< PreviousEvolution of mobile networks in the era of 5G For more stories, check out commsmea.com. Follow CommsMEA on Twitter: @COMMSMEA Mohammed Al-Moneer, regional vice president, MENA at A10 Networks investigates the impact of 5G Fifth generation networks, just like the preceding 4G LTE and WiMAX networks, are expected to greatly increase available bandwidth, with improved end-to-end per- formance providing a better end-user ex- perience. In the most basic of terms, 4G LTE was the long-term evolution of Radio Access Networks (RAN), and 5G is the next iteration. Wireless carriers have invested billions into their networks to support the ongoing demand for faster network speeds. They must look for ways to increase rev- enue while delivering more value to the end user. This continues to drive new devices into the hands of the consumer. The demand for increased efficiencies, bandwidth, and coverage has pushed carriers towards a decentralised deployment model. NETWORK VIRTUALISATION REMAINS IN THE EARLY STAGES Service providers monitor and review tech- nology for advancements that will help deliver faster and less expensive networks. Recently, they have looked into areas of Network Function Virtualisation (NFV) and automation to support their advance- ments. Mobile network operators are in- vesting heavily in reducing delays and er- rors through repetitive processes as they build and add capacity to the existing 4G networks. Virtualisation and Software De- fined Networks (SDN) improvements are driving a shift from hardware to software. SDN is promising, but it’s not an instant solution, as purpose-built hardware still re- mains the preferred choice. NFV and SDN have offered service pro- viders an alternative to existing methods, Mohammed Al- Moneer, regional vice president, MENA at A10 Networks 10www.commsmea.com UPDATE OPINION CommsMEA December 2019 For more stories, check out commsmea.com. Follow CommsMEA on Twitter: @COMMSMEA including dedicated appliances sitting idle. However, it’s safe to say that the age of vir- tualisation remains in the early stages. Hardware manufacturers and service providers are now betting on the accept- ance and success of virtualised functions. Software development continues at breakneck speed to meet timelines and demands for more integrated solu- tions, which easily scale and reduce op- erational overheads at the same time. THE 5G REVENUE OPPORTUNITY 5G’s impact is expected to extend beyond the typical mobile network carriers/opera- tors. The technology promises to enable increased connectivity and flexibility, that will drive additional functions throughout all supportive components of a mobile car- rier’s network. RAN access providers face the question of how to support the ever-increasing appe- tite for cutting the cord. How can we use our mobile devices in more ways than previously thought, as the end user goes about their daily tasks? This mobility, whether it’s tied to a carrier’s tech- nology or even a simple wi-fihome network, reaches all corners of our day-to-day life. This reach extends from the cloud to the data centre environments and continues to drive capacity needs, supported by both legacy appliances and the ever-increasing virtual environments. This continued appetite for consump- tion has opened up opportunities for all fac- ets of technology and associated vendors. 5G MOBILE NETWORK EVOLUTION The continued expansion of 5G networks will have a revolutionary impact upon eve- ry mobile subscriber and business in the world. The fundamental market forces of network evolution are not based on wired or wireless infrastructure. Companies are currently focused on up- grading existing mobile networks. Whereas at the exact same time, Network Function Virtualisation (NFV), Software Defined Networks (SDN) and the global internet of things industry are all preparing to utilise the next generation of mobile networks. Software solutions are easier to move from concept to production and frequently offer a lower up-front investment cost. This all adds up to help drive increased functionality for all service providers, in- cluding the wired infrastructure. 5G and the internet of things will be de- mand-driven. As a result, the more the infrastructure expands to meet that demand, the more op- portunities will be uncovered. It’s a positive feedback loop that will revolutionise how we think of the internet. Get ready for a world that will be changed forever with the next generation mobile networks on the horizon. SDN is promising, but it’s not an instant solution, as purpose-built hardware still remains the preferred choice.” Mohammed Al-Moneer, regional vice president, MENA at A10 Networks 5G›s impact will stretch beyond just MNOs and carriers. 