TAREK ZEID
THE TELCO INTERVIEW
The telecommunications industry is undergoing a structural transformation as hardware-based authentication gives way to softwaredefined connectivity. At the centre of the evolution stands the embedded Subscriber Identity Module, otherwise known as eSIM. The technology decouples network access from physical SIM cards, redefining the distribution of mobile services.
Historically, mobile network operators( MNOs) relied heavily on roaming revenues to meet financial targets. Connectivity was treated as a controlled asset, managed through access points and inter-operator agreements. The introduction of eSIM disrupts the framework by allowing third-party providers to access networks and sell data directly to consumers. As a result, revenue streams once tied to traveller consumption are fragmenting, prompting operators to reassess their commercial strategies.
Rakuten Mobile, headquartered in Japan, has positioned itself to capitalise on the shift through a network architecture built on cloud principles. Its infrastructure supports eSIM deployment by moving subscriber identification from physical distribution to digital provisioning. Virtualisation now manages network profiles and authentication, while electronic Know Your Customer( eKYC) processes handle identity verification, removing the logistical burden of traditional customer acquisition.
TAREK ZEID
TITLE: SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS
COMPANY: RAKUTEN MOBILE INDUSTRY: TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Tarek Zeid is Senior Vice President of International Business at Rakuten Mobile. He leads global roaming strategies, leveraging 20 years of telecom experience across Vodafone, STC and Rakuten Symphony.
Reimagining roaming economics Tarek Zeid, Senior Vice President of International Business at Rakuten Mobile, Japan oversees international roaming, voice, data capacity and global connectivity. With two decades of experience across Vodafone Egypt, e & Egypt STC Bahrain and Rakuten Symphony in Singapore, Tarek brings a pragmatic view of eSIM’ s disruptive power.
He argues that the technology exposes long-standing inefficiencies in roaming.“ For decades, every roaming manager and mobile operator has had their own revenue targets and cost budgets and they’ ve been unwilling to compromise on them,” he explains.
In markets such as Japan, where four major operators compete for travellers, operators historically relied on a small proportion of active roamers to sustain revenues. A majority, – the so-called“ silent roamers,” – avoided roaming altogether due to cost concerns.
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