Category: Daily Highlights 2

The best ways to achieve accessible and affordable broadband in the Asia-Pacific region were the key areas debated today by an influential lineup of panelists spanning governments, industry and international organizations at the Asia -Pacific regional exchange, jointly organized with Huawei.

Faced with common challenges, including decelerating economic expansion, stimulating sustainable growth in the most populous region of the world, rapid urbanization or natural disasters- to name just some- participants shared their perspectives on broadband network development, the challenges it faces and the opportunities broadband can provide..

“The role of government and industry, particularly in the ICT sector must be adapted to handle challenges and gain optimal benefit from this revolution,” said H.E Air Chief Marshal Thares Punsri, Chairman, NBTC, in his welcome address, explaining how the Thai government is strongly committed to driving the economy and society with this technology.

Huawei’s Vice President, Mr Jin Yuzhi, Vice President, Southern-East Asia Region, commented on how broadband is a “foundational infrastructure, an indispensable part of our lives,” noting how broadband in the Asia- Pacific region has grown tremendously. Nevertheless, it is still below global level and varies considerably. To accelerate development, Huawei proposes that broadband should be elevated to a national stage and governments should take the lead in formulating national broadband plans. Governments should also promote friendly policies to encourage operators to invest in broadband and provisioning a universal service fund. Spectrum allocation must also be sufficient, and governments should leverage ICT development by constructing fiscal infrastructure.

Huawei is committed to building a better connected world, explained Yuzhi, and looks forward to a bright future as we jointly build out a better connected Asia.

Echoing his sentiments on the importance of broadband, ITU Secretary-General Houlin Zhao outlined ITU’s work in areas such as the broadband commission for sustainable development. Nevertheless, he noted, with broadband network development facing a variety of difficulties and challenges, “We still have a long way to go to make our digital vision a reality.” Investment was required, and public private partnerships were crucial, together with collaboration, in order to stimulate growth in the most populous region of the world.

Launch of ITU white paper

The distinguished speakers then took to the floor for the Opening ceremony to launch the ITU White Paper on Broadband Regulation and Policy in Asia-Pacific Region:  Facilitating Faster Broadband Deployment.

Presenting the report, Ioane Koroivuki, Regional Director, ITU Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, outlined how it explores broadband regulatory and policy aspects in the Asia-Pacific (APAC), region with an aim to facilitate high-speed broadband deployment.

Broadband insights

Panelists then took turns to share insights into their own broadband plans and initiatives, in a discussion moderated by Sameer Sharma, Senior Advisor, ITU Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific.

Cambodia has established a 2020 masterplan for ICTs, with a target of 70% broadband penetration, with 100% coverage in urban areas. To reach this, according to H.E. Tram Iv Tek, Minister, Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, a law on telecoms was passed to facilitate the development of the sector and private sector, including the construction of submarine cable to provide a direct connection. The law aims to encourage competition and encourage the private sector to develop an optical fibre backbone infrastructure. A focus on the rationalization of spectrum is also planned, and a possible USO decree.

Introducing the next panelist, Dalsie Baniala, Telecommunications and Radiocommunications Regulator, Vanuatu, moderator Sharma commended the ICT lead taken by the government of Vanuatu and the appointment of a Chief Information Officer. Vanuatu faces a specific set of challenges, according to Baniala in that it is comprised of many islands, making network coverage a challenge. To help meet its target of 90% penetration by 2018, the government is investigating connectivity by submarine cable. Other measures to boost broadband usage include using “community consumer champions,” to pass on information and spread the word on broadband. In order to encourage women and girls online, Vanuatu also has the “smart sisters” initiative which, noted Baniala, is progressing very well and she would like to see more of.

Malaysia has successfully transformed itself into a regional success story, according to moderator Sharma. Key barriers to be overcome, according to Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission Chairman, Halim Shafie meant overcoming a “Chicken and egg issue,” whereby the incumbent did not want to put in fibre, which would boost competition. Under the national broadband initiative, public/private sector partnerships were instigated, and clear targets for connectivity were outlined. The next milestone of the project will involve reaching 95% broadband penetration by 2020 and also targets in terms of speed.

Going forward, according to Keng Thai Leong, Deputy Chief Executive, InfoComm Media Development Authority, Singapore is looking at a new generation of broadband plans, focusing not on broadband technology/infrastructure but instead on transforming businesses and people. These focus on a number of core areas; capitalizing data, leveraging data in a competitive way to connect people and creating a flexible regulatory ecosystem.

S. Sharma, Chairman, TRAI, India outlined key components of the Digital India vision which has helped boost broadband penetration, including providing 250,000 optical fiber points, of which 100,000 are already connected, from where broadband can then be delivered further, via the last mile access. Although fixed infrastructure is lacking, some 100m homes have cable tv, which could also be used to transport broadband. In addition, measures such as providing community WiFi also helps provide further connectivity.

Commending the whitepaper, Peter Macaulay, President, FTTH Council Asia-Pacific, noted the need for more gigabits to the base station and fiber to the antenna, although the challenge is keeping cost down. Broadband needs to be viewed as a utility, like power or gas, and “we should be thinking about optical fiber infrastructure that is for multiple uses.” Potentially, an infrastructure shared by service providers in addition to providing fiber to the antenna could significantly cut costs for extending broadband reach.

Providing a European perspective to the debate, Maria de Fátima Henriques da Silva Barros Bertoldi, Chair of ANACOM’s Board of Directors, Portugal outlined the key factors behind Portugal’s broadband growth – such as opening networks to competition from alternative providers, encouraging competition from sectors such as cable, forcing the incumbent to deploy fiber and lastly encouraging the sale of bundled services, fixed voice, broadband, pay tv, mobile voice and broadband.

Mr Bill Lan, Chief NBN Strategist, Huawei, noted that Huawei has and will continue to cooperate with governments and ITU on national broadband strategies. For Huawei, the approach and technology used for broadband rollout in developing countries is different to that of developed countries. The challenge in developing countries has been providing accessible, affordable broadband.  In terms of fiber provision, Government intervention in fiber rollout can help significantly in terms of cutting construction costs and other administration costs. Public/private sector partnerships are crucial also, and governments can also help enable these.

