It has been widely reported that Oman could potentially see the deployment of 5G technology by the end of 2019 or early 2020. The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) of Oman has confirmed that operators in the country have been provided ‘all the tools’ required to build networks and are working closely with all stakeholders to ensure smooth and efficient deployment of 5G technology.

What can 5G offer businesses in Oman?

According to Jean Pierre Brulard, SVP & General Manager, VMware EMEA, to only think of 5G as a telecoms opportunity is missing the point. “Any organisation in any sector that uses networks (in short, everyone) should be planning for the 5G rollout and thinking about how they can use it to achieve their business goals.”

5G promises unlimited opportunities for businesses across sectors, be it in logistics, retail, healthcare, or even the public sector. There are a multitude of “opportunities to deliver new services and applications, and increase automation.” 5G technology will aid businesses to engage with customers in ways never previously imagined.

Last week, Oman Telecom Authority and Oman hosted an event in Muscat highlighting how 5G connectivity is making the future a reality. During the event, visitors experienced a range of 5G use cases from smart cities to virtual, augmented and mixed reality. 

“5G use-cases are moving from the realms of the imagination to the realms of reality, says Engineer Mohammed Al Kindi, Vice President of Oman Telecom Regulatory Authority. “We are certain that innovative companies of the future are going to be built on 5G technology.”

Reflecting a similar sentiment, Wojciech Bajda, Vice President and Head of Gulf Countries Council at Ericsson stated, “5G networks is the platform for all future innovation. Today’s event aims to inspire our industry partners in Oman with 5G use cases that will deliver new consumer experiences and enable industry 4.0.”

Increasingly, new applications such as 4K/8K video streaming, Industrial Internet of things, and AR/VR industrial use cases will require higher bandwidth, lower latency and increased security. 5G, equipped with these capabilities, will bring in opportunities for businesses to take their digital transformation strategy to the next level.

Here are the top 3 ways in which 5G technology will impact key industries in Oman:

1. Improved Safety

Controlling remote devices and heavy machinery using 5G’s reliable and ultra-low latency connection will have profound implications for industries like manufacturing and mining. In industries where HSE standards need to strictly adhered to, more connected devices/machines will mean fewer people will be required to work in high-risk environments.

In the auto industry, for example, safety concerns surrounding autonomous cars will be addressed as the vehicles will have access to enhanced broadband connectivity.

2. Improved Healthcare

Oman’s healthcare expenditure is expected to grow at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.1 per cent to $4.9 billion in 2022. 5G will play an instrumental role in meeting long-term strategies aimed at enhancing the effectiveness of the delivery system; and digitization. 5G networks can help augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) applications become more popular in the medical industry. It can also aid in telemedicine and technology-enabled remote surgeries.

3. Improved Communication via Industrial Internet of Things

According to Gartner, majority of businesses (57%) across the globe, state that 5G will drive Internet of Things communication and they plan to adopt it within their organization. Furthermore, IoT projects are expected to experience double-digit growth in the next 5 years and one in five companies also expects a 20% increase in sales.

In the manufacturing sector, IoT devices, robots and human personnel should be able to exchange data to collaborate effectively. With the arrival of 5G, those gadgets will no longer need to be wired to gain access to a low-latency, high-speed, high-capacity network.