Telecom Review September 2018

TH E T E L E C O M S I ND U S T RY M E D I A P L ATFORM

Dawiyat aims to become leading wholesale provider in bid to meet Vision 2030 objectives Dr. Ahmed A. Sindi, CEO of Dawiyat Company

Fiber deployments on the rise in MENA region

Cybersecurity fears intensify as the world becomes more ‘connected’

AI: It’s time to dispel the negativity and embrace the future

CONTENTS

SEPTEMBER 2018

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THE TELEC OMS IND U ST RY M E D I A P L AT F O R M

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Dawiyat aims to become leading wholesale provider in bid to meet Vision 2030 objectives

Digitalization of indoor coverage has become the inevitable way forward for successful 5G

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Etisalat striving to meet big data traffic growth

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Breaking world records with smarter connectivity

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Ja-Square: Operators’ trusted IoT partner

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How to become a CIO that drives his company’s digital transformation

The rapid pace of technological innovation is creating millions of new jobs - Eng. Naser Bin Hammad

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The path to growth for the Middle East telecom industry

Cybersecurity fears intensify as the world becomes more ‘connected’

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Fiber deployments on the rise in MENA region

AI: It’s time to dispel the negativity and embrace the future

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ITU Telecom World 2018: Digital development, technology-enabled, but human-centric

EDITORIAL

SEPTEMBER 2018

Editor in Chief & Senior ICT Analyst Toni Eid toni.eid@tracemedia.info

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Toni Eid, founder editor in chief Telecom Review International

Senior Journalists Mark Forker mark@tracemedia.info Christine Ziadeh christine@tracemedia.info Editorial Team Shelley Beyak (Canada), Toni Eid (UAE), Mark Forker (UAE), Hadeel Karnib (Lebanon), Lacinan Ouattara (Ivory Coast), Jennifer Saade (Lebanon), Jeff Seal (USA), Zane Small (New Zealand), Christine Ziadeh (Lebanon) Copy Editor Shelley Beyak Advertising Enquiries Mohammed Ershad ershad@tracemedia.info Graphic Designer Tatiana Issa Responsible Manager Joseph Bou Daher News Provided in cooperation with AFP, the global news agency Published by www.tracemedia.info

The aviation industry is the new stream of satellite operators WiFi is everywhere, so why not have it when we fly as well? The trend began more than 10 years ago, but timidly, led by just a few airline companies such as Emirates Airlines, Delta Airlines, to name a few.

Now, most companies offer the service: over 35 airlines provide WiFi onboard - some paid, some affordable and some complimentary for frequent travelers (Emirates even offers it for Skywards members).

Connectivity is made via satellite, which creates competition between satellite companies who are then forced to strive for better quality and capacity, and improve connectivity for airlines.

Satellites are delivering enhanced connectivity to the airline industry, but satellite broadband still needs to be improved.

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Connectivity exists today, but limited in bandwidth, which does not facilitate the required level of functionality that the industry is expecting. In addition, some countries do not allow WiFi connectivity over their territories or their airspace, such as India. Therefore, regulations need to be put in place to ensure full-time flight connectivity.

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Airlines are going to invest not only in connectivity bandwidth but also in CAPEX such as installation of equipment on aircraft, onboard devices, ground-based equipment and others.

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The crews are also adapting to the use of enhanced broadband and are able to keep connected via electronic devices, and in some cases, better able to answer passengers’ questions about connectivity.

The aviation industry is another area that will create opportunities for all involved.

SEPTEMBER 2018

Cuts in spectrum prices in India set to attract bidders In preparation for the next auction in the country, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has suggested to release more than 8,500 MHz of spectrum across nine bands, including the 3.6GHz 5G frequency. No date was assigned for the sale, but, if all goes according to plan and all lots were sold in the reserve price, it could generate up to INR 5 trillion ($73 billion).

At the auction, the Agency wishes to sell the 5G spectrum at INR 4.92 billion per MHz in 20 MHz bands and recommended a 100 MHz cap on the band per bidder. It was reported that the country’s revised spectrum limits (a total cap of 35% and a cap of 50% on the spectrum built into the sub-1GHz bands) should be extended to the 3.6 GHz band.

The TRAI will adopt a different strategy this time in order not to repeat what happened in the auction of October 2016, when 60% of the available airwaves were unsold.

So, in order to attract interest, TRAI reduced reserve prices of most of the bands. The base price of the 700 MHz spectrum was reduced by 43% to reach INR 65.7 billion per MHz. In 2016, there were no bidders for the 700 MHz band because of the high reserve price.

Analysts believe that despite price reduction, 5G and 700MHz base prices are still high by international standards and expect low interest in the bands. Mobile operators in India are facing a fierce price war after Reliance Jio entered in September 2016, with the three major players bearing heavy debt burdens and low profitability.

The Telecom Department must approve TRAI’s recommendations before the Cabinet gives its final approval.

GLOBAL NEWS

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Huawei keen to become the world’s top smartphone maker China’s Huawei said it could replace Samsung as the world’s top smartphone maker by late next year, just days after data showed it surpassed Apple for the number-two spot despite being essentially barred from the key US market.

The chief of Huawei’s consumer division, Richard Yu, made the remark at the release of business results for the first half of 2018, during which unlisted Huawei said it shipped more than 95 million smartphones, an increase of about 30%.

“It’s no question that we become the number two next year. In Q4 next year, it’s possible we become number one,” Yu said in Shenzhen, the southern Chinese city where Huawei is based. He added that “the past six months have been incredible.”

Huawei took second place from Apple in a tightening global smartphone market during the second quarter, according to

figures released by tech-industry trackers International Data Corporation (IDC).

South Korean titan Samsung remained on top in April-June, shipping 71.5 million handsets for a 20.9 percent market share, IDC said. But Huawei sold 54.2 million phones for a 15.8 percent market share, followed by Apple’s 41.3 million iPhones that gave it 12.1 percent of the market. It was the first time since early 2010 that Apple was not in the top two.

IDC said 342 million smartphones were shipped during the second quarter, down 1.8 percent from the same period of 2017 and the third consecutive quarter of year over year declines. Market saturation and rising prices are among factors blamed for cooling growth rates.

The leader in global telecommunications equipment, Huawei is essentially blocked from selling phones in the United States on security grounds owing to suspicions of the company’s links to the Chinese government. Huawei has long disputed any such links.

New Zealand operator announces its 5G plans New Zealand telecommunications firm Spark has formally announced its 5G rollout plans. The operator has outlined a detailed schedule in relation to its 5G strategy which includes its plans to open a 5G innovation lab later this year.

conducted a series of successful outdoor and indoor trials on 5G - and declared that its technical and network planning for the deployment of next generation services is now at an advanced stage.

Managing director of Spark, Simon Moutter, has projected that wireless capex to be between 25% and 35% of the overall capex by 2020, which represents an increase from the end of 2017.

The Spark MD said, “We are undertaking detailed planning to map expected 5G cell site densities and, as a result of this planning, we are forming a good understanding of how many new sites we will need for 5G, and where. We have already begun a build program to increase the number of cell sites in our existing mobile network – which will enable us to meet near-term capacity demand as well as lay the groundwork for network densification required for 5G.”

Spark will fund its ambitious 5G development program within its existing capex target of 11% to 12% of their revenue. The New Zealand operator has

Moutter also highlighted that 5G will enable Spark to provide additional capacity at a lower incremental unit cost than under 4G and 4.5G.

Spark also disclosed that its 5G strategy will see them boost its wireless network investment by as much as 40% annually and hopes to launch its next generation services in 2020.

SEPTEMBER 2018

GLOBAL NEWS

Qualcomm and Taiwan Fair Trade Commission end dispute over licensing practices Qualcomm Incorporated announced that it has reached a mutually-agreed settlement with the Taiwan Fair Trade Commission (TFTC) resolving the TFTC’s investigation of Qualcomm and Qualcomm’s litigation challenging the TFTC’s decision alleging violations of Taiwan’s Fair Trade Act. As a result, the whole TFTC decision is replaced by the settlement terms and the decision shall be deemed revoked ab initio (from the beginning) and Qualcomm’s litigation filed in the Taiwan Intellectual Property Court is closed.

As part of the resolution, Qualcomm has agreed to certain process-related commitments confirming principles of mutual good-faith and fairness in the negotiation of agreements with handset licensees to Qualcomm’s cellular standard essential patents (SEPs). The resolution does not require component-level licensing or set specific financial terms; instead, it is

focused on commitments that ensure good-faith negotiations for the benefit of licensees and SEP owners. As part of the settlement, the parties agreed that the NTD 2.73 billion (approximately $93 million USD) Qualcomm paid towards the monetary fine through the end of July will be retained by the TFTC and no other amounts will be due.

In addition, Qualcomm will drive certain commercial initiatives in Taiwan over the next five years for the benefit of the mobile and semiconductor ecosystem, SMEs and consumers, including 5G collaborations, new market expansion, startup and university collaborations and the development of a Taiwanese center for operations and manufacturing engineering.

Qualcomm will work with the TFTC and sister agencies within the Taiwanese government to implement these initiatives and investments.

Rules for the first 5G spectrum auction announced The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) made public that it is pursuing its plans to hold two 5G auctions on licenses in the 28GHz and 24 GHz bands in addition to an incentive auction for combined allocations in the 37GHz, 39GHz and 47GHz bands.

Recently, the FCC implemented new rules concerning the sale of licenses for high-band spectrum that will take place on November 14. It is of a great interest to carriers since they tend to spend billions of dollars to buy spectrum and to develop and test 5G networks, which are expected to cut data delivery times to less than one-thousandth of a second from one one-hundredth of a second in 4G networks.

The new rules require bidders to apply and bid on the two auctions independently, as the processes will have

completely different bidding formats and follow separate rules.

During the first sale, the regulator will offer two 455MHz blocks per county in the 28GHz band, following the traditional multi-round bidding format for specific blocks. The second sale will be divided into two phases: first, sale of licenses for seven 100MHz blocks in the 24GHz band will adopt a “clock phase” format where operators bid on, and are then allocated, generic blocks. A second phase will then be held to decide the specifics of each allotted license. Regarding the third auction, a similar auction clearing broadcast spectrum for wireless services raised $19.6 billion in February 2017.

However, it was below expectations because the FCC initially claimed to collect $86.4 billion. Lack of interest eventually led to a drastic reduction of the amount of spectrum offered.

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US operator faces $224m lawsuit over alleged theft of digital currency AT&T has been issued with a $224m lawsuit after an investor in cryptocurrency accused the US operator of engaging in fraudulent and gross negligence in relation to the theft of digital currency.

The investor at the centre of the controversy is Michael Terpin, and he is alleging that the digital currency tokens he owned were stolen from his mobile phone account, for which AT&T is the service provider.

In the lawsuit he has tabled, he has described the action as ‘digital identity theft’. Terpin is a well-known figure in the world of cryptocurrency and co-founded Bit-Angels, which is a group for investors in Bitcoin (the world’s biggest cryptocurrency by value) in 2013 and established a digital currency fund in 2014.

The entrepreneur and investor is now claiming for 3 million tokens that were allegedly stolen from him that were worth around $2.8m, and an additional $200m in other damages.

The co-founder of Bit-Angels claims the theft occurred through a SIM swap fraud, which involves tricking a provider, which in this case is the US mobile operator to transfer a phone number to a SIM card controlled by someone else.

This enables the fraudster to then use the phone number to reset subscriber passwords and access online accounts. In addition to this, Terpin also claims that after the theft, his AT&T account was transferred to an international criminal gang.

In an emailed statement sent to Reuters, AT&T vehemently refuted the claims being made: “We dispute these allegations and look forward to presenting our case in court,” a representative stated.

5G is now, from eMBB to Digital Society

Monday, 15th October 2018 09.00 -12.00 Dubai World Trade Center @GITEX 2018

SEPTEMBER 2018

COVER STORY

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Dawiyat aims to become leading wholesale provider in bid to meet Vision 2030 objectives

Saudi telecommunications firm, Dawiyat Company, has expressed its desire to become a worldwide leading wholesale provider in an effort to meet its Vision 2030 objectives. Telecom Review managed to secure an exclusive interview with the CEO of Dawiyat Company, Dr. Ahmed A. Sindi, who outlined in detail the company’s ambitious strategy and vision for the future. The Saudi company is wholly-owned by SEC, and has enjoyed phenomenal success since it was founded in 2009.

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he primary objective of the company following its inception was to optimize investment in its resources in the field of the companyowned fiber optic systems, which covers more than 71,000km across the Kingdom. Its overall mission was to provide telecom services to enhance the quality and speed of internet and broadband services in the KSA, which is in line with the goals and strategic plans outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 and the National transformation Program 2020.

Under the dynamic leadership of CEO Dr. Ahmed A. Sindi, Dawiyat has firmly established itself as one of the major telecommunication leaders in Saudi Arabia.

Dr. Sindi has enjoyed a decorated and distinguished career, with over 25 years of experience in general management positions in areas such as ICT, construction and manufacturing.

Dr. Sindi has a proven track record of growing enterprises, from startups to large corporations, and he has

COVER STORY showcased that he possesses the ability, capacity and expertise to transform businesses and make them into commercially-viable successes.

This has been evidenced further by the success he has overseen during his tenure as CEO of Dawiyat Company. In addition to his role at Dawiyat, Dr. Sindi has been a hugely influential figure and voice in the future development of the ICT sector in Saudi Arabia, and has been directly responsible for a number of new innovative national initiatives like the smart cities and SMB automation programs.

In his excellent interview with us at Telecom Review, Dr. Sindi highlights some of the major successes and projects he has executed as CEO of Dawiyat, the role the company will play in both the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 and National Transformation Program 2020, and discussed the success of its MoU’s with telecom operators STC and Zain.

Dawiyat has enjoyed phenomenal success since its inception in 2009.

Can you tell us a little more about the company’s recent history, and highlight some of the major projects

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Dawiyat has embarked upon since 2009?

Dawiyat Telecom, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Saudi Electricity Company, was established in 2009, with the aim of optimizing investment of SEC’s fiber optic systems covering more than 71,000 km across the Kingdom including villages, hamlets and borders.

Dawiyat’s success in living up to its mission was evident by providing an important strategic project, that of providing passive fiber optic infrastructure service to Zain for 15 years, thereby enabling Zain to build its own active network and services around the Kingdom.

In 2017, Dawiyat was honored as one of the key contributors to the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 by participating in one of its programs, the National Transformation Program 2020; the most prominent of which is the National Broadband initiative lead

by MCIT to deploy the broadband by delivering fiber optic systems to homes. In Q4 2017, Dawiyat launched the first phase of its fiber to the home (FTTH) broadband project implementation and deployment in a number of cities in the Kingdom.

Dawiyat has been honored as one of the key contributors to Kingdom’s Vision 2030

SEPTEMBER 2018

COVER STORY

Dawiyat’s fiber network offers unparalleled resiliency with extended reach beyond what others can provide

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How important is the role that Dawiyat is playing in terms of helping execute the objectives of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 and the National Transformation Program 2020 by implementing its integrated telecom services to improve connectivity speeds all over KSA? Dawiyat plays an important role in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 and the National Transformation Program 2020 because it is a company with a unique business model. The model is to be an open network and wholesale infrastructure provider to all infrastructure licensed service providers. This is based on the fact that it sits on top of the most extensive power network infrastructure assets in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia where the power pathway connects every single home and business entity within the Kingdom.

COVER STORY

SEPTEMBER 2018

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We have the ambition to be the leading wholesale telecommunications company

Dawiyat built its new network infrastructure and systems capabilities on top of a very robust electrical network, utilizing existing power ducts infrastructure across the Kingdom through local substations’, overhead and underground fiber networks throughout all its cities, towns and hamlets. And what we have proven is how we can take that core infrastructure and rapidly rollout cities more efficiently, thus providing a more robust economic value than others.

Dawiyat has previously declared that it is aiming to become the international connectivity link between the world’s east and west due to its strategic position in the Arabian Peninsula.

Can you provide us with an update in relation to its progress in this regard?

Saudi Arabia is blessed with its geographical location as it links the west and the east. As such, Dawiyat, based on its license, partnerships and regulations, seeks to leverage such advantage by developing state-of-theart fiber optic network to connect with all neighboring countries. Let’s recall that Dawiyat is an open network and a wholesale provider of choice, therefore this extensive border to border reach is built to be offered to licensed, mobile, fixed and data service providers for them to connect to their international partners.

As a result, Dawiyat has already interconnected with Jordan across the borders, and the services will

commence once relevant authorities have granted permission. On the other hand, Dawiyat is currently in active discussions to partner with leading submarine cabling systems in order for it to become the landing party for these systems in Saudi Arabia, which is done in close coordination with our strategic partners. Needless to mention that such plans are in total alignment with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030; Dawiyat being bestowed the honor as one of the key contributors to the Vision 2030 by participating in the National Transformation Program 2020.

