Etisalat today announced its strategic partnership with ASGC Construction to provide Enterprise Level Cloud Solutions combined with its secure managed IP connect service as part of their digital transformation roadmap.

Herbert Fuchs, Chief Information Officer at ASGC, said: “We’ve selected Etisalat and their OneCloud Services as it perfectly meets our needs from scalability, flexibility, reliability and performance perspectives while at the same time offering the most attractive ROI among the cloud vendors that we’ve analysed.

“Etisalat’s OneCloud platform represents one of the foundations in our digital transformation roadmap which spans across all aspects of our business – ranging from the IT operations and service delivery to cross departmental core business process automation onwards to construction asset optimisation as well as labor

productivity and labor safety aspects.” Ragy Magdy, Vice President/Enterprise Sales at Etisalat, said: “We are pleased to offer Etisalat’s OneCloud Services that cater to the growing needs of ASGC, a leading construction company in the UAE, and set a benchmark in the construction sector. With Etisalat’s corporate strategy focusing on 'Driving the digital future', we are working closely with all our customers and partners to transform their businesses by investing in digital services and solutions.

“Etisalat’s OneCloud solution is a vital tool in enabling ASGC’s digital transformation that aims to reduce its IT capital spend and operational expenses while simultaneously increasing IT agility in a secure environment.”

Etisalat OneCloud offers a wide range of cloud solutions designed to satisfy the security, performance and data location needs of UAE enterprises. This end-to-end managed cloud solution includes infrastructure-as-a-service, managed security services, managed backup, managed applications and managed disaster recovery services.

Etisalat and Azizi Developments today announced a partnership that would enable customers to get eLife services right at their doorstep.

Real estate clients can apply for eLife services before moving into their home, reducing waiting time to enjoy seamless and high-speed connectivity.

The MoU was signed by Mohamed Al Zarouni, Senior Vice President, Indirect Sales at Etisalat, and Farhad Azizi, CEO of Azizi Developments.

Mohamed Al Zarouni, Senior Vice President, Indirect Sales at Etisalat, said: “Etisalat is pleased to partner with Azizi Developments to promote the availability of eLife products and services across a wide partner base and offer benefits of convenience, coverage and value to customers. Azizi Developments’ clients will now have the flexibility of purchasing our services right at their doorstep or prior to moving to their homes.”

Farhad Azizi, CEO of Azizi Developments, commented: “We are always on the lookout for valuable partnerships that add to our promise of quality and excellence. Etisalat is a national communications leader with global standards whose services we are proud to make available to our customers. Now, our residents can conveniently register for eLife before they move in so that they are connected the moment they step into their new homes.”

Azizi Developments, the award-winning real estate investment arm of Azizi Group, is one of the leading private developers in the UAE. In just over a decade since its inception, the company has contributed to the realty sector through its exceptional developments and master-planned communities that meet the aspirations of investors and end-users alike. With its long history, profound international expertise and deeply rooted commitment to the region, the company has been instrumental in developing some of the finest properties in Meydan, Palm Jumeirah, Dubai Healthcare City, Al Furjan, Studio City, Sports City and Jebel Ali. Azizi distinguishes itself through its construction-driven approach, strong focus on timely delivery, and projects in prime locations delivered to the highest and most contemporary standards, tailored to all lifestyles.

E-Vision, a fully owned subsidiary of Etisalat, launched ‘Spirit of the Union’ channel 47 on eLife to commemorate the 47th National Day.

‘Spirit of the Union’ channel aims to highlight the UAE’s glorious past and its rich culture and traditions. The channel’s content is designed to broadcast rare footage and programs that demonstrate the UAE’s remarkable progress since 1971 as well as to pay tribute to the country’s Rulers and their visionary leadership.

Humaid Sahoo, CEO, E-Vision, said: “E-vision has created since 2011 a dedicated channel ‘Spirit of the Union’, which is transmitted free to all eLife subscribers. This initiative is in line with our commitment to highlight the wonderful achievements of this nation, pay tribute to the nation’s founding father, the late Sheikh Zayed's remarkable legacy and our Rulers, and inculcate a spirit of patriotism and unity among the younger generations.”

The featured shows being screened daily until 31st December include old and new documentaries, interviews with UAE prominent figures, poetry, patriotic songs, special programmes from various emirates, tourism videos and National Day celebrations across the UAE, in addition to special replays of best moments of the official 47th National Day celebration held in Zayed Sports City.

The Spirit of the Union is derived from the vision and leadership of the late Sheikh Zayed and now lives on through His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE and his fellow leaders of the nation’s Emirates who are shaping the UAE’s future.

The entities that provided rich content that contributed to the success of the channel were the UAE Armed Forces, National Archives in Abu Dhabi, Watani Al Emarat Foundation, Dubai Media Office, Emirates News Agency, Sharjah TV, Abu Dhabi TV and CNN, among many others.

Partnered with Union Insurance to deliver ‘Home Protection Plan’ for all eLife customers

Etisalat today announced a new insurance offering - ‘Home Protection Plan’ for all eLife home customers to provide a hassle-free option, making sure all household goods are insured for just AED 10 per month.

The new insurance plan provides coverage of up to AED 50,000 to eLife customers giving them complete protection of their home contents. The general market price for similar insurance plans may cost over AED 300 a year, offering subscribers savings of over 50 percent on their premiums. Subscribers of this plan have a unique benefit of having small monthly payments instead of high annual premium payment. Moreover, no surveys and no minimum commitment are required to qualify for this insurance plan.

“At Etisalat we are constantly looking out for ways to enrich our customer’s lives, delivering products that are both innovative and that take the hassle out of day-to-day life. Home insurance should be accessible to everyone and we are proud to bring one of the most affordable solutions to the UAE market,” said Jonathan Haysom, Vice President Home Products, Etisalat.

“Subscription is fast and easy; customers can simply call us at 800101 or visit any Etisalat store to get the plan attached instantly. Once enabled the service will give our customers the peace of mind, knowing that their home contents are covered should the worst occur.”

Etisalat partnered with UAE-based Union Insurance Company to cover all household goods and other items such as furniture, fixtures, clothing and electronics located within the premises against fire, flood, accidental damage and even theft. Subscribers can also claim for the costs incurred against the loss of their personal documents including that of any employed domestic helper. The ‘Home Protection Plan’ also gives subscribers the facility to claim reimbursement for any alternate accommodation in case of their home becoming uninhabitable, for up to 15 days following the accident.

Customers can view the details of the ‘Home Protection Plan’ in their monthly Etisalat bill. Settlement is also made simple at the time of a claim, as eLife subscribers will have to only quote their policy number and present the latest eLife bill to the Union Insurance company to initiate the settlement process.

Etisalat’s ‘eLife Unlimited’ customers are in for a major upgrade as Etisalat doubles the broadband speed across the board of the recently launched ‘eLife Unlimited’ plans. The plans now deliver more than five times the broadband speed of the previous generation.

‘eLife Unlimited’ customers will immediately enjoy the new speeds at no extra charge automatically. The entry-level plan, ‘eLife Starter’, will now offer speeds up to 100 Mbps. The unlimited Sports and Entertainment plans offer speeds up to 250 Mbps. Premium plans offer speeds of up to 500 Mbps and up to 1 Gbps. This change represents the first time 100Mbps has been offered in a base level plan in the UAE.

Emirati nationals on the new eLife Unlimited plans will receive a free speed boost taking their plans up to 250 Mbps on the ‘Starter’ and up to 500 Mbps on the ‘Unlimited Sports and Entertainment’ plans.

Khaled ElKhouly, Chief Consumer Officer at Etisalat, said: “At Etisalat, we are committed to deliver what our home customers demand: faster broadband, tailor-made and enhanced TV content at the most competitive prices. We deliver on our promises and are proud to offer double the broadband speeds to both our existing ‘eLife Unlimited’ customers and those joining eLife or migrating to these plans at no extra cost.”

The speed increase comes hot on the heels of ‘eLife Unlimited’, the evolution delivering enhanced TV content and the nation’s fastest broadband plans. For the first time in the UAE, Etisalat introduced a ‘Commitment Free’ option, waiving off the minimum commitment period for subscribers by simply paying a monthly fee of AED20.

Customers enjoy entertainment from across the globe with more than 590 channels, including 4K content, and over 150 channels in HD. The packages come with a massive library of movies and TV shows on demand plus features like ‘Start-Over’, ‘Catch-Up’ and ‘Parental Control’. ‘eLife Unlimited’ allows subscribers to enjoy all the premium content from major TV broadcasters, media and content companies like MBC, beIN Sport, OSN and Starz Play on one box to ensure non-stop entertainment is delivered to every household in the country.

Customers signing up to ‘eLife Unlimited’ plans can also choose a ‘Regional Add-On’ that will boost their basic TV subscription with premium Asian, Arabian, Pinoy, and Western channels for only AED 10 a month which is a 75 percent discount off the regular price of AED 40. The premium package subscribers will be able to select one option for free.

Emiratis and ‘Homat Al Watan’ cardholders can enjoy their dedicated plans from Etisalat on the new eLife Unlimited. Existing eLife customers are able to upgrade to the new ‘eLife Unlimited’ plans immediately enabling them to enjoy the new broadband speeds and superior TV entertainment services, simply by visiting www.etisalat.ae , calling 800101 or by visiting Etisalat stores.

• Etisalat launched the first commercial 5G wireless network in MENA
• 5G technologies to provide a platform for futuristic solutions and applications
• Etisalat is ‘Driving the Digital Future to Empower Societies’

New age mobile technologies and the future of the 5G network will be a game changer for the industry opening doors to innovation and providing customers a unique digital experience, said Hatem Dowidar, CEO, Etisalat International at the Leaders Summit being held in Dubai.

The 11 th Edition of the ‘Leaders Summit’ focused on the theme ‘It’s all about Smart Networking’. The summit brings telecom experts and leaders together on one platform to debate and discuss about future developments in the regional and global telecom industry. The attendees include decision makers from the telecom industry covering all segments in the ecosystem.

Dowidar led the opening debate on ‘How Technology is affecting our daily life: Outlook 2025’ and the ‘Telecom Leaders’ panel focusing on ‘How do telcos address the digital transformation opportunities and challenges’. He said: “We foresee 5G as a game changer with rich potential, an evolution that would elevate services, performance and enablement. It's going to change the way we work, play, and interact.

“Mobile technologies and applications have already made a profound impact on consumer behavior raising the expectations for more sophisticated and innovative solutions. As we move ahead into the digital future, these technologies will provide a platform to create a unique customer experience.”

With Etisalat’s focus on ‘Driving the Digital Future to Empower Societies’, Ali Amiri, Group Chief Carrier & Wholesale Officer, Etisalat, emphasized on the increasing importance of the network, he participated in the panel ‘Capacity and Data Traffic’ focusing on the changing requirements in capacity, cable marine industry and the role of the satellite in data tsunami.

Mohamed H Almarzooqi, VP-Technology Synergies Etisalat International, joined the discussion on ‘5G: Recalculating routes for new economic value’ focusing on ‘5G serving the next wave of traffic growth’, 5G technology and infrastructure, 5G economics and use cases and the role of SDN in business models and networks development.

Kamran Ahsan, Senior Director, Digital Security Solutions, Etisalat Digital, took part in the panel ‘Cybersecurity: anticipation measures and security challenges’ with the discussion outline focused on security challenges in the digital era, security embedded in all layers of the telecom infrastructure with a focus on risks and mitigations as well.

• 5G is a key enabler for the digital economy
• UAE ranked no. 1 for the highest FTTH penetration
• Etisalat is ‘Driving the Digital Future to Empower Societies’

Today there is a symbiotic relation between ‘Knowledge’ and ‘Digital’ economies, the digital economy is fueling, facilitating and working as a catalyst in the knowledge economy umbrella. There is a gradual shift to create new opportunities and redefine human capital, said Dr Ahmed Bin Ali, Senior Vice President, Corporate Communication, Etisalat Group at the Knowledge Summit in Dubai.

The fifth annual ‘Knowledge Summit’ is organized by Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation (MBRF) taking place on 5-6 December, 2018.

The event’s theme this year is focused on ‘Youth and the Future of the Knowledge Economy’ reflecting the critical role this sector plays in the public sector and to build a sustainable knowledge economy. The summit is also focused on the ‘UAE Vision 2021’ to build a competitive economy that supports innovation and creativity and implementing the objectives of the UAE National Agenda for the Youth.

Bin Ali led the discussion ‘Digital Economy and Knowledge Economy: Rivalry or Alliance?’. The discussion focused on the shift of the country from traditional economies to a more diversified economy focusing on technology and services. UAE has established itself in the knowledge economy creating a competitive edge at all levels .

The UAE today has set a benchmark in innovation, technology, infrastructure and network taking a lead in establishing a digital economy.

UAE continues its leadership in Fiber to the Home penetration among all its global counterparts. With a strong vision of the leaders and the government of UAE, the country is in the top 10 countries in ICT ranking as one of the top countries in e-government and online services, highlighted Bin Ali.

Etisalat continuous investments on this front over the years have led to major achievements like the 3G network coverage reaching 99.98% while 4G LTE covering 98.98%.

"There is a symbiotic relation between Knowledge and Digital Economies, the Digital economy fueling, facilitating, and working as a catalyst in the Knowledge economy umbrella. The UAE has set a benchmark for the early adoption of advanced new technology, with Expo 2020 Dubai becoming the first major customer in the MEASA region to access 5G services, through its partnership with Etisalat. Our aim and strategy is focused on ‘Driving the Digital Future to Empower Societies’ to create new opportunities and redefine the human capital in the Knowledge economy,” said Bin Ali at the panel discussion.

The other speakers at the panel discussion included Dr Simon Galpin, Managing Director, Bahrain Economic Development Board and Sarfaraz Alam, Chairman of TEXPO Group of Companies and moderated by Tom Goodwin, EVP of Innovation at Zenith Media.

Etisalat and China Mobile International Limited (CMI) have come together to establish point of presence at Etisalat’s SmartHub Data Centre in UAE, improving CMI’s reach across partners in the region and meeting the increasing demand for content and connectivity.

As part of the Etisalat SmartHub, CMI will have presence in the Middle East to support its Global infrastructure, interconnections, capacity and expand its reach into the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region. The data center colocation partnership agreement will enable the company to further support global telecom infrastructure requirement of its existing customers as well as tap new markets with its specialized telecom services and solutions.

Ali Amiri, Group Chief Carrier & Wholesale Officer, Etisalat said: “We are delighted to have China Mobile International join Etisalat’s SmartHub as a member of our growing SmartHub community. Our SmartHub stands out as an innovative regional content, capacity and mobility platform to drive future growth. Over the years, the hub has successfully proved its capability in providing consistency and best-in-class connectivity in the region.

“We, at Etisalat, are committed to deliver the highest quality and innovative international services. The continuous flow of partnerships with SmartHub signify Etisalat’s position as a central hub of regional connectivity in the telecom market. China Mobile International’s decision to join Etisalat’s Smarthub community will enable them to cater to global connectivity requirements of their end customer and also extend their core infrastructure in the Middle East.”

• Copies of ‘Sheikh Zayed: Life and Times’ distributed to 30 schools across the UAE

• ejunior channel to air highlights of book distribution initiative

ejunior’s book donation campaign, which commemorates the Year of Zayed, is being warmly welcomed by schools across the country.

Numerous copies of Sheikh Zayed: Life and Times were distributed to 20 UAE schools between September and October, bringing the total number of schools to 30 since the start of the campaign this year. The book comes in English and Arabic and features a rare collection of photographs by Royal Photographer Noor Ali Rashid that celebrates the vision of His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.

Residents can watch the video highlighting the book distribution during the year on ejunior, the exclusive UAE kids channel from E-Vision, a subsidiary of Etisalat. This year’s theme is ‘This is Zayed. This is the UAE.”

Humaid Sahoo, CEO, E-Vision, said: “We are delighted to have received a warm response to our ‘Year of Zayed’ initiative, which speaks volumes about our founding father's instrumental role in UAE history. There cannot be a more fitting tribute to the Founding Father in the Year of Zayed than being part of projects and initiatives that honour his legacy. Our book donation campaign not only aims to promote a love for reading among the youth, but also to instill the late Sheikh Zayed’s noble values across the community – wisdom, respect, determination, loyalty and a sense of belonging to the nation.”

A team from ejunior, distributed English and Arabic copies of the coffee table book to schools across the Emirates. These were Aldar Academy, Al Ekhlass School, ABC Private School, Mayoor Private School and Shining Star International School in Abu Dhabi; Al Mawaqeb School, Amity School, Jumeira Baccalaureate School, JSS Private School, Dubai International School, Grammar School, and Al Khaleej National School in Dubai.

Sharjah and Ajman-based schools also received copies of the book, namely Al Afiah Filipino Private School, Al Resalah International School of Science, New Delhi Private School, Al Itqan American School, Aspam Indian International School, The Bloomington Academy School, Al Ameer English School and Frontline International Private School.

The schools expressed their gratitude and appreciation for ejunior’s initiative, saying the best way to learn and gain knowledge is through books and that the Sheikh Zayed: Life and Times book helps spread the word about Sheikh Zayed’s legacy as the Father of the Nation.

Alyas Ali, Shining Star International School’s Principal, said: “We’re pleased to be selected by ejunior as part of their books initiative. The “Sheikh Zayed – Life and Times” books have greatly added to the library which showcases various books which celebrate the life of Sheikh Zayed and reinforces the strong My Identity program which is run throughout the school.”

Richard Drew, Jumeira Baccalaureate School’s Principal, said: “It was a great pleasure to be selected by ejunior as part of their books initiative. This campaign perfectly joins the projects that Jumeira Baccalaureate School has engaged since January to celebrate the Year of Zayed. The “Sheikh Zayed – Life and Times” books have found a special place in our Year Of Zayed corner showcased in JBS library.”

Etisalat is offering free access to its super-fast ‘UAE WiFi by Etisalat’ network for 10 days to mark the 47 th UAE National Day. All UAE residents and international tourists can benefit from the promotion across major locations in the country including malls, cafes, beaches and parks from 30 November to 9 December 2018.

Customers will experience high speeds and superb quality free of charge across Etisalat’s WiFi network to exchange greetings, share photos, access social networking websites and surf online.

Please visit www.etisalat.ae/uaewifi for more details on the offer.

Etisalat is participating as a partner in the Sheikh Zayed Heritage Festival, which celebrates the legacy of the nation’s Founding Father.

The festival, which runs from 30 November to 26 January, is taking place in Al Wathba, Abu Dhabi. It will feature a variety of events and activities celebrating Sheikh Zayed’s centennial, reflecting his interest in preserving the rich and diverse heritage of the UAE and the world.

Sultan Al Dhaheri, General Manager, Etisalat Abu Dhabi, said: “We are pleased to be part of Sheikh Zayed Heritage Festival since its inception in line with our strong tradition of corporate social responsibility. Our support for this festival reflects our commitment to uphold the cultural and traditional values instilled by the Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.

“We at Etisalat are proud to be associated with this event which showcases authentic Emirati culture, diversity of heritage and provides an insight into regional and global history highlighting the achievements of UAE predecessors. We draw inspiration from the noble values of the UAE that were instilled by our founding fathers at the time of the establishment of the federation.”

During the festival, Etisalat will also have a dedicated booth promoting its diverse products, offers and services.

Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, the festival is held under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces; and under the supervision of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs.

• Etisalat role as an operator is significant to increase competitiveness, productivity and innovation in the country
• Etisalat has led the digital journey by developing the telecom value chain leveraging on core strengths and strategic assets

The region is emerging rapidly on the global scene making a major impact on economic agendas aiming to position the region as a technology hub and a driving engine in the digital economy, highlighted Khalifa Al Shamsi, Chief Corporate Governance and Strategy Officer at the Mobile 360 series conference held in Dubai.

The conference focused on key trends in the telecom sector and increasing impact of the industry on the digital ecosystem and the evolution path of the ICT transformation journey.

The event kicked off with a keynote from Khalifa Al Shamsi, Chief Corporate Strategy and Governance Officer, Etisalat Group. The opening speech focused on Etisalat’s changing role as an operator which is vital today to increase global competitiveness, productivity and innovation in the country. In Etisalat, the company has led in digital transformation developing the telecom value chain and leveraging on core strengths and strategic assets to be able to generate returns out of this transformation.

Operators should be the driving force behind the maturity of the digital ecosystem, with capital investments, active involvement in shaping a favorable regulatory landscape, relevant partnerships, broad foresight for potential use cases, and the willingness to trial, pilot and launch new technologies.

Hatem Dowidar, Chief Executive Officer, Etisalat International, led the discussion in the opening CEO panel on ‘Regional Visions for Technology’s Transformative Power’. The panel highlighted how the region has showcased how ICT and telecommunications are core to businesses and individuals today with digital maturity taking a lead in implementing futuristic technologies and solutions. Today, the region has taken a global lead by taking the lead in 5G enabling operators to be at the forefront of innovation. These dynamics in the mobile ecosystem will lead to a significant contribution to the economy in the region.

Other speakers from Etisalat were Kamran Ahsan, Senior Director, Security Solutions at Etisalat Digital; and Alberto Araque, Vice President, Internet of Things and Digital Payment at Etisalat Digital.

During discussions on ‘Mitigating the Cybersecurity Risk’, best approaches on how to achieve resilience and protect companies from the ever-growing threat posed by cyberattacks were highlighted. For the workshop on ‘IoT and 5G: Enabling the Digital Society’, the main topics were focused on how top IoT and 5G partners could collaborate and build the 5G ecosystem, achieve sustainable business target and enable the digital society.

