Ericsson laid out a roadmap for operators to unlock the revenue potential of 5G-enabled industry digitalization. In "5G Business Potential beyond Mobile Broadband" the company delves deeper into industry verticals that are prominent in the Middle East and Africa region and offer clear opportunities for 5G use cases.
According to Ericsson report, MEA network developers can expect an estimated potential revenue opportunity up to USD 46 billion by 2030 provided they adapt their business model to become service enablers and creators. Chafic Traboulsi, VP and Head of Networks, Ericsson Middle East and Africa says: “5G will introduce opportunities that will allow operators to adopt new business models, and develop new services, applications, and revenue streams. These new 5G applications and services are expected to have a profound impact on consumers, businesses and industry digitalization which underscores the importance of releasing our research at this time.“
During the second quarter of 2019 several markets switched on 5G following the introduction of new 5G-compatible smartphones. As devices increasingly become available and more service providers launch networks, over 10 million 5G subscriptions are projected worldwide by the end of 2019. In Middle East and Africa, the operators in the advanced markets of the Gulf were among the first in the world to launch 5G, with commercial 5G services live in majority of the Gulf countries. There will be 60 million mobile 5G subscriptions in the Middle East and Africa by the end of 2024 according to Ericsson latest mobility report, though that will represent just 3% of all mobile subscriptions in the region.
Ericsson has identified four industry verticals that form the primary focus in the addressable 5G business potential opportunity in MEA. Regional service providers not only have established expertise in these verticals, they offer clear opportunities for 5G use cases. The secondary focus for 5G services in the region should be on industry verticals that offer some opportunities for 5G services, but on a smaller scale. Tertiary focus is on financial services and agriculture.
Nokia and SURF, the organization for IT in Dutch education and research, have successfully reached a single carrier 800Gb/s optical transmission over SURF’s existing cross-border, multi-vendor research and education network infrastructure.
Nokia and Vodafone are collaborating to test the viability of L4S technology over passive optical networks (PON).
The GSMA believes that critical reform of European laws is necessary to position the region as a technology frontrunner by 2030.
