With more than 90 million 5G users worldwide, Huawei set out its vision for unleashing the full potential of the technology at its digital “Better World Summit”.
Rotating chairperson Guo Ping elaborated on how synergy across five major tech domains will help unlock the full potential of 5G to drive commercial success.
Guo emphasised the need to strengthen focus on industry applications, as this will “help us unleash the full potential of 5G.”
The business case for 5G is not just better connectivity, argued Guo. When technologies such as 5G, computing, cloud, and AI come together, they reinforce each other and create numerous opportunities across five major tech domains: connectivity, AI, cloud, computing, and industry applications.
“Huawei has in-depth strengths in each of these domains,” said Guo. “We can mix and match them to create scenario-based solutions that meet the unique needs of our customers and partners. This is key to unlocking the full potential of 5G and driving commercial success.”
For 5G to succeed commercially, he said, the entire industry needs to work together. Vertical industry applications can be replicated at scale only when unified industry standards and a collaborative ecosystem are in place.
“Moving forward, Huawei will double down on efforts to equip our partners with the capabilities they need,” said Guo. “We will promote joint innovation, and drive growth for everyone in the value chain.”
Addressing the current global health crisis, Guo said the pandemic has reshaped how we live and work, dealing a heavy blow to the world economy. Fortunately, he added, ICT offers a concrete set of tools to aid in the fight against COVID-19 on multiple fronts.
“As an ICT company, it’s our responsibility to use the technology we have to help contain and defeat this pandemic,” said Guo. “Together with our partners and customers, including carriers and enterprises of all types, we can use technological solutions to effect a positive impact on our communities.”
“By drawing on our experience in early hotspots, we have developed nine scenario-based solutions that use ICT technology to help combat the pandemic. Whether it’s hospital network deployment, remote consultation, online education, or restarting governments and businesses, we’ve been sharing our experience and capabilities to help control the spread of the virus and reopen economies.”
Gu said that in the current economic environment, the carriers need to focus not just on the short term goals, but also on the longer term.
“More precise deployment is how they can maximise the value of their networks,” said Guo, for which the company has three suggestions.
Firstly, carriers should prioritise user experience and spend money where it is needed most to maximise the value of existing networks.
Secondly, carriers should make the most of existing 4G and FTTx networks, and integrate them with new 5G networks through holistic coordination and precise planning.
Lastly, 5G deployment plans should prioritise hotspots and key industry applications.
Building on these points, Huawei’s executive director and president of Carrier BG, Ryan Ding, in his day two keynote, said that carriers need to maximise the value of existing networks.
They should make the most of their networks and rapidly expand their capacity by using software or adding boards or replacing RRUs, said Ding. This can help them respond to the soaring data traffic during the pandemic and optimise site TCO.
Carriers should focus on user experience and build the best 5G networks, Ding asserted. The best network experience brings the biggest commercial success. In South Korea, he said, carriers are seeing lucrative gains from building the best 5G networks and offering users the best experience. Huawei will continue to help carriers deliver the best possible user experience and quickly monetise 5G network capabilities.
Carriers also need to speed up 5G commercialisation in B2B for more business opportunities, said Ding. 5G is entering a new development phase, and the B2B market is key for carriers’ commercial success. Carriers need to choose the right industries and build new 5G capabilities targeting B2B. They also need to push for unified industry standards to accelerate 5G adoption at scale in B2B.
To succeed in B2B, said Ding, choosing the right industries is crucial. Private lines have become a quick-win use case for 5G in B2B, with more than 15 carriers having 5G private line services. Carriers can consider three factors when deciding which industries to focus on: industry attractiveness, commercial viability, and technical viability. Huawei suggests that carriers should currently focus on mining, steel, ports, and oilfield industries when developing 5G in B2B.
Carriers need to build 5G network planning, construction, maintenance, optimisation, and operations capabilities for B2B. For example, said Ding, they need to improve their network planning capabilities that target different production environments of industries, and provide products and solutions that meet industry requirements. In addition, they need to develop service and ecosystem enablement platforms, provide standardised products and services, and build viable business models.
Carriers need to push for unified industry standards, Ding argued. Unified industry standards are the basis for large-scale 5G development in B2B. Cross-industry collaboration is well under way. Many industries like mining and steel have begun to communicate industry standards through such efforts as publishing industry white papers, establishing ecosystem alliances, and participating in standards discussion.
Carriers need to build future-oriented target networks, said Ding. The telecoms industry needs to think hard about how their networks can be adapted to the ever-changing needs of individuals, families, and businesses as well as how to support the development of the digital economy.
“Huawei will continue to help carriers build future-oriented target networks to support their continued success,” said Ding.
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