As the year 2020 draws to a close, the ICT industry has faced one of its most challenging yet undoubtedly transformational years to date. The pandemic not only rapidly changed our current way of doing business but has also created a ripple effect that will surely be felt by multiple companies within ICT in the years to come. At this year’s GITEX Technology Week, CommScope is one such company that has decided to embrace the new normal and participate in the event virtually.
Telecom Review secured an exclusive interview with Ehab Kanary, CommScope’s Vice President of Emerging Markets Europe, Middle East and Africa to discuss the impact of the pandemic on the company’s business operations and what the future holds for ICT events such as this.
“We’re looking forward to continuing the conversation with customers, partners and organisations on how we work together beyond the pandemic. CommScope has been engaging industry leaders on the need to adapt to different economic environments while ensuring business resiliency. We are seeing accelerated adoption of digital transformation as companies modernise their networks,” Ehab said.
At GITEX, CommScope plans to continue building its relationship with customers and take advantage of the new opportunities that have presented itself amid the pandemic. “The workplace and home dynamics are shifting globally, and CommScope is well positioned to tap into these opportunities through the networks of the future that we create,” he added.
A recent example that addresses this need for connectivity is CommScope’s partnership with Google’s Area 120 for Orion Wifi, a platform that provides private, secure roaming for consumers while supporting public venues in fixing their cellular dead zones and monetize their networks.
When asked about how social distancing and Covid-19 safety precautions will affect GITEX, Ehab believes that virtual conferences are going to be a significant part of the future for the ICT industry; something which many of us will need to accept eventually.
Ehab concluded, “In terms of accessibility, cost savings, environmental footprint, etc. virtual events have a lot going for them. We believe this is the same case for GITEX. We will see the benefits of networking in person as well as more accessibility to interesting content after the show. Ultimately, it’s about the content that captivates audiences.”