Last week, I graded myself on the predictions I made for 2014.  This week, I’ll make my predictions for 2015.  It may be the same as asking a Magic 8 ball, or in the case of that picture, using a Magic 8 ball phone app which you use by turning the phone over and shaking it…

My first prediction is that you’ll start to hear about 5G.  Why? Because there has to be something after 4G, and with 4G being rolled out, people need to start thinking about the next big thing.  It’s simply human nature.  5G started entering conversations in 2014 but I believe we’ll start to really hear about this more in 2015.  In fact, I believe we’ll see lots of signs at Mobile World Congress about this.  2015G anyone?

I made this prediction last year and gave myself an F.  I am going for two in a row.  Hopefully, not with an F but with the same prediction.  I’m thinking I was just a year ahead of my time.  We’ll see.  Anyway, I believe I’ll be able to roam on LTE in 2015.  And my prediction is that I will actually experience LTE roaming in 2015.

VoLTE deployments started happening in 2014.  I believe in 2015 we’ll start to see value added VoLTE apps occur as well – you know, VoLTE voice mail, VoLTE texting, etc. Because you need this beyond just making a phone call.

WebRTC should also start to see significant movement in the standardization that will enable it to reach its full potential.  That means we’ll start to see either Microsoft of Apple get involved.

NFV was a hot topic in 2014.  NFV will definitely be important for the industry but I believe there is a lot of work to do in the background before NFV really starts to get deployed.  So in 2015 look for the NFV standards and management and orchestration issues to take more of a center stage.

The communications industry is ever dynamic.  2015 should be fun.