In this exclusive Executive Insight feature, Shibu Varghese, former CEO of T-Mobile Infra Netherlands, and advisor to Tata Communications (TCTS ) shares his remarkable journey spanning over three decades in the telecom industry. Having witnessed the evolution of communications from analogue systems in the 1980s to the ground-breaking advancements in 5G and AI-enabled networks, Shibu’s extensive career offers invaluable insights into the past, present, and future of telecommunications. From his work on early technologies like WiMAX and Flash OFDM to his recent involvement with Open RAN at Rakuten Germany, Shibu’s expertise is unmatched. In this interview, he delves into the transformative power of 5G, its impact on productivity and innovation, and what lies ahead with the advent of 6G.
How has 5G influenced your industry and your company’s strategy?
The high data throughput of 5G, with a minimum data speed of over 30 Mbps and reaching up to 500 Mbps for eg: in the Netherlands, has enabled MNO’s like KPN, Odido, and VF Ziggo to convince customers to upgrade to 5G subscriptions. This has not only increased revenues for all three MNOs in the Netherlands but has also provided higher value to subscribers who are paying a premium for using the 5G network.
Increased connected mobility, driven by good 5G coverage, has made it easier to conduct business and stay connected globally. New connected cars, particularly Tesla and high-end vehicles, come with larger display screens, and the seamless 5G network enables HD content delivery while EV charging.
Productivity gains from 5G have allowed subscribers to do more with less. Multiple seamless digital transformations in e-commerce, online shopping, banking, and education have led to significant productivity improvements.
Remote working has been facilitated by 5G networks, and the early adoption of 5G in 2019 and 2020 in the Netherlands and Germany minimised the impact of COVID-19 for business & industry. The workforce was able to work from home, continue contributing effectively, and even increase productivity by reducing travel and commute times.
For most businesses, digital transformation meant the adoption of cloud platforms and storage. Edge computing further improved latency, providing faster service delivery.
IoT and automation applications across industries now benefit from fast response times, with 5G enabling automation and campus networks.
E-commerce has seen a phenomenal increase in online shopping, investment, and trading, all powered by 5G connectivity.
What opportunities do you see 5G opening up in areas like IoT and smart cities?
5G has already triggered a major IoT revolution.
Areas positively impacted by 5G-enabled IoT include zero-touch agriculture, smart cities, micro-weather predictions, always-connected devices, intelligent security systems, digital twins and identity, intelligent traffic management, integrated emergency services, zero-touch logistics, smart delivery, intelligent food chain management, smart inventory, proactive policing, smart content creation, zero-touch e-commerce, smart cattle rearing, demand-based milk production and supply, zero-touch manufacturing, and integrated defence systems.
How 5G & connectivity with AI will improve the productivity of humans which is fundamental to the industry & society?
I have been fortunate to witness the evolution of communications—from early analog-based systems during my AirForce service to later GSM, 2G, 3G, 4G, and now 5G. The transformation of the transport network into today’s high-throughput fiber networks has been a key enabler. The most compelling reason for the global growth and demand for these networks is the increase in productivity driven by each generation of technology.
Individuals and businesses have been able to increase their efficiency and productivity multiple times with each new technology, which has generated value for subscribers and contributed to their well-being and economic growth.
However, 5G, as a technology, had to justify the investment, as it did not significantly increase productivity over 4G, which further delayed deployment and user adoption in certain price sensitive markets. The improvements in capacity and performance with 5G did not excite the market enough, due to lack of killer applications and the slow upgrade to 5G devices.
The ongoing AI revolution is changing this dynamic. With the increased data capacity and speed, the ecosystem is now able to use information intelligently and seamlessly, unlocking the potential to raise both individual and business productivity to new levels.
Can you share a 5G use case that has improved efficiency or innovation?
One of the use cases we have worked on at TCTS involves mobile tower/infra inspection and the generation of digital 3D twins using a drone camera system. This technology has been tested and is particularly useful for inspecting high masts where access is difficult and expensive. The drone system allows for remote visual inspection, as well as Optimising and budgeting infrastructure maintenance & operations. Changes and upgrades can then be executed with precision, ensuring first time right, and saving an expensive second visit to the site.
What do you see as the next major step in connectivity after 5G
6G under development, is expected to bring supercomputing power and AI together to networks enabling anytime, peer-to-peer network sharing, assisted living, mobile telepresence, and digital twins, which will significantly increase productivity dramatically by enabling multi-tasking & multi-presence, where users can be at multiple places doing multiple things at the same time, assisted by AI.
Standardisation of 6G is essential to make this a success, and Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) & organisations like GSMA have a responsibility to ensure that the technology and its uses are not hijacked by malicious elements of society. Exciting things to look forward in 2025 and beyond.