11www.commsmea.com UPDATE OPINION CommsMEA December 2019Your IoT-Driven Future For more stories, check out commsmea.com. Follow CommsMEA on Twitter: @COMMSMEA Thomas Hanappi, head of IoT Business Development, Vodafone Business looks at how IoT is driving the future of the modern world forward The Internet of Things (IoT) is reshaping entire industries, and businesses of all sizes can benefit from the connectivity and data insights provided by connecting devices. IoT adoption is rising, enabling organisa- tions to improve their operations and trans- form customer service. In fact, according to Vodafone’s IoT Barometer 2019, adoption of IoT is rapidly increasing in the Middle East, with almost a third (31 per cent) of busi- nesses surveyed now using the technology – and the majority of adopters (84 per cent) saying they have more confidence in it than a year ago. The possible applications are both far- reaching and exciting, with the potential to radically transform the way modern busi- nesses operate, increasing efficiency and reducing costs. THE CURRENT STATE OF IOT When IoT technology has been optimised by businesses in the Middle East, it has been beneficial for the use of assets, resources and the reduction of operating costs. For example, the energy sector in the Middle East is using IoT as a means of integrat- ing renewables, while oil and gas firms are using it to monitor remote assets on both onshore and offshore platforms. IoT is also enabling smart meter networks, which will have a significant impact in countries like the UAE, where water is an expensive com- modity and in short supply. IoT is driving profitability, with 51 per cent of adopters in the Middle East say- ing it is helping them to increase revenues. Adopters are using the technology to differ- entiate their existing products and services from the competition, driving customer en- gagement and satisfaction. This can be seen in sectors like retail, manufacturing and automotive; where IoT sensors are helping Companies are struggling to find the right IoT adoptions. to turn one-off product sales into ongoing service subscriptions. Interestingly, over half of adopters (53 per cent) also agree that IoT is helping them to manage risk and compliance. For example, in the manufacturing sec- tor, there has been a significant uptake of IoT and augmented reality-based plant monitoring. This is helping to improve working conditions and create safer and more compliant factories. Connected devices also help to up-skill young people and enhance the digital skills of populations with emerging start-ups and technology companies. Research has shown that more than 60 per cent of the popula- tion in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) are below the age of 30, and two-thirds of the population own a smartphone. This is driving greater demand for connected ser- vices and quicker networks like 5G — which is starting to be rolled out in several ME countries this year. Confidence in this technology is growing and, unsurprisingly, the scale of implemen- tation and depth of strategy correlates with stronger business results. BARRIERS TO ADOPTION While the benefits of this technology are clear, 40 per cent are struggling to find the right solutions, which holds them back from getting started in the first place or expand- ing on their investment. This was followed 12www.commsmea.com UPDATE OPINION CommsMEA December 2019 Thomas Hanappi, head of IoT Business Development, Vodafone Business. For more stories, check out commsmea.com. Follow CommsMEA on Twitter: @COMMSMEA by the lack of a strong business case, an obstacle reported by 31 per cent of compa- nies. This is because these companies are likely to start their IoT journeys with off- the-shelf solutions. While this helps them push ahead with implementation to deliver quick wins, it doesn’t set up a robust digital transformation strategy, which would help businesses to gain even more. In fact, our research confirmed that both strategy and implementation are important in getting the best results. While there are benefits at every step of the way, the most sophisticated users of IoT achieve the greatest returns. Globally, 87 per cent of adopters from the ‘most sophis- ticated’ have seen significant returns from IoT, compared to 17 per cent of ‘beginners’ (who are just starting out with their IoT im- plementation plans). The most sophisticat- ed adopters were also more likely to report increased revenue and reduced costs. FUTURE GROWTH WITH IOT With the right approach to implementation, these challenges can be overcome. The first step for businesses is to consider how IoT can form part of wider digital strategies. By bringing together data from different IoT initiatives across the organisation, busi- nesses