Advancements in global telecom solutions are underway, with 5G technology improving connectivity and paving the way for the future of 6G, benefiting communities worldwide.
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00:00High-speed networks, smart devices, and the promise of 5G and beyond.
00:07As technology evolves, the telecommunications industry stands at the forefront of change.
00:13We're plugging into the business of telecoms, where every signal and connection counts.
00:22Welcome to The Exchange from our studio here in Doha.
00:25Coming up on this episode, we speak with Mats Grenrit, Director General of GSMA, the
00:30Global Association of Mobile Networks, about boosting connectivity in the world.
00:36And we meet Aziz Aluthman Fakhrou, the Group CEO of Ooredoo, the leading telco in the Middle
00:42East and North Africa.
00:44The days of dial-up internet, fax machines, and floppy disks are a thing of the past.
00:50Today, you can send emails from 40,000 feet in the sky and download large files within
00:55minutes.
00:56The telecommunications market size hit $2.3 trillion in 2024.
01:01That's according to Precedence Research, a market research and consulting organization.
01:07The figure is expected to grow to $4.2 trillion in the next 10 years.
01:12Rising demand for smartphones is the driving force behind this growth, and with that is
01:18also the need for speed.
01:20And by that, I mean wireless internet.
01:22Currently, 5G is the most advanced wireless technology.
01:26With speeds up to 20 gigabits per second, 5G makes it easy to download big files, watch
01:32high-quality videos, and play online games without any delays.
01:37But it's all about to be taken up a notch with 6G.
01:41Demand for connectivity is set to rise, with nearly 80% of the global population expected
01:46to be connected through 5G and 6G by 2030.
01:51According to the New Scientist, a leading science and technology website, 6G can achieve
01:55speeds of up to 938 gigabits per second.
02:00That's more than 45 times faster than 5G.
02:04So how can we build a borderless, limitless global communications network that encourages
02:09collaboration over competition?
02:12I sat down with Mats Grenwyd, Director-General of GSMA, which unites the worldwide mobile
02:18ecosystem, to get his insights on the challenges facing Europe's mobile networks, and whether
02:24satellite-based connectivity options like Starlink pose any threats.
02:2996% of everyone are covered by a terrestrial network.
02:34Many countries in Europe are struggling with too many operators per country.
02:40Consolidation is absolutely necessary.
02:43Starlink makes it easy for people to subscribe to it.
02:47Maritime is fantastic.
02:49If you're an avid sailor out on the sea, you can have a nice connectivity there as well.
02:55So I think applications like that make a lot of sense.
02:59So I see it as a complement, the non-terrestrial networks.
03:02I don't see it as a threat.
03:05Mats Grenwyd there affirming Europe's need for consolidation and Starlink's role in
03:10improving connectivity.
03:12Well, globally, governments have launched initiatives to create digital villages to
03:17ensure that the adoption of rapid technology doesn't leave communities behind.
03:24Our reporter Emmeline Nsingi Nkosi went to a rural area in the UK to find out how high-speed
03:30networks have helped residents there.
03:33Hi, Leila.
03:34I'm in Dorset County in the south-west of England, where the 5G Rural Dorset Project
03:42is transforming how rural areas connect, work and protect the environment.
03:47We're looking for things that will make a difference to people who live, work and visit
03:52Dorset.
03:54This is Colin Wood, one of two collaboration lead for 5G Rural Dorset.
04:01We launched the world's first 5G buoy at sea, which provided connectivity along the
04:06coast.
04:07We also looked at how we could build a mast which would provide connectivity to a very
04:11rural and isolated community, more cost-effectively.
04:14The project partnered with ExNet to create a 5G network that could be utilised when and
04:20where needed.
04:22The importance of having a mobile platform is that we can drive it to anywhere.
04:26We can turn up laden with hardware, software, communications network.
04:31The lessons from 5G Rural Dorset extend far beyond this region.
04:36Following a successful first R&D phase, the project has been able to secure commercial
04:41interest.
04:42I'm really proud of the 5G Rural Dorset Project because we took R&D money from the government
04:47and we did some really interesting ground-breaking, in some cases world-leading research.
04:53From cutting-edge farming to environmental innovation, Dorset is leading the way in showing
04:59how 5G can transform rural life, not just here, but around the world.
05:09One company which has put social responsibility and technology at the core of its business
05:14strategy is Uridu, Qatar's leading telecommunications and ICT firm.
05:20I spoke to Group CEO Aziz Aluthman Fakhrou about the firm's operations that extends
05:26beyond the Middle East to include North Africa and Southeast Asia.
05:32Around 30% of the world's connectivity flows through the Middle East, connecting Europe
05:38to Asia and to Africa as well.
05:41Being diversified, having bases of operation and landing station in all these countries
05:47in Qatar, in Oman, Kuwait, in Iraq, in Algeria, Tunisia, Palestine, the Maldives and Southeast
05:53Asia through Indosat is a key competitive advantage.
05:57As a telco, we have a huge social responsibility in terms of inclusion, whether it's financial
06:03inclusion, communication inclusion, outreach.
06:07If we fail into that inclusion parameter, we'll fail as a business.
06:14Now it's time for our regular feature, Business in 60 Seconds.
06:18Start the clock.
06:20Air France KLM is gearing up to announce its fourth quarter 2024 financial results as it
06:25pushes forward with its digital transformation plans.
06:29The airline group has signed a multi-year deal with Tata Consultancy Services to migrate
06:33its IT systems to the cloud.
06:36This strategic move is aimed at enhancing decision-making and customer experience.
06:41Adidas is preparing to release its Q4 2024 earnings report, emphasizing footwear sustainability.
06:48The global sports brand is expanding its partnership with Fashion for Good, an Amsterdam-based
06:53platform that promotes sustainable fashion.
06:55The goal is to increase recycled materials and minimize carbon footprints.
07:00And Prada is set to publish its fourth quarter earnings for 2024, backed by a $1.1 billion
07:06investment in retail over the next five years.
07:09The luxury brand aims to enhance its retail spaces, creating immersive experiences that
07:14merge fashion, food and art to cater to high-end consumers.
07:20Connectivity then isn't just about faster internet speeds or the ability to make a phone
07:25call from wherever you are in the world.
07:28For everyone to move forward together, access to these technologies is the wire that keeps
07:33the world connected.
07:35And as excitement builds up over the potential of the 6G network, a new era of global telecommunications
07:42promises to boost economic growth for a brighter future.
07:46Well that's all the time we have for on this edition of the show.
07:49Thanks for watching.
07:50Please do check out euronews.com for all your latest business news and join us again next
07:54time on The Exchange.