CIO OPINION
world adjust to a new normal, completely
reliant on connectivity. But the restrictions
we are facing have fundamentally redefined
the world’s expectations of networks.
Operators should prepare for significantly
elevated levels of demand and crucially,
uncertainty around usage patterns for some
time to come.
At Nokia, we have worked closely with
operators to help them respond swiftly
to the first phase by reducing congestion
through network optimisation and upgrades,
and together, we are now looking to the next
phase. We see two key priorities for operators
as we adjust to the changes this pandemic
has brought:
SCALE. The COVID-19 lockdown restrictions
will continue to place extreme demands
on new areas of the network, particularly
indoor and residential locations. Adding
capacity in these new ‘hot zones’ through
spectrum expansion and additional sites
will help prepare for the uncertainty we face
moving forward, where inbuilt scalability
and flexibility will be key in both access
and transport networks. In MEA, temporary
“
AT A TIME
WHEN HALF OF
THE GLOBAL
POPULATION
HAS BEEN UNDER
CONFINEMENT,
THE CHALLENGES
FACED BY ITS
TELECOMS
NETWORKS ARE
REPRESENTATIVE
OF THOSE
CURRENTLY BEING
FACED ACROSS
THE GLOBE.
spectrum allocations have been granted by
local regulatory in many countries to support
operators to cope with traffic surge and
better serve the local community.
The COVID-19 restrictions have also
highlighted the challenges faced by
populations across the world, unserved
or underserved by broadband. Fixed
Wireless Access solutions, built over LTE
or 5G, are providing an effective way to
expand broadband access to reach these
communities in the short-term.
STIMULATE. The priority so far in this
crisis has been to respond quickly and
decisively to urgent challenges. However, the
steps we take today will help pave the way
towards our 5G future and towards eventual
economic recovery. In the coming months,
operators must ensure they are evolving
networks in a progressive way, making the
most of network automation to create more
flexible network architectures that can be
run with minimal human intervention.
Telecoms will play a key role in accelerating
the global Digital Transformation and the
advance of 5G, providing a catalyst for the
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