Sam Saba Appointed to Drive APAC Business for Mavenir

Mavenir, a leader in accelerating software network transformation and transforming mobile network economics for communications service providers (CSPs), has appointed Sam Saba as Senior Vice President and Head of Asia Pacific region based out of the Sydney offices of the privately held US headquartered company. Mavenir offers a complete mobile network portfolio that is 100% software based, which paves the way for the affordable adoption of 5G services across the region. Having been a senior management figure for over two decades in the mobile telecommunications infrastructure business, Saba was enticed to join Mavenir as the industry’s only 100% end to end cloud based portfolio of solutions changes the mobile network operators economics through innovation. 

Mavenir has virtualised core network and Access/RAN functions on open-interfaces and standard hardware platforms to bring solutions to the market that meet the 5G standard and provide feasible options for operators. By delivering end-to-end virtualised solutions from the core to the edge, Mavenir is redefining mobile network economics and is poised to disrupt the traditional equipment providers as a result, while helping operators succeed and deliver value inherent in the opportunities represented by 5G. A recent customer in Asia includes Rakuten Inc., Japan’s newest and most innovative mobile network, that will include Mavenir’s 5G ready platform which monetizes voice and messaging in a single application for least-cost roaming. 

Saba has over 23 years of experience in telecommunications in Asia, and will be responsible for sales and customer engagement with the teams spanning five Mavenir offices across the region. The remit will be to re-define the mobile network economics by providing strategies and solutions for cost reduction, revenue generation and revenue protection.

Commenting on the appointment of Sam Saba to run the Asia Pacific business of Mavenir, President and Chief Executive Pardeep Kohli said, “Sam Saba brings considerable experience, his personal network and a tremendous track record in the telecommunications industry to Mavenir. We are delighted that he agrees that Mavenir represents the future in which virtualised solutions offer communication service providers new ways to add value to their subscribers in cost effective and rapid deployments.”

Saba established his industry credentials whilst working at Ericsson, a Swedish multinational networking and telecommunications company. Throughout his 23-year career, he held multiple senior Sales & Operations roles across SE Asia, Oceania & the Middle East regions and was in his last role the President of Ericsson Region Southeast Asia & Oceania between 2014 & 2017 based in Singapore.

Saba, said, “I want to play a role in the exciting Mavenir growth story.  I believe that virtualisation of network architecture will herald a new era in telecommunications, ushering in the rapid and cost effective adoption of 5G in Asia Pacific. Mavenir is a disruptor and will be a key player in the transformation of the industry from deployment of expensive hardware to rapid activation of cost effective software solutions.”

Mavenir technology has received accolades around the world. The virtualized RAN solution won the 2019 5G MENA award and the 2018TechXLR8 5G Asia Award for ‘Best RAN Product’ award for its innovative, flexible Cloud RAN solution as it can save operators 37% in total cost of ownership (TCO) over a five-year period due to a 49% reduction in capital expenditure and a 31% annual reduction in operating expenditure. The advanced 5G Core won the Leading Innovation award at 2019 NFV Europe event for its innovative architecture that makes multiple evolution options from 4G to 5G possible, providing a flexible solution regardless of where operators are in their transition process.

Slowing subscriber growth, regulatory intervention and intense competition place significant pressure on operators’ traditionalmobile revenues demanding a new way to adopt new standards like 5G. With many ASEAN markets having youth as the largest segment of the population, strong desire for everything digital, and in many of these markets, the lack of legacy 4G infrastructure make them fertile ground for Mavenir’s virtualized Radio Access Network (vRAN) and cloud based portfolio. In other more mature markets like Japan and S. Korea, incumbent operators are being challenged by innovative companies like Rakuten, which is deploying technologies including virtualization, automation, machine-learning, and artificial intelligence as the new way to define and deliver unique services for mobile consumers, governments and enterprises.