• MOTB theme this year focuses on New York City
• Customers to enjoy discounts of up to 50 percent during DSF on devices and accessories

Etisalat UAE, now known as etisalat by e&, is celebrating the 28th edition of Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF), which runs until January 29, 2023, by delivering an exceptional experience this year with more offers and great deals.

The renowned festival which showcases the best in entertainment, shopping, food and beverage experiences for UAE residents and visitors alike, presents Dubai as a multi-faceted must-experience destination.

etisalat by e& will celebrate its 10th year as a strategic partner of DSF's Market Out of the Box (MOTB), bringing the ultimate vibe to the city with exciting entertainment that redefines the shopping experience. The MOTB effortlessly brings together unique retail vendors, homegrown F&B concepts, exciting activities, as well as live entertainment by local and regional artists such as Arqam Al Abri, Suhaib Aleses, Shébani, and more. Etisalat MOTB runs from 19-29 January 2023, at the brand-new location in Dubai Design District (d3). This year, the theme is New York City, with an ambiance and experience inspired by the Big Apple.

etisalat by e& will be offering remarkable discounts of up to 50% off during Dubai Shopping Festival, for residents and visitors looking for the perfect gift this festive and holiday season. Make the most of DSF with these discounts on the latest smartphones, accessories, smart living devices, gaming devices, tablets, laptops, and smart TVs, including Apple products.

Customers can enjoy discounts of up to 25% on smartphones, 50% on accessories, 40% on smart living devices, 30% on gaming hardware, 45% on tablets and laptops, and up to 30% on selected Apple products throughout DSF.

These devices and accessories can be purchased via the My etisalat by e& app and in retail shops in the UAE, with Smart Pay options of up to 24 months for devices priced above AED 500. To learn more about Etisalat's device offerings, visit etisalat.ae/DSF.

Etisalat Group has changed its brand identity to e&, effective of February 2022. Its strategy aims to accelerate growth through the creation of a resilient business model represented by the Group’s main business pillars.

The telecoms business continues to be led by etisalat by e& in the Group’s home market and e& international markets, upholding the Group’s rich telecoms heritage, bolstering the strong telecoms network and maximising value for the Group’s various customer segments.

Ramping up the digital services for individuals to elevate their digital-driven lifestyle, e& life brings next-generation technologies through smart platforms in entertainment, retail, and financial technology. e& enterprise focuses on maximising value through its end-to-end solutions in cybersecurity, cloud, Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), as well as deploying mega projects, in order to enable the digital transformation of governments, large-scale enterprises and corporates. e& capital allows the Group to focus its efforts on driving new investments while maximising shareholder value and strengthening the Group’s global presence.

• Onboarding 66 new graduates of the next generation of leaders

e& (formerly known as Etisalat Group) has successfully concluded the fourth cohort of the AI Graduate Programme, which aims to invest in the UAE's future leaders and enables graduates to build their capabilities in emerging technologies and leadership skills to help lead the country's digital future.

The 66 new graduates were welcomed by Ali Al Mansoori, CHRO of etisalat by e& UAE, and will be offered a unique learning-by-doing opportunity.

Addressing the graduates, Al Mansoori said: “We are beyond excited to welcome these talented graduates to the AI Graduate Programme this year. It is a priority for us to nurture the future leaders and digital architects of tomorrow with the right skills from day one to ensure you are all ready for a rapidly changing, technology-driven world. This programme is a great platform for them to kickstart an illustrious career.”

The rising talents will work on business-critical projects and real-life cases, providing the next generation of leaders with authentic learning experiences that will set their career pathways up for success.

Launched by e& in 2021, the AI Graduate Programme has set a new milestone with over 82 graduates enrolled in the programme in 2022.

The candidates joining this cohort were selected through an intense hackathon and thinkathon assessments where they were challenged to attempt a functional case study and present solutions back to the business.

These graduates will embark on an exciting and challenging nine-month journey in three phases: understanding data culture and analytics, deep-diving into power skills such as communication and decision making, emotional intelligence, learning AI for business leaders and leadership development.

The programme has been designed to combine power skills with in-depth technical certifications in collaboration with leading educational partners such as Udacity, Alliance, Harvard Business Review, MIT, LinkedIn, and Udemy. Each graduate will receive a personal development plan, mentoring, coaching and regular feedback.

With the onboarding of exceptional young talent and capabilities, etisalat by e& is also aligned with the recent MoU signed with Emirati Talent Competitiveness Council (ETCC) to participate in the NAFIS initiative that will involve the hiring and empowering of more than 500 Emirati professionals in its retail, customer service, technology and IT space in a span of five-year period.

Etisalat Group has changed its brand identity to e&, effective on February 2022. Its strategy aims to accelerate growth through the creation of a resilient business model represented by Group’s main business pillars.

The telecoms business currently continues to be led by etisalat by e& in the Group’s home market and e& international markets, upholding the Group’s rich telecoms heritage, bolstering the strong telecoms network and maximising value for the Group’s various customer segments.

Ramping up the digital services for individuals to elevate their digital-driven lifestyle, e& life brings next-generation technologies through smart platforms in entertainment, retail and financial technology. e& enterprise focuses on maximising value through its end-to-end solutions in cybersecurity, cloud, Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), as well as deploying mega projects, in order to enable the digital transformation of governments, large-scale enterprises and corporates. e& capital allows the Group to focus its efforts on driving new investments while maximising shareholder value and strengthening the Group’s global presence.

e& enterprise, part of e& (formerly known as Etisalat Group), and leading conversational AI platform provider, SentiOne, have signed a strategic commercial partnership to offer omni-channel conversational AI, sentiment analysis and social listening solutions to government institutions and enterprises in the UAE and MENA region. The partnership will bring enhanced automation solutions powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms, thereby creating more business value for enterprise customers and enabling their digital transformation journeys.

The services will be rolled out in the UAE first, with plans to expand further to 16 markets where e& operates. Through the collaboration, e& enterprise customers will have full access to SentiOne Automate, the state-of-the-art channel conversational AI platform and become equipped to build customer automation solutions based on chatbots, voicebots and an automated messaging platform. These solutions will enable businesses to automate their processes by up to 40%, reduce costs, and provide round-the-clock, high-quality customer service.

The platform will be further complemented by e& enterprise's in-house professional services team and its cloud infrastructure that will host the platform in the country for data security and content localisation purposes. Customers will be able to leverage the combined value proposition of the state-of-the-art SentiOne platform, e& enterprise DevOps and cloud infrastructure to solve business challenges. In addition, the platform will provide better engagement with end users across social media and Over-The-Top (OTT) channels for a higher ROI. Chatbots enabled by AI, and Natural Language Processing (NLP) can be deployed across channels, further reducing manual intervention across business processes and streamlining end-user engagement.

"Through joining forces with SentiOne, we are elevating the customer experience by creating an innovative service model in the value chain that will improve the omni-channel customer engagement level. Our partnership enables us to leverage the SentiOne Automate platform so as to deliver on our vision to be the leading digital enabler for enterprises and governments within the MENA region. Together with SentiOne, we look forward to supporting our enterprise customers as well as SMBs in the UAE as they seek to heighten engagement levels with their clients through innovative cloud and AI solutions." said Miguel Angel Villalonga, CEO e& enterprise cloud.

"Our partnership with e& enterprise will allow the adoption of our services across the region," says Bartosz Baziński, CEO of the SentiOne MENA, co-founder of SentiOne. "Some of the local companies already use customer service automation using Artificial Intelligence, however, these are poor quality solutions. Our bots understand the interlocutor's intentions with an efficiency of 96%. This is the highest rate among all solutions of this type according to the industry ranking Papers with Code. We foresee key technical employees such as CTOs, Heads of Product and Heads of Bot Design as well as project managers working closely with e& enterprise on the implementation of our solution for the benefit of their customers. The most important thing will be the scalability of this project. The success is guaranteed, as we have under our belt successful implementations in Europe, a scalable product, effective technology as well as leveraging e& enterprise cloud capabilities."

Last year, SentiOne started its operations in the Middle East, after signing up as a strategic partner with Seed Group, a company of the Private Office of Sheikh Saeed bin Ahmed Al Maktoum, a member of the royal family of Dubai. SentiOne was one of the first Polish companies to join forces with Seed Group that has partnered with over 40 start-ups from around the world to guide and empower them to explore opportunities and grow in potential markets. Seed Group is a notable force in the technology, healthcare, hospitality, and telecommunications landscape in the Middle East. Over the past 16 years, it has formed successful strategic alliances with leading global companies representing diverse regions to accelerate sustainable market entry and presence within the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.

Etisalat UAE branded as Etisalat by e& today announced that it has collaborated with Huawei to complete the trial of 1.2Tbps/channel in United Arab Emirates (UAE). This achievement is a major industry milestone in driving down the cost per bit of telecommunications networks. The trial showcased the ability of fiber networks reaching the overall capacity of single fiber transmission up to 96Tbps.

The 1.2Tbps/channel technology will address etisalat by e&’s growing demand of capacity with the current new shift towards online digital behaviors, cloud-based business services, enhanced Home broadband and 5G services. Dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) is an optical fiber multiplexing technology that is used to increase the bandwidth of existing fiber networks.

etisalat by e& is again leading the optical industry with latest innovative solution and early technology adoption. This accomplishment is particularly significant in emphasising the promise to deliver the best–in-class and the most advanced robust network in UAE. Based on the 1.2Tbps/channel adoption, etisalat by e& optical network will be able to take a leap closer to attain an innovative agile transmission network model that can rapidly adapt to external changes and respond to customer business requirements.

This trial leverages Huawei's latest 1.2Tbps/channel optical module by using the unique second-generation channel-matched shaping (CMS) technology, including a series of advanced transmission algorithms such as Nyquist-shaping, Transmit pre-compensation and SOP (state of polarization) tracking. The result of the trial demonstrated the excellent transmission performance, while achieving the optimal spectrum efficiency. Combined with Super C-band and Super L-band solution, it will provide the industry’s largest single-fiber capacity of 96Tbps.

Marwan Bin Shakar, Senior Vice President, Access Network Development at etisalat by e&, said: "The successful trial of 1.2Tbps/channel with Huawei is a result of our continuous efforts to deliver enhanced customer experiences by pushing the boundaries of what is possible as a digital telco. This has resulted in etisalat by e& taking the lead in building one of the most advanced networks globally and using industry leading technology to deliver superior network services to our customers across UAE. With 1.2Tbps/channel solution, we are able to deliver more data by every wavelength, and build an optimal cost-per-bit optical network for best-in-class customer experience. This trial will further strengthen our efforts in maximizing value for customers and bring positive change to their lives in the age of digitalisation."

Victor Zhou, President of Huawei's Transmission Network Domain, said: "We are glad to work with etisalat by e& to complete this 1.2Tbps/channel trial. We will continue to collaborate with etisalat by e& to achieve more innovations by Huawei ultra-high-speed OTN solution, and build a high-quality, reliable, and scalable transmission network, helping Etisalat by e& to achieve business success."

Etisalat Group has changed its brand identity to e&, effective on February 2022. Its strategy aims to accelerate growth through the creation of a resilient business model represented by Group’s main business pillars.

The telecoms business currently continues to be led by etisalat by e& in the Group’s home market and e& international markets, upholding the Group’s rich telecoms heritage, bolstering the strong telecoms network and maximising value for the Group’s various customer segments. Ramping up the digital services for individuals to elevate their digital-driven lifestyle, e& life brings next-generation technologies through smart platforms in entertainment, retail and financial technology. e& enterprise focuses on maximising value through its end-to-end solutions in cybersecurity, cloud, Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), as well as deploying mega projects, in order to enable the digital transformation of governments, large-scale enterprises and corporates. e& capital allows the Group to focus its efforts on driving new investments while maximising shareholder value and strengthening the Group’s global presence.

• e& enterprise to be the majority shareholder in a joint venture to build the largest pure play cloud managed and professional services provider in the METAP region
• e& to make a minority investment in Bespin Global’s holding company to participate in the success story of a leading global cloud managed service provider

e& enterprise, part of e& (formerly known as Etisalat Group), today announced the signing of a binding agreement to form a joint venture with Bespin Global, a leading public cloud managed services provider. The joint venture will be branded “Bespin Global MEA, an e& enterprise company”, focusing on offering public cloud managed and professional services to serve the customers in the Middle East, Turkey, Africa and Pakistan (METAP).

The JV will be 65% owned by e& enterprise and 35% by Bespin Global. Both e& enterprise and Bespin Global will contribute their existing public cloud businesses and related professional and managed services from the region to the JV. e& enterprise will be making a primary investment of $60 million in Bespin Global and join its Board of Directors. In addition, e& enterprise has the option to invest another $60 million within a period of 18 months from completion of the transaction. Both shareholders will contribute growth capital to the JV.

The joint venture will leverage on the capabilities of both companies. e& enterprise will provide strong local market presence and its broad portfolio of digital transformation solutions. Bespin Global will provide deep expertise in cloud migration, cloud operations, cloud native application development, cloud optimisation and cloud billing. The joint venture will provide a one stop cloud solution to help enterprises in its digital transformation journey.

As a part of the agreement, e& enterprise will also invest in Bespin Global’s holding company. Bespin Global is one of the fastest growing cloud managed service providers serving over 1,700 customers from its locations in South Korea, China, Japan, Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia, and the US. Bespin Global has been recognised as ‘Visionary’ in the Gartner MQ for the Public Cloud IT Transformation Services category, and has over 1,000 cloud experts across AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud and other cloud platforms.

The total investment and future commitments announced today are worth over $100 million.

Salvador Anglada, CEO of e& enterprise, said: "e& enterprise always works closely with customers to maximise their digital potential by designing, delivering and operating impactful, intelligent and secure end-to-end digital solutions. The joint venture with Bespin Global and the investment in the holding company are part of our ongoing efforts to extend our cloud offerings and establish our commitment as a trusted partner to governments and enterprises in the UAE.”

John Hanjoo Lee, CEO and Co-founder of Bespin Global, said: "Bespin Global is very excited to partner with e& enterprise in the METAP markets as our enterprise customers accelerate their digital transformation. The joint venture between Bespin Global and e& enterprise will leverage capabilities that will help build the future of cloud business. In addition, we welcome e& as an investor in Bespin Global and appreciate their confidence in our strategy and operations. We look forward to accelerating our growth plan and profitably expanding our operations globally."

"The partnership with Bespin Global will allow e& enterprise to offer the right mix of cloud services based on customer needs, including cloud consulting, migration and managed services," said Miguel Villalonga, CEO of e& enterprise Cloud. "This will open up a plethora of opportunities in the public cloud space, especially as its deployment plays an integral role in many public and private sector projects today. With e& enterprise's reach across several sectors, particularly governments and large enterprises, and their needs set to accelerate, it is essential to leverage best-in-class capabilities to be able to capitalise on growth opportunities."

Mouteih Chaghlil, CEO of Bespin Global MEA, said: “This joint venture brings together the comprehensive public cloud technologies and services of both parties to expand our geographic footprints and accelerate digital transformation and cloud adoption across the METAP region. Our employees are excited about the new venture, and we welcome our new colleagues to the joint venture. We are committed to building our company as not only the best cloud partner to our customers but as the best place to work for cloud experts. With e& enterprise’s support, we will create a more efficient customer experience through the cloud and advance our business goals while empowering METAP’s organisations and talent to reap the commercial advantages of being cloud-ready.”

Cloud growth will increase with the rising adoption of technologies such as IoT, edge computing, 5G, and real-time analytics enabled by AI and Machine Learning (ML). With this joint venture, e& enterprise can leverage Bespin Global MEA's capabilities to serve multiple parts of the cloud value chain.

• New features in the app include GoChat channels, rewards, ordering groceries & football updates
• Introduced “invite and earn” campaign for loyal customers to earn rewards

Etisalat UAE, branded as etisalat e&’s all-in-one free voice and video call app ‘GoChat Messenger’ exceeded 3.5 million global downloads due to its hassle-free experience to easily make and receive voice and video calls, chat with friends and family, transfer money to their families, pay bills, play games, stay updated with the latest news and events, access rewards, order groceries as well as receive the latest football updates.

The popular messenger app now also includes new features like the GoChat channels enabling customers to follow their favourite brands to stay updated on offers, discounts, new launches varying from fashion to automobiles and food to many more. The services section also includes grocery shopping.

For GoChat’s loyal customers, a new ‘Invite and Earn’ campaign has been introduced, enabling them to earn up to 2500 smiles points every day for inviting friends and family to join GoChat messenger.

With Go Football, sports lovers can stay updated on everything related to world cup and other football news including match schedules, results, players and more.

A new gaming section has been introduced on top of the currently free-to-play games, allowing users to have the opportunity to compete in and win various challenges, tournaments, battles and trivia.

GoChat Messenger is a global application that can be downloaded by anyone in the world, only requiring a mobile number for registration, connecting the UAE population with friends and family across the globe and can be downloaded via Android and iOS app stores. Customers can also make international and local money transfers including bill payments through eWallet. GoChat Messenger also offers customers trustworthy and reliable home services including home cleaning, PCR at home, salon at home as well gifting services at their fingertips.

The app offers unique features making it an all-encompassing app for life in the UAE. With GoChat Messenger, customers will remain up to date with the latest news and events in the country whilst staying entertained with free-to-play games as an embedded feature.

Etisalat Group has changed its brand identity to e&, effective on February 2022. Its strategy aims to accelerate growth through the creation of a resilient business model represented by Group’s main business pillars.

The telecoms business currently continues to be led by etisalat by e& in the Group’s home market and e& international markets, upholding the Group’s rich telecoms heritage, bolstering the strong telecoms network and maximising value for the Group’s various customer segments.

Ramping up the digital services for individuals to elevate their digital-driven lifestyle, e& life brings next-generation technologies through smart platforms in entertainment, retail and financial technology. e& enterprise focuses on maximising value through its end-to-end solutions in cybersecurity, cloud, Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), as well as deploying mega projects, in order to enable the digital transformation of governments, large-scale enterprises and corporates. e& capital allows the Group to focus its efforts on driving new investments while maximising shareholder value and strengthening the Group’s global presence.

• Launches special services to support the National programme for SMEs
• Discounts up to 50 percent on telecom and ICT services
• Exclusive offer available for members of MoE’s National Programme for SMEs
• Register on uaesme.ae to avail all benefits

Etisalat UAE, branded as etisalat e& in collaboration with Ministry of Economy (MoE) today announced the launch of a special programme for the Emirati startup registered at MoE’s National Programme for SMEs along with discounts of up to 50 percent as part of the celebrations for 51st UAE National Day.

These exclusive services are part of etisalat by e&’s contributing efforts as one of the key partner of the National Programme for SMEs. The programme established under the ministry is aimed at providing entrepreneurs and SMEs a platform for them to connect and access several services and initiatives available to bring them immense growth in their journey of success and access to local market through partnerships between government and private sectors.

This initiative from etisalat by e& will support Emiratis to kick start their business as it will deliver an all an all-inclusive compilation of services ranging from company formation and business setup services, digital solutions, ICT services, telecom essentials and many more. Members of the Emirati Startup programme also get access to a dedicated business consultant, along with special offers on all business setup services and admission to events held for the growth of the business community.

H.E. Abdullah Al Saleh, Undersecretary of the UAE Ministry of Economy, said: “We have always strived to empower Emirati entrepreneurs and companies to build and contribute to the new economic model based on diversity, innovation and sustainability. This was led by focusing on the competencies and following the directives of the wise leadership that are in line with the objectives and principles of year of the fiftieth and the UAE Centennial 2071.”

"The ministry has continuously worked with all its partners from the public and private sectors here locally and globally, in order to support the growth and development of Emirati SMEs. This partnership provides a platform allowing them to communicate and benefit at the same time providing them with the best experiences and access to plenty of opportunities.”

His Excellency further indicated that the partnership with "etisalat by e&" will provide Emirati entrepreneurs and SME owners registered in the National Programme for SMEs with special access to services and initiatives to enhance the growth and development of their businesses. It will also provide incentives that enhance the competitive capabilities supporting the efforts of the Ministry to achieve the country's ambitious vision of maximising the contribution of the SME sector and entrepreneur community towards the country's GDP.

This initiative will support Emirati entrepreneurs by offering them a comprehensive range of services ranging from company formation, digital solutions, ICT services, communication basics and many more. Members of the Emirati Startup Programme can also access specialised business advisory services, as well as special offers on all business start-up services, events hosting in the business community events, and more.

Esam Mahmoud, Senior Vice President, SMB, etisalat by e& said: “This is a great way to celebrate such a milestone celebration for the country and support our growing Emirati startup community in the country. As part of the National programme for SMEs this gives another opportunity to contribute to the UAE leadership’s vision of empowering the next generation to be leaders of tomorrow.

“In this age of digitalisation, start-ups need all the support they can get to run a business that creates value for the communities and the country. We are here to support them in their digital transformation journey by giving them access to our customised innovative digital solutions and dynamic communication tools according to their business needs. We are proud to be working with the Ministry of the Economy and also looking forward to boosting a burgeoning start-up ecosystem with the launch of these special services that will digitally enable young companies supporting the growth and success of these next-generation businesses.”

The new service will also include a business proposition that will meet the digital needs of businesses including mobility plans. In addition to the package, the startup community will also enjoy 50 percent discount for telecom and ICT services

The Emirati Startup programme will support the growth of the startup community as well as the entrepreneurial mindset in the country offering an integrated suite of incentives for budding entrepreneurs.

Further information on the special programme from etisalat by e& can be obtained from https://www.uaesme.ae/en/startup and for arabic https://www.uaesme.ae/ar/startup

Etisalat Group has changed its brand identity to e&, effective on February 2022. Its strategy aims to accelerate growth through the creation of a resilient business model represented by Group’s main business pillars.

The telecoms business currently continues to be led by etisalat by e& in the Group’s home market and e& international markets, upholding the Group’s rich telecoms heritage, bolstering the strong telecoms network and maximising value for the Group’s various customer segments.

Ramping up the digital services for individuals to elevate their digital-driven lifestyle, e& life brings next-generation technologies through smart platforms in entertainment, retail and financial technology. e& enterprise focuses on maximising value through its end-to-end solutions in cybersecurity, cloud, Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), as well as deploying mega projects, in order to enable the digital transformation of governments, large-scale enterprises and corporates. e& capital allows the Group to focus its efforts on driving new investments while maximising shareholder value and strengthening the Group’s global presence.

• Winners will be awarded cash prizes worth AED 350,000

Etisalat UAE, branded etisalat by e& today announced that it is inviting ideators and start-ups to pitch their next big business idea at the third edition of the ‘Hello Business Pitch’ competition, providing an innovative platform to support the growing entrepreneurial ecosystem in the country.

After two successful series of the Hello Business Pitch competition, this year’s edition is open to aspiring start-ups (up to 3 years in operation) and innovators who have novel disruptive ideas and require the capital to kickstart the business.

Esam Mahmoud, Senior Vice President, SMB Sales & Marketing,, etisalat by e&, said: “We’ve always believed in supporting entrepreneurs and SMBs as they make a difference in our society through their pioneering and innovative business ideas. Over the years, the competition has become the bridge that enables their growth to the next level while we stay committed to the aspirations of the UAE leadership to be a leading sustainable knowledge-based and innovative hub globally.

“This year, the competition comes with an exciting twist as we open the doors for a wider community of ideators and entrepreneurs to pitch their innovative ideas. We look forward to receiving submissions, enabling the space for pathbreaking ideas to come to fruition and implementation,” said.

Last year, the competition received an overwhelming response with hundreds of submissions from aspiring startups in UAE, with YallaGive winning first place, Key2enable Assistive Technology and App4Legal taking the second and third position. This year, a total of 6 winners will be announced, whereby 3 disruptive ideators and 3 ambitious startups will walk away with cash prizes worth AED 350,000.

The registration for entries has already begun and it is open for a limited period only. Interested participants can register at https://etisalat.ae/pitch3 and they will be notified if they got shortlisted by a jury panel of subject matter experts who are joining the competition from various industries and verticals.

Etisalat Group has changed its brand identity to e&, effective on February 2022. Its strategy aims to accelerate growth through the creation of a resilient business model represented by Group’s main business pillars.

The telecoms business currently continues to be led by etisalat by e& in the Group’s home market and e& international markets, upholding the Group’s rich telecoms heritage, bolstering the strong telecoms network and maximising value for the Group’s various customer segments.

Ramping up the digital services for individuals to elevate their digital-driven lifestyle, e& life brings next-generation technologies through smart platforms in entertainment, retail and financial technology. e& enterprise focuses on maximising value through its end-to-end solutions in cybersecurity, cloud, Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), as well as deploying mega projects, in order to enable the digital transformation of governments, large-scale enterprises and corporates. e& capital allows the Group to focus its efforts on driving new mergers and acquisitions while maximising shareholder value and strengthening the Group’s global presence.

• Global technology conglomerate calling scale-ups from across the globe to be part of shaping a sustainable future in the UAE
• Aims to contribute to e&'s commitment to net zero targets by 2030

: e& (formerly known as the Etisalat Group) has today announced the launch of its collaborative initiative; the FutureNow Sustainability Call. As part of the Group’s overarching FutureNow campaign from e& enterprise, the global technology conglomerate is inviting technology and digital solution scale-ups to develop , sustainable solutions towards reducing energy consumption across the UAE’s e& mobile network sites.

This new sustainability challenge is a call to the public that builds on e&'s declaration of net zero targets by 2030 at the 27th UNFCCC Conference of the Parties (COP27) in Egypt, aiming to reduce carbon emissions across operations and accelerate efforts to contribute to global climate action by focusing on key initiatives to reduce its carbon footprint by prioritising energy efficiency and renewable energy supply.

Through the FutureNow Sustainability Call , e& strives to harness the ambition of scale-ups globally and tap into the technological solution talent in the market to develop cutting-edge sustainable solutions and reduce reliance on the country's electricity grid at mobile sites.

To be eligible to take on the challenge, submitting scale-ups must send their proposals including solutions geared towards green energy monitoring and management and consider contributing to emission reduction by applying innovative technology concepts at more than 11,500 mobile network sites in the UAE.

The resulting pitch solution should be suitable for implementation in e& OPCOs, across several countries and mobile networks. Scale-ups interested in participating must submit their applications by the 31st January , 2023 via futurenow.ae and, if selected, they will join a 9 to 12-week programme, collaborating with experts from e&, becoming a partner and launching the sustainable innovation solution to the market.

Salvador Anglada, CEO of e& enterprise, stated, “As we transition towards a more sustainable future, to fulfill our commitment to net zero emissions, in line with the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), we take an accelerated approach to Digital Transformation and Innovation. However, we remain mindful of climate change challenges and understand the role we must play in our mission to create a more sustainable economy and greener future of the UAE. At e&, sustainability is our top priority and through the FutureNow Sustainability Call, we invite green energy focused scale-ups to collaborate with us, create innovative solutions together and become an integral part of shaping a sustainable future for the UAE.”

We believe that by leading by example and getting the community involved, especially on this grand scale, weit can inspire other corporates and consumers to think about how they can make positive changes in their everyday lives towards their future and the future generations.”

The FutureNow Sustainability Call is part of the Group’s larger open innovation program from e& enterprise. This challenge is one of the other sustainability initiatives already launched by e& Group. Clear sustainability principles guide e& Group as we progress towards a greener future. e&'s efforts to reduce power consumption are well underway with the removal of diesel engines, the installation of Hybrid and Solar Power Systems, sleep mode status during traffic-free periods and the installation of HE rectifiers, Rapid Deployable Solar and Super Capacitor Storage System at Hybrid Sites.

• All-in-one solution designed to ensure complete business mobility enabling remote or hybrid working
• Packages to include collaboration, communication, productivity and security tools

Etisalat UAE, branded etisalat by e&, has partnered with Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), the capital's financial centre, to provide digital solutions and products to all new tenants and startups, accelerating its digital transformation journey and vision to deliver the best-in-class customer experience and become a world-class innovative financial hub.

The ADGM has established itself as one of the world's leading international financial centres, putting Abu Dhabi firmly on the international business map. In just seven years, the financial hub has become home to more than 5000 entities, including international financial institutions, professional services firms, investors and start-ups.

Through this partnership, etisalat by e&'s digital solutions will address the digital needs of businesses by providing benefits that will facilitate office, remote and hybrid working. The next-generation Internet solutions are comprehensively designed to provide high-speed Internet access based on the size of the workforce, as well as specific user benefits.

The proposition is an all-in-one solution designed to ensure complete business mobility by equipping each employee to work remotely or in a hybrid work environment. Employees will have access to user packages that include a multitude of collaboration, communication, productivity and security tools.

Esam Mahmoud, Senior Vice President, SMB, etisalat by e&, said: " Businesses undergoing digital transformation are constantly looking at how they can add more value for all their customers. ADGM is looking to innovate and expand its offering to advance its competitive ecosystem and support the ease of doing business with and from the region. Through this partnership, etisalat by e& will bring together its network capabilities, teams and expertise to meet the needs of the financial centre's growing startup and enterprise community.”

“This will enhance ADGM's digital platforms, intelligent services and applications, improving the overall experience of hosting a business. This collaboration and our efforts to bring this digital connectivity is part of the overall vision of the UAE leadership to chart a course towards a diversified, knowledge-based economy and attract investments that generate long-term benefits for society and future generations."

Hamad Sayah Al Mazrouei, Chief Operating Officer at ADGM said, “ADGM is delighted to partner with Etisalat by e& to bolster the digital transformation of the UAE economy. This partnership is in line with and is an extension of our commitment to foster, protect and strengthen Abu Dhabi, UAE and the wider region’s financial landscape. We look forward to working with Etisalat by e& to digitally empower the ADGM community, *ease customer onboarding jounery through integrations* and positively contribute towards the prosperity of the economy.”

etisalat by e& offers a variety of solutions to businesses at ADGM, including the e-Store, which helps businesses to have the ability to build their own digital platforms with the etisalat by e& e-Store solution, a fully integrated shop that allows SMBs to sell their products online, manage payments through etisalat by e&'s secure payment gateways and other platforms in the region for seamless payments. Businesses can upload all their products and publish their website in minutes, integrate their shop configuration, categorise their products, secure their payments, configure and manage their shop on mobile.

e-Store is designed to provide SMBs with a first-class website experience that meets their business needs. They can create a professional looking website without using a web designer, as it contains over 1,000 free ready-made templates covering more than 80 SMB verticals. Its drag-and-drop interface has a photo editor, video clips, free stock images and Google Maps, among other features.

ADGM fosters a holistic and thriving ecosystem that will enable the growth and development of local and international enterprises from across the region and around the globe. The business infrastructure at ADGM is built around three independent authorities that work together to help companies and entities operate seamlessly, innovate and grow, namely the ADGM Courts, the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) and the Registration Authority (RA). These three entities guide SMEs, start-ups and international entities throughout the entire business lifecycle, right from the launch or registration and all the way to portfolio and geographic growth.

Etisalat Group has changed its brand identity to e&, effective on February 2022. Its strategy aims to accelerate growth through the creation of a resilient business model represented by Group’s main business pillars.

The telecoms business currently continues to be led by etisalat by e& in the Group’s home market and e& international markets, upholding the Group’s rich telecoms heritage, bolstering the strong telecoms network and maximising value for the Group’s various customer segments.

Ramping up the digital services for individuals to elevate their digital-driven lifestyle, e& life brings next-generation technologies through smart platforms in entertainment, retail and financial technology. e& enterprise focuses on maximising value through its end-to-end solutions in cybersecurity, cloud, Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), as well as deploying mega projects, in order to enable the digital transformation of governments, large-scale enterprises and corporates. e& capital allows the Group to focus its efforts on driving new mergers and acquisitions while maximising shareholder value and strengthening the Group’s global presence.

Etisalat UAE, now branded as etisalat by e& today announced that football fans in the UAE will be able to enjoy the highly anticipated FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ exclusively on beIN, the Official Broadcaster of the tournament in the Middle East & North Africa, through Evision, the entertainment and streaming division of e& Life (part of e&).

Fans will be able to watch their favourite teams on beIN SPORTS’ dedicated FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ channels, MAX 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and beIN 4K through eLife TV. The FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022TM package comes bundled with the beIN PREMIUM package, which offers 57 additional sports and entertainment channels for the whole family.

"eLife TV is once again proud to partner with beIN that is broadcasting the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022TM live for audiences in the UAE. This tournament is a momentous event and is the highlight of the sporting calendar that appeals to sports fans and all viewers alike. We look forward to cheering on our teams and are sure to give our customers a very exciting experience," said Khaled ElKhouly, Chief Consumer Officer at Etisalat UAE.

The FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022TM package is available for a special one-time fee of AED 700 (a saving of AED 125) with the first 2 months of beIN PREMIUM included. beIN PREMIUM costs AED 110/month from the 3rd month.

eLife TV already provides access to beIN MAX channels 1 to 6, an exclusive beIN 4K channel, beIN CONNECT and 57 other channels of sport and entertainment for the whole family as part of the beIN ULTIMATE package. Existing beIN ULTIMATE customers can enjoy the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™.

To enjoy all the special moments of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022TM, customers can simply subscribe or upgrade to beIN packages on eLife TV. The matches will be live on beIN MAX channels and as part of the beIN ULTIMATE pack will also be available in 4K on beIN 4K through eLife TV channel 772. In addition, customers can enjoy other exclusive beIN sporting events. including the UEFA Champions League, English Premier League, Ligue 1, La Liga, Bundesliga, NBA, Tennis Grand Slams, FA Cup, Tour de France, Giro d’Italia, Motor GP, and upcoming exclusive events, making it an excellent value proposition for sports lovers.

eLife TV subscribers can subscribe/upgrade to FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022TM package through an easy-to-use self-service called ‘Subscribe on Screen’.

Etisalat Group has changed its brand identity to e&, effective on February 2022. Its strategy aims to accelerate growth through the creation of a resilient business model represented by Group’s main business pillars.

The telecoms business currently continues to be led by etisalat by e& in the Group’s home market and e& international markets, upholding the Group’s rich telecoms heritage, bolstering the strong telecoms network and maximising value for the Group’s various customer segments.

Ramping up the digital services for individuals to elevate their digital-driven lifestyle, e& life brings next-generation technologies through smart platforms in entertainment, retail and financial technology. e& enterprise focuses on maximising value through its end-to-end solutions in cybersecurity, cloud, Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), as well as deploying mega projects, in order to enable the digital transformation of governments, large-scale enterprises and corporates. e& capital allows the Group to focus its efforts on driving new investments while maximising shareholder value and strengthening the Group’s global presence.

• Deals kicked off on 18th until 30th November for devices, accessories, mobile & home services

Etisalat UAE, branded as etisalat e&, brings ‘Mega Friday Deals’ just in time for the holiday season, allowing customers to shop for their favourite devices and accessories with massive discounts of up to 90 percent.

etisalat by e& offers a great opportunity to enjoy the Mega Friday Deals with a wide range of discounts on smartphones, accessories, laptops, tablets, smart living, Smart TVs and gaming products from 18th until 30th November. Mega Friday Deals are available across all etisalat by e& retail stores and online via My etisalat by e& or www.etisalat.ae/megafridaydeals

Customers can get discounts up to 90 percent on smartphones and accessories while up to 75 percent on laptops and tablets; and 40 percent on smart living, smart TVs and gaming devices.

Mobile customers can avail 50 percent discount on the Wasel Flexi prepaid annual plan, while new postpaid customers can enjoy free data, minutes and smiles points on selected plans.

Existing eLife TV customers can get free 3 months subscription on STARZPLAY and 2 months on OSN El Farq subscription.

Offers also include one month free on Switch TV combo packs, and 10GB free for 3 months for Swyp line customers upon building any plan of AED 50 and above.

To find out more about Mega Friday Deals, please visit www.etisalat.ae/megafridaydeals

Etisalat Group has changed its brand identity to e&, effective on February 2022. Its strategy aims to accelerate growth through the creation of a resilient business model represented by Group’s main business pillars.

The telecoms business currently continues to be led by etisalat by e& in the Group’s home market and e& international markets, upholding the Group’s rich telecoms heritage, bolstering the strong telecoms network and maximising value for the Group’s various customer segments.

Ramping up the digital services for individuals to elevate their digital-driven lifestyle, e& life brings next-generation technologies through smart platforms in entertainment, retail and financial technology. e& enterprise focuses on maximising value through its end-to-end solutions in cybersecurity, cloud, Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), as well as deploying mega projects, in order to enable the digital transformation of governments, large-scale enterprises and corporates. e& capital allows the Group to focus its efforts on driving new investments while maximising shareholder value and strengthening the Group’s global presence.

• Global technology and investment conglomerate set to enthral motorsports enthusiasts at the biggest sporting event in the Middle East with state-of-the-art digital experiences and activations at the Fan Zone area
• Highlights the multi-year strategic collaboration that e& and Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix signed in September 2022
• Sustainability agenda at play with Abu Dhabi Motorsports Management and Yas Marina Circuit have a proven history of pioneering technologies and innovations that positively contributed to society.

Following the signing of a multi-year strategic collaboration between e& (formerly Etisalat Group) and Abu Dhabi Motorsports Management, e&, a founding partner of the Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, is set to bring memorable moments to motorsports enthusiasts at the most anticipated sporting event of the year. The global technology and investment conglomerate is set to engage consumers as the Emirate of Abu Dhabi gears up for event taking place from 17 to 20 November at the Yas Marina Circuit.

e& has always been at the forefront of enhancing customers’ lives and adding value to businesses through the design and implementation of a digital-throughout experience.

Thousands of visitors will enjoy a seamless and immersive digital experience at e&’s specially-designed Fan Zone.

At the e& Fan Zone area, the metaverse comes to town where e&’s virtual platform, e& universe the first metaverse landing on Mars will present yet another opportunity to traverse the virtual and physical worlds through the latest technological innovations focusing on show casing the smart home at this phase. The next phase will open doors of opportunities for visitors to purchase digital assets and non-fungible tokens (NFTs), watch virtual concerts and sporting events as well as engage in other unique digital experiences.

There is much to see and do at the e& Fan Zone where fans and their families can enjoy the experience of being on the racetrack through the F1 simulator or participate in a football game at the specially carved pitch area. The Batak activation will keep everyone on their feet with the hand-eye coordination game that focuses on who will have the fastest response. There are also several opportunities to create special photo moments, whether at the F1 cars that are on display at the fan zone or the 360-degree photo mechanised booth.

For those who have access to the exclusive Paddock suite and the F1 backstage area, e& has made it possible to drive consumer engagement through a series of activations run by its specialised business pillars. After they take in the experience of the Paddock suite’s spectacular rooftop views and enjoy an exciting line-up of renowned performers and musicians, visitors can hear from e& capital, the investment arm of e&, that will demonstrate a use case by VUZ, a leading immersive social app where it had recently made a strategic investment. Through the use of VUZ, they will get the opportunity to stream and experience a new level of immersive realism in Extended Reality (XR) and metaverse digital experiences.

As e& contributes to enhancing the visitor experience at F1, it continues to keep its sustainability vision high on the agenda as it seeks to help other organisations and partners achieve their sustainability goals. Just recently, the Group announced its COP27 objective of net zero operations by 2030 to accelerate its climate action efforts and support the UAE’s net zero strategy.

When it comes to going green at Yas Marina Circuit, last year ADMM was awarded three-star environmental certification from Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), for its active contribution to a wide range of sustainable initiatives.

Today, ADMM announced officially pledging to aligning itself with the United Nations Sports for Climate Action (UNS4CA) and, through a series of sustainable initiatives and programmes, will work to achieve Net Zero Greenhouse Gases and Emissions certification by 2040. The organisation had also introduced a plastic-free environment at Paddock club and several avenues across the Yas Marina Circuit. This year, e& will navigate the opportunities where the Group will contribute to the sustainability initiatives led by ADMM and all partners.

Moreover, F1 had announced its net zero carbon commitment by 2030 as part of its wider Sustainability Strategy. Its aim is for 2026 to introduce the next-generation hybrid engines – by 2026. Side by side, F1 will also be advancing the capability of better technologies critical to the sustainable growth of electric vehicle (EV) market.

Both parties will demonstrate the importance of collaboration not only for the purpose of innovation but also for consumer experiences that are still sustainable and will lead to a low-carbon society.

• Companies sign a three-year MoU to explore initiatives aimed at reducing energy consumption and building more efficient and sustainable future networks
• Group to garner Ericsson’s expertise and products for developing energy-efficient strategies to realise its carbon management ambitions

e& (formerly known as Etisalat Group) and Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the sidelines of the 27th Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC (COP27) in Egypt, to explore initiatives aimed at reducing energy consumption and building more efficient and sustainable future networks.

The three-year partnership aims to support the Net Zero strategy of e& and Ericsson while exploring opportunities to reduce carbon emissions and energy consumption. The companies will also collaborate in hosting a series of knowledge-sharing sessions, covering Ericsson’s global expertise in energy-efficient strategies, such as its 'Breaking the Energy Curve' initiative.

e& will continue to work towards reducing the carbon footprint through the utilisation of Ericsson’s industry-leading and sustainable products and services. Ericsson's global product ‘Take-Back Program’ will explored further for potential collaboration that could support e& drive responsible disposal and recycling of e-waste across the Group's network.

The partnership is part of e&’s ambition to accelerate the transition to Net Zero and underlines the importance of improving network energy performance to meet Net Zero targets.

Sabri Ali Albreiki, Chief Technology Officer, e& international, says: "Through our partnership with Ericsson, we aim to accelerate the decarbonisation of our network infrastructure business by exploring the deployment of their latest generation of energy efficient radio equipment and software features. We will also work together to use the Ericsson Product Take-Back programme to dispose of and recycle obsolete network equipment to high environmental standards. This agreement is part of e&'s broader commitment to reduce waste and achieve a sustainable low-carbon society.”

Ekow Nelson, Vice President and Head of Global Customer Unit for e& at Ericsson Middle East and Africa, says: “Working with e&, we will explore various sustainability initiatives that will help them break the energy curve and develop greener network infrastructure in their countries of operation. Through our Global Product Take-Back and innovatively sustainable 5G solutions such as our intelligent RAN energy-saving software features, we are confident e& will be able to reduce its environmental footprint and manage the expected growth in data traffic using as little energy as possible.”

Cementing e&’s commitment to the environment, society and governance (ESG), the Group has become the first UAE private sector member of the UAE Independent Climate Change Accelerators as part of the group's participation at COP27. Being present among other sustainable-focused thought-leaders further reinforces e&’s strategic position as a driving force that inspires other corporates and organisations to play a significant role in supporting UAE’s net zero commitment by 2050.

Etisalat Group has changed its brand identity to e&, effective on February 2022. Its strategy aims to accelerate growth through the creation of a resilient business model represented by Group’s main business pillars.

The telecoms business currently continues to be led by etisalat by e& in the Group’s home market and e& international markets, upholding the Group’s rich telecoms heritage, bolstering the strong telecoms network and maximising value for the Group’s various customer segments.

Ramping up the digital services for individuals to elevate their digital-driven lifestyle, e& life brings next-generation technologies through smart platforms in entertainment, retail and financial technology. e& enterprise focuses on maximising value through its end-to-end solutions in cybersecurity, cloud, Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), as well as deploying mega projects, in order to enable the digital transformation of governments, large-scale enterprises and corporates. e& capital allows the Group to focus its efforts on driving new investments while maximising shareholder value and strengthening the Group’s global presence.

• Global technology and investment conglomerate will take part in next generation financial technology conversations
• e& features smart technologies for SMBs from etisalat by e& and blockchain use cases from e& enterprise

e&, formerly known as Etisalat Group today announced its strategic technology partnership for the inaugural edition of ‘Abu Dhabi Finance Week’ (ADFW) powered by Abu Dhabi Global Market, and held under the patronage received by His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, member of Abu Dhabi Executive Council and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Office. The event being held in the UAE capital from 14-18 November 2022, to support the group’s vision in driving the global digital transformation across all industries.

The new partnership supports ADFW’s goals to strengthen the emirate’s position as a world-class financial hub by bringing together global leaders and decision-makers from the financial technology, innovation, startups and enterprises, venture funding and investment industries to discuss the future of FinTech and economic policies and regulations that support the sustainable growth of this vital industry.

The participation of e& highlights the journey and vision of the global technology and investment conglomerate, which aims to go beyond the realms of traditional telecommunications to transform the lives of its customers and advance the digitalisation journey of enterprises.

During the financial week, e&’s business verticals e& enterprise and Etisalat UAE (now branded as etisalat by e&(, will address financial experts and tech-enthusiasts through its high-tech stand, showcasing the SMB business from etisalat by e&, which will feature its all-new ‘Business Pro’ business proposition aimed at meeting the digital needs of businesses by providing benefits that facilitates office, remote and hybrid working.

The group will also present its dynamic VAT platform, an innovative solution that offers variety of subscription-based software, hosted in the cloud.

UAE Trade Connect, the national blockchain trade finance platform of e& enterprise, will be showcasing their success story at the e& stand during the Fintech Abu Dhabi festival. The platform currently hosts 10 UAE banks that are working together to de-risk trade finance in the banking industry.

e&’s will be also participate in an industry panel discussion on “How Big Banks Drive Innovation’ that will feature Zulqarnain Javaid, CEO, UTC (part of e& enterprise), on Tuesday 15th November, as well as Kushal Shah, Head of Corporate Venture Capital, e& capital was part of the discussion focusing on ‘Middle East Venture Capital Association’ held earlier today.

Etisalat Group has changed its brand identity to e&, effective on February 2022. Its strategy aims to accelerate growth through the creation of a resilient business model represented by Group’s main business pillars.

The telecoms business currently continues to be led by etisalat by e& in the Group’s home market and e& international markets, upholding the Group’s rich telecoms heritage, bolstering the strong telecoms network and maximising value for the Group’s various customer segments.

Ramping up the digital services for individuals to elevate their digital-driven lifestyle, e& life brings next-generation technologies through smart platforms in entertainment, retail and financial technology. e& enterprise focuses on maximising value through its end-to-end solutions in cybersecurity, cloud, Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), as well as deploying mega projects, in order to enable the digital transformation of governments, large-scale enterprises and corporates. e& capital allows the Group to focus its efforts on driving new investments while maximising shareholder value and strengthening the Group’s global presence.

• Global group works to support achieving UAE's commitment to climate neutrality by 2050 and encourages the private sector to participate and join forces in these efforts

In line with its ambitions to become a regional leader in climate action, e& (formerly known as Etisalat Group), the global technology and investment conglomerate, today signed a significant Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the UAE Independent Climate Change Accelerators (UICCA), at the UAE Pavilion, as part of its participation at COP27, the 27th Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC, currently taking place in Egypt.

The strategic partnership marks e&’s stance as the first entity from the UAE’s private sector to join the UICCA. The move reaffirms the group’s commitment towards the climate action efforts led by the Group while supporting the transition to a greener economy.

Sheikha Shamma bint Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, Executive Director of UICCA, said: “As the driving force towards actualising the UAE’s commitment to net zero by 2050, UICCA’s mission is to enable and energise an ecosystem of public and private entities that have shared values and a joint vision of building a sustainable future.”

Sheikha Shamma added: “Today’s signing with e& at COP27, as the first private sector entity to join the UICCA, is a tremendous achievement that depicts our progress towards our climate action aspirations, and we look forward to partnering together and pushing forward with our goals to preserve natural ecosystems for future generations.”

Sheikha Shamma concluded by stating: “This marks the beginning of the UICCA’s concentrated efforts towards supporting the UAE’s sustainable solutions commitment, as well as the acclaimed actions and efforts that have already been undertaken by the Egyptian presidency as part of our concerted efforts towards the ‘Decade for Action”.

“I sincerely look forward to working in close cohesion with all of our peers within the global sustainability community and achieving tangible outcomes here at COP27 and COP28 UAE.”

“Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do, and we believe that tangible sustainable goals are essential to ensure a better future for generations to come” said Hatem Dowidar, Group CEO, e&. “Today, we have taken an important step forward in visualising our sustainability strategy and supporting the UAE’s net zero climate action ambitions, and we remain confident that the signing of the MoU will become a catalyst for making the difference as we inspire and motivate other corporates and organisations to drive the necessary change.”

“The telecoms sector has always been a key enabler for other sectors to achieve their sustainability goals. Together with UICCA, we will create an action group that will drive implementation of sustainability-based solutions in UAE’s ICT industry.”

UICCA is a non-partisan climate action entity that functions as a think tank, providing evidence-based policy recommendations on climate action to both the public and private sector. Working across sectors industry groups UICCA will actively work to build industry coalitions to facilitate the region’s transition to a green economy through activities that stimulate GDP growth, increase job creation, and reinforce UAE’s position as a global hub for best practices in Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG).

Etisalat Group had changed its brand identity to e&, effective from 23 February 2022. Its strategy aims to accelerate growth through the creation of a resilient business model representing the Group’s main business pillars.

The telecoms business currently continues to be led by etisalat by e& in the UAE which is its home market and by e& international in the global markets, upholding the Group’s rich telecoms heritage, bolstering the strong telecoms network and maximising value for the Group’s various customer segments.

Ramping up the digital services for individual customers to elevate their digital-first lifestyle, e& life brings next-generation technologies through smart platforms in entertainment, retail and financial technology.

To maximise the digital potential of governments, large-scale enterprises and corporates, e& enterprise focuses on delivering innovative digital vertical value propositions through its end-to-end solutions in cybersecurity, cloud, Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), as well as deploying mega projects. e& capital allows the Group to focus its efforts on driving new investments while maximising shareholder value and strengthening global presence.

e& (formerly known as the Etisalat Group) today declared its net zero targets by 2030, during the Group’s participation at the 27th Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC (COP27), currently taking place in Egypt, aimed at reducing carbon emissions across its operations and accelerating its efforts to contribute to global climate action.

The global technology and investment conglomerate has pledged its commitment to achieving net zero within its Group’s operations in the UAE for Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030, focusing on key initiatives to reduce its carbon footprint through improving energy efficiency and sourcing renewable energy among other initiatives.

e&’s climate action programme will be aligned with the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), a collaboration between the Carbon Disclosure Project, the United Nations Global Compact and the World Resources Institute, to set an emissions reduction trajectory between 2020 and 2030 for all Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sub-sectors. e&’s programme will set out a clear net zero carbon emissions roadmap for it to advance its sustainability initiatives that have a positive human impact on future plans and operations.

Her Excellency Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri, Minister of Climate Change and Environment said: “The UAE is taking massive action alongside its partners to address the global challenges related to climate change, leading the energy transition by reducing the carbon impact of hydrocarbon emissions. We pledge to reach net zero emissions by 2050, as the first country in the MENA region, knowing that deploying sustainable and clean technologies and investing in renewable energy projects in developing countries will enable us to contribute more effectively to the future of humanity. We are pleased to see a global organisation such as e& paving the way for private sector entities around the world to show more commitment and support a real-time transition towards a low-carbon society.”

Currently, the UAE is ranked number one for the highest Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) penetration, maintaining its leadership position since 2016. e& constantly manages its environmental impact and strives to protect natural resources by strategically investing in sustainable and innovative solutions. Over the past decade, e& has strategically invested in fibre optic infrastructure, which has technical and environmental advantages over traditional networks. The Group’s current operations focus on best practices of reducing energy consumption, minimising waste and developing sustainable architecture to achieve a positive environmental impact.

Hatem Dowidar, Group CEO, e&, said: “Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do. Our sustainability plans and ambitions are aligned to support the UAE's Net Zero 2050 Strategic Initiative and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs), as well as our commitment to the GSMA's initiative to take the entire mobile industry to net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

“The importance of addressing the critical challenges related to climate change has become a priority for e&. We are working closely with our partners and stakeholders to create solutions that turn ideas into action. Through our commitment to enabling a low-carbon society, we will ramp up our efforts to address pressing issues such as climate action, environmental conservation, as well as the provision of safe, efficient and environmentally friendly products and services that help mitigate climate change.”

To reach net zero, e& is committed to accelerating the de-carbonisation of activities while focusing on mobile network modernisation with the deployment of the latest generation of energy-efficient radio equipment (both hardware and software), increased use of renewable energy sources and carbon offsetting initiatives that are vital to achieve targets.

Dowidar added: "e& has successfully built an ecosystem in which we operate, communicate and deliver our services to stakeholders and customers, which has helped us to be a key player in exploring clean and green solutions, and has enabled us to keep the ESG agenda at the heart of our business model."

Etisalat Group has changed its brand identity to e&, effective from 23 February 2022. Its strategy aims to accelerate growth through the creation of a resilient business model representing the Group’s main business pillars.

The telecoms business currently continues to be led by etisalat by e& in e&’s home market and by e& international in its international markets, upholding the Group’s rich telecoms heritage, bolstering the strong telecoms network and maximising value for the Group’s various customer segments.

Ramping up the digital services for individual customers to elevate their digital-first lifestyle, e& life brings next-generation technologies through smart platforms in entertainment, retail and financial technology.

To maximise the digital potential of governments, large-scale enterprises and corporates, e& enterprise focuses on delivering innovative digital vertical value propositions through its end-to-end solutions in cybersecurity, cloud, Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), as well as deploying mega projects. e& capital allows the Group to focus its efforts on driving new investments while maximising shareholder value and strengthening global presence.

• Platform launched in line with Dubai 30x30
• Subscribers to get incentivised with rewards for achieving wellness goals
• Weekly, monthly and annual rewards, including AED 700 for device cashback
• Tele-consultations to be the next phase of the platform

Etisalat UAE, branded as etisalat by e&, today announced its foray into the consumer digital health space with the launch of ‘GoWell,’ a fitness and wellness platform. ‘GoWell’ is designed to empower subscribers to achieve their health and wellness goals while receiving a series of rewards and cashback incentives.

As people turn to digital solutions to help them manage their health and fitness goals on the go, the launch of ‘GoWell’ for all, including health enthusiasts and change seekers, will allow them to use technology to improve their health outcomes. The launch is also part of etisalat by e&’s plans to have a 360-degree approach for the eHealth domain starting with fitness and wellness, followed by teleconsultations to be included in the next phase of the platform.

GoWell helps customer assess health through personalised goals by tracking progress syncing all other health devices and apps as well as get rewarded for it.

Khaled El Khouly, Chief Consumer Officer, etisalat by e& said: “Backing our transformation to a digital telco is our commitment to continue delivering enhanced customer experiences by pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in every sector. The healthcare industry, particularly, has witnessed unprecedented digital transformation post-pandemic, driven by the need for innovation so as to accelerate value-based care models and focus on more value creation.

“As a telco, our connectivity services and network solutions have powered up hospitals and the healthcare system in the country, delivering a major positive impact on the lives of patients and caregivers. GoWell is part of our long-term plan to serve our customers as they look to embrace a complete holistic approach when it comes to taking care of their health and wellbeing. By bringing about a positive change in consumers’ lives in this digitalisation era, GoWell will help them build healthy habits by establishing and executing a list of easy daily activities that they can access through the app’s tracking platform while being rewarded at the same time.”

GoWell is designed in partnership with Vitality Global, leaders in wellness and behavioral change with a global technology platform , and Accenture, one of the leading firms in services, business and experience design capabilities.

Every achievement on the platform is rewarded with a wide variety of lifestyle awards as well as a unique opportunity for cashback on smart watches. Customers have a chance to earn and redeem instant rewards when achieving their weekly active goals from partners. Monthly paybacks on fitness wearable devices is another great value add when users activate the device payback feature. In addition, one can enjoy up to AED 700 cashback on the purchase price of a fitness device from Etisalat.

The platform is free for the first 14 days of registration, with an opportunity to be a part of ongoing competitions during Dubai Fitness Challenge, Dubai 30x30, to win prizes, including smart wearables. Subscribers can renew their subscription at the end of the free trial by purchasing the subscription at AED 25 per month. Registrations are open now at www.Go-Well.ae.

Etisalat Group has changed its brand identity to e&, effective from 23 February 2022. Its strategy aims to accelerate growth through the creation of a resilient business model representing the Group’s main business pillars. The telecoms business currently continues to be led by etisalat by e& in e&’s home market and by e& international in the subsidiaries outside of the UAE, upholding the Group’s rich telecoms heritage, bolstering the strong telecoms network and maximising value for the Group’s various customer segments. Ramping up the digital services for individual customers to elevate their digital-first lifestyle, e& life brings next-generation technologies through smart connectivity platforms in entertainment, retail and financial technology. To enable the digital transformation of governments, large-scale enterprises and corporates, e& enterprise focuses on maximising value through its end-to-end solutions in cybersecurity, cloud, Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), as well as deploying mega projects. e& capital allows the Group to focus its efforts on driving new mergers and acquisitions while maximising shareholder value and strengthening global presence.

Etisalat, which evolved as e&, has been named the most valuable UAE brand of the year 2022, topping the list across all categories in the UAE by Kantar BrandZ, the world's leading marketing data and analytics company.

Kantar's annual local and global brand valuation rankings combine and analyse financial data with in-depth research into consumer opinion of brands. They identify the most valuable UAE and Saudi Arabia’s brands and provide the most definitive and robust ranking of consumer brands in the country.

The Kantar BrandZ study includes the opinions of over 30,000 consumers in the UAE and Saudi markets, looking at 695 brands in 53 categories.

Etisalat (now rebranded at the group level as e&) received this recognition for its brand value for leading the UAE’s league table with a brand value of USD 11.84 billion, showing a value growth of 129 per cent between 2020 and 2022.

As part of its growth transformation journey, the group rebranded in 2022 to e&, to reinforce its position as a global technology and investment conglomerate that digitally empowers societies. The brand was also ranked fourth in the region in the overall Top 30 UAE and Saudi brands, ahead of other well-known UAE brands.

"Being recognised as the leading Emirati brand and the most valuable brand in the UAE emphasises our progressive outlook and aspirations in transforming Etisalat into e&, a global technology and investment conglomerate. This reflects the growth mindset that drives us to create a future-ready business model and meet the growing digital needs of our consumers and enterprise customers,” said Hatem Dowidar, Group CEO, e&.

"Our relentless efforts to remain customer-centric and pushing the boundaries by investing in futuristic technologies and solutions to enhance the overall experience have contributed to reaching such a milestone. We are also grateful to the UAE leadership, which has always been at the forefront of innovation in elevating the ICT sector in the country and staying future-focused to empower communities and enrich lives."

Etisalat Group has changed its brand identity to e&, effective on February 2022. Its strategy aims to accelerate growth through the creation of a resilient business model represented by Group’s main business pillars. T

The telecoms business currently continues to be led by etisalat by e& in the Group’s home market and e& international markets, upholding the Group’s rich telecoms heritage, bolstering the strong telecoms network and maximising value for the Group’s various customer segments. Ramping up the digital services for individuals to elevate their digital-driven lifestyle, e& life brings next-generation technologies through smart platforms in entertainment, retail and financial technology. e& enterprise focuses on maximising value through its end-to-end solutions in cybersecurity, cloud, Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), as well as deploying mega projects, in order to enable the digital transformation of governments, large-scale enterprises and corporates. e& capital allows the Group to focus its efforts on driving new investments while maximising shareholder value and strengthening the Group’s global presence.

• Advanced Metering Infrastructure enables digital transformation by connecting smart meters and providing a foundation for demand side management
• Consumers get detailed automatic readings of current and historical energy usage

e& enterprise, part of e& (formerly known as Etisalat Group) today announced it has entered in a five-year partnership with Etihad Water and Electricity (Etihad WE) as part of its long-term vision to drive digital transformation through the smarter use of latest technologies that will enhance customer experience and achieve operational excellence across its processes.

Owned by the Emirates Investment Authority, Etihad WE, which provides electricity and desalinated water to the Northern Emirates, has already installed 500,000 smart meters, with the goal of installing 750,000 smart meters in total. Through the partnership, e& enterprise will enable Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) by replacing old legacy meters and connecting new and advanced smart meters to the recently deployed digital platform to gain real-time information and proactive alerts on the consumption level.

Mohammad Mohammad Saleh, Director General of Etihad WE, said that the project will replace traditional mechanical meters with smart ones, and is an ambitious and unique project that qualified the company to obtain international awards. “We have always sought to adopt the latest technologies and international best practices related to the field of services we provide, stressing his pride in the planned partnership with e& enterprise, which would provide the necessary infrastructure required for the success of the project.”

Saleh said that more than 240,000 electricity meters and about 260,000 smart water meters have been installed so far, representing about 65 percent of the total number targeted for installation. This project is in line with the UAE leadership’s endeavors to reduce carbon emissions and achieve sustainability in the energy sector, as well as with the government’s efforts in the comprehensive transformation towards smart solutions. This will provide efficient and quality services in various service sectors, pointing out that the new meters will ensure the accuracy of consumption bills and will allow the consumer to monitor his consumption pattern.

Salvador Anglada, CEO e& enterprise, said: “We have always been vested in enabling organisations across sectors to maximise their digital potential through our innovative digital vertical propositions. We are delighted to work in partnership with Etihad WE and become a part of their digital transformation journey by enabling them to provide an intelligent and automated experience for their consumers. With our long term partnership, we will continue to work closely in bringing innovation in the delivery of smart services and solutions that meets their business needs, deliver cost savings and ensure return on investment. The outcome of our working closely in putting the necessary infrastructure in place will no doubt enhance the daily lives of people and society at large.”

Customers can access detailed automatic readings of both their current and historical energy usage, allowing them to better evaluate and management of their consumption and set up alerts to provide notification of usage thresholds to keep track on monthly bills. The AMI can report leaks or service issues more efficiently to the provider and the customer.

The long-term project will involve replacement of existing meters to new smart meters connecting 750 K meters to the digital platform, building M2M (3G/4G) network to enable connectivity, onboarding the smart meters on AMI both for building and villas across Northern Emirates and end-to-end program management i.e. mainly meter replacement to AMI deployment.

Etisalat Group has changed its brand identity to e&, effective on February 2022. Its strategy aims to accelerate growth through the creation of a resilient business model represented by Group’s main business pillars.

The telecoms business currently continues to be led by etisalat by e& in the Group’s home market and e& international markets, upholding the Group’s rich telecoms heritage, bolstering the strong telecoms network and maximising value for the Group’s various customer segments.

Ramping up the digital services for individuals to elevate their digital-driven lifestyle, e& life brings next-generation technologies through smart platforms in entertainment, retail and financial technology. e& enterprise focuses on maximising value through its end-to-end solutions in cybersecurity, cloud, Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), as well as deploying mega projects, in order to enable the digital transformation of governments, large-scale enterprises and corporates. e& capital allows the Group to focus its efforts on driving new investments while maximising shareholder value and strengthening the Group’s global presence.

• The new iPad Pro and iPad are available to order starting AED 80, and Apple TV 4K starting AED 23

Etisalat UAE, branded as etisalat by e& will offer the new iPad Pro with M2, delivering the ultimate combination of portability, versatility, and unbelievable performance; the new iPad with an all-screen design in four vibrant colors, featuring a large 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display; and the next generation of Apple TV 4K — more powerful, entertaining, and affordable than ever with impressive cinematic quality.

M2, the start of Apple’s next generation of M-series chips, brings even more breakthrough performance and new capabilities to iPad Pro, with industry-leading power efficiency, a unified memory architecture, and custom technologies. Along with the world's most advanced mobile display, pro cameras, Face ID, Thunderbolt, and a four-speaker audio system, the new iPad Pro features a next-level Apple Pencil hover experience and the fastest Wi-Fi connections with Wi-Fi 6E, with downloads up to 2.4Gb/s, 2x faster than the previous generation, and Wi-Fi + Cellular models with 5G cellular (sub-6GHz).

The new iPad with an all-screen design in four vibrant colors — blue, pink, yellow, and silver — features a 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display. The powerful A14 Bionic chip comes to the new iPad, delivering fast performance with incredible power efficiency. Updated cameras include an Ultra Wide 12MP front camera along the landscape edge of iPad for the first time, and an upgraded 12MP back camera to capture sharp, vivid photos and 4K video.

With new support for Wi-Fi 6, Wi-Fi connections are 30 percent faster on the new iPad than the previous generation, and cellular models with 5G, enable customers seamless access to files, communication with friends, and streaming content from wherever they are.

Combined with continued support for Gigabit LTE, physical SIM cards, and eSIM, iPad offers amazing flexibility when it comes to connectivity. Designed specifically for the new iPad, the all-new Magic Keyboard Folio features an amazing typing experience, click-anywhere trackpad and a versatile two-piece design, and with support for Apple Pencil (1st generation),1 iPad offers users more ways to be creative and productive.

The next generation of Apple TV 4K is an entertainment powerhouse, bringing the best video and audio capabilities to the biggest screen in the home. Driven by the A15 Bionic chip to deliver faster performance and smoother gameplay, the new Apple TV 4K features endless entertainment options for everyone to enjoy.

Apple TV 4K supports HDR10+, in addition to Dolby Vision, expanding rich visual quality across more TVs producing the eye-popping details and vibrant colors intended by content creators. With the Siri Remote, users enjoy a touch-enabled clickpad that provides speed, fluidity, and precise control to easily navigate the simple, elegant user interface of Apple TV.

