Page 5 - SAMENA Trends - September-October 2022

EDITORIAL SAMENA TRENDS

Industry Transformation & Sustainability Fronts

As economic growth and sustainability others. There is also a need to be aligned on
across every function of business and life Open RAN trials and on the best practices.
occupy central space in future planning, it The GCC Open RAN consortium has multiple
is important to acknowledge how digital objectives to fulfill in this regard, especially
adoption and the evolving ICT infrastructure with respect to opening new pathways for
can help define a new future of possibilities, operator-to-operator collaboration.
which should be human-centric, digitally-
powered, and sustainable. In the era of From the sustainability perspective,
5G, when network technology deployment Operators’ enabling role in tackling the
models have evolved, when radio access region's environmental issues is clear
network is undergoing evolution, and where enough, as Operators are in a position to
business and environmental sustainability power green initiatives in the region and
are major catalysts of new collaboration foster digital development approaches
initiatives, we have multiple complexities and visions of digitalization and improved
and to manage to remain on the path to service delivery when increasingly smart-city
growth and sustainability. projects are being planned and executed. Bocar A. BA
Chief Executive Officer
& Board Member
To accelerate 5G deployment, to meet agility As network design, technologies, and SAMENA Telecommunications
and scalability KPIs in deployment, and to deployment methods evolve and as Council
fast-forward 5.5G development, preferences bandwidth and capacity, dynamic routing,
are cloud deployment models catering to and premium digital experiences become
multiple possibilities centrally or at the the norm, defining a sustainable digital
network Edge, and to utilize microwave future for the business and the society also
backhaul solutions. requires tremendous focus on cybersecurity.
Telcos capture significant information on
On the RAN front, Operators are clear on network users, which offers new business
their preferences on moving ahead with opportunity to provide users and enterprises
Open RAN. Among key drivers of this shift services based on this data. Effective usage
appears to be, one, the potential to make of this data in the era of emerging technology
full use of 5G and to open doors for 6G along with adequate cybersecurity
and, two, the promise of reduced energy measures can be a strong differentiator
consumption—both of which are important for communications service providers,
considerations for any next-generation operating in the complex communication
Telecom Operator. From cost to complexity, service value-chain.
from standardization to security, there is
much to be looked at on Open RAN, however. Transformational contributions and
Moreover, there is a need to establish the innovation are required from all stakeholder
right mechanism and understanding of Open groups, considering multiple evolutions
RAN, and to map out various challenges, are in progress, ranging from technology
such as interoperability, operational to policy, and from service delivery to
complexity, cybersecurity, costs, operations immersive experiences.
management and performance, among

5 SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2022