Etisalat has an exclusive partnership with GSMA for Mobile 360 series conference in 2018 and 2019. The conference, which runs on 26 and 27 November in Dubai, is a regional platform that attracts telecom leaders from across the global and regional mobile industry to address key challenges and opportunities in the mobile ecosystem.

• Initiatives included book donation, toys for a cause and the ‘Disney on Ice’ show
• Joins global corporates to promote international togetherness and awareness among children

To commemorate World Children’s Day, Etisalat has launched a series of initiatives that promote children’s well-being and celebrate togetherness and awareness among all children.

Etisalat’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) team visited a number of schools and distributed copies of five winning titles of the Etisalat Award for Arabic Children's Literature, an Arabic literary award for children's literature.

Dr Ahmed Bin Ali, Group Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications at Etisalat, said: “It is most gratifying for us to see smiles light up on children’s faces at today’s book donation drive. We are delighted to be involved in a number of initiatives that ensure children can grow up in a safe, innovative and enriching environment and fulfil their potential.

“Our long term goal is to continue our commitment to corporate social responsibility, always on the way of bringing change for the better world for all of us together. At Etisalat, we always look forward to meaningful collaboration that inculcates great values and enriches the experience for kids.”

The book donation drive comes as part of a series of child-oriented initiatives by Etisalat, such as ‘Dubai Gives Drive for Education’ programme that provides primary level education for needy children in developing countries. Over 18 million children in 57 countries have benefited from the programme.

Etisalat also invited 150 orphaned children from a number of humanitarian children charities around the country to attend the ‘Disney on Ice’ show at Dubai World Trade Centre, while Etisalat’s CSR Team donated 400 children toys to a number of day-care centres in UAE.

To keep children safe online, Etisalat provided ‘Circle with Disney’ which allows parents to control how long their children are online and filter which sites they can access to keep them safe online.

Etisalat Digital and the Xtramix Group of Companies have announced their pioneering partnership to integrate the IoT with the Xtramix fleet.

This partnership is poised to become the basis for a completely comprehensive vehicle remote management tool, which will be based on Xtramix’s prime movers, transit mixers, and mobile pumps.

Today’s announcement is part of Etisalat Digital’s strategy to build upstream solutions and industry specific transformations using real-time scenarios. Under the terms of the contract, Etisalat Digital will deliver a unified platform with multiple applications. This system will include GPS fleet tracking, intelligent recorded driver behavior monitoring, driver alert features, drum rotation monitors, water flow sensors, hydraulic system monitors, and an onboard computer that will relay information to the command center.

Salvador Anglada, Group Chief Business Officer, Etisalat, said: “IoT technology today has a significant impact on the construction industry ranging from improved efficiency to provide new ways to ensure time and resources are allocated to reach maximum potential. Construction companies now realize that they can have a competitive advantage if they integrate IoT into their operational and business model today. We are going to take a step further by expanding the partnership to include Video Surveillance as a Service (VSaaS) and ruggedised devices in the near future.”

Xtramix, being one of the most recognised solutions providers in the UAE, is continuously proving its excellence and quality of service in the market. Being the leader in concrete industry. Xtramix is always keen to equip its technological backbone to achieve operational excellence and this integration with Etisalat’s IoT platform to optimize its fleet management is a big step in boosting efficiency, competitiveness, and readiness for the future.

Xtramix Group Managing Director Abdel Razzak Dajani said: “This integration of the IoT in our business is vital and creates a new world of possibilities in delivering the best quality of products and services from production to transportation and delivery to project sites maintaining efficiency to meet the highest standards of our customers which is our primary objective and most of all, ensuring the safety of our dedicated drivers.

“With the implementation of IoT, Xtramix is able to assure their customers that they are bringing to them only the best quality of products. Etisalat’s unified platform will help Xtramix improve efficiency, automate proxy monitoring, and optimise the process in the delivery of ready-mix concrete and other cement products.”

Etisalat Information Services announced its digital sponsorship of the third Unity Run, a community event celebrating the diversity of the UAE and raises awareness of people of determination.

The third edition of Unity Run saw people from all walks of life come together for a 3km walk and 10km run on 16th November in Dubai Silicon Oasis. Etisalat Information Services is sponsoring this annual event through its platform connect.ae, a hyperlocal search engine.

Rashid Al Naqbi, General Manager, Etisalat Information Services, said: “We are honoured to be the official digital marketing sponsors of the Unity Run, a leading community event in the UAE that supports people of determination and promoting the cause of inclusiveness in all areas of society.

“This association with the Unity Run, now on its third year, is aligned with our own values at Etisalat Information Services to support inclusiveness for all residents of the UAE and all areas of life. We look forward to continue supporting this worthy cause in the future.”

Ruth Dickinson, Event Director, Emirates NBD Unity Run, said:“ The Emirates NBD Unity Run is a fun family event that actively encourages people of determination to participate. The event promotes inclusion and accessibility for people of all abilities. As well as promoting awareness of the benefits of total inclusion in all areas of life for people of determination, the Emirates NBD Unity Run supports two exceptional centres of excellence, Al Noor Training Centre for Persons with Disabilities and Senses Residential and Day Care Centre, two centres of excellence in the nurturing and development of children and young people of determination.

“We would like to thank Etisalat Information services for their support. Etisalat Information Services has been with us since the beginning and has helped create awareness for the event and the message of inclusion for people of determination and we would like to thank them for helping build a strong community event dedicated to unity and inclusion.”

Unity Run is under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Higher Committee for the Protection of the Rights of People of Determination, and organised under the umbrella of the Hamdan bin Mohammed Community Sports Initiative.

Participants were invited to enter a 3 km fun run/walk or the un-timed 10km.

People of determination and their ‘buddies’ were encouraged to participate and join in the carnival atmosphere as everyone celebrates unity in diversity in the UAE.

Etisalat recently signed an agreement with ENOC to provide its retail outlets with Cloud Managed Wi-Fi solution. The project will start with WiFi coverage across ZOOM convenient stores and expand to other retail outlets within the ENOC retail network.

The MoU was signed by Abdullah Al Mana, General Manger,
Dubai Region, Etisalat and Zaid Alqufaidi, Managing Director of Retail, ENOC.

The service is based on Cisco Meraki’s cloud solution hosted locally by Etisalat and combined with Etisalat Data Analytic Services. The new platform will greatly enhance the retail customer experience at ZOOM stores, as it provides simple network management tools, accessible via the cloud, with 24/7 support and monitoring as an Etisalat fully managed service.

Abdullah Al Mana, General Manager, Dubai Region, Etisalat, said: “We are proud to offer a cutting-edge technology solution that provides ENOC retail outlets better customer behavior analytics, enabling improved business decisions, including step-changes to the customer journey for customers.”

“At Etisalat, we understand that ubiquitous connectivity and peace of mind in management of the wireless LAN for staff and guests is vital to any retail business. The agreement offers ENOC retail outlets the ability to leverage Etisalat’s advanced cloud-based managed connectivity solutions and supporting the Group’s ambition to offer a rewarding journey to customers through smarter ICT solutions.”

H.E. Saif Humaid Al Falasi, Group CEO, ENOC said: “We are deeply committed to digitizing the retail experience for our customers; a movement we believe is gradually transforming their experience at our retail outlets. By embracing new technologies, we are well on our way towards supporting Dubai’s 2021 plan to become a smart city.

Our collaboration with Etisalat will enable us to keep our customers connected when they visit our retail outlets, and we will continue to innovate and integrate cutting-edge technologies to offer a seamless customer journey.”

Etisalat welcomed Houlin Zhao, Secretary General of International Telecommunication Union (ITU), to its ultramodern ‘Open Innovation Centre’ in Dubai.

Zhao, who was re-elected to the post for a second four-year term during the Plenipotentiary Conference (PP-18) being held at the Dubai World Trade Centre, toured the Innovation Centre along with Francois Rancy, ITU Radiocommunication Bureau, and Saif bin Ghalaita, Executive Director, Technology Development Affairs at the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority.

Francisco Salcedo, Senior Vice President, Etisalat Digital, led the tour of the Innovation Centre, which is a first of its kind in the region showcasing digital innovation, its capabilities and how digitalisation can come to life for Etisalat customers and partners.

The centre, which opened on December 20 last year, highlights all the key digital technologies that will give businesses the capability to drive the digital future. Customers visiting the centre will have access to digital experts, digital assets and platforms with digital value propositions focusing on mobility, cloud, data centers, digital security, digital marketing, digital payments, M2M and IoT.

This initiative is in line with the UAE Vision 2021, where the national innovation strategy has identified digital technology as one of the top seven primary national sectors. Etisalat's corporate strategy is "focused on 'Driving the digital future to empower the society' across our customers and enabling them with solutions on this digital journey.

Collaboration to provide remote sensing, real time data and predictive analytics

Etisalat today announced its strategic partnership with National Petroleum Construction Company (NPCC), part of SENAAT Abu Dhabi, to implement Artificial Intelligence solutions for remote sensing, real time data, autonomous vehicles, and predictive analytics improving response time with all their consumers.

NPCC, a leading international EPC contractor, provides engineering, procurement, construction, installation and commissioning services to offshore and onshore oil and gas sectors. It is headquartered in Abu Dhabi with offices around the region. SENAAT, which represents the government of Abu Dhabi, owns 70 percent and Consolidated Contractors Company owns 30 percent.

The MoU was signed by Sultan Mohamed Al Dhaheri, General Manager, Etisalat Abu Dhabi, and Eng. Ahmed Salem Al Dhaheri, CEO of NPCC.

Eng. Ahmed Salem Al Dhaheri, CEO of NPCC, said: “Technology and digitalisation is driving the Fourth Industrial Revolution, bringing much needed efficiencies to oil and gas production. It is transforming the sector with remote sensing, real time data, autonomous vehicles, artificial intelligence and predictive analytics; giving companies a better chance to anticipate and respond. We are pleased to sign this agreement with Etisalat as a service provider of choice to enhance our ICT and digital performance by implementing global best practices and standards”.

Sultan Mohamed Al Dhaheri, General Manager, Etisalat Abu Dhabi, said: “Our partnership with NPCC, a leading Abu Dhabi based oil and gas EPC contractor, mirrors Etisalat’s corporate strategy of focusing on 'Driving the digital future’. At Etisalat, we understand the importance of digital transformation in the oil and gas sector. Today, the oil and gas industry has the opportunity to redefine its boundaries through digitalisation. We at Etisalat are working closely with all our customers and partners to transform their businesses by investing in digital services and solutions.

Etisalat today announced its sponsorship of the ‘Emirati Women – Future is Now’ 2018 conference and exhibition on 1 st November in Abu Dhabi.

Now on its third year, the event will be held under the theme ‘Emirati Women…Future Vision on the Course of Zayed’, which coincides with the Year of Zayed. It follows the UAE’s annual celebration of Emirati Women’s Day on August 28.

Sultan Al Dhaheri, General Manager, Etisalat Abu Dhabi, said: “Etisalat is delighted to be sponsoring the third edition of ‘Emirati Women – Future is Now’ conference, which highlights the significant strides the UAE has made in enhancing the influence of Emirati women across all sectors and their contribution to our society.

“As a strong supporter of women in all areas, we at Etisalat are proud to be a main sponsor of this conference, in line with the vision of the UAE’s leadership who actively supports equal opportunities for women in the country's development. It is a key element of Etisalat’s corporate social responsibility strategy to support women in developing their capabilities and pursuing their aspirations so they will continue to be a driving force in building a better and brighter future for this country.”

The event will include sessions, panel discussions, and success stories focusing on gender balance in five main areas: lifestyle, health, education, business, women’s empowerment and sustainable development. It is being organised by the Aman Service-General Command of Abu Dhabi Police, Positive Cancer Foundation, Asaad Shaab Volunteering Group, and Dar Al Asalah Media Group.

Etisalat has achieved yet another milestone with the latest recognition and award, ‘Best Nationalisation Initiative in the GCC’, among its regional peers in the private sector.

The award was announced at the 6 th GCC Government Human Resources Summit & Awards 2018, organised recently by the UAE Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation in Abu Dhabi, and attended by 350 renowned international experts from the global HR industry.

Etisalat won the prestigious award as the best company to implement nationalisation initiatives from among a shortlist of GCC-based high-profile private-sector companies. The award was announced during the GCC Government HR Summit as part of the 6 th GCC HR Awards for government and private sectors.

The award was a recognition of Etisalat’s successful implementation of innovative policies and procedures in the employment of UAE nationals, and for incorporating the nationalisation plan into its core human capital strategy. It also launched customised programmes targeting UAE nationals such as the ‘Future Leaders Programme’ providing Emiratis a platform to become future leaders.

Younis Abdul Aziz Al Nimr, Chief Human Resources Officer, Etisalat said: “We in Etisalat are proud to have been recognised for the ‘ Best Nationalisation Initiative in the GCC’ and attain this outstanding achievement at such a prestigious event . This is mainly attributed to the empowerment of UAE nationals at Etisalat through a large number of employment initiatives, which increased the number of Emiratis by 48 percent across our offices in UAE. Nationalisation is part of our core belief and commitment as well as in line with the UAE leadership’s goal to increase the employment rate for UAE nationals in the public and private sector.

“At our core strategy we have continuously increased the involvement of Emiratis across the company’s divisions in the country. Etisalat has also actively participated in all ‘Emiratisation’ initiatives launched by the government such as the ‘Government Accelerator Programme’ which helped us surpass our ‘Emiratisation’ target in the first 100 days of 2018.”

Etisalat has actively participated in the ‘Absher’ initiative launched by the Ministry of Presidential Affairs and met the required targets within the specified period. As part of the ‘Emiratisation’ drive, Etisalat also established call centres in Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah and Al Al Ain to employ UAE Nationals and meet Emiratisation targets in these areas.

Etisalat was involved in conducting 2,025 advanced and medium-level training courses training 6,400 Emirati men and women from January 2015 to December 2017.

Since the beginning of this year, more than 1,550 UAE nationals received training spanning 6,290 training days. The company has also increased its localisation rates to 48 percent in the last four years, with 74 percent occupying top management positions and 50 percent at mid-management level. UAE women nationals currently form 73 percent of the entire female workforce at Etisalat.

The ‘Future Leaders Programme’ was created in collaboration with top global research and academic institutions in which 400 nationals have completed the programme and 103 expected to graduate in the first quarter of 2019.

Etisalat Facilities Management, a subsidiary of Etisalat Service Holdings, has signed an agreement with global facility management service provider Grupo Eulen to offer telecoms and other industries the latest integrated and specialized facilities management services to achieve cost saving and operational efficiency.

The MoU was signed between Abdulla Hashim, CEO, Etisalat Service Holdings; and Emilio Garcia Perulles, CEO, Iberia and Middle East at Grupo Eulen. eFM and Grupo Eulen will collaborate to develop compelling products and services in response to the evolving market needs and demands. Both will capitalize on this partnership to penetrate new market sectors and industries.

Commenting on the partnership, Ali Hassan Harmoodi, General Manager, eFM, said: “Having developed a strong portfolio of clients, we at eFM are excited to further enhance the range and depth of our services. As a leading facility management entity, Grupo Eulen has the right service mix and capabilities to complement eFM’s expertise, offering outstanding client experience and operation efficiency empowered by the cloud, smart, and integrated solutions.

“eFM’s strategy is to implement the latest technology in the facility management business supported by the best in-house soft services solutions which we are aiming to provide through our partnership with Grupo Eulen.”

Emilio Garcia Perulles, CEO, Iberia and Middle East at Grupo Eulen, said: “We are pleased to partner with eFM as it will enable both companies to develop the best technical and management approach to respond to requirements of different sectors. This collaboration will help us provide competitive offers in response to market demand.

“The UAE market presents major opportunities for service outsourcing, especially in relation to providing facilities management and services to major corporations, which has shown considerable growth in recent years. With eFM by our side, we hope to become a major player in developing these services.”

Etisalat Group today announced its consolidated financial statement for the nine months ending 30 th September 2018.

• Nine month consolidated revenues reached to AED 39.4 billion, an increase of 3% compared to same period last year.
•  Nine month consolidated net profit after Federal Royalty amounted to AED 6.6 billion an increase of 2% compared to same period last year.
•  Aggregate subscriber base reached 144 million; representing Year over Year increase of 3%.
• Etisalat Group was granted the approval of the Securities and Commodities Authority on the share buyback program.
• Etisalat Group’s board of directors recommends lifting restrictions on foreign shareholders voting rights.
• Etisalat Misr and Telecom Egypt signed the first MoU for virtual fixed voice services.
• Etisalat Misr launched Egypt's First Voice Over LTE (VoLTE) services.
• Expo 2020 Dubai becomes first 5G major commercial customer in MEASA through partnership with Etisalat.
•  Etisalat launched innovation program ‘Future Now’ featuring a scale-up program, co-creation lab, innovation center & IoT ecosystem.
• Etisalat partners with UAE Paralympics at Asian Para Games.
•  Etisalat brings iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, Apple Watch Series 4 (GPS + Cellular) to UAE.
•  Etisalat introduces free ‘Talking Bill’ service for People of Determination.
• Etisalat launches first ‘Annual Add-on’ data packs in the UAE
•  Microsoft and Etisalat UAE to bring GCC’s first mobile carrier payment option to Xbox gamers.

CEO’s Message:

Eng. Saleh Abdullah Al Abdooli, CEO, Etisalat Group said: “Etisalat Group continues to deliver a solid performance in the third quarter thanks to our continued focus and effort in the digitalisation of services and solutions. As we move into the 5G era, our network and talented teams are well equipped to lead the ever-changing requirements of our consumers and the telecom industry.

“In keeping the momentum of our success and focusing on adding value to our customers and shareholders, we remain committed to bring innovative solutions and provide value propositions for the digital age. Our efforts have helped build a dynamic ecosystem that will drive future growth and pave the way for our digital ambitions and implementation of futuristic technologies.

“Etisalat is confidently moving forward and progressing positively in enabling societies across its operations. We will continue to focus on creating innovative services, capitalizing on opportunities for new revenue streams and enhancing overall customer experience while delivering long-term value for all our stakeholders.”

“Etisalat is thankful to the vision of the wise leadership of UAE in positioning the country among the most digitally advanced globally, inspiring us to deliver world class networks and innovative services. We also extend appreciation to our shareholders and loyal customers, to whom we owe more success and greater achievements.”

Q3 - Subscribers

In the UAE, the subscriber base reached to 12.5 million subscribers, while Etisalat Group aggregate subscribers reached 144 million subscribers representing a year on year increase of 3%.

Q3 - Subscribers

Etisalat Group’s consolidated revenue for the third quarter of 2018 amounted to AED 13.2 billion with growth of 2% in comparison to the same period last year, Consolidated net profit after Federal Royalty amounted to AED 2.3 billion resulting in a net profit margin of 17%

Etisalat has entered into a strategic partnership with Abu Dhabi General Services (Musanada) to provide end-to-end ICT solutions for the new Al Ain Hospital.

The move is in line with Etisalat’s efforts to realise the vision of the President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, to provide high quality healthcare services with the best international specifications throughout the Emirate and ensure that they are accessible to UAE nationals.

Sultan Al Dhaheri, General Manager, Etisalat Abu Dhabi said: “Etisalat is privileged to work closely with Musanada to help meet the specific requirements of the new Al Ain Hospital. This landmark project is in line with Etisalat’s long-term objectives to be at the forefront of the innovation of digital health and support the UAE leadership’s objectives in enabling digital transformation in the country.

“We are committed to deliver a one-stop-shop solution for designing and building, implementing, commissioning, testing and after-sales support so our customers could focus on their business.”

Ali Al Haj Al Mehairbi, Executive Director, Building Construction Management Division at Musanada, highlighted the importance of the partnership to realize UAE’s smart transformation vision and objectives, promote the electronic lifestyle and smart transformation in the country, and achieve happiness for UAE residents and enhance their quality of life, particularly on the healthcare front.

“Our strategic partnership with Etisalat shows how Musanada is keen on collaborating with Etisalat in all fields to provide modern and advanced infrastructure to keep pace with all future developments, allowing it to expand the scope to include all ICT service areas as well as electronic security solutions and data application centers,” Al Mehairbi said.

“We, at Musanada, believe in the need to enhance cooperation among various entities and the importance of concerted efforts to further improve the government’s performance to effectively address challenges facing the aspects of quality, health and safety.”

Under the terms of the partnership, Etisalat will execute the design, supply, installation, testing and commissioning of state-of-the-art technologies related to IT hardware, software, and network equipment as an end-to-end ICT solution for the new Al Ain Hospital.

The hospital, which spans 347,000 square meters, is a major project that utilizes the latest digital and Internet of Things (IoT) technology in the healthcare domain. It supports medical decision-making of medical practitioners and administrative staff, thus saving time and effort, speeding up treatment procedures, allowing more time for patient care, and enabling access to medical records anytime, anywhere.

Awards to recognize achievements of Small and Medium businesses across 7 categories

Etisalat today announced the launch of ‘SMB Awards’ 2018 to recognize and facilitate the outstanding achievements of Small and Medium businesses and start-ups in the UAE.

The Awards will recognize individual and group performance across seven categories, namely SMB of the Year, Digital Transformation Award, Start up of the Year, Innovation Award, Positive Social Impact Award, Young Entrepreneur Award and Technology Disruptor Award.

Esam Mahmoud, Senior Vice President, SMB, Etisalat, said: “Small and Medium businesses and entrepreneurship are key for economic growth, innovation and job creation in the UAE. They are undoubtedly the engine of growth of the country’s economy so we need to actively support, show appreciation and celebrate their achievements.

