Eva Andren, VP and Head of Managed Services at Ericsson Middle East and Africa and Country Manager of Ericsson Egypt, said Ericsson collaborated with service providers across the globe to offer access to free high-speed wireless Internet and Google Chromebooks to students affected by school closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
She said that Ericsson conducted a survey in which 83% of respondents claimed that information and communications technology (ICT) has helped them a lot in coping with the impact of the pandemic in various ways.
How do you see the telecommunications sector in the Middle East?
As the Middle East and Africa region races towards commercial 5G services, Ericsson has achieved significant milestones with leading service providers on the road to making 5G a reality.
Our increased investments to secure technology leadership in 5G, IoT and digital services have enabled us to reach 34 5G contracts with unique operators, of which 24 are live networks. In the coming years, we will see 5G networks going live around the region. The technologies that we are investing in are fundamentally changing the way we innovate, collaborate, live, and do business.
Ericsson is closely monitoring the development around the coronavirus and following recommendations from relevant national authorities and international bodies.
Mobile networks are increasingly recognized as a critical infrastructure. Some service providers, in collaboration with Ericsson, mobilized quickly to deploy and install next-generation 4G/5G wireless radios and antennas which, combined with delivering wireless modems and routers to homes, allowed students to receive free Internet service immediately.
Our engineers and field staff are part of critical teams deployed during a crisis. Even when a country goes into lockdown, our engineers are still active to keep the networks up and running.
Ericsson has also collaborated with service providers across the globe to offer access to free high-speed wireless Internet and Google Chromebooks to students affected by school closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In response to how the global COVID-19 Pandemic has disrupted education and learning around the world, Ericsson has joined the UNESCO-led Global Education Coalition and launched Ericsson Educate, a digital program delivering online learning content focused on improving digital skills for students in secondary schools and universities.
Ericsson has a global supply chain set up, which ensures the company works close to customers through its European, Asian, and American operations. Our main production facilities are in Estonia, Poland, China, India, Brazil, Mexico, and the US.
How do you see the telecommunications sector in Egypt in light of the ongoing digital transformation projects and the launch of smart cities?
Egypt has started a very ambitious economic reform in 2015. The overall impact of that reform is positive on all fronts. As for the telecom sector, the industry needs mainly two driving forces: spectrum and infrastructure or in other words ease of building sites. When it comes to spectrum, we see great steps to avail sufficient spectrum and make it available for the service providers so they can continue offering great services to the end users.
Ericsson is using its industry-leading 5G trial system to support multiple engagements with different operators around the world, enabling operator partners to trial various applications with different set-ups and explore new business opportunities.
In times of crisis, when connectivity is important for consumers to carry out work- and leisure-related activities, expectations for better network experiences become higher. Six in 10 smartphone users have a clear positive attitude towards the role 5G could have played during the crisis, and about half of them strongly agree that 5G could have offered both better network capacity and higher speeds compared to 4G. They also believe that society overall could have benefited hugely from 5G.
There was a similar level of agreement related to 5G’s role from a medical perspective. 5G was made for innovation and, as the value of digital infrastructure has been further evidenced during these recent times, 5G investments can play a significant role in restarting economies.
The COVID-19 pandemic forced an unprecedented number of people all over the world to change their workplace from office to home and become accustomed to new routines in their daily lives. As people spent more time online at home, network traffic loads shifted geographically from city centers and office areas to residential areas. Combining this with the high demand of online education as a result of COVID-19, the higher importance of the role of networks and connectivity in our everyday life.
According to a recently conducted consumer study by Ericsson, 83% of respondents claimed that information and communications technology (ICT) helped them a lot in coping with the impact of the pandemic in various ways. As new digital behaviours are forming, the critical role of communications service providers to support a functioning society with flawless digital communication capabilities in times of crisis has become apparent.
We are continuing to stay close to our customers to understand their needs and we are doing everything possible to support customers to maximize their network capacity and performance.
What are the main challenges facing the company in Egypt and the region?
Egypt, like the rest of the MENA countries and the world, has been seeing a spike in the use of mobile traffic. Over the long term, mobile traffic growth is predicted to grow – driven by both the rising number of smartphone subscriptions and an increasing average data volume per subscription, fuelled primarily by more viewing of video content, as highlighted in the Ericsson Mobility Report.
