The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) organized a virtual tour to Huawei’s Galileo 5G Exhibition, in which several government communication directors and TRA employees took part.
The exhibition provided visitors with an opportunity to explore the potentials of 5G and the future impact of this technology on various sectors. The participants toured the 5G planet, learned about many future trends, and the major role of 5G in driving the digital transformation and accelerating the process of harnessing the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Big Data.
Commenting on this visit, Eng. Saif bin Ghalaita, Executive Director of Technology Development Affairs Department, said: “Every experience that puts us in the future is a useful one for us, especially if it relates to the ICT sector, which is the key driver and incubator of 4IR technologies. The transition to 5G represents a milestone in the course of scientific, economic and knowledge developments at the global level. It is similar in importance to the invention of the steam engine, which was a major reason of the first industrial revolution, and today, thanks to 5G networks, the fourth industrial revolution has become a reality at the heart of many traditional concepts, changing many ways of life, where lifestyles and behaviors associated with transportation, communication and education systems are established; and artificial intelligence strengthened as a major actor in human life, and being embedded in robotic systems and machines that learn from experience, to serve the people of the digital age.”
Bin Ghalaita stressed that 5G networks will constitute the foundation upon which economies of the world are based in the near future, adding: “These technologies will open the doors for thinkers, creators and dreamers to invent new ways that organize aspects of life and bring happiness and well-being to all people.”
On his part, Dr. Nasser Salmeen, Policy Enforcement Director at the TRA, said: “This tour offered a hands-on experience on 5G network potentials, allowing participants to assess these new technologies and their impact on all sectors in the near future. The tour highlighted the broad applicability of these technologies in the UAE, as well as discussing challenges facing such applications and respective solutions.”
Shaimaa Al Hefeiti, TRA Telecom Network Engineer, expressed her joy at partaking in this tour, saying: “Lately, there has been a lot of talk about 5G networks, with many speculations on their impact on different aspects of life. Through this tour, participants learned about potentially useful 5G applications and areas. The tour indicated that 5G networks will be a key factor in service development across various sectors, leading to drastic changes in the many aspects of the working, social and economic life.”
In turn, Eng. Saleh Al Mosabi, Spectrum Services Director at the TRA, pointed out the importance of this virtual visit, adding: “This tour is the first of its kind to an exhibition based in another country. This creative tour introduced participants to the dazzling technologies hosted by the exhibition where, if applied, would serve a wide range of society in education, health, transportation and other vital areas. It has ultimately given participants a full idea about the great positive impact of 5G applications in the future.”
During the exhibition, the solar system was used as a main visual element, reflecting the endless capabilities of 5G. The exhibition used five main planets to represent the main areas of the exhibition, namely Mars (Force) that included a simplified explanation of 5G and its applications; Saturn (Collaboration) that showed the 5G ecosystem prosperity; Jupiter (Evolution) touching on 5G pioneers; Venus (Magnificence) reflecting the role of 5G in achieving a better life, and finally Mercury (Commerce) touching on 5G enablement of different sectors.
The UAE was ranked first in the Arab Region and fourth globally in launching and using 5G networks, according to The Connectivity Index issued by Carphone Warehouse, a leading tech specialist. Additionally, the UAE came third globally in the overall ranking of the 'Most Connected Countries' index (through four pillars: the mobility infrastructure, information technology, global communication, social communication)