can put themselves in a better posi- tion to draw and action strategic insights. Dedicated IoT enablement platforms are making integration and device manage- ment easier than ever. Integrating IoT with core business systems and processes can have a major impact on the results. Helping businesses move beyond initial, singular, IoT objectives and expand their IoT goals to achieve wider, tangible, business outcomes. Many organisations are also looking to cre- ate dedicated IoT teams, who are cross- functional and working across multiple departments rather than just focusing on IT. Further support with third parties and partners can also help make the adoption of IoT-based solutions easier. It is clear why IoT adoption is becoming an integral part of many businesses’ digi- tal transformation journeys. Whether it’s through integrating IoT into processes and across the supply chain, or making existing products smarter to drive bottom line im- provements, it’s clear that more enterprises need to get on board. While it won’t happen overnight, steps must be taken now to ensure that business- es are embracing IoT in the right way. By driving more sophisticated adoption of IoT to tap into tangible, longer-lasting, business benefits. Only then will businesses be able to deliver more meaningful customer inter- actions and experiences. IoT is driving profitability, with 51 per cent of adopters in the Middle East saying it is helping them to increase revenues.” Thomas Hanappi, head of IoT Business Development, Vodafone Business 13www.commsmea.com UPDATE OPINION CommsMEA December 2019Building digital For more stories, check out commsmea.com. Follow CommsMEA on Twitter: @COMMSMEA Building for a digital future saves money, and time according to Stephan Degenhart, associate partner of Drees & Sommer and managing director of the Middle East office D igital solutions have the power to dramatically impact the way we plan, construct and operate build- ings. According to recent research by McK- insey & Company, adopting digital solutions throughout every phase of the construction process could increase market productivity by as much as 15 per cent and reduce project costs by up to 45 per cent. At a global level, digitisation of the construction industry could save up to $1.7 trillion within 10 years, reports the World Economic Forum. When planning and constructing new buildings, there are numerous benefits to be gained from digitisation. These include: Computation and data analytics to opti- mise design and efficiency. Digitalising the management of resources and construction schedules as well as logistics. Creation of a digital twin and ultimately simulation of built product to carry out design validation to developer/operator. Customised smart buildings are essen- tially intelligent buildings equipped with IoT systems that generate extra economic and ecological value for all parties. After all, digitisation mainly means ‘software’. If smart buildings are in danger of becoming outdated, a software update can make them state-of-the-art again – a significant cost- saving benefit for the future. The complete digital record of the build- ing represents an enormous asset for de- velopers, building operators and owners. It makes processes significantly simpler, and the operation of the building becomes much more efficient as a result. At Drees & Sommer, we believe there will be no alter- native to the digitisation of buildings. Technology and the digitisation it enables has changed people’s behaviour Stephan Degenhart, associate partner of Drees & Sommer and managingdDirector of the Middle East office. dramatically in recent years. Companies like Amazon, Uber and Airbnb lead the way; we now shop online, we book and track our transport via an app, and we choose to stay in other people’s homes when we travel. Our expectations of how we perform ‘ordinary’ tasks have changed, and it’s been a transi- tion we’ve accepted with relative ease. ONLINE EVERYTHING Digitisation has the power to have a similar level of impact on the real estate business. In a recent Drees & Sommer survey, 91 per cent of respondents said digitisation would have either a strong, or very strong, impact on the real estate sector. However, the main challenge for the Middle East construc- tion’s industry will be initiating a radical shift in mindset. Processes are set to change forever and in order to move towards dig- itisation, owners and developers will have to change the way they work. Digitisation needs to start from the inside, processes need to be transformed step-by-step, peo- ple need to be trained and there needs to be a shift in thinking towards a more digitised future. This will pave the way for a more productive, cost-efficient, profitable and technologically-driven regional construc- tion industry. 