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  • Pages
01 MWC Barcelona 2023 Daily
02 Preview
03 GSMA Ltd boss backs MWC Barcelona 2023 to buck economic headwinds
04 Start-ups bring a human touch to 4YFN
05 Analyst Q&A
06 Six places to enjoy Barcelona's most creative ‘tapes’ cuisine
07 Full speed ahead to MWC23
08 Analysis: MWC23 – If I had to prioritise five sessions
09 ANALYSIS: 2023’s big questions
10 Honouring those shaping the industry at the GLOMOs
11 Day One
12 Nokia overhauls brand and strategy as focus shifts
13 Xiaomi launches global challenge with latest flagship
14 MEF survey finds trust still lacking in digital services
15 HMD Global rolls out repairability for latest Nokia device
16 Accenture takes fight to fraud
17 Intel wants AI to power operator flexibility
18 BT argues for unified metaverse strategy
19 Vodafone picks Samsung for open RAN deployments
20 Telenor beefs-up slicing capability as demand rises
21 Samsung looks beyond technology in 6G research
22 Rakuten Symphony battles open RAN misconceptions
23 Qualcomm talks-up green credentials
24 Red Hat expands vendor ecosystem for 5G, vRAN
25 Industry throws weight behind GSMA API initiative
26 Day Two
27 Orange CEO hits out at contradictory European landscape
28 EU’s Breton keeping open mind on ‘fair share’ debate
29 GSMA chief heralds era of exploration
30 Telefonica boss insists there is no future without telcos
31 Honor makes magic as flagships go global
32 Ericsson CEO urges mobile industry to regain leadership
33 Deutsche Telekom boss laments decline of Europe
34 Start-up leaders buoyant on impactful tech
35 Smartphones ready to take comms into orbit
36 Operators edge towards monetisation
37 Indosat plans capex cut after 3G shutdown
38 Ericsson promotes Digital Twins for telcos
39 Mavenir calls for heightened network security
40 Nokia readies 4G on the moon launch
41 Connectivity en route to becoming a human right
42 Spirent keeps pace with 5G core, MEC and vRAN testing
43 Verizon to boost vRAN performance with new Intel chip
44 Operators make net gains in renewable drive
45 GSMA Intelligence bullish on second wave of 5G
46 Day Three
47 Netflix chief hits back in ‘fair share’ row
48 Lockheed Martin boss issues AI guidelines
49 Nokia, Verizon make case for culture-based collaboration
50 Telstra CEO counsels telcos to embrace losing control
51 Vodafone boss pushes for operator energy investment
52 TIM CEO latest to push for changes in Europe
53 Information shapes society, says China Mobile Chairman
54 FCC Chair explores space regulation
55 Experts question digital progress in health industry
56 GTI panellists warn operators to embrace enterprise
57 Semiconductors will be the new oil, claims Qualcomm
58 Nokia calls on creatives to unlock the metaverse
59 Q&A - Adapting to Network Demands on the Edge
60 Vendors hit the throttle on immersive experiences
61 Intel hypes
62 Q&A - Who Let The Cryptos Out
63 GSMA spectrum head insists 5G requires space to grow
64 Verizon targets the right kind of partners
65 Operators advised to prep for a quantum future now
66 Converged 5G key to solve connectivity challenges

Who Let The Cryptos Out


MWC Stage B, Hall 6 Thursday 2 March 11:15

Jens Herrmann


Senior Manager for Corporate Strategy

Deutsche Telekom

Question:


More and more retailers and vendors are adopting the digital currency concept. Traditional financial agencies, such as MasterCard and PayPal, also encourage the innovation. Will cryptocurrency fully integrate with the traditional economy?

Answer:

Digital currencies are still in the process of tapping into the mainstream. It will take some time before we see digital currencies being fully integrated into traditional economies across the globe. As target groups, especially younger generations, adapt to crypto and the idea of a decentralised internet, businesses have to rethink and adjust their traditional structures as well. There are some questions that need to be answered, but this nascent technology is constantly developing. One of the main challenges for mainstream adoption are usability, convenience, trust and regulation to some degree.

Question:


Cryptocurrency is lauded for its encrypted, decentralised and disruptive nature, alongside its capabilities to operate in an entirely different space from traditional monetary transactions. Can you identify the key benefits of this from a commercial perspective? Also, what about the barriers?

Answer:

In general, cryptocurrencies following an open approach of participation, making almost instant transactions globally are available 24 hours, seven days a week. Users can not only truly own and use cryptocurrencies but can also actively engage in securing the underlying blockchain networks, for example via staking. Commercially, cryptocurrencies enable a lot of flexibility in designing new business and participation models, but barriers to overcome are complexity and trust issues.

Question:


Deutsche Telekom backs the Ethereum blockchain with a solid digital infrastructure. How does this secure and simplify the transactions and can you discuss T-Systems' partnership with StakeWise?

Answer:

Deutsche Telekom’s MMS team is running an institutional grade staking service, providing infrastructure for public blockchain networks. The validator nodes validate transactions on decentralised Blockchain networks. Deutsche Telekom runs nodes for selected networks and is part of the decentralised system. StakeWise enables a convenient way to stake Ether tokens with institutional grade infrastructure providers such as Deutsche Telekom.

Question:


The recent collapse of currency exchange FTX shows that the crypto industry requires a reality check: How will the market evolve over the next five years?

Answer:

Markets will face more regulation in the future. Transparency and regular reporting for centralised and decentralised solutions will be key topics to be worked on. Additionally, we will see more education offerings for Web 3.0 and crypto services. Over the next five years, there will be a wider industry shift towards Web 3.0, focusing more on solutions that solve actual customer needs, not only in finance but also telecommunication, social media sustainability and many more. In this case, tokens will act as utilities instead of pure investment speculation vehicles.