Mobile Magazine - March 2021 by mobileworldmag

March 2021 | mobile-magazine.com

Liberty Global: Technology focus on Customer Experience READ NOW

Global Smartphone Brands

T-Mobile: Enhancing CX with Digital Supply Chain Solutions

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FIRST LADY OF MOBILE Patricia Obo-Nai, CEO of Vodafone Ghana, is our industry Legend FIND OUT MORE

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BELL INCORPORATED

HUAWEI SWEDEN

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EDITOR'S LETTER

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

HARRY MENEAR EDITORAL DIRECTOR

SCOTT BIRCH

DIGITAL MARKETING EXECUTIVE

DAISY SLATER

PROJECT DIRECTORS

STUART IRVING CRAIG OSCAR HATHAWAY KILLINGBACK SOPHIA FORTE SOPHIE-ANN MEDIA SALES PINNELL DIRECTORS HECTOR PENROSE JAMES WHITE SAM HUBBARD RICHARD TURNER MIMI GUNN MARK CAWSTON JUSTIN SMITH CREATIVE TEAM

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT

PRODUCTION DIRECTORS

JORDAN HUBBARD

GEORGIA ALLEN DANIELA KIANICKOVÁ

SALES AND MARKETING DIRECTOR

PRODUCTION MANAGERS

MANAGING DIRECTOR

OWEN MARTIN PHILLINE VICENTE JENNIFER SMITH PRODUCTION EDITOR

JANET BRICE

VIDEO PRODUCTION MANAGER

JASON WESTGATE LEWIS VAUGHAN CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER

STACY NORMAN PRESIDENT & CEO

GLEN WHITE

KIERAN WAITE DIGITAL VIDEO PRODUCERS

SAM KEMP EVELYN HUANG MATTHEW EVANS TYLER LIVINGSTONE

Finding our way to the new normal Welcome to the March edition of Mobile Magazine. As the COVID-19 pandemic enters its second year, its ongoing impact on the communications space can’t be understated. That’s why we’re diving into the ways that everything from telecom data to AI is helping companies adapt, survive and thrive in the new normal. As always, we’re also bringing you extensive, exclusive interviews with digital thought leaders from leading companies throughout the telecommunications sector, including MediaTek, Red Hat, Three Ireland, Bell Incorporated, T-Mobile, Lumen, Virgin Media, Asiacell and many more. The other megatrend we see pivotally affecting the telecom space is the ongoing rollout of 5G. Our lead feature this month is an in-depth interview with Ericsson’s Björn Odenhammar, as we discuss not only the potential for 5G communications to revolutionise the commercial and industrial space, but also how the next generation of communications technology can help ensure that vulnerable and isolated communities aren’t left behind. Our Top 10 roundup this month brings together the 10 biggest brands in the smartphone industry, many of whom are looking back on a decidedly tumultuous year, and ahead to an uncertain yet promising future.

HARRY MENEAR MOBILE MAGAZINE IS PUBLISHED BY

harry.menear@bizclikmedia.com

mobile-magazine.com

CONTENTS

09 Big Picture

Meet JetBot

10 The Brief

Your update on the biggest stories in telecoms

12 Global News

In case you missed it...

14 People Moves

Onwards and upwards

16 Timeline

Expert predictions for 2021

18 Legend: Patricia Obo-Nai Meet the first lady of mobile

20 Five Mins With: Michaela Lodlová

The legal director of Wiggin LLP on the state of the EU's 5G rollout

18 4

March 2021

CONTENTS

22 64

40 22 Liberty Global

Technology for customer experience

40 5G

Built on silicon: the future of 5G

48 SAP Global Center of Excellence Why 5G matters: SAP’s 5G council explores the opportunity

64 Mobile Operators

Rebuilding a better britain

74 Bell Incorporated

Bell Canada: enabling AI/ML powered networks

88 Technology

AI & automation in the age of COVID-19 and beyond

96 T-Mobile

Enhancing CX with digital supply chain solutions

112 IOT

The changing role of data analytics

120 NTT: Kirk Compton

Supporting a new generation of SAP capability in the cloud

134 Top 10: Global

Smartphone Brands

Mobile Magazine’s breakdown of the Top 10 smartphone brands as we enter 2021

146 Lumen

The leading light in secure connectivity mobile-magazine.com

ericsson.com/ 5g-switch

Move towards zero touch, cut down on time

Ericsson. The 5G switch made easy.

With automated provisioning and insight-driven service assurance, Ericsson Dynamic Orchestration simplifies operations, moving you closer to the zero-touch experience. This means greater savings and shorter time to market.

CONTENTS

120

158 Talley Inc

US distributor Talley Inc. builds intelligence and connectivity

168 AsiaCell

infrastructure, culture and customercentricity in Iraq’s telecom market

182 Huawei Sweden

Sustainability guides our innovation power

192 Lonestar Cell/MTN Liberia

MTN Liberia accelerates mobile payments and digital transformation

204 Virgin Media

Partner-powered connections

204

214 Star2Star

Communications and collaboration for the enterprise

224 Circles.Life

Cybersecurity transformation in telecoms

224

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Listen Now

BIG PICTURE JetBot

CES event, US

Highlighted at this year’s virtual CES event, which saw tech innovators showcase everything from smart masks to UV-disinfection robots, 2021 is shaping up to be a year when intelligent IoT helps us bridge the gap between a home and a multi-purpose, techinfused smart space. Nevertheless, continuing to balance the importance of a home as a private space with the increasing intrusion of intelligent IoT devices into our lives will remain a narrow line to walk.

mobile-magazine.com

THE BRIEF “END USERS ARE BECOMING TOTALLY DIGITALISED AS A RESULT OF COVID-19.” Bjorn Odenhammar Ericsson 

“New 5G chips will help to alleviate bandwidthchallenges, provide faster response times as well as increase data security for the user.” Robert Moffat MediaTek 

“DATA HAS BECOME THE MOST EXPENSIVE AND MOST SOUGHT-AFTER COMMODITY IN SOCIETY TODAY”

BY THE NUMBERS Smartphone Sales Year-Over-Year Change

Xiaomi, Samsung and Apple’s rise at Huawei’s expense.

32%

22.2% Apple

Xiaomi

6.2%

Samsung

-42.4%

Huawei

EDITOR'S CHOICE FIGHTING FOR THE FUTURE We talk to Alex Tempest, managing director of BT Wholesale, about being a woman in tech, bridging the pay gap and overcoming bias in an inclusive, intersectional way. READ MORE

THE WORLD ACCORDING TO… RED HAT Leading technologists at US software firm Red Hat share their insights and expectations for the telecom sector in 2021. READ MORE

Natasha Beegan

HOW TO BREAK YOUR SMARTPHONE ADDICTION More than 66% of people exhibit signs of nomophobia - the fear of being separated from their smartphone.

Three Ireland 

March 2021

NAME: RCS AGE: ALMOST TEN YEARS OLD, BUT VERY, VERY NEW. APPEARANCE: THE END OF APP-BASED MESSAGING? What’s RCS stand for? It stands for Rich Communication Services rich like a chocolate gateau, not Jeff Bezos. And what is it exactly? So, you know how nobody uses SMS anymore because Facebook Messenger, Whatsapp etc let you send gifs, stickers and videos, as well as a ton of other functionality? Well, RCS is bringing all that to your phone as standard. It’s replacing SMS? Yeah, at an incredible rate. Juniper Research predicts that by 2025, there are going to be 415bn RCS messages sent every year – growth of 2500%. What does that mean for WhatsApp and Facebook? OTT messaging platforms are in trouble for a couple of reasons. First, people are going to have RCSs built into their phones as standard. Second, companies like Facebook and Google are going to lose out on one of the biggest advertising platforms of the decade. That also means telecoms are poised to open up huge new revenue streams.

 APPLE: Even in the midst of a pandemic, Apple shattered expectations, growing its market share and bringing home a record-breaking $111.8bn in revenue in Q4 alone.  EUROPEAN SMARTPHONE OWNERS: The EU Commission has declared war on planned obsolescence and e-waste. Users can expect handsets that last longer, are more sustainably made, and easier to repair.  UK 5G: The government has pushed back its 5G auction again to later this month, slowing the pace of adoption and hurting the country’s position as a 5G player.  LG: Decades of wacky designs at premium prices turned heads but didn’t open enough wallets. Despite the success of the Wing and the unveiling of a rollable phone screen, LG is rumoured to be in talks to offload its phone brand this year.

W A Y U P MAR21

W A Y D O W N

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GLOBAL NEWS 3

UNITED STATES

T-Mobile Storms Ahead with 5G The UK’s 5G leader signed up 5.5mn post-paid 5G customers in 2020, by far the biggest growth of any UK operator. The operator’s 5G network now covers more than 280mn people, a figure boosted by the company’s buyout of Sprint in Q2.

UNITED STATES

CES 2021 The world’s most anticipated tech industry event - like pretty much everything else - went virtual this year. However, remote attendance, masks and social distancing didn’t stop everyone from Samsung and LG to Sony and AMD from trotting out a cornucopia of technological marvels.

March 2021

CANADA

Canada Goes Standalone Rogers communications is the first operator in Canada to hit the market with the country’s first standalone 5G network core. The rollout was built on Ericsson’s technology and went live in Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto and Vancouver late last year.

BAHRAIN

Bahrain hits 100% 5G Coverage In January, the tiny island nation became the first Middle Eastern country to deliver complete 5G coverage to its 1.5mn citizens. Due to its tolerant stance on foreign nationals, the country has become a strategic base for tech companies operating in the Gulf, with AWS launching a hyperscale data centre in the Kingdom last year.

SOUTH KOREA

Meet the Samsung S21 Korean tech giant started 2021 on a high note with the launch of the new generation of Galaxy phones. This year’s flagships are some of the more affordable models Samsung has released in years, with prices starting at just $799 making it a full $200 cheaper than the S20.

AUSTRALIA

5G Records Continue to Fall Telstra, working with Ericsson and Qualcomm, broke yet another 5G speed record in the final days of 2020. In a lab on Australia’s Gold Coast, the companies achieved the world’s first recorded 5Gbps download speed by a single user on a commercial 5G network.

mobile-magazine.com

PEOPLE MOVES KATHERINE AINLEY FROM: BT TO: ERICSSON UK & IRELAND WAS: SENIOR BT EXECUTIVE NOW: CEO Senior BT executive Katherine Ainley made the step up to the big chair at Ericsson UK & Ireland in February. Her appointment comes at a key time for the network infrastructure firm, as Ericsson sets about its goal of upgrading 20,000 UK network sites to 5G by 2024. Ainley commented that, “Ericsson is at the forefront of 5G deployment around the world, playing an especially critical role here in the UK and Ireland where the technology is so important to the economic ambitions for both countries,” adding that she is both honoured and excited to be taking on the new role.

March 2021

“I'm both honoured and excited to be taking on the new role”

CRISTIANO AMON AT: QUALCOMM

WAS: PRESIDENT NOW: CEO With the retirement of Steven Mollenkopf after 26 years at the company, US chipmaker Qualcomm has a new hand at the tiller. Cristiano Amon has worked for the company since 1995, and served as its President since 2018, where he has been responsible for its semiconductor business. Amon has said that he’s confident Qualcomm “is set to play a key role in the digital transformation of numerous industries as our technologies become essential to connecting everything to the cloud.” He will assume his new duties on June 30th.

PAT GELSINGER FROM: VMWARE TO: INTEL WAS: CEO NOW: CEO For the first time in two years, Intel will have an engineer as CEO. Pat Gelsinger, who took on the position in February, has more than 30 years’ experience at the US semiconductor giant. He spent the last eight years at software company VMware before announcing his return. “I am thrilled to rejoin and lead Intel forward at this important time for the company, our industry and our nation,” said Gelsinger in January. mobile-magazine.com

TIMELINE PREDICTIONS

2021

We live in unprecedented and uncertain times. As the world enters 2021, we face the continued threat of COVID-19 and a constantly shifting geopolitical landscape held up against the backdrop of an increasingly alarming climate crisis. The predictions below were gathered from experts at AT&T, Telefonica, RootMetrics, ABI Research and other leading players in the ICT sector.

Legacy of Covid-19 – ‘7 day weekends’:

Subscriber expectations have changed:

Blinding encryption:

After being forced to work from home during lockdowns, people continue to work remotely – and a new mobile traffic phenomenon has emerged as operators face a “7 day weekend”. Demand for data has grown exponentially – all week long - in suburban areas, while demand has fallen in business districts on weekdays. Many operators expect this trend to continue beyond 2021 and even post-pandemic. 16

March 2021

Consumers have become more techsavvy and discerning about connectivity. Their expectations have soared and operators will be blamed for poor user experience – those video calls to the grandkids need to be seamless!

Operators could be blinded by new OTT encryption protocols being introduced in 2021 - even before standards are agreed. Currently over 85% of traffic on mobile networks is encrypted and operators have relied on traditional optimisation technology to manage this so far. This will change dramatically during 2021.

Collaborative mobile cloud gaming:

Refocused 5G priorities:

Operators will face 5x increase in mobile cloud gaming traffic by the end of 2021. Gratifying gamers and shocking parents, the WHO recommended gaming as a way to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Gaming was already on an upward trajectory even before WHO’s blessings.

Many European and North American operators have deployed 5G non-standalone (NSA) networks with a view to monetizing a limited number of use cases. This increase in devices coming online and the subsequent surge of information these connections will generate requires effective data management. In 2021, operators will invest in 5G core infrastructure for both NSA and standalone.

mobile-magazine.com

LEGEND

The First Lady of Mobile Patricia Obo-Nai, CEO, Vodafone Ghana

he first woman to become Chief Executive Officer of Vodafone Ghana, Patricia Obo-Nai is a giant in the African technology and telecoms sector. Prior to her appointment as CEO of the country’s second-largest mobile carrier by market share, Obo-Nai was a 20 year veteran of the country’s communications space. She started as an intern at Millicom Ghana in the late 90s, rising to the position of Chief Technical Officer over her 12 year career with the company, before transferring to Vodafone Ghana in 2011, assuming the role of CEO in April of 2019. Obo-Nai is a graduate of the University of Ghana, where she studied law; with additional qualifications from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern, INSEAD, and the London Business School. What makes her a legend, however, is her unceasing passion for using technology and telecommunications to better the lives of marginalised Ghanaians across the country. “A few

March 2021

Number of years working in the comms sapce

years from now, AI, robotics, machine learning, 3D printing and augmented reality will all be deeply rooted in our everyday lives just like computers, phones and electricity are necessities today,” she said in an interview last September, stressing the need for young Ghanaians to pursue education in technology, and calling on employers to support the education of the country’s youth in STEM subjects. “Let us change our minds, stop causing fear of these subjects and challenge ourselves. Technology is the future and it is exciting, be ready,” she added. Obo-Nai is also a fierce advocate for using technology to lower mortality rates among pregnant women in the country. “It is wholly unacceptable that a mother in subSaharan Africa is over 100 times more likely to die during pregnancy and childbirth than a woman in Western Europe in an age when having a mobile phone and access to the internet alone can greatly enhance their life chances,” she wrote in an open letter to The Africa Report.

“Let us change our minds, stop causing fear of these subjects and challenge ourselves. Technology is the future and it is exciting, be ready” mobile-magazine.com

FIVE MINS WITH...

MICHAELA LODLOVÁ LEGAL DIRECTOR AT WIGGIN LLP, IS AN INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNISED TELECOMS AND MEDIA LAWYER WITH MORE THAN 15 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN THE SECTOR. WE SAT DOWN WITH HER TO DISCUSS THE STATE OF THE EU’S 5G ROLLOUT

Q. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE CURRENT PROGRESS OF REGULATORY LAW IN THE EU REGARDING 5G?

» The progress is disappointing. Given

the size of the EU single market, a comprehensive and efficient strategy could have placed Europe at the cutting edge of 5G technology. The Commission originally envisaged that all EU Member States would auction the licenses with the commercial launches taking place in at least one major city by the end of 2020. Instead, as a result of considerable delays, Europe is at the tail-end of 5G development, with the US, China, South Korea, Japan and certain Middle Eastern jurisdictions leading the way in the commercial rollout of the technology.

Q. WHAT CHANGES NEED TO BE MADE TO TELECOM REGULATION IN ORDER TO BETTER ENSURE HEALTHY COMPETITION AND INNOVATION THAT BENEFITS THE CONSUMER?

» Spending half a decade in the

UAE has transformed my outlook on telecoms regulation. The country frequently ranks first globally for FTTH penetration (which is well over 90%), is recognised as an early adopter of new technologies including 5G, and is very advanced in e-government applications. In comparison, Europe is unfortunately not at the forefront of this development.

“ THE PROGRESS IS DISAPPOINTING” 20

March 2021

“ THE NEGATIVE IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON THE EU TELECOMS SECTOR, AND THEREFORE REGULATORY PROGRESSION, SHOULD NOT BE UNDERESTIMATED.” Europe needs a clear and really predictable regulatory and competition law landscape for the necessary infrastructure investment, in particular for co-investment, where companies – in the absence of clearly defined safe harbours – may fear proceeding because of unpredictable competition law consequences.

Q. HOW DO YOU SEE THE REGULATORY LANDSCAPE IN EMEA EVOLVING THIS YEAR WITH REGARD TO TELECOMS?

» The negative impact of COVID-

19 on the EU telecoms sector, and therefore regulatory progression, should not be underestimated.

EU regulators must be ready to further support operators to reduce the risks of a slowdown to the development of the digital economy. The sector would also benefit from more support and clarity on co-investment and horizontal cooperation in general to help drive efficient deployments of the very expensive networks needed to support 5G. More prescriptive measures on the security of telecoms networks and services are anticipated and, in light of the release of a new draft in January 2021, the long-awaited new ePrivacy Regulation might finally make its way through the EU legislative process. mobile-magazine.com

LIBERTY GLOBAL

Nicolas Fortineau

March 2021

LIBERTY GLOBAL

LIBERTY GLOBAL: Technology for customer experience Liberty Global’s Nicolas Fortineau and David Wagenborg discuss the telco firm’s focus on the customer and how it’s risen to the challenge of COVID-19 WRITTEN BY: WILLIAM SMITH PRODUCED BY: STUART IRVING

s one of the world’s leading converged video, broadband and communications companies, Liberty Global is investing in infrastructure to empower customers to make the most of the digital revolution. Operating in seven European countries under brands such as Virgin Media and Telenet, the company is combining fixed and mobile assets to offer a true converged product to its customers and boosting speeds across the board. “We are pushing out gigabit broadband speeds pretty much across all our portfolio,” says Nicolas Fortineau, Director in-home Connectivity Products. “We've put a lot of effort into our network, spearheading a roadmap that will get us to the stage where we will be able to offer 10G speeds over our fixed networks across Europe.” mobile-magazine.com

LIBERTY GLOBAL

The scale of the company's ambition is backed up by its culture, as David Wagenborg, Vice President Connectivity Products and Business Markets, explains. “It's a very entrepreneurial space. There are constantly new ways to organise, new ways to develop, and new developments themselves. Liberty Global has been instrumental in really challenging the incumbents in several markets, and therefore gaining the position that it has today.” That privileged position is based in part on a reputation for reliability. “We are one of the few operators who invest as much money back into the network and into the further development of our portfolio as we do – in some cases almost double 24

March 2021

“ It all leads to one very simple objective: deliver the absolute best possible customer experience” NICOLAS FORTINEAU

PRODUCT DIRECTOR OF CONNECTIVITY PLATFORMS, LIBERTY GLOBAL

LIBERTY GLOBAL

NICOLAS FORTINEAU TITLE: P RODUCT DIRECTOR OF CONNECTIVITY PLATFORMS INDUSTRY: TELECOMMUNICATIONS

EXECUTIVE BIO

LOCATION: THE RANDSTAD Nicolas Fortineau is Product Director of Connectivity Platforms at Liberty Global and his work involves redefining Meaning of connectivity. His product portfolio reaches over 10 million households across seven countries for residential and SoHo customers. Customer-centric at heart, Nicolas uses the best technology (including Artificial Intelligence, Cloud, 5G and

WiFi) to bring lifeenhancing services to customers, improving their connectivity. Nicolas has been working in Media, Technology and Telecommunication companies for over 12 years; living and working in Europe, Asia, the US and Africa.

LIBERTY GLOBAL

64.82988853642085%

Internet without boundaries Fast forward to 10G and beyond with help from CommScope. We’ve teamed up with Liberty Global to bring blazing-fast internet that will change how people live, work and play.

ARE YOU READY?

March 2021

LIBERTY GLOBAL

the amount of what our competitors are investing,” says Wagenborg. Because of that investment, Liberty Global is able to offer facilities such as device management to further improve the customer experience. “What we effectively have is a cloud where all of our customers’ connected devices – everything from your mobile phone, to your doorbell, to your

DAVID WAGENBORG

ICE PRESIDENT CONNECTIVITY V PRODUCTS AND BUSINESS MARKETS, LIBERTY GLOBAL

TITLE: V ICE PRESIDENT CONNECTIVITY PRODUCTS AND BUSINESS MARKETS INDUSTRY: TELECOMMUNICATIONS LOCATION: AMSTERDAM

EXECUTIVE BIO

“ We have the ambition to make sure that, first of all, we are fully digital ourselves, but also that we can help our customers become digital-first”

DAVID WAGENBORG

David is overseeing Connectivity and B2B developments within Liberty Global, driving the strategic deployment and agenda for consumer platforms, services and experiences, as well as enabling Liberty Global business markets. Previously David has held roles in product marketing within Liberty Global, VodafoneZiggo, UPC and BT Global Services. His mantra? Do not regret!

mobile-magazine.com

LIBERTY GLOBAL

European Broadband Leader XGS-PON

DOCSIS

ADVERT PAGE GOLD SWAN

4G / 5G FWA

Wi-Fi 6 Mesh

Collaborative innovation partnerships Delivering all broadband technologies including 5G Deploying all main broadband software solutions: Swan® OpenWrt-based, RDK-B, OpenSyncTM Time-to-market leadership with technology breakthroughs Eco-design core to our values improving global sustainability

March 2021

Sagemcom Swan® software is not affiliated with OpenWrt. OpenWrt is a registered trademark owned by Software Freedom Conservancy (SFC) https://openwrt.org

LIBERTY GLOBAL

TV – are managed and optimised in real time to ensure that you always get the best out of the connectivity solution,” says Fortineau. Conceptually, the cloud is of huge importance to the company’s offering. “Connect Cloud, which is the internal name, is effectively the technical enabler that we use to power all new features, functionality and services above and beyond pure speed,” says Fortineau.

“The cloud is effectively a suite of microservices, each enabling a very specific feature set.” For consumers, that might include voice services or adaptive wifi, while also presenting an opportunity to increase their cyber security. “Our customers often feel that cyberspace is a bit of a jungle. What we do is offer two types of solutions. On one hand this involves preventing cyber attacks on your personal devices by putting a security layer on top mobile-magazine.com

LIBERTY GLOBAL

Liberty Global Intelligent WiFi

$12bn Revenue in US dollars

2005

Year Founded

20,200+ Number of Employees

March 2021

LIBERTY GLOBAL

mobile-magazine.com

LIBERTY GLOBAL

Smart homes are evolving. So should you. With the explosion of devices, data demands, and security risks, today’s smart homes need Adapt.™ Part of our HomePass™ suite of services, Adapt is a cloud-coordinated system that offers the first and only self-optimizing, whole-home WiFi technology.

Learn more at plume.com

March 2021

LIBERTY GLOBAL

Nicolas Fortineau and David Wagenborg from Liberty Global talk about their products & services

of the device cloud. We combine that with tools that allow you to protect your family in terms of curating content, but also cyber bullying. It’s all about helping people with their digital wellness.”

