ICT sector key player in economic development, says Orange CEO

AMMAN — The information and communication technology (ICT) sector in Jordan is a key factor in achieving social and economic development and attracting more investments to the Kingdom, said the newly appointed CEO of Orange Jordan Philippe Mansour.
During an interview with the Jordan News Agency, Petra, Mansour said that the ICT sector has contributed 3 per cent to the Kingdom's Gross Domestic Product in 2021.

He noted that Orange Jordan, a subsidiary of the Orange Group, is one of the "most important companies operating in the communications and information technology sector".
According to international studies, the introduction of 5G technology to countries will bring in about $8 trillion to the global economy in the year 2030, he noted, indicating that the technology has speeds 10-20 times higher than those provided by 4G technology.
The 5G technology, he pointed out, offers solutions for new and innovative businesses, especially in the field of cybersecurity, adding that it is expected to operate with as little as 1 millisecond of latency (time it takes for a signal to travel from the device to the network and back again), meaning an immediate response from the network and the devices. 

Additionally, smart robot systems operating in factories, applications that can help build smart cities and medical procedure applications will be able to utilise 5G technology, he added.

Artificial intelligence, which will further spread by 5G technology, will contribute about $15.7 trillion by 2030, constituting about 10-15 per cent of the total amount made by the information revolution and about 25 per cent of the global Gross Domestic Product.

Mansour said that the 5G networks are also responsible for the Internet of Things technology, which includes self-driving cars and fully automated homes.

On the environmental impact of 5G tech, he indicated that the 5G networks are more energy efficient than the networks of previous generations in terms of mobile technologies and will help build a faster, more reliable and flexible Internet that acts as a catalyst for more innovation and cooperation in the Kingdom.

On the investment environment in Jordan, Mansour stressed that it pushed forward many talents whose projects have branched out globally, pointing out that there are 27 Jordanians among the top tech entrepreneurs on the World Economic Forum's list of 100 Entrepreneurs in the Middle East and North Africa for 2019, and many of the largest companies founded in the region are owned by Jordanians.
He added that telecom operators play a major role in nurturing talent, underlining that Orange Jordan provides various services to support ideas and entrepreneurs, invests in the latest technologies and networks that guarantee access to the fixed and mobile Internet, and provides advanced fourth generation services in the Kingdom, owning the largest fibre network and the largest market share.

He stressed that the speed, reliability, expandability, focus on customers and the global experience of the Orange Group play an important role in enabling more people and companies to stay in touch with everything they care about, explaining that the volume of data transmitted on Orange Jordan's networks has increased 27 times in the past 10 years, which "is a technical challenge that we are proud to overcome to serve our customers".
On Orange Jordan's commitment to social responsibility, Mansour said that the company is working to empower people and startups, especially women, people with disabilities and youth.

He added that a strategy was designed to respond and address, in a sustainable way, the challenges of unemployment and the digital divide, focusing on empowerment and promoting innovation through digital education, training and entrepreneurship support.

Mansour pointed to the Coding Academy, which, he said, is a prime example of achieving the principle of "training for employment" with more than 80 per cent of the academy's graduates landing a job. 

The academy's programmes have expanded from the capital Amman to Aqaba, Irbid, Zarqa and Balqa, covering more than 50 sites, while online platforms have enabled tens of thousands of people to participate in the programmes.