FEATURE : 5G industry , bring specialists virtually anywhere useful in healthcare , education or engineering , high precision remote operations for heavy machinery or robotics applications ,” he said .
Samantha Naidoo , Telco Industry Value Advisor , SAP Africa , said the rollout of 5G in the Middle East and Africa ’ s urban centres is likely to be one of the most significant technology events of 2021 . Naidoo said where 3G and 4G LTE technology provided increased speeds compared to their predecessors , 5G will establish an entirely new innovation platform upon which many of the technologies and day-to-day conveniences of the future will be built .
“ It ’ s less of an iteration on previous technologies and more of a total Digital Transformation in how we connect to virtual and physical worlds . The number of connected devices will grow exponentially , linking previously static infrastructure – cars , clothes , parking meters – to a smart network that constantly generates and processes vast amounts of data ,” she said .
5G deployments
With CIOs being urged to plan and architect their networks to maximise the promise of 5G technology , successfully integrating existing IT infrastructure to new 5G technology is crucial .
Talal Shaikh , Director , Undergraduate Studies , School of Mathematical and Computer Sciences , Heriot- Watt University Dubai , said CIOs need to consider their 5G use cases and the nature of their business , before considering any upgrades and changes to their network architecture . Shaikh said it might be relevant for industries such as manufacturing where 5G can enable more flexibility , reduced cost and shorter lead times for factory floor production reconfiguration , layout changes and alterations – which together can make a manufacturing company more innovative , efficient and profitable .
“ In such cases , it is necessary that the CIO audits the current network infrastructure and determine what upgrades and / or replacements to network hardware , software and services might be needed in order to leverage the full potential of 5G ,” he said .
Sakhnini said CIOs are expected to identify the right path for their business to drive change and therefore should factor 5G into their infrastructure deployment planning . He explained that CIOs know that Digital Transformation goes beyond technological innovation and is more a structural , strategic transformation of an entire company , its positioning , organisational models and internal processes .
“ CIOs should get their organisations ready to adapt their processes to cloud-based operations , telemetry and AI . 5G will open a wide range of opportunities to those organisations that have digitised their processes , accelerating them with ubiquitous connectivity , massive capacity and extreme low latency ,” he said .
Azz-Eddine Mansouri , General Manager , Sales , Ciena Middle East , said in order to fulfil the 5G promise , CIOs must ensure their networks are not only automated , but adaptive . Mansouri added that private 5G networks , over the wireless and wireline domains , are softwarecentric allowing them to ‘ adjust ’ on the fly and adapt to changing user needs , from both humans and the machines connecting to the network .
“ An adaptive network leverages programmable infrastructure , data-driven analytics and intelligence , and software control and automation . This enables intelligent closed-loop automation , the ultimate network end-state that allows private 5G networks to adapt to ever-changing conditions , in real-time ,” he said .
Promise of 5G technology
According to Naidoo , mass digitisation of public services could support the building of Smart Cities where key infrastructure is connected to a central network , enabling predictive maintenance and improved traffic management , for example . “ In healthcare , junior doctors could be trained for surgery via AR or VR delivered via 5G and telemedicine – which has become even more vital in light of the pandemic – is set to experience what some analysts describe as a ‘ tsunami of growth ’,” she said .
Naidoo explained that these benefits won ’ t be realised simply through the deployment of 5G , however , as
Samantha Naidoo , Telco Industry Value Advisor , SAP Africa
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