In a landmark event held at the luxurious Lancaster Eden Bay Hotel, industry giants Huawei and Cyberity hosted the highly anticipated conference, "Cutting Edge ICT Strategies for a Digital Community." This full-day event was a hub of excitement and innovation, bringing together a stellar lineup of politicians, decision-makers in the public sector, managers, solution providers, and engineers.
From start to finish, the conference was packed with fascinating and informative panels that delved into the future of digital transformation and public security. The highlight was how Huawei's products and expertise can revolutionize these sectors, providing cutting-edge solutions to today's challenges.
One of the most anticipated sessions was “The Roadmap for a Digital Community,” featuring none other than the esteemed Chairman and CEO of OGERO Telecom, Mr. Imad Kreidieh. Joining a panel of distinguished attendees, Mr. Kreidieh outlined OGERO's pivotal role in building and maintaining Lebanon's digital community.
Mr. Kreidieh shared his team's ambitious plans to rejuvenate the network, upgrade essential infrastructure, and future-proof it for the digital era. His enthusiasm was palpable as he described how these efforts had already translated into real-world improvements:
- Some Lebanese cities now enjoy speeds of up to 300Mbps via the optical network and 50Mbps via the copper network.
- Rural areas have seen speeds of 50Mbps through enhanced copper networks supported by Active Cabinets and the wireless LTE-A network.
However, he didn't shy away from addressing the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and Lebanon's political and economic situation, which had delayed project implementation and completion.
In a visionary call to action, Mr. Kreidieh urged the need for public-private partnerships. Given the state's funding limitations, he emphasized leveraging private sector investment capabilities instead of competing in areas already served by the modernized network.
His message was clear:
“We need a decisive and serious political decision. Our primary goal, before achieving digital transformation, is to complete the development of infrastructure capable of supporting the Lebanese user's skills in transformation and innovation.”
Looking ahead, Mr. Kreidieh underscored the importance of fully developing the OGERO Cloud, making it available to everyone to achieve their digital ambitions locally.
The conference was an inspiring convergence of ideas and expertise, leaving attendees energized and optimistic about the future of Lebanon's digital landscape. With leaders like Mr. Kreidieh at the helm, the path to a digital community is not just a possibility but an exciting reality on the horizon.