“ We all need absolutely pristine 100% reliable connectivity” DAVID WAGENBORG

ICE PRESIDENT CONNECTIVITY V PRODUCTS AND BUSINESS MARKETS, LIBERTY GLOBAL

Liberty Global also makes extensive use of AI, for instance in its adaptive wifi microservice. “That leverages artificial intelligence and cloud-based machine learning to track changing patterns in the way you use your devices. Whether it’s your phone, your tablet, or even your doorbell, all these connected devices can benefit from real time optimisation to ensure that they remain connected at the same time.” The company has an extensive partner network facilitating its ecosystem. “We rely on unique expertise in every part of our connectivity Holy Trinity,” says Fortineau. “For instance, we have bestin-class hardware and networking, from Sercomm, Sagemcom and Commscope, which ensures that customers get the best connectivity wherever they are. We also have best-in-class cloud services. Here, Plume has been highly instrumental mobile-magazine.com

Liberty Global’s New Connectivity Cockpit H O W E P A M ’ S I N N O VAT I V E S O L U T I O N H E L P E D T U R N E D I T S D ATA I N T O P R E D I C T I V E , ACTIONABLE INSIGHTS

COLLECT

STREAMLINE

SYNC

Pull in data across the Liberty Global Ecosystem

A single data lake and analytics engine is the heart of the cockpit

Customers can access relevant information across all touchpoints

The Connectivity Cockpit THE FULL CONNECTED CUSTOMER SOLUTION CLICK HERE

LIBERTY GLOBAL

“It’s paramount to have the best partners and vendors in their respective areas. We, as an ISP, would not be able to build the patchwork of services we have without them” NICOLAS FORTINEAU

PRODUCT DIRECTOR OF CONNECTIVITY PLATFORMS, LIBERTY GLOBAL

BULIDING A GIGABIT WORLD Over 25 million of the homes and businesses served by our networks in Europe and another seven million served by VodafoneZiggo2 in the Netherlands will be capable of GIGABit speeds once the newest version of DOCSIS technology is rolled out. We expect to connect millions more customers over the coming years.

mobile-magazine.com

DID YOU KNOW...

on our journey to build our adaptive wifi microservices and enable the digital services we offer, as well as Epam, which has been working very closely with us on building the overall Connect Cloud infrastructure.” Fortineau reiterates the importance of its partners in enabling its projects. “It’s paramount to have the best partners and vendors in their respective areas. We, as an ISP, would not be able to build the patchwork of services we have without them.” The company’s offerings, and its emphasis on reliability, have only become more important thanks to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Companies such as Liberty Global have been the lifeblood keeping companies running while offices have shut, and it recognises the importance of the role it has to play. “If you look at how we live on a day to day

LIBERTY GLOBAL

Building a Smart Connected World Sercomm gateway and home networking solutions support advanced access technologies and in-home wireless connectivity to deliver better performance and speeds greater than 10Gbps.

March 2021

How can we help you?

LIBERTY GLOBAL

26m

Homes passed

8.5m Mobile Customers

11.3m Customers

26m

Digital Services (RGUS)

Country operatations

basis in the new normal of COVID, while I am talking to you, my daughter is on Zoom with her school and my wife is doing a video conference upstairs,” says Fortineau. “We all need absolutely pristine 100% reliable connectivity, more than ever.” The company was well placed to rise to that challenge, as Wagenborg explains. “It's accelerated the need for elements that we already had on our roadmap. What we saw was a desire for mobile backup alongside smart wifi – both of which we had scheduled already for quite some time.” Looking ahead, the pandemic has not deviated Liberty Global from its mission to further improve speeds in its networks, as well as continuing with the rollout of 5G. It’s equality cognizant of its responsibilities in the sustainability space, as Fortineau describes. “We have different initiatives that are helping us contribute to the greater good. From a connectivity

perspective, we’ve imposed a rule on ourselves that all the hardware we deliver to customers is going to transition to only using recyclable plastic, as well as making sure that we send you only the stuff that you need. It's important that, across the industry, we think about our businesses in the greenest possible way.” It’s also evolving the way it presents to customers. “We're close to the next step whereby we move towards becoming a full digital service provider,” says Wagenborg. “We have the ambition to make sure that, first of all, we are fully digital ourselves, but also that we can help our customers become digital-first.” Fortineau concurs, adding that “it all leads to one very simple objective: deliver the absolute best possible customer experience. That is paramount to everything we do.”

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BUILT ON SILICON: THE FUTURE OF 5G Robert Moffat of MediaTek discusses the global rollout of 5G, and how systems on a chip are powering the next generation of AI, ICT and the IoT WRITTEN BY: HARRY MENEAR 40

March 2021

2020

was a pivotal year for the telecommunications sector, and 2021 has the potential to have an even greater impact on the ways in which we work, play and interact using technology. In particular, the past 12 months saw the rollout of 5G sweep across the world faster than any major technological advance in history. The speed of adoption, however, has caused issues of its own, creating glaring disparities in the market and making the technology’s teething problems more acute. This year, as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact the ways in which we live and work, 5G has the potential to start showing

signs of maturity, as the technology’s problems are solved, as well as continue pushing the envelope with regards to innovation. At the heart of 5G evolution for both the consumer and the enterprise is the system on a chip (SoC), an integrated circuit containing all the elements of a functional computer, from the CPU, GPU and memory to radio modems and secondary storage. “The SoC market is always evolving and this past year has been a true testament to the innovation taking place within the 5G space,” says Robert Moffat, Deputy Director of Sales and Business Development at MediaTek Europe. Headquartered in Taiwan, MediaTek mobile-magazine.com

ADVERT PAGE MEDIA SALE

“In 2021, MediaTek will truly make 5G accessible for all” ROBERT MOFFAT

DEPUTY DIRECTOR, SALES & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, MEDIATEK EUROPE

is one of the world’s leading makers of SoCs, and at the forefront of 5G hardware innovation. 2020, according to Moffat, saw incredible progress in the global 5G SoC market. “At the beginning of 2020, the 5G market was quite limited in terms of network availability and device choice – China was typically considered the ‘early adopter’ and more often than not, 5G capabilities were limited to flagship devices with a significant gap in pricing between 4G and 5G models,” he reflects. “As the year evolved, and despite the pandemic, we saw network operators continue to roll out 5G capabilities and expand their offering into most regions including Europe and North America.” MediaTek itself launched a new line of Dimensity 5G SoCs designed to meet demand for flagship and mass market devices, including the Dimensity 800U and Dimensity 700, which

deliver 5G capabilities into more mid-range and budget devices. By the end of the year, the company had shipped 45mn Dimensity 5G chipsets. This year, Moffat says that MediaTek’s plan is to “truly make 5G accessible for all.” 4G vs 5G: two very different rollouts The pace at which 5G has gone from isolated tests to commercial launches to increasingly widespread adoption has been phenomenal. The speed at which the technology has begun to reach mainstream adoption compared to previous generations is, according to Moffat, a matter of available applications. “When 4G arrived, content providers couldn’t widely benefit from OTT services for highly demanding capabilities like HD movie streaming – it risked being staggered and low-quality, despite the benefits of the 4G network itself,” he explains. “This limitation was overcome in time with better access to content and now, as 5G becomes more widely mobile-magazine.com

On the Road to 5G Mr. Ian Watson, CEO of Cellcard Cambodia and Royal Group in ICT division is widely known in the telecommunications industry as a leading evangelist and thought leader for 5G and digitalization. Under Ian’s leadership, Cellcard has achieved more than 30 industry awards during the past three years including the dominant share of Ookla Speedtest and Open Signal awards. He is also a regular keynote speaker at major industry events such as Mobile World Congress, Telecom Asia, 5G Asia and TM Forum. On November 12, he was invited to give speech at the online 5G Core Industry Roundtable of the 11th Global MBB Forum 2020, hosted by GSMA and GTI. Mr. Ian mentioned that Cambodian Royal Group has a strong demands on 5G to bring ultimate and immersive experience for its customers from TV, Banking, Insurance, Hydroelectric, Railway, Security Solutions, Resort, and Mobile payment. With 5G B2B, sparks new round of intelligent connectivity revolution in all scenarios and sectors such as; wireless broadband, Campus, Manufacturing, Port, Transportation, and Public Safety. “5G, paired with AI, fast tracks digitalization, not only for us individuals, but also for industries,” he continues. “In addition, diversified business models are required to achieve the optimal return on investment so that both consumers and enterprises can enjoy the benefits of 5G.” Cellcard is on the road to 5G and have completed the first 5G SA trail in 2019. At the very beginning of 2020, amidst the COVID-19 epidemic, Cellcard supported Ministry of Health with 5G telemedicine technology for distance diagnosis. In 2021, Cellcard will launch 5G NSA network and will evolve to 5G SA Commercial Network in near Future.

Ian Watson, CEO of Cellcard Cambodia

March 2021

“ As 5G matures… it will support missioncritical applications such as industrial internet, smart grids, remote surgery and intelligent transportation systems” ROBERT MOFFAT

DEPUTY DIRECTOR, SALES & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, MEDIATEK EUROPE

deployed, users can benefit from a better streaming experience immediately.” The 5G rollout, he continues, has also benefited from greater efforts to standardise and accelerate the process from a regulatory perspective, with the EU Commission orchestrating 5G launches in every member state by the end of last year, and plans in place to support uninterrupted coverage in urban areas and along major transport routes by 2025. The EU Commission notes that 5G is an essential building block for the region’s digital economy going forward. Moffat adds that, in addition to faster speeds deliverable on handsets and the potential for 5G fixed wireless access to bring current-gen connectivity to remote areas, “As 5G matures with ultrareliable low latency communication (URLLC) features, it will support mission-critical applications such as industrial internet, smart grids, remote surgery and intelligent transportation systems.” The future is built on silicon At the heart of a successful 5G rollout are little squares of silicon. The kinds of innovation mobile-magazine.com

THE GLOBAL 5G CHIPSET MARKET

52.7%

CAGR (2020-2027)

$23.5bn

Market Value (2027) Leading Region

APAC

Huawei, Qualcomm, MediaTek, Intel

LEADING COMPANIES

March 2021

“New 5G chips will help to alleviate bandwidth challenges, provide faster response times as well as increase data security for the user” ROBERT MOFFAT

DEPUTY DIRECTOR, SALES & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, MEDIATEK EUROPE

that companies like MediaTek are working on have the potential to solve a great deal of the teething problems being experienced by 5G, allowing the technology to unleash its full potential. “New 5G chips will help to alleviate bandwidth challenges, provide faster response times as well as increase data security for the user,” says Moffat. “If we take edge computing, for example, 5G chips, such as the MediaTek Dimensity 1000 chipset, feature the most powerful edge AI hardware in a smartphone. This means data can be held locally without the need to upload to the cloud – saving on bandwidth and reducing packet loss during the transmission of data.” The next 12 months will see 5G begin to touch the lives of more people than ever before, supported wholly by cutting edge chipsets designed to harness ultra-low latency, high-throughput communication to deliver bold new advances in IoT, AI, video streaming, online gaming and just about every other aspect of a modern, digital world.

mobile-magazine.com

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WHY 5G MATTERS: SAP’S 5G COUNCIL EXPLORES THE OPPORTUNITY Frank Wilde, VP of the SAP 5G Council, examines the incredible opportunity that 5G brings for network providers, their customers, and end users WRITTEN BY: SCOTT BIRCH PRODUCED BY: GLEN WHITE

March 2021

itting in his Palo Alto, California office at the height of the latest COVID-19 lockdown, Frank Wilde, VP of the Global Center of Excellence at SAP, could be less than enthusiastic about the state of the world as we enter 2021. However, nothing could be further from the truth. Wilde is here to discuss SAP’s 5G Council, the innovative role it is playing around the world in the deployment of the technology, and the opportunities that 5G brings – which have been only heightened as COVID-19 has acted as a catalyst for digital transformation. “We launched the 5G Council with the intent to pull together a unified value chain,” says Wilde. “We feel the power of 5G, as well as edge computing is really taking much more of a consortium approach – realizing that no single organization provides the core capabilities. It’s really interlocking capabilities that brings 5G to life.” The 5G Council includes leading technology partners from around the world, covering all aspects of 5G implementation

SAP SE

mobile-magazine.com

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SAP 5G | Frank Wilde | 5G

and opportunity. That includes the likes of our customers innovate in terms of how Verizon providing connectivity, hardware they operate their business, as well as how from telco hardware providers, and device they engage with their consumers or their strategy from device manufacturers. As we customers moving forward.” said, it really is the great and the good of the “So whether it’s in retail or manufacturing 5G universe. Or as Wilde puts it, “Distinct or healthcare, we are uniquely positioned organizations that can look left, look right, because SAP’s strength is serving as that core and really see where their value proposition within the organization.” fits across the entire value chain.” What SAP has done with the 5G Council SAP launched the 5G Council in June of is take corporate strategy, product strategy, 2018, and the members get and partner strategy, and look together around twice a year. at those in a unified manner. The agenda is how to affect This leads to discussions on change and drive innovation. new operating models and Wilde says it is important for new monetization strategies. SAP to be seen as leading It is complex yet exciting to Year founded. this charge. look at 5G solutions through “We’ve got 440,000 a new lens. Revenue in customers,” he says. “So for us Wilde says one of the most US dollars to move the needle, to move exciting aspects of 5G is being beyond our core, our legacy, able to guarantee a connection we see that we have an to critical devices, whether it’s a Number of exciting opportunity to help robotic arm for remote surgery employees

1972

$28bn+

101,150

March 2021

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“ We’re helping our customers think differently and be much more aggressive around how they think about innovation”

FRANK WILDE TITLE: VICE PRESIDENT INDUSTRY: COMPUTER SOFTWARE LOCATION: SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA

FRANK WILDE

or an unmanned vehicle. But on top of that, because you can guarantee that network slice in that level of connectivity, you can charge for that as a service. “Whether you’re doing remote equipment maintenance in an oil field in Kazakhstan or engaging with a customer that may be 1,000 miles from a service center, we now can create a level of experience and monetize those interactions to open up new revenue streams, like never before,” says Wilde enthusiastically. “So that is where we are helping our customers think differently. The 5G Council, for us, is serving as that steering committee or that hub for how we drive the next level of innovation across a number of industries.” To form the Council, SAP has pulled in leaders that are distinct in each of their regions – in order to prevent any kind of competition. For example, SAP focused on having one telco per region, and one hardware provider per region but of course there are some overlaps. “Cisco, for example, does a very nice job of both competing with the channel, as well as sparking their channels moving forward,” says Wilde. “So we realize that there is going to be some level of engagement where there is some overlap in terms of

EXECUTIVE BIO

VICE PRESIDENT, SAP

Frank Wilde leads data and data science innovation focused on public and private sector customers as the vice president for SAP’s Global Center of Excellence. In this role, Frank partners with data scientists and platform architects to spark innovative thinking with SAP’s customers through a combination of data science and design thinking. In addition, Frank leads SAP’s 5G innovation strategy with global telecom providers. Frank is a seasoned executive with a track record of success in product and sales innovation. Before joining SAP, Frank led software development and sales innovation teams at Apple, Dell, and HPE. In addition, Frank spent 9 years with Deloitte Consulting leading digital transformations with public and private sector customers. Also, he began his career as a software engineer building CRM and supply chain applications before transitioning into management consulting. Frank attended UCLA for college, earned an MBA from Duke University, and served as an officer in the Navy. He is based in Palo Alto, and his email is f.wilde@sap.com

Connected Everything We can help you tap into the power of 5G and edge computing.

Connected Everything Connected Everything Connected Everything

Let’s make the world faster, We can help you tap into thesmarter, power We can help you tap We cancomputing. helpinto youthe tappower into the power and more connected. of 5G and edge of 5G andofedge computing. 5G and edge computing. Together. Let’s make the world faster, smarter, Let’s make themake worldthe faster, smarter, Let’s world faster, smarter, and more connected. and moreand connected. more connected. Together. Together. Together. Copyright © 2020 Deloitte Development LLC. All rights reserved.

Deloitte prepares for the 5G revolution Advanced connectivity – and 5G in particular – is about to transform industries and companies. A panel from Deloitte explains why. 5G represents a turning point for enterprise technology and digital transformation. A panel of communications and technology experts from Deloitte has come together to explain why advanced connectivity is a game changer. Rob Kasegrande is a managing director in Deloitte’s Technology, Media and Telecommunications (TMT) practice and leads Deloitte’s 5G and Edge Computing practice. “Our clients are looking at advanced connectivity solutions as a way to gain advantage, whether it’s by creating new revenue models or creating innovative efficiencies in their operations, or just operating with a more agile and digital infrastructure.” Jack Fritz is a principal in Deloitte’s TMT practice and also leads the 5G and Edge Computing practice. He adds, “We work with clients to help them understand the opportunities and potential risks associated with 5G and edge computing. And then we help them design, build and operate their solutions, including the underlying infrastructure with our ecosystem partners, and ultimately realize value for their business.” Deloitte is working with SAP to bring frictionless ecosystems to businesses. Jerry Hoberman, Principal and Americas SAP practice leader at Deloitte, says, “We’re spending a lot of time with SAP to both architect and engineer industry cloud solutions. The success of those solutions is really dependent on having a clean ERP and, more importantly, being able to unlock industry-specific edge solutions and microservices to where the value is.”

“It’s a tectonic shift,” says Kasegrande. “5G is going to connect billions of devices using an advanced network and be able to consume massive amounts of data at Connected higher speeds with Everything higher reliability. With edge, processing the data will be real-time, We can help you tap into the power which will lead to real-time operations of 5G and edge computing. and decisioning across industries. For Let’s make the world faster, smarter, example, in manufacturing you can and more connected. automate quality sensing and preventative Together. In retail, you can have realmaintenance. time personalization and pricing while your customer is standing in an aisle.” Copyright © 2020 Deloitte Development LLC. All rights reserved.

For Fritz, it’s this use case diversity that presents opportunities. “The way that 5G is architected is far more modular than in the past. Some organizations will need massive device density, some will need low latency, and the way in which you architect, design and deploy the network to meet these needs may vary. ” Frictionless, is Hoberman’s keyword for the 5G revolution. “Frictionless commerce results in faster results and greater value through speed, reliability, edge, modularity, and security.”

SAP SE

the products or the services these players are going to be providing, but we wanted to effectively have an open forum where the council members felt that they could be open and collaborative in terms of how we ideate together, look at new solutions, and brainstorm new operating and revenue models.” SAP is uniquely positioned because it serves as the technical foundation to bring these solutions to life. So whether it’s in terms of a data platform, supply chain software or the analytics and experience management work, SAP is able to help from a platform approach, and really bring these solutions to life.

“ The 5G Council is serving as that hub for how we drive the next level of innovation across a number of industries” FRANK WILDE

VICE PRESIDENT, SAP

Verizon was very much a founding member of the 5G Council and SAP has also worked with global customers and partners, while also adding telcos from EMEA and APAC into the mix. “We have Asian and European telcos working with us, so we have worked to broaden the exposure as well as creating diverse perspectives,” says Wilde. “The Council has grown over the course of the last two-and-a-half years, so it’s interesting to see that we’ve got customers also coming to us that want to join.” “So it’s moved very much beyond just a pure telco conversation and connectivity 54

March 2021

SAP SE

SAP 5G | Frank Wilde | Verizon

mobile-magazine.com

This is 5G built right for business. Verizon 5G is here and it’s bringing new possibilities to businesses of all sizes. It’s the coverage of 5G Nationwide for over 230 million people in more than 2,700 cities and the unprecedented performance of 5G Ultra Wideband—the fastest 5G in the world—in more and more cities. This is 5G from the network businesses rely on. Learn more at verizon.com/5g/business

5G Ultra Wideband available only in part of select cities. “Fastest 5G in the world” claim from May 2020, based on Opensignal independent analysis of mobile measurements recorded during the period January 31 – April 30, 2020 © 2020 Opensignal Limited. © 2021 Verizon.

Verizon MEC: 5G’s new frontier

Cyan,

Arleen Cauchi, Managing Director, Partnership Innovation & GTM at Verizon, explains edge computing and Verizon’s new 5G service. T:11.75"

As the Managing Director for Partnership Innovation, Cauchi’s role involves bringing new ideas to life. In November 2020, Verizon became the first company in the world to launch a Mobile Edge Compute service (MEC) with AWS called Verizon 5G Edge. Edge computing is a network architectural model that brings technology resources, including compute and related infrastructure, closer to the end user or to where the data is generated. “Mobile Edge Compute (MEC) is a type of edge computing that extends the functionality of networks, including 5G networks, with enhanced capabilities. It’s a transformational complement to 5G, as it provides both an IT service environment and cloudcomputing capabilities at the edge of the mobile network, within the radio access network (RAN) and in close proximity to mobile subscribers,” Cauchi explains. The benefits of MEC include: • Ultralow latency. MEC reduces the latency that comes with compute/storage residing at faraway data centers, opening doors to a whole new generation of possibilities. • Localized data. Data can be gathered and acted on right where it’s created—which can result in greater

STG_PR26251_VZ_Innovation_PrintAd_A4_ Project # PR26251 Job # 11502479 PP Ida Wehbeh User Osses, Cindy (STG-CWW)

Client Verizon Decoupled Product None

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Document Path Macintosh HD:Users:cindy.osses:Desktop:Verizon:2021:01_ENERO:DM:PR 1-8-2021 2:07 PM | Print Scale None

FONTS Helvetica Neue LT Std (77 Bold Condensed, 47 Light Condensed; OpenType), Verizon NHG DS (R 27.35%)

SWATCHES IN DOC

Black,

DoNotPrint

NOTES

performance, contextually aware applications and improved security. • Expanded IoT potential. MEC is ideally suited to facilitate the rapid growth of IoT, and it can even address IoT challenges such as energy use and battery life. “We are helping our customers bring these ideas to life, and with the SAP partnership we can help our customers innovate and leverage their existing SAP applications,” explains Cauchi. With SAP Edge Services running on the Verizon MEC, they can provide near real-time alerts and actions. Cauchi adds that 5G is only as good as the network it’s built on, which makes Verizon’s 5G unique. “Verizon’s 5G Ultra Wideband network combines end-to-end fiber resources throughout the network, a large deployment of small cells and significant spectrum holdings, particularly in the millimeter wave bands. We believe you can’t have a great 5G network without a great 4G LTE network, and we have been acknowledged as the best LTE network according to numerous independent third party tests and consumer studies – and the largest LTE network, covering 2.56 million square miles.” verizon.com/5g/business

SAP SE

DID YOU KNOW...

WILDE ABOUT THE INNOVATION FACTORY

“So the innovation factory is essentially a series of workshops that we’ve pulled together to be able to make it easy for customers to digest. What is 5G? How does it impact their industry? What are the use cases? Essentially this lays out a framework for how we can pull that innovation or that new set of services into their organization. So we’re very excited about the fact that we’ve laid quite a bit of the groundwork to bring these innovation factory sessions to life across industry. We started in October of last year and it’s something we’ve actually designed over the course of the last two years.” “We’re in a unique position as we get out of COVID-19, that we can accelerate this innovative thinking with CTOs and CMOs using a four to six-week sprint approach that we’ve laid out with these innovation factory workshops. This is going to build on the reference architecture that we’ve laid out on the use cases that we’ve defined in 5G and edge and really take the 5G conversation to the next level.”

