Oracle announced a significant expansion of its collaboration with etisalat by e&. In a strategic move to enhance AI capabilities, etisalat by e& intends to deploy NVIDIA H100 GPU clusters within its Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) Dedicated Region, hosted at etisalat by e& Data Centers. This plan aims to facilitate the localization and development of cutting-edge AI services, elevating the standard of offerings across its product portfolio and business operations.As part of its comprehensive transformation initiative initiated last year, etisalat by e& selected OCI Dedicated Region as one of its primary cloud platforms. This decision aligns with the company's goals to streamline and modernize its operations and business support systems, fostering the growth of its digital services portfolio. With the plan of incorporating NVIDIA clusters into its dedicated Oracle cloud region, etisalat by e& will gain access to flexible, high-performance on-premesis computing resources. These resources will be pivotal in the rapid development and integration of new generative AI services into its portfolio over the next two years. Additionally, etisalat by e& will leverage the Oracle cloud platform to infuse AI services into its business applications, enhancing the efficiency of its business and operational processes.The accelerated computing capabilities provided by NVIDIA GPUs, coupled with OCI's AI Infrastructure featuring bare metal and RDMA cluster networking, will provide etisalat by e& with a diverse array of options for AI training. This allows for the agile and scalable development of innovative AI services.Khalid Murshed, Chief Technology and Information Officer (CTIO) at etisalat by e&, remarked, "At etisalat by e&, we are committed to continuous innovation, aiming to co-create value and growth with our customers. AI is becoming increasingly integral to the design and differentiation of our services, as well as the management of our business processes. Oracle Cloud Infrastructure equips us with essential AI capabilities, providing on-premesis computing resources that enable us to discover and develop new AI use-cases swiftly, cost-effectively, and at scale. Also, it will allow us to fine-tune and train our large language models (LLM)"Nick Redshaw, senior vice president – Tech Cloud, Middle East and Africa, and UAE Country Leader at Oracle, said, "Telecom companies are redefining their business models in response to changing customer expectations and expanding market landscapes. etisalat by e& is at the forefront of this transformation, and we are thrilled to bring the power and flexibility of OCI’s AI capabilities to support them in building and delivering the next generation of digital services for consumers and businesses."

Ericsson and etisalat by e& have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore the ways in which Ericsson Cloud RAN solution can support the development of the 5G mobile broadband network of the Communication Service Provider (CSP). The signing ceremony took place during GITEX GLOBAL 2023 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE).Ericsson and etisalat by e& will test Ericsson Cloud RAN solution in the network and identify areas where its introduction would best complement the existing purpose-built radio access network (RAN) infrastructure. They will also examine the potential of the solution to address a variety of 5G deployments and use cases with increased flexibility, faster service delivery and greater scalability.As an initial step, the two partners will conduct a proof of concept (PoC) for the new technology in a lab environment in the UAE.Ericsson Cloud RAN is based on cloud-native principles and open architecture with standardized interfaces that are compatible with the deployed Ericsson Radio System products and solutions, enabling etisalat by e& to evolve its network to its architecture of choice.Marwan Bin Shakar, Senior Vice President Access Network Development, at etisalat by e&, says: “Our innovation-driven alliance with Ericsson aligns with our continued commitment towards leveraging the latest technologies in the telecommunications industry to meet the rapidly evolving needs and high-performance expectations of our customers and enterprises. We look forward to strengthening the capabilities of our 5G network with Ericsson Cloud RAN.”Ekow Nelson, Vice President and Head of Global Customer Unit for e& at Ericsson Middle East and Africa, says: “Today’s collaboration is another step in etisalat by e&’s 5G journey. Ericsson Cloud RAN will enable etisalat by e& to seamlessly evolve towards cloud-native technologies and open network architectures, with the vision that it can deploy cloud-native networks on any site, any cloud, and any server platform.”Ericsson Cloud RAN delivers network capabilities that enable service providers to pursue new business opportunities and diversify 5G use cases.