We will also see many service providers improve 4G LTE networks with increased spectral efficiency significantly while driving down costs. They will play a key role in enhancing networks and paving the way for next generation of mobile connectivity.
Commercial 5G deployments with leading service providers have taken place in the region during 2019 and 2020 with 5G subscriptions forecast to reach close to 1.4 million by the end of 2020, mainly in the Gulf countries. 5G is expected to reach 130 million subscriptions in the MENA region by 2026, representing 15% of total mobile subscriptions, according to Ericsson Mobility Report. Egypt should be joining the 5G countries soon to leverage the early adopter advantage and also actively participate in the innovation ecosystem the 5G technology brings.
How could Ericsson help Egypt achieve digital transformation?
Everyone at Ericsson, from our award-winning research teams who make key contributions to 5G developments to our field engineers who keep the networks running 24/7, remains committed to delivering new technologies that will shape tomorrow’s world.
We will continue to research and develop products and services that support and reach for the accessibility and affordability of communication infrastructure by offering services that drive sustainable economic growth and innovative solutions across areas such as education, financial services, health, and humanitarian response.
The technology being developed now will directly impact how we live, work, and interact for years to come – and we know it can help us emerge more resilient from this crisis. Ericsson’s AI & Analytics Hub in Egypt has achieved key milestones by shipping and deploying Cognitive Software products to be used by Ericsson global customers worldwide. The hub focuses on research and development (R&D) in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Automation, leveraging cutting-edge technologies to create data-driven, intelligent, and robust systems for automation, evolution, and growth.
Which modern technology do you believe would succeed in the MEA region?
Ericsson has been working across the Middle East and North Africa with its public and private sectors’ partners to expand the use of modern technologies to everyday life. This has been particularly evident during the Covid-19 pandemic. In such challenging times, mobile networks are more critical than ever. They are needed to ensure we can stay connected to our jobs, education, and our loved ones while at the same time managing the challenge of increased loads on the infrastructure. This unprecedented challenge requires public-private coordination and collaboration to ensure right and timely actions.
Ericsson has embarked on collaborative initiatives in the region by supporting the health ministries in several countries with increased hotlines to answer queries on the pandemic, while also working with education ministries on facilitating distance learning, increasing the data package capacity caps for consumers.
However, regardless of the disparity in the economies of the MENA region, no market can thrive, nor can any industry develop without a supportive policy environment. This is even more relevant for the mobile industry, which by its nature is highly regulated. Therefore, there’s a need to provide operators the resources (e.g. low/mid/high band spectrum) in a timely manner, and build a supportive policy framework, to ensure that communication networks which are critical to our socio-economic wellbeing can be deployed effectively.
It goes without saying that we are living in extraordinary times. Across the globe, many of us are sheltering in place, practicing social distancing and working from home to slow the spread of COVID-19. The life we knew is on hold for the time being. Yet if there’s one thing this crisis is demonstrating, it’s the value of staying connected.
Based on their behavioural changes during the lockdown restrictions, consumers predict that their new digital behaviours will remain after the crisis. Some of the predicted trends are:
· Networks redefined: Resilient networks will be valued. Seven in 10 say being connected during the crisis is not only important now but will be in the future as well.
· Autonomous commerce: Six in 10 predict that deliveries will be carried out by automated drones or driverless cars, due to rising demand for contact-free interactions.
· Borderless workspaces: After working well away from their offices, 7 in 10 white-collar professionals now predict that remote working will be the new normal.
· Synchronous care: Six in 10 respondents in the US and UK predict that online healthcare consultations will become more popular than physical visits to the doctor.
· Virtual experience economy: Augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) applications could evolve into attractive new travel, social or educational service offerings. Six in 10 respondents say VR will allow us to have the experiences we want, even in isolation.
· Supporting digital innovation, investment and infrastructure had already been outlined as a priority within various governments’ recovery strategy, which specifically calls out extensive 5G and future 6G networks as being essential. With 5G subscriptions expected to exceed 2 billion by 2025, this is an ever more pressing priority.
Do you think 5G creates new investment opportunities?
5G is, without a doubt, the future. 5G wireless networks with distributed edge compute and access to real-time data in a mobile environment will drive next-generation networks and solutions towards economic and social transformation in all aspects of society. The combination of 5G with AI and ML technologies will be vital in taking advantage of these transformation opportunities.
