Month: September 2017

Day 2 of the Young ICT Leaders’ Forum 2017 continued with over 200 international and local participants listening about startup and entrepreneurship. The Busan Global Smart Cities Challenge kicked off yesterday with idea presentations and group mentoring welcomed 20 young entrepreneurs pitching their ideas today. The challengers came from 16 countries of regions including Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe, and the Americas. There are eight (8) awards for winners and will be announced at the end of day.

Wednesday marked Ghana Day at ITU Telecom World with a chance for people to visit the Ghana Pavilion and learn more about the work that is being done to reach across the digital divide. Ten years ago saw the launch of Ghana’s Universal Access Fund, designed to connect rural communities. Since then 194 community information centres have been established and 117 masts installed and activated.  Kofi Asante, CEO of The Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications, was on hand to answer questions and introduce representatives from two of the agencies that are instrumental in the programme; GIFEC and NITA.

The changing skills profile of the growing digital economy means that serious capacity shortages are likely in the near future. Without the skills to use ICT solutions and applications, people throughout the world will be excluded from the digital economy and the opportunities it presents for employment, empowerment and social benefit.

Reducing the e-skills gap is critical in both developed and developing nations, as much amongst the as-yet-unconnected as those starting on the 4G- and 5G-enabled road to smart societies.

Birendra Sasmal, CEO of Subah Holding Company Limited, Ghana, discussed the challenges of evolving his workforce and recruiting specific professionals in a developing market. The biggest issue is the huge gap in basic software engineering and programming expertise, he said, highlighting a common thread of the debate: the mismatch between current education curricula and the skills needed by the industries and businesses on the ground.

Such is the pace of technological development, businesses in developing market are often left running to catch up – and to keep ahead of the “constant gap”, both between the newest and fastest technologies in other parts of the world, and the lack of more basic skills in project management, coding and programming.

Subah has established its own five-year plan, with a training centre offering local graduates a comprehensive development programme including work experience and a year abroad.  The investment is naturally not without risk, but as Sasmal explained, there is an important element of social responsibility and commitment to national development involved.

The company is now working with universities, schools and the government to close the skills gap through primary, secondary and tertiary curricula that may better prepare young Ghanaians for future careers in the digital economy.

Miko Nxele, Senior Human Capacity Building Officer at ITU, explained how ITU Centres of Excellence evolved as a key initiative to address skills needed by ICT professionals and executives throughout the world.

ITU is an integrator, responding to the needs of its membership, but the challenge of capacity building does not belong to one organization alone, he explained. “It is everyone’s responsibility: government, academia and citizens must work together as key stakeholders,” he said, to develop strategy and establish frameworks. The role of the private sector should also not be ignored – why should market-driven digital skills programmes not be part of the mix?

Leah Akingeneye, winner of the Miss Geek Rwanda competition to inspire girls to use technology, innovation and innovative thinking to solve problems, spoke of the enormous opportunities available to those with digital skills in Africa, saying that “good technology digital skills are skills for life.”

Whether we have the right skills to take advantage of smart digital transformation or not depends on the varying states of digital preparation in different global, regional or national regions, says Danil Kerimi, Director, Information and Communication Technology Industries, World Economic Forum.

Government certainly has a big role to play in developing digital skills, he said, but “I think citizens need to drive this and recognize what skills they need and how to get them. Then they can make education providers accountable” and make change happen to close the gap between supply and demand on the labour market.

Ozzeir Khan, Chief, Business Relationship Management, UN, spoke on the need to develop innovation labs and new technology to support SMEs around the world as a key driver of growth in the digital economy.

At ITU Telecom World 2017 discussions focused on smart digital transformation – and how future technologies will bring benefits to all – including those in developing countries, youth and especially for women and girls.

Many of the debates throughout the event mainstreamed issues related to gender into larger debates around Artificial Intelligence, Small and medium Enterprises (SMEs), the push for digital skills and more.