March 2021

conversation, and really moved much more into an open innovation forum where CTOs, as well as directors and VPs in marketing and sales and operations are interested in joining.” While interest is clearly high, and growing, one of the core challenges facing Wilde and the 5G Council is that customers are not aware of what this next generation of network provides. Wilde says he believes SAP customers still do not fully understand what a 5G network can do and he feels it will be another two, three, or even four-year process to get customers comfortable with its capabilities. Part of that educational process is working with the likes of Verizon and Deloitte to put together a 5G Playbook to make it easier to understand both the technology and specific use cases that SAP can partner on. “SAP can serve as the data platform and provide the analytics, the AI, and the machine learning to bring these solutions to life,” says Wilde. “So, if we think about these as puzzle pieces, you’ve got the connectivity, you’ve got the device strategy, you’ve got the consulting, you’ve got our data platform and business process support. We’re providing the glue and the 5G Council was very much

“ SAP can serve as the data platform and provide the analytics, the AI, and the machine learning to bring 5G solutions to life” FRANK WILDE

VICE PRESIDENT, SAP

SAP SE

the start of that glue at a senior level, and to have that trickle through to our 440,000 customers moving forward.” One of the key challenges around 5G is the fact that both consumers and leaders around the world have been conditioned, over the last 20 to 25 years, to associate a new network generation simply by speed. 5G is much more a question of how do you link a software defined network into your connectivity and provide additional services just as if it was a wired connection. That’s the link that doesn’t exist today. SAP has been leading this understanding, working with CTOs, CMOs and COOs, and even running a CTO Forum. Wilde recalls that in that forum, of a dozen CTOs present, only one was really familiar with the 5G opportunity. “To be honest with you, I was very surprised because I would have thought a much larger

segment, if not everyone in that room, would have been familiar with the technology, at least in a position to be able to speak to it and understand the core components,” says Wilde. “That’s what we’re very excited about – 5G and edge computing – because it can do so much. And it’s going to start what we refer to as a ‘data tsunami’. We are expecting a six, seven, eight times increase in data usage per device. Now think about the number of devices that are going to be coming to market – IoT, sensors, iPad, iPhones, autonomous vehicles. You’re now going to have much more data flowing across that network.” “SAP is uniquely positioned with its SAP HANA Data Management Suite to support mobile-magazine.com

In 5G, telecoms and enterprises can partner to sell usage-based services to customers. But there’s a problem. How can you ensure accurate billing and partner settlements in complex B2B2X business models? DigitalRoute has the solution. We’ve been collecting and processing usage data for billing for over 20 years, for telecoms and enterprises. Raw data about usage goes into our platform, and clear information for billing goes out. We can handle the high data volumes and complexity that 5G partnerships will bring. We already do it today. Together with SAP, we enable usage-based billing for the world’s biggest brands. Learn more at: www.digitalroute.com

SAP SE

SAP 5G | Frank Wilde | Innovation

that additional data in a fluid manner.” Wilde talks at length about the innovations coming out of SAP and the 5G Council and why, as the company celebrates 50 years in business, it is important for it to be seen at the leading edge of technology. “We’re fundamentally changing how we’re going to market and how our customers go to market and innovate together,” he says. “So rather than thinking about sequential innovation or step-by-step improvements to a given platform, one of the benefits of 5G is that you can think differently.” Wilde cites Tesla, Lyft, and Uber as examples of companies that have disrupted their markets in a short space of time, taking leadership positions in established industries, by thinking differently. “It’s not just a question of improving your revenue or improving your profitability. Really the key question is around survival,

right? If you could easily be disrupted by a 5G and edge solution – whether it’s in retail, manufacturing, transportation, entertainment – there’s a number of new capabilities that can come to life,” says Wilde. “We really feel that it’s not just a question of incremental improvements or enhancements to how you’re operating, you know, another 10% or 20% more in sales or improving your bottom line by a few percentage points in terms of operational efficiency. There’s the question of will you be able to survive a key challenger in your market. So we’re helping our customers think differently and be much more aggressive around how they think about innovation.” With public 5G networks rolling out globally, and private networks being implemented in large sites for mobile-magazine.com

SAP SE

March 2021

SAP SE

“ We’re fundamentally changing how we’re going to market and how our customers go to market and innovate together” FRANK WILDE

VICE PRESIDENT, SAP

manufacturing and retail, for example, 5G is making progress, but when are we going to realize its full potential? In a previous interview with us, Wilde talked about a watershed moment, but when does he think that will be, and what will it look like? He says there are two work streams in flight, one of which is the public network around 5G and the other is the private network. SAP has been working for the last two years in the private 5G and edge computing space, deploying proof of concepts that are specific to 5G. “Together with Deloitte, we put together an innovation methodology around 5G. The methodology helps customers first learn about the potential of 5G and edge services, then ideate on where and how these technologies can impact revenue and operations and develop a roadmap for execution. We are scaling the approach through a collaboration with Deloitte, Verizon, and SAP.” “It very quickly begs the question, is the infrastructure poised to support that additional bandwidth? So when you think about Verizon, for example, in the US they have done a beautiful job of not only deploying 5G to provide coverage in specific markets for the public network, but they’ve also taken a multi-pronged approach. They realized that that’s just one element

of the equation. The additional backbone infrastructure to be able to support a full 5G deployment is then going to be the next tipping point.” SAP has a close partnership with Verizon which has been strengthened with the opening of a 5G Lab in Palo Alto in December 2020. It is designed to showcase the power of 5G or how to monetize 5G connections and create new revenue streams. The 5G Lab sits alongside the existing SAP Labs that have been operating since the early 1990s and have been a focal point for the company, enabling SAP to serve as an incubator of new ideas. “The 5G Lab allows us to pull together our portfolio,” says Wilde. “We get customers to see that there’s very much a business impact to 5G. Imagine if a consumer is walking through a store, picks up a product, and they have a question about that product. Imagine a 3D chat bot popping up off their phone to answer questions. You don’t need additional store staff, you could be just-in-time and personalized for that consumer.” “Then imagine picking up a box of cereal and having your phone create a 3D immersive experience to see what the product contents look like, or look for food allergies. If you can personalize that experience down to a market of one, that becomes very powerful.” “Those are the type of experiences that we can showcase within the Lab. There’s an opportunity for new revenue streams, which we’re just scratching the surface on.”

mobile-magazine.com

MOBILE OPERATORS

March 2021

MOBILE OPERATORS

REBUILDING A BETTER BRITAIN Ericsson’s Björn Odenhammar talks 5G for the enterprise and rebuilding a better-connected post-pandemic, post-Brexit Britain. WRITTEN BY: HARRY MENEAR

mobile-magazine.com

MOBILE OPERATORS

Title of the video

2021

looks like it’s going to be a pivotal year for the UK. After almost half a decade of controversy, bureaucracy, two elections and a referendum, Brexit finally happened. The UK’s separation from the European Union is already adding customs delays, new restrictions on travel and myriad economic and regulatory complications to an economic landscape already hit hard by 12 months spent in the grip of a pandemic. It’s a nightmare. As the UK works to chart a new course towards economic stability from the confines of their hastily converted spare bedrooms, the country’s ICT sector has seen its role in the country’s continued operation expand dramatically over the last year - a trend that is only set to gather 66

March 2021

momentum as we enter 2021. As the 5G rollout continues across the UK, ICT companies and telecom operators need to be ready to embrace what could be one of Britain’s best hopes for a healthy economy in a post-pandemic, post-Brexit reality. “5G is hugely important to the UK from an economic perspective,” says Björn Odenhammar, Head of Networks and Managed Services at Ericsson. Björn lives in Reading, and is one of the principal figures involved in Ericsson’s pre-sales activities across the UK and Ireland. In short, he’s working very hard to find ways to inject 5G into the UK economy. “It will be one of the main pillars for rebuilding the country's economy post-pandemic and post-Brexit,” he explains to me - remarkably chipper at 8 am, considering the effect that lockdown

MOBILE OPERATORS

has had on what I now think constitutes an early start. “There's huge potential for economic benefits to the UK from 5G, in the realm of £15bn over the next few years.” That figure comes from a report Ericsson and Qualcomm commissioned from independent research firm Analysys Mason. Analysys Mason found, while the UK’s 5G rollout is only rated “average” compared with some of the other early adopters like South Korea, China and the US, the country’s agriculture, manufacturing and construction sectors have the potential to see huge economic benefits from 5G adoption. “One of the key opportunities that 5G provides for digital transformation is in the context of Industry 4.0, which is where we're seeing a lot of the early drivers of the transformation take place,” says

“ One of the key opportunities that 5G provides for digital transformation is in the context of Industry 4.0” BJÖRN ODENHAMMAR

HEAD OF NETWORKS & MANAGED SERVICES, UK & IRELAND, ERICSSON mobile-magazine.com

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“5G is hugely important to the UK from an economic perspective” BJÖRN ODENHAMMAR

HEAD OF NETWORKS & MANAGED SERVICES, UK & IRELAND, ERICSSON

Odenhammar. “A lot of the most exciting exploration and innovation is happening in that area.” Delivering essential connectivity The past year has also pushed connectivity to the forefront in the UK, with the COVID-19 pandemic driving huge swathes of the country’s workforce into a remote capacity. “End users are also becoming totally digitalised as a result of COVID-19,” Odenhammar reflects. “Connectivity has been our lifeline as the digitalisation of our entire society has been fast-passed by the pandemic.” The transition has seen ICT infrastructure and services go from being an important commodity to an essential utility akin to water and electricity. A recent article in the Guardian even pointed out that around 20% of people under 30 thought working wifi was more important than a functional toilet. Across the UK, connectivity has become essential,

but there are still large numbers of people who struggle with poor or even no access to the web. “There are more than 600,000 households right now in the UK that have sub-optimal connectivity,” says Odenhammar. “5G also has a big role to play in terms of expanding connectivity to underserved areas.” While most of the conversation about 5G broadband’s potential has centred on delivering last-mile connectivity to more rural

mobile-magazine.com

MOBILE OPERATORS

The Three-Tier Cake I asked Björn about some of the progress being made to combat some of 5G’s teething problems. In late 2019 and throughout last year, operators particularly in China where the 5G rollout happened early and blindingly fast struggled with connectivity. 5G can be broken down into three types, based on the area of the spectrum it occupies. Low band 5G is a little faster than 4G, and can cover a wide area. Mid-band 5G occupies the frequencies around 3.8GHz on the radio spectrum, and is significantly faster than 4G, but also has a much narrower footprint. And high band 5G (also known as mmWave) occupies the very top end of the spectrum. It’s insanely fast, transmitting data as much as 10 times quicker than 4G, but its footprint is so narrow and the waves are so close together that the technology has been experiencing issues passing through walls or delivering service more than a few hundred metres away.

March 2021

“I think we tend to forget just how fast 5G has been introduced,” says Odenhammar. “The standards for the technology were set as recently as late 2018 and we're already rolling it out on a massive scale.” Ericsson alone has 65 live networks across the globe, and the company is making serious progress towards combining the three types of 5G into a cohesive whole. “It's like a cake. You need three layers. You need a coverage layer, which is the low-band spectrum; you need a midlayer, which in Europe is the 3.5GHz band, where you actually get the capacity; and then you have the crowning layer, which is the mmWave for really high bandwidth, which hasn't really caught on in Europe but is showing a lot of progress in the US,” Odenhammar explains. “In order to unlock everything 5G can potentially deliver, you're going to need to complete that buildout across all three.”

MOBILE OPERATORS

“ 5G also has a big role to play in terms of expanding connectivity to underserved areas” BJÖRN ODENHAMMAR

HEAD OF NETWORKS & MANAGED SERVICES, UK & IRELAND, ERICSSON

areas, Odenhammar adds that there are “plenty of urban spots where streets and communities for some reason missed out on fibre and now are in danger of being left behind.” 5G broadband has the potential to overcome some of those last-mile hurdles. “If you want to deploy fibre or some other type of fixed infrastructure, the time it takes to dig that last mile is much longer than the time it takes to put up one more radio in the mobile mast that already services that area, and use it to augment the capacity,” says Odenhammar, adding that, “It's a much faster process that delivers the same performance from an end-user perspective.” Solving enterprise pain points Odenhammar reiterates that the first place 5G will be truly present - and the first and foremost area where the technology can truly benefit the UK economy - is in the industrial sphere. Ericsson, in addition to working with all four of the UK’s major telecom operators - following Huawei’s unceremonious ejection from the country last year - is also working on a number of collaborations with major players in the UK industrial sector.

“We’re working with Bosch and BT, and have another project with Vodafone and Ford, both aimed at bringing 5G into smart factories,” says Odenhammer. He adds that the secret to delivering the technology into these spaces is not to think like a telecommunications and technology sales rep, but rather a fixer with his eye on the factory floor. “When you sit with a factory manager, they don't know anything about 5G. They know how to run an effective factory and get the right yields for - in Ford's case - batteries for electric vehicles,” he elaborates. “They care about efficiency and cost; they think in those terms.”

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MOBILE OPERATORS

“ I think the UK is in a good position, but things need to speed up if the country wants to really utilise the benefits that 5G can bring to the economy” BJÖRN ODENHAMMAR

HEAD OF NETWORKS & MANAGED SERVICES, UK & IRELAND, ERICSSON

March 2021

MOBILE OPERATORS

Odenhammer notes that sitting down with factory managers, talking through existing pain points, and then proposing ways to integrate 5G into their operations is the key. “If you go in with a technologyfirst approach, it's easy to say '5G is great. It's going to give you reduced latency here and here and extra gigabytes on that', which doesn't mean anything for a factory manager working for an enterprise customer. They need to know how 5G will help them run an effective warehouse or factory.” Building a better Britain Reflecting on the current state of 5G in the UK, Odenhammar seems fairly positive. He notes that the UK was one of the first countries in Europe to make the 3.5GHz spectrum available, that all four of the country's operators have launched 5G, and highlights the fact that the UK government is sponsoring a lot of initiatives like Digital Catapult and Connected Britain that are aimed at spurring on the rollout. However, he stresses the importance of moving ahead as soon as possible with the auction of more of the country’s 5G spectrum, emphasising that, “It's hugely important that the next auction goes ahead in order to enable the operators to expand. Each of them now has about 40-50MHz available today. In order to provide the capacity and speeds that 5G has the potential to deliver, they need that additional spectrum.” “I think the UK is in a good position, but things need to speed up if the country wants to really utilise the benefits that 5G can bring to the economy. It's one of the keys to building a better Britain, and we should take that opportunity.” mobile-magazine.com

BELL INC (CANADA)

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March 2021

BELL INC (CANADA)

Enabling AI/ML Powered Networks LOGO/GRAPHIC IN BACKGROUND (DELETE THIS)

George Iskenderian, director of Big Data and AI/ML at Bell Canada, is putting data andAI/ML at the heart of telecoms. He explains why it’s the right decision WRITTEN BY: PADDY SMITH

PRODUCED BY: CRAIG KILLINGBACK

or someone working in the transformative and often speculative world of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), George Iskenderian is remarkably pragmatic. But that doesn’t stop him from being ambitious and, more to the point, successful. His data and AI/ML team at Bell Canada has two patents pending and one being filed after only five years, and has grown from a single person team into more than 100 data scientists and engineers. Iskenderian is very appreciative of his position, “A big factor to my success is the support and empowerment I received at Bell to establish this world class team especially from Stephen Howe, Bell CTO, Petri Lyytikainen, Network VP and of course every single person on the team.”

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BELL INC (CANADA)

“ The paradigm is shifting from detecting issues to looking at the bigger picture and understanding why anomalies are happening” GEORGE ISKENDERIAN

DIRECTOR, BIG DATA & AI BELL INC (CANADA)

March 2021

“When we integrate the data folks with the domain teams, they start thinking about the art of the possible,” he says. “So I need to understand my network, how my traffic patterns are. And the data scientist is saying, ‘I can give you that, but actually I can predict the traffic pattern for you a week in advance and I can introduce seasonality so that when you’re looking at the traffic pattern you’re not looking at that based on historical data. You’re actually predicting the future.’” “So that’s where the value of the domain expertise and data and AI expertise come together. When we say we build with use cases in mind, we do have a strategic view as well. Certain things we do such as anticipating problems or needs might not be very high priority today but they will be in a year or two.”

BELL INC (CANADA)

GEORGE ISKENDERIAN TITLE: DIRECTOR, BIG DATA & AI COMPANY: BELL INC INDUSTRY: TELECOMMUNICATIONS

AI vs ML: what’s the difference? AI and ML are often conflated in technology circles, with many people describing machine learning functions as AI, and others pointedly suggesting that AI – in its truest sense – is not really available yet. Iskenderian is happy to explain his view. “I’ll give it an analogy: if artificial intelligence is mathematic, then machine learning would be algebra. So machine learning is a discipline within the bigger umbrella of artificial intelligence. And then deep learning would be linear algebra. “We realize that AI and ML are of paramount importance and it’s going to play a significant role going forwards. And we have various initiatives to make sure that we focus specifically on AI/ML expertise development, but also how we create

EXECUTIVE BIO

LOCATION: CANADA George Iskenderian leads the network Big Data & AI organization at Bell, he created a high performance team of data experts developing advanced data platforms and executing network planning, engineering and operations use cases. Iskenderian started his career at Bell planning and architecting OSS systems including multiple data solutions. He played a key role in setting the network transformation and data and AI/ML strategy and enabling Bell’s AI powered networks. Prior to joining Bell, Iskenderian assumed various hands-on and leadership roles at Nortel as well as a position in Europe initiating one of the first GSM SMS deployments. Iskenderian holds a graduate degree in Electrical Engineering and is a licensed professional engineer in Ontario, Canada.

mobile-magazine.com

5G Velocity, Meet Ultra HD Visibility. ANY VENDOR. ANY NETWORK. ANY SERVICE. NETSCOUT’s scalable monitoring solution—designed for the cloud—helps carrier service providers successfully deliver actionable insights into reliability and latency for 5G networks, applications, and services. Future proof with a next generation carrier-grade monitoring software solution and embrace technology challenges with 5G/IoT, the Cloud and beyond. Go 5G with NETSCOUT’s Visibility Without Borders™ at netscout.com/5G

VISIBILITY WITHOUT BORDERS

NETSCOUT and Bell Canada:

Long-Term Success on a World Class Network

NETSCOUT’s Matt Demeusy talks about their successful partnership with Bell and why 5G implementation is an exciting time for communication solution providers. Written by: Paddy Smith NETSCOUT is a leading provider of service assurance, security, and business analytics for communication service providers and enterprises. “We provide pervasive visibility across all areas of a business network, regardless of the technologies being deployed,” explains Matthew Demeusy, CTO Office at NETSCOUT. “These services might be entirely on premises, cloud services, or hybrid – we call this ‘Visibility Without Borders’. What does Demeusy believe is driving innovation in the telecoms sector? “There are two things, and they’re somewhat related. One is the digital transformation to cloud, and that’s an ongoing process; and the second is 5G technology. As service providers drive toward these new technologies, these networks will often go through several phases of evolution. And each phase requires assuring that the services are performing as expected. Any anomalies are detected and still the target initiatives are being achieved. With NETSCOUT, we provide that visibility across those borders to ensure service performance through every phase of that evolution.”

One of NETSCOUT’s long-term customers is Bell. Demeusy got involved around the time big data and analytics were climbing the Bell agenda; at the time NETSCOUT was developing its nGenius Business Analytics solution. He’s been working with them ever since. “I really enjoy working with Bell. I find that we are easily able to get to the heart of their objectives and that Bell is getting the maximum amount of value out of the products.” For instance, Bell utilizes NETSCOUT’s insights and tools on a daily basis for supporting their marketing monetization program and ensuring customer experience through user analytics. “Our relationship is mutually beneficial. We gain a deeper understanding of common challenges service providers face. We benefit from being able to understand what the customer is trying to accomplish and deliver solutions to get there as effectively as possible, as well as meet the challenges we see across various industries. Bell benefits by gaining deeper customer insights and by extracting the maximum amount of value from their investments – with their tools and within their network.” And the future? “When it comes to the key trends and technologies, 5G is the big trend. The transition to 5G from 4G LTE is significant and wide reaching. This is not an overnight migration; it requires long-term planning, built-in visibility, and insights into new 5G services to become fully realised. It’s critical that service providers’ existing services remain at optimal performance levels with full visibility at all times, even while the delivery mechanisms for the services are changing. NETSCOUT provides service providers the confidence to innovate with the ability to future proof their next-generation technology with 5G/IoT, Cloud, and beyond.”

BELL INC (CANADA)

“ Network operations and performance, failure detection: all those concepts can be solved with AI/ML” GEORGE ISKENDERIAN

DIRECTOR, BIG DATA & AI BELL INC (CANADA)

BELL CANADA’S KEY PARTNERS

DID YOU KNOW...

Couchbase We were interested in augmenting our data ecosystem with a distributed database that can address a variety of use cases especially for transactional workloads. As we move towards more real time workflows, a data solution supporting fast transactional workloads is critical. Couchbase is successfully providing us the solution for such workloads. Couchbase is now the backend for multiple realtime transactional applications.

NETSCOUT Network performance characterization is a key component of network operations and ultimately understanding customer experience. Netscout is used to support our network operations and understand the impact of network performance on user experience. Elastic We were looking at augmenting our big data ecosystem with an industry leading log/search analytics solution. Log analytics is key for network and service operations by enabling real-time monitoring,

March 2021

troubleshooting and automation actions for log events from network devices and applications. The Elastic stack will provide an integrated and user-friendly framework to ingest and store log data and then perform log analytics at scale. MicroStrategy Microstrategy is one of our initial partners, it is widely used for enterprise grade operational dashboards. A key to using Microstrategy for us is the richness in enterprise features. Cloudera Our core on-premises enterprise grade big data ecosystem is based on Cloudera providing an integrated solution of open source data components augmented with enterprise grade features. Cloudera is used for a variety of use cases spanning network planning, build and operations. Our Cloudera deployment is one of the largest in Canada and since inception in 2016, we’ve executed 1,500 use cases with each use case having concrete quantifiable business benefits.

BELL INC (CANADA)

value using AI/ML, so it’s very failure detections… we are important to the organization. developing an advanced We talked about network expertise in anomaly operations and performance, detection because lots of our failure detection: all those use cases are about network Year Founded concepts can be solved availability and anomalies. with AI/ML. “Historically, when “I’ll give you an example: equipment misbehaved spam filtering. When millions or failed, an alarm was Revenue in 2019 and millions of emails are generated, and the going through some servers, it alarm created would be cost prohibitive for a ticket and then people any decision logic to look at started investigating. But Number of employees that and say ‘this is spam, this in the case of anomaly is not spam’. Machine learning detection, you’re not relying is very well suited to this task because the on those alarms. You notice something algorithm learns based on behaviours, unusual in the traffic pattern and you might based on patterns, what constitutes spam. not know exactly what’s wrong but you know Anomaly detection in general, silent something isn’t right and you can investigate.

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$24bn+ 52,000

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ENABLE 100% BUSINESS UPTIME, GUARANTEED Power customer applications that are always fast and always on. Have questions? Meet with a Couchbase expert.

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Enterprise-class, multi-cloud to edge database with the robust capabilities required for business-critical applications on a highly scalable and available distributed platform. Couchbase is a powerful database platform combining the best of NoSQL systems with the power and familiarity of SQL, to simplify the transition from mainframe and relational databases into the cloud and to the edge.

Dealing with data

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“The Couchbase Server is a sophisticated platform and our flagship product working alongside Couchbase Mobile for our edge offering,” explains Ravi Mayuram, SVP Engineering, CTO. “Our Kubernetes Autonomous Operator orchestrates cluster deployments in a programmable manner. The ambition is to convert a set of data-oriented technologies - for which enterprises previously had to use multiple-point solutions, hence complicating the landscape. We can help them navigate and simplify this data sprawl.” Couchbase converges a suite of NoSQL capabilities across one platform to simplify development and deployment. “The performance caching capability of our database is combined with our SQL-like query language; N1QL offers unparalleled flexibility along with search and analytics stitched together with an eventing system supporting fast transactional workloads,” says Mayuram. “That same data can be transported with equivalent functionality at the edge via our mobile product. Converging multiple technology stacks into a single platform allows application developers to carry out many tasks in one place, thereby accelerating forward development.”

Modernising your stack Couchbase are ideologically aligned with key partners like Bell Canada; both are keen to promote a philosophy of operational data visibility. “Our platform brings data from the edge to near real time in the cloud; from here analytical logic, via AI and ML technologies, can be applied for key insights,” says Mayuram of the capability to use data from anywhere to feed into available intelligence.

Performance at scale “One of the biggest advantages of Couchbase is its performance at scale,” maintains Mayuram. “We are built for the next generation of scaling that will happen. A platform that can withstand the growing demand from a volume and variety of data in a new order of magnitude. Data growth is exponential be it from the edge IoT devices, machines generating data, or spamming and anomaly detection. These are all based on the volume of data that’s actually flowing through in real time - something Couchbase is primed to handle.

www.couchbase.com

BELL INC (CANADA)

DID YOU KNOW...

GEORGE ISKENDERIAN: TACTICS FOR SETTING UP AN AI TEAM Recruit right When it comes to people, recruiting the right people was crucial to our success. I realized I would start with a very small team, and the quality of that team would determine our success. Focus on expertise We don’t want to be mediocre. We want to be the best at what we do, and we don’t want to dilute our knowledge. We don’t want someone to be doing something

else, but then they are doing a bit of data or AI on the side. Be flexible My head count profile will change from needing more engineers and fewer data scientists to the reverse. We don’t have pigeonholing. We don’t have dedicated testers, project managers, analysts. Everyone’s either a data engineer or a data scientist. That’s their core skill but they can occupy various roles, expand and grow professionally.