By constructing this significant fiber infrastructure, you can link Indian and Chinese service providers to important internet hubs in Europe. Can you outline to us what the primary benefits are for both Chinese and Indian service providers?

Dawiyat will be operating within its newly awarded “Wholesale Infrastructure Provider” license to build new active and passive fiber infrastructure with the intent to offer it to licensed service providers. With this principle, Dawiyat will ensure fair cooperation with partners, and will become the right partner for these providers due to the strategic location of Saudi Arabia providing shorter routes and lower latency.

In addition, Dawiyat’s fiber network offers unparalleled resiliency with extended reach beyond what others can provide. Moreover, Dawiyat makes

available alternative routes with much lesser-known challenges and interruptions that are often faced when dealing with traditional routes.

Is this information true that Dawiyat applied for a wholesale license?

Yes, we have the ambition to be the leading wholesale telecommunications company and achieve the objectives of meeting the requirements of Vision 2030 to provide services to our carrier partners through fiber optic network in Saudi Arabia and the region, which adds benefits to the national economy and contributes to the comprehensive national telecommunications infrastructure.

I’m happy to announce that we had successful awarded the very first “Wholesale Infrastructure Provider” license by Communication & Information Technology Commission (CITC) beginning of this month (September) under our newly established company owned by Saudi Electricity Company named “Dawiyat Integrated Telecommunications & Information Technology Company” which will be offering Active and Passive Telecom service and infrastructure, In-Building Solution (IBS) as well as building, owning, leasing and operating Tower infrastructure and other service according to the awarded license to other Services Providers within Saudi Arabia.

SEPTEMBER 2018

COVER STORY

So far, we have connected over 150,000 homes and aim to finish the year with over 200,000 homes connected

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In late 2017, Dawiyat launched the first phase of its FTTH broadband service in a number of cities as part of the National Broadband Initiative. How much of a success has that program been?

Phase one of Dawiyat’s FTTH, which covers subscribers’ homes in various cities and provinces in the Kingdom, including Riyadh, Dammam, Jeddah, Al- Medina Al-Munawarah and Hafr Al-Batin, has been completed, becoming immediately available for service providers to exchange data, content and access to the internet.

The project aims to provide a strong communications infrastructure and keep pace with the National Transformation Program 2020, which contributes to realizing the vision of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030. So far, we have connected over 150,000 homes and aim to finish the year with over 200,000 homes connected.

SEPTEMBER 2018

COVER STORY

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Dawiyat is the best entity that is strategically positioned to build a nationwide IoT platform

Dawiyat has disclosed in the past that it was actively engaging in talks with the regulatory body in a bid to receive a facility-based license in order to monetize its infrastructure investment.

Have you been successful in obtaining the license?

Dawiyat has requested many licenses from the Communications and Information Technology Commission (CITC). Consequently, Dawiyat has obtained a number of licenses such as carrier service provider (CSP) for the lease of telecommunication facilities, data hosting provider (DHP), and internet service provider (ISP) license. This is in addition to the wholesales license.

Dawiyat has leased part of the optical fiber to a number of telecom companies.

It is looking forward to obtaining additional licenses more speedily, to enable it to fulfill its mission and role in accordance with the National Transformation Program 2020.

Dawiyat has signed MoUs with telecom operators STC and Zain. How successful have those partnerships been for your company?

Dawiyat is building and operating

open access for all network and nondiscriminatory network platforms, empowering carriers and service providers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and helping them to focus on their core businesses.

We have signed a number of MoUs to provide fiber optic home service (FTTH) with Saudi Telecom Operators (STC), Saudi Mobile Telecommunications Company (Zain), Etihad Etisalat (Mobily), and also we seek to complete this process with the rest of the operators and service providers.

What are your primary objectives and goals for the remainder of 2018?

There is a lot more to do. There are great opportunities in the Saudi market. We are probably entering the most exciting year for fiber to the home connectivity across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, looking for current and future activities in the Kingdom leveraging on the National Transformation Program 2020 and the Kingdom’s vision 2030.

I think we are seeing increasing awareness of the positive impact

of that extensive fiber connectivity with such technological connectivity.

Technological advancement is advantageous to the national economy and contributes to overall development, in addition to creating employment opportunities for enthusiastic Saudi youth.

In addition, Dawiyat is the best entity that is strategically positioned to build a nationwide IoT platform, in partnership with its natural strategic allies to serve smart meters, smart cities and other strategic initiatives in Saudi. This is a very important area that Dawiyat will continue to push with full force due its open network position.

We will continue to build on that momentum to become even more attractive to the government, who will want to invest more into national broadband initiatives. The focus should be on helping new infrastructure operators more efficiently demonstrate to the market, which will give better economic value and diversification to service providers. This is accomplished by supplying more efficient and better quality services at lower cost.

SEPTEMBER 2018

REGIONAL NEWS

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MBRSC announces the appointment of its new chairman

Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) has announced the appointment of Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori as its new chairman. Yousuf

Hamad Al Shaibani will serve as his deputy. The appointment was made

by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, vice president and prime minister, in his capacity as the ruler of Dubai.

The board, which will serve a three year term, comprises Mohammed Abdullah Al Zafeen, Mohammed Saif Al Meqbali and Mansour Jum’aa Bu-Aseibah as members. In another development, Sheikh Mohammed revamped the

board of trustees of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Humanitarian and Charity Establishment and appointed Mohammed Jum’aa Al Naboodah as its new chairman. Ibrahim Mohammed Bu Milha will be the new deputy chairman.

The board, which has been constituted for a three year term, comprises Nabeel Abdul-Rahim Gargash, Khalid Ali bin Zayed, Mohammed Abdullah Al Tawheedi and Abdul-Rahim Hussain Ahli as members.

First batch of female data scientists to graduate in Saudi Arabia Recently, Dell Technologies conducted a research entitled “Realizing 2030: A Divided Vision of the Future”. The latter shed light on the leading barrier in the Middle East to becoming a successful digital business in 2030 which was the lack of workforce readiness, further emphasizing the need for skill development among existing employees and future generations.

In collaboration with Dell EMC, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University (PNU), the largest university for women in the world, has successfully trained and certified the very first batch of Saudi Arabia female data scientists.

In pursuit of concretizing Saudi Vision 2030 which aims to consolidate a knowledge-based economy, PNU partners with national and international organizations to bring valuable degrees and certificates for Saudi female students and graduates.

A member of Dell EMC’s External Research and Academic Alliance Program, the College of Computer and Information Sciences offers a number of certifications and technical training courses in its curriculum mainly for degrees in computer science, information systems and information technology.

Fifty-seven female data science and big data analytics students were successfully trained and certified this semester with an additional 103 students certified in cloud infrastructure. The university also

integrated in its curriculum the VMware Install, Configure and Manage course as an elective training course for senior students.

Auhood Alfaries, dean of College of Computer and Information Sciences, PNU, explained, “Building a comprehensive curriculum to cover the essential knowledge area for the computing disciplines and to equip our students with the skills required for the future workplace is a priority for Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University.

We are proud to be a leading university to actively promote the data-skilled taskforce in the Kingdom through the introduction of industry-relevant certifications and trainings.

We strive to continually evolve to contribute toward building a knowledgebased economy, in alignment with Saudi Vision 2030, through strategic academic partnerships such as the Dell EMC External Research and Academic Alliance program which plays a crucial role in effectively developing our students into tomorrow’s workforce.”

Mohammed Amin, senior vice president and regional manager, Middle East, Turkey and Africa, Dell EMC, said, “The unrelenting pace of digital transformation in the marketplace is creating new challenges for all of us where organizations as well as individuals are increasingly realizing that investing in workforce readiness and the development of new skills is key to future success and competitive differentiation.

We congratulate Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University on this wonderful achievement and look forward to continuing to work with them to advance the technical education of women in the region.”

Marwa Zaghow, senior manager, External Research and Academic Alliance, Europe, Middle East, and Africa, Dell EMC, said, “The Dell EMC External Research and Academic Alliance program collaborates with innovative colleges and universities like Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University to effectively contribute to the regional priority of developing IT skillsets among the youth and specifically women.”

SEPTEMBER 2018

REGIONAL NEWS

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Invigo successfully tests the remote SIM provisioning of an embedded eSIM for the GSMA Security Accreditation Scheme (SAS) audit for its SM-DP+ and SM-DP servers in partnership with a Tier IV datacenter provider, and expect to complete it by the end of 2018.

Invigo has successfully tested the download of an eSIM profile on an embedded UICC with a mobile network operator. Invigo’s eSIM provisioning platform offers a state-of-the-art subscription management solution to remotely provision and manage embedded SIM cards in both consumer and M2M devices, while meeting industry standards in terms of system security, interoperability and scalability.

The company is currently preparing

The embedded SIM card, or the new generation SIM card, is believed to be industry-transforming and essential for the development of the IoT ecosystem across various industries: automotive, retail, manufacturing and healthcare, to name a few. A big advantage of this embedded SIM over the traditional SIM is the possibility of remotely changing the SIM profile without the need of physically changing the eSIM itself, thus allowing the end users to select the operator of their choice for connectivity.

Mobile network operators are a main player in this new ecosystem, as they

are the trusted partner responsible for securely downloading SIM profiles into embedded SIM cards. To reassure all stakeholders about the security of this new ecosystem, the GSMA has developed a set of security guidelines to be followed by the providers of eSIM provisioning solutions, namely of subscription management platforms (SM-DP, SM-DP+ and SM-SR nodes).

Invigo is keen to play a major role in the eSIM environment, follow the highest standard in terms of data security and meet the conditions required to have a GSMA SAS-SM certified platform. Invigo’s state-of-the-art eSIM provisioning solution allows clients to download operator’s profile on the eUICC and manage end user interaction for profile selection.

World Economic Forum says UAE is the most ‘competitive’ economy in MENA based on 12 factors, from education to infrastructure, that are critical for productivity and economic growth.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has the most competitive economy in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), says a new study from the World Bank Group and the World Economic Forum.

The Arab World Competitiveness Report 2018, launched recently, ranked the UAE as the 17th most competitive country in the world.

The other MENA nations to crack the top-30 globally were Qatar (25th) and Saudi Arabia (30th). The rankings are

While the report cited improvements over the last decade in areas like infrastructure development and technological advancement across the region, it said many countries are struggling to diversify their economies and develop a vibrant, competitive private sector that can foster innovation and job creation. It said the region will need to generate 58 million jobs by the year 2040 to maintain unemployment rates and even more to lower them.

The report found that in recent years, countries in the Gulf Co-operating Council (GCC) have made a concerted effort to support innovation and provide crucial seed funding to startups.

For example, Saudi Arabia created a $1 billion fund to invest in small and medium enterprises, while Bahrain ($100 million) and Oman ($200 million)

have also launched funds to support startups. In Lebanon, the central bank pledged to invest $600 million into innovative firms. Finally, the central bank of Egypt is pushing banks to gradually raise their financing for smaller businesses to 20 percent of their total credit portfolio by 2019.

The report recommended countries diversify their economies and move away from a model of government-led growth and lessen reliance on natural resources exports. It commended countries that made significant progress in infrastructure development to enhance competitiveness.

For example, in GCC countries, the total value of infrastructure projects amounted to $2.7 trillion in 2017. In North Africa, Egypt invested in a new extension of the Suez Canal and is expanding two of its major ports, while Morocco’s Tangier-Med Port has become one of the main gateways to the Mediterranean, and is set to become one of the largest ports in the world once its expansion is completed.

SEPTEMBER 2018

OPINIONS

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Digitalization of indoor coverage has become the inevitable way forward for successful 5G In today’s mobile network, more than 80% of wireless services occur indoors inside buildings, and this figure is set to increase to more than 90% once 5G mobile technology is commercially launched in the next few years. Therefore, indoor mobile networks in the 5G era are vital and will become one of the core competitions for operators.With the advent of the 5G era, there will be various service applications, such as VR, IoT and telemedicine, which will emerge. To meet the requirements of optimal user experience, efficient O&M and intelligent operation, a digital indoor network must be constructed in the 5G era.

I

nnovative digital indoor solutions are slowly becoming the mainstream, mainly because traditional indoor distribution systems cannot easily evolve to newer technologies such as 5G, and they cannot comply with the demands, trends and best user experiences.

The assurance of flexible scalable deployments through digitalization of indoor coverage is the best way towards 5G and the key to successful business feasibilities with faster investment returns.

Digitalization of indoor coverage can support more services, give faster speed rate experience, better evolution, lower end to end cost and easier network capacity expansion. A “multiple, fast, good, cost-saving and easy� indoor coverage digital network helps operators cope effectively with the growing service and speed rate experience demand in the 5G era.

More services Indoor coverage digital solution can provide cloud VR, smart healthcare and high precision indoor positioning services opening new revenue streams for telcos. It supports functions such as indoor navigation, customer traffic

monitoring, personnel and asset management, and remote maintenance to expand service boundaries.

Faster experience This supports more flexible multi-carrier aggregation, distributed MIMO and other innovative technologies to achieve optimal indoor xGbps user experience.

Better evolution The indoor coverage digital solution can evolve to 5G without changing the network architecture and planning (no increase in the number of head-end points).

More cost-effective E2E visualized O&M reduces OPEX, implements intelligent optimization and automatically adjusts capacity. Precise energy efficiency management also implements intelligent power saving.

Thus, improving O&M efficiency and reducing long-term OPEX. Easy capacity expansion The indoor coverage digital solution has the capability of quickly splitting cells.

Through software expansion, the project is simple and the construction time is short, which can effectively protect the investment. With the rapid growth of capacity, the cost advantage of the

indoor coverage digital solution will be more prominent.

In the 5G era, indoor networks will become the high value core of mobile networks. We at Huawei believe that the industry is evolving from the distributed antenna system, commonly known as (DAS), to the era of digital indoor solution (DIS). Digitalization of indoor coverage will become the inevitable direction for industry development.

Huawei has been engaged in indoor network consulting, scenario-based solutions, digital products and integration, and the industry ecosystem all the while having established a wide range of capabilities, accumulated rich experience and leading the indoor digital industry process.

In the next five years, Huawei will continue to invest in digital business solutions for indoor coverage, deepen cooperation with carriers and industry partners, explore new business models, continually build the next era of (DIS) ecosystem, and jointly with our customers create an optimized digital age of 5G indoor coverage which is both efficient and rewarding.

By An Jian, president of Carrier Business Group, Huawei Middle East Region

INDUSTRY CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION 2018

BECOME A PART OF

THE 5G FUTURE!

6 - 8 NOVEMBER 2018 JW Marriott Parq, Vancouver, Canada

NGMN is thrilled to announce the 7th NGMN Industry Conference & Exhibition that will bring together executives, influencers, industry transformers and tech stars from across the globe, providing attendees with a fresh perspective on the future of mobile broadband.

The latest updates from NGMN will also make their international debut, following months of work on key 5G project areas.

Hear viewpoints, insights and the latest outlooks from leading industry players and thought leaders, including: Darren Entwistle, CEO at TELUS

The event will provide a unique networking platform in an outstanding conference and exhibition environment, bringing together key players from the entire mobile ecosystem. The exhibition will showcase world premier demonstrations of 5G systems and solutions from international NGMN partners.

Stephen Howe, CTO at Bell Mobility Karri Kuoppamaki, VP Technology Development and Strategy at T-Mobile US Emmanuel Lugagne-Delpon, SVP at Orange Labs Networks Luke Ibbetson, Head of R&D Technology at Vodafone Huang Yuhong, Deputy GM at China Mobile Research Institute Mikio Iwamura, Executive Research Engineer at NTT DOCOMO ‌and many more!

REGISTER TODAY! There’s no better time to secure your pass for the biggest 5G event of the year. Receive FULL ACCESS to the event, including the conference, exhibition and networking sessions. https://ice2018.ngmn.org/

SEPTEMBER 2018

OPINIONS

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Breaking world records with smarter connectivity

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y colleagues from around the world tuned in to what has been coined as the BBC iPlayer’s second most popular event. One CommScope employee admitted to live streaming from a sailing yacht during her holiday.

Now that’s dedication!

Streaming live: Watching 32 nations compete One of my favorite pastimes involves watching the FIFA World Cup, where 32 nations, including my personal favorite, Nigeria, bring their best footballers together every four years. Given this year’s unpredictable outcomes, the global event surpassed streaming records set during the 2014 Rio World Cup with fans across the Middle East and Africa also tuning in via the internet.

These types of spikes in online traffic are yet another reminder that broadcasters must ensure their network is speedy, reliable and consistent across all countries. In fact, 60% of 13 to 22 year olds will not use an app or a website if it’s too slow to load, according to ‘The Generation Z: Study of Tech Intimates,’ a survey which includes participants in eight major cities.

