< PreviousSince beginning life as France’s incumbent telco, Orange has evolved into one of the most ambitious and progressive telecoms firms on the planet. Today, Orange is present in 18 countries in the Middle East and Africa region alone. Furthermore, one in ten people in Africa are Orange customers. Not satisfied with this incredible growth, Orange Group continues to ex- pand its remit, both in terms of the loca- tions it serves and the services it provides. “There are still a lot of opportunities for growth in the MEA region and this is a key ambition of our Engage 2025 strat- egy. We see four key pillars of growth in the Middle East and Africa region: mobile money, b2b services, internet and data,” ORANGE: INNOVATION HELPS US TO BECOME MORE THAN JUST A TELCO FOR OUR SUBSCRIBERS CommsMEA caught up with Arnauld Blondet, innovation director for AMEA at Orange Group, to find out how the company is innovating across its international footprint to provide more than mere connectivity to its subscribers said Orange’s innovation director for AMEA, Arnauld Blondet. “We want to be more than an operator for our customers. We place customers at the heart of what we do and we are most and foremost focussed on their needs. When you look at Africa, many customers pay more to charge their phone than us- ing the phone itself. Moreover, the smart- phones that we have in Europe are far too expensive for the population in Africa and the Middle East. At Orange, we want to de- mocratise access to digital solutions and essential services such as healthcare, ener- gy etc. and make these accessible to all and not only those who can afford it. Therefore, we have put in place some smart energy solutions that help our customers have an easier and cheaper access to energy and spend less money charging their phone. We have also launched feature phones, such as the Sanza XL 4G, which can be bought for around 28 dollars and provides access to over two hundred essential applications, including: WhatsApp, YouTube, Facebook and the Google Assistant. Our priority is to go deeper in that multi-service direction to provide solutions for people who still can’t afford the great value of mobile, smart- phone, of digital solution. We want to be part of the digital transformation that we see in Africa currently,” he explained. Financial services and mobile money offerings are set to play a huge role in the transformation of people’s digital lives, particularly in Africa, where access to tra- ditional banking services can be hard to come by. 30www.commsmea.com INTERVIEW ORANGE CommsMEA June-August 2020 Users in Africa oen pay more for the electricity to charge thier phone, than they do for the network minutes they use, according to Blondet. the market is not ready for it. We still see too many barriers to have success in 5G in Af- rica today. We need the states to drive us the path, we need new spectrum, capabilities as well as more affordable 5G devices. Instead, we are concentrating on 4G, which is still quite new in Africa. “As a recent GSMA mobile economy re- port stated, only 10 per cent of sub-Saharan Africa connections are via 4G in 2019 which means the majority of the population is con- necting to the internet via 2G and 3G or has no internet access at all. We launched some operations in 4G only last year – 4G is still a beginning for us in terms of acceleration of data and we still have lot of investment to do in 4G. Of course, we do not want Africa to be left alone, we want to deploy 5G there even- tually, but there is no rush. There is still a lot of work that needs to be done beforehand,” he explained. While it may not yet be time for 5G in Africa, Orange Group is ploughing a great deal of time and effort into enabling the emergence of Industry 4.0 use cases, using existing networks. “We are considering IoT as a great ena- bler to drive new services and usages. We We see four key pillars of growth in the Middle East and Africa region: mobile money, b2b services, internet and data.” Arnauld Blondet, innovation director for AMEA, Orange. “Access to a traditional bank account remains difficult for a large part of the African population, while mobile phones are, on the other hand, more widely used. Orange has been interested in mobile fi- nancial services for many years and we launched over ten years ago a Mobile Mon- ey service across most of our MEA mar- kets. It is a basic but very useful system for many of our customers in the region where consumers just need a basic phone and connectivity to send money to anyone who has an Orange account. “We rely on 600,000 small shops so that people can recover cash from their phone. We have expanded this service dramati- cally and recently opened this service in Morocco. As part of this service, we also offer microloans to Orange Money custom- ers with a value of less than 100 euros for less than 2 months. This service has great success in the region as it enables millions of people to manage their money, send money to their family, pay for bills and receiving salary easily and securely via a mobile phone, when they would have been otherwise excluded from a formal financial system,” said