Today, rapid advances in digital technology are redefining our world, as digital transformation provides nearly every industry with unparalleled new opportunities for value creation. Innovative technologies are changing how many organizations and consumers alike go about their daily processes, with digital devices now being leveraged in almost every possible situation. New applications such as the edge, 5G, and Internet of Things (IoT) devices are seeping into every industry as adoption rates for these technologies skyrocket.
For example, the global edge computing market size was already valued at USD 4.68 billion in 2020 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 38.4 percent from 2021 to 2028. By these estimations, the global edge computing market size would reach USD 61.14 billion in the year 2028.
As for the recently introduced 5G, the global market for 5G infrastructure should grow from $12.9 billion in 2021 to $115.4 billion by 2026, at a CAGR of 55.0 percent for the period of 2021-2026. Today, many leading players are investing in 5G infrastructure technology as a response to increasing demand for fully autonomous driving, safe vehicles, and telemedicine, among other uses.
Finally, in 2021, there are already more than 10 billion active IoT devices, and it’s estimated that the number of active IoT devices will surpass 25.4 billion in 2030. Considering that IoT is changing not only companies but entire industries and even countries, it comes as no surprise that the IoT market size in 2021 reached a whopping $123.89 billion.
Overall, these technologies, as relatively new to the scene as they are, have already one over on most industries thanks to the myriad of benefits they have to offer. Everything from reduced latency, improved resiliency/availability, increased efficiency, and decreased costs are possible through the use of these devices and applications. It’s for reasons like these that everyone from consumers to businesses to even now government organizations are looking to leverage these technologies for their own benefit.
Recently, Lumen Technologies announced that it was recently selected by the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to strengthen and modernize its network services that support more than 32,000 post offices and mail processing sites around the country. This task order was awarded under a new USPS multi-vendor, indefinite-quantity, indefinite-delivery contract vehicle.
“The U.S. Postal Service has an essential mission to provide the nation with reliable, affordable, and universal mail service, and they chose Lumen to deliver secure, best-in-class network services to thousands of locations,” said Zain Ahmed senior vice president of Lumen public sector. “Lumen is helping the U.S. Postal Service accomplish its mission by bringing innovative solutions to optimize its network availability, performance, and cost-efficiency while providing real-time network monitoring and analytics.”
Lumen will provide the USPS with secure, highly resilient broadband, wireless access, software-defined networking, and managed network services that enhance how these locations connect, collaborate, and interact with approximately 900 critical information technology applications. By doing this, they’ll supply government agencies with innovative adaptive networking, edge cloud, connected security, and collaboration solutions over its carrier-class, global fiber network. By playing a critical role in today’s communication and technology ecosystem, Lumen offers a government-grade platform for IT modernization solutions that deliver the security and reliability agencies need to advance their important missions.
The United States Postal Service isn’t the first government agency to dip its toe into the new world of innovative digital devices, as The U.S. Department of Interior has also been handing out 1.6 billion in network contract services. And as we continue to push forward into a new digital age where technology is sure to play a part in most processes, one could bet that the USPS won’t be the last government agency to undergo a digital transformation sometime in the near future, for both the benefit of the government and the people.
