Covering Disruptive Technology Powering Business in The Digital Age

COVID-19 dominated discussions at this year’s ConnecTechAsia 2020, as regional leaders across Asia discussed how their organisations are coping with the repercussions of recent global events and how next-generation mobile communication can provide solutions in solving the complex problem brought by the pandemic.

During the welcome address of the 3-day tech event, Carolyn Dawson, Managing Director, Media and Events, Informa Tech, said, “The tech industry has proven it has a vital role to play in helping to tackle the world’s challenges and create solutions to a huge number of tech businesses. COVID-19’s greatest impact on tech will undoubtedly be a more comprehensive shift to digital”.

According to Carolyn, the explosive demand for digital services today is driving investments in next-generation technologies, supporting economies to continue to build a digital nation of significance for 2021.

This year’s ConnecTechAsia, which is held as a fully virtual event (surprise, surprise!), features 220 speakers and more than 200 sessions focusing on the latest trends in tech – with industry leaders sharing insights on how digital technologies continue to penetrate all spheres of our lives.

Speaking further about the importance of mobile communications technology amidst the pandemic, S. Iswaran, Singapore’s Minister for Communications and Information, reiterated Carolyn’s point when he said, “We can and must capitalise on digital technology to continue moving forward in work, play and business globally. COVID-19 has accelerated the push towards digitalisation”, added Iswaran.

Iswaran explained that the move to digital has created new headroom for economic growth and that businesses can now reach wider markets as consumers go digital and unlock value from the increased data generated as a result of transactions moving online.

“Our region is well-positioned to capture growth in the digital economy. Of the 650 million people in Southeast Asia, half of the digital natives are under the age of 30. To seize these exciting opportunities, it is essential for us to have robust connectivity, tech and talent capabilities”, said Iswaran.

Such connectivity will be made possible with the emergence of 5G, which looks set to provide opportunities that will bring businesses, workers and individuals together. Its higher bandwidth, lower latency and dynamic network capabilities will unlock new applications that were not previously viable, as well as introduce new products and services in areas like autonomous vehicles and robotics, Internet of Things and augmented reality.

“This will create new revenue streams that are expected to reach $2.2 trillion US dollars to the global economy by 2034. Enterprises must seize the opportunity to innovate and build business value in these promising areas”, added Iswaran, urging the industries to look beyond to the possibilities unlocked by digital technology and the immense opportunities that lie ahead in the digital economy.

Also present was Vikram Sinha, Director & COO, Indosat Ooredoo, who shared how the telecommunications sector is at the focal point of enabling enterprises and consumers during the pandemic. “In the midst of all the effects of the pandemic, telco was always important but in the last six months, more and more policymakers, governments and important institutions and bodies have understood and realised the important role which the telecom sector is playing, especially during this crisis”, he explained.

The telecommunications industry is now catering to the shifting demands of customers. Vikram cited that video conferencing apps saw a record of 70 million downloads in the past months, while social media use has seen a 60% increase since the pandemic hit and other statistics proving the digital demands during these times.

“The telecom sector, especially here at Indosat, have to make sure that our children are able to study when they are at home, people are able to work from home and at the same time, we are able to retain our consumers and customers while they are staying at home”, Vikram stated.

The mobile and telecommunications sector has indeed played a big role in accelerating digital transformation amidst the pandemic. Through applying the latest technologies, we have been able to adapt and be resilient in these testing times.  Therefore, there is no better time than now to continue our discussion about future innovations and trends that will allow us to tackle upcoming challenges that may loom over the horizon.

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