Blondet. IS IT TOO SOON TO BE TALKING ABOUT 5G IN AFRICA? While some operators have rushed to push 5G out in their African footprint, Or- ange Group believes that resources would be better devoted to fleshing out 4G coverage, increasing network availability and capacity. “Whilst 5G is a key priority for the Group in Europe, we do not have plans for a rollout of 5G in our MEA markets at the moment as have developed solutions for Energy, agri- culture, banking… We see a great interest in our solutions for productivity and effi- ciency solutions in some key historic en- terprise sectors in Africa. We still want to do more, partnering also with key players in each sector,” said Blondet. Whether it’s in the consumer or en- terprise sector, Blondet predicts a huge surge in demand for digital services across Africa. “For innovation in Africa, we are mainly seeing the massive growth in digital uptake across African markets with more demand for more digital and more services with platform-based ser- vices and we think this is a key shift that we are preparing step by step, country by country. Digital transformation is really happening – from getting energy through digital, content services through digital, getting life service and it can be, state governmental services, global services, e-commerce, e-ship, e-store services... The great news is that customers need and want more and there is both value and usage globally, but also locally,” he concluded. 31www.commsmea.com ORANGE INTERVIEW CommsMEA June-August 2020As billions of workers around the world find themselves working from home amidst the new reality of the global Covid 19 pandemic, access to next generation connectivity has become even more important than it has ever been in the past. Connectivity is the lifeline that enables life to continue functioning, even whilst billions of people around the world remain in their homes, to contain the spread of the virus. Without quick, reliable connectivity, distance learning and working from home initiatives would not be possible. The enormous spike in demand for capac- ity has placed considerable strain on the tele- coms networks that provide our access to that connectivity – both fixed line and mobile. With operators around the world already rolling out their next generation networks, we have arguably never been better equipped to work and learn from home. Recent inno- vations in converging technologies such as mobile computing, mobile communications and broadband internet are helping people around the world deal with the new reality of life in the shadow of Covid 19. Here in the Middle East, particularly, operators and vendors have risen to the challenge of ensuring world class connec- tivity remains in place, despite the huge lo- STAYING CONNECTED IN THE FACE OF ADVERSITY We look at how network operators and telecoms vendors around the world are forging closer relationships to ensure that billions of subscribers can stay connected during these unprecedented times gistical and technological challenges being placed on them. Indeed, the current COVID-19 pandem- ic has seen vendors and network operators work closer together than ever before, as they strive towards the common good. With the multibillion dollar investments that service providers have made in their next generation network infrastructure, they were already looking to make as fast a return on their investment as possible. With the possibility of challenging market conditions looming large for the foreseea- ble future, as a result of the economic slow- down bought about by the global Covid 19 pandemic, partnerships become all the more important. Zoran Lazarevic chief technology officer, Ericsson Middle East and Africa said: “Dur- ing the pandemic, fixed and mobile telecom- munications networks have become an even more crucial part of the critical infrastruc- ture, showing the importance of quality in the connectivity. The challenge in the tel- ecommunications industry is to innovate and constantly provide a better experience for our customers. The objective of the col- laboration between service providers and Ericsson is to transform their networks and enable them to offer subscribers a service experience that meets the expectations of the digital society in which we currently live. Ericsson is working relentlessly with our partners to ensure network operators can continue to offer world-class connectiv- ity and coverage.” HERE IN THE UAE The UAE has positioned itself as a regional and international pioneer for next genera- tion connectivity. The country was one of the first in the world to launch fully com- mercialised 5G services and the country is home to some of the fastest average down- load speeds in the world. As the UAE embarked on its national sanitisation programme, the country’s Telco’s responded by ensuring that citizens and residents in the UAE would continue to receive the cutting edge connectivity that they required. Etisalat UAE has delivered a range of initiatives that have facilitated connectiv- ity in the country, including helping more than 1 million students in the UAE to con- tinue their education through the COV- ID-19 