Business Club

1. Ericsson’s current focus areas  and priorities in Jordan 

As Jordan’s development ecosystem looks to foster the right environment for entrepreneurship, new business, and nationwide developments, we are committed to utilizing our capabilities, legacy, and expertise to enable the power of connectivity that will support the Jordan 2025 National Vision. 

At Ericsson we strongly believe Information and Communications Technology (ICT) are the catalysts for digital transformation. Cellular networks are at the core of Jordan’s digitalization journey with the power to propel technological adoption. Being enablers of digital technology, networks like 4G and 5G have become crucial ingredients in Jordan’s competitiveness agenda. Therefore, fostering innovations in cellular technology, alongside increasing Jordan’s digital literacy and talent competencies will no doubt help bring the economically centered digital transformation visions for its public sector to fruition.

To enable fast and countrywide 5G coverage the CSPs need to use the low-band spectrum (spectrum below 1GHz). The mid-band spectrum (3.5GHz) is a great choice to provide improved quality to the end-user that will differentiate 5G from 4G. However, to ensure that end-users will get the benefits of 5G regardless of where they are located, we need to combine the mid-band spectrum with the low-band spectrum. This is particularly important for 5G Stand Alone deployments. Jordan has great potential to improve both 4G and 5G networks with the low-band spectrum as both 700MHz and 800MHz bands are still not utilized for mobile networks.

We are ready to support Jordan in achieving its vision and we were thrilled to highlight our intentions at the recent ICT Forum where we participated in keynote sessions and shared insights on the endless opportunities of 5G for the country. Our plan centers on using our technology as a driver of digital transformation with the ultimate goal of creating smart and greener cities. 

2. Reflections on the Swedish delegation visit to Jordan

Part of a wider Swedish delegation, Ericsson’s MEA President Fadi Pharaon visited me in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan to meet with our partners, the communication services providers to discuss current and future collaborations. During our visit, we also examined the various opportunities that lie ahead for the development of advanced network capabilities. Our visit to Jordan reflects the deep-rooted and historic ties of friendship between the two countries. In fact, we had established our regional office in Jordan close to forty years ago which today counts 72 employees fully committed to the digitalization of the Kingdom. I myself have relocated to Jordan in 2021 to ensure total immersion in the opportunities presented for this burgeoning nation. I will be operating from Amman along with a couple of colleagues holding key regional leadership positions which will allow us to bring out the best of future connectivity to Jordan and the Levant. It is always an honor for us to meet with our partners on the ground and we look forward to future collaborations.  

3. How can 5G benefit people?

5G is the most advanced and efficient mobile network we have at our disposal today and is essentially an advanced evolution of the existing communication standards of 2G, 3G, and 4G. With much faster speed than 4G, 5G’s ability to transmit data with extremely low latency is enabling critical communications in real-time - powering digital technologies that are driving digital transformation today.

5G features include faster connectivity speeds, ultra-low latency, and greater bandwidth which brought the technology much attention in recent years. It is now also seen as a critical tool in driving us towards a more connected and digital society.  5G holds massive potential in transforming the Jordanian society, its industries, and dramatically enhancing the day-to-day experiences of users across the board. In more concrete terms, 5G has the power to enable a multitude of services such as e-health, connected vehicles, and advanced mobile cloud gaming.

However, this comes with a caveat. In order to win the hearts of the next wave of 5G consumers, continued investment in network capacity and coverage, combined with innovative services and offerings will be required. Our largest global 5G consumer study ever done, the Ericsson ConsumerLab, was released last month and it is apparent that current and future 5G users expect innovative 5G experiences to be part of their mobile broadband plan. We also see that in the next wave of 5G consumers, when we are going beyond the early adopters, expectations on capacity and coverage will increase.

4. What are some of the most anticipated 5G applications? 

With faster connectivity speeds, ultra-low latency, and greater bandwidth, 5G is dramatically enhancing day-to-day experiences. What we used to see as futuristic is turning into reality across industries. In the transportation industry, for example, the high-speed data transfer speeds, ultra-low latency, and increased reliability provided by 5G networks are enabling vehicles to seamlessly communicate with the cellular network, other vehicles, roadside infrastructure, and even pedestrians in real-time. It also holds a promise to strengthen the capabilities of self-driving vehicles and allow accident-free, stress-free, and emission-free driving. 