Kiki Rizki, Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer, Nurbaya Initiative works with the government of Indonesia to provide solutions for SMEs by helping them digitize, giving access to the digital world. In a session, Founders panel: From Startup to Scaleup, she talked about the specific situation in Indonesia and discussed the gender barriers that female founders often have to face. She talked about the situation “almost every woman” has had the experience of, where she stated an idea that was dismissed, only to be repeated by a male colleague, and only then is attention given to the idea. She talked about the need to build resilience for all entrepreneurs, but especially women.

At the Telecom World exhibition Leah Akingeneye, Ms. Geek Rwanda 2017, was at the Rwanda Pavilion to discuss her experience of winning Ms. Geek Rwanda, a competition designed and organized by Girls in ICT Rwanda to inspire girls to use technology, innovation and critical thinking to solve problems in the country, and to consider careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths). Leah’s winning solution is the Bus System Simulator, a web and mobile-based solution using real-time data to improve public transport in the capital, Kigali. The app lets commuters locate the nearest bus stop and buses, destinations and available space, enabling transport operators to track trips and plan better.

One of the Winners of the ITU Telecom World Awards 2017, Temitope Awosika, from Nigeria, won the ITU Telecom World SME Award for Greatest social impact, for MEDSAF. MEDSAF is a company that utilizes technology to make the process of buying and selling medication easy, and efficient which results in cost-effective and safe medication for the public.

When asked about specific barriers that she has faced as a woman entrepreneur she stated, “Gender bias in society lingers, and in some parts of the world even more so… But if you know what you want to achieve, it’s only a distraction that does not need attention.” She said that as a woman entrepreneur she centers on “working with people you have synergy with… and keeping your focus.”

Deploying broadband in rural areas and developing countries to bring the internet and all its benefits to the next billion is not, by itself, enough. There needs to be more than a business plan, more than just technology; there has to be awareness, demand and content.

Satya N. Gupta, Country Managing Director of Bluetown, summed up the most important key criteria for establishing meaningful connectivity in rural areas in his patent 5 “Ls”:  low cost technology; low power for areas that are generally off-grid; low maintenance systems where digital skills on the ground are limited; local control to ensure better quality of service; and local cloud, so that users can enjoy relevant content and government services without having to make use of expensive international connectivity.

Without a viable business case to invest in infrastructure roll out, telcos don’t generally reach the villages, he continued – and government USO funding is not enough. The solution may be a third party independent infrastructure provider working in partnership with many service providers for the last mile: “With that, you are bridging the missing link between no government and no telco motivation.”

Commenting on the apparent mismatch between national broadband plans or digital agendas, and what is actually happening in rural areas, moderator Antonio Garcia Zaballos, Lead Specialist Telecommunications, Inter-American Development Bank, said: “We need to define and implement policies to encourage investment and provide final users with interest to make the most of the opportunities.”

Wireless may well be the best approach to bridging the digital divide, suggested Veni Shone, President of TDD Product Line, Huawei, especially given the technological advances enabling a low cost, high quality wireless to the home solution. The other side of the coin, of course, is demand, as even those with connectivity might not access the internet “because of a lack of content, or content in a different language. Local content can accelerate deployment and usage of broadband structures.”

No one underestimates the importance of connectivity, agreed

Atef Helmy, Senior Advisor to the Board, Orange Middle East and Africa, Egypt.  “But it is not the act of connection or number of connections that creates value; it is the outcome of those connections that make it possible to achieve a digital society.”

A successful business case rests, then on content and the value citizens will get out of internet usage. Issues need to be addressed at both global and national level, he continued, if we are to accelerate the creation of digital content.

Measures should include a national strategy and vision for content; enhanced protection of local content; more investment in research and development of digital content and increased incentives to speed up its creation.

An important aspect is having domain names and IP addresses in local language. ICANN, explained Akinori Maemura, Board Director, is working to formalize international domain names in many different scripts, including the thousands of African spoken languages and some 20 scripts largely ignored online to date – a major step in encouraging the creation of local content and a local app developer ecosystem.