Some 77% of broadband fixed subscriptions globally are now served

The royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was the biggest day ever for BBC Online with audiences consuming 11.9 petabytes (equivalent to nearly 3 billion photos on a phone with a 12 megapixel camera) of data, peaking at 2.8 terabits per second when people saw their first glimpse of the bride’s dress. by either fiber or cable networks, according to research by Point Topic. The ubiquitous need for bandwidth in our internet-centric world has driven landline networks and wireless networks toward converging.

Real world example: SIRO One European electrical utility recognizes the digital economy as a key pillar of future growth and competiveness on the world stage. This company sees the internet as a utility - building and owning an open access fiber to the home (FTTH) infrastructure and leasing it to partners, who in turn, offer retail internet and other services to subscribers.

SIRO is the only network in Ireland that uses the existing electricity network to provide fiber broadband to homes and business, enabling speeds of 1 gigabit per second. As the company rolled out its network, they faced the challenge of building fiber to the home (FTTH) on top of a live electrical distribution system. SIRO teamed with CommScope, to provide industry expertise and hardened connectivity products, which reduced costs and protected against the elements.

When speaking to network operators, they know the demand for performance will continue, from bandwidth to batteries, across every technological dimension.

A brighter future is built on smarter networks – that’s why SIRO is using light

powered gigabit broadband for homes and businesses across 50 towns all over Ireland.

Shaping smarter connectivity Convergence is improving the ROI of FTTH. As consumer demand for data increases, network operators must increase wireless capacity. The use of multiple communication modes on a single network offers convenience and flexibility that are not possible with separate infrastructures. Networks can and will merge into one, saving operator operating expenses (OpEx) and capital expenditures (CapEx) as equipment requirements also become identical.

According to IDC, fiber connectivity is fast evolving as the fixed broadband solution for most households due to increased demand for online content in South Africa. As service providers aim to increase fiber uptake, they will need to ensure they have the connectivity solutions to meet tomorrow’s network needs.

In support of operators in Africa and across the globe, CommScope will demonstrate its latest offerings at the FTTX Council Africa Conference. Come join the conversation and visit us at stand G02, Durban, September 10-12, 2018.

By Femi Oshiga, VP Sales, Service Providers, MEA, CommScope

SEPTEMBER 2018

OPINIONS

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n this new world, a new position is emerging: the chief digital officer (CDO).

This role epitomizes the digital transformation of the company. Its actual existence in organizations remains limited and often this function is implicitly fulfilled by the CIO. Two questions thus naturally arise: • To what extent can the CIO fulfil the role of CDO? • What is at stake for the survival of an IT department when organizations are in the midst of digital change, thus increasing the risk of the development of “shadow IT”?

IT departments are often severely criticized for their lack of collaboration with business departments, for the information system’s lack of agility and its high operating costs. So how should an IT department help with the impacts of the digital transformation that is occurring in a more complex, transversal, open and connected model, one that demands agility and collaboration?

How to become a CIO that drives his company’s digital transformation Digital technology has been booming in recent years and is at the heart of a new era that is changing the traditional socio-economic models of business and government. There is general agreement that the digital revolution is a tremendous opportunity for state development and business growth. However, this transformation cannot take place without a profound change in organizations, processes and working methods. It requires judicious technological choices.

The findings of the Gartner 2018 CIO Agenda reveal that 95% of CIOs believe that their business is or will be impacted by the rapid growth of digital.

The main challenge is to reinvent the IT department’s mission so that it becomes a force that embodies and drives this digital transformation in partnership with the different business departments.

From our point of view, the CIO is an excellent candidate for the position of CDO because he occupies a privileged position in the company because of their already transversal role (collaborating with the business departments and support staff), due to his greater familiarity with technological issues and because he is part of the executive committee and sometimes sits on the board of directors.

Key factors for the CIO’s success in carrying out the work of CDO Through the numerous projects we have carried out, as well as discussions with the various departments, IT departments, technical leaders,

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publishers and solution integrators, we have identified the key success factors that ensure that a CIO is a real catalyst in the digital transformation of their company: 1. End to end agility One of the first key factors for the success of the digital transformation of companies is the adoption of the agile model for optimizing the TTM (time to market) and thus outpacing the competition.

A study conducted by ESG (How IT Transformation Maturity drives IT Agility, Innovation and Improved Business Outcomes, ESG, April 2017) shows that digital companies have a greater ability to complete IT projects ahead of schedule than traditional companies. A digital company with dozens, if not hundreds, of IT projects in a calendar year can complete three times as many projects ahead of schedule than a traditional company with a comparable number of projects.

The impact is significant both in terms of profitability and in terms of efficiency and capitalization.

The agile model is becoming essential when it comes to organization, working with the business divisions as well as for building cross-functional teams.

It involves replacing an approach to projects marked by the “tunnel effect” with one that involves dividing them into short cycles (on average 1 to 3 months) corresponding to the specific requirements of each business. This segmentation makes it possible to create interruptible stages allowing new developments to be quickly taken into account and giving the IT department the ability to say “yes” to potential requests for changes to the initial roadmap.

2. IT strategy alignment A recent study by KMPG (Portrait-Robot du DSI, étude KPMG, July 2018) shows that more than half of companies (55%) consider that their IT strategy is not aligned with their business strategy.

While traditional businesses may have managed to survive in the past despite this discrepancy, there is a risk that they will no longer be able to do so in the future.

OPINIONS Establishing a clear vision of the targeted IT that is consistent with the business strategy is a crucial condition for achieving sustainable digital transformation. Such a vision is clearly an invaluable competitive advantage for the development of the company.

Enterprise architecture standards enable the development of target architectures that correspond to business strategy. A target provides direction and needs to be updated as projects, new priorities and technological advances unfold, and whenever there are changes in business strategy.

The art of the CIO lies in hitting a moving target, with only one thing remaining constant: ensuring optimal alignment with the business. Defining an IT master plan and identifying the steps needed to translate business needs into technical deliverables is the only way to ensure this alignment.

Unfortunately, we are still seeing a gap between the stages of data collection in terms of business needs, the drafting of specifications, the selection of suppliers and integrators as well as in the stages of project implementation. Because of lack of resources, when the implementation project starts, the original specifications are departed from in order to allow the integrator to implement the standard functions of their solution, sometimes without taking into account all the specifications particular to the company.

This is where the misalignment between IT and business begins. This alignment cannot be perfect, but any discrepancies must be carefully studied, evaluated and traced in order to assess their impacts and reduce them over time.

3. User experience development In order for an IT department to play a role in digital transformation, it is important for it to free itself from recurring activities that have little added value for the business departments.

The industrialization of recurring tasks is already well underway and ITIL recommendations concerning change management are often well implemented. However, there is still little consideration of the needs of the different businesses when choosing IT technologies and tools.

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Today, many IT departments are reluctant to move to the cloud, yet cloud providers can respond more quickly to business needs than their own CIOs. The IT department can take advantage of these new technologies and work on solutions to address security, performance and other risks.

To save time, IT departments would do well to increase the number of selfservice functions via a dedicated portal and to involve the various businesses in the design of the IT services catalogue – including the use by employees of their personal terminals – and finally to approach “user experience” in the same way as they do customer experience.

4. Promoting teamwork and developing creativity and innovation “Individually, we are a drop of water.

Together, we are an ocean,” says Ryunosuke Satoro.

Several companies have already established co-working spaces with input from their employees, have developed collaborative tools to encourage multi-site sharing and interaction, have created communities around specific interests and themes, have developed MOOCs for employee training, have proposed suggestion boxes to harness creative energy, and have expanded initiatives that enhance the company’s intelligence.

It is essential for CIOs to engage in dialogue with all departments and to guarantee the orchestration and introduction of all the tools that encourage innovation and collaboration, including for their own benefit by enabling the development of POCs. As you can see, for an IT department to survive in this digital war, it is no longer enough to simply respond to requests; instead, it is essential to surprise, anticipate and take the lead.

Agility, building an IT system that is in line with the business strategy, enhancing the user experience, anticipation and innovation: these are the keys to success for an IT department that embodies its company’s digital transformation.

By Samia Bendali-Amor, IT consulting manager, Sofrecom Group

SEPTEMBER 2018

INTERVIEW

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F

rom your point of view, what are the main trends currently shaping our industry?

5G is seen as a game changer with rich potential, an evolution that would elevate services, performance and enablement. The 5G service availability provides high data rates with ultra-low latency, which will far exceed the current 4G. The high capacity in 5G will provide unlimited access to all kinds of applications and services.

Etisalat was the first telecom operator to successfully launch the first 5G ultra-mobile broadband experience in the region, and Expo 2020 Dubai became the first 5G major commercial customer in MEASA. Such an implementation is a declaration of a new era of digital connectivity, and an acknowledgement of 5G’s rich anticipated potential. It is in line with UAE’s digital aspiration/vision, market trends and Etisalat’s long-term strategy.

High bandwidth requirement applications can be enabled over the 5G network, like virtual-reality use cases enabling consumers to enjoy real-time up to 8K live streaming.

Etisalat striving to meet big data traffic growth Etisalat has been deploying tireless efforts to meet the growth in capacity demand, according to Ali Amiri, group chief carrier & wholesale officer, Etisalat. In an exclusive interview with Telecom Review, Amiri highlighted the main trends shaping the telecoms industry and explained Etisalat’s strategy as to each one of them.

In addition, he tackled the operator’s plans to meet the growing demand for data and the factors allowing to successfully enable global connectivity.

Most of the major telcos in the region and globally are also getting ready to launch their 5G network and services, laying the foundation for the implementation of futuristic technologies in the enterprise and consumer sector. For the enterprise sector, Etisalat is mainly focusing on IoT opportunities for 5G and will work closely with various verticals, including smart health, security, financial and transportation. While for the consumer sector, Etisalat will be reviewing the evolution of a number of opportunity areas, including: AR/VR gaming, 4K streaming, smart homes, high quality content downloading, etc.

On the other hand, operators will have to gear up in supporting multiple IoT applications, each with their specifications in terms of network quality, latency and technology. There will be billions of devices connected

SEPTEMBER 2018

resulting in not only new reality which will affect our day to day lives, but also the network, services and technologies necessary to support it.

Many of these applications will require connectivity levels well above 10G or 100G offering scalable bandwidth.

But more importantly, all these applications will also require low latency to enable a high quality of experience. Obviously, an underlying trend is the digitalization of customer experience through the adoption of self-care portals which includes realtime service provisioning. Such a move is being enabled by the virtualization of network functions leveraging the cloud instead of the legacy distributed networks.

In addition, operators are experiencing co-existence with mega-OTTs who are serving billions of people around the world irrelevant of borders. This is creating a new reality that telcos and OTTs should be working hand-in-hand

Etisalat was the first telecom operator to successfully launch the first 5G ultra-mobile broadband experience in the region

INTERVIEW for the benefit of customers.

The exponential growth in data and content demand, which increasingly resides on local clouds, translates to the need for hyper-connected pipes locally between the data centers and internationally to push the common content to the global audience.

Consequently, we are seeing a significant shift and content providers are becoming increasingly more critical to the connectivity ecosystem than ever before. They have billions to invest in network capacity; infrastructure and operators are actively engaging to help meet their requirements and build the digital future for the industry.

Content providers are driving the vast majority of data traffic around the globe. The objective is to ensure that the connectivity ecosystem can serve customers cost-effectively and with high quality of experience. This implies influencing where their content is located and how the data centers hosting it are inter-connected with the rest of the world. For content providers competing to offer the best quality of experience to all customers, they have to make sure that their users have continuous connectivity.

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The objective is to ensure that the connectivity ecosystem can serve customers cost-effectively and with high quality of experience

How do you plan to handle big data growth?

Our carrier & wholesale team works closely with the industry to understand the change in capacity requirements and look for opportunities across our operations in 16 countries in the Middle East, Asia and Africa to the rest of the world.

part of this overall strategy. We also continue to collaborate with major global content companies giving them an opportunity to enter the UAE market to be closer to a large number of customers in the region.

The SmartHub today hosts major CDN players and is in partnership with cloud and content providers by hosting their network nodes at the hub.

Recently, Starzplay joined the SmartHub to better serve their customers in the Middle East through our SmartHub Internet Exchange (SH-IX) or IP-Transit Service (EMIX).

On a regional level, we have also added GCC-based Infonas in the hub to enable them to connect to their carrier partners hosted on the same platform. The advantage that this platform offers is the ability to access all services and connect with other industry players.

Etisalat’s recent investment in cables namely AAE-1 and BBG are

Etisalat also participates in regular upgrades of various consortium cables

Some major OTT players have entered the submarine cable market over the last few years which made them key stakeholders in the global connectivity ecosystem. The main driver behind this move is to secure the growing capacity needs at the lowest possible cost by striking the right partnerships with carriers, with industry stakeholders or building their own cable systems.

SEPTEMBER 2018

Our investment in infrastructure continues to ensure that we are able to meet the traffic growth

in order to meet the growth in capacity demand and to avoid any potential black out from cable outages.

We are in discussion with other telecom operators about building new connectivity to support our global operations. This plan will also ensure that we can support other carriers in meeting their increasing capacity demand as quickly as possible.

Our investment in infrastructure continues to ensure that we are able to meet the traffic growth generated by the rapid adoption of big data applications. Therefore, we are engaged in discussions with a number of cable systems to meet this growing demand in capacity.

What is driving the requirement for more international cable capacity?

Global international traffic is dominated by data, with voice only accounting for approximately 0.05% of all traffic. Video, gaming and real-time entertainment are generating huge internet traffic, which is driving demand for international capacity to new levels. In the near future, we expect IoT to create additional traffic and further contribute to the growth of capacity demand.

INTERVIEW While bandwidth used for the public internet has accounted for majority of international bandwidth usage for well over a decade, a significant shift is now underway.

Internet traffic continues to grow with capacity on private networks (led by the major content providers) growing more quickly and expected to exceed internet traffic in the near future. As a result, the feasibility of new submarine cables depends on the datacenter locations of the major content providers.

As capacity requirements increase for the customer, there is even higher need for diversity, specifically to address simultaneous cable outages in order not to impact the quality of service.

What are the key success factors in enabling global connectivity?

In the consumer business, voice and data services are increasingly becoming part of bundles with unlimited voice, messaging and pre-defined amounts of data. This explosion of data usage is providing revenue opportunities for operators.

Today, it is relevant to provide price competitiveness for connectivity by owning delivery networks. Content providers are collaborating with telcos to capitalize on this opportunity, the robust infrastructure and global network.

This cost-efficiency is essential as it plays an important role in making future sustainable investments in cable systems.

On the customer front, the time of service delivery and the availability of bandwidth are critical. As we move into the future, bandwidth on demand services will change the dynamics of using data services and the pricing models. On top of that near real-time service delivery time will become the norm.

Etisalat has maintained a diverse and effective business model, offering added value to our customers to meet and exceed their expectations by launching a variety of innovative offers

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and services in the UAE. Customer experience has seen revolutionary changes using innovative digital platforms to interact and enhance the overall engagement while continually creating new innovative products and offerings to meet their changing needs and requirements.

We have expanded our network of smart stores in the UAE, a new achievement that supports our continued efforts to provide a unique digital experience with high levels of efficiency and flexibility. Etisalat’s smart stores aim to deliver advanced technologies and high levels of quality and speed in customer service. We aim to improve the overall customer experience by providing data packages and competitive prices to give them the best value. These products and services aim to meet the dynamic changing requirements of our customers in the best possible manner.

In the near future, we expect IoT to create additional traffic and further contribute to the growth of capacity demand

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INTERVIEW

Ja-Square: Operators’ trusted IoT partner

Creating accessible technology for everyone is JaSquare’s mission, according to the company’s CEO, Saad Al Jamal. The France-based company entered the Lebanese market five years ago and has been able to revolutionize the technology sector with its cutting-edge solutions.

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n an exclusive interview with Telecom Review, Saad Al Jamal explained how the company helps Lebanese operators and internet service providers (ISPs) improve their network quality and performance, bearing in mind one goal: customer satisfaction.

From security to smart home solutions, Ja-Square offers a wide portfolio of smart solutions capable of catering to client needs, with a special focus on accessible technology which allows people with visual, hearing or speech difficulties to use technology.

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INTERVIEW security solutions, smart city solutions, site monitoring solutions, smart metering systems, video on demand services, GSM repeater solutions and many more.

We tend to focus on solutions that best facilitate user experience

First of all, can you give us an overview of the services and solutions that Ja-Square offers?

Ja-Square is highly involved in the telecommunications industry and offers a wide range of products and solutions. We tend to focus on solutions that best facilitate user experience and provide connectivity equally and fairly to all geographical areas.