Abu Dhabi: etisalat by e& today announced the launch of its new tailored business solutions for startup and micro businesses. The innovative solutions have been specifically designed to provide comprehensive services and support for small businesses based on their unique requirements.etisalat by e&'s tailored solution packages offer the best solutions that meet the specific needs of various business categories, with customers having the flexibility to customise their plans by adding additional services and add-ons based on their business requirements.The new solution packages currently feature categories: "Starters," "Micro Retailers," "Café & Kiosks," and "Services/Consultancy," each tailored to specific business types and encompassing a range of industries, with a plan to introduce more.As part of the company's commitment to continuous improvement, there are plans to expand the range of solution categories in the future. The expansion will ensure that businesses from diverse industries have access to tailored support and guidance, further enhancing their chances of success in an ever-evolving marketplace.The main plan includes 4G/5G Internet with unlimited data, a 4G/5G router, a UCaaS voice line, and 100 flexi minutes bundled. Additionally, customers can select from a range of add-ons, such as Microsoft 365, a domain name, an eStore, website design and support, two cameras and a network video recorder (hardware only), payments essential, managed signage, payments premium, VAT registration, and filing, among others.Esam Mahmoud, Senior Vice President, Small & Medium Business, etisalat by e&, said: “At etisalat by e&, our mission is to empower, uplift, and support small and micro businesses by providing a bundle of essential services that cater to their unique needs. Through our carefully crafted packages, we strive to significantly impact the SMB community, becoming the driving force behind their growth and profitability.“Our goal is to become the preferred partner for all business solutions, leading the way in digital transformation, where small businesses can expect more than just connectivity; we provide a comprehensive suite of digital tools and services that enable them to grow, achieve success, and excel.”The tailored solutions for small businesses differ significantly from the existing plans and services offered to SMB customers. These solutions combine the primary services required to start and run a business, providing a convenient and holistic package.Mahmoud added: “Each solution package caters to the specific needs of the different business categories. For example, micro retailers require Internet connectivity, landline communication, payment solutions, and an eStore. They also have the option to choose between CCTV payments or web design and support. Moreover, we offer various mobile packages specifically designed for micro retailers to ensure seamless communication on the go.”etisalat by e& remains committed to supporting small businesses, enabling their growth and success by launching tailored propositions that empower business owners with the tools and services they need to thrive in today's competitive market.

Dubai: Vodafone Group plc, which is 14.6% owned by UAE telecoms company Etisalat, now known as e&, is to cut 11,000 jobs worldwide over the next three years, as it pares back costs to compete with rivals, the UK-based company said on Tuesday.In its full-year earnings report Vodafone Group CEO Margherita Della Valle said the company’s performance had “not been good enough”.The job cuts equate to 12% of the Vodafone’s global workforce of 90,000, and follow an annual profit forecast cut last year, as well as a cost cutting plan of more than 1 billion euros ($1.089 billion) to cope with soaring energy bills and inflation.Della Valle said: “To consistently deliver, Vodafone must change,” adding that the organisation was being simplified, cutting out complexity to regain competitiveness.“We will reallocate resources to deliver the quality service our customers expect,” she said.Statements to Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) last week said e&’s group CEO Hatem Dowidar would join the Vodafone board and remain there as long as the company maintained its current 14.6% stake. The statements added that e& would become a cornerstone shareholder in Vodafone Group plc.e& also said last week that it would jointly explore a series of collaborations with Vodafone, starting with offering cross-border digital services and solutions to multi-national customers, and a range of other services including fixed and mobile connectivity and cloud based services.