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BELL INC (CANADA)

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March 2021

BELL INC (CANADA)

“ Some of the ML use cases are not going to move mountains, but they are going to support much better – and faster – insights” GEORGE ISKENDERIAN

DIRECTOR, BIG DATA & AI BELL INC (CANADA)

And then, of course, you can enhance your algorithms. The paradigm is shifting from detecting issues to looking at the bigger picture and understanding why anomalies are happening.” Exterminating robocalls Another application for machine learning in telecoms is identifying robocalling and spam calls. “We’ve deployed an algorithm that detects the likelihood of a call being spam or robocalling. We did a trial and it was very successful. Now the trial is being expanded so that phone calls that go through the Bell network will be exposed to a machine learning algorithm that determines if a call is spam. And there’s lots of business logic to make sure there aren’t false positives. Especially in business critical applications, you can’t have false positives, so your threshold is really high.

“There are use cases that could not be done without ML, and there are lots of those, but there are also lots of use cases where machine learning is just going to be a tool set. They are not going to be making headlines. They are not going to move mountains, but they are going to support much better – and faster – insights. It’s not that sexy, and nobody’s going to make too much of a fuss about it, but the data guys who are creating these solutions will use AI/ ML as a toolset in their arsenal.” “AI is not the goal. It is the means to help us reduce operational costs achieve better customer experience and develop new solutions and services. The goal is always addressing a specific business problem, and the means could be machine learning.”

mobile-magazine.com

TECHNOLOGY

AI & AUTOMATION

IN THE AGE OF COVID -19 AND BEYOND The telecom sector is harnessing the power of AI and automation in order to optimise networks, solve pain points, and deliver new, experience-focused services to their customers. WRITTEN BY: HARRY MENEAR

March 2021

rtificial intelligence (AI) and automation are some of the key drivers of growth in the telecom sector. As enterprises in markets around the world become increasingly reliant on digital communications infrastructure and the cloud, and consumers continue to live and work remotely as the pandemic wears on, AI and automation are valuable tools in the industry’s efforts to deliver both reliable, consistent services, and cutting edge innovation. This month, we’re taking a look at some of the ways in which the telecom sector is harnessing the power of AI and automation in order to optimise networks, solve pain points, and deliver new, experience-focused services to their customers.

TECHNOLOGY

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TECHNOLOGY

“ COVID-19 generated a huge demand for bandwidth and reliable services as large numbers of people started working from home” AZHAR SAYEED

CHIEF TECHNOLOGIST, TELECOMMUNICATION, RED HAT

Keeping up with the global demand surge “COVID-19 generated a huge demand for bandwidth and reliable services as large numbers of people started working from home,” says Azhar Sayeed, chief telecommunication technologist at IBM’s enterprise software subsidiary, Red Hat. “Telecom companies have had to meet changing bandwidth requirements as people adjusted to working, schooling, socialising and consuming digital media remotely in locations not previously considered.” During the past year, Vodafone saw a 50% increase in data usage across Europe, and internet traffic jumped by 25% - 30% worldwide. Handling this huge redistribution and growth in demand has represented a huge challenge for telecoms, at a time when the pandemic has limited the movement of technical personnel and the ongoing mobile-magazine.com

TECHNOLOGY

“ High usage of infrastructure implies more simultaneous online customers resulting in higher support call volumes” AZHAR SAYEED

CHIEF TECHNOLOGIST, TELECOMMUNICATION, RED HAT

5G rollout continues to put a strain on resources. In response, Sayeed explains that telecoms have turned to automation to solve their problems. “Social distancing requirements have meant that telecoms 92

March 2021

companies have in many cases had no choice but to automate the deployment and management of infrastructure for faster rollout,” he says. AI is also helping mobile operators manage new and existing resources in order to cope with shifting demands. Operators are using AI platforms - like Nokia AVA and Aria Networks’ AI-based network optimisation solution - to automatically optimise network quality based on peaks and troughs in traffic across different regions and times. These self-optimising networks are essential at a time when the traditional times and locations for data spikes (during the daytime in densely populated commercial districts) are radically different. The shift towards remote working models during the pandemic has increased demand from rural areas, and massively increased usage during the day in residential areas as

TECHNOLOGY

people work from home and children attend school online. “Uptime of residential networks is no longer a niceto-have but is now mission-critical, as it directly impacts vital outcomes such as student exam scores and healthcare delivery,” adds Sayeed Solving pain points AI in particular is being applied - somewhat overenthusiastically - to just about every problem in the modern enterprise. While it’s important to remember that the technology is a tool, not a silver bullet, the potential for AI to solve pain points in the modern enterprise can’t be understated. In particular, AI and robotic process automation (RPA) are allowing many organisations - particularly in the telecom sector, where repetitive, complex, manual information inputting remains commonplace - to free up elements of their workforce for more strategic roles focused on customer experience and reducing operational cost. In a recent report, analysts at Red Hat’s parent, IBM, noted that, “We’re at a key inflection point, moving from a world of processes run by humans supported by technology, to processes run by technology supported by humans.” Sayeed agrees, highlighting customer touchpoints like technical support, account management and relationship transparency as areas where RPG can both reduce enterprise workload and improve customer experience. “High usage of infrastructure implies more simultaneous online customers resulting in higher support call volumes. Many of these calls don’t require human assistance and, with better data visibility on customers, they can be easily handled via interactive voice response systems (IVR) or web-

THE THREE BEST AI PLATFORMS FOR OPTIMISING YOUR MOBILE NETWORK Nokia AVA In order to seamlessly integrate the multiple layers of technology that comprise a mobile network - something Nokia calls the “telecom tiramisu” - the company’s AI-powered platform, AVA, can automate the process, delivering more reliable service while reducing costs and increasing agility.

Aria Networks With a customer base including some of the world’s largest telecom and internet service companies, Aria Networks uses proprietary AI to offer a holistic, use-case-driven network optimisation platform that reduces OpEx and increases resilience.

Google Vizier Still in development by Google, Vizier is a black-box network optimisation service that helps operators tune hyperparameters in complex machine learning models.

mobile-magazine.com

TECHNOLOGY

“ Uptime of residential networks is no longer a nice-to-have but is now mission-critical, as it directly impacts vital outcomes such as student exam scores and healthcare delivery” AZHAR SAYEED

CHIEF TECHNOLOGIST, TELECOMMUNICATION, RED HAT

March 2021

TECHNOLOGY

based chat bots,” he explains. “Service providers are increasingly investing in these tools and taking advantage of hybrid cloud models to build and scale systems that can provide better customer experience.” Elevating the customer experience For telecoms, customer relationship management is everything. IBM’s research illustrates this trend by noting that “A customer-centric, agile design married with an intelligent automation platform can transform telecom processes, driving more predictable business outcomes, greater productivity improvements, faster order cycles, quicker speed to value and profound cost reduction.” As AI and automation - in tandem with a necessary shift in business strategy towards this more agile, customer-centric mindset - continue to gather steam, Sayeed explains that customers in 2021 and beyond can expect to be met with new, innovative and interactive services, improved ease of use, highly personalised online experiences (particularly relating to gaming), better immersive experiences courtesy of augmented and virtual reality, and will increasingly find that AI is solving their problems before they know they’ve occurred. He reflects that, “such technology solutions are already present in my daily life: a few months back, the thermostat in my home sent me an automated text stating the heating system had failed. This required telemetry from sensors in the house, regulation of the furnace by the thermostat, analytics to determine the number of attempts at firing the furnace and automation of the process through to triggering the notification.” mobile-magazine.com

T – MOBILE US, INC.

March 2021

T – MOBILE US, INC.

ENHANCING CX WITH DIGITAL SUPPLY CHAIN SOLUTIONS

Erik LaValle, Digital Supply Chain Technology Leader, explains how digital transformation has helped T–Mobile find innovative market solutions WRITTEN BY: WILL GIRLING PRODUCED BY: GLEN WHITE

-Mobile’s presence in the US began in 2002 when Deutsche Telekom (its parent company) acquired and rebranded VoiceStream Wireless Corporation. Headquartered in Bellevue, Washington, and currently ranked among the top three largest wireless carriers in the country with over 100 million subscribers, T-Mobile’s dynamic approach to the customer experience is best encapsulated by its ‘un-carrier’ strategy. Officially debuting in 2013, this philosophy saw the company actively seeking to ‘break the rules’ of industry tradition, eliminating everything that has no (or even negative) consequence to the customer, including contracts and international roaming fees. Far from being an approach siloed in a single aspect of T-Mobile’s business, the spirit of imaginative reinvention permeates every core operational element. Erik LaValle, Digital Supply Chain Technology Leader, explains how the company’s cultural agility has enabled it to address challenging supply requirements during COVID-19 and why delivering a superior customer experience is contingent on flexible digital solutions. mobile-magazine.com

Achieve supply chain agility with the experts SCApath is a leader in identifying, designing, and implementing supply chain solutions that enable omnichannel commerce. Our deep expertise connects supply chain strategy with the technology - OMS, WMS, & TMS - required to deliver a seamless, omnichannel customer experience.

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SCApath and T-Mobile: Delivering Omni-Channel Supply Chain Capability Evan McCaig, SCApath President and Managing Principal, explains how it is growing T-Mobile’s digital supply chain platform and supporting its 5G network expansion “We’ve been T-Mobile’s supply chain consulting partner for the last four years, working across multiple supply chain initiatives. The most well-known are the T-Mobile Sprint merger, and T-Mobile 5G network, which is extremely important to the development of IoT and really the supply chain of the future. Our team of supply chain experts have worked hard to deliver a seamless customer experience, so you can go into a T-Mobile store and buy or return Sprint inventory, and vice versa. We’ve also deployed a highly automated multi-channel distribution center solution for all US mobile devices and accessory fulfilment. We’re currently modernizing their 5G supply chain to drive their network nationwide. We’re extremely grateful to have been chosen by the T-Mobile team to optimize their supply chain and support their focus on delivering 5G capability. When I think about our continued partnership with T-Mobile, it’s really about two key strategic elements: supporting their business as they move to a fully digital supply chain platform – from customer experience and enterprise

architecture perspectives – and developing their 5G network supply chain. It’s a perfect example of SCApath’s cross-discipline supply chain expertise, and value of bringing order management, fulfilment and transportation together to build advanced supply chain capability. The IoT, enabled by 5G, will allow more real time track and trace, and increased visibility from the manufacturer to the end customer enabling more agility than ever before. So, T-Mobile, indirectly, is going to be instrumental in supply chain innovation that we’re going to see in the next five to 10 years. In today’s complex supply chain and technology environment, you really must understand the trade-offs between speed, cost, quality and agility. It’s critical you understand those relationships to deliver an omni-channel supply chain capability. The ability to tie together supply chain operations and technology is not only what makes SCApath different but it’s also a necessity for future commerce – and that’s the reason why we’re so bullish and excited about the future.”

T – MOBILE US, INC.

“WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO DO THINGS THAT NO OTHER COMPANY CAN DO ON BEHALF OF OUR CUSTOMERS”

Responsible for first 18 years of his career overseeing an end-toas an industry consultant, end technology solutions which he credits as portfolio across a being highly formative, US$13bn supply chain of “it’s in my nature now more than 8,000 stores to look for those big for the flagship Magenta business challenges, to brand, over 11,500 stores understand what the for the Metro brand, as outcome is intended well as for the buildto be and then to find out of the network itself, the technology needed LaValle and his team to solve that problem.” field the technological Having spent his career ERIK LAVALLE requirements associated primarily in the retail DIGITAL SUPPLY CHAIN with T-Mobile TECHNOLOGY LEADER, T–MOBILE sector, LaValle admits he procurement for was initially unsure why external sales and internal consumption. T-Mobile (a telco) reached out to him. “It was Highly experienced both academically and then that I learned T-Mobile, in addition to professionally in his field, LaValle spent the being a telco, really operates as a retailer for 100

March 2021

T – MOBILE US, INC.

ERIK LAVALLE TITLE: DIGITAL SUPPLY CHAIN TECHNOLOGY LEADER COMPANY: T-MOBILE

the customer experience aspect of obtaining devices and accessories. So much of the customer experience and the brand promise comes from its supply chain, and I was very intrigued.” Complimenting the company’s “great culture”, which gives employees autonomy, fosters learning and always offers fun challenges, LaValle joined in early 2017. Naturally curious and a problem solver, LaValle finds the behind-thescenes complexities of supply chain to be fascinating. Stating that the importance of logistics to enabling T-Mobile’s high-quality customer experience really resonated with him, he adds that the company’s agile attitude has been key to weathering the substantial changes that supply chains have undergone in recent years. “As US businesses began to do more offshore sourcing and

EXECUTIVE BIO

INDUSTRY: TELECOMMUNICATIONS Erik leads Product & Technology for T-Mobile, responsible for the technical solutions as well as the process definition from concept to delivery for device and accessory supply chain, along with procurement, inventory management and distribution and logistics for network supply chain, building out T-Mobile’s 5G network. Erik held similar leadership roles at L Brands and Carter’s OshKosh. He is a former industry consultant, and approaches challenges balancing the business outcome with appropriate technical solve. Erik is known for his innovative approaches with business partners, and for developing seamless teams with his internal teams and delivery partners.

Telco is going hybrid. How can you grow a 5G network that’s reliable and fast? With a smarter hybrid cloud approach. Get the tools, platform and expertise your business needs from IBM. The world is going hybrid with IBM. ibm.com/hybridcloud

IBM and the IBM logo are trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation, registered in many jurisdictions worldwide. Other product and service names might be trademarks of IBM or other companies. A current list of IBM trademarks is available at ibm.com/trademark. ©International Business Machines Corp. 2021. B33993

Delivering the best of IBM Chip Schneider and Glenn Finch from IBM on working with T-Mobile to deliver cognitive process transformation Chip Schneider, partner in IBM Global Business Services (GBS), worked alongside T-Mobile to bring about what he calls a “cognitive process transformation” with data analytics, artificial intelligence and cognitive cloud. IBM was chosen by T-Mobile as their strategic partner to deliver the programs and projects to propel T-Mobile forward with back-office functions like financing in supply chain. IBM has been a partner with Sprint for a number of years so when T-Mobile and Sprint merged last year, it was an opportunity for IBM to showcase their expertise. Schneider is enthused when discussing the working relationship between IBM and T-Mobile, saying there is “always an air of excitement” and “they’re so willing to listen”. “T-Mobile asked us to make the work we do for them ‘palatable and meaningful’,” says Schneider. “That means bringing industry leadership, functional leadership in finance, supply chain customer management, and the technical aspects of hybrid cloud, cognitive and machine learning, data intelligent workflows, and blockchain. We had to make sure it’s not just us talking to them, but us working together with them.” Of course, the benefits of a close, collaborative relationship like this work for both parties, especially when digital transformation is accelerated by a pandemic. “That changed everything,” adds Glenn Finch, Global Leader Big Data & Analytics at IBM.

“2020 was a matter of survival for most companies with a focus on business continuity and cost reduction. So you saw this radical growth in back office transformation, in front office transformation, and then this this unprecedented growth in data. We are a hybrid cloud and AI company. That’s exactly what the market wants right now.” Finch explains how companies were faced with a critical cloud decision and turned to IBM as a trusted, reliable partner. “When clients were having to bet their careers, they bet on us,” says Finch. “When we go into a process and we drive a bunch of AI into it, we’re shrinking cycle time by 80 to 90%, we’re cutting costs by 50 to 60%, and NPS scores are going up by 10 to 20 points. Sometimes clients think that can’t be right as it sounds too good to be true.” Schneider emphasises the importance T-Mobile placed on not only transforming the technology but also empowering individuals. “T-Mobile are hyper focused on ensuring that not only their customers feel the human connection, but also employees,” says Schneider. “And so our job is to take the data – internal and external – and present it back to them and say, ‘Hey, here’s what I found’. It’s really like building a colleague for them to help drive their strategic decisions on their supply chain.” ibm.com/hybridcloud

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ADVERT PAGE GOLD “ DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION HAS BEEN VERY MEANINGFUL TO T-MOBILE” ERIK LAVALLE

DIGITAL SUPPLY CHAIN TECHNOLOGY LEADER, T–MOBILE

supply chains became longer, the need for facilitated communication and a shared understanding of the intended outcomes was very important. As that shift began to happen, then came the emphasis on product development, which, with the proliferation of the internet, placed the emphasis on product development and the creative process.” This also brought technology to 104

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the fore, and in this respect, T-Mobile has undergone a significant transformation. “When I first joined T-Mobile, there was very little in the way of digital solutions. We were a monolithic,” LaValle explains. “That made for a very complex environment that really wasn’t flexible or tailored for our business’ needs.” As such, his first challenge was serializing T-Mobile’s inventory over an 18-month period to develop a digital platform. Having subsequently rolled this out to great success, LaValle calls this the

PARTNERING FOR SUCCESS

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LaValle makes it clear that, in his opinion, who a company chooses to partner with can have a substantial effect on overall success. Aside from the ‘table stakes’ of technical knowledgea, market success and trust, T-Mobile is looking for collaborators who are willing to challenge and elevate the company’s current standards. Complimenting T-Mobile’s “great ecosystem of partners”, he states that relationships developed with IBM, Rimini Street, Insight Global, and SCApath, each of which play different (yet interconnected) roles, have been particularly important:

IBM “IBM is our key partner for operations support, as well as development around our core ERP (enterprise resource planning). The firm fields a very large team, a combination of onshore, nearshore, and offshore professional resources that are helping to advance our operations stance. T-Mobile has a stable performance solution, but with IBM we are really taking it to the next level, moving to a continuous delivery stance, and looking for even more robust performance and stability.”

INSIGHT GLOBAL “Insight Global is a partner that helps us in our digital spaces. It’s been a fantastic partner in terms of sourcing talent for T-Mobile, both in terms of technical skills and business skills. It’s a flexible and responsive company. We have been so pleased with our partnership; the resources

they bring to the table for us are consistent and it’s an integral part of our team.”

SCA PATH “SCApath has become a very trusted advisor. It’s a boutique consulting firm that focuses on distribution, logistics and order management. Using a stable of extremely experienced and pragmatic professionals, SCApath helps us solve some of our most challenging problems by leveraging their deep industry experience in the industry. It’s been transformative in changing our relationship with our business partners."

RIMINI STREET “Rimini Street provides our third-party support for SAP and has been helping us in highly challenging areas to keep SAP performance stable.”

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Together anything is possible. Whether it’s finding the right candidate for a job or seamlessly managing a project end to end, our conviction and commitment to our clients runs deep. No matter what it takes, we’re devoted to fuelling the success of your business.

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Insight Global: a flexible and responsive skills resource Sourcing talent with the technical and business skills to meet the unique demands of thousands of clients across the US Insight Global provides long-term contract, short-term contract, temporary-to-permanent, direct placement, and enhanced staffing services; specialising in Information Technology, Accounting and Finance, Engineering (non-IT), and Government roles. Connecting People “We’re focused on empowering our people and connecting them with the best opportunities; while supporting our customers with staffing and services solutions,” pledges Jessica Calzaretta, the Vice President of Insight’s Global Technology Division. “We support thousands of different customers, spanning every major industry, offering staff augmentation and supply managed services, culture consulting and training ranging from diversity and inclusion to talent optimization. At its core, Insight Global is driven by its consultants who give them purpose, the clients who fuel their drive and the IG family who inspire others every day with their determination, passion and care.” Digital Transformation Providing staffing for their digital transformation, T-Mobile is one of Insight’s largest customers. “We deliver a range of technical resources supporting them across all of their locations in North America,” confirms Calzaretta. “The skill sets we staff for companies like T-Mobile range across high-level technical resources supporting agile transformation efforts; project managers, scrum masters, agile coaches, and everything in between.” Compass In April 2020 Insight Global launched its culture consulting division Compass, responding to the importance of company culture in these difficult times. It was built to help clients get centered on values and align them with their business strategy to create massive trust and connectedness along the way. “Our culture and shared values have been our true north that have grounded and guided every decision we make, especially when focused on meeting the

Jessica Calzaretta of Insight Global everyday challenges of supporting our people and clients during the global pandemic,” says Calzaretta. The demand for a flexible workforce capable of pivoting to meet demand has surged dramatically over the past 12 months prompting Insight Global to launch its Global Healthcare division she explains: “We can now better support those industries and customers with everything from different types of patient care resources and the coordinators and support personnel who can step in and provide help to those in need during this difficult time when the demand for a contingent workforce has increased overnight.” Investing in the Future Allied to its commitment to retaining staff during the pandemic, Insight Global is investing in its employees through training and promotion. “Our shared values are core to who we are as a company,” maintains Calzaretta. Insight Global’s team is 70% female and the company remains committed to making women “amazing leaders”. Its Women’s Leadership Council creates programs and communities to empower and support women throughout their careers; leading the company to be recognized among the Best Workplaces for Women in 2020 by Fortune & Great Place to Work. “We help them bring their perspective to the table,” says Calzaretta. “This informs decisions we make across our business to advance the role of women within our organization.” insightglobal.com

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Erik Lavalle @ T-Mobile

“ I SEE MORE CHANGE AT T-MOBILE IN THE SHORT-TERM. BOTH THE VOLUME AND THE MAGNITUDE OF THESE CHANGES WILL BE SIGNIFICANTLY GREATER THAN I HAVE SEEN IN ANY OTHER INDUSTRY” ERIK LAVALLE

DIGITAL SUPPLY CHAIN TECHNOLOGY LEADER, T–MOBILE

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“founding element” of the company’s digital strategy. “I see more change at T-Mobile in the short-term. Both the volume and the magnitude of these changes will be significantly greater than I have seen in any other industry,” he states. This is a bold statement, particularly in the wake of COVID-19, which has seen many organizations make years of accelerated development in a remarkably condensed period. Yet, he affirms that T-Mobile’s status as the ‘un-carrier’ will always give it an edge over competitors: “We want to be able to do things that no other company can do on behalf of our customers.” This statement gets to the heart of the matter; the customer experience is paramount for T-Mobile and it is willing to invest the time, money and talent required

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to keep it exceptional. Recent events have certainly changed the expectation - from the historically store-focused experience to the digital, web-based experience - but success is ultimately measured the same way: providing the customers with the service they want. “Buy online and pick up in-store, same-day delivery, and special delivery options are all components that are powered mostly by supply chain; it’s really stepping up to be a partner with digital properties and with retail to be the third major component in the overall customer experience.” COVID has pushed forward T-Mobile’s plans in this regard, including buy online/pick up in-store, contactless and curbside delivery, and sameday delivery. “Customers can now have options to get their product where, when and how they want to get it,” he summarizes.

With such a decisive stance on the issue, LaValle makes it clear that pre-existing solutions are often not enough to realize T-Mobile’s vision. Instead, the company opts for in-house business process design to bring specificity and relevance to its customers. “Digital transformation enables that flexibility and ability to achieve exactly what the business is looking for, instead of something that comes pre-configured from a partner vendor.” T-Mobile considers its supply chain solutions to be truly meaningful, an attitude that is integral to producing optimal outcomes. Creating a bespoke solution might be more challenging than selecting a ready-made option, but by forging strong partnerships and “sitting at the table” from the earliest inception of new initiatives, LaValle says that his team is mobile-magazine.com

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“ IT’S IN MY NATURE NOW TO LOOK FOR THOSE BIG BUSINESS CHALLENGES, TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE OUTCOME IS INTENDED TO BE AND THEN TO FIND THE TECHNOLOGY NEEDED TO SOLVE THAT PROBLEM” T-Mobile’s quest for a better customer ERIK LAVALLE

DIGITAL SUPPLY CHAIN TECHNOLOGY LEADER, T–MOBILE

able to gain a deep understanding of desired business outcomes that helps to define product options. At the beginning of 2020, no-one at T-Mobile could have predicted the sweeping changes that have affected national and international supply chains. With the March lockdown soon followed by the completion of the company’s merger with Sprint Corporation in April, LaValle says that the added challenge of integrating two separate supply chains into a single ecosystem has been difficult, although nothing has impeded

experience. “Going into 2021, I think there are three things we’re going to focus on: internal transformation to become a more unified company, transformation around our customer experience, and finally our ongoing digital evolution,” he summarizes. The usual pressures of meeting expectations and delivering value will remain, but new technology such as T-Mobile’s rapidly expanding 5G network will play an essential role in realizing its ambition. “Digital transformation has been very meaningful to T-Mobile. My encouragement to anyone would be to pick one of your most challenging areas and just get started.”