However, moving into the era of 5G and IoT presents great opportunities but also requires new capabilities, as well as more effective management of costs and complexity. According to Ericsson’s Supercharging Customer Experience through AI and Automation report, 8 in 10 service providers expect an increase in cost and added complexity as a result of adding new technologies. Failing to address the increasing demands on operations may adversely affect the customer experience and increase overall costs. Utilizing AI and automation correctly can help operations achieve this.
Ericsson has been working to evolve with the evolution of 5G and beyond, we are moving technological boundaries forward to create the biggest innovation platform ever. New consumer and enterprise services, along with new use cases for the digitalization of industries, create business opportunities across all sectors.
5G is a platform for innovation, capable of exponential positive impact on our society.
For more than a century, we have been working with our partners to transform every sector of society, helping to create positive change through empowering an intelligent, sustainable, and connected world.
We believe in the power of 5G and its ability to help countries across the region realize their national visions for the future, and transform industries and societies as we know them, and we’re committed to supporting this journey.
5G will do much more than significantly improve your network connection. It provides new opportunities, enabling us to deliver ground-breaking solutions that reach across society.
5G will have a tremendous impact on ensuring that the goals outlined in UAE Vision 2021 are realized; imagine billions of connected devices gathering and sharing information in real time to reduce road accidents; or life-saving applications that can take flight thanks to lag-free guaranteed connections; or production lines so predictive they can prevent interruptions well before they occur.
What are the main features of Ericsson’s plans in Egypt and the region?
As the Middle East and Africa region races towards commercial 5G services, Ericsson has achieved significant milestones with leading service providers on the road to making 5G a reality.
Our increased investments to secure technology leadership in 5G, IoT and digital services have enabled us to reach 34 5G contracts with unique operators, of which 24 are live networks. In the coming years, we will see 5G networks going live around the region. The technologies that we are investing in are fundamentally changing the way we innovate, collaborate, live, and do business.
How important is the Egyptian market for Ericsson?
Ericsson sees Egypt and other MENA countries as major markets for its operations. Therefore, our teams have been working tirelessly to cooperate with governments and the private sector to implement our future plans.
Globally, Ericsson will keep investing in new technologies like 5G, AI, IoT, EDGE Computing and Cloud. Our goal is to unleash the creativity and innovation to fully leverage and propel 5G in the region – this will not only help develop new 5G-based applications and business models, but also contribute towards achieving economic prosperity and Industry 4.0. We also want to spend a lot of time on promoting local talents and leveraging our long-standing experience and expertise in the field of 5G-networked industry to contribute towards mapping the digital future of countries.
Ericsson’s ideas, technology and people have created monumental impact, and real turning points that have transformed lives, industries and society as a whole. Ericsson was founded in Egypt in 1897 when the country’s first telephone exchange system was established, connecting Cairo to Alexandria for the first time. Ericsson introduced many firsts in Middle East and North East Africa including some of the first GSM networks, the first third and fourth generation networks (3G and 4G) and is currently on the road to 5G. Our longstanding presence in Egypt reaffirms our commitment towards this key market.
The ICT industry cannot survive without nonstop innovation, which is one of our strategic focus areas globally and locally here in Egypt, within our research and development (R&D) initiatives. The next four or five years will see several technological breakthroughs in Egypt.
As consumers and enterprises try out new digital behaviours imposed by COVID-19, an increased importance has emerged for mobile and fixed networks as central components of critical national infrastructure.
5G technology will enable a variety of advances ranging from remote healthcare to driverless vehicles, and Ericsson will continue to play its part in making this possible.
When it comes to Egypt, Ericsson’s AI & Analytics Hub will continue to play an important role to develop Cognitive Software products to be used by Ericsson global customers worldwide. The hub focuses on research and development (R&D) in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Automation, leveraging cutting-edge technologies to create data-driven, intelligent, and robust systems for automation, evolution and growth.
The hub emphasizes Ericsson’s commitment towards the local Egyptian market and aims to develop local talent in advanced technology areas of Artificial Intelligence and software. It employs data scientists, engineers, AI/machine learning (ML) architects, and software developers, with potential for additional positions in the future.
The AI & Analytics Hub has accelerated the execution of Ericsson’s focused strategy in Egypt by using AI and automation technologies to create data-driven, intelligent products and services. Ericsson’s Cognitive Network Design and Optimization Software enables service providers to boost customer experience, increase revenues, optimize CAPEX spend, enhance OPEX efficiency and reduce carbon footprint.
