Ericsson stall at MWC26 Doha. Pics: Salim Matramkot / The Peninsula
Doha, Qatar: Qatar is entering a new phase of its digital transformation, with the focus shifting from expanding telecommunications infrastructure to unlocking the commercial potential of advanced connectivity, artificial intelligence (AI) and industry-specific applications, an official has said at the MWC26 Doha, which began yesterday.
In an interview with The Peninsula, President of Ericsson Gulf, Petra Schirren, noted that the early adoption of 5G and 5G standalone (5G SA) technologies has positioned the country at the forefront of global telecommunications development.
She said, “We are extremely proud of the work that we’ve done. If you look at Qatar, it really is at the forefront of technology and 5G standalone deployments globally.”
Schirren said that one of the networks Ericsson provides in the country ranks second globally, reflecting the progress made in developing high-performing telecommunications infrastructure.
President of Ericsson Gulf, Petra Schirren.
She stressed that the industry’s next growth opportunity will not come simply from delivering faster connections, but from the ability to guarantee and monetise network performance.
"For 20 years, we have sold the road. The money now is in guaranteeing the arrival time. The enterprise isn’t buying the road, it’s buying the arrival time," she said.
The industry leader explained that 5G standalone technology is central to enabling this transition through network slicing, programmable connectivity and application programming interfaces (APIs).
Network slicing allows operators to create dedicated virtual networks tailored to specific requirements, providing different levels of performance for consumers, enterprises, public safety organisations and defence applications.
Such capabilities could support services requiring guaranteed latency and quality of service, allowing businesses to pay for connectivity based on the performance their applications demand.
Schirren said approximately 84 commercial offerings globally are already using 5G standalone network slicing, with the number continuing to grow. “This is really the big shift,” she said, highlighting that the sector is now beginning to explore how network capabilities can be translated into commercially viable services.
Describing data centres as the “brain of AI”, she said connectivity provides the essential infrastructure that allows intelligence and computing capabilities to reach users, devices and enterprises.
“Unless you have connectivity that is programmable, can provide quality of service and latency to whatever type of enterprise you have, that intelligence in the data centre will never reach a use case,” Schirren said. “Connectivity has really become the nervous system of an AI economy.”
For Qatar, this creates an opportunity to combine its advanced telecommunications infrastructure with investments in AI, cloud computing and digital transformation across key economic sectors.
Schirren said Ericsson is focusing on three broad areas in the development of AI-enabled networks.
The first involves using AI to optimise network operations, reduce operational expenditure and continuously improve performance through automation.
The second concerns the relationship between cloud computing and network infrastructure, particularly determining where data processing and intelligence should take place.
The third area involves applying AI to the network itself and exposing network capabilities through APIs, allowing application developers to build services that make use of differentiated connectivity.
“Our focus right now is really to evolve this network into a platform of innovation,” she said. “The foundation in 5G standalone is there. Now, it’s about putting partners that can build applications using APIs.”
Ericsson is also working with operators on business support systems (BSS), billing and charging solutions to establish commercial models for new services.
Schirren said collaboration with government bodies and regulators will also be necessary to establish consistent policies and standards, helping operators and application providers achieve scale.
At the three-day event, Ericsson is showcasing a range of applications demonstrating how 5G standalone can support different industries.
The demonstrations cover AI applications and agents, automation solutions designed to reduce costs and optimise total cost of ownership, maritime applications and defence-related use cases.
In Qatar, potential applications extend across public safety, oil and gas, ports and logistics, and other enterprise sectors.
Schirren said Ericsson is working with its operator customers and the wider ecosystem to develop these use cases jointly, ensuring that investments in 5G infrastructure generate tangible value and contribute to the country’s national development objectives.
“Your digital journey is only as good as the people that are actually running the system,” she said, emphasising that investment in technology must be accompanied by investment in skills and expertise.
She underlined that 5G is an evolution rather than a revolution, arguing that the development of advanced network capabilities, automation and standardised APIs will provide the foundations for the next generation.
“The best way today to prepare for 5G is to build 5G standalone everywhere. Focus on AI to make it more efficient. Automate the network so you’re able to provide new use cases fast,” she said.
She remarked that 6G would represent an evolution in both core network architecture and radio technology, with future developments also influenced by spectrum availability and the introduction of new radio systems.
Looking ahead, Schirren said the telecommunications industry must rethink how it measures and communicates the value of connectivity.
She said Ericsson’s role is to support operators in automating their infrastructure, improving efficiency and developing the commercial capabilities needed to serve new markets.
For Qatar, this approach aligns with the country’s broader ambitions under Qatar National Vision 2030, which places digital transformation, innovation and economic diversification among its key priorities.
With 5G standalone slicing already supporting dozens of commercial offerings globally, she affirmed that the industry is still at an early stage of what the technology can deliver, adding, “We’ are only on a journey, not an endpoint”.
