Digital Access Is Critical for Society Say Industry Leaders

Improving connectivity can both benefit those who most need it most and boost the businesses that provide the service. That’s the case telecom industry leaders made during a panel on Feb. 11 at the World Governments Summit in Dubai. 

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Titled “Can we innovate our way to a more connected world?”, the panel was hosted by TIME’s Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs. During the course of the conversation, Margherita Della Valle, CEO of U.K.-based multinational telecom company Vodafone Group, said, “For society today, connectivity is essential. We are moving from the old divide in the world between the haves and the have-nots towards a new divide, which is between those who have access to connectivity and those who don’t.”

The International Telecommunications Union, a United Nations agency, says that around 2.6 billion people—a third of the global population—don’t have access to the internet. Della Valle noted that of those unconnected people, 300 million live in remote areas that are too far from any form of connectivity infrastructure to get online. Satellites can help to bridge the gap, says Della Valle, whose company plans to launch its commercial direct-to-smartphone satellite service later this year in Europe.

Read More: Column: How We Connected One Billion Lives Through Digital Technology

While digital access is a social issue, companies don’t need to choose between what is best for consumers and what’s best for business, Hatem Dowidar, group CEO of UAE-based telecom company e&, formerly known as Etisalat Group, said. “At the end of the day,” he said, “in our telecom part of the business, when we connect people, [they’re] customers for us, it makes revenue, and we can build on it.” He noted that part of e&’s evolution toward becoming a tech company has involved enabling customers to access fintech, cybersecurity, and cloud computing services.

Mickey Mikitani, CEO of Japanese technology conglomerate Rakuten Group, advocated for a radical transformation of the telecommunications industry, calling the existing telecoms business model “obsolete and old.” Removing barriers to entry to the telecom sector, like the cost of accessing a wireless spectrum—the range of electromagnetic frequencies used to transmit wireless communications—may benefit customers and society more broadly, he said.

The panelists also discussed how artificial intelligence can improve connectivity, as well as the role of networks in supporting the technology’s use. Mikitani noted that his company has been using AI to help it manage networks efficiently with a fraction of the staff its competitors have. Della Valle added, “AI will need strong networks,” emphasizing that countries where networks have not received sufficient investment may struggle to support the technology.

Dowidar called on attendees at the summit from governments around the world to have a dialogue with industry leaders about legislation and regulations in order to overcome the current and potential challenges. Some of those hurdles include ensuring data sovereignty and security within borders, and enabling better training of AI in languages beyond English, he noted.

“It’s very important for everyone to understand the potential that can be unleashed by technology,” Dowidar said, emphasizing the need to train workforces. “AI is going to change the world.”

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