UAE to say hello to 5G at World Expo 2020

Dubai - Etisalat pledges to make Expo site 'first, smartest district of the future'.

Dubai is hosting World Expo 2020 and telecom operator etisalat plans to transform the expo site as the "first and smartest district of the future" by putting in place the fifth generation (5G) mobile network.
Dubai is expected to host 25 million visitors during the six-month exhibition, which will be held from October 2020 through April 10, 2021, under the theme "Connecting Minds, Creating the Future".
In November 2013, the UAE won the right to host the World Expo in Dubai in 2020. This will be the first time that the World Expo is staged in the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia.
Etisalat is in discussions with the Expo 2020 office to transform the Expo 2020 site as the first and smartest district of the future, said Ahmad Julfar, chief executive officer of the Etisalat Group.
Equidistant between Abu Dhabi and Dubai, the Expo Dubai site will be serviced by three international airports and a world-class road and transport system to ensure ease of access and seamless operations for both participants and visitors.
The Expo in Dubai deserves a world-class telecom system, which will enhance visitor experience and position the UAE as the best in the world.
Speaking at the GSMA Mobile 360 - Middle East conference on "Building Connected Societies", Julfar said that etisalat has the extensive ICT expertise and digital value proposition to provide end-to-end, scalable and innovative infrastructure that will help achieve the leadership's vision to host the "best Expo that the world has witnessed".
He said that the proposed smart transformation of the Expo 2020 site will build on etisalat's plans to introduce the 5G mobile network in the UAE.
"We are ready to take the big leap into the future of the telecom industry with the UAE becoming the world's first nation to roll out the 5G network," Julfar added.
The UAE has set clearly defined objectives and created a world-class telecom infrastructure that is well ahead of any other country in the region.
"The introduction of the 5G network will significantly enhance the standard of government service delivery and bring unmatched value to industry and the public," he added.
Etisalat's strong geographic footprint with a presence in 19 countries and a subscriber base of over 168 million, as well as the impressive industry-firsts in the UAE, position the company firmly in delivering all the advanced suite of tech-solutions that Expo 2020 demands, said Julfar.
- abdulbasit@khaleejtimes.com