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THE CHANGING ROLE OF DATA ANALYTICS Telecom data is evolving into an increasingly essential tool for supporting customer experience, driving operational excellence and creating more transparency than ever before. WRITTEN BY: HARRY MENEAR

ver the week leading up to Christmas, data published by the Irish Examiner and collected by Three Ireland revealed that more than 48% of people in Ireland traveled more than 10km away from their homes. The figure betrays an alarming trend, as each successive wave of COVID-19 infections corresponds to an increasing number of people displaying a willingness to travel. By contrast, during the first lockdown in March and April of 2020, the number of

people in Ireland who stayed within 10km of their houses was 77%, falling to 63% during the November outbreak. The information used to track people’s movements across the world during the COVID-19 pandemic has largely come from telecoms, who have seen their anonymised user data not only become an increasingly powerful tool in contact tracing and managing cases during the pandemic, but also evolve into an increasingly essential tool for supporting customer experience, driving operational excellence and create more transparency than ever before. Data, data, data… The role of data analytics has changed dramatically over the past few years. “The steady shift in focus from a network and service-centric mindset to value creation and experience-oriented competitive strategies rapidly redefined data as an untapped strategic asset. A new data-driven competitive landscape subsequently emerged,” explains Damion Rose, a senior project manager in the mobile signaling and roaming solutions division of Belgian mobile network operator (MNO) BICS. “Today’s telcos try to capture, measure and analyse everything, especially when it comes to customer data.”

“ Value creation and experienceoriented competitive strategies rapidly redefined data as an untapped strategic asset” DAMION ROSE

SENIOR PRODUCT MANAGER, MOBILE SIGNALING & ROAMING SOLUTIONS, BICS

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IOT

“Today’s telcos try to capture, measure and analyse everything, especially when it comes to customer data” DAMION ROSE

SENIOR PRODUCT MANAGER, MOBILE SIGNALING & ROAMING SOLUTIONS, BICS

Rose continues, explaining that historically siloed methods of storing data lead to its value being directly linked to a particular mission-critical process or platform. Data that wasn’t being immediately used was often lost or ignored, largely due to the complexity and cost of storing it. As a result, it’s only been in the past few years that the true potential of the vast amounts of data

that MNOs gather on an hourly basis has begun to be appreciated and understood. Natasha Beegan, a business specialist with a focus on the intersection of ICT with government and private enterprise at Three Ireland, explains that “there has been a massive shift. Data has become the most expensive and most sought-after commodity in society today.” Asking (and answering) the Right Questions Crunching the kinds of data sets that telecoms collect on a daily basis is, Rose explains, a matter of asking the right questions. “Understanding what’s generating the data is an important starting point. Is it the network or is it the subscriber? Is it IoT or is it human?” Then, once the data’s origin is understood, different types of analytics can be used to answer different questions. mobile-magazine.com

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“We can ask descriptive questions, like customers have baked into their own ‘what happened?’; diagnostic questions like experience rises dramatically. Rose, who ‘why did it happen?’; predictive questions works primarily on delivering BIC’s roaming like ‘what will happen in the future?’; and services, notes that, “More and more telcos prescriptive questions about which actions are now focused on delivering more personal we should take.” Rose stresses experiences, tailored to that telecoms with the the needs and demands ability to ask and answer of the roamer, to generate these questions have a revenue from valuehuge advantage when it added services.” He comes to understanding adds that MNOs can their networks and driving proactively monitor their operational excellence customers’ quality of within them. “For example, service in order to identify new pricing strategies may and solve potential be developed based on issues before they arise, observed usage patterns. but notes that this sort Network resources (such of experience is usually as bandwidth, power, “reserved for enterprises NATASHA BEEGAN frequency) could be and high-value roamers.” BUSINESS SPECIALIST (ICT-GOVERNMENT/ENTERPRISE), reallocated in real time based From an enterprise and THREE IRELAND on demand. Operators can government perspective, minimise revenue leakage using anonymised reduction by identifying misconfigurations customer data has huge potential to in their networks,” he explains. generate insights that support smart Once operators have this new level of city planning. Population and movement visibility, the level of customisation that data can help local governments monitor the condition of streetlights, scheduling predictive maintenance and automatic dimming during non-peak hours. Beegan also notes that the data gathered by telecoms also has the potential to impact the efficiency of traffic light networks, air quality monitoring, trash collection, and a number of other applications designed to make urban life more comfortable and sustainable.

“Data has become the most expensive and most Title of the video sought-after commodity in society today”

Natasha Beegan TITLE: BUSINESS SPECIALIST DEPT: ICT - GOVERNMENT/ENTERPRISE COMPANY: THREE LOCATION: IRELAND 116

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Keeping people - and their identities - safe One of the major concerns with the growing role of personal data by government organisations and corporations is how to ensure it remains anonymised. Three Ireland, which provided the information used to track

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SK Telecom - Fighting COVID-19 with Big Data South Korea has had one of the more successful responses to the Coronavirus crisis, managing to keep the number of new cases below 1,000 per day for the majority of the pandemic (with the exception of a third wave in December, where new cases briefly climbed as high as 1,227). The fact that the Korean government has managed the pandemic so successfully, while also avoiding the complete lockdown of the economy, is a testament to how powerful anonymised telecom data can be used (in conjunction with mandatory mask wearing and a number of other initiatives) to track and contain the virus’ spread.

SK Telecom, one of the country’s three main mobile operators, operates Geovision, the largest big data and spatial data analytics service in Korea. The platform uses communication data bounced between mobile phones and base stations to generate insights into trade area analysis and demographic statistics. The technology has been used throughout the pandemic to track people’s movements in the wake of cluster outbreaks. “Big data can be used for social good in times of crisis,” said Chang Hong-sung, VP and head of SK Telecom’s Advertising and Data Business Division in a recent interview.

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“ The primary privacy concern with any anonymised data is ensuring that it stays anonymised” NATASHA BEEGAN

BUSINESS SPECIALIST (ICT-GOVERNMENT/ENTERPRISE), THREE IRELAND

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people’s movements during each of the country’s lockdowns, sells huge amounts of anonymised user data to research institutions and private companies. Three has a 35% market share of Ireland’s telecom sector but, through the company’s “all you can eat” data packages, manages to account for two thirds of the country’s mobile data - a figure that Beegan points out has grown even further in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. “We collect, aggregate and anonymise that data, which we then sell back to companies,” she explains. Journey analytics in particular - which are also largely used to power the analytics needs of tourism organisations - have become a powerful tool during the pandemic. The data, Beegan explains, “provides Covid-19 response agencies, such as NPHET and IEMAG, with key insights into which electoral districts are adhering to lockdown measures, along with how the movement patterns have changed over a given time period. All the data shared is based on movement of anonymised Three Ireland subscribers and weighted to extrapolate up to Irish population figures.” The sale and use of population data has become both a huge source of revenue and controversy for telecoms over the past decade, and Beegan stresses that maintaining customer anonymity is a top priority for Three. “The primary privacy concern with any anonymised data is ensuring that it stays anonymised,” she says. “Telcos have always been subject to strict privacy rules, but since the arrival of GDPR there has been a definite increase in awareness by customers and industry of the issues around privacy and Data Protection. Customers expect big data processing to be done in a way that respects their rights.” mobile-magazine.com

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NTT: Supporting a new generation of SAP capability in the cloud How NTT’s SAP capabilities on Azure can provide a trusted path for enterpriseready innovation in the cloud

WRITTEN BY: DAN BRIGHTMORE PRODUCED BY: CRAIG KILLINGBACK

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NTT Ltd. is helping its customers bring the intelligence, agility and security of Azure to their SAP applications. Kirk Compton, Vice President of Cloud & Enterprise Application Management Services for NTT Ltd. in the Americas, explains how NTT is partnering with Microsoft and SAP on a global scale working towards automation and standardization to help solve operations challenges. “When our customers are looking to move their workloads to the Azure platform, we've got the data center space, the network, and the people who can enable them to successfully migrate to a cloud strategy.” That partnership has matured over the past year. In December 2020 NTT announced a broader alliance with SAP around global supply chain and sustainability which will see the two working together to help develop the next generation of solutions for enterprise customers. Along with a partnership with Microsoft, announced in 2019 to develop global initiatives with Azure, the three companies are now in a unique position to offer solutions that draw on a collective synergy.

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“ We’re able to remove the barriers to cloud adoption and help our customers modernize SAP architecture to optimize processes and increase productivity.” Kirk Compton

Vice President Cloud & Enterprise Application Managed Services, Sales, Americas, NTT Ltd.

Automation & Standardization For many organizations the SAP environment is a behemoth; a core application for business operations. It touches most business units and is critical to financial transactions, supply chains, HR, payroll and more. So, when customers are thinking about moving to the cloud the key considerations will always be time and cost.

“If I'm a CIO and I want to figure out what it's going to take to get me into the cloud environment. I've got to dedicate members of my team to analysing that proposition just to figure out my strategy; and that can be very expensive,” reasons Compton. “At NTT we’ve partnered with Microsoft and developed a micro-site with an assessment tool that allows customers to build that picture for free; they don’t need to hire us to make that assessment. What does their SAP environment look like? What applications do they have? What is the size of the environment? And through that intake, we're able to provide a report providing that picture and how long it might take to migrate these environments; and perhaps most importantly, what the estimated cost would look like. What is your business going to be like in the cloud environment? Is it truly a cost saving? Where is the ROI?” This assessment strategy is all about the automation and standardization of new

DP NTT Kirk Compton

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Migrating SAP to Azure cloud – the big business benefits • Optimize cost efficiencies Move from CapEx to OpEx, and drive down costs through pay as you go pricing models for both managed services and cloud consumption. • The agility to prepare for the future Imagine having an IT infrastructure that can flex with seasonal business requirements and achieve greater agility with Azure Virtual Machines. • Scale while reducing risk Safeguard your SAP platform against unforeseen events with our cutting-edge, proven technology. High availability options are simple when your ERP system is hosted on Azure.

• Gain valuable business intelligence Accelerate innovation with actionable data on your SAP systems to improve your decision making. • Empower your business to do more, on a global scale Enterprises have been fast to adopt cloud for non-critical applications but maybe nervous about migrating mission-critical SAP applications. Azure cloud is about speed, automation, scalability, time-tovalue, and innovation. Today, the cloud becomes more than just a deployment option, it becomes an enabler of expanded capabilities.

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NetApp: Agile and secure data handling Enabling visibility over performance, future proofed stability for upgrades and enhanced data management by Dan Brightmore

NetApp drives digital transformation for organisations migrating their data and SAP workloads to the cloud. You can trust the storage specialists to deliver business continuity, whether that’s in a private on-prem data center or in a public cloud with Azure, with a unified view. Data transformation “We’re on this journey with our customers when one of the key things they need is consistency,” explains Michael Zakariudakis, Business Development Manager for the SAP Alliance at NetApp. “They need guaranteed flexibility to scale up and down as required, and with our NetApp Cloud Volumes ONTAP solution we enable a seamless data transformation experience for them.” Secure speed of change When it comes to speed of execution, NetApp works with NTT to ensure their joint customers have the agility and visibility to execute change when their business needs to innovate. “When they need to act rapidly in a continually shifting market, we’re there for them,” assures Zakariudakis. “We make sure we can affect a total cost of ownership that considers operational change, business process change, and not just technology. Jointly with NTT, we provide the ability to transform their SAP application architecture securely.” Future-proofed data stability Dealing with numerous landscape refreshes there are many iterations to navigate during a business transformation. “We can help our customers invest in the capacity and the performance they need at any point in time on their journey,” maintains Zakariudakis. “Over-investment in a certain capacity, performance, tier, or stack can happen, and businesses find themselves locked in when faced with critical decisions. How can they move on with this transition? We help them invest in the right capacity performance at that key point in time.”

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strategic partners, help our customers reach their targets as quickly as possible so they can modernize SAP architecture to optimize processes and increase productivity.” Following on from the assessment process, NTT runs workshops fuelled by a design thinking methodology to make sure business and IT are aligned on a strategy with the right priorities to move forward. Business Intelligence Moving your enterprise environment to S/4HANA provides the ability to get access to your data faster with the accumulation of good data strategies one of the great benefits. Moving to that environment in the cloud allows businesses to take advantage of other Microsoft components and analytics solutions. “There’s a significant amount of collaboration going on between the companies with the Microsoft Azure IOT hub and the SAP Leonardo solutions suite helping customers navigate the IOT space,” notes Compton. “It's amazing to see how artificial intelligence and machine learning are really starting to become operational in nature for our customers. Alongside this, at NTT, we’re also developing our smart solutions evident solutions, reducing impact and cost for customers to be able to get to the cloud more efficiently with limited business disruption – a key component to these upgrades. “Downtime is something most companies don’t have the opportunity to factor in,” adds Compton. NTT uses its S Discover tool that goes out across the network analysing every application and data point coming into a company’s SAP environment. “With our assessment we’re able to remove the barriers to cloud adoption and, with the support of our 126

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“ NetApp’s toolsets and capabilities help our clients get visibility into their performance and where their data is being secured and stored.” Kirk Compton

Vice President Cloud & Enterprise Application Managed Services, Sales, Americas, NTT Ltd.

NTT LTD.

1952

Year NTT founded

USD11bn NTT Ltd. global revenue

40,000

Number of NTT Ltd. employees globally

in our work with the Las Vegas smart city project, the Tour de France and the IndyCar Series. We’re providing a lot of the live data analytics being used by sports broadcasters which shows how our collaboration with SAP on Azure provides speedy results.” Partner smart to prepare your business for 2027 and beyond… With mainstream support for the SAP ECC platform ending in 2025, and all core SAP products set to be optimized for the SAP HANA database, now is the time to consider transforming your SAP platform into an agile and flexible one that will remove complexities, improve efficiencies and drive your organization’s success for years to come. NTT believes Microsoft Azure is the ideal platform to support that migration and open up a world of new opportunities driven by continued innovation and business intelligence. NetApp is a key strategic partner supporting these migration efforts. “The way they manage file systems for data, means that when businesses make that move to the Azure platform they can specifically call out their storage strategy,” explains Compton. “NetApp’s toolsets and capabilities really help

Executive Profile:

Kirk Compton Title: VP Cloud & Enterprise Application Managed Services, Sales, Americas, NTT Ltd. Industry: Information Technology & Services Kirk Compton has a proven track record of continued success in delivering growth in global and regional leadership roles. A market leader in client focused solution development, delivery and management, Compton drives enterprise growth by aligning corporate strategy ahead of market conditions and ever-changing technology solutions. He has held expansive roles at NTT Ltd. providing global, regional, and vertical leadership across multiple technology platforms – including ERP, hyperscalers, private cloud and most recently Smart solutions.

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Reacting to a Covid-19 world “The big trend we’ve seen during the global pandemic is consolidation,” explains Compton. “With the work from home/work from anywhere methodology many organizations are looking to reduce their real estate spend on everything from office space to data centers. Moving a data center from a physical location that you're paying for to a cloud environment, that could be consumption-based, can help companies transition through the current challenges. As you migrate workloads, being able to spin up and spin down environments, to be able to do projects on demand without having to acquire infrastructure, without having to acquire a network, are part of that transformational

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experience for customers. How do I transform faster?” “Allied to the push towards consolidation, the other big trend we’re seeing at NTT is organisations facing up to their staffing challenges and the need to up-skill,” reveals Compton. “SAP has produced a few reports over the last two years around the lack of skills in S/4HANA trained individuals due to cost constraints and budgeting. But that's really where our sweet spot is at NTT. We have the right skills, capabilities, and partnerships to be able to provide strategic solutions using a shared service model that’s becoming more and more attractive in the current climate.”

NTT LTD.

NTT Ltd.’s Managed Services client testimonial video

our clients get not only the visibility into their performance and where their data is being secured and stored, but as SAP matures, as the environments move forward, we've also got the NetApp capability to futureproof stability for our clients to handle upgrades and caching while managing the data that goes along with that. All of this makes it a really critical component.” Intel have also been investing in strategic partnerships with both NetApp and Microsoft for a number of years. “Using their IP, we’re utilising capabilities that have influenced our drive for automation and standardization,” reveals Compton. “It's the only way we can help customers reduce cost – that cost comes in many different areas across the decisionmaking process. Partnering with Microsoft to do the assessment, whether that's the actual performance of the environment or the

standardization of moving your environment to the Azure cloud, using the tools from NetApp and Intel are huge drivers for our customers.” Certifications, Compliance & Security Setting up a network infrastructure with a strong foundation on Azure in NTT’s

“ Using Intel’s IP we’re utilising capabilities that influence our drive for automation and standardisation.” Kirk Compton

Vice President Cloud & Enterprise Application Managed Services, Sales, Americas, NTT Ltd.

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*Compared to previous generation hardware. For more complete information about performance and benchmark results, visit www.intel.com/benchmarks

THE COLLABORATIVE POWER OF THE ECOSYSTEM DELIVERING SUCCESS As an industry leader with the purpose to create worldchanging technology that enriches the lives of every person on earth, Intel has been and is at the forefront of technology growth and development, catering for all business solution needs. Through a broad ecosystem, Intel is focused on delivering an end-to-end data portfolio that stretches from the edge to the cloud, powered by artificial intelligence all while being more secure. All of this is enabled and achieved through the strong collaboration of the ecosystem mentioned. An often overlooked though integral part of the ecosystem is the Service Integrators (SI), also known as Solution Integrators, like NTT Limited, who have a global alliance with Intel, where together they solve difficult challenges and deliver business outcomes. The role of said Service / Solution Integrators is to influence IT decisions, recommend on the architectural designs and deployment across on-premise and cloud, and ultimately deliver complete end-to-end hardware and software solutions together with the broader ecosystem of OEM & ISV partners like SAP and Cisco. With enterprises embracing artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and big data analytics, the solutions are required to access and handle large data sets faster, which can be addressed by Intel® Optane™ Persistent Memory (PMem) which removes I/O bottlenecks to maximize CPU utilization. Intel & SAP have collaborated to bring Intel® Optane™ Persistent Memory support to SAP HANA and Intel and the OEMs, like Cisco, have collaborated on system designs that support Intel® Optane™ Persistent Memory modules allowing for a variety of configurations to suit all customer needs. Intel and NTT Limited have collaborated for a number

of years, designing solutions that meet customer needs in industries such as enterprise, manufacturing, agriculture, automotive, financial, and more all around the world, with great success being realized when forces are combined with the greater ecosystem. It is through insights gained while working through these relationships that Intel is able to create technologies like Intel® Software Guard Extensions (SGX). SGX enhances the last part of the data journey by securing data-in-use, enabling for example AI workloads to be performed on otherwise untapped data sources. In fact, 2nd Gen Intel® Xeon® Scalable Processors are the only mainstream data center CPU with built-in AI acceleration enabling organizations to deploy highly performant applications without using complex and expensive new hardware. By collaborating with Intel, along with Service / System Integrators like NTT Limited and the technology ecosystem clients can feel comfortable in the knowledge that their business challenges can be addressed, delivering the best possible outcomes.

THIS IS YOUR DATA ON INTEL Intel technologies may require enabled hardware, software or service activation. No product or component can be absolutely secure. Your costs and results may vary. © Intel Corporation. Intel, the Intel logo, and other Intel marks are trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries. Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others.

NTT LTD.

“ We have the vertical expertise across the globe to manage SAP environments for our customers and help them implement systems, automate their environments, deliver on business outcome strategies, examine the different vertical solutions they want to run and operate new revenue channels.” Kirk Compton

Vice President Cloud & Enterprise Application Managed Services, Sales, Americas, NTT Ltd.

data centers allows the company to stack up from an applications perspective with industry leading certifications, compliance and security. “We're Azure experts,” says Compton. “We've got the highest level of certifications from an SAP perspective. Every year, SAP audits our operations and our data centers to make sure we stay at the highest level of compliancy for SAP environments. We’re really proud of the fact that for the past couple years, we've been the highest rated partner in the SAP ecosystem for these certifications with the highest level of security.” Compton maintains that the process of optimizing an environment makes it even more important to ensure data is secure, optimal, being backed up and stored properly to perform at the highest level. “We have the vertical expertise across the globe to manage SAP environments for our customers and help them implement systems, automate their environments, deliver on business outcome strategies, examine the different vertical 132

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solutions they want to run and operate new revenue channels. But in the end, the real differentiator is that we have the best SAP people working for our customers.” Time to transform The speed of business transformation, as witnessed in 2020, is changing. Legacy SAP solutions aren’t capable of meeting today’s

NTT LTD.

business challenges. Meanwhile, the public cloud is past the tipping point of enterprise adoption. NTT are making it possible to run your business better with SAP applications, and their data, in the Azure global hyperscale cloud. “To succeed in today’s disruptive environment, it’s time to be decisive and start planning the move of your SAP systems to Azure,” affirms Compton. “By marrying your

SAP data to other data on Azure’s agile cloud platform, you’ll be able to use end-to-end, realtime insights to quickly enter new markets, fend off the competition, improve your margins, and grow your business.” So why wait? There’s never been a better time to migrate.

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GLOBAL SMARTPHONE BRANDS Mobile Magazine’s breakdown of the Top 10 smartphone brands as we enter 2021

his year promises to be a return to form for the market, with sales expected to rise 9% over the next 12 months. However, the smartphone market in 2021 may look very different to the prepandemic world. Huge work from home and online learning initiatives have made smartphones essential pieces of technology in countries like India, which previously had much higher rates of feature phone ownership. At the same time, 5G handsets are breaking into the mid-range and budget price points at an accelerated rate, and growing concerns over sustainability have led to shifts in consumer behaviour and legislation in Europe. With 2021 set to be a defining year for the mobile device industry, Mobile Magazine brings you its Top 10 list of the world’s best smartphone brands.

WRITTEN BY: HARRY MENEAR

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Nokia 8.3 5G

Nokia

HQ: Espoo, Finland CEO: Pekka Lundmark Finnish smartphone, tele communications and consumer electronics brand Nokia has had something of a resurgence in the past few years. Originally founded as a paper pulp mill in the latter half of the 19th century, Nokia is the world’s oldest mobile phoneaffiliated brand in the world, with its early handsets famed for their durability. As smartphones rose to prominence in the 2000s, Nokia’s phone manufacturing arm struggled to remain profitable. The brand was sold, first to Microsoft in 2014, and then to HMD Global two years later. Today, Nokia Phones are pitched at the mid-range and budget price point, and their smart devices still struggle to match the bang for your buck provided by their Chinese competitors. However, Nokia does hold a special place in the market as the manufacturer of some of the best feature phones money can buy.

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LG Wing

09 LG

HQ: Seoul, South Korea CEO: Koo Kwang-mo South Korea’s second-largest electronics manufacturer makes up for its role as Samsung’s little sibling with a refreshing commitment to wacky antics. The Seoul-based company has seen its market share shrink over the past few years, as it struggled to find a home for its somewhat outlandish designs. However, the wind may be starting to change for LG, which saw a decent amount of success with its 2020 launch of the striking, duelswivel-screened LG Wing last year. Coupled with a simultaneous emphasis on some more pedestrian mi-range devices, the company may have found its step by offering solid budget phones and offering some seriously differentiated designs in the flagship range.

TOP TEN

FLAGSHIP DEVICE

Motorola Razr Gen 2

“Both offer excellent flagship-quality phones at mid-range prices.”

Motorola

HQ: Chicago, Illinois CEO: Greg Brown Much like Nokia, Motorola is an ex-titan of the industry clawing its way back from harder times. The US-based firm remains wellknown for its iconic 2000’s-era Razr flip phone. Continuing with the similarities to Nokia, Motorola now focuses on mid-range smartphones that don’t really stand up to direct comparison with Chinese-made flagship-killers. However, where the firms differ is, where Nokia has turned backwards, carefully leaning on a legacy of excellent feature phones, Motorola has dragged its own past into the present. The new (ish) Motorola Razr folding phone has been a massive success in the premium space, and is one of the few devices to compete directly with Samsung’s dominant position in the foldable handset space. The second generation of the Razr dropped in January, and features a refined design, 5G and an expanded roster of features.

FLAGSHIP DEVICES

Oppo Find X2 Pro / Vivo X50 Pro

Oppo and Vivo

HQ: Dongguan, China CEO: Tony Chen (Oppo) and Shen Wei (Vivo) Three of China’s biggest smartphone brands exist under the umbrella of a company most people outside the country have probably never heard of. Founded in 1998 and headquartered in Guangzhou, BBK Electronics oversees a massive cadre of electronics brands, including Vivo, Oppo, OnePlus, Realme and iQOO. Oppo and Vivo are two of the country’s best-selling mid-range brands, together holding a more than 16% share in the global smartphone market in 2020. Of the two, Oppo’s devices are the slightly more premium offering, with arguably better cameras (although Vivo has made some impressive advances with high-megapixel, gimbalmounted lenses recently), and both offer excellent flagship-quality phones at mid-range prices. mobile-magazine.com

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Between hope and possible there’s a bridge.