etisalat by e& today announced the first commercial deployment of comprehensive 5G Stand-Alone (SA) network in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) for consumers and businesses. This marks a significant improvement over the previous generation of 5G Non Stand Alone (NSA) currently available in the market. etisalat by e& first launched the previous generation of 5G NSA commercially in 2018, which was the first of its kind in the region. With this deployment, etisalat by e& has transitioned from using a 5G radio access network on an existing 4G LTE network to a more advanced 5G network.The latest version of the 5G network will provide customers with access to a dependable nationwide standalone network that can support a wide range of applications. These applications include massive machine-to-machine communication solutions, real-time device-to-device networking, ultra-reliable, low-latency functionality for autonomous devices and next-generation Internet of Things (IoT) devices. Standalone 5G technology offers additional capacity and significantly lower latency, making it essential for innovative use cases such as Industry 4.0, industrial IoT, commercial augmented and virtual reality, and large-scale digital sensing.The etisalat by E& 5G Stand Alone (SA) service is designed to offer a more satisfying and productive user experience. Users can enjoy high-speed broadband connectivity comparable to fibre-optic connections, which provides an enhanced experience for high-demand applications such as 4K video streaming, high-quality music streaming, and cloud gaming. In addition to providing individuals with a more efficient broadband experience, the service can also serve as an alternative broadband option for businesses. By leveraging the advantages of 5G SA Fixed Wireless Access (FWA), companies can improve their operations and customer experience.Khalid Murshed, Chief Technology & Information Officer of etisalat by e&, said: "We are pleased to announce our successful investment in 5G Standalone technology. This is a significant milestone as we look to deliver end-to-end 5G solutions in UAE, providing our customers with the latest digital innovations and superior experience and laying the foundation for new revenue streams. The 5G Standalone network will allow us to offer our customers the latest in high-speed and low-latency connectivity. Our recent collaborations have enabled us to increase the quality of our services, while creating a more reliable and cost-effective experience for our customers. We are proud to be leading the way in 5G technology and are committed to continuing our efforts to provide the best services in the industry."This commercial deployment of a comprehensive 5G Stand-Alone network is based on Service Based Architecture (SBA), including the capability of edge computing, network slicing, 3GPP SA (defining standard for 5G) guided network orchestration and service-based architecture. Launching the 5G Stand-Alone Fixed Wireless Access (5G SA FWA) as the first service will open a new era of commercial use cases with a multi-vendor 5G Dual Mode network to enhance the broadband offering to customers.The technology of 5G SA will enable subscribers to enjoy higher uplink bandwidth with special case scenarios for enterprise applications where uplink throughput is equally important as downlink. In other cases, requiring lower user-traffic latency, it will address critical gaming issues and experience futuristic technologies like Virtual Reality (VR) and cloud gaming. The technology also has high-security levels that utilise best industry practices to maintain a robust network.The solution is further enriched with network exposure, slicing, edge computing and orchestration. Network slicing is a way of virtualising the 5G network, allowing it to be partitioned into multiple, logically isolated networks for different customers based on their needs. It allows for greater efficiency and flexibility in the deployment of 5G networks. Edge computing is a way of bringing computing resources closer to the users, reducing latency and improving the performance of applications. The 5G SA will co-exist efficiently with existing networks using dual-mode 5G core technology.

Nokia has today announced that the company -- in collaboration with Etisalat UAE, branded as etisalat by e& -- demonstrated the fastest passive optical network (PON) speed in the Middle East and Africa region. Nokia Bell Lab’s PON proof of concept (PoC) demonstration achieved speeds up to 100 gigabits per second (Gb/s) on a single wavelength -- four times faster than the most advanced networks available today.In the long-standing partnership between both the technology leaders, they have achieved multiple industry-firsts, including the world’s first single-carrier terabit-per-second field trial, setting optical transmission capacity record over etisalat by e&’s fiber network in the UAE.To achieve 100 Gb/s on a single wavelength, Nokia Bell Labs used pioneering digital signal processing (DSP) techniques. Once advanced DSP is adopted, the steps to 50G and 100G are straightforward and 100G could be commercially available in the 2030s.The Nokia Bell Labs 100G PON prototype is the world’s first application of flexible rate transmission in a PON network. Flexible rate transmission works by grouping fiber modems (ONUs) that exhibit similar physical network characteristics (e.g., loss or dispersion) and makes data transmission more efficient. Using flexible rate transmission results in lower latency on a PON and cuts power consumption in half -- two essential characteristics for fiber networks that have a rapidly growing role in the massive delivery of fixed and mobile broadband services.The PoC is Nokia's most recent industry-first in fiber access, following XGS-PON, TWDM-PON, and 25G PON. 100G PON could be commercially available in the 2030s.Marwan Bin Shakar, Senior Vice President/Access Network Development, etisalat by e& said: “Fiber networks are fast evolving into becoming the backbone of the entire telecommunications sector as they play an important role in delivering any service to any end point, including residences, businesses, and cell sites. As their use case evolves, they must become quicker, smarter, and more cost-effective. We are thrilled to have showcased a working prototype for 100G PON with Nokia. Our partnership with Nokia is a demonstration of our commitment to maximise value for our customers and bring positive change to their lives in the age of digitalisation. Through our partnership, we are looking forward to continuing our efforts in bringing in the best-in-class solutions to our customers and enabling the adoption of innovative technological solutions within the UAE and the region.”Samer Makke, Head of the Customer Team for etisalat by e&, UAE, at Nokia, said: “etisalat by e& is a pioneering operator in the region and we are proud to have demonstrated our industry-first prototype technology with the company. Fiber broadband continues to evolve and will play a critical role in enabling services for enterprise customers, premium consumers, and supporting 5G rollouts. 10G XGS-PON is now mainstream; the first 25G city is a reality; and 50G and 100G are being developed. This just shows the unlimited potential of fiber broadband.”Resources25G PON media gallery: Images and videoFiber for everything webpage. One fiber broadband network, many opportunities

Etisalat UAE, branded etisalat by e&, 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.