pandemic, through its e-learning in- itiatives and online platforms. The Middle East’s biggest telco has allowed free access to over 800 educational websites, which has helped more than 1 million students continue their education online. Zoran Lazarevic, CTO, Ericsson MEA. Dr Ahmed Bin Ali, SVP corporate communications, Etisalat. Fahad Al Hassawi, deputy CEO for telco services, du. 32www.commsmea.com REGIONAL FOCUS MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA CommsMEA June-August 2020meaning that customers can now access download speeds of 500 Mbps, rather than the 250Mbps service that they pay for. In response to the continued growth of data consumption on du’s network, which has increased by more than 200 per cent over the last five years, the telecom opera- tor said it has automatically upgraded its existing customers. “du is committed to delivering what our home customers demand: faster broad- band, personalized TV content, all at the most competitive prices. The new double- speed upgrade ticks these boxes and has been especially designed to cater to the dis- cerning needs of our home customers who aspire to lead digitally enhanced lifestyles which enrich their everyday lives,” said Fahad Al Hassawi, deputy CEO for telco services at du. IN THE WIDER MIDDLE EAST In neighbouring Kuwait, connectivity is playing an equally important role in help- ing the country mitigate against the spread of the virus. Here, Zain Kuwait partnered with the Kuwait Integrated Petroleum Industries Company to bring next generation connec- tivity to the country’s biggest COVID-19 treatment facility. “Our collaboration with the Kuwait In- tegrated Petroleum Industries Company (KIPIC) today is nothing but a clear em- bodiment of the cherished Kuwaiti iden- tity that sees Kuwaitis get together as one during times of crisis,” said Zain Kuwait’s chief enterprise business officer, Hamad Al-Marzouq. “I am very proud of the great efforts exerted by Zain’s team to make this part- nership a success, especially during such difficult and exceptional circumstances. We were very keen on offering the most advanced essential telecom and network- ing services and solutions to serve citizens who will reside in the centre, especially our students who were completing their educa- tion abroad,” he added. ACROSS THE WORLD While governments across the world urge their citizens to work from home to con- The company’s senior vice president of corporate communications, Dr Ahmed Bin Ali, said that Etisalat remained in an excel- lent position to deliver cutting edge con- nectivity to consumers in the UAE during and beyond the current pandemic. “As we navigate through these challeng- ing times, Etisalat has showed resilience and remained committed towards the communities it serves, ensuring business continuity and readiness, minimising im- pact on our operations and uninterrupted services to our customers,” he said. “Etisalat has taken many steps to en- sure that its network, services and teams are well equipped to support all its cus- tomers. Etisalat teams are working non- stop to make sure that all its customers, including government departments, large enterprises, SMBs and subscribers across the country, stay connected. With overall data traffic on the telco’s network expected to surge exponentially, Etisalat’s advanced network is resilient, reliable and secure and has sufficient flexibility to adapt to changing consumer and business de- mands. Etisalat offers all the connectivity tools and services people need to continue to communicate and conduct business in- cluding the fastest fixed broadband and mobile network in the region. “Keeping in line with the government directives to encourage citizens to stay at home and be safe in the current scenario. We have made sure that all our resources and technology are used to make custom- ers working and studying from home expe- rience effective and efficient.” The rise of video conferencing services has been instrumental in ensuring that busi- ness can flourish in the UAE, as the country’s workforce continues to work from home. The use of video conferencing software and solutions places real demand on telecom- munications networks particularly in terms of capacity and download speeds. It’s no use having an online meeting with twenty of your colleagues if they are forced to endure endless buffering and poor voice quality. To ensure that workers receive next generation connectivity, even during the pandemic, UAE telco du has doubled the speed of its fixed line internet packages, tain the spread of the pandemic, operators in developing economies are facing a differ- ent set of challenges. Many people in the developing world are unable to do their job from home, particularly if they work in a manual industry. In these circumstances, the role of the telco is to facilitate commu- nity outreach programmes and ensure that citizens have access to life saving informa- tion and consultative services. While connectivity and technology alone cannot stop the spread of the pan- demic it can play a huge role in educating, warning and empowering those on the ground and those that need to be made