Category: 2019 Daily Highlights Day 1

Taking part in ITU Telecom World 2019 for the first time are 24 EQUALS fellowship winners, talented female entrepreneurs from developing countries around the world who are exhibiting on the showfloor, pitching their innovative solutions and participating in the SME Programme. After enjoying the event’s vibrant Opening Ceremony, the entrepreneurs had the chance to meet with Doreen Bogdan Martin, Director, ITU’s BDT (Telecommunication Development Sector), Paul Mitchell, Senior Director, Tech Policy at Microsoft, and Manager of Technical Support of Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation, Martin Koyabe.

The event’s SME programme got underway in the afternoon and the winners joined the SME Workshop, exploring how to tell a story and pitch to capture an audience. They then had the chance to put these skills directly into action as they began pitching for the prestigious ITU Telecom World awards. Entrepreneurs from India, Guatemala, Bangladesh, Argentina and Kenya pitched their innovations in areas spanning aerospace tech, cybersecurity for SMEs, e-market places and health technology solutions.

Networking is a key component of ITU Telecom World events, and EQUALS delegates joined the Event’s Gala Dinner, where they were able to meet and network with other influential event participants.  Kenya’s Mercy Njue from Botlab met with the Minister from Sierra Leone, and the Director of Finance from Sierra Leone’s National Telecommunication Commission, as well as the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation.

The EQUALS delegates will continue a full programme of activities, workshops and masterclasses within the SME programme, culminating in the ITU Telecom World Awards Ceremony on the last day of the event.

“Wireless communications are playing an essential role in bridging the digital divide, not only through mobile broadband but also satellite technologies and the WiFi ecosystem, “ Joaquin Restrepo Mejia, Head, OPS, BR, ITU, reminded an expert panel representing a variety of new radio technology stakeholders. “But there are key challenges to guarantee affordable access, in terms of which model of market can be developed and the regulatory challenge for the incorporation of these technologies among the radiocommunication system.”

Lauri Oksanen, VP Research and Technology, Nokia, highlighted the huge burst in productivity across all sectors fuelled by connectivity, analytics and machine learning. Connectivity is at the heart of digitizing other industries and creating future value on an explosive scale. “There is a role for licensed or unlicensed spectrum, for satellite, wifi, mobile, but all need to work together to improve productivity and life,” he said. Coexistence is key to ensure an even balance between protecting existing users and allowing new use cases.  

Nikolay Nikiforov, Chairman of the Board, Diginavis, spoke of the difficulties he had experienced first-hand in his former ministerial role in trying to connect the unconnected across Russia’s challenging remote terrain and climate. Any new technology to bring connectivity faster is important – but for him, non-geostationary satellites are “a true breakthrough for mankind, happening now.” He stressed the importance of regulatory issues through international consensus to avoid implementation delays, as it is “another story when tech came quicker than regulations.”

As we head towards a new era of 5G, we are entering a complex period between current networks and the adoption and implementation of 5G, stated Bocar A. Ba, CEO, Samena Telecommunications. Managing that transition is critical for digital development, and radio technologies play a central role. New spectrum is mandatory, he said, “But to be provocative, what happens once we have it? We need regulation to enable radio technology to be relevant and effective – and one key element of that is partnership.” Whether supporting the development of new technologies or the expansion of the incumbent, public-private partnerships need to be inclusive and sophisticated, bringing in government, national digital agenda policy makers, regulators, innovators with technology, private sector investors – the full range of stakeholders. It is also extremely important, he continued, to identify clearly roles in the partnership structure and timelines of cooperation.

Assia Bahri, Regulations Leading Manager Sigfox, spoke from the perspective of a company focused on mass IoT narrowband solutions, addressing devices at lower costs and with lower consumption for use across a range of sectors from agriculture to smart cities – anywhere where connectivity can improve processes and bring efficiencies. She identified several key factors in expanding access, including spectrum to allow for harmonization of IoT, and ensuring the correct cost of ownership for different categories of end users – whether the farmer monitoring plants or large-scale industry – through subscription fees and costs of hand devices.

“Continuous innovation is a key enabler for IoT, as this space is always evolving,” she continued. “Behind innovative IoT solutions are entrepreneurs, academics, young people innovating, and we need to build capacity to allow them to analyze and assess what the best solutions could be.” Industry stakeholders must work together and complement each other in identifying and resolving areas of inefficiency.