At Ja-Square, we strive to update and develop our products and services.

Our highly qualified professional team focuses on quality and ease while improving our products and services.

This is done so that services can be handled by people of all ages and abilities, thus promoting a smarter, easier, healthier and eco-friendlier lifestyle. We offer an unconventional, contemporary approach to manage your world - from your own place just by using your smart device.

In summary, the products and services include smart home and

Why does Ja-Square focus on accessible technology?

We mainly focus on accessible technology that assists people to use technologies that facilitate day to day activities and ease concerns. Accessible technology enables individuals to personalize technology that will help them see and hear better, and is easy to use. Accessibility and accessible technology helps individuals with visual difficulties, pain in their hands or arms, hearing loss, and speech or cognitive challenges. Services cater to individuals who are seeking to customize their telecom experience to meet their situational needs and preferences.

Which services and solutions have had the greatest success and why?

So far, the site monitoring solution has had the greatest success with the operator Alfa, and will soon be implemented with touch and Ogero. It allows for ease of monitoring, as well as controlling and troubleshooting the operators’ sites remotely, and has also heavily reduced the theft of batteries and other small components.

This solution allows you to track the performance of every installed device on-site, alerts you to suspicious activity, as well as receive detailed management reports - at your fingertips. The solution benefits telecom operators by reducing costs for services and the time required to access every site, in addition to providing better control of the equipment.

How does the company contribute to creating a smarter and greener lifestyle?

At the company, we develop smart metering solutions, in addition to efficient backup batteries for our monitoring solutions. This results in reduced energy consumption and in extensive metering analysis in order

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to always keep track of where we can reduce energy and resource losses.

We focus on providing easier, healthier and greener lifestyles through our solutions for both personal and business implementations. In addition, our home automation solution provides smart and eco-friendly features that reduce water loss by monitoring water leaks, and save energy by controlling the temperature and humidity inside your home.

Our smoke detector solution is also purely wireless, as is the rest of our solution, and enables early detection of potential fire.

Accessibility is easy via apps users can install on their phones, allowing them to monitor activities in their home. Eco-friendly communication is thus encouraged and created by using this contemporary technology and energy-saving solutions which promote a healthier and more flexible

The site monitoring solution has had the greatest success

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society. Energy is not depleted and future generations are provided with an efficient community that nourishes their capabilities through a technologically advanced infrastructure which they can capitalize on.

We focus on providing easier, healthier and greener lifestyles through our solutions

What differentiates Ja-Square from its competitors in the MENA region and abroad?

Ja-Square achieves its competitive edge by constantly improving its product range and continuously researching and developing newer and smarter products and services in order to move ahead of its competitors.

At Ja-Square, our mission is to allow people and businesses throughout

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At Ja-Square, our mission is to allow people and businesses throughout the world to realize their full potential

the world to realize their full potential.

Being a France-based company, we provide European-based standards in the MENA region at a much lower price than our competitors, but with a higher quality. We can easily adapt our entire product range to fit the needs and requirements of any country in the MENA region in order to offer customized preferences.

We consider our mission statement a commitment to our customers.

We deliver on that commitment by striving to create technology that is accessible to persons of all ages and abilities. Ja-Square is one of the industry leaders in accessibility innovation and building products which are safer and easier to use through mobile network operators and internet service providers.

Focusing on rural areas and remote locations, we can provide connectivity to various locations that were lacking, and technologies that can improve lifestyles and economies.

Ja-Square is assisting Lebanese operators with a large range of smart and IoT solutions. Can you elaborate?

As I have mentioned, Ja-Square is currently providing the site monitoring solutions and home automation and security solutions for Alfa, and soon will be providing the same solutions for touch and Ogero. We are also in the process of providing a video on demand service for both Alfa and touch, in addition to providing a DDOS mitigation and solution to Ogero.

As you can see, we focus on products and services that provide entertainment for end users, on one side. On the other side, we focus on ensuring operators provide quality service by implementing security products that protect the Lebanese network from attacks that may originate either externally or internally.

Finally, regarding the site monitoring products, we believe that this solution enhances the efficiency of the operators, which is reflected into more

savings and higher profitability, and also reflects positively on the Ministry of Telecommunication’s overall revenue.

How do you position the company in the MENA region?

In the MENA region, Ja-Square Lebanon is rather new and has been around for only close to five years.

However, we have been able to position ourselves as a top competitor for new technologies and solutions. This, of course, is backed by the mother company in France and the huge research and development team and engineers which are always ahead in terms of new technologies.

We provide state-of-the-art products and services that are new in the MENA area, which has made us a big player on the IoT front. We aim to continuously provide novel technologies that promote MENA’s economies, especially Arab countries, and put them back on the global map as leading players in technology and IoT.

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OPINIONS

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The path to growth for the Middle East telecom industry

In many ways, most telecom operators in the Middle East are in an enviable position compared with operators in other regions around the globe. Markets in the Middle East are not yet fully commoditized and many don’t face quite the level of cutthroat competition to be found elsewhere.

S

o now is the time for operators in the region to take advantage of their current situation and make the moves needed to improve their prospects for higher revenue growth and greater profitability.

To do so, they must develop stronger and more focused strategic identities and build deeper differentiating capabilities in support of their chosen identity.

That means they must avoid the unfocused strategies and scattered investment programs that have characterized the telecom industry elsewhere. The results of these efforts have been distinctly unimpressive.

Average revenue per user (ARPU) has declined dramatically in many markets.

The struggle to gain market share has become increasingly expensive, and futile and over-the-top (OTT) companies

with greater brand recognition continue to siphon off revenues from incumbent players.

The effects are all too obvious. Global telecom revenues declined by 1% on average per year from 2012 to 2017, while ARPU in developed markets fell by 5% on average per year over the same period, and total global shareholder return slid 9% on average per year. Middle East telecom operators have much to gain if they can focus their strategic choices, build stronger strategic identities and develop deeper, more differentiating capabilities. Getting it right, however, will require considerable vision on the part of operators’ board and executive leadership.

What do you want to be?

What do we mean by strategic identity?

And how should operators settle on an identity, and then effectively build the capabilities needed to bring that identity to market?

Here are two models illustrating how this might work. Each case depends on a careful assessment of how an operator’s current capabilities matched up with the current status and future direction of the markets it served, and then settling on a path that builds on those strengths to better differentiate themselves and capture emerging market needs.

1. BaseLink, the networking facilitator The first model stems from the very challenging telecom environment that all too many operators currently face rapidly increasing data traffic, increasing commoditization and declining ARPU in the core connectivity business. The strategic risk is that the company declines into a mere utility, supplying the “dumb pipes” over which other, more innovative over-the-top players send their data traffic. The solution: leverage its networking expertise to become a focused provider of the best possible connectivity and value-added network services.

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The BaseLink model depends on the willingness to cut costs and spin off non-essential assets in order to free up the funds needed to focus on further expanding and modernizing core networking operations, building and buying more fiber, accessing more spectrum and building out key 5G assets. Retail operations, including sales, distribution and support, should be pared back and brought mostly online, and automated, highly digitized business and technology operations should be built in their place through a greater focus on network planning and engineering.

Building the key networking capabilities underpinning this model involve moving to entirely software-based networking built on software-defined networking and network function virtualization. The level of networking flexibility inherent in this technology allows companies to offer a variable menu of networking-as-aservice (NaaS) options: top speed, high reliability, unlimited bandwidth, near realtime latency and high security.

Focusing on networking operations would allow companies pursuing this model to maintain and build on its core connectivity business while offering a variety of different services, including wholesale networking services and national roaming services to virtual network operators, and on-demand connectivity to providers of all kinds of cloud services. A further revenue stream could be developed by providing connectivity and customer experience capabilities to companies in a wide range of industries, such as media, healthcare and financial services.

The BaseLink model allows for considerable growth through participation in and enablement of the data-driven economy as a whole. Done right, we expect that over time, this model would boost both overall revenues and earnings. Most of the growth would come from the new NaaS offerings, while the efficiency gains would fall straight to the bottom line.

2. DigiLife, the data hub Our second model depends on an equally focused strategic identity, but goes in a very different direction. In this case, the trigger for the strategic reassessment lay

OPINIONS in an awareness of the rapidly growing importance of data - not just the sheer volume of data flowing over theinternet, but also change in the uses to which that data is being put, notably the internet of things, virtual and augmented reality, and new and more powerful smartphone apps.

At the same time, however, concerns are growing about privacy, security, and the widespread appropriation and misuse of personal data. Here, the idea is to build a strategic identity and commercial proposition around stronger protection of data in all its forms. As with the networking model, the DigiLife model requires the maintenance of the company’s core connectivity business and cutting costs in order to invest in the creation of a data hub that functions as a marketplace for the secure exchange of data between consumers and businesses. This would allow consumers to protect and even profit from their own personal data, while giving businesses the opportunity to buy and use consumer data under more carefully controlled conditions.

Building the data hub requires four key areas of expertise: security, privacy and digital identity management; process automation and predictive analytics; data processing and access; and data exchange and monetization. It depends on two further elements: a large-scale cloud infrastructure where the data would be stored and managed, and the software for managing and exchanging personal identity data and ensuring its security This requires a multi-layered data management infrastructure. The processing layer performs basic data protection and encryption services, and maintains utilities needed to combine and analyze the data. The access layer serves two functions. It enables consumers to manage their data, revise their privacy settings and grant access to business users from a central source, rather than setting the terms for every one of their devices and each website they visit, and it makes the data available businesses authorized to use it. The third, most critical stage is the exchange layer which provides the means to trade data on the terms set by individual consumers, and even to commercialize their data by

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allowing for micropayments whenever specific companies used their data.

The data hub model can enable the effective monetization of data through a variety of services. Digital identity and authentication services can be sold directly to consumers, and could be extended to providing greater control over consumers’ credit and healthcare profiles. Access to consumers’ data could be sold to businesses both directly and in aggregate, which could then be used as a basis for marketing and other data analytics functions. Finally, access to consumer data could be customized for particular industries, such as financial services and healthcare, further ensuring the security and value of the data.

The cost and effort involved in building the DigiLife model will likely cause some financial pain. But eventually, we believe the new data-driven services could almost double overall revenues and account for more than 40 percent of earnings.

Are you building the right capabilities fast enough?

Both of the models described above avoid the pitfalls of trying to be all things to all people - creating multiple strategic identities backed up with scattered investments across multiple verticals or adjacencies. Instead, they depend on a recognition that an operator’s success depends on the reassessment of strategic identity in light of specific market conditions, and then building the deep, differentiating capabilities needed to execute that strategy.

Telecom operators in the Middle East are in a strong position to use their competitive position and access to capital to devise more focused strategic identities, and to carry them out. Yet most continue to cast a wide net in the strategic bets they are making and investments they are allocating. To preserve and increase value and reverse current performance trends, they must make sharper choices and build deeper enabling capabilities.

By Bahjat El-Darwiche, Chady Smayra, partners, and Charly Nakhoul, principal, with Strategy& Middle East (formerly Booz & Company), part of the PwC network

SEPTEMBER 2018

ICT FEATURE

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Fiber deployments on the rise in MENA region As the demand on data is exponentially growing, the importance of fiber has grown even more. Its positive outcomes are centered on the improvement of services, connectivity and living conditions, in addition to providing more access to information for more people and businesses. Its ultimate advantage is its ability to transfer vast amounts of data at the local and global levels.

F

iber deployment visions and plans are seeing the light today in the MENA region as more telcos are investing in fiber technologies.

The UAE remains in the lead According to the leading industry body FTTH Council, the UAE is ranked number one for the highest fiber to the home (FTTH) penetration among all

SEPTEMBER 2018

its global counterparts for a second year in a row. The council published its annual report recently that highlighted the UAE with a coverage of 94.3% compared to countries such as Singapore (90.3%), South Korea (81.6%), Hong Kong (75.6%) and Japan (69.1%).

Following this announcement, Saleh Al Abdooli, CEO, Etisalat Group, said the achievement was “only possible due to the continuous support and vision of the leadership of UAE in the development and modernization of the infrastructure.” He added, “Etisalat invested more than AED 31 billion in the network infrastructure. This has led to the launch of innovative services meeting the growing demand and changing requirements of our customers across the country.”

“Our network is a backbone to our long-term strategy as a company to enable and drive digital transformation across our network. Today’s announcement signifies that we have maintained consistent leadership globally in FTTH penetration setting a benchmark in the global telecom industry,” he said.

The UAE was ranked number 1 thanks to the role of Etisalat which is providing a significant amount of this coverage and as part of its commitment, the service provider is continuously enhancing this network connectivity.

Etisalat is working closely with R&M currently to upgrade and extend its FTTH network with the innovative SYNO dome closure solution from R&M. This undertaking enables Etisalat to have one of the first ‘patchfree’ connectivity solutions in the region, which translates to a resilient, tamper-proof network that increases the reliability and uptime of crucial connectivity services for both home and business users.

Prior to the upgrade, Etisalat utilized above ground fiber cabinets, which required maintenance every two weeks. Not only was this cumbersome, but it also added the risk of disruption of services due to unintentional

ICT FEATURE disconnection of fiber cables. The harsh conditions in the Middle East also meant that contamination and corrosion were both common challenges the service provider faced.

Currently, the telco now employs a ‘set and forget’ approach as the SYNO Dome’s gel cold seals conform to IP68, the industry’s highest ingress protection ratings, and require no maintenance. At the same time, the modular nature of the cabinet allows technicians to make modifications to the connections very easily and with minimal risk to services of other customers.

Etisalat received round-the-clock support and extended comprehensive trainings to not just their staff, but partners and technology providers as well. All of this has allowed the UAE to lead the world with innovative futureready projects.

“We are proud to be a part of the FTTH projects that are shaping the future of the Middle East. Our commitment to service providers such as Etisalat is that we will continue to introduce world-class solutions and industry best practices to support their ambitions,” said Nabil Khalil, executive vice president, R&M Middle East, Turkey and Africa at R&M Middle East, Turkey and Africa.

The KSA commits to FTTH deployment In KSA, the National Transformation Plan 2020 aspires to spread the FTTH in 90% of the dense and urban areas by the year 2020.

Saudi Telecom Company (STC) has making great strides in the field of fiber deployment, mainly with the help of its partner, Corning Incorporated.

Earlier this year, STC and US industrial materials manufacturer, Corning Incorporated, announced that Corning will supply and share its FTTH optical solutions with STC, as an enabler to the STC national network for highspeed connectivity and fiber to the home (FTTH) applications.

“STC enjoys a strong reputation as an innovator in the Middle East,” said Clark Kinlin, executive vice president

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of Corning Optical Communications.

“It established itself as a leader in advanced broadband technologies such as FTTH. Corning shares STC’s commitment and vision for innovation, and together, we will leverage our engineering capabilities, experience and solutions to build the KSA national network to the highest possible standard. We are honored to make the investment necessary to extend our partnership with STC.” The arrangement builds on the existing strategic relationship between STC and Corning, which has already supplied more than 1.5 million kilometers of optical fiber in STC’s KSA network.

As part of this strategic relationship, the two companies will also develop a program to provide advanced technical training to STC fiber engineers and technicians.

“STC is building the largest fiber network in the history of the Kingdom,” said Eng. Nasser Al Nasser, STC CEO

The UAE is ranked number one for the highest fiber to the home (FTTH) penetration among all its global counterparts

SEPTEMBER 2018

ICT FEATURE

(who was the company’s COO when the partnership was announced). “I am delighted to see us strike such an initiative with Corning, which will help meeting STC’s strategic goals for digital Services, and will align with the objectives of the National Transformation Program (NTP 2020) and Vision 2030. Corning is a pioneer in fiber optics solutions and FTTH, and we are excited to build such an extended strategic relationship with one of the most progressive and internationally renowned companies.”

Outside Plant (OSP) implementation and management in all regions of Saudi Arabia for the next 3.5 years and to provide planning, design and supervision expertise and knowledge transfer to ITC employees.

On the other hand, Integrated Telecom Company (ITC), the leading information and communications technology company in Saudi Arabia and Sofrecom, an Orange Group subsidiary, signed an agreement to lead the

ITC is initiating site supervision for the development of the OSP infrastructure project that is in-line with the Saudi Vision 2030. It has announced a major expansion plan for its FTTH broadband network in various cities. The company

Signing this agreement comes as a step toward ITC’s commitment to the agreed plan with the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) for rolling out high speed fiber optic broadband internet in Saudi Arabia.

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is interested to acquire the services for site supervisions and project management for OSP implementation.

Leveraging its deep expertise in broadband internet technology, Sofrecom, part of the Orange Group, will partner to help ITC in the planning and design of the new FTTx network as well as supervise the implementation supervision covering 640,000 households.

