Page 76 - SAMENA Trends - July-September 2024

ARTICLE SAMENA TRENDS

ARTICLE

Unlocking 5G Monetization in the MEA Region

The Middle East and Africa (MEA) is quite a diverse region in
terms of telecommunications and digital transformation. The Gulf
Cooperation Council (GCC) has made significant strides in its 5G
journey, with countries such as the UAE and Saudi Arabia emerging
as leaders in 5G deployments and speed. In contrast, Africa is
still at the early stages of its 5G development. Currently, 77% of
mobile data across the region is still on 4G, while 5G accounts
for approximately 15%, primarily driven by the advancements in
the GCC. Although 4G continues to grow in Africa, a wave of 5G
investments is on the horizon as spectrum allocation progresses
and operators seek solutions to alleviate the growing congestion
on their 4G networks.

The MEA region is uniquely positioned
to harness the transformative power of
5G technology. By focusing on key areas
such as enhanced mobile broadband,
fixed wireless access and private wireless
for enterprises, Network as Code, IoT,

and smart cities, operators can unlock
significant monetization opportunities.

With its ultra-high speeds, low latency, and massive connectivity
capabilities, 5G promises to revolutionize various industries and
create new revenue streams. As countries across the region
Danial Mausoof continue to deploy this next-generation network, the focus is
VP, Head of Technology and Solution Sales increasingly on how to monetize it effectively. Here are some key
Nokia opportunities, strategies, and innovations for monetizing 5G in the
MEA region.

5G monetization sees operators move beyond converting 4G
subscriptions to 5G, upselling data and speed tiers and expanding
the connectivity base, to capturing home and SoHo connectivity
through 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) and expanding within the
enterprise market with private wireless and network slicing.

76 JULY-SEPTEMBER 2024