Establishing innovation hubs and incubators to support local entrepreneurship; technology neutral incentive plans to encourage fixed and wireless roll out; and comprehensive digital literacy including programmes throughout government and formal education were amongst other measures discussed in this important session – the final panel debate at a content-rich and fascinating ITU Telecom World 2017.

lnnovative digital solutions with social impact came under the spotlight at the ITU Telecom World Awards 2017 prize ceremony on the closing day of leading tech event ITU Telecom World 2017 in Busan, Republic of Korea.

From micro-lending to a location-based shopping platform, an artificial intelligence-powered concierge robot, a digital data analytics solution and a voice recognition-based diagnostic system for babies, the third edition of the ITU Telecom World Awards celebrated creativity and innovation in digital solutions meeting real-world social needs.

Winners and finalists in several categories were presented with trophies and certificates by ITU Secretary-General Houlin Zhao in a high-profile ceremony in the presence of ministers, industry leaders, representatives of media, academia and international organizations from across the globe.

“Winning an ITU Telecom World Award and having innovative solutions recognized by a global panel of experts at our event will help these talented enterprise owners to grow and scale up their business, taking it to the next stage. Previous award winners have enjoyed great success, coming back to later events as exhibitors and sponsors – I look forward to following the developments of this year’s awards alumni,” said ITU Secretary-General Houlin Zhao.

The Global SME Awards recognized the best innovative information and communication technology (ICT) based solutions with social impact from small and medium enterprises (SMEs) present at the event in five classes – Best Business Model, Most Scalable, Most Innovative Use of ICT, Greatest Social Impact and the Global SME Excellence Award, for the SME with the highest all-around score.

Thematic Awards were presented for the most promising innovative solutions with social impact in the areas of eHealth, eEducation and smart emerging technologies.

In addition, the government with the most innovative SMEs included in their National Pavilion at ITU Telecom World 2017 was recognized with the ITU Telecom World Government Award; and the Host Country Awards recognized the most promising SME solutions at the event from the Republic of Korea, the event host.

All SMEs in these categories underwent a rigorous application and selection process, with an external jury of social entrepreneurship and tech experts assessing each entrant on the basis of business model, scalability, innovation and social impact. Those shortlisted for the Global SME Award were invited to take part in a quick-fire pitching session on the event showfloor during the event.

 

Global SME Awards Winners and Finalists

 

Global SME Excellence Award

Winner – Modalku, Indonesia

 

Best Business Model

Winner – Simplus Innnovation, South Africa

Finalist – Nile Center for Technology Research, Sudan

Finalist – Tukang Sayur, Indonesia

 

Most Innovative Use of ICTs

Winner – Shanghai Terjin Radio Technology Company, China

Finalist – Ubenwa, Nigeria

Finalist – KonoLabs, United States of America

 

Most scalable

Winner – Security Platform Incorporation, Republic of Korea

Finalist – InvestED, United States of America

Finalist – Roborus, Republic of Korea

 

Greatest social impact

Winner – MEDSAF, Nigeria

Finalist – Kampung UKM Digital Belimbing, Indonesia

Finalist – Healthy Living Support, Azerbaijan

 

 

ITU Telecom World Thematic Awards

eHealth winner – Telkom Indonesia AdMedika, Indonesia

eEducation winner – SK Telecom, Korea

Smart emerging technologies winner – KT Corporation, Korea

 

ITU Telecom World Government Award

Winner – Nigeria

 

ITU Telecom World Host Country Awards

Winner – CIOT Inc.

Finalist – Idealink Inc.

Finalist – S-WINNUS Co.

 

In addition, Recognition of Excellence Certificates were granted to the best and most innovative individual exhibitor within each National Pavilion at ITU Telecom World 2017, as selected by each pavilion organizer. These were: High Tech Park, Azerbaijan; Go incubator, Benin; SOFTEX, Brazil; CAMTEL, Cameroon; China Mobile Communications Corporation, China; ethio telecom, Ethiopia; Wireless Applications Services Providers Association of Ghana, Ghana; Key Message on Digitally empowered MSMEs and digital connectivity as world’s solution to wealth distribution disparity, Indonesia; Telecommunications Company of Iran, Iran; Melody International Ltd., Japan; IMoSyS Innovations, Malawi; Mavis Computel, Nigeria; digitalPH, Philippines; Minds Lab, Republic of Korea; VugaPay, Rwanda; Autorité de Régulation des Télécommunications et des Postes (ARTP), Senegal; National Telecommunications Commission (NATCOM), Sierra Leone; Northern Cape Provincial Government, South Africa;  Nile Center for Technology Research (NCTR), Sudan; and Shift Organics, Zimbabwe.