aware of the situation to significantly re- duce the impact. To this end, pan African telco, MTN Group, has set up a relief fund, to assist customers affected by the global COVID-19 pandemic. MTN Group operates across 21 markets in Africa, all of which have now reported cases of COVID-19. MTN Group is making the fund available in its home market of South Africa as well as in many other mar- kets across Africa, facing enormous chal- lenges managing the pandemic. The initiative comprises of five key fo- cuses: MTN Group employees, customers, vulnerable groups, contributions to the South African Government’s Solidarity Fund and participating in industry inter- ventions. “We believe it is the responsibility of all organisations to assist where they can during the pandemic,” said Mcebisi Jonas, chairman of MTN Group. The Group plans to raise additional funds for the MTN Global Staff Emergency Fund for employees in need. The funds will be raised by contribu- tions from the Group’s directors. As the world comes to terms with the new reality of life under the COVID-19 pandemic, telcos will continue to play an integral role in delivering the cutting-edge connectivity that is facilitating countless work from home and distance learning initiatives around the world. Moreover, the pandemic will see telcos forging deeper re- lationships with their suppliers and other industry partners as they look to redefine their business models going forward. 33www.commsmea.com MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA REGIONAL FOCUS CommsMEA June-August 2020Telecommunications is one of the fastest-growing industries as well as one that uses artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) in many aspects of the business from enhancing the customer experience to predictive maintenance and improving network reliability. The largest telcos in the world rely on artificial intelligence and machine learning in a number of ways. For instance, telcos gain a significant amount of virtual assistance in customer service, primarily through chat- bots and virtual assistants. These features in particular support a number of requests for set up, installation, troubleshooting, and maintenance which ultimately auto- mate and scale responses and dramati- cally reduce business expenditure. The global machine learning market was valued at $1.58 billion in 2017 and is expected to reach $20.83 billion in 2024, growing at a CAGR of 44.06 per cent be- tween 2017 and 2024. Machine learning’s growing adoption in business across indus- tries reflects how effective its algorithms, frameworks and techniques are at solving complex problems quickly. AI-based pro- cessors, integrated memory and network- ing systems are projected to contribute a large percentage of market growth. Ad- ditionally, Worldwide Spending on Tel- ecommunications Services is forecast to reach $1.6 billion in 2020, According to the International Data Corporation. Telecom- munications organisations are delving into consumer technology markets. AI AND MACHINE LEARNING IN TELECOMMUNICATIONS Professor Tadhg O’Donovan, head of engineering and physical sciences at Heriot-Watt University Dubai, discusses ways in which telcos use Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) ROBOTIC PROCESS AUTOMATION (RPA) RPA boosts the capacity of existing work- forces by augmenting human abilities, reducing costs, increasing accuracy and quality, improve efficiency and delivering a better customer experience. Specifically, in the telecoms space, RPA can help to en- able network teams to find faults faster and maintain quality of service; collate data for revenue forecasting, decision making and network planning; provide a 360-degree view of the customer to support in order to improve efficiency. According to Deloitte’s Global RPA Survey, the benefits of RPA adoption are significant and continues to meet and exceed expectations across mul- tiple dimensions including: improved com- pliance (92 per cent), improved quality / ac- curacy (90 per cent), improved productivity (86 per cent), cost reduction (59 per cent). Considering the volume of consumers, PRA brings benefits to the telecommuni- cations industry because it’s supported by high frequency manual, repetitive, rules- based processes, which are critical for a service delivery. The basis of telecom is thus made up of processes which are highly eligible for automation. The reliability and accuracy of process outcomes is a must for telecommunication companies that wish to boost their customer service. DATA-DRIVEN BUSINESS DECI- SIONS: PREDICTIVE ANALYTICS With the use of AI and Machine Learning, telcos can extract meaningful business insights from this data so they can make faster and better business decisions. This data driven by AI helps with customer seg- mentation, customer churn prevention, to predict the lifetime value of the customer, product development, improving margins and price optimisation. The KPMG Intel- ligence Forecasting Report assesses how organisations reinvent planning to gain competitive advantage. Results indicated that the intelligent forecasting business values included 50 per cent more accu- racy, 