Ghassan Itani, ITC CEO, said: “This will help us empower the digital Saudi generation under Saudi Vision 2030 and the National Transformation Plan 2020.

ITC will continue its journey to develop the infrastructure in fiber broadband to urban and dense area across the Kingdom.”

SEPTEMBER 2018

“We aim to offer the best of our expertise to build a more connected world,” notes Guillaume Boudin, Group Sofrecom’s CEO. “Very high broadband is key to support new digital services.

This new agreement between ITC and Sofrecom demonstrates once again our reference position on VHB, and fulfills our aspiration to support the digital transformation of our customers.”

Lebanon launches FTTH project Lebanon is also getting ready to deploy fiber by improving its infrastructure and undertaking several pertinent projects and initiatives launched mainly by Ogero in cooperation with the Ministry of Telecommunications. In fact, the initiation of an exhaustive fiber optic project across all Lebanese territories was announced after state-owned telecom company Ogero awarded tenders, which were launched in 2017, to three international companies tasked with linking end users to their central offices. Lebanon’s outdated copper wire infrastructure will be replaced with fiber optic cables in an effort to boost the country’s sluggish internet speeds.

The launch of the fiber optic project in Lebanon followed the reveal, earlier this year, of Ogero’s new plan that aims at improving network quality and infrastructure, launching the FTTH project and improving internet quality and speed across all Lebanese territory, in an attempt to be in conformity with international standards.

“The fiber optics project is a significant leap towards the digital economy. It will reinforce Lebanon’s position on the worldwide digital map. In fact, it is the first infrastructure project of this size since 2004. This project will undoubtedly bring us on par with industrialized countries in terms of internet speed,” said Hisham Itani, chairman and CEO of Resource Group Holding.

Last May, Serta started with the first deployment phase of the fiber optic project. The first active cabinet served by fiber optics (FTTC) was launched in Bchamoun. On this occasion, Ogero announced that this upgrade would allow subscribers to boast of speeds of at least 50 Mbps in case the subscriber switched to the new VDSL modem.

ICT FEATURE Implementing the FTTx project will take almost 30 months and will be the first step towards deploying fiber in every single home or building in Lebanon.

A fiber network from Cape Town to Cairo Egypt has been very active lately when it comes to fiber deployment. Leading pan-African telecoms group, Liquid Telecom, and Telecom Egypt, Egypt’s first integrated telecom operator, announced at the 2018 Annual Meetings of the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) that will enable Liquid Telecom to shortly complete Africa’s terrestrial fiber network stretching all the way from Cape Town, South Africa, to Cairo, Egypt.

Under the MoU, Liquid Telecom will link its network from Sudan into Telecom Egypt’s network via a new cross border interconnection – bringing together a 60,000 km network that runs from Cape Town, through all the Southern, Central and Eastern African countries, and has now reached the border between Sudan and Egypt. The Cape to Cairo network - often referred to as “the One Africa” broadband network - has been in the making for over 10 years and serves some of the largest global companies with some of the fastest network speeds on the continent.

Commenting on the announcement, Ahmed El Beheiry, Telecom Egypt’s managing director and chief executive officer, said, “This MoU is a great step in our strategy to penetrate the African market and avail Telecom Egypt’s most advanced technology and global infrastructure services to customers across Africa. We look forward to working alongside Liquid Telecom to develop new network services and products that will help stimulate intraregional trade.”

Strive Masiyiwa, founder and executive chairman of Econet, said, “Completing our vision of building a single network running on land, all the way from Cape to Cairo, is a historic moment for the company and for a more connected Africa. This network not only represents a remarkable engineering

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achievement that has overcome some of the most challenging distances and terrains on the continent, but it is also supporting the rise of Africa’s digital economies.”

Masiyiwa also observed, “Wherever the One Africa network has been completed we have seen dramatic increase of data traffic between nations connected to it. We expect to see a lot of traffic between Egypt and the rest of Africa. Where there is improved communications, improved trade follows as well. We need to see more trade between African countries.”

As part of the strategic partnership, Liquid Telecom and Telecom Egypt will share network infrastructure and explore further areas of collaboration, including joint network services, a peering arrangement and a voice interconnection agreement.

In KSA, the National Transformation Plan 2020 aspires to spread the FTTH in 90% of the dense and urban areas by the year 2020

SEPTEMBER 2018

INTERVIEW

The rapid pace of technological innovation is creating millions of new jobs - Eng. Nasser bin Hamad Telecom Review managed to secure an exclusive interview with engineer doctoral candidate Nasser Bin Hamad, the current head of the Space Strategic Partnership and International Cooperation at UAE Space Agency, and the former director of International Affairs at Telecommunications Regulatory Authority.

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SEPTEMBER 2018

B

in Hamad has enjoyed a distinguished and decorated career in the telecommunications industry for more than 17 years, and is highly skilled in the industry verticals of wireless technologies, management, strategic planning, telecommunications, radio regulations, space and strategy.

The high profile executive transitioned away from the telecommunications industry last year to assume his new role at the UAE Space Agency.

In a detailed, fascinating and forthright interview, Bin Hamad discusses his historic election to the International Telecommunication Union ( ITU) Radio Regulations Board in 2014, the role played by ICT and telecommunications in advancing international relations between UAE and ITU Member States, the impact emerging technologies such as 5G, smart city, smart learning and AI will have on the transformation of people’s lives - and highlights the ambitious and innovative program the UAE Space Agency will embark upon in the next few years as part of its efforts to embody the UAE Vision 2021.

You were the first Emirati to be elected to the ITU Radio Regulations Board (RRB) in 2014. Can you tell us what this meant to you to be elected to this prestigious global board, and can you outline to us in detail what the primary function of the Radio Regulations Board is within the ITU? First of all, I would like to mention that the election of RRB is considered one of the key events during the ITU Plenipotentiary Conferences, which is the supreme body of the Union held every four years. The BRB, which is one of the most important bodies at the ITU, consists of 12 members worldwide, who perform their duties independently with a main mandate and responsibility to remove any conflicts that may arise between Member States on radio matters in general and interference cases in specific on radio wireless and satellite networks.

It also provides advice to the radiocommunication conferences and to

INTERVIEW the radio-communication assemblies and considers special requests by administrations on decisions made by the Radio-Communication Bureau regarding frequency assignments and interference cases, force majeure scenarios, extension of regulatory time frame for bringing into use of satellite networks, cancellation of frequency assignments, etc.

My country won for the first time the membership of the ITU Radio Regulations Board which meant a lot to me, specifically adding another milestone for the UAE in its history with ITU. Indeed, I was extremely honored to become the first representative from the GCC and also the youngest member entering this prestigious board in the history of ITU to win this position.

Twenty candidates representing different regions competed for 12 seats constituting the entire board, while six candidates representing the Asia region competed on three seats reserved for this region.

The UAE received 108 votes out of 167, thus achieving the second highest number of votes after the Japanese candidate who won 136 votes, reflecting the profound trust and confidence given by Asian states for the UAE candidature.

This victory is a great testament to the great efforts of the TRA team and higher management in establishing and strengthening relationships with ICT ministries and authorities in the Asian countries. And, in here, I wish to extend my thanks and appreciation to those who supported my candidate file being from my international team at the TRA, UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and international Cooperation MOFIC, UAE missions in Geneva and New York, and last, but not least, to my Arab Regional Group who have given me all the trust and confident that I need This achievement is very significant since the International Telecommunication Union is one of the most prestigious international organizations in charge of developing the ICT sector, which is the most

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dynamic sector in today’s knowledgebased economy, relying heavily on digital data, AI and smart cities.

Naming our country in this important global position comes in recognition of the high stature achieved by the UAE within the knowledge economy arena, which comes in compliance with the directives of our wise leadership and in line with the national vision and our commitment to maintain the prestigious position of the UAE on the ICT international map.

How important is it to keep the Radio Regulations Board in line with technological progress, and how do you make it sustainable in the future?

Today, the radio regulations, which is more than 110 years old, apply to some 40 different radio-communication services around the world, and cover frequencies ranging from 9 kHz to 3000 GHz. They now include over 2000 pages specifying the governing principles, as well as the rights and obligations of ITU’s 193 Member States in using spectrum and satellite orbit resources efficiently, and in a coordinated manner, so as not to cause harmful interference to each other.

Over the last 110 years, the Radio Regulations have proven to be a perfectly suited instrument to govern the use of the frequency spectrum and satellite orbits, based on international cooperation and mutual understanding.

With the growing complexity of our interconnected world and ubiquity of wireless systems, it is now more important than ever to maintain the pace and efficiency of radiocommunication conferences, to ensure the timely and responsive evolution of this precious instrument.

In your expert opinion, how significant is the role played by ICT and telecommunications in the development and advancement of international relations?

Information and communication technologies (ICTs) are now a key engine of global economic growth. The rapid pace of technological innovation is creating millions of new jobs and opportunities across key sectors, such as finance, automotive and healthcare, just to name a few.

SEPTEMBER 2018

In addition to this, emerging technologies such as 5G, artificial intelligence and cloud computing hold great potential to improve people’s lives at a scale and speed never before seen.

Indeed, ICTs will be vital to accelerating progress on each of the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). But how will we ensure that these opportunities are realized for everyone in a safe and trusted way? This is a critical question. And in today’s interconnected, global world – in which data has been called ‘the new oil’ – it is more important than ever before.

That’s why a growing range of policy decisions surrounding ICTs are playing an increasingly vital role in international relations and diplomacy. As national governments weigh how best to use the tools at their disposal to modernize their economies and foster ICT growth to improve the lives of their citizens, they are confronted with business, regulatory, privacy and security issues that are international in nature.

Now more than ever, we need indepth international cooperation to balance strategic interests so that all can benefit from this ongoing ‘digital revolution’, while we also mitigate the risks.

Last year, you transitioned away from the telecom sector to the space industry. Can you outline to us what your primary roles and responsibilities are as the current head of strategic partnerships and international cooperation at the UAE Space Agency?

My new role at the UAE Space Agency is to look after the international relations and partnerships with spacerelated counter parts around the world.

In fact, and in a short span of time, the UAE Space Agency has gained significant international recognition from international bodies and foreign space agencies. At present, the UAE Space Agency has signed more than 25 important MoUs with leading space agencies around the world, with a concentration on cooperating in space exploration, knowledge

INTERVIEW exchange, technology transfers and other important areas. International MOUs have been signed with NASA, Roscosmos, JAXA, the UK Space Agency, CNES, KARI and many others.

Most recently, the Agency signed a new memoranda of understanding with the Government of South Australia and the Republic of South Africa, in addition to signing letters of intent with France, Russia and Kazakhstan.

Throughout its four years, the Agency has also gained membership in leading international space sector organizations, including the International Astronautical Federation (IAF), the International Space Exploration Coordination Group (ISECG), the International Committee on Global Navigation Satellite Systems (ICG), the Group on Earth Observations (GEO), the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) and the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS). Recently, the UAE also became an official member of the International Charter on Space and Major Disasters.

Can you tell us more about the new resolution the UAE space agency has adopted which it formally announced at a recent UN summit in Vienna?

The UAE Space Agency has adopted a new resolution during the 50th anniversary of the first United Nations Conference on the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space held in Vienna last June 2018. The resolution’s key focus is on space as a driver of sustainable development across the globe.

The resolution emphasizes the fact that for the past 50 years, the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, supported by the Office for Outer Space Affairs, has provided unique platforms to promote international cooperation in space activities at all levels. This has been done with the aim of fostering dialogue among spacefaring and emerging space nations, to increase capacity-building efforts for developing countries, and to continue to shape the global governance of outer space activities to benefit people and the planet.

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It highlights that the fulfillment of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Risk Reduction and the commitments by States Parties to the Paris Agreement all require stronger coordination and support at international levels. This includes having improved access to spacebased data, applications and space infrastructure.

The UAE Space Agency has just celebrated its fourth anniversary.

Can you highlight some of the major projects and initiatives the UAE space agency is set to commence upon in the forthcoming years?

Over the past four years, the UAE Space Agency has overseen the launch of significant projects that reflect the national ambition to bolster its leading position in the regional space sector. In particular, the launch of the National Space Program succeeded in forming a framework for a range of UAE space exploration projects. The National Space Program is the largest of its kind in the region and includes a range of initiatives related to advanced space science and technology such as mission to Mars, UAE Astronaut Programs and the Mars Scientific City.

What role is emerging technologies like AI and robotics playing in terms of enabling the space industry to develop new services and embark upon innovative new projects?

The UAE space exploration embodies UAE Vision 2021. Our our contributions to sustainable national economic growth and diversification will have a significant impact on the realization of such governmental objectives.

Investments in the national space sector are continuing at a steady rate, allowing for projects and initiatives that will have a genuine and positive impact on all sectors related to science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Among them is the Hope Probe mission to Mars, which will not only explore the Red Planet, but will also build national knowledge and capacities throughout that will absolutely rely on emerging technologies like AI and robotics, enabling the space industry to develop new services and embark upon innovative new projects.

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SEPTEMBER 2018

ICT FEATURE

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Cybersecurity fears intensify as the world becomes more ‘connected’ The world we live in is becoming more and more connected as emerging technologies continue to demonstrate the capability to completely transform our societal norms in terms of the way we work, live and interact with each other.

T

he advent of revolutionary technology creates new opportunities.

The integration and implementation of the technology presents us with the opportunity to improve our day to day lives.

There’s a tsunami of connected devices now making their way into our homes and businesses on a global scale. From mobile, wearables and self-driving cars to the advancements in smart homes and TVs, there is an avalanche of internet-connected devices now available that will only be accelerated further by the rapid deployment of internet of things.

Research has projected that by 2020, there will be more than 30 billion connected devices in the world; that represents a figure that is more than four times the earth’s population.

However, this explosion of connected devices that presents us with so many opportunities also leaves us exposed and extremely vulnerable to cybersecurity threats. Cyber attacks are becoming much more sophisticated and complex to deter, identify and finally shutdown. There has been a number of high-profile security breaches involving major corporations and governments that have rocked both the public and private sector in 2018.

It is becoming evident now on a global scale that governments are finally recognizing that it is critical for them to have a watertight security system integrated into the very foundations of their day to day operations in order to combat the threat posed by a major cybersecurity breach. The same also applies to large corporations who remain and have already been the subject of major attacks by hackers.

The ongoing row between the alleged interference by Russia in the US

presidential election refuses to subside or go away. The US intelligence community in the form of both the CIA and FBI has initiated independent investigations and has come to the conclusion that Russiadid, in fact, meddle in the 2016 election between Hilary Clinton and Donald Trump.

Cybersecurity breaches and sophisticated attacks can now, as evidenced by the events in the United States in 2016, infringe upon democracy. Facebook was embroiled in a data-sharing scandal with UK political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica earlier this year.

That scandal involved the collection of the personally identifiable information of 87 million Facebook users which were used to influence decisions in both the divisive Brexit election in 2016 and the US presidential race in 2016.

It’s clear that the global embrace of technology and the fact it has become a fundamental pillar and structure

SEPTEMBER 2018

of how as a society we function has opened a Pandora’s Box. How can individual users, businesses and governments address the complex issues we face in terms of how we protect ourselves from cybersecurity attacks? Tech-hungry consumers are keeping their eyes peeled for major device announcements; however, so are (DDoS) attackers who have made the IoT their weapon of choice.

These nefarious actors exploit millions of vulnerable IoT devices to create sophisticated malware-based DDoS botnets they then use to initiate devastating attacks. IoT vulnerabilities give these hackers the ability to scale their attacks across tens of millions of devices and unique IP addresses.

“Millions of unsecure, internet-enabled devices provide new threat vectors.

Given the rapid proliferation of internet of things devices in advance of IoT-oriented security standards and configuration practices, expect these devices to be increasingly used as weapons for DDoS and other attacks,” said Adam Isles, principal at The Chertoff Group, a global advisory firm that provides security risk management, business strategy and merchant banking advisory services.

Security expert Infoblox delivers Actionable Network Intelligence to enterprise, government and service provider customers all over the world.

Regional director for its operations in the Middle East and Africa, Ashraf Sheet has published a series of tips which he believes can equip businesses and governments with the tools to eliminate the risks posed by major data breaches.

According to Sheet, it is critical that businesses and governments ensure they have full visibility over the devices that are connected to their networks.

The regional director of Infoblox in MENA said, “Businesses can also ensure they are avoiding major data breaches by having full visibility over what devices are on connected to their network. Using systems that identify all devices on the network at any given

ICT FEATURE time, like an IP address management system, can provide real-time visibility of anything connected to the company network. They can also secure their network through DNS security solutions that will alert them of any new assets or devices that are joining the system so they can identify and block malicious activity quickly.”

