Press release

Mobile Service Providers Preparing to Fortify Security in Anticipation of 5G Deployments, According to New Survey

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According to a new global survey fielded by the Business Performance
Innovation (BPI) Network, in partnership with A10 Networks, mobile
service providers anticipate significant new revenue opportunities from
the coming deployment of high-speed 5G networks and a host of new
IoT-driven use cases, but they also believe much-improved security will
be essential to realizing that potential.

The new study report, “Securing the Future of a Smart World,”
demonstrates that carriers are moving decisively toward 5G
commercialization and that security is a top concern.

  • 67% – will deploy their first commercial 5G networks within 18 months
    and another 20 percent within two years
  • 94% – expect growth in network traffic, connected devices and
    mission-critical IoT use cases to significantly increase security and
    reliability concerns for 5G networks
  • 79% – say 5G is a consideration in current security investments

“Mobile carriers anticipate significant revenue opportunities and
exciting new use cases as they move forward with their 5G deployments.
However, the industry also recognizes that 5G will dramatically raise
the stakes for ensuring the security and reliability of these networks,”
said Gunter Reiss, vice president of A10 Networks. “New mission-critical
applications like autonomous vehicles, smart cities and remote patient
monitoring will make network reliability vital to the safety and
security of people and businesses. Meanwhile, dramatic increases in
traffic rates and connected devices will significantly expand the attack
surface and scale for cyber criminals.”

Operators still have a significant amount of work ahead to fortify their
networks for the coming of 5G. For example, while more than 80 percent
of mobile operator respondents say they will need to upgrade Gi/SGi
firewalls at the core of their networks, only 11 percent have completed
the implementation of new Gi/SGi firewalls.

New Revenue Opportunities and Use Cases

Realizing the potential of full-scale 5G networks requires major
investments by carriers, and payback on that spend is a crucial issue
for the telecommunications industry. Operators see significant
opportunities to increase revenues and innovate new business models.

The top-three benefits derived from 5G:

  • 67% – Overall growth in the mobile market
  • 59% – Better customer service and satisfaction
  • 43% – The creation of new 5G-enabled business models

Top drivers for 5G:

  • 60% – Smart cities
  • 48% – Industrial automation and smart manufacturing
  • 39% – High-speed connectivity
  • 37% – Fixed wireless
  • 35% – Connected vehicles

Assessing 5G Security Needs

Chief among security concerns are core network security and DDoS
protection.

  • 63% saw advanced DDoS protection as the most important security
    capability needed for 5G networks
  • 98% of respondents said core network security was either very
    important (72%) or important (26%) in 5G build-outs
  • 79% have or will upgrade their Gi/SGi firewalls
  • 73% have or will upgrade their GTP firewall

“Operators overwhelmingly understand the importance of upgrading
security in a more connected and smart world,” continued Reiss. “Now
it’s time to take decisive action. Carriers need to move ahead
aggressively with their plans to upgrade legacy DDoS protection and
consolidate security services at the core and edge of their networks to
address the growing concerns. A10 Networks’ 5G security solutions
including Gi/SGI firewall, GTP firewall and AI-based DDoS protection
enable operators to secure and scale their networks now and protect
against the massive cyber threat coming with 5G.”

Survey Methodology

In partnership with A10 Networks, the Business Performance Innovation
(BPI) Network conducted a global survey of communications service
providers to understand industry intentions, priorities and concerns
about 5G. The study includes a survey of 145 IT and business leaders at
communications service providers globally.

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About the BPI Network

The Business Performance Innovation (BPI) Network is a peer-driven
thought leadership and professional networking organization reaching
some 50,000 heads IT transformation, change management, business
re-engineering, process improvement, and strategic planning. It is
dedicated to advancing the emerging roles of the Chief Innovation
Officer and Innovation Strategist within today’s enterprise. The BPI
Network brings together global executives who are champions of change
within their organizations through ongoing research, authoritative
content and peer-to-peer conversations. These functional area heads
(operations, IT, finance, procurement, sales, marketing, product
development, etc.) and line-of-business leaders are advocates for
innovation as a fundamental discipline and function within 21st Century
organizations. They seek to demonstrate where and how new inventive
solutions and approaches can advance business value, gratify customers,
ensure sustainability and create competitive advantage for companies
worldwide. For more information, visit www.bpinetwork.org.

About A10 Networks

A10 Networks (NYSE: ATEN) provides Reliable Security Always™, with a
range of high-performance application networking solutions that help
organizations ensure that their data center applications and networks
remain highly available, accelerated and secure. Founded in 2004, A10
Networks is based in San Jose, Calif., and serves customers globally
with offices worldwide. For more information, visit: www.a10networks.com and @A10Networks.

The A10 logo, A10 Networks, A10 Harmony, Thunder, SSL Insight and
Reliable Security Always are trademarks or registered trademarks of A10
Networks, Inc. in the United States and other countries. All other
trademarks are the property of their respective owners.