Page 9 - SAMENA ELITE - October-December 2024

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well. According to the latest GDI Central to the SAMENA Council’s
With digital index issued by Huawei, whereby ICT mission is ensuring the sustainability
transformation arrives a maturity is assessed across almost of the telecommunications industry
need to revisit and revive the whole of the SA-ME-NA region, and the expanding 5G/5G-A
enabling regulatory many leading countries of the Middle digital ecosystem. This endeavor
East are in the “frontrunner” category. involves a concerted effort from
frameworks, which
This means, many markets are ready telecommunications service providers
must be adjusted to
or are readying for 5G-A deployment. and various stakeholders along
stimulate investment the digital value chain to assess
while maintaining However, for telecom operators, the how rapid technological changes
a healthy level of benefits are obvious. 5G-A offers a are impacting, or need to impact,
innovation, competition, significant opportunity to expand business transformation.
service offerings and generate new
and market resilience.
revenue streams – allowing for Besides telecom operators and tech
There is no true digital
innovative solutions to be provided to providers, regulatory authorities
transformation if these a wide range of customers, including and governments are key players
factors are not in play. enterprises and industries. Moreover, in this dynamic landscape, striving
from an economic perspective, 5G-A to recalibrate regulatory and
will play a crucial role in driving economic frameworks to align with
thus digital transformation. Use- digital transformation and fostering new technological advancements
cases such as in the education economic growth in the region. and evolving market realities. This
sector (for example, in the shape of
virtual classrooms for impoverished
areas, where education infrastructure Central to the SAMENA Council’s mission is ensuring
is insufficient), or in healthcare the sustainability of the telecommunications
(especially to connect ambulances, industry and the expanding 5G/5G-A digital
conduct remote patient monitoring or ecosystem. This endeavor involves a concerted
surgeries, etc.) are central to fulfilling
objectives of the UN Connect 2030 effort from telecommunications service providers
agenda. Moreover, 5G-A adds greater and various stakeholders along the digital value
intelligence and security updates and chain to assess how rapid technological changes
machine learning (ML) capabilities, are impacting, or need to impact, business
which support applications such transformation.
as extended reality (XR), industrial
IoT (IIoT), and smart cross-industry
applications. Thus, all of these facets By enabling the deployment of recalibration involves addressing
of technology deployment and advanced technologies such as IoT, critical and very complex issues, such
technological evolution in 5G systems AI, cyber-security, and automation, as cross-border data transmissions,
and infrastructure have a direct role 5G-A will create new industries, new taxation, spectrum allocations, and
in the fulfilment of the SDGs. Multiple synergies, and opportunities for the deployment and use of enhanced
types of digital divides can also be businesses and citizens alike. broadband 5G and beyond for digital
overcome through 5G-A, and I view As I see it, 5G-A will contribute services, to name a few.
eradication of digital divides to be to sustainable development, in
among the greatest use cases that particular, in the Arab States, by The disruption caused by these
applied mobile technologies, such as enabling energy-efficient solutions, developments necessitates a
FWA, can help us achieve. supporting environmental monitoring thorough examination of how policies
initiatives, and enabling circular and regulations can be adapted to
The prospects of 5G-A are high. economy models through IoT and support growth and innovation while
This is supported by the fact that AI, all of which can facilitate the defending the interests of all
this region has led on 5G adoption, development of smart municipalities stakeholders, as the digital ecosystem
and thus it is well-positioned to and sustainable infrastructure. accelerates adoption of 5G FWA and
lead on 5G-Advanced fronts as 5G-Advanced.

This article is based on a previously published interview of Bocar BA, CEO & Board Member, SAMENA Telecommunications Council, in which he discussed
how SAMENA Council’s strategic initiatives align with the United Nations’ Connect 2030 agenda and sustainable development objectives, and ways to
foster digital inclusion for lasting impact.

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