In addition to this, Sheet highlights that the adoption of personal devices and consumer applications is going to continue to increase over the forthcoming years, but he warned that this mass adoption of personal devices and consumer apps will only serve as a new way for cybercriminals to penetrate and access company data, although he stresses that with the right solutions you can protect yourself.

Sheet said, “Personal devices and consumer apps aren’t going to go away from the workplace. In fact, each year a new device will be on trend and people will immediately want it on their desk. These will provide a whole new host of ways that make it much easier for cybercriminals to access company data. We are essentially making it easier for them each time we buy a new toy. But, the war is not lost. With the right solutions companies can get ahead of their staff and protect networks no matter what new gadgets are suddenly connected to them.”

In July 2018, Singapore, one of the most technologically advanced and progressive city-state nations in the world, was subjected to the biggest cybersecurity infiltration in its history.

Singapore’s largest health provider Sing-Health suffered a catastrophic data breach which affected a huge portion of the city-state’s population, including Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

In a devastating breach of data, over 1.5 million people who had visited either specialist outpatient clinics or polyclinics operated by Sing-Health over a three-year period fell victim to the high profile cyberattack.

Some cybersecurity experts have said that the breach in Singapore will serve as a real ‘wake-up’ call for other

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nations in Southeast Asia. At the time of the breach, the Singapore Prime Minister reiterated the city state’s commitment to security and said it would launch a special inquiry to analyze and examine the incident.

In a statement, Prime Minister Lee said, “The security and confidentiality of patient information is a top priority. We are convening a Committee of Inquiry to look thoroughly into this incident.

It will doubtlessly have valuable conclusions and recommendations, which will ultimately help make us safer.”

Eric Hoh, a top executive at the cybersecurity firm FireEye, said he believes this incident should serve as a wake-up call to some of Singapore’s neighbors.

“Many businesses and governments in Southeast Asia face cyber threats, but few recognize the scale of the risks they pose. Singapore ranks among the leaders in cybersecurity, and we would like to see more governments follow their lead in disclosing breaches. There are no quick fixes to the cybersecurity challenge, and breaches are inevitable.

It’s important that business and governments work together to improve our collective security so that when breaches do occur, we can minimize the consequences.”

Cybersecurity is a real threat which faces every individual, enterprise and government in the world. The threat isn’t going to go away overnight, and with the mass explosion of connected devices expected by 2020, it’s likely to become worse over the next few years.

With that in mind, it’s critical that enterprises, security experts and governments come together to devise a cohesive strategy which can be implemented on a worldwide scale to help protect countries and their citizens from hackers attempting to engage in criminality by accessing their personal data.

If there is a global collective effort from the major global superpowers, then together we can win the war against cybercrime.

OPERATORS’ NEWS

SEPTEMBER 2018

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REDEFINING POWER SOLUTIONS

Airtel and Telecom Egypt partner on global submarine cable systems Bharti Airtel, a leading global telecom services provider, and Telecom Egypt, Egypt’s first integrated telecom operator, announced a strategic partnership, wherein, Airtel will get IRUs (indefeasible right of use) on Middle East North Africa Submarine Cable (MENA Cable) and TE North Cable Systems. In addition, Airtel will also take large capacities on a long-term basis on two new state-ofthe-art cable systems (SMW5 & AAE1).

The transactions aim to be concluded after the fulfillment of all conditions precedents.

The partnership grants Airtel the right to use fiber pairs of MENA Cable from Egypt to India with access to Saudi Arabia and Oman, and other fiber pairs from Egypt towards Italy. It also extends beyond MENA Cable, where Airtel will get the right to use a fiber pair from Egypt to France on TE North along with capacities on

Ericsson supplied a standalone end-to-end 5G system including a prototype 3.5GHz radio, baseband and prototype UE device to support Mobily’s 5G demo. During the event, Mobily and Ericsson showcased 5G throughput, targeting speeds up to 1Gbps.

www.iptpowertech.com

Egypt’s distinctive geographic location on the Red and Mediterranean seas has enabled Telecom Egypt to connect more than 11 cable systems from the East and 13 from the West linked with the RedMed Corridor consisting of 7 diversified routes across Egypt. Telecom Egypt’s global network was built over the years through investments in international submarine cable systems, namely: TE North, ALETAR, SEA-ME-WE-3, SEA-MEWE-4, SEA-ME-WE-5, IMEWE, EIG and AAE-1.

Mobily demonstrates 5G capabilities in Jeddah Mobily has joined forces with Ericsson to show 5G capabilities in a demo held at the Mall of Arabia in Jeddah in the western region of Saudi Arabia.

Hybrid Solutions Guaranteeing OPEX Reduction

SMW5 and AAE1 cable systems.

With this, Airtel will be able to further diversify its global network to serve the massive growth in demand for data services, particularly in emerging markets across South Asia, Africa and Middle East, while also benefitting from the favorable economics of Telecom Egypt’s existing wide cable systems network.

The demo is part of Mobily’s plan to highlight the benefits that 5G will bring for both consumers and industries across Saudi Arabia. On the consumer front, 5G will deliver high data speeds and low latency, which will enhance the user experience for Mobily customers.

“We are wholly supportive of Saudi Vision 2030 and the push towards enhancing our digital economy. Our investment in 5G is demonstrative of our commitment to improving

network performance and enhancing the customer experience across Saudi Arabia. Our partnership with Ericsson enables us to provide a state-ofthe-art scalable network to serve consumers and industries across Saudi Arabia now and in the 5G future,” commented Mobily CTO Mazid Al Harbi.

Rafiah Ibrahim, head of Ericsson Middle East and Africa, says: “For our long-term partner Mobily, 5G unlocks the potential for new and better customer experience while improving revenue streams. We look forward to achieving this together today and in the future.”

Ericsson’s 5G platform across radio, core and transport networks enables operators to evolve to 5G capabilities at a speed that matches their own business strategy. This transition takes place while also enhancing current 4G business by reducing risk and making best use of current infrastructure.

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OPERATORS’ NEWS

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Saudi telecommunications operator Mobily has announced the successful nationalization of its customer care and call centers across the KSA. Mobily expanded its call and customer care centers in Jeddah and Dammam to accommodate the newly recruited Saudi employees.

clock to recruit, interview and appoint Saudi cadres. In tandem, training and preparation were taking place to provide service to our customers along with the installation of new equipment and programming to ensure optimum quality in record time,” commented Ismail AlGhamdi.

This comes only five weeks after Mobily announced it was starting to nationalize its call centers. The event was attended by chief customer care officer Ismail AlGhamdi and a number of Mobily seniors.

In addition to developing the call centers and training the Saudi teams managing them, Mobily also developed and modernized its digital- and selfservices thus giving customers greater control flexibility.

“Saudizing the call centers has been our goal for some time. We have succeeded in achieving this feat in record time by the grace of Allah then the efforts of the Mobily team and our partners. The team worked around the

Mobily also developed the female call and customer care centers enabling female employees to perform their work within a convenient environment, noting that 25% of call center staff is female.

Telecom Egypt and Etisalat Misr sign MoU for virtual fixed voice services Telecom Egypt and Etisalat Misr have formally announced they have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to provide the latter with virtual fixed voice services. The agreement, which represents the first of its kind in the Egyptian market, covers all the basic terms that shall allow both companies to formalize a commercial agreement in due course. Under this MoU, Telecom Egypt through its nationwide fixed network will enable Etisalat Misr to provide its customers with fixed voice services.

Etisalat Misr will benefit from this MoU by providing its customers with fixed voice services, while Telecom Egypt will enhance its revenues generated from the domestic wholesale business supported by the increase in Etisalat Misr’s customer base.

Ahmed El Beheiry, managing director and chief executive officer, commented: “We are proud to have signed this MoU with Etisalat Misr, which reflects the real opportunities in the Egyptian

telecom market and strengthens our strategic partnership and mutual commercial cooperation. Telecom Egypt began to reap the benefits of the major investments in developing its infrastructure and increasing its network coverage within Egypt. Such investments continue to have a positive impact on the quality of services that we provide to our customers (consumer, enterprise and other operators) and confirms our keenness to provide the best to the Egyptian market.”

Hazem Metwally, chief executive officer of Etisalat Misr, commented: “We are pleased to have signed the MoU with Telecom Egypt, which is a true addition to both companies and fosters our mutually beneficial cooperation. As a result of this agreement, Etisalat Misr will become a total telecom operator offering both voice and data services to its mobile and fixed customers. This will allow us to serve all our customers’ needs through one operator and provide the highest quality possible given Etisalat Misr’s advanced network and latest technology.”

REINVENTING TELECOM INFRASTRUCTURE

Saudi operator nationalizes customer care centers

Building & Renovating Telecom Infrastructure

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OPERATORS’ NEWS

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LEADING T-ESCO GLOBALLY

VIVA Bahrain expands its footprint to reach Europe VIVA Bahrain, the Kingdom’s leading telecommunications service provider, has expanded its global network footprint with the deployment of new points-of-presence (POPs) in Europe, across London and Frankfurt. Through this network deployment, VIVA Bahrain will support the growing demand of its wholesale and enterprise customers across GCC and other international markets with high-quality networking services - IP, capacity, voice and signaling coupled with lowest possible latency.

VIVA’s investment into the new POPs has been spurred by rapidly increasing requirements of its business customers in Bahrain with presence across the

region and globally, looking for highquality network performance, a diverse range of services that are secure, reliable, flexible and cost-effective and support their business needs.

With the POPs deployment in London and Frankfurt, considered major financial hubs and busiest centers for internet traffic in the world, VIVA customers will have access to direct and reliable connectivity through its key partnerships with Tier-1 regional and global network carriers. They will experience an unparalleled combination of low latency, world-class service and latest technology that is currently unavailable with other telecom operators.

UAE operator partners with DEWA in customer happiness initiative

The Ultimate Combination of Energy Savings Solutions,

with Telecom Infrastructure and field Managed Services

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Etisalat and Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly support customers with an innovative new mobile loyalty app focused on providing products and services for all DEWA’s customers.

make the availability of Etisalat eLife and mobile products and services across a wider partner base. This will give DEWA and our customers the flexibility of purchasing our services at their convenience at more locations across the country.”

The MoU was signed by Saleh Al Abdooli, group chief executive officer, Etisalat, and Saeed Al Tayer, managing director and CEO, DEWA. The initiative is in line with the National Happiness Agenda, which aims to make UAE the happiest of all countries so that its citizens can feel proud of being part of such a nation.

Under the terms of the MoU, DEWA will integrate and make available Etisalat’s eLife products, offers and services through its rewards program for its existing and new customers. Customers will be able to subscribe to eLife services directly through DEWA’s new loyalty store as a one-stop shop. Many offers over and above eLife products will be included, such as discounts on home furniture, home electronics and removal companies.

DEWA’s MD and CEO, Saeed Al Tayer, said: “This agreement is part of DEWA’s efforts to consolidate its position as part of every community member’s life, catering to their needs and exceeding their expectations to ensure satisfaction by providing value-added services, and contributing to enhancing everyone’s happiness.”

Saleh Al Abdooli, Group CEO of Etisalat, said: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with DEWA to promote and

DEWA will promote its rewards program in all its marketing channels and subsequently, Etisalat and other partner offers participating in its rewards program. Etisalat will on its part promote DEWA’s rewards program in all its channels, including its offers, as well as allow all of its subscribers to access DEWA’s Rewards Program free of charge.

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Microsoft and Etisalat UAE, the leading telecom operator in the Middle East, today announced that Xbox gamers in the UAE can now enjoy an added dimension of convenience, by paying for content through their Etisalat mobile account.

The collaboration between both organizations marks the first time in Gulf region for gamers to pay through mobile account without a need for credit card. They will also be able to make purchases from the Microsoft Store on Xbox consoles and Windows PCs through their pre-paid or post-paid Etisalat mobile accounts, settling the amount through the normal payment for their telecoms services.

Etisalat UAE subscribers will get access to Xbox Games Pass, where players get unlimited access to more than 100 Xbox One and Xbox 360 games on Xbox One for the single, low, monthly

price of AED 39. Play exciting titles like Sea of Thieves and State of Decay 2, Forza Horizon 4 and Crackdown 3 on the day they are released. Browse through an enticing catalogue, from recent blockbusters to critically acclaimed indie titles. And if you buy an Xbox One game from the current catalogue, you can save up to 20%, plus get up to 10% off game add-ons and consumables.

Xbox also offers Gold Live, which gives members access to the most advanced multiplayer, bonus games and exclusive member discounts in Microsoft Store.

Gold Live members can stay connected to friends, family and other Xbox Live members around the world and build awe-inspiring worlds together or compete in thrilling matches of skill that test the mind and the reflexes to the fullest. Whether it’s competitive or co-operative gameplay, Xbox Live Gold takes the experience to the next level.

FLEXIBLE OPERATING OFFERINGS

Etisalat partners with Microsoft on mobile payment solution for gamers

UAE operators offer public the opportunity to help Indian flood victims Telecommunication operators Etisalat and EITC (du) are giving the general public in the UAE the opportunity to assist those devastated by flooding in the Indian state of Kerala. The telco’s are allowing users to make donations via SMS with amounts ranging between AED10 and AED200.

Etisalat users can SMS 2441 for AED10, 2443 for AED50, 2446 for AED100 or 2449 for AED200. EITC (du) users can send a message to 3441 for AED10, 3443 for AED50, 3446 for AED100 or 3449 for AED200.

The move is part of the UAE’s humanitarian campaign to aid the victims of the recent floods. The initiative has been spearheaded and led by President Sheikh Khalifa Al Nahyan, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and

Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

The Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation received AED10 million in donations for Kerala which has been ravaged by severe flooding and has been described as some of the worst flooding to ever hit India. Other significant contributions include Keralaborn Indian businessman Yousef Ali, owner and director of Lulu Commercial Group, who gave AED5 million.

Dr. B.R. Shetty, cice chair and CEO of NMC Specialist Hospital and Sunny Varkey, founder and chair of Gems Education, also donated AED5 million each.

Varkey, who is also from Kerala, said the contribution will go towards rescue support and rehabilitation work in the state.

The Guaranteed Savings Model and T-ESCO Model

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ICT FEATURE

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AI:

It’s time to dispel the negativity and embrace the future Artificial intelligence (AI) is recognized by many within the ICT sector and beyond as an emerging technology that has the potential to completely reshape entire industries and organizations as we know them. AI is being embraced by enterprises, governments and manufacturers on a global basis who share a consensus that it represents the future in terms of technological advancement and progress. However, many influential and high profile figures in the IT and technology sector have voiced their skepticism regarding the impact it will have on society.

E

lon Musk, founder of electric car manufacturer Tesla and SpaceX, has been a pioneer in championing futuristic technology throughout

his decorated and storied entrepreneurial career. However, the South African businessman is wary when it comes to artificial intelligence. He has even argued in the past that AI represents an even greater threat to humanity than nuclear weapons.

Musk isn’t calling for a ban or shutdown on AI development. He accepts that it is a revolutionary technology that has the potential if applied properly to transform existing businesses industries and businesses. Musk claims he is echoing the sentiments of many scientists who

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feel it is imperative that a regulatory body on AI is established at national and international level.

Musk said, “I think we should be very careful about artificial intelligence. If I were to guess like what our biggest existential threat is, it’s probably that.

So we need to be very careful with the artificial intelligence. Increasingly scientists think there should be some regulatory oversight maybe at the national and international level, just to make sure that we don’t do something very foolish. With artificial intelligence we are summoning the demon. In all those stories where there’s the guy with the pentagram and the holy water, it’s like yeah, he’s sure he can control the demon.

It didn’t work out.”

One of the other criticisms levelled at AI is that it will remove millions of manufacturing jobs globally and affect jobs in many other industries. Factories will be exclusively manned by AI robots and will be able to manufacture products faster, more efficiently and at a significantly reduced cost to that of a labor workforce.

Some ICT analysts have predicted that the mass integration of AI into industries globally would mean that hundreds of millions of people would be unemployed, and that the disparity between those at the top and those out of work would become so great that governments would be left with no other choice but to implement a Universal Basic Income.

Some within the industry have described that as scaremongering and extreme to say the least. The truth is that the introduction of AI will result in some job losses, but many, many more will be created. According to Allan Leinwand, CTO at ServiceNow, it is fundamentally important to understand that AI is not strong at creative, interpersonal or physical work, it will be applied for ‘decision support’ not decision making.

Leinwand compiled an excellent article in which he sought to address some of the myths surrounding AI and its impact.

He wrote that the advent of AI will allow workers to move to more meaningful roles, and will eliminate mundane jobs and tasks from the workforce.

ICT FEATURE The CTO at ServiceNow wrote, “Workers want to move to more meaningful roles. In fact, according to the Society of Human Resource Professionals, workers, particularly Millennials, want to “create outcomes within meaningful projects and may become impatient with mundane tasks.” AI can automate the more mundane tasks allowing for new jobs to be created that are more fulfilling, strategic and meaningful. AI can help workers be more productive and efficient at their jobs, while learning new skills. In addition, AI can help workers become better organized, reducing stressors, improving productivity and overall job satisfaction.”