Loon’s solution to extending connectivity may be very different, but the central importance of partnerships and collaboration is identical. Julie Kearney, Head of Regulatory Affairs at the company, outlined how their AI-navigated balloons, functioning on the lines of a cell tower in the sky, are expanding the reach of existing mobile networks, contributing to coverage and emergency relief in remote and challenging reasons. “The key is partnerships with commercial partners and governments,” she said, to enable access to airspace and agreements with local operators.

Beyond partnerships, what are the major factors in connecting the unconnected through new radio technologies? The panel agreed that end users want more services, better quality and affordable prices – so positive business cases are paramount to make the leap from the experimental to real world success, irrespective of the technology. This includes the ability to scale, pushing down prices; to work with governments to understand operator restraints and increase affordability; to stimulate local innovation to create relevant products and solutions; and above all, to make the case to other industries on the importance of ICT – in Ba’s words, “to promote the beauty of connectivity and 5G.”

Stable regulatory frameworks and global harmonization are essential for economies of scale, summarized moderator Joaquin, but “we also need passion and tolerance of stakeholders to achieve consensus” and reap the benefits of harmonization.  

The opening of ITU Telecom World 2019 was marked by the launch of an official commemorative stamp. The stamp, in distinctive blue and white colours, and with a logo of the event, was unveiled by György Schamschula, CEO, Magyar Posta, at the ITU Telecom World 2019 opening press conference.

​Speakers at the opening press conference included Houlin Zhao, ITU Secretary-General and László Palkovics, Minister for Innovation and Technology, Hungary, Host Country for ITU Telecom World 2019, who spoke on key technologies and trends driving the digital future and outlined highlights to look out for in the week ahead.  

Sustainability and the digital economy have a complex relationship. As the effects of climate change become more apparent, the need for the thriving ICT sector to address its own substantial carbon footprint has become ever more urgent. Yet, new technologies – and applications or solutions based on established technology – are also an essential part of the battle to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, foster low-carbon, climate-resilient sustainable growth and adapt to climate change.

SMEs and large companies from around the world are showing how that can be done on the ITU Telecom World 2019 showfloor. Closing the Loop, for example, is a Dutch SME focused on proper, safe and corruption-free electronic waste management in emerging markets, working to enable sustainable consumption through circularity. This means collecting scrap mobile phones through informal African collection networks – and recycling the materials. It’s like reducing a carbon footprint, for phones. Visitors to the Closing the Loop stand were able to dismantle an old phone, explore the parts and understand the process hands-on. It’s affordable, easy and effective – and offers end-users and operators a real opportunity to deliver both sustainable and commercial benefit.

Eco- and environmental conservation is the priority of Immersion4’s DTM technology from Switzerland. Servers are dipped into the liquid Ice Coolant, transforming the digital heat of the data centre into a reusable energy source. Once again, it’s a win-win solution, promising both reduced environmental impact and economic efficiency.

This balancing act is one Ericsson is familiar with, as it works to meet current and future traffic demands whilst addressing energy and climate challenges. Innovative products and solutions aim to drive energy performance standards, and optimize services for energy consumption, in particular as the networks of the world move towards 5G.

South African Kusini Water is using an IoT platform to collect, treat and distribute safe drinking water. Its mobile solar-powered water purification systems are made from macadamia nut shells and nano-fibres. Meanwhile, back in Europe, Platio, a Hungarian SME, uses recycled plastic materials to create a range of solar pavement-based, green energy installation solutions which can be installed anywhere from offices and residential buildings to maritime infrastructures and smart cities. 

And it’s not just on the showfloor, supporting sustainable development is central to ITU Telecom World’s aim, with sessions in the Forum later this week will look at Exploring strategies to boost climate action in the ICT sector and Frontier technologies for climate change.

Greener transport options, for example, including a bicycle rental station outside the registration hall, shuttle buses and the use of as many e-taxis as possible. ITU Telecom World has moved steadily towards becoming a truly paper-less event – instead of printed programmes, brochures or floorplans, all practical information is available on the website or in the event app.

From the recycled palettes used in the construction of the Agora space, where you can sit, relax and learn during the Hungarian Pavilion programme, to the use of potted plants instead of cut flowers in the LeaderSpace, recycling bins around the venue, water bottles on sale at the ITU Bookshop and sustainably-produced team T-shirts, the hope is that every small step will prove significant. The future of tech at ITU Telecom World 2019 is focused on three key principles: green, circulatory and sustainable. It’s the future of the world, too.

Find out more here https://telecomworld.itu.int/greening-itu-telecom-world/  – and contact us at green@itu.int with any sustainability related inputs!

From the Rubik’s cube to the biro, the telephone exchange and digital computing, Hungary has long been a cradle for innovation, creativity and collaboration. Now the latest tech innovations from Hungary, Host Country for ITU Telecom World 2019, are on show to the world in the Hungarian National Pavilion.

