Kcell Eurasian Mobile Summit 2023 - how is telecom transforming?
August 28, 2023
"Kazakhstan's communications industry is developing at a rapid pace. All large and small cities of the country are already covered by the fourth generation network. In addition, work is underway to introduce the fifth generation technology - 5G. This will allow not only to make a breakthrough in the field of mobile communications, but will also become a key factor in promoting the development of digital economy and ensuring social progress in our country", - said in his welcoming speech Askhat Muratov, Advisor to the Chairman of the Telecommunications Committee of ICRIAP RK.
Recall that at the end of last year an auction for 5G radio frequencies was held, the winner of which was a consortium of Mobile Telecom Service LLP and Kcell JSC. Already this year in Kazakhstan it is planned to deploy 5G networks in several major cities, and by 2027 the coverage of the cities of republican importance and the capital will be 75%, regional centers - 60%.
Participants of Kcell Eurasian Mobile Summit 2023 noted that 5G deployment has great potential for society and business. But its realization requires cooperation and coordination between all stakeholders.
"5G will naturally influence the creation of a new wave of applications and services. In fact, it will create a new digitized and tech-savvy layer of business that is essential for our economy. Artificial intelligence is another inevitable trend in our industry. It is important to note that due to the constant change and expansion of technologies, taking into account their growing impact on the economy, a special role is assigned to the industry regulator. And here operators are ready to take a proactive stance, contributing to the correct regulation taking into account international practices and developments. The time of constant and rapid change is upon us. This is a great opportunity for the industry to develop and renew itself," said Mr. Askhat Uzbekov, Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer of Kcell JSC.
By the way, the conference was not only about the construction of 5G, but also about the development of mobile networks in general, and the main emphasis was placed on the problem of radiophobia. As Bayan Konirbayev, head of the Almaty Digitalization Department, noted, no digitalization is possible without basic infrastructure. However, radiophobia is becoming an obstacle. For example, in the last six months alone, more than 30 stations were demolished in Almaty because of citizens' fears. Tair Ismailov, GSMA representative, added that with the arrival of 5G, radiophobia has only worsened. It is worth recalling, for example, the story of the appearance of "5G radiation cream" and the impact of the technology on the spread of Covid-19. The speakers emphasized that the development of mobile networks is a complex and multifaceted issue, and both economic and social aspects need to be taken into account.
The first day of the conference included a Telecom Industry Hard talk panel discussion, where representatives of the telecom industry discussed the increased demand for mobile data in recent years and talked about the construction of their networks in the regions, including 5G.
Thus, Kcell has already activated about 200 5G base stations in Almaty, Astana, Shymkent and Turkestan. And while 5G was previously only available in certain urban locations, the technology is now preparing to enter homes.
"In September we plan to launch FWA product on 5G technology. This is a good opportunity for those subscribers who have not yet been reached by fiber optics to get home Internet via radio network with speeds similar to optics and even higher. We do not plan to charge rent for the router, the main thing is to pay the subscription fee for the tariff. The advantage of FWA is that there is no need to pull wires, drill walls, etc. You just put a router in your apartment or house, and all family members can use the fifth generation network," Magomedgirey Katiev, director of Kcell's 5G project, shared his plans.
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