Page 4 - SAMENA Trends - July-August 2022

EDITORIAL SAMENA TRENDS

Toward a Sustainable 5G Growth Path

5G subscriptions are on the rise and (for example, of 6GHz) for harmonized
countries, including Saudi Arabia, the adoption, especially since this particular
UAE, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain, band can help truly accelerate successful
are leading in the adoption and others are 5G rollouts and keep 5G growth and
awaiting release of new spectrum. Cross- investment on a sustainable path, if adopted
industry applications and use-cases of by all regional Administrations for licensed
5G and IoT are maturing while foundation mobile use. We are reminded time and again
for 5.5G is being laid down in the region that many of the 17 SDGs are clearly linked
to ensure future sustainability of a to-be- to such approaches and how our Industry
thriving digital ecosystem. grows, adapts, and sustains itself amidst
the changes and transformations that are
With the growth of 5G applications and new inherent to it.
opportunities that they bring forth, new
radio-access network technologies, access Business practices as well as policy and
to more contiguous spectrum resources, regulatory approaches also necessarily
green energy, and low-carbon infrastructure need to more effectively address the Bocar A. BA
Chief Executive Officer
development and climate-focused business requirements of the private sector while & Board Member
operations have now taken on much financial pressures on the public sector SAMENA Telecommunications
importance. Moreover, as sustainable and governments must also be mitigated. Council
access to meaningful connectivity is made This is very important in the context of
increasingly more possible and broadband new trends and new implementation of
becomes ever more relevant, times require new connectivity streams to ensure that
that new thresholds in cooperation building, full potential of new technologies and
commitment from all stakeholders and efforts to fund, finance and build new digital
decision-makers, and reach of connectivity infrastructure materializes by the globally
at the end-user and end-machine level as agreed timeline (2030).
well as sustainable returns and investments
by TechCos be set. The path to 5G and 5.5G growth appears
relatively clear and to tread it requires
How we deploy digital technology for critical and timely decisions on all parallel
tomorrow has a lot to do with approaches we fronts, ranging from technology, resources,
adopt today. Some such approaches must use-cases, investments, carbon control, and
necessarily focus on formulating carbon- both social and business value-creation. It
neutral network strategies, planning well is indeed truly through new cooperation-
in advance to make the best of the World building that many prevailing and emerging
Radiocommunication Conference 2023 in gaps would be filled.
Dubai next year, and being fully aligned on
the need for spectrum resource allocation A new stage has been set.

4 JULY-AUGUST 2022