Displaying items by tag: Middle East

Network technology experts from around the Middle East participated in the Huawei Middle East IP Club Carnival 2020, to discuss the rapid pace of digital transformation and how connectivity is accelerating in the world around us, completely transforming the way we live and work. The two-day event was held online on July 13 and 14 under the theme ‘Rethink IP: New Connection, New Dimension’.

During the virtual event, Huawei took a step further in campus networking by unveiling CloudCampus 2.0, its latest campus network solution. Standing out with intelligent upgrades in connectivity, experience, and O&M, this future-proof solution helps enterprises of all sizes to build gigabit fully-wireless smart campus networks and accelerate the connectivity of everything in enterprise campuses.

CloudCampus 2.0 addresses the increasing demand of latency-sensitive and bandwidth-hungry applications on campus networks, by guaranteeing quality of key services, enough bandwidth per user, and other requirements so that enterprises can experience seamless connectivity within their campus.

Within the CloudCampus 2.0 range is a full line-up of all-new, high-bandwidth, high-performance wired and wireless network devices, able to accelerate digital transformation for enterprises of any kind.

New CloudCampus 2.0 products include Huawei AirEngine 8760, the industry’s only Wi-Fi 6 AP to support 16 spatial streams and delivery 10.75 Gbps throughput; Huawei's all-new CloudEngine S series multi-GE switches (CloudEngine S5732-H), which provides up to 48 ports capable of GE, 2.5GE, 5GE, and 10GE speeds and allow on-demand rate upgrades through software, and Huawei CloudEngine S12700E, which provides 40-port 25GE line cards with a large buffer of 4 GB and combines these advantages with HQoS to ensure uncompromised experience of key users and applications.

The Huawei Middle East IP Club is an initiative aimed at building an open, cooperative and sharing platform and comprising network technology experts from around the region.

During the interactive Carnival 2020 online event, members had the opportunity to share discussions with global and regional experts on the latest wireless campus technology trends, and how enterprises can build fully wireless, secure workplaces and campus networks based on next generation Wi-Fi 6 technologies to meet future digitalization demands.

Dr. Li Xing, President of the Campus Network Domain, Data Communication Product Line, Huawei said, “The Huawei Middle East IP Club Carnival 2020 is an essential event to share knowledge and experiences, and discuss the most pressing matters in the digitization journey today. Our world is constantly changing as a result of rapid advances in technology, and many businesses still do not understand how to fully utilize connectivity and digitization to their benefit. By bringing together the region’s foremost minds in IP, we are able to create strong platforms for dialogue that will see exciting new pathways opening up for businesses and individuals across the region to take advantage of the best practices.”

During a panel discussion, ‘How can enterprises accelerate digital transformation based on the next-generation all-wireless campus network,’ the online event witnessed industry leaders sharing use cases and presenting how challenges were overcome in their enterprise campus networks, as well as success stories in campus digital transformation in an ever-changing business scenario. Panelists included Bill Menezes, Director Analyst, Gartner; Eng. Saad AlMasradi AlQahtani, Assistant Deputy Minister, Digital Technologies at Ministry of Health Saudi Arabia; Saud Al Salmi, Network Department Director, Oman Royal Court Affairs; Dr. Li Xing, President of the Campus Network Domain, Data Communication Product Line, Huawei; Dr. Osama Aboul-Magd, Chair of IEEE 802.11ax, Chair of IEEE 802.11 HEW SG, Chair of IEEE 802.11ac, Huawei, and Faisal Malik, CTO, Enterprise Group, Huawei Middle East.

“Wi-Fi6 has been a true enabler for our digital transformation, and has helped us to overcome the challenges of the current situation. We have been able to provide advanced patient-centric healthcare services, from remote collaboration to telemedicine & patient monitoring, eventually easing patients’ lives.” commented Eng. Saad AlMasradi AlQahtani, Assistant Deputy Minister, Digital Technologies at Ministry of Health Saudi Arabia.

“Huawei’s all-wireless campus technology, such as Wi-Fi6 has enabled us to adopt various government services in a wireless environment and has helped us a lot by providing benefits such as much better network coverage, improved capacity & more efficient video broadcasting for 4K and 8K video, ultimately enhancing overall user experience,” added Saud Al Salmi, Network department director, Oman Royal Court Affairs.

Event participants also took a virtual tour of the Huawei Data Communications Network Innovation Lab and the Songshan Lake campus in China, to see how the company leverages cutting-edge network technologies for its own digital transformation.