14www.commsmea.com UPDATE OPINION CommsMEA December 2019 For more stories, check out commsmea.com. Follow CommsMEA on Twitter: @COMMSMEA Many digital technologies are already available today, such as reserving electric vehicle charging by smartphone, intelligent parking space management or workplace and room reservations, but they are not yet sufficiently networked with each other. Intelligent networking, in other words a so- phisticated interaction of all planning, con- struction and user data, is one of the major themes of the moment. The pioneers of this trend are in Europe, including The Cube in Berlin, The Ship in Cologne and Hammer- brooklyn in Hamburg, and we are looking forward to the concept emerging in the Middle East in the coming years. THE COST When it comes to incorporating digital solutions during the operational phase of a project, we estimate the extra costs in- curred to be about two to three per cent of the total investment if a building owner im- plements a thorough digitisation strategy before the construction phase begins. In- telligent buildings require little additional upfront capital expenditure and can pay for themselves within the first couple of years due to operational efficiencies and energy savings. This type of investment yields at- tractive ROI rates that appeal to any build- ing owner. On the flip side, for those that wait, the incorporation of digital solutions post-con- struction phase can cost a building owner up to 25 per cent of their initial investment, while projected ROI targets may only be fulfilled within a minimum of 10 years. Also, consider the potential of extra rev- enue streams that digitised buildings can provide. The data they generate can tell developers and occupiers what areas are used most, and when, and which spaces are under-utilised and need to be transformed. New revenue streams could come from renting out space during the time it is un- used – from meeting rooms to car parking bays – or converting areas into co-working zones, event spaces or leasable units. Furthermore, there are numerous ben- efits aside from the potential financial return, with the data from a digitised pro- cess adding value at all stages of the plan- ning, construction and operational phases. For example, 3D laser scanning can help with the design and construction of a build- ing as well as gaining survey information about a location. This helps lower the margin for error and is an example of global best practice to achieve reduced project costs and bet- ter information management throughout a project’s construction phase. Digital solu- tions can help projects stay on time and on budget and be used as an excellent tool to enhance standardised processes. These can then be evaluated and improved by use of artificial intelligence, for example. The ideal future scenario is that a build- ing will be directly linked to the BIM model used in the initial planning stage, sub-con- tractors would be organised through the same system and data would be transmit- ted to manufacturing machines efficiently. Production processes would be completed efficiently and in a timely manner. From the outset, developers and own- ers should consider the future users of a building, what they expect, and what digital functions they would like the building to have at its disposal. If these details are not considered before the design phase begins, developers and owners will inevitably be tasked with very expensive and very time- consuming modifications. MAKING SMART CHOICES It is not the number of sensors that makes the difference in a smart building, but the value added for the user. Artificial intelli- gence (AI) used, not as an end in itself, but to create an intelligent building that learns from its users so that it can optimise opera- tions and generate value. We always devel- op a customised digitisation strategy based on the requirements of the users. Start with a strategic cost/benefit analysis and devel- op business models which work within that scope upon developing a digital twin using AI platforms. Customised smart buildings are essentially intelligent buildings equipped with IoT systems that generate extra economic and ecological value for all parties. After all, digitisation mainly means ‘software’. If smart buildings are in danger of becoming outdated, a software update can make them state-of-the-art again – a significant cost-saving benefit for the future.” Stephan Degenhart, associate partner of Drees & Sommer and managing director of the Middle East office. About Stephan Degenhart Stephan Degenhart is an associate partner of Drees & Sommer and the managing director of the Mid- dle East office where he oversees