5G (knowledge) is the future

Technology alone is a raw piece of metal; only knowledge of its benefits brings out its true value*. That’s what Alex Wachlowski and Josef Frank, 5G enthusiasts at A1 Austria, thought, planned and acted upon. In this A1 story, they and other A1 colleagues tell us about their findings, how their commitment is accepted and the direction of their 5G journey.

While on the one hand fantastic rollout figures of the 5G network underline A1’s market leadership, Alex and Josef recognized the need for more user-oriented 5G knowledge in the sales area and developed a training program: the 5G Masterclass. Alex is enthusiastic about modern technology in general and fascinated by 5G in particular, doesn’t bear his internal nickname «Professor» for nothing and was involved in the construction of the first 5G antenna in Vienna. Sharing his enthusiasm and knowledge with others is an enrichment for colleagues and customers facing the many possibilities that 5G brings for the digitization of companies and organizations.

»5G is a milestone in mobile communications.«

Who is the target group for 5G Masterclass?

Alex: With its extremely high speeds and short latency times, 5G offers many opportunities in the industrial sector and for all customers where maximum availability is important. The goal is to ensure that our A1 business customer sales team is able to present itself competently to customers, is aware of the latest technological developments and can provide the best possible advice. Technical managers at our key accounts in particular like to know details in order to understand the context better. For example: Do I need new indoor coverage for 5G? Can I also make phone calls via 5G?

What is the structure of the program?

Josef: We have set up the course program as an interactive training format via MS Teams in three parts, so that everyone is picked up according to their needs and knowledge levels. Everything from 5G Basics for everyone to 5G Advanced (for Lovers) to 5G Experts (for Enthusiasts) is included. About 140 colleagues have now successfully completed the 5G Sales Masterclass test. We are pleased about this because it shows that the topic of 5G is very important.

»Our goal is to achieve that A1 has the most competent 5G sales team.«

How did you go about implementing your idea?

Alex: First, of course, there was the need of the sales team and we started a detailed demand planning. Then we defined the content in a few brainstorming sessions at our Mobile Hub.

Josef: We relied on the expertise of our BUE training team for the learning-oriented implementation. A big thank you goes to Michael Baux at this point. Thanks to the great collaboration, it thus took only three months from the idea to the launch of the program. The Masterclass also shows that it is possible to offer an exciting interactive training format via MS Teams and thus reach a large number of colleagues.

Word has already spread about the practical internal knowledge transfer of colleagues from technology for sales, so that in the meantime colleagues from other areas have also registered for the 5G Masterclass.

And what do some of the graduates say?

Now I’m the specialist myself, Franz Felber

«On the one hand, I know much more about 5G, about the technology, about the mobile evolution, specifications, network architecture, etc., and on the other hand, I now know many functionalities and possibilities that 5G offers. Thus, I present the 5G message to my contacts in a clearer, more understandable and more innovative way. What was special about the 5G Masterclass was the commitment and enthusiasm of the presenters, which also radiated to the participants.»

A New Knowledge Era, Gottfried Binder

«5G ushered in a new era in mobile communications and the 5G Masterclass did so for me. Applications that we can only imagine today are becoming a reality. With 5G campus networks, i.e. guaranteed bandwidths on customers’ premises, we can find ideas in partnership and create innovative solutions. This is where the training has helped me.»

We are the best partner for 5G, Hannah-Maria Kuttner

«Network rollout and 5G technology are now no longer foreign words to me; I now know how we can use 5G in a targeted way to drive digitization forward. My customers appreciate the well-founded discussion on the topic of 5G and the opportunities it offers to manufacturing companies in particular.»

On the pulse of time, Gerald Weismayr

«Digitization and thus 5G is a big topic. Thanks to the Masterclass, I was able to broaden and intensify my knowledge in this regard and now have the necessary knowhow to place this technology even better with our customers. More knowledge creates added value for us and our customers.»

The next planned 5Giant steps are a 5G tutorial for our enterprise customers in which we explain the most important contexts simply, illustrate the opportunities and benefits of 5G and last but not least, show that A1 is THE leading 5G provider in Austria!

*According to Ernst Barlach: Talent alone is a raw piece of metal; it is diligence that shapes it and determines its true value.