Certificates of appreciation were awarded to ITU Telecom World 2017 National Pavilions and Thematic Pavilions, as well as loyal participants and supporters of the annual event over a number of years. In order of presentation, these were:  LS telcom; Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies of the Republic of Azerbaijan; Ministère de l’Economie Numérique et de la Communications (MENC), Benin; Ministère des Postes et Télécommunications, Cameroon; China International Postal and Telecommunications Exhibition and Advertisement Co., Ltd; Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, Ethiopia; Ministère de l’Economie numérique, de la Communication, de la Culture et des Arts, Gabon; Ministry of Communications, Ghana; Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, Indonesia; CITNA, Islamic Republic of Iran; Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, Japan; Ministry of Science and ICT, Republic of Korea; Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA); Instituto Nacional das Comunicaçoes Moçambique (INCM), Mozambique; Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC); Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), Philippines; Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority (RURA); Autorité de Régulation des Télécommunications et des Postes (ARTP), Senegal; National Telecommunications Commission (NATCOM), Sierra Leone; Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services, South Africa; Nile Center for Technology Research; Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ); China Satellite Application Industry Association (CSAIA); Telematics Industry Application Alliance; ATDI; GEW Technologies; Huawei; KT; Microwave Vision Group; Rohde & Schwarz; SK telecom; Subah; TDIA; and SOFTEX, Brazil.

 

Since 2015, when ITU Telecom World underwent a strategic repositioning to focus on fostering SME growth, the event has headed towards becoming the international platform bringing SMEs together with public and private stakeholders to share knowledge, exchange ideas and best practice and facilitate networking and partnerships.

One key way in which ITU Telecom is making this a reality is helping participants connect together, from SME right up to leaders of government, through a host of targeted networking and social events.

This year’s business matchmaking programme, organized by MSIT and Busan Metropolitan City and open to all exhibitors and sponsors at the event, helped businesses connect with SMEs, regulators and international organizations. Some 70 meetings took place in a specially-designed space for national delegations and companies or organizations exhibiting in the exhibition, connecting B2B and B2G from 19 countries including China, Ireland, Ethiopia, the Republic of Korea, the Philippines, the United States of America, Azerbaijan, Rwanda and Japan.

In addition, a lunch hosted by Senegal helped facilitate networking and discussion, along with high profile networking occasions, such as the Event Opening Ceremony, welcome and farewell receptions. Networking breaks and happy hours were sponsored by companies such as Inmarsat and Subah helped ensure conversations continued during and after Forum sessions.

World Maritime Day 2017 was celebrated on September 28 with the theme of “Connecting Ships, Ports and People.” ITU makes a tangible contribution to the development of maritime communications systems, which connect all players of the maritime ecosystem, by providing frequency spectrum, developing standards for maritime communications and producing a number of key publications and databases, such as the Maritime mobile Access and Retrieval System (MARS) database.

At the ITU-R Pavilion on the ITU Telecom World 2017, this important work was on display and copies of the key manuals were on sale at the ITU Bookshop.

Here are 6 ways ICTs play an important role in modern shipping:

1. Allocating frequency spectrum for maritime communications

Frequency spectrum is fuel for any radio system. Since 1906 ITU has been providing the necessary frequency resource for emerging maritime radio technologies at the quadrennial World Radiocommunication Conferences (WRCs). For instance, the WRC in 2012 (WRC-12) opened high frequency bands for digital data transmissions enabling transfer of computer files between ships and shore, which may facilitate sending reports and other data from fishing vessels to their parent companies at ports.