95 per cent sales accuracy and 35 per cent efficiency. Ultimately AI and Ma- chine Learning enable industry to extract insights from their vast data sets, which makes resolving issues more effective and efficient, and provide improved customer service and satisfaction. The Telecommu- nications industry is a significant example of how adopting AI and Machine Learning is essential for survival and the ability to be ahead of competitors. VIRTUAL ASSISTANTS The telecom industry is at the epicentre of technological growth, led by mobile and broadband services in the Internet of Things (IoT) era. This growth is expected to continue, with predictions that the glob- al telecom market will post an impressive CAGR of more than 42 per cent by 2020. The driver of this growth is certainly Ar- tificial intelligence (AI). A significant ap- plication of AI in telecommunications is conversational AI platforms. Also known as virtual assistants, they have learned to 34www.commsmea.com FEATURE AI AND MACHINE LEARNING CommsMEA June-August 2020 By the end of 2021 there could be as many as 100 million 5G connections across the world. in usage, telecommunications compa- nies will leverage machine learning and AI for 5G. Wireless networks comprise of multiple frequency bands and cells with overlapping coverage areas present- ing wireless networks with challenges. Machine Learning and Artificial Intel- ligence can assist telecommunications organisations by optimising fine tune network parameters for capacity expan- sion, forecast peak traffic and measure interference in connectivity using inter- site distance information. Considering the ever-increasing com- plexity of the network, and the emergence of use cases such as autonomous cars, industrial automation, virtual reality, e-health, and several intelligent appli- cations, machine learning in particular is expected to be essential to assist in making the 5G vision conceivable. Dif- ferent aspects of ML can be leveraged for predictive analysis and results, cogni- tive scaling to assist wireless operators to dynamically modify network resource capacity and enhancing 5G security to prevent network frauds. FRAUD DETECTION Machine learning algorithms are instru- mental in detecting fraudulent activity such as theft or fake profiles, illegal ac- cess, and more. Machine Learning algo- rithms are deployed to train models and use these models to detect fraudulent calls and detect accuracy. These algorithms learn what “normal” activity looks like so can spot anomalies from enormous data sets much quicker than human analysts can, to provide a near real-time response to activity that needs to be investigated. Telecom fraud is a fast-growing field of criminal activity and a low-risk alterna- tive to traditional methods of financial crime, costing today’s world some $32.7 billion annually, according to the 2019 European Cybercrime Centre report. AI and Machine Learning are pivotal in de- ploying early fraudulent activity as the algorithms define the anomalies and with the help of data visualisation techniques present them as alerts to the analysts in real time. automate and scale one-on-one conversa- tions so efficiently that they are projected to cut business expenses by as much as $8 billion annually in 2022, according to Juni- per Research. Telcos have turned to virtual assistants to drive the large-scale number of support requests for installation, set up, troubleshooting and maintenance, which often overwhelm traditional customer service centres with human interaction as the main focus. Using AI, operators can therefore implement self-service capabili- ties that show customers how to install and operate their own devices. 5G The telecom industry is fast at work building a foundation for the 5G future, including laying the proverbial pipe, im- agining and deploying innovative prod- ucts and services, and striking strate- gic partnerships. According to Gartner Forecasts, by 2021, the number of 5G connections is predicted to reach a figure of between 20 million and 100 million. Some estimates put the figure at 200 mil- lion. Spending on 5G mobile infrastruc- ture for that same year is forecast to be at around $2.3 billion. With this surge 35www.commsmea.com AI AND MACHINE LEARNING FEATURE CommsMEA June-August 2020 AI and Machine learning will help operators radically redefine the management of their networks. AI AND MACHINE LEARNING FOR NETWORKS CommsMEA spoke with Aaron Boasman-Patel, vice president, AI and customer experience at TM Forum, to find out how telcos are leveraging the power of AI and Machine Learning to reinvigorate their networks 36www.commsmea.com FEATURE AI AND MACHINE LEARNING CommsMEA June-August 2020ENABLING OPERATORS TO BETTER MANAGE THEIR NETWORKS AI and machine learning (ML) will help operators do more than just compete; it will give them the agility they need to win back enterprise customers, many of whom have turned to digital-native pro- viders for cloud-based services. AI and machine learning will be key to bringing the automation required to manage and optimise networks of the future—the one billion (and growing) number of IoT devices already