< PreviousThe UAE has positioned itself as one of the most progressive and innovative countries in the world when it comes to technology and connectivity. Little surprise then, that 5G – the fifth generation of mobile networks that will revolutionise connectivity across the world – will be playing a starring role at GITEX 2020. The UAE was the first Arab nation to launch 5G and the fourth in the entire world. Since launching its initial 5G networks last year, the country has kept itself on the cutting edge of network innovation, as it prepares to build out and densify its next generation mobile networks, extending 5G connectivity to millions of consumers. Ultimately, 5G will provide so much more than turbo charged download speeds for consumers – it will be the bedrock upon Pushing 5G to the limit at GITEX 2020 This year’s GITEX Technology Week will bring together the most innovative firms in the 5G arena – here’s a look ahead at some of the industry leading companies who will be exhibiting which the next generation of connected industries is built. 5G will enable everything from Connected Factory and Industry 4.0 initiatives, to Smart City and Connected Vehicle applications. In short, it has the potential to fundamentally redefine the way that the world’s enterprises do business. GITEX 2020 will showcase the very latest innovations from the world’s leading 5G players. Here’s a sneak peek at the companies who will be exhibiting at this year’s show. ETISALAT As the UAE’s biggest telco, Etisalat has been instrumental in securing the country’s reputation as a leading 5G innovator. It’s been a busy 18 months for Etisalat, since it first switched on its 5G network in May 2019. Since then, the company has been voted the Middle East’s most valuable telco, and named as the world’s fastest mobile network operator in a series of independent speed tests, conducted by Ookla. Etisalat achieved average download speeds of 115.89 mbps and an overall ranking in Ookla’s ‘Speed Score’ category of 98.78. Etisalat will be showcasing a host of 5G innovations at this year’s show. 10www.itp.net GITEX SPECIAL REPORT 2020 5G CommsMEA December 2020ecosystem, including the talent ecosystem, is clearer than ever.” Huawei will be showcasing the full range of its cutting edge 5G network solu- tions at this year’s GITEX Tech Week, so be sure to visit their marquis stand for all the latest developments. NOKIA A recent survey published by Trendforce estimated that Nokia supplied over 22 per cent of all 5G network components across the globe in 2020 – no mean feat! The Finnish network equipment provider will be looking to ramp up that figure in 2021 RED HAT Following the company’s $34 billion ac- quisition by Microsoft in 2019, Red Hat has been a key player in helping telcos around the world accelerate their own digitalisa- tion programmes, paving the way for their 5G launches. The open source architecture pioneer has worked closely with a number of operators here in the Middle East. Last month, Red Hat signed a collaboration “At Etisalat, we are looking forward to being a part of one of the biggest platforms, giving all visitors and our customers a preview into a digital future made possible by 5G technologies. It’s also a time for all of us to come together to captivate audiences from the region and also globally to witness the future of connectivity, networks and services,” said Dr Ahmed Bin Ali, senior vice president of corporate communications at Etisalat Group. But how will Etisalat continue to push the boundaries of connectivity in 2021 and beyond? Find out by paying them a visit at GITEX 2020. HUAWEI Huawei has worked with nearly all of the world’s leading telcos in developing, launching and driving down the cost of deploying 5G networks. The Chinese and has identified the Middle East region as a potential area of growth. Earlier this year, Nokia signed a new five-year Master Frame Agreement (MFA) with STC, to further strengthen their strategic partnership in the region. The agreement will streamline the buying process of Nokia’s latest equipment, software and services, and will allow STC Group to ramp up its deployment of cutting edge network technologies such as 5G, Internet of Things (IoT), IP & Optical network technologies, and customer experience management from Nokia’s end-to-end portfolio for mobile and fixed networks. “We are committed to bringing our technology innovations to STC in an agile manner, and supporting STC Vision to be a world-class digital leader, empowering innovative services and platforms for digital transformation,” said Amr K. El Leithy, SVP of the Middle East and Africa market at Nokia. Find out what Nokia has planned for 5G in the Middle East by visiting their stand at GITEX 2020. tech giant will have a pivotal role to play, particularly here in the Middle East, as operators look to scale out their initial 5G networks and prepare for the transition to full standalone 5G. Huawei’s president for the Middle East, Charles Yang, recently reiterated his company’s commitment to 5G in the region – singling it out as a key area of growth and an essential enabler of economic development in the post Covid 19 era. “The use cases for 5G are practically unlimited, although certain sectors can stand to benefit more in current circumstances, such as healthcare, education, transportation, and energy, to mention a few,” said Yang. “But transitioning towards a smarter