There from the beginning to where we stand today. And to where we will go from here. One company. One promise. If you can imagine it, we will build the bridge to get you there.

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Realme 5 Pro

Realme

HQ: Shenzhen, China CEO: Sky Li The youngest major smartphone brand in the world, Realme is also a subsidiary of BBK Electronics. The startup, which was founded by an ex vice president at Oppo, Sky Li, exploded onto the scene over the past two years, growing 157% between Q1 2019 and Q1 2020. Realme also broke the world record for shortest amount of time taken to sell 50mn phones, a threshold it crossed in November of last year. While it remains one of the smaller global players on this list, Realme has some of the strongest momentum in the industry, even in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Huawei P40 Pro

Huawei

HQ: Shenzhen, China CEO: Ren Zengfei After briefly capturing the top spot for smartphone sales at the outset of the pandemic, Chinese tech giant Huawei once again fell on hard times. Continually battered by sanctions in the US, UK and Europe, the company was forced to sell off its budget smartphone brand, Honor, in November. Despite its issues, the company managed to end 2020 as the world’s thirdbiggest supplier of smartphones, with decent momentum towards increasing production of its own semiconductors, and a promising selection of in-house alternatives to Google’s Android apps in the works. However, with Honor operating as an independent firm, and continued sanctions forcing the company to pivot in the direction of the domestic market, 5G infrastructure and managed services, TrendForce expects Huawei to drop out of the global top six this year.

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OnePlus 9

HQ: Shenzhen, China CEO: Pete Lau Founded in 2013, OnePlus is the big sibling of Vivo, Oppo and Realme, and has had the most success of any Chinese smartphone brand when it comes to capturing a share of the US market. The OnePlus 8 took home T3’s award for best phone of 2020 last year and - if the upcoming OnePlus 9 manages to successfully build on its design with additional features like a larger screen, a Snapdragon 888 chipset and an expanded camera array, it could be a truly excellent flagship device at slightly lower than a flagship price point.

“ OnePlus has had the most success of any Chinese smartphone brand when it comes to capturing a share of the US market” March 2021

Google Pixel 5

(coming soon)

OnePlus

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Google Pixel

HQ: Mountain View, California CEO: Sundar Pichai Despite being the undisputed king of software, Google’s relationship with hardware - particularly phones has always been somewhat fraught. That is, until the past year. In 2020, Google really hit its stride with its mid-range and budget Pixel and Pixel Xa series. Providing some of the best native Android functionality on the market, with good design quality and performance at an acceptable price, the Google Pixel 4a was undoubtedly one of the better cheap phones of last year. The next generation flagship, the Pixel 5, hit the market in January, and promises to lean even further into a lower price tag with a slightly weaker processor. Google’s phones also have a typically smaller screen size than most modern smartphones, which has been a popular choice with some consumers fed up with handsets which can be easily mistaken for a tablet.

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“ A fashion label that sells phones”

Apple

HQ: Cupertino, California CEO: Tim Cook

In the face of a pandemic which shut people inside their houses and largely shut down the global economy, you might expect a company once described as “a fashion label that sells phones” to have suffered as a result of its luxury identity. Oddly, Apple completely defied those expectations. The company’s first “budget” handset, the iPhone SE, was a huge success, and the iPhone 11 comfortably clinched the top slot of device sales in the first half of 2020. The iPhone 12 and is Mini sibling, which launched in early Autumn, have also been wellreceived, despite some valid queries about whether their 5G capabilities justify the hype.

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Apple iPhone 12 Pro

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Women in Technology Technology Magazine is proud to launch a celebration of women in Global Technology. With a foreword by our very own COO, Stacy Norman, Technology Magazine brings you the Top 100 Women in Technology as nominated by you!

Brought to you in association with:

A BizClik Media Group Brand

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Creating Digital Communities in Technology

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Galaxy S21 Ultra : Official TVC | Samsung

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“ Samsung is set to use 2021 to continue cementing its dominance as the world’s leading smartphone brand” Samsung

HQ: Seoul, South Korea CEO: Kim Ki Nam As the world’s biggest electronics company, Samsung’s star continued to rise last year - a trend that certainly wasn’t hurt by Huawei’s fall from grace. The Seoul-based smartphone (as well as just about any other electronic device, house, financial service, or other product you can conceive of) company recorded the highest sales of devices in the world in 2020, especially regarding 5G. The Samsung Galaxy S20+ 5G was the best-selling 5G device by revenue for the first half of 2020, and the Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G was second - together accounting for almost 17% of global 5G device revenue. With a nsew Galaxy - and range of other products - one the market since January, Samsung is set to use 2021 to continue cementing its dominance as the world’s leading smartphone brand.

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Samsung Galaxy S21 mobile-magazine.com

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THE LEADING LIGHT

IN SECURE CONNECTIVITY How the Lumen platform is driving the 4th Industrial Revolution with services supporting network infrastructure, cloud edge and collaboration. WRITTEN BY: DAN BRIGHTMORE PRODUCED BY: CRAIG KILLINGBACK

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umen delivers the fastest, most secure platform for next-gen business applications and data. Its platform integrates extensive network infrastructure, cloud connectivity, edge computing, connected security, voice, collaboration and enterprise-class services into an advanced application architecture. The 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR) is here, and it’s changing the way companies use technology. Lumen is one of the leading lights driving that change. With a move away from private data centres and the push towards the cloud, Lumen is supporting its customers with their latency-sensitive day-to-day applications for everything from automation and robotics, to AI and self-driving cars. “Our customers told us they needed connectivity closer to where their applications are consumed,” explains Lumen’s Vice President for Global Security Services, Christopher Smith. “To do this, we repurposed many of the central offices we previously established for legacy voice

COMPANY NAME

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LUMEN

Lumen Technologies: Andrew Dugan, CTO

systems (made largely redundant by the rise of smartphones) and turned them into mini cloud data centres. The industry is calling that the cloud edge, and it’s the next natural trend for the application experience.” Network Integrated Security “Security plays a huge part in the move from private, on-premises to public cloud,” explains Smith. “Security is a crowded

space,” he says. “Everyone’s got their unique approach on how to make things more secure; and, in some cases, how to scare people into feeling insecure. Lumen’s goal is simply to create threatfree traffic for its customers. “The way most security works, you either put a perimeter at the edge of your data centre or cloud, or you're doing something on the server to watch for bad behaviour,” says Smith. “With

“ My mantra is that security is not something separate from the things we sell, but we build it into the things that customers are buying from us.” CHRISTOPHER SMITH,

VICE PRESIDENT, GLOBAL SECURITY SERVICES, LUMEN

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LUMEN

CHRISTOPHER SMITH TITLE: VICE PRESIDENT, GLOBAL SECURITY SERVICES COMPANY: LUMEN INDUSTRY: TECHNOLOGY LOCATION: LOUISIANA, USA

Black Lotus Labs Lumen also has an in-house threat intelligence team branded Black Lotus Labs®. Tasked with watching the network for anomalies, they’re on the lookout for malware, C2s and anything that leaves a footprint on the network. “I think of our team as weather forecasters,” explains Smith. “If you were living in Florida and were worried about a hurricane, you could turn on the news and get updates days before it hit. That’s what our threat intel team does. They see those threats before they impact our customers, and we can act on that. The most egregious threats we can take right off the network; we are able to blackhole them so they can never touch our customers. We also work with law enforcement to help them prosecute the worst offenders of malware and C2s. Allied to this, we build capabilities into our

EXECUTIVE BIO

Lumen being the largest public peered IP network on the planet, we have visibility to threats on the network before they even breach a customer's infrastructure.”

Christopher Smith consistently creates world-class product experiences through solid product management practices. His ability to identify and solve his customers’ business problems stems from more than 20 years of experience developing and managing technology products and applications for the Enterprise market. Chris currently serves as Lumen’s Vice President of Global Security Services. In this capacity, he oversees the Connected Security pillar of the Lumen platform. This includes investment oversight, and product and revenue management for the global security-product portfolio. Prior to joining Lumen through the Level 3 acquisition of CenturyLink, Chris was Vice President of Product Management, responsible for enterprise voice solutions and the global data center portfolio. He also served as a director in the CTO office at Global Crossing, where he was responsible for setting and incubating technology direction, and developing and managing the suite of SIP Trunking services.Chris’s work for Lumen is just a side gig, however. For his real job, Chris plays guitar in a band, and he intends to resume playing live shows post-Covid.

Security Without Compromise Fortinet Security Fabric

Security-Driven Networking

Empowering the largest enterprise, service provider, and government organizations around the world with intelligent, seamless protection The Fortinet Security Fabric architecture can deliver security without compromise to address the most critical challenges, whether in network, application, cloud, or mobile environments. “We’ve driven the evolution from point defence products via integration to what are now unified platforms across the prevention technology stack, the detection stack and the response stack,” explains Jonathan Nguyen-Duy, Vice President of Fortinet’s Global Field CISO Team. “These three pillars are the foundation of our cybersecurity offering.” Fortinet can meet the demands of an ever-expanding attack surface, giving enterprises the power to take on the ever-increasing performance requirements of the borderless network - today and into the future.

Convergence

The latest research shows 80% of all attacks that lead to breaches and major disruptions, could have been mitigated through simple digital media controls. “Wherever we have large enterprise environments, we see gaps of visibility and control and those gaps are due to the complexity of the environment,” explains Nguyen-Duy. “Fortinet’s broad integrated and automated approach helps manage the complexity IT teams see each day enabling them to improve cybersecurity.” Nguyen-Duy believes networking, security and application performance need to be working in

a tight holistic fashion to deliver the business outcomes and end user experience service providers like Lumen are focused on for their customers. Fortinet offers support to provide that foundation with out of the box solutions for the convergence of security and networking irrespective of where an enterprise or small to medium business is on its journey.

Automation

Today’s operating environment sees teams almost overwhelmed by too many alerts on too many devices, on too many management consoles… “As prevention, detection and response technologies mature, leveraging artificial intelligence will allow us to automate workflows so we’re better able to identify and mitigate threats with greater accuracy and speed,” says Nguyen-Duy. “Security needs to be wherever the computer is, meaning wherever the data’s being processed and wherever it’s being stored. For Fortinet, that means end-to-end solutions on the LAN edge, the WAN edge and the Cloud edge, in whichever form factor makes sense for that business, whether it’s a virtual machine, a cloud delivered service or consumption and licensing models. We provide this integrated fabric of technologies with over 400 other vendors spanning 3,200 products. Out of the box, enterprises can access an ecosystem of technologies all designed to work together so that the operator can focus on operating the technology rather than integrating it. It’s the key to moving the industry forward...” fortinet.com

LUMEN

“Everyone’s got their unique approach on how to make things more secure; and, in some cases, how to scare people into feeling insecure. Our goal is simply to create threat-free traffic for our customers.” CHRISTOPHER SMITH, VICE PRESIDENT, GLOBAL SECURITY SERVICES, LUMEN

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portfolios that leverage this intel to help protect our customers proactively.” Rapid Threat Defense To offer proactive protection, Lumen has developed a capability called Rapid Threat Defense. “It’s a capability not a product,” states Smith. “My mantra for the security practice is that it’s not something separate from the things we sell, but built in. So, if you're buying network connectivity, SD-WAN or UC, security is built in. Smith explains Rapid Threat Defense is one of those built-in ingredients. “Security engineers take the threat intel they see on the network and build it into the data lake

supplemented by third party intelligence we either pay or partner for,” Smith adds. “When threats become active, we've got a softwarebased policy engine that can push blocks to any of the devices we manage – such as Fortinet and Palo Alto firewalls – to prevent you from ever talking to that threat.” Rapid Threat Defense is also built into Lumen’s DDoS practice. “If we see a DDoS attack forming out of the network, we will put a policy block into all of our global scrubbers, so the attack can never hit a scrubber and never hit a customer. It gets black-holed off the network.” Smith sees this approach as a policy remediation engine that means customers don’t have to take action themselves. “If you're a CISO and you're managing the edge of your network, you've got SD-WAN devices and firewalls, and you have to pay a bunch of expensive, hard-to-hire people to manage the policies on all those devices. It's not hard, but it's complex, tedious work that

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Accelerate Digital Transformation with Intelligent Network Automation In the cloudy, software-defined era of digital transformation, the network has never been more critical. Empower network operations to deliver digital experiences at the speed of business with intelligent network automation.

In partnership with Itential, Lumen has enabled customers to rapidly respond to “changing market demands by providing agile, on-demand and responsive network and cloud services. Itential’s automation and integration capabilities provide Lumen with comprehensive orchestration of activities across all network types and IT systems while ensuring streamlined customer experience.

”

Shawn Draper, Vice President of Network Service Fulfillment, Engineering & Field Services, Lumen

itential.com

developer.itential.io

info@itential.com

LUMEN – A SECURE ‘DIGITAL EXPERIENCE’

LUMEN

“Our team is available in the chat should customers need any help or advice” CHRISTOPHER SMITH,

VICE PRESIDENT, GLOBAL SECURITY SERVICES, LUMEN

There has been a significant rise in DDoS attacks during the global pandemic. Lumen has created a simplified way for businesses to quickly deploy the security solutions they need to protect themselves from DDoS attacks. “Late last year we saw a 1200% increase in emergency DDoS orders from customers who have business critical applications and do business over the internet,” reveals Lumen’s Vice President for Global Security Services, Christopher Smith.

you're paying really expensive people to do. We have automated that, and we don't charge separately for it. It's built into our products.” Partnering to Protect Smith believes it’s impossible to have a relevant security practice without partnerships. With so many threats and options to counter them, collaboration is key to deliver protection with equipment, software and services. “We leverage

To meet the needs of those suffering from DDoS attacks, Lumen launched a self-service portal on Lumen.com. Customers can educate themselves on the offer, get a quote online, agree to some simple commercial terms, and log in to mitigate the attack by themselves. “Our team is available in the chat should customers need any help or advice,” says Smith. “It’s all completely automated and takes less than 15 minutes to get businesses protected.”

partners such as Fortinet and Palo Alto for the firewalls, WEF equipment and DDoS scrubbers that you can put in a data centre to protect your edge or SD-WAN devices,” he says. Lumen is a platform services company, so it procures, stages and sets up equipment like firewalls for its customers. “We manage them on their behalf, along with any endpoint software or SIEMs they already have,” says Smith. “Firewalls are turning into mobile-magazine.com

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software – they’re virtual and not physical – but the premise is still the same. And then we leverage software companies like RiskSense and CyberSaint to supplement our professional security services practice. We package up the right partners as ingredients that we use to provide a tailored security service to our customers.” Professional Security Services Support Part of Smith’s job is to run Lumen’s Professional Security Services team, which helps customers anywhere on their security journey. “We can help customers no matter where they are technically, from ‘Hey, I really don't know what I'm doing and I need to build a security practice from scratch,’ to ‘I've spent $500,000 standing up a noisy SIEM, the board

Nova Context’s path computation Leading the way to fully orchestrated hybrid networks with automated network design, optimized resources, decreased costs and reduced provisioning fallout.

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Lumen: Imagine Possibilities

is expecting me to share results, and I can't find the talent to manage it.’” Smith says his team can go deep or wide – whether consulting to help create a practice, or coming in to operate any part of a customer’s infrastructure on their behalf. “We can be on-premise or remote – wherever our customers are located, we can help them protect themselves,” Smith says. The Lumen Security team has also built a Digital Experience portal that customers can access 24/7, and choose the security services they need (with help to achieve the right configuration) to take the best advantage of Lumen’s scrubbing technology. Lighting the Pathway to Success Smith’s goal for the Lumen security portfolio is to achieve profitable growth while further establishing Lumen as the platform for amazing things. “If you consider all the legacy

companies that have come together to form Lumen, there was a time where some of the additions to our current portfolio weren't making any money. I came from some of those companies. But we're never going to go back to a place that looks like that,” he pledges. Lumen is also putting tremendous efforts into an edge compute strategy. “We believe it's about application performance and building the platform that helps these applications of the future perform the way that they need to, by being closer to where they're consumed,” says Smith. “That involves the network, the facilities and the platform orchestration we're going to deliver. Delivering security for our customers will be a big part of that.”

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TALLEY INC.

US Distributor Talley Inc. Builds INTELLIGENCE and CONNECTIVITY

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TALLEY INC.

Rhys Fernandez, Director 5G Applications, Talley Inc. outlines how it is gearing up for the 5G boom, the importance of key vendors and how more focus on procedural details will be one positive trend from COVID-19 WRITTEN BY: DOMINIC ELLIS

PRODUCED BY: CRAIG KILLINGBACK

ith experience gained in the US Navy, Rhys Fernandez developed extensive technical knowledge which was to prove invaluable for a career in the wireless communications business. Joining Talley Inc. 16 years ago, he started as an Account Executive and, is now Director of 5G Applications at the major US distributor. “I aspired to be a programmer but kept gravitating back to my strength – wireless, which I felt was the way the industry was heading,” he says. “I remember attending a Next Generation Mobile Networks conference and hearing how each ‘G’ was on a timeline of about 5 to 10 years, but then from 3G to 4G, it was cut in half. Now it’s apparent it’s happening faster and faster – much like how computers evolved.” Without doubt, Talley Inc. is at the forefront of digital transformation, providing products and supply chain solutions for organizations involved in Public and Private Wireless Networks. He says the company’s economic position is “very healthy” with clear growth forecasts based on organic growth of existing customers, and the mobile-magazine.com

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About Talley

acquisition of new customers building new He emphasizes the expansion of spectrum networks or expanding existing networks. use, highlighting how higher frequency is Talley is focused on providing ease of key to bandwidth in the 5G architecture of ordering, product availability, and ‘topwireless communications, continuing to notch’ customer service as a means to provide better and faster services. achieve its goal of Service Excellence. “Traditionally, our customer base varied “It’s amazing how fast broadly, our goal was to get technology advances, Talley more focused. We took a is still providing the products long list of customer types and services required and organized them into Year Founded for today’s networks, the three main groups – carriers, products have changed land-mobile radio and and continue to change” he specialty group. This allows reflects. “With the advent of us to zero in on applications 5G technology, we’re going to Number of Employees specific to their needs.” be seeing more automation When it comes to vendor and more intelligence nearing the edge rotations, Talley carries ‘best of breed’ of the network – think IoT and Smart products, partnering with great companies Transportation. As the intelligence gets closer that value integrity and offer support. As a to the edge, more backhaul and mid-haul distributor, we’re like the Home Depot of will be implemented to support the robust the wireless application world,” he says. nature of network edge devices requiring Value is a key focus, and previously as more bandwidth and minimal latency.” training director, his mission was multi-

1983 200

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TALLEY INC.

RHYS FERNANDEZ

DIRECTOR OF 5G APPLICATIONS, TALLEY INC.

faceted. “I wanted every salesperson to understand the customer and competition, the applications we support and how to engage with customers,” he says. Competition has evolved from a fixed set of competitors to a realm that is constantly changing. “We must understand who we are and who we serve,” he says succinctly. During our interview, he listens intently, smiles constantly and describes his leadership style as conscientious, honest and understanding. “Mindset is very important to us, he says. We have incorporated a program with the objective to be the premier wireless distributor in the USA. Culture is the foundation of any successful team. Our motto is ‘Empowered Employees Delivering Service Excellence’.”

RHYS FERNANDEZ TITLE: DIRECTOR OF 5G APPLICATIONS COMPANY: TALLEY INC. Rhys Fernandez is Director of 5G Applications at Talley. He is responsible for identifying product solutions, integrating vendors into the organization, and managing our product portfolio. Before joining Talley in 2004, Rhys started his career in Wireless while in the United States Navy as a radar operator and electronics technician. Following his military service, Rhys worked in California’s Silicon Valley in manufacturing, wireless system design, and sales for companies associated with internet and data network technology. Rhys earned his B.S. in Business Administration with a Data Telecommunications Option from CSU East Bay. Rhys resides out of Talley’s Dallas Facility.

EXECUTIVE BIO

“ With the advent of 5G technology, we’re going to be seeing more automation, less interaction with humans and more intelligence nearing the edge of the network”

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TALLEY INC.

YOU CONNECT THE WORLD. WE MAKE IT EASY.

NOW MEETS NEXT.

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“ COVID has shown we can get more done remotely. For Talley and the industry, another benefit is the attention to detail when it comes to procedures” RHYS FERNANDEZ

DIRECTOR OF 5G APPLICATIONS, TALLEY INC.

Key partners Talley represents over 300 vendor manufacturers, one that stands out for Fernandez is CommScope. With the acquisition of ARRIS and Ruckus, its combined company provides even greater technology, solutions and employee talent, with broader access to new and growing markets. “They’ve done a remarkable job in providing infrastructure components for wired and wireless networks for decades. They provide leading-edge technology and support a variety of applications that are future focused.” Ceragon, a leading wireless transport vendor, is highlighted as Talley’s identified wireless backhaul solution. “Wireless backhaul is a great tool to get fiber-like speed from one point to another over distance, in a cost-efficient, fast time and deployable manner – eliminating the dependency on fiber availability and feasibility.” FreeWave Technologies role is in the Control Systems space, supporting SCADA and IoT applications. Looking broadly at our partners, we have a portfolio of OEM’s that are best of breed in their respective product sets. Our solutions address; support structure, signal transmission, power and grounding, the base elements of any network. “It’s paramount to have the right vendor, we have a specific and focused number of applications we support, and we want to do it profitably for the Customer, Talley, and the vendor,” he said. “The key to sustaining the relationships is transparency and communication.” COVID changes The two main developments in 2020 have been ‘working remotely’ and ‘working in person’ for those in operations, says Fernandez. Fortunately, the US Federal Government recognized Talley as an mobile-magazine.com

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PANEL: RAPID-FIRE QUESTIONS What COVID trends do you see remaining? Remote workers, companies staying leaner and supply chain evolution. Where do you see the business going in the next 12-18 months? Crossing my fingers, our business is going to be busy. With the effort to reduce costs, IoT is going to be more important, small cells are going to be deployed in mass, macro sites will still be built, and fiber plants to support things at or near the edge will be needed across the board.

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What makes Talley different? We have a focused approach on customer types. We understand a specific number of solutions, operate with profitability in mind, and that streamlines our decision tree. Removing that ‘noise’ is key to what we’re trying to accomplish. What are the top industry trends? Faster bandwidth; fiber-optic usage in back- mid- and front-haul; AI; and the deployment of small cells.

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“ The key to sustaining the vendor relationship is transparency and communication” RHYS FERNANDEZ

DIRECTOR OF 5G APPLICATIONS, TALLEY INC.

essential business, enabling it to keep businesses and schools connected. “All the packing, shipping, receiving still took place. How did we overcome it? Through our IT team, which installed new programs for communication. We’re a big Microsoft house, and IT took it to the next level. Operations made adjustments to ensure we can get products to customers safely, and HR put standards in place and made resources available.” He believes the industry is going to get back to normal, but it will be ‘a new normal’.

“We talk about vaccines around the corner and more positive testing. The experience has shown we can get more done remotely. I’ve worked remote for some time – but for Talley and the industry, another benefit is the attention to detail necessary, when it comes to procedures. We can become even stronger over time.”

