Telecom
More Than Ever, Connectivity is Key says Ekholm
Börje Ekholm, President and CEO, Ericsson, has highlighted the importance of connectivity during times of crisis and the opportunity we now have to rethink the role of networks in the future.
Speaking from his home over a videoconference link, Ekholm delivered a keynote speech that kicked off a new series of online events, the Ericsson UnBoxed Office.
“Our absolute highest priority remains the health, safety and wellbeing of our employees, our customers and our partners,” said Ekholm reflecting on the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. “We are working hard to do what we can to contribute to the efforts to contain and slow down the pandemic.”
Ekholm stressed the importance of strong and reliable communications networks in the current environment and on staying close to customers and providing them with the best possible connectivity and network quality.
“Even when a country goes into lockdown, our engineers are still active in order to keep the networks up and running,” he says.
Ekholm provided a few examples of where Ericsson engineers have been on the front-line providing support for essential services including connectivity for hospitals in Wuhan, China and contributing to an AI data challenge with the US government.
He also highlighted the transformative changes that have been going on in the networks over the past 2 months. That shift has seen traffic move rapidly from business areas to residential areas over just a matter of days. In many networks, traffic has increased upwards of 20 percent.
Even with stay at home orders in place over much of the globe, Ericsson was able to move employees who operate customer networks from our global Network Operation Centers to home with zero impact on performance levels.
Ericsson made the transition to remote work globally already at the beginning of March and now has 85,000 employees routinely working from home.
The importance of network quality
“More than ever, connectivity is key. With the spread of COVID-19, fixed and mobile telecommunications networks have become an even bigger part of the critical infrastructure, showing the importance of quality in the connectivity,” says Ekholm.
In a recent study based on 4G life cycle data from more than thirty countries, Ericsson analyzed the correlation between network quality and financial performance. The conclusion: network quality is a powerful way to drive lower churn rate and increase the average revenue per user (ARPU).
“When we looked across all service providers, not just leaders, network quality correlated with increased ARPU and reduced churn. Put simply, investing in network quality keeps subscribers happy.”
5G offers service providers an opportunity to gain first-mover advantage and create a significant network performance gap with the competition.
“We are already seeing early signs of service providers monetizing the 5G opportunity, with positive ARPU trends and growing revenues in pioneering 5G markets,” says Ekholm.
The future of 5G
Given the importance of connectivity, and 5G in particular as critical national infrastructure, Ekholm believes that it is in the public interest to ensure that pervasive, high quality, affordable and secure networks are available when and wherever they may be required.
“5G will unlock the potential of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and will be the cornerstone upon which a country’s relative competitiveness is built. While 4G gave us the app economy, 5G will be the greatest open innovation platform ever,” he says.
Ekholm adds that 5G will drive exponential public and private sector value including efficiencies in public services and new and more effective modes of delivery, for example in healthcare, education, transport and disaster control.
“It is vital that public policy supports a narrowing of the digital divide. Governments should ensure that every citizen and business will enjoy the benefits of the 5G era equally.”
This includes, according to Ekholm, countries developing a common and holistic policy that maximizes investment incentives for the private sector. It also includes making sufficient 5G spectrum available as soon as possible and optimizing spectrum assignments to deliver expansive 5G connectivity.
“In this time of crisis, we are prouder than ever of our people, the ones who are helping us connect the world. We have the best people in the industry, and I know I speak for all Ericsson employees when I say that we are, and will continue to be, a significant company on the world stage.”
MTN Group has committed $2 billion to the International Telecommunications Union’s (ITU) Partner2Connect initiative, bringing the total funds pledged to $73 billion.
The announcement was made during the ongoing Mobile World Congress (MWC 2025) in Barcelona, Spain.
Partner2Connect, spearheaded by the ITU, is a global initiative aimed at enhancing universal digital access, strengthening infrastructure, and fostering meaningful connectivity.
Doreen Bogdan-Martin, secretary-general, ITU, highlighted the significance of these commitments, stating, “Expansive digital infrastructure highlights how much humanity values and depends on meaningful connectivity. These new pledges bring us closer to delivering sustainable digital transformation to everyone, everywhere.”
According to the ITU, MTN Group has shown a strong commitment to investing in Africa’s digital future, spending approximately $2 billion annually on capital expenditures across its markets over the past five years.
Similar investments are planned over the next five years, focusing on expanding and improving voice and data networks to bolster connectivity and drive digital inclusion.
The ITU also announced a $2 billion pledge from Globalstar to expand its low-Earth orbit satellite network, providing seamless, energy-efficient connectivity solutions for remote regions and underserved areas.
These efforts will include direct-to-device (D2D) and IoT connectivity solutions.
As ITU celebrates its 160th anniversary, the UN agency has emphasised its dedication to bridging the global digital divide.
An estimated 2.6 billion people worldwide remain offline, according to ITU data.
The agency has called for $100 billion in commitments by 2026 to fund projects supporting global digital transformation, particularly in hard-to-reach communities.
With over 1,000 pledges spanning 147 countries, Partner2Connect is working toward ITU’s vision of a digitally connected and inclusive future.
Current estimates suggest $1.6 trillion is required for global connectivity hardware alone, with the majority of resources needed in developing nations.
The funds pledged by MTN Group and other partners are set to strengthen digital infrastructure, enhance connectivity in underserved areas, and accelerate digital innovations to support economic and social growth worldwide.
Telegram has rolled out a new feature aimed at enhancing user safety by flagging messages from unknown contacts.
When users receive messages from individuals outside their contact list for the first time, a detailed information page now appears.
This page includes details such as the sender’s country (determined by their phone number), their joining date on Telegram, any shared groups, and whether their account is verified.
The goal is to help users identify potential scams and impersonators more effectively.
In addition, Telegram now provides insight into when the sender last updated their username or profile picture, offering another way to detect compromised or hacked accounts.
The company has emphasised its commitment to transparency, promising “clear indicators” to distinguish official accounts, third-party verified profiles, and regular users.
Telegram Premium subscribers can now charge fees for messages received from users outside their contact list, a feature designed to reduce spam while allowing group administrators to monetise their communities.
Dubbed “Star Messages,” this new option enables users to set customisable fees for unsolicited messages.
The feature also provides flexibility, allowing certain users or members of specific groups to send messages for free.
Telegram’s Star Messages come with convenient options, such as single-tap refunds for payments, ensuring a seamless user experience.
By offering advanced controls and monetisation opportunities, the platform continues to prioritise user safety and satisfaction.
With these updates, Telegram strengthens its position as a platform focused on both user protection and innovative monetisation tools.
MTN Nigeria has strengthened its commitment to grassroots sports development following a visit to Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, at the Government House in Benin City on March 5.
The visit coincided with the upcoming launch of Season 3 of MTN Champs, an athletics competition that will commence in Edo State from March 13 to 15.
The initiative highlights MTN’s dedication to nurturing young athletic talent and aligns seamlessly with Edo State’s focus on sports development.
Idowu Adesokan, General Manager of Consumer Marketing at MTN Nigeria, expressed appreciation for Edo State’s contributions to previous editions of MTN Champs and emphasized the importance of collaboration to ensure this season’s success.
Governor Okpebholo reciprocated by pledging full logistical and administrative support to make the event impactful.
Season 3 of MTN Champs is set to engage thousands of secondary school students across Nigeria, kicking off in Edo State before moving to Lagos and Uyo in subsequent weeks.
This initiative reflects MTN Nigeria’s broader vision of fostering youth empowerment and revitalizing athletics at the grassroots level.
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