Page 20 - SAMENA Trends - November 2020

SAMENA COUNCIL ACTIVITY SAMENA TRENDS

Views and Recommendations by SAMENA Council SAMENA Accelerator
Excerpts from the Outcome Statements made by CEO of SAMENA Council Findings from Audience Polls
The deliberations and insights density, projected uptake, urban or rural
exchanged during the SAMENA environment, and other local factors, Poll 1: Fiber Deployment Situation in
Accelerator have categorically which may be unique to each market the Region
established that collaboration and within the SA-ME-NA region.
reaching consensus on Fiber-conducive How essential do you consider Fiber
best practices and policy initiatives in Fiber is a great "real estate" asset and networks to be for meeting future
the region is absolutely necessary. In by adopting a "build it once" approach, connectivity demands?
particular, some fundamental issues significant value can be drawn from it. Essential, but can be managed with advanced
demand attention: This is especially as Fiber density to mobile networks
13%
support the bandwidth advancements
Right-of-Way issues, which exist in necessary to improve the pace of Extremely essential
varying degrees and scale from country innovation and economic growth 38%
to country within the SA-ME-NA region, becomes a major requirement. Without Fiber, there is no real 5G
need to be addressed. Such issues 50%
range from permit grants to approval As we know, increased speed and
processes; implementing public-private capacity from 5G, for instance, will rely What do you view to be the most
partnerships in the deployment of dark on higher radio frequencies and greater challenging issue in Fiber deployment?
Fiber and/or third-party infrastructure network densification. Operators Lack of effective policy and regulatory support
providers for duct-sharing; sharing of will deploy many more small cells, 25%
infrastructure elements; and executing with a coverage radius measured in Lack of interest from investors to invest
heavy civil works and utilizing existing meters rather than kilometers. Without 50%
Utility infrastructure, for example. extensive Fiber presence, supporting the
data influxes and hyper-connectedness Lack of strong use-case, given too much focus on
mobile/wireless networks
Fiber deployment methodology se- simply won't be possible. Over the past 13%
lection is the second area to look into, several months, we have seen how data Slow Right of Way permit grants and
and this can include direct-buried Fiber, influxes can rise almost overnight, and bureaucratic processes
Air-blown Fiber systems, Aerial deploy- crisis situations further catalyze such 13%
ment or in-building deployment of Fiber, influxes.
among others. Fortunately, there are How can Fiber deployment be best
technologies available to make some of Enabling support by the region's Poli- accelerated in the region?
these processes easier than other. cymakers is fundamental to catalyzing
cooperation and multi-stakeholder en- Address ROW issues immediately
38%
The third issue concerns collaboration gagement for the Digital Communica-
among Fiber players, materialized tions Industry as well as for other indus- Adopt aerial deployment and Utility FTTx approaches
13%
through sharing of Fiber infrastructure, tries, and to help design and implement
or by forming a JV or hiring a third-party evidence-based digital policies...which Adopt infrastructure-sharing
Fiber infrastructure entity. Telecoms can tackle the multitude of challenges 13%
planners and installers know very well and opportunities ahead of us. Create Government and Private sector
that new Fiber network build costs partnerships 38%
are dominated by civil works. The The seemingly siloed calls for policy
proportions of the build costs vary and regulatory change and digital
enormously, depending on market, transformation, such as those The government may consider granting
circumstances such as the population corroborated by the SDGs, the Global subsidies or tax incentives to the
construction of broadband networks
in suburban and suburban areas. The
“The digital economy is a great “leveler” for international subsidized projects shall be supervised by
competitiveness. When it comes to the digital space, it is about what the public authority, which will effectively
accelerate the development of broadband
you can innovate and the value you can deliver. It’s an enormous networks in urban and sub-urban areas.
opportunity for countries to leap forward in a way that would have Agree, but there are other considerations
taken multiple generations in the traditional economy. Governments 50%
need to grasp this opportunity by leveraging technology”. Strongly agree
Mr. Safdar Nazir 50%
Regional Vice President – Digital Industries Strategy, Huawei, UAE

20 NOVEMBER 2020