Page 7 - SAMENA Trends - May 2020

FEATURED SAMENA TRENDS

In the larger interest of the digital economy, investing in 5G will open opportunities to capture value from new 5G use-cases and
widespread adoption of the Internet of Things (IoT). At the same time, nonetheless, Operators are keenly aware that they’ll have to
increase their infrastructure investments in this technology. Both the private sector and the public sector decision-makers thus need to
be aligned on strengthening three pillars for supporting efforts to materialize 5G in a regionally harmonized and timely manner. These
include:

Subtantiating new large Preventing digital divide from Overcoming uncertainty through
investments increasing objective dialogue

• Create commercial cases for • Incentivize out-of-city invest- • While making existing 4G
5G, including implementation ments in 5G network investment to best use, open
scenarios in the wake of • Early on, multi-stakeholder mindedness in addressing 5G
approach for developing 5G
COVID-19 should be exercised, i.e., via PPP development hurdles is required
• Reduce cost of deployment models • Accelerate robust use-case
• New funding models to ensure development for 5G in parallel
resilient connectivity and afford- to existing 4G networks and 4G
able access use-cases
• Enable strong backhaul support

In today's evolving digital economy, and era, where increasing interdependence Global policy development for new digital
in view of the global efforts to exit from and fast pace of change are the new technologies is a formidable challenge,
COVID-19 as smoothly and as soon realities, technological advances driven and thus requires extensive policy,
as possible, digital infrastructure and by the Internet greatly rely on the low-cost regulation, and governance-centric
broadband connectivity are more essential availability of broadband connectivity. dialogue among the stakeholders, which
to surviving and thriving than could be Thus laying the foundation of an inclusive should help generate both nation-specific
previously imagined. In the new digital digital society, and digital economy, as well as collective, global benefits.
requires that broadband availability and Furthermore, as any given technology
Post COVID-19, socio- resilient connectivity be given priority, and transcends national and cultural or
economic revival all around that attention be given to key areas within political bounds, the challenge to embed
the world will be greatly the ICT policy framework of any given it in policy and regulatory frameworks
nation aspiring to transform itself and
and to achieve governance is far more
propelled by advanced materialize a knowledge economy, so that difficult than localized, indigenously
broadband and integrated investment, innovation, sustainability, and existing technologies. Factors such as
beneficial use of ICTs can be achieved.
understanding of the technology, perceived
digital communications impact on the society and business
capabilities, and thus Post COVID-19, socio-economic revival all environment, investment requirements,
attention to policy, around the world will be greatly propelled beneficiaries and the affected, and long
by advanced broadband and integrated
term alignment with national priorities, all
regulatory, and governance digital communications capabilities, and determine how well policy and regulatory
challenges should be thus attention to policy, regulatory, and frameworks could cater to the timely
governance challenges should be among
deployment and proliferation of such
among the top priorities the top priorities for the industry decision- technologies to help advance 5G around
for the industry decision- makers to address. Doing so may also the region and beyond.
makers to address. help accelerate digital cooperation in
implementing 5G in a harmonized manner.

7 MAY 2020