< Previoushe UAE has positioned itself as one of the most progressive and innova- tive countries in the world when it comes to technol- ogy 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 en- tire 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 which the next genera- tion of connected industries is built. 5G will enable everything from Connected Factory and Industry 4.0 initiatives, to Smart City and Connected Vehicle ap- plications. 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 lead- ing 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 coun- try’s reputation as a leading 5G innovator. It’s been a busy 18 months for Eti- salat, since it first switched on its 5G T PUSHING 5G TO THE LIMIT AT GITEX 2020 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 op- erator 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’ catego- ry of 98.78. Etisalat will be showcasing a host of 5G innovations at this year’s show. “At Etisalat, we are looking forward to being a part of one of the biggest plat- forms, giving all visitors and our cus- tomers 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 presi- dent 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 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 transi- tion to full standalone 5G. Huawei’s president for the Middle East, Charles Yang, recently reiterated his com- pany’s commitment to 5G in the region – singling it out as a key area for growth and an essential enabler of economic develop- ment in the post Covid 19 era. “The use cases for 5G are practically unlimited, although certain sectors can stand to benefit more in current circum- stances, such as healthcare, education, transportation, and energy, to mention a few,” said Yang. “But transitioning towards a smarter 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 // GITEX SPECIAL REPORT 2020 / IN-DEPTH 5G // WWW.ITP.NET/// 10 / NETWORK MIDDLE EAST / DECEMBER 2020 /society, in general, requires strong part- nerships between the public and private sectors. The need to develop the 5G eco- system, including the talent ecosystem, is clearer than ever.” Huawei will be showcasing the full range of its cutting edge 5G network so- lutions 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 provid- er will be looking to ramp up that figure in 2021 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 equip- ment, software and services, and will allow STC Group to ramp up its de- ployment of cutting edge network technologies such as 5G, Internet of Things (IoT), IP & Optical network tech- nologies, and customer experience man- agement from Nokia’s end-to-end port- folio for mobile and fixed networks. “We are committed to bringing our technology innovations to STC in an agile manner, and supporting STC Vi- sion 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. 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 digitalisation 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 collab- oration agreement with Samsung, which will see the pair working closely togeth- er to speed up the rollout of 5G networks across the globe, including here in the Middle East. The pair will explore a range of new initiatives, including: Open RAN; Core Virtualisation; Mobile Edge Computing; and Network Cloudification. The pair will work together to develop a range of use cases to support investment in vRAN, vCore, MEC and data analytics to help service providers extend 5G. “As service providers build 5G net- works, they are forming the foundation for the next wave of cross-industry in- novation. From helping businesses in their edge computing solutions to ensur- ing enterprises can successfully deploy their artificial intelligence and machine learning applications, we’re very excit- ed 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 technology officer, Red Hat. Want to find out what Red Hat will be doing in 2021 and beyond? Be sure to stop by their stand at GITEX 2020. GITEX Tech Week will be a cru- cial meeting place for international and local stakeholders 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. IN-DEPTH 5G / GITEX SPECIAL REPORT 2020 // // DECEMBER 2020 / NETWORK MIDDLE EAST / 11// WWW.ITP.NET/his 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 unprecedented challenges. What was evident, however, is that digital technologies have played an important role in enabling T 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 organisations in both public and private sectors cope with the bottlenecks. The UAE had long before recognised the importance of digitisation and the role of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in ensuring the resilience of the country. In Dubai, the government has demon- strated a high level of adaptability. All en- tities 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 Government over the past 20 years, the delivery of government services was completely uninterrupted and all services were delivered successfully through digital channels,” said His Excellency Younus Al Nasser, Assistant 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 His Excellency Younus Al Nasser, Asssistant Director General of Smart Dubai and CEO of Dubai Data Establishment. // GITEX SPECIAL REPORT 2020 / SMART DUBAI // WWW.ITP.NET/// 12 / NETWORK MIDDLE EAST / DECEMBER 2020 /across the emirate allowed Dubai Government entities to monitor the city’s activities and needs, detecting and delivering to any change in people’s requirements in real-time. “This allowed the government to respond quickly and maintain the situation as close to business-as-usual as possible,” 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 demand for efficient and speedy services has prompted organisations to acceler- ate innovation to fast-track their digital transformation. This rapid response was manifested 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 dig- itisation 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 