The potential of 5G in the manufacturing industry today is already revolutionizing efficiency and safety. With low latency, high reliability, and high bandwidth, it allows for higher flexibility, lower cost, and shorter lead times for factory floor production reconfiguration, layout changes, and alterations. It also enables manufacturers to do remote quality inspections as well as identify and monitor items in real-time to guarantee they are delivered when and where they are needed. By also enabling predictive maintenance and industrial robotics to test hazardous materials, 5G also significantly contributes to preventing worker accidents and increasing safety in the manufacturing industry. 

For organizations and telecom operators, this represents a wealth of opportunities to dip into artificial intelligence, augmented reality, and the internet of things. Spanning a variety of use cases across various industries, 5G is enabling the creation of a smarter, safer, and more sustainable future for all. 

5. Can 5G deployment help achieve sustainability goals?

Apart from higher speeds and lower latency 5G technology will help to “Break the Energy Curve”. Every new mobile technology, every new “G”, provides better quality for end-users, higher speeds, and more capacity. However, so far, every new mobile technology also increased mobile network's energy consumption. Currently, the CSPs are spending in the range of 25B USD on energy consumption yearly. The further increase in energy consumption is simply not sustainable. We at Ericsson believe that with 5G we can break this trend and reduce energy consumption while increasing the quality, speed and network capacity. This is what we call “Breaking the Energy Curve” and it is possible as 5G is standardized with energy efficiency in mind allowing us to incorporate innovations in our HW and SW solutions to maximize energy efficiency and “Break the Energy Curve”.

According to the Ericsson Breaking the Energy Curve Report 2022, 5G has been deployed globally in more than 200 networks since the 2020 edition of the report. Certain steps are available to us to scale up 5G with sustainability top-of-mind and reduce the total network energy consumption by challenging the traditional industry approach: plan, deploy, and operate differently. Our report recommends taking a holistic view of network evolution, expansion and operation to break the upward trajectory of energy consumption of mobile networks. This approach will also help address the challenge of exponential data traffic growth. 

Leveraging artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML) and automation will maximize traffic performance of deployed hardware with minimized energy use. As radio access network (RAN) products and solutions consume the most energy across a mobile network, the report highlights the need for CSPs to continually prioritize RAN energy savings as new energy-efficient product generations are released. This is the best way to keep energy use under control while delivering excellent user experience. 

We may not say it enough, but the ICT industry plays a decisive role in enabling the critical and exponential climate action demanded today by investors and regulators and has the potential to reduce total global industrial emissions by up to 15 percent. These demands are spurred on by intensifying pressures from consumers, customers and the wider supply chain. To meet these demands and align with the global 1.5°C ambition1 set by the Paris Agreement, businesses must adopt a full value-chain approach to setting climate targets according to a Net Zero timeline – with a commitment to halve total emissions by 2030 and reach a Net Zero state by 2050. To reach Net Zero, it is important to reduce energy consumption and break the curve.

As part of Arab Bank’s efforts towards integrating Sustainability into its operations, the Bank has launched its inaugural Sustainable Finance Framework, which will support its sustainability commitments and environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) priorities. 

Arab Bank is the first financial institution in Jordan to issue such a Framework, which is aligned with the four core components of the Green Bond Principles 2021 (GBP), Social Bond Principles 2021 (SBP) and Sustainability Bond Guidelines 2021 (SBG) published by the International Capital Market Association (ICMA), as well as the Green Loan Principles 2021 (GLP) and Social Loan Principles 2021 (“SLP”) published by the Loan Market Association (LMA).

The bank has obtained a Second Party Opinion from S&P Global Ratings which has affirmed the Framework’s alignment with the aforementioned ICMA and LMA principles.