Customers can order the new 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro, iPad in store on 26 October 2022, and 4 October 2022 for Apple TV 4K. For more details on pricing and data plans, please visit https://etisalat.ae/ipad10gen

For more details on pricing and data plans, please visit www.etisalat.ae .

For more details on Apple products, please visit www.apple.com/ae.

1A new USB-C to Apple Pencil Adapter is required for pairing and charging and is included in the box with a new version of Apple Pencil (1st generation). For existing owners of Apple Pencil (1st generation), the USB-C to Apple Pencil Adapter is sold separately.

Etisalat UAE, branded as etisalat by e& today announced its support as the official telecom partner of the sixth edition of the Dubai Fitness Challenge 2022. As a telecom partner, etisalat by e& encourages participants to take advantage of the various fitness events and activities that are conducted during the Dubai Fitness Challenge and do their part to make Dubai the most active city in the world.

Initiated by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai, the Dubai Fitness Challenge 2022 kicks off on 29th October and ends on 27th November 2022. Launched in 2017, the Dubai Fitness Challenge has transformed the lives of citizens and residents by empowering them to embrace a sustainable healthy and fit lifestyle.

This year, Dubai Fitness Challenge takes place at Kite Beach Dubai, where there are several avenues for participants to explore how they can adopt a fitness-focused outlook to reach their health and fitness goals. Through its ‘30x30’ goal, participants are encouraged to complete 30 minutes of any activity of their choice each day for 30 days.

As in previous years, etisalat by e& is a partner at the Kite Beach Fitness village and also the associate partner for Dubai Run taking place on 20th November, one of the main activities of Dubai Fitness Challenge.

The Kite Beach Fitness Village is open from Monday to Friday from 3pm to 11pm and on Saturday and Sunday from 7am to 11pm from 29th October goes on until 27th November 2022 for participants to clock in their daily fitness time and get active while trying out a new activity every day of the month.

This year etisalat by e& has also launched its fitness and wellness platform ‘GoWell’, its first foray into consumer digital health space. The platform launched in line with Dubai Fitness Challenge is designed to empower subscribers to achieve their health and wellness goals while receiving a series of rewards and cashback incentives. The app can be downloaded at www.Go-Well.ae

Etisalat Group has changed its brand identity to e&, effective on February 2022. Its strategy aims to accelerate growth through the creation of a resilient business model represented by Group’s main business pillars.

The telecoms business currently continues to be led by etisalat by e& in the Group’s home market and e& international markets, upholding the Group’s rich telecoms heritage, bolstering the strong telecoms network and maximising value for the Group’s various customer segments.

Ramping up the digital services for individuals to elevate their digital-driven lifestyle, e& life brings next-generation technologies through smart platforms in entertainment, retail and financial technology. e& enterprise focuses on maximising value through its end-to-end solutions in cybersecurity, cloud, Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), as well as deploying mega projects, in order to enable the digital transformation of governments, large-scale enterprises and corporates. e& capital allows the Group to focus its efforts on driving new mergers and acquisitions while maximising shareholder value and strengthening the Group’s global presence.

e& (formerly known as Etisalat Group) today announced its financial results for Q3 2022.

Financial Highlights for Q3 2022

(*) At constant exchange rates, revenue increased by 5.5% percent and EBITDA increased by 6.9% percent year-over-year

e&’s key operational highlights and developments for Q3 2022

• Maroc Telecom was named the best internet experience in Morocco with the highest network performance speed by OpenSignal.
• Ufone 4G, an operating company of PTCL and a subsidiary of e&, was named the leading 4G services provider in Pakistan by OpenSignal.
• e& signed a multi-year strategic partnership with Abu Dhabi Motorsports Management, as a founding partner of Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the biggest sporting event in the Middle East.

UAE Telco

• Partnered with Emirati Talent Competitiveness Council (ETCC) to participate in the NAFIS initiative that will involve the hiring of more than 500 Emirati professionals in its retail, customer service, technology and IT space in a span of five years;
• Implemented an end-to-end MS Teams direct routing services in the UAE for Juma Al Majid Holding Group, moving from an on-premise legacy telephony to a cloud-based solution.
• Completed the first trial of the 6GHz spectrum extending the bandwidth of 5G and enhanced network performance.
• Launched an exclusive offer for senior citizens holding ‘Thukher’ or ‘Barakatna’ card to avail up to 60 percent on four ‘Freedom’ postpaid plans.
• Launched the all-new business proposition, ‘Business Pro,’ to meet the digital needs of businesses.
• Introduced upgraded and dedicated internet connectivity services, ‘Digital Internet’ and ‘Digital Premium Internet’ for the business community.
• Launched its virtual world, e& universe, at GITEX Global 2022.

e& international

• Partnered with AIG, a top insurer, to build a unique digital insurance offering across select e& international markets, where the product is accessed through various digital channels, including mobile apps.

e& enterprise

• Formed a new company called e& enterprise iot and ai, following the complete acquisition of Smartworld

e& capital

• e& capital, the investment arm of e&, made a strategic investment in VUZ, a leading immersive social app and also funded Lablabee, a tech startup which will grow the world’s first hands-on lab platform for the telco cloud

e& life

• evision, the entertainment streaming division of e& life, and ADQ, an Abu Dhabi-based investment and holding company, successfully completed the acquisition of 57 percent of Starzplay Arabia, a subscription video on demand (SVSOD) and streaming service provider in the Middle East and North Africa.
• evision acquired exclusive broadcast and media rights for DP World Asia Cup which will be broadcast only on the CricLife MAX channel in the MENA region.
• evision also launched a new trilingual South Indian movie channel ‘Emasala Simply South’ in partnership with Simply South, the largest online streaming platform.

Q3 Overview

e&’s consolidated revenues reached AED 13.0 billion, while consolidated net profit was AED 2.5 billion, a year-over-year increase of 1.9 percent. At constant exchange rates, revenue increased by 5.5 percent. Consolidated EBITDA in reporting currency reached AED 6.7 billion, and increased by 6.9 percent in constant currency, resulting in an EBITDA margin of 52 percent.

The number of etisalat by e& subscribers in the UAE reached 13.3 million in Q3 2022, representing an increase of 11 percent over the same period last year, while aggregate group subscribers reached 162 million, a 4 percent increase.

Outlook

e&’s solid performance underpins the ongoing progress of the Group’s ambitious plans since it entered a new chapter of its journey as a global technology and investment conglomerate earlier this year. The establishment of focused business pillars as part of its transformation journey has contributed to its organisational agility, and allowed for strong strategic partnerships as the Group continues to explore the diversification of its local and international portfolios.

Hatem Dowidar, Group CEO of e&, said: “e&’s performance in Q3 2022 reflects our unwavering commitment to accomplishing more for the benefit of our customers, shareholders and the communities we serve. We are focusing our efforts on adopting flexible and agile business models that fuel our growth through innovation and creating new value propositions. Given that e& was built on strong foundations, we remain confident in leading change for growth by reinforcing our commitment to enhancing the quality of our innovative solutions to meet and surpass our customer expectations through the accelerated digitalisation seen in the business landscape. We will continue our efforts to seize new growth opportunities and pursue strong partnerships that will ultimately maximise the potential of a holistic digital transformation for our customers, and the societies we serve.

“We would like to extend our gratitude to the UAE leadership for their inspiring vision so that we can continue to digitally empower societies and enable a brighter, digital future. We also thank our customers and shareholders for their unwavering support and trust, and our employees for their tireless commitment towards our goal to Make Possible. Our resilience to spearheading digital transformation journeys will be enhanced as we drive value from our core, build a stronger regional footprint leadership, grow our adjacencies organically and achieve exemplary results for the benefit of all.”

Etisalat Group has changed its brand identity to e&, effective from 23 February 2022. Its strategy aims to accelerate growth through the creation of a resilient business model representing the Group’s main business pillars. The telecoms business currently continues to be led by etisalat by e& in e&’s home market and by e& international in its international markets, upholding the Group’s rich telecoms heritage, bolstering the strong telecoms network and maximising value for the Group’s various customer segments. Ramping up the digital services for individual customers to elevate their digital-first lifestyle, e& life brings next-generation technologies through smart platforms in entertainment, retail and financial technology. To maximise the digital potential of governments, large-scale enterprises and corporates, e& enterprise focuses on delivering innovative digital vertical value propositions through its end-to-end solutions in cybersecurity, cloud, Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), as well as deploying mega projects. e& capital allows the Group to focus its efforts on driving new investments while maximising shareholder value and strengthening global presence.

Abu Dhabi, 24 October 2022: The Middle East Open Radio Access Network (O-RAN) consortium announced the publication of its first open RAN (ORAN) whitepaper focusing on brownfield deployment opportunities and challenges. Brownfield deployment refers to an upgrade or addition of new solutions to an existing network.

In March this year, seven Middle East operators opened the first regional community lab in collaboration with Telecom Infra Project (TIP) and Intel, following the signing of an O-RAN MoU last year. e& (formerly known as Etisalat Group), stc, Zain Group, Mobily, du from Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company (EITC), Batelco and Omantel, signed the O-RAN MoU in their commitment to deploy Open RAN across their footprint and enhance supreme network experiences for end-users.The move will accelerate the testing and implementation of O-RAN solutions in their networks to support the early adoption and development of a robust regional ICT ecosystem. 

The launch of the first O-RAN whitepaper signals the entry into a new era of operators’ collaboration in the Middle East to accelerate the development of Open Network technologies, which helps in diversifying strategic technology growth in the Gulf and gain an advantage with services catering to the local market requirements with faster time to market/value while focusing on introducing software capabilities that bring technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) to the forefront. The implementation of O-RAN solutions supports flexibility and provides more innovation in managing the network for more efficient operations.

In its whitepaper, the consortium elaborated on the detailed elements forming the ‘Open RAN Deployment Challenges and Opportunities for Brownfield Mobile Network Operators’. The operators highlighted the current efforts done by the consortium members, ranging from field trials, lab establishments, vendor interactions and organisations’ engagements to verify and explore the ecosystem and readiness, in addition to navigating through the variable Open RAN use cases.

The Open RAN Consortium confirms the importance to deploy Open RAN across the operators’ footprint, providing an opportunity for traditional as well as new entrants RAN vendors to adopt open interfaces, software, and hardware to build more agile and flexible mobile networks in the 5G and 4G era. It brings the opportunity to new entrants to create value in RAN business through innovation, influencing the telco equipment business to become more competitive to support current requirements of telco and more importantly the future requirements (like 6G), and offering choices to mobile operators to achieve innovative solutions and cost efficiencies in RAN deployments. The consortium is also aligned with the GSMA, which promotes the implementation of Open RAN deployments. 

Mohamed Al Marzooqi, Senior Vice President, Access Network, e& international, said: “We are extremely proud to have reached an important stage of cooperation among operators in the region.The consortium has been working together for over a year to build a common information base in this field and to enhance the presence of such a futuristic technology across our mobile networks.

“We are delighted to witness other telecom operators in the region joining the alliance to position the Middle East as a global leader in developing and deploying such innovative network solutions and benefit from the shared experiences of our community in deploying open network technologies. Operators can potentially reduce the energy consumption in an Open RAN by 20%, further  enhancing e&’s position as a global technology conglomerate that delivers its environment, social, and governance (ESG) commitments across its footprint.”

Etisalat Group has changed its brand identity to e&, effective from 23 February 2022. Its strategy aims to accelerate growth through the creation of a resilient business model representing the Group’s main business pillars. The Telecoms business currently continues to operate led by Etisalat UAE in e&’s home market and by existing subsidiaries for international operations, upholding the Group’s rich telecoms heritage, bolstering the strong telecoms network and maximising value for the Group’s various customer segments.

Ramping up the digital services for individual customers to elevate their digital-first lifestyle, e& life brings next-generation technologies through smart platforms in entertainment, retail and financial technology.

To enable the digital transformation of governments, large-scale enterprises and corporates, e& enterprise focuses on maximising value through its end-to-end solutions in, Cloud, Cybersecurity, Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI). e& capital allows the Group to focus its efforts on driving new mergers and acquisitions while maximising shareholder value and strengthening global presence.

The whitepaper titled “Open RAN for Brownfield Operators Challenges and Opportunities” can be accessed on https://telecominfraproject.com/press-coverage.

• Offering support to customers’ complete network infrastructure, the E-care Programme complements and evolves existing capabilities through a wide range of managed services
• Delivered in collaboration with an enriched partner ecosystem, programme aims to deliver unmatched value to the clients.

Etisalat UAE, branded as etisalat by e&, has announced the launch of the E-care programme,that will efficiently support customers through a range of end-to-end bespoke managed network and infrastructure solutions. etisalat by e& will elevate  the customer experience and operational agility by enhancing its in-house capabilities and joining forces with key technology players to deliver maximum benefits..

In recent years, the subscription adoption rate for managed services has increased as businesses shift to a more reliable and professionally managed service solution. As part of the E-care programme, etisalat by e& is investing heavily in enhancing its technology platforms, team skillsets, and partner ecosystem. Having always channelled its efforts towards managing and fulfilling customer expectations, its new approach of designing and deploying innovative and integrated solutions will help customers in building a robust infrastructure leading to sustainable growth With the expertly-designed and professionally managed new service offering, etisalat by e& supports customers by reducing the total cost of ownership, allowing them to focus on their core business and sustainable growth.

Hamad Mohamed Al Marzooqi, Senior Vice President of Pre-Sales and Business Operations, etisalat by e& said: “At etisalat by e& we are on a mission to deliver outstanding customer experiences at all times. With the E-care programme, we are revamping our end-to-end managed network and infrastructure services to cater to our customers' evolving needs. One of the key building blocks of the E-care programme is to create unique value propositions for our customers through our in-house capabilities supported by a robust partner ecosystem. We look forward to rolling out the E-care programme that will strengthen our managedservices offering as we stay committed to delivering strong value for our customers and continue to be their trusted partner.”

E-care programme fortifies the managed services offering of etisalat by e& by providing bespoke end-to-end managed network and infrastructure operations covering customers’ infrastructure from hardware to software, networking, new solutions acquisition and setup, and support services.  

Etisalat Group has changed its brand identity to e&, effective from 23 February 2022. Its strategy aims to accelerate growth through the creation of a resilient business model representing the Group’s main business pillars. The telecoms business currently continues to be led by etisalat by e& in e&’s home market and by e& international in the subsidiaries outside of the UAE, upholding the Group’s rich telecoms heritage, bolstering the strong telecoms network and maximising value for the Group’s various customer segments. Ramping up the digital services for individual customers to elevate their digital-first lifestyle, e& life brings next-generation technologies through smart connectivity platforms in entertainment, retail and financial technology. To enable the digital transformation of governments, large-scale enterprises and corporates, e& enterprise focuses on maximising value through its end-to-end solutions in cybersecurity, cloud, Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), as well as deploying mega projects. e& capital allows the Group to focus its efforts on driving new mergers and acquisitions while maximising shareholder value and strengthening global presence.

• Group to strengthen its investment capabilities and unlock maximum potential for tech startups through e& capital

e& (formerly known as Etisalat Group) today announced its strategy for e& capital, its investment pillar at GITEX Global. e& capital disclosed latest deals and insights into how e& plans to further progress its aspirations as a global technology and investment conglomerate through its USD 250 million e& capital Venture Capital (VC fund). e& capital will further drive the tech ecosystem through larger investments at the growth stage beyond its VC fund.

Earlier this year, the transformation of e& provided the right foundations for the Group to consider VC and growth investments for early-stage entrepreneurs and rising startups. The e& capital VC mandate is to attract, engage and support startups, adding value to their journey by capturing synergies, providing access to investor and expert networks, and adopting a collaborative approach. Building on the Group’s strong fundamentals of more than four decades of growth, e& capital has the capabilities to discover and invest in startups with a significant market potential, a passionate founding team, a disruptive business model, and superior potential from a technology and business performance perspective.

e& capital investments will play a critical role in enhancing the offering for e& customers, with the e& investment arm already closing sizeable deals, thus standing as a testimonial of its determination and abilities. Already, it has made a strategic investment in VUZ, a leading immersive social app that allows users to stream and experience a new level of immersive realism in Extended Reality (XR) and metaverse digital experiences. Through its contribution to the USD 20 million in the Series B funding round for VUZ, e& capital stays committed to supporting startups that show promise of driving value as well as scaling in the near future.

e& capital had also funded Lablabee, a tech startup which will grow the world’s first hands-on lab platform for the telco cloud, offering training that is more interactive and accessible. Lablabee has demonstrated the potential to transform its novel ideas into a viable business solution that will add value to customers and impact the technology sector.

At GITEX Global, e& capital demonstrated how it is supporting early-stage entrepreneurs who possess the vision to build big businesses by facilitating education, mentorship, networking and funding opportunities. In particular, e& will be supporting the top regional female founders through prize money and other tangible rewards during one of the region’s leading exhibition and conference.

Hatem Dowidar, Group CEO of e&, said: “We believe that trends shaping the future are worthy of investment. With the future-focused e& capital business model, we want to be innovation custodians by delivering on our business objectives, executing meaningful investments, and earning global exposure. The uniqueness of e& capital revolves around several core elements: leveraging the strong foundations of e&, supporting bold startups that can make a difference, and acting as a catalyst for turning big ideas into the leading businesses of tomorrow. Given the close interplay among e&’s diverse business pillars, e& capital will assess synergies that help us accelerate the business growth of startups and the Group.”

Kushal Shah, Head of Venture Capital, e& capital, added: “As the investment arm of e&, our vision is to invest in business ideas that empower a better and brighter digital future. Building on the strong foundations of e& as a global technology and investment conglomerate, we are now taking massive strides towards supporting visionary tech businesses by enabling synergies and providing access to innovation. Once this happens, the regional tech ecosystem will evolve dramatically. Major change never happens overnight, and we are gearing up for a long-term goal of enabling meaningful progress that moves the world forward. As we build a portfolio of fast-scaling businesses that are already proven winners, we are looking forward to setting things in motion in VC and growth investments, as we rely on a thorough process that will continuously build and maintain momentum.”

According to market research from MAGNiTT and based on their Q3 2022 MENA Venture Investment report[1] published recently, funding in the first three quarters of 2022 stood at USD 2,331 million, recording a yearly increase of around 20%. However, this funding growth was against the backdrop of, the number of deals closed in the aforementioned period reaching 446, down by 4.7% annually.

In continued positive momentum, the UAE, Egypt and Saudi Arabia maintained the top three positions at the level of the number of deals and value of funding capturing more than 75% of the region’s shares. The UAE topped the funding value list with USD 845 million over 117 deals in the first three quarters of 2022, while Saudi Arabia followed with USD 818 million across 106 deals and Egypt came in the third position with $392M over 120 deals. Bahrain emerged into the top five with USD 120 million following a MEGA deal of USD 110 million closed in January. FinTech remains the industry of choice, ranking first in both number of deals which touched 94 with a share of 21% and value of funding which edged up by 74% to rest at USD 747 million with a share of 32%. Looking at the number of deals, e-commerce and Transport & Logistics (T&L) ranked second and third with respective shares of 15% and 10%. Regarding funding, T&L came in second place with a share of 13%, while Food & Beverage (F&B) came in third position with a share of 10%. Agriculture emerged into the top five industries in funding in the first nine months of 2022. This followed the USD 181 million MEGA round closed in June 2022. Globally, the value created by startups is about USD 3.8 trillion in ecosystem value, which is almost at par with the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of a G7 economy, according to advisory firm Startup Genome.[2]

Given the above venture capital funding trends in the region, e& capital is keen to promote the positioning of the MENA tech sector amongst its global peers, by successfully and sustainably scaling local startups to reach the global stage. e& capital is also ready to make bold, steady investments and stay the course, driven by teams and expertise that work in sync with the market pulse.

Etisalat Group has changed its brand identity to e&, effective from 23 February 2022. Its strategy aims to accelerate growth through the creation of a resilient business model representing the Group’s main business pillars. The telecoms business currently continues to be led by etisalat by e& in e&’s home market and by e& international in its international markets, upholding the Group’s rich telecoms heritage, bolstering the strong telecoms network and maximising value for the Group’s various customer segments. Ramping up the digital services for individual customers to elevate their digital-first lifestyle, e& life brings next-generation technologies through smart platforms in entertainment, retail and financial technology. To maximise the digital potential of governments, large-scale enterprises and corporates, e& enterprise focuses on delivering innovative digital vertical value propositions through its end-to-end solutions in cybersecurity, cloud, Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), as well as deploying mega projects. e& capital allows the Group to focus its efforts on driving new investments while maximising shareholder value and strengthening global presence.

• 100 UAE National professionals to join the workforce by the end of 2022
• New hires across retail, customer service, technology and IT
• Emiratisation rate at 51 per cent is among the highest in ADX listed companies
• 76 per cent of total female workforce is Emirati

Etisalat UAE, branded as etisalat by e&, today announced a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Emirati Talent Competitiveness Council (ETCC) to participate in the NAFIS initiative that will involve the hiring and empowering of more than 500 Emirati professionals in its retail, customer service, technology and IT space in a span of five years. Providing the new hires with the skills, expertise and platform to excel, the initiative strongly supports their career progression in the telco industry and significantly contributes to the UAE’s national agenda to move towards a knowledge-based economy.

The MoU was signed by Masood M. Sharif Mahmood, CEO of etisalat by e&, and H.E. Ghannam Al Mazrouei, Secretary General of the Emirati Talent Competitiveness Council - the federal entity responsible for NAFIS - at GITEX Global 2022, one of the region’s largest technology events. Senior officials from both entities witnessed this significant moment. The signing acts as an extension of etisalat by e&’s Emiratisation efforts and builds on the success of the partnership held earlier this year with the Ruler’s Court in Al Dhafra Region.

As per the latest agreement, etisalat by e& will focus on hiring 100 UAE nationals by the end of 2022. It will also facilitate training programmes that contribute to developing and enhancing their skills and expertise in their current roles.

Commenting on the agreement, H.E. Ghannam Al Mazrouei, Secretary General of the Emirati Talent Competitiveness Council, said: “NAFIS reflects the interest of our wise leadership for UAE citizens to equip the next generation with competencies that are founded on curiosity, openness and a diverse range of professional skillsets. This can only be achieved by providing them with opportunities that meet their aspirations and ambitions for the future. Since the inception of NAFIS, the programme has collaborated with key private sector partners to provide job opportunities that meet the qualifications and aspirations of capable and talented UAE nationals.

“The NAFIS agreement with etisalat by e& meets these requirements, highlighting the joint effort to create opportunities for 500 UAE nationals and contribute to the overall growth of the UAE economy. The telecom sector has always been a major enabler of job creation, especially in information technology, marketing and technical areas, as well as customer service and sales. This is a positive development for the younger generation who are actively looking to participate in the retail sector.”

Al Mazrouei indicated that the recruitment plan with etisalat by e& will take place in a phased manner, making sure the UAE Nationals are equipped with the tools to take on their new roles in the telecom, technology and retail sectors. “Thanks to partners like etisalat by e&, these opportunities will go a long way in benefitting the immense talent in the country and adding value to their career path of choice.”

Masood Sharif Mahmood, CEO, etisalat by e&, said: “We are proud to be part of the NAFIS initiative and play a critical role in contributing to the UAE leadership’s vision of creating opportunities for Emiratisation in the private sector. We will work closely with the potential candidates to identify their competencies and support their career growth in the communications and IT sector. This is a testament to the continuous efforts etisalat by e& has put into investing in UAE National talent and guiding them to become the future leaders, in line with the aspirations of the government. In the telecom and technology sector, one of the most vital sectors that contribute to the country’s economy, these new hires will play an integral role in progressing the country’s digital economy and raise its competitiveness across various global indicators.”

Ali Al Mansoori, Chief Human Resources Officer, etisalat by e&, said: “For more than four decades, we have worked tirelessly to explore limitless possibilities for hiring and empowering Emirati talent with the right skills and working environment. The partnership with NAFIS will enable etisalat by e& to ramp up efforts in providing new job opportunities across our departments, mainly in the sales, customer service, technology and IT departments. We plan to appoint 100 UAE nationals in these areas, making them brand ambassadors. This will also include empowering new employees with training and upgrading their skills and knowledge, chiefly through our partnerships with globally renowned universities so that we can meet the varying requirements of the departments and prepare them for the future.”

The collaboration between etisalat by e& and NAFIS includes supporting initiatives and programmes aimed at encouraging UAE nationals to work in the private sector and enjoy the benefits that will serve their long-term professional interests.

etisalat by e& is also committed to encouraging other private sector partners to participate and register with the NAFIS programme and implement such initiatives and programmes within their organisations. As part of the initiative, new employees will undergo a 33-day training programme comprising product and soft skills training, mainly training them on the sales framework, transaction system and interaction guide, whilst upgrading their business know-how and knowledge of various products and services.

Earlier this year, etisalat by e& concluded an MoU with the Ruler’s Court from the Al Dhafra region with an objective to provide job opportunities for more than 100 Emiratis across call centres, preparing them to become tomorrow’s leaders.

Moreover, etisalat by e& has achieved one of the highest Emiratisation rates in the country, reaching a 51 per cent talent pool of UAE nationals. It is one of the first companies to encourage and empower Emirati women in the ICT sector, with 76 per cent of total female employees comprising UAE Nationals.

There are several training programmes made available by etisalat by e& for UAE National employees such as the AI Graduate Programme as well as courses focused on the professional development of the youth who are leaders of the future.

Already, 100 graduates were recruited for the AI Graduate Programme as part of the activities lined up in preparation for the completion of 50 years of e& (formerly known as Etisalat Group). These graduates were also trained in affiliate programmes related to customer service, finance, sales and business that was offered by e& enterprise, a specialist business pillar of e&. The IQRAA platform, the first-of-its-kind AI-powered educational mobile application, will also provide a comprehensive and distinct set of educational content. It is the first platform in the region to integrate blockchain technology into human resource operations.

• Visitors can enjoy the e& universe futuristic immersive experiences virtually during the conference
• Other use cases include Metaverse Service with SK Telecom and the digital 3D retail experience of etisalat by e& business centre enabled by 5G in collaboration with Huawei

e&, formerly known as Etisalat Group, is set to enthral stand goers at GITEX Global 2022 by inviting them to enter the next digital universe with the soft launch of their virtual world, e& universe. This move marks a significant achievement in the Group’s transformation journey to a global technology and investment conglomerate, as it takes its first steps into the metaverse.

Making its debut at GITEX Global 2022, one of the region’s largest technology exhibitions and conferences, e& universe will virtually welcome visitors, empowering them to traverse the virtual and physical worlds, profoundly changing the way they interact. Alongside e& universe are two use cases, Metaverse Service and etisalat by e&, aimed to give visitors varied experiences in art, music, entertainment and a glimpse into digital retail of the future.

The UAE has made great strides in the metaverse arena and this latest launch from e& highlights its commitment to the vision of the leadership in enhancing the country’s position as its stands at the forefront of global ICT industry, with the adoption of the most advanced of technologies. Globally, there have been several investments towards building the technology and infrastructure for the metaverse, touching more USD 120 billion during the first five months of this year, doubling since 2021.*

e& is not only showcasing the latest technological innovations but is also creating an incredible immersive and innovative experience through e& universe, a first of its kind venture in the region. The move to the metaverse is a start of a remarkable journey into the next digital frontier for the Group as it seeks to do things differently, develop and launch technology solutions that will empower customers and businesses so as to offer heightened interactive experiences.

At e&’s stand this GITEX Global, visitors will embark on a journey that elevates their digital experiences by transporting them to a whole new level of social engagement. The Group is ready to build a world of new possibilities where the future is all about unlocking creativity, exploring immersive storytelling experiences, and building a world of new possibilities. The metaverse is a realm e& is still exploring, given its potential to transform the world of technology and digitalisation journeys. When it comes to harnessing the benefits of the metaverse, the Group is working closely with its partners to develop it as the platform where audiences can interact in unique ways.

Developed in partnership with HTC, the leading manufacturer of virtual reality and mobile devices, e& universe will be hosted virtually on Mars. The specific Mars spot is Arcadia Planitia, a vital location that is considered the most suitable for future life on the red planet and may serve as an aspirational and strategic location for the future. It is a subtle nod to the UAE’s National Space Strategy and the success of the Hope Probe mission, the first mission led by an Arabi-Islamic country, and in line with the vision of the UAE leadership.

For the first time in the history of GITEX Global 2022, visitors will virtually experience the e& stand through e& universe and view the futuristic technology showcases at the event. This is only a glimpse of what is to come in the realm of e& universe. The next phase will open doors of opportunities for visitors to purchase digital assets and non-fungible tokens (NFTs), watch virtual concerts and sporting events as well as engage in other unique digital experiences.

Marking significant achievements in e&’s journey to revolutionise the customer experience as a global technology and investment conglomerate, the e& universe showcase is also accompanied by two other use cases offering unique experiences through the metaverse.

In one of the use cases, e& has partnered with SK Telecom to create Metaverse Service which will take visitors through multiple virtual spaces and unique avatars, so that they can explore opportunities for social networking in the metaverse. This platform provides the opportunity for visitors to enjoy the exclusive e& NFT exhibition alongside special artworks by international artists, listen to famous K-pop music, poems, and various entertainment shows through the platform’s virtual and augmented reality technologies.

After selecting from one of six locally-designed avatars, visitors will also journey through the metaverse with Emirati actor, producer, TV personality and social media influencer, Saoud Al Kabbi as he shares his poetry and experience of his first-time presence in the metaverse.

This partnership with SK Telecom is also aimed to revolutionise services for e& life changing the face of media and entertainment in the region with the launch of exclusive content for the metaverse.

The second use case in collaboration with Huawei, gives insight into the virtual retail space, where visitors can enter the virtual world of etisalat by e&’s business centre. Here visitors can experience virtual shopping in a 3D universe, enabled by an enhanced live 5G network. Visitors can collaborate, navigate and communicate using etisalat by e&’s products and services in real-time using their hand movements, headsets, feedback controllers or voice commands.

e& universe and the two use cases of Metaverse Service and etisalat by e& business centre are tangible examples of e&’s efforts in investing in advanced technologies and creative innovations as it continues to explore limitless possibilities that digitally empower societies. The Group’s mission to Make Possible will also reflect in the expansion of its digital services and solutions provided to governments, businesses and individual customers in the UAE and the countries where it operates.

To learn more about e& universe, please visit etisalat.ae/eanduniverse.

Etisalat Group has changed its brand identity to e&, effective from 23 February 2022. Its strategy aims to accelerate growth through the creation of a resilient business model representing the Group’s main business pillars. The telecoms business currently continues to be led by etisalat by e& in e&’s home market and by e& international in its international markets, upholding the Group’s rich telecoms heritage, bolstering the strong telecoms network and maximising value for the Group’s various customer segments. Ramping up the digital services for individual customers to elevate their digital-first lifestyle, e& life brings next-generation technologies through smart platforms in entertainment, retail and financial technology. To maximise the digital potential of governments, large-scale enterprises and corporates, e& enterprise focuses on delivering innovative digital vertical value propositions through its end-to-end solutions in cybersecurity, cloud, Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), as well as deploying mega projects. e& capital allows the Group to focus its efforts on driving new investments while maximising shareholder value and strengthening global presence.

evision, the media and entertainment division of e& life (a business pillar of e& formerly known as Etisalat Group), today announced that it has acquired exclusive broadcast and media rights for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 to be held in Australia between 16 October - 13 November, made especally available for viewers on CricLife MAX channel, the home of cricket in MENA.

e& life has partnered with STARZPLAY, which is ranked consistently among the region’s top 3 subscription video on demand service, to showcase the highly anticipated event across the MENA.

The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 is the international championship of Twenty20 cricket. The tournament is the pinnacle of T20 cricket, comprising 16 international teams featuring the world’s best cricketers in a global showpiece event.

The event will have 45 matches being played in seven host cities across Australia with key match-ups such as India and Pakistan, England and Australia. The tournament begins on 16th of October, with the final to be played on 13 November at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Olivier Bramly, CEO, evision said ‘We are thrilled to broadcast the ICC Men's T20 World Cup for the second time on CricLife MAX. Following last year's phenomenal growth in viewing and the recent DP World Asia Cup, we are committed to bringing you the finest in sports and entertainment from local and worldwide content providers. Fans of cricket will be able to watch the games on both our broadcast and digital platforms, providing them the freedom to watch from anywhere. I am excited to see who takes the cup home this year.’

evision will broadcast the tournament on CricLife MAX on eLife, Switch TV and STARZPLAY across the MENA region. All matches will be streamed LIVE along with highlights, pre-shows and post-match analysis, with full match replays.