con- nected to mobile networks are simply too much for management systems to handle. It is impossible for humans, or manual systems, to monitor and as- sure these devices, analyse the data they generate, whilst also managing the infrastructure and processes required to optimise network performance and monetisation. This is where AI and ML come in. AI, deep learning and machine learning, are all becoming increasingly important for CSPs wanting to collect, analyse and leverage the data generated by networks and devices. We’ve already seen the use of AI and ML in managing and improving CSP customer experience, and now we’re seeing these technologies trickle throughout CSP operations. In fact, we’re now seeing the emergence of AIOps, whereby AI is used to automate CSP operations; for example, Etisalat announced that it has teamed up with Microsoft to build a digital platform infused with automation and AI providing a simplified network architecture and operations empowering its subscribers and improving customer experience. We have also recently seen MTN Benin sign an agreement with Ericsson which will bring about great efficiencies and automation and intelligence to their network and will jointly create a world of predictive operations with a focus on customer experience, network quality, performance and automation. Ultimately, AI, ML and automation will all go towards building the networks of the future—closed-loop, self-healing autonomous networks that can be man- aged, optimised and configured with no human intervention. IS IT POSSIBLE TO “OVER AUTO- MATE” A NETWORK? Having good governance around your AI and automation projects is critical to ensure that they operate safely and ef- ficiently. Over automation implies you remove people completely from the net- works, but that is not what AI and auto- mation is designed to do. Instead, it is de- signed to help people do their jobs more efficiently and increase the capability of the networks and the services that op- erators can provide. Certainly in our life time, networks will not run without hu- man supervision and that is why at TM Forum we have a collaboration group focused on AI governance, ensuring that as we deploy AI and increase automa- tion, we can do so safely. We are devel- oping operational checklists across the lifecycle as well as data sheets ensuring we understand and record everything about the AI models that businesses are using, as well as developing APIs and reference implementations so that we can explain, understand and control AI and autonomous networks in real time. As long as the correct governance proce- dures are in place, you cannot over auto- mate a network. TRENDS AND DEVELOPMENTS AROUND AUTOMATION AND AI OVER THE NEXT YEAR AI and automation will be critical ele- ments to the digital transformation of CSPs looking to optimize operations in the coming years. In terms of focus, and trends there are a few areas that we can see as benefiting from AI and automa- tion in the coming years. COLLABORATION End-to-end automation requires coor- dination bet ween CSPs and standards- development organizations (SDOs) and open source groups. Most CSPs we talk to explain that they want bet- ter collaboration bet ween standards bodies and other industr y initiatives, they also call for greater collaboration bet ween CSPs and suppliers. We’re al- ready seeing some move towards more collaborative learning and teaching initiatives that see CSPs and suppliers work together to share knowledge and insights, but more must be done in the coming years to bridge the gaps that exist within the industr y. INVESTMENT IN OSS/BSS As more CSPs turn to AI, ML and auto- mation, they ’ll look for systems and so- lutions that support these game-chang- ing technologies. Legacy OSS/BSS is one area which is likely to see a lot of change, spurred on by the move to- wards automation. In the coming years, we’ll see the functional components of OSS/BSS continue to evolve, grow and be enhanced by new capabilities that will likely be deployed as microser vices or as-a-ser vice software in a cloud. CENTRALISATION As more focus is placed on AI and au- tomation, we’ll see CSPs centralise the management of their efforts to auto- mate and apply AI. This will see CSPs appoint an executive to oversee a co- ordinated, company-wide initiative for building a cross-domain autonomous network. As processes in individual network, operations and business do- mains are automated, teams should create loose couplings between the domains, especially those that may be affected by an automated change oc- curring in another. For example, or- der management can have a cascading effect on inventory, or a self-healing instruction to remove a system from ser vice may affect network planning. Once the linkages between automated domains are identified, they can be- come part of an end-to-end closed loop network. 