An ITP Media Group Publication www.itp.net Critical analysis for telecommunications executive DECEMBER 2020 GITEX PREVIEW: We look ahead to the world’s only face to face tech event to take place in 2020. unicationnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeexxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiivvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee Erik Dudman Nielsen, group CEO for Virgin Mobile Middle East & Africa, reveals his plans for launching MVNO services in Kuwait and expanding even further across the region LEADING THE MIDDLE EAST’S DIGITALISATION CHARGE3www.itp.net CONTENTS DECEMBER 2020 CommsMEA December 2020 For more stories and analysis, visit www.itp.net and Twitter: @ITP_English 2226303437 Interview: Ericsson talks 5G and looks ahead to the opportunities to scale up networks in 2021 Cover Story: Virgin Mobile discusses its plans for expansion across the Middle East and Africa Interview: We hear how Atos is helping telcos expedite their digitalisation journeys in Africa Opinion: The Boston Consulting Group take a look at the opportunities for telcos in 2021 Insight: Red Hat explores the possibilities of open source network solutions for telcos Editor’s Letter: We bid farewell to print following the launch of ITP.net Gitex Preview: Our top 5 reasons to attend GITEX Technology Week 2020 5G at Gitex: We look at the most innovative 5G pioneers exhibiting at this year’s show Smart Dubai: Dubai plans to build on its reputation as one of the world’s smartest cities News: du and Wipro to bring multi-cloud and SaaS solutions to UAE businesses 0407101219 34 30 22 37 26 Table of contents: December 2020 editioncybersecurity or emergent tech, ITP.net will be your new home for all things tech. The brand spanking new ITP.net site will feature in depth video interviews, webinars, whitepapers, and a host of interactive content, as well as the usual breaking news stories from across the industry. So why go anywhere else? This is a momentous day for all of us here at the ITP Tech team. With cloud, AI, big data and 5G all set to play a starring role in the evolution of the enterprise tech sector, combining our separate brands into the new ITP.net site was a complete no brainer. Ultimately, it allows us to bring more content to more readers – so it’s a win-win for everyone. We hope you’ll love the new site as much as we do. If you have any feedback, or if there is another area you wish we were covering, let us know. We’d love to hear from you! Hello and welcome to the final edition of CommsMEA. Yes, after nearly 25 years of print we’ve decided to finally make the shift to become an online only, digital platform. Going forward, CommsMEA will join forces with our sister publications, Network Middle East and Channel Middle East, as CommsMEA, Channel Middle East and Network Middle East will come together under the revitalised ITP.net website THE FUTURE IS DIGITAL – AND SO ARE WE! By: Chris Kelly This is a momentous day for all of us here at the ITP Tech team. With cloud, AI, big data and 5G all set to play a starring role in the evolution of the enterprise tech sector, combining our separate brands into the new ITP.net site was a complete no brainer.” About the author Chris Kelly is editor of CommsMEA. Got a comment? E-mail at: Chris.Kelly@itp.com part of the newly revamped ITP.net site – your one stop shop for news and analysis from the world of enterprise tech. ITP.net will combine all the news and critical insight from CommsMEA, Network Middle East and Channel Middle East. So whether you are looking for the latest updates in cloud, data storage, 5G, 4www.itp.net COMMENT EDITOR CommsMEA December 20205 EXTRA ORDINARY D A YS T O POWER THE FUTURE OF Y OUR BUSINESS AFTER A YEAR OF MISSED OPPOR TUNITIES GITEX PRESENTS New safety protocols: Advance, online registration at gitex.com and Print@Home badges issued only. Strictly no registration / badges issued on-site. File Photo GITEX 2019 6-10 DEC 2020 6 - 9 D E C 2020 DUBAI WORLD TRADE CENTRE THE ONLY GLOBAL TECH & STARTUP EVENT IN 2020, LIVE 280 HOURS OF NON- STOP HARD HITTING CONFERENCES WITH SPEAKERS FROM 24 COUNTRIES VENUE SAFE SAFETY ASSURED BY DUBAI WORLD TRADE CENTRE BIG TECH AND STARTUPS FROM 60+ COUNTRIES ON BIG TRENDS IN 5G, AI, CYBER, FUTURE MOBILITY, CLOUD & EDGE COMPUTING, FROM DELL TECHNOLOGIES, ETISALAT, HUAWEI, KASPERSKY, LENOVO, MICROSOFT, NOKIA INAUGURAL UAE-ISRAEL FUTURE DIGITAL ECONOMY SUMMIT FEATURING MINISTERS AND THE MOST INFLUENTIAL TECH AND BIZ LEADERSImportant Notice: 6-10 DECEMBER DUBAI WORLD TRADE CENTRE BUY YOUR PASS AT: BRYAN SEELY FIRST TIME IN THE REGION: KEYNO TE SPEAKER SEE YOU AT GISEC 2020! IS UNHACKABLE FACE-TO-FACE 200200 XX 265265 GIGISECSEC ADAD AWAW2i2inddndd 11200 X 265 GISEC AD AW2 indd 1MMMMAA66 AA363688:3:300 882020//228/8/88//11//11118888663300MMMMMMMMAA22//11//111111/11/18/18/2020 88:36:36 AMAM11/18/20 8:36 AMTop 5 reasons to attend GITEX 2020 GITEX 2020 is just around the corner, so here are our top 5 reasons to visit the show and whet your appetite As the only face to face tech event scheduled to take part anywhere in the world during 2020, you hardly need any more reasons to attend. This year’s show will bring together the biggest and best tech companies from across the world with businesses here in the UAE. Here are our top 5 reasons to attend the show this year: AN INTERNATIONAL EXTRAVAGANZA GITEX 2020 will be a truly international tech showcase, bringing together the crème de la crème of business innovation solutions and first time launches from more than 60 countries including Japan, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Italy, France, Egypt and India, to name just a few. GITEX 2020 will bring the world of tech to the streets of Dubai. AI AND 5G FOCUS The UAE has one of the most progressive and ambitious digital economies in the world, with 5G and Artificial Intelligence set to play a pivotal role in the growth of businesses across the country. GITEX 2020 will offer valuable insight into the trans- formative power of Automation & AI, 5G, Cloud & Edge platforms, Deep Learning and Big Data initiatives