“Businesses are going digital faster than ever before,” Dr. Li Xing added. “During this process, demand will continue to grow for intelligent IP networks that provide super capacity, intelligent experience, and autonomous driving. Moving forward, we will continue to invest in innovation, and innovate together with our customers and partners, to maintain a lead in intelligent IP networks and help relevant standards mature.”

Consumers across the UAE can now enjoy thousands of hours of some of the best Arabic and global content with the launch of the HUAWEI Video streaming service app. 

The new platform is the latest example of the growing ecosystem of features available on HUAWEI Mobile Services. HUAWEI Video can be viewed on Huawei and Honor smartphones and launches with a library of more than 10,000 hours of Arabic content, millions of videos and over 10,000 of hours of global content.

 “HUAWEI Video shall be committed to building a content ecosystem based on the global layout of the HMS, and to attracting more high-quality partners, thus providing all Huawei users with well-rounded and superb sensory experience around the world,” said Adam Xiao, Managing Director, HUAWEI Mobile Services in Middle East and Africa, HUAWEI Consumer Business Group.

The platform was developed by Huawei and has operated successfully in Mainland China since 2016. HUAWEI Video provides free and paid content that includes AVOD (Advertising Video on Demand) and SVOD (Subscription Video On-demand) giving users the option to purchase paid content with Huawei's In-App Purchases (IAP) service, and will soon have a live TV section that will host over 200 top international and regional channels.

HUAWEI Video offers an online streaming video service where users can browse, search, playback and cache online videos. Viewers can also opt into online promotions through the app.

There is a wide range of content already available from some of the region’s most famous actors. The service will initially be available on smartphones and tablets before also being accessible on Smart TV.  Users are greeted with a Home Screen that highlights recommendations as well as new content and the ‘best of’ from other channels.

Viewers can get the latest breaking news from the BBC, there is a section for trending videos with Dailymotion, thousands of hours of long-form content provided by H+ Network and other dedicated channels including: The Explorers, QelloConcerts, ToonGoggles, TVB and Mango TV.

HUAWEI Video offers a high level of customization allowing users to create an easily accessible favourite videos section. Sophisticated parental controls provide protection for younger viewers, while the ability to download content and view it offline means it can fit around your life. So, whether you are commuting or keeping the kids busy, you will always have something to watch. While watching a video, users have an extensive range of options to select their preferred playback quality and speed, change brightness or even share with others.

Meanwhile the VIP Experience provides gold color vision, ad-free and SVOD/VIP titles access. Huawei is working with well-known labels and producers to provide even more content for users such as video on demand and live TV.

Users can access this new service by simply logging into HUAWEI Video with their HUAWEI ID.

Ericsson published its Q4 financial results which highlighted that the Swedish telecom vendor did not experience much growth.

The vendor stated that the protracted merger of T-Mobile US and Sprint were to blame for the 9% drop in North America.

However, despite this, Ericsson experienced plenty of growth in the North American region at the beginning of the year.

Ericsson CEO Börje Ekholm commented on this and stated, “Due to uncertainty related to an announced operator merger, we saw a slowdown in our North American business in Q4, resulting in North America having the lowest share of total sales for some time. However, the underlying business fundamentals in North America remain strong.”

The vendor also experienced 1% growth in Q4 and 4% in the overall Financial Year of 2019. Despite their lack of growth in North America, the company did quite well in other markets such as the Middle East and North East Asia.

Their Q4 growth gross margin accounted for 37.1% which is essentially in line with their 2020 target.

In the previous fiscal year, the vendor’s operating income was at a loss of 1.9 billion Swedish kronor and it is now valued at 6.1 billion kronor. Also, the adjusted operating income increased to 6.5 billion kronor compared it the respective quarter last year of 2.6 billion kronor.

There was a decline to 14.5 % in the networks operating margin, which the firm attributes to an increase in investment and the occurrence of the Kathrein acquisition.

Ekholm also added, “Operating income was impacted by increased operating expenses. The increase is related to the Kathrein business acquisition, increased investments in digitalization and added resources to strengthen security as well as our Ethics and Compliance program. For 2020 we expect somewhat higher operating expenses, which will not jeopardize our financial targets.”

Whereas their Q4 net sales increased by 4% and was valued at 66.37 billion kronor compared to the respective quarter last year which (63.81 billion kronor). Sales were adjusted due to currency and comparable units and it was reported that there was a 1% increase year-over-year.

Ericsson has stated that they will be proposing a dividend for 2019 of 1.50 kronor per share at their

Ericsson has stated that at the Annual General Meeting, they will be proposing a dividend of 1.50 kronor per share for 2019. This is an increase compared to the 1.00 kronor per share from 2018.

