Governments should create incentives for ICT development GSMA Chief Strategy Officer

BEIJING, July 16, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- A news report by China.org.cn on Governments should create incentives for ICT development: GSMA Chief Strategy Officer.

Governments should create a pro-investment and pro-innovation environment to drive information and communications technology (ICT) development in the digital era, said the GSMA's Chief Strategy Officer, Laxmi Akkaraju.

Laxmi Akkaraju, Chief Strategy Officer at the GSMA [Photo courtesy of GSMA]

The GSMA represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide and she made her remarks on July 8 at the 2020 Customer Strategy and Pain Points Analysis Seminar (CSPA) organized by China's telecoms giant Huawei.

The COVID-19 pandemic has inevitably impacted 5G deployments and commercialization but, there is evidence that it has also accelerated the pace of digitization. Driven by lockdown necessities, many businesses have been forced to consider online channels and remote working, said Akkaraju.

She said policymakers can influence ICT development and help operators and businesses navigate current circumstances and the new landscape as we begin contemplating economic recovery and the post-COVID period.

Akkaraju recommended streamlining regulation to facilitate 5G deployment, saying "Governments at both national and local levels can help simplify planning procedures, give operators access to public facilities for antennas, and provide reasonable terms and conditions."

In addition, policymakers should help relieve financial pressure on 5G operators through meaningful reductions in taxes and regulatory fees, she said.

"5G is not a race," she said. "But countries that move quickly will be able to deliver meaningful and timely benefits to consumers, businesses, and their economies."

Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20200716/2859663-1?lang=0