On the first day of the event, participants took part in a wide range of workshops, demos, presentations and debates, including the chance to steer a 5G-powered mini race car through delegates on the showfloor via an oculus AR (Augmented Reality) headset.

The country’s vibrant startup sector showcased a raft of different tech innovations, including GIS and mapping hard- and software, solutions using AI (Artificial Intelligence) to automatically detect objects and errors, and solar pavement based installations. There was also a chance to see solutions and services providing check-in and lead management for the events industry, encrypted communications systems for smartphones, products and solutions for smart grid, smart metering and security monitoring, e-government, RF and microwaves, payment and e-invoicing and much more.

Robotics and AI were the focus of the day’s pavilion programme. Ottó Werschitz, Business development director, Neuron Solutions, introduced some basic concepts related to robotics and A.I. and how they can improve business efficiency. Moving over to the human side, DPMK’s Ádám Horváth explained the significant impact that artificial intelligence is expected to have on the general processes of education – and therefore the lives of our children – a topic expanded upon by Netlife Robotics’ Áron Tanos who explained how, in the not so distant future, realistic humanoid robots could change our everyday lives.

The industrial aspect of robotics was next on the agenda, including presentations of manufacturing applications and current tech trends, a mathematical model for decision making, with OnRobot’s Nóra Bereczki explaining how improving the precision and adaptability of robotic tools will help make them even more useful, on a hardware and software level.

Robotics can have a significant impact on education and social life also, helping give children a more practical education and teaching them how to work together, explained WRO’s Balázs Koren. Socially integrating robots into the workplace can pose interesting challenges, according to Tibor Csizmazia, CTO of Enjoy Robotics, from designing an accepted appearance to communication issues.

The Pavilion’s programme continues tomorrow and throughout the week. You can see the full programme here.

ITU Telecom World 2019, the global tech event for governments, corporates and small- and medium-sized enterprises, opened its doors today to four days of exhibition, debate, networking and awards amongst some of the most influential names from across the information and communication technology (ICT) sector.

Hosted by the Government of Hungary, the event was launched in the presence of Viktor Orbán, Prime Minister of Hungary, alongside Houlin Zhao, ITU Secretary-General, Francis Gurry, Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization, Nguyen Manh Hung, Minister of Information and Communications, Vietnam, together with high-level government leaders and representatives, regulators and leading industry Chief Executive Officers.

“Together, I am confident we will be able to expand avenues for cooperation and ICT infrastructure investment, make ICT applications and services more relevant, secure and affordable, and give people the tools and skills they need to navigate and succeed in the digital economy,” said ITU Secretary-General Houlin Zhao, welcoming delegates to ITU Telecom World 2019 and back to Budapest, four years after ITU Telecom World 2015. “Together, we can and will bring about connectivity that matters, the theme of this year’s event − here in Hungary, the region and the rest of the world.”

​​Addressing delegates via a video message, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres spoke of the importance of new technology to save lives: “There is no doubt: innovative technologies such as artificial intelligence, 5G and the Internet of Things can help us achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and improve the lives of all. We must harness the opportunities they bring, while mitigating the risks.”

Francis Gurry, Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) said that the theme of this Forum, Innovating together; connectivity that matters, “illustrates the relationship between ITU and WIPO, but also a much deeper truth and that is that ideas and development are nourished by connectivity. Connectivity with others inspires innovation. Telecommunications are a fundamental driver of the innovation in the world today.”

Speaking on making a new telecom infrastructure ready for a digital economy and a digital society, Nguyen Manh Hung, Minister of Information and Communications, Vietnam, Host Country for ITU Telecom World 2020, said “Telecom is now becoming ICT, and ICT is becoming a new infrastructure for a digital world. To make this happen, we need more innovations in technology, in policy and in strategy. This is a long way to go. And we should go together.” Addressing the auditorium, Hungary’s Prime Minister H.E. Viktor Orbán spoke of his country’s rapid digital progress and shared his future vision for Hungary, a thriving digital economy at the heart of Europe, saying “We are not trying to escape the future, we see the changes that are becoming new challenges for Europe. We do not want to shy away from creating this new world, we want to participate and be winners of this exciting challenge shaping history. We cannot only plan the future, we can realize it as well.​”

As Houlin Zhao, ITU Secretary General, reminded the audience at the first Forum Summit session “We meet at a moment when emerging technologies such as AI, blockchain, IoT and 5G can enable innovation and transform life. This event is a catalyst for global action, enabling government, companies, investors and relevant stakeholders to can join forces to stimulate ICT infrastructure development, strengthen demand side and expand connectivity to everyone, everywhere.”

