SAMENA Council hosted its SAMENA ACCELERATOR on 10 Gigabit digital infrastructure in collaboration with Huawei Technologies at JAFZA One Convention Centre in Dubai, as part of the main Ultra Broadband Forum 2023.
Building onto the earlier 2021 edition of SAMENA ACCELERATOR, which focused on advancing fiberization policies as well as creating momentum on the shift toward IPv6 transition, and brought diversified leadership insights from around the SA-ME-NA region and Africa, the 2023 SAMENA ACCELERATOR highlighted the strong need for adopting Fiber and IPv6 innovations, which have emerged over the last two years.
SAMENA Council believes, these two technology aspects, when packaged as critical enablers of Gigabit networks in the SA-ME-NA region, and particularly in the GCC markets, can dramatically help accelerate digital economic development, fulfil ambitious national ICT visions, and pave a path for true industrial and societal transformation in the region and in neighbouring regions, such as Central Asia.
Bocar BA, CEO & Board Member of SAMENA Council, has stated: “SAMENA ACCELERATOR addresses the need to understand how well various regional markets are moving toward fulfilling national ICT visions and materializing the gigabit society concept, which is already under implementation in developed countries. But, here, in the region, we want to plant seeds for the 10 Gigabit society. Advancements in fixed-line networks, investments in 5G, coupled with excellent policy and regulatory approaches have the potential to help us realize this concept.”
SAMENA Council observes that the region, particularly, and neighbouring regions, generally, need to come at par with economies with more experience in digital transformation. However, drastic steps are necessary to be taken to further broadband development and IPv6 transformation, of which moving toward “gigabit” would be a leap forward.
During the panel discussion, it was highlighted what gigabit networks will mean for the region’s sustainable development goals.
“Using copper for data transmission over a distance of more than one hundred meters requires around 3.5 watts per 100 meters. In contrast, when data is transmitted over fibre optics, it consumes only one watt for every 300 meters, making it significantly more energy-efficient. The shift to digitalization has emerged as a fundamental driver of economic efficiency, enhancing sustainability and enabling businesses to operate more sustainably.”, said Mr Alex Lee, Managing Director at China Mobile International.
“The implementation of a 10 Gigabit digital infrastructure will encompass all United Nations ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) goals. This deployment will have a positive impact on services like healthcare and education, contributing to sustainability”, commented Mr. Mohammad Ali Bin Ali, Acting Director of the Telecom Directorate, of the Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications in Bahrain