“We are delighted to be supporting SMBs in the country with our inaugural SMB Awards. This new initiative is in line with our continuous efforts to support SMBs and start-ups in the UAE by creating a platform that puts a spotlight on our SMB customers, consequently solidifying Etisalat’s position as the preferred business partner of choice in the UAE.”

Industry reports estimate more than 100,000 new businesses to set up shop in the UAE over the next three years. Etisalat currently serves more than 300,000 SMB customers in the country, working closely with them in their digital transformation journey.

Nominations are open for individuals and companies in seven categories until 15 th November 2018.

Etisalat today announced its partnership with Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal (Abu Dhabi Ports) to offer a package that includes a visitor SIM card and a selection of offers to all visitors arriving at Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal.

Through the partnership, passengers and crew arriving at Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal can avail of the package and offers from the Etisalat kiosk in the passengers’ hall. Etisalat is the first Service Provider to introduce such an exclusive ‘Visitor Package’ for those coming to the Emirate. This package includes Visitor SIM card and a booklet of vouchers with an array of deals and discounts on activities such as theme parks, restaurants, shopping and other lifestyle categories. Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal plans to make Etisalat’s services available at the seaport and other access points for tourists visiting the Emirate.

Sultan Al Dhaheri, General Manager, Etisalat Abu Dhabi and CEO Adviser, said: “Etisalat is proud to be associated with Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal to launch this first of its kind initiative, which is exclusively for cruise visitors arriving at the Capital. We have always worked closely with the government in supporting initiatives that contribute to the tourism sector. These exclusive offers will add value to our visitors, especially the visitor SIM card bundled with offers. This is in line with our nation’s vision for 2018 as the ‘Year of Zayed’ and a perfect opportunity for Etisalat to partner with the government on this significant initiative. The ‘Visitor Package’ caters to specific needs of visitors in the Capital and is in line with the Leadership’s direction to increase the happiness index of the Country.”

Noura Rashid Al Dhaheri, Cruise Terminal Manager, Abu Dhabi Ports, said: “We live in a connected world where travellers want to share their adventures at the touch of a button with friends and family back home as they experience them. We are, therefore, delighted to partner with Etisalat on its ‘Visitor Package’ as additional service provided to Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal passengers’ and crew.

“Last year was a hugely successful season for Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal, and the new season, which started this month on 3 rd October looks likely to be even stronger, with additional homeporting ships and increased passenger volume. So, the ‘Visitor Package’ from Etisalat is perfectly timed and yet another great reason to enjoy a cruise to Abu Dhabi.”

• Etisalat enriches visitors experience with live 5G and showcases for the first time 5G download speeds highlighting speed comparison between 4G & 5G networks

• Etisalat supports innovation in UAE and launches the Future Now initiative to enhance collaboration in various technologies with emerging companies and IoT developers worldwide

• Etisalat is making its 5G capabilities through the world’s first robotics system to contribute to the advancement of healthcare in UAE

• Etisalat brings the world’s pioneers of automotive industry to support the transport sector showing the Pop.Up Next

• Etisalat harnesses technological capabilities to serve people and enhances shopping experience through the world’s first ‘Robomart’ mobile grocery store

• Etisalat introduces cutting-edge business solutions and use of Artificial Intelligence in retail

  Etisalat successfully concluded its participation at GITEX Technology Week 2018 taking visitors on a journey of the future with a showcase of digital innovations and solutions for consumers and businesses across zones focusing on 5G, retail, healthcare, education, smart living, IoT and a unique 3D showcase of the upcoming ‘Expo 2020 Dubai’.
  
  The event also witnessed strategic partnerships of Etisalat with government entities like Ajman Municipality, Fujairah Department of Public Works, Sharjah Municipality, Ras Al Khaimah Municipality, Umm Al Quwain municipality and Shurooq.
  
  Dr Ahmed Bin Ali, Senior Vice President, Corporate Communication, Etisalat Group said: “Etisalat has always enthralled visitors at GITEX Technology Week with the unique global innovations we get on our stand every year. The showcases were unique as there was something new to learn, experience and witness in every zone. With the theme focused on ‘Leading the 5G revolution’ our every showcase was about how 5G can make these digital innovations a reality and become part of our lives.
  
  “Our main focus was on highlighting ‘Driving the Digital Future to Empower societies’ which is why every zone gathered the best in technology to take the visitors on this digital journey. We look forward to bringing more of such innovations and solutions next year and attract more visitors to the event from across the world.”
  
  ‘Making 5G a reality’
  The 5G future was about ultra-high speed and low latency, GITEX invitees were able to experience the ‘download time’ difference between the two technologies by downloading a 4K HD movie/video using 4G and 5G simultaneously.
  
  With live 5G experience, the future of mobility was on showcase with the world’s first flying car Pop.Up Next making its first global presence on the Etisalat stand. Visitors were able to download a video (more than 1GB) with download time taking only 13 seconds as opposed to 4G, which takes approximately 2 minutes.
  
  The download progress was displayed on the screen to show the time taken to download the file on each technology. Visitors had a chance to observe the time taken to download a large size file on 4G and 5G concurrently.
  
  Etisalat launches ‘Future Now’ scale-up program
  Etisalat Digital introduced its innovation program, Future Now, at GITEX Future Stars 2018. Future Now introduces new ways of innovating and collaborating with startups, IoT developers, government entities, enterprises, and their end users. Future Now has four key pillars: Scale-ups program, a Co-creation Lab, an IoT partner ecosystem and an Innovation Center.
  
  World’s First flying car & Autonomous transportation
  This year at GITEX, Etisalat also had a special showcase on the future of mobility, which is the best use case for 5G. The arrival of 5G technology will allow faster data transmissions and will prove to be game changing for the autonomous industry. The flying car “Pop.Up Next” is for the first time made its presence outside Europe, it is the first fully electric and zero-emission modular system bringing together road mobility and air transport.
  
  It combines the flexibility of a small two-seater ground vehicle with the freedom and speed of a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) air vehicle, thus bridging the automotive and aerospace domains. This was developed by ItalDesign, a first fully electric and zero-emission modular system designed to help resolve traffic congestion in large urban areas. The passenger cabin attached to either a car module (provided by Audi) or a flight module (manufactured by Airbus), can cruise autonomously on the road and lift into the air vertically. Both modules are entirely electric ad autonomous.
  
  The Etisalat stand also displayed a self-driving vehicle, the ‘Oasis’, which is a concept car from Swiss think tank and mobility lab Rinspeed. Designed to demonstrate a less conventional method of transport for the future, the ‘Oasis’ has a huge glass windscreen area, fitted with augmented reality technology that lets the driver virtually ‘place’ displays and objects on the screen. The car has a solar panel on the roof, while the interior offers a new living space complete with armchairs, a sideboard, TV, and a multi-functional steering wheel, emphasising the car's main role as an autonomous vehicle.
  
  Etisalat and Expo 2020 Dubai
  Etisalat Digital and Accenture developed an interactive 3D flythrough experience of what the Expo 2020 Dubai site will look like in two year’s time called ‘Explore 2020’ which was unveiled at the Etisalat booth.
  
  Unveiled less than a week before Expo’s two-years-to-go milestone, the 3D environment, rendered in real time, was displayed across eight curved screens at a resolution of 8640 x 1920. Visitors to GITEX for the first time experienced a ‘fly through’ and were able to navigate the Expo 2020 Dubai site due to Accenture and Etisalat Digital’s design, development and optimization effort.
  
  Retail zone highlights the future of shopping
  GITEX invitees witnessed seamless shopping experience through face recognition, artificial intelligence, image recognition and computer vision technologies. Etisalat joined forces with 12 technology partners for store analytics and insights, combining its capabilities to connect data and gain practical learnings that they can share with its customers and the retail community.
  
  Some of the unprecedented retail shopping experiences featured at Etisalat’s stand included a self-driving grocery store, robotic shopping cart that leads visitors to the grocery isle, a smart dressing room that recommends fashion apparel, a smart vending machine, a state-of-the-art unmanned cash counters and self-checkouts.
  
  This year visitors witnessed world’s first self-driving grocery store, ‘Robomart’ which has taken the idea of grocery delivery to a new level. Just tap a button and the entire store comes to you so that you can shop checkout free for the freshest goods right at your doorstep. ‘Robomarts’ are fully electric road vehicles engineered with cutting-edge technology, including driverless tech for autonomy, tele-operations for safety, a check-out free system, and a purpose-built refrigeration for cooling.
  
  Etisalat’s new autonomous retail solution was also a highlight which used technologies such as AI and computer vision, which can detect products taken or returned to the shelves and keeps track of them in your virtual cart. This was showcased for the first time globally, it has no cash registers, as customers can simply pick out what they fancy and walk out. Shoppers no longer have to wait in line at the till – they enter, take the product that they want and leave. Future of Healthcare & Pharmacy
  RoboPharmacy was a unique showcase of an unmanned, futuristic pharmacy system. It helps the hospital and pharmacy to capture the data to provide convenience to the customer through virtual futuristic technologies.
  
  Another revolutionary showcase is the CAE Vimedix ultrasound simulator, a high-fidelity simulator designed to make learning more engaging and intuitive. The unique system features a mannequin, several simulated ultrasound probes and an expanding library of cases.
  
  SharpSurgeon, a VR spine surgery simulator and training brought a new perspective to classical medical education methods. Augmented reality showed how medical education can be revolutionised and a human body was brought to life in full 3D in front of you using the AR functionality of Apple iPad.
  
  Visitors also checked out ‘Haptic Ultrasound’, a robot-based application that represents a potential application in which a sensitive robot can assist a physician.
  
  ‘Classroom Re-imagined’
  The future of education was exhibited with Apple’s Distinguished Educators and Apple Professional Learning Specialists, visitors were able to use iPads throughout this learning journey at Etisalat stand.
  
  Etisalat Digital also offered an immersive classroom experience in collaboration with CENTURY Tech, a cloud-based education platform. The experience combines AI, cognitive neuroscience theories of how the brain learns and big data showcased in a traditional classroom setting. The methods demonstrated are flipped learning, blended learning, big data insights, AI recommendations and live interventions.
  
  An end-to-end digital transformation solution for any educational entity was highlighted – from infrastructure and connectivity, through devices, learning platforms, high quality digital content right up to teacher training and professional development. Solutions can be provided as a turn-key solution or as a service to reduce complexity and ease implementation.

Etisalat and Ajman Municipality signed a Memorandum of Understanding to appoint the municipality as a partner to promote Etisalat’s eLife packages to new tenants.

Etisalat is pleased to partner with Ajman Municipality to promote the availability of Etisalat products and services across a wide partner base, giving our customers the flexibility of purchasing our services at their convenience at more locations across the country.

The MoU was signed by HE Abdel Aziz Hamad Taryam, General Manager, Northern Emirates at Etisalat, and HE Abdulrahman Al Nuaimi, Director General of Ajman Municipality, at the GITEX Technology Week 2108 currently being held from 14-18 October at the Dubai World Trade Center.

Etisalat Digital is taking visitors to a journey into the education of the future using cutting-edge technologies that revolutionize and re-imagine what is possible inside the classroom.

Guided by the Apple Distinguished Educators and Apple Professional Learning Specialists, participants will be using iPads throughout their learning journey at Etisalat’s stand during GITEX Technology Week 2018. Different educational levels – primary, secondary, and tertiary – will be accommodated throughout the day.

The primary level’s theme is ‘The Human Body’, while it would be ‘Space and Mission to Mars’ and ‘Biomimicry – Learning from Nature’ for the secondary and tertiary levels, respectively. Each experience is divided into four phases, namely Initiate, Participate, Celebrate and Co-Create, designed to last five to 10 minutes.

Dr Ahmed Bin Ali, SVP, Corporate Communication, Etisalat Group said: “Etisalat is committed to empowering educational institutions by offering the latest digital solutions and tools to serve students, teachers, parents and administrators to create outstanding solutions, which make a difference in the world. Our services are user-centric and delivered in flexible business models helping reduce complexity and improve efficiency.”

Apple Distinguished Educators share their expertise in integrating technology into learning and are active leaders from around the world helping other educators rethink what is possible with available technological tools to make learning deeply personal. Apple Professional Learning Specialists coach, mentor and support teachers in advancing their technology skills with an emphasis on innovation. They are able to communicate multiple dimensions of reimagining physical space, the curriculum, the delivery methods as well as the roles of the teacher and the learner.

Etisalat Digital is also offering an immersive classroom experience in collaboration with CENTURY Tech, a cloud-based education platform. The experience combines AI, cognitive neuroscience theories of how the brain learns and big data showcased in a traditional classroom setting. The methods demonstrated are flipped learning, blended learning, big data insights, AI recommendations and live interventions.

Etisalat can provide an end-to-end digital transformation solution to any educational entity – from infrastructure and connectivity, through devices, learning platforms, high quality digital content right up to teacher training and professional development. Solutions can be provided as a turn-key solution or as a service to reduce complexity and ease implementation.

Etisalat, the UAE’s leading telecommunications operator and one of the largest corporations in the GCC region, announced a strategic partnership with Sage Middle East . This partnership will offer Sage cloud accounting solutions to Small and Medium businesses (SMB), helping them with compliance of value-added taxes.

The agreement was signed by Salvador Anglada, Group Chief Business Officer Etisalat, and Blair Crump, President Sage at GITEX Technology Week 2018, the largest technology show in the Middle East and North Africa region.

With the partnership, Etisalat’s SMB customers can now subscribe to Sage Business Cloud Accounting, which has been accredited by the UAE Federal Tax Authority (FTA) earlier in March. The flexible cloud solution helps businesses effectively manage their finances and cash flow by offering easy control of their business and data at any place and any time. It will also help them collaborate with colleagues and accountants to share the workload and automate processes wherever possible to improve efficiency and reduce admin tasks

Salvador Anglada, Group Chief Business Officer, Etisalat, said: “We are excited to partner with Sage, the market leader in cloud business management solutions, to deliver the best-in-class cloud accounting to our valued SMB customers. This partnership is in line with our strategic objective to be a fully integrated ICT solutions and services provider, and business partner of choice in cloud services.”

As the global market leader in cloud business management solutions, Sage helps businesses of all sizes – from start-ups to enterprises – manage everything from financial transactions to payroll and human resources.

Sam Tayan, Managing Director at Sage Middle East, said: “We are honoured to partner with Etisalat, one of the largest telecommunications firms in the GCC region, to support the ambitions of small and medium businesses, many of which struggle with accounting and cash flow management of their businesses. Our business management solutions allow entrepreneurs and business owners to focus on their core purpose, instead of worrying about VAT-compliance and other administrative tasks that can be easily automated.”

Etisalat makes a major digital showcase in healthcare, bringing a wide array of smart solutions and concepts in the spotlight at GITEX Technology Week 2018.

This is in line with Etisalat’s objective to support the national agenda to achieve a world-class healthcare system.

Dr Ahmed bin Ali, Group Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications, Etisalat, said: “We are at the forefront of the innovation in digital health. Etisalat’s solutions are aimed at creating a more efficient and reliable healthcare system and transforming the healthcare of tomorrow.

“Our solutions can sequence one’s whole genome and find out a patient’s future conditions, the likelihood of developing certain diseases, while bringing in solutions that train surgeons better before getting inside the operating theater through immersive reality. We, at Etisalat, envision creating telemedicine networks where caregivers can collaborate and patients can have easy access to the best care possible regardless where they live.”

This week Etisalat unveils RoboPharmacy, a showcase of an unmanned, futuristic pharmacy system. It will be the first hands-on experience of Etisalat’s 5G technology believed to change people’s lives. It uses the 5G connection between the hospital, pharmacy, and capturing the data to provide convenience to the customer through virtual futuristic technologies.

Another revolutionary showcase is the CAE Vimedix ultrasound simulator, a high-fidelity simulator designed to make learning more engaging and intuitive. The unique system features a mannequin, several simulated ultrasound probes and an expanding library of cases.

SharpSurgeon, a VR spine surgery simulator and training, brings a new perspective to classical medical education methods. This solution allows resident doctors to train while conducting complex surgeries. It provides a repeatable and standard tutoring environment and an add-on to any government current training curriculum while offering highly realistic hand-based interactions in an immersive training environment that reflects the modern operating room.

At Etisalat’s stand, discover how augmented reality is revolutionizing medical education. See a beating human body to life in full 3D in front of you using the AR functionality of Apple iPad.

3D4Medical’s interactive anatomy learning platform ‘Complete Anatomy’ brings the human body to life in a stunning 3D, with incredible interactive functionality and learning content presented through augmented and mixed reality.

Visitors can also check out ‘Haptic Ultrasound’, a robot-based application that represents a potential application in which a sensitive robot can assist a physician. In the future, lightweight robots designed to be particularly collaborative will take on an increasing number of assistance tasks in the field of healthcare. The solution gives access to the healthcare experts enabling them to perform a ultrasound remotely via 5G and diagnose the patient.

Home care takes a leap into the future with virtual clinic care, a system offering travelling clinicians and nurses the ability to carry out medical exams while connected to the specialists of a health facility streaming all vitals and images through a virtual clinical encounter.

At GITEX, Etisalat is also delivering patient engagement software solutions that seamlessly integrates healthcare IT systems and clinical applications. Patients can stay entertained by watching eLife TV, on demand movies, playing games and video chat with friends. The system allows patients to order food and even control the lights and the room temperature.

Made of Genes, a scale up under the Dubai Future Accelerator Program, was chosen by Etisalat Digital bringing a high-performing computational platform to improve health and wellness through personal genomics and P4 medicine: preventive, personalized, predictive and participatory. Such a partnership is a testimony to our commitment to deliver solutions to the healthcare industry by providing analytical tools and providing data to access risks related to developing certain diseases and personalize individual treatments.

Etisalat and Fujairah Department of Public Works and Agriculture signed a Memorandum of Understanding to further enhance smart e-government initiatives by providing the department with innovative digital, ICT and smart solutions.

Under the terms of the partnership, both parties will jointly develop and establish a long-term strategic collaboration, with Etisalat appointed as the department’s digital, ICT and smart solutions provider. Etisalat and Fujairah Department of Public Works and Agriculture will work together to develop business engagement and enhance both current and future business and technical requirements. Etisalat will provide the public works and agriculture department with the required support in various areas, namely smart solutions, IT networking, technical support, best practices and digital schemes.

This partnership will also consolidate Etisalat's position as the region's most forward-looking telecommunications and ICT service provider, as it continues to lead innovative developments in the ICT industry and seek to shape the technology and communications market of the future.

The MoU was signed at the GITEX Technology Week 2108 currently being held from 14-18 October at the Dubai World Trade Center by Abdel Aziz Hamad Taryam, General Manager, Northern Emirates at Etisalat, and Salim Mohamed Ali Al Mukasah, General Manager, Fujairah Department of Public Works and Agriculture.

• Showcasing live download speed comparison between 4G and 5G networks
• Experience the difference by downloading a large size file (4K HD video/movie), using 4G and 5G simultaneously
• World’s first flying car “Pop.Up Next” to showcase future of mobility

Visitors at GITEX Technology Week this year can experience live 5G experience, download 4K HD video content, even witness the future of mobility with the world’s first flying car Pop.Up Next to make a presence on the Etisalat stand.

Etisalat today showcased live download speed comparison between 4G and 5G live networks giving visitors a chance to experience the “download time” difference between the two technologies by downloading a 4K HD movie/video using 4G and 5G simultaneously.

The 5G use case that will focus on ultra-high speed and low latency. The exhibit will highlight the comparison of time to download a 4K video using 4G and 5G technology. The video(more than 1GB) download time is taken only 13 seconds as opposed to 4G, which takes approximately 2 minutes.

The download progress will be displayed on the screen to show the time taken to download the file on each technology. Visitors will have a chance to observe the time taken to download a large size file on 4G and 5G concurrently.

Saeed Al Zarouni, Senior Vice President, Mobile Network, Etisalat highlighted: “This year our participation at GITEX Technology week is significant as visitors can experience live 5G giving them a preview of the digital future. Etisalat has also taken the lead in 5G this year and this showcase is a testimony to our long-standing efforts in bringing growth and innovation in the country laying the foundation for smart city development.

“The showcase is also in line with our main theme at GITEX this year ‘Leading the 5G Revolution’ and ‘Driving the Digital Future to empower societies’. We believe 5G technologies and services will deliver capacity and connectivity along with opportunities for economic growth, education, healthcare, transportation and more.”

This year at GITEX, Etisalat also has a special showcase on the future of mobility, which is the best use case for 5G. The arrival of 5G technology will allow faster data transmissions and will prove to be game changing for the autonomous industry. The flying car “Pop.Up Next” is for the first time making its presence outside Europe, it is the first fully electric and zero-emission modular system bringing together road mobility and air transport. It combines the flexibility of a small two seater ground vehicle with the freedom and speed of a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) air vehicle, thus bridging the automotive and aerospace domains.

With IoT gaining popularity and the use of cyber-physical systems and advanced analytics to transform all aspects of the industry, Etisalat has also displayed tactile internet use cases where the robotic system is controlled remotely using the 5G technology. Tactile internet enables humans and machines to interact with their environment, in real time, while on the move and within a certain spatial communication range as well as enables haptic interaction with visual feedback.

These 5G powered tactile production systems showcased for the first time support increasingly flexible production lines and safer working environments that will allow industry to enhance productivity, and respond to customer needs, as they continue on their digital transformation journey.

Recently Etisalat also announced a major milestone with Expo 2020 Dubai becoming the first major commercial customer in the MEASA region to access 5G services.

Etisalat’s network will provide the most advanced digital and telecom services to Expo 2020 Dubai and its millions of visitors, supporting an expected 300,000 daily users on peak days.

