Page 10 - SAMENA Trends - December 2023

FEATURED SAMENA TRENDS

resilient communication, and for fulfilling requirements, which includes spectrum,
national digital visions. Moreover, our for shaping a sustainable and prosperous
technological capabilities, which now digital future in this age when both digital
extend to 5G-Advanced in mobile systems and space economies are integral to global
and similar advancements in IP bearer and sustainability.
data center networks for the intelligent
world, will be playing important role to SAMENA Council ac-
support the end-to-end network quality
for 10 Giga Society. Therefore, SAMENA knowledged by the ef-
Council proposed a move toward 10 Giga, forts of the policymak-
while attending to timely policy, regulatory,
and business decisions in this regard. ers and space industry
10GIGA FIXED BROADBAND For this, readjustment of priorities to fill leaders in highlighting
In collaboration with its valued member, key gaps – whether such gaps are at the
Huawei Technologies, SAMENA Council policy or regulatory level, investment the importance of space
held a policy “accelerator” to address the level, cooperation level, or at the level of sustainability, and for
need to move toward fulfilling national incubating new ideas – need to happen.
emphasizing on the re-
SAMENA Council observes that the region, particular- quirements, which in-
ly, and neighboring regions, generally, need to come cludes spectrum, for
at par with economies with more experience in digi- shaping a sustainable
tal transformation. Drastic steps are necessary to be and prosperous digital
taken to further broadband development, overcoming future in this age when

digital divides in broadband development, and IPv6 both digital and space
transformation, of which moving toward “gigabit” economies are integral
would be a dramatic leap forward. to global sustainability.

ICT visions and materializing the gigabit Earlier, during its Leaders’ Summit 2023,
society concept, which is already under as well as through direct communication
implementation in developed countries. with regulators, SAMENA Council had
Advancements in fixed-line networks, advocated that balancing capacity with
investments in 5G, coupled with excellent coverage is a daunting task for Operators.
policy and regulatory approaches have the Having undergone testing, 6GHz spectrum
potential to help us realize this concept. has proven to provide suitable coverage,
SAMENA Council observes that the comparable to C band, and to enable
region, particularly, and neighboring contiguous deployment of 5G. Moreover,
regions, generally, need to come at par due to coverage and capacity balance
with economies with more experience in achievable through 6GHz, sustainability and
digital transformation. Drastic steps are carbon neutrality imperatives also appear
necessary to be taken to further broadband SPECTRUM RESOURCES to be more achievable with this frequency
development, overcoming digital divides As negotiations on the allocation of range if dedicated fully for IMT use. 6GHz
in broadband development, and IPv6 spectrum carried on during the World for public mobile network use cannot
transformation, of which moving toward Radiocommunication Conference, only accelerate digital transformation
“gigabit” would be a dramatic leap forward. SAMENA Council, represented by Bocar across urban and far-flung areas, it can
BA, CEO, also participated in the WRC-23 on improve ROI on 5G investments and thus
Given the region’s digitalization needs, one multiple occasions, including in the space enable more capital flow in meeting the
of the major objectives is to create impact economy forum, led by the Communication overarching goal of universal connectivity.
beyond just simple Internet. Fixed-line & Space Technology Commission (CST) It would be more practical to reserve
networks, which literally are the backbone of Saudi Arabia. SAMENA Council 6GHz for IMT use instead of allocating it
of national digital transformation, and are acknowledged by the efforts of the to Wi-Fi use for better Wi-Fi experience
key to sustainable digital development, policymakers and space industry leaders – Wi-Fi user experience can be improved
are the most important infrastructure in highlighting the importance of space through technological means instead of
for communities and businesses, for sustainability, and for emphasizing on the allocation of valuable spectrum for this

10 DECEMBER 2023