The challenge of making that connectivity meaningful – relevant, affordable, accessible to all, and fit for purpose – was the focus of this lively and far-ranging session. In his opening keynote, Hamad Al Mansoori, Director General of TRA, United Arab Emirates, expressed his concern that new technologies may bring more people online, but the gap between the developed and undeveloped worlds will not be bridged.

“We need cooperation and synergy to innovate and bridge the worlds,” he said, calling for public and private sectors to work together for the development of humanity and “profit from the enthusiasm of youth, outsourcing, collaborative programmes and open societies to provide solutions.” Collective intelligence is the key factor in development, because “one simple stone does not build a wall. We need to collect good creative ideas, innovate together, use collective intelligence, use lots of stones to build a common house and a bright future for us all.”

Outlining key elements of Saudi Arabia’s 2030 Vision, Abdulaziz Bin Salem Al Ruwais, Governor of the Communications and Information Technology Commission of Saudi Arabia, echoed the need to adopt a new competitive paradigm as the pace of technological development continues to bring dramatic change: “We can no longer rely on natural resources, but on our intelligence and our brains…to change to a bright future.”

Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Director, Telecommunication Development Bureau, ITU, had the perfect example of that dizzying pace of change: “At ITU Telecom 1995, only 0.3% of the world was connected to the internet. This year it is more than 50%. Nothing has ever rivalled the internet in terms of opportunities and potential.” But even though millions more are connected, we need to refocus our efforts to ensure that connectivity is meaningful, functional and supported by digital skills.

Francis Gurry, Director General, World Intellectual Property Organization, spoke of the importance of innovation at the centre of competitive advantage. Now that technology is moving so quickly, we are confronting risks and threats, such as AI deep fakes, “a real problem for the integrity of information that we have around the world.”

 “Industry wants to make money and governments can’t keep up to speed with changes,” he continued, so it is often left to scientists to set the parameters of responsible innovation. He called for more risk mitigation measures and a greater consciousness and care when advancing so quickly with technological developments.

For Amanda Nelson, CEO, Vodafone Hungary, meaningfulness should be at the core of business strategy. “Doing good and doing good business are one and the same thing,” she said, emphasizing that it must at the heart of the business rather than just on-top CSR measures. The starting point for Vodafone, she explained, was being creative in finding solutions that are scalable – and therefore monetizable – and investing in those which really make a difference in people’s everyday lives.

Peter Halacsy, Chief Technology Officer & Co-founder of Prezi, pointed out that as a Silicon Valley-style tech business, the aim is to make software and mobile apps to keep users online – and using: “You call it connected, but you are addicted. We are developing drugs for the next generation.”  Policy makers in government and in the family – the parents – need to put regulation or limits on the use of technology.

Bogdan-Martin agreed that market forces can create great positive transformation, but emphasized the need for all stakeholders across society to be at the table.  Collaboration means a holistic approach across all areas of government and society, ensuring the digital skills necessary to participate in society are available to all, including women, the disabled and young people.

Nelson agreed, outlining some of Vodafone’s programmes aimed at bringing young people and women into tech. Inclusivity and collaboration are key. “It is a pivotal time for this industry, this is a very exciting time and we have to be humble and work together… get the right brains in the room and people thinking about real problems to solve” as new technologies bring as yet unimaginable new possibilities.

Halacsy focused on the critical role of education in making connectivity meaningful. Not just digital literacy and public awareness, but also digitizing education itself, empowering students to be part of the conversation and adapting to the ways in which young people think, communicate, chat and collaborate – making it fit for future life.

Two major trends will shape that future, according to Gurry: “the general dematerialization of value as intellectual capital becomes more important than physical capital and innovation moves more and more into the digital space,” and the geopolitical shift to the east. The paradox is that the unprecedented openness of technology has heralded a world that is closing in ever more.

For the panel, major catalysts to connectivity and digital transformation include advanced manufacturing and robotics, a whole government approach with digitized government services, and the precision manufacturing and personal education enabled by Industry 4.0. A holistic approach to development means convincing finance ministers, in particular, of the overarching importance of ICTs to all sectors of the economy and society, moving ICT investment up the priority ladder.

Halacsy concluded with his wish that “connectivity could make us happier” – and the unconnected coming on board now could learn from the experiences of the developed world, leapfrog developmentally and not make the same mistakes. It is our collective responsibility, the panel agreed, to ensure that connectivity is not only available to all, but useful to all.

