Page 17 - SAMENA Trends - May-June 2022

SAMENA COUNCIL ACTIVITY SAMENA TRENDS

Leaders’ Summit 2022 – Key Messages & Takeaways

• We need to leverage the “new normal”, “TechCos”. to align with global network standards
the post-covid world, and the new • 5G and cloud have integral role in set by bodies such as 3GPP and the
changes that have taken place. This enabling the digital economy and data GSMA.
will require significant spending on sovereignty and digital power have a • In the age of “collaborative regula-
infrastructure, special attention to strong role in tackling the sustainability tion”, policy and regulatory approaches
worker’s morale and conditions. Social needs of the telecom industry and should aim to more effectively address
stability is really is key to managing how an integrated intelligent ICT the needs of the private sector, in par-
risks and to anticipate the future. architecture will light up the future. ticular of Telecom Operators, to enable
• We have to ensure that everyone can • Operators can gain access to them to achieve reasonable scale.
access connectivity and meaningful new opportunities by integrating • 5G is about far more than MBB, which is
and safe content and services while technologies, infrastructure approximately 33% of its true potential.
at the same time ensuring that value investment, connectivity, and spectrum Much has to be done for us to see new
is created and captured locally, availability, which will benefit vertical 5G services.
fulfilling what the younger generation industries and economic sectors. • 5G and AI important – but we also
is expecting from digital technologies. • Telecom Operators can improve net- need to hear more about supporting
• Infrastructure is at the heart of works capabilities and performance by technologies on compression and
fulfilment of national ICT visions, such taking advantage of new technologies security to secure clouds are safe,
as the KSA’s Vision 2030. However, and larger bandwidth spectrum such data is secure and safe and that
Telcos will not be able to invest alone as 6GHz frequency band and the intro- infrastructures are resilient.
– everyone who is benefitting from the duction of intelligent capabilities into • Metaverse and the emerging
Digital Services should be contributing. industrial mobile networks. ecosystem enterprises require much
• During the pandemic, 800 million • As networks evolve due to the increased understanding on many fronts.
people came online because they demand for reliable connectivity, ultra- • Women empowerment is increasing,
saw the value of the Internet. There low latency, and the need for speed, as knowledge is key in driving success.
continues to exist usage gap, and no coverage, and capacity, security will • Regulation needs to be agile to enable
longer a coverage gap. remain a top priority, and it is important and accompany the changes that have
• Great responsibility has been placed
on the shoulders of the telco industry
and infrastructure is needed to support
economic recovery and progress.
• Operators’ OPEX increases due to
system and network complexity.
Therefore, reducing OPEX and
achieving green development is
essential for operators’ future growth in
light of the carbon-neutral background
and the demand for cost reduction and
increased efficiency.
• Networks themselves must evolve to
meet the region’s sustainability goals.
• Operators are shifting into adjacent
markets and making the transition
from “Telcos) toward becoming

17 MAY-JUNE 2022