Latest news with #MuntazirAbbas
Time of India
3 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
India playing strategic role in early 6G discussions: GSMA's Vivek Badrinath
NEW DELHI: London-based GSMA said that high spectrum prices could slow down network investment by telecom carriers, and said that industry's current focus remains on realising the full potential of 5G and 5GA. In an interaction with ETTelecom's Muntazir Abbas, GSMA Director General Vivek Badrinath, talks on GSMA Open Gateway, spectrum pricing, 5G expansion, 5G-Advanced, Artificial Intelligence (AI), next generation (6G) technology, and non-terrestrial services. Edited excerpts. What are the top 2-3 immediate priority areas for GSMA currently? One of my immediate priorities is addressing the usage gap - nearly 3 billion people live within mobile broadband coverage but remain unconnected. Tackling it requires a mix of affordable devices, relevant content, digital skills, and enabling regulation. We are also scaling industry-wide initiatives like GSMA Open Gateway, which makes it easier for developers to innovate by opening up operator networks through standardised APIs. For example, Reliance Jio is using GSMA Open Gateway to spot and prevent fraud through the SIM Swap API. And as AI brings exciting opportunities, we're focused on ensuring networks are ready to support it; that we democratise access to AI tools across the industry; and that the technology serves the mobile ecosystem to best effect. We do this through initiatives like GSMA Open-Telco LLM Benchmarks, which evaluates AI models to ensure that they are optimised for accuracy, efficiency and safety in telecom use cases. GSMA believes that spectrum pricing worldwide should come down. But, governments follow a regulatory process and it may impact their revenues. Your comments? We fully recognise that spectrum is a valuable natural resource and that governments must weigh fiscal priorities. However, there's clear evidence that high spectrum prices can slow network investment and impact coverage - especially in rural and low-income areas. Our latest GSMA Global Spectrum Pricing Report shows that global cumulative spectrum costs now account for 7% of operator revenues - a 63% increase over the past ten years. That kind of burden has long-term consequences for connectivity and digital inclusion. Getting pricing and licensing conditions right isn't just about industry sustainability; it's about enabling innovation, economic growth, and better services for consumers. We advocate for policies that take the broader view - where well-designed spectrum awards more value for societies than short-term revenue maximisation. What are the new frequency bands you suggest for 5G expansion in Asia, and particularly in India? The success of 5G - and especially 5G-Advanced - depends on access to a balanced mix of low-, mid-, and high-band spectrum. In Asia, and in India particularly, the upper 6 GHz band offers strong potential. It strikes the right balance between coverage and capacity and has been identified at WRC-23 as a key candidate band for IMT in many parts of the world. The mmWave 26 GHz band is also essential - especially for ultra-high throughput use cases in dense urban and industrial settings. Making these bands available under investment-friendly conditions will be key to unlocking the full economic and societal benefits of 5G. Lately, mobile carriers are embracing AI at edge. What according to GSMA are the real benefits that AI can drive for end users? AI is becoming integral to the mobile experience - and edge deployment brings it closer to users, enabling faster, smarter, and more personalised services. For consumers, this means better performance and new applications in areas like health, transport, and education. For operators, it's about building more efficient, intelligent networks. As an industry, we must ensure this next wave of AI innovation is secure, interoperable, and developed responsibly. That's where GSMA plays a key role - by fostering cross-industry collaboration, open standards, and policy frameworks that support both innovation and trust. A recent example is the GSMA Responsible AI Roadmap, which outlines actionable steps to support the ethical and inclusive deployment of AI across the mobile ecosystem. There has been a fair share debate from OTT players. What according to you can be the best approach for the telecom regulator in India, and those globally? We believe in a balanced and collaborative approach. OTT players and mobile operators both benefit from - and contribute to - the digital ecosystem. There are growing concerns around the sustainability of network investment. Regulators should ensure a level playing field that encourages ongoing infrastructure development, while fostering innovation and consumer choice. Transparent, future-ready frameworks are essential and that includes considering fair contribution models and shared responsibility for network resilience. What are the key challenges and benefits for 5G-Advanced. By when do you expect it to pick up? The primary challenge in delivering 5G-Advanced (5GA) are the upgrades needed to infrastructure, but it represents a significant evolution of 5G. 5GA introduces enhanced capabilities such as improved uplink performance, AI-native networks and support for advanced use cases like industrial automation and immersive services. These advancements will enable smarter, more adaptive networks, delivering enhanced user experiences and opening new opportunities across various sectors. There are already early commercial implementations, but GSMA anticipates broader adoption in the latter half of the decade. This timeline aligns with the finalisation of 3GPP Release 18 and the maturation of the supporting ecosystem. By addressing these challenges collaboratively, the industry can unlock the full potential of 5GA, driving innovation and delivering substantial benefits to consumers and enterprises alike. How do you see convergence between terrestrial 6G and space broadband services? What are the collaboration opportunities between the two? Our current focus remains on realising the full potential of 5G and 5GA. Part of that is working to support the convergence of existing terrestrial networks with non-terrestrial network technologies to deliver connectivity in under-served areas, for mobile users and for industrial applications such as IoT. How do you see the role of India in 6G technology as the standardization process moves toward maturity. How many 6G patents have been filed so far globally and what is the share of Asian countries including India? India is playing an increasingly active and strategic role in early 6G discussions - particularly through initiatives like the Bharat 6G Alliance and its engagement with international standard-setting bodies. These contributions are vital to ensuring that the next generation