The World Economic Forum launched six Industry 4.0 Councils on Wednesday to aid policymakers and enterprises in leveraging emerging technologies whilst anticipating the social risks that could result from them.

The UAE has adopted a new national AI strategy in the hopes of establishing a brand of artificial intelligence within the nation.

Oracle, in collaboration with Redington, a leading distributor and an Oracle PartnerNetwork (OPN) partner operating across Middle East and Africa launched a dedicated Cloud Centre of Excellence (CCoE) in Dubai to enable knowledge share and ready availability of Oracle Cloud to help Oracle PartnerNetwork (OPN)members develop and implement transformative cloud projects across the Middle East.

European telecommunications vendor Ericsson has compiled another comprehensive Mobility Report and the strategic forecast is projecting that 5G will reach 1.5bn subscriptions by 2024.

5G is expected to reach more than 40 percent global population coverage and 1.5 billion subscriptions for enhanced mobile broadband by the end of 2024. This will make 5G the fastest generation of cellular technology to be rolled out on a global scale, according to the latest edition of the Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) Mobility Report.

Key drivers for 5G deployment include increased network capacity, lower cost per gigabyte and new use case requirements. North America and North East Asia are expected to lead the 5G uptake.

In North America, 5G subscriptions are forecast to account for 55 percent of mobile subscriptions by the end of 2024. In North East Asia, the corresponding forecast figure is more than 43 percent.
In Western Europe, 5G is forecast to account for some 30 percent of mobile subscriptions in the region by end of 2024.

The uptake of NB-IoT and Cat-M1 technologies is driving growth in the number of cellular IoT connections worldwide. Of the 4.1 billion cellular IoT connections forecast for 2024, North East Asia is expected to account for 2.7 billion – a figure reflecting both the ambition and size of the cellular IoT market in this region. 

Diverse and evolving requirements across a wide range of use cases are prompting service providers to deploy both NB-IoT and Cat-M1 in their markets.

Mobile data traffic grew 79 percent between Q3 2017 and Q3 2018 – China a key engine
Mobile data traffic in Q3 2018 grew close to 79 percent year-on-year, which is the highest rate since 2013. Increased data-traffic-per-smartphone in North East Asia– mainly in China – has pushed the global figure notably higher.

With a traffic growth per smartphone of around 140 percent between end 2017 and end 2018, the region has the second highest data traffic per smartphone at 7.3 gigabytes per month. This is comparable to streaming HD video for around 10 hours per month.

North America still has the highest data traffic per smartphone, set to reach 8.6 gigabytes per month by the end of this year – which can be compared to streaming HD video for over 12 hours monthly.

Ericsson claims that between the timeframe of 2018-2024, total mobile data traffic is expected to increase by a factor of five, with 5G networks projected to carry 25 percent of mobile traffic by the end of the period.

Fredrik Jejdling, Executive Vice President and Head of Business Area Networks, says: “As 5G now hits the market, its coverage build-out and uptake in subscriptions are projected to be faster than for previous generations. At the same time, cellular IoT continues to grow strongly. What we are seeing is the start of fundamental changes that will impact not just the consumer market but many industries.”
The Mobility report also features articles on fixed wireless access and how to make it a reality, streaming video from megabits to gigabytes, and developing the smart wireless manufacturing market.

In-flight broadband has the potential to unlock a $5.2 billion market within the Middle East region by 2035, finds new data released from the 'Sky High Economics: Quantifying the commercial opportunities of passenger connectivity for the global airline industry' report.

Carried out by the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) in association with global mobile satellite communications provider Inmarsat, the study forecasts that airlines in the region will take a $1.3 billion share of the boost in ancillary revenues.

Based on current IATA data and industry sources, Sky High Economics shows that airlines around the world will benefit from four new revenue streams, including broadband access charges - providing connectivity to passengers in-flight.

Airlines will also benefit from e-commerce and destination shopping - making purchases on-board aircraft with expanded product ranges and real-time offers; advertising - pay-per-click, impressions, sponsorship deals with advertisers; and premium content - providing live content, on demand video and bundled W-IFEC access.

The research argues that as passenger numbers grow globally, so too will passenger expectations for access to high-quality in-flight connectivity. The data shows that when it comes to passenger value brought about by new Wi-Fi enabled ancillary revenue streams, airlines will benefit from an extra $3.21 per passenger. At present, airlines around the world average an additional $17 per passenger from 'traditional' ancillary services like duty free purchases and in-flight retail, food and drink sales.

Also, despite the gradual blurring that has occurred in the airline type selected by many business passengers, the Middle East region continues to represent one of the higher revenue opportunities for both domestic and international FSCs (Full Service Carriers) - in 2035, the split is LCC (Low Cost Carriers) at $239m vs. FSC at $511m. The research confirms the very strong position many global FSCs have that are based there.

