Unleashing the power of 5G and beyond

euronews (in English)

Advancements in global telecom solutions are underway, with 5G technology improving connectivity and paving the way for the future of 6G, benefiting communities worldwide.

Transcript

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.

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