society, in general, requires strong partnerships between the public and private sectors. The need to develop the 5G agreement with Samsung, which will see the pair working closely together to speed up the rollout of 5G networks across the globe, in- cluding here in the Middle East. The pair will explore a range of new initia- tives, including: Open RAN; Core Virtualisa- tion; Mobile Edge Computing; and Network Cloudification. The pair will work together to develop a range of use cases to support in- vestment in vRAN, vCore, MEC and data an- alytics to help service providers extend 5G. “As service providers build 5G networks, they are forming the foundation for the next wave of cross-industry innovation. From helping businesses in their edge computing solutions to ensuring enterprises can suc- cessfully deploy their artificial intelligence and machine learning applications, we’re very excited to work with Samsung to bring this Kubernetes-driven solution to help ser- vice providers and their customers focus on complex and competitive use cases across the enterprise to every industry,” said Chris Wright, senior vice president and chief tech- nology officer, Red Hat. Want to find out what Red Hat will be do- ing in 2021 and beyond? Be sure to stop by their stand at GITEX 2020. GITEX Tech Week will be a crucial meet- ing place for international and local stake- holders in the region’s 5G ecosystem. Don’t miss your chance to network with the world’s pre-eminent thought leaders and innovators at this year’s show. 11www.itp.net 5G GITEX SPECIAL REPORT 2020 CommsMEA December 2020This year has been a tough one for many countries across the world. No nation, government or business was immune to the adverse effect of the Covid 19 pandemic. World governments found themselves in uncharted territory, faced with unprec- edented challenges. What was evident, however, is that digital technologies have played an important role in enabling or- ganisations in both public and private sec- tors cope with the bottlenecks. The UAE had long before recognised the importance of digitisation and the role of information and communication technol- ogies (ICTs) in ensuring the resilience of the country. In Dubai, the government has demon- strated a high level of adaptability. All enti- ties in the emirate immediately sprang to action to preserve the government system that has allowed the UAE to earn its lead- ing international status over the years. “I’m proud to say that due to the robust infrastructure built by the Dubai Govern- ment over the past 20 years, the delivery of government services was completely unin- terrupted and all services were delivered successfully through digital channels,” said His Excellency Younus Al Nasser, As- sistant Director-General, Smart Dubai & CEO, Dubai Data Establishment. His Excellency also highlights that opening and sharing data, coupled with a series of smart solutions implemented across the emirate allowed Dubai Govern- ment entities to monitor the city’s activi- ties and needs, detecting and delivering to any change in people’s requirements in real-time. “This allowed the government Smart Dubai powers ahead with smart city ambitions In an exclusive interview, H.E. Younus Al Nasser, Assistant Director General, Smart Dubai & CEO of Dubai Data Establishment, discusses the emirate’s digital readiness, GITEX plans and the road ahead to respond quickly and maintain the situ- ation as close to business-as-usual as pos- sible,” he explained. As Covid-19 restrictions across the globe gradually ease, technologies and processes that have been successfully implemented during the crisis will have a profound effect on various industries’ futures. A key factor that Smart Dubai has kept in mind. “Over the last few years, the urgent de- mand for efficient and speedy services has prompted organisations to accelerate in- novation to fast-track their digital trans- formation. This rapid response was mani- fested through the pace at which officials collaborated and adapted to the changes as the pandemic progressed,” H.E. Al Nasser explained. He further noted that fast-paced digiti- sation will be a trend that will drive every industry sector as nations adapt to the new normal. “Digitisation takes many forms such as buying products or availing ser- vices online. We can also expect companies to invest significantly in digitising their data to leverage the power of data science. Furthermore, we will see the emergence of digital identities and digital signatures playing a major role in accelerating the KYC processes and approvals on people availing goods and services. “At Smart Dubai, we had predicted the rise of these trends before Covid-19 and have been working on building the infra- structure and ecosystem to embrace these trends for over five years now,” said H.E. Al Nasser. “For one, our DubaiNow app provides access to over 120 city services from more than 30 different government and private sector entities – all 100% digital. We have also rolled out Dubai Data initiative, where we have built a holistic data ecosystem in the emirate that includes governance, in- frastructure, collaboration and value gen- eration. Finally, we have implemented the UAE PASS, the first secure national digital identity and digital signature solution, which was introduced at GITEX in 2018 in partnership with the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority and the Abu Dhabi Digital