Arab Bank intends to use the Framework as the basis to issue sustainable debt instrumentsto advance projects that will contribute to climate action, employment generation as well as support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

Commenting on the launch of the Framework, Randa Sadik, Arab Bank’s CEO, said: “We are delighted to have published our Sustainable Finance Framework and Second Party Opinion from S&P Global Ratings. This is yet another significant milestone in our Sustainability journey and a testament to Arab Bank’s efforts towards supporting the ESG agenda and creating apositive impactin Jordan, the MENA region and wherever we operate".

AMMAN — Aqaba Container Terminal (ACT) was recently awarded the Port Environmental Review System (PERS) certificate for the third time in a row. 

The certificate was granted by the European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO).

ACT is the first port outside of Europe to obtain this certificate. It comes as a result of the company’s commitment towards fulfilling all the requirements of the certification process, this includes their environmental aspects, housekeeping, conformity review, best practices, policy statements, environmental report preparation and the legal regal requirements, responsibilities and resources. A panel took over five hours to audit ACT’s application, as they provided more than 59 recorded proofs of their practices.

ACT CEO Soren Jensen said: “We are very proud to have received the Port Environmental Review System (PERS) certificate for the third time, as this indicates that our terminal operates in accordance with the highest standards in the region. I would also like to congratulate our team for their great efforts and support in complying with ACT’s environmental policies and helping us remain a sustainable EcoPort.”

The Saudi Arabian market is anticipated to grow due to rising demands for quicker and simpler cloud service implementation. The 20th edition of the World Cloud Show will highlight what the Kingdom has in store for investors, IT professionals, and tech enthusiasts in upholding this development.

The event is set to underline the fundamental data strategies and digital blueprint that will propel the upcoming era of cloud adoption in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The initiative will bring together exceptional industry leading speakers and a multitude of C-level tech decision makers, along with CMOs, CDOs, CXOs, and industry practitioners.

“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is marching fast to evolve into a data-driven economy, and I am really looking forward to exchanging insights with all my industry peers,” said Saqib Mahmood, Executive Director - Digital Transformation & Innovation, National Water Company, Saudi Arabia.

“This year, the show will shed light on the development of governments in Cloud & Data Centres as it's a key enabler to building a vibrant Digital Kingdom. Also, it’s a mega contribution to the digital economy which will be the leading financial fund generator for governments around the world by 2040. Mega contribution to for economy of scale data centre are the use of hyperscale data centre which is also going to have a significant impact on world digital economy,” Essam Saeed Al Ghamdi, Royal Commission of Riyadh City, was found quoting.

Muhammad Khurram Khan, Global Foundation for Cyber Studies and Research said: “Trescon’s upcoming event in Riyadh is vital to highlight and discuss core data strategies and initiatives of digital transformation that will drive the next phase of cloud adoption.” 

World Cloud & Data Center Show will gather women tech ambassadors who are uniting a thousand other women and becoming role models for global diversity in tech, spearheading the change in the Kingdom. The event will also have power-packed line-up of influential women in the tech world that takes forward the ambitious vision of HRH Prince Mohammed Bin Salman and Saudi Vision 2030. 

This segment will recognise and honor the tech-savvy women who have carved a niche in their respective fields; AI, Cyber Security, Cloud Computing, Quantum computing and other Emerging Technologies. An exclusive rendezvous to celebrate the progress & achievements, share knowledge, experiences on building the Digital Future of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The World Cloud & Data Center Show will acknowledge and felicitate the technologists, scientists, researchers, innovators, and women holding prominent positions in the tech domain.

Esteemed selection of Women leaders in Technology:

•Alia Bhanshal - Director of the National Center for Data Analytics and Artificial Intelligence, (KACST)

•Amjad Alamri - Senior Specialist, Autonomous Construction Equipment & Robotics, Design and Construction (NEOM)

•Maha E. M. Alqahtani - Director of Microdata, General Authority of Statistics (GASTAT)

•Basma Albuhairan - Managing Director, The Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution Saudi Arabia (C4IR KSA)

•Maryam Telmesani - Chair Board CSO, Sustainability Consultant, UNGC Local Network Saudi Arabia, MBL, Moc

•Mariam Nouh - VP Future Economies Sector, Cyber Security Researcher & Consultant (KACST)

