A 10% increase in the deployment of broadband internet access services in a country is reflected in a 1.5% increase in GDP, says Börje Ekholm, president and CEO of Ericsson, according to News.ro. He estimates that by 2030, two-thirds of the world’s workforce will depend on 5G connectivity.
“In terms of investment, the situation is clear: ITU (International Telecommunication Union) estimates that over the next 10 years (by 2030) an additional $428 billion in investment will be needed to provide high-quality broadband services to global citizens who currently do not have access to the internet. We also see that every 10% increase in the deployment of broadband internet access services in a country is reflected in an average 1.5% increase in GDP. Also, if we talk about climate change, we know that by implementing technology solutions, global carbon dioxide emissions could be reduced by 15% by 2030,” says Ekholm.
He says digital transformation is a global driver of sustainable economic growth, a fundamental lever in the fight against climate change and a powerful driver of social inclusion.
Recomandări Video
Articolul continuă mai jos
As co-chair of the working group on digital transformation issues formed at the B20 Summit, Börje Ekholm was involved with other representatives of the global business community in the development of the Digital Transformation Policy Paper. Launched ahead of the G20 International Forum meeting this month, the paper includes four recommendations to G20 leaders aimed at accelerating global digitalization processes and shaping a sustainable and prosperous future based on shared goals.
“High-performance and energy-efficient connectivity is a prerequisite for digital transformation,” said Ericsson’s President and CEO, who said it facilitates the emergence of breakthrough technologies, facilitates the achievement of green goals on the digital agenda, and is necessary so that the 3.7 billion people who currently do not have access to the internet can have access to development opportunities.
Thus, from this point of view, stimulating private investment and accelerating the deployment of resilient high capacity infrastructure, such as 5G infrastructure, are fundamental.
For this to happen, however, Ericsson’s CEO stresses the need for governments and industry to work together, adding that industry is ready for this, and points out that the Digital Transformation Policy Paper calls on policy makers to put access to broadband services at the forefront of economic development efforts and to support private sector development. The paper also calls for the removal of implementation barriers (such as delays, or the process of spectrum allocation and pricing of spectrum licenses). Furthermore, the paper also stresses the need for an investment-friendly environment where vendor neutrality and available technology solutions prevail and where markets, rather than governments, decide on the deployment of particular technologies as a result of fair competition.
As the level of trust in digital solutions varies around the world, the G20 working group recommends harmonizing global regulatory principles in this area.
Among other things, the document highlights the need for national strategies to fill digital skills gaps and foster the improvement of digital skills among pupils, students and teachers.
“With two-thirds of the world’s workforce expected to depend on 5G connectivity by 2030, it is essential that we work to close the digital skills gap and also overcome digital exclusion,” says Ericsson’s CEO, according to News.ro.
Edited for English