Huawei Middle East & Central Asia ICT Marketing & Solution Sales President, Allen Tang, delivered a keynote at the inaugural MWC25 Doha titled “The Booming Era of 5G-A: Innovation, Leadership, and Growth.” He outlined strategies for operators to turn 5G-Advanced (Huawei 5G-A) and mobile AI into sustained business value.

Under Huawei’s theme, “Accelerating the Intelligent World,” Allen described how the Middle East, especially the GCC, can define the next horizon of global telecom by advancing “3A” infrastructure: 5G-A experiences, Always-Online Standalone (SA) networks, and AI-driven operations.

Allen highlighted rapid growth since 5G-A commercialization began, with over 25 commercial 5G-A networks live worldwide. In the GCC, the 5G-A Region initiative has driven record adoption, with 5G-A users surpassing one million in unprecedented time. Globally, AI users are approaching 2.5 billion, while 75% of GCC smartphones already support Standalone and 36% are AI-capable.

He reported that operators can deliver seamless 5 Gbps experiences today, with 10 Gbps expected within two years. This step-change enables immersive services and opens new revenue streams, underpinning projected telecom growth of 4–7% across the GCC. Allen noted three emerging models:

• Tiered speed plans with up to 3 Gbps, potentially increasing average revenue per user by 20%.
• Enhanced experiences for high-demand use cases such as gaming and streaming.
• Premium services for VIP and VVIP users to strengthen loyalty and grow revenue.

The keynote also covered the transition from Non-Standalone to Standalone networks, a key catalyst for 5G-A growth. Nearly 80% of regional operators are advancing to Standalone, improving coverage by 20%, boosting uplink by 50%, reducing latency, and extending device battery life. Standalone networks also enable wearables, device-to-device services, Fixed Wireless Access, and low-altitude applications like drone delivery and flying taxis.

Allen emphasized AI for Network, describing two pathways for operators. First, the evolution to Autonomous Network Level 4, where AI agents execute planning, optimization, and assurance. Second, the convergence of data and AI across domains, enabling instant, business-ready insights.

He reaffirmed Huawei’s commitment to building true 3A networks, helping operators deliver ubiquitous immersion, connectivity, and AI-driven operations. Anchored by an advanced 5G-A core and intelligent business systems, these capabilities allow operators to launch services faster, ensure premium experiences, and scale monetization models.

“From the Middle East to the world, innovation never stops,” Allen concluded. “The region is uniquely positioned to lead, from 10 Gbps 5G-A and full-fledged Standalone networks, to mobile AI, and speed-based monetization.”

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