
The global telecommunications system has come a long way, and it's exciting to see how it continues to evolve. With the rise of 5G networks, data speeds have increased significantly, enabling faster downloads and smoother video streaming.
This increased speed has led to a surge in online activities, such as streaming and social media usage. According to recent statistics, the average person spends over 4 hours per day on social media.
As our reliance on the internet grows, so does the need for efficient and reliable communication systems. The global telecommunications system is adapting to meet this demand, with many countries investing heavily in 5G infrastructure.
The benefits of 5G are numerous, including lower latency and increased connectivity for IoT devices. This has the potential to revolutionize industries such as healthcare and transportation.
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WIS 2.0 Architecture
WIS 2.0 Architecture is designed to provide a reliable and efficient service for all users. Each WIS Centre operates a 'WIS2 Node' to receive and send data.
A WIS2 Node can be implemented using 'WIS2 in a box', a reference implementation, or a custom solution developed in-house. The choice of solution is up to each WIS Centre.
The Global Services defined for WIS 2.0 include the Global Broker, Global Cache, Global Discovery Catalogue, and Global Monitoring. These services work together to ensure seamless data exchange and monitoring.
Here are the four Global Services:
- Global Broker: provides a subscription service using MQTT standard and ensures uniqueness of messages.
- Global Cache: stores core data from originating WIS2 Nodes and makes it available to all WIS Users.
- Global Discovery Catalogue: provides a discovery and metadata service using OGC API - Records standard.
- Global Monitoring: collects metrics from WIS2 Nodes and Global Services, providing a visual dashboard and alerts for unexpected events.
Currently, several National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) are operating the Global Services as part of the Pilot phase.
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Core Principles of Wis 2.0 Design
WIS 2.0 adopts Web technology and leverages industry best practices and open standards to ensure a robust and efficient system.
The use of Uniform Resource Locators (URL) to identify resources is a key feature of WIS 2.0, allowing for easy access and navigation.
WIS 2.0 prioritizes the use of public telecommunications networks, such as the Internet, when publishing digital resources.
This approach enables widespread accessibility and reduces dependence on proprietary networks.
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WIS 2.0 requires provision of Web service(s) to access or interact with digital resources, making it easier for users to engage with the system.
Here are the core principles of WIS 2.0 design:
- Adoption of Web technology and industry best practices
- Use of Uniform Resource Locators (URL) to identify resources
- Priority on public telecommunications networks (e.g., Internet)
- Provision of Web service(s) for digital resource access
- Open standard messaging protocols for data exchange
- Caching and storing of messages for 24-hours
- Direct data exchange between provider and consumer
- Metadata catalogue for data and services
WIS 2.0 encourages data providers to publish metadata describing their data and Web services, making it easier for users to find and access the information they need.
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Simplification and Efficiency
Using public telecommunication networks instead of private networks makes data exchange simpler.
The Internet enables the best choice for a local connection using commonly available technology.
Web technologies provide a truly collaborative platform for a more participatory approach, making it easy to access and utilise weather, climate, and water data.
With the web, users can discover data without specialised software, and access control and security mechanisms can be utilised to protect the data.
The 'publish–subscribe' pattern allows users to subscribe to a topic and receive new data in real time, similar to messaging applications like WhatsApp.
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Complex Competition

In today's fast-paced business world, competition is fierce and complex. Companies are constantly trying to outdo each other in terms of product offerings, marketing strategies, and customer service.
According to a recent study, 80% of businesses believe that simplifying their operations is key to staying ahead of the competition. This is because complexity can lead to inefficiencies, which can ultimately harm a company's bottom line.
Simplifying operations can be achieved by streamlining processes and eliminating unnecessary steps. For example, a company that previously had a 10-step approval process for new product launches was able to reduce it to just 3 steps, resulting in a 70% reduction in time spent on approvals.
This level of complexity can be overwhelming, leading to decision paralysis and decreased productivity. In fact, research shows that the average employee spends around 2 hours per day on non-core tasks, which can be a significant waste of time and resources.
By simplifying operations, companies can focus on what really matters: providing value to their customers. A company that simplified its product offerings, for example, saw a 25% increase in sales within the first quarter.