The UAE is a shining example of a country that has identified the significance of the technology. A comprehensive report conducted by PwC projected that AI will account for 13.6% of the UAE’s GDP by 2030.

The UAE also became the first country in the world to appoint a dedicated State Minister for Artificial Intelligence. Omar Bin Sultan Al Olama (27) was named the new Minister for AI and was immediately tasked with the responsibility of preparing the UAE for the implementation of the cutting-edge technology. His appointment represented the UAE’s vision which is to be at the forefront of the global technological revolution.

“We want the UAE to become the world’s most prepared country for artificial intelligence,” said Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, vice president and prime minister of the UAE and ruler of Dubai at the time of the appointment. He added that the new phase of governing in the UAE will focus on “future skills, future sciences and future technology, as we prepare for the centenary to ensure a better future for our generations.”

In July 2018, The British University in Dubai (BUiD) announced it was launching the country’s first bachelors’ degree in artificial intelligence in an effort to support the UAE’s 2031 AI strategy. The UAE Minister for AI has also stated that the introduction of AI is expected to save the government up to $3bn per year.

Other governments have followed the lead and example set by the UAE in

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relation to AI. They have identified that the technology really does represent the future in terms of job creation, growth, investment and innovation. Whilst other countries have not yet appointed a dedicated Minister for AI, others are now attempting to establish a national strategy on AI, one such country is Norway.

Some of Norway’s largest companies are joining forces in establishing a national powerhouse for artificial intelligence. Its aim is to improve the quality and capacity for research, education and innovation in the field.

Norway has a huge potential to be a pioneer in AI, but it needs resources and collaboration in order not to lag behind.

To strengthen national efforts on artificial intelligence, Telenor, NTNU and SINTEF are inviting Norwegian businesses to partner on the new Norwegian Open AI Lab. Additional partners will include DNB, DNV GL, Equinor and the Kongsberg Group.

While the Norwegian Open AI Lab will develop solutions specific to the partners’ industries, it will also consider opportunities where Norway can take positions internationally. Norway benefits from a competitive advantage thanks to its advanced ICT infrastructure, purchasing power, competence and a population with above-average technological literacy.

Having a strong position on artificial intelligence is central to ensuring that Norway is able and prepared to compete in the global market. A strengthened AI lab like this ensures that Norway can continue the tradition of collaboration between business and academia in the country.

There is now a clear trend being established globally between governments and enterprises and that is a shared understanding that AI is the future.

As aforementioned above, jobs will be lost due to AI, but many more will be created, and it’s important that governments develop cohesive and detailed strategies in order to ensure there country and its population can benefit from the diverse opportunities presented by the technology and the impact it will undoubtedly have on societies all over the world.

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Etisalat Group ends the first half of 2018 positively state-of-the-art services to Expo 2020’s millions of visitors.

Etisalat Group announced its consolidated financial results for H1 ending 30th June 2018. Consolidated revenues for first half of 2018 amounted to AED 26.2 billion representing 4% increase year over year and consolidated net profit reached AED 4.3 billion representing 6% increase year over year.

The Group’s subscriber base reached 144 million representing a year on year increase of 4% and over 1 million of which were VoLTE subscribers. Etisalat UAE Subscriber base reached 12.7 million representing year over year increase of 3%.

One of the most important milestones that Etisalat reached in the first half of 2018 was the launch of the first commercial 5G network in the MENA region. Etisalat’s 5G network will provide

“Etisalat Group’s financial performance of the first half of this year showcased its ability to innovate and lead in the telecom and digital services arena,” said Essa Mohamed Al Suwaidi, chairman of Etisalat Group. “We will continue to be technology leaders and our recent 5G commercial launch is another testament of our efforts, allowing us to tap into promising opportunities that will enable greater benefits for all segments of customers.

The financial performance continues to lay a solid foundation for investment; hence, enabling Etisalat to introduce solutions that will reshape the industry and change the business operating dynamics.”

Al Suwaidi thanked the wise leadership of United Arab Emirates for their continuous support and the Etisalat management team in making the digital vision a reality by staying focused on the company’s

long-term strategy to drive stakeholder value. He also extended his thanks to “the Group’s supportive shareholders and loyal customers for inspiring us to set new global benchmarks and reach new business heights.”

Eng. Saleh Al Abdooli, CEO, Etisalat Group, commented, “Etisalat Group’s financial results in the first half of 2018 is an outcome of our sincere efforts to drive growth and generate efficiencies, with an unwavering commitment to key strategic priorities that will enable a digital future, transform the ecosystem, and drive digital innovation across our operations.”

“We are proud that Etisalat was the first telecom operator to successfully launch the first 5G ultra-mobile broadband experience in the region, and through our partnership with Expo 2020 Dubai, the latter became the first 5G major commercial customer in MEASA. Such collaboration is a declaration of a new era of digital connectivity, and an acknowledgment of 5G’s rich anticipated potential,” he added.

Huawei commits to digitalization as its H1 revenue increases

Huawei announced its business results for the first half of 2018. In the first six months of this year, Huawei generated CNY325.7 billion in revenue, an increase of 15% over the same period last year.

The company’s operating margin in 2018 H1 was 14%.

Huawei continues to boost the efficiency and quality of its operations, which has helped contribute to its solid performance. The company expects to maintain this momentum and round out the year in a strong financial position.

In its carrier business, Huawei continues to focus on leveraging its strengths in end-to-end 5G solutions, driving the continuous evolution of LTE – as well as intent-driven networks, cloud datacenters and more – to help its carrier customers overcome practical

business challenges. Ultimately, the shared goal is to help carriers futureproof their businesses by enabling allcloud networks, connecting more people and things, and building out network infrastructure.

Huawei has also designed a number of scenario-specific solutions to help carriers maximize returns on their existing networks. The company uses agile, digital operations and end-to-end experience management solutions to help carriers provide a better-connected experience for people, homes and organizations.

In its enterprise business, Huawei remains committed to building integrated, innovative and open digital platforms for its customers. These platforms enable governments and enterprises across all industries to innovate with greater agility and efficiency, go digital and make their daily operations more intelligent.

At the same time, Huawei is actively working to cultivate and empower an industry ecosystem to support digital transformation. By building open ICT platforms, OpenLabs and platforms for global marketing, training and services, Huawei is attracting more and more partners, enabling joint innovation and building an ecosystem around joint customer services.

In its consumer business, Huawei has maintained a tight focus on technological innovation to provide its users with greater value. 2018 milestones include the Huawei P20 series, GPU Turbo and the Huawei MateBook X Pro. In the cloud domain, Huawei has picked up the pace of its innovation in cloud infrastructure. Two major focuses include providing stable, reliable, secure, trusted and sustainable cloud services for customers, and building an AI platform that is affordable, intuitive and secure for all users.

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Mobily reduces net losses by more than half in Q2 H1 2018 gross profit increased by 4.2% to reach SAR 3,438 million against SAR 3,298 million in H1 2017. This is mainly due to the reduction of cost of sales as a result of mobile termination rates.

Mobily reduced its net losses from SAR 352.7 million in H1 2017 to SAR 172 million in H1 2018, representing a decrease in net losses by 51.2%. This is mainly due to the increase in gross profit driven by revenues increase and decrease in cost of sales due to the reduction of mobile termination rates.

H1 2018 revenues increased slightly by 0.14% to reach SAR 5,727 million against SAR 5,719 million in H1 2017.

This has been achieved despite the market, regulatory and economic challenges, including the reduction of mobile termination rates and the continuous impact from permitting of VoIP application on international calls revenue. Taking out the impact of the decrease of the mobile interconnection rates, revenues would have grown by 2.1%

The company successfully improved its EBITDA to reach SAR 2,103 million for H1 2018 compared to SAR 1,832 million for H1 2017 resulting in an increase of 15%. This is due to the company efficiency in managing its expenses, the reversal of certain provisions, and the implementation of IFRS 15 and 9. H1 2018 EBITDA margin reached 36.7% against 32% for H1 2017.

H1 2018 operational profit amounted to SAR 228 million against SAR 30 million in H1 2017.

Despite the company’s success in deleveraging net debt, H1 2018 interest and financial charges increased to SAR 380 million compared with 357. This is mainly due to ceasing capitalization of some expenses related to the debt and the increase in SIBOR.

H1 2018 total comprehensive losses decreased by 43%, to SAR 196 million against SAR 346 million losses for H1 2017.

Mobily is reducing its losses for the second consecutive quarter, as Q2 2018 net results improved by 58.5% from net losses of SAR 189.6 million in Q2 2017 to net losses of SAR 78.6 million in Q2 2018. This is mainly due to the increase in gross profit as a result of revenue growth and decrease in cost of sales.

Mobily succeeded for the first time in the last five years in growing its quarterly revenues (YoY), as Q2 2018 revenues amounted to SAR 2,895 million against SAR 2,854 million for Q2 2017 reflecting an increase of 1.4%. This is mainly due to the stabilization of subscriber’s base, the improvement of subscribers mix, the increase of data and the growth of FTTH and business unit’s revenues.

This was achieved despite the market, regulatory and economic challenges including the reduction of mobile termination rates.

Vodafone admits slow activity in Q2 led to a downward revision of the recognition of certain activities which weighed on sales. With a constant accounting standard, the decline is limited to 2%.

British telecom operator Vodafone suffered from a 4.9% erosion of its total revenue in the first quarter, reflecting the adoption of IFRS 15 and FX headwinds and a difficult market in Europe against a backdrop of stiff competition.

Over the period from April to June, corresponding to the first three months of shifted fiscal year 201819, the group recorded sales of 10.9 billion euros. Vodafone’s adoption of the IFRS accounting standards

The group highlighted a 57% growth in mobile data traffic - given the increasing use of the smartphone in its various markets in spite of the end of roaming fees in Europe, the use of offers without buying any phones, and the existing competition have been forming headwinds.

Competitive pressure is increasingly felt in southern Europe, particularly in the Italian peninsula, which witnessed the arrival of the French group Iliad, owner of Free, in late May. The latter said it has already attracted one million customers in the country.

At the level of fixed internet, Vodafone says it has won 128,000 new

customers in Europe which is less than the previous quarters. Outside Europe, the group is doing slightly better in the AMAP zone (Asia-Middle East-Pacific), even though its revenue has fallen sharply due to negative exchange effects related to the fall of Turkish lira and the end of its business in Qatar.

In addition, Vodafone’s sales are growing in South Africa, Turkey and Egypt. Its activities in India are no longer recorded in its accounts due to their merger with the operator, Idea Cellular, which should have been completed in August.

Despite this subdued first quarter, the group, which had registered a spectacular comeback in the green in 2017-2018, confirmed its objectives for the current year, namely a modest increase between 1% and 5% of its EBITDA.

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ITU Telecom World 2018: Digital development, technology-enabled, but human-centric

Connectivity is a basic human right. It’s a necessity, not a luxury. Information and communication technologies are the backbone infrastructure critical to driving social and economic development throughout the world across developed and emerging markets alike.

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asic connectivity is the first step on the journey to the intelligent networks of the near future, enabled by artificial intelligence and 5G, upgrading industry, health, transportation, education – all arenas of human endeavor. Development increasingly means digital development.

Connecting the half of the world’s population that remains unconnected, largely in Asia, South America and Africa, is an ongoing global challenge. It requires huge investment in infrastructure, innovative business models and a mix of technologies, facilitated by integrated multi-stakeholder partnerships between governments, the private sector, international

organizations, academia and civil society.

Alongside the physical infrastructure, be it wireless or fixed, satellite or fiber, bringing the internet to rural, remote and underserved means providing affordable devices and access to the services, products and applications they make possible.

Demand is the other side of the connectivity conundrum. There is little point in building it if they don’t come, whether because they don’t know it exists, aren’t equipped to use it or see no value in what it offers. Public awareness, digital skills and literacy programs are therefore vital. Above all, it is compelling content that will drive adoption – creating content in local languages relevant to each micro-environment is critical.

This is an area where governments can take the lead in terms of providing these services and applications, such as market information for farmers, local weather, government services, e-health and e-education programs.

For it is not connectivity itself which creates value, but rather what connectivity enables: economic growth and new business cases across all sectors, social and human development, improving and enriching lives across all matrices. Development is technology-enabled, but humancentric. There can be no smart society without digitally smart people.

How do we make people digitally smart? We do it through education.

Perhaps the single most urgent initiative in making connectivity meaningful is digital literacy, from the

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ground up and throughout all layers of society.

We need a holistic approach to digital skills at a national level, from the playground to life-long learning in community centers, from the very basics for first-time users in the villages to coding, programming and highly specialized engineers, data scientists or AI experts.

Digital literacy may be delivered and funded through professional, international or local institutions, through private or state schools, formal or informal channels, on the job or online. And it needs to spread beyond citizens, for teachers to be trained, for civil servants to be comfortable in the digital world, for entrepreneurs to develop the supporting skills in legal, financial, marketing, managerial and business skills.

There is a shortage of advanced skills worldwide, in particular in specific areas or industries where the digital era calls for both technical and domain knowledge. Developing nations perpetually playing catch-up must move fast to avoid the digital divide deepening and widening.

Huge potential exists for creating radically new educational structures, revisiting curricula in conjunction with academia, government and industry to produce a workforce with skills relevant now and in the future. The advantage of a relatively blank slate, in comparison to many developed companies, may indeed make leapfrogging possible. And providing connectivity and skills to rural and remote areas will open up new markets, ecosystems and human capacity for innovation.

Looking to the fast-approaching future of intelligent networks, all nations must work hard to prepare their citizens for dramatic transformations in society, particularly in the labor market.

the new skills that will be needed, the new opportunities opening up. This, too, is smart digital development: creating new mindsets and cultures.

Much as a good footballer passes the ball to the space his teammate will occupy shortly, rather where he currently is, so governments must provide education and awareness for

At the heart of development are people. There is no value in connectivity, even if affordable and accessible or in content, even if in local languages and highly relevant, if

people, the end users, do not have the necessary skills to take full advantage of the benefits provided. Exploring just how we do this – and the mix of perspectives, case studies, strategies and policies on digital development for our smart future – will be at the heart of what promises to be a fascinating debate at ITU Telecom World 2018 in Durban this September.

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VENDORS’ NEWS

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Apple loses the second largest smartphone maker title to Huawei

Huawei Consumer Business Group (CBG), the global smartphone giant, overtook Apple in second quarter of 2018 to become number two smartphone vendor globally for the first time. According to International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide, Huawei earned 15.8% market ahead of Apple at 12.1%.

The entry of Huawei in the second position marks a turning point for the smartphone industry as it delivered shipments of 54.2 million units with a record high market share of 15.8%.

Huawei has recorded 41% year on year growth leaping ahead of the other two brands globally during the same period last year.

It is also important to highlight that Huawei has also grabbed the second spot ahead of Apple in the Middle East and Africa. According to the GFK May

2018 report, Huawei CBG market share in the Middle East and Africa was 21%, an increase of 31.25% when compared with the brand’s market share in December 2017. Huawei’s market share across countries in the MEA region exceeds 20%, including Levant at 37.4%, Oman at 30%, Saudi Arabia at 27%, Iraq at 25%, Egypt at 24%, Pakistan at 22.2% and the UAE at 20%.

Huawei is leading the innovation space in the smartphone industry. It is important to highlight that the company is the 6th biggest spender in R&D globally, with $45 billion spent over the last 10 years and a whopping $12 billion last year only.

The company’s efforts have clearly paid off as its latest products have received several accolades globally. Huawei leads artificial intelligence (AI) chipsets in smartphone industry and had launched the world’s first processor with built-in AI chipset - Kirin 970 in its smartphones.

Its breakthrough flagship phone HUAWEI P20 Pro introduced an unprecedented 40-megapixel AI triple camera with stunning night shot photography features. Huawei P20 Pro received strong demand in the premium phone

segment as P20 Series exceeded 6 million phones shipped worldwide; just a few months after its launch.

Its recently launched nova 3 series is also a testament of Huawei’s strength in the premium mid-range market.

HUAWEI nova 3 and HUAWEI nova 3i feature a revolutionary 24MP + 2MP dual AI front camera that is designed to provide a new AI selfie experience, by distinguishing people from backgrounds and apply AI beautification for optimum results.

Huawei continues to showcase its commitment to innovation and customer service with the release of its GPU Turbo technology that allows users to effortlessly upgrade their devices and enjoy much-improved devices for an ultimate gaming experience at no cost.

It is noteworthy that the company recently announced that it was placed in Forbes’ Most Valuable Brands for the second year in the row and is the only Chinese company on the list for 2018.