Authority.” GITEX 2020 Earlier this month, Smart Dubai an- nounced its plans to participate in the 40th GITEX Technology Week, which will take place from the 6th to 10th December at the Dubai World Trade Centre. At the show, the government firm seeks to showcase the latest developments in terms of city-wide smart transformation and the positive impact digitisation is making on people’s lives. Speaking about the organisation’s par- ticipation at the tech show, H.E. Al Nasser said: “At GITEX Technology Week 2020, we will be showcasing the latest updates of all of Smart Dubai’s flagship products such as DubaiNow, UAE PASS, Dubai Pulse, Smart Employee, Smart Supplier and more. “In addition to showcasing Dubai Gov- ernment’s latest digital products and ser- vices, we are hoping to meet global tech- nology vendors and understand what are the latest technology products and ser- vices in the market, helping us plan future investment decisions to further accelerate the city’s digital transformation.” The 2020 edition of GITEX, will bring 12www.itp.net GITEX SPECIAL REPORT 2020 SMART DUBAI CommsMEA December 2020together five prestigious tech 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. 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. “Dubai and the UAE are now global busi- ness, trade, and finance hubs, connecting individuals from all over the world. The face-to-face meetings during these events lead to better business relations, which lead to more economic transactions, which I believe not only helps the local economy but also accelerates economic growth of the respective countries of the exhibitors and attendees. Though virtual meetings and events are the new norms, they can never match the level of engagement and understanding individuals have between each other when meeting face-to-face,” His Excellency explained. He also highlighted that due to the UAE leadership’s prompt and efficient actions towards curbing the spread of Covid-19 locally, Dubai has been able to safely re- sume hosting several major face-to-face events, playing a key role in driving the economic prosperity of countries and companies globally. LOOKING AHEAD According to H.E. Al Nasser, Smart Dubai endeavours to continue to innovate and build on the emirate’s smart city ambitions. “Anyone who has been to Dubai will agree that the city and the UAE as a whole are a true testament to what great leader- ship looks like. We are lucky to have such a wise, farsighted leadership who has been leading us to greater successes over the years,” he said. “At Smart Dubai, our vision is to become the happiest city on Earth. We all know that the vision cannot have a deadline. Once we achieve our goals, we only work towards becoming better. We will always keep working to embrace newer technologies, embedding them in everyday city experi- ences, ensuring we are providing the city’s residents and visitors with only the best standard of living, resulting in the highest levels of happiness across the globe.” His Excellency also said that Smart Dubai will continue to work on enabling the nation to achieve its goals including the Centennial 2071 plan, which is aimed at helping make the UAE the best country globally across all industry sectors by its 100th National Day in 2071. His Excellency Younus Al Nasser, Asssistant Director General of Smart Dubai and CEO of Dubai Data Establishment. 13www.itp.net SMART DUBAI GITEX SPECIAL REPORT 2020 CommsMEA December 2020Convergence is the key for the next decade of digitalisation Huawei is predicting widespread convergence in connectivity, cloud, AI, computing and industrial applications over the next decade 14www.itp.net GITEX SPECIAL REPORT 2020 HUAWEI CommsMEA December 2020Huawei has highlighted massive scale convergence across con- nectivity, cloud, AI, computing and industrial applications as the key issue to dominate the tech sector over the next 5 to 10 years, as the Chinese tech giant gears up to exhibit at GITEX Technology Week 2020. Huawei’s president for the Enterprise Business Group in the Middle East, David Shi, said that his company would use the forthcoming event in Dubai as a platform to share insights with its customers from across the world and to help them ramp up their own digitalisation initiatives. “We believe that GITEX is a significant platform that demonstrates the region’s innovation capabilities to the world and is a testament to the region’s great ambi- tions to build a more connected, intel- ligent future. It is a platform to showcase to the region and to the world some of the most significant emerging technologies— whether in the area of enterprise connec- tivity, enterprise IT, telecommunications, cloud and AI, or consumer devices. And this year’s edition has special importance as it comes during Covid-19 times. There is a lot to be discussed when it comes to sup- porting various industries during and post Covid-19 to achieve recovery, stability, and socio-economic development,” he said. “Huawei advocates openness, collabora- tion, and shared success. Through joint in- novation with our customers and partners, we are expanding the value of ICT through synergy across major tech domains to pro- vide scenario-specific solutions that create value for all industries, governments, and enterprises,” he added. Shi believes that the shift towards digitalisation has been expedited by the Covid-19 pandemic, with consumers demanding remote