Although digital technology doubtless brings with it a host of benefits, it still presents very real concerns in terms of trust in technology, privacy and cybersecurity. Moderator Damon Embling of Euronews asked a diverse panel drawn from across international organizations, regulator and consumer groups: do consumers really trust in a digital future?

The issue of trust resonated throughout the session. For Helena Leurent, Director-General, Consumers International, although consumers are dipping their feet more and more into the digital economy, buying, selling and trading online, they still do not feel entirely comfortable within it, and are still unsure of what they can trust. Consumers find the whole idea somehow “creepy”, she explained, and it is this sense of creepiness that could prevent the economy expanding.

For ITU Deputy Secretary-General Malcolm Johnson, there is an increasing awareness that digital technologies are essential for meeting the SDGs, therefore it is important that all citizens are able to take advantage of them. Trust is one of the reasons people are not connected. ITU is addressing this from a security point of view, through its work on standards, and has a large private sector membership who are driving standards work- along with an impending new membership category, SMEs. “We have to make sure people are comfortable using technology,” he told delegates.

Politicians recognise the need to keep people safe, said Jeremy Godfrey, Chair of the Board of Regulators, BEREC. People need to be protected from harmful content. Businesses also need to be able to trust that they can be treated fairly and that data is being used appropriately, although “we don’t yet have in place tools to do that,” he explained. Building trust also poses regulatory challenges; the pace of regulation does not necessarily match the pace of innovation, and regulators may not necessarily possess all the knowledge needed. “A light touch, principle-based regulation” is called for, he explained.

Flexibility in policy terms is also key for OECD, whose “Going Digital” project makes the case for a flexible approach to policy making, according to Endre Spaller, Vice-President, Government IT Development Agency, Ministry for Innovation and Technology, Hungary and a member of the OECD’s Committee on Digital Economic Policy. A stronger policy collaboration is also essential, he explained, as the digital transformation affects many different aspects of society. Governments and stakeholders must work together to build a digital future.

Putting consumer rights at the heart of tech innovation

Technology needs make sure it focuses on rights of consumers, said Leurent. “What about applying innovation to consumer protection tech?” she asked delegates. Protecting consumers yet at the same time making sure regulation doesn’t stifle innovation is a delicate balancing act as overregulation could mean that “any innovative product goes through so many checks it never actually sees the market,” said Godfrey.

Consumer and user groups need to be part of the stakeholders dialogue, said ITU’s Johnson, also in terms of standards development, where input is essential. “We need international standards to ensure security and trust” he explained.

Building a thriving digital economy

Spaller outlined OECD’s three main areas of cooperation in order for the digital economy to thrive: firstly, in terms of data, measuring the value of and unleashing the full potential for free flow of data; secondly, equipping populations with the right skillset and training to flourish in a digital economy; and thirdly, measuring the digital transformation. Here OECD has created its own measurement system.

The benefits that the digital economy has already opened up should not be overlooked, said Godfrey: “Consumers can now buy and sell from traders across the world, share reviews and experiences with other consumers,” which is hugely beneficial.

Despite the many digital benefits many of us currently enjoy, education amongst consumers is still essential to help them navigate and flourish in the digital economy. Consumers need to be educated, to understand what their rights are and what they need to look out for, explained Leurent.

Panellists then took questions voted on by the audience, which spanned areas from speeding up policy making, maintaining trust among consumers to regulating tech “giants.” Quizzed on the issue of whether excessive regulation could potentially hinder growth of digital innovation in developing markets, Godfrey explained that it was not just in developing markets but everywhere, although developing markets can potentially learn from the developed world. “Just because we have sold our souls and given away so much data we have regretted it does not mean that everyone else should go this way,” he said. Being a latecomer in the game could even be an upside, according to Daniel Pataki, Vice President of Regulation, GSMA, as maybe by the time developing countries are grappling with privacy issues, they may be able adopt practices already in use elsewhere.

Future perspectives

Embling summed up by asking panellists for their views on future trends and digital priorities.

Spaller would like to see a future where digitization is not just a goal, but lives with us. Collaboration will be key, according to GSMA’s Pataki, across the full digital ecosystem. Ensuring that consumers are fully involved in the digital future and that their voices are heard is crucial for Consumers International’s Leurent. Regulators must continue to work using existing tools, explained Godfrey, but debate on how we can put in place new regulation will also be important. However, we need to be realistic about the limitations of what regulation might achieve, he added. Wrapping up the session, Johnson stressed the need for a platform where we can all exchange views, inviting delegates to join the ITU’s next AI for Good Global summit.