Etisalat was also took the lead to launch the first commercial 5G wireless network in May 2018 becoming the first telecom operator in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region to achieve this technological milestone and set a industry benchmark. Etisalat will also have a fully developed commercial 5G network available to provide gigabit internet services to its customers. The network will fuel enterprises digital transformation, IoT, smart cities and the fourth industrial revolution.

The foundation of this commercial launch was laid in December last year, where Etisalat was one of the operators globally to launch a pre-commercial 5G network in certain areas of the country demonstrating high-speed use cases in addition to the low latency feature of the 5G technology. Etisalat also demonstrated an advanced 5G based drone equipped with a 360-degree VR camera and 4K streaming experience.

5G technology will have speeds of up to 20 gigabits per second, as much as 30 times faster than 4G, the highest in mobile data technology. 5G also promises to have 10 times lower latency comparing to 4G. 5G will make 4K/8K video streaming so fast that they become real-time. Visitors will realize how easy and super-fast the download is over 5G network compared with 4G.

GITEX Technology Week takes place at Dubai World Trade Center from 14th-18th October 2018.

Etisalat and Ras Al Khaimah Municipality signed a Memorandum of Understanding to advance joint strategic initiatives and help drive the municipality’s long-term telecom and digital growth.

According to the agreement, both parties will work together to enhance their strategic partnership, services and projects. This strategic partnership will enable the provision of Etisalat’s managed services, digital services and solutions to the municipality.

The MoU was signed at the GITEX Technology Week 2108 currently being held from 14-18 October at the Dubai World Trade Center by Abdel Aziz Hamad Taryam, General Manager, Northern Emirates at Etisalat, and Munther Mohammed bin Shakar, General Manager, RAK Municipality.

• World’s first Flying car ‘Pop.Up Next’ to take off on Etisalat stand
• Autonomous two-seater Rinspeed ‘Oasis’ a guaranteed show-stopper at GITEX

Etisalat is presenting a major digital showcase in ‘Future of Mobility’, bringing global leaders in autonomous transport to Dubai and providing an insight into the future at this year’s GITEX Technology Week.

This is in line with Etisalat’s objective to highlight its role in the ‘Dubai Autonomous Transportation Strategy’ that aims to transform 25 percent of the total transportation in Dubai to autonomous mode by 2030.

Dr Ahmed bin Ali, Group Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications, Etisalat, said: “We are pleased to be partnering with top leaders of the car industry to showcase some of the latest strides they have been making in car connectivity and autonomous driving.

“Etisalat’s objective is to drive the digital future by taking the lead in innovation to bring futuristic technologies from around the world to UAE and the region. We, at Etisalat, are committed to support the nation’s long-term strategy in promoting digitization initiatives and developing the connected ecosystem of the UAE, particularly transportation.”

Taking off at Etisalat’s stand is ItalDesign’s Pop.Up Next, the first fully electric and zero-emission modular system designed to help resolve traffic congestion in large urban areas. The ultra-light, two-seater passenger cabin, which can be attached to either a car module (provided by Audi) or a flight module (manufactured by Airbus), can cruise autonomously on the road and lift into the air vertically. Both modules are entirely electric ad autonomous. The interior of the cabin boasts of a TV-like 49-inch screen that relays information back to the passengers. Interaction between humans and the machine is performed by speech and face recognition, while additional control can be achieved via eye-tracking technology and touching the screen.

The Etisalat stand is also displaying a self-driving vehicle, the ‘Oasis’, which is a concept car from Swiss think tank and mobility lab Rinspeed. Designed to demonstrate a less conventional method of transport for the future, the ‘Oasis’ has a huge glass windscreen area, fitted with augmented reality technology that lets the driver virtually ‘place’ displays and objects on the screen. The car has a solar panel on the roof, while the interior offers a new living space complete with armchairs, a sideboard, TV, and a multi-functional steering wheel, emphasising the car's main role as an autonomous vehicle.

Etisalat is present at stand Z1-A20 in Zabeel Hall at GITEX Technology Week 2018, at the Dubai World Trade Centre. Visitors can expect product showcases, live demonstrations of telecom technologies for individuals and businesses as well as Etisalat business solutions for industry verticals such as future mobility, smart retail, smart health and digital education.

• Showcasing live download speed comparison between 4G and 5G networks
• Experience the difference by downloading a large size file (4K HD video/movie), using 4G and 5G simultaneously
• World’s first flying car “Pop.Up Next” to showcase future of mobility

Visitors at GITEX Technology Week this year can experience live 5G experience, download 4K HD video content, even witness the future of mobility with the world’s first flying car Pop.Up Next to make a presence on the Etisalat stand.

Etisalat today showcased live download speed comparison between 4G and 5G live networks giving visitors a chance to experience the “download time” difference between the two technologies by downloading a 4K HD movie/video using 4G and 5G simultaneously.

The 5G use case that will focus on ultra-high speed and low latency. The exhibit will highlight the comparison of time to download a 4K video using 4G and 5G technology. The video(more than 1GB) download time is taken only 13 seconds as opposed to 4G, which takes approximately 2 minutes.

The download progress will be displayed on the screen to show the time taken to download the file on each technology. Visitors will have a chance to observe the time taken to download a large size file on 4G and 5G concurrently.

Saeed Al Zarouni, Senior Vice President, Mobile Network, Etisalat highlighted: “This year our participation at GITEX Technology week is significant as visitors can experience live 5G giving them a preview of the digital future. Etisalat has also taken the lead in 5G this year and this showcase is a testimony to our long-standing efforts in bringing growth and innovation in the country laying the foundation for smart city development.

“The showcase is also in line with our main theme at GITEX this year ‘Leading the 5G Revolution’ and ‘Driving the Digital Future to empower societies’. We believe 5G technologies and services will deliver capacity and connectivity along with opportunities for economic growth, education, healthcare, transportation and more.”

This year at GITEX, Etisalat also has a special showcase on the future of mobility, which is the best use case for 5G. The arrival of 5G technology will allow faster data transmissions and will prove to be game changing for the autonomous industry. The flying car “Pop.Up Next” is for the first time making its presence outside Europe, it is the first fully electric and zero-emission modular system bringing together road mobility and air transport. It combines the flexibility of a small two seater ground vehicle with the freedom and speed of a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) air vehicle, thus bridging the automotive and aerospace domains.

With IoT gaining popularity and the use of cyber-physical systems and advanced analytics to transform all aspects of the industry, Etisalat has also displayed tactile internet use cases where the robotic system is controlled remotely using the 5G technology. Tactile internet enables humans and machines to interact with their environment, in real time, while on the move and within a certain spatial communication range as well as enables haptic interaction with visual feedback.

These 5G powered tactile production systems showcased for the first time support increasingly flexible production lines and safer working environments that will allow industry to enhance productivity, and respond to customer needs, as they continue on their digital transformation journey.

Recently Etisalat also announced a major milestone with Expo 2020 Dubai becoming the first major commercial customer in the MEASA region to access 5G services.

Etisalat’s network will provide the most advanced digital and telecom services to Expo 2020 Dubai and its millions of visitors, supporting an expected 300,000 daily users on peak days.

Etisalat was also took the lead to launch the first commercial 5G wireless network in May 2018 becoming the first telecom operator in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region to achieve this technological milestone and set a industry benchmark. Etisalat will also have a fully developed commercial 5G network available to provide gigabit internet services to its customers. The network will fuel enterprises digital transformation, IoT, smart cities and the fourth industrial revolution.

The foundation of this commercial launch was laid in December last year, where Etisalat was one of the operators globally to launch a pre-commercial 5G network in certain areas of the country demonstrating high-speed use cases in addition to the low latency feature of the 5G technology. Etisalat also demonstrated an advanced 5G based drone equipped with a 360-degree VR camera and 4K streaming experience.

5G technology will have speeds of up to 20 gigabits per second, as much as 30 times faster than 4G, the highest in mobile data technology. 5G also promises to have 10 times lower latency comparing to 4G. 5G will make 4K/8K video streaming so fast that they become real-time. Visitors will realize how easy and super-fast the download is over 5G network compared with 4G.

GITEX Technology Week takes place at Dubai World Trade Center from 14th-18th October 2018.

Accenture (NYSE: ACN) and Etisalat Digital are playing a key role in making Expo 2020 Dubai one of the fastest, smartest, and best-connected places on Earth by collaborating to bring innovative digital experiences to attendees. The joint Digital Services Premier Partners have developed an interactive 3D flythrough experience of what the Expo 2020 Dubai site will look like in two years’ time. Called Explore 2020, it will be unveiled at the Etisalat booth at GITEX Technology Week.

Unveiled less than a week before Expo’s two-years-to-go milestone, the 3D environment, rendered in real time, will be displayed across eight curved screens at a resolution of 8640 x 1920. To develop a scale replica of the Expo site, Accenture transformed a complex architectural model, containing over 122 million polygons, into an optimized 3D model containing just 6 million polygons – a reduction of more than 95% - whilst ensuring absolute quality and precision in the visual representation and texturing. Visitors to GITEX can, for the first time, ‘fly through’ and navigate the Expo 2020 Dubai site at will, as a result of Accenture and Etisalat Digital’s design, development and optimization effort.

Francisco Salcedo, Senior Vice President, Etisalat Digital said: “With Etisalat’s focus this year at GITEX Technology Week on ‘Leading the 5G Revolution’ and ‘Driving the Digital Future to Empower Societies’, this spectacular showcase is built on our vision to provide digital innovation and futuristic solutions that will have a fundamental impact on people’s lives.

“We are excited to bring this unique 3D experience of ‘Explore 2020’ that will take our visitors on a special journey of the Expo 2020 Dubai site. As a digital services premier partner, this joint project with Accenture will give all visitors an insight of Expo 2020 Dubai and take them through all the highlights of this global event including behind the scene highlight of Etisalat contribution to the site such as 5G capabilities launched earlier this year.”

Mohammed AlHashmi, Senior Vice President of Innovation and Future Technology at Expo 2020 Dubai said: “Two years from now, Expo 2020 will open its doors to the world for a six-month festival of human ingenuity. Our partnerships with Accenture and Etisalat Digital are integral to the creation of Expo’s ‘smart site’, which will enrich the visitor experience by digitally connecting people with their surroundings and optimising their interactions.

“In 2020 millions of visitors will enjoy an incredible journey around the Expo site, which will be one of the smartest, fastest and best-connected places on the planet. I’m delighted that visitors to GITEX today can have a special preview of this experience, thanks to Accenture and Etisalat Digital.”

“Expo 2020 Dubai is an event that will connect both minds and people together, by generating innovative ideas and solutions for a brighter and better future,” said Gerardo Canta, managing director and Accenture’s Communications, Media & Technology lead for the Middle East & Turkey. “We are happy to partner with Etisalat Digital and offer a preview of the upcoming Expo 2020 site. With Explore 2020, visitors can expect to see an exclusive preview of Expo 2020 Dubai, and to imagine the endless possibilities of digital services and technologies such as 5G, machine learning, data analytics, artificial intelligence, extended reality, and more.”

Visitors to the Etisalat stand will notice several interactive elements including people, cars, and drones roaming the sky, with renowned Dubai skyline on the horizon. Moreover, visitors can use a purpose-built 3D space-mouse to zoom, rotate and fly across the site, whilst discovering the story of Expo 2020 Dubai. Interactive animations will be triggered by location proximity, revealing an additional layer of context, visualization and understating of the behind-the-scenes technology powering one of the fastest smartest, and best-connected places on earth.,

Together, Accenture and Etisalat Digital are designing, building and running innovative solutions aimed at providing a memorable experience for Expo 2020 visitors, both before and during the event. Explore 2020 is a practical example of how this partnership can bring innovation to life.

Etisalat announced today that it has teamed up with Skylines Tax Consultancy to offer free Value Added Tax (VAT) filing services exclusively for its Small and Medium Business (SMB) customers at the ‘Hello Business Hub’.

This is keeping in line with UAE government’s VAT legislation which introduced a 5 percent VAT on 1st January this year. Under the new law, a VAT return has to be filed by registered tax payers at the end of the tax period.

Esam Mahmoud, Senior Vice President, Small and Medium Business, Etisalat, said: “In collaboration with our tax consultancy partner at the ‘Hello Business Hub’, we are pleased to support our SMB customers with this new initiative that aims to help them meet their VAT responsibilities by providing consultation and guiding them through every step of the way, giving them peace of mind.

“Small and medium businesses are important contributors to the UAE’s economy today, and we at Etisalat work closely with SMBs and start-ups by enabling them with the right tools and services all under one roof (‘Hello Business Hub’). Etisalat and Skyline Tax Consultancy will work actively together with SMBs to ensure proper VAT compliance and adoption.”

In addition to VAT filing, SMB customers will also enjoy other free services: archiving of documents for five years, cloud-based financial accounting software, filing of VAT return, cash flow management, balance sheet, profit and loss, access to a VAT help desk, bank reconciliation, import/export activities, VAT registration, and four free accountant’s visits per month at customer premises.

Etisalat’s Hello Business Hub, which opened in February this year, caters to the needs of SMBs by offering comprehensive integrated propositions, ranging from company setup to company registration, banking to insurance, office leasing to furniture, combined with the latest telecom products and services from Etisalat and more. Etisalat currently serves more than 300,000 SMB customers in the country, working closely with them in their digital transformation journey.

The specialised business hub located at One JLT building, Jumeirah Lake Towers, Dubai offers latest telecommunications solutions tailored for start-ups and SMBs and an extended platform provided by its strategic business partners. The hub also hosts Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC) as well as Virtuzone, Oman Insurance, National Bank of Ras Al Khaimah (RAKBANK), Sharaf DG, Amer for Government services, CBRE, Advanced Business Concept (ABC), The Ambassador, Leader Consulting, in addition to Etisalat Digital Marketing solutions for SMBs.

• DOUBLE THE INTERNET SPEEDS UPTO 1GBPS
• ELIFE UNLIMITED INTRODUCES NEW ‘COMMITMENT FREE’ OPTIONS
• SUPERIOR TV ENTERTAINMENT OPTIONS FROM THE BIGGEST NAMES WITH 4K PREMIUM CHANNELS ALL ON ONE-BOX

Etisalat today announced the launch of ‘eLife Unlimited’, an all-new line up of home service offerings delivering enhanced TV content at double internet speeds and for the first time in the UAE will be introducing ‘Commitment Free’ option for consumers.

Khaled ElKhouly, Chief Consumer Officer at Etisalat, said: “Today’s launch of the new home service offering ‘eLife Unlimited’ reiterates our unwavering commitment to deliver superior home internet and TV entertainment services for residents in the UAE. The increasing demand for faster broadband and higher speeds to watch world-class content led to the revamp of our eLife portfolio and the need to introduce tailor-made packages. The new eLife packages focus on delivering the most engaging content in the UAE on the fastest broadband speeds including easy access to 4K channels and Video on Demand (VOD).

“This is a result of Etisalat’s continuous investments in the most advanced network technologies to deliver the best customer experiences and content partnerships that bring the best regional live TV and on-demand content to our eLife customers. The new ‘eLife Unlimited’ packages emphasise our efforts to continually enhance our customers' home entertainment experience.”

‘eLife Unlimited’ packages now give subscribers the opportunity to enjoy speeds of 50 Mbps for the basic bundle ‘Starter’ and up-to 1Gbps for the ‘Premium’ 1G offering. Customers can enjoy entertainment from across the globe with more than 590 channels, including 4K content, and over 150 channels in HD. The new packages also comprise of a massive library of movies and TV shows on demand plus access to features like ‘Start-Over’, ‘Catch-Up’ and ‘Parental Control’. ‘eLife Unlimited’ allows subscribers to enjoy all the premium content from major TV broadcasters, media and content companies like MBC, beIN, OSN and Starzplay on one box to ensure non-stop entertainment is delivered to every household in the country. The new home service offerings also give subscribers an opportunity to customize their TV experience based on their viewing preferences.

Customers signing up to ‘eLife Unlimited’ plans can also choose a ‘Mini Pack’ that will boost their basic TV subscription with premium Asian, Arabian, Pinoy, and Western channels for only AED 10 a month which is a 75 percent discount off the regular price of AED 40. The premium package subscribers will be able to select one option for free.

Etisalat is also introducing a ‘Commitment Free’ option, waiving off the minimum commitment period for subscribers by simply paying a monthly fee of AED20.

Emiratis and ‘Homat Al Watan’ card holders can enjoy their dedicated plans from Etisalat on the new eLife Unlimited too with free double speed benefits upto 250Mbps.

Any existing eLife customers are able to upgrade to the new ‘eLife Unlimited’ plans immediately enabling them to enjoy the new broadband speeds and superior TV entertainment services, simply by calling 800101 or by visiting Etisalat stores.

Features such as the free and unlimited national calls from your landline, along with add-ons like unlimited international calling packs and call plus continue to be available to enhance the home telephone experience. In addition, the newly introduced Etisalat’s Wi-Fi service called ‘HomeZone’ provides a convenient solution and provides a reliable Wi-Fi signal to help eliminate dead spots. For AED29 a month, users will receive new access points to boost their Wi-Fi coverage in up to 3 extra zones.

First operator in the MENA region to launch the eSIM service with the new Apple Watch

Etisalat today announced the offering for the most advanced iPhones ever, iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max, and Apple Watch Series 4 (GPS + Cellular) starting Friday, 21st September across all Etisalat stores in UAE, through www.etisalat.ae/iphonexs, and My UAE Etisalat App.

Khaled Elkhouly, Chief Consumer Officer at Etisalat said: “Etisalat is thrilled that the much awaited iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max as well as the Apple Watch Series 4 (GPS +Cellular) will be available for customers in the UAE at the same time as their global counterparts. Iphones and other Apple devices are receiving an overwhelming response among our subscribers, and we at Etisalat are committed to continuously offer new deals to our customers.

“Etisalat’s ‘iPhone for Life’ program will make it easier to upgrade to the new iPhones, while our Smart Pay options of 12, 18 and 24 months will make it highly affordable for all customer segments to get their hands on these highly desired Apple devices.”.

Etisalat customers will be able to purchase iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max with flexible Smart Pay plans on a 12, 18, or 24 month contract and also avail the AppleCare+ service for only AED 30 per month. Customers opting for a 24 month smart pay plan can purchase iPhone XS for AED185, or the iPhone XS Max for AED210, each month.

Etisalat is also offering up to 10GB free data for purchasing the device with a prepaid account.

iPhone XS and XS Max are available in 64, 256 and 512GB capacity. The standalone price of the iPhone XS (64GB) is AED4,028, while the 256 and 512GB variants are priced at AED4,628 and AED5,437, respectively. The 64GB model of the iPhone XS Max costs AED200 more than the smaller XS, starting at AED4,248 outright. A 256GB configuration costs AED5,028 and the 512GB XS Max costs AED5,837 outright. Prices are subject to 5% VAT. For complete pricing details, please visit www.etisalat.ae/iphonexs

iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max are the most advanced iPhones ever, taking the vision for the future of the smartphone to a new level, featuring stunning 5.8-inch and 6.5-inch Super Retina displays that offer remarkable brightness and true blacks while showing 60 percent greater dynamic range in HDR photos.

iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max bring an improved dual camera system that offers breakthrough photo and video features, A12 Bionic chip with next-generation Neural Engine, faster Face ID, wider stereo sound, longer battery life, splash and water resistance, the most durable glass ever in a smartphone, a beautiful new gold finish that joins silver and space gray, and introduce Gigabit-class LTE for even faster download speeds. iPhone XS Max offers a more immersive experience with over 3 million pixels for videos, movies and games, offering the largest display ever in an iPhone.

Both phones introduce Dual SIM to iPhone through the use of a nano-SIM and digital eSIM. Etisalat is working currently with Apple on making the eSIM service available soon on the new iPhones.

Additionally, iPhone XR, bringing the latest iPhone innovations to more people, will be available to pre-order at Etisalat on 19th October. iPhone XR features an all-screen glass and aluminum design with a 6.1-inch Liquid Retina display — the most color accurate in the industry, with wide color support and True Tone for a more natural viewing experience. iPhone XR features A12 Bionic with next-generation Neural Engine, the TrueDepth camera system, faster Face ID, an advanced camera system that creates dramatic portraits using a single camera lens, LTE Advanced for fast download speeds and six beautiful finishes.

Apple Watch Series 4 is redesigned and re-engineered to help users stay connected, be more active and manage their health in powerful new ways. Etisalat will also be the first operator in the MENA region to launch the eSIM service with the new Apple Watch series.

It features a stunning 30 percent larger display, a thinner, smaller case and a new interface with more information and richer detail. Apple Watch Series 4 with watchOS 5 brings advanced activity and communications features, along with revolutionary health capabilities including a next generation accelerometer and gyroscope which are able to detect hard falls.

Telco also bags ‘5G Innovator of the Year’ at prestigious event

Etisalat today announced it was recognised as the ‘Best Regional Wholesale Carrier’ at the prestigious Telecoms World Middle East Awards gala event in Dubai.

Etisalat was shortlisted among top telecom companies for its success in the wholesale business as the ‘Best Regional Wholesale Operator’ and ‘5G innovator of the Year’ at the regional telecom event.

Etisalat’s outstanding technological innovation, core international network capabilities and reach, strong service portfolio, continuous commitment to quality and customer service gratifyingly contributed to the achievement in the wholesale category. Additionally, its capabilities to serve as a gateway to the world for the UAE, the regional operators and customers serving as a platform for ME region’s credible peering and transit hub made it a strong contender in this category.