Moderator

• Sameer Sharma, Senior Advisor, ITU Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, Thailand

Opening Remarks

• Air Chief Marshal Mr Thares Punsri, Chairman, National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC), Thailand
• Mr Houlin Zhao, Secretary General, International Telecommunication Union, Switzerland
• Mr Jin Yuzhi, Vice President, Southern-East Asia Region, Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., China

Keynote Speaker

• Mr Ioane Koroivuki, Regional Director, ITU Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, Thailand

Panellists

• E. Mr Tram Iv Tek, Minister, Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications of Cambodia (MPTC), Cambodia
• Ms Dalsie Baniala, Telecommunications and Radiocommunications Regulator, Telecommunications and Radiocommunications Regulator (TRR), Vanuatu
• Dr Halim Shafie, Chairman, Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission, Malaysia
• Mr Keng Thai Leong, Deputy Chief Executive (International & Corporate), InfoComm Media Development Authority, Singapore
• Mr R. S. Sharma, Chairman, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), India
• Mr Peter Macaulay, President, FTTH Council Asia-Pacific, Singapore
• Ms Maria de Fátima Henriques da Silva Barros Bertoldi, Chair of ANACOM’s Board of Directors, Autoridade Nacional de Comunicações (ANACOM), Portugal
• Mr Bill Lan, Chief NBN Strategist, Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., China
• Closing Remark
• Mr Ioane Koroivuki, Regional Director, ITU Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, Thailand

 

 

 

 

Opening the first session of the Ministerial Roundtable at ITU Telecom World as chair of the meeting, Thai DPM welcomed ministers from around the world to debate the role of government in growing the digital economy. Calling it a timely and important debate, he outlined some of the key priorities for Thailand’s governments, including improving the transparency, credibility, speed and accuracy of public services such as e-government, e-taxation and e-payments.

“The digital economy is a crucial engine for sustainable and inclusive growth to overcome the middle income trap and increase country competitiveness in the global arena,” he stated, highlighting the challenges of overcoming a still-prevalent digital divide, and the open issues of cybersecurity, capacity-building, digital literacy and digital infrastructures.

The national Digital Thailand programme will improve broadband networks and the use of digital technology for social and economic development in a sustainable and inclusive way, through PPPP – public-private-people-partnership. This people-centred approach is crucial to making the digital infrastructure easily and equally accessible throughout the country.

Partnership is key to raise awareness, promote the use of digital technology and cooperate with countries around the world. “Thailand is ready and willing to cooperate and share experiences,” the Minister declared, including in partnerships to meet the SDGs, “Let us take the journey together to benefit all of us and leave no one behind”.

ITU Secretary-General Houlin Zhao echoed the importance of collaboration in connecting the unconnected and in growing the digital economy, appealing to governments to share their national plans, strategies and experiences. He urged Ministers present in the room to be aspirational in their vision for the future, as success will meant “the world will be a much better place, with social and economic benefits that will far outweigh the investments we make.”

For H.E. Charlot Salwai Tabimasmas, Prime Minister, Vanuatu, the role of government in growing the national digital economy is to create an environment appealing to private sector investment through establishing excellent policy frameworks, reducing the currently high cost of doing business, and developing telecommunications. As a remote Pacific island state, Vanuatu is dependent on public private partnerships for economic development; the government must therefore work to ensure good services, supporting SMEs and investments. He called for a holistic approach focusing on e-government and financial services, local content, capacity-building, multi-stakeholder partnerships and collaboration, as “the digital economy is supporting the SDGs, and telecoms have a key role in this.”

The government must lead by example, as producers as well as consumers of the business that frames the future, stressed H.E. Mrs Allyson Maynard Gibson, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Bahamas. “All our citizens have the potential to be innovators and digital entrepreneurs. How can the government spark it?” she asked.

Having been declared the first Smart Island in the western hemisphere by ITU, Bahamas can provide some of the answers. Recognizing that affordable, reliable communication is a cornerstone of national unity in such a widely-scattered archipelago, the government has worked to establish a world-class network with excellent communications over all islands and regions. This enables e-government services such as mobile units issuing passports and birth certificates locally on the islands, remote court evidence via video links, telemedicine and online business services such as incorporation of companies, annual returns and fees online – a significant saving in time and effort.

Coding is taught in all schools to enable young people to fully embrace the power of the internet, and to spur the creation of an active culture of digital entrepreneurship and innovation. Bahamas is implementing an open internet policy, removing the barriers to digital business, enabling cross-border protection of property rights to stimulate trade. These measures are designed to meet the country’s commitment to becoming a regional hub by 2020, ensuring the use of ICTS in a sustainable manner, using e-government services to encourage more efficient and competitive enterprises, and providing fully equality, 21^st century jobs and improved quality of life for all in Bahamas.

Bangladesh is the ninth largest telco market in the world, explained H.E. Begum Tarana Halim, State Minister for Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology, with a Vision 2021 set of goals to grow ICTs and telecoms through the Digital Bangladesh initiative. She stressed the need to create an enabling environment by stimulating both supply and demand sides in the industry, taking a leadership role in infrastructure development, app creation and content generation.

The government of Bangladesh acts as a gateway offering ICTs and services to its citizens, with notable success in e-health, e-education and e-agriculture. The focus is on grassroots services to local communities, delivered through a network of digital centres and e-post offices managed by local entrepreneurs and providing digital capacity training and enhancement, “setting the seed for ICT-based rural SMEs to grow”. Mobile digital services are increasing financial inclusion – and the largest stakeholders in tech-savvy Bangladesh are women and the young.

Future priorities centre on developing an e-commerce framework and policy to create an appropriate and effective online market. For the digital financial system to grow, it is critical to ensure investment for SMEs, access to domestic capital, combat cybercriminality, build confidence in the use of ICTs for trade and commerce – and enhance the job market in ICTS for women.

This roundtable is hugely significant, said H.E. Elmir Tofig oglu Velizadeh, Deputy Minister of Communications and High Technologies of the Republic of Azerbaijan, given the importance of state of the art technology in our lives for communication and economic relations on a global scale. The role of government in development is significant, but the business sector should also take an active part in enhancing digital technology. The digital economy does not just, however, involve technology, but also increased efficiency in organization, business, production, and the products and services it creates.

Development of ICT infrastructure is key to meeting increasing demand, trade activity and relations and increased services, unlocking huge economic value. Azerbaijan is committed to developing an internet banking payment system, continuing to grow e-commerce after its dramatic 5-fold increase over the past two years, and creating an innovation infrastructure through  tech parks, industrial zones, tax and customs incentives for ICTs, and grants and subsidies for SMEs.

