\tLIVE FROM GSMA MOBILE 360 MENA, DUBAI: Kamal Sameer Shehadi, chief legal and regulatory officer at Etisalat International (pictured, second from left) warned regulators against approaching 5G as an extension of 3G and 4G, insisting a focus on price regulation over data privacy and cybersecurity would create an unhealthy ecosystem.<\/p>\n
Speaking on a panel, Shehadi said it was time to acknowedge 5G not only posed challenges to vendors and operators, but also regulators, arguing it was time to go back \u201cto the first principles\u201d when forming policy.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy do we regulate and what do we regulate?\u201d he asked. \u201cIn the past it was about providing fair resources. Today that situation is pretty stable in most markets around the world where industries are investing in 5G. It now requires regulators and policy makers to take their foot off the pedal and deregulate. Focus on what is important.\u201d<\/p>\n
Data privacy and cybersecurity are the \u201cchallenges of the future\u201d and adequately addressing these concerns could also help operators compete with OTT players, which have notably struggled in these areas.<\/p>\n
To tailor 5G policy mainly on price regulation, as has been the case with 3G and 4G, would therefore be a mistake, he argued.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is no longer about price regulation. I find it disheartening in some markets to see regulators agonising over how harshly they should regulate the price of 5G.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPricing 5G is not the same thing as the pricing of 3G and 4G. If you approach it in this way, you have missed the revolution part of 5G.\u201d<\/p>\n
Models
\nAndrew Hanna, CCO of Omantel (pictured, far left) concurred, adding while the company hasn\u2019t yet launched 5G, it was an opportunity it has been waiting for and \u201cthere was chance to get the model right\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf it was a straight-out model like we had with 4G we will miss the point completely. We will be here in three- or four-years time saying we haven\u2019t been able to monetise 5G properly.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
LIVE FROM GSMA MOBILE 360 MENA, DUBAI: Kamal Sameer Shehadi, chief legal and regulatory officer …<\/p>\n
The post Experts urge regulators to treat 5G differently<\/a> appeared first on Mobile World Live<\/a>.<\/p>\n