The last WRC in 2015 (WRC-15) allocated spectrum around 161 MHz for new Automatic Identification System (AIS) to improve the safety of navigation, and also provided additional frequencies around 7 GHz for the next-generation satellites used for maritime communications. In addition, this conference removed congestion in on-board communications in the UHF band.

2. Radio navigation services for greener and smarter shipping

Ships have long been using radios to communicate with shore and other vessels, which can assist in determining the optimal and most economical routes.

Radionavigation-satellite service (RNSS) is an essential part of navigation at sea. This radio communication service operates in accordance with the rules established in ITU’s Radio Regulations (RR), which govern the use of radio frequency spectrum and harmonize the usage of frequency bands. A prominent example of an RNSS application is the global navigation satellite system (GNSS) such as Galileo, GLONASS, Beidou, GPS and some others.

GNSS systems have revolutionized navigation and the determination of exact positional information worldwide. They can provide the crew with real-time position information on board ships and aircraft down to a few meters accuracy.

3. Online maritime database

ITU’s Maritime mobile Access and Retrieval System (MARS) is an online maritime database system that allows users to access detailed information on onboard radio communications systems, including emergency contacts ashore, 24-hour emergency phone numbers and onboard satellite terminal numbers, radio call signs and access codes such as the MMSI and telex identities. The information is updated on a daily basis.

The website also provides key operational information i.e. particulars of Coast stations, search and rescue aircraft and radio aids to navigation. Searching engines fields selected according to preferences of the users provides easy access to the information, such as MMSIs, Call Signs, and information regarding different ways to reach a ship at sea. Concerning coast stations and Rescue Coordination Centres (RCC), it is easy to find their characteristics such as watch frequencies, services covered such as medical advice and hours of watch.

4. Radio communications are fundamental to safety at sea

Having a reliable means of communications plays a key role in the safety of maritime traffic. For decades, ship captains depended on radios as means for necessary communication and coordination – declaring travel intentions and avoiding collisions. Radios must work seamlessly to ensure safety on land and at sea.

The ITU Radiocommunication Sector (ITU-R) works to ensure safety for seafarers by playing a crucial role to determine the technical and operational procedures for radio services. The (GMDSS) is an international system developed through IMO and the ITU that operates using terrestrial and satellite radio technologies on board ships and on shore. The system alerts shore-based rescue and communications personnel via the coast radio station or RCC in cases of distress and emergency, and notifies vessels in the vicinity of survivors to provide the necessary assistance.

5. Internet of Things (IoT) provides real-time metrics

The Internet of Things (IoT) has been a key area of growth in business and industry and now it is impacting the maritime sector to make shipping more efficient with the help of connected sensors and unified platforms allowing the real-time monitoring of systems on board the ship.

IoT-based solutions can monitor variables including location, temperature, shock, tilt, humidity, and pressure in seafaring vessels and send this information to control centers or shipping company offices. They may also be integrated into cargo systems such as refrigerated containers to allow the real-time monitoring of the product by the shipper. Data and information can be optimized and sent in real-time to captains, crew members, other vessels in the network, and shipping companies on land.

6. Cloud, the next wave of innovation

Emerging technologies such as cloud computing are playing an increasingly important role in maritime logistics and transport. Applying cloud-based solutions in conjunction with high-speed data links via satellite helps to connect vessels at sea with port operations ashore, maintenance service providers, as well as transportation partners. It will allow stakeholders to access and share data stored in the cloud and provides insights based on comprehensive information.

How can we define AI, measure its impact on societies and economies in different countries around the world, understand its potential, and plan for its implementation?

These were some of the framework questions opening the debate of the 3^rd Economic and Industry Experts Roundtable at ITU Telecom World 2017, bringing together academics, consultants, economists and technology specialists to address the unstoppable advent of the age of AI and the concerns it raises.

Defining AI, it appears, may be neither possible nor relevant at this stage. Urging a focus on practicalities and facts, Danil Kerimi, Director of ICT Industries at WEF, gave the example of a UN initiative to find a global strategy on counter terrorism that wasted years in debating a definition rather than dealing with the problem. “Definitions are important to know what we are talking about, but its applications are more relevant right now.”