a large team of professionals. Ste- phan has been working with Drees & Sommer since 2000 and has extensive experience in the field of real estate development consult- ing and project management. Stephan holds a degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Applied Sciences Munich and is currently leading the strategic growth of the Drees & Sommer in the Middle East, fortifying the company’s place in the region 15www.commsmea.com UPDATE OPINION CommsMEA December 2019The 14th edition of the COMMS MEA Awards saw 14 awards given to the most innovative, forward-thinking, customer-focused organisations in the telecoms landscape in the Middle East and Africa regions COMMS MEA AWARDS 2019: A REVIEW T he COMMS MEA Awards 2019 were a roaring success with 14 MEA telecoms operators, and sup- pliers given recognition for their hard work. The Awards were held in partnership with event partner datamena. Datamena is a carrier-neutral data centre located in Dubai, operated by EITC, and is home to the UAE Internet Exchange (UAE-IX) and hosts over 150 of the world’s lead- ing enterprises, carriers, and cloud and content providers. Our sponsors this year were platinum sponsor Huawei, the driving force behind telecom innovation, and a leading global provider of information and communica- tions technology (ICT) infrastructure and smart devices; Bahrain telco operator, Viva Bahrain, who recently doubled its funds raised for its Ramadan donations campaign launched in partnership with RCO and in support of people with dis- eases or disabilities. SES Networks was also a sponsor, the company provides reliable and secure satellite and ground communications solutions. Currently its customers deliver over 8,200 digital TV channels to over 355 million homes across the globe using the worldwide SES network. COMMS MEA sponsors also included Sudatel, a powerful telco innovator in Sudan, which is responsible for the construction and maintenance of Sudan’s telecom infrastructure, and finally Comviva Technologies, a subsidiary of Tech Mahindra with an expansive suite of productised solutions. EVENT REVIEW 2019 COMMSMEA AWARDS 16www.commsmea.comCommsMEA December 2019 It is a fantastic moment and I am always happy to get this recognition from COMMS MEA. These Awards are one of my favourite industry events. It is a journey we have been on for five years, we enabled cloud players, content providers and enterprise to grow and expand without borders being an issue,” said Abou Mostafa, vice president Commercial and Enterprise Thank you for giving us this award. I think that it is our responsibility to help the Middle East become a leader in the 5G era. At Huawei, we believe that the intelligent world will come very fast. The Middle East has a big responsibility to become a world leader in 5G and it is our obligation to assist them to do it,” said Huan Li, strategy VP, Huawei Middle East. Liquid Telecom are delighted to be recognised by COMMS MEA, it is a particular milestone for us, especially in the IoT division where we believe that this will contribute to our journey to building Africa’s digital future. First I need to congratulate our Liquid Telecom East Africa team headed by Liquid Telecom in Kenya,” said Mohamed Bassit, CEO ME & West Africa. We are very proud that we have won this award. Viva Cash is the leading mobile wallet in Bahrain which serves the commu- nity at large and with the launch of 5G a lot of new technologies will be available such as IoT and augmented reality and Viva will always try to launch the most innovative products to be part of customers lives,” said Jamal Abdullah Al Sayed, Viva Bahrain Abou Mostafa, vice president Com- mercial and Enterprise Fixed, datamena collected the Best Service Initiative Award. Huawei won the 5G Trailblazer of the Year Award. Mohamed Bassit, CEO ME & West Africa accepted the Award for Liquid Telecom’s Kenya project. Jamal Ab- dullah Al Sayed, PR manager, Viva Bahrain. This brand new category reflected the incredible innovations taking place in this sphere. Probably one of our largest nomination categories, the judges had a hard time picking the winner. However, Liquid Telecom showed exceptional work in the marketplace, outstripping its competition with its work on Kenya’s fishing industry. Kenya’s huge fishing industry had a problem: Climate change and human interference with water levels are affecting the health of fish. The use of Liquid Telecom’s sensors and an IoT network has enabled fisherman to revolutionise their feeding systems. This has led to healthier fish and an increase in yields. This Award recognised an organisation working to develop and deploy 5G in the Middle East and Africa. Judging criteria focused on the scope and scale of 5G pilot project or