Commenting on the award, Ali Amiri, Group Chief Carrier & Wholesale, Etisalat, said: “Etisalat’s core international network capabilities, reach and commitment to quality are part of our DNA and we are proud to be recognized among our industry peers. This award highlights the capabilities and success of SmartHub and the strategic partnerships we have formed. Etisalat has established itself as a wholesale brand in the region through excellent quality of service and long-term commitment to its customers.”

Etisalat is a premium wholesale provider in the Middle East with a robust YoY growth achieved through focus on customer experience and innovation using the latest technology with clear future transformation plans. Etisalat’s SmartHub offers reliable infrastructure services to around large high profile carriers and content providers to strategically locate PoPs in the region, which gives universal connectivity with a full portfolio of wholesale services.

At the ceremony, Dr Ahmed bin Ali, Group Senior Vice President, Corporate Communication, Etisalat, accepted the ‘5G Innovator of the Year’ award on behalf of the company. This award recognized “etisalat” for its significant achievements on 5G, where it has achieved regional firsts, with the announcement of the first 5G network in the MENA region and ‘Expo 2020’ as the first major commercial 5G customer in MEASA. Etisalat has always led as a pioneer in the telecom industry and has now set a new benchmark in 5G among its peers

This milestone further supports the UAE’s reputation as a country that leads in innovation, infrastructure and development.

The awards ceremony was part of the two-day Telecoms World Middle East in Dubai. The winners were chosen by an independent panel of experienced industry veterans and the jury which includes representatives from the carrier arena, telecoms/ICT vendor community and the ICT investment banking sector.

Forty-seven athletes from the UAE Paralympics team to compete at the Indonesia 2018 Asian Paralympic Games

Etisalat today announced its sponsorship of the UAE Paralympic Committee at the upcoming Indonesia 2018 Asian Para Games.

Forty-seven athletes with disabilities from the UAE Paralympics team are set to compete in eight sporting events namely athletics, power lifting, shooting, boccia, cycling, table tennis, archery and judo, at the Indonesia 2018 Asian Para Games from 6th to 13th October in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Dr Ahmed bin Ali, Group Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications, Etisalat, said: “Etisalat is delighted to be sponsoring the UAE National Paralympics Committee at the Indonesia 2018 Asian Para Games. As the leading telecom operator in the region, this strategic sponsorship falls in line with our endeavor to be at the forefront of sporting events.”

“Such international sporting events have become a great platform for Etisalat to encourage the local sporting community as we work towards fulfilling our responsibility to support initiatives that benefit people of determination. It is a key element of Etisalat’s corporate social responsibility strategy to provide equal opportunities to all especially that sport is a right and must be accessible to all throughout the society.”

Indonesia 2018 Asian Para Games, also known as the 3rd Asian Para Games, is a multi-sport event involving athletes with a range of disabilities. About 3,000 athletes from 43 countries are expected to take part in 15 paralympic and 3 non-paralympic sports. The Games will take place in the same venues as the 2018 Indonesia Asian Games.

Etisalat Digital today announced that Massar Solutions, a UAE-based fleet management firm, has signed up for its secure and reliable OneCloud Services.

Etisalat OneCloud offers a convenient on-demand subscription to a pool of configurable shared and dedicated multi-tenant computing resources. This end-to-end managed cloud solution includes infrastructure-as-a-service, managed security services, managed backup, managed applications and managed disaster recovery services.

Fahim Mohamed Al Shehhi, Managing Director, Massar Solutions P.J.S.C. said: “Outsourcing of private cloud hosting functions will provide significant value to Massar Solutions in the long term by helping the organization reduce operational expenses, maintain our competitive position and more importantly, improve efficiency, transparency and resilience through new technology.”

Miguel Angel Villalonga, Vice President Cloud & Data Center Etisalat Digital, said: “We are pleased to offer Etisalat’s OneCloud Services that cater to the growing needs of enterprise customers like Massar, a leading fleet management firm that provides innovative and comprehensive mobility solutions to its clients in the government, semi-government and the private sector.

“With “etisalat's” corporate strategy focusing on 'Driving the digital future', we are working closely with all our customers and partners to transform their businesses by investing in digital services and solutions. We recognize that these organisations want to leverage on cloud’s ever-expandable and always available infrastructure to speed up the delivery and reliability of new and existing applications.”

As part of the agreement, “Etisalat” will host Massar’s fleet management application on its cloud in the UAE. The agreement will help Massar stay ahead of the curve with access to “etisalat’s” expertise, which ensures adherence to industry standards and policies in maintaining this infrastructure.

• Collaboration marks the first time in the GCC region that console gamers will be able to pay for content through their telecoms subscription
• Payment options will cover Xbox content, as well as Xbox Games Pass and Gold Live memberships
• ‘Our partnership with Etisalat UAE opens up a world of exciting game titles to UAE Xbox users, without the need for credit or debit cards,’ says Xbox GCC Manager

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.

“This is the first time in the GCC region that any gamer on any console will be able to make purchases through a telecoms channel,” said Mohammed Habbab, Xbox GCC Manager. “Our partnership with Etisalat UAE – the biggest telecoms provider in the country – opens up a world of exciting game titles to UAE Xbox users, without the need for credit or debit cards. And it also makes parental control easier, so you will always know what content your children are consuming.”

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.

Khaled Elkhouly, Chief Consumer Officer, Etisalat UAE, said: “We are excited to grow our partnership with Microsoft to offer a convenient, easy, and secure payment option that will enrich Xbox customers’ experience with more convenience and value. The gaming market is growing at an exponential rate. The industry has emerged as one of the most evolving industries in the entertainment sector, besides the music and video. Recent technological advancements and games development have been instrumental in opening up several avenues for market expansion.”

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.

For more information on Microsoft Games Pass, visit https://www.xbox.com/en-US/xbox-game-pass. For more information on Xbox Gold Live visit https://www.microsoft.com/en-ae/p/xbox-live-gold/cfq7ttc0k5dj/000C

E-marine, the leading company in providing marine engineering and installation services for submarine cables in the region, bagged a contract from Huawei Marine Networks to install the ‘Mauritius and Rodrigues Submarine Cable System’ (MARS), which covers a distance of 700 km connecting two islands in the Indian Ocean.

The MARS cable will help boost internet connectivity through the provision of high-speed, large capacity bandwidth between the two islands located off the coast of East Africa.

Omar Jassim Bin Kalban, Chief Executive Officer, E-marine said: “E-marine has worked on several local and international projects in the past providing an infrastructure that is robust and is able to meet the high capacity requirements of that country or region. We are committed to efficiently manage and implement these large-scale projects with innovative technologies and solutions. E-marine looks forward to work with Huawei Marine Networks on the MARS project which will bring enhanced connectivity to the East African region.”

Mike Constable, Chief Executive of Huawei Marine said,“As a global provider of submarine network solutions, Huawei Marine is pleased to partner again with E-Marine to deploy our high-speed submarine cable infrastructure which will help facilitate further economic development in the region”.

E-marine has worked on several projects across the region and maintains more than 100,000 km of submarine cables.

About E-marine

E-marine is the trusted principal provider of submarine cable solutions. With over three decades of submarine cabling experience, E-marine has pioneered the development of the region’s subsea cable infrastructure through its wide range of reliable solutions for the telecommunications and off-shore energy industries.

With unrivalled expertise in submarine cable installation and maintenance, E-marine’s highly competent professionals also undertake submarine route surveys, cable transportation, consultancy, ROV inspection and burial and related operations for regional and international clients across the globe. The company has a fleet of four fully equipped cable ships, one Multi-Purpose Vessel and a special purpose vessel with strategically located cable and storage depots in Hamriyah, UAE and Salalah, Oman.

About Huawei Marine Networks Co., Ltd.

Huawei Marine Networks Co., Limited (Huawei Marine) is a joint venture established by Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. and Global Marine Systems Limited. Combining the substantial expertise of the two parent companies, Huawei Marine integrates the state-of-the-art optical transmission technology and 160 years of marine engineering and installation excellence, with a strong commitment to the development of innovative submarine cable network solutions throughout the globe. Huawei Marine delivers highly reliable, cost-effective turnkey submarine cable system solutions incorporating system design, integration and installation services with an on-going focus and commitment to customer support for network operators.

For more information, please contact: public@huaweimarine.com or visit www.huaweimarine.com

Etisalat Digital today announced its new set of challenges for the 5th cohort of Dubai Future Accelerators (DFA) focusing on creating smart innovative solutions based on emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Blockchain.

The partnership with the government-supported accelerator is part of Etisalat Digital strategy to bring the latest technologies and innovations to enable a smart ecosystem. The technology themes for the challenges under the fifth cohort of this program revolve around using AI and Blockchain to address key areas of any smart city.

In support of UAE 2021’s vision of making the UAE the safest place in the world and to enhance transportation, the first challenge focuses on reducing crime and road congestion using AI on video surveillance systems by analyzing behavior, predicting crime-related patterns, congestion, and road accidents. It also includes enabling automated decisions that alert the concerned authorities.

The second challenge focuses on using Blockchain to reduce transactional costs and complexity in B2B processes between banks, government, and private sectors by 40% within five years.

For its third challenge, Etisalat Digital would like to adopt Blockchain to allow exchange across various loyalty currencies and to transform a loyalty currency into a crypto currency that can be used to perform online and physical transactions.

Francisco Salcedo, Senior Vice President, Etisalat Digital, said: “We are looking forward to the 5th cohort with Dubai Future Accelerators. Our partnership with the accelerator supports us in collaborating with innovative companies worldwide to bring the latest innovation to our customers. For the 5th cohort, we chose to address two of the key emerging technologies in UAE, Blockchain and Artificial Intelligence, to explore new opportunities and solutions, and support the UAE agenda for 2021.”

Applications are open to companies across the globe to address any of these challenges along with technology experts from Etisalat Digital. Companies will be shortlisted and selected as part of a nine-week DFA program expected to start in September.

Towards the end of the program, Etisalat Digital will sign a commercial agreement with selected companies who will then be on boarded in the Etisalat Scale-Ups Program where they will receive access to Etisalat Digital resources and experts, office space, and support needed to deliver joint projects.

Dubai Future Accelerators was launched in 2016 by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and the Chairman of Dubai Future Foundation under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Ruler of Dubai. The programme is a government initiative that aims to bring the world’s most exciting and transformative technology start-ups to Dubai to collaborate with local entities and find solutions for future challenges.

Distribution of interim dividend for the first half of the fiscal year 2018 of 40 fils per share

Etisalat Group today announced its consolidated financial results for H1 ending 30th June 2018.

H1 2018 Financial Highlights and Key Developments

• Etisalat Group subscriber base reached 144 million representing year on year increase of 4%
• Etisalat Group Consolidated Revenues for first half of 2018 amounted to AED 26.2 billion representing 4% increase year over year.
• Etisalat Group Consolidated Net profit for first half of 2018 amounted to AED 4.3 billion representing 6% increase year over year.
• Etisalat achieves over 1 million VoLTE subscribers.
• Etisalat launches first commercial 5G network in the MENA.
• Expo 2020 Dubai becomes first 5G major commercial customer in MEASA through partnership with Etisalat; Etisalat's 5G network will provide state-of-the-art services to Expo's millions of visitors.
• Etisalat launches ‘Hello Business Hub' in UAE, a one-stop place for all start-ups and SMBs.
• Etisalat Digital's IOT Connectivity Solutions Empower FEWA Smart Metering Project.
• UAE Ministry of Interior signs agreement with Etisalat to link UAE homes and establishments to a fire alarm system connected to the civil defence control room.
• Etisalat, Ericsson and Intel launch ‘Driving the Future of 5G Innovation' university competition.
• Etisalat and Pro League Committee launch the region's first Virtual Reality Football app
• Etisalat and Microsoft form a strategic partnership to deliver the comprehensive, trusted Microsoft Cloud from their first datacentre located in the Middle East
• Etisalat forms an alliance with AeroMobile for in-flight roaming coverage for business users.
• Etisalat launches remote SIM provisioning of any embedded devices, while launching commercially the e-SIM enabled/LTE connected Apple Watch Series 3.
• Etisalat forms exclusive partnership with GSMA for Mobile 360 Series – MENA Conference
• Etisalat adopts latest GSMA's global IoT Security Guidelines

Industry Recognition

• UAE ranked as global leader in Fiber Optic Network Cable for the second year in a row.
• Etisalat awarded 'Most Valuable Telecoms Brand' in MENA region by Brand Finance at Mobile World Congress.
• Etisalat receives the prestigious TL9000 certification, an International Quality Standard for the telecom industry.
• Etisalat's data centres acquire PCI/DSS certification guaranteeing maximum safety of customer data at all times.
• Seven Etisalat shops were rated as 5 Stars as part of TRA's "Erteqa" initiative.

Essa Mohamed Al Suwaidi, Chairman of Etisalat Group

“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. 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 continue to lay a solid foundation for investment, hence, enabling Etisalat to introduce solutions that will reshape the industry and change the business operating dynamics.

“I would like to thank 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. Thanks to both our 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
“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”

Whether we are introducing novel technologies or launching new innovative services, our achievements are spread across all aspects of the business and integrate seamlessly to deliver our strategic objectives. We managed to capitalize on our financial, technological and human assets enabling us to spearhead in a new world that will be defined by the digital pioneers”

“Moving forward, we will continue to pilot and explore new technologies while probing prospective use cases that will maximize value and bring tangible benefit to customers and shareholder. Etisalat remains grateful to the country leadership for their continuous support, and thankful to its customers who have played a critical role in its journey, we believe in our ability to be the catalysts who will enable the transition of the society in the new digital era, and we are bound to unfold greater accomplishments down the road”

Subscribers

• Etisalat Group Subscriber base reached 144 million representing Year over Year increase of 4%.
• Etisalat UAE Subscriber base reached 12.7 million representing Year over Year increase of 3%.

Revenue

• Etisalat Group second quarter consolidated revenues amounted to AED 13.1 billion representing 2% increase comparing to Q2 2017.

Net Profit

• Etisalat Group second quarter consolidated net profit amounted to AED 2.2 billion representing 12.4% increase comparing to Q2 2017.

Telco joins the global event ‘Light Up for Inclusion’ in an act of unity and celebration of difference

Etisalat, the official partner of Special Olympics World Games Abu Dhabi 2019, which will take place from 14-21 March 2019, joined the world on July 20 in celebration of Special Olympics’ 50th anniversary to work together to create a new future for People of Determination.

Etisalat’s headquarters in Abu Dhabi and Dubai Al Kifaf buildings were among a number of major landmarks and iconic venues around the globe that lit up in red to celebrate the Special Olympics movement.

‘Light Up for Inclusion’ is a global demonstration of tolerance, respect, and celebration of difference. By lighting up in red, Etisalat hopes to help bring awareness for the inclusion of people of intellectual disabilities.

Etisalat is proud to support Special Olympics World Games in the UAE, which is in line with Etisalat’s endeavour to be at the forefront of international major sporting events and works towards fulfilling our responsibility to support world-renowned initiatives that benefit People of Determination. It is a key element of Etisalat’s corporate social responsibility strategy to provide equal opportunities to all - especially that sport is a right and must be accessible to all throughout the society.

Two challenges launched for transforming visitor and customer experience with future technologies during 4th cohort

Etisalat Digital today announced that it has signed strategic partnerships with four scale-ups as part of the ‘Dubai Future Accelerators Program,’ the world’s largest government supported accelerator.

The 4th cohort of the ‘Dubai Future Accelerators’, launched in March this year with the participation of Etisalat Digital and other government bodies and in cooperation with the world’s most innovative companies, came to a close on 17 May.

The program pairs innovative scale-ups from across global markets with the Dubai government entities allowing them to build, test and deploy solutions for 21st-century challenges.

Franciso Salcedo, Senior Vice President, Etisalat Digital, said: “We are pleased to be part of the fourth cohort and partner with these pioneering companies to provide them with a platform to showcase their innovation and digital capabilities to such a global audience. This accelerator program helps them engage with our experts, have access to our network, utilise our digital technologies to build viable products and new revenue streams, and bring to reality these new solutions that will help transform our visitor and customer experience.

“Etisalat Digital’s participation with the Dubai Future Accelerators program is part of our efforts and investments focused on the development of smart city technologies, creating digital solutions, nurturing entrepreneurship and providing the right platform to accelerate, innovate and achieve the UAE's digital vision.”

Etisalat Digital launched two challenges as part of the program to companies across the world in January this year. The companies had the opportunity to network with a number of key stakeholders and had access to resources and expertise from Etisalat Digital.

Mobiliya, Digicomm, and Sturfee were selected to address the first challenge aimed at transforming the experience of visitors, like students, residents, leisure and business tourists, of city attractions, such as Expo2020, museums, libraries, and landmarks by leveraging extended reality, augmented/virtual reality, and artificial intelligence at every stage of the visitor journey by 2021.

Sturfee, an artificial intelligence and satellite imaging company that delivers spatial awareness to cameras connected to smartphones, wearables, and autonomous drones and cars, is developing a solution with Etisalat Digital around a city-scale augmented reality experience.

Mobiliya are considered experts in end-to-end product engineering services involving device-to-cloud integration, security and solution development for emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Deep Learning, Extended Reality, Internet of Things (IoT) and Blockchain.

Dubai-based leading technology powerhouse Digital Communication (DigiComm), which crafts digital immersive experiences for entertainment attractions and enterprises, is widely known for its award-winning projects, including the world's first VR Zoo at the Dubai Aquarium and Mission 828, a thrill-packed, height-themed Virtual Reality spy mission at the Burj Khalifa. Through their partnership with Etisalat Digital, they will develop Virtual Reality tours of major attractions in the UAE.​

The second challenge sought to accelerate Etisalat’s transformation to a digital telco by increasing customer adoption of digital self-care channels thereby enhancing customer experience and reducing 50% calls to Etisalat customer care over the next one year using artificial intelligence, analytics and insights, and machine learning.

KocharTech, a company that builds solutions to help connected consumers drive full potential of a digital life with the use of latest technologies like Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, was selected for this challenge. It is offering an integrated solution to Etisalat with multiple technology stacks using Artificial Intelligence, SIM, Robotic process automation and Digital Enablement solutions for their subscribers.

The companies were shortlisted based on their capability to build and launch their core technology and ability to demonstrate traction and/or substantial use cases. Over the nine-week program, Etisalat Digital engaged with the shortlisted companies – from ideation to prototyping and testing new innovative solutions.

Towards the end of the program, Etisalat Digital signed MoUs with selected companies who will then be on boarded in the Etisalat Scale-Ups Program where they will receive access to Etisalat Digital resources and experts, office space, and support needed to deliver joint projects.

Dubai Future Accelerators was launched in 2016 by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and the Chairman of Dubai Future Foundation under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Ruler of Dubai. The program is a government initiative that aims to bring the world’s most exciting and transformative technology start-ups to Dubai to collaborate with local entities and find solutions for future challenges.

Etisalat today announced its exclusive partnership with GSMA for Mobile 360 series-MENA conference in 2018 and 2019, a regional platform that attracts telecom leaders from across the global and regional mobile industry to address key challenges and opportunities in the mobile ecosystem.

The three-day conference scheduled to take place during 27-29 November 2018 at Dubai World Trade Center will have a mix of keynote presentations, panel discussions and workshops aimed at senior-level decision makers across the region.

Hatem Dowidar, Chief Executive Officer, Etisalat International said: “Etisalat has a long standing relationship with GSMA and this collaboration to organise and participate in this prestigious industry event gives a platform to all our industry peers to showcase technology innovation, discuss the latest digital trends and provide an insight into the latest technologies.

“This is also in line with our long term strategic vision and strategy ‘Driving the Digital Future to Empower Societies’ to engage with industry stakeholders on digital innovation and showcase the country’s pioneering effort in enabling advanced and cutting-edge technologies. Such events support the government’s ambitious initiatives such as the ‘Smart City’ project where technology is the enabler and aims to create happiness for the residents and visitors.”

Mats Granryd, Director General, GSMA said: “The UAE has benefited from significant investment in mobile technology, resulting in rising mobile broadband adoption, growing subscriber numbers and increasing smartphone use, all of which are radically transforming the lives of businesses and citizens across this diverse region. We are excited to embark on this partnership with Etisalat and to showcase how mobile is connecting everything and everyone to a better future.”

- Customers to enjoy 25GB data for Snapchat, Instagram and Twitter for AED100
- 100% bonus credit on Wasel prepaid recharge of AED30 and above

Etisalat today announced the launch of special offers to keep prepaid and postpaid customers stay connected with family and friends to celebrate Ramadan.

The special Ramadan offers include the ‘Ramadan Social Pack’ and ‘100% bonus on recharge promotion.

Khaled Elkhouly, Chief Consumer Officer, Etisalat, said: “Ramadan is a time of spiritual awareness as well as a time to connect and strengthen family bonds. Reflecting the spirit and values of Ramadan, Etisalat is reaching out to its customers through a host of offers during the holy month. During this period, the launch of these special deals helps customers keep in touch with family and friends across the country and on social media to share their thoughts and experiences as well as keeping track of important daily events throughout the month.”

The ‘Ramadan Social Pack’ offers customers 25GB data for Snapchat, Instagram and Twitter for AED100. The special offer will enable Etisalat prepaid and postpaid customers to update their status, see what their family and friends are up to, share moments with them via Snapchat and Instagram stories and Twitter live videos, and follow others to stay up to date with the latest events and gatherings without having to worry about running out of data. The promo allowance will be valid for 30 days from the date of subscription. Customers will be able to subscribe to the Ramadan Social Pack by dialing *135*100#.

