On September 9, 2024, Huawei successfully hosted the 6th 5G Core (5GC) Executive Roundtable during the 5G Core Summit in Dubai, UAE. The event brought together over 30 senior executives across the world, including analysts from GSMA Intelligence, telecom operators, and industry partners from the Middle East, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and Africa to discuss hot topics and development trends regarding 5G and 5G-Advanced core networks. The roundtable started with addresses by influential industry representatives, including Ayman Magdy Abousenna, Vice President/Mobile Data Core &Services e& UAE/Technology &IT and George Gao, President of Huawei Cloud Core Network Product Line. Following the addresses, Pablo Iacopino, Director of Telecom Research at GSMA Intelligence, provided insights into the latest trends, services, and business models in 5G and 5G-A, emphasizing the significance of business monetization. Then discussions kicked off under the theme "Intelligent Core Network Reshapes Business". They focused on three key topics: 5G SA industry development, intelligent core networks enabling experience monetization, as well as voice infrastructure network construction and service innovation. Through the discussions, the participants reached a broad consensus on the importance of advancing the intelligent 5G core networks, reshaping operational models, and facilitating service innovation.
5G SA Industry Development
During the discussion on 5G SA industry development, Lin Rui, Chief Technology Advisor of Philippines DITO, shared DITO's successful experience in building the only commercial 5G SA network in the Philippines since DITO went alive into the market in 2019. This was achieved through a strategy of leasing first and then constructing 5G SA networks. He also shared his thoughts on accelerating the commercialization of 5G.
Following his speech, operators shared their experiences and engaged in in-depth discussions on the development of the 5G SA industry. It was widely agreed that5G SA has great potential to promote intelligent and innovative operational models, particularly in terms of diversified services. It is also expected to drive the rapid development of FWA services. Additionally, network slicing was highlighted as a key opportunity for new business models, especially in meeting the tailored requirements of enterprises. While 5G SA has a bright future, there is still significant room for improvement in its promotion. We hope to collaborate with all industry partners to accelerate industry development. With the increasing penetration rate of terminals and continuous improvement of network coverage, especially as iOS devices begin to support 5G SA in more regions, user experience will greatly improve, and the market will embrace more development opportunities.
Intelligent Core Network Enabling Experience Monetization
During the discussion on the topic of intelligent core network boosting experience monetization, Ayman Magdy Abousenna, Vice President/Mobile Data Core &Services e& UAE/Technology &IT made a presentation on topic e& UAE Intelligent Core Unlocks Experience Monetization. 5G-A and NWDAF enable real-time detection of service changes, delivering tailored policies to meet SLAs for different users. Initial lab tests have been successful. This approach shifts e& UAE from traditional traffic operations to real-time experience-based operations, addressing diverse user needs and driving business growth.
Leaders and experts from various operators engaged in an in-depth discussion on experience monetization, focusing on its key elements, service scenarios, and network requirements. Participants agreed that exploring target users and ensuring the availability of network assurance at critical moments are the core elements of experience monetization, while gaming, live streaming, and network performance during congestion are key service scenarios. Additionally, real-time experience awareness is regarded as the most important feature of the network in experience monetization. It helps operators promptly push recommended packages, optimize user experience, thereby improving the overall service quality and closing the monetization loop.
Voice Infrastructure Network Construction and Service Innovation
During the discussion on voice network infrastructure construction and service innovation, the core network leader of Zain Kuwait presented their insights on how they harnessed intelligence to enhance their voice service offerings. He emphasized that New Calling, with key capabilities such as UHD, intelligence and interaction, is the bridge that connects content, AI and users, open up new space for calling service.
The participants discussed the evolution of voice networks, highlighting the need to accelerate VoLTE deployment in response to the impending 2G/3G network sunset, and stressing the importance of seamless VoLTE roaming. Furthermore, they identified three key priorities for VoLTE development: ensuring seamless VoLTE roaming, driving widespread adoption of VoLTE-capable terminals, and optimizing the overall VoLTE user experience. Operators also explored how they can leverage New Calling to drive innovation and capitalize on the opportunities presented by the intelligence-driven market. First, network capabilities are designed to be open and flexible, enabling seamless access and development of third-party services and fostering a more diverse and dynamic communication ecosystem. Second, deeper integration of intelligence with voice services, including the introduction of AI agents, is crucial to providing enhanced support for complex communication needs and maximizing communication efficiency. Finally, AI can be leveraged to accelerate content innovation and enhance the overall user experience.
The successful 5G Core Executive Roundtable not only provided new ideas for the development of global 5G core networks but also offered valuable experience and inspiration for the innovative application and development of 5G-A intelligent core networks.