Danny Bates, Chief Commercial Officer, STARZPLAY, said: “It’s a sports fiesta on STARZPLAY and we are proud to bring yet another exciting cricket tournament on CricLife Max for all the cricket enthusiasts across the MENA region. Cricket is a big part of our sports offering and hugely popular on the STARZPLAY platform, since it was introduced last year with the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup which witnessed phenomenal success and organic growth in subscribers. We are happy to continue to provide the best viewing experience across multiple devices, including big screen platforms and smart TVs like Samsung, LG, Apple TV, Android TV and more, especially when it comes to live sport.

Harry Griffith, Head – Rights Acquisition & Syndication (Sports), Disney Star said CricLife MAX has established itself as the number one destination for cricket fans across the Middle East. We are delighted to continue our association and broaden the reach of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022, building on the success of last year where we saw outstanding viewership numbers. CricLife MAX and Disney Star share the same goal of always putting the fans first, enriching their viewing experience and growing the game across the region.

CricLife MAX will be available on Asiana and Sports packages on eLife and the online streaming platforms Switch TV and STARZPLAY. CricLife Channels showcase the best cricket content from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, West Indies, South Africa, New Zealand, and Ireland, in addition to major events like the ICC World Cup as well as the popular T20 leagues like Pakistan Super League (PSL), Caribbean Premier League (CPL) making it a one-stop shop for cricket.

Emasala Simply South, the first ever trilingual movie channel, will premier across the UAE at 12 pm on 30 September 2022. The channel is owned and operated by evision, the media & entertainment arm of e& life.

Through evision’s partnership with Simply South, the largest online streaming platform with exclusively South Indian content, an exclusive channel will be launched, showcasing the best and latest movies in three languages - Tamil, Malayalam and Telugu - as early as 4 weeks from the theatrical release.

The launch of Emasala Simply South comes at a time when the popularity of South Indian films is at an all-time high, owing to their realistic storytelling and relatable star cast. With the launch of Emasala Simply South, evision aims to make the channel the new home of South Indian movies. Emasala Simply South comes as a great compliment to Emasala flagship channel (CH NO 666), which focuses more on Hindi movies.

Olivier Bramly, CEO of evision, said: “evision is all about bringing the best in entertainment to the region, and we are very proud to be launching this new South Indian channel catering to the huge appetite for Indian content with the large population from the subcontinent in the Middle East and UAE.

“Currently, a large subscriber base of eLife TV in the UAE is from the Indian subcontinent, and the vast majority of those are from the South of India, mainly watching Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada content. The partnership with Simply South will give our viewers a flavour of the best and latest content from the greatest in the film industry. This is in line with our commitment to elevating the customer experience so that our viewers have the best content to watch anytime and anywhere.”

Etisalat UAE, branded as etisalat by e&, today announced the launch of internet services called ‘Digital Internet’ and ‘Digital Premium Internet’ aimed to address the dynamic requirements of the business community by providing upgraded and dedicated internet connectivity over a reliable and secure network through a digital platform.

Digital Internet and Digital Premium Internet are offerings that bring transformation that goes beyond connectivity, embedding security and value-added services that are essential for bandwidth-hungry business applications.

Digital Internet is a managed broadband internet service, while Digital Premium Internet, on the other hand, powers businesses with high-speed, dedicated internet. With an extensive partner ecosystem, Digital internet and Digital Premium internet deliver a variety of security and networking services. The new internet offering aims to create virtualised business environments resulting in reduced hardware footprint, increased uptime, and more efficient resource utilisation, among others.

“Today’s businesses thrive on real-time information exchange requiring an infrastructure that supports robust connectivity and communication. The rapidly changing digitalisation landscape has led to an exponential surge in internet traffic for businesses. Digital Internet and Digital Premium Internet solutions enable businesses to accelerate their digital transformation journeys and adopt more resilient business models,” stated Oscar Garcia, Senior VP, Business Marketing, Etisalat UAE.

Both these services are powered by a fully virtualised digital platform that allows on-demand services and added flexibility in choosing security and networking functions. Digital Internet and Digital Premium Internet provide high-speed connectivity, more bandwidth, security features such as DDoS protection and firewall and much more. Customers can benefit from several value-added services along with end-to-end management offered by etisalat by e&, which results in enhanced visibility, better application performance, and business continuity.

• Innovative insurance solutions to be made available across e& international footprint
• Personal accident, bill protection, device and online protection solutions to ensure peace of mind for customers
• Insurance will be made available through robust mobile platforms to serve customers efficiently in a matter of minutes

e& international, by e& (formerly known as Etisalat Group) today announced a partnership with AIG to build a digital insurance offering. The digital insurance offering will be launched across select e& international markets, where customers can enjoy a seamless experience by accessing the product through various digital channels, including mobile apps. Through the collaboration, this insurance offering will expand the capabilities of e& international by catering to several customer segments – prepaid base, post-paid base and active mobile wallet users - in keeping with the rising demand for innovative insurance solutions.

The insurance offering plans to allow e& subscribers to access innovative insurance solutions using their mobile phones through often used platforms like mobile apps and mobile wallets. There will be a focus on simplified digital enrolment into selected insurance covers along with various touchpoints to ensure continuity of protection and claims reporting.

Mikhail Gerchuk, CEO, e& international, said: “We continue providing enhanced customer experiences in the markets where we operate, empowering our customers with the most inclusive services. We are happy to partner with a global leader like AIG to provide the best-in-class solutions and services across our markets. With this partnership, we will make it possible for our customers to digitally access a range of innovative, affordable and simple insurance solutions designed for the specific needs of different consumer segments.”

Mohamed Ali Bouabane, CEO, AIG GCC & North Africa, said: “AIG is delighted to partner with e& International to deliver digital insurance solutions to their tremendous customer base across select international markets. Telecommunications has not traditionally been a channel where insurance is sold, but it’s created an opportunity for a platform that’s easier to use, understand and purchase from. At AIG, we are continuously innovating to suit customers’ needs and provide peace of mind.”

This partnership will aim to offer e& International customers insurance solutions such as:
• Personal Accident - Provides cover to protect the insured customers' families in case of an accident
• Bill Protection - Ensures customers stay protected by covering their bills and families’ lifestyle expenses in case of an accident.
• Device Protection - Ensures customers purchase devices with confidence by providing additional insurance cover for new mobile devices
• Online Transaction Protection - Provides cover against fraudulent/unauthorised transactions on customers’ online accounts or mobile wallets

Etisalat Group has changed its brand identity to e&, effective from 23 February 2022. Its strategy aims to accelerate growth through the creation of a resilient business model representing the Group’s main business pillars. The telecoms business currently continues to be led by etisalat by e& in e&’s home market and by e& international in the subsidiaries outside of the UAE, upholding the Group’s rich telecoms heritage, bolstering the strong telecoms network and maximising value for the Group’s various customer segments. Ramping up the digital services for individual customers to elevate their digital-first lifestyle, e& life brings next-generation technologies through smart connectivity platforms in entertainment, retail and financial technology. To enable the digital transformation of governments, large-scale enterprises and corporates, e& enterprise focuses on maximising value through its end-to-end solutions in cybersecurity, cloud, Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), as well as deploying mega projects. e& capital allows the Group to focus its efforts on driving new mergers and acquisitions while maximising shareholder value and strengthening global presence.

Etisalat UAE, branded as etisalat by e&, today announced the launch of the all-new business proposition ‘Business Pro’ that is aimed to meet the digital needs of businesses by providing benefits that will facilitate office, remote work and hybrid working.

Business Pro offers the next generation of internet solutions that are holistically designed to deliver high-speed internet based on the size of the workforce as well as user-specific benefits. The proposition is an all-in-one solution crafted to ensure complete business mobility by equipping each employee to work remotely or in a hybrid working environment. Employees will have access to user packs comprising a host of collaborative, communication, productivity and security tools.

Esam Mahmoud, Senior Vice President, SMB, etisalat by e&, said: “Businesses undergoing a digital transformation are constantly looking at how they can add more value to their customers. Business Pro is an evolution of the previous customer propositions where we’ve built in more benefits at the same cost. The launch of the next generation of internet solutions is part of etisalat by e&’s continuous efforts to empower businesses with scalable and advanced solutions, thereby growing their business, managing costs optimally and increasing revenue.”

Business Pro enables office, remote and hybrid working models and is built based on the number of users in the business. The benefits for both businesses and employees include high-speed internet, firewall, managed devices, landline-on-the-go, website builder, and much many more benefits to boos business productivity and obtomise operation..

Etisalat Group has changed its brand identity to e&, effective from 23 February 2022. Its strategy aims to accelerate growth through the creation of a resilient business model representing the Group’s main business pillars. The telecoms business currently continues to be led by etisalat by e& in e&’s home market and by existing subsidiaries for e& international, upholding the Group’s rich telecoms heritage, bolstering the strong telecoms network and maximising value for the Group’s various customer segments. Ramping up the digital services for individual customers to elevate their digital-first lifestyle, e& life brings next-generation technologies through smart connectivity platforms in entertainment, retail and financial technology. To enable the digital transformation of governments, large-scale enterprises and corporates, e& enterprise focuses on maximising value through its end-to-end solutions in cybersecurity, cloud, Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), as well as deploying mega projects. e& capital allows the Group to focus its efforts on driving new mergers and acquisitions while maximising shareholder value and strengthening global presence.

• Creates contextual and personalised conversations by integrating all communication channels into one platform
• Builds an ecosystem of partners, industry leaders and solution experts for the CPaaS market

e& enterprise, part of e& (formerly known as Etisalat Group), today announced the launch of engageX, a growing Communications Platform as a Service (CPaaS) ecosystem that customises any end-user customer experience journey with seamless, multi-channel communications.

CPaaS enables real-time communication capabilities with a cloud-based delivery model, which helps businesses to accelerate their digital transformation programmes by enhancing and personalising customer engagement. CPaaS entirely replaces legacy infrastructure and interfaces, considered a barrier for organisations hoping to provide quality communication services.

Gartner predicts that by 2025, 95% of global enterprises will utilise API-enabled CPaaS offerings to uplevel their digital competitiveness[1]. The global CPaaS market is expected to grow by $ 10.19bn during 2022-2026, accelerating at a CAGR of 17.85 percent[2]. CPaaS solutions will witness an uptake with companies being able to add real-time communication capabilities to any pre-existing business applications by deploying application programming interfaces (APIs). These capabilities include SMS, Voice, Video and Instant messaging. The engageX solution is in line with the e& enterprise vision to help businesses and governments embrace new technology, drive real transformation and create Intelligent Value, continuously adjusting the solutions provided to best suit the customer requirements.

"We are launching engageX, our CPaaS offering, to elevate the quality of customer experience provided by enterprises and government entities in the region. engageX will elevate the CPaaS ecosystem, building on strategic partnerships with industry leaders, end-to-end professional service including developers' advocacy and consultancy," said Salvador Anglada, CEO, e& enterprise.

As part of its professional services, engageX enhances customers' user experiences by identifying the existing communication channels and then assesses, co-creates and implements a seamless Omni-channel end-user journey that is specific to each customer type. Solution consultancy and developer advocacy ensure proper customer success management, and 24x7 customer support services ensure optimal service quality.

Etisalat Group has changed its brand identity to e&, effective from 23 February 2022. Its strategy aims to accelerate growth through the creation of a resilient business model representing the Group's main business pillars. The telecoms business currently continues to be led by etisalat by e& in e &'s home market, upholding the Group's rich telecoms heritage, bolstering the strong telecoms network and maximising value for the Group's various customer segments. The telecoms business is led by existing subsidiaries for e& international in 16 countries where the Group operates, with a focus on growing an international portfolio of world-class modern digital telcos by providing the best customer experience, building world-class digital capabilities and embracing expansion opportunities. Ramping up the digital services for individual customers to elevate their digital-first lifestyle, e& life brings next-generation technologies through smart connectivity platforms in entertainment, retail and financial technology. To enable the digital transformation of governments, large-scale enterprises and corporates, e& enterprise focuses on maximising value through its end-to-end solutions in cybersecurity, cloud, Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI). e& capital allows the Group to focus its efforts on driving new mergers and acquisitions while maximising shareholder value and strengthening global presence.

• Enables customers in Asia, Middle East & Africa to send and receive money using their mobile wallets from anywhere in the world in near real-time
• After the successful launch of international remittance service in the UAE by e&money, the service will be available in e& international markets through Upaisa in Pakistan, Mobily Pay in KSA and Etisalat Cash in Egypt
• Strategic partnership supports Group's ambitions to scale its high-growth digital business across the region

e& (formerly known as Etisalat Group), one of the world's leading technology and investment conglomerates, and MoneyGram International, a global leader in the evolution of digital peer-to-peer (P2P) payments, today announced an expansion of their strategic partnership enabling e &'s large and fast-growing customer base of 160 million to send and receive money through mobile wallets across its footprint in near real-time.

In the UAE, e& money, the fintech arm of e& life has been partnering with MoneyGram for international remittance service. This agreement solidifies e&'s global aspirations across its other markets to offer customers the most inclusive financial services powered by a seamless experience.

Through mobile wallet app customers in e& international markets can send and receive money globally quickly and effortlessly due to the efficient transactional process offered by MoneyGram. The wallet-to-wallet proposition also amplifies a seamless digital financial experience, given the rapidly evolving customer payment behaviours and the accelerated adoption of contactless payment solutions.

Mikhail Gerchuk, CEO, e& international said: "As more people across the world embrace digital financial services, we are continuously seeking new ways to empower our customers with the best solutions, and embark on value-adding partnerships that help them to access financial services quickly and easily. International money transfer is a crucial service that enables our customers across our footprint to send and receive money from their families, given the large expat population living in the markets where we operate.

Through MoneyGram's expansive network of mobile wallet operators, bank account and card deposit services, and retail locations, customers around the world have the ability to choose how to send and receive money based on their unique requirements. The service has been live throughout UAE and Afghanistan, with Egypt, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and several other e& international markets in Africa expected to launch in the next few months.

Khalifa Al Shamsi, CEO, e& life, said: "We have always aimed to revolutionise customer experience through innovative solutions that help meet the financial needs of our customers. The strategic partnership with MoneyGram has been enabling us continue building this solid foundation of growth, adding to the array of financial products and services that enhance and add value to our customers' lives. We will continue to work with MoneyGram and its vast network for the benefit of e& money subscribers while addressing the growing demand for a financial super app marketplace."

"As a result of our strategy to invest in our digital network that now extends to over 100 countries, we're seeing increased demand to access our global platform. As more digital partners seek to embed our leading fintech capabilities into their service offerings, we see a significant growth opportunity to efficiently add transactions to our scalable platform," said Alex Holmes, MoneyGram Chairman and CEO. "Our collaborative relationship with e& has grown to become one of our strongest and more successful digital partnerships. We're thrilled to continue to expand our relationship as their preferred partner for cross-border payments across all of the 16 markets in which they operate."

Etisalat Group has changed its brand identity to e&, effective from 23 February 2022. Its strategy aims to accelerate growth through the creation of a resilient business model representing the Group's main business pillars. The telecoms business currently continues to be led by etisalat by e& in e &'s home market, upholding the Group's rich telecoms heritage, bolstering the strong telecoms network and maximising value for the Group's various customer segments. The telecoms business is led by existing subsidiaries for e& international in 16 countries where the Group operates, with a focus on growing an international portfolio of world-class modern digital telcos by providing the best customer experience, building world-class digital capabilities and embracing expansion opportunities. Ramping up the digital services for individual customers to elevate their digital-first lifestyle, e& life brings next-generation technologies through smart connectivity platforms in entertainment, retail and financial technology. To enable the digital transformation of governments, large-scale enterprises and corporates, e& enterprise focuses on maximising value through its end-to-end solutions in cybersecurity, cloud, Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), as well as deploying mega projects. e& capital allows the Group to focus its efforts on driving new mergers and acquisitions while maximising shareholder value and strengthening global presence.

e&, formerly known as Etisalat Group, today announced a multi-year strategic partnership with Abu Dhabi Motorsports Management, as a founding partner of FORMULA 1 ETIHAD AIRWAYS ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX, the biggest sporting event in the Middle East, bringing the best in entertainment and digital experiences for residents and motorsport enthusiasts alike.

As a founding partner for the signature event, e& will work closely with Abu Dhabi Motorsports Management and Formula 1® in driving consumer engagement with digital experiences.

Since e&’s global transformation to a technology and investment conglomerate earlier this year, the company has continued its journey with steady progress in creating innovative solutions using next-generation technologies. This has created limitless possibilities built on connections, connectivity and collaboration. Through its specialised business pillars, the Group continues to bring more power, freedom and joy to its customers, delivering technology solutions that create and enable platforms for smart connectivity, holistic digital experiences and entertainment.

Hatem Dowidar, Group CEO, e&, said: “These are exciting times for us and we are delighted to partner with the Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the season finale and world-renowned motorsports event that brings the best of global sport and entertainment to UAE. Our multi-year strategic partnership with such a premium global brand offers us multiple opportunities to not only build new relationships and enhance customer experiences but also to seal our brand positioning as the global technology and investment conglomerate that digitally empowers societies.

“Today, the country is a global destination of sports; given the world-class facilities and diverse landscape, the UAE and the Emirate of Abu Dhabi will be more prevalent on the world’s sporting calendar. We are proud to be part of this global show alongside other reputed global brands, a next-generation, technology-driven sport appealing to a broad and ever-growing audience that resonates with the values of e& and its ambitions of transforming into a global technology and investment conglomerate. The event will give us an opportunity to explore possibilities that will elevate the visitor experience in the most innovative way at Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.”

Saif Al Noaimi, CEO, Abu Dhabi Motorsports Management, said: “We are proud and honored to announce e& as a founding partner to the Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Having the world’s eyes on Abu Dhabi during Race week, provides e& an excellent platform for the brand to tell its global transformation story, as it grows and evolves. The 14th edition of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix promises to be a fantastic event, with exceptional demand following last year’s record-breaking race weekend, we look forward to welcoming thousands of global F1 fans to Yas Island and Abu Dhabi, we will once again create some unforgettable memories for visitors from around the world in front of our biggest ever crowds. We look forward to e& joining us on that journey.”

This year’s race weekend takes place November 17-20 at Yas Marina Circuit, with the 2022 F1® season-finale following an action-packed four days of entertainment and racing action. Fans can look forward to the thrills of live action at Yas Marina Circuit, the fun-filled adventures of Yas Island and the Yasalam After-Race Concerts – which will once again take place at Etihad Park.

For this year’s incredible Yasalam After-Race Concerts, multi-platinum, grammy-award winning artist, Kendrick Lamar, and Multi-Grammy nominated group, Swedish House Mafia are among the first international superstar acts to be announced to headline at this year’s FORMULA 1 ETIHAD AIRWAYS ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX weekend, with two more premium global artists to be announced over the coming weeks.

Formula 2™nd Formula 4™ UAE will once again feature in the on-track schedule. This year’s event will also see a special addition of historic F1® cars taking to the track, offering spectators a unique glance into past eras of Formula 1®, with additional experiences on-track available across the weekend.

Due to unprecedented demand, limited tickets to the event remain available, including at the event’s newest hospitality product, The Deck @ Turn 9 which offers exclusive culinary experiences from Ce La Vi and is the the first of a number of world-class culinary experiences to be revealed as part of the region’s most popular entertainment weekend.

With some of the sport’s biggest stars set to take to the iconic Yas Marina Circuit track in Abu Dhabi on Sunday 20th November, fans can look forward to an incredible spectacle as the F1® season comes to a close in style this year on Yas Island.

Etisalat UAE, branded as etisalat by e&, today announced the launch of special packages to empower the education sector rewarding them for their dedication to progressing the knowledge economy in the country as well as their efforts and hard work during the academic year. The campaign is launched as part of etisalat by e&’s continuous efforts to give back to different segments of society.

The ‘Back to School’ campaign comprises multiple packages that include 100 GB local data to be used for 90 days at AED 149 for employees from the education segment registered under their organisation and for the administration department from educational institutions, where they can benefit from 2000 SMS free for one month. They can also take advantage of the free for life Whatsapp Business account worth AED 2,000

Subscribers currently using the corporate packages provided by their educational institution can enjoy the benefits of this exclusive campaign that will run until 30th September 2022 . More exclusive packages for the community will be released until end of the year.

etisalat by e& has always worked actively in the Education Sector. Specifically, during the pandemic, the company ramped up its efforts to support distance learning activities for students. It was also instrumental in offering free access to specific study platforms identified by the Ministry of Education. With the launch of the ‘Back to School’ campaign, the company is bringing new opportunities for businesses in the Education Sector to enjoy all the benefits irrespective of the size of the organisation.

In the past, etisalat by e& has spearheaded several similar initiatives to connect communities including, construction workers during Eid Al Adha and delivery workers during Ramadan.

Etisalat Group has changed its brand identity to e&, effective from 23 February 2022. Its strategy aims to accelerate growth through the creation of a resilient business model representing the Group’s main business pillars. The telecoms business currently continues to be led by etisalat by e& in e&’s home market and by existing subsidiaries for e& international, upholding the Group’s rich telecoms heritage, bolstering the strong telecoms network and maximising value for the Group’s various customer segments. Ramping up the digital services for individual customers to elevate their digital-first lifestyle, e& life brings next-generation technologies through smart connectivity platforms in entertainment, retail and financial technology. To enable the digital transformation of governments, large-scale enterprises and corporates, e& enterprise focuses on maximising value through its end-to-end solutions in cybersecurity, cloud, Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), as well as deploying mega projects. e& capital allows the Group to focus its efforts on driving new mergers and acquisitions while maximising shareholder value and strengthening global presence.

evision, the entertainment streaming division of e& life (part of e&), today announced that it has acquired exclusive broadcast and media rights for the upcoming and highly anticipated DP World Asia Cup to be shown only on the CricLife MAX channel in the MENA region.

After four years and following a pandemic, the Asian Cricket Council’s 2022 edition of the Men’s Asia Cup returns with UAE as the host. It is a six-team tournament that will be held between 27 August and 11 September. India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan are the confirmed teams, while Hong Kong qualified for the sixth spot after winning all their three matches in the qualifiers, beating UAE, Kuwait and Singapore. Cricket fans in the UAE can get all the action exclusively on CricLife MAX channel on eLife TV, Switch TV and in MENA via the new Sports bundle available on the STARZPLAY app.

Olivier Bramly, CEO, evision said: “We are excited to bring the DP World Asia Cup 2022 to all viewers on CricLife MAX after a four-year, pandemic hiatus. We have always been committed to delivering the best in sports and entertainment from local and international content providers. Avid cricket fans will be able to enjoy the games on our broadcast as well as digital platforms, giving them the flexibility to watch from anywhere and at any time.”

CricLife channels are a one-stop for cricket that are currently available on Asiana and Sports packages on eLife and the OTT packages of Switch TV and STARZPLAY. Subscribers get an opportunity to watch all the best cricket content available from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, West Indies, South Africa, New Zealand and Ireland, in addition to major events like the Asia Cup, ICC Cricket World Cups as well as the popular T20 leagues like Pakistan Super League (PSL) and Caribbean Premier League (CPL)

Etisalat Group has changed its brand identity to e&, effective from 23 February 2022. Its strategy aims to accelerate growth through the creation of a resilient business model representing the Group’s main business pillars. The telecoms business currently continues to be led by etisalat by e& in e&’s home market and by existing subsidiaries for e& international, upholding the Group’s rich telecoms heritage, bolstering the strong telecoms network and maximising value for the Group’s various customer segments. Ramping up the digital services for individual customers to elevate their digital-first lifestyle, e& life brings next-generation technologies through smart connectivity platforms in entertainment, retail and financial technology. To enable the digital transformation of governments, large-scale enterprises and corporates, e& enterprise focuses on maximising value through its end-to-end solutions in cybersecurity, cloud, Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), as well as deploying mega projects. e& capital allows the Group to focus its efforts on driving new mergers and acquisitions while maximising shareholder value and strengthening global presence.

Etisalat UAE, branded as etisalat by e&, today announced the integration of the UAE PASS login on the ‘My Etisalat UAE’ app and portal (www.etisalat.ae), enabling all subscribers to seamlessly log in with their secure national digital identity details.

UAE PASS is the first secure national digital identity for citizens and residents, allowing users to access many online services across various sectors, sign and authenticate documents, perform transactions digitally and request a digital version of their official documents.

In partnership with etisalat by e&, all customers with a verified UAE PASS account can use the UAE PASS authentication to access accounts registered against their Emirates ID with this new login feature. This bolsters security and combats fraud for users, making it convenient and popular among subscribers. Additionally, etisalat by e& has made it possible for subscribers to register for the UAE PASS on its app and website without the need to go to any physical outlet.

etisalat by e&’s continuous efforts to digitise customer journeys now offer a ‘zero-touch’ experience with a focus on enhancing digital channels such as apps, websites and social media, optimising contact centre performance with the introduction of virtual agents, and revamping and digitising its stores. This integration of the national identity across the digital channels is in line with etisalat by e&’s main objective to combine the optimum mix of physical and digital channels and offer a truly omnichannel and digital-first experience.

A superior and differentiating customer experience is a foundational block in etisalat by e&’s transformation into a digital telco. The company is harnessing the power of analytics and AI to offer personalised experiences across all digital and physical channels. The digital experience of customers is enhanced through the ‘My Etisalat UAE’ app as they can fully view and make all their required transactions on the app, such as access and payment of bills, account management , plan changes, and contract – all these are now accessible via an easy log in with UAE PASS. Other features include buying devices, subscribing to new services or troubleshooting technical issues are also available using the self-care support modules on the app.

To further enhance customer experience, both the app and website interfaces are undergoing a full revamp alongwith additional features. Currently, there are more than 4 million customers who are actively using the ‘My Etisalat UAE’ App on a regular basis.

• ‘Thukher’ and ‘Barakatna’ cardholders to avail up to 60 percent discount on selected ‘Freedom’ postpaid plans

Etisalat UAE, branded as etisalat by e&, today announced its exclusive offer for senior Emirati citizens as a token of gratitude for their contribution to the growth and development of the UAE. This is also aligned with the UAE’s National Policy for Senior Emiratis to cater to all segments of the UAE society and ensure senior citizens' wellbeing as part of the UAE Centennial Strategy 2071.

Senior Emirati citizens holding a ‘Thukher’ or ‘Barakatna’ card can now avail up to 60 percent discount on four ‘Freedom’ postpaid plans from etisalat by e&. They can also enjoy preferential treatment at etisalat by e& stores and priority calls in the customer care centre. New and existing Freedom plan customers can activate the offer at any of the etisalat by e& business centres.

A Thukher card is a senior citizen privilege card with a multitude of benefits issued by the Community Development Authority in Dubai. These benefits are provided to senior Emirati cardholders in collaboration with government and private institutions. 'Barakatna’ card members in Abu Dhabi are registered under the Family Development Foundation database. Senior Emirati cardholders are entitled to a wide range of benefits, discounts and services offered by governmental, semi-governmental and private entities.

In line with its refreshed strategy, etisalat by e& is on a mission to deliver outstanding customer experiences, by enriching consumers’ value propositions. The exclusive offer for Emirati senior citizens is aligned with its core values and overarching e& mission to support customer segments in any possible way, by constantly tailoring offers that best suit their needs.

etisalat by e& will continually create and provide innovative services at several touchpoints so that its customers, businesses and the community feel cared for as they adjust to continuously changing conditions.

Etisalat Group has changed its brand identity to e&, effective from 23 February 2022. Its strategy aims to accelerate growth through the creation of a resilient business model representing the Group’s main business pillars. The telecoms business currently continues to be led by etisalat by e& in e&’s home market and by existing subsidiaries for e& international, upholding the Group’s rich telecoms heritage, bolstering the strong telecoms network and maximising value for the Group’s various customer segments.

Ramping up the digital services for individual customers to elevate their digital-first lifestyle, e& life brings next-generation technologies through smart connectivity platforms in entertainment, retail and financial technology. To enable the digital transformation of governments, large-scale enterprises and corporates, e& enterprise focuses on maximising value through its end-to-end solutions in cybersecurity, cloud, Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), as well as deploying mega projects. e& capital allows the Group to focus its efforts on driving new mergers and acquisitions while maximising shareholder value and strengthening global presence.

Etisalat UAE, branded as etisalat by e&, today announced the successful completion of its first trial of the 6GHz spectrum, creating history by taking this monumental step for the future of 5G, opening up a world of possibilities for next-generation technologies and economies of the future.

This trial conducted with Huawei Technologies was integral in today’s technology evolution as full speed and capabilities of 5G depend on mid-band spectrum that secures performance in the long term and adds more capacity if required. Here, 6GHz plays a critical role, especially considering the use of mobile technologies has grown exponentially, devices have become more powerful, and services more diverse for both consumers and enterprises. With bandwidth-hungry applications, the number of connected devices per person has also increased, which means more bandwidth will be required to limit service degradation and deliver a good quality of experience.

The 6 GHz range is a mid-band frequency and sits at a balancing point between coverage and capacity, providing the perfect environment for 5G connectivity. Extending the bandwidth of 5G through the harmonisation of 6 GHz spectrum will provide more bandwidth and improve network performance. On top of this, the broad, contiguous channels offered by the 6 GHz range will reduce the need for network densification and make next-generation connectivity more affordable for all.

Khalid Murshed, Chief Technology and Information Officer (CTIO), Etisalat UAE, said: “5G allows the industry to support national digital transformation goals by providing reliable, high capacity, low latency, and wide-area connectivity to consumers and industries. The metaverse is opening untapped opportunities with hyper-personalised experiences powered by AI. Telcos will be the entry point to the metaverse because of connectivity but also because the customer wants access to a digital world. The future is powered by AI and analytics, with metaverse playing a role yet to be defined. This kind of technology disruption will create challenges but simultaneously bring massive prospects to this dynamic industry.

The trial for 6GHz was influenced by these future market requirements as we foresee a significant growth accelerated by these applications. As a digital telco, we focus on our core while curating digital experiences that maximise engagement by building new capabilities across AI and digital to thrive in an increasingly competitive and ever-changing market environment.”

The focus on 6GHz is also in line with etisalat by e&’s future roadmap as part of the e& group transformation drive to become a global technology conglomerate. Its partnerships with global tech companies like Meta are a testimony to the continuous drive for innovation by working together on metaverse technologies, use cases that integrate with the latest Meta products and solutions, consumer channel digitalisation, enhancing Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) experiences and conversational commerce throughout its digital communication plans.

The metaverse will require seamless mobility enabled by macro-cellular networks relying on mid-band spectrum such as the 6GHz band. In this scenario, as an example, XR (extended reality) headsets will require sufficient bandwidth on 5G smartphones to connect to these networks. At etisalat by e&, there has been remarkable progress in 5G implementation and connections across the country.

5G is the enabler of the future digital society and the foundation for the digital economy. According to GSMA's latest report, 5G will bring an economic contribution of $700 billion to society in 2030. At the end of March 2022, 5G services have been launched in more than 70 countries, with more than 220 5G networks being deployed, and more than 700 million 5G users.

5G use cases today accelerate digital transformation across industries and sectors, unleashing new waves of innovation that will benefit billions. 5G networks and technologies support next-generation industry 4.0 and implementations in health care and transport, all depending on bandwidth, coverage and capacity.

With 6GHz, new 5G projects can bring innovative and creative applications to society with faster, more reliable mobile broadband. They thus enable new applications and services, fixed wireless access (FWA) 5G to connect consumers and businesses at fibre-like speeds away from last-mile fibre, next-generation industrial automation transforming processes, increasing efficiency, reducing costs and improving safety. In healthcare and transport, speed and latency capabilities make advanced telemedicine with remote surgery possible, while connected transport is enabled along with highly efficient public transport networks.

etisalat by e& has been also working towards meeting the various requirements of IMT (International Mobile Telecommunications) set by ITU (International Telecommunication Union) and the World Radiocommunication Conference to be held in 2023 in UAE. This is in line with various countries undergoing similar trials supporting the spectrum for IMT along with other regulators and operators.

• Board approves interim dividend of 40 fils per share for H1 2022

e& (formerly known as Etisalat Group) today announced its financial results for H1 2022.