For H.E. Mr Sergei Popkov, Minister of Communications and Informatization, Belarus, the transition to the digital economy via the digitalization of all areas of life from trade to media, agriculture and industry is of primary importance for Belarus’s active participation in the global economic transformation. The national strategy of sustainable development for the period to 2030 seeks to develop a multi-service system of communication including digital television and mobile communications over next generation networks, increasing mobile broadband penetration to 90% and providing all basic government services in electronic form.

Belarus will work to develop smart housing; electronic trade; e-education via high speed broadband in all schools; automated traffic control systems; digital manufacturing including 3D printing and new production lines; and the transition to precise, ICT-enabled framing and agriculture. All this will be supported and enabled by creating an investment and legal environment favourable for digital technology and ICT businesses. “We will actively continue to develop modern technologies to contribute to achieving the SDGs and the Connect 2020 targets,” pledge the Minister.

For Cambodia, too, the ICT sector is at the heart of social and economic development as both driver and enabler, confirmed H.E. Mr Tram Iv Tek, Minister of Posts and Telecommunications. The core themes of economic development and open dialogue with multiple stakeholders inform the ICT industry, local and national investors inform the national strategy. Creating an enabling environment to stimulate investment in ICT infrastructure can only be achieved through cooperation between sates. The development of a knowledge-based economy requires a supportive environment for entrepreneurship to take the lead in providing services in the private sector.

“I strongly believe in the power of partnership between government, the private sector, investment communities and industry players to achieve the SDGs,” stated the Minister, where the public sector establishes an enabling policy, legal and regulatory framework, and the private sector invests to ensure efficiency and economic sustainability. Integrating ICTs in the education system and working with neighbouring countries will strengthen the digital economy and extend its beliefs.

Whilst it is undeniable that ICTs are catalysts of economic development, creating jobs, supplying services and enhancing knowledge, there are challenges to be faced, admitted HE Bruno Nabagné Koné, Minister of the Digital Economy,  Cote d’Ivoire. These include the volume of resources needed for digital infrastructure, the high cost of connectivity, digital illiteracy and lack of the financial capacity needed to develop a digital financial system and payment structures.

Cote d’Ivoire’s national development plan seeks to create a self-sufficient regulatory and legal framework, establish important connectivity programmes at local community level and develop national expertise in ICTs through specialized technical training. There is no single key to unlocking the potential of ICTs, but the government is targeting increased broadband penetration, e-government services both transactional and informational, developing the banking sector and reducing as much as possible the informal economy outside of the central bank and national economy.

Collaboration is essential in order to implement the SDGs through ICTs, including international exchanges of expertise and competence, aligning national strategies, creating regulatory interoperability and developing an ecosystem that enables the private sector to supply solutions. Cote d’Ivoire is looking to collaborate with investors in the macro economic environment, and will increase global investment to 25% of GDP by 2017, at least 60% of which should come through the private sector.  SMEs should be supported with financial resources and technical expertise to enable them to develop and create wealth for the country. “If we want to have effective implementation of SDGs, the minimum requirement is to implement digital sector policy which is consistent and coherent, and which increases job creation and wealth creation, and improve the population through knowledge acquisition,” concluded the Minister.

Western Samoa’s Minister for Communications and Information Technology, H.E. Mr Afamasaga Lepuia’i Rico Tupa’i, looked forward to sharing experiences and impressions with other nations on the transformation of economies through ICT innovations and applications. Samoa is tackling the challenges of a Small Island Developing State with scarce resources, remote and isolated location and scattered population by using mobile broadband as a critical infrastructure for ICT services in health, finance, commerce, education, government and tourism. Priorities are a broadband highway to connect all hospitals and schools, as well a proposed international connectivity connection funded by the World Bank and foreign investment.

Private financing is essential to improve internet connectivity, increase capacity and affordability, and exploit ICT capacity to mitigate the harmful effects of climate change. Public private partnerships will enable development, with one incentive for foreign investment policy under discussion including an offer of citizenship to all investors in the country.  It is also critical to learn about digital transformation and digital expertise from other nations on a similar path, such as ITU Telecom World 2016 hosts, Thailand. As a SIDS nation, “We don’t need to reinvent the wheel, but can adopt systems from bigger countries”.

As a small, export-driven open country, Hungary has no minerals or resources, but must rely on its knowledge-based capital to trade, stated H.E. Dr István Mikola, Minister of State for Security and International Cooperation, Hungary. Given that 12% of GDP currently comes from ICTs, rising to as much as 24% when including digital technology and other ICT-related industries, it is increasingly important to grow innovative technology and develop ICT applications to promote economic and social development for all citizens.

Aligned with the Digital Agenda for Europe, Hungary’s National Infocommunication Strategy focuses on digital literacy and increasing education, “so that citizens, small enterprises or public administration officers can also understand the benefits of the digital process of development.” The policy will include providing financial support to engineers and creating high-level professional knowledge and skills in the ICT industry, in particular by stimulating interest in these areas in higher education. And a programme of modern digital entrepreneurship will encourage SMES to modernize and increase levels of digital competition.

Iran’s Minister for Information and Communication Technology, H.E. Mr Mahmoud Vaezi supports the ICT sector as an engine for growth and an enabling catalyst for development in all other sectors. “Our policy is to expand infrastructure and facilities, and enhance services with better quality, by using national resources and domestic capabilities,” he stressed. “We believe that harnessing the potential of ICT in today’s world is absolutely necessary for facilitating and stimulating investment, empowering use and creating employment in all sectors of the economy”.

Iran aims to provide 80% of all households with broadband at 20 mbps; increase broadband services to villages; concentrate national research and development on IoT, big data and cloud technologies; and provide an extensive array of e-services over the national broadband network. Of the 16bn plus euros that will be invested in the ICT sector over the next 5 years, one quarter will come from the government, and the balance from the private sector, including foreign investment and partnership.

The unique strategic location of Iran will enable it to open up new, shorter transit routes with advanced facilities and multiple border connections to augment existing links with Asia and Europe.