For Wasel prepaid customers, the special Ramadan deal gives them double the bonus on every recharge of AED30 or more that can be used to make calls, send SMS and connect to the internet on a per minute basis through the Etisalat ‘Start-Stop Data’ and ‘Play on Demand’ services. The bonus will be valid for 7 days from the date of recharge and after consuming the main balance.

Wasel prepaid customers can subscribe free of charge from the first day of Ramadan until June 4.

Today we are witnessing colossal advancements across all technologies with 5G to be a game changer as it aims to bring in evolution that would elevate services, performance and enablement revolutionising verticals like transport, energy, smart cities, security/surveillance, health opined Khalifa Al Shamsi, Chief Strategy & Governance Officer, Etisalat Group at the 1st ICT Future Foresight Forum held today.

The one-day forum held in Dubai organised by UAE Telecom Regulatory Authority (TRA) in collaboration with the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) for the first time in the country aims to explore and discuss future challenges faced in the ICT sector and also discuss future technologies and solutions that will make a larger impact in the ecosystem. Technology heads from the local and global markets along with senior government officials were present to share their expert opinions and share experiences.

Khalifa Al Shamsi, Chief Strategy & Governance Officer presented ‘The Future-Impossible Redefined’ focusing on the evolution of technology and the potential emergent technologies bring to new business models, impacting daily lives and bringing together new challenges and exciting opportunities.

He highlighted to the audience 5G’s advanced capabilities that will substantially benefit multiple industries giving a platform for advanced solutions that will push the future boundaries to the new machine era.

Al Shamsi said: “Today Etisalat plays an integral role an ICT service provider by enabling an ecosystem with an advanced network and futuristic solutions like artificial intelligence and robotics. The UAE ranks number one in digital adoption among Middle Eastern countries having implemented core digitisation initiatives. This was only possible as future technologies are pushing boundaries into a digital era that is witnessing technology innovation, advancements with various applications that will allow limitless connectivity, reach and access.

“The launch of the 5G network and associated applications will also bring in an immense potential for all stakeholders providing them a platform to innovate, launch futuristic applications and empower the next generation with digital capabilities. As a company our vision ‘Driving the Digital Future to Empower Societies’ is also focused on making this digital future a reality by facilitating innovation, creativity and bringing technologies of the future to all our audiences across our markets.”

Keeping in line with its vision of bringing in digital innovation, Etisalat was on track as the first operator in the MENA region to launch the first commercial 5G wireless network achieving a technology milestone and set an industry benchmark. Etisalat is the first operator to have a fully developed commercial 5G network available to provide gigabit internet services to its customers.

Etisalat Digital concluded its participation as the strategic partner at the inaugural Future Blockchain Summit which brought together over 7,000 chiefs of industry and visionary technologists from around the world to accelerate blockchain application in Dubai and beyond.

Hosted by the Smart Dubai Office at the Dubai World Trade Center, the inaugural Future Blockchain Summit from May 2-3 was the world’s first experiential blockchain festival hosted by a city.
Salvador Anglada, Chief Business Officer, Etisalat who was a keynote speaker at the event, highlighted how Etisalat is using blockchain-enabled services to deliver value to customers in various industries and Etisalat’s own internal use cases around the technology. He also discussed how individuals increasingly find themselves living in a world of accelerated change where people, businesses and governments exist in a digital mesh, bound together by data.

Anglada also stressed how companies need to transform themselves, positioning digital at the core in order to succeed in this new environment, and discussed how Etisalat had gone through this journey and actively contributed to the digital transformation market.

The summit is in line with the Dubai Blockchain Strategy, announced by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council, which mandates that Dubai becomes the world’s first-ever government to execute all applicable transactions using blockchain technology by 2020.

The two-day event featured over 70 sessions which delved into real-world applications, creating opportunities and catalysing adoption across a range of sectors - retail and ecommerce, creative economy, healthcare, transportation, education, food, hospitality and tourism, energy, fintech and banking as well as safety and security.

It also included the world’s first Global Leaders Exchange program, closed door sessions gathering senior government blockchain champions and C-Level industry enablers resulting in a white paper report; a free to the public, experiential exhibition set to showcase pilot projects and innovative advancements from over 60 government and private organisations and; the grand finale of the Smart Dubai Blockchain Challenge, a startup pitch competition for blockchain-powered entrepreneurs. Further, the event will offer complimentary workshops, such as Blockchain 101, designed to demystify blockchain technology.

The flagship event hosted over 60 speakers, with over 50 percent making their regional debut, including blockchain entrepreneurs and tech world headliners Imogen Heap, 2x Grammy Winner and Founder of Mycelia, an experimental music distribution platform using blockchain-based technology and Dr. Larry Sanger, Co-Founder of Wikipedia and CIO, Everipedia, a Wikipedia 2.0 built on the blockchain.

Etisalat today announced the launch of the first commercial 5G wireless network in the UAE becoming the first telecom operator in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region to achieve this technological milestone and set a industry benchmark.

Etisalat will be the first operator to have a fully developed commercial 5G network available to provide gigabit internet services to its customers. The network will fuel enterprises digital transformation, IoT, smart cities and the fourth industrial revolution.

The foundation of this commercial launch was laid in December last year, where Etisalat was one of the operators globally to launch a pre-commercial 5G network in certain areas of the country demonstrating high-speed use cases in addition to the low latency feature of the 5G technology. Etisalat also demonstrated an advanced 5G based drone equipped with a 360-degree VR camera and 4K streaming experience.

In the first phase of the launch, 5G fixed wireless services (fixed and internet services) will be provided in selected locations in UAE, which will gradually expand to other parts of the country depending on consumer demand and requirements. The commercial fixed devices and services will be available for consumers starting from September this year.

Saleh Al Abdooli, CEO, Etisalat Group applauded the efforts of the entire team, he said: “Today’s announcement is a historic moment for the company as the commercial launch of the 5G network will set a milestone for the UAE. Etisalat today is the first telecom operator in the world to provide this ultra-high 5G C-band data speed as a commercial service over the wireless network.
“5G stands out as a game changer with rich potential, an evolution that would elevate services, performance, and enablement. It is the natural progression as part of our network modernization journey, the anticipated technical specifications are promising, bringing along various desirable features and functionalities.”
5G technology is a major enabler for the fourth industrial revolution and works in conjunction with 4G following the 3GPP (release 15 standard) providing faster data connectivity combined with higher speed. The larger bandwidth will provide the capability to handle larger number of connections in any geographical area.

With ultra-high speed and low latency services to the user 5G will enable users to enjoy uninterrupted 4K video streaming, best gaming experience, AR/VR services and autonomous transport. The 5G network will also empower government entities and the enterprise digital transformation, smart city development and the fourth industrial revolution.

Due to the higher bandwidth, more users and devices can be connected at the same time without any degradation to the desired experience.
5G opens new array of use cases with various quality requirements. The existing 5G network will offer one of the first Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) devices in the world and 5G enabled smartphones will be available by next year.
While launching the commercial network, Etisalat showcased downlink throughput more than 5Gbps on the site level and more than 1.5Gbps on the commercial CPE device.

Scheduled for completion by end of 2018

Etisalat today announced the achievement of a major milestone at Expo 2020 Dubai with the completion of the first phase of construction of two state-of-the-art Points of Presence (PoPs) that will play a critical role as the main interconnection point for the provision of services to the entire Expo 2020 site as well as serve as a communications gateway to the world at the global event.

At the Expo 2020 site, a pair of Tier III PoPs are currently being constructed that will provide complete resilience, carry massive inward and outward global traffic and deliver advanced connectivity services to all users visiting the first World Expo in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia.

The PoPs will support an extensive virtualised network deploying the most advanced systems and including a central telecom hub that will eventually support all requirements of the ‘Dubai South’ community after Expo 2020. These points will also support all telecom services, namely fixed, mobile, Wi-Fi and IPTV services, and provide millions of visitors with an advanced connectivity experience at Expo 2020. Construction of the PoPs is set for completion by the end of 2018.

Esmaeel Alhammadi, Senior Vice President, Network Development, Etisalat: “Today’s strategic announcement is significant as it sets the path for the next level of digital infrastructure development for Expo 2020 Dubai. This is in line with the country’s objectives of achieving digital transformation with the deployment of best-in-class technology and infrastructure to provide advanced services to all customers and visitors at this global event. Etisalat will continue to work closely with the Expo 2020 team in enabling digital innovation to make sure that all visitors will enjoy a seamless experience on their digital journey at the global event.”

Mohammed Alhashmi, Senior Vice President - Innovation and Future Technologies, Expo 2020 Dubai, said: “One of the most critical parts of any global event is the digital highway that enables the electronic services on which we all so heavily rely.
“Today is an important milestone for Expo 2020 and Etisalat. We have worked together with our Official Premier Partner to build a network capable of connecting Expo to the world and the world to Expo. This project epitomises Expo 2020’s main theme, ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’.”

Etisalat is the Official Telecommunications and Digital Services Partner for Expo 2020 and is involved in creating the infrastructure for the site to make it one of the fastest, smartest and best connected places in the world. As part of the Premier Partnership, Etisalat is involved in creating a telecommunication infrastructure for the Expo site that will provide on-site Wi-Fi capable of handling 300,000 visitors daily and deliver a cutting-edge, immersive digital experience that brings the Expo theme to life for the 25 million expected visits.

• Dedicated week for Small and Medium Businesses (SMBs) from 6th to 13th May
• Free data up to 50GB from Etisalat and exclusive offers from strategic partners

Etisalat today announced a week-long ‘SMB Festival’ from the 6th to 13th May 2018, the first of its kind initiative dedicated for Small and Medium Businesses (SMBs) in the UAE, offering them special data offers for new and existing mobile post-paid customers in addition to exclusive offers from business partners at the ‘Hello Business Hub’ located in One JTL, Jumeirah Lake Towers.

‘SMB Festival’ was introduced by Etisalat in collaboration with its strategic business partners as an initiative to support and encourage the long-term growth of SMBs and start-ups in the UAE.
Etisalat will be offering up to 50 GB free for a month to new and existing mobile post-paid customers. In addition, Etisalat’s 12 business partners will provide exclusive offers during this festival including discounts on insurance, office furniture, trade license, immigration expenses and more.

Esam Mahmoud, Senior Vice President, Etisalat SMB said: “We are excited to announce the ‘SMB Festival’, a first time concept that aims to give businesses exclusive benefits and a boost to the SMB sector. Etisalat is always working closely with SMBs to understand their business needs required to meet their long term organisational objectives. The recent launch of the ‘Hello Business Hub’ is in line with this strategy and the UAE government objectives of making the country the business hub of choice.

“As Etisalat works towards driving a digital future, such initiatives signifies our commitment towards creating this connected future enabled by our robust network and state-of-art infrastructure and services.”

Etisalat’s business partners participating in the festival include DMCC, Virtuzone, National Bank of Ras Al-Khaimah (RAKBANK), Oman Insurance, CBRE, ABC Herman Miller, Skylines Tax Consultancy, Sharaf DG, Amer, The Ambassador, Leaders Consulting and Etisalat Online Marketing. All further information on the discounts and offers from each partner is available on www.etisalat.ae/smbfestival.

Event aims at raising awareness on various security challenges, mitigating risks and securing business assets

Etisalat staged a Security Conference in Dubai to address the challenges facing Small and Medium Business (SMBs) in securing their business assets with the increasing cyber threats, lack of resources and expertise.

Under the theme “Small businesses, big targets… Security is the priority, no matter the size of your business”, the event brought together 200 business decision-makers at the Ritz-Carlton, Jumeirah Beach Residence to exchange ideas and best practices, highlight information security challenges and discuss ways to mitigate them. Although awareness of security is increasing among SMBs, a large number of businesses do not even realize they have become victims of cyber-attacks and are unaware how to effectively secure their business.

Esam Mahmoud, Senior Vice President, SMB, Etisalat, said: “Small and Medium Businesses are not immune to cyber-attacks. Etisalat’s mantra ‘Your business grows with us’ reflects our commitment to the country’s SMB sector. In addition to helping SMBs better manage their business, increase their business productivity and importantly, pr

Etisalat announced the partnership with the Department of Culture and Tourism and Abu Dhabi Airports to offer all visitors arriving at Abu Dhabi the best-in-class service and a unique package that will help meet all their requirements and provide exclusive deals and discounts.

As part of the partnership, passengers arriving at the airport can collect the Visitor Pack from the Department of Culture and Tourism visitor information counter. Etisalat is the first service provider to introduce such a customized ‘Visitor Pack’ to the Emirate’s visitors. The package includes a complimentary SIM card and a booklet of vouchers offering deals and discounts on theme parks, restaurants, shopping and other lifestyle categories. The Department of Culture and Tourism plans to roll-out Etisalat’s services across their visitor information centre network at the airports, cruise terminal and other access points for tourists visiting the Emirate.

Khaled ElKhouly Chief Consumer Officer, Etisalat said: “Etisalat is proud to be associated with Department of Culture and Tourism and Abu Dhabi Airports to launch a first of its kind initiative for visitors arriving at the capital. We have always worked closely with the government in supporting initiatives that contribute to the tourism sector across the emirates. Etisalat has partnered with leading brands providing us an opportunity to contribute to the tourism sector in the country. These offers will add value to our visitors, especially the free SIM card bundled with offers through selected brands. The ‘Visitor Pack’ caters to specific needs of visitors in the capital and is in line with the leadership’s direction to increase the happiness index of the country.”

Sultan Al Dhaheri, Acting Executive Director of Tourism, Department of Culture and Tourism, said: “Abu Dhabi welcomed over 4.4 million guest arrivals last year, and we are looking forward to a successful partnership with Etisalat to launch customised packages and services for all Abu Dhabi tourists. Many of our international visitors use our comprehensive ‘Visit Abu Dhabi App’ to explore the Emirate, and we are pleased to offer such a good value package with Etisalat as it will benefit all visitors in Abu Dhabi by offering them great value hospitality, tourism experiences and entertainment and encourage them to see and do more while they are here.”

Abdul Majeed Al Khoori, Acting Chief Executive Officer of Abu Dhabi Airports, commented: “As the gateway to the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, we continuously strive to ensure that all passengers arriving at Abu Dhabi International Airport experience first class customer service across our terminals. We thank Etisalat and Department of Culture and Tourism for this new initiative and we are confident that it will be well extremely received by visitors to Abu Dhabi.”

Etisalat Digital today announced the launch of the IoT (Internet of Things) gateway solution to connect customers’ remote organisational assets securely to the enterprise network, giving them flexibility and efficiency in managing their connected assets.

The event will run at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) from May 1-3, bringing together over 7,000 top security professionals to discover cutting-edge solutions, share insights and equip themselves with the right tools to protect their businesses from rapidly-evolving cyber-threats.
Kamran Ahsan, Senior Director, Digital Security Solutions, Etisalat Digital, will be a speaker on May 1. His presentation titled ‘Building Digital Resilience for Digital Businesses’ establishes a context of digital adoption by businesses and highlights a new dimension of risks. In view of latest security incidents in various industry verticals, a pragmatic approach will be presented for continuous digital security and defense.

In addition, Etisalat Digital Security experts will be present at Stand number B18 demonstrating a wide range of innovative security offerings covering areas of Network Security, Cyber Security and Security Operations. Etisalat Digital Security experts will also be conducting demonstrations at the X-Labs on all three days of the event to highlight Etisalat’s unique “Advanced Cyber Defense” proposition. A presentation titled “Demystifying Cyber Threat Intelligence” will be delivered by one of the experts on the final day of the event for the banking, financial services and insurance industries.

Etisalat Digital’s Security Solutions has been delivering cutting edge digital security offerings to businesses in the UAE powered from a state of the art in-country Global Security Operations Centre. Its robust portfolio across Network, Managed and Cyber Security has been proactively safeguarding business customers from impending cyber-attacks.

Etisalat Group today announced its consolidated financial statements for the three months ending 31st March 2018.

Financial Highlights and Key Developments of Q1

• Aggregate subscriber base reached 144 million, representing a year over year increase of 3%.
• Consolidated revenues amounted to AED 13.1 billion, representing an increase of 5% year over year
• Consolidated EBITDA totaled AED 6.5 billion, representing an increase of 2% year over year and resulting in EBITDA margin of 49%.
• Consolidated net profit after Federal Royalty amounted to AED 2.1 billion resulting in a net profit margin of 16%.
• Etisalat and Microsoft form a strategic partnership to deliver the comprehensive, trusted Microsoft Cloud from their first datacentre located in the Middle East.
• UAE Ministry of Interior signs agreement with Etisalat to link Emirati homes and establishments to a fire alarm system connected to the civil defence control room.
• Etisalat has partnered with key industry peers to form the Global Telco Security Alliance, which offers Enterprises a world-class cyber security service across a global footprint.
• Etisalat's data centres acquire PCI/DSS certification guaranteeing maximum safety of customer data at all times
• Etisalat receives the prestigious TL9000 certification, an International Quality Standard for the telecom industry.
• Etisalat launches 'Hello Business Hub' in UAE, a one-stop place for all start-ups and SMBs
• Etisalat launched two new challenges with Dubai Future Accelerators, focusing on Digital Customer Care and Transformation of Visitors’ Experience using Artificial Intelligence and Augmented/Virtual reality.

GCEO’s Message:

Eng. Saleh Al Abdooli, Etisalat Group CEO said: “Etisalat’s first quarter results are a continuation of previous quarters’ solid performance, and a promising start for the current year, alluding positive prospects for both customers and shareholders.”

“As we continue to encounter evolving industry dynamics, innovation and successful partnerships remain relevant and integral in sustaining our leading market position and assuring our profitability. Engaging the customers and allowing them to experience and probe our solutions potential has proven to be rewarding as we expand our products and services portfolio and introduce more value adding choices.”

“Adoption of cutting edge technologies is a strategic imperative that will always be a cornerstone in etisalat agenda, and while we operate in multiple markets with varying levels of technological maturity, our home market remains a driving force; as we witness the government adopting futuristic technologies, like AI and Blockchain, and leading the digital transformation of the society as a whole”

“Etisalat has continued its efforts to align its business with its digital initiatives which has enabled us to develop a healthy business portfolio. Moving forward, we will stay focused on realizing our strategic and operational goals and on materializing our digital transformation. We will continue to push technological boundaries and tap on non-traditional revenue streams that will augment our core services revenues and maximize the return on investment of our networks and platforms.”

Subscribers

• Aggregate subscriber base reached 144 million, representing a year over year increase of 3%
• In the UAE the subscriber base grew to 12.9 million subscribers in Q1 of 2018 representing a year on year growth of 3%.

Revenue

• Etisalat Group's consolidated revenue for the Q1 of 2018 amounted to AED 13.1 billion, representing an increase of 5% in comparison to the same period last year. 
• In the UAE, revenue in first quarter increased year on year by 3% to AED 7.8 billion.

Etisalat Digital today announced the launch of the IoT (Internet of Things) gateway solution to connect customers’ remote organisational assets securely to the enterprise network, giving them flexibility and efficiency in managing their connected assets.

IoT gateways are rugged routers deployed in multiple environments of business customers, like vending machines, payment kiosks, traffic lights, radars, digital signage, smart metering, etc. at remote locations and site offices using specific M2M (Machine-to-Machine) cellular communications.

Etisalat Digital’s IoT gateway solution offers businesses an opportunity to purchase rugged routers to support their IoT deployments, the solution includes best in class M2M managed connectivity. These IoT gateways are engineered to be deployed out-of-the-box without additional programming and have the intelligence to stay connected. This one-stop-shop solution gives business customers IoT connectivity management with monthly instalments and support.

Alberto Araque, Vice President, Internet of Things and Digital Payments, Etisalat Digital, said: “Today Enterprises and Governments have a growing base of widespread valuable assets across UAE, GCC and even worldwide. The gateway solution will play a central role in the design and implementation of IoT systems, connecting those assets to a central command center where our customers will be able to simplify and automate processes and take informed decisions in real time.”

This IoT gateway solution makes budgeting easier as customers can choose from a range of price plans to suit their requirements reducing their CAPEX. Customers will also improve their operational efficiency using Etisalat M2M managed connectivity (M2M control center).

Etisalat today announced its partnership with Indra to enhance and widen its Digital Solutions portfolio in multiple sectors, allowing both parties to share best practices and training, industry expertise, explore business opportunities, and strengthen their position in the markets they operate.

Indra, one of the world's top technology and consulting companies offers a comprehensive range of proprietary solutions and specialises in the development of end-to-end technology solutions in fields such as Defense and Security, Transport and Traffic, Energy and Industry, Telecommunications and Media, Financial Services, and Public Administrations and Healthcare. Etisalat signed a teaming agreement with Indra to further develop innovative solutions and accelerate its business across these multiple industries.

Francisco Salcedo, Senior Vice President, Etisalat Digital, said: “We’re delighted to be partnering with a world leader in the development of technological solutions that shares our vision for innovation and commitment to delivering excellence. The partnership with Indra will further strengthen our portfolio in a wide range of sectors, enhancing our digital solutions and allowing our customers to benefit from the best technologies and make better-informed decisions.”

Alex Moya, General Manager, Indra in the UAE, said: "We are thrilled with the prospects of teaming with Etisalat, a leader not only in the region but also further afield in promising emerging markets. We are eager to contribute with Indra’s cross market digital expertise, services and proprietary innovative technologies and solutions that combined with Etisalat Digital’s will help our customers prosper and do so in areas that will have major economic, social and environmental significance.”

Indra has offices in Abu Dhabi and Dubai and conducts activities throughout the UAE, the Middle East and globally. The multinational’s regional footprint is growing with significant projects in Defense, Security, Air Traffic Management, Healthcare, Transport and Traffic and Pubic Administrations.