It is safe to say that Huawei has not ceased to amaze us as the company and is close to leading the smartphone industry.

Nokia granted €500m loan from EU for 5G research The EFSI-supported loan from the EIB supports a key European technology provider, Nokia that invests heavily in research, development and innovation (RDI) in an area which can produce enabling technologies for innovation and growth in Europe.

Nokia signed a EUR 500 million loan transaction with the European Investment Bank (EIB), supported by the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI), a key element of the Investment Plan for Europe, also known as the Juncker Plan.

Nokia will use the loan to further accelerate its research and development of 5G technology, the next generation mobile telecommunication standard.

5G technologies are expected to enable faster speeds, massive connectivity and a decade-long battery life for sensors and superresponsive and reliable networks for customers.

requiring ubiquitous, low-latency connectivity. Nokia’s end-to-end network proposition goes from the radio network to the internet protocol (IP) and optical networks for transmission, the packet core network, service platforms and all the software and services associated with the whole system. In essence, Nokia’s portfolio covers all the needs of a telecom operator that wishes to provide fully converged fixed-mobile communications services critical for the era of 5G.

This could power on-demand virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) experiences, driverless vehicles, medical monitoring, advanced industrial automation services, and other applications - all

The loan, which extends Nokia’s debt maturity profile, has an average maturity of approximately five years after disbursement, which can take place at any time during the next 18 months.

SEPTEMBER 2018

VENDORS’ NEWS

59

European vendor increases US investment in bid to support 5G deployments for new product introduction and product delivery to customers. This will enable Ericsson to recruit new expertise from the US, complementing the company’s existing highly-skilled employees in the region.

Ericsson predicts that 5G subscriptions will reach the 150 million-mark, accounting for 48 percent of all mobile subscriptions in North America by the end of 2023.

To support the accelerated build out of 5G in the United States, European telecommunications vendor Ericsson will increase its investment in the market. This series of strategic initiatives will allow Ericsson to operate even closer to its customers, meeting the growing demand for 5G globally and in the region.

The investments will fall into two categories: 1) increase research and development work done close to customers in the US and 2) increase flexibility to shorten the timeline

In late 2017, Ericsson opened the Austin ASIC Design Center in Austin, Texas, to focus on core microelectronics of 5G radio basestations to accelerate the path to 5G commercialization.

The 1,400-square-meter facility (15,000-square-feet) will have 80 employees once fully staffed.

Ericsson will also open a new software development center with baseband focus in 2018, employing more than 200 software engineers once fully operational. This facility and its employees will further

strengthen Ericsson’s 5G software development.

Baseband provides intelligence to the radio access network. It is also the interface between the core network and radio units, processing and forwarding voice calls and internet data to end users.

Beginning in 2019, both of these facilities will introduce 5G products and software features into the Ericsson portfolio, and will be available for customers globally, including in the US. Additionally, Ericsson will increase its investment in artificial intelligence and automation, employing around 100 specialists in North America by the end of 2018. This team will work on utilizing AI technologies to accelerate automation, examine product road maps and explore new business opportunities. They will focus on boosting the company’s current portfolio, strengthening customer engagements and promote innovation of new disruptive business opportunities.

Qualcomm begins sampling of its revolutionary flagship mobile platform

Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., a subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated, announced that its upcoming flagship mobile platform will feature a system-on-chip (SoC) built on the 7nm process node. The 7nm SoC can be paired with the Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ X50 5G modem, which is expected to be the first 5G-capable mobile platform for premium tier smartphones and other mobile devices. Qualcomm Technologies has begun sampling of its upcoming

flagship mobile platform to multiple OEMs developing next generation consumer devices. The upcoming platform will transform industries, encourage new business models and improve the consumer experience as operators come online with 5G services later in 2018 and through 2019.

“We are very pleased to be working with OEMs, operators, infrastructure vendors, and standards bodies across the world, and are on track to help launch the first 5G mobile hotspots by the end of 2018, and smartphones using our next generation mobile platform in the first half of 2019,” said Cristiano Amon, president, Qualcomm Incorporated. “Qualcomm Technologies’ continued leadership in

research and engineering allows for a future of increased innovation across multiple sectors as 5G connectivity becomes ubiquitous.”

This flagship mobile platform with 5G is designed to enable premium connected devices that bring new intuitive experiences and interactions with power-efficient on-device AI, superior battery life, and performance while extending globally to innovative technologies, solutions, experiences and applications in automotive and IoT. Full details regarding the next generation flagship mobile platform from Qualcomm Technologies is planned to be announced in the fourth quarter of 2018.

SEPTEMBER 2018

VENDORS’ NEWS

60

Huawei introduces artificial intelligence engineering certification and it will ultimately facilitate technological progress of enterprises looking to make an impact in the digital economy.

The certification framework has four characteristics:

Huawei held a conference on its newly launched HCNA-AI in Beijing where it announced that the Huawei’s AI engineering certification is the first step for the Chinese multinational to build an artificial intelligence talent certification system. With the theme “Never stop learning, create the future with AI”, Huawei welcomed more than 100 educators, academic experts, Huawei training partners, university professors, students and AI technology enthusiasts. This new certification designed for tech professionals aims to promote the artificial intelligence technology and industry through talent development,

Grounded on solid theory and leading technology The HCNA-AI learning material provides the basic mathematics and machine learning knowledge necessary for deep learning. At this level, the students will be guided to gradually understand the related techniques of deep learning, such as, convolutional neural networks, cyclic neural networks, regularization, optimizers, etc., and introduce deep learning in applications areas, such as, computer vision, speech recognition and natural language processing.

Strong framework and extensive application HCNA-AI uses the mainstream

TensorFlow framework and supports Keras (a high level neural network API, Theano/TensorFlow-based deep learning framework written in Python), which is widely used, powerful, and has excellent compatibility and timeliness.

Convenient platform with anytime learning mode The experimental environment of the HCNA-AI certification course can be accessed to the ECS (Elastic Cloud Server) on the Huawei cloud, and then installed according to the manual.

The installed environment will have a separate IP, username and password, so that students will be able to log in to the lab environment and learn any time with a network connection.

Practical and up-to-date The HCNA-AI certification program offers programming exercises, including image recognition battle, speech recognition contest and human-machine dialogue, so that students can practice what they have learned.

Indian operator partners with Nokia in effort to accelerate its digitalization Nokia’s cloud-native core technology is being deployed by Idea Cellular in Delhi, the capital of India, as part of the operator’s transformative steps toward digitalization to meet increasing data demand and mobile broadband growth.

The Nokia technology will allow Idea to run both data and voice services on a common cloud platform, significantly reducing operational cost and time-tomarket and providing better quality of service for its subscribers.

scalabilities and capacities, thus bringing greater operational benefits to Idea’s network.

Adaptation to a Nokia cloud core will enable Idea to rollout new deployments, scale faster and adopt a delivery model that meets customer demands for enhanced mobile broadband, improved latency and accelerated time-to-market for new services.

Part of Nokia’s AirGile portfolio, a modular software architecture built with cloud-native products and capabilities, Nokia’s cloud core brings Idea’s packet and voice core on a common cloud platform.

Driven by demand for a unified infrastructure, Nokia’s proven cloudnative Cloud Packet Core solution, including its Cloud Mobility Manager, and Cloud Mobile Gateway, deployed on CloudBand, are key enablers in Idea’s transformational journey from baremetal to a cloud core architecture.

Adding the cloud platform enhances automation capabilities, such as lifecycle management, higher

Combined with the introduction of Nokia AirFrame servers, Idea’s network is ready to address the demands of

high density datacenter and cloud computing environments.

Anil Tandan, chief technology officer at Idea, said: “As India prepares to define its path to 5G, we at Idea are building the foundation by adding Nokia’s cloud core capabilities. This deployment will allow us to deliver a best-in-class network experience to our subscribers and significantly reduce the time required to introduce new services.”

Nitin Dahiya, head of the Idea customer team at Nokia, said: “Our cloud-native core solutions allows Idea to address the growing demand for both data and voice services to continue to evolve our business model and services. It further leverages the advantages of Nokia’s AirGile portfolio, to add flexibility and agility to the network. It is our privilege to partner with Idea in its journey towards digitalization.”

SEPTEMBER 2018

VENDORS’ NEWS

61

Massive MIMO technology trial in the UAE paves the way for 5G Massive MIMO in real-life scenarios with the advanced NR radio and baseband (which are 5G ready) and the latest 5G plug-ins software.

Etisalat and Ericsson have successfully conducted a live on-air trial of Ericsson Radio System and Massive MIMO technology in the United Arab Emirates, paving the way towards 5G deployment.

As one of Ericsson’s key new radio (NR) technologies, Massive MIMO has enabled the launch of antenna integrated radio (AIR) 6468 on the Etisalat UAE network. Etisalat has been able to test the benefits of

The trial was conducted in the dense and high-traffic urban environment of Dubai Marina. This is an ideal environment for testing and deploying Massive MIMO. This trial helps in evaluating the benefits of the technology and determines optimal deployment scenarios.

Saeed Al Zarouni, senior vice president, Mobile Network, Etisalat, said, “As a global pioneer of telecommunication services, Etisalat UAE is pleased to partner again with Ericsson, on a live on-air trial of the new Ericsson Radio System with Massive MIMO technology capabilities, these newly developed cutting-edge 5G plug-ins will

further enhance the experience on our radio network platform for our customers in the near future. Our latest partnership with Ericsson strengthens our commitment to our society by offering early deployment of 5G services; these plug-ins will pave the way for key UAE Smart Government Strategy pillars, such as artificial intelligence.”

Nishant Batra, head of Product Area Networks, Ericsson, commented, “At Ericsson, we are dedicated to being a world leader in 5G, enabling our clients to use the enhanced benefits of the new technology. Network speeds will be faster than ever, which will significantly improve the end user experience. We have worked with Etisalat in the past – on 2G, 3G and 4G, so we are excited to take our partnership to the next level with the early implementation of 5G.”

Huawei reaffirms commitment to promoting Tunisia’s digitalization Huawei and Tunisia have agreed to strengthen cooperation on digital development in country’s key economic sectors, including: transportation, education, smart city and energy. Huawei’s president for the Middle East and Africa, Yi Xiang, met with Tunisian Prime Minister Youssef Chahed to exchange views on how best to promote digital transformation of Tunisian industry.

In 2017, Huawei signed a “Strategic MOU of Tunisia Digital 2020” with Tunisia’s Ministry of Communication Technology and Digital Economy and the recent high-level meeting is a follow-up on that agreement to deepen cooperation in digital transformation projects.

Prime Minister Chahed expressed gratitude to Huawei for its continued contributions in Tunisia. Tunisia aims to promote social and economic development and employment through ICT development and is also committed to building Tunisia as

a model of a regional digitalization center and ICT hub. The Prime Minister further expressed his hope to increase cooperation with China and welcomed more Chinese companies, like Huawei, to invest, develop and succeed in Tunisia.

in-depth cooperation with local major telecom operators, government and industry customers. Over the years, Huawei has trained more than 1,000 ICT professionals for Tunisia. The proportion of local employees of Huawei Tunisia is more than 90%.

Huawei’s Yi Xiang said that Huawei is actively participating in the “Digital Tunisia 2020” national strategy and contributing to the digitization of various industries in Tunisia. By implementing the “Strategic MoU of Tunisia Digital 2020”, Huawei will help Tunisia promote digital transformation, create employment opportunities and strengthen the education and training of both sides for Tunisian ICT talent. At the same time, Huawei will continue to promote the exchange of experts between China and Tunisia and encourage further development of Tunisia’s ICT industry.

Huawei has established a regional French speaking talent center and regional service resource center in Tunisia and launched the “Huawei ICT Academy” project.

Huawei has operated in Tunisia since 1999 and has extensive and

Through Huawei’s “Seeds for the Future” program, summer internships and ICT skills competition, the company promotes Tunisia as the regional ICT talent center. At the same time, Huawei adheres to the concept of “open, cooperation and win-win” and follows the “platform + ecosystem” cooperation model.

Huawei is committed to building partnerships with local companies for mutual growth and exploring potential markets together in other countries.

SEPTEMBER 2018

GLOSSARY-D-

62

Database

A database is a data structure that stores organized information. Most databases contain multiple tables, which may each include several different fields. For example, a company database may include tables for products, employees, and financial records. Each of these tables would have different fields that are relevant to the information stored in the table.

DaaS

Desktop as a service (DaaS) is a cloud computing solution in which virtual desktop infrastructure is outsourced to a third-party provider. DaaS functionality relies on the virtual desktop, which is a user-controlled session or dedicated machine that transforms on-demand cloud services for users and organizations around the world. This is an efficient model in which the service provider manages all the back-end responsibilities that would normally be provided by application software.

DNS

Stands for “Domain Name System�. Domain names serve as memorizable names for websites and other services on the Internet. However, computers access Internet devices by their IP addresses. DNS translates domain names into IP addresses, allowing you to access an Internet location by its domain name.

Digital currency

It is a payment method which exists only in electronic form and is not tangible. Digital currency can be transferred between entities or users with the help of technology like computers, smartphones and the internet.

Although it is similar to physical currencies, digital money allows borderless transfer of ownership as well as instantaneous transactions. Digital currencies can be used to purchase goods and services but can also be restricted to certain online communities such as a gaming or social networks.

DdoS

A distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) is a type of computer attack that uses a number of hosts to overwhelm a server, causing a website to experience a complete system crash. This type of denial-of-service attack is perpetrated by hackers to target large-scale, far-reaching and popular websites in an effort to disable them, either temporarily or permanently. This is often done by bombarding the targeted server with information requests, which disables the main system and prevents it from operating. This leaves the site’s users unable to access the targeted website.

Dynamic content

In the context of HTML and the World Wide Web, it refers to website content that constantly or regularly changes based on user interactions, timing and other parameters that determine what content is delivered to the user.

This means that the content of the site may differ for every user because of different parameters.

EVENTS’ CALENDAR

ITU Telecom World 2018 This leading international platform enables influential figures from government and industry to connect with tech SMEs, exhibit, explore partnership solutions, debate and share ideas. Join ITU Telecom World in Durban in 2018 to be a part of it.

Place: Durban, South Africa

Telecoms World Middle East 2018

17 18

n 2018, Telecoms World Middle East will bring together the entire TMT ecosystem to discuss the digital revolution, technology developments and the future landscape for MNOs, MVNOs, OTTs, suppliers and the wider industry.

OCTOBER

Place: The Ritz-Carlton DIFC, Dubai, UAE

14 18

CommunicIndonesia 2018 Ground breaking event for the ICT industry in Indonesia, CommunicIndonesia 2018 will gather 204 exhibitors from Asia and beyond. The event attracts leading industry professionals from Indonesia’s lucrative tourism and hospitality sector, making it the recognized platform to network and meet potential buyer.

Place: Jakarta International Expo, Indonesias

SEPTEMBER

10 13

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Gitex 2018 With over 100K visitors, key players from every industry, government decision-makers, corporate buyers, innovators and futurists, the largest meeting platform of MENA government entities, global corporates and startups will take place again this year.

Place: Dubai World Trade Center

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Latest updates on: www.telecomreview.com

OCTOBER

SEPTEMBER

SEPTEMBER 2018

EVENTS’ CALENDAR

MEF 2018 MEF18 focuses on enabling agile, assured and orchestrated communications services for the digital economy. It uniquely empowers industry stakeholders with high-quality content, extraordinary peer-to-peer networking opportunities, and valuable insight into cutting-edge services and technologies.

Place: Los Angeles, USA

NGMN Industry Conference & Exhibition Vancouver

6 8

NGMN is proud to announce the 7th NGMN Industry Conference & Exhibition taking place in Vancouver. As with the previous NGMN Industry Conference & Exhibitions you can expect first-class line-up of top management speakers and panelists, world-leading vendor exhibition open throughout the conference as well as the evening event and great networking opportunities.

NOVEMBER

Place: JW Marriott Parq, Vancouver, Canada

19 21

Telecom Review Summit Dubai 2018 Telecom Review will hold the 11th edition of its summit for two consecutive years. The first day will be under the theme “It’s All About SMART Networking” and the second day will be under the theme “Building the SMART Future”.

Place: The Meydan Hotel, Dubai, UAE

NOVEMBER

29 2

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Global Internet of Things Contest & Congress 2018 With the theme of “Finding Innovators,” the Global IoT Congress 2018 will capture the latest, strongest and best technologies and solutions globally and support them to become the new focus of the IoT industry. It is willing to provide innovators in the industry opportunities to showcase their ideas and expand their business.

Place: Beijing, China

10 11

Latest updates on: www.telecomreview.com

DECEMBER

OCTOBER NOVEMBER

SEPTEMBER 2018