interactions with businesses and workers increasingly opting to work from home. “The major trends that have impacted businesses this year are, of course, driven by the Covid 19 pandemic. The pandemic has accelerated digital transformation across almost all industries. Public and private sector entities have stepped up their digitalisation plans in order to operate as seamlessly and sustainably as possible during the pandemic. This has prompted the ICT market to mature rapidly, and we anticipate this will have a positive impact on ICT planning for many businesses and governments in the near future. At this year’s event, we hope to showcase the ways in which technology can be used to improve productivity, increase efficiency, and contribute towards helping businesses to thrive in the post-pandemic environment,” he explained. For tech vendors like Huawei, this trend represents a key opportunity – especially here in the Middle East, where businesses are already a fair way down the road in their own digitalisation journeys. “We see a massive convergence of opportunities across five tech domains: connectivity, cloud, AI, computing, and industry applications. These elements have all come together to create unprecedented opportunities for the ICT sector but also enterprises and governments around the world. Over the next 5-10 years, it will be critical to focus on applying these technologies to help enterprises grow their businesses and help governments to achieve their strategic goals. By leveraging synergy across the five tech domains, Huawei will continue building a robust digital ecosystem that creates new value for industries. “We will leverage this event as a platform to discuss with our customers and partners on how we can navigate industry changes, share experience, and work together to create new value. At this year’s event, we will explore trends and opportunities in industry digitisation; showcase advanced ICT technologies, products, and solutions; give visitors an insider’s look at the fruits of joint innovation; and share best practices in digital transformation. Our ultimate goal is to build an open and sound industry ecosystem that will benefit all stakeholders and create new value for all industries,” he concluded. David Shi, president, Enterprise BG, Huawei. 15www.itp.net HUAWEI GITEX SPECIAL REPORT 2020 CommsMEA December 2020GITEX 2020 is the perfect platform to introduce new innovations to the market Adrian Pickering, regional general manager, EMEA, Red Hat, looks at the issues that are affecting businesses in the region, and explains why attending GITEX Technology Week 2020 is so important for his company BUSINESS TRENDS IN 2020 Accelerated digital transformation is a major trend that continues to affect our business this year. As expected, organisational dependence on technology has increased substantially due to the pandemic, and enterprises continue to require greater digital capabilities to succeed in their respective sectors. Looking ahead, the importance of technology and deploying those with the capabilities to meet requirements for an array of sectors will only increase. Therefore, we are experiencing greater demand for open source software. Widespread digital transformation is driving our presence and influence in several areas of IT technology development across different sectors, and the open source software and solutions we provide will continue to drive sustainability and success for enterprises moving forward. SHOWCASING THE FUTURE, AT GITEX 2020 From our perspective here at Red Hat, we are attending GITEX 2020 to introduce new innovations to the market, network with new and existing clients, and interact with industry personnel and representatives from public and private sector organisations across the GCC. As we all know, GITEX is the region’s flagship technology show. We are proud of our long- standing association with the event, which is a focal point for the majority of regional technology users. We are also attending GITEX because the event is a formative platform for showcasing and experiencing the future. As such, we are looking forward to demonstrating how open source will benefit the enterprise community in the months and years ahead. Adrian Pickering, regional GM for EMEA at Red Hat. HYPERSCALE CLOUD IN THE GCC Because global hyperscale cloud providers have been established in countries across the region, we aim to reach out to as many public and private sector organisations as possible at GITEX 2020. We want to engage with them concerning the many benefits that hybrid cloud services provide, such as scaling computing resources, minimising costs, and generating revenue. At the same time, we hope to inspire an array of organisations and technology vendors, discuss their roles and what they will entail in the future, and promote open source solutions so that more will apply them to their respective operations. Flexibility, speed, security, agility, sustainability, and cost-efficiency are all advantages sure to come to fruition with open source services and solutions that we provide. Therefore, we aim to utilize the platform GITEX provides to introduce an influx of potential new customers to open source. EMERGING FROM THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC Now that the region is emerging from the crisis and events are resuming, businesses and representatives can come together and hold discussions in-person