Panelists nevertheless took up the challenge to explain AI on their own terms, starting with moderator Catalin Marinescu, Head of Corporate Strategy Division at ITU: “We think of a blend of advanced analytical and machine learning applications which enable actions that would traditionally require human intelligence. AI is a tool for human development.”

We may have a very broad definition that separates AI from robotics or other technologies, but according to Maikel Wilms, Director, Boston Consulting Group “from a business perspective, it is irrelevant. We need to look at specific policy and use cases, the implications for medium and longer term are more important to enable businesses and policy-makers to prepare.” And technology advances so rapidly that any definition will have to be continually updated.

AI as a concept involves self-awareness and machines thinking on their own, according to Neil Sahota, IBM Master Inventor and World Wide Business Development Leader, IBM Watson Group, IBM. It is cognitive computing in the sense of mimicking the way humans work, human experience and knowledge, but can go no further: “AI can’t answer what we can’t answer.”

Where cognitive computing is indeed special, he continued, is in its ability to truly understand the natural language which we take for granted as human beings. If we say, for example, “I’m feeling blue”, other people know we are describing an emotion; a machine will think we have changed colour. AI, however, can draw on other language information to understand and create a conversation, rather than just key words.

For DukHee Lee, Professor, School of Business and Technology Management, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), AI is a highly intelligent procedure that can substitute human beings for mental work, with different features from other machines, but missing certain aspects that make us human: emotions, morality, and “trust features of a human being which we cannot quantify”

“AI depends on human beings for wisdom,” he continued, so we need to focus on how to use AI, what its real function is for humans. We don’t want to reach a stage where humans depend heavily on AI, but to reach a compromise, “some optimal level of AI, some work substituted by AI but as a complementary to human beings.”

AI relies on data, Marcelo Motta, Digital Transformation and Big Data Market Management, VP of Marketing, reminded the panel, but the key question is who is providing that data?

There is a very real danger, pointed out Wilms, of unintentionally passing on human bias when designing AI or providing data: algorithms could reflect biased decision making in hiring at a company, for example, potentially preserving sexist or racist behaviours through correlation.

Beate Degen, Partner, EY, used the composition of the panel in the room to paint a very clear – and rather disturbing – picture: only a very limited number of people are responsible for giving input to AI from which to learn, meaning the vast majority of the world is excluded. And that elite band shaping AI and its untold potential impact on future societies is not likely to be composed of women from, say, Germany and Central Africa. AI is largely being designed by a less than diverse group white men between the ages of thirty and forty.

“I think we are embarking, just entering the digital age and revolution,” Kerimi said, and it is a human characteristic to be concerned about change, drawing a parallel with fishermen out at sea, first of all looking at the waves and stars, and then augmenting their abilities with a compass. “The compass gave us new abilities, but it didn’t replace humans.”

Many jobs will be lost – and those affected will be largely women and the underskilled engaged in low-pay, menial work.  But there is an upside, according to Thomas Suh, Co-Founder & President of Legalmation: we as humans are capable of many things, and will have more free time to be creative. If we are beaten at chess or GO by AI, we can use our spare time to learn another game; the AI can only carry on playing GO or chess.

“The uncertainty is scary,” he said, “and it’s a big job for the government to calm people down in the huge era of transformation that is going on.” That basic message on reacting to the advent of AI should be, in his words, “There’s no need to freak out.”

This fascinating discussion continued to address the expected impact of AI on the economy, attempts both quantitative and qualitative to measure that impact, developing the post-AI workforce of the future, how AI could solve the grand challenges of humanity, and its positive impact on each of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Day 2 of the Young ICT Leaders’ Forum 2017 continued with over 200 international and local participants listening about startup and entrepreneurship. The Busan Global Smart Cities Challenge kicked off yesterday with idea presentations and group mentoring welcomed 20 young entrepreneurs pitching their ideas today. The challengers came from 16 countries of regions including Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe, and the Americas. There are eight (8) awards for winners and will be announced at the end of day.