The telecommunications industry will thrive, based on the capability of its service providers to innovate as they move ahead with implementing advancing technologies. Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are 2 digital forces already impacting how work is performed, whether it's your favorite beverage being prepared by a robot barista, or virtual assistants handling increasingly larger volumes of requests flooding customer interaction centers. To date, the role of AI within the telecom industry has been limited to chatbots which automate the routine customer enquiry, extracting the intent to ensure a customer is routed quickly to the proper channel. Telecom providers, however, are increasingly moving towards using AI to not only lower operating costs and improve network efficiency, but to also improve the customer-engagement experience. For example, by using exploratory data analysis that looks for specific patterns, AI can also detect anomalies in the network or even predict the possibility of a dire event happening.

Too many laptops, tablets and other mobile devices leads to congested WiFi airwaves. Q: I have horrible Wi-Fi in rooms of my house. A: A wireless network repeater is a great way to extend coverage, but it has to be placed in the right spot. Most routers spread signals in a circle. The closer you are to the router, the stronger the signal. As the circle spreads out, there is a sweet spot to put the repeater.