‘Teleco sector should start preparing now for 5G’

AMMAN — Telecos in Jordan need to start developing a roadmap to prepare for the launch of fifth generation (5G) technologies, expected to be introduced in the region in 2020, according to a local expert and an executive from Sweden-based telecom giant Ericsson.

Several telecom operators in the Middle East have already started engaging in partnerships and preparing a roadmap for 5G technology, which provides wireless broadband speeds of up to 10-20 gigabits per second, Rafiah Ibrahim, Ericsson's head of region Middle East, said in a recent interview with the Jordan Times.

"For telecom operators to ensure continued growth and increase their market share, it is a necessity to start looking into the best means for introducing 5G, which plays a pivotal role in advancing countries' economies and attracting investments," Rafiah added.

Laying the ground for 5G will further enhance the ranking and position of Jordan, which is one of the developed countries in the ICT field, he said.

"The demand on data is growing rapidly in Jordan and in the Middle East, and with the continued growth in the number of Internet users, smartphone adoption, data consumption and connected devices, 5G will be the solution," she said.

By the end of 2014, mobile penetration in Jordan reached 14 per cent, with 11.1 million active subscriptions, while Internet penetration reached 75 per cent with 5.7 million users, according to official figures. 

Jawad Abbassi, founder and general manager of the Arab Advisers Group, said regulators in the Kingdom and the rest of the region also need to be prepared for the launch of 5G.

"Many companies in the US and in Europe have already announced plans to start testing 5G soon. Operators in Jordan and the rest of the region need to start preparing their own plans if they do not want to be late in launching such services," Abbassi told The Jordan Times over the weekend.

"Fourth generation was introduced earlier this year in Jordan, but that does not mean not starting plans for 5G to be ahead of others."

He added that governments also need to plan for the 5G launch, not just operators.

"If the government does not want telecos in Jordan to be late in launching 5G and take the lead in the region, it should have a clear strategy on the prices of frequencies it will sell to operators to introduce this technology," Abbassi noted.

"It is very important for regulators to have transparent and clear pricing and regulations… to avoid delays. The lack of a clear strategy will make telcos hesitant to invest in the launch of the new technology, which is essential as mobile data is on the rise."

The latest international studies by ICT firms indicate that there will be some 50 billion Internet-connected devices by 2020.

The Middle East is expected to have the strongest mobile data traffic growth of any region, registering an annual growth rate of 77 per cent during the next five years. In addition, the Middle East and Africa will have nearly 850,000,000 mobile users by 2017.