With MWC Shanghai 2023 set to take place tomorrow at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre, Ariana Lynn, Senior Analyst at The Fast Mode spoke to Oliver Davies, VP Marketing at Picocom, a 5G open RAN baseband semiconductor and software solution provider. In this brief interview, Oliver discusses potential themes at MWC Shanghai 2023, including 5G, AI and Open RAN, as well as overall predictions for the telecoms industry in 2023. Oliver also explores Picocom's participation at the event, including the company's showcases and keynote sessions.
Ariana: What topics, do you expect, will dominate this year's MWC Shanghai?
Oliver: As 5G matures, the spotlight shifts towards how CSPs can embrace the efficiencies and savings it can deliver. Naturally, given the intense recent focus, we would expect to see a lot of attention paid to the role AI can play, not just in network design and deployment but also in optimising the RAN and delivering new use cases which will allow CSPs to deploy even more efficient, yet flexible, reliable and secure networks.
Ariana: What are your showcases/highlights at the event?
Oliver: We're very excited about the number of showcases that Picocom has brought to Shanghai in 2023, including the first-ever 5GNR / LTE dual mode small cell demonstration. Picocom will display its award-winning PC802, a purpose-designed PHY SoC for 5GNR/LTE small cell disaggregated and integrated RAN architectures. Plus, we are excited to have the opportunity to highlight an array of innovative customer products.
Our CEO, Dr Yingbo Jiang, will also be presenting on the topic of "The Future of the RAN: Can we make intelligent choices?" – discussing how the current evolution of 5G Advanced is paving the way for a revolution in 6G, and how AI can provide the fundamental building blocks of next-generation networks and promises to herald the most significant technological change in cellular since the move from analogue to digital.
Ariana: What are some of the new challenges expected to impact the telecoms industry in 2023?
Oliver: The telecoms industry faces many challenges in what is, as ever, a rapidly evolving landscape. From the ever-increasing demand for high-quality connectivity and data to the ongoing rollout of 5G networks and emerging and implementing new technologies such as edge computing and AI/ML, stakeholders must navigate regulatory frameworks, invest shrewdly in infrastructure upgrades, and maintain security amidst growing threats. Adaptability and innovation are crucial for success in this dynamic environment.
For Picocom specifically, in 2023 we are prioritising the move to diversify the RAN, introducing streamlined baseband specifications, working to realise the vision of Open RAN architectures at scale, and addressing the urgent challenges of reducing energy consumption and optimising network performance in future generations of mobile networks.
Oliver has over 25 years of experience in semiconductor and wireless PR and marketing. Before joining Picocom, he was a board director and VP Client Services at Publitek, a global B2B electronics and technology marketing agency. Oliver started his career at Philips Research Labs as a research scientist in the large area electronics group. He is a co-inventor on three patent families filed while working at Philips Research. Oliver holds a BSc Hons Degree in Combined Studies: Electronics with Manufacturing Systems.