•Danah Alsobayel - Cloud Computing Partnership Director, CITC

•Duaa Abaood - Digital Environment Director, MoMRAH

•Amal Bin Eissa - Artificial Intelligence Engineer, Senior Data Scientist Member of the Advisory Committee in the College of Computer and Information sciences, Princess Noura University

•Emon Shaker- Founder & CEO of Blossom Accelerator, Venture Partner at Oryx Fund

•Fatimah Aljulaih - Head of Cybersecurity, Oxagon

•Mishaal Ashemimry - Aerospace Engineer and Founder of MISHAAL Aerospace

•Tanzila Saba - Associate Chair, Information Systems Dept., Research Professor, AIDA Lab Leader, Prince SultanUniversity/CCIS College 

While discussing the importance of cloud computing in today’s digital age, Maryam Telmesani, UNGC Local Network Saudi Arabia, MBL, MoC said: “As technology evolves, businesses explore innovative prospects to leverage cloud computing to advance their digital transformation journey. With an expected compound annual growth rate of 4.8 per cent, the cloud application software market will reach $168.6 billion by 2025. However, it’s important to adopt a sustainable framework “Green cloud” to address potential impact areas of cloud services across the three spheres of sustainability (Social, Environmental, Economic) to form the future of a sustainable global IT landscape. It is time to prove that “Green Cloud” is more than a buzzword linking IT to the environment instead it’s a framework with defined elements around energy efficiency, reduction of CO2 emissions, use of renewables, Eco-friendly data center buildings, greener infrastructure and sustainable policies and standards.”

Sharing her thoughts on the impact of the World Cloud Show, AlBuhairan said: “A global and powerful quintessential cloud event that brings together global experts, investors, and cloud entrepreneurs.”

The Saudi Arabia edition of Trescon’s global cloud series of events will highlight the tremendous technological advances Saudi Arabia will undergo in order to achieve their five-year growth plan. 

Mohammed AlAqil, College of Engineering, King Faisal University talks about this rampant digital revolution and the role of World Cloud & Data Center Show, saying: “A new era of energy transition and industrial revolution reinforces the search for smarter, economic, and multidisciplinary integrated solutions. The World Cloud Show serves as a catalyst that energizes the techno-world to achieve a more comprehensive sustainable and green digital transformations all across by employing novel Cloud related technologies.”

The 20th edition of The World Cloud Show will feature renowned speakers such as:

•Fahad A. Alhamad, Chairman of the board, Saudi Cloud Computing Association

•Simon-Timmis, Director of City Technology, The Red Sea Development Company 

•Hani Al Thubaiti, CIO, King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST)

•Fabio Fontana, CEO ZeroPoint DC, Tonomous, Chief Growth Officer & Executive Director- Compute, Neom

•Fahad Bedaiwi, Executive Vice President, Head Facilities Management & Engineering Saudi National Bank 

•Mashari Almusad, Chief Infromation Officer, Saudi Olympic & Paralympic Committee

•Ali Alghamdi, Data Management Specialist, Saudi Aramco

•Abdullah Biary, CISO, United Cooperative Insurance

•Mohammed Nasser Alshahrani, Statistician and Data Science Expert, Prince Sattam University

Ibrahim Bin Asaker, Cloud Security Alliance said: “Securing your data/services is a journey that never ends, World Cloud Show will bring the subject experts to shed light on Cloud Adoption in Saudi Arabia.”

“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is experiencing a cloud revolution, and data centers and the cloud will be essential to the country's effort to diversify its economy. We hope to give a glimpse into the next phase of Saudi Arabia's digital revolution with the World Cloud Show and give tech innovators a platform to further their cause,” Mithun Shetty, CEO, Trescon .

The 20th edition of the World Cloud & Data Center Show is supported and sponsored by: 

•Supported by: 

•Saudi Cloud Computing Association, 

•Information Technology Experts and Engineers, 

•Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics (AIDA) Lab | Prince Sultan University

•Headline Sponsor: SITE - Saudi Information Technology Company

•Silver Sponsor: Supermicro

•Bronze Sponsor: 

•1Day Cloud

•Systems Arabia

•Digital Partner:

•Eye of Riyadh