Financial Highlights for H1 2022

(*) At constant exchange rates, revenue increased by +3.8% percent and EBITDA increased by +4.1% percent year-over-year

Key operational highlights and developments for H1 2022

• e&:
  • Board approves interim dividend of 40 fils per share for H1 2022
  • Acquired approximately 2,766 million shares in Vodafone Group Plc (“Vodafone”), representing 9.8% of Vodafone’s issued share capital (excluding treasury shares)
  • Completed the acquisition of elGrocer, under the Smiles brand
  • Launched region’s first Telco NFT collection to strengthen blockchain legacy
  • Announced the readiness of SmartHub Datacentre as the future telecom hub in the region
  • Partnered with G42 to create the UAE and Middle East’s largest data centre provider, Khazna Data Centers, to support the creation of a digital ecosystem
  • Entered a new phase of collaboration and strategic partnership with Microsoft to drive innovation and digital transformation
  • Open Radio Access Network (RAN) MoU comprising of Middle East operators including e& opened the region’s first centralised test lab in collaboration with TIP and Intel
  • Partnered with Meta to drive innovation with enhanced Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) experiences and conversational commerce in its digital communication projects
  • e&, Abu Dhabi Digital Authority (ADDA) and Trend Micro partnered to launch Cyber Eye, an initiative to strengthen the Abu Dhabi Government entities’ cybersecurity capabilities
• Etisalat UAE, by e&:
  • Announced the refreshed brand identity in line with the Group’s new positioning earlier this year
  • Launched GoChat Messenger, an all-in-one free voice and video calling app
  • Launched the UAE’s first-of-its-kind Easy Insurance, an innovative insurance platform offering digital services for auto, health and travel insurance
  • Parnered with Amazon to offer eero and Echo devices for the very first time in the country and expanded collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to serve key industries and meet the growing demand for digitalisation across different industries
  • In collaboration with industry leading vendors, Etisalat UAE launched the first global live multi-vendors VoNR (Voice over New Radio) ecosystem
  • Recognised outstanding small and medium businesses (SMBs) and start-ups at the second edition of the SMB awards
  • Smiles partnered with Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiative (MBRGI) to support the global “One Billion Meals” campaign during the holy month of Ramadan
• e& international:
  • Etisalat Egypt announced its brand identity as etisalat by e&, following the celebration of its 15th year anniversary of operations
  • Etisalat Egypt and Honeywell signed an MoU to offer new services and products in the field of IoT and smart cities
  • Announced discussions with Mobily regarding a potential offer to increase its shareholding in Mobily
  • PTCL successfully deployed AirPON, an innovative Fibre-to-the-Home solution, in its Fiber Access Network
• e& life, from e&:
  • eWallet rebranded as e& money, the new fintech company as well as the financial super app marketplace
  • E-Vision and Abu Dhabi Developmental Holding Company PJSC (ADQ), signed a binding agreement to acquire approximately 57 percent in STARZPLAY ARABIA
  • ejunior, owned by E-Vision, celebrated its successful 21-year journey in the UAE
• e& enterprise, from e&:
  • Partnered with DataRobot to launch an Enterprise AI as a Services (AIaas) for supporting governments’ digital transformation journey support
  • Partnered with NICE to bring the CXone cloud platform to the UAE
  • Collaborated with Oracle, to host business solutions for Transguard Group to lower the total cost of ownership (TCO) by over 40 percent in five years

H1 Overview

e&'s consolidated revenues reached AED 26.3 billion, while consolidated net profit was AED 4.9 billion, a year-over-year increase of 2.5 percent. At constant exchange rates, revenue increased by 3.8 percent. Consolidated EBITDA remained steady in reporting currency at AED 13.4 billion, while increased by 4.1 percent in constant currency, resulting in an EBITDA margin of 51 percent.
The number of etisalat by e& subscribers in the UAE reached 13.3 million in H1 2022, representing an increase of 10 percent over the same period last year, while aggregate group subscribers reached 160 million, a 2.5 percent increase.

Outlook

Since e&’s evolution into a global technology and investment conglomerate earlier this year, the company has continued its journey with steady progress in creating innovative solutions using next-generation technologies and pursuing strong local, regional and international mutually beneficial partnerships that create value and benefit our customers, enterprises and communities.
Commenting on the H1 2022 results, H.E. Jassem Mohamed Obaid Bu Ataba Alzaabi, Chairman of e&, said: “e&’s performance during the first half of the year demonstrates our unwavering commitment, continued efforts and relentless focus on realising our vision of driving the digital future to empower societies. Our success is underpinned by our drive to make a positive change in the societies we serve while adding value to our shareholders.
Our financial performance reinforces e&’s success story and its strong standing, tackling the challenges and rising to every opportunity to execute our ambitious plans we embarked on earlier this year and set the momentum for the remainder of 2022. We have embraced digitisation, with a continuous innovation ethos to charter our course into a more holistic digital transformation for our communities and societies.
I would like to thank the UAE’s wise leadership for their inspiring vision and continuous support to the ICT sector. I am also grateful to our e& management team for constantly capitalising on our deep digital expertise to act as enablers of digital transformation for governments, corporates, and consumers, providing complete end-to-end solutions. We remain thankful to our loyal consumers and shareholders for joining us in our journey of transformation and collaborating with us to set new industry benchmarks and reach new heights.”
Hatem Dowidar, Group CEO of e&, said: "e&’s financial results for the first half of this year are an outcome of our earnest endeavours to drive growth and enhance efficiencies, with a strong commitment to key strategic priorities to enable a better digital future and drive innovation.
e& achieved good performance despite global economic challenges characterised by soaring inflation, hike in interest rates and foreign currency devaluation. We will remain resilient and see these times as opportunities to deepen our focus and invest in the long term. As we navigate through the new global economic landscape, we will focus on our goal to create and deploy innovative solutions to positively impact people’s lives.
We have maximised our efforts in growing our core and digital services, by enriching consumers’ value propositions with digital services that cater to their new lifestyles and emerging demands beyond basic telecom services. Our telecoms business has been the growth engine behind our company and its transformation into a techco. This has helped solidify our leadership across our geographic footprint, as well as grow adjacencies organically and through acquisitions.
The e& digital transformation path has accelerated, empowering our customers across the digital marketplace realm, growing in fintech, providing holistic digital solutions and elevating the streaming experience to new heights. Our investment in Vodafone, for example, has great potential to drive value for both companies as we explore potential collaboration opportunities in the rapidly developing global telecom market and support the adoption of next-generation technologies. We are confident that the efforts during the first half of 2022 will help us be even better positioned to bring the full potential of the digital world to our customers across all segments by strategically building blocks that enable a future-ready business model.
We remain thankful to the UAE leadership, outstanding employees, customers and shareholders for their continued support. Our strength and determination rely on a collaborative ecosystem that moved us towards the decision of exploring new paths and reaching new horizons.”
Etisalat Group has changed its brand identity to e&, effective from 23 February 2022. Its strategy aims to accelerate growth through the creation of a resilient business model representing the Group’s main business pillars. The telecoms business currently continues to be led by etisalat by e& in e&’s home market and by existing subsidiaries for e& international, upholding the Group’s rich telecoms heritage, bolstering the strong telecoms network and maximising value for the Group’s various customer segments. Ramping up the digital services for individual customers to elevate their digital-first lifestyle, e& life brings next-generation technologies through smart connectivity platforms in entertainment, retail and financial technology. To enable the digital transformation of governments, large-scale enterprises and corporates, e& enterprise focuses on maximising value through its end-to-end solutions in cybersecurity, cloud, Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), as well as deploying mega projects. e& capital allows the Group to focus its efforts on driving new mergers and acquisitions while maximising shareholder value and strengthening global presence.

• Deployed first end-to-end MS Teams Direct Routing solution in the UAE
• Enabled the business group to move from on-premise legacy telephony to a cloud-based solution
• Communication solution with carrier-grade availability and security

Etisalat UAE, branded as etisalat by e&, today announced the successful implementation of an end-to-end MS Teams Direct Routing in the UAE for Juma Al Majid Holding Group supporting the digital transformation journey of the group by moving from an on-premise legacy telephony to a cloud-based solution.

The implementation follows e&’s recent unveiling of “etisalat by e&” as the new brand identity for Etisalat UAE, in line with the Group’s positioning as the global technology and investment conglomerate that digitally empowers people and societies. This illustrates the company’s continuous efforts to provide creative offerings that best support its customers’ requirements and enhance the customer experience.

Etisalat by e& provided a hosted end-to-end solution including voice infrastructure, managed Session Border Controller (SBC), and MS Teams integrated with MS Office 365. This will offer interoperability by delivering calls directly to Juma Al Majid’s business locations with MS Teams as an office phone system, making the workforce more productive. This is in line with Juma Al Majid Holding Group’s future goal of adopting a fully agile way of working and seamless interaction, with the installation of softphones on mobile, thus eliminating the traditional desk phones and giving employees the freedom to communicate and collaborate from any location leading to higher productivity between cross-functional teams.

Jawad Abu Farha, Group Chief Information Officer - Juma Al Majid Holding Group highlighted that this implementation is an essential building block in the group’s digital journey as the organisation transitions to the cloud for all its operations. “The group’s partnership with Etisalat by e& is supporting our journey in achieving our strategic digital goals. The deployment of this end-to-end solution is the first in the country, and we are proud to have set a benchmark for our peers in adopting this agile solution that enables cross-functional team productivity and increases operational efficiency.”

Etisalat by e& operates and manages the most advanced network and voice infrastructure in the UAE, but it also brings robust end-to-end managed solutions to its government and enterprise customers. Moreover, in its position as a leading digital enabler, it gives large-scale organisations like Juma Al Majid ample leverage to fast track their journey to the cloud, facilitating faster time to market and supporting multiple lines of businesses.

Ragi Magdy, Senior Vice President, Enterprise Sales, Etisalat UAE said: “We are committed to enhancing customer experiences across all our business operations at e&, by ideating, designing and delivering a range of innovative technologies that make a difference. We are proud of our partnership with Microsoft to deliver the first end-to-end MS Teams Direct Routing solution in the UAE to our long-term customer Juma Al Majid Holding Group. This reinstates Etisalat’s capabilities as an ICT conglomerate that combines technological competencies with robust telecoms expertise for a brighter, digital future.The implementation of this project highlights our 24x7 fully managed operational capabilities and epitomises our strategic vision of driving the digital future to empower societies. We look forward to working closely with Juma Al Majid Holding Group as they adopt innovative technology solutions across their business segments, ultimately driving positive change across their operations.”

e& has grown from offering ‘voice’ and connectivity to becoming the digital champion that offers customer delight and unlocks shareholder value. Its recent evolution into a global technology conglomerate is backed by strong financial performance, historical achievements and several milestones. The Group has already demonstrated its robust digital transformation leadership by maintaining its 5G network capabilities, investing in innovative technologies, deploying megaprojects and engaging in strategic partnerships. Through its transformation, e& is creating limitless possibilities built on connections, smart connectivity and collaboration.

Etisalat Group has changed its brand identity to e&, effective from 23 February 2022. Its strategy aims to accelerate growth through the creation of a resilient business model representing the Group’s main business pillars. The telecom business currently continues to operate led by Etisalat UAE in e&’s home market and by existing subsidiaries for international operations, upholding the Group’s rich telecoms heritage, bolstering the strong telecoms network and maximising value for the Group’s various customer segments. Ramping up the digital services for individual customers to elevate their digital-first lifestyle, e& life brings next-generation technologies through smart connectivity platforms in entertainment, retail and financial technology. To enable the digital transformation of governments, large-scale enterprises and corporates, e& enterprise focuses on maximising value through its end-to-end solutions in cybersecurity, cloud, Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), as well as deploying mega projects. e& capital allows the Group to focus its efforts on driving new mergers and acquisitions while maximising shareholder value and strengthening global presence.

• Transformation from a digital wallet to a tech-driven fintech company under e& life, from e&, with its own financial super app marketplace
• Becomes an innovative end-to-end technology solution serving the financial needs of banked, under-banked and unbanked segments as well as merchants and businesses
• Changes align with UAE’s continued socio-economic development goals for a cashless economy

e& (formerly Etisalat Group) today announced that eWallet is undergoing a major transformation into a new fintech company called e& money. As the fintech arm of e& life (one of the specialist business pillars of e&), e& money aims to revolutionise the customer experience through its innovative financial super app marketplace.

The announcement builds on the success that eWallet has achieved to date, providing both UAE citizens and residents with safe, flexible and contactless payment solutions to make their daily transactions in the most convenient manner. Furthermore, as the first wallet licensed by the Central Bank in the UAE, it enabled new growth opportunities for the telecom and financial services sectors. In light of the fast-evolving fintech industry, consumers and merchants are seeking an integrated financial marketplace or mobile-centric solution to simplify the way they carry out transactions. Through the rebrand, e& money is evolving to become a comprehensive super app that addresses a variety of financial needs of customers, giving them access to financial services such as merchant payments, money remittances, bill payments, lending, investments, network branded cards and insurance services.

Khalifa Al Shamsi, CEO of e& life, said: “We are building on the solid foundations of growth through an array of relevant financial products and services that enhance our customers' lives and add business value to merchants and businesses. Our fintech company, e& money, demonstrates our commitment to advancing digital fintech solutions that make a difference, delivering an innovative end-to-end financial marketplace that meets all of our customers’ financial needs as we push beyond the realms of traditional services.

“With the evolving financial ecosystem, e& money will set a precedent for embracing the imminent cashless economy by capitalising on e&’s brand value and our strong customer base in the UAE and the other operating markets. We also welcome strategic partnerships with start-ups and technology players in the fintech space to bring best-in-class technologies and innovative solutions such as AI-based platforms, credit scoring algorithms, and advanced analytics platforms that will benefit our customers and address the growing demand for a financial super app marketplace.”

UAE citizens, residents, and UAE-based businesses will benefit from e& money through an enhanced customer experience that enables them to do their financial transactions in a seamless, convenient and secure way, spurring a cashless economy.

The fintech company will open more doors to digital financial systems that will serve banked, unbanked and under-banked customers in the UAE. Currently, 55 percent of total payments are made in cash in the UAE, making it a dominant payment option in the country. The move will not only break down barriers customers face when accessing financial services even further, but it will also support the UAE’s ambitions for continued socio-economic development and a cashless economy.

• All-in-one free app offers unique features such as local and international money transfers, news, games, Smiles and home services

Etisalat UAE, branded as etisalat by e&, today announced the launch of GoChat Messenger, an all-in-one free voice and video calling app, giving customers the flexibility of accessing unique features within one application. GoChat Messenger offers a hassle-free experience for customers to easily make and receive voice and video calls, chat with friends and family, transfer money to their families, pay bills, play games, stay updated with the latest news and events, access Smiles vouchers and deals, as well as several home services.

The launch follows e&’s recent unveiling of “etisalat by e&” as the new brand identity for Etisalat UAE, in line with the Group’s positioning as the global technology and investment conglomerate that digitally empowers people and societies. This illustrates the company’s continuous efforts to provide creative offerings that best support its customers’ requirements and enhance the customer experience.

The app is in line with the overall vision of etisalat by e& to empower customers with seamless digital applications, enabling experiences that enhance their digital lifestyles. Since the pandemic, the market witnessed an increase in penetration and popularity for internet calling apps.

At etisalat by e&, there have been continuous efforts to ramp up efforts to ideate and create innovative propositions that drive smart connectivity, maximise value creation and enhance customer experience. GoChat Messenger is the latest addition to the suite of products and services that will benefit customers in the face of the ever-growing need for amplified connectivity in a post-pandemic era.

GoChat Messenger is a global application that can be downloaded by anyone in the world, only requiring a mobile number for registration, connecting the UAE population with friends and family across the globe and can be downloaded via Android and iOS app stores.

The app offers unique features making it an all-encompassing app for life in the UAE. With GoChat Messenger, customers will remain up to date with the latest news and events in the country whilst staying entertained with free-to-play games as an embedded feature.

It also aspires to making customers’ lives easier, offering international and local money transfers, including bill payments through eWallet. GoChat Messenger also offers customers trustworthy and reliable home services including home cleaning, PCR at home, salon at home as well gifting services at their fingertips. Lastly customers can also access selected Smiles vouchers and deals directly through GoChat messenger.

Etisalat Group has changed its brand identity to e&, effective from 23 February 2022. Its strategy aims to accelerate growth through the creation of a resilient business model representing the Group’s main business pillars. The telecoms business currently continues to be led by etisalat by e& in e&’s home market and by existing subsidiaries for e& international, upholding the Group’s rich telecoms heritage, bolstering the strong telecoms network and maximising value for the Group’s various customer segments.

Ramping up the digital services for individual customers to elevate their digital-first lifestyle, e& life brings next-generation technologies through smart connectivity platforms in entertainment, retail and financial technology. To enable the digital transformation of governments, large-scale enterprises and corporates, e& enterprise focuses on maximising value through its end-to-end solutions in cybersecurity, cloud, Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), as well as deploying mega projects. e& capital allows the Group to focus its efforts on driving new mergers and acquisitions while maximising shareholder value and strengthening global presence.

• Four Content Pass categories: Music, Gaming, Video, and Connect
• Offers rich content data allowances for favourite apps per category, plus free digital subscriptions, discounts and more

Etisalat UAE, branded as “etisalat by e&”, today announced the launch of its Content Passes, an all-new lifestyle bundle. The new offering addresses the customers' increasing demand for seamlessly accessing music, mobile games, video and social media through Etisalat’s advanced mobile network. The launch is part of the company’s continuous efforts to provide creative offerings that best support its customers’ requirements and enhance the customer experience.

The launch follows e&’s recent unveiling of “etisalat by e&” as the new brand identity for Etisalat UAE, in line with the Group’s positioning as the global technology and investment conglomerate that digitally empowers people and societies. This illustrates the company’s continuous efforts to provide creative offerings that best support its customers’ requirements and enhance the customer experience.

Collaborating with popular brands such as Anghami, JioSaavn, Amazon Prime and STARZPLAY among others, etisalat by e& launched the 'Content Pass' to offer postpaid customers a combination of telecoms and digital benefits. Each Content Pass offers 10GB of content data that can be used to access the most popular apps in the category without consuming the data included in the postpaid plan. In addition, as a promotional launch offer, the content data allowance will be doubled, giving customers 20GB in the pass. The other benefits include one complimentary digital subscription, additional subscription offers on other digital services, discount vouchers for accessories, shopping vouchers, and the chance to win invitations to exclusive events. All etisalat by e& postpaid subscribers can buy the various passes.

As the landscape in the telecom industry undergoes constant evolution, etisalat by e& has adopted a progressive outlook and created these next-generation packages that enable a seamless digital customer experience. "The way customers engage with the digital world is continuously transforming, encouraging us to innovate continuously. We design game-changing product offerings such as the Content Pass, to meet consumers’ changing digital needs and interests, uniquely addressing a variety of consumer passion points, through combining digital services with our core telecom services," reiterated Khaled ElKhouly, Chief Consumer Officer (CCO) Etisalat UAE.

etisalat by e& postpaid customers can select from four passes – Music Pass, Gaming Pass, Video Pass and the Connect Pass, each available for AED 100. The price of Content Passes includes an AED 100 device discount that can be used when purchasing selected flagship devices. Customers also have an opportunity to enter monthly raffle draws to win invitations to exclusive events and shopping vouchers.

The Music Pass includes a free subscription to Anghami Plus, an exclusive subscription offer for JioSaavn Pro, and 20GB of content data to stream music from Anghami, JioSaavn and Tidal.

For gaming enthusiasts, the Gaming Pass offers free UCs (in-game currency) to PUBG Mobile (limited period offer), a subscription offer for Arena and 20GB of content data for mobile gaming on PUBG Mobile and Arena.

The Video Pass includes a free subscription to Switch TV, subscription offers for Amazon Prime and STARZPLAY, as well as 20GB of content data to stream Switch TV, Prime Video, STARZPLAY and other popular video streaming apps.

The Connect Pass gives access to all things social, a free subscription to GoChat Messenger for Internet calling as well as unlimited SMSs. The 20GB of content data on the Connect Pass can be used for Facebook, Messenger, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, Linkedin, Whatsapp, WeChat, TikTok and GoChat Messenger.

• eero 6 and eero Pro 6 now available for the first time in the UAE, across all Etisalat UAE retail outlets.
• Amazon Echo Dot, Echo Dot with clock, Echo Show 5, Echo Show 8, and Echo Show 10 to become available at Etisalat UAE retail outlets in the coming months
• Alexa powers the Echo device family—just ask Alexa to read the news, answer questions, recite the Holy Quran, as well as control compatible smart home devices

Etisalat UAE, the telecoms pillar of e& (previously known as Etisalat Group) in the UAE, today announced that it is teaming up with Amazon to offer eero devices for the first time in the country. Starting today, eero 6 and eero Pro 6 Wi-Fi mesh devices will be available for customers to purchase at Etisalat UAE retail outlets across the nation. In the coming months, Etisalat UAE will also offer Amazon’s range of Echo smart home devices.

The launch follows e&’s recent unveiling of “etisalat by e&” as the new brand identity for Etisalat UAE, in line with the Group’s positioning as the global technology and investment conglomerate that digitally empowers people and societies. This illustrates the company’s continuous efforts to provide creative offerings that best support its customers’ requirements and enhance the customer experience.

The collaboration with Amazon will also involve Etisalat UAE’s subsidiary Solid that will manage the logistics and distribution of eero and Echo devices for Etisalat UAE’s retail outlets, in addition to working with eero that will provide after sales support for its Wi-Fi mesh devices.

The eero 6 series is a whole home mesh Wi-Fi system delivering fast, secure Wi-Fi across the home. Offering Wi-Fi 6 technology and support for more than 75 simultaneously connected devices, eero’s mesh technology uses multiple eero devices to blanket an entire home in reliable broadband coverage. With a built-in Zigbee smart home hub, eero 6 and eero Pro 6 eliminate the need for a separate Zigbee hub. After you link your eero and Amazon account, Zigbee devices such as smart lights, locks, plugs, and other compatible devices can connect directly to the consumer’s eero network.

The eero 6 series is also convenient for customers to set up —simply unplug the old router, connect your eero 6 device to the modem and then sign in to the app.

Ideal for homes with gigabit internet connections, a single eero Pro 6 is a tri-band, high-performance mesh Wi-Fi 6 router with two Ethernet ports and a built-in Zigbee smart home hub. A single eero Pro 6 covers up to 190 square metres. A two-pack includes two eero Pro 6 routers, covering up to 320 square metres. An eero Pro 6 three-pack includes three eero Pro 6 devices that are interconnected with a wire or wirelessly to cover up to 560 square metres (additional Ethernet cables sold separately).

Designed for homes with internet connections up to 900 Mbps, a single eero 6 is a dual-band mesh Wi-Fi 6 router with two Ethernet ports and a built-in Zigbee smart home hub. A single eero 6 covers up to 140 square metres. An eero 6 two-pack covers up to 280 square metres and includes an eero 6 mesh router and the all-new eero 6 mesh Wi-Fi extender. An eero 6 three-pack, which provides up to 420 square metres of coverage, includes an eero 6 and two eero 6 mesh Wi-Fi extenders.

Khaled Elkhouly, Chief Consumer Officer at Etisalat UAE, said: “Customers are always seeking out ways to make their homes more comfortable while enjoying the latest smart technologies and digital experiences. By working closely with Amazon, we will now be able to offer the incredible range of Echo smart speakers and eero Wi-Fi mesh devices at our stores across the UAE, enabling our customers to create fully interconnected smart home networks seamlessly by increasing their Internet of Things (IoT).”

Eric Saarnio, Vice President, Amazon Devices International, said: “We are thrilled to team up with Etisalat UAE to introduce eero devices to customers in the Emirates for the first time. eero 6 and eero Pro 6 are easy-to-use, fast, secure, and reliable whole-home Wi-Fi systems that represent an exciting expansion of our portfolio of devices in the UAE.”

Amazon and Etisalat UAE first collaborated to introduce the Etisalat Alexa skill as part of the recent launch of an all-new, localised Alexa experience in Khaleeji Arabic and the introduction of a range of Echo devices to the UAE. Echo devices are voice-controlled speakers designed entirely around the customer’s voice—they are always ready, hands-free, and fast. Once customers make a request, Alexa will answer questions, play music, read the news, recite the Holy Quran, set timers and alarms, provide sports scores, control lights or air-conditioning at home, and much more.

To purchase eero and eero pro (one-pack) devices, customers can visit the nearest Etisalat UAE retail outlet or business centre, order through www.etisalat.ae or via My Etisalat app. eero 6(one-pack) is available on www.amazon.ae/dp/B08NFJFVJZ and eero Pro (one-pack) on https://www.amazon.ae/dp/B08NFLQGTJ .

Etisalat Group has changed its brand identity to e&, effective from 23 February 2022. Its strategy aims to accelerate growth through the creation of a resilient business model representing the Group’s main business pillars. The Telecoms business currently continues to operate led by Etisalat UAE in e&’s home market and by existing subsidiaries for international operations, upholding the Group’s rich telecoms heritage, bolstering the strong telecoms network and maximising value for the Group’s various customer segments. Ramping up the digital services for individual customers to elevate their digital-first lifestyle, e& life brings next-generation technologies through smart connectivity platforms in entertainment, retail and financial technology.

To enable the digital transformation of governments, large-scale enterprises and corporates, e& enterprise focusses on maximising value through its end-to-end solutions in cybersecurity, cloud, Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), as well as deploying mega projects. e& capital allows the Group to focus its efforts on driving new mergers and acquisitions while maximising shareholder value and strengthening global presence.

• The brand evolution of Etisalat UAE is backed by its success as the Group’s growth engine for decades
• Is in alignment with the recent e& transformation journey as a global technology and investment conglomerate
• Full steam ahead for e& to fulfil its transformation strategy while maximising value for customers, shareholders, and investors

e& (formerly known as Etisalat Group) today unveiled “etisalat by e&” as the new brand identity for Etisalat UAE in line with the Group’s recent positioning as the global technology and investment conglomerate that digitally empowers societies.

The brand evolution comes at a time when the Group continues to accelerate its digitalisation leadership in line with its objectives for exploring new geographies and adjacencies and pursuing strategic partnerships and acquisitions.

Etisalat UAE has been a key enabler of the Group’s business growth, enabling the UAE’s Fiber Household Penetration leadership since 2016, maintaining market leadership in the UAE, constantly ranking as one of the most advanced mobile networks in the world, providing premium connectivity and supporting customers every step of the way through holistic digital-first offerings. It continues to lead the digitalisation conversation, driven by its robust UAE strategy that envisages it to be the digital telco that is a customer champion in a hyper-connected digital world.

Commenting on the brand change in the UAE, Hatem Dowidar, Group CEO of e&, said: “The evolution of Etisalat UAE builds on the solid foundations of its success as the Group’s growth engine since 1976 and signals the imminent change that our UAE telecoms business will undergo in keeping with its aspirations to deliver amidst a dynamic business landscape.

“With a progressive mindset for our brand and strategy, we will boost global customer satisfaction, achieve synergies of scale, expand our digital services and explore adjacent businesses. I am confident that the refreshed brand identity of Etisalat UAE encapsulates the dynamism of our journey ahead while remaining true to our commitment to making a bigger difference than ever imagined.”

Another exciting chapter for Etisalat UAE

Etisalat UAE is on a mission to “Grow”, “Transform”, and “Excel”. The technology leader has embarked on a new journey that predicates upon a shift in operating model, which

will support sustaining its leading position, while enhancing digital customer experience and operational agility.

As part of its new strategy, Etisalat UAE will grow core and digital services, by enriching consumers’ value propositions with digital services that cater for consumers’ new lifestyles and emerging demands beyond basic telecom services, including areas like gaming, health, and insurance. Moreover, Etisalat UAE will continue to act as the business trusted partner and advisor by enabling their connectivity and beyond connectivity requirements, which, in turn, will accelerate the digital economy and pivot new, sustainable demand in future-forward spaces like private networks, autonomous vehicles, and AI.

Superior customer experience is a foundational block in Etisalat UAE’s transformation into a digital telco. The company will harness the power of analytics to offer personalised experiences across all digital and physical channels. The step-change in experience will be enabled by a radical simplification in the operating model, which will power value creation in a more efficient and innovative manner.

Masood M. Sharif Mahmood, CEO of Etisalat UAE, said: “Etisalat symbolises the strong homegrown roots that we are proud of and will continue to treasure as the brand embarks on a new chapter of evolution. Our telecoms business has been the growth engine behind our company as we stay committed to the aspirations of the UAE leadership to be a leading ICT and technology hub.

“For more than four decades, we have been instrumental in building bridges that connected people, linking our past as a giant telco to becoming the digital telco of the future. Etisalat UAE’s refreshed brand identity as “etisalat by e&” signifies our strong technological capabilities coupled with our extensive telco expertise, and highlights our robust UAE strategy ambitions.

“As we uphold the e&’s rich telecoms heritage, our focus remains the same in this ‘connectivity renaissance’ era: maximise value for our customers and bring positive change to their lives in the age of digitalisation. We will go from strength to strength by successfully executing our UAE strategy to boost our digital telco strength as well as better align with our goals and future aspirations as a customer champion in a hyper-connected world.”

CEO of Etisalat UAE added: “Human capital is the main asset in our transformation; we will continue to drive talent development in the ICT sector while promoting a culture of innovation bravery. Etisalat UAE will remain the factory of technological leadership that serves the wider community and bridges the digital divide.”

Regardless of dynamic changes in the industry and in keeping with several achievements thus far, Etisalat UAE is set to stay agile and resilient in line with the Group’s mission to explore limitless possibilities for a bright, digital future.

Etisalat Group has changed its brand identity to e&, effective from 23 February 2022. Its strategy aims to accelerate growth through the creation of a resilient business model representing the Group’s main business pillars. The Telecoms business currently continues to be led by Etisalat UAE in e&’s home market and by existing subsidiaries for international operations, upholding the Group’s rich telecoms heritage, bolstering the strong telecoms network and maximising value for the Group’s various customer segments. Ramping up the digital services for individual customers to elevate their digital-

first lifestyle, e& life brings next-generation technologies through smart connectivity platforms in entertainment, retail and financial technology. To enable the digital transformation of governments, large-scale enterprises and corporates,

e& enterprise focuses on maximising value through its end-to-end solutions in cybersecurity, cloud, Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), as well as deploying mega projects. e& capital allows the Group to focus its efforts on driving new mergers and acquisitions while maximising shareholder value and strengthening global presence.

e& enterprise, part of e& (formerly known as Etisalat Group), has entered into a strategic three-year alliance with DataRobot, a US-based leading Artificial Intelligence (AI) platform provider, to launch an Enterprise AI as a Service (AlaaS) offering to support government and private companies in their digital transformation journey.

The Enterprise AI as a Service (AIaaS) is an end- to-end cloud offering for building, training, deploying, and managing AI and Machine Learning solutions and scaling the AI life cycle at a fraction of the cost compared to in-house AI capabilities . AIaaS enables governments and private enterprises to implement use-case-driven AI solutions and create business value with minimal investments in AI expertise.

To further accelerate the successful adoption of AI, e& enterprise and Datarobot will also establish a first-of-its- kind AI Center of Excellence (AI CoE). The AI CoE, a centralised experts group, will ensure continuous capability building, deliver best AIaaS practices and guarantee value creation by overseeing the implementation of organisation-wide AI projects.

The partnership strengthens the Group’s position as the market leader in innovation and digitalisation as it adds business value for enterprise customers who seek to accelerate AI adoption as part of their digital transformation journey. The new service model offers faster time to value in alignment with enterprise business needs while developing and deploying AI applications for industry verticals.

Through this collaboration, customers of e& enterprise will be able to adopt the AIaaS offering, powered by a locally deployed DataRobot platform, where fully scalable and use-case-driven enterprise AI applications can be implemented. Customers will benefit from the digital footprint and managed services expertise of e& enterprise, coupled with DataRobot’s AI platform capabilities.

“We stand ever ready to seek new strategic partnerships that will add value to government and enterprises so that they can become more data-driven and technology-enabled, efficient and cost-effective in the digital space. The ‘AI as a Service’ delivery model enables these companies to implement and run advanced AI solutions at a fraction of the cost of building and maintaining their own system. Our strategic partnership with DataRobot will influence and accelerate regional markets for AI adoption; our managed services will unlock tremendous value for all industry sectors,” said Salvador Anglada, CEO, e& enterprise.

“We are excited to partner with e& enterprise to bring the transformative power of AI to even more organisations around the world,” said Dan Wright, CEO of DataRobot. “Our common goal with the Enterprise AI as a Service and AI Center of Excellence is simple - to democratise and accelerate the use of AI, and give companies in these key regional markets the tools they need to unlock the full potential of their data to drive unprecedented business value.”

e& enterprise has always enabled enterprise customers to make smart and well-informed decisions based on actual and real-time data by transforming data into intelligent information. As one of the leading digital enablers for enterprises and governments within the MENAP region, e& enterprise uses its deep technology expertise to act as an enabler of digital transformation for government, corporates and large-scale organisations by providing complete end-to-end solutions.

DataRobot is one of the most widely deployed and proven AI platforms globally, delivering over a trillion predictions for leading companies around the world. As a unified platform designed to democratise and accelerate the use of AI across industries, DataRobot helps businesses harness the power of AI to drive transformative growth.