Vice Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications, H.E. Mr Shigeki Suzuki of Japan, highlighted three crucial steps for growing the economy. Promoting ICT access and the benefits they bring to the billions who remain unconnected is an urgent issue. Japan is committed to promoting public-private partnership initiatives, investing in quality infrastructure deployment overseas, capacity building and technology transfer. “We think this will contribute to economic growth and addressing social development in developing countries,” he said.

A transparent policy and legal framework will encourage competition and investment. To foster innovation, we need to build a business environment that allows for creativity and enables entrepreneurs and SMEs to launch new businesses, services and jobs. Big data and IoT are essential to foster innovation, but can only be achieved once the infrastructure is in place.

The free flow of information is a fundamental principle to foster international understanding; cybersecurity is critical for safe and secure use of ICTs. Japan’s NICT has developed systems for real time analysisof security incidents and network observation, which is now expanding across 15 countries in Asia. “We have to strengthen collaboration among all stakeholders at national, regional and international levels,” he urged, if we are to be successful in the digital economy.

Nigerian Minister of Communications, H.E. Mr Abdur-Raheem Adebayo Shittu, highlighted the sheer size of Nigeria with 180m people in 36 states plus the capital, making it the largest country in Africa by population. To grow the digital economy, Nigeria propose a national strategy plan implementing a fast-track e-government policy, national centres to promote and increase ICT capacity, state teams to mitigate cybersecurity threats and a range of policies to ensure bandwidth requirements including additional satellite capacity.

ICTs have an essential role to play in the diversification of the Nigerian economy as it moves away from its dependence on oil. The government has adopted an aggressive awareness programme to inform young people on the potential of ICTs. It is now focused on cost saving service delivery, economies of scale, ICT innovation and entrepreneurship and a strong emphasis on local content. Nigeria is keen to find investment partners to achieve a win-win relationship in its huge potential market, fertile ground for investment with abundant resources, an improved infrastructure, security and investor friendly policies.

Switzerland, according to Philipp Metzger, Director General of OFCOM, want to use digitalization to seize opportunities to success. Raising awareness of the opportunities that digitalization brings across all areas of our lives, and the potential of big data and online platforms, is critical to create a real enabling environment focused on specific opportunities.

Applying good governance and mitigating risks will mobilize the potential of the digital economy. “The goal is to bring stakeholders together at national and international levels,” he said, with governments, civil society and business determining the digital environment together and with “people-centered approaches and people-centered solutions”.

Combatting poverty through ICTs is part of Switzerland’s national strategy along with education and the development of skills for sustainable development. Multi-stakeholder processes and platforms at national and international levels and at events such as ITU Telecom World can provide good examples, processes and source of inspiration.

 

Collaboration, healthy competition, together with the technologies, spectrum and ecosystem that will deliver 5G to the world were some of the key issues explored by the panel in today’s Delivering 5G: Competition or collaboration session.

Defining the technologies

According to session moderator ITU’s François Rancy, Director of the Radiocommunication Sector, 5G is matter for whole world, not just a few countries. Added to this is the importance that mobile broadband has already taken in society. Against this backdrop, the technologies that shape it will be crucial, particularly when people have such tremendous expectations about what it will do and enable. Rancy explained that ITU Working Party 5D is currently scoping out the technologies, safety requirements-  the overall radio system aspects- that 5G (or IMT 2020) will comprise.

Inmarsat CTO Michele Franci, told delegates that Inmarsat is continually making improvements on radio access technologies and that the developments happening on  “the software defined networks side of things are a strong enabler…for allowing a vision like 5G to become reality.”

In readiness for 5G, Huawei is already deploying technologies such as massive MIMO, as well as integrating SDN and cloud architecture technologies in readiness for achieving a bigger scale of performance for 5G, according to Yuefeng Zhou, Chief Marketing Officer, Wireless Network Product Line at Huawei.

OFCOM (Switzerland) Director-General, Philipp Metzger spoke of the need to give more leeway to industry as there was still “uncharted territory to explore technically to how 5G networks will pan out.”

Building Ecosystem

Crucial to a successful delivery of 5G will be the creation of the right ecosystem. On a cautionary note, according to Metzger “we need to tackle 5G in a multistakeholder, holistic way. The process to get to 5G must be based on the right standards, sustainable not immediate hype.”

In terms of building the ecosystem, according to  Håkon Bruaset Kjøl, Senior Vice President and Head of Corporate Affairs, Telenor, we need to look at who will be in the space. This needs to be occupied private sector, governments and regulatory bodies, and requires good communication and understanding between the entities. Significant private sector investment will be required, not just in infrastructure but also spectrum, as a “basket of spectrum” will be needed to deliver all services.

Collaboration and competition

Panellists all agreed on the vital importance of collaboration. “If we want to realize 5G ambitions, collaboration needs to take place on a level of regulatory, policy and standardization of technology’” Said Telenor’s Kjøl, a viewpoint echoed by other participants.

Collaboration not just between entities but also to share ideas and innovations is also critical, if 5G is to reach its full potential “For 5G, we need collaboration between academia and industry, between vertical and mobile to understand typical requirements, to make sure industry has more innovative technologies” Explained Huawei’s Zhou, particularly given the stage they are at in terms of defining standard, product and ecosystem.

Inmarsat CTO Michele Franci gave a perspective from the satellite side. Key elements of the 5G journey would be building a “network of networks”. According to him, 5G offers “A great opportunity for the satellite industry to work together with other elements of the telecoms industry to develop something that allows users to benefit, so they don’t see which part does which role- a seamless integration.” It is not, he told delegates “About core infrastructure technology but enabling the applications that meet the needs today of users all over the world.”-with the aim of creating pervasive applications for everyone across all societies, not just a top tier of users.

Nevertheless, striking a balance between collaboration, whilst also enabling competition to flourish, is crucial for a successful 5G delivery.  Regulatory bodies need to create competitive solutions. According to Telenor “Government should put in a framework where competition is allowed in a fair way.”

Competition also has a key role to play in enabling innovation to flourish, especially on an SME level, according to Telenor where accelerator programmes can kick start a healthy competitive environment in a local ecosystem.