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Asiacell: Infrastructure, Culture and Customercentricity in Iraq’s Telecom market Amir Abdelazim, CTIO at Asiacell discusses the company’s digital transformation, and the role it is playing in the digitalisation of the Iraqi economy WRITTEN BY: HARRY MENEAR PRODUCED BY: STUART IRVING

raq is a nation on the mend. Decades of civil unrest, compounded by war with the US coalition in the early 2000s and the ascendance of the Islamic State in 2014, put the country on the back foot for much of recent history. Now, however, things are changing rapidly. “The powers of darkness that took over this country and put it into survival mode are gone,” says Amir Abdelazim, Chief Technology and Information Officer at Asiacell, Iraq’s largest telecom operator. Abdelazim, who joined the Asiacell team early in 2019, adds that the process of rebuilding Iraq is underway. For Asiacell, he believes that this historic period of time not only represents a significant opportunity for growth, but also a debt of responsibility that Asiacell owes to the people of Iraq. “You can’t rebuild a great nation in 2020 without putting the telecom sector at the heart of your efforts,” he explains. “Asiacell is at the heart of that effort. We’re the number one player in the Iraqi market. There’s a kind of inherent loyalty that its customers and employees have to the mobile-magazine.com

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“ As the leading provider in the market, your customers are already expecting the impossible from you. You should be ready to deliver the impossible to them” AMIR ABDELAZIM, CTIO, ASIACELL

brand. Customers believe in what Asiacell is delivering, but they also expect the very best from us.” In order to capitalise on new opportunities, expand its footprint and live up to the expectations of its customers, Asiacell is undergoing an accelerated digital transformation project of a magnitude so far unprecedented in the history of the company and the country as a whole. “Our customers are hungry for digital revolution,” Abdelazim explains. “If you want to maintain your position as number one, and make sure that your subscribers are actually happy with you and growing in number, you have to actually give them the very best of the digital services they are hungry for.” We sat down with Abdelazim to discuss how Asiacell is radically overhauling its digital infrastructure, reprogramming its culture, and delivering the best possible range of services to its 14mn customers. Defining the journey “As the leading provider in the market, your customers are already expecting the impossible from you. You should be ready to deliver the impossible to them,” says Abdelazim. In order to deliver on its customer promises, Asiacell has established two core pillars of its transformation. First, Asiacell is working to ensure that its services are as reliable as possible. And second, those services must be customer-centric. Abdelazim stresses that, “Every step we’ve taken has been on these two legs.” Digital transformation is more than just a buzzword at Asiacell. For Abdelazim and his team, digital transformation is a powerful problem-solving tool. “We made it our mission to use our digital transformation to deliver a reliable service and to bring the customer inside our business,” he

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AsiaCell Introduction

adds. “So we started an ambitious program of restructuring everything we do to become the digital partner that every Iraqi customer looks for.” In order to use its digital transformation to deliver this reliable, customer-centric service, Asiacell is reimagining three core elements of its business. Infrastructure for a digital revolution The first step for Abdelazim and his team was to assess the company’s infrastructure capabilities in order to identify the changes needed for it to be capable of supporting Asiacell’s goals. As a result, Asiacell has begun a radical redistribution of its core network, from three sites in major Iraqi cities to 18 locations across the country. “When you’re approaching digital transformation, you can’t ignore your connectivity,” Abdelazim continues. With this in mind, Asiacell has reevaluated its

connectivity capabilities from the ground up in preparation for the move to 4G and beyond. In order to better meet the expectations of a new generation of mobile users, Abdelazim explains that significant changes are needed. “Our customers view mobile data as a bread and butter solution these days,” he says. “The expectations of millennials regarding how long a website takes to load, for example, have required a lot of transformation from us to be able to deliver the kind of speeds and availability they expect.” Over the course of 2019 and 2020, Asiacell has made blanket 3G available across its entire network, as well as laying the groundwork for total 4G penetration. In order to deliver a faster, more stable network experience for its customers, Asiacell is also undergoing an expansion of its fibre infrastructure. “We’re taking fibre very seriously. We started an ambitious mobile-magazine.com

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Putting Asiacell in the world’s communication landscape Huawei has been a trusted partner of Asiacell since its inception & has been helping Asiacell reach the pinnacle of success throughout these years. Asiacell, since its inception in 1999 has been pioneering the telecommunication landscape in Iraq. Over the past years Asiacell has been providing quality services to its 14 million plus mobile subscribers across country. The world is changing fast and so is the technology trend and expectations of human society. Communication is ubiquitous and we are at point where Mobile technology is touching every aspect of human life. We witnessed the global adoption of LTE & 5G at a massive scale due to the richness in services they enable.This is the era of massive connectivity & seamless service experience and telco operators worldwide has been doing their best to match the end user experience. Asiacell, being the market leader is committed in bringing latest technology and Innovations that could connect every corner of Iraq and deliver best in class service experience for its mobile & Business customers. To achieve this goal, Asiacell has partnered with Huawei Technologies, the world leader in End to End Telecommunication solutions. Huawei Technologies has been a trusted partner of Asiacell since its inception and has been helping Asiacell reach the pinnacle of success throughout these years. With massive changes happening across Telecommunication industry and new challenges coming in, Asiacell entrusted Huawei technologies for modernizing the network infrastructure . Using industry leading innovative solutions, Huawei technologies modernized the Network infrastructure and it’s Architecture. 750 Kms of fiber infrastructure has been laid across the country to strengthen the capacity & redundancy which would enable smooth transit of end user traffic across the network without bottle necks. Multiple Edge Data centers were built across the country to reduce the latency & enhance the service experience of subscribers.In order to fulfil the current, future demands of Mobile subscribers and Business community, The transport network would be driven by state of the art next generation technology such as SRv6 (Segment Routing over IPv6) which will guarantee deterministic

performance and ultimately ensuring the End user service experience and SLA commitments in terms of bandwidth, latency & availability. Together with these changes the network has been geared up for future trends & challenges in the telecom industry.

One Small Step for Asiacell, But One Giant Step for Iraq Iraq first batch of Uptime Tier III certification data centers “Asiacell gets the first Tier certification in Iraq, We didn’t do the first one, we did the first two!” was announced by Amir Abdelazin, the Chief Technology and Information (CTIO) at Asiacell Communications. In fact, more than that. After the two uptime Tier III certification obtained in September 2020, Asiacell will receive Tier III design certification in the next three data centers, which means that Iraq has a local high-quality Cloud Data Center cluster from scratch. They will provide high-quality data center services to customers throughout Iraq (Remark: Uptime is the world’s most authoritative third-party organization for data center design and construction certification. The TCDD(Tier Certifications of Design Documents of Tier III certification is the most accepted and widely used Uptime certification and is widely recognized by all industries around the world.) The era calls for high-Tier Data Centers in Iraq In the digital era, people enjoy the convenience of big data, but also need to face data security risks. The Government of Iraq has long taken note of the importance of the security of data assets, it has issued a clear document that if data generated in the country, and the data have to be stored and managed in the country.

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“ We want to be the best choice for every organisation and digital partner in Iraq” AMIR ABDELAZIM, CTIO, ASIACELL

program with a first phase rollout of more than 2,000km of fibre inside Iraq’s metro areas,” Abdalazim explains, adding that by 2023, Asiacell plans to introduce more than 10,000km of new fibre into its network. “In any other market, this would have been a five to 10-year journey to accomplish. With the amazing team and amazing partnerships we have here in Iraq, we are more than halfway through the project already,” he notes. “We’ve had network expenditure of more than $500mn in the last year alone. We’ve deployed the latest technologies across our operations like artificial intelligence and the automation of functions like monitoring and optimisation of the network.” Becoming a first-choice digital partner 174

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“We want to be the best choice for every organisation and digital partner in Iraq,” says Abdelazim. He notes that this aim requires Asiacell to capture two different segments of the market. On the one hand, there are end users and on the other are corporate and SME clients. “Those enterprise customers demand reliability and trust, and one of the best ways to earn that trust is through international certifications and global acknowledgement of your infrastructure,” Abdelazim explains. Asiacell’s data centre portfolio is expanding massively across the entirety of Iraq. In the past two years, the company has added 12 new data centres to its portfolio. Two of these facilities have already received Tier III

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AMIR ABDELAZIM TITLE: CTIO COMPANY: ASIACELL INDUSTRY: TELECOMMUNICATIONS

certification from the Uptime Institute, with three more soon to follow. “It’s very important to make sure that our data centres are built to the highest standard of technology,” insists Abdemazim. “By the end of 2021, we will have at least one data centre in each of the Iraqi governorates and five of them will be Tier III certified.” Hand-in-hand with culture and process transformation Introducing new technology and revitalising infrastructure can only be a successful part of a digital transformation if the human element is also taken into account. “Change management is probably the most important angle of this transformation. Now that we

EXECUTIVE BIO

LOCATION: IRAQ Amir Abdelazim is an experienced senior telecom executive currently serving as the CTIO of Asiacell Communications in Iraq. His extensive career has seen him work in 27 markets across the Middle East and Africa as a technology leader and strategy implementer, specialising in delivering digital and cultural transformation in developing markets. His previous roles have included CTIO of AirtelTigo Ghana, CTIO of Millicom Ghana, CTIO of Millicom Rwanda, Strategic Quality Director – Africa at Millicom (based in UK Corporate Office) and positions with Nokia Siemens Networks, Etisalat, Alcatel and Orange. Abdelazim has an MBA in International Business from the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport, and a degree in Communications & Electronics from Alexandria University.

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“ It’s very important to make sure that our data centres are built to the highest standard of technology AMIR ABDELAZIM, CTIO, ASIACELL

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are delivering a lot of new technologies and investments into our network, we need to get our people ready for it,” says Abdelazim, saying that cultural change management must go hand in hand with technological transformation. Asiacell has, he explains, started a complete restructuring of its internal processes and operating model. “We’re using different restructuring programs, different skill injections, different retraining programs and different partnerships in order to ensure that our team is working harmoniously with the new infrastructure and modes of service delivery.” He notes, however, that this isn’t a simple case of throwing out the old and adopting a new blanket system across the whole organisation. “It’s about applying the right style to the right team. We deploy agile methodology to the teams that need agility. We deploy stricter, more process-oriented transformation within the teams that need that approach.” With a diverse new range of strategies tailored to the different needs and functions of the business, Abdelazim believes that Asiacell is in the process of deeply embedding fact-based decisionmaking tendencies and an operational excellence mindset into its teams. Abdelazim adds that the transition, from a company working hard to stay operational during the hellish three year reign of the Islamic State over the region, to one working to usher in a new era for Iraq’s digital economy, undoubtedly requires an attitude adjustment. “You have to bear in mind that Iraq is coming out of some tough times, when the mindset of the organisation was more focused on just surviving,” he says. “The kinds of obstacles and issues that our team was facing on a day-to-day basis were unique. We’re talking about the disturbance mobile-magazine.com

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“ By the end of 2021, we will have at least one data centre in each of the Iraqi governorates and five of them will be Tier III certified” AMIR ABDELAZIM, CTIO, ASIACELL

AsiaCell Partnership

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infrastructure and operational segments, we make sure that we choose the right partner for us in each domain,” he explains. “When you’re looking for a partner for your core business, you want a reliable partner. But when you’re looking to do things based around agile, fast-moving digital entertainment services, you need an agile, fast-moving partner. We’re very careful in our choices of partners and suppliers to make sure that the mix is right and that our chosen partners harmonise with our team.”

of war and, in the middle of a conflict, still delivering a service. That survival mindset is fit for the purpose of that time. Now, if we want to be a part of the rebuilding and transformation of the whole country - not just the telecom industry - we’re going to have to change from our side.”

New services The third step in Asiacell’s digital transformation is the introduction of new offerings to its customers. “We’re reimagining the services we provide to also become an entertainment partner to our customers - we’re going to be the go-to one-stop-shop for our customers when they want any digital service,” says Abdelazim. He notes that, when you account for the disruptive impact of COVID-19, Asiacell’s two decision pillars of reliability and customer-centricity have proven themselves to be sound footing. “With the sharp increase in e-learning, e-health, e-government - all of which have to be reliable - we were lucky that reliability was one of our core goals from the beginning,” he adds.

The right partner for every problem In the modern business landscape, no enterprise can succeed without strong partnerships. “Partnerships are the way you do business nowadays. You cannot do things alone,” says Abdelazim. He adds that it’s important to remember, however, that there is no such thing as a good or bad partner, just the right partner at the right time to solve the right problem. “The way we slice up our business into the service delivery,

The transformative effects of COVID-19 Despite the painful effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on people across Iraq, Abdelazim reflects that that crisis actually accelerated Asiacell’s digital transformation. By taking both short and long-term measures, Asiacell has weathered the pandemic’s first year, and is preparing for a world that will never return to the way things were before March 2020. “From my point of view, COVID-19 is here to stay - not as a virus, hopefully, but in terms mobile-magazine.com

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of its impact on peoples’ lives,” he explains. “I think we have a lot to learn about the shape of a post-COVID-19 world. Customer behaviours will change, demand will change, and we will need to be more agile than usual to adapt.” Into the digital revolution The road ahead for Asiacell is being paved by the digital transformation underway today. The company’s infrastructure rollout will lead to mass 4G adoption; the transformation of its culture and processes will grant it the agility and commitment to fully utilise its new digital capabilities; and its new channels and services will help capture new customers and ensure that its existing ones remain satisfied. “The next phase of our digital transformation is about microservices for our customers. It’s about making sure that we’re closer to our customers with our distributed network core. It’s about making sure that our metro infrastructure keeps growing. And it’s about making sure that it is reliable,” says Abdelazim. “2021 is about 4G. It’s about metro. And it’s about digital transformation. 2022 will be more about conquering the enterprise business in the country and becoming the no-brainer choice for our customers in that space. Beyond 2022, we’re looking at 5G, automation, smart cities, the introduction of IoT into the market. Given the accelerated development that we are doing here, by then the market will be ready for those innovations. We are persistent. And we will always remain in the lead.”

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“If we want to be a part of the rebuilding and transformation of the whole country - not just the telecom industry - we’re going to have to change” AMIR ABDELAZIM, CTIO, ASIACELL

Asiacell, in partnership with Huawei, are working on strategic technology projects

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SUSTAINABILITY Guides Our Innovation Power Huawei Sweden’s Karin Thurberg and telco expert Erik Hallberg on the company’s 20year contribution to the digitalization of Sweden and industry cooperation WRITTEN BY: BIZCLIK MEDIA PRODUCED BY: STUART IRVING

he race to digital, accelerated by Covid-19, has not only shown the transformational capabilities of technology but also how much society as a whole depends upon connectivity. Economies across the globe have been decimated by the pandemic and, as physical borders have been closed and supply chains disrupted, it has become increasingly clear that digitalization is potentially the silver lining to Covid’s dark cloud – and a route to recovery. That can only happen when companies and countries collaborate, as they have done for decades. Take Huawei in Sweden, for instance. For more than 20 years, the company has contributed to the rapid digitalization of Swedish society, as a trusted local technology partner that delivers solutions to all the fixed and wireless networks in Sweden. Huawei has been integral to the 3G and 4G networks, as well as installing wifi in schools across the country.

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“ Collaboration is one of the core values that has shaped the success of the global telecom industry” KARIN THURBERG

DIRECTOR WIRELESS PRODUCT MANAGEMENT, HUAWEI SWEDEN

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Karin Thurberg, Director Product Management, has 20 years of experience from leading positions in the telecommunications industry, and has been working at Huawei Sweden since 2011. She manages the market-leading Radio Access Network portfolio for the European market. She says collaboration and close relationships are part of the DNA of the telecom industry. “Collaboration is one of the core values that has shaped the success of the global telecom industry, together with unified

HUAWEI

standards,” says Thurberg. “These two cornerstones have brought interoperability across vendors and shared security standards, which creates a larger market and therefore lower consumer prices. I think the importance of cooperation, both up and down the value chain, will increase with 5G and beyond.” “No one will have the resources and the innovation power for doing this advanced research on their own. I think it would be a giant step backwards in development if the industry was not going to manage this. It would be against the industry’s DNA.”

KARIN THURBERG TITLE: WIRELESS PRODUCT MANAGEMENT COMPANY: HUAWEI

EXECUTIVE BIO

Karin Thurberg is a Director Product Management at Huawei Technologies Sweden AB. Thurberg has 20 years of experience from leading positions in the telecommunications industry, and has been working at Huawei since 2011 with focus on the market-leading Radio Access Network portfolio for the European market. Thurberg has a Master of Science in Engineering Physics from the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, and an Executive MBA in International Business Management from Uppsala University.

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“ 5G is an enabler to improve essential areas like healthcare education, and the climate” KARIN THURBERG

DIRECTOR WIRELESS PRODUCT MANAGEMENT, HUAWEI SWEDEN

Thurberg is speaking as grave legal uncertainties hover above Sweden’s 5G rollout. In October 2020, PTS announced license conditions in the upcoming 5G auction that ban Huawei (and ZTE) due to security risks, and gave the telecom operators participating in the 5G auctions until 1 January 2025 to remove Huawei equipment from the existing infrastructure. The very basic question is whether the license conditions that prohibit Huawei's equipment and services in the Swedish 5G network are unlawful or not. This is subject to review in the Administrative Court in Stockholm. The trial is likely to end in April 2021. 186

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In addition, the European Commission has sent a letter reminding Sweden that it has not fulfilled the obligation to notify in advance the changes to the Swedish Electronics and Communications law. The amendment to the domestic law may therefore be invalid. Consequently the security evaluation made by the security police and armed forces should not have been carried out. The ban was blasted even by Huawei’s biggest rival, Ericsson, with CEO Börje Ekholm reportedly threatening to remove Ericsson from its native Sweden if Huawei was not part of the 5G rollout. Excluding

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Huawei from the 5G network and wider infrastructure would have a negative impact on the global industry and wider society. This sentiment is also supported by Erik Hallberg, the respected Swedish telecoms expert who is currently acting as an active board member and investor in different companies – private as well listed. He previously spent 17 years in executive positions with Telia around the globe and has been chairman of the board for mobile operators in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Hallberg believes that Sweden is in danger of falling behind other countries when it comes to innovation if it does not have the

very best, latest technology available via 5G and beyond. “The problem is that for Sweden, from Sweden’s perspective, if we are not on top, we will lose the innovation climate that we had in the past,” says Hallberg. “For me as a Swede, it's even more critical because that's where we have our future. We are a small country, 10 million people out of 10 billion. So in reality, we must be on top to prosper.” Hallberg goes on to say he believes Sweden is lagging behind European neighbors including Germany and the UK and that losing digital leadership which would be a blow for the country. mobile-magazine.com

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“I think that's scary for Sweden,” he says. “This delay in 5G, the roadblocks put in place, is not only making life hard for Huawei. It is delaying the innovation climate in Sweden. You can go to Finland where they already have five-year licenses. This is such a fastmoving enough industry that once you fall behind, it's difficult to catch up.” The importance of innovation cannot be underestimated. What 5G brings is far more than faster mobile browsing and streaming video content that is being used to entice consumers. The essential research that Huawei is doing right now in Sweden will be instrumental to 5G and the evolved 5.5G that is the next step towards 6G. Remove

“The network will deliver such high bandwidth and low latency that we will be able to digitally transfer ourselves as holograms” KARIN THURBERG

DIRECTOR WIRELESS PRODUCT MANAGEMENT, HUAWEI SWEDEN

Huawei’s contribution to the Swedish wireless networks and the global innovation cycle becomes disrupted. Huawei’s Thurberg also has concerns for the future of innovation, and fears Sweden could miss out on 5.5G and 6G. “Much of what goes into the global networks is actually a result of Swedish research activities. In 2019 alone we invested 1.1 billion SEK into our local research,” she says “Sweden has a long history of both manufacturing and automotive industry, and we have come a long way in digitizing our society. mobile-magazine.com

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I think this will significantly reduce the need for physical travel over time, which will have positive environmental impact. AI will be an instrumental part of the 6G network architecture and will also be an enabler for energy reduction.”

ERIK HALLBERG Board member of HiQ and Edgeware, among others, and chairman of the board of Haltian. He has previously also been CEO of Netmore Group and President of Telia Carrier.

“At the same time, Sweden is an early adopter market where you get quick feedback on new concepts targeting both consumers and enterprise users. The research on future wireless networks that we conduct in Sweden fits very well into that equation.” “With 5.5G we will take social interaction to a next level by further reducing the gap between the physical and digital worlds. 5.5G is at the same time a response to the accelerating industry automation that will bring a more diverse set of IoT uses that will rely on sensing capabilities and heavy uplink transmission” “Continuing, the 6G network will deliver such high bandwidth and low latency that we will be able to digitally transfer ourselves as holograms,” says Thurberg. “And they will appear as truly realistic versions of ourselves. 190

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Champions of sustainability Huawei has always used innovation to address sustainability, and that is an evergreater focus with 5G and 6G networks. Thurberg strongly believes that climate change has to be tackled for the sake of the planet, and also to tear down social barriers. The United Nations set out its Sustainable Development Goals (SGDs) in 2015. They are a call-for-action by all countries to promote prosperity while protecting the planet. They recognise that ending poverty must go hand-in-hand with strategies that build economic growth and address a range of social needs while tackling climate change and environmental protection. The SDGs are intended to be achieved by the year 2030 – by which time the telecom industry aims to be delivering 6G. “5G and to a greater extent 6G will help us reduce the energy consumption in the mobile network significantly,” says Thurberg. “It will enable the build-up of smart cities, and perhaps even more important support a wide range of industries to achieve their environmental targets. “It is also an enabler for essential rights such as healthcare and education. The ultimate consequence of these sustainability development goals is that we have to generate more connectivity for more people from less energy. We therefore put a lot of effort into making our equipment more energy efficient and on solutions that can deliver coverage over large areas. And that could be either in developing countries

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“ The roadblocks put in place, is not only making life hard for Huawei. It is delaying the innovation climate in Sweden” ERIK HALLBERG

SWEDISH TELECOMS EXPERT

or it can be across Sweden’s sparsely populated areas.” When it comes to the UN goals, they are a clear challenge, but one that Thurberg says have to be met. “It’s not a question of if. We simply have to make it. No single company owns the responsibility alone – these goals should be on all companies’ agendas, and should therefore stimulate collaborations across the industry and within the ecosystem,” she says.

“I actually believe that companies that do not meet these strict goals will not survive commercially. They will not be accepted by society. The other side of this coin is that the sustainability goals themselves will also generate business for companies like Huawei. They will guide us where to focus our innovation power. They will push us to develop new breakthrough technologies. “That's how we can differentiate ourselves with other vendors. The sustainability goals are an opportunity for us”

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ACCELERATES MOBILE PAYMENTS AND DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION Chief Information Officer Titi Fakuade outlines how COVID-19 has produced unexpected benefits and discusses the operator’s plans for becoming a major digital player WRITTEN BY: DOMINIC ELLIS PRODUCED BY: STUART IRVING

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he disruption from the global pandemic has yielded some unexpected benefits for Lonestar Cell/ MTN. The Monrovia-based telco has capitalized on the growth in digital to strengthen its mobile payment services. In contrast, customers, either through working from home or consuming more data, have become more digitally savvy – which complements the company’s core vision to empower and provide everyone with the benefits of a modern, connected life. Therefore, technology and IT landscape to enable true innovations that provide business value to align with our goal to become a FinTech and digital player. “The good thing about COVID-19 is it has accelerated adoption,” said CIO Titi Fakuade. “There are so many things we do now that pre-COVID we wouldn’t have engaged in – such as virtual conferences, meetings which require providing people with data and internet services wherever they may be. With the rise in Work From Home (WFH), people can work effectively while adopting these tools.

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MTN Business Overview

“Mobile Money services have been a huge focus for us, and we have been able to implement ‘push and pull’ strategies. Consumers have warmly received it, and the banks were relieved as it freed up their spaces, and they avoided handling cash.” Mobile Money marks the latest phase in an ongoing commitment to improving the customer journey – and again, COVID indirectly helped facilitate demand. “There was a need to ensure that customers who couldn’t visit the service centers should be able to perform some services themselves through self service options and use of our digital customer service channels. Combined with COVID-19 social distancing requirements, we became even more customer-focused and improved their experience with Lonestar Cell MTN. 194

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“ The good thing about COVID-19 is it has accelerated digital adoption. There are so many things we do now that pre-COVID we wouldn’t have engaged in” TITILOPE FAKUADE

CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER, LONESTAR CELL MTN

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While mobile payments were in place before the pandemic, banking services, such as international remittances, have been enhanced. “For Mobile Money, we’re looking at breaking new barriers, having third party developers onboarded through an open API within the next six to 12 months,” she said. Other developments included a new instant messaging app ‘Ayoba’, powered by MTN that allows people to chat with anyone regardless of whether they have the app or not. The App allows people to enter discussions without worrying about data – invaluable for fostering communication during lockdown – and access exclusive offers and discounts. Leveraging digital channels through social media has also helped grow the brand’s profile. “We have to ensure that services are highly available, and customers can get services on demand,” she said. “E-learning is another key trend, which has broken down the barriers, so now customers can join courses wherever they are.”

