Page 94 - SAMENA Trends - January-February 2025

TECHNOLOGY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Airgain Launches New Solar-Powered 5G Repeater

Airgain has just introduced a new, solar powered 5G repeater, which grid and backhaul extensions. Airgain will be showcasing the
it says can extend 5G signals by 20% and operate “fully detached solar-powered 5G repeater at next week’s Mobile World Congress
from the power grid.” Airgain is positioning the solution as a way in Barcelona, Spain. It is holding an event on Wednesday focused
to cost-effectively push 5G into rural and hard-to-reach areas, so on sustainable and smart 5G infrastructure, with operator partner
that 5G can be cost-effectively and quickly extended to rural and Omantel, which provides telecommunications service in Oman.
hard-to-reach areas. The company said that a recent field trial
of the new Smart Network-Controlled Repeater or NCR, which it
calls Lighthouse Solar, have confirmed that the equipment boosts
speed as well as coverage. According to Airgain, the 5G repeater
enabled connectivity speeds averaging more than 250 Mbps,
and achieved peak speeds of 425 Mbps even in areas previously
underserved. Comparatively, the company added, the existing 4G
speeds in the area were 1 Mbps. “This breakthrough positions
Airgain at the forefront of the 5G infrastructure revolution,” said Dr.
Ali Sadri, Airgain’s CTO, in a statement. “By offering a sustainable,
grid-independent, and rapidly deployable solution, we are enabling
telecom operators to expand their networks at lower costs, increase
service reliability, and drive greater monetization opportunities—all
while advancing global connectivity.” In the field trial, Airgain said,
the 5G repeater also demonstrated a more than 50% improvement
in spectral efficiency and maximization of network utilization, as
well as “super link quality … in challenging environments”. Because
the equipment operates self-sufficiently, it was also able to be
deployed quickly—in less than a day, according to Airgain, while
eliminating the need to obtain costly and time-consuming power

MoU Signed to Set Up AI chip Unit in Salalah

The sultanate is set to start an advanced artificial intelligence chip design and manufacturing, while attracting international
(AI) semiconductor chip manufacturing project in Salalah Free talent, particularly from Taiwan, South Korea and Japan. H E Dr
Zone, Dhofar following a memorandum of understanding (MoU) Ali bin Amer al Shidhani, Undersecretary for Communications and
signed recently. The agreement, between Ministry of Transport, Information Technology in MTCIT, stated that the project aligns
Communications and Information Technology (MTCIT) and with the Digital Industry Programme under the National Programme
AONH Private Holdings, is supported by regional and international for Digital Economy and Oman Vision 2040. “This project will
investment funds. The project aims to consolidate Oman’s position contribute to attracting new investments in the semiconductor
in the global semiconductor industry, addressing the rising demand industry, stimulating local technical innovation and advancing
for AI technologies. It will also help develop local expertise in research in microelectronics. It will support economic growth,
technological progress and sustainable development in Oman,” he
said. He noted that the global semiconductor industry is expanding
rapidly, driven by increasing demand for AI, the Internet of Things,
5G networks and autonomous driving technologies. According to
global management consultants McKinsey, the market is expected
to reach US$1tn valuation by 2030. Ali Steve Chao, Chairman of
AONH Private Holdings, highlighted Oman’s strategic location
and investor-friendly environment as key factors in selecting the
country for the project. “With this initiative, Oman is set to make
its mark on the world stage of chip manufacturing, developing
advanced memory solutions and next-generation AI chips,” he
said. He added that the company aims to attract top global talent,
creating a hub for researchers, engineers and developers to drive
innovation in semiconductor manufacturing, data centres and
AI industries. Production operations are expected to begin three
years after the project’s launch.

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