Questions of spectrum

On the issue of spectrum, participants noted the need for a stable, predictable spectrum allocation. Franci called for discussions on “which part of the higher frequency is to be allocated to 5G,” noting that we “need to work round these discussions in a consistent manner.” According to Kjøl of Telenor. “For higher frequency bands, many Asian countries are still lacking spectrum release plans.” Telenor would like to see these released in order to facilitate dialogue and keep pace with consumer demands. “We need to know as soon as possible the bands to be decided by WRC 2019,” noted ITU’s Rancy, although Huawei pointed out that although we need new spectrum, “using existing spectrum also important.” We need to give technology to existing bands, rather than bands to technology.

ITU’s Chaesub-Lee raised the issue of supporting licence spectrum with unlicensed band. Huawei’s Zhou felt that using this would depend on what would be the benefit from this for the end user in terms of increased product offerings, and without damaging existing unlicensed spectrum and protecting those who are paying money for spectrum.

Concluding the discussions, ITU’s Rancy noted that significant collaborative effort would be needed to get harmonized solutions from a spectrum point of view. Although room for competition is needed within the 5G space, cooperation and collaboration is needed at this point “in terms of defining something that we call 5G that all will take up.” Today- and tomorrow’s- 5G ecosystem is emerging out from a 30 year old ecosystem. “We are working to preserve the mobile planet for our common good.”

Moderator

• Mr François Rancy, Director of the ITU’s Radiocommunication Bureau, International Telecommunication Union, Switzerland

Panellists

• Mr Håkon Bruaset Kjøl, Senior Vice President and Head of Corporate Affairs, Telenor ASA, Norway
• Mr Philipp Metzger, Directeur Général, Office fédéral de la communication (OFCOM), Switzerland
• Dr Yuefeng Zhou, Chief Marketing Officer, Wireless Network Product Line, Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., China
• Mr Michele Franci, Chief Technology Officer, Inmarsat SA, United Kingdom

 

 

Opening the second session of the Ministerial Roundtable, H.E. Dr Mohd Salleh Tun Said Keruak, Minister of Communications and Multimedia, Malaysia, highlighted three key areas of government activity in growing the digital economy: network infrastructure, interoperable platforms for services, and relevant regulation.

Increasing digital bandwidth and connecting communities in remote and rural areas is paramount for Malaysia, which is working together with various private sector companies and has earmarked USD30m for government spending on rural infrastructure development. Interoperable and enabling platforms riding on top of that infrastructure will increase the volume of digital transactions and harness data as a resource. Applications and developments such as identity verification, payment systems, cloud and big data solutions will call for new regulatory approaches, in particular in collaboration with mobile and fintech companies to establish digital identities in the future. Referring the scope of the digital economy, the Minister pointed out that “All government priorities for the digital economy are different, it depends where we focus our resources.”

H.E. Karma Wangchuk Penjor, Secretary, Ministry of Information and Communications, Bhutan, outlined the country’s ICT policy based on the vision of an ICT-enabled knowledge-based society as the foundation for gross national happiness, the driving force of development in Bhutan for the past four decades. ICTs are essential “for good governance, for the Bhutan information society and as an enabler of sustainable economic development,” he said.

Key to growing the ICT sector is enhancing accessibility, of particular importance in the rugged, mountainous terrain of the Himalayan kingdom. The government is focused on enhancing the broadband network and broadcast infrastructure; implementing a national data centre to enhance cybersecurity; and enabling legal and regulatory frameworks for e-government.

On an operational level, the government is establishing the interoperability framework necessary to enable various sectors and ministries to deliver services to citizens, and to aggregate requests for data from citizens through one point of contact. The digital future in Bhutan will focus on bringing technology for all into health and education services, in accordance with SDG 9, and creating an attractive environment for foreign direct investment into the ICT industry as a green and sustainable sector, by offering hydro-electric power, stability and fiscal and monetary incentives.

Aware of the impact of the digital economy, H.E. Dr Debretsion Gebremichael Measho, Minister of Communication and Information Technology, Ethiopia, has doubled efforts in the national digital strategy, looking for further development in the ICT sector and in the global economy. The National Broadband plan is working towards nationwide availability of high speed internet, vital for many different sectors: to allow health professionals to communicate; to allow children to access online educational content; to enhance productivity and incomes in agriculture; and to engage with the digital dividend through job creation and innovation.

Ethiopia is aiming to achieve its targets to transform the country through broadband and the social and economic development it brings, with the goal of reaching the SDGs and middle income status.  A second area of growth and transformation will be in ICTs and digital solutions to expand the manufacturing section, in particular in light electronic manufacturing for export.

But to develop the digital economy, it is paramount that the challenges of digital inclusiveness and cybersecurity are met. The digital divide should not allowed to continue by doing business as usual. Affordable, inclusive access to and use of ICTs will only happen once government, private sector and civil society work together, move in tandem with the pace of technology, and commit to inclusiveness. The sustainable goals will otherwise not be met.

H.E. Alain Claude Bilie-Bi-Nze, Minister of the Digital Economy, Gabon, took the floor to emphasize the importance of regional integration in initiatives such as Smart Africa, where leaders of African nations came together to create a common environment enabling the development of ICTs, tangible opportunities for social and economic develop and common projects relevant to the needs of the people of Africa.

The cost for digital infrastructure is often beyond the means of one state alone, so joining together with know-how and financing is critical; as is innovation funding and common legal and regulatory approaches, making business easier to do across a wider region. “Regional organization can also help Africa in developing the digital economy and providing the necessary human resources to reach these objectives,” reiterated the Minister, concluding that “digital is the future of the country and the solution for the future of Africa”.

HE Jean Philbert Nsengimana, Minister of Youth and ICT, Rwanda, spoke clearly of the role of government in promoting the digital economy based on the experience of his country in its shift from an agriculture-based economy to a knowledge-based economy in the years since 2000 – a period which have seen Rwanda become a world leader in ICT vision, promotion, government efficiency and ICT-enabled health, education and financial services.

Governments should firstly connect, making sure business and especially those in rural areas are online; then promote, to drive adoption and prevent gaps in digital inclusion, in particular the gender gap; educate, to ensure the next generation of consumers and producers of digital goods; and then demonstrate, leading by example in e-government services such as land registration, recruitment, procurement, or construction permits.

The next steps are to regulate, providing a level playing field for competition to thrive; protect consumers, investors and the vulnerable, such as children; innovate, leading with an entrepreneurial mindset and innovation in extending services to people and businesses; mitigate the risk of cyber crime; invest in areas where the market will not go, in research and development, and in infrastructure and education; and finally, governments should quit – “taking a back seat to let the private sector drive.”

