We know that telecommunication standards are critical for innovation.

Telecommunications standards ensure that devices and networks from different manufacturers can work together seamlessly.

This compatibility fosters innovation, encourages competition, and allows users to choose from a wide range of devices and services.

However, we know that geopolitically, the world we live in is changing, and the global standards that we want to establish are probably more difficult to be agreed upon right now, so how do we get stakeholders from the ecosystem to come together and establish the best practices needed to drive innovation?

Telecommunication operators globally have invested heavily into 5G networks, but many have failed to make the returns they would have wished due to a combination of high operational costs and a lack of profitable use-cases.

6G is coming down the track and is anticipated to have substantially lower latency than 5G, which will result in almost instantaneous data transfer. 6G speed is expected to be 100 times faster than 5G with enhanced reliability and wider network coverage.

But will operators make the capital investment that is needed to accelerate the deployment of 6G networks, or will they wait until more concrete use-cases for the technology are established?

Open RAN is designed to promote more market competition and customer choice, lower equipment costs, and deliver improved network performance.

Open RAN challenges include achieving wide-spread adoption, tech support difficulties, system integration problems, and security risks.

It is a hot topic within the telecommunication ecosystem, and vendors such as Ericsson, Rakuten Symphony, Nokia and Huawei are all battling to gain the upper hand in the Open RAN race.

Telco’s have shown interest in Open RAN technology, but research has shown the market won’t grow until 2025, is Open RAN the answer?

Traditionally, three key stakeholders have critical roles in the mobile ecosystem: mobile communication service providers – who upgrade networks, and sell phones and subscriptions, network technology partners – who offer complete or parts of network solutions, and smartphone providers – who create phones from standardized hardware and software platforms.

These three groups collaborate closely to build the foundation used by millions of mobile app providers. 

However, we are seeing more and more collaboration in the mobile ecosystem, and a common theme across industries is the growth of multi-party efforts for cocreation and vetting of new use cases.

Common stakeholders in the expanded ecosystem are: 

• Global industry anchors – with vertical experience and a desire to take advantage of 5G to solve specific business challenges. 
• Communication service providers – who act as providers of connectivity, service enablement, and applications in some cases. 
• Network technology partners – securing the roadmap for network technology that meets the demand for a broader range of vertical applications.
• Device innovators – providing a range of IoT devices for the realization of new use cases. 
• Application creators – developing software applications working in tandem with device innovations. 
• System integrators – working closely with industry anchors to refine needs, solutions, and investment cases. 

Telemedicine has transformed the healthcare sector, and the success of those outcomes has been underpinned by 5G network connectivity.

5G and 6G will only serve to further fuel advancements in healthcare such as patient monitoring, surgical procedures and enhanced home healthcare.

Other industries like Education, Transportation, Retail, Banking and Manufacturing to name a few are actively looking at ways in which they can develop use-cases specifically tailored to their own needs to transform their operations.

But who’s responsible for developing and driving the use-cases needed for greater innovation and change?

Each country has its own regulations governing wireless communication, spectrum allocation, and infrastructure deployment.

Some key regulatory challenges faced in the 5G era include; Limited spectrum availability, Stringent zoning and infrastructure regulations, concerns regarding privacy and security and interference from existing networks.

The limited availability of spectrum is a significant barrier to 5G and 6G deployment.

Regulators must allocate sufficient spectrum and create frameworks for efficient spectrum management. 

How do we overcome regulatory challenges in adopting 5G and 6G networks globally and especially here across the Middle East?