Etisalat highlights impact of 5G technologies on the future of media

The media plays an increasingly significant role in our lives as a trusted source for news and information, and beyond that also a source for entertainment.

It is also a powerful communications platform for the society with the ability to influence people’s opinions and perceptions therefore making a significant social impact at all levels, highlighted Dr Ahmed bin Ali, Group Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications, Etisalat.

His presentation was part of Etisalat’s participation in the meeting of the Secretariat General of the Arab League - the 15th meeting of the Arab Digital Media Committee – from 12th -13th January held at the Dubai Press Club headquarters organised by Watani Al Emarat Foundation.

Dr Bin Ali said the media industry has undergone drastic transformation in recent years, and mainly due to the major technology advancements the world has witnessed.

He went on to highlight the advances in technology and how it has facilitated the growth of the media sector. The investments in 5G networks will play a significant role making a positive impact on media and journalism. 5G has superior capabilities with high speeds and ultra-low latency. Live feed news coverage for reporters in the field specifically for breaking news and multi-location interviews for the TV industry were cited as examples for the future of media on the 5G network.

The high data download/upload speeds will benefit all journalists, particularly investigative reporters. These advanced capabilities will also be of immense benefit in media coverage of major popular events, especially large-scale ones such as the upcoming Dubai Expo 2020.

This will enhance the broadcasting capabilities for external coverage mobile media hubs, create futuristic media platforms, and augment the services of content providers. High speeds and low latencies would also boost the quality of the media’s interaction with its audiences.

5G technology will make hologram reporters a reality; people in the future would go beyond than virtual reality being able to experience the news event through advanced immersive experiences technology.

Currently globally there are 5 billion smart phone users with the number projected to surpass 7.2 billion within the coming 5 years or less. 5G data usage will comprise of 25 percent of the total global data transfer share.

Video and immersive experiences will form the core of future 5G network capabilities giving users near life-like experiences with maximised levels of 2-way interactions.

5G networks will have a significant and positive outcome for the media and entertainment industry. There will be a transformation for fixed networks, elevating financial returns, create new revenue streams from advertising and content and have a wider outreach.

He concluded his talk by pointing out that it is imperative that we have media entities ready and willing to adopt these new technologies in order to ensure its leading regional and global status.