“The airline industry is rapidly evolving across the world, including the Middle East,” said Dr. Alexander Grous (B. Ec, MBA, M.Com, MA, PhD.), Department of Media and Communications, LSE and author of Sky High Economics. “This research shows that airlines have a clear strategic opportunity to become distinctly more retail-focused and reap the benefits of this.”

Ben Griffin, Vice President, Middle East, Africa and South Asia at Inmarsat Aviation, said the latest advancements in satellite technology have “unlocked exciting new opportunities for airlines to enhance their passenger experience, increase their operational efficiencies and grow important new revenue streams.”

Griffin added, “Having the right capabilities in place - from the cabin to the cockpit - is the key to benefitting from everything that a connected aircraft can offer, today and in the future. As the Sky High Economics report has identified, airlines in the Middle East are extremely well positioned to take a lead with the game-changing new trend.”

Inmarsat said it aims to transform the global aviation industry by bringing complete connectivity to every aircraft and flight path in the world. It is the first and only provider with a complete next-generation High-Throughput Satellite (HTS) network spanning the world. Inmarsat also claims to be the only aviation broadband provider capable of connecting the complete aircraft from cabin to cockpit.

Inmarsat's passenger solutions are complemented by its certified safety and operations services. GX Aviation is the world's first global, high-speed in-flight broadband service from a single operator. It allows airline passengers to browse the internet, stream videos, check social media and more during flights, with an on-board connectivity experience on par with mobile broadband services available on the ground.

According to the latest regional appendix to the upcoming Ericsson Mobility Report, the first 5G subscriptions in the Middle East and North Africa region are expected during the period 2020 to 2022, reaching around 17 million subscriptions by 2023.

The Middle East and Africa (MEA) region, which encompasses more than 70 countries, faces extreme market variations in terms of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) maturity, but Ericsson’s Mobility Report nonetheless predicts a region-wide growth in mobile subscriptions from 1.590 million to 2.030 million by the year 2023. Further, the MEA region will witness a nearly five-fold increase in LTE subscriptions, from 190 million to 860 million, in the same timeframe.

Rafiah Ibrahim, Head of Ericsson Middle East and Africa, said: “Total mobile traffic for the region is forecasted to grow by around 49 percent annually between 2017 and 2023. This rapid growth is seeing operators increasingly exploring methods of optimizing their networks with more capacity and coverage. We are supporting operators across the region throughout the different phases of the network evolution enabling best performing networks and differentiated customer experience.”

The MEA region has a young and growing population with a median age of 21 years which, combined with its improving economy and favorable policies, creates potential for continued growth in the uptake of telecom and ICT services.

Particularly in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), which has higher penetration rates of smartphones, mobile traffic, and mobile data traffic compared to Sub-Saharan Africa, operators will be faced with an increasing demand for faster network capability (lower latency and higher data throughput speeds) to deliver better application coverage for more consumers in the coming years.

Across the MEA region, smartphone subscriptions are expected to increase from 670 million to 1.510 million in the next five years, resulting in data traffic per active smartphone multiplying nearly six times over, from 2.2 GB/month to 12 GB/month.

Today, mobile data traffic in the region represents 83 percent of total mobile traffic, and is expected to increase to 98 percent by 2023, bringing it more in line with the global average. This will require operators to come up with efficient strategies differentiated by exceptional user experiences and optimal network performance.

The Mobility Report’s analysis of these factors considered the different strategies operators employ to approach these demands and found that the greatest challenge they face is employing available tools to maximize network utilization without negatively impacting the user experience. Moving forward, operators will need to find the “sweet spot” between the two, where a good user experience is delivered while still allowing significant volumes of traffic through the network.

On the road to 5G and IoT

The Mobility Report also revealed that the Internet of Things (IoT) is facilitating the digital transformation of industries and providing mobile operators in the MEA with opportunities to explore new revenue streams.

Cellular IoT subscriptions in the region are expected to grow from 35 million to 159 million between 2017 and 2023, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of around 30 percent. This will enable operators to explore new digitalization opportunities as the world becomes more connected and industries experience an ICT-driven transformation.

In fact, 5G-enabled industry digitalization revenues for MEA are predicted to at USD 242 billion between 2016 and 2026 – meaning ICT players must adopt and integrate digital technologies into specific industries to generate new revenues.

5G will be an important technology in growing industrial digitalization, and despite IoT being in its infancy in much of the region, there are still examples of how it has already helped improve the livelihood of MEA communities and industries.

