Stc participates as a lead sponsor in Virtual Int’l Telecoms Week 2020
Stc operating firms from Kuwait, Saudi and Bahrain participate
KUWAIT: Kuwait Telecommunications Company – stc, a world-class digital leader providing innovative services and platforms to customers enabling the digital transformation in Kuwait, announced its lead sponsorship role and active participation in the International Telecoms Week (ITW) 2020 virtual event held from June 15th to June 18th. The event primarily focused on developments related to the telecom sector, providing participants with the opportunity to share their experiences and valuable data related to Information and Communications Technology (ICT) with the audience.
The event included a series of panel and technical discussions led by telecom experts on topics that highly influence the industry. Seasoned professionals and members of stc’s executive management team provided their insights and knowledge on a multitude of topics and points addressed during different ITW sessions.
On June 17th, ITW held a session focusing on virtual platforms, during which stc heavily participated in numerous sessions while carrying out its lead sponsorship role. stc representatives also participated in an important session titled “Connectivity in the Middle East”, where several issues were reviewed on both long and short-term business growth, operation strategies, as well as the telecom sector post COVID-19.
Eng Ahmad Al-Sherif, General Manager Network at stc spoke about some of the largest opportunities for carriers in the Middle East during the “Connectivity in the Middle East” panel discussion. Throughout the discussion, he also expressed his opinion on how COVID-19 has impacted the Middle East telecom markets, focusing on the push towards digitization and the higher demand for data. Al-Sherif also emphasized that one of the main influences on carriers will be to adopt digitization to its fullest capacity, reducing human interaction, which will ultimately enable optimum growth not only in the telecom sector, but other industries as well.
When discussing the impact of COVID-19 on the Middle East telecom sector, Al-Sherif pointed out that the spread of infection was one of the main drivers towards enabling digital transformation. This in return has pinpointed the high demand for both consumer and enterprise connectivity during the time of crisis. To ensure that both consumer and enterprise data are fully protected, he positioned cyber security to be the main guard for communication means with the necessity to localize content.
With operational challenges arising due to the COVID-19 outbreak, Al-Sherif indicated during the session that this challenge prompted the telecom sector to implement a new process in resuming operations and completing their daily tasks. To ensure the safety of employees, businesses switched to working remotely from home, utilizing virtual meeting platforms, as well as enhancing current data packages available to both individual and enterprise customers.
To maintain the high demand for network connectivity, Al-Sherif pointed out that the 5G technology played a crucial and pivotal role in enhancing the services offered by telecom providers. Considering that stc boasts one of the largest 5G networks in each of the countries it operates in, this enabled the Company to offer exceptional and distinguished services to its customers including a more intelligent network via Software Defined Networking (SDN).
In terms of its sponsorship role in ITW, stc released a statement expressing that as a digital leader in the regional market, the Company believes that it was highly beneficial for Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain operating companies to participate in one of the most lucrative and renowned events covering the telecom sector. The Company also mentioned that the platform provided members of the executive management team to network with global corporations in the telecom field, software developers and other experts that can provide collaborative opportunities in the interest of stc’s regional customers.
ITW is the world’s largest annual meeting for the global ICT infrastructure industry, bringing carrier, data center, software, hardware, internet application, and investment communities together. The unique virtual platform will allow attendees to meet, network and do business from anywhere in the world. This year’s conference was virtual with free access to all of the thought-leadership panels, roundtables and debates led by over 60 experts across every continent.