Samena Trends March 2021
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Feb-Mar, Volume 12, 2021 A SAMENA Telecommunications Council Publication www.samenacouncil.org S AMENA TRENDS FOR SAMENA TELECOMMUNICATIONS COUNCIL'S MEMBERS BUILDING DIGITAL ECONOMIES Eng. Olayan M. H.E. Hamad Obaid Al H.E. Dr. Mohamed Al Alwetaid Mansoori Tamimi Group CEO Director General Governor stc, Saudi Arabia TDRA, UAE CITC, Saudi Arabia THIS MONTH DIGITAL ECONOMIC GROWTH: FROM POLICY TO REALITY FEB-MAR, VOLUME 12, 2021 Contributing Editors Knowledge Contributions Publisher Izhar Ahmad BT SAMENA Telecommunications Council SAMENA Javaid Akhtar Malik China Mobile International Etisalat Subscriptions TRENDS goetzpartners [email protected] Huawei Editor-in-Chief Nexign Advertising Bocar A. BA Omantel [email protected] PCCW Global RIPE NCC SAMENA TRENDS Speedchecker [email protected] Tech Mahindra Tel: +971.4.364.2700 CONTENTS 04 EDITORIAL FEATURED 05 13 REGIONAL & MEMBERS UPDATES Members News Regional News 75 SATELLITE UPDATES Satellite News 87 WHOLESALE UPDATES Governor-CITC (Saudi Arabia) Wholesale News Speaks to SAMENA Council 07 93 TECHNOLOGY UPDATES Technology News The SAMENA TRENDS eMagazine is wholly owned and operated by The SAMENA 99 REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES Telecommunications Council (SAMENA Regulatory News Council). Information in the eMagazine is not intended as professional services advice, A Snapshot of Regulatory and SAMENA Council disclaims any liability Activities in the SAMENA Region for use of specific information or results thereof. Articles and information contained Regulatory Activities DG-TDRA (UAE) Speaks to in this publication are the copyright of Beyond the SAMENA Region SAMENA Council SAMENA Telecommunications Council, (unless otherwise noted, described or stated) 09 and cannot be reproduced, copied or printed ARTICLES in any form without the express written 54 Etisalat Driving the Digital Future to permission of the publisher. Empower Societies The SAMENA Council does not necessarily 59 endorse, support, sanction, encourage, Omantel: 5G for Businesses: verify or agree with the content, comments, Roadmap to Growth and Innovation opinions or statements made in The SAMENA 69 TRENDS by any entity or entities. Information, China Mobile Intl.: Innovation through products and services offered, sold or placed 5G Industrial Internet to Create... 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EDITORIAL SAMENA TRENDS Digital Economic Growth: From Policy to Reality Multi-stakeholder collaborative efforts private collaboration, improved policy and are now ever more necessary to help align regulatory enablement steps, aligned well needs and ways forward on the complex with digital transformation goals set by aspirations and challenges associated with Operators and the Private Sector, at large, the Digital Economy. and sustainable influx in investment in both infrastructure and incubation of innovation In the now digitally-powered world, and ICT talent, will play a central role in ubiquitous connectivity, computational catalyzing economic growth opportunities power, and comprehension capabilities are for both existing and new businesses. now driving technology development, with Quite possibly, this may uplift standards of reduced cycles of adoption and with a greater living for billions all around the world. It is possibility (and need) for stakeholder and engaging in these efforts, which can ensure industry-to-industry cooperation. However, we make progress on our visions for digital some fundamental needs remain the same: economic growth. we need to include everyone in the digital Bocar A. BA economy; and everyone should benefit from SAMENA Council Leaders’ Summit 2021, Chief Executive Officer & Board the digital-led economic growth. to be held on April 8th, with a special focus Member on "Championing Digital Economic Growth SAMENA Telecommunications In this regard, partnership, collaboration, from Policy to Reality", is an important Council digital capacity-building and innovation contribution to such efforts. The Summit carry immense weight and are crucial will bring together renowned Public and for sustaining the digital development Private-sector stakeholders, decision- with Media, Digital Application & 5G momentum created over the past year. This makers, and global bodies to help voice Ecosystems, Digital Sustainability, and momentum is essential for recovery efforts transformational needs for all. the Internet Economy. around the world, and must be utilized effectively to propel a new wave of digitally- Leaders' Summit 2021 will focus on As our societies and the global economy driven and digitally-inclusive economic the role of broadband networks and digitalize, there are greater possibilities development. In the post-pandemic advanced digital technologies, such as to put into effect human-centric, data- times, new socio-economic and business cloud communications, IoT, AI, with a driven, and evidence-based policies, paradigms, which, in many ways, are very particular emphasis on understanding their increase economic competitiveness, different from those of the past, are the way implementation in correlation with emerging create more jobs, enhance provision of to the future. social and business value ecosystems improved public services throughout as well as thriving digital application the SA-ME-NA region's urban and This calls for new initiatives and fresh new ecosystems. The structure of the Leaders' rural communities, and to create more efforts in the alignment of the Industry's Summit 2021 is designed to accomodate capital. and the governments' priorities and merits a multi-dimensional agenda, ranging a paradigm shift in policy-making and from policy statements, discussions on We just need to put policy to action, and regulations. On our way to economic a complex subject matter, to live insights work together in a well-orchestrated recovery, from the technology front alone, from renowned personalities in the world. manner to address the systemic increased network capacity and greater Special focus will be casted on Intelligent transformational requirements of resilience are a pre-requisite for building a Connectivity, Technology Demonstration, operating in the new environs. sustainable Digital Economy. On the other Global Action & Collaboration, Vertical front, key enabling factors, such as public- Industry Segments, Interview Sessions 4 FEB-MAR 2021 FEATURED SAMENA TRENDS Governor-CITC Speaks to SAMENA Council H. E. Dr. Mohammed bin Saud Al-Tamimi has been the Governor of the Communications and Information Technology Commission (CITC) by royal order since October 2019. Al-Tamimi has been the vice chairman of ITU-T Study Group 13 at International Telecommunication Union since 2016. He has also been on the board of directors at the Saudi Broadcasting Authority since 2018, and is a member of Arbitration Committee at the European Telecommunication Networks Innovation Forum. Q. How is CITC's strategic mission enabling the Kingdom's transformation into a digital society? A. With our new, transformative strategy, CITC is seeking to fulfil three objectives. Firstly, we understand that next-gen, high-speed connectivity underpins the digital economy. Therefore, we aim to ensure the deployment of broadband infrastructure throughout the Kingdom while continuing to promote competition and protect users. We must also take into consideration allocating adequate spectrum for international mobile technologies (IMT) usage, fair competition based on our MDDD (Market Definition, Designation and Dominance) approach and promoting universal connectivity. Emerging technologies and processes, such as quantum computing, IoT, blockchain, AI, cloud and fintech all rely on robust telecom infrastructure and we must work with regulatory bodies from other sectors, government ministries and local and international private enterprises to ensure that Saudi Arabia is at the forefront of the digital revolution. Our second objective is to manage the convergence of the telecom sector with the IT and technology sectors. We must identify and removing barriers for