TITILOPE FAKUADE TITLE: CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER INDUSTRY: TELECOMMUNICATIONS LOCATION: NIGERIA Titilope is the first female CIO in the history of Lonestar Cell MTN and a true trailblazer. She is a seasoned professional with wealth of experience, spanning 19 years in highly competitive markets, 14 of those years within MTN family. She has a proven track record in Telecoms & IT Leadership with a mantra of value creation, and consistently added value through technology, empowering teams to aspire to become next generation of leaders and maintain market leadership. Titilope holds a Master’s in Business Administration and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Physics. She’s a true hot-shot technology leader, proud wife and mother of two children.

2000 100+ Number of Employees

Nigeria Location

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Year founded

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You dream it, We build IT Executing specialized front-end IT and Telecommunications engineering services.

IT & Telecoms solutions Security & Network Health Network Convergance STA Mobile

Build your dream

LONESTAR MTN LIBERIA

“ We see customers who were previously resistant now accepting change, and they won’t return to the old ways” TITILOPE FAKUADE

CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER, LONESTAR CELL MTN

Cybersecurity, another vital area whose profile has soared in tandem with the WFH movement, has also received enhanced focus. Around 80 percent of employees worked remotely during COVID, and the company could leverage seamlessly on the technology. “E-commerce is here to stay, with online purchasing growing. There is no

turning back. We are living in an age of ‘the new normal’, “ she said. “There was a need to be empathetic with the teams and strike a balance between engagement and isolation. I had one-on-ones regularly to keep on top of things.” As Lonestar Cell MTN’s network evolves, it looks at new technologies such as 5G. Still, she said that the priority now is exploiting existing technologies and big data and

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RAPID-FIRE QUESTIONS What are the top three trends? I see high-speed 5G and IoT growing in importance; cybersecurity as digital evolves; and data analytics.

What are the key trends in 2021? E-commerce is here to stay and mobile money.

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DID YOU KNOW...

How does Lonestar Cell MTN differentiate itself from competitors? Our brand affinity, our customers, our vision and core beliefs. We introduced programmes that connect with people and culture, such as the sponsorship of the MTN Liberia Music Awards, and initiatives such as MTN Plug and Prestige.

LONESTAR MTN LIBERIA

analytics, which will propel the business forward. “We have a lot of insights that must be exploited for business value – that’s a continuous journey,” she said. Virtualization technologies will take greater prominence as Lonestar Cell MTN looks to raise efficiencies in tandem with greater workflow automation. “We have solutions that use robots, ensuring that we are constantly monitoring the network, and ensuring services are available from the huge demand of the customer base,” she said while “Chatbot and AI space are areas of opportunity.” As someone with a physics background, there is a need to be solutions minded, forward thinking and work well within a team.

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“ We have started this journey driving mobile payments … this has actually given better experiences and placed the customer first” TITILOPE FAKUADE

CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER, LONESTAR CELL MTN

Improve the quality & availability of all your digital services Billing Verification

QoS / QoE Monitoring

Tariffs Validation

Application Monitoring

New services Testing

Infrastructure Monitoring

Improve your services USSD / SMS / VOICE QUALITY / IOS / ANDROID / WEB MOBILE / API / LOGS

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Build your dream

LONESTAR MTN LIBERIA

CONNECTING YOUTH, HIGH EARNERS AND MARGINALISED Lonestar Cell MTN has developed specific products which meet different demographic needs:

DID YOU KNOW...

“Africa is a continent with huge digital potential; it’s evolving even faster after the pandemic. We see customers who were previously resistant now accepting change, and they won’t return to the old ways. There will be a blend in the future – a lot of people still miss the personal interaction, depending on the age segment.” Culture remains critical for rallying around a common goal and vision. “For us to continue to succeed, our empowering culture plays a vital role. Everyone believes in the vision to lead delivery of a bold new digital world, and we have a common belief that everyone deserves the benefits of a connected life. These impact our actions on a day-to-day basis. Lonestar MTN has many partners, providing strategic collaboration, which is critical to continuous evolution of digital experiences for its customers. There is a need to ensure they are ecosystem partners as the relationship cannot be one sided.

MTN Plug is its youth proposition, focused around data and lifestyle benefits MTN Prestige stems from understanding high-value customers, providing data packages and rewards tailored to their needs. These customers benefit from charity program by giving back to the society.

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Some of the partners it has strategically collaborate with are Secure and Trusted Alliance Services for infrastructure supplies, Comviva to provide mobile solutions and

“ We have a plan to transform into a digital operator, under our ‘Oxygen’ transformation programme. To achieve this effectively, we will need our partners to work with us” TITILOPE FAKUADE

CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER, LONESTAR CELL MTN

digital VAS and Kapptivate for quality of experience, monitoring, and testing. “Partnerships needs to be strengthened as we progress on this digital transformation journey,” she said. “We have a plan to transform into a digital operator, under our ‘Oxygen’ transformation programme. To achieve this effectively, we will need our partners to work with us.” “We will try to move into agile operations, enabling growth within the market, within the enterprise, and within the connected workspace.”

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Virgin Media: Partner-powered Connections Nick Good explores the invaluable contribution of partner engagement and a collaborative culture on the road to Gigabit Ready by the end of 2021 WRITTEN BY: RHYS THOMAS PRODUCED BY: STUART IRVING

irgin Media powers the lives of millions of consumers and businesses across the UK and Ireland. From TV and digital video content, to data, voice and transmission, it provides critical services to 3.5m mobile customers and 6.1m cable customers through an ecosystem of market-leading partners. Ensuring every partner is working in concert is key to Virgin Media’s leading position in the market, and it is Nick Good, Director of Partner Operations, whose mission it is to support them. “My team manages the day-to-day operational performance and provide partner support services to ensure that the partner teams have all they need to do the best job for our customers,” he says. “We also provide engagement initiatives that make the partnerships work as a true partnership; our goal is to make sure that our partner teams feel like they're actually part of Virgin Media, not an external partner.” Good’s job is not just about solving issues and checking in, however, but to engage with partners and form strong, working relationships to the benefit of all within the ecosystem. To do this, Good’s team take a technologymagazine.com

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“ The more connected we are to our partners, the more connected they are to our customers”

NICK GOOD TITLE: DIRECTOR OF PARTNER OPERATIONS COMPANY: VIRGIN MEDIA INDUSTRY: TELECOMMUNICATIONS LOCATION: UNITED KINGDOM

NICK GOOD

Nick is responsible for the key operations partnerships behind the customer facing services that Virgin Media provides to more than five million homes in the UK, namely TV, Transmission, Data, Voice, Power and Cooling, and has direct responsibility for Power and Voice network maintenance services. He is also responsible for partner performance, engagement, communications and inclusion. His career spans thirty years in IT and Network leadership roles covering delivery, strategy, planning and operations, as well as consulting, business development and product management.

DIRECTOR OF PARTNER OPERATIONS VIRGIN MEDIA

EXECUTIVE BIO

five-point approach. The first is open lines of communication to share news and “call out individual contributions from specific people that have gone above and beyond.” Co-branded work environments are another pillar, through office artwork and branded desktop platforms “to bring the teams closer together.” Biannual surveys are also conducted to gauge the connectedness of the Virgin Media operational partners, and to solicit feedback - a valuable loop that helps Good and his team learn what they should be doing differently. That feedback is used to create a ‘one-team plan’ (point four), a combined course of action to inform where there is room for improvement, and what goals they can work towards together.

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The fifth is presence and face time. “The more connected we are to our partners, the more connected they are to our customers,” Good says. “Probably the most important point that's suffered the most throughout the year is face time. Being out with the partners, working with them and getting to meet the guys on the ground to really create those connections is vital. Unfortunately this aspect has been heavily impacted, as you can imagine, throughout 2020, but I’m hopeful it won’t suffer too much more throughout 2021.” The impact of COVID-19 is a common thread in everyone’s lives. One year on since the outbreak was declared a pandemic, our lives have irrevocably changed, and as

“ Being out with the partners, working with them and getting to meet the guys on the ground to really create those connections is vital” NICK GOOD

DIRECTOR OF PARTNER OPERATIONS VIRGIN MEDIA

such, the role of Good’s team has been of particular importance. As millions of people shift to working from home, remote learning, and using digital channels for all aspects of day-to-day life, Virgin Media’s services “have been more critical than they've ever been.” As the UK’s largest gigabit (1,000Mbps) broadband provider, Virgin Media has been pivotal in keeping people and businesses connected over the past 12 months. And it is poised to be fully gigabit ready by the end of 2021, an organisation-wide goal in which Good’s team is central for ensuring that technologymagazine.com

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partners have “the knowledge, the tools and the information that they need to support our network as it evolves and grows.” “Gigabit readiness for our partner community is really about making sure they can keep supporting the network and therefore the enhanced gigabit service that runs over it to our customers,” he explains. “And bear in mind, that's not just about consumer customers; it's also Virgin Media’s business customers, where we have a lot of critical businesses within the UK that rely on our network, including many blue-light services, hospitals and schools.” Engaging partners will be key to maintaining the high level of service that Virgin Media’s customers have come to expect. “In partner operations, our key principles are based on linking the partner's engagement with that performance,” says Good. “We’ve seen partner performance increase steadily over the time that we've implemented and tightened the governance practices and also where we've increased the focus on engagement. Ultimately their performance reflects directly on the network performance, and therefore the experience that our customers receive.” KPIs that paint the most insightful story of how each partner is performing have been given close attention by the performance management team. And Good has traced a correlation between increases in these key indicators and increased engagement. "So that's how we link through to trying to provide that superior performance: making sure the partners are performing as optimally as they can,” Good says. “And that's partly through the performance management, but it's also through that engagement management too. My team and I have been able to bring the two together.”

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The UK's Largest gigabit provider

3.4m

Mobile customers in the UK

5.6m+

Cable customers in the UK

VIRGIN MEDIA

Nick Good tells us about Partner Operations at Virgin Media

“We’ve seen partner performance increase steadily where we've increased the focus on engagement” NICK GOOD

DIRECTOR OF PARTNER OPERATIONS, VIRGIN MEDIA

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“ If we can bring elements of gameplay to the partner teams, that will allow us to enrich the interactions” NICK GOOD

DIRECTOR OF PARTNER OPERATIONS, VIRGIN MEDIA

Data is also central to the management process from an automated perspective, but also in being “more proactive” in identifying and resolving issues as they arise. “We have a significant initiative in progress with one of our partners, Accenture, to introduce new tools and practices that will enhance data correlation ability, and ultimately help us deliver superior performance on the network.” In the future, Good hopes to extend the engagement practices and expand his team’s work to create an environment of even greater cooperation, and what he terms “cross-partner collaboration”. “At the moment, all our partners provide a specific service to us to support 212

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that particular part of the network - and they do that very well. But in terms of Virgin Media getting the best out of them, by being able to collaborate across them, that's one focus that we're going to be working on through 2021,” Good says. “We certainly think there's a definite opportunity to get them working closer together, rather than just working more closely with us, which is what we've been focused on today.” A prime example for this more cohesive marriage between partners is BTMSL, which provides the time-division multiplexing (TDM) network, and ISS, Virgin Media’s power and air conditioning services provider for technical

VIRGIN MEDIA

sites. “When ISS understand more about how the switches relate to the technical sites that they support the power into, then there can be a greater working relationship in terms of managing the whole network. Certainly when there are issues on the network - as there are now and again - getting the two closer together to fix issues where the power may have interrupted a switch’s operation, that’s the sort of event where we need to get them working more collaboratively for the future.” One means to make this a seamless experience for partners is "the use of more advanced engagement techniques and

gamification," Good says. Gamification has been proven to increase engagement, whether between brands and consumers, or internally. “We’re in the very early phases of this, and still considering what, exactly, the model will look like. But what we do know is that if we can bring elements of gameplay to the partner teams, it will allow us to enrich the interactions that their people have with us and their daily duties. As engagement increases, it will hopefully allow us to continually push for increased performance.”

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President and Chief Revenue Officer Michelle Accardi discusses Star2Star’s cloud-native offering and its necessity amid COVID-19 WRITTEN BY: WILLIAM SMITH PRODUCED BY: CRAIG KILLINGBACK

tar2Star is a unified communications company that offers collaboration, voice, video and text chat integration capabilities, as well as contact centre and desktop-as-a-service offerings. Michelle Accardi is President and Chief Revenue Officer at the company, responsible for the entire sales and go-tomarket strategy of the organisation. “We offer a way to take companies into the cloud and great mobile applications to keep people connected, whether they’re in a work from home environment because of the pandemic or because that’s just part of the way the world is working these days.” Star2Star’s huge experience as a communications company has stood it in good stead for the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and re-emphasised the benefits of strong communication. “We’ve really taken a very agile approach to making sure that we’re doing daily calls, helping people understand where they need to be focused, overcoming whatever obstacles and giving them the focus for the next day. And then we use our great tools and everything from our own video meetings to our own mobile applications to help us all stay connected.” That use of technology is informed by a culture of transparency at the organisation. “I really try to facilitate people bringing forward any challenges they’re having so we can remove those obstacles,” says Accardi. mobile-magazine.com

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“We build solutions that enable companies to not just get through the pandemic, but to actually thrive” MICHELLE ACCARDI,

PRESIDENT AND CHIEF REVENUE OFFICER, STAR2STAR

“It’s certainly why we’ve won workplace awards, because we foster that kind of open but hard working culture.” Its approach is why it is favoured by its customers as a solution provider, with the highest customer retention rate in the industry at 99.4%. “We are one of the only vendors I know of that focuses so much on customer retention, with our retention rate being due to putting the customer at the centre of everything that we do,” says Accardi. “During the pandemic, for instance, we’ve rolled out many different types of programmes – free months, deferments,

anything to help our customers.” The holistic nature of its solution is another key part of its appeal. “There are a lot of singlethreaded vendors out there who can only do one thing. The fact that we can do so much is very unique to us. I don’t know of any other solution provider like Star2Star that has things like employee alerts as packaged applications that can be built into workflows, for example.” Among its raft of solutions is a mobile softphone app. “It’s about being able to get a call to your business phone number versus your personal phone number,

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right on the mobile app, while technology that allows companies also being able to do text to put their applications that were messaging, or even fax via previously housed on-premise a mobile application,” says in the cloud, so that workers can Accardi. “You’d be surprised now work from everywhere,” says Year founded how often different industries, Accardi. “And it can do that in a whether it’s healthcare or secure manner. There are literally real estate, need that kind of millions of companies and users thing. Those text messaging who depend on Citrix, so we can Number of employees applications, both on mobile either provide desktop-as-aand on desktop, are really service from Citrix if customers game-changing in the don’t have that capability, or we pandemic. Businesses are trying to do things can simply put our communications on like mass marketing, or getting information top of the Citrix environments they have out to people like appointment reminders or in place.” curbside checkout, which we can help with.” The pandemic has accelerated changes A strong enabler of the work Star2Star in the work environment, with Star2Star does is its partnership with Citrix, with the serving as a model for how businesses company being the only UCaaS provider may look going forwards. “Thankfully we’ve certified as Citrix-ready. “They have great always been a cloud-based company and

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MICHELLE ACCARDI TITLE: PRESIDENT AND CHIEF REVENUE OFFICER COMPANY: STAR2STAR INDUSTRY: TELECOMMUNICATIONS

EXECUTIVE BIO

LOCATION: FLORIDA, USA As President and Chief Revenue Officer, Michelle’s mission is to inspire and maintain growth for the company and its partners, ensuring that customers get significant value from Star2Star’s products and services. Michelle works with the executive leadership team of Star2Star to define long-term vision and operational strategy to assure that growth and market potential are achieved. In pursuit of this goal, Michelle sees engaging and listening to employees, partners, and customers as a primary function of her role in order to keep Star2Star on the optimal strategic path. In this way, customer success is assured as employees and partners are inspired to deliver an excellent product and experience with every interaction. In her previous position as the company’s Chief Operating Officer, Michelle used these same methods to develop new processes and systems to streamline business interactions. She grew departmental leadership and expanded Star2Star’s support capabilities to better serve customer and partner needs. Michelle is also regarded as a technical thought leader in next-generation marketing and communications strategies. Her book, Agile Marketing,

chronicles her experiences applying agile methodology to the marketing process for better results and faster time to value. She brought her substantial executivelevel and tech industry experience with her to Star2Star, having driven innovative, agile, revenue-producing field and channel marketing programs for one of the world’s most relied upon technology companies, Computer Associates. Michelle holds an MBA from American Intercontinental University and earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of South Florida.

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The Future Is Here: Connect & Collaborate From Anywhere With Star2Star

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“The fact that we can do so much is very unique to us” MICHELLE ACCARDI

PRESIDENT AND CHIEF REVENUE OFFICER, STAR2STAR

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we’ve always had a remote workforce,” says Accardi. “So for us, having everyone go remote just as those people who aren’t in our headquarters means we can understand and give all of our customers the capability to go remote as well.” Accardi sees that as a permanent change, even once the pandemic has abated. “How people work and where people work is changing. And we have a broad spectrum of solutions that can help them, whether they prefer to have a desk phone, or they 222

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“ We are one of the only vendors I know of that focuses so much on customer retention” MICHELLE ACCARDI,

PRESIDENT AND CHIEF REVENUE OFFICER, STAR2STAR

STAR2STAR

prefer to have a mobile app that can communicate via voice, text, or fax.” As the world bends to precisely the mode of working that Star2Star can facilitate, Accardi is clear that the company’s future is bright. “We see a future where it is going to be a mix of remote and working from home. Once vaccines come about, there will be a return of some workers to the office. But they’re going to want the flexibility to have mobile applications that enable

them to work from home when they want to.” Star2Star is perfectly positioned to allow companies to straddle that gap. “I often like to say: it’s with irritation that you make the pearl. For Star2Star, we build solutions that enable companies to not just get through the pandemic, but to actually thrive as they digitally transform because of it.”

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CYBERSECURITY TRANSFORMATION IN TELECOMS

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Mohamed Noordin Yussuff Marican, CISO at Circles.Life discusses the company’s cybersecurity transformation and the impact of COVID-19

WRITTEN BY: GEORGIA WILSON PRODUCED BY: CRAIG KILLINGBACK

hen it comes to cybersecurity, Mohamed Noordin Yusuff Marican, Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) at Circles.Life has been hooked on the concept since he was a teenager. “It wasn’t even called cybersecurity back then, it was known as data security, IT security and information security. It wasn’t until more recently that the phrase cybersecurity came in,” reflects Noordin, who adds that “with internet laws being less stringent back in the 90s,” he spent his time as a teenager on his first computers fiddling with security tools such as password crackers and backdoor trojans. “Knowing that this was the career journey I wanted to take, my career began as a police officer, in the police technology department, in the IT security team. I was responsible for protecting information assets, belonging to the Singapore police force.” After five years in the police force, Noordin moved to the private sector, working at industry leading companies such as EY, Barclays, Qatar Petroleum, KPMG and NTUC Enterprise, before joining Circles.Life.

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“J

“I believe that Circles.Life will be a very successful company. The first rule of success is to have a clear vision and that is what Circles.Life has”

oining Circles.Life drifting around and never has definitely ending up anywhere. allowed me to Circles.Life’s core vision grow my abilities to is to give power back become a senior leader to the consumers,” and have conversations comments Noordin. with founders and By nature, Noordin C-levels. Circles.Life explains that he is a is already and will be builder. “I have built even more successful cybersecurity teams than it already is in time in the past, but Circles. MOHAMED NOORDIN to come. The first rule of Life has given me the YUSUFF MARICAN success is to have a clear runway to build an CISO, CIRCLES.LIFE vis-ion and that is what information security office Circles.Life has. If you don’t have a goal from ground zero, which I will be doing for of what you want to achieve, you end up many more years to come.” 226

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MD NOORDIN TITLE: CISO COMPANY: CIRCLES.LIFE INDUSTRY: TELECOMMUNICATIONS

EXECUTIVE BIO

LOCATION: SINGAPORE Md Noordin is Global Chief Information Security Officer with Circles.Life, Asia’s First Fully Digital Telco and Consumer Company. Noordin is responsible for building and maintaining the information security program and transforming the cybersecurity culture in the organisation globally. Having worked in the government, MNCs, SMEs and start-ups, he has accumulated more than 19 years of experience in Cybersecurity, IT Audit, Risk Management, Compliance, Investigation and Forensics. He is also an adjunct lecturer for cybersecurity with various educational institutes, a board committee member on corporate governance for a non-profit organisation in Singapore and a co-founder of a phishing simulation startup. Noordin holds a Master of Internet Security Management, coupled with CFE, CFI, CISSP, CISA, CISM and Prince2 certifications, and recently graduated in an Executive Leadership Programme with the University of Oxford.

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“Founded on the belief that telcos can - and should - be better. Our vision is to be the go - to customer brand that delights and engages customers with personalised digital services across the world” MOHAMED NOORDIN YUSUFF MARICAN CISO, CIRCLES.LIFE

2016 Year founded

643

Number of employees

Rameez Ansar, Adeel Najam and Abhishek Gupta Co-founders of Circles.Life

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INSIDE CIRCLES.LIFE “Founded on the belief that telcos can – and should – be better. Our vision is to be the go to customer brand that delights and engages customers with personalised digital services across the world,” details Noordin. With its pledge to give power to people that echoes throughout its internal operations, Circles.Life strives to not only be the best digital telco app, but to also provide many different consumer verticals such as movie tickets, concert tickets and classes in a high quality and flexible way for its customers.

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Bringing the conversation back to security, Noordin explains that Circles.Life’s information security program has what the company calls its three ‘CISO pillars of cybersecurity’. “These pillars are made up of Cyber Defense, Cyber Governance and Cyber Operations functions. Our Cyber Defense function focuses on the likes of technical penetration testing, to ensure that vulnerabilities are discovered and remediated timely while our cyber governance function focuses on policies and procedures to

make sure that we have the necessary cybersecurity frameworks in place and that we are complying with current cybersecurity and data protection regulations. Finally, our cyber operations function protects and defends our infrastructure against cyber threats.” With this structure in place, Noordin adds that the next element of Circles.Life’s information security program is its process. “We continuously work to ensure that we have the strong prcesses in place to defend the organisation against mobile-magazine.com

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“ I have built cybersecurity teams in the past, but Circles.Life has given me the runway to build an information security office from ground zero, which I will be doing for many more years to come”

KEY PARTNERSHIPS

CIRLCLES.LIFE

“We engage with HackerOne to develop our vulnerability disclosure program. So right now, it’s a private vulnerability disclosure program whereby we allow a group of hackers that have been preselected by HackerOne to carry out penetration testing and hack our applications to determine our potential vulnerabilities.”

“JumpCloud is a seamless, cloudbased domain controller. It allows us to manage all our endpoints globally.”

MOHAMED NOORDIN YUSUFF MARICAN CISO, CIRCLES.LIFE

attacks, as well as having the right-fit security technologies. We can not only have one of these three elements, we need to have the people, processes, and technology to ensure that cybersecurity becomes an enabler for the business.” Circling back to the company’s core vision ‘to give power back to the customers’, Noordin reflects on the company’s culture. “Our customers are our key pillar when we are executing our work, each and every one of us has our company vision resonating in our day to day work. Whilst each team has its own KPIs and priorities, they are all ultimately driven by the core company-wide priority, ensuring that our company is aligned in the work that we do.”

“So far we are very happy with the service that Proficio provides. Proficio helps us to provide key cybersecurity statistics to management and helps to detect and respond to security threats timely.”

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“Our workloads are all in the cloud so we are purely a cloud native, digital company which allows us to be able to work from anywhere” MOHAMED NOORDIN YUSUFF MARICAN CISO, CIRCLES.LIFE

COVID - 19: MAINTAIN CYBER RESILIENCE IN UNCERTAIN TIMES It is common knowledge that digital transformation has sped up significantly as a result of COVID-19, Noordin explains that Circles.Life was quite lucky when the pandemic hit due to already being a digital company, Circles.Life was already well suited to sustain its operations. “We do not have on premise server rooms or data centres,” comments Noordin, “our workloads are in the cloud and so we are purely a cloud native, digital company which allow staff to work from anywhere.” Noordin goes on to explain that it is this cloud based element of its operations that is important for becoming resilient. “You are only able to become more resilient if you can execute day to day operations in the office from anywhere. Our cloud based tools provide us with a hybrid function whereby we can have some people working from home and some people in the office.”

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