37www.commsmea.com AI AND MACHINE LEARNING FEATURE CommsMEA June-August 20205G WILL REACH 22 MILLION SUBSCRIBERS IN MEA BY 2024 CommsMEA caught up with Chafic Traboulsi, vice president and head of networks at Ericsson Middle East and Africa, to find out how GCC nations can take the next step down the road to realising their 5G potential 38www.commsmea.com INTERVIEW ERICSSON CommsMEA June-August 2020INTERVIEW ERICSSON ERICSSON’S VISION FOR THE MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA REGION “As a key player in making 5G net- works a commercial reality, Ericsson is work- ing closely with partners across the region and has a large number of Memorandums of Understandings – helping service provid- ers to improve their existing consumer busi- ness and address previously untapped value chains in the digitalisation of industries. “5G is expected to reach 22 million sub- scriptions for enhanced mobile broadband in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) by the end of 2024, representing 1 per cent of total mobile subscriptions. This will make 5G the fastest generation of cellular tech- nology to be rolled out on a global scale, according to the Ericsson Mobility Report. “The majority of the 5G subscriptions in the MEA are expected to come from advanced ICT markets like the GCC coun- tries Saudi Arabia and the UAE. “With connectivity at the heart of in- dustry transformation, cellular technolo- gies have a significant role to play – not just in the evolution of communication but in the transformation of businesses and soci- eties as a whole.” WHAT WOULD WE HAVE SEEN FROM ERICSSON AT MWC 2020 “The health and safety of our employees, customers and other stakeholders are our highest priority. This is not a decision we have taken lightly. We were looking for- ward to showcasing our latest innovations at MWC in Barcelona. It is very unfortu- nate, but we strongly believe the most re- sponsible business decision is to withdraw our participation from this year’s event. “To showcase the company’s portfolio With connectivity at the heart of industry transforma- tion, cellular technologies have a significant role to play – not just in the evolution of communication but in the transformation of businesses and societies as a whole.” LOOKING AHEAD TO 2021 “As market after market switches on 5G, Er- icsson is at a truly momentous point in time. No previous generation of mobile technol- ogy has had the potential to drive economic growth to the extent that 5G promises. It goes beyond connecting people to fully re- alising the Internet of Things (IoT) and the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The ongoing health crisis has shown the importance of telecommunications in keeping the world running. 5G is making the future efficien- cies and possibilities a reality. “In 2019, Ericsson started the com- mercial rollout of 5G with operators in advanced markets like the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Ericsson was selected by Batelco to commercially deploy 5G across Bahrain and announced 5G commercial launches with Etisalat, STC and Ooredoo. In addi- tion, it is the first with commercial live net- works in four continents and publicly an- nounced 25 live commercial 5G operators globally with 81 commercial 5G contracts signed. Reaching the key technological milestone of deploying 5G networks has been a joint effort - a journey and a col- laboration between Ericsson and its world- leading telecom partners. Together we have managed to develop 5G technology based on real business needs. “With commercial 5G networks already live around the globe, the next step is to ensure massive adoption. We also need to see if 5G will allow businesses of all types to reap the benefits of enhanced mobility, flexibility, reliability and security. “The high performance of 5G networks will make our future more efficient and more connected.” and innovations, Ericsson will take the dem- os and content created for MWC Barcelona to customers in their home markets with lo- cal events called “Ericsson Unboxed”. THE MIDDLE EAST CONTINUING TO LEAD ON 5G “To our great pride, the Middle Eastern tel- co and the Middle Eastern regulators have ensured that, this time, the Middle East is on the map early when it comes to a new telecom standard generation. “Mainly driven by the GCC, this was made by providing the telcos with afford- able 5G frequencies early enough and al- lowing them to use advanced technologies like the Ericsson Spectrum Sharing with- out any hinderance. “To stay in the lead the telcos have to ensure massive 5G adoption. 2020 and 2021 are the years where we will see that. They also have to ensure that they start testing the business monetisation side that will come with the Industrial private net- works and critical IOT. “We are proud to be supporting our pioneering partners in the MEA region with their 5G switch. Ericsson is the first company to launch live commercial 5G networks on four continents. Today, 70 percent of the top service providers evalu- ated in global public 4G network tests use Ericsson’s radios and basebands, which are the key to 5G performance. “And thanks to our ongoing interopera- bility engagements with six out of six chipset vendors, our 5G technology is evolving con- tinuously to support a variety of 5G devices. That way, we can cater to the wide-ranging 5G use cases of today and tomorrow.” 39www.commsmea.comCommsMEA June-August 2020Next >