In a world defined by rapid technological advancements, the convergence of 5G, cloud infrastructure and artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the way we live and work.
Huawei’s 14th Global Mobile Broadband Forum (MBBF) 2023 in Dubai, UAE, provided some useful insights into the latest developments as industry leaders announced groundbreaking innovations and shared experiences from their respective industries and geographies.
Heading up the programme, Yang Chaobin, Board Member and President of ICT Products & Solutions at Huawei, unveiled LampSite X, a next-generation 5G indoor digital product solution that promises to redefine the indoor digital experience.
LampSite X has been designed and configured by Huawei to help operators open up new business spaces and move towards greater digital intelligence. Yang announced that LampSite X brings unrivalled 5.5G capabilities indoors for the first time, thereby comprehensively upgrading indoor digitalisation.
With the explosive growth of mobile traffic, 80% of which is generated indoors, the need for advanced digital indoor capabilities is clearly strong. High-density indoor environments such as shopping malls, airports, railway stations and stadiums require a new paradigm. Huawei claims that LampSite X’s unique Distributed Massive MIMO technology enables a peak throughput of over 10 Gbps, offering not only unprecedented speeds but also the first-ever 5.5G 10 Gbps experience indoors. With the industry's smallest and lightest design, paired with dynamic energy-saving capabilities, Huawei believes LampSite X is a game-changer in the world of indoor digitalisation.
The LampSite X series boasts a volume as small as 1L and weight of just 1kg, meaning it can be deployed with unparalleled flexibility in a wide range of settings. Yang stated: "This product is the only one in the industry to combine mmWave and sub-6 GHz, paving the way for ultra-high performance, diverse capabilities and minimal energy usage."
“These capabilities extend to ultra-high uplink speeds, high-precision positioning down to sub-meter levels, low latency in milliseconds, and IoT integration. The unique ‘0 Bit 0 Watt’ solution ensures round-the-clock dynamic energy savings, maximizing efficiency.”
According to Yang, Huawei believes LampSite X will become a catalyst for digital transformation in both consumer and industry applications. In consumer scenarios (to-C) LampSite X enhances the end-user experience by increasing traffic and creating new business opportunities for operators. Giving an example from Hong Kong, Yang said: “In the 10 Gbps business districts, LampSite X has driven a 20 percent increase in traffic, leading to new and innovative business models.”
In business scenarios (to-B), Yang claimed the product's multi-dimensional digital indoor capabilities are transforming smart factories, increasing efficiency and dramatically reducing production times.
Cao Ming, President of Wireless Solutions at Huawei, launched the industry's first full-series solutions for 5.5G. “5.5G is well-timed to support new experiences, connections and services,” said Cao, highlighting that “Huawei's full-series 5.5G solutions will help operators deliver full-scenario tenfold capabilities and enable ultra-high energy efficiency, spectrum utilisation and O&M efficiency.”
“5.5G has arrived just in time to upgrade the connections of people, homes, things, vehicles and industries. Huawei's full-series 5.5G solutions can help operators efficiently build 5.5G networks thanks to continuous innovations across five categories of basic capabilities: broadband, multi-band, multi-antenna, intelligent and green,” Cao concluded.
From the operator viewpoint, Khalid Murshed, Chief Technology and Information Officer at Etisalat by e&, shed light on the UAE telecom landscape. He highlighted how the operator has embraced 5G, cloud infrastructure and AI integration, and positioned itself as a global leader in broadband technology.
Bocar Ba, CEO and Board Member of SAMENA Telecommunications Council, highlighted the crucial role of 5G in driving digital transformation across the Middle East, particularly in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). He recognised the collaborative efforts of regional governments, technology players and operators in advancing 5G development.
“Digital transformation in the Middle East is multifaceted. In the oil and gas industry, IoT devices, sensor systems, AR, VR, robotics control and automated guided vehicles are being deployed, reshaping the sector” observed Ba.
The education sector, too, is experiencing a technological revolution, alongside smart manufacturing, agriculture, smart buildings and mobility. Bocar stressed that the technological changes are having a positive impact on job creation, productivity and well-being across the GCC.
“The next phase of 5G, referred to as 5G Advanced, is on the horizon” said Bocar. “It promises to offer new opportunities, including enhanced user experiences, extended reality, real-time industrial automation and financial transactions.”
He highlighted the need for additional investment if the massive connectivity goals of 5G and 5G Advanced are to be fully realised across the GCC.
Regulatory agility is another critical aspect of driving 5G advancement, according to Bocar. “The agile regulatory approach is essential for addressing IoT standardisation and emerging challenges.”
The convergence of 5G, cloud infrastructure, and AI is ushering in a new era of digitalisation, both in the UAE and beyond.
