to focus their efforts on adding additional structures to the “last mile”—delivering service to the customer’s home. Now, with homes that boast over 12 internet-connected devices on average and networks that must support remote workers and online schoolers, ISPs are increasingly finding that their customers expect quality, reliable service at faster speeds than ever before.

Home WiFi has never been more essential

Fiber networks have recently been the best option for delivering the necessary speeds customers expect. However, fiber infrastructure is expensive and takes a long time to deploy and maintain. This is where the hybrid model shines as the best option for both speed and affordability.

This model is simple but flexible: ISPs deploy both fiber broadband and wireless technologies in order to deliver internet service to their customers. By adopting a hybrid fiber-wireless model, ISPs can remain competitive and expand their coverage area without sacrificing quality of service or affordability.

When to adopt a hybrid model

When it comes to deployment, both ISPs and WISPs run into similar road bumps such as local restrictions, financial concerns, and impractical locations. A hybrid model solves for these difficulties by offering a flexible approach. Fiber ISPs frequently switch to a hybrid model in order to distribute fiber locally to customer-premises using Fiber-to-the-x network architecture. Likewise, WISPs opt for a hybrid structure when wireless alone can't get their customers the broadband speeds they need.

An additional use case that applies to both fiber and wireless ISPs is implementing a hybrid model to create network redundancy — a duplicated infrastructure comprised of additional or alternate instances of network devices, equipment, and connections. It's essentially a “safety net” that ensures network availability in case of a failure on the primary service. 

AI-driven cloud technology for network management

The pandemic has caused a surge in internet usage: Comcast reports a 33% increase in upstream traffic and a 40% increase in wireless data usage over WiFi. And ISPs are certainly feeling the pressure, with some experiencing a 40% increase in customer support calls due to slow internet speed. It’s clear that ISPs need to go beyond the last mile and start thinking about the last foot — the WiFi experience. 

By adopting AI and cloud technologies, service providers can keep up with the increasingly complex home network and deliver a unified internet experience across hardware and connectivity types. 

Minim's AI-driven managed WiFi and IoT platform makes insights and home network control available to ISPs, their subscribers and the care reps supporting them, enabling providers to deliver a superior connected experience. Plus, ISPs who provide value-added services like Minim's parental controls see higher margins and better customer retention. Find out how AI-automated support can transform your business in our latest white paper, The Digital Transformation of Broadband Customer Support.

Ready to go digital?

Whether you're a fiber ISP considering utilizing wireless to meet strict HOA codes or a WISP looking to extend your network with fiber technology, a hybrid strategy is a smart play for fast yet sustainable growth. Click the button below to watch the webinar and learn more about the hybrid fiber-wireless model!

Hybrid Strategies: How Fiber-Wireless ISPs Have Unleashed AI-Driven Cloud Tech

Watch webinar