22nd INFOCOM WORLD CONFERENCE
4-5-6 November 2020 – Athens, Divani Caravel Hotel
Transforming Greece: The 5G and Fiber Enablers – The Future is Now!
The annual appointment for the telecom, IT and media industries is here once more. This year, it focuses on the upcoming 5G networks, Digital Transformation, and new technologies that will reshape the landscape.
Ever since mobile telephony came into play, every decade it is shaped by a new generation. In the 80s we had 1G, in the 90s 2G, in the first decade of the 21st century 3G, in that of the 10s 4G popped up, and now it is time for 5G. With the 5th generation seen as a true “revolution”, as changes and new features that 5G brings, create a new landscape and provide opportunities for launching solutions and applications, which -at this moment- we possible have not even thought of, even though our country has shown to be particularly sensitive in 5G development.
Greece prepares to enter the 5G era. The bidding contest for frequencies to be used in 5th generation networks will be complete by the end of 2020, and in early 2021 Greek providers are expected to commercially launch 5G networks.
The coming of 5G, along with challenges, opportunities, as well as issues it brings, will be the main discussion subject at InfoCom World 2020, the largest Conference about the telecoms industry in Greece, organized by Smart Press. On a different, physical format, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s ICW aims to set up a platform for discussing and exchanging views on 5th generation mobile networks, and how their potential can be utilized so Greece can take its next steps in the digital era.
ICW 2020 includes, among other subjects, challenges about developing 5G infrastructure, setting up an ecosystem of applications and solutions that utilize 5G, as well as the strategy this country needs to follow, in order to be among the states with a larger role in the new era, taking advantage of opportunities that both 5G and the 4th Industrial Revolution, offer. It’s a fact that as much as 4G affected our perception of telecoms, 5G will affect all aspects of our daily lives (work, learning, news, entertainment, productivity), and by that standard, all who use digital technology. The future is already here!
1st session: Developing infrastructures
Future-ready businesses need equally future-ready infrastructures. One of the main steps before commercially launching 5G networks is setting up required infrastructures. 5G network development is expected to go faster than previous generation networks. Coverage is estimated to reach relatively high levels within 3 years, due to favorable regulation for providers. It’s also believed that users will be given motives to adopt this new technology.
Setting up these infrastructures, presents several challenges. 5G is a technology that brings lots of changes, mainly in network architecture. Issues that will come up, collateral technologies, as well as opportunities and new potential, will be the main subjects of discussion during this year’s InfoCom World, where we expect participation by high ranking executives from major telecom equipment manufacturers, and providers.
Speakers will talk to the ICW audience about their experiences of -so far- 5G network implementation abroad, including best practices, and they will also talk about the way by which they will bring this new technology soon, both to Greek consumers and businesses.
2nd session: Digital Transformation: the next step for Economy
Digital Transformation is a concept about which many things have been written and said. It’s certainly not only an issue of infrastructures and services, but mostly of changing our mentality, in order to adopt the necessary innovations.
It’s certain that with Digital Transformation and the 4th Industrial Revolution, a new era begins, when borders between our physical, digital and biological worlds, will be blurrier than ever. An era that will see a change for set standards of communication and interaction between humans, machines and businesses.
It’s also certain that any who do not follow current developments, will lose any competitive advantages. As such, a transition to the digital era, and the utilization of new technologies, is absolutely necessary for businesses of all sizes.
Measures to fight the pandemic resulted to many businesses taking significant steps and accelerating the rate of transition to this new era. It’s a good start, and results are visible already.
However, which should their next moves be? What are those solutions that will help them get to the next level? Which areas are those that require more attention? How will the transition, and then the operation, take place securely? Which procedures need to change? What tools are there, and in which degree is special consult needed, in order to achieve the required results?
These are the questions we will attempt to have answered in this session, that focuses on the implementation of Digital Transformation. In this session, we will present innovative solutions by IT industry leaders, as well as strategies that can give a significant helping hand to businesses that are trying to take their next digital steps
3rd session: Creating a digital ecosystem
Setting up those infrastructures is a necessary step for 5G networks to function, but it’s equally important to develop apps, services and solutions that utilize the potential of this new technology. Not only for 5G, but also for a series of innovative technologies that begin to increasingly get our attention, like IoT, AI, machine learning, big data, etc., along with existing new generation technologies, like fiber optics.
The word “ecosystem” is one of those heard often by those into 5G, among other things. Creating a Greek ecosystem is a basic requirement in order for our country to be among the leaders of the 4th Industrial Revolution, and utilize the opportunities and prospects out there. Challenge is important. Business opportunities that come up, are also important, and essentially adopting them is the only way to Economy’s development.
Development of the new digital ecosystem in Greece and opportunities provided, will be the main subject for discussion during InfoCom World’s second session. During this, we will present the Greek government’s 5G strategy, R&D projects in progress, as well as services and apps that utilize innovative technologies.
This session is expected to gain the interest of all attendants for this year’s ICW, given that it focuses on opportunities provided by the 4th Industrial Revolution.
4th session: Leaders’ Summit: the next day in utilizing digital technologies
One of InfoCom World’s special attributes is being a Conference where representatives of the top Greek telecom companies, as well as government Ministers, express their views on developments in the industry.
The third session of this year’s InfoCom World has the same goal, as a meeting place for both the Digital Governance Minister, Kyriakos Pierrakakis, as well as the CEOs of the top telecom providers in the country.
The subject for discussion will be to determine which opportunities are out there for the industry, especially since the measures to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, brought forth digital technologies and highlighted the important role they play in the daily routine of civilians and businesses.
5G and the potential it provides for the next steps Greece needs to take, is one of the subjects for discussion, like what strategy Greek telecom industry “players” think about following in the future. Like in previous Conferences, this looks to be a milestone discussion, since it will determine the industry’s future, and the plans of the main factors who shape the telecoms landscape for the days to come.