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Simpler Data Exchange
Using public telecommunication networks instead of private networks makes data exchange simpler. This allows for the best choice of local connection using commonly available technology like the Internet.
The web provides a collaborative platform for a more participatory approach, making it easier to discover, access, and utilise weather, climate, and water data. Data exchange using the web also facilitates easy access mechanisms.
Browsers and search engines enable web users to discover data without needing specialised software. The web also enables additional data access platforms like desktop geographic information systems (GIS) and mobile applications.
The web provides access control and security mechanisms to freely share core data while protecting it with more restrictive licensing constraints. This allows providers to retain control of who can access published resources.
WIS 2.0 uses a 'publish–subscribe' pattern, similar to messaging applications like WhatsApp, to allow users to choose their data of interest and receive it reliably in real time.
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Innovation and Standards
The World Wide Web Consortium provides the framework of web standards, which the Open Geospatial Consortium and other standards bodies leverage. This collaborative approach minimizes overlap and builds on their expertise, creating a robust and stable foundation for global telecommunications.
Technology advancements have dramatically cut the cost of international communication, with a fiber optic cable now able to carry 1.6 million conversations simultaneously. This is a far cry from the 138 conversations that a transatlantic telephone cable could carry in 1960.
The adoption of open standards, like those used in WIS 2.0, extends the reach of WMO data sharing and lowers the barrier to access for members.
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Tech Push, Consumer Pull
The tech push and consumer pull are driving forces behind the shift towards more open and competitive markets. Excessive regulation and artificially high international rates have created an engine of their own destruction.
Technological innovations are giving consumers the power to bypass overpriced systems, with digital technologies and demanding consumers tearing down market barriers and undermining monopolies. This is evident in the progress made towards competition and open, private markets, which has been "nothing less than astonishing", according to a former Federal Communications Commission (FCC) official.
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Advances in processing and transmission technologies have dramatically cut the cost of international communication, leading to the emergence of high-capacity transmission systems. In 1960, a transatlantic telephone cable could carry 138 conversations simultaneously, but today a fiber optic cable can carry 1.6 million.
The price-cost gap has been particularly wide on international routes, with markups as high as 500 percent. This has made the telecommunication companies vulnerable to competition from within and outside the traditional telecommunications industry.
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Leveraging Open Standards
Leveraging open standards is a crucial aspect of innovation in the data sharing and processing space.
By leveraging open standards, WIS 2.0 avoids building bespoke solutions that create niche markets and force NMHSs to procure special equipment.
This approach minimizes overlap and builds on the respective areas of expertise of various standards bodies, such as the World Wide Web Consortium and the Open Geospatial Consortium.
The World Wide Web Consortium provides the framework of web standards, which other standards bodies like the Open Geospatial Consortium leverage to create a robust and stable implementation.
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WIS 2.0 relies on open standards with industry adoption and wide, stable, and robust implementations, thus extending the reach of WMO data sharing and lowering the barrier to access by Members.
This approach ensures that WIS 2.0 can be easily integrated with existing systems and infrastructure, reducing the need for costly and time-consuming custom development.
Cloud technologies also rely on open standards to provide a reliable environment for data sharing and processing, further reducing the barriers to entry for WMO Members.
By adopting open standards, WIS 2.0 can focus on providing innovative solutions that meet the needs of its users, rather than getting bogged down in proprietary technology and vendor lock-in.
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Revolutionary Changes
The global telecommunications system has undergone some truly revolutionary changes in recent years. The widespread adoption of 5G networks has enabled faster data speeds and lower latency, making it possible for people to stream high-definition videos and play online games without lag.
One of the most significant benefits of 5G is its ability to support massive machine-type communications, which will enable the widespread adoption of IoT devices in industries such as healthcare and manufacturing.
The internet of things (IoT) is expected to have a major impact on the global economy, with some estimates suggesting that it will be worth over $1 trillion by 2025.
The integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning into telecommunications systems is also transforming the way we communicate and access information.
AI-powered chatbots are becoming increasingly common, allowing people to interact with businesses and services in a more personalized and efficient way.
The shift to cloud-based services is also a key aspect of the revolutionary changes taking place in the global telecommunications system.
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