Baku hosts opening of GSMA M360 EURASIA 2023 international conference

Baku hosts opening of GSMA M360 EURASIA 2023 international conference
# 18 May 2023 09:56 (UTC +04:00)

Opening of GSMA M360 EURASIA 2023 international conference was held in Baku on May 16, APA-Economics reports.

The conference brought together representatives of regional regulatory bodies, experts, leaders of leading mobile operators and digital corporations.

The opening of the two-day (May 16-17) event was held in the presence of Mats Granridin, Director general of the GSMA, Rashad Nabiyev, Minister of Digital Development and Transport of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Zarina Zeynalova, President of "Azercell Telecom" LLC, Huawei Middle East & Central Asia President of Carrier Business Group An Jian and other senior officials.

In the first session of the "Digital sustainability for future development" conference, speakers highlighted the impact of modern technologies on society and the importance of innovation in sustainable development.

Digital Development and Transport Minister Rashad Nabiyev stressed that 46% of the world's population has poor knowledge and skills in the digital field. Azerbaijan treats this problem quite seriously and do the necessary things. Before Azerbaijan is the task of widespread use of digitalization. Azerbaijan continues to invest in infrastructure projects to bridge the digital divide: “In the coming years, we will train educated personnel in the field of cyber security. We are also working on increasing internet speed in the country. By the end of 2024, the entire population of the country will be provided with broadband internet”.

President of "Azercell Telekom" LLC Zarina Zeynalova emphasized the significant role of mobile operators in ensuring digital continuity in her speech: "As the country's largest telecommunications company, Azercell is one of the leading forces of the digital ecosystem and has a deep knowledge and strategic vision of the future prospects of rapid technological development, as well as the challenges it brings with it."

An Jian, President, Carrier Network Business Group, at Huawei Middle East & Central Asia, representatives of regional regulatory bodies, experts, leaders of leading mobile operators and digital corporations attended the event.

Baku hosts opening of GSMA M360 EURASIA 2023 international conference

Mr. An Jian noted that the digital economy depends on three powers, connectivity & green development as the foundation: “The development of the digital economy relies on three fundamental powers: connectivity and green development as the foundation. A robust digital infrastructure is crucial for the development of the digital economy. Bandwidth, computing power, and storage capacity act as the "highways" of the digital era, enabling more efficient data collection, transmission, computation, storage, and analysis. This, in turn, enhances digital productivity and fully unleashes the vitality of the digital economy.”

Mr. An Jian emphasized that 5G is well-developed, ever faster than before.

“5G has made significant progress, overtook previous technologies in terms of speed and capability. It has quickly evolved and achieved comprehensive development. In just three years, 5G has accomplished more than what 4G achieved in five years. Currently, there are over 249 commercial 5G networks globally, serving over 1 billion users. This is seven times more users than what 4G had in the same timeframe. There are also over 800 models of 5G smartphones available, with more than 69 models priced below $150. The shipment share of 5G smartphones has already exceeded 50%.”

He noted that preparing for 5G, investing in 4G is investing for 5G: “The benefits of the 5G era are within reach for all telecommunication companies. It is important for the operators to actively prepare for 5G. Even in a 4G environment, by using 5G technology, customers can enjoy a similar experience to 5G and achieve cost-effective data transmission. One example of this is Massive MIMO technology, which greatly improves the efficiency of using available radio frequencies, resulting in a capacity increase of 3 to 5 times while smoothly transitioning to 5G.

In the early stages of 5G, Voice over LTE (VoLTE) will be the foundation for voice communication. Almost all new 4G smartphones currently support VoLTE, allowing for a seamless transition of voice services to this technology. This will greatly improve the quality of voice calls, reducing call durations from 7 seconds to just 2 seconds. VoLTE will further improving spectrum efficiency by 3 times, and accelerate user migration. In Pakistan Jazz, the VoLTE penetration ratio reached 35% within just 2 years and 3G retirement is on the agenda.

Considering the wide coverage requirements and challenging terrain, such as mountainous areas, a technology called WTTx can be developed on the existing 4G network. This technology, when combined with fiber optics, can accelerate the adoption of home broadband internet, ensuring that more people have access to high-speed internet services. As part of the digital transformation, the aim is to ensure that no family is left without internet connectivity.”

Touching upon the green development An Jian said that developing connectivity should also prioritize eco-friendly approaches: “Global traffic is expected to increase significantly from 2020 to 2030. Reducing emissions is now widely recognized in the ICT industry. Improving energy efficiency is crucial for green development. By implementing end-to-end green solutions in the network, our goal is to maximize data transmission while minimizing power consumption. We should strive for zero-bit, zero-watt states during idle network periods, utilizing intelligent solutions to continuously reduce carbon emissions. Moreover, we can make better use of renewable energy, leveraging Azerbaijan's sunny climate. Huawei introduced the NCIe index system, which is now an industry standard adopted by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). This system serves as a reference for telecom operators aiming for carbon neutrality. Huawei will support operators in accelerating green development at the site, network, and operational levels.”

In conclusion, Mr. An Jian noted that the digital economy is driving global growth, and Azerbaijan is leading the way: “5G technology has reached its full potential, transforming telecommunications and benefiting users and industries. Investing in a strong 4G network is essential for the success of 5G. Let's promote energy efficiency and sustainability in network development for a greener future. Together, we can embrace the digital revolution and build a prosperous, connected world.”

Baku hosts opening of GSMA M360 EURASIA 2023 international conference

On another, at the Open, Agile & Transforming: The Infrastructure of the Future session General Director of Huawei Technologies Azerbaijan LLC, David Xu said that Huawei is ready to support Azerbaijan in terms of internet infrastructure: "I think that Azerbaijan will provide access to cities through fiber optic cables related to fixed internet connection. At the same time, it will deliver internet to rural areas. Connectivity is at the core of digital transformation. We can also try to make our contribution to speed up this process."

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