across a swathe of industry verticals. If you work for an SME or fintech firm, you really can’t afford to miss this year’s show. HEAVYWEIGHT PLAYERS GITEX always attracts the biggest names in tech and this year will be no exception. Hua- wei, Lenovo, Avaya, Honeywell, Etisalat, Ne- tApp, Software AG and Zoho are just some of the many enterprises showcasing their cut- ting edge innovations at this year’s show. FIVE SHOWS FOR THE PRICE OF ONE This year, GITEX is putting 5 jaw- dropping shows under one roof. Attendees will get the chance to experience all 5 events when they purchase their GITEX 2020 pass. The show will include GITEX 2020, GITEX Future Stars, GISEC, Future Blockchain Summit and Marketing Mania. CONTENT IS KING Visitors to this year’s show will get to experience a stunning 70+ hours of free content, covering the Africa Investment Forum and Security X-Labs. They will also be given the opportunity to listen to key insights from the best AI companies and the world’s most wanted hackers live on stage. This year’s show will be a veritable feast of information. 7www.itp.net TOP 5 REASONS GITEX SPECIAL REPORT 2020 CommsMEA December 2020GITEX 2020 brings 5 cutting edge tech shows to Dubai From the 6th–10th December 2020, GITEX 2020 will lead the tech world from the front with a special bumper edition co-locating with 4 sister shows This year the Middle East’s best loved tech extravaganza, GITEX, will bring together five mind blowing shows under one roof. Attendees will be able to sample a packed conference agenda from GITEX 2020, GITEX Future Stars, GISEC, Future Blockchain Summit and Marketing Mania. The UAE is open for business and GI- TEX 2020 is opening its doors to the world’s premium tech firms and an army of tech fans. This year’s show will of- fer a veritable cornucopia of technology launches and innovation, so attendees will be able to get hands on with the latest gadgets and devices. This year’s event will host the industry’s key players from more than 60 countries including Japan, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Italy, Nigeria, Turkey, Belgium, Romania and India. Held in the Dubai World Trade Centre, GITEX 2020 will apply the most rigorous health and safety standards, as laid out by government authorities, including Dubai Health Authority and Dubai Municipality, to ensure the health and safety of everyone on its premises. Attendees can visit the event in full confidence that the highest standards of safety and hygiene are being applied. As the only face to face technology event to be held in 2020, GITEX 2020 attend- ees will be able to hear key insights from a huge range of international speakers and influencers and interact with exhibitors across the five shows. So, let’s take a closer look at what’s on offer at GITEX 2020… GITEX 2020 Now in its 40th year, GITEX needs little introduction. As the region’s premium technology event, GITEX will bring to- gether the leading players from the global tech sector. GITEX 2020 will be the only major technology show to be held in a face to face setting this year, so this is your only chance to get up close and personal with the plethora of new tech and gadgets that will be on display during the show. The packed conference agenda and exhibition areas will centre on the key themes of 5G, AI, Analytics, Future Mobil- ity, Digital Economies, Cybersecurity and Cloud and Edge computing – everything that will underpin our future digital lives. GITEX FUTURE STARS GITEX Future Stars is the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia’s biggest start up event. Playing host to a plethora of startups from across the world, the event will provide a platform for some of the world’s most innovative young companies. The show will attract a host of global in- vestors and accelerators in 2020, GITEX Future Stars will bring together financers and startups to fast track their develop- ment. The show will hear insights from international business moguls, including Brett King, founder and CEO of Move; No- lan Bushnell, founder of ATARI and Halfa Al Kaylani, founder and chairman of The Arab International Women’s Forum. GISEC GISEC will bring together attendees and exhibitors from the international security sector, from multinational distributors to the world’s most promising cybersecurity companies and startups, with a focus on enterprise, AI, blockchain, 5G, IoT and cloud based technologies. The event will bring together showcase innovations from the industry’s leading players, with SPIRE Solutions, Etisalat Digital, emt Technologies, Fortinet, In- gram Micro, Qualys and Huawei all con- firmed as exhibitors at GISEC 2020. FUTURE BLOCKCHAIN SUMMIT Blockchain solutions will inevitably be at the very foundation of our future digital lives – underpinning the digital transformation initiatives of businesses looking to emerge quickly and proactively from the Covid 19 slump. The Future Blockchain Summit will expand the conversations, business op- portunities and innovations across the industry. The event will welcome top Blockchain enterprises, startups and the most influential minds of the industry for five days of power networking and learning, unlike any other show you will have experienced. MARKETING MANIA Marketing Mania promises to be a capti- vating learning experience, for market- ers across the tech sector. The event will bring together the brightest and most for- ward-thinking CMOs, brand strategists, creative directors, and heads of marketing from some of the world’s leading firms. The event will offer keynote addresses from a selection of rockstar speakers from across the marketing world, including Magnus Djaba, global president & CEO, Saatchi & Saatchi; Sophie Devonshire, CEO, The Marketing Society; and Matthias Schranner, CEO and Founder of The Schranner Negotiation Institute. The packed conference agenda will span a huge range of topics, offering attendees valuable insight into the work practices of some of the world’s premium marketing gurus. 8www.itp.net GITEX SPECIAL REPORT 2020 5 SHOWS CommsMEA December 2020One Platform. One Community. Love Technology.Next >