product development, allocation of resources in 5G development and deployment, work with other partner organisations and overall level of innovation in regard to plans for future 5G development, and deployment. COMMS MEA received a number of exceptional nominations for this Award, but Huawei really stood out, having signed agreements for 5G services with Viva, Etisalat, Zain, and more. Huawei is known for its innovation in the 5G space globally. This award focused on the telecom product or service that made an out-standing contribution to the business sector in the Middle East & Africa. The nominations were judged on the level of innovation demonstrated by the service, and its impact on the end-user’s business. Datamena took this Award for its exceptional business services across the UAE. Datamena provides data centre and connectivity solutions. In 2019, datamena launched a Global Interconnect Ecosystem with hubs in Mumbai and Marseille. The platform, based in UAE gives customers an ecosystem of potential partners, facilitates new business opportunities and helps growth. This focused on the operator, vendor or developer that has launched a particularly innovative or successful service or application in the past year. The judging criteria focused on the success of the service and the level of innovation demonstrated. This year Viva Bahrain touched all of the judging buttons with its introduction of VIVA Cash - a ground-breaking application offering consumers the very latest secure and convenient digital mobile wallet for everyday payments with a value-added service of domestic and international remittances. 5G TRAILBLAZER OF THE YEAR Huawei BUSINESS SERVICE INITIATIVE OF THE YEAR datamena INTERNET OF THINGS SOLUTION OF THE YEAR Liquid Telecom INNOVATIVE NEW SERVICE OF THE YEAR Viva Bahrain EVENT REVIEW 2019 COMMSMEA AWARDS 17www.commsmea.comCommsMEA December 2019 It is a key milestone to translate all of this effort over the last few years and now being awarded this. It is our Ericsson radio system that was nominated and awarded. Today we have 22 live networks, now it is not about deployment of 5G, it is about enjoying them thanks to the Ericsson radio system,” said Ammar Ammar, head of Networks Campaigns, MEA, Ericsson. We are very glad to be recognised by such a respectable organisation as COMMS MEA, this is in recognition of our efforts in building the largest 5G network in the Middle East, Africa, and Europe, and the third globally. We are continuing our journey, to deliver innovative products and services to our customers and our journey will continue,” said Abdulrahman Hamad AlMufadda, CTO, Zain Saudi Arabia. Winning the best customer service for Virgin Mobile is a great milestone. Customer experience is in the centre of our culture our DNA,” said Karim Benkirane, MD, Virgin Mobile UAE. This award is a recognition of our hard work,” said Sheikh Nasser Bin Mohamed Al Khalifa, deputy general director, TRA Bahrain. The team from Virgin Mobile UAE. Sheikh Nasser Bin Mohamed Al Khalifa, Deputy General Director, TRA Bahrain. COMMS MEA OUTSTANDING CUSTOMER SERVICE AWARD Virgin Mobile UAE REGULATORY INITIATIVE OF THE YEAR TRA Bahrain We have had a lot of achievements over the last few months. Our roll out of 5G across Saudi and Kuwait really made the news across the region,” Antoine Aboukhali, Zain Group. Zain group won the Telecom Group of the Year Award. This hard-fought category featured outstanding nominations from all. This year’s winner showed impressive operational performance in reporting five consecutive quarters of profit, clearly demonstrating the success of the company’s digital growth strategy that has placed it in a much stronger financial position, and also seen its market capitalisation more than double over the last 12 months, and for this reason, and others, Zain Saudi stood out amongst its competitors in the Middle East and Africa regions. This award is given to the operator that has substantially enhanced its network during 2018-2019. The size of the contract, the network improvements and the benefits achieved were all part of the judging criteria. Judges looked for any recent trials and next-generation mobile network developments that are advancing the progression towards full 5G; or a network transformation project that has actually delivered a signifi-cant change in operational excellence. This year Ericsson and its out-standing Ericsson Radio System (ERS) portfolio for 5G nabbed this award. Excellent customer service underpins the success of telecom operators. This Award rewarded the operator that managed to provide an outstanding all-round experience for its customers. Virgin Mobile UAE took this Award for its fully digital mobile brand, allowing for easy customer