regarding the future and how best to achieve success. Of course, the has world changed, and the GITEX 2020 audience will naturally expect a different experience of the event and of Red Hat. Digital disruption and transformation are already driving more and more enterprises to explore digital channels with a view to achieving operational sustainability. As the capabilities of digital technologies continue to be recognised and showcased, industries and enterprises must adapt to the evolving digital landscape so they remain competitive and cater to customer needs. Remote meetings of recent times have proven to be a very effective means of communication, yet face-to- face shows are perhaps the greatest form of communication. From our perspective, these conditions offer an opportunity to create a new and different experience, one the feels deliberate rather than a consequence of Covid-19 circumstances. This is where an automated self-service booth experience comes in. At the Red Hat booth this year, H6-A20, we are aiming to integrate digital elements for guidance and experience navigation, demonstrate the playfulness and interactive nature of our brand, and invite attendees to ‘Go Slow, Look Closer, and Dig Deeper’. We will be showcasing products, solutions, and new functionality, taking attendees on a journey through the virtuous cycle of cutting edge tech that includes Red Hat open source, edge computing, open hybrid cloud, and digital transformation and verticals. We are looking forward to interacting with our customers through both virtual pre-booked meetings with our team and on-site bookings that are available for detailed product deep-dives. 16www.itp.net GITEX SPECIAL REPORT 2020 REDHAT CommsMEA December 2020DECEMBE R DUBAI WORLD TRADE CENTRE SHEIKH MAKT OUM HALL REE GION’ S BI G GEST MARTECH EVENT K I CKS OFF ! www.marketingmaniashow.com | #marketingmania Important Notice: As a new health & safety measure, admission is strictly by advance online registration only. No tickets sales at the show. SCAN HERE TO GET YOUR FREE VISITOR PASS - EXCLUSIVELY FOR ARABIAN BUSINESS READERS HOURS OF POWERFUL CONTENT OVERENGAGE IN WEIRD AND WONDERFUL WORKSHOPS Coca-Cola | Saatchi & Saatchi | New Media Academy and more LISTEN TO + TOP MARKETING NEWSMAKERS Organised byBLO CK - CHA IN - SUMMIT W O R LD’S MOST INFL UEN TIA L The largest Blockchain learning and sourcing platform returns for its 3rd edition #FBS2020 For more stories, check out ITP.net and follow us on Twitter: @ITP_English du and Wipro to bring multi-cloud and SaaS solutions to UAE businesses The partnership will see the pair working together at du’s Cybersecurity Defense Centre SECURITY UAE based telco, du, has teamed up with international IT and business service champion, Wipro, to bring a range of cloud, migration and security-as-a- service (SaaS) services to enterprise customers in the UAE. The pair conducted a virtual signing ceremony to formalise the deal, which was attended by Farid Faraidooni, chief new business and innovation officer at du and Anand Padmanabhan, president at Wipro Technologies. As part of the deal, customers looking to fast track their multi-cloud, end- to-end strategy and outsource their deployment can select du as their trusted advisor and managed service provider. “Creating optimal value for customers, supporting them on their digitalisation journeys, and contributing to the transformation of our community aligns with our mission as we continue to lay further foundations for sustained success in the new digital era. We are proud to call Wipro our partner, and look forward to unlocking potential together. In addition to accessing new capabilities, platforms, and revenue streams, we hope to drive technology innovation across the UAE’s business and public sectors, which adheres to the directives of the country’s leadership,” said Farid Faraidooni, chief new business and innovation officer, du. The partnership will also allow customers to benefit from mature detection and response capability, serviced locally, which are designed to predict and mitigate against threats that put most critical business assets at risk, via the du 24x7 next generation Cyber Defense Centre. du’s Cybersecurity Defense Centre is Customers will benefit from mature detection and response capabilities, serviced locally in the UAE. a next generation security operations facility, which was established in the UAE, and encompasses a holistic technology platform powered by leading technology vendors, proven industry use cases and processes. du Cybersecurity Defense Centre will be co-managed by Wipro. “At Wipro, we succeed when we help make our clients successful and become energised by the deep connectedness between people, ideas, communities, and the environment. Through our partnership with du, we are certain these experiences will occur on an even greater scale. Access to untapped market segments and early positioning for the upcoming security and cloud adoption wave in the region will empower us to promote our values and vision further and propel us into another avenue for opportunities. We are excited about the coming months and look forward to witnessing the response and reception within the UAE market as we work alongside du to deliver a new meaning to innovative technology services and solutions,” said Anand Padmanabhan, president at Wipro Technologies. 19www.itp.net OPERATIONS UPDATE CommsMEA December 2020Next >