Page 12 - SAMENA Trends - August 2019

REGIONAL & MEMBERS UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

du To Launch Second Phase of 5G in UAE By End

2020

Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Co (du) plans to
launch the second phase of the 5G network in the UAE by the
end of 2020, the company’s chief infrastructure officer Saleem
Al Balooshi said. The currently being offered 5G technology
services represent the first phase of the launch which depends
on the existing 4G network, Al-Ittihad newspaper reported, citing
Al Balooshi. The Emirati telecom operator also aims to invest
around AED 1.3 billion to AED 1.5 billion this year, mainly in the
preparations for the 5G network, Al Balooshi noted. The company
has already begun collaborating with a number of global mobile
phone manufacturers to launch 5G supported devices in the
market, he added. He also expected various models of these
mobile phones to be released in the local market within the
coming weeks or months. Earlier this day, du announced the
signing of a commercial agreement with wi-tribe Pakistan LDI
(Private) Ltd, a subsidiary of HB International Investments Ltd, to
build ‘Orient Express Cable System’, a 1,400-kilometre submarine
cable system between Karachi and Gwadar in Pakistan and Kalba
in the UAE. Under the agreement, both companies will work jointly
to ease the development of a high capacity low latency submarine
cable between Pakistan and the UAE, du said in a statement to
the ADX. Moreover, du highlighted that its relationship with wi-
tribe is “purely commercial”, adding that it has no investment or of 2019, up 2.5% from AED 453 million in Q2-18. The company’s
ownership in the cable system. du previously announced it logged board of directors proposed the distribution of AED 589 million in
a profit after royalty of AED 464 million during the second quarter cash dividends for the first six months of 2019.

du Leads MENA as Founding Member of Global Alliance to Promote
Adoption of Light Communication Technology

du, from Emirates Integrated ourselves on pioneering game-changing 4.0 and manufacturing environments, as
Telecommunications Company (EITC), technologies to add even more value to well as retail and tourism. Global Market
has become the only regional founding our valued customer segments. As LiFi Insights predicts that the LiFi market will
member of the Light Communications technology becomes a commercial reality, be worth $75 billion by 2025, creating
Alliance (LCA) – a newly launched global we look forward to shaping the future broad, far-reaching opportunities for the
consortium of communications, lighting, of this technology as well as expanding related industries to benefit from Visible
infrastructure, and device manufacturing customers’ potential by complementing our Light Communications. The LCA is an open,
industry leaders aimed at promoting new solutions stack with the latest connectivity non-profit association of members who
wireless technologies to enable Light innovations and developments,” said, aim to promote Light Communications
Communications (LC). The LCA will also Saleem AlBlooshi, Chief Technology Officer technology with a consistent, focused and
establish and advocate the use of global at EITC. “We are proud to be working concise approach. The LCA will highlight
standards for this emerging industry. alongside the world’s leading industry the benefits, use cases and timelines for
As a key advocate for bringing new players to bring this communication to Light Communications adoption. The
technologies to fruition across the UAE, life across the globe,” he added. Light organization will also align innovative
du’s involvement in this global alliance Communication technologies include leaders across the industries that light
reiterates the company’s commitment Light Fidelity (LiFi) and Optical Camera and communications touches, defining
towards pioneering technologies that Communications (OCC), both of which standards for education, communication,
empower citizens, enterprises, and have been attracting increased attention and interoperability.
government entities across the country, over recent years within several industries,
the region, and the world. “At du, we pride such as smart cities and homes, industry

12 AUGUST 2019