interaction. This Award recognised the efforts of the regulator that demonstrated the greatest commitment to developing a healthy, competitive market. Another hard category to judge, this award was given to TRA Bahrain for icreating the legal separation of the incumbent (Batelco) into two distinct entities. The team from Zain Group accepted the award. The team from ericsson accepted the network infra- structure initiative of the year award. This Award went to Zain, with its continuous focus on developing innovative value propositions and offering a superior customer experi- ence to enterprise customers delivered strong revenue growth from Sept 2018 Sept 2019. Zain is addressing the ICT needs of governments and enterprises. TELECOM GROUP OF THE YEAR Zain Group MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA TELECOM OPERATOR OF THE YEAR Zain Group and Zain KSA NETWORK INFRASTRUCTURE INITIATIVE OF THE YEAR Ericsson EVENT REVIEW 2019 COMMSMEA AWARDS 18www.commsmea.comCommsMEA December 2019 Winning the award at this time is recognition of the efforts of everyone that contributed,” said Alaa H. Moham- med Hamed, Expresso Telecom HR director (on behalf of Sudatel). CSR INITIATIVE OF THE YEAR Huawei EDITOR’S CHOICE Sudatel It’s a very good moment today to have received this award for digital content services, with our customer in Kuwait. It is a key milestone for us and our business in Middle East and North Africa,” said Ramy Moselhy, market head MENA region, Comviva Technologies, Most Innovative Mobile Solution. We are honoured to win this award. It is a recognition of our customer-first policy that we havey and that we have been doing the right thing,” said Raluca Berchiu, SES Networks. The team from Comviva Technologies accepted the Digital Services Content Management award. The team from Nokia Soware accepted the SMART CITY & NETWORK INITIATIVE OF THE YEAR DIGITAL SERVICES CONTENT MANAGEMENT AWARD Comviva Technologies SMART CITY & NETWORK INITIATIVE OF THE YEAR Nokia Software This Award focused on the region’s operators and vendors who invest a significant amount of time, money and effort on CSR campaigns. Huawei stood out in this award category for its Huawei’s Middle East ICT Competition, which continues the company’s commitment to preparing youth to become leaders in a world in which every person, home, and organisation is fully connected. It sees Huawei work with local governments, educators and partners to identify and nurture the ICT talent. This Editor’s Choice Award highlighted the extensive work this telecom operator has done in North, Central and West Africa. Sudatel has grown rapidly in recent years and is now the major telecom presence in the region with operations across Northern, Central and Western Africa – and an award-winning data centre. The development of smart cities opens up infinite possibilities for us all, both as businesses and as consumers. This award looked at pioneering initiatives in the smart city space. The nominees had to provide information about a particular smart city project they have completed, along with technologies leveraged, and the KPIs to show that has led to in-crease in process efficiencies, cost reductions and other improvements for the users and revenues for the operator. Leading the nominations in this category was Nokia, who showcased its Nokia›s Driver Behaviour Analytics for Safe and Comfortable Driving, an initiative that Nokia has developed, which is a smartphone-based solution to help cities become smarter to eliminate many threats that originate from the drivers behav-our, but also combat inadequate road conditions and challenging traffic design. Comviva managed Digital Content Services for Ooredoo Kuwait for its sixth continuous year of operational excellence, with a no-table 3X growth in overall revenues since the inception of the partnership in 2014, and a healthy 10 per cent Y-o-Y growth. Its digital services content management also resulted in exponential growth across key content genres; 9X for Videos & Music and 4X growth for Games genres which is reflective of the immense end-user satisfaction. The Huawei team accepted the CSR Initiative of the year award. Luxembourg-based, SES has always led the way in innovation. SES is recognised as the first satellite operator that launched the DTH business. SES also operates the only commercially available Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) satellite constellation O3b which has been operating for the past five years. EDITOR’S CHOICE SES Networks Alaa H. Moham- med Hamed, Expresso Telecom HR Director accept-ed the Award on behalf of Sudatel. Raluca Berchiu, global marketing head, SES Networks. EVENT REVIEW 2019 COMMSMEA AWARDS 19www.commsmea.comCommsMEA December 2019 Next >