Agreeing that creating or facilitating a regional framework for innovation was important, the Minister for Posts, Telecommunications and the Digital Economy from Guinea, H.E. Moustapha Mamy Diaby, stressed the need for a national strategy giving more visibility to the private sector. Stabilizing the business environment means creating transparent mechanisms for better competition, as well as creating an independent regulatory authority. Government must be a role model in innovation in public services, and in increasing or facilitating access to those services.

Any national policy must keep people in mind, at the heart of all policies: building capacity, training youth, building infrastructure, creating content and applications – and ensuring competent, well-trained human resources.

Harmonizing policies across borders will enable us all to take advantage of the ICT ecosystem and open up to private sector investment at scale. “We are playing our part, which is why I call on the private sector to say we do not have perfect conditions to attract investors, but we have a dynamic vision oriented to transparency and stability.”

The Minister for Posts, Telecommunication and Digital Development for Madagascar, H.E. André Neypatraiky Rakotomamonjy, outlined the vision of the country’s president it to make it a modern and prosperous nation underlined by ICTs, through infrastructure and through a regulatory framework that meets the needs of potential investors and existing operators.

The digital divide and illiteracy can be fought through education and training. The population is young, the majority in rural and often remote areas, so the government must enact policies to provide equipment, tablets, solar panels to provide power to create digital spaces in universities and schools. The digital sector offers opportunities to young people, to strengthen their skills for the jobs of the future. Start-up centres will accompany engineers and encourage innovation and creativity. It is critical to find financing, partnerships and continue to exchange with other countries and the international private sector.

H.E. Rodolfo A. Salalima, Secretary, Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), Philippines, spoke of the ideal role of government in serving its people. He reminded the panel of the UN Council’s recognition of connectivity as a basic human right, meaning that every citizen must have access to the tools, devices and technologies with which to use these services.

“ICTs as an enabler for education, for livelihood and for societal participation in democratic processes, is a necessity,” he said, but it is important to balance the right to freedom and the right to privacy in the context of cybersecurity.

Beyond connection, the second duty of government is to educate its citizens, on the use and applications of technology, but also on human values. It is not enough to leave a legacy, it must be a constructive legacy, enabling social, economic and human growth.

H.E. Monise Laafai, Minister, Ministry of Communications, Transport and Tourism, Tuvalu, shared the government’s vision to improve the lives of people and have a brighter future based on ICTs cutting through all sectors of economy and areas of development – “we look at ICTs, we aspire for smart cities, and we hope to able to develop our digital economies”.

The Minister called for government to act as a good referee, administering the rules of the industry in close cooperation and collaboration with all ICT stakeholders.  The challenges are common to all: lack of skills or capacity to narrow the digital divide and deploy infrastructure. Tuvalu is creating an enabling environment with user-friendly legislation, reducing artificial barriers and pricing to foster ICT and technology growth. “Let us invest in our infrastructure in partnerships… and let us look to strong leadership in government, and in the ITU to continue to bring us together to learn and share from one another and improve our own digital economies.”

Sharing the concerns of the previous speaker, H.E. Ahmed Adeem, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Home Affairs, Maldives, highlighted the challenges of inclusion to accelerate growth, improve human welfare and foster open cooperation and development.

The government aims to attract foreign investment, digitalize the broadcast network and create an enabling, flexible regulatory and policy environment. The national information technology centre is the main government agency for propagation of ICT, providing e-government services, and addressing the serious issue of cybercriminality and examining the real impact of social media. New forefronts for collaboration and coordination will create better connectivity and quality of life; he called for the roundtable participants to “make this a summit of solutions and translate our commitments into tangible realities that benefit all the principles and values of thriving digital economies.”

Acknowledging that the role of government in driving the digital economy had been discussed at length, H.E.Dr Win Mlambo, Deputy Minister of ICT, Postal and Courier Services, Zimbabwe, focused instead on wider industry issues such as the need to veer away from silo mentalities, bringing all ministries together in a common approach. He noted the considerable resistance amongst other ministries to adopting ICTs an overarching cross-sector enabler, stating that “we must shift away from this paradigm” to develop a functional national agenda supported by ICTs and adopted by the entire government.

In terms of awareness, he spoke of the “race between technology and education, with technology running away form education”. Creating awareness should fall to governments, leaving the private sector to implement technological solutions, products services and tools; without first ensuring a certain level of awareness would be like putting the cart before the horse.

He echoed the call from the Ethiopian Minister: we cannot continue to do things as usual if we want to move forward. It is a myth and a mirage that we will ever close the digital gap unless there is a deliberate intervention by the international community, injecting enough funds for the developing world to catch up and flourish in the digital economy.

Rounding off the session, H.E. Dr Saoud Humaid Al-Shoaili, Director General, Ministry of Transport & Communications, Oman, spoke from the perspective of a developing country relying on the natural resources of oil and gas as the main source of income. Despite strong infrastructure across all sectors of the economy, efforts at economic diversification have not yet shown great success, so that Oman is now focused on promoting the growth of the digital economy and knowledge-based sectors by making the broadband network available at an affordable price to all citizens and businesses as a platform for digitization.

The strategy to build a smart nation involves enhancing e-government and services, developing human capital with the skills for transformation, and standardizing technology infrastructure and architecture to offer common shared and scalable building blocks to host and integrate government applications and services.

Creating awareness amongst the population of the importance and potential of digitalization is critical, as is supporting SMEs as an essential sector of the digital economy. A government company has been created o to provide world-class broadband services to all businesses and communities and close the digital divide. It important to “enhance infrastructure, enhance regulation, and stimulate demand”.

Despite greatly differing geographies, demographics and stages of market development, the challenge of digital inclusion was common to all Ministers present. Common solutions focused on public private partnerships, collaboration at national, regional and international levels, enabling regulatory and business environments, education, security and putting the individual citizen at the heart of the digital economy.

A potentially exciting future lies ahead, stemming from AI developments. But first we must define our position in a number of areas including how it should be used in the workplace or to what extent AI can or should be used to predict the future. These and other key questioned were debated by an expert panel line up at the AI: Is the future finally here? Session, moderated by Global Industry Council Founding Chair and IP3 Board Vice Chair Stephen Ibaraki.

