About 30% of the telecom operators in Arab countries without commercial 5G services have announced 5G trials, says a report.
“The intensity of these trials is considered low, with Tunisia being the only country with sufficient 5G trial announcements between June 2019 and February 2023,” said Hiba Rabadi, Deputy General Manager, Arab Advisors Group, which released an Analytical Report on Mena’s 5G Status.
“The lack of announcements may not indicate a lack of trials but rather a lack of public disclosure. Overall, the modest number of trials and their low intensity suggest that more work is needed for operators to select suitable solutions and understand network behavior in real-life situations,” she said.
5G standalone
“One noticeable advancement in the GCC’s 5G networks is the transition towards standalone 5G (5G SA). A few telecom operators across Kuwait, KSA, and the UAE announced transitioning from non-standalone 5G networks to 5G SA ones, while others announced testing their 5G SA networks,” noted Rabadi.
The report was released well ahead of the 5G summit in June 2023. It focuses on countries across Mena with and without launched 5G services. Arab Advisors Group shed the light on 5G network expansions and coverages, as well as disclosed 5G-related indicators.
As for countries without 5G launches, the report further examined the role of governmental bodies in facilitating successful 5G launches in the Middle East and North Africa, and 5G trials among telcos in preparation towards their launches.
Under the Patronage of Her Royal Highness Princess Sumaya bint El Hassan, Arab Advisors Group, a leading provider of research and analysis in the telecom and media industries, has announced the 5G Summit (www.5gsummit.me) in Amman, Jordan, on June 6, 2023 at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel.
Massive enhancements
5G technology promises to bring a massive enhancement for businesses and people, with a significant paradigm shift in communications and technology. However, the 5G promise is yet to be delivered.
In its 17th summit this year, Arab Advisors Group will bring together thought leaders, stakeholders, C-Level executives, and directors from across the Mena region to share their expertise and thoughts about the true promises and the challenges of a viable 5G launch.
Governmental bodies play vital roles in facilitating and catalysing successful 5G launches - setting clear 5G roadmaps and strategies, and publicly disclosing adequate and timely indicators to name a few. Roadmaps and strategies present governments’ expectations for digitised and well-developed ICT sectors, and highlight telecom operators’ part in supporting their governments’ visions. The advancement of any ecosystem is also strongly tied to publicly disclosed key performance indicators (KPIs).
Credible source
Sources of similar indicators vary across the telecom industry; nevertheless, the most credible and expected source of indicators is governmental bodies.
Governmental bodies are not the sole contributors towards successful 5G launches. Telecom operators play imperative part in pushing towards 5G launches through network upgrades, expansions, and 5G trials. In alignment with its summit launch, Arab Advisors Group released a new analytical report which tackles prerequisite measures by telecom operators and regulators to ensure successful 5G network launches across the Mena region.
Arab Advisors Group further discusses 5G network coverages for Mena-based telecom operators, highlighting a wide range of achievements in the GCC. Lastly, we present 5G-related KPIs released by telecom regulators and operators in the Gulf.-- TradeArabia News Service