services online. We can also ex- pect companies to invest significantly in digitising their data to leverage the pow- er 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 infrastructure and ecosystem to em- brace these trends for over five years now,” said H.E. Al Nasser. “For one, our DubaiNow app pro- vides 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 ho- listic data ecosystem in the emirate that includes governance, infrastructure, collaboration and value generation. Fi- nally, 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 Telecommuni- cations 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 Decem- ber at the Dubai World Trade Centre. At the show, the government firm seeks to showcase the latest develop- ments in terms of city-wide smart trans- formation and the positive impact digiti- sation is making on people’s lives. Speaking about the organisation’s participation 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 Employ- ee, Smart Supplier and more. “In addition to showcasing Dubai Government’s latest digital products and services, we are hoping to meet global technology vendors and under- stand what are the latest technology products and services in the market, helping us plan future investment de- cisions to further accelerate the city’s digital transformation.” The 2020 edition of GITEX, will bring together five prestigious tech shows under one roof. Attendees will be able to sample a packed conference agenda from GITEX 2020, GITEX Fu- ture Stars, GISEC, Future Blockchain Summit and Marketing Mania. This year’s event will host the in- dustry’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 business, trade, and finance hubs, con- necting individuals from all over the world. The face-to-face meetings during these events lead to better business re- lations, which lead to more economic transactions, which I believe not only helps the local economy but also acceler- ates economic growth of the respective countries of the exhibitors and attend- ees. Though virtual meetings and events are the new norms, they can never match the level of engagement and understand- ing individuals have between each other when meeting face-to-face,” His Excel- lency 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 resume 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 inno- vate 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 leadership looks like. We are lucky to have such a wise, farsighted leadership who has been leading us to greater suc- cesses 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 experiences, 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 ena- bling 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 Nation- al Day in 2071. SMART DUBAI / GITEX SPECIAL REPORT 2020 // // DECEMBER 2020 / NETWORK MIDDLE EAST / 13// WWW.ITP.NET/uawei has highlighted massive scale conver- gence across connectiv- ity, cloud, AI, computing and industrial applica- tions as the key issue to dominate the tech sector over the next 5 to 10 years, as the Chinese tech giant gears up to ex- hibit 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 ambitions to build a more connected, intelligent 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 connectivity, 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 supporting various industries during and post Covid -19 to achieve recovery, stability, and socio- economic development,” he said. “Huawei advocates openness, collaboration, and shared success. Through joint innovation with our customers and partners, we are expanding the value of ICT through synergy across major tech domains H CONVERGENCE IS THE KEY FOR THE NEXT DECADE OF DIGITALISATION to provide 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 de- manding remote interactions with busi- nesses and workers increasingly opting to work from home. “The major trends that have impact- ed businesses this year are, of course, driven by the Covid-19 pandemic. The pandemic has accelerated digital trans- formation 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 pan- demic. This has prompted the ICT mar- ket to mature rapidly, and we anticipate this will have a positive impact on ICT planning for many businesses and gov- ernments 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 efficien- cy, and contribute towards helping busi- nesses 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 un- precedented opportunities for the ICT sector but also enterprises and govern- ments around the world. Over the next 5-10 years, it will be critical to focus on applying these technologies to help en- terprises 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 plat- form to discuss with our customers and partners on how we can navigate indus- try 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 inno- vation; and share best practices in digi- tal transformation. Our ultimate goal is to build an open and sound industry eco- system that will benefit all stakeholders and create new value for all industries,” he concluded. Huawei is predicting widespread convergence in connectivity, cloud, AI, computing and industrial applications over the next decade David Shi, president, Enterprise BG, Huawei. // GITEX SPECIAL REPORT 2020 / HUAWEI // WWW.ITP.NET/// 14 / NETWORK MIDDLE EAST / DECEMBER 2020 /DECEMBE 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 #FBS2020he first-ever Carbon Neutral 3D exhibition in the MENA region focusing on Water, Energy, Sustainability & Innovation (WETEX 2020) is an international platform to showcase latest services and solutions, also engage with experts from different relevant fields. WETEX is DEWA’s flagship event and one of the major yearly events that saw the launch of its solar-powered Green Data Centre, the first of its kind in the Middle East. The newly launched data centre will offer digital products and services utilising Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies such as cloud services, the Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI). During the event, Moro Hub shed light on its Smart Cities services and IoT solutions such as Smart Water & Air Quality Monitoring, Energy Monitoring and Management for Buildings, and much more along with 24/7 managed services from Smart Cities Command and Control Centre backed by advanced IoT and data analytics. Moro Hub offers information technology and digital services across the board; however, our speciality lies in government and enterprise clients with mission-critical environments, who are looking for a digital transformation journey, said Mohammad Bin Sulaiman, CEO of Moro Hub. “We aim to create value for clients and open new possibilities for them by guiding them through their shift from legacy systems to the digital era. We enable them to reach their digital potential, as well as help them meet T ENABLING THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE ENERGY SECTOR relevant global environmental standards, reduce their environmental impact and contribute to the realisation of the world’s sustainability goals,” he explained. The Moro Hub CEO went on to explain that these products offer targeted customers certain benefits. “Designed to guide and accelerate their shift to the digital era, through our services, we will help our clients address their digital transformation and operational data needs at minimum capital expenditure. Our clients will enjoy other benefits as well, such as round- the-clock operational support and the highest security level deployment from the Smart Cities Command and Control Centre.” He added that by offering the Green Data Centre, Moro Hub is promoting, among others, the use of renewable energy to contribute to the efforts of the UAE Government and worldwide to tackle pollution, reduce heavy reliance on fossil fuels and diversify the globe’s source of energy supply. At WETEX 2020 we had a chance to engage with more than 2,350 exhibitors from 55 participating countries. The role of technology has evolved to be an enabler to the energy sector. Moro hub aimed to capitalise on the wide reach to showcase the competitive edge of our digital offerings, as well as take part in its enormous networking and learning opportunities. “We displayed services that contribute to accelerating the process of digital transformation in the country while preserving our natural resources and promoting the concept of sustainability in all its aspects. This was a chance to learn more about the latest technologies and developments in these fields,” explained Mohammad Bin Sulaiman. In 2021, Moro Hub has set its sights on expanding its portfolio and embarking on more innovations to drive digital transformation and sustainability initiatives at the regional and global levels. “We will take the opportunity to strengthen Moro Hub’s role in accelerating the digital transformation journey of the UAE and the rest of the MENA region by introducing disruptive services through leveraging our expertise, capabilities and alliances,” he concluded. We caught up with Mohammad Bin Sulaiman, CEO of Moro Hub to understand how organisations can realise their digital potential while meeting relevant global environmental standards Mohammad Bin Sulaiman, CEO of Moro Hub. MORO HUB / INTERVIEW // // DECEMBER 2020 / NETWORK MIDDLE EAST / 17// WWW.ITP.NET/Today, I was able to dig up the first cover of this maga- zine - the one you see on the left side. Nostalgic… that is how I feel as I sit at my desk writing the Editor’s Note for Network Middle East’s final print issue. Over the past 20 years many ex- tremely capable editors have preceded me and put in hours and hours of time and efforts into building the brand we have all come to love. As I sign-off the last page of our final issue and prepare to send the magazine to print, I cannot help but feel a sense of pride in not only being a part of this legacy but also for being a part of this transformation. But this is only a twist in the road, the beginning of a new journey. As some of you may already know, Network Middle East and the rest of the tech brands ¬will no longer work in silos. These legacy brands are join- ing forces to power the largest tech- nology platform in the region. One must understand that this tran- sition was necessary, even overdue. I will admit that I love to escape the world sometimes by losing myself into one of Elif Shafak’s books. Confession time: Yes, I am old school; I love to leaf through real books and not just kindle. But that doesn’t mean I want to start writing letters by hand and wish snail mail was back. I get frustrated when it takes more than 5 seconds to load a EDITOR’S NOTE DIGITALLY YOURS webpage or when I run out of data. It is the same with the print media. Today, we expect everything instan- taneously and that is how ingrained technology is in our lives. Right now, everyone around the world is waiting in anticipation what the new year will bring. Come Janu- ary, we expect the woes of this year to be behind us and for the world to turn a new leaf. Whether this will happen or not cannot be predicted. What I do know is that the technol- ogy division at ITP is changing the way it connects with its audience and in turn, the way we connect you with tech. We will continue to bridge com- munities and evolve in how we cover and bring you our special blend of local news and features. We tried the digital formula this year and before I end this monologue, I would like to thank everyone that helped make this transition easier. Today, I salute everyone that worked on the Network Middle East brand over the last two decades and thank all our readers. You have all been a part of Network Middle East for the past 25 years and I invite you to continue this journey with me digitally. Sarah Rizvi Group Editor sarah.rizvi@itp.com // DECEMBER 2020 / NETWORK MIDDLE EAST / 19// WWW.ITP.NET / // EDITOR’S NOTENext >