These include smart agriculture initiatives in Turkey and Africa, remote monitoring of oil wells and temporary networks in case of disasters in Saudi Arabia, and Narrowband-IoT (NB-IoT) being used to address utilities and smart meters in South Africa. Technologies like 5G and IoT will serve the region’s diverse operator needs by opening up new revenue streams as a result of industry digitization, improving standards of livings in countries across MEA.

Perhaps the most striking and indicative finding of this latest Ericsson Mobility Report for MEA is the fact that, despite being amongst the fewest, LTE connections will show the highest growth rate at 46 percent annually over the next five years.

The report also forecasts that total mobile traffic will continue to rise in both the Middle East and North East Africa, at a compound annual growth rate of 48 percent, driven by higher mobile data traffic and increased penetration of smartphones in the region.

As a result, operators will be faced with increasing demand for faster network capability (low latency and higher data throughput speeds) to deliver better application to enable widespread uptake of the 5G and IoT technologies of the future.

In the face of such widespread technological advancement, operators, governments, and industries are investigating what new opportunities these technologies will bring as the Networked Society comes increasingly closer to reality.

As more devices, sensors, and appliances connect to each other and to the internet, security and sustainability continue to be strengthened and optimized, paving the way for a truly connected world. The resulting technologies will empower people, transform industries, and enable the smart city solutions that will reshape the future in the Middle East and Africa.

Completing five years in the Middle East and North Africa, Facebook opened the doors to its brand new regional headquarters in Dubai on Oct. 27. The 20,000-square-foot space features an open office concept, and showcases regional cultural inspirations through the various designs and artistic cues.

Since launching a local presence in the region in 2012, Facebook has been embraced by users, growing to 164 million monthly active people. With over 60 employees, mostly from the Arab region, Facebook’s office in Dubai acts as a hub.

Over the past five years, Facebook has grown its MENA user base by 264 percent, and now looks to galvanize the digital transformation in the Arab World, collaborating with users and partners to create products and solutions relevant to the region.

The new office houses a strong, purpose-built team, with strong regional experience, that reflects the brand’s mission to give people the power to build communities and bring the world closer together.

Working with companies across a multitude of industries including travel and tourism, finance, media, automotive, FMCG, retail, telecom and start-ups, Facebook has driven both awareness and consideration for global and local brands in the region. Complementing this is the company’s mobile-first strategy as over 156 million users access Facebook on mobile devices every month in MENA.

“This region has embarked on a path of growth and transformation and we aim to be part of it. Our new headquarters is a truly inspiring space, and brings to life the dynamism, creativity and innovative culture of Facebook while reflecting the communities around us,” said Jonathan Labin, Managing Director, Middle East, North Africa and Pakistan at Facebook.

“With its strong business ecosystems, regional connectivity, and access to the best global talent, Dubai and the UAE remain the right place for us to call home in the region,” Labin added. “We are only 1 percent finished in our journey here, and we are excited about what lies ahead in this young, connected, and mobile-first region.”

Facebook’s strong connection to the region is reflected in the Arabic themes used in the new office design, not just limited to quirky meeting room names such as ‘Hommous’, but also with commissioned pieces that blend modern and traditional styles from Emirati artist Eman Al Hashemi, making her the first artist from the Arab world to join Facebook’s Global Artist in Residence program.

Other things to look out for in the office include a maternity room for mothers who choose to bring their children to work, a treadmill desk, and an interfaith room. The office also features an in-house library with a cross-section of publications from global authors. 

Designed by INC Group and JLL MENA, the office includes a bright open floor area to encourage collaboration, a mother’s room, an interfaith room, a majlis, with recreational and quiet rooms. The office also features a private terrace with views of the iconic Palm Jumeirah.

Employees have access to a gaming section or can take selfies in a custom-built Instagram anti-gravity room. For those looking for quiet time, the space features ‘acoustic sofas’ as a quieter location for work as well as meeting rooms that reflect the regional culture and sense of humor, including ‘Three Men and a Habibi’, ‘Shawarma’, and ‘Gone with the Sandstorm’.

Expanding their presence in the region, Facebook aims to build on its work with local and regional Arab content creators like The Saudi Reporters, as well as further create opportunities for entrepreneurs by working directly with businesses to develop bespoke strategies that supports their growth.

The next few years will also see Facebook sustaining the momentum of its global #SheMeansBusiness program, launched earlier this year, in partnership with Emirates Foundation, Sheraa Sharjah and Ahead of the Curve in Egypt which aims to train and inspire women entrepreneurs in the region, and use Facebook and Instagram as platforms to reach and grow their audiences.