Following the recent launch of 5G in the United Kingdom, the country has now entered a new era of connectivity. With 5G delivering the network convergence that will be central to the modern digital transformation process, it was a topic addressed specifically by Huawei’s president for global government affairs, Victor Zhang, as part of a keynote speech delivered at the Connected Britain conference in central London; part of the largest gathering of connectivity professionals in the country.
In his keynote address, entitled Industrial Digital Transformation Enabled by Future Infrastructure and Technologies, Victor Zhang reflected on the opportunities and challenges that 5G offers, as well as Huawei’s intended role in realizing the UK’s ambition to be a digital leader. Stating that the global digital economy “could be worth $23 trillion by 2025”, he also cited a recent report which measured the return of investment in digital technology as an incredible 20:1 in terms of GDP. Healthcare, education and digital inclusion were some of the key areas Zhang referenced as benefitting from 5G; describing a world of remote patient access, real time health monitoring and VR classrooms.
Zhang also referenced the need for all industries across all sectors to embrace digital, as well as the need for “unified standards across a hyperconnected world”. Trust, he argued, was a key part of delivering this, citing the “understandable concerns about the safety and security of digital technology and the privacy of data”. The solution, in his eyes, is “collaboration across the whole industry, working to common standards”.
Zhang added: “Huawei wholeheartedly supports the Government’s ambitious digital strategy which places connectivity at the heart of the British economy.
Huawei’s role is to work with UK operators to help deliver that ambition. We are determined to build a world with ubiquitous connectivity and pervasive intelligence, delivering intelligent experiences across all scenarios, to enable every person, home, and organization to have access to the benefits.”
Jeremy Thompson, vice president of Huawei UK also attended the conference as part of a panel discussion entitled How can the UK deliver digital transformation across the country? Part of the Digital Britain activity stream, it encompassed all the latest and greatest developments in the UK’s digital economy including cloud services, workplace transformation, digital skills and tech hubs. Thompson also stressed the importance of collaboration and innovation within the industry in delivering digital transformation across the UK.
Thompson observed: “Digital transformation requires collaboration and innovation. This is a team game where we need to create an environment to learn and share the full capabilities of 5G. Huawei is just one part of the global 5G revolution. There is an ecosystem of partners that must work together to realise the value of digital transformation and the benefits it can offer the UK.”