Etisalat Group has changed its brand identity to e&, effective from 23 February 2022. Its strategy aims to accelerate growth through the creation of a resilient business model representing the Group’s main business pillars. The Telecoms business currently continues to operate led by Etisalat UAE in e&’s home market and by existing subsidiaries for international operations, upholding the Group’s rich telecoms heritage, bolstering the strong telecoms network and maximising value for the Group’s various customer segments. Ramping up the digital services for individual customers to elevate their digital-first lifestyle, e& life brings next-generation technologies through smart connectivity platforms in entertainment, retail and financial technology. To enable the digital transformation of governments, large-scale enterprises and corporates,

e& enterprise focuses on maximising value through its end-to-end solutions in cybersecurity, cloud, Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), as well as deploying mega projects. e& capital allows the Group to focus its efforts on driving new mergers and acquisitions while maximising shareholder value and strengthening global presence.

• Two new subsea telecom cable systems goes live in 2023/24 to connect 33 countries in Africa, Middle East and Europe

The Carrier and Wholesale Services (C&WS) division of e& (formerly known as Etisalat Group) today announced the readiness of its new Smarthub Datacentre. This datacentre, which will provide disaster recovery to the existing SmartHub facilties in Fujairah and Dubai. The SmartHub Kalba will be the future telecom hub for the region where more submarine cables will be landing strengthening e& position as a leading regional hub.

The announcement demonstrates e&’s commitment to delivering a superior customer experience by creating unique digitalisation services with optimal business benefits.

The state-of-art Tier 3 data centre facility in Kalba is powered by Africa-1 and 2 Africa, two new subsea telecom cable systems providing diverse and reliable connectivity to Africa, the Middle East and Europe. This will enable 2 Africa submarine cable as part of the SmartHub ecosystem enabling easy access to MENA region and global customers from various industry verticals will now have direct access to enhanced connectivity by using SmartHub Kalba for their critical business requirements.

The SmartHub Kalba facility, fully operational at the beginning of this year, has already been powered by Africa-1 subsea telecom system. It gives customers direct access to enhanced connectivity for addressing critical business requirements. The expansion of e&’s SmartHub wholesale data centre follows the opening of facilities in Fujairah and Dubai.

The data centre also offers the opportunity for global players to expand their regional presence through its geo-redundant ecosystem.

With the launch of SmartHub Kalba, e&’s C&WS division has set a benchmark in the region in line with the company’s overall strategy to bring transformative technologies and innovative solutions to e&’s customers across various industry verticals. It is also aligned with the UAE leadership’s vision to continue leading as an ICT and data hub for the region, addressing the diverse requirements of global telecom infrastructure.

Ali Amiri, Group Chief Carrier & Wholesale Officer, e&, said: “We are committed to making SmartHub a location of choice for carriers, cloud service providers, Internet exchanges and companies looking for a trusted carrier-grade data centre. As one of the biggest neutral carrier hotels, our SmartHub data centres will be an ICT bridge between continents, supporting critical business activities for global customers. SmartHub Kalba will enable us to increase our capabilities and global capacity further so that we can continue to meet our international clients’ evolving needs for infrastructure across Asia, Africa, Europe, Middle East and the Americas.”

The addition of the largest subsea system in the world will enable us to continue meeting customer needs for new applications such as cloud computing, on-demand video and social media. It will also increase the capacity, quality and availability of internet connectivity between Africa and the rest of the world.

By directly connecting numerous countries around the entire coast of Africa to Europe and the Middle East region, businesses and consumers will benefit from enhanced capacity and reliability for services such as telecommuting, HD TV broadcasting, internet services, video conferencing, advanced multimedia and mobile video applications. The project will also underpin future mobile and fixed broadband access. This will help countries to implement their 2030 vision and meet many of the SDG-related challenges related to or depending on internet connectivity.

The SmartHub ecosystem serves almost two billion population aiming to reach another one billion with the addition of the new subsea cable systems and data centre in Kalba.

In addition, the data centre offers the opportunity for global players to expand their regional presence through its geo-redundant ecosystem. The SmartHub serves the carrier, CDN (content delivery networks), and enterprise verticals such as banking, financial services and insurance. It is also aligned with the UAE leadership’s vision to continue leading as an ICT and data hub for the region, addressing the diverse requirements of global telecom infrastructure.

The Africa-1 submarine cable system spans 10,000 km, initially landing in Kenya, Djibouti, Pakistan, UAE, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Egypt and France. The system also lands in Sudan, across Egypt through diverse new terrestrial routes on the way to France, and further connects other countries in the Mediterranean such as Algeriaand Italy.

Etisalat Group has changed its brand identity to e&, effective from 23 February 2022. Its strategy aims to accelerate growth through the creation of a resilient business model representing the Group’s main business pillars. The Telecoms business currently continues to operate led by Etisalat UAE in e&’s home market and by existing subsidiaries for international operations, upholding the Group’s rich telecoms heritage, bolstering the strong telecoms network and maximising value for the Group’s various customer segments. Ramping up the digital services for individual customers to elevate their digital-first lifestyle, e& life brings next-generation technologies through smart connectivity platforms in entertainment, retail and financial technology. To enable the digital transformation of governments, large-scale enterprises and corporates, e& enterprise focusses on maximising value through its end-to-end solutions in cybersecurity, cloud, Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), as well as deploying mega projects. e& capital allows the Group to focus its efforts on driving new mergers and acquisitions while maximising shareholder value and strengthening global presence.

UAE is ranked number one for the highest Fiber to the Home (FTTH) penetration among all its counterparts, maintaining consistent leadership since 2016, according to the leading industry body FTTH Council.

The council published its annual report that showcases the countries with the highest fibre optic network penetration globally. The report highlighted UAE as the number one country with its fibre network coverage surpassing Singapore, China, South Korea and Hongkong.

The data from the report showcases 20 countries that have achieved penetration rates higher than 50 percent. The global top 5 ranking is led by UAE with 97 percent, followed by Singapore (95.8%), China (94.9%), South Korea (91.1%) and Hong Kong(86.2%).

Etisalat UAE, the telecoms pillar of e&, has always led with its network as a backbone to its long-term strategy to enable and drive digital transformation. Today’s announcement is a testament to the fact that it has maintained consistent leadership 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 UAE leadership in the development and modernisation of the infrastructure.

Etisalat UAE has continuously invested in digital transformation, the mobile and fibre network. This has led to the launch of innovative services meeting the growing demand and changing requirements of Etisalat UAE’s customers.

Masood M. Sharif Mahmood, CEO, Etisalat UAE, said, “Our commitment to staying aligned with the UAE leadership’s digitalisation ambitions has empowered us to provide best-in-class innovative solutions, harness advanced technologies such as 5G, and maintain our cutting-edge telecom infrastructure offerings.

“We are in the era of the ‘connectivity renaissance’ – the prime time to take advantage of the limitless possibilities ahead of us so that we can imagine, innovate and implement ideas that will drive smart connectivity and maximise value creation for our customers in all segments. The network forms a significant component of this digital transformation journey. Etisalat UAE has also continuously focused on investing in innovation and next-generation technologies and services to expand its infrastructure.”

In today’s connected world, with the greater need for computing and connectivity capabilities, such an advanced network is required as it also enables the implementation of futuristic technologies like augmented reality, robotics and artificial intelligence. Consumers are able to experience high performance and capabilities required in advanced gaming, streaming, applications and entertainment with a high-speed network.

For enterprises, digital transformation will play a pivotal role in enabling the support of advanced use cases, applications and technologies. This will be key to bring success and next level of development leading Etisalat UAE to play a greater role in digital lives of consumers and enterprises. This forms the backbone of a robust and one of the most advanced networks in the region and the world.

Etisalat Group has changed its brand identity to e&, effective from 23 February 2022. Its strategy aims to accelerate growth through the creation of a resilient business model representing the Group’s main business pillars.

The Telecoms business currently continues to operate led by Etisalat UAE in e&’s home market and by existing subsidiaries for international operations, upholding the Group’s rich telecoms heritage, bolstering the strong telecoms network and maximising value for the Group’s various customer segments. Ramping up the digital services for individual customers to elevate their digital-first lifestyle, e& life brings next-generation technologies through smart connectivity platforms in entertainment, retail and financial technology. To enable the digital transformation of governments, large-scale enterprises and corporates, e& enterprise focuses on maximising value through its end-to-end solutions in cybersecurity, cloud, Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), as well as deploying mega projects. e& capital allows the Group to focus its efforts on driving new mergers and acquisitions while maximising shareholder value and strengthening global presence.

• Company to strengthen blockchain legacy in the Middle East by unlocking maximum metaverse potential

e& (formerly known as Etisalat Group) today announced launching its first set of non-fungible tokens (NFTs). This marks a significant milestone for e& as the first technology and investment conglomerate in the Middle East to launch NFTs.

The inaugural set of NFTs will be distributed selectively, and the Group will be providing further updates as their plans for the NFTs progress. The launch batch of NFTs highlights e&’s commitment to advancing tech capabilities as the company’s blockchain arm crossed AED 10 billion worth in transactions last year. It underpins the company’s vision to make a difference at every touchpoint by ideating and deploying best-in-class innovative solutions, harnessing advanced technologies, and maintaining its cutting-edge infrastructure.

Hatem Dowidar, Group CEO, e&, said: “The digital transformation that we are experiencing on all fronts will accelerate our quest to innovate. The metaverse is opening up several avenues for us to investigate the digital realm in ways that were unimaginable just a few years ago. At this defining moment in our journey, we are proud to leverage our legacy in blockchain-enabled tech to launch pioneering NFTs that allow us and our customers to explore the limitless potential that the metaverse holds.”

“The NFTs designs were sourced in the UAE, where we are keen to support the local development of new products, technologies and solutions.This is a unique opportunity to celebrate how far we’ve come as a company and to continue exploring what’s next on the horizon. We live in the renaissance of connectivity where we must capitalise on every opportunity that strengthens our continued leadership as the champion digital telco in a hyper-connected world.”

NFTs are digital assets with unique codes stored on blockchain that establish their authenticity and who owns them. With 5G bringing lower latency, faster speeds and reducing capacity, the creative ways this technology can be used in the NFTs market has no boundaries. The network that supports NFTs must offer lighting speed connectivity to enable bidding down to the last millisecond, robust security protocols for multi-million dollar assets, and of course, consistent, reliable accessibility regardless of data size.

NFTs have gained popularity as digital assets that transcend different sectors in recent years. They encompass a range of subjects from art to music, gaming and multimedia and are regularly bought online. In particular, the NFT market in 2021 has been reported to be worth USD 41 billion , which nearly equates to the total value of the entire global fine art market. Given their limited runs and unique identifying codes, NFTs are helping protect intellectual property through blockchain technology.

This milestone is one of the more recent successes that e& has seen in its current transformation journey as a global technology and investment conglomerate. e& has been instrumental in developing and bolstering the UAE’s strong telecoms infrastructure since its foundation 46 years ago. As e& transforms into a technology conglomerate and keeping in line with UAE’s digitalisation ambitions, it has combined its scalable technological competencies with its robust telecoms expertise, enriching the lives of customers and adding value to enterprises.

Etisalat Group has changed its brand identity to e&, effective from 23 February 2022. Its strategy aims to accelerate growth through the creation of a resilient business model representing the Group’s main business pillars. The Telecoms business currently continues to operate led by Etisalat UAE in e&’s home market and by existing subsidiaries for international operations, upholding the Group’s rich telecoms heritage, bolstering the strong telecoms network and maximising value for the Group’s various customer segments.

Ramping up the digital services for individual customers to elevate their digital-first lifestyle, e& life brings next-generation technologies through smart platforms in entertainment, retail and financial technology.

To enable the digital transformation of governments, large-scale enterprises and corporates, e& enterprise focuses on maximising value through its end-to-end solutions in, Cloud, Cybersecurity, Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI). e& capital allows the Group to focus its efforts on driving new mergers and acquisitions while maximising shareholder value and strengthening global presence.

• At Telecoms World Middle East 2022, Etisalat UAE chief reiterates the importance of enhanced connectivity and digitisation for consumers and businesses in the next era of digital economy

Etisalat UAE, the telecom pillar of e& in the UAE, aims to sustain leadership as a digital telco and is already making great strides towards remaining resilient in the future hyper-connected world by transforming its technology model and excelling in customer and employee experience, said Masood M. Sharif Mahmood, CEO, Etisalat UAE.

Mahmood shared his insights during his keynote ‘Reframing the future for telcos: unlocking growth through an accelerated reinvention in the digital age’ at the ongoing Telecoms World Middle East 2022 conference. Held in Dubai, the event gathered leading stakeholders from across the telco ecosystem to collaborate and share insights on how to thrive in the future multi-faceted digital environment.

“The evolution in the telecom sector is all about conquering crossroads by showcasing resilience. The industry has continuously adapted in the face of disruption, adjusting to endure and grow in a drastically evolving ecosystem. At Etisalat UAE, we have continued this leadership as a digital telco by focusing on our core while at the same time curating digital experiences that maximise engagement. During our transformation into a telecom orchestrator, we remained laser-focused on customer centricity, digitalisation, and creating synergies across our businesses,” Mahmood added during his keynote presentation.

Telcos need to evolve into multi-sector digital service providers to maximise their share in the value chain. This entails rejuvenating the core and enabling next-generation verticals and digital experiences. We have started this ambitious journey to ensure sustained value creation by building new capabilities across AI and digital to thrive in an increasingly competitive and ever-changing market environment.”

He also highlighted how the telecom industry's challenges during the last decade encouraged telcos to find new opportunities and transition more and more towards techcos, driving digital transformation for their networks and services. In the era of ‘connectivity renaissance’ the 5G network will enable us to take advantage of the limitless possibilities that we can imagine, innovate and implement ideas that will drive smart connectivity and maximise value creation for our customers in all segments.

The two-day event includes other speakers from Etisalat UAE and e&. Khalid Murshed, Chief Technology and Information Officer, Etisalat UAE spoke about embracing transformation to support an agile, scalable modern telco business; Ali Amiri, Group Chief Carrier & Wholesale Officer, e&, highlighted the evolution of the wholesale business and rethinking international wholesale strategies and Rashid Ali Al Ali, Vice President, International Sales, e& shared insights on how the future of gaming and metaverse will shape the wholesale business.

Etisalat Group has changed its brand identity to e&, effective from 23 February 2022. Its strategy aims to accelerate growth through the creation of a resilient business model representing the Group’s main business pillars.

The Telecoms business currently continues to operate led by Etisalat UAE in e&’s home market and by existing subsidiaries for international operations, upholding the Group’s rich telecoms heritage, bolstering the strong telecoms network and maximising value for the Group’s various customer segments. Ramping up the digital services for individual customers to elevate their digital-first lifestyle, e& life brings next-generation technologies through smart connectivity platforms in entertainment, retail and financial technology. To enable the digital transformation of governments, large-scale enterprises and corporates, e& enterprise focuses on maximising value through its end-to-end solutions in cybersecurity, cloud, Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), as well as deploying mega projects. e& capital allows the Group to focus its efforts on driving new mergers and acquisitions while maximising shareholder value and strengthening global presence.

Abu Dhabi, 25^th April 2022: e& (formerly known as Etisalat Group) today announced its financial results for Q1 2022.

Financial Highlights for Q1 2022

(*)At constant exchange rates, revenue increased by 3.5 percent and EBITDA increased by 2.8 percent year-over-year

Key operational highlights and developments for Q1 2022

• e&:
  • Named the world’s strongest telecom brand, the first in the Middle East to achieve global recognition by Brand Finance
  • e& shareholders approved to distribute a full year cash dividend of 80 fils per share for the fiscal year 2021 at the General Assembly Meeting held on 5 April 2022
  • Completed the acquisition of elGrocer, under the Smiles brand  
  • Entered a new phase of collaboration and strategic partnership with Microsoft to drive innovation and digital transformation
  • Partnered with Meta to drive innovation with enhanced Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) experiences and conversational commerce in its digital communication projects
  • Announced discussions with Mobily regarding a potential offer to increase its shareholding in Mobily
  • Etisalat Misr and Honeywell signed an MoU to offer new services and products in the field of IoT and smart cities
  • e&, Abu Dhabi Digital Authority (ADDA) and Trend Micro partnered to launch Cyber Eye, an initiative designed to strengthen the Abu Dhabi Government entities’ cybersecurity capabilities
• Etisalat UAE, from e&:
  • Launched the UAE’s first of its kind Easy Insurance, an innovative insurance platform offering digital services for auto, health and travel insurance
  • Recognised outstanding small and medium businesses (SMBs) and start-ups at the second edition of the SMB awards
  • Expanded collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to serve key industries and meet the growing demand for digitalisation across different industries
• e& life, from e&:
  • E-Vision, owned by e&, and Abu Dhabi Developmental Holding Company PJSC (ADQ), signed a binding agreement to acquire approximately 57 percent in STARZPLAY ARABIA
  • ejunior, owned by E-Vision, celebrated its successful 21-year journey in the UAE
• e& enterprise, from e&:
  • Partnered with NICE to bring the CXone cloud platform to the UAE
  • Collaborated with Oracle, to host business solutions for Transguard Group to lower the total cost of ownership (TCO) by over 40 percent in five years

Overview

e&'s first quarter consolidated revenues increased by  0.8 percent to AED 13.3 billion, while consolidated net profit increased to AED 2.4 billion, a year-over-year increase of 3.6 percent. Consolidated EBITDA reached AED 6.8 billion, an increase of 0.5 percent year-over-year, resulting in an EBITDA margin of 51 percent. At constant exchange rates, revenue increased by 3.5 percent and EBITDA increased by 2.8 percent year-over-year.

The number of Etisalat UAE subscribers reached 13.1 million in Q1 2022, while aggregate group subscribers reached 159 million, representing an increase of 2 percent over the same period last year.

“e& delivered strong financial performance across all key metrics, driven by higher demand for digital and data services and the Group’s ability to leverage superior networks”

Outlook

Since e&’s evolution into a global technology and investment conglomerate earlier this year, the company has maintained solid performance by creating innovative solutions for various customer segments and targeted acquisitions and value-creation partnerships for the benefit of consumers, businesses and societies.

Commenting on the Q1 2022 results, Hatem Dowidar, Group CEO of e&, said: "Our first quarter results are a testament to the effectiveness with which we have begun the new chapter of our journey as a global technology and investment conglomerate that digitally empowers societies.

“We will continue to explore new avenues of growth, expand our offerings, enhance the quality of our solutions, forge new partnerships, and launch a number of digital initiatives to support SMBs, governments and large enterprises. All of this stems from our clear vision to create a more progressive business model, represented by the Group's business pillars, so that we can seize the opportunities that arise in an increasingly fast-paced digitalised business landscape.

“We are grateful to the vision of the UAE leadership for their continued support, especially as we serve our customer segments by remaining agile across our businesses, investing in future technologies, and delivering innovative solutions that matter. We will continue our mission to accelerate digital transformation in a way that positively impacts businesses and people's lives at every digital touchpoint, while maximising value creation for our shareholders."

Etisalat Group recently changed its brand identity to e&. This is in line with the organisation's strategy to accelerate growth by creating a resilient business model that is represented by its key business pillars.

The telecommunications business currently continues to be operated by Etisalat UAE in e&'s home market and by its existing subsidiaries for international operations, upholding the Group's rich telecommunications heritage, strengthening its strong telecommunications network and maximising value for the Group's various customer segments.

Ramping up the digital services for individual customers to elevate their digital-first lifestyle, e& life brings next-generation technologies through smart connectivity platforms in entertainment, retail and financial technology.

To enable the digital transformation of governments, large-scale enterprises and corporates, e& enterprise focuses on maximising value through its end-to-end solutions in cybersecurity, cloud, Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), as well as deploying mega projects. e& capital allows the Group to focus its efforts on driving new mergers and acquisitions while maximising shareholder value and strengthening global presence.

• Ramadan Majlis and iftar gatherings planned with startups, customers and business partners
• Special data offering for all delivery fleet members

Etisalat UAE, the telecoms pillar of e& (formerly known as Etisalat Group), today announced its special SMB initiatives to celebrate the spirit of togetherness and giving back to the community during the holy month of Ramadan. This year, in keeping with its principles of enablement, reliability, and care, multiple events planned will see the gathering of startups, business partners, and top customers.

“We are looking forward to celebrating the holy month of Ramadan with our partners and business customers, who continue to contribute to the country’s economy through their innovative practices,” said Esam Mahmoud, Senior Vice President, SMB, Etisalat UAE.

Every week, there will also be a ‘Startups Majlis’ organised for the startup community members, giving them an opportunity to network, share their success stories and expound on their experiences being part of a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Other initiatives will include iftar gatherings organised throughout the month for business partners and SMB customers. The business partner iftar will see the gathering of Etisalat UAE’s authorised and premium channel partners who work closely on value propositions that benefit customers while at the same time help grow their business. The SMB iftar organised for entrepreneurs as an appreciation for all their outstanding contribution to the business community and for boosting its socio-economic growth.

Delivery fleet members play an important role in Etisalat UAE as they enhance the customer experience by implementing various services and product offerings efficiently. As a token of appreciation, there will be 10GB of local data provided to these members to enable them to connect with their families, friends and dear ones during Ramadan.

UAE Trade Connect (UTC) is proud to announce that Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB) has joined its consortium of leading UAE banks utilising its blockchain platform to help de-risk trade finance.

UTC is the fintech blockchain platform of e& enterprise, from e& (formerly known as Etisalat Group) and is the first commercialised blockchain platform to come out of the UAE. UTC’s multi-award-winning platform aspires to be the national trade finance platform and is already enhancing its capabilities to provide in-depth information about suspicious elements of invoices presented for financing.

The signing ceremony was held at the offices of e& enterprise in Dubai and was attended by senior management from both organisations. ADCB, which is among the largest banks in the UAE, becomes the ninth official member bank on the day that UTC celebrates its first anniversary.

Commenting on the ADCB partnership and the consortium’s first anniversary, Zulqarnain Javaid, Chief Executive Officer of UTC, said: “Today is an important milestone that demonstrates how far UTC has come in our vision to co-create the UAE’s first commercialised blockchain platform and move towards a fully digitised trade finance ecosystem. We are indeed very excited to have ADCB join our consortium as we work closely to promote financial stability within the country’s financial system. As more banks join us, we are confident of strengthening our coverage in combating fraud even further as we will be catering to the majority of the trade finance market share.

“The commitment of our incumbent member banks to reduce the risk of dubious transactions is evident as they have presented AED 28 billion in invoice value through our system during the past 12 months,” he added.

“ADCB has always leveraged technology and innovation as a means of empowering our clients and supporting our delivery of excellent service. As one of the first banks in the UAE to initiate and lead the digitisation of trade finance in the country, we continue to seek out valuable partnerships as we work towards achieving strategic national initiatives.

“We remain focused on providing our valued clients with comprehensive working capital solutions in a transparent and efficient manner. This partnership will see us working closely with UTC and its member banks to create a digitalized trade finance ecosystem in the UAE," said ADCB.

With the advent of the Invoice Factoring law recently published by the Federal Government of the UAE, the UTC blockchain platform will be a key enabler for banks to increase lending to SMEs and allow corporates to borrow against their trade receivables. All consortium member banks play an equal and active role in the steering and governance of the UTC platform.

In the past year, UTC has been the recipient of several awards, including “Fintech Startup of the Year”, “Blockchain Solution of the Year”, “Outstanding Innovation in Trade Finance”, and “Best Blockchain Initiative”. All consortium member banks play an equal and active role in the steering and governance of the UTC platform.

Etisalat Group has changed its brand identity to e&, effective from 23 February 2022. Its strategy aims to accelerate growth through the creation of a resilient business model representing the Group’s main business pillars. The Telecoms business currently continues to operate led by Etisalat UAE in e&’s home market and by existing subsidiaries for international operations, upholding the Group’s rich telecoms heritage, bolstering the strong telecoms network and maximising value for the Group’s various customer segments. Ramping up the digital services for individual customers to elevate their digital-first lifestyle, e& life brings next-generation technologies through smart connectivity platforms in entertainment, retail and financial technology. To enable the digital transformation of governments, large-scale enterprises and corporates,

e& enterprise focusses on maximising value through its end-to-end solutions in cybersecurity, cloud, Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), as well as deploying mega projects. e& capital allows the Group to focus its efforts on driving new mergers and acquisitions while maximising shareholder value and strengthening global presence.

Etisalat UAE, the telecoms pillar of e&, formerly known as Etisalat Group, announced a partnership between its marketplace Smiles and the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiative (MBRGI) to support the “One Billion Meals” campaign during the holy month of Ramadan. As part of the global campaign, Smiles subscribers are given the opportunity to make a difference in their communities by donating iftar meals or food parcels.

Ramadan is a month of worship, reflection and service, and is the perfect occasion for families and friends to gather and give back to the community with empathy, kindness and generosity. With every food order placed on the Smiles app, five percent of the order value will be donated to the “One Billion Meals” campaign.

Every Ramadan, Etisalat UAE conducts activities to support the communities where it operates. Through its partnership with MBRGI this year, Etisalat UAE will be contributing effectively to help the neediest people and make a difference in their lives. The “One Billion Meals” campaign truly reflects the UAE's humanitarian principles to support those in need and create a positive and lasting social impact.

MBRGI was launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai to secure food aid for vulnerable communities in 50 countries. In 2021, the “100 Million Meals” initiative of MBRGI became the most prominent food distribution campaign in the region, where Smiles donated more than 270,000 meals to the MBRGI initiative.

The “One Billion Meals” campaign aims to provide one billion meals for disadvantaged people and families from nearly 50 countries. It is an expansion of the “100 Million Meals” campaign, which was launched in April 2021. The UAE had launched the “Ten Million Meals" campaign in 2020 to provide food support for COVID-19-hit communities.

The “One Billion Meals” campaign is the result of a humanitarian collaboration between the MBRGI and Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Humanitarian and Charity Establishment, Food Banking Regional Network, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, Emirates Food Bank, Dar Al Ber Society, Dubai Charity Association, along with several other humanitarian organisations in beneficiary countries as well as federal and local entities in the UAE.

Through the Smiles’ delivery feature, customers can order food from a variety of UAE-based restaurants, earn and redeem Smiles points on their food deliveries, and enjoy several unique offers exclusive to Smiles. Customers ordering food via the app can also earn Smiles points regardless of which card they use for payment purposes.

As a lifestyle engagement programme in the UAE, Smiles offers its members the opportunity to accrue daily savings through ‘earn and redemption’ of Smiles points for Etisalat UAE, partner products and services, food delivery services, ‘Unlimited Buy 1 Get 1 Free’ and other discount offers applicable at outlets, entertainment, shopping, dining, travel, and wellness experiences.

Through the rewards exchange programme, Smiles customers can add loyalty memberships on one app, exchange points with any programme within the Rewards Exchange network in real-time and access an expanded marketplace for points’ redemption. More importantly, members can avoid losing their hard-earned points close to expiring as they convert them to their most preferred loyalty programme.

Etisalat Group rebranded to e& in February 2022. Its strategy aims to accelerate growth through the creation of a resilient business model representing the Group's main business pillars: Telecoms, e& life, e& enterprise and e& capital.

The telecoms business currently continues to be led by Etisalat UAE in e&'s home market and by existing subsidiaries for international operations, upholding the Group's rich telecoms heritage, bolstering the strong telecoms network and maximising value for the Group's various customer segments. Smiles falls under Etisalat UAE.

e& (formerly known as Etisalat Group) held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) where shareholders approved the recommendation from the Board of Directors to distribute cash dividends to shareholders for the second half of 2021 at a value of AED 0.4 per share, representing a total annual dividend of AED 0.8 per share.

During the meeting, the Board praised e&’s efforts in accelerating its digital transformation in an ever-changing business landscape. In light of its recent transformation into a global technology conglomerate, e& was commended for seizing different opportunities to create a more progressive business model that realises the Group’s vision of impacting the lives of its customers and shareholders alike.

H.E. Jassem Mohamed Bu Ataba Alzaabi, Chairman of e&, thanked the board members for their support. He emphasised that e& will continue to be the digital champion that drives change for the empowerment of societies.

“As we enter the next chapter of our journey, we are confident that we will continue to witness even greater success as we continue to create an environment with limitless possibilities built on solid foundations, smart connectivity and fruitful collaborative opportunities.”

Adopting a growth mindset to stay fit for the future
H.E. Jassem Mohamed Bu Ataba Alzaabi highlighted a series of achievements that has enabled e& to begin a new chapter, in line with its ambitious strategy to amplify business growth across different segments. The Group was named the strongest telecoms brand in the world in January 2022, and also topped the Forbes MENA Top 10 most valuable listed companies in the UAE. It reported a solid net profit of AED 9.3 billion, an increase of 3.2% year on year. It also saw a 3.0% increase in its aggregated subscriber base, rising to 159 million. e& has also maintained the UAE’s network leadership with one of the fastest and most advanced networks in the world for the second year, and global FTTH penetration leadership.

H.E. Jassem Mohamed Bu Ataba Alzaabi stated that value creation remains at the core of the work e& does as it continues to lead the change for growth. “We’ve already witnessed a defining moment in our history through our transformation as e&, thanks to the strong financials and standing in the market. Our growth mindset will continue to guide us forward as we refocus our efforts on investing in breakthrough technologies, accelerating in-depth market penetrations and capitalising on solid ventures with key industry players.

“We have worked tirelessly to come this far, thanks to the support of the UAE leadership to the telecom sector, and we will do what it takes to ensure that our solutions positively impact people’s lives at every touchpoint. This is in line with our vision for e& to ‘Make Possible’. Enhancing customer experiences and digitally empowering societies will continue to be the driving forces in everything we will achieve in the future.”

Acquisitions, strategic partnerships and customer-centricity part of the journey forward
During the meeting, Hatem Dowidar, GCEO of e& shared that the Group’s strong financial performance resulted from successful international operations and steady improvements in domestic operations despite persistent challenges in the markets where it operates. He said: “This has been an exceptional year for us as we delivered solid financial performance and business growth across all our operations in 2021. The Group’s consolidated revenues increased by 3.2% to AED 53.3 billion and consolidated net profit amounted to AED 9.3 billion, representing a 3.2% increase year-on-year. Our consolidated EBITDA amounted to AED 26.7 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of 1.0% which resulted in an EBITDA margin of 50.1%.

Dowidar spoke at length about the efforts undertaken by the Group on acquisitions and in pursuit of strategic partnerships for future business growth. Its acquisition strategy is driven by the Group’s relentless commitment to provide innovative solutions for the benefit of all customer segments and offer long-term sustainable value for our shareholders, he said.

“We’ve come this far because we have capitalised our efforts in providing outstanding customer services at all times even with the rapid changes the business landscape is seeing. We’ve already invested in future technologies to continue enhancing our customers’ experience.”

As part of its strategy, e& will enhance customers’ experiences across all segments by ideating, designing, and delivering a range of innovative and breakthrough technologies, driven by its track record of success. This strategy is aimed at accelerating growth through the creation of a resilient business model that is representing the Group’s main business pillars.

Telecoms will continue to retain the previous branding identity while upholding the Group’s rich telecoms heritage, bolstering the Group’s strong telecoms infrastructure and maximising value for its customer segments, in the UAE and internationally. In addition, it will expand into new geographic markets while continuing to drive operational performance in the 16 markets where it operates.

e& life is focused on enhancing customer delight by becoming an integral part of the lives of its customers. The business pillar has already made robust plans to deliver next-generation technologies and digital experiences that will bring the world to the customers’ fingertips through smart connectivity platforms in entertainment, retail and financial services.

e& enterprise will be the driving force behind the digital transformation of governments, corporates and enterprises. Through its breakthrough technology solutions in cybersecurity, cloud, Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), as well as deploying mega projects, e& enterprise will create real business value as it continues to leverage its expertise as a digital managed company having the strength and reach of a global trusted partner.

Maximising shareholder value while strengthening global presence is key to the e& strategy to empower societies.

e& capital will act as a pillar for growth for the Group as it drives new acquisitions and mergers in line with its vision for investing in ideas that make the future.

• Ramadan packs for postpaid & prepaid customers including Data, free show streaming access & free smiles food delivery
• Up to 80 percent discount on smartphones, accessories, Smart TVs, laptops and tablets
• Free Ramadan shows and 50 percent discount on premium movies with eLife

Every year, during the holy month of Ramadan, Etisalat UAE, the telecoms pillar of e& (formerly known as Etisalat Group), brings exclusive offers and initiatives for its customers to reconnect with their loved ones in deep and meaningful ways. This year, Etisalat UAE is offering its postpaid and prepaid subscribers special Ramadan data packs, 1 month free streaming access to Ramadan shows in addition to discounts on a wide range of devices and 50 percent discount on premium movies with eLife.

