2015 ITU Broader Way Forum: Creating a Favorable Industry Ecosystem to Accelerate Digital Transformation
[Budapest, Hungary, October 13, 2015] During ITU Telecom World 2015, Huawei co-hosted the Broader Way Forum themed "Accelerating ICT Transformation, Enriching Digital Life" in cooperation with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). The event brought together nearly 200 guests from 35 countries and regions, including high-level government officials, carrier executives, and industry experts. Zou Zhilei, President of Huawei's Carrier BG, gave a keynote speech titled "Accelerating Digitization to Build a Better Connected World". He described the trends and insights from the global connectivity index as well as Huawei's strategic thoughts.
,
Zou Zhilei President of Huawei's Carrier BG
As a global ICT industry leader, Huawei showcased its vision of enabling better and more convenient lifestyles, demonstrated cutting-edge technologies such as national broadband, Gigabit wireless spectrum, ubiquitous broadband connectivity, smart homes, safe cities, and smart devices, and predicted that a better connected world enabled by ICT will emerge in the future.
Zou remarked, "ICT infrastructure is vital to enabling social transformation, bridging the digital divide, promoting innovation, and boosting national competitiveness. During this process, telecom operators should take responsibility for national ICT planning and construction, contributing to higher living standards and stronger economies."
Zou continued, "In recent years, mobile networks have developed rapidly. As broadband becomes ubiquitous, video will be everywhere. The media, content providers, and app developers are willing to innovate with operators." To make this happen, he believes that governments and regulators should create a sound business environment and formulate favorable policies. "In this brand-new digital era, the Internet has influenced every country and economy, and industries are undergoing a digital transformation. Against this backdrop, telecom operators should accelerate their own transformation, propel the digitization process forward, promote social innovation, and boost national economic development." Zou added.
Zhao Houlin, ITU General Secretary, noted, "ICT is playing a bigger role in building a digital society. As the cornerstone of ICT development, broadband infrastructure has become an engine for economic growth. Statistics show that there are more than 7 billion mobile subscriptions and 3.2 billion Internet users worldwide. There are more than 7 billion mobile cellular subscriptions worldwide and 3.2 billion people are using the Internet by end 2015. Of the 940 million people living in the least developed countries (LDCs), only 89 million use the Internet, corresponding to a 9.5 % penetration rate. Overall, 4 billion people from developing countries remain offline, representing two thirds (2/3) of the population residing in developing countries." Zhao added, "The ITU hopes that governments, ISPs, and operators can work together to realize the Connect 2020 Vision through favorable polices, business innovation, and the integration of vertical businesses. The ITU will continue to collaborate with Huawei to achieve rapid broadband application and ICT transformation."
The ITU Telecom World conference was first initiated by the ITU in 1971. Now in its 15th year, the ITU Telecom World is one of the largest and highest-level information and communications exhibitions around the world. The theme of the 2015 conference is “Better Sooner, Accelerating ICT innovation to improve lives faster ".
