The company Yettel is ready for the launch of the 5G network in Serbia and we want to participate in the auction when the conditions created by the Government of Serbia and RATEL as the regulator are created, said the CEO of Yettel Serbia Mike Michel today.
"The Ministry of Telecommunications will determine the price and conditions for the spectrum auction, taking into account the existing infrastructure, the necessary investments for the launch of 5G, the current market situation, the impact that 5G will have on the Serbian economy and other relevant aspects," he told the Beta agency. .
Michel pointed out that more than 35 percent of mobile internet traffic in Serbia passes through the Yettel network and that the company's goal is to develop and improve its network to ensure that it remains stable, secure and fast, with enough capacity to respond to all that is needed by users.
"Our agenda for 2025 is clear: we will continue to digitize the way users talk to us and we eagerly await the upcoming 5G auction," said Michel.
He also assessed that Serbia is on the right track when it comes to digitization, as well as that users are equally advanced as those in other developed countries.
“Today, our Yettel app has more than 1,5 million monthly users and more than 300.000 daily active users. Through the application, they can pay bills, park, buy roaming and make purchases. There is still much more we can do. We have a clear idea when we talk about digitization and we are gradually transforming our business", said Michel.
According to him, the introduction of 5G will boost technological development because it brings three major advantages – greater capacity compared to 4G, significantly less latency, which is of great importance for certain branches of business, and greater opportunities in all industries.
"Globally, the 5G market is estimated at approximately 23 billion dollars in 2023, and according to projections, it will exceed 2030 billion dollars by 130," said Michel.
He also emphasized that the change in the ownership structure, after the company "e&" from Abu Dhabi became the majority owner of Yettel in Serbia, had a positive impact on business operations.
"Partnership with 'e&' and the formation of 'e& PPF Telecom Group' is good for everyone - for our users, employees, as well as for the entire telecommunications market. 'e& PPF Telekom Group' has 12,3 million users in four markets, with 6.800 employees, while 'e&' operates in 38 countries. We want to stay, grow and develop in Serbia together with our new partners and we are looking forward to everything that lies ahead", emphasized the director of Yettel.
He stated that for Yettel users this means more choice, better products, new digital services and artificial intelligence solutions.
"When we talk about artificial intelligence, it is a central part of business transformation in the world. It radically changes the current way of doing business and opens the opportunity for new sources of income. The excitement that has been created around artificial intelligence is fully justified. It is estimated that the market in this area will reach 1,3 trillion dollars by 2030, while the projections are that companies have invested more than 300 billion dollars annually in these and similar solutions by 2025," said Michel.
He added that the partnership with "e&" will help the company to be more competitive in the field of new services and innovations, while opening opportunities for growth and learning for employees.
"It brings a new level of investment and new knowledge. This is important not only for us, but also for the entire region in which we operate. Yettel is no longer just a telecommunications company, but a digital technology company, and this partnership provides us with a strong platform for further regional development," said Michel.
He believes that a company with such a strong partner will have more opportunities to expand its business and maintain its presence in the Central and Eastern Europe region.
The CEO of Yettel is satisfied with the business results of the last year despite all the challenges.
"I think we responded to them quite effectively. The year behind us was marked by geopolitical tensions that disrupted supply chains and led to a slightly more cautious business climate. According to 'McKinsey', by 2026, 130 billion dollars will be spent annually to recover the supply chain", said Michel.
According to him, this clearly indicates that more than just resistance is needed and that it is necessary to act proactively.
Speaking about business in Serbia, he stated that the company is the leader in terms of revenue in the mobile services market.
"Yettel is the leader in terms of revenues on the mobile services market in Serbia, with approximately 37 percent of the share." For six years in a row, we have had the best network and a stable position on the fixed Internet and media content distribution market. Our share in the SIM market is growing, and we have around 130.000 users of our TV and fixed services," said Michel.
He also reminded that Yettel Bank is part of the ecosystem, which gives the opportunity to create a new and unique user interaction based on data analytics, artificial intelligence, a strong network and advanced products.
"Our bank is completely digital and we will only invest in this synergy," said Michel.
Although, as he stated, the company is satisfied with what they have done so far, they know that it is necessary to move forward, because the future of telecommunications lies in its ability to integrate advanced technologies in order to open new opportunities for development.
"The global telecommunications market is expected to grow to $2,47 trillion at an annual growth rate of 5,4 percent by 2028, as a result of investments in 5G, IoT and green technologies," said Yettel CEO.
Michel also said that the company is planning technological innovations.
"We are focused on three areas: data, expanding our ecosystem and artificial intelligence. We try to work on them thoroughly to develop solutions that will bring added value to users. Users in Serbia are looking for more and more data, we are aware of that, and they appreciate it when they have several services in one place", he stated.
He also reminded that Yettel went through several stages before becoming a company that can capitalize on the power of using data and artificial intelligence.
"We already have several successful areas of application, through the successful centralization of data and quality. We even adapted the structure of our organization to this," he said.
Mišel also said that Yettel, as a telecommunications company, has a great responsibility to ensure reliable and safe connectivity and to help protect the environment.
"All of this together leads to faster development and a better flow of information and bridges the digital divide." Our commitment goes even further, and we strive to constantly push the boundaries and involve as many people as possible in our environmental efforts," he said.
According to him, the recycling program, which Yettel launched in 2021, is very successful.
"We are close to the goal of recycling one million devices by 2025. The way the citizens reacted to our idea inspired us to expand the program, so that now they can recycle everything they buy in our stores from devices", said Michel.
So far, as he stated, the company, through the digital service "Eko bonus", has helped to recycle more than 1.000 tons of plastic and 480 tons of paper on behalf of its users.
"We have the first 100 percent green network that uses electricity from renewable sources. We are the first telecommunications operator in Serbia to introduce paperless contract signing," said Mišel.
He emphasized that it is only the beginning.
"We want to reduce our impact on the environment even more, improve the user experience and be a real partner in their digital life. To facilitate, save time and improve the quality of life through modern technologies. And we have a clear vision of how to do it", concluded the CEO of Yettel Serbia.