The Ramadan pack for both postpaid and prepaid subscribers is a combination of local data allowance and access to the best entertainment and free food delivery. The pack is carefully designed to meet the varying digital requirements of customers during the holy month.

The postpaid pack at AED 100 provides customers 50GB data free VIP access to the Arabic online streaming platform ‘Shahid’. At AED 60, prepaid customers will receive a 30GB data allowance (1GB per Day for 30 Days), FREE access to Switch TV on-demand Arabia pack. Both these packs avail unlimited free food delivery from Smiles.

The Ramadan pack is a one-time subscription, will be available from 2 April 2022 and is valid for 30 days. Customers can enjoy the benefits of these special packs by subscribing via My Etisalat App, Etisalat USSD code *101*100#, SMS, or online at www.etisalat.ae.

Etisalat UAE customers may also share the joy and happiness of Ramadan with family and friends by gifting the top technology devices such as smartphones, accessories, smart TVs, smart living, wearables, gaming, laptops and tablets, having up to 80 percent discount. These offers will be available from 2nd April until 8 May 2022 across retail stores, online at www.etisalat.ae or My Etisalat app.

eLife TV customers can also enjoy free access to special Ramadan shows on eLife OnDemand Basic and enjoy special offers with a 50 percent discount on a selection of blockbuster movies each week for entire month of Ramadan.

Etisalat Group has changed its brand identity to e&, effective from 23 February 2022. Its strategy aims to accelerate growth through the creation of a resilient business model representing the Group’s main business pillars. The Telecoms business currently continues to operate led by Etisalat UAE in e&’s home market and by existing subsidiaries for international operations, upholding the Group’s rich telecoms heritage, bolstering the strong telecoms network and maximising value for the Group’s various customer segments. Ramping up the digital services for individual customers to elevate their digital-first lifestyle, e& life brings next-generation technologies through smart connectivity platforms in entertainment, retail and financial technology. To enable the digital transformation of governments, large-scale enterprises and corporates, e& enterprise focusses on maximising value through its end-to-end solutions in cybersecurity, cloud, Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), as well as deploying mega projects. e& capital allows the Group to focus its efforts on driving new mergers and acquisitions while maximising shareholder value and strengthening global presence.

• Leverage on Meta apps and services to enhance brand, performance and culture

As part of e&’s transformation drive to become a global technology conglomerate, the Group today announced a strategic partnership roadmap with Meta. The collaboration will enable e& to become a leading techco player driving innovation, enhancing organisational performance and nurturing its internal culture across its footprint.

e& (formerly known as Etisalat Group) and Meta will work together on use cases that integrate with the latest Meta products and solutions, consumer channel digitalisation, enhancing Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) experiences and conversational commerce throughout its digital communication plans.

As part of its strategy, e& will elevate its global positioning by zoning in on creative development and automation, immersive experiences and strategic partnerships. Internally, there will be a group-wide effort in driving a more productive work culture by creating customised learning paths and certifications, training and workshops, implementing robust internal communications plans, and heightening workplace collaboration.

“Our partnership with Meta is in line with our ambitious goals of creating limitless possibilities built on connections, connectivity and collaboration,” said Hatem Dowidar, CEO, e&. “We are developing strong partnerships and identifying new growth opportunities as we advance our transformational journey for the benefit of our customer segments and shareholders. We look forward to a fruitful collaboration with Meta as we continue to create a more progressive business model that supports our growth aspirations to stay fit for the future.

“An important element in our partnership with Meta is to design powerful, seamless digital experiences for all our customers so that they are empowered to advance their own digital transformation agenda with our support. Our advanced 5G network will ensure that we provide a platform that will combine multiple technologies to bring the internet to life and help our customers embrace a digital-first lifestyle more efficiently.”

Commenting on the partnership Fares Akkad, Regional Director for MENA, at Meta said: ”At Meta, we’re focused on continuing to build innovative products and tools, so we can keep helping businesses and partners connect with people. We are excited to work with e& to further grow their digital transformation journey and leverage Meta technologies to benefit their customer base.”

Etisalat Group has changed its brand identity to e&, effective from 23 February 2022. Its strategy aims to accelerate growth through the creation of a resilient business model representing the Group’s main business pillars. The Telecoms business currently continues to operate led by Etisalat UAE in e&’s home market and by existing subsidiaries for international operations, upholding the Group’s rich telecoms heritage, bolstering the strong telecoms network and maximising value for the Group’s various customer segments. Ramping up the digital services for individual customers to elevate their digital-first lifestyle, e& life brings next-generation technologies through smart connectivity platforms in entertainment, retail and financial technology. To enable the digital transformation of governments, large-scale enterprises and corporates, e& enterprise focusses on maximising value through its end-to-end solutions in cybersecurity, cloud, Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), as well as deploying mega projects. e& capital allows the Group to focus its efforts on driving new mergers and acquisitions while maximising shareholder value and strengthening global presence.

Etisalat UAE, part of e& (formerly known as Etisalat Group), in collaboration with Ericsson and Huawei, today announced the successful deployment and testing of the first E2E live multi-vendor VoNR (Voice over New Radio) ecosystem worldwide. The launch marks an important milestone for the UAE’s digital transformation objectives.

VoNR is a call service that uses the stand-alone architecture of the 5G network, providing lower latency and improved quality, resulting in an elevated calling experience and high-speed data. VoNR Call has been made and verified over a live multi-vendor ecosystem consisting of Core and Radio 5G SA related nodes from both Ericsson and Huawei. This innovative milestone is an important step towards the commercial introduction of seamless 5G voice services in e&’s cloud-native network.

Khalid Murshed, Chief Technology and Information Officer at Etisalat UAE, said: “The launch of VoNR is in line with e&’s vision to bring the best in digital technologies, smart connectivity and innovative solutions to all our customers. With Ericsson and Huawei as our strategic partners for this project, we will maximise opportunities to further enhance the end-user communication experience by ensuring better voice continuity and quality. Today, handset manufacturers are keen to massively launch VoNR enabled devices in the market for which e& is pleased to have its network-ready fulfilling the requirements of complete live multi-vendors ecosystem.”

Ekow Nelson, Vice President Ericsson Middle East & Africa, said: “Over the past years, voice calling has become a key service in the UAE. As the UAE is driving ever-more digitalisation powered by 5G, high quality and seamless voice calling will become a must-have service for residents across the nation. With the launch of Etisalat UAE’s first VoNR service, we are proud to play a continued role in helping the UAE realise its digital transformation objectives. We remain committed to providing network excellence to ensure the nation is equipped to offer the numerous digital opportunities that 5G will bring to the region.”

A spokesperson at Huawei said: “As 5G SA coverage expands within UAE, the demand for better voice quality with best possible experience is inevitable on 5G Core. This is why VoNR will be the key to further improve the customer’s confidence trusting voice continuity in 5G coverage areas. Huawei, is fully committed to assist Etisalat on this digitalisation journey and would feel privileged to work with Etisalat to help them achieve their goals.”

Etisalat UAE’s (part of e&) customers will benefit from 5G stand-alone data browsing with ongoing voice calls, superior quality 5G voice services through “HD voice +”, faster call set-up, as well as robust security to prevent fraud and misuse of personal data.

VoNR Enhanced Voice Services technology also removes voice distortion, water noise or any other types of voice disturbance that customers would have faced in the past. It is expected that new services will be rolled out through the VoNR ecosystem, such as accessing real-time mobile interactive gaming and voice call at the same time, exchanging secure media content during the voice call and experiencing interactive augmented and virtual reality.

Etisalat Group has changed its brand identity to e&, effective from 23 February 2022. Its strategy aims to accelerate growth through the creation of a resilient business model representing the Group’s main business pillars. The telecom business currently continues to operate led by Etisalat UAE in e&’s home market and by existing subsidiaries for international operations, upholding the Group’s rich telecoms heritage, bolstering the strong telecoms network and maximising value for the Group’s various customer segments. Ramping up the digital services for individual customers to elevate their digital-first lifestyle, e& life brings next-generation technologies through smart connectivity platforms in entertainment, retail and financial technology. To enable the digital transformation of governments, large-scale enterprises and corporates, e& enterprise focuses on maximising value through its end-to-end solutions in cybersecurity, cloud, Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), as well as deploying mega projects. e& capital allows the Group to focus its efforts on driving new mergers and acquisitions while maximising shareholder value and strengthening global presence.

• Consortium would join existing STARZPLAY ARABIA shareholders, including STARZ, SEQ Investors, with E-Vision contributing its stake to consortium

E-Vision, from e& (previously known as Etisalat Group), and ADQ, an Abu Dhabi-based investment and holding company, today announced the signing of a binding agreement to acquire a majority equity stake of circa 57% in STARZPLAY ARABIA, a leading Subscription Video on Demand (SVOD) and streaming service provider in the Middle East and North Africa.

The e& led consortium will acquire a controlling stake in STARZPLAY ARABIA based on a post-money valuation of USD 420 million, while also investing E-Vision’s existing stake and secondary investments to join the other existing shareholders, including STARZ and SEQ Investors. STARZ and its parent company Lionsgate will maintain commercial agreements for content licensing to the venture. The transaction remains subject to regulatory approvals and certain administrative procedures.

Khalifa Al Shamsi, CEO, e& life, and Chairman of E-Vision, said: “STARZPLAY ARABIA is a leading video streaming platform in MENA. This acquisition is a major milestone for E-Vision and will be a catalyst for the newly formed e& life consumer digital vertical in e&. This investment further strengthens our service offering and significantly enhances STARZPLAY ARABIA’s positioning across the entire MENA region. Streaming platforms have drastically changed the way we consume media and have become commonplace in households around the world. Consumer expectations have also grown in line with this expansion as the demand for high-quality content and seamless streaming continues to rise.

Jaap Kalkman, Group Chief Investment Officer at ADQ, said: “The investment in STARZPLAY ARABIA provides ADQ access to one of the leading Subscription Video on Demand and OTT service providers in the region. With its state-of-the-art technology, distribution strength and compelling and engaging content, STARZPLAY ARABIA has developed a unique market positioning in the MENA region and is well positioned for further growth.”

Jeffrey Hirsch, President and Chief Executive Officer of STARZ, said: “We’re proud of what Maaz and the team have built over the past few years, creating one of the pre-eminent SVOD platforms in the Middle East and North Africa. STARZPLAY ARABIA marked our first international initiative at a time when streaming internationally was still nascent. It served as a template for growth that allowed us to rapidly scale the STARZPLAY brand around the world now in over 60 countries. We’re pleased to continue our productive partnership with E-Vision while adding ADQ to the venture, partners whose local market expertise will help us continue to accelerate the growth of the business together and create enormous value.”

Maaz Sheikh, Chief Executive Officer & Co-founder of STARZPLAY ARABIA, said: “STARZPLAY ARABIA has transformed the region’s entertainment sector, bringing truly homegrown competencies to serve the fast-growing demand for streaming services. The investment by E-Vision and ADQ will enable us to grow further by focusing on original content production and advanced customer personalisation. We thank them for their trust in our vision as well as our shareholders STARZ and SEQ Investors for originally backing our idea and enabling us to turn our start-up aspirations into a flourishing business reality. Their continued support, along with the exceptional strengths that E-Vision and ADQ bring, will enable us to further establish our credentials as the region’s entertainment champion.”

STARZPLAY ARABIA has close to 2 million subscribers across 19 countries, giving E-Vision an opportunity to further strengthen its lead in content aggregation and access the fast growth video DTC streaming business in MENA region. This will enable the launch of new product lines, expand geographic reach and access to advanced technical capabilities. The acquisition provides potential for international expansion, leveraging STARZPLAY ARABIA's reach across 20 global telcos.

With this joint investment, STARZPLAY ARABIA can leverage media content delivered by both E-Vision and ADQ portfolio companies, further optimising its content acquisition spending. Additionally, STARZPLAY ARABIA will also gain significant scale through immediate access to e&’s vast customer base. Under E-Vision, the company stands to benefit from improved economies of scale and can substantially accelerate deployments across key markets in the region.

• Signs master distribution agreement to cater to the new digital era
• One-stop-shop for the entire Samsung range of consumer and business smart devices and solutions
• Etisalat UAE to become the largest distributor of Samsung smart devices and solutions in the region

Etisalat UAE, part of e&, today announced its unique partnership with Samsung to become the master distributor for the entire range of smart devices and solutions and operate the marketing, supply and distribution of its products.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is in line with e&’s commitment to delivering outstanding holistic experiences to all customers. It was signed on the sidelines of the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona last week in the presence of senior executives from both e& and Samsung.

The partnership will ground Samsung as one of the leading brands in the UAE while positioning e& as the primary digital age retailer for Samsung Gulf. It will extend Samsung’s exclusive products and offerings to more than 40 categories to include their entire consumer and business portfolio, such as smart home solutions, enterprise solutions, accessories, and more.

The move will make Etisalat UAE the biggest player for Samsung products in the region, also opening the way for introducing value-added services powered by Samsung technology.

Khaled ElKhouly, Chief Consumer Officer of Etisalat UAE, said: “This strategic partnership is aligned with our vision to become a global technology player, through innovative partnerships and more tailored and unique propositions for the benefit of our customers. The MOU will take our relationship with Samsung to the next level as we enhance the value we bring to customers while working in synergy to deliver smart digital solutions for the people and companies we serve across various verticals."

Seong Hyun Lee, President, Samsung Gulf Electronics, Samsung said: “Our partnership with Etisalat UAE, part of e& is one drawn by resilience and continuous strife for innovation as we expand our solutions to the entire UAE, catering not only to the mobile phone demand but our entire range of smart devices – effectively responding to our customer expectations and needs. This MoU represents yet another milestone in our ongoing partnership and I am delighted to partake into the new digital era together.”

Etisalat UAE, part of e& has been working closely with Samsung Gulf since the beginning, bringing exclusive launches and offerings, including a 36-month instalment plan, the first of its kind in the market. The opportunity set by this renewed partnership for direct supply and distribution development is a milestone and presents a vast growth potential.

Currently, Samsung is the strategic smart devices vendor to Etisalat UAE creating immense value for its customers whilst catering to all their device requirements through its leadership in new technology and flagship sales in UAE.

Etisalat Group has changed its brand identity to e&, effective from 23 February 2022. Its strategy aims to accelerate growth through the creation of a resilient business model representing the Group’s main business pillars. The telecom business currently continues to operate led by Etisalat UAE in e&’s home market and by existing subsidiaries for international operations, upholding the Group’s rich telecoms heritage, bolstering the strong telecoms network and maximising value for the Group’s various customer segments. Ramping up the digital services for individual customers to elevate their digital-first lifestyle, e& life brings next-generation technologies through smart connectivity platforms in entertainment, retail and financial technology. To enable the digital transformation of governments, large-scale enterprises and corporates, e& enterprise focuses on maximising value through its end-to-end solutions in cybersecurity, cloud, Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), as well as deploying mega projects. e& capital allows the Group to focus its efforts on driving new mergers and acquisitions while maximising shareholder value and strengthening global presence.

• Batelco and Omantel join five operators in the ground-breaking Open RAN MoU

Middle East operators have opened the first regional community lab in collaboration with Telecom Infra Project (TIP) and Intel, following the signing of the Open Radio Access Network (Open RAN) MoU last year. The move will accelerate the implementation of Open RAN solutions in their existing telecom networks in order to support the early adoption and development of a robust regional ICT ecosystem.

Two new operators ‘Batelco’ and ‘Omantel’ have also signed the Open RAN MoU, joining the e& formerly known as Etisalat Group, stc, Zain Group, Mobily, and du from Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company (EITC), in their commitment to deploy Open RAN across their footprint and enhance supreme network experiences for end-users.

The Middle East lab will provide a platform for the parties to jointly deploy open and disaggregated technologies into their networks to optimise the online experiences of businesses and consumers. Flexible, interoperable and standards-based solutions such as OpenRAN present a compelling opportunity for operators to become more efficient in meeting the ever-growing need for high bandwidth, low latency, and advanced connectivity.

The lab will provide shared facilities and access to the most innovative Intel technologies for members and vendors, and catalyst for OpenRAN deployments.

Through the TIP end-to-end process, operators become empowered to deploy more flexible and resilient networks optimised for specific use cases. By sharing industry knowledge to align and prioritise their technical requirements, TIP participants contribute to the creation of centralised technical roadmaps that will set the direction for the development of new network infrastructure products and solutions. Operators can then leverage TIP’s test and validation process to quickly and easily assess those products and solutions that will best contribute to the transformation of their networks.

Mohamed Al Marzooqi, Vice President, Technology Synergies, e& said: “More than ever, our customers rely on high-quality connectivity for their daily requirements. The need for such smart connectivity will only increase in the future. I’m delighted to witness more operators from our region partnering with us in our efforts to position the Middle East as a global leader in developing and deploying such innovative network solutions.

“e& is committed to supporting technology and service innovation within the markets where we operate, through our participation in TIP and our partnership with Intel. We strongly believe open technologies present the right prospects to achieve this, while helping enhance the flexibility and efficiency of our networks.”

Nawaf Al Gharabally, Group's Chief Technology Officer, Zain, said: “We are pleased to welcome Batelco and OmanTel to the MoU. Through broad regional alignment on OpenRAN and standardisation over Intel technologies, we will provide a clear demand signal to the industry that reflects the needs of our respective markets and customers. The new [Open RAN Labs] is a testament to this. We will work together through this collaborative hub to find solutions that address the specific use cases we encounter in the Middle East and are an essential component to faster commercial deployments. We urge all regional players to join us in this drive to deliver new and innovative solutions.”

Referring to the operator collaboration, Rashid Mohamed, General Manager Networks, Batelco said: "This collaboration and alignment of operators on OpenRAN is a milestone for the telecommunications ecosystem in the Middle East. It will create a more competitive and robust supply chain, leading to faster 5G deployment, network efficiencies, opportunities for new technology vendors, and unlock advanced services for customers. We are pleased to join other like-minded and leading organisations in amplifying innovative opportunities in the region.”

Bernhard Merwe, CTO, OmanTel commented: “OmanTel is excited to be joining this ground-breaking MoU. This is an initiative that will help us deliver on our mission to provide the highest quality connectivity to our customers while also benefiting from the shared experiences of our community in deploying open network technologies. We see a clear opportunity to enhance the way we work with the vendor community and build a more resilient and diverse ecosystem that benefits the region as well as our industry.”

Hisham Alabdaly, GM Infrastructure Design, stc said: “By partnering with TIP, Intel and the operator community in the Middle East, we are helping pioneer a new and innovative approach to developing the solutions that align with our strategic goals and best support the present and future needs of our customers. In doing so, we are also supporting the growth of our local ICT sectors because open network technologies like OpenRAN provide a trusted avenue for new entrants in both the hardware and software space to work with service providers.”

Saleem Al Balooshi, Chief Technology Officer du commented: “du is committed to improving its networks while boosting the digital economy by stimulating greater technological innovation. We are excited to take the next step in accelerating the pace of innovation and promote the development of an open technology that will help to enhance the flexibility, efficiency and security of our networks. This has multiple advantages for the customers as our networks will become highly programmable and automated, so we can foster collaboration and innovation, release new features quickly, provide capacity on demand, automate network management and deliver tailored enterprise solutions."

Mohammed Al Atawi, VP Technology Governance, Mobily said: “Mobily is already committed to making our vendors active partners in our business operations, and the move towards open network technologies is the next logical step in that journey. We believe the end-to-end process established by the Telecom Infra Project, supported by Intel standard technologies is the best way to ensure we all benefit from the paradigm shift that open and disaggregated technologies represent. We are confident of its cooperative test and validation framework where results and learnings are shared between industry players.”

Referring to the partnerships among regional mobile operators, Caroline Chan, VP, Network and Edge Group & TIP Board Member, Intel said: “This is a great example of how industry collaboration can accelerate the shift toward a software-defined infrastructure at the network edge. A virtualised, Open RAN is an area of tremendous innovation, which can be further propelled by leveraging Intel’s FlexRAN reference architecture with optimised software and hardware components. The lab opens new possibilities to innovate 5G services that can accelerate the digital transformation in the Middle East.”

Vish Mathur, Head of Engagement Telecom Infra Project highlighted the shared responsibility of each telco operator in the successful deployment of Open RAN. He said: “Regional collaborations on Open RAN development, such as the Middle East MoU and the European MoU, clearly illustrate the growing momentum behind disaggregated technologies in our industry.”

He added: “While specific use cases may differ depending on the region, the need for these technologies is universal. TIP and Intel play a key role in this context, bringing together stakeholders from across the world, such as the MoU signatories, to accelerate the development of a critical mass of open and disaggregated network solutions in response to operators’ needs. We hope to see more regional initiatives that leverage TIP and welcome all industry organisations to join our efforts to advance global connectivity.”

• Partnership to deliver industrial 5G use cases powered by private wireless networks and edge computing

Etisalat UAE part of e& announced today that it is extending its collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to address the growing demand for digitalisation in different industries with use cases focussed on enterprises in oil and gas, manufacturing, and logistics.

Etisalat UAE and the cloud provider will collaborate to build industry-specific solutions that offer low latency and high-performance computer services leveraging 5G private networks and Mobile Edge Computing (MEC). This will be applied across a large set of use cases like interactive AR/VR, industrial automation, Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) at the edge. The joint effort will enable business customers in the UAE to simplify their operations, improve the safety of employees, as well as increase the resiliency of their production and linked critical business processes.

While extending cloud capabilities to the edge of the network provides massive benefits to business customers across many sectors, the lack of cloud skillsets and the complexity of solution integration remain the biggest hurdles to scale the industry adoption.

To overcome these challenges, Etisalat UAE, as an AWS Solution Provider partner, will create a catalogue of pre-packaged 5G digital solutions. The company’s customers will be able to source a combination of AWS based services and Etisalat’s connectivity and integration capabilities as a packaged value proposition from Etisalat UAE.

Through its collaboration with the cloud services provider, Etisalat UAE enables its customers to try and test industrial use cases at minimal cost and with reduced upfront investment. Successful deployments can then be scaled quickly and effectively to maximise the return of customer investment, utilising the benefits from cloud-based 5G and MEC solutions.

Khalid Murshed, Etisalat UAE CTIO, commented, “We are excited to enter this partnership with Amazon Web Services as the solution provider partner. The partnership provides immense opportunities to expand cloud technologies and capabilities. This is also a great way to work on new use cases in oil and gas, manufacturing, and logistics while boosting productivity, simplifying operations, and innovating faster. This collaboration is in line with our overall strategy to bring transformative technologies and innovative solutions to our customers across various industry verticals. We look forward to identifying more opportunities to innovate with AWS in the near future.”

Etisalat UAE will be offering two sets of value propositions; the first includes fully managed private wireless networks and Multi-Access Edge Compute (MEC), combining Etisalat UAE’s single-digit millisecond latency 5G network with cloud services. The second will see Etisalat UAE leveraging the broad community of the cloud provider’s developers, who innovate and create industrial use cases based on AWS capabilities to market those to Etisalat UAE’s customers. Here, it will provide additional integration and management to lower entry barriers for business customers who seek to adopt cloud capabilities at the edge.

These use cases will be unveiled in the Etisalat UAE customer innovation centre in collaboration with AWS and its developers. This provides a hands-on experience for enterprises with Etisalat UAE cloud experts delivering demonstrations, training, and education opportunities focussed on industry segments in the UAE and across the wider region.

As demand for digitalisation continues to grow in different industries in the UAE, Etisalat has made new edge connectivity, such as 5G and edge computing, available to its business customers.

Etisalat UAE part of e& today announced the successful testing of Fibre-to-the-Room (FTTR) solution. The FTTR solution is a revolutionary technology for intelligent home networks providing a solid bedrock for enhanced digital capabilities for millions of consumers in the UAE.

The FTTR solution also effectively eliminates challenges restricting speed limits within the home. In collaboration with Huawei, Etisalat successfully tested the FTTR solution demonstrating a superior customer experience of the solution capabilities in a six-bedroom multi-story villa.

The successful testing of the FTTR solution has set yet another benchmark in the networking segment, demonstrating next-level end-user experience. This revolutionary solution will enable smart city development, enabling home broadband networks to be ready for disruptive innovation and transformation. This is essential, especially during the pandemic when the broadband network has become a digital lifeline for families confined to their homes. With children attending online learning, more people working from home and accessing day-to-day services related to shopping and health online, a reliable and high-speed internet connection has become necessary.

“The completion of the successful trials of the FTTR solution is a testament of Etisalat’s long-term commitment to provide a resilient fibre network so that our subscribers can enjoy ubiquitous high-speed connectivity and low latency networks, thereby continuing to create new experiences and value,” said Abdulrahman Al Humaidan, Senior Director, Fixed Access Network, Etisalat UAE.

In FTTR solutions, fibre is used to replace traditional network cables or Wi-Fi networking, to achieve premium experience of full gigabit coverage, seamless Wi-Fi roaming, and intelligent management. Gigabit Wi-Fi can reach every room in the house, ensuring smooth connectivity and no interruptions. With intelligent management systems in place, faults can be remotely located and rectified in one-click mode, improving fault locating and rectification efficiency.

Traditional Wi-Fi solutions over ethernet cables are susceptible to interference affecting performance significantly across the house as signals pass through walls. The solution includes deploying optical fibre to substitute Ethernet copper cables which can be extended to rooms easily by either reutilising the existing concealed utility conduits or deploying an exposed transparent fibre without affecting the aesthetic appeal. It will ultimately benefit consumers with large living spaces and the online gaming community requiring reliable high-speed connectivity.

• Chairman lauds the successful journey of the Group since 1976 and elaborates on e&’s vision to ‘make possible’ through its business pillars
• Group CEO touches upon the importance of its transformation as first mover to shape an impactful digitalisation future
• Reputation as a digital champion is a driving force of change as it empowers societies

Following the announcement of e&’s transformation as the global technology conglomerate, the Group has already started to accelerate its digitalisation leadership further by implementing its ambitious strategy for a brighter, digital future. Refreshing the Group’s business pillars in alignment with its objectives for geographical expansion, deeper market penetration, profitable ventures and acquisitions, exploring adjacencies will only serve to amplify business growth across all segments.

H.E. Jassem Mohamed Bu Ataba Alzaabi, Chairman of e&, has highlighted that the Group’s strong financial performance and stellar business results across the markets where it operates have placed it on solid footing start a new chapter of success.

The Chairman was speaking at a Media Majlis on 26 February 2022, where the Group shared how well-placed it was to drive its aspirations through specialist business pillars.

This multi-billion dollar business has seen a series of victories since it started operations in 1976 as the first telecom company in the UAE. The Group was named the strongest telecoms brand in the world in January 2022. It also took first place in the Forbes MENA Top 10 most valuable listed companies in the UAE. More recently, it reported a solid net profit of AED 9.3 billion in 2021, a 3.2% increase year on year. It’s also seen a jump of 3.0 % increase in its aggregated subscriber base to 159 million.

The Group has also been aggressive in its acquisition strategy and in its pursuit of strategic partnerships that are set to revolutionise the business landscape.

H.E. said, “Our exemplary financials and strong standing in the market demonstrate our strength and capability to take our success to new heights as we refocus our efforts in investing in breakthrough technologies, accelerating in-depth market penetrations and capitalising on solid ventures with key industry players.

“Moreover, the digital revolution and its impact on the business world has given us ample confidence to expand even further through the business pillars.”

Looking ahead, the Group is in a privileged position in the MENA region to capture regional growth opportunities while looking into markets beyond the region. e& possesses an undisputed market position across the MENA region with an ICT market size across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt, three of its key markets, expected to grow by more than 15% annually from 2020 to 2025. Moreover, the business landscape has seen an explosive rate of digital disruption, with significant digital white spaces remaining in the MENA region.

H.E. highlighted what needs to happen for the Group to ride the change. He said: “Driven by our track record of success and milestone achievements we have witnessed so far, we are confident in leading the digitalisation conversation. It is our determination to accomplish more for the benefit of our customers and shareholders through our commitment to enhancing the quality of our solutions and services. We are the bridge builders who have mastered the art of combining our scalable technological competencies with our robust telecoms expertise so that we can drive positive change for our customers, unlock more shareholder value and strengthen our global presence.

“Through our main business pillars, we are creating a future-ready business model that celebrates our past and embraces the opportunities ahead of us.”

Business pillars driving the Group’s aspirations
The Group’s specialist business pillars are its strategy building blocks as it sets on its journey to build a brighter, digital future.

Telecoms
The Group’s growth engine, Telecoms is set to accelerate its growth to enable its expansion into new geographic markets while boosting operational performance in existing markets.

With a strong presence in 16 countries across the Middle East, Asia and Africa, this business operation will explore new geographies through building strong partnerships and scaling synergies in the telecom industry. In the age of ‘connectivity renaissance,’ its innovation, imagination and implementation of ideas will drive smart connectivity and maximise value creation for all its customer segments.

With a progressive mindset, Telecoms will drive brand equity and boost global customer satisfaction, achieve synergies of scale, expand its digital services and explore adjacent businesses, thus abiding by its promise to deliver outstanding customer experiences at all times.

e& life
This business pillar brings the next-gen digital world to the fingertips of its customers via a state-of-the-art ‘super app’ marketplace. It aims to target specific consumer segments and advance new business growth opportunities, amplifying innovative consumer digital offerings across the board.

As the major value contributor to the Group, e& life will play a critical role in driving its consumer’s digital future via a suite of carefully curated consumer products and smart connectivity platforms.

The ‘super app’ marketplace, e& life provides customers with cutting-edge lifestyle services, from online food ordering and entertainment (through majority-owned platforms) to retail, mobility and finance.

e& enterprise
Combining the agility and expertise of a digital managed and professional service company with the strength and reach of a telco, e& enterprise is leading digital transformation and accelerating digital adoption for corporates, governments and large organisations.

Through Cloud, Cybersecurity, Internet of Things (IoT), and Artificial Intelligence, it is propelling organisations and economies towards a smarter, safer and more sustainable world.

With a successful track record in designing, delivering and operating large digital projects and solutions using intelligent and secure cloud platforms, e& enterprise provides comprehensive services in consultancy, business modelling, solutions design, program management, execution, delivery and post-implementation support.

e& capital
Focussed on bringing a better, alternate future, e& capital is investing in the ideas and people that will take us there. Acquiring, growing and supporting the visionary tech businesses that are moving this world forward.

e& is working on long term financial growth, choosing technology investments that will create high returns, and companies that fit it with the Group’s aspirations.

Resilient business model underpinned by strong financials
Hatem Dowidar, Group CEO, e&, further explained the successes that the Group has had in maximising value from the core, expanding and solidifying its regional footprint leadership, as well as the strong financial results. He stressed the importance of embracing a progressive outlook, harnessing a growth mindset to see beyond the world of telecoms so as to create a bright, digital future.

He said: “Technological disruption brought with it winds of change that we’ve never seen before. Instead of us standing at the crossroads, wondering what to do next, we started to ask, “How can we capture and accelerate growth and still stay strong and successful?” The answer is plain to see. Our quest to go beyond the realms of telecom exhorted us to ideate, design and deploy solutions that would transform the lives of our customers and advance the digitalisation journey of enterprises.

“Part of this journey involved us taking massive steps to explore adjacencies, looking at how we can create focussed digital units, building strong partnerships and exploring collaborative opportunities that would attract out-of-industry partners and investors. We are pleased with the progress made thus far, indicating that the Group is ready for growth, quipped with clear strategic imperatives that will accelerate digital transformation.”

Embedding sustainability at the core
H.E. spoke at length about the importance of understanding how the work at e& changes people’s lives at every touchpoint. In his parting words, he said: “While our robust financial performance has given us a clear snapshot of our readiness to embark on this new journey, we are also constantly focussing on how our work impacts people’s lives. One of the key reasons that we have been able to rise to any challenge and stay agile constantly, is because we believe that we are making a difference in the lives of millions. Enhancing customer experiences and empowering societies have always been our driving forces in everything we have done in the past and what we will achieve in the future.

“We will continue to step up and innovate at every opportunity presented to us in a time of accelerated digitalisation.”

Commenting on the Group’s commitment to the critical role of living by sustainability principles, Dowidar highlighted that they have put several measures in place to address the footprint across the board. E&’s ESG rating was upgraded from ‘BBB’ to ‘A’ by MSCI Global Index, after it launched the sustainability framework and enhanced policies in line with international best practices.

Dowidar said: “To continue to deliver on the agenda of sustainability, we have joined ICT sectors for Paris Agreement commitments to Net Zero emission by 2050. We are also looking at accelerating the decarbonisation of activities by reducing GHG by 2030. We have a clear responsibility to drive sustainable operations for the sake of the future generations and so we will do what it takes to tackle issues such as climate change, global warming and environmental conservation.”

