Etisalat – which is now the name for the telecoms business at e& – has signed up Nokia to provide the kit and as such will offer a suite of solutions to businesses in these verticals, including Mobile Edge Computing (MEC), Modular Private Wireless (MPW) and Nokia Digital Automation Cloud (DAC).
In addition, the frame agreement includes Nokia Group Communications with push-to-talk and push-to-video capabilities, as well as Enterprise Voice Core (EVC).
Khalid Murshed, chief technology and information officer at Etisalat UAE, said: “We are committed to supporting the government's vision to accelerate digital transformation of businesses so they can capture emerging opportunities. This collaboration with our long-term partner Nokia is in line with this vision and will provide our customers with best-in-class solutions. 5G private wireless networks will allow them to boost productivity, enhance operational efficiency, and grow revenue while improving customer experience."
To demonstrate these use cases to potential enterprise customers, a 5G private wireless network based on the Nokia DAC platform has been installed at the Etisalat Innovation Centre in the operator’s Abu Dhabi HQ.
Nokia and Etisalat UAE said they will be able to develop 5G-enabled use cases to support digital transformation "and improve operational efficiency across multiple industries with this broad set of solutions".
Rima Manna, VP of Middle East business at Nokia, said: “With more than 75 5G and more than 420 private wireless customers around the world, Nokia offers field-proven technology and expertise in the 5G private wireless networks domain. Etisalat is a leader in innovation, and we look forward to collaborating on this initiative to provide industry-leading solutions to help enterprises across the country on their digital transformation journeys. This partnership will assist Etisalat in increasing revenue while leveraging 5G spectrum and deployment.”
Abu Dhabi is home to a vast manufacturing and logistics sector, huge parts of which are located at Kizad, the Khalifa Industrial Zone. Developed by Abu Dhabi Ports Company it is two thirds the size of Singapore.
Across the UAE, a number of digitalisation-related strategies have been announced including Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development's Smart Manufacturing Project in October.
Earlier the same month the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology announced an Industry 4.0 strategy to " transform UAE's industrial base into a globally competitive, productive and sustainable sector at the cutting-edge of the Fourth Industrial Revolution".
