Have a look at firms to exhibit at GITEX Technology week

This year’s GITEX Technology Week will bring together the most innovative firms in the 5G arena –Here’s a look ahead at the industry leading companies who will be exhibiting.

The UAE has positioned itself as one of the most progressive and innovative countries in the world when it comes to technology and connectivity. Little surprise then, that 5G – the fifth generation of mobile networks that will revolutionise connectivity across the world – will be playing a starring role at GITEX 2020.

The UAE was the first Arab nation to launch 5G and the fourth in the entire world. Since launching its initial 5G networks last year, the country has kept itself on the cutting edge of network innovation, as it prepares to build out and densify its next generation mobile networks, extending 5G connectivity to millions of consumers.

Ultimately, 5G will provide so much more than turbo charged download speeds for consumers – it will be the bedrock upon which the next generation of connected industries is built. 5G will enable everything from Connected Factory and Industry 4.0 initiatives, to Smart City and Connected Vehicle applications. In short, it has the potential to fundamentally redefine the way that the world’s enterprises do business.

GITEX 2020 will showcase the very latest innovations from the world’s leading 5G players. Here’s a sneak peek at the companies who will be exhibiting at this year’s show.

Etisalat

As the UAE’s biggest telco, Etisalat has been instrumental in securing the country’s reputation as a leading 5G innovator.

It’s been a busy 18 months for Etisalat, since it first switched on its 5G network in May 2019. Since then, the company has been voted the Middle East’s most valuable telco, and named as the world’s fastest mobile network operator in a series of independent speed tests, conducted by Ookla.

Etisalat achieved average download speeds of 115.89 mbps and an overall ranking in Ookla’s ‘Speed Score’ category of 98.78.

Etisalat will be showcasing a host of 5G innovations at this year’s show.

“At Etisalat, we are looking forward to being a part of one of the biggest platforms, giving all visitors and our customers a preview into a digital future made possible by 5G technologies. It’s also a time for all of us to come together to captivate audiences from the region and also globally to witness the future of connectivity, networks and services,” said Dr Ahmed Bin Ali, senior vice president of corporate communications at Etisalat Group.

But how will Etisalat continue to push the boundaries of connectivity in 2021 and beyond? Find out by paying them a visit at GITEX 2020.

Huawei

Huawei has worked with nearly all of the world’s leading telcos in developing, launching and driving down the cost of deploying 5G networks. The Chinese tech giant will have a pivotal role to play, particularly here in the Middle East, as operators look to scale out their initial 5G networks and prepare for the transition to full standalone 5G.

Huawei’s president for the Middle East, Charles Yang, recently reiterated his company’s commitment to 5G in the region – singling it out as a key area of growth and an essential enabler of economic growth in the post Covid 19 era.

“The use cases for 5G are practically unlimited, although certain sectors can stand to benefit more in current circumstances, such as healthcare, education, transportation, and energy, to mention a few,” said Yang.

“But transitioning towards a smarter society, in general, requires strong partnerships between the public and private sectors. The need to develop the 5G ecosystem, including the talent ecosystem, is clearer than ever.”

Huawei will be showcasing the full range of its cutting edge 5G network solutions at this year’s GITEX Tech Week, so be sure to visit their marquis stand for all the latest developments.

Nokia

A recent survey published by Trendforce estimated that Nokia supplied over 22 per cent of all 5G network components across the globe in 2020 – no mean feat! The Finnish network equipment provider will be looking to ramp up that figure in 2021 and has identified the Middle East region as a potential area of growth.

Earlier this year, Nokia signed a new five-year Master Frame Agreement (MFA) with STC, to further strengthen their strategic partnership in the region.

The agreement will streamline the buying process of Nokia’s latest equipment, software and services, and will allow STC Group to ramp up its deployment of cutting edge network technologies such as 5G, Internet of Things (IoT), IP & Optical network technologies, and customer experience management from Nokia’s end-to-end portfolio for mobile and fixed networks.

“We are committed to bringing our technology innovations to STC in an agile manner, and supporting STC Vision to be a world-class digital leader, empowering innovative services and platforms for digital transformation,” said Amr K. El Leithy, SVP of the Middle East and Africa market at Nokia.

Find out what Nokia has planned for 5G in the Middle East by visiting their stand at GITEX 2020.

Red Hat

Following the company’s $34 billion acquisition by Microsoft in 2019, Red Hat has been a key player in helping telcos around the world accelerate their own digitalisation programmes, paving the way for their 5G launches. The open source architecture pioneer has worked closely with a number of operators in the Middle East.

Last month, Red Hat signed a collaboration agreement with Samsung, which will see the pair working closely together to speed up the rollout of 5G networks across the globe, including in the Middle East.

The pair will explore a range of new initiatives, including: Open RAN; Core Virtualisation; Mobile Edge Computing; and Network Cloudification. The pair will work together to develop a range of use cases to support investment in vRAN, vCore, MEC and data analytics to help service providers extend 5G.

“As service providers build 5G networks, they are forming the foundation for the next wave of cross-industry innovation. From helping businesses in their edge computing solutions to ensuring enterprises can successfully deploy their artificial intelligence and machine learning applications, we’re very excited to work with Samsung to bring this Kubernetes-driven solution to help service providers and their customers focus on complex and competitive use cases across the enterprise to every industry,” said Chris Wright, senior vice president and chief technology officer, Red Hat.

Want to find out what Red Hat will be doing in 2021 and beyond? Be sure to stop by their stand at GITEX 2020.

GITEX Tech Week will be a crucial meeting place for international and local stakeholders in the region’s 5G ecosystem. Don’t miss your chance to network with the world’s pre-eminent thought leaders and innovators at this year’s show