Moving forward, e& will embark on the next wave of core transformation in the UAE telco business to de-risk against market headwinds. Scaling synergies for international expansion will be driven by diversifying footprint risks and reducing home market dependency. Last but not least, a more transparent and agile business model is in the works to open doors for more strategic partnerships, investments, and M&A opportunities.

• Board propose dividend for H2 2021 of AED 0.4 per share representing a total dividend for FY2021 of AED 0.8 per share

Etisalat Group, now known as e&, today announced its consolidated financial results for the Full Year ending 31st December 2021.

Financial Highlights for FY 2021

Operational Highlights and Key Developments 2021

• Increased foreign ownership limit in share capital from 20% to 49%
• Increased ownership stake in Maroc Telecom Group from 48.4% to 53.0%
• e& (Etisalat Group) was recognised by Brand Finance as the world’s strongest telecom brand, the first in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region to achieve this recognition
• ESG rating was upgraded from BBB to A by MSCI Global Index, reflecting continued efforts in sustainability
• Credit ratings by agencies S&P Global and Moody’s affirmed the Group’s high credit rating at AA-/Aa3 with a stable outlook
• Successfully completed a bonds issuance worth one billion Euros to refinance the maturing Euro bond tranche

Overview
Consolidated revenues for e& (Etisalat Group) increased by 3.2% to AED 53.3 billion, while Consolidated Net Profit rose to AED 9.3 billion, also representing a 3.2% increase year on year. Consolidated EBITDA amounted to AED 26.7 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of 1.0% and resulting in EBITDA margin of 50%.

During 2021, the Etisalat UAE subscriber base reached 12.7 million subscribers, while aggregated subscriber base reached 159 million, representing a year over year increase of 3.0%.

Board propose a dividend of AED 0.4 per share for H2 2021, representing a total dividend for FY2021 of AED 0.8 per share.

Across our footprint, we have shown strong financial performance compared with the prior year, despite persistent challenges in the markets in which we operate, including the measures introduced and overall recovery rates for the Covid-19 pandemic. The UAE ranks as number 1 on the Bloomberg Covid-19 Resilience Ranking. e& delivered strong financial performance across its major metrics, driven by international operations as well as steady improvements in domestic operations.

Strategy and new corporate identity
As part of its strategy, e& will enhance customers experiences across all segments by ideating, designing, and delivering a range of innovative and breakthrough technologies, driven by its track record of success. This strategy is aimed at accelerating growth through the creation of a resilient business model that is built on key pillars representing the group’s main business sectors.

Telecom will maintain the previous branding identity while upholding the Group’s rich telecoms heritage, bolstering our strong telecoms network and maximising value for its customer segments, in the UAE and internationally.

Ramping up the digital services for individual customers in order to elevate their digital-first lifestyle, e& life will bring next-generation technologies through smart connectivity platforms in entertainment, retail, mobility services and financial technology.

In order to enable the digital transformation of governments, large-scale enterprises and corporates,

e& enterprise focuses on maximising value through its end-to-end solutions in cybersecurity, cloud, Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), as well as deploying mega projects.

e& capital will allow the Group to focus our efforts on driving new mergers and acquisitions while maximising shareholder value and strengthening global presence.

Outlook
With organisations and individuals fundamentally changing the way they conduct business; we are determined to stay agile and fit for the future. Our work is essential in bridging the gap between the telecom industry and what our customers need in the digital space. Looking ahead to 2022, we remain well-positioned to continually create innovative propositions so that our customers, businesses and communities feel cared for.

Commenting on the results, Chairman of e&, H.E. Jassem Mohamed Bu Ataba Alzaabi, said: “It is my great pleasure to present the financial results for the year 2021. e& celebrated multiple milestones, witnessed historical achievements, and saw strong financial performance, all of which I believe are setting us up for an even brighter digital future. The digital revolution spurred by the pandemic does not show signs of slowing down. In fact, telecom operators were faced with two choices: stay still and offer the same services or innovate to ensure business continuity and more importantly, achieve growth. We will continue to rise to the challenge and innovate at every opportunity presented to us because we firmly believe that we can make a difference in the lives of millions in a time of accelerated digitalisation, and we are ready to meet the demands of the future with confidence, resilience, and agility.

“I would like to extend our gratitude to the UAE leadership for inspiring us through their vision as we continue to go from strength to strength. It is an honour to be empowered as an organisation to amplify our growth prospects, charter our course into a more holistic digital transformation, develop new ICT capabilities, and build a new reality for all of us through next-generation digital connectivity and cutting-edge technologies.”

Hatem Dowidar, Chief Executive Officer of e&, added: “This has been an exceptional year during which we have witnessed robust financial performance and business growth across our operations. I am particularly proud of our performance set against the backdrop of another challenging year as we continued to navigate through the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. Our domestic and international operations delivered a strong performance over the course of the year as a result of our continuous focus on maintaining growth.

“It was a great honour for us to be recognised as the world’s strongest telecom brand and the most valuable telecom brand portfolio in MEA, which is a testament to the success of our strategic initiatives, the building of one of the world’s fastest networks and, of course, our employees’ relentless dedication. I would like to extend my gratitude to the entire e& family, who continue to make us proud at every step of the way.

“Thanks to our customers and shareholders for their continued support of our business and vision as we move forward with our mission to pioneer broad-spectrum technologies, build breakthrough partnerships and uncover opportunities that will empower the future.”

• The new brand demonstrates the Group’s commitment to become a global technology and investment conglomerate that accelerates the digital transformation journey while empowering societies.
• HH Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan commends e& for steering its global digitalisation leadership through pioneering advanced technologies, advancing ICT infrastructures, and fuelling growth while unlocking value.
• The launch further strengthens the UAE’s standing as the Middle East technology and digitalisation hub.

His Highness Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Minister of Presidential Affairs, today launched e&, marking the transformation ambitions of Etisalat Group into a global technology and investment conglomerate.

Commenting on the launch, HH Sheikh Mansour emphasised the importance of capitalising on opportunities that the fast-evolving business landscape continues to present in the age of technological disruption. He commended the efforts of e& in devising a more progressive business model that sustains its hypserscaling ambitions, promotes new ventures and partnerships, and maximises value across its operations.

His Highness said, “The transformation of e& from a telecom company founded more than four decades ago in the UAE into a global influence in digitalisation highlights its role in upholding the UAE’s sustainable economic development and diversification plans. We commend e& for being the national champion that steers its global digitalisation leadership through pioneering advanced technologies, advancing ICT infrastructures, and fuelling geographic expansions while unlocking value.”

The launch of the new brand identity for Etisalat Group was attended by His Excellency Mohammad bin Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs, H.E. Mohamed Bin Hadi Al Hussaini, Minister of State for Financial Affairs and H.E. Jassem Mohamed Bu Ataba Alzaabi, Chairman of e&.

The ambitious strategy
As part of its strategy, e& will enhance customers experiences across all segments by ideating, designing, and delivering a range of innovative and breakthrough technologies, driven by its track record of success. This strategy is aimed at accelerating growth through the creation of a resilient business model that is representing the Group’s main business pillars.

Telecom will retain the previous branding identity while upholding the Group’s rich telecoms heritage, bolstering the Group’s strong telecoms infrastructure and maximising value for its customer segments, in the UAE and internationally. In addition, it will expand into new geographic markets while continuing to drive operational performance in the 16 markets where it operates.

e& life is focused on enhancing customer delight by becoming an integral part of the lives of its customers. The business pillar has already made robust plans to deliver next-generation technologies and digital experiences that will bring the world to the customers’ fingertips through smart connectivity platforms in entertainment, retail and financial services.

e& enterprise will be the driving force behind the digital transformation of governments, corporates and enterprises. Through its breakthrough technology solutions in cybersecurity, cloud, Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), as well as deploying mega projects, e& enterprise will create real business value as it continues to leverage on its expertise as a digital managed company having the strength and reach of a global trusted partner.

Maximising shareholder value while strengthening global presence is key to the e& strategy to empower societies. e& capital will act as a pillar for growth for the Group as it drives new acquisitions and mergers in line with its vision for investing in ideas that make the future.

The evolution e& comes at the heels of the Group’s strong financial performance as well as several milestones that contributed to the transformation. More recently, e& ranked first in the Forbes MENA Top 10 most valuable listed companies in the UAE. The Group was also named the strongest telecoms brand in the world. Accumulating success year on year has taken place in light of the considerable investments the Group has made in maintaining its 5G network prowess, investing in breakthrough technologies, aggressive market penetrations, deploying megaprojects, driving smarter connectivity, and pursuing strong partnerships.

A new era built on solid foundations
H.E. Jassem Mohamed Bu Ataba Alzaabi, Chairman of e&, said, “This is a milestone in the history of the Group, and a new era where we reaffirm our commitment to deliver outstanding customer experiences and maximise value for our shareholders. To ensure that the next chapter of our journey is a success, we made the decision to realign our business model so that we can stay agile and fit for the future.

“This successful journey has been made possible through the continuous support of the UAE leadership as we become key enablers in the digital transformation taking place globally across all industries.”

He added, "Our evolution is built on the solid foundations of several historical achievements, multiple milestones and robust financial performance, highlighting our global technological leadership and our confidence in leading change for growth. During this time, we have also worked tirelessly to ensure that our solutions positively impact people’s lives at every touchpoint. We are now ready to be the future-focussed nexus that will drive more positive change for our customers and shareholders through our robust expertise.”

Transformation driven by thought leadership
e& has already demonstrated its robust industry leadership when it comes to digital transformation when it announced the establishment of its consumer digital and enterprise digital business units, in addition to attracting partners from around the world to contribute to the digitalisation growth journey.

Commenting on the launch of the new brand and its transformation strategy, Hatem Dowidar, Group CEO of e& said, "The evolution as e& embodies our commitment to double down on enhancing the quality of our solutions while surpassing customer expectations and maximising value creation for our shareholders. Our robust transformation plans will focus on running our business operations more efficiently, diversifying our revenue streams as well as helping our enterprise customers achieve their digital transformation goals adeptly.

“We will continue to identify new growth opportunities, take full advantage of strong partnerships and maintain our edge as the global technology investment conglomerate that makes a difference in people’s lives.”

Hatem Dowidar added, “The digitalisation acceleration during the pandemic offered a new realm of opportunities for us to serve our customers better as they seek more seamless and enhanced digital experiences. Our strong business continuity principles and adept crisis management, combined with our growth mindset, have dramatically impacted our business growth across our operations. We seized the moment to become future makers who are confident to lead a transformation of such grand scale, whether it is being master innovators or enablers of digitalisation in markets where we operate.

“We are keen to contribute to a knowledge-based economy that will digitally empower societies as we move forward with our mission to pioneer next-generation technologies, build breakthrough partnerships and create a new world powered by all of us.”

• 2ndedition of SMB awards receives over 500 registrations across ten categories

Etisalat announced the winners of the second ‘SMB Awards 2021’ in a grand gala event to recognise and celebrate the outstanding achievements of Small and Medium businesses (SMBs) in the UAE.

The prestigious awards ceremony was attended by H.E. Faisal Al Hammadi, Assistant Undersecretary for Entrepreneurship and SMEs from the Ministry of Economy, along with senior management from Etisalat joined by more than 200 partners and business representatives from the SMB community.

In his keynote at the awards ceremony, H.E. Al Hammadi applauded the success of the SMB community and lauded the strong collaborative support of the UAE government in creating a conducive and sustainable ecosystem that is well-placed to produce successful unicorn companies in the country.

The awards recognised ten pioneering entrepreneurs and thriving businesses across ten categories. These mainly included ARJ Holding (Emirati Business), Ascentria Examinations & Tests Preparation Centre (Women in Business), Aster Hospitals UAE (Digital Transformation), Prognica Labs (Artificial Intelligence), Tecton Engineering & Construction (Top Sustainability), Route Mobile (Business Mobility), Universal Medical Transfer Services (Top Healthcare), Corporate Business Services (CSR), Edenred UAE (Technology for Good ), and Al Adil Trading (SMB of the Year).

Esam Mahmoud, Senior Vice President, SMB, Etisalat, offered a congratulatory message to all winners, highlighting their potential, resilience and agility to to differentiate their business. He said: “The SMB awards celebrate the wealth of excellence and innovation in our industry. We live and work in different times where progress is determined by how quickly and efficiently we innovate and transform for the benefit of societies, regardless of the competitive business landscape. Driven by our service mantra for SMBs ‘Your Business Grows with Us,’ we are proud to serve the business community in UAE as they co-create and ideate with us to drive a better and brighter digital future.”

The SMB Awards, launched in November 2021, received over 500 registrations from businesses across UAE. The external jury members were industry veterans and professionals hailing from varying sectors such as Dubai Chamber, American University of Sharjah, DIFC compliance and risk management advisory firm, ADGM, Burson Cohn & Wolfe, Frost & Sullivan and Nissan Motors.

• Alliance enables Etisalat Digital customers to drive digital transformation with a secure path to the cloud,
• Rapidly innovate via the CXone platform and deliver frictionless, end-to-end digital and agent-assisted experiences

Etisalat Digital today announced a partnership with NICE to drive the availability of the CXone platform in the UAE. The collaboration provides Etisalat customers with a clear, seamless path to the cloud with CXone while enabling frictionless digital self-service and agent-assisted customer experiences. With CXone, Etisalat Digital is uniquely positioned to advise and empower organisations to transform their business via effective, engaging customer communications now and into the future. NICE CEO, Barak Eilam, and Etisalat Enterprise Digital CEO, Salvador Anglada, were present at the signing ceremony held at the Etisalat Digital Hospitality Lounge at Expo 2020, Dubai.

Etisalat Digital chose to collaborate with NICE following a comprehensive review of Contact Centre as a Service (CCaaS) providers that revealed CXone as the leading CX platform with a proven ability to drive digital transformation well into the future. Capabilities such as easy migration to the cloud, the ability to rapidly innovate and offer cutting-edge features, flexibility to scale as needed, easy management of remote agents working from any location as well as multiple contact centres drove the decision for the collaboration. As part of this alliance, Etisalat Digital will drive strategic investments in building managed services practice around NICE CXone - a first of its kind in the region.

Among the NICE solutions to be offered by Etisalat is the CXi, (Customer Experience interactions) platform, a new framework delivered through a unified suite of applications on the CXone platform. CXi empowers organisations to intelligently meet their customers wherever their journey begins, enables resolution through AI and data driven self-service, and prepares agents to resolve customer needs successfully. It enables a frictionless end-to-end service experience, combining digital entry points, journey orchestration, smart self-service, prepared agents and complete performance improvement, all embedded with purpose-built CX AI and based on a native open cloud foundation.

Salvador Anglada, CEO of Etisalat Enterprise Digital, said: "Etisalat Digital is committed to deliver the most advanced and efficient customer engagement solutions as a cornerstone in the digital transformation journey of businesses and governments. NICE and CXone are an ideal partner for our contact centre practice that will deliver the most innovative solutions for an exceptional customer service experience.”

Barak Eilam, CEO, NICE, said: “Our partnership with Etisalat Digital demonstrates NICE CXone’s accelerated international expansion, and we’re excited to work together to bring the benefits of the cloud to agents and customers in the UAE. CXone provides the essential technology businesses need to exceed today’s customers’ expectations in a unified cloud native platform, fast-tracking digital transformations and digital fluency for companies of all sizes across the globe.”

Etisalat Group today announced the appointment of Mikhail Gerchuk as CEO - International and Khalifa Hassan Al Forah Al Shamsi as CEO - Etisalat Consumer Digital. Reporting to Hatem Dowidar - Etisalat Group CEO, Gerchuk and Al Shamsi will help secure the organisation’s growth mandate. Gerchuk will be responsible for providing comprehensive direction to develop and implement the international telco strategy and the accompanying long-term plans needed for practical, maintaining growth across international operations. Al Shamsi’s appointment is part of Etisalat Group’s ongoing digital transformation strategy to significantly expand Etisalat’s digital portfolio by growing the existing business, as well as capturing new opportunities in the consumer market, through its new dedicated vertical – Etisalat Consumer Digital.

The announcement follows the appointment of Salvador Anglada as the CEO of Etisalat Enterprise Digital in November 2021, to drive digital transformation by enabling enterprises and governments to become smarter through the use of the latest technologies such as Cloud, Cyber Security, Internet of Things (IoT) and AI. Etisalat Enterprise Digital brings together the best industry digital experts, assets and platforms with a unique service and operating model, providing end-to-end digital vertical propositions to enable smarter developments, education, healthcare, transportation and a smarter economy. It has a successful track record in delivering large digital projects and solutions by providing comprehensive services in consultancy, business modeling, solutions design, programme management, execution, delivery and post-implementation support and operation services.

These appointments are a testament to Etisalat’s commitment to accelerate digital transformation and provide outstanding customer experiences while investing in and empowering its UAE national capabilities to excel in their career path of choice. Where Etisalat Enterprise Digital is focused on the strategic growth of its digital offerings to cater to the needs of its enterprise customers, Etisalat Consumer Digital will expand its digital portfolio in the consumer market.

Al Shamsi began his career with Etisalat spanning nearly three decades and has a proven track record in telecom and digital services backed by a solid commercial and technical background. He has had a solid hand in Etisalat’s first move into growing digital adjacencies, leading the deployment of mobile services, fibre-based broadband and advanced data services. He has held several leadership positions within Etisalat Group, including Head of Mobile Networks, Chief Marketing Offices and Chief Digital Officer. His role in building the business unit ‘Etisalat Digital Services’ was paramount to generating new revenue streams and accelerating business growth. In his previous role as the Group Chief Corporate Strategy & Governance Officer, he was a key contributor to the vision and future strategic priorities of Etisalat Group.

With over 20 years of experience in the telecoms industry, Gerchuk has held several notable leadership roles with Vodafone, MTS, and VEON, covering marketing, product and services development, and launching new business segments. In his most recent role, he was the Senior Advisor – Telecom, Media and Technology Practice – at McKinsey & Company, London. Before that, he was the VEON CEO for the Eurasia region, where he was instrumental in successfully turning around the decline in business revenue and achieving strong growth, thus increasing profitability dramatically.

• Cloud services to lower TCO by over 40 percent over five years

Etisalat Digital has announced that Transguard Group, the UAE’s leading business support and outsourcing provider, has selected Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) to migrate their on-premises solutions. This will lower the total cost of ownership (TCO) while giving Transguard the flexibility to serve requirements of mission-critical systems and respond quickly to dynamic market conditions, emerging technologies and customer demands.

Transguard Group, an Emirates Group company, has over 60,000 employees located at the customers’ facilities and their own, on the road or, now, working at home. The company will move its existing Oracle Database Appliance to the Oracle Cloud Dubai Region. Moving to an OCI cloud solution enables Transguard to better operate from anywhere. The migration will also allow the company to re-use its existing infrastructure, which will bring down the CAPEX and OPEX of hardware, maintenance and IT.

“Transguard Group chose to migrate to OCI mainly to effect faster, more powerful performance across our enterprise,” explained Dr. Greg Ward, Managing Director, Transguard Group. “Moving to the cloud offers us greater cost savings and supports the business to be as lean as possible, all while delivering greater scalability. The ease of migration and support was also a major deciding factor because we are able to move our entire on-premises environment to the cloud with minimal downtime and operational impact.”

Salvador Anglada, CEO Etisalat Enterprise Digital & Group Chief Business Officer, said: “Today more customers are moving to the cloud, enabling Transguard to be flexible and automate their functions, achieving its business objectives and meeting customer demand cost-effectively and sustainably. Transguard will reduce its total cost of ownership by over 40 percent for five years with this implementation. We look forward to working with *Oracle and guiding Transguard Group in their cloud journey by helping it to accelerate their digital transformation and adapt to ever-changing market conditions.

“OCI’s next-generation architecture provides a high-performing, resilient foundation for cloud services, while its design maximises performance and security,” said Abiy Yeshitla, Vice President, Technology, Middle East and Africa, Oracle. “By transitioning its existing core ecosystem to OCI, Transguard Group will be able to run any application, faster and more securely for less. It will also make it far easier to manage security, performance and scalability,”

Transguard Group will leverage Oracle’s Bring Your Own Licenses (BYOL) programme for database licenses into the Oracle Cloud; it also includes providing OCI FastConnect with last mile connectivity to Transguard locations provided by Etisalat.

*Oracle, Java and MySQL are registered trademarks of Oracle Corporation.

• Closing of the deal opens new chapter for enhancing daily experience of UAE consumers

Emirates Telecommunications Group Company PJSC “Etisalat Group” today announced that, further to the announcement on 18 November 2021, it has completed the acquisition of elGrocer DMCC.

Founded in 2015, elGrocer is a leading online marketplace for groceries operating in all seven Emirates of the UAE. It brings together major retailers and specialty stores on a single platform with more than 500 outlets and 120K products listed. In addition, elGrocer has strategic partnerships with major global and local FMCG companies for collaborations and innovative strategies to drive exposure of their brands.

The UAE is ranked as one of the highest countries globally for smart device penetration and rated as one of the most advanced countries for online shopping and eCommerce market in MENA and this acquisition will contribute to the growing digital economy in the country. The acquisition of elGrocer will complement Etisalat UAE’s existing marketplace services under the ‘Smiles’ brand, which includes online food delivery, lifestyle offers and the ability to earn and redeem points at more than 7,000 outlets across the UAE.

To celebrate this milestone, Smiles users can now enjoy a limited-time deal of 50% off (up to AED 50) on online groceries with elGrocer. All UAE consumers can download Smiles app to get this special discount voucher and redeem it on transactions from any outlet on elGrocer.

Khaled ElKhouly, Chief Consumer Officer of Etisalat UAE, said: “Following the successful launch of the Smiles food delivery platform at the beginning of 2021, the ability to offer our customers online grocery services presents an exciting opportunity to enhance our Smiles offering for UAE consumers and 2.7 million existing Smiles members. We strongly believe in bringing elGrocer on board, we will be able to empower our customers by providing more tailored and unique propositions, extending the possibility to earn and redeem Smiles points on online grocery transactions and offering exclusive discounts.”

Etisalat is currently leveraging its wide range of digital technologies and services and powering a great digital-first experience to encourage digital adoption by its customers. Its own digital transformation is enabling it to execute this strategy and is facilitating a paradigm shift to a new operating model that nurtures innovation and agility.

Raed Hafez, CEO of elGrocer, said: “We are proud of what we have achieved so far with elGrocer in pioneering grocery consumer experiences and innovations. Now, we look forward to Smiles and elGrocer coming together to bring more access, value, and innovation to enhance UAE consumers’ daily lives. The power of the Smiles technology, customer base and currency, combined with elGrocer’s retail network, shopper expertise, and consumer services will bring delightful new benefits and experiences to the market.”

“One of the first steps we are taking is a major elGrocer app update that make the shopping experience easier & faster with many engaging services & features such as quicker deliveries, digitised shopping list search, shoppable recipe from chefs & brands, click & collect service, and more. This will soon be complemented by a major value for customers, allowing them to earn & redeem Smiles points on elGrocer orders.” Raed added.

Nader Amiri, Founder and COO of elGrocer, said: “I’m very excited to start this new journey of leveraging Smiles and elGrocer strengths to offer new opportunities to UAE consumers and retail market. Consumer habits are changing very fast, and together we will empower consumer lives with delightful experiences and offer the market new unique services. We have already started providing rich offers exclusively to Etisalat & Smiles customers. We are also quickly expanding our current retail network of Supermarkets & Specialty stores across the Emirates.”

The acquisition value of elGrocer DMCC will not exceed AED 38 million (including up to AED30m for 100% of the shares and the AED equivalent of USD 2 million for the repayment of a SAFE note, representing the recently contributed capital by a 3rd party) The transaction is not associated to related parties and is paid by cash.

• Etisalat becomes the first brand from the MEA region to achieve this global recognition by Brand Finance among 500 global brands
• With a telecom portfolio brand value of over USD 12.5 billion, Etisalat has also retained its position as both MEA’s most valuable telecom portfolio as well as strongest brand across all categories
• Ranking further enhances the UAE’s leading position in cutting-edge telecoms and digital transformation globally
• Group CEO Eng. Hatem Dowidar is ranked in the Elite List of Brand Guardians globally

Etisalat has been ranked as the world’s strongest telecom brand and is the first in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region to achieve this milestone recognition by Brand Finance, the world’s leading brand valuation authority.

With a telecom portfolio of well over US$ 12.5 billion, Etisalat not only retained its AAA brand rating but also its position in MEA as the strongest brand across all categories and the most valuable brand portfolio . These accolades underline the UAE’s leadership position globally in its cutting-edge telecom infrastructure and strategic advances in digital transformation.

Committed to customer value creation
Eng. Hatem Dowidar, CEO, Etisalat Group, said: “To be recognised as the world’s strongest telecom brand and as the most valuable telecom brand portfolio in MEA underline the success of our strategic initiatives to build a robust telecom infrastructure that creates added value for our customers wherever we serve. With our relentless focus on being customer-centric, we continue to push our horizons by investing in next generation technology that enhance our service offering and help shape the digital future.”

He added: “In this digital-first era, our focus is to be agile to meet the evolving requirements of our customers and deliver relevant and flexible services. Since our inception in 1976, we have been led by a vision to create a world-class telecom infrastructure that is central to economic progress. We are inspired by the support and guidance of the UAE leadership to stay innovative and future-focused so that we can continue to empower communities and enrich lives.”

Astute brand leadership
Brand Finance also named Eng. Hatem Dowidar to the Elite List of Brand Guardians globally. This recognises the ground-breaking initiatives that he launched since he joined Etisalat in September 2015, which played a key role in propelling Etisalat’s business growth. Assuming the role of Group CEO in 2020, he stewarded the company’s growth through the fast-changing telecom and technology landscape following the COVID-19 pandemic. His astute brand stewardship served as the foundation for enhancing Etisalat’s brand reputation as well as employee engagement.

David Haigh, Chairman and CEO, Brand Finance, said: “Guided by the vision to ‘drive the digital future to empower societies’, Etisalat is the world’s strongest telecoms brand of 2022, as well as retaining its status as the strongest brand in the Middle East and Africa for the second consecutive year. Etisalat’s brand focuses on togetherness and plays its part by providing a first-class telecoms infrastructure across its footprint. Exceptional rollout of 5G technology has also meant that the Etisalat Group’s portfolio of brands is the most valuable amongst telecoms organisations in the Middle East.”

Attributing the success to his team at Etisalat, Dowidar added: “Our significant brand value growth is the result of the contributions and dedication of our employees across all the markets where we operate. Alongside our partners, they are the cornerstones of our efforts to be a digital-first company that is future-ready, while upholding our vision to empower societies, and turn challenges into opportunities.”

Path-breaking achievements
With the UAE leading the world in fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) penetration rate, Etisalat’s robust fibre-optic infrastructure enhances the customer experiences across all business operations. Etisalat raised the benchmark as the world’s fastest network by delivering the best 5G experience at Expo 2020 Dubai as its official telecommunication and digital services partner, surpassing the expectations of millions of visitors. Etisalat has built a dedicated network for Expo 2020, which is the first 5G commercial site in MENA with more than 8,000 Wi-Fi access points, 8,500 mobile access points, and 700 km of fibre-optic cable.

As the UAE celebrates its 50th anniversary, Etisalat has leveraged its 46 years of telecoms experience and its investment in telecom infrastructure to enable the progress of the people and business alike, in addition to supporting vital sectors such as healthcare and education, especially following the pandemic. Through its ‘Stay at Home’ campaign, over one million students across the UAE completed their studies online seamlessly.

Empowering the digital future
As the telecom sector continues to evolve at breakneck speed, Dowidar is focused on strengthening Etisalat’s strategic role in empowering the communities it serves in global markets. “Our proven ability to deliver seamless connectivity is our differentiating strength. We are fully equipped to unlock the potential of digital technologies to drive digital transformation at all levels – from government to business to individuals. Our recognition as the world’s leading telecom brand further fuels our ambition to expand to new geographies and build innovative partnerships, underpinning Etisalat as a brand that makes a positive difference.”

Etisalat’s digital arm has already made great strides in its digital B2B services, particularly in cybersecurity, the Internet of Things (IoT), and cloud connectivity. Help Ag, Etisalat Enterprise Digital’s cybersecurity arm, protects customers against identity theft and serve as an effective digital transformation vehicle.

Brand Finance is the world’s leading independent branded business valuation and strategy authority. Founded in 1996 and headquartered in the City of London, it aims to ‘bridge the gap between marketing and finance.’ Brand Finance evaluates over 5,000 brands across all sectors and geographies every year. The 500 most valuable brands are included in the Brand Finance Global 500 report.

• Instantly apply online for auto, health, travel insurance with plans starting from AED25 per week
• Design and manage your insurance policy that meets your budget and requirements

Etisalat today announced Easy Insurance, the latest addition to its insurance programme offering and a new innovative insurance platform hosting various digital insurance products, providing a state-of-the-art experience and instant policy issuance.

Both Etisalat and non-Etisalat customers can use Easy Insurance through partnerships with key local and global insurance leaders. In addition, they can enjoy a seamless experience by accessing the product through Etisalat’s digital channels, My Etisalat app or www.etisalat.ae.

Khaled ElKhouly, Chief Consumer Officer of Etisalat, said: “Etisalat’s Easy Insurance programme is heralding a new era of insurance offerings for the country. Customers will now have full control to select and customise their insurance product of choice conveniently and subscribe to plans that start from AED25 per week. This sets a benchmark in the way conventional insurance products are offered today. The latest addition to our insurance programme offering ensures a secure and seamless transition towards a fully empowered digital society in line with the vision of the UAE government.”

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2019, customers have preferred to conduct all their transactions online, with the majority moving to use various digital platforms for their purchases. With its insurance partners, Etisalat aims to meet the growing requirement in the insurance sector by digitalising the insurance buying journey via its website and My Etisalat app.

Easy Insurance’s offering through the application of AI, machine learning and Intelligent Automation enables UAE citizens and residents to obtain insurance services for health, auto and travel in the most convenient, fast and efficient manner. It is an extension of the company’s current insurance offerings of device insurance, home protection and Takaful accidental starting at AED1 a month.

Etisalat’s suite of insurance products aims to meet customers’ daily needs ranging from health insurance to auto insurance and travel insurance. They can choose customised health insurance plans for essential and comprehensive coverage for themselves, their family members and domestic helpers. For auto insurance, car owners have access to third-party or comprehensive insurance coverage for either new car registration or renewal of existing car registration. Customers and their families can also get coverage of up to AED734,600 (or USD200,000) for a single trip or an annual multi-trip whenever they purchase an insurance policy before travelling abroad or visiting the UAE. The travel insurance product also includes COVID-19 coverage for inbound and outbound travellers, starting from AED25 per week.

• The UAE’s first children’s TV channel created by E-Vision, part of Etisalat
• Rated as the most-viewed children’s channel in the country since its roll out in 2001
• 20 ejunior logo design contest winners to be invited to the anniversary event at Dubai Mall

ejunior, an exclusive children’s channel available on eLife TV, fully owned by E-Vision and a part of Etisalat, is celebrating 21 years of success as the UAE’s leading and most trustworthy children’s TV channel. Renowned for programming stellar content for popular children's TV shows such as Pokémon, Barbie, Lego Ninjago, and iCarly, ejunior has developed a strong footprint across the MENA region, thanks to its large and quality on-demand service in various countries.

Since its roll out in 2001, ejunior has consistently been rated as the most-viewed children’s TV channel in the UAE and has gained the loyalty of young viewers and parents' trust over the decades. It has also maintained its ‘number one’ ranking in the children’s category on the eLife TV network in the region, according to Etisalat’s Television Audience Measurement (TAM) data. The ejunior channel is available to eLife TV subscribers on Channel 333.

Olivier Bramly, CEO of E-Vision, said: “ejunior prides itself on being UAE’s first children’s channel that has remained a favourite and the most-watched channel over the past 21 years. The brainchild of Etisalat, it is a dedicated brand created for children; has always raised the bar in providing great edutainment content for children; and has established itself as a benchmark for the TV industry. We look forward to taking ejunior to greater heights and celebrating more milestones in the years to come.”

To mark the occasion, ejunior launched a children’s competition last month where participants between the ages of six and 12 were required to log on to www.ejunior.ae, upload a creative ejunior logo they designed, and answer two simple questions about the channel.

Twenty lucky winners will get the opportunity to attend the ejunior anniversary event. They will also visit Infinity des Lumières, the most extensive immersive digital art space in the Middle East. They will also get to watch a new movie with their parents at Reel Cinemas in Dubai Mall. The entire event will be filmed by ejunior and broadcast on channel 333 and shared across ejunior’s social media channels.