Etisalat today announced that it has secured Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) certification for its Data Centers in the UAE, which guarantees maximum safety of customer data at all times, and improved quality and service.

Etisalat’s data centers at Khalifa City, Jebel Ali and Al Ain are now PCI DSS certified. The certificate of compliance ensures centres to tighten their already stringent security processes and procedures. Other benefits include increased credibility, prevention of data breaches, and a reduction of business risks.

Miguel Angel Villalonga, Vice President, Cloud and Data Center, Etisalat Digital, said: “We understand that security is increasingly important for our clients as they have entrusted us with their sensitive and confidential information. The PCI DSS certification is another validation of Etisalat’s capability and commitment to implement international standards and develop advanced data systems to keep our clients’ data safe and secure.

“As technology continues to advance, so do threats facing digital security. It is imperative that our clients have access to the best network of certified, reliable and secure data centers. The compliance certificate will be valuable to our customers, who can now benefit from enhanced and security standards.”

The three data centers complied with the requirements of PCI DSS version 3.2. PCI DSS certificates are mandatory for a number of customers by a government authority or a third party. The PCI DSS standard is an information security standard that governs how organisations that handle payment cardholder information should protect data. The wide-ranging standard includes criteria on how to create and secure the network, data storage, and security policies.

Etisalat today announced that it is in the process of upgrading its mobile networks over the next three months as it prepares to meet future requirements for 5G networks, Internet of Things, and other modern technologies.

The modernisation of Etisalat’s mobile networks aims to enhance customer experience and provide state-of-the-art technologies and services in line with the recent developments witnessed in the UAE.
Etisalat will upgrade its networks in incremental stages to ensure smooth and uninterrupted services over the next three months.

In keeping with the company's transparency standards, Etisalat would like to apologize to customers in advance for any inconvenience they may face during this transition.

AGL Cup Final on March 29 to be broadcast LIVE in VR
Etisalat and the Pro League Committee (PLC) today announced the launch of ‘Etisalat VR’, a virtual reality app that will bring football enthusiasts closer to the action and allow them to watch the upcoming AGL Cup Final broadcast LIVE and in ‘Virtual Reality’ on March 29.

Etisalat and PLC worked with Mediapro, which specialises in football broadcasting around the world and in Virtual Reality events, to design and develop the VR app, made available on both iOS and Android devices.
iPhone and Android users can simply download the free app from the iOs and Google Play stores, install it and are then ready to start watching using compatible VR headsets. Apps for iOS and Android have been developed using Google Cardboard SDK, while there is one Gear VR version using the Oculus-Facebook platform. Users are also able to plug in their headphones or wireless headphones to listen to the game while in VR mode. Customers can watch the games on Etisalat’s 4G network and enjoy HD-quality content on eLife WiFi connection.
Humaid Sahoo, CEO of E-Vision, said: “We are delighted to partner with the Pro League Committee to unveil the region’s first virtual reality app to broadcast live football matches, enabling our consumers to experience the thrill of the games from the comfort of their homes. Today’s launch showcases Etisalat’s commitment in taking the lead to showcase the most innovative solutions and help drive our digital transformation.
“E-Vision’s strategic objective to secure premium and exclusive content to differentiate its offering is the driving force to enter into a partnership with Mediapro. E-Vision is very excited to disseminate Arabian Gulf League’s offering across Etisalat content platforms.”
Waleed Ebrahim Alhosani, CEO of PLC, said: “The content available on the app is in conjunction with the media deal signed by E-Vision and Mediapro to obtain exclusive rights to broadcast the football games from the Arabian Gulf League. As sponsors of the AGL, Etisalat is able to utilise the content and provide them for viewing on the VR app for consumers to watch.”
Etisalat will continue to work with the Pro League Committee to broadcast live football matches and bring these immersive LIVE VR experiences to consumers.

Two challenges launched to transform visitor and customer experience with future technologies
Etisalat Digital announced the shortlisted scale-ups to foster digital innovation and entrepreneurship and to bring new solutions to the market as part of ‘Dubai Future Accelerators Program,’ the world’s largest government supported accelerator.

The program pairs top scale-ups from across global markets with the Dubai government entities allowing them to build, test and deploy solutions for 21st-century challenges.
The shortlisted startups were announced during the opening ceremony of the 4thcohort of ‘Dubai Future Accelerators’ held in Dubai. Etisalat Digital launched two challenges as part of the program to companies across the world in January this year, and out of all the applications received, six companies were chosen to work with Etisalat Digital in addressing these challenges. The companies will have the opportunity to network with a number of key stakeholders and have access to resources and expertise from Etisalat Digital.

Francisco Salcedo, Senior Vice President, Etisalat Digital, said: “The success of Dubai Future Accelerators program is a testimony to the efforts of the government in nurturing entrepreneurship and providing the right platform to accelerate and innovate. As a partner of the fourth cohort, Etisalat is looking forward to working closely with these startups to bring these futuristic solutions to reality to help transform our visitor and customer experience. These challenges are also in line with Etisalat’s overall strategy to realise our country's leadership vision of building smart cities and bringing in digital transformation.”

The first challenge aims to transform the experience of visitors, like students, residents, leisure and business tourists, of city attractions, such as Expo2020, museums, libraries, and landmarks by leveraging extended reality, augmented/virtual reality, and artificial intelligence at every stage of the visitor journey by 2021. The selected companies that will address this challenge with Etisalat Digital for the next two months are Mobiliya, Digicomm, and Sturfee.

The second challenge seeks to accelerate Etisalat’s transformation to a digital telco by increasing customer adoption of digital self-care channels thereby enhancing customer experience and reducing 50% calls to Etisalat customer care over the next one year using artificial intelligence, analytics and insights, and machine learning. CogTalk, KocharTech, and Votek were chosen for this challenge.

The companies were shortlisted based on their capability to build and launch their core technology, and be able to demonstrate traction and/or substantial use cases.
Towards the end of the program, Etisalat Digital will sign a commercial agreement with selected startups who will then be on boarded in the Etisalat Scale-Ups Program where they will receive access to Etisalat Digital resources and experts, office space, and support needed to deliver joint projects.

Dubai Future Accelerators was launched in 2016 by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and the Chairman of Dubai Future Foundation under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Ruler of Dubai. The program is a government initiative that aims to bring the world’s most exciting and transformative technology start-ups to Dubai to collaborate with local entities and find solutions for future challenges.

Etisalat Digital highlights end-to-end security value proposition in cyber, physical and defence realm

Digital resilience is key to enabling digital transformation as it empowers organizations, governments and defense authorities to manage security risks at acceptable levels, opined senior Etisalat Digital executives at the recently concluded International Exhibition of National Security and Resilience (ISNR) in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

The two-day global event dedicated to homeland security, safety and national resilience at ADNEC highlighted the significance of sharing organizations’ digital risks with trusted partners and presented its uniquely positioned portfolio of Digital Security and Defence Solutions. The demonstrations of solutions and theatre sessions at the Etisalat Digital stand included a wide range of innovative offerings covering areas of Network Security, Cyber Security, Security Operations, Video Surveillance, Defence and Public Safety.

During ISNR, Etisalat Digital senior executives were part of interactive discussions moderated by global and regional experts in the industry. Kamran Ahsan, Senior Director, Digital Security Solutions, Etisalat Digital, was a keynote speaker on day 2 of the event. His keynote presentation titled ‘Building Digital Resilience, Defending the Digital Nation’ highlighted Etisalat Digital’s end-to-end value proposition for Digital Resilience in areas of cyber security, physical security, defense and public safety. The talk identified UAE’s incredible potential and progress in digitalization, and shed light on digital risks as one of the major roadblocks in digital growth. Increased dependency on cyber leads to circumstances affecting national defense that demands for Digital Resilience as a long-term solution. The talk also identified an industry agnostic four-quadrant approach to build and maintain continuous digital security and defense for sustained digital resilience.

Paul Park, Director, Defence, Security & Public Safety, Etisalat Digital, participated in a panel discussion on ‘Defining a country’s critical infrastructure’. The panel discussion focused on how governments should rate each critical infrastructure (CI); the role of the Center for Protection of National Infrastructure as a guide’ the common pitfalls to avoid when categorising CI; and how does this decision-making process work, who should be involved and how to ensure it evolves over time.

ISNR Abu Dhabi 2018 spans the entire scope of homeland security sectors, such as digital crime management, forensics, critical infrastructure protection, border control, policing, counterterrorism, disaster management, ICT and digital security, crime and offender management, and safety and security at major events and crowded places.

At Etisalat’s annual general meeting, held at the company’s headquarters in Abu Dhabi, shareholders have backed the board’s recommendation to pay full-year 2017 dividends of 80 fils per share. The AGM also approved the board proposed Buy-back program of 5% of the company’s paid capital, representing 434.8 million shares, for the purpose of cancelling or reselling.

H.E. Eissa Al-Suwaidi and H.E. Eissa Abdul Fattah Kazim are appointed as Chairman and Vice President of Etisalat Group respectively. H.E. Hisham Abdullah Al Qassem, H.E. Mohammed Sultan Al Hamli, H.E. Saleh Abdullah Lootah and H.E. Mariam Saeed Ghobash were appointed as members of the Board of Directors. The seventh member will be announced soon.

The General Assembly of Etisalat elected four Board Directors to fill the Board seats un-assigned for the Government Shareholder The new members are: H.E. Sheikh Ahmed Mohd Sultan Bin Suroor Al Dhahiri, H.E. Abdelmonem Bin Eisa Bin Nasser Alserkal. H.E. Khalid Abdulwahid Hassan Alrustamani, H.E. Otaiba Khalaf Ahmed Khalaf Al Otaiba.

Etisalat Group net profit after Federal Royalty reached AED 8.4 billion, resulting in a net profit margin of 16%. Furthermore, consolidated EBITDA totaled AED 26 billion for 2017, resulting in EBITDA margin of 50%.

Statement of: Eissa Al-Suwaidi, Chairman, Etisalat Group

“Etisalat Group achieved positive performance in 2017 despite the rapid developments in the telecom sector as a result of the transition to the digital era and the unprecedented changes in the macroeconomic and geopolitical arenas in our footprint.

“As an industry leader, and as part of our natural progression, we are transitioning into a digital organization both internally and externally across our markets, albeit with different trajectories. Etisalat Group has led the transformation in the region by proactively responding to technological developments, and by adopting to the latest innovations and industry trends.”

Al-Suwaidi highlighted: “Under our new powerful digitally inspired vision, our operating companies will be working jointly to realize such a digital ambition that will maximize growth opportunities moving forward. Etisalat Group’s vision captures its winning, transformative position as it will help re-shape the lives of consumers, accelerate the economic growth of businesses, and enhance the competitiveness of the markets where it operates.

“Today, by developing one of the best infrastructures in the world, Etisalat has supported in building a diversified and sustainable economy and will continue to be driven by UAE’s vision that aims at making the country among the best in the world by the Golden Jubilee of the union. We are honored that Etisalat was able to contribute in realizing the aspirations of UAE’s leadership when it comes to being at the forefront of the digital development in the region.

“For more than four decades, Etisalat has been able to meet the needs and expectations of millions of our customers across its footprint. Enhancing customer experience remains at the core of our strategy enabling us to launch innovative services and solutions making a positive impact on their daily lives.”

He added: “In 2017, Etisalat Group continued to achieve strong positive results with consolidated net profit after Federal Royalty amounted to AED 8.4 billion resulting in a net profit margin of 16%. While Aggregate subscriber base reached 142 million, 12.6 million of which are in the UAE representing YOY increase of 3%. Etisalat Group also continued to maintain its high credit rating.

“Etisalat Group continues to be a partner to the communities in countries it operates in by being committed to improving their lives with continuous contributions to local, regional and international development and humanitarian initiatives. In 2017, and under the ‘Year of Giving’, Etisalat was active throughout the year with activities that gave back to various sectors of the society.

“Today technology has a major impact on the daily lives of people with our efforts focused on creating unique capabilities and improving competitive advantage through the interaction of technology and people. Etisalat worked on initiatives to target specific segments of the society. Maroc Telecom is an example of ICT integration in teaching and learning working alongside with the government implemented ICT initiatives across schools in Morocco. Our long-standing commitment to supporting good health was visible across our footprint such as Etisalat Misr’s participation with World Health Organisation to provide free treatment to thousands of Hepatitis C patients,” explained Al-Suwaidi.

“Etisalat will continue to contribute to the country's progress and prosperity, both through the group’s positive performance, advanced infrastructure, and contribution to national agenda, and by being a socially responsible corporate citizen who demonstrates the country values.

“Our geographic footprint today presents substantial opportunities and at the same time some challenges. Etisalat has always seen beyond the obstacles and acted diligently to protect the long-term interests of its shareholders and will continue its efforts to maintain a healthy business portfolio.

He added: “Today, we look at the future with confidence and optimism and are determined to build on solid ground to continue innovation and focus on driving digital transformation to take advantage of future opportunities that will enable us to add value to our shareholders and customers.

“I would like to thank the leadership of the UAE for their continued support to Etisalat Group and like to express my sincere appreciation to our customers for their unwavering confidence and our shareholders for their continued support and special thanks to Etisalat management team for their commitment and dedicated work that will drive us to move forward and continue our progress and success.”

Statement of : Eng. Saleh Abdullah Al Abdooli, GCEO, Etisalat Group

“Our journey in 2017 has set the path for maintaining good performance while gearing the company, its customers and shareholders towards achieving successful digital transformation. Our continued investments in next generation technologies, open innovation, and our entrepreneurship across all fields were the levers that allowed us to reach this far.”

Al Abdooli highlighted: “Our achievements in 2017 are a clear indication that we remain in a strong position, and represent the outcome of our sincere efforts and focused strategies. We were able to deliver consolidated revenues of AED 51.7 bn and consolidated net profit of AED 17.45 Bn representing 3% increase YOY before federal royalty. Despite the global economic challenges, such performance and accomplishments has helped Etisalat to stand out as the most valuable brand in the Middle East with a brand value of 7.7 Bn USD, which was the outcome of many qualities and core competencies that underpin our success, and the ultimate translation of all our achievements and the lasting associations that we leave behind in people’s minds and hearts.

“Etisalat has launched a new bold vision and an associated corporate strategy to maximize shareholder value in light of the ongoing evolution within the telecom sector and the challenging macroeconomic and geopolitical situations exhibited in some of its operating markets. From the slowdown of GDP in certain countries to devaluation of some currencies, the circumstances remain challenging, yet we continue focus on our balanced and healthy portfolio.

“Etisalat’s footprint today is spread across 16 countries serving 142 million subscribers in the Middle East, Asia, and Africa. And while our operating companies differ in the level of their digital maturity, we believe in our ability to transform internally and to elevate the digital capability across all markets organically. Such effort will go hand in hand with our strategic imperative of solidifying our position in all operating markets aided by superior network, strong core business, and innovative new revenue streams,” said Al Abdooli.

“Moreover with the acquisition of 4G license in Egypt via Etisalat Misr, we are now offering 4G services in the majority of our operations. We foresee such investments as foundational in our digital journey and a solid testament of our plans to make technology available to our customers.

“Launch of swyp, which is the new youth digital platform in the UAE, was an important acknowledgement of the major shift in consumer behaviours and a declaration of the importance of the new tech savvy generation, the millennials. With a complete new customised digital platform and substantial value, we managed to offer a unique proposition in a digital, hassle free approach to such a growing segment.

He added: “And while talking about 2017, it would be hard to miss the new game changing developments in the fields of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, which we didn’t overlook and considered primitively in various trials, as we pioneered a dedicated strategic program with prime focus on assuring that Etisalat capitalizes such technology for the best interest of business and customers. Such a move will support our digital transformation and is believed be to promising on the longer term.

“Etisalat’s belief of the importance of open innovation and the need to elevate the innovation level in the surrounding ecosystem, was the drive behind establishing the ‘Etisalat Open Innovation Center’ in 2017 marked another important milestone where we aim to showcase future technologies and solutions to our customers enabling them to make decisions that support in making the digital dream a reality.

He said: “Etisalat also aims to continue giving young companies a platform to engage with experts, have access to Etisalat’s robust network and utilise our digital technologies to build viable products that create new revenue streams. Moreover, Etisalat’s partnership with Dubai Future Accelerators, the world’s largest government supported accelerator, was an important step in this direction, which paired top start-ups with government entities allowing them to build, test and deploy solutions for 21st-century challenges.

“Etisalat will remain committed to sustaining its technological leadership by investing in emerging and next generation technologies; Etisalat’s investment in 5G technologies is a prime example that has gained relevance because it is considered a major enabler for the gigabit internet and the Internet of Things, which is expected to surge exponentially as a natural outcome of global adoption of connected devices. With its implementation, 5G will provide opportunities for economic growth and massive developments in the areas of education, employment, transportation and more.

“Within that context, we had a successful launch of the first 5G Ultra-Mobile broadband experience in the region. A pre-commercial 5G network was deployed in certain locations within the UAE. With the fastest 5G live trial reaching 71Gbps, this was another record in the region,” said Al Abdooli.

“At the end, I would like to thank the leadership of the UAE for their continuous support and for paving the way with their futuristic vision, hence, giving us a platform to excel and demonstrate our capabilities. The UAE’s strong ties and relationships across our footprint have helped grow and expand our achievements taking it on a global scale. Appreciation is also extended to our dedicated employees, loyal customers, and shareholders who by trusting and investing in our growth have contributed at every stage in Etisalat Group’s success story.”

• Initiative is aligned with UAE’s strategy of bolstering SMB segment
• Business devices, Etisalat services and National Bonds in prizes

Etisalat today announced the launch of ‘Hello Business Pitch’ competition designed to encourage home grown Small and Medium Businesses (SMBs) and start-ups as well as to promote the growth and innovation of businesses in the UAE.

Etisalat’s ‘Hello Business Pitch’ provides an opportunity for start-ups to pitch their business ideas in front of an expert panel of judges who will be assessing their business model through the strength of their pitch. This new initiative is in line with Etisalat’s continuous efforts to support SMBs and start-ups in the UAE and position Etisalat as the preferred business partner of choice.

Esam Mahmoud, acting Senior Vice President, SMB, Etisalat, said: “Today SMBs play an integral role in the development of the country and contribute more than 60 percent towards the country’s GDP. As we work towards the UAE Vision 2021 in making the country the best in the world by becoming a global hub for knowledge-based, sustainable and innovative businesses, this competition supports these long-term objectives by giving SMBs a pedestal to showcase their pioneering and innovative business ideas.

“The ‘Hello Business Pitch’ is one such an initiative that aims to bring growth and innovation in the SMB sector. We look forward to receiving nominations from start-ups enabling them to present their pioneering ideas to a panel of experts and gain industry recognition.”

A panel of judges will select the top five winners who will be awarded prizes worth up to AED 180,000 in the form of business devices, Etisalat services and National Bonds at the Hello Business Hub located in One JLT, Jumeirah Lake Towers on the 2ndMay, 2018.

SMBs and start-ups are invited to submit their entries to hellobusinesspitch@etisalat.ae by 15th April. To be eligible, your business should be commercially viable, tried and tested with a minimum of two years of experience, and Impactful with the potential to influence your industry.
For further details on the eligibility criteria, submission requirements and the competition timelines, visit etisalat.ae/hellobusinesspitch.

Users to enjoy better Wi-Fi in every room, on every device
Etisalat today announced the launch of the UAE’s first home Wi-Fi designed to deliver super-fast, reliable, and non-stop connectivity when deployed in every room.

Etisalat’s new Wi-Fi service called ‘HomeZone’ creates a strong, reliable signal to help eliminate dead spots. For AED29 a month, users will receive new access points to boost their Wi-Fi coverage in up to 3 extra zones. Users can now seamlessly browse the internet, work remotely, shop online, stream videos in HD or 4K, or listen to music in more places than ever before.

Jonathan Haysom, VP of Home Services, Etisalat said: “Today’s announcement demonstrates our push to break new ground with supreme user experiences. HomeZone will deliver even more blazing fast eLife Wi-Fi connectivity in the places that matter most to our customers. With the ever-increasing number of smart and connected devices in our customers’ homes, we want to ensure a hassle-free and professional connectivity experience is available to them. Every HomeZone is professionally installed and directly cabled to our eLife router by our installation team, ensuring connectivity without compromise.”

It is a complete package – high-end Wi-Fi hardware, Ethernet cabling to the access point as well as all labour are included in the monthly rental. The service is for a two-year period with no upfront payments. Customers have the flexibility of adding extra rooms, at any time, for a monthly charge of AED29 per room.

Etisalat’s field engineers will carry out a comprehensive Home Wi-Fi survey with the customer to ensure any extra Wi-Fi coverage can be delivered. The Wi-Fi survey is free during all new eLife installations and for those shifting their existing eLife connection to a new home. Survey visits typically cost AED150. However, this is waived if customers proceed with the HomeZone installation.

• Offer enables smartphone users to stream & watch unlimited HD videos

• Customers save on their main data allowance and pay by the minute when streaming videos

Etisalat today announced the launch of its new ‘Play on Demand’ service for postpaid and prepaid customers, offering unlimited video streaming for only 5 fils per minute.

The service gives Etisalat postpaid and prepaid customers the convenience of going unmetered when streaming videos and pay by the minute for time used without consuming from their plan allowance. With ‘Play on Demand’ access customers no longer need to have a Wi-Fi connection to make the most of any moment – they can go Live, watch a Movie, stream a Football Match – anytime anywhere on their mobile, with speeds up to 3Mbps optimized for high-definition videos.

