SES Networks is a satellite operator renowned for its value-added, end-to-end solutions which enable flexible connectivity in the fields of telecom and broadcasting, among others. The operator currently has over 50 satellites in Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) and about 20 in Medium Earth Orbit (MEO).
At the Telecom Review Leaders’ Summit, Imran Malik, Vice President of Global Sales Fixed Data at SES Networks, did an interview with a Telecom Review journalist to discuss his stance on the region’s impending 5G rollout and SES latest work which have contributed to it.
SES has been very active in the Middle East and is currently operating in a variety of markets such as Saudi Arabia, Oman, Iraq and Pakistan among others.
When asked about how SES is contributing to the region’s overall 5G rollout, he replied, “Satellites have always been, part and parcel, of the backhaul in the cellular network. They have been used for the past 20 years. Firstly in a 2G environment for backhauling BTSs to BSCs then BScs to MSCs, then 3G came along and satellites were there as well.”
He continued, “5G is the network of networks. It is not just one network; in fact, 5G is going to be ubiquitous in terms of its reach and capabilities.”
Moreover, 5G is expected to disrupt several industries by making them more efficient. One of the main themes of the summit was to discuss the variety of 5G use cases which been put forward over the past couple of years and how to harness it successfully and efficiently.
Malik also went on to say that he believes that while there may be questions around the latency of 5G, there are just a few use cases which are primarily latency-dependent and that satellites will continue to play a crucial role in taking 5G network to the edge.
In reference to the 13th edition of the Telecom Review Summit, he stated, “In my opinion, this is a great event. We have come here to learn more about 5G, what the industry is doing and what is currently happening in the region in general. The quality of the presentations and the material that has been shared with us is outstanding.”
Indeed, the summit is the world’s largest VIP ICT gathering which hosts a variety of operators, vendors and service providers from across the globe to discuss the latest and greatest in tech and telecoms and to also share their though on strategy and innovation.