ITU’s Telecommunication Standardization Bureau Director, Dr Chaesub Lee opened the session,

noting that in a world where increasingly vast amounts of data are being generated, the big AI challenge we are facing is how to interpret this data, and also how can we utilize AI innovation across other industry domains? Despite the broad label of “data” Dr Lee reminded us that each piece of data is different. It maybe small yet highly significant. Crucially he also reminded participants of the potential AI had to support the SDGs, in a host of areas from human health to commerce, migration or more.

Opening the debate, Ibaraki spoke of how AI was now one a top global trend. In a world where anything can be automated, he also noted the potential of AI to support the SDGs.

Although there are clearly areas where human intervention is and will continue to be needed according to Sauvik Banerjjee, Global CTA & Innovation Lead, SAP Asia “We are making our machines smarter by giving them automotive capability to understand and perform more efficiently.” AI still could enable greater efficiency, he said, citing an example where SAP is doing research into using AI’s predictive capabilities in the developing world, by providing farmers with a predictive platform to provide vital information on harvests, yields and crops.

Ever increasing machine and data capabilities are all contributing factors to AI growth, but it is still down to humans to understand how AI will influence our lives. Human responsibility for AI is key, according to Dr Virginia Dignum, Associate Professor, Technology Policy and Management, Delft University of Technology, “We are responsible for determining how we will use machine capabilities, intelligence that machines can provide us.”

Bjorn Taale Sandberg, Senior Vice President, Telenor Research, Telenor, echoed the need to educate people in AI. The challenge is machine learning, although AI is creating a whole set of new opportunities for different players to establish themselves. Telcos, for example “Need to look at areas where the data is starting to flow.”

AI will only be intelligent if we use it correctly according to Vergine. The correct policies, people and approaches will be essential in helping AI be used optimally. “Not a technological barrier but is a matter of the policies, governments not being there yet. How do we ensure these technologies are used wisely to achieve the global goals?”

The panel moved on to discuss core areas where AI could have major impact.

AI and labour markets

Despite fears of a “Matrix” like scenario, where machines take over or – perhaps preferable- a Star Trek like scenario where we are inundated with leisure time, we don’t need to expect a complete takeover, according to panelists. Technologies are still built for and used by the human workforce, according to Bannerjee. Human intervention will still be required, and will go hand in hand with AI. Assuaging concerns of disappearing jobs, Dignum pointed out that many jobs that were around 100 or 50 years ago have now disappeared and new ones appeared in their place. While we can expect some jobs to disappear, and unemployment may go up, new jobs will appear in their place. Our personal identification may go with the job- “we are what we can contribute to the world” be that work or not.

Computers plus people are more superior than people alone, according to Telenor’s Sandberg. Ultimately, computers will be our “servants and helpers” Nevertheless, there will be a transition period and the challenge will be to manage this transition.

Looking to the future

Throughout history, people have have feared what the future held. We need to look at the positives that AI holds for the world, according to Dignum. These may be greater for LDCs than in developing countries, noted Vergine, where AI could help potentially predict and help mitigate problems such as a bad harvest. Prospects for AI are undoubtedly positive but there will be an understandable period of disquiet on the way.

The concept of whether AI should- or would be used to predict the future was widely debated by the panel.  If AI can predict things 2 years in advance can it change what happens? According to Dignum and Bannerjee this depends on the accuracy and quality of the data. Predictions – such as predicting weather patterns in vulnerable or volatile countries- can only be successful if they use good quality data. After all AI, according to Sandberg “can only predict from things that have been seen.” On the question from the audience as to whether AI could ever be used to replace policy, Dignum noted that this was unlikely as we will feel “less responsible” She also noted that AI could only provide “predictions and not certainties” and were very much dependent on the data that was used.

Panellists agreed that international cooperation in a host of areas including data sharing, movement would be essential to build a positive AI future, and a “dissolving of boundaries between traditional sectors” according to Dignum.

Moderator

• Mr Stephen Ibaraki, Founding Chair, Global Industry Council & Vice-chair, IP3 Board, International Federation for Information Processing, Canada

Opening Remark

• Dr Chaesub Lee, Director of ITU’s Telecommunication Standardization Bureau, International Telecommunication Union, Switzerland

Panellists

• Mr Sauvik Banerjjee, Global CTA & Innovation Lead (Omni Channel, IoT, Industry 4.0 & AI), SAP Asia Pvt. Ltd., India
• Dr Virginia Dignum, Associate Professor, Technology Policy and Management, Delft University of Technology, Netherlands
• Mr Bjorn Taale Sandberg, Senior Vice President, Telenor Research, Telenor ASA, Norway
• Mr Dominic Vergine, Head of Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility, Vice-Rapporteur of ITU-D SG2 Q1/2, ARM Holdings, United Kingdom

 

Inviting ICT leaders from across the ecosystem to work together, to engage world leaders in dialogue and act as spokespeople for the industry, ITU Secretary-General Houlin Zhao opened proceedings at the Industry Leaders Roundtable on “Creating value, accelerating growth, opening new markets: the power of collaboration”.

“It is seen as a profitable, stable industry, but sometimes there is a risk that the money is taken away or the need to support the industry with investment from the public side endangers that environment,” he said, stressing that “collaboration is the only way to overcome challenges and make progress.”

Kicking off the roundtable by describing the incredible pace of change in the Nigerian  market, Funke Opeke, CEO, MainOne Cable, highlighted how “opening up the market to accelerating growth, it is amazing to watch the significant shift from cash-based banking to cashless banking”.  Financial services, online shopping and banking are flourish as paper-based transactions disappear in the digital economy. Infrastructure sharing amongst operators and providers, pushed together by market realities and regulatory pressure, has brought this change about in West Africa. Without a high degree of collaboration, the lack of quality access would have rendered this level of growth impossible

As one of the verticals in the payment space, Yvette Oh, Mastercard, focuses on collaboration with the telco sector to bring as many as possible of the 2.5bn financially excluded into the global economy. Mobile networks have the international reach across all sections of society, Mastercard the financial services: without a multi-stakeholder partnership between a whole mini-ecosystem of banks, telcos, ISPs, payment service providers, regulators and policy-makers, this would simply not happen.

And the results have been impressive – a great example being the collaboration with the South African government social security agency, which brought 10m people into the formal economy for the first time.

