Page 64 - SAMENA Trends - July-August 2022

REGIONAL & MEMBERS UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Nokia Research Reveals 5G Subscriptions in MEA to Exceed 250 Million by
2026

Nokia announced research that forecasts 5G subscriptions are in MEA. Total data traffic is expected to increase significantly in
expected to reach 263 million in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) the next four years with a compound annual growth rate of 35
region by 2026. The 5G subscription growth will primarily be in Gulf percent. Mikko Lavanti, Head of Mobile Networks, Nokia MEA, said,
Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, including Saudi Arabia, the “Globally, the pace of 5G network rollouts has surpassed 4G/LTE
UAE, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain. Additionally, subscribers networks. Two years after the first LTE launch there were only 25
in South Africa, Nigeria and North African countries will increase million subscriptions across 60 networks, while two years after the
adoption following the release of new spectrum. This trend is first 5G launch, 340 million subscriptions were registered across
triggered by the increasing use of high-bandwidth consumer 155 networks. Similarly, in MEA, our MEA Broadband Index Report
applications and industrial use cases. The Nokia MEA Broadband finds 40 percent year-on-year growth in 4G data traffic but a huge
Index Report - I* provides valuable insight, data and analysis 350 percent year-on-year growth in 5G data traffic in 2021 alone.
on mobile broadband subscribers, coverage, ARPU and traffic This trend in the region clearly indicates that there is a pressing
growth in the MEA region, as well its respective sub-regions: GCC, need for the adoption and expansion of 5G networks across the
Southern Africa, North Africa, Middle East, and Central East West region.” “Ultra-low latency and ultra-fast 5G networks can support
Africa. The report has been created based on Nokia’s intelligence, a plethora of unimaginable use cases such as augmented and
as well as data from third-party sources, GlobalData and Tutela. In virtual reality and uncover new potential in digitizing sectors such
GCC countries, 5G technology will dominate with the subscriber as energy, transport, healthcare, manufacturing and education
base reaching 64 percent of the total and with data traffic likely while providing amazing experiences to individual users.”
to surpass 70 percent by 2026, according to the study. In Africa,
5G technology adoption will grow steadily, driven by the evolution
of the device ecosystem and 5G spectrum allocations in many
countries. While 4G subscribers in the Southern Africa region are
projected to reach 105 million (58 percent of total subscribers)
by 2026, 5G will contribute more than one-fifth of data traffic in
the same time-frame. North African operators have seen a high
demand for mobile broadband and the region is expected to have a
20 percent increase in total subscribers by 2026, compared to 2022.
In Central East West Africa, today more than 60 percent of the total
data traffic is carried by 4G. This traffic is expected to grow four
times over the next four years. At the same time, 5G subscriptions
are expected to account for nearly 10 percent of the total mobile
subscribers in this period. The study also reveals that 5G and 4G
together are expected to drive more than 90 percent of data traffic

Nokia Radio Technology to Enable AST SpaceMobile’s Direct-to-Cell Phone

Connectivity from Space

Nokia announced that they have signed a five-year 5G deal with relationships, AST SpaceMobile has entered into agreements and
AST SpaceMobile, Inc. (“AST SpaceMobile”) (NASDAQ: ASTS) – the understandings with mobile network operators which collectively
company building the first and only space-based cellular broadband service over 1.8 billion cellular customers. Nokia’s AirScale Single
network accessible directly by standard 4G or 5G mobile devices. RAN equipment aims to enable AST SpaceMobile in providing
Under the deal, Nokia and AST SpaceMobile will work to achieve mobile services to new and existing subscribers in regions
their joint ambition to expand universal coverage and connect currently not served by terrestrial communication networks. This
underserved communities around the world. The launch of AST includes connecting devices globally on land, at sea, or in flight.
SpaceMobile’s BlueWalker 3 test satellite later this year will kick Nokia will provide equipment from its comprehensive, energy-
off global testing with mobile network operators on six continents. efficient AirScale portfolio including its AirScale base stations
AST SpaceMobile's mission is to eliminate the connectivity gaps powered by its latest generation of Nokia’s ReefShark System-on-
faced by over five billion mobile subscribers worldwide and to Chip (SoC) chipsets. AST SpaceMobile will benefit from Nokia’s
bring cellular broadband to approximately half of the world's modular baseband plug-in cards which add capacity where it is
population who remain unconnected. Their approach will mean needed offering flexibility and efficiency. Nokia will also provide
that subscribers outside the reach of cellular coverage could have its NetAct solution for network management and seamless daily
access to broadband speeds without having to invest in specialized network operations as well as optimization and technical support
hardware and be able to roam from land networks to space services. “Connectivity should be considered an essential service
networks for the first time. Through its mobile network operator like water, electricity, or gas. Everyone should be able to have
64 JULY-AUGUST 2022