Khaled Elkhouly, Chief Consumer Officer, Etisalat, said: “The launch of ‘Play on Demand’ service for our postpaid and prepaid customers now gives them more control of data usage, while at the same time giving them the freedom to enjoy watching their favorite online content on the go. In the new offer, subscribers can break free from their mobile data limits and pay by the minute for streaming videos giving them transparency and flexibility with their data plans. Etisalat will continue to bring innovation for customers by launching services that address their changing dynamic requirements.”

Users will be able to start and stop their unlimited data sessions by dialing *800# or via the Etisalat UAE mobile app.
This unique service will be available for a limited period only. For more information on Etisalat’s ‘Play on Demand’ service, please visit www.etisalat.ae/playod.

Etisalat today honoured its top performing partners at an awards ceremony in Dubai.

Etisalat annually recognises and rewards the company’s partners for their support to achieve strong results and for their efforts in taking Etisalat to greater heights. This year, the Sales Engagement award ceremony was held at the Ritz Carlton, Jumeirah Beach Residence.

Omer Rashid, Senior Vice President, Sales Consumer, Etisalat, said: “The awards ceremony is one of the many ways of building strong relationships between Etisalat and its partners. Those who have performed exceptionally well need to be recognised for all their efforts and hard work. We need to build and sustain the momentum to achieve much stronger results in 2018.”

For his part, Mohamed Al Zarouni, Senior Vice President, Indirect Sales, said: “Etisalat uses this event as a platform not only to recognise but to engage and motivate its partners and front line staff. We look forward to working closely together, receiving feedback to maximise sales opportunities and handling challenges effectively and efficiently to make 2018 yet another successful year.”
The annual event seeks to recognise the top performing partner stores for recharge, eLife, prepaid and post-paid sales in 2017, to drive passion and create a competitive environment.

Etisalat Digital today announced its strategic agreement with Federal Electricity and Water Authority (FEWA) to provide them with M2M connectivity solutions to empower their smart metering project that will enable advanced services to all FEWA customers.
Etisalat Digital’s M2M Control Center solution will be used for FEWA Advanced Metering Infrastructure Project backhauling and communication by incorporating M2M connectivity and enabling the M2M portal for 24,000 smart meters. This is the first phase of FEWA’s complete smart metering project. M2M sims will be installed by Etisalat Digital in FEWA’s smart meters to automate data collection and offer improved services to customers.

Alberto Araque, Vice President/Internet of Things and Digital Payments, Etisalat Digital said: “Today’s agreement is part of FEWA’s strategic objective to upgrade its services enhancing the happiness levels of customers across the Northern Emirates. Etisalat Digital’s M2M connectivity solutions will bring in automation and efficiency empowering FEWA customers with advanced services. This is in line with Etisalat Digital’s strategy of driving the digital future by enabling our government partners with advanced digital solutions and services.”

Annual event enthrals visitors with delicious beachside bites, fitness classes, seaside shopping and live entertainment

The widely popular Etisalat Beach Canteen at Jumeirah Beach is attracting a record number of visitors, with trucks and restaurants serving up Emirati-inspired food and other delectable dishes from all over the world.

Etisalat Beach Canteen located behind Sunset Mall at Jumeirah Beach has transformed into a dining and entertainment hotspot for 17 days from February 22 to March 10. The canteen is a highlight event of Dubai Food Festival ever since its inaugural appearance back in 2014. Residents and visitors came in droves not only for the beachside bites but for the market-style shopping, live music, fun for kids and fitness and adrenaline-fueled activities.

Etisalat is immensely proud to be a headline sponsor of the Beach Canteen, which has grown in popularity over the years. This partnership reflects Etisalat’s commitment to supporting initiatives that promote Dubai both as a tourist and a culinary destination within the region and across the world.
This year’s Etisalat Beach Canteen opens from Sunday to Wednesday from 12pm to 10pm; from 12pm to 12am on Thursdays; from 10am to 12am on Fridays; and from 10am to 10pm on Saturdays.

Dubai Food Festival is organised by Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), an agency of Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism). In its fifth edition, Dubai Food Festival 2018 continues to position the emirate as a global tourism destination offering unique culinary experiences, giving residents and visitors a flavour of the very best of Dubai’s food scene. The festival also brings back key highlights including Dubai Restaurant Week, Hidden Gems, and Dine & Win promotion.

Series of initiatives celebrating innovation held across the UAE in February

Etisalat marked UAE Innovation Month with a series of workshops, lectures, educational activities, and competitions alongside the launch of its innovative products to instil a spirit of creativity and research.

Etisalat is committed to driving innovation and inspiring collaboration in line with the vision of the nation’s leadership. Innovation has always been at the core of Etisalat’s business operations, and these initiatives during UAE Innovation Month are in line with Etisalat’s efforts to support the country’s innovation strategy.

Technology enthusiasts actively participated in a debate on ‘Artificial Intelligence versus Humans’, while experts in the field of Artificial Intelligence engaged the audience in thought-provoking discussions on ‘The Possibilities in AI: Inspiring Ideas’ and ‘The Dark Side of Artificial Intelligence’ at Etisalat’s headquarters in Abu Dhabi.

A talk on ‘Innovation and Technology Trends in the Telecom Industry’ highlighted unleashing to power of 5G, cloud security trending technologies, Internet of Things, AI, augmented reality and virtual reality in marketing, advertising, manufacturing and healthcare, among others.

Etisalat’s headquarters in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah also played host to seminars on ‘Creativity and Innovation’ and ‘Design Thinking – Latest Techniques in Creative Problem Solving and Innovative Thinking’.

The “Innovative Projects Exhibition” showcased the innovative Outstanding Project Award Contribution (OPCA) in the fields of art, engineering and business such as sorting robotics arms, smart apps, interactive AR/VR apps, blockchain, smart medical solutions, Wi-Fi home zone, an old service layer network offload, a virtualised evolved packet core, among others. The event also featured employees’ participation in 15-minute talks called Speak15, an initiative founded by the Etisalat Youth Programme that seeks to enhance the knowledge exchange internally by providing a platform between subject matters experts and the youth community within Etisalat. Etisalat Innovation Ideas 2019, an intra-department idea online competition, was also organised for employees.

University students were given an opportunity to learn about Etisalat Digital’s value proposition and an overview of its portfolio during a tour of Etisalat’s Open Innovation Centre in Dubai. Etisalat employees shared their expertise and insights into various innovative projects and initiatives and the role of Etisalat in driving the digital future to empower societies during workshops held at the centre.

Etisalat collaborated with the Ministry of Interior under its Aqdar initiative during Safer Internet Day to raise awareness about online safety issues and promote the positive use of digital technology through our social media platforms.

Think Science Fair, organised by Emirates Foundation in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge, was actively promoted and shared on Etisalat’s social media platforms.

Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Innovation Month is a consolidated effort by the government, the private sector and individuals to help create a widespread culture of innovation in the UAE.

The month-long festival aims to contribute to strengthening the country's position as a global hub for innovation and to celebrate innovation in the UAE and support the national innovation strategy.

Etisalat today announced its partnership with Idemia to provide remote SIM provisioning that will allow consumers to store multiple user profiles on a device simultaneously and switch between them remotely.

eSIM is a global specification by GSMA enabling this provisioning for any mobile device. Embedded SIM (eSIM) is getting popular with the increasing usage and popularity of technologies like IoT and M2M on devices compared to the traditional SIM card. eSIM technologies will gain popularity in the coming period mainly for the automobile sector that come with embedded technology and solutions.

Esmaeel Alhammadi, Senior Vice President, Network Development, Etisalat said: “Today’s partnership is significant as there are billions of devices expected to be connected on IoT and M2M technologies and the need for compatible applications and devices have increased over a period of time. It is essential to work with solutions that will provide consumers this flexibility in the usage of our services. Etisalat is continuously striving to keep in line with the technology evolution and the changing dynamic requirements that will help engage and improve customer experience.”

Idemia is a company specializing in augmented reality acquired Otono Networks recently and now can offer partners eSIM orchestration technology. Together both companies can now offer eSIM lifecycle management solution to simplify the adoption of eSIM for both mobile operators (MNOs) and device manufacturers (OEMs).

etisalat has received the prestigious TL9000 certification, an International Quality Standard for the telecom industry, a testament to its efforts in adapting the best industry practices to provide the best customer experience and apply the latest technologies on its network.Saeed Zarouni, Senior Vice President, Mobile Network etisalat said: “This certification is a testament to etisalat’s efforts towards adapting the best industry practices to continuously improve and invest in our offerings for our customers. 

 

Such an accreditation also ensures that the same levels of quality and high standards are maintained while incorporating emerging technologies. etisalat has always made it a priority to adhere to integrity, laws and regulations that govern its business.

 

The certification TL 9000 was mainly for mobile planning, optimization, design, projects, services operation centre, network operation center, field maintenance and operations. This certification also makes etisalat a part of the ‘Quest Forum’ elite. In addition to this new certification, etisalat has attained ISO certifications for service and quality management, business continuity and information security.

• Etisalat emerges at No. 1 spot in MENA region as a global telecom brand
• Etisalat brand value grew 40% YoY to $7.7bn
• Only MENA Telecom Brand to be in World’s top 15 most powerful telecom brands index

Etisalat today received ‘The Most Valuable Telecoms Brand’ in Middle East and North Africa Region by Brand Finance as a recognition for the company’s increase in brand value by 40 percent to $7.7bn-higher than any other telecom brand in the region and only telecom provider to break the $7bn brand value mark in the region.

Etisalat is the only telecom provider from the region to feature in the top 15 most powerful telecom brands globally and boast of an impressive AAA brand rating. On a portfolio basis, the brand value inclusive of non-branded subsidiaries (Mobily in KSA, Maroc Telecom Operations, Ufone/PTCL in Pakistan) has jumped by 25 percent to $9.6bn.

Saleh Abdullah Al Abdooli, CEO, Etisalat Group received the awards today from David Haigh, Founder and CEO, Brand Finance, leading London-based branded business valuation firm at the ongoing Mobile World Congress, world’s largest telecom gathering being held in, Barcelona, Spain from 26thFebruary-1stMarch, 2018.

“We are proud to be recognised as the most valuable brand in the MENA region, a significant milestone as we have transcended from the 3rdrank to the first in only one year by surpassing some of the renowned regional brands. This can be attributed to our efforts in digital transformation whereby we have amplified our reach and presence in a highly competitive marketplace by investing in new digital platforms and global brand building initiatives. Etisalat’s success as a brand was also reinforced by the synergy of our family across our footprint, creating brand loyalty and enhanced engagement with our customers,” said Saleh Abdullah Al Abdooli, CEO, Etisalat Group.

Etisalat’s brand value has grown over the year due to innovative customer service driven strategy, adapting well to digital savvy marketplace, leadership position on the 5G revolution and successful launch of global brand building initiatives.

Etisalat has been in the forefront of enabling UAE’s focus on digital innovation with its overall strategy focused on ‘Driving the Digital Future’. Etisalat is working on several digital initiatives in the space of digital infrastructure, entertainment and smart cities. The brand has smartly leveraged today’s scale for tomorrow’s agile society.

As the premier digital and telecommunications partner of Dubai Expo2020, Etisalat is set to deliver one of the fastest, smartest and best-connected places on earth during the global mega event. Through its digital infrastructure expertise, Etisalat is poised to enable Expo 2020 Dubai visitors and participants with a cutting edge, immersive digital experience that brings the Expo themes to life for the 25 million expected visitors.

The brand is behind the infrastructure digitization of first of its kind Dubai Parks and Resorts project. This included digital channels, different smart services (such as smart parking, smart ticketing, connected transportation and connected food and beverage), in addition to other smart solutions around the park such as video surveillance-as-a-service, real time marketing and analytics.

On retail innovation front, Etisalat amplified roll out of its smart stores in UAE, providing customers with an efficient personalized retail experience. This new concept focuses on transforming a brick and mortar retail environment to a fully digital and seamless experience for customers. This has made customer interactions effortless.

To commemorate Etisalat’s history and showcase its pioneering spirit, Etisalat launched the ‘Together as One’ campaign, it’s first ever group brand campaign. In addition to appealing to the nostalgia of Emiratis and expats alike who grew up with Etisalat in the UAE, the campaign also speaks a more international language of togetherness by highlighting Etisalat’s footprint across 16 countries.
For global branding initiatives, sports has played a major role, especially football being the most watched and played sport in the world and link Etisalat’s footprint across 16 countries. Etisalat sponsorship as official telecommunications partner of Manchester City Football Club has helped to reach out and engage with fans across its markets.

Brand Finance compiled its Telecom 300 rankings by evaluating a company’s ‘brand strength’ based on key factors which are mainly marketing investment and methods used by marketers to create brand loyalty and market share; stakeholder equity – the perceptions among stakeholder groups including customers; and business performance, which includes market and financial measures to judge the success of the brand in achieving price and volume premiums.

Brand Finance, is the world’s leading independent branded business valuation and strategy consultancy, and is the organization behind the Global 500 Brands and Telecom 300 league table of the world’s biggest brands ranked by their brand value, assesses the dollar value of the reputation, image and intellectual property of the brand.

etisalat today announced its plans of working with a consortium of global technology leaders to introduce a new vendor agnostic platform that will aim to provide cloud telecom infrastructure to host emerging futuristic technologies and services.The formation of this esteemed group is in line with the company’s corporate-wide programme launched to ‘cloudify the network’-dubbed ‘Sahaab’-an Arabic word that translates to cloud. The programme is focused on deploying the right mix of hardware-centric telecom services and software-centric cloud services.The consortium consists of NEC as the prime overall integrator, Netcracker, Redhat, Juniper and Dell who will collaborate with Etisalat to deploy and rollout the second generation of NFV (Network Function Virtualisation)/ SDN (Software Defined Networking). These two closely related technologies are commonly associated with the enablement of smart cities, IoT and the upcoming 5G future.The infrastructure will be built against the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) industry leading architecture. The latest technologies will be deployed to provide the maximum performance, agility, elasticity, and efficient operations. These technologies include Network Function Virtualization Orchestrator (NFVO) from Netcracker, Software Defined Networking (SDN) controller from Juniper-Contrail, Virtual Infrastructure Manager (VIM) from RedHat-Openstack, and a set of automation and operations tools like Ansible, Zappix, git-lab, ELK, and Bacula.Esmaeel Hammadi, Senior Vice President, Network Development, etisalat said: “Today’s announcement is of strategic importance as this platform will be a pillar for etisalat’s long term strategy of driving digital technologies to empower our services and build the infrastructure to incorporate emerging technologies. As we transition into the digital future, it is essential to invest and implement the state-of-art methodologies in cloud computing by engaging with global leaders. This will ensure services on our network are agile and provide the best performance for major projects like Expo 2020, World Government Summit, AFC Asia Cup among others.”

Telecom26 has partnered with Emirates Data Clearing House (EDCH) - Middle East’s largest Data and Financial Clearing House to launch global Wi-Fi roaming services to support its connectivity platform enabling Global SIM and maritime solutions.

The inclusion of Wi-Fi services will further enhance the user roaming experience and lower costs for subscribers roaming globally. A key advantage of the solution makes provision for seamless SIM-based authentication and further enhances Telecom26’s worldwide coverage and global connectivity leadership.

Telecom26 is the world's leading global connectivity partner with over 900+ roaming partners. Telecom26’s connectivity platform is designed for near guaranteed data connectivity worldwide and engineered for reliability, control and customisation. It is purpose built to support mobile and Wi-Fi solutions for use where global connectivity and near guaranteed data connectivity worldwide is required.

“Telecom26 is pleased to announce its partnership with EDCH, which is a significant step toward our strategy for implementing a seamless global connectivity solution. Our vast data connectivity capabilities and experience to solve global roaming problems in the GSM mobile domain lend itself to offering Passpoint™ roaming, providing a cellular like experience for our subscribers using Wi-Fi,” said Michael Ashdown, Chief Executive Officer for Telecom26.

Naser Salim, General Manager EDCH adds, “EDCH is committed to optimising the roaming experience for both mobile subscribers and mobile operators. With our expansion in offering services in Wi-Fi space, partnering with Telecom26 has been a stepping stone for our business expansion towards European market. Wi-Fi roaming delivers high and complex revenue possibilities. Leveraging on to newer and intelligent roaming solutions, this partnership is a testament to EDCH’s future growth and success”.

Emirates Data Clearing House (EDCH), a subsidiary of Etisalat Services Holding, announced the launch of a new suite of mobile financial services for Expresso Telecom based in Senegal, Africa.

E-Money by Expresso launched commercially nationwide in Senegal for all mobile customers in the new and existing segments of Expresso Senegal. This is EDCH’s first commercial deployment of Mobile Financial Services on an international level for a mobile network operator. It will be followed by two more deployments within the Expresso Telecom Group’s regional operations in Africa.

Nasser Salim, General Manager, EDCH, said: “The announcement emphasizes our long-standing commitment to ensure that all customers ultimately receive the best value possible, no matter where they are in the world, with offers available across the globe. Expresso Telecom Group customers and regulatory bodies can be assured that our systems have been developed to address all security and identity issues.”

The rollout of mobile financial services is aimed at improving financial inclusion levels, providing a complete system for the unbanked, and also delivering non-traditional transformational services to the banked population and businesses requiring more flexible services.
Expresso Senegal provides customers with a variety of services including Cash-in/Cash-out, On-Net and Off-Net Money Transfer within Senegal, and multiple types of payments including merchant payments and top up services. These services are provided via EDCH’s MFS hub, using Mobile Wallet in phase one. EDCH and Expresso are working jointly to provide additional services such as International Money Remittance and additional features in phase two.

EDCH’s Mobile Financial Services are products and services provided by mobile network operators (MNOs) to customers through mobile devices. The mobile channel provides MNOs with an opportunity to increase customers’ access to financial services for both the banked and unbanked segments. EDCH is the technology partner which provides the platform and Go-To-Market support to the Expresso Telecom Group for the launch of mobile financial services.

The Expresso Telecom Group and EDCH first joined forces in 2016 with EDCH being the partner of choice for data and financial clearing services. Their strategic partnership now encompasses both Mobile Financial Services and Wi-Fi Roaming Services.
EDCH’s Mobile Financial Services Hub is being introduced as a new service line with a broad portfolio for its valuable clients. The hub is an integration point for the client, through which different financial and related services are offered. It is a key differentiator to globally support customer acquisition and retention, and to increase revenues

UAE is ranked no. 1 for the highest Fiber to the Home (FTTH) penetration among all its global counterparts for a second year in a row, according to the leading industry body FTTH Council
The council published its annual report recently that highlighted UAE with a coverage of 94.3 percent compared to countries such as Singapore (90.3 percent), South Korea (81.6 percent), Hong Kong (75.6 percent) and Japan (69.1 percent).

Saleh Al Abdooli, CEO, Etisalat Group, said: “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. This achievement was only possible due to the continuous support and vision of the leadership of UAE in the development and modernisation of the infrastructure.

“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.”

With Etisalat’s corporate strategy focused on ‘Driving the Digital Future to Empower Societies’ the network forms a significant component of this digital transformation journey. Etisalat has continuously focused on investing in innovation and on next generation technologies and services to expand and enhance the network.

In today’s connected world, with the greater need for computing and connectivity capabilities such an advanced network also enables the implementation of futuristic technologies like augmented reality, robotics and artificial intelligence. For enterprises, cloud plays a pivotal role in digital transformation requiring a network that will support advanced use cases, applications and technologies.

Consumers are also able to experience high performance and capabilities required in advanced gaming, streaming, applications and entertainment with a high-speed network today, which is at 1GBps for Etisalat eLife customers. eLife TV also includes the country’s widest portfolio of on-demand movies and TV series with 150 TV channels in High Definition.

• Etisalat, Ericsson and Intel collaborate with UAE’s top universities
• Competition targets university students to find the best innovation use cases for 5G in UAE industries
• Initiative aims to raise awareness on 5G and forge a path for a technologically advanced future

Etisalat has teamed up with Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) and Intel to launch a 5G innovation competition targeting engineering students from renowned universities in UAE

The competition will run for eight weeks with participation from student teams from different levels of study invited to submit projects on the best 5G use cases focusing on technologies like artificial intelligence in the UAE.
Saeed Alzarouni, Senior Vice President, Mobile Network, Etisalat, said: “We are pleased to collaborate with Ericsson and Intel in this 5G University competition, which promotes industry and academic community efforts to foster and strengthen future technological advancements. It could not have come at a better time, in the wake of the celebration of UAE Innovation Month in February and Etisalat’s successful pre-commercial launch of 5G ultra mobile broadband at certain locations in Dubai and Abu Dhabi last year.

“We are thrilled to support and significantly contribute to the UAE’s national innovation strategy. In addition to the 5G and smart technologies, Etisalat is committed to continuing our digital transformation journey by further developing new capabilities including artificial intelligence, robotics, cloud computing, network virtualisation, automation and Internet of Things.”

Petter Järtby, Head of Global Customer Unit Etisalat at Ericsson, said: “At Ericsson, we are proud to be forging the way for 5G as we think that innovation and technological advancement is vital for positive progression. We believe that by running this competition we will see not only great ideas but be able to educate young people on how 5G will be used to make life better for everyone. We are excited to see what use cases the students come up with and hope that this will inspire them to become involved in the innovative world of 5G in the future.”

In December last year, Etisalat announced the launch of the region’s first 5G broadband experience. A pre-commercial 5G network was deployed in certain locations within UAE including Abu Dhabi and Dubai. The UAE’s Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) had given operators the go-ahead to provide 5G services, enabling them to begin building network infrastructure. The shift towards 5G will enable the UAE to achieve its global competitiveness targets, particularly its stated goal of achieving the world's first position in smart government services and one of the top 10 in IT infrastructure readiness.