Mobile devices provide access, but interoperability is really the key if all these industry players and verticals are to come together and work as one to deliver solutions. Developing low-cost solutions to bring the unconnected online is difficult – do you invest in infrastructure if there is no demand, or ability to pay? asked Oh, summarizing a key conundrum of connectivity. “We have leveraged mobile technology to enable micro and SME merchants to accept payment,” she explained, “and these stores are themselves underserved businesses serving the underserved,” indicating that it is not expensive devices but working with different industries on the ground that might lead to financial inclusion.

Interoperability is indeed critical, according to Inmarsat CTO Michele Franci. Wherever people go today, they want solutions and services adapted to their situation. The advantage of the satellite industry – itself fundamentally based on collaboration – is that “it allows us to put in place a lot of solutions for areas where not much choice, and create more and more of the infrastructure, the enablers”, for communication –based applications and services for everyone in the world.

For Lars-Åke Norling, CEO, Total Access Communication, freeing up spectrum is essential to enable mobile operators to provide data to meet the needs of customers and provide the digital space for online services and sales with OTT players. Collaboration in terms of infrastructure, with towers or fibre, is happening today, he said, but “trust is necessary for payment to take off and for collaboration in vertical sectors”.

Perhaps there is a more fundamental problem, queried  Suneet Singh Tuli, CEO, DataWind Net Access Corporation, given that so many data platforms go unactivated, or are just used for social media rather than banking or commerce. The reason is affordability. Affordable internet access has long been are target, but we will not make progress if we do not look at innovative data plans in the very lowest income segment  – where consumers can afford to spend as little as USD0.30 a month. “We need to create affordable solutions and collaborate between ecosystems – and then we will see accelerated growth.”

Affordable, perhaps, but not free. “The problem with the concept of free is that someone ultimately pays, and it is not sustainable,” added Tuli.

From a research perspective,  Thomas Wiegand, Executive Director at Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute, sees a significant shift in the research contacts and customers with whom he works. Exclusively telco has now moved to an eclectic mix of mobility industry, smart cities, e health and smart energy in a dramatic increase. This brings with it the challenge of new industries and partners with different cultures, systems and models in place – on the ground, in reality, “collaboration is a challenge.

For the mobile sector in Thailand, however, collaboration is an essential element of sustainable growth, from infrastructure sharing to land lease, roll out and maintenance, so that operators can save time and money – and are freed up to focus on new services and apps interfacing with the platform.   Seven operators have collaborated in co investment and laying cables, involving also the public sector in the form of the national electricity authority. Collaboration like this will form the basis of smart cities, the next big thing in Thailand, pointed out  Preeyaporn Tangpaosak, Chairman of the Executive Board, at ATL.

And a very pertinent example of collaboration between major industry players was presented by Dongmyun Lee, CTO, KT Corporation, who described how the ongoing slowdown in the Korean telecom market had led to a search for “a new growth engine based on our own infrastructure,” building out 5G infrastructure for a working case of the ecosystem in the Olympic Games to be held in Korea in 2018 – partnering with Nokia for some elements.

Hossein Moiin, Executive VP and CTO, Nokia, was optimistic about such partnerships and about collaboration in the industry in general. “Each time we build a new generation of networks, we are able to increase the total output of the ecosystem by a factor of 3”, he said. That success is built on a collaborative model between operators, government, research institutes and standards bodies. We must build on this to move forward, he urged, and to ensure that the trillions of dollars of value created is distributed fairly through the ecosystem – creating value and benefit for all in the digital economy.

Moderator

• Mr Paul Conneally, Head of Communications, International Telecommunication Union, Switzerland

Opening Remark

• Mr Houlin Zhao, Secretary General, International Telecommunication Union, Switzerland

Panellists

• Mr Michele Franci, Chief Technology Officer, Inmarsat SA, United Kingdom
• Dr Dongmyun Lee, Chief Technology Officer, KT Corporation, Korea, Republic of
• Mr Hossein Moiin, Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer for Nokia Mobile Networks, Nokia Corporation, Finland
• Mr Lars-Åke Norling, CEO, Total Access Communication PLC (dtac), Thailand
• Ms Yvette Oh, Group Executive, Market Development, APMEA, International Markets (IMK), MasterCard Worldwide, Singapore
• Ms Funke Opeke, Chief Executive Officer, MainOne Cable, Nigeria
• Mrs Preeyaporn Tangpaosak, Chairman of the Executive Board, ALT Telecom PCL, Thailand
• Mr Suneet Singh Tuli, Chief Executive Officer, DataWind Net Access Corporation, Canada
• Dr.-Ing. Thomas Wiegand, Professor at TU Berlin and Executive Director at Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute, Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute, Germany

Pitches continued today from the SMEs shortlisted for the prestigious ITU Telecom World Global SME Award. Pitches spanning areas from rehabilitating movement in stroke and other patients, cloud based school administration and IoT for monitoring productivity were among the innovations and creative ideas pitched to the jury, comprising social entrepreneurship and tech experts. Pitches included:

Neofect, Republic of Korea: exoskeleton device for rehabilitating movement in stroke and other patients

UMS Queen, Myanmar: cloud based system for managing school administration processes.

uLALALabs, Republic of Korea IoT devices for monitoring productivity of factory floor.

Find out who the ITU Telecom World Award winners are at the Event Closing on 17 November!

ITU Telecom World delegates are invited to experience THAILAND in 360° Virtual Reality as a Business Event Destination, with Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB)

A Virtual Reality videography will transport you right to Thailand. Created by Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), THAILAND 360° lets you experience the Business Events Destinations in 3 different versions.

1. A City Full of Dreams: Explore Bangkok, this vibrant capital with endless potential and possibilities. Enjoy world-class business event facilities with world-renowned hospitality. The city is truly a dream-come-true destination for business events.
2. Days of Wonders: Let Thailand’s beach towns amaze you. From adventurous team building challenges to meaningful CSR activities, your business events trip will be dazzled by the sea and sunshine of our beaches.
3. Legends Retold: Indulge yourself with the luxury of Thai culture and legendary hospitality. Spoil your tastebuds with Thai food. Dance to our tune. And you will know the reason why they call us as the “Land of Smiles”.

Why not spice Up Your business agenda and find out more about the exclusive privileges we offer to make your business events trip an even more memorable experience.

Visit Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (or TCEB) at booth T14.1