It is a well-known fact that AfricaCom is one of the most popular and significant events for telecom operators and vendors alike in one of the most fast-paced emerging economies: Africa. The annual event is attended by the top telecom executives from across the world and is attended by Subex every year. I had the privilege of attending the last edition of AfricaCom, and from what I’m told, 2017 was one of AfricaCom’s busiest years: a sentiment which was shared by executives of operators and vendors and even by the Cape Town locals.
While I happened to attend some of the sessions at the newly opened Innovation Stage, my sense was that most of the buzz was happening at the exhibition area, where Subex too was an exhibitor among some of the biggest names in the telecom space. It was clear that Digital Transformation was the central theme of AfricaCom 2017, and was a key discussion point among both vendors and operators.
The theme of Digital Transformation and Digitalisation has been a cornerstone of Subex over the last few years and keeping in line with the concept, Subex showcased its Analytics and Consulting & Managed Services offerings to the delegates besides its renowned flagship products. In my discussion with executives from the top CSPs, it’s clear that analytics is still as popular as ever, and the demand from true analytical services for the telecom domain is hotter than ever.
The need to leverage data was also a hot discussion point for Subex even with industry analysts. As per my discussion with a renowned analyst from Ovum, leveraging analytics in the African market is definitely an area of interest.
Overall, from the excitement in the market for things to come, it’s clear that the African market is increasingly embracing the journey ahead and preparing themselves for the challenges on the horizon. It will be exciting to see how the market evolves over the course of the next year, and this thought makes the next edition of AfricaCom an exciting one.
I am hoping to come back again to experience the next wave of transformation that the industry undertakes and visit the wind of change I experienced at the Cape of Good Hope!
Sandeep is responsible for Product Marketing of Subex’s Analytics portfolio. In addition to this role, he also looks after Public Relations and Analyst Relations for the company. He comes in with 9 years’ experience in the Marketing domain.