Page 4 - SAMENA Trends - September-October 2020

EDITORIAL SAMENA TRENDS

Advanced ICT Infrastructure as the Foundation of the

Digital Economy

At a macro level, the digital world rests on activity and in industrial productivity. Such
the physical infrastructure layer, the Internet productivity will be central to building the
Protocol, and the activity layer, where all region's Digital Economy, and for which
meaningful digital applications and the use availability of required ICT infrastructure is
of connectivity takes place. Tremendous foundational. Already, there is consensus and
evolutionary work is in progress in each of recognition by governments and the private
these layers, with the infrastructure layer sector alike that connectivity—at end-user,
becoming increasingly Fiber and Cloud- machine to machine, and industrial levels—
based; IPv6 gradually transitioning into the lies at the core of these aspirations
space so far occupied by IPv4; and new
digital ecosystems, including IoT, emerging At the core of provisioning the required ICT
while new socio-economic use-cases of the infrastructure, particularly of Fiber networks,
Internet multiply, raising new requirements and thus fostering meaningful connectivity
for the expansion of the existing ICT lies the central role of Telecom Operators, Bocar A. BA
infrastructure. Requirements become and this role through out the current Chief Executive Officer & Board
even more complex as global calls and the year, since the pandemic, has been well- Member
imperative of bringing more people online, recognized. However, Operators themselves SAMENA Telecommunications
which is common to both the Private and the are facing tremendous revenue-generation Council
Public sectors, gain momentum. challenges, continued regulatory restrictions,
taxation regimes and industry fees, all of form the crux of newest socio-
The need for increased network capacity which have a direct impact on how far, how economic activities happening
and future-proofing the communications much, and for how long the Operators can in the third layer named above,
networks with greater resilience is a critical continue with their voluntary offerings to have exceeded the capabilities of
issue in the SA-ME-NA region, where lack help reduce financial hardships for the end- copper. To add, as governments
of Fiber is a major variable. While Fiber users while living up to expectations. This help accelerate 5G transformation
deployment accelerating technologies now merits the consideration of policy-makers in their respective markets, the
exist, there is a need to revisit policy and and regulators, who themselves face multiple requirement for Fiber support
regulatory dynamics of the markets, and to challenges, to reduce financial pressures on and building cross-industry 5G
steer them in a direction that should help Operators and to help improve affordable collaboration efforts also becomes
adapt to the digital future; the future where access to broadband services for the end- much more pronounced.
data flows will be intense and where ensuring users, and to help expand the Fiber-based
the sustainability of the nascent Digital infrastructure by addressing some major In such scenarios, it may just be
Economy will be a major challenge. underlying issues, which include but are not the right time to experiment on
limited to Right of Way (ROW) issues. all fronts with the involvement of
SAMENA Council believes that public- all concerned stakeholders and
private-people cooperation is essential for One of the most noteworthy advantages of capitalize on the true potential that
addressing the digital inclusion imperative, Fiber-optics optics is their ability to meet the lies before us in the shape of new
which has been highlighted strongly after growing and changing needs of businesses, technologies; in the form of new
the recent pandemic crisis, and for bringing industries, and end consumers. Copper imperatives, which need expedited
various industries closer to the Telecom has been able to cater to the needs of the policy and regulatory consideration;
Industry in order to create new cross- consumers for a long time, but requirements and in the manifestation of the
industry synergies for catalyzing a true for higher speeds, better bandwidth and promise for betterment for all
digital renaissance in both socio-economic improved security over long distances, which humans through the use of ICTs.

4 SEP-OCT 2020