FEATURE : 5G carefully considered including Central , Edge , Far- Edge , as different use cases require different setup . Building a smooth , 3GPP complied and clear-cut 5G deployment roadmap with business use cases should be one of the key priorities . They should strategically plan to minimise vendor lock-in , and mismatch in hardware vendors , network configurations and policies . Actively provisioned deployment and 5G service monitoring is necessary to ensure seamless operation ,” he said .
Vyas said automation coupled with predictive and proactive monitoring is also vital since real time application will be using underlying 5G network infrastructure and availability must be of paramount importance . “ I would also emphasise on developing a legacy rationalisation plan and hiring and retaining critical skills relevant to emerging 5G technologies ,” he said .
As telcos and enterprises prepare to mass rollout 5G in Africa and accelerate Digital Transformation initiatives , Vyas believes 5G is and will be a key accelerator for Digital Transformation . “ It is a platform to enable differentiated experience for consumers and enterprises . 5G roll out in Africa will have compounding effect on economies , consumer , and enterprises . The GSMA estimates that mobile technologies and services generated 9 % of GDP in sub-Saharan Africa in 2019 – a contribution that amounted to more than US $ 155 billion of economic value added . This figure is expected to increase significantly in the 5G era , especially as the technology will have a greater application in enterprise use cases , compared to previous generations ,” he said .
According to Vyas , in sub-Saharan Africa , 5G FWA will be a primary use case for enterprises and consumers . He said this will have multi-fold increase in consumption of highspeed broadband and other related applications .
“ To achieve the vision of Digital Transformation , key industry players including telco companies , enterprises , systems integrators , application providers , device manufacturers must collaborate with a common goal to unlock the potential of 5G and bring the new real life use cases for both consumer and enterprises in Africa . 5G wireless network brings high speed , low-latency , reliability , and Edge computing power , which enables seamless , smart , connected experiences , new edge use cases like AR / VR , and widespread IoT deployment . The arrival of 5G is all set to transform the enterprise world , accelerate Industry 4.0 digitalisation journey and enable muchneeded business transformation in Africa . p
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