of mobile technology reflects global diversity and supports broader development goals. At the GSMA, our focus remains on ensuring that the evolution of mobile communications is inclusive, collaborative, and informed by the successes and lessons of previous generations. While various organisations monitor patent activity, our priority is to support global coordination that leads to interoperable, secure, and future-ready networks. In a few countries including the US, spectrum in the 7.125 – 8.400 GHz band is identified as 6G-led future connectivity. Your views on governments readiness across geographies? We are still in the early stages of defining what 6G will be, and commercial deployments are many years away. At this point, the most important priority is to ensure that governments and regulators remain engaged in international coordination to avoid fragmentation. Some countries have started exploring future spectrum needs, but overall readiness varies. What's clear is that the lessons from 5G should guide us: early planning, global harmonisation, and investment-friendly policies will be key to delivering the next generation of mobile technology effectively. For now, the focus should remain on fully realising the potential of 5G and 5G-Advanced, which are already transforming connectivity and services across the world. Last year, ITU formed a subsea cable protection group on the backdrop of rising threats out of geopolitical tensions. What are GSMA efforts in this direction? Subsea cables are fundamental to global digital infrastructure, including mobile networks, and their protection is increasingly important as geopolitical and environmental risks grow. We strongly support international collaboration to safeguard all layers of connectivity infrastructure. Our focus is on promoting resilient, secure mobile networks and working with governments, operators, and international bodies to ensure that policies reflect the need for long-term infrastructure integrity. The more connected our world becomes, the more essential it is to treat digital resilience as a shared global priority.
Time of India
22-04-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Quantum computing poses security threat, may break cryptographic algorithms: Palo Alto Networks
OpenRAN technology poses security pain points due to its disaggregated and open architecture, but risks can be efficiently mitigated by implementing enterprise-grade security measures, said Swapna Bapat, Vice President & Managing Director, India and SAARC, Palo Alto Networks. In an interaction with ETTelecom's Muntazir Abbas, Bapat talks about AI technology breakthroughts, evolving data privacy regulations, quantum computing vulnerabilities and OpenRAN technology. Edited excerpts. What are the cyber threats you foresee in 2025? Coming into 2025, cyber attacks will be rising at high speed, powered by AI technology breakthroughs and quantum computing advancements, leading to increased regulatory attention. The top threats predicted for the year include: Deepfake attacks going mainstream, quantum threats, and supply chain and product integrity. With these constantly changing threats, organizations will need to proactively adopt AI-defenses, use quantum-resilient security, and practice openness in leveraging AI in order to be one step ahead of the cyber threat game in 2025. With AI getting mainstream, do you think CIOs and CISOs need more caution? As AI goes mainstream, CIOs and CISOs have to tread the thin line between innovation and security. While AI adoption drives digital transformation, enhances efficiency and customer experience, it also brings new threats that require a more risk-aware and strategic approach. Additionally, as automation with AI becomes increasingly embedded in business processes, CIOs must ensure that compliance with evolving data privacy regulations and AI-driven decision-making risks are mitigated. AI also introduces new cyber threats in the guise of deepfake-facilitated fraud and AI-enabled attacks, so organizations must become more resilient. Your views on using an AI shield as a security layer? How effectively it can thwart advanced threats? AI security comprises applications, policies, and technology to protect AI from unauthorised access and attacks. AI security is a multidisciplinary field and requires collaboration among experts in machine learning, cybersecurity , software engineering, ethics, and various application domains. The adoption of AI has drastically transformed the security landscape, driving a surge in the sophistication and frequency of attacks. What are quantum security threats? How is Palo Alto Networks bringing in innovation here? The incredible processing power and speed of quantum computers significantly threaten traditional encryption methods. Quantum computing's sheer force can compromise public key infrastructure (PKI) and uncover significant weaknesses in current security systems. Quantum computing poses a threat to cybersecurity through its potential to break the cryptographic algorithms that currently protect sensitive data, communications, and digital transactions. Quantum Random Number Generator by Palo Alto Networks helps organizations get ready for future quantum security threats. Share key findings of IBM- IBV-Palo Alto recent study. In the study, 'Capturing the cybersecurity dividend: How security platforms generate business value,' more than half (52%) of surveyed executives note fragmentation of security solutions is limiting their ability to deal with cyber threats, but 75% of organizations that have embraced security platformisation agree that better integration across security, hybrid cloud, AI, and other technology platforms is crucial. 60% of Indian executives (80% globally) agree they face pressure to reduce the cost of security, and globally, 41% say security fragmentation has driven up procurement costs. Why is OpenRAN technology challenging from a security standpoint? OpenRAN raises security concerns by granting third-party applications access to certain interfaces, which exposes network information flows. With multiple network functions virtualized on shared hardware, weak security controls may create vulnerability, potentially impacting other network functions due to risks introduced by new RAN components. OpenRAN technology presents security challenges due to its disaggregated and open architecture, which introduces more interfaces and potential attack vectors. However, these risks can be efficiently mitigated by implementing enterprise-grade security measures. Comprehensive security covering all layers, interfaces, attack vectors, and software life cycle stages, along with slice security ensures that 5G networks remain protected, regardless of whether they are built on traditional or Open RAN architecture. These security practices can defend organizations against malware, botnets and others.
