The TechAfrica News team was on the show floor of the most significant event in the connectivity & technology industries. MWC Barcelona brought together leaders and innovators from the mobile, telco, tech, and media spaces to share insights and discuss emerging trends. The event provided a platform for participants to explore new business opportunities, partnerships, and technologies that will shape the mobile industry’s future. Despite the challenges of the past years, it’s clear that there is still a strong demand for in-person events like this, and the turnout is a testament to the resilience of the industry.
It was great to see that the attendance at MWC 2023 was significantly higher, compared to the previous year, with a notable uptick in the number of exhibitors and sponsors present at the event — almost reaching pre-pandemic levels.
Looking at the MWC 2023, it is clear that the future of technology is directly linked to the connectivity ecosystem. The event displayed remarkable innovations that are pushing the industry forward, and we are ecstatic to have had the privilege to observe live the newest developments and forthcoming trends that will transform technology’s future.
Akim Benamara, Founder, TechAfrica News
This year, we saw a growing number of companies placing a renewed focus on Africa, as well as panel sessions and discussions with a particular emphasis on closing the digital gap and bringing connectivity to people on the continent. These efforts have been driven by recognizing the immense potential of Africa’s rapidly evolving digital landscape and how people’s lives may be affected by the broader availability of digital technologies. Hopefully, we can anticipate even more ground-breaking initiatives and partnerships to close the digital divide and maximize the continent’s digital economy.
The future of Africa and the Middle East
The event was a success, and the industry buzz was palpable for everyone at the event and it was clear that many new partnerships were built and more connections were established. We were thrilled to meet and speak to industry leaders making a tremendous impact on the African and Middle Eastern markets.
I applaud the efforts of organizations such as the GSMA and Smart Africa, working towards bridging the connectivity gap and facilitating better collaboration across the continent’s digital ecosystem.
Continued cooperation and innovation will be critical in sustaining this momentum and unlocking the full potential of Africa’s digital future. Governments, regulators, and the private sector must unite and coordinate their efforts on closing the digital divide while addressing the connectivity and usage gap by investing in infrastructure, promoting competition, developing new technologies and business models, and providing incentives to expand broadband networks. The continent and the 864,000,000 unconnected people (more than the total population of Europe) need to see a real change and feel the impact of this cross-industry cooperation.
Akim Benamara, Founder of TechAfrica News
Lacina Kone from Smart Africa on unlocking Africa’s potential to reach 70% connectivity usage
We spoke with Lacina Kone, the CEO of Smart Africa, who shared valuable insights about the organization’s efforts to drive digital transformation across the African continent.
Kone emphasized that as we move to cover rural areas, it is important not to forget the usage gap, which represents 30% of the ecosystem in Africa. Addressing affordability, access to devices, providing local content, and building trust in technology are four key elements to achieving a 70% usage rate of connectivity in Africa by 2025. We also discussed the upcoming Transform Africa Summit in Zimbabwe next month.
If you look at the ecosystem in Africa you see 42% are connected, 30% are in the usage gap and 28% are in a coverage area. As we move to covere the rural areas, we shouldn’t forget the usage gap. The connectivity in Africa has the potential to reach 70% usage by 2025 if we adress 4 key elemnts – affordability, acess to devices, providing local content and build the trust in the technology.
Lacina Kone, CEO, Smart Africa
Meet the Industry Leaders and Innovators
Our interviews aim to share the latest innovations and highlight the companies making a difference in the mobile industry. Through the interviews, we provide insights into the industry’s future and identify critical growth and development opportunities.
PortaOne on Overcoming Challenges for African MVNOs and the Future of the Telecom Industry
MwareTV’s IPTV & OTT Solutions: More Than Just Connectivity Revenues for Telcos in Africa
Protei on Empowering Mobile Operators to Meet Growing Demands of a Connected World
No MVNO exists in a vacuum – success depends on smart efficiencies, good partnerships, and the flexibility to quickly adapt to changing regulations and regional demands. In South Africa, for example, you have ICASA dictating that pop-ups need to be done in a certain way. In a different country, it will be something else. Low-code cloud integrations give you the freedom to use local teams to quickly customize new products and services that stand out in your own market, whether that’s unique bundles, bonus entertainment subscriptions, or anything else you want to design.
Andriy Zhylenko, CEO of PortaOne
Whale Cloud on Driving Digital Transformation and Innovation in MEA
Nordic Semiconductor Discusses Cellular IoT and Wireless Technologies
Specure on Improving Telecom Infrastructure and Customer Experience
New digital services can bring significant benefits to people in Africa. Digital transformation can help bridge the digital divide and provide access to essential services such as healthcare, education, and financial services. By leveraging new technologies, telcos can offer innovative solutions to meet the needs of their customers, drive economic growth, and create new opportunities for people in Africa while enabling new digital revenue streams.
Many Telcos are trying to transform their business. In the first phase of digital transformation, they focus on using digital technology to enhance their internal efficiency, but we are thinking about digital transformation 2.0. These telcos can use digital technology to explore new digital revenues. That’s why we are trying to develop our digital solutions to bring new actual digital revenue to our telco clients.
George Zhao, Deputy CMO, Whale Cloud
Spacecom’s Partnership-driven Approach to Space Technology
During the MWC Barcelona event, Chris Green, the Chief Editor of TechAfrica News interviewed Ofer Asif, the Senior Vice President of Business Development at Spacecom. Ofer highlighted their focus on tailoring full solutions specifically designed for MNOs.
The satellite part of the MNOs is becoming more and more complex with LEO, MEO, GEO and on-ground terminals. If want to establish a satellite solution as an MNO its complex and many companies don’t have the expertise and knowledge to execute that. This is why we become a trusted partner that will bring the solutions to the MNOs.
Ofer Asif, Senior Vice President of Business Development, Spacecom
GSMA and Africa CDC to Bring The Power of Mobile Connectivity to Support Africa’s Healthcare Challenges
One of the key challenges in Africa is access to essential services such as healthcare, education, and financial services. Telcos have a unique opportunity to leverage their existing infrastructure and customer base to provide these services in a more accessible and affordable way.
For example, some African telcos are partnering with healthcare providers to offer telemedicine services, enabling patients in remote areas to access medical consultations and treatment without needing to travel long distances.
TechAfrica News had the opportunity to sit down with Angela Wamola, Head of Sub-Saharan Africa at GSMA, and Jean-Philbert Nsengimana, a representative of Africa CDC to discuss the MOU signed between GSMA and Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), and the upcoming MWC Africa event in Kigali and the challenges of the digital divide in Africa.
In Africa, there is still a digital divide that’s continuing to grow. While the rest of the world is looking at 5G advanced, we’re still having conversations now and 2G and 3G shutdowns in Africa. The bedrock of that centers around the affordability of devices. To date, they’re still not accessible to most of the population, with over 80% of Africa’s adult population not connected to the Internet.
Angela Wamola, Head of Sub-Saharan Africa at GSMA
MWC Barcelona provided a valuable platform for showcasing the latest technological advancements in the mobile and communication sector, where TechAfrica News is putting focus on how these advancements can help to close the digital divide in Africa and the Middle East. As these regions continue to grow and develop, it will be crucial for businesses, governments, and individuals to embrace new technologies and leverage them to improve their lives and their communities.
MWC 2023 Partnerships
MWC Barcelona has always been a platform for showcasing the latest advancements and collaborations in the telecommunications industry. This year’s event was no exception, with many exciting partnerships being announced. Of particular interest to Africa and the Middle East regions, there were several partnerships that could potentially revolutionize the communication industry in these regions. Some of these partnerships included collaborations between mobile network operators, technology vendors, and governments, aimed at improving internet connectivity, expanding network coverage, and promoting digital inclusion.
Ericsson and AXIAN Telecom
Ericsson and AXIAN Telecom’s partnership aims to modernize AXIAN Telecom’s operations in Madagascar. The 4G and 5G connectivity from Ericsson’s Radio Access Network will help Madagascar leap its digital revolution. This partnership is expected to help put faster mobile services throughout Madagascar by enhancing its 5G ecosystem.
MTN and Huawei
With a significant portion of Africa’s population living in rural areas, MTN is committed to expanding our network to under-served communities and reach a target of 95% rural broadband coverage by 2025. The partnership with Huawei will support the achievement of this target as well as our approach to expand the number of collaborations and the types of partnership models we follow.
Ooredoo and Huawei
Ooredoo’s latest partnership with Huawei involves the adoption of Huawei’s wireless solutions, including 5G. This partnership will accelerate the digital revolution in Kuwait, Oman, Iraq, and Tunisia. This is to help the end user get a transformative experience all through these MENA operating countries.
It is no secret that the African and Middle Eastern regions have been lagging behind in terms of digitalization, with many areas still lacking access to reliable internet connectivity. However, with the new partnerships announced during the MWC, there is renewed hope that these regions will finally catch up with the rest of the world. By leveraging the latest technologies, including 5G and the Internet of Things (IoT), these partnerships could unlock new opportunities for innovation, entrepreneurship, and economic growth. It remains to be seen what impact these partnerships will have, but one thing is for sure: the future of communication in Africa and the Middle East looks bright.
Trought the perspective of a first-time attendee
We had a quick chat with Julie Munoz from IT-Development, to share her experience at MWC Barcelona 2023 as first-time attendee.
According to my teammates, MWC has not fully recovered from the impact of Covid-19. However, they have noticed a resurgence of energy and excitement among attendees. People seem more eager than ever to connect, share ideas, and build relationships. Despite the challenges, there’s a strong sense of community at the event, with clients, vendors, and suppliers all recognizing the importance of working together in a mutually beneficial ecosystem.
Right from day one, we had the pleasure of meeting a multitude of high-quality visitors and showcasing our latest ClickOnSite features to a global audience (ie. Virtual tour).
As a first-time attendee, I found the keynote speeches delivered by industry experts to be particularly enjoyable and informative. Their insights into the future of the mobile industry provided valuable knowledge about where it’s headed. Additionally, I was impressed with the caliber of attendees at the event. Among them were executives, investors, and other decision-makers from some of the world’s largest and most influential companies.
Julie Munoz, Communications Manager, IT-Development
The challenges of achieving universal connectivity in Africa
Max Cuvellier, Head of Mobile for Development at the GSMA and Akim Benamara from TechAfrica News discussed the challenges of reducing the connectivity gap and the GSMA’s vision for better connectivity in Africa.
What key factors are critical for driving digital transformation in the next two to three years, and how can the private and public sectors collaborate effectively to achieve this goal?
Max Cuvellier: Everyone has a role to play. At GSMA Mobile for Development, we identify sustainable business models and cases to bring about change. Regarding gender, we have successfully worked with 40 mobile operators that have intentionally addressed the gender gap and set targets to reduce it, resulting in an additional 55 million women going online. We also offer digital skills training modules, which have been deployed to 50 million people through trainers or agents.
Working with MTN in Benin and Cameroon, we have seen a significant multiplication of mobile data usage, resulting in a good return on investment for